Week Two Winner: Andrew Crow of Kutztown, PA

Andrew Crow of Kutztown, PA is the winner of Week Two’s “Guest Karl’s Hours” contest. He was within two minutes of Karl’s running time for Day 13.

The diagnosis

Karl spent the morning at the hospital in Bennington. The worry was that his pain was due to a stress fracture or blood clots. Both very bad. Neither was the case. It turns out that the rain in Maine had more of an effect on Karl than just slowing his pace. Three hundred miles with wet feet on waterfall trails resulted in a nasty case of trench foot, also known as hyperhydrosis or "immersion foot." Essentially, the skin on his feet is rotting. Nice.

(Karl, Jonny and Cheryl are all super stoked on the smell that happens to be associated with this ailment.)

As we have been saying, his favoring his foot to alleviate the pain caused a stress injury in his left anterior tibialis. As of this morning, he has officially been diagnosed with tendonitis.

Karl will be fine. He has the meds he needs to treat the trench foot and the tendonitis. He is still icing and elevating. And eating and sleeping.

"The diagnosis is positive," Karl said. "It will take a few days for the inflammation to come down, but it could have been worse, and I am looking forward to getting back out there."

Maybe as soon as tomorrow. He will gauge how he's feeling and do what he needs to do.

Karl and the crew are in the RV, headed back out to the trail where he left off on Day 14. They will camp for the third night at VT 11/30 so if Karl can get started again in the morning, they will be right near the trail where they need to be.

Karl asked me to pass along his total appreciation for the tons of love and support that you all have shared with him over these past few really hard days, and since the beginning of this adventure. Your words and pictures and emails really do mean a lot and have helped him stay positive.

Plus, from what I've heard, Jonny A has been throwin' down with some rad breakdance moves for Karl and Cheryl. It's always good to have Jonny around when you can use a laugh. That guy is the best. Thanks to Jonny and Cheryl, Karl's in great hands.

One of us will post again in the morning to let you all know if Karl's out there again – if not running, then walking.

He is not quitting.

He is going to finish what he has begun.

Photo: Karl's foot, by Jonny Atencio.

Trying to find a doctor

Well as much as Karl wanted to wake up this morning and hit the trail, its just not going to happen today.  We came down from VT11/30 into Manchester to try and find a doctor, but didn't have much luck at the clinic.  They referred us to Bennington, VT where we could go to an emergency room for X-rays.  I am out in the parking lot giving you all the latest. 

Karl is still optimistic and still feels that if it is not a stress fracture that he can make up the time.  But also the discussion of just finishing the trail has taken place as well.  I can't speak for Karl, but for sure we are here with him to the end.  If you know Karl like I know him, you know we'll be seeing him get back on the trail soon.  I'll post back as soon as I hear more info from the ER.

Jonny

It's not over yet.

Hi, everyone.

First of all, thanks so much for your support and for following along on this journey. I really appreciate it.

My decision to take a rest day today was beyond my control.  A few days ago, I somehow contracted poison ivy on my toes, primarily on my left foot.  I have no idea how I got it, it just happened.  As I was running down Killington Peak, my toes were swollen to the max and I had to flex my anterior tibialis to control pain as my toes were being jammed into the front of my shoes. 

What I think happened is simply this:  The extra compensation I was using to keep my feet from killing me stressed the AT (funny how that acronym is the same as the Appalachian Trail).  My theory is that this caused stress and inflammation. With inflammation comes pain and a very stiff muscle.  What was kind of weird is that running downhill was OK, but gradual uphill climbing was really slowing me down.  Every climb I went up it got a little worse.  Then on the final descent, it was so painful. I just walked the last 6 miles.  Knowing it was a real problem, the only thing I could do is go slow and, when I was done for the day, get some ice on it.  I did that first, then called the doc and went from there. 

I have had many small injuries like this where inflammation messes everything up.  All I can hope for now is to hang out and hope the drugs and ice baths work to take down the swelling.  I’m gonna give it a few days and see if I can continue.  I will not quit now, as “quit” is not in my vocabulary.  Staying positive is the hard part.  The biggest bummer is my legs feel fresh and ready to actually start running on the faster trails ahead. 

