Repost from an online virtual running competition. I would blow this performance away the following year and pick up a nagging knee injury three weeks into a grueling and insane attempt to run a rural railroad track marathon in a blizzard with 11 days to go in a virtual race. I would learn to construct a breathing tube to wear under a layer of clothing in order to maintain competitive VO2 in temperatures 5-15 C/ 10 – 30 F below freezing. BTW I never tried little heating packets. I had used a snorkel tube, knife, and a blow torch to shape and flute a kid’s scuba snorkel breathing tube, and it worked well enough. Eventually, I learned to find the sweet spot where I was running but not sweating. I wore layers in extremities to protect hands and feet. Sleeves on arms, extra gloves on and off as needed on the hills. Very peaceful experiences. I would still shed ice, but it would not be as much.
I ran a few ultras. I learned a lot about the human body running between 2009 and 2016. If I post a 5K run anytime soon, know that it was difficult again.
I may run again if my schedule changes. I may even get my kidney back.
Fifty State Banana 