7 at States Feb Update

Well, I’m back to running. It’s not much but it’s pain free. I hope to get back to some serious trail runs in March.

The biggest news from February was my shoes: I totally changed from a Hoka man back to an Altra man. I have to say that this switch definitely played some role in my knee feeling better.

Wearing the Altra Timp 2 for all my runs, I felt an immediate change in my stride. I land differently in the Altras, and that change has helped my knee. (2 years ago I switched from Altra to Hoka because of Plantar Fascia issues I blamed on the Lone Peak 4.)

By no means do I think I’m “out of the woods.” Every run I still worry about my knee. I have avoided steep downhills—a practice I can’t keep up much longer. I ran 100miles in the Speedgoat 3 and 27hours in the Speedgoat 4, but I’m not sure if I can run 100 miles in the Timp 3. (3 replaces the 2 very soon.)

I’m not sure I won’t switch back to Hokas for the big dance…but every day that goes by it seems less likely. I will redo my Shoes at States list in April because right now that prediction isn’t looking good.

The fact that I’ve had to worry about whether or not I’ll be able to run 1 mile—let alone 100—has distracted me from the Big Question: will Western States be cancelled by the pandemic again?!

Registered runners received a nice email from the RD that was very optimistic! I have the idea in my head that if The Canyons 100k can go off successfully, then there’s a great chance Western States will too. Canyons is 2 months prior to States and uses the Western States Trail as well, starting and finishing in Forest Hill (which is the 62 mile mark of the WS100).

More Western States content on the way as (hopefully) my training kicks into high gear now that it is March!!

#7atStates

#seeyouatstates