I’ll post an update in the morning. if I don’t, consider that a good thing.  It would mean I am back on the trail. 

The record:  My top priority is getting better and getting back out there.  Honestly, after today I would only be 40 miles behind, which in reality, is recoverable.  Two days back would be tough, but as I always have said in the past, “records come on special days.”

Again, thanks so much for the support from everyone watching, even those who have said from the start that I could not do this. I can do this. And if I don’t succeed this time, I’ll be back to give it another try.
 
Tune in tomorrow to find where I am – somewhere in the beautiful state of Vermont!

Rest day

Karl was worried that you all were spending too much time at whereskarl.com during the work day and that your bosses may not take too kindly to that fact. So he’s taking the day off to help increase your productivity for the next 24 hours. It’s an impromptu Bosses Day of sorts. Get lots done, start a few new projects, buy your boss a six-pack (or chocolate) and make sure all’s well on the work front.  Then you can come back and watch the attempt again without guilt tomorrow.

Ok, for real, it is a rest day for Karl. An unplanned rest day. Jonny mentioned yesterday that Karl was having issues with his tib and that they were going to try to get in touch with Karl’s docs in Utah. They spoke. Karl and his docs recognize that his current issues in his left anterior tibialis are a direct result of his changing his stride to compensate for the pain in his toe due to the blister he’s been nursing since Day 3. (That’s 416 miles and 11 days of running “wrong” – and that takes a toll). He’s been icing and elevating since he logged in his 38 yesterday. He woke this morning with the clear message from his bones that running 50 on them today would be a bad idea. Since it’s still relatively early in this attempt and he’s confident that he can make up lost time in the coming mid-Atlantic states, he’s opting to rest and nurse his injury today and hit the trail running again first thing in the morning.

Day in the life of....

Recovery?

We got another great question today. This time from Sue in Utah:

"Hey, was wondering how Karl recovers day after day after day? Does he stretch? Or just eat, shower and go to bed?

Day 14 - Geno, the Brit, the ditch, and coffee cake

So after Karl was on the trail yesterday for nearly 15 hours, we decided to hunker down where the trail crosses Upper Cold River Road in Shrewsbury, VT.  The RV parking was, to say the least, not primo, but we decided it was best to make due, versus driving around trying to find a place to park.  Some very kind folks who were walking by stopped by to say hi, then disappeared up the road.  I headed down the road to the brook to wash Karl’s La Sportiva’s that were very very stanky and caked in mud.  As I was headed back, the gentleman that we meet early was walking down the road to meet me, he offered a flat spot for us to park up the hill at their place.  I walked up to check it out, and we both seemed to think that the RV could make the dip off the road, and negotiate the small hill to the soon-to-be horse arena.

Round Beard Tally and Status Update

It's Day 14 on the trail. Karl's in the midst of yet another 50 plus-mile day. While we all wait for the full download from Jonny A on how Karl's feeling physically and emotionally; his thoughts on how he's doing against his itinerary and goal; how he's dealing with the POISON IVY ON HIS FEET; and how the rig got stuck and then unstuck in a goopy mud mire (i.e. all the really important stuff that's been happening out there), here are the updated beard stats:

Karl's round beard status: upgraded from Velcro to Brillo Pad

Karl's round beard tally: 104

Number of round beards in the Beard Posse (sent in by you to show your support): 46

Counting beards is just one thing Karl does while he's out there running to pass the time. Just a little mental game. And he really does give us the beard tally every night when he's downloading other stats like mileage, time, vert, etc. Sometimes its the little things that make you smile that help you keep the stoke.

Quick Update Day 14

Sorry about the lack of posts, its been a lot of crewing and not much time to track down internet. We are currently in Manchester, VT, getting ready to drive up to Mad Tom Notch to meet up with Karl. This would put him at around 32.3 miles for the day. Karl is hoping to get down to Stratton and Arlington road tonight, which would be about 55 miles. We have a four car convoy rolling now. Cheryl's Mother, Karl's parents and Geno (Karl's High School buddy who ran the first 20 miles this am with him) are all with us now.