Today was the day that really made us take a look at our mission and ourselfs and were forced to recommit ourselfs over and over and over again.The running day started with Bruce dropping us off at the same spot they picked us up the night before. Dealing with our own personal demons like blisters, hot-spots, aches, pains, soreness, and stiffness we settled into a slow pace into a steady headwind. We battled that headwind until the 18 mile mark of the run; at the point the sun came out and the wind dropped off considerably.
Roughly 20 miles into the run KVEN Black Hills Fox News pulled and and did an interview. Brendan also unloaded some of his cart at this point put I will let him talk more about that in his post.
The pace was slow today as the tone for the day was differant than it has been yet on the journey. From start to finish the run lasted 10 hours! We both struggleed with some feet issues, hot-spots, blisters, aches, pains, and other foot nasties that come from covering 160 miles in 5 days. Nothing big its important to take care of them now while they are little issues before they become big issues.
Just for people to know; we are checking our emails that are sent to nolantaylor@pocketmail.com as often as possible and doing our best to email back to everyone who writes. We are also checking the guestbook often and having fun ready the posts from everyone all over the place! After a long day like today it sure is nice to read all the emails and postings that came in while we were running. It's really exciting for Brendan and I to know that people are actually watching the website and the journey and watching our progress across the state. Chemo Is HAader is starting to reach a pretty large crowd and that is a thrill for both of us! It's a lot of work updating the journal every night but it's totally worth it when we know people are enjoying it.
As rough as today was, we will wake up and and do it all over again in the AM...after all...chemo has GOT to be harder!
Thanks for watching,
Nolan~
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Hey Everyone!
It is really hard to describe what the heck happened today...Started out with 25-30 mph headwinds, cold, nasty and downright demoralizing.
We had been going so strong and doing relatively well as far as injuries and attitude, but today was probably my hardest and most challenging day of running---EVER. I started out with a nasty foot thing from the onset, and I somehow pulled it together over 36 miles of just gutting it out. What else can I do...I have no other option- cause quitting is not an option.
My cart (Chuck) decided to become a jerk today and he decided to start making funny noises. Actually, it is very concerning, and so I called my Brother-In-Law, Dave Trautman (Traut-dog) and he saved my bacon today. He made a few calls and Don Kraemer came out in his miny van (you may have caught that on KEVN tonight...hopefully not!) Thanks Don for helping me out!!
Anyway, Chuck had gained a lot of weight lately (75 lbs) and decided he was not going to go on a diet like Nolan's BoB. Since he decided not to listen to me, I then had to spring into action and downloaded (put Chuck through an immediate crash course diet) his gear. Even though he still makes noises, he is much better off with the diet!
Nolan said it earlier about all of our issues that we encountered today, but he failed to mention that I now have a new nickname for him: "Six Toes"...that's because one of his blisters was so big, I thought when he took off his sock that he was maybe born "special", but it proved to be a Monster Blister that basically looked like a 6th toe.
Strolling into Isabel was such a bitter sweet moment! 36 miles is no joke after walking every mile on blisters, stopping to pop them, hit the road again, stop to pop them again, and do the drill over again. We were tested today- But, just when you think you are down and things get tough, don't give up. We didn't, but don't think for a minute that crawling into a ditch and laying down for the rest of the day didn't cross my mind (many times).
What's crazy about all of this, is 31 miles into the run, I turned on "Move Along" by the All American Rejects (google the lyrics---they keep me going when things get rough) and I was all of a sudden rockin' out a 8 min. pace (on my painfully nasty blisters)!! All you have to do is find your pick-me-up when things don't look so bright. You have to dig deep sometimes...and it all works out.
Gotta go to bed. Just hoping that tomorrow will be better for us both.
Take care and stay tuned!!
Brendan~
"Live every day as though it was your last"
"Live every day as though it was your last"
