No Run Race Report

Well, I missed a second race in as many months. First it was the Barefoot 5k at Pineland and now the Tarc 50 miler. Who died and left father time in charge of my life anyway? I don't like missing races (though missing the 50miler was probably a good thing)

 It's actually amazing that I finished the Pineland 25k because it was my only run in two weeks prior to the race. Since then I have run twice......once a week for 6 miles each. Not what one would call training and surely I can't expect to run races in any respectable way without getting in some quality runs.

Of course, excuses are a dime a dozen and I can make a list that would look pretty respectable .....but that doesn't change the fact that my brain and body are having extreme withdrawals. I need at least a couple runs a week and would prefer a minimum of four.

 There is light at the end of the tunnel and within a few weeks I will have more time ( I think). You see I did a crazy thing ( at least for someone of my age) I resigned from my job of 20 years. I have given up the security and certainty to start a business of my own.

Right now I am in transition so actually still working out my notice and trying to run the new business at the same time. A couple more weeks and my life will be changing drastically. Yes I will have the chance to run more but I might be running as a hobo if things don't go well financially.

It seems my life has always been a toggle switch between feast and famine.....get ready for the switch.

Run report;  Sunday  6 miles at Bradbury 1:05:20  I expected it to be a lot slower. The run was fantastic. Even at 6am the sun was peaking through the trees and the air was clean and crisp....I loved it.

I've Been Running.....Honest

 OK....I actually have been running but for some reason can't get much done as far as writing about it.
I am not even sure where I left off.

April 13th I showed up for the Merrimack Riva 10 miler with very low expectations. I was not what one would say "tuned up" or even semi trained. All because of low running volume in the last month or so.

Last year I ran a great race race here and finished quite strong with a 1:36  (1:35:53). This year I am a little bit lighter (about 4 lbs) but have not had many long runs so I felt I would be OK with at least a 1:40, but kinda dreamed about having a fantastic above normal race and somehow beat last years time.

At the start I hung back a bit and felt my best chance to feel OK at the end was to be very conservative. My son ran with me and we had an easy first 3-4 miles with plenty of time and energy to talk up a storm about everything and anything.

I was passed by at least 30 runners and honestly with my low expectations, it didn't really bother me at all. I thought perhaps after the middle miles with all the hills were behind me, I would try to pick things up and actually race the last three easy miles of the race.

The first 5 miles felt very easy and manageable so it was quite a surprise to see my turn around split was the same as last year.......(48min) WHF?? How did I accomplish that? After the turn around my son mentioned that I was on pace to PR if I could maintain my current pace and pull off a speedy last mile.

 HMMNNN.....My first thought was, perhaps I could pull of a PR after all. My second thought was the possibility ...no probability of falling apart on the return trip. It was too late to change my mind set now...why did my son have to mention it, now I had no choice.

He helped by monitoring my pace and taking the lead in miles 6 and 7 to keep me going on the down hills. Yes you read that right, I was fine on the uphills but too conservative on the downs. Not enough crazy let it all hang out downhill training yet.

He was a great rabbit and by the mile 7 hill I passed him and felt good enough to pick it up even more. I passed more runners on the way back than passed me on the way out. I was screaming by packs of runners and feeling really strong.

Mile 9  came and I knew for sure I was going to PR. It was pretty exciting because I pretty much discounted this race as a race and was considering it just an organized jog. I picked the pace up even more and crossed the finish line at 1:31:01 (43 min on the return)

Just about a 5 minute PR, who would have thought? I was the fastest Trail Monster of the race, and the only one......well that makes me the slowest Trail Monster in the race also.

Needless to say, it was a happy day.

April 17th,  ran my second run at Pineland as they finally lifted the trail ban. I decided to do the barefoot 5K course ....barefoot. I knew I needed some foot toughening work before the 5K and there were only a few weeks left.

I struggled a bit on the rocky and gravely sections. Though isolated, I hit some pretty painful spots.
Most of the terrain was not bad but I did run a lot slower than the day before (I wore shoes then) and I ended with some painful feet.

I was glad know that I could finish a 5K barefoot but at the same time I definitely need to get some more work in before the race. My time was an extremely slow 32 minutes.....ouch physically and mentally.

April 23rd, first track practice. went good but was quite cold. I surprised myself with an relatively easy 7:05 mile time trial. Then we did 10K and 5K 800s.  I am happy to report, I felt great and I didn't push myself to the brink of injury ( which was normal for me in the past)

I think I finally have the right mindset for track and for now will plan on continuing as long as I don't get carried away.

Of course I had runs in between these events but there were less eventfull.
So far I feel this is going to be a good year.

I promise Not To Complain About Running ---and my lack of it!

Did you ever have one of those runs that was just plain perfect? I don't mean in the training sense where certain goals are hit and the pace or distance was more than expected, I mean just plain Zen like.

Well I had one of those yesterday. I hit Bradbury not knowing what to expect because of the no run week, the sore left calf and the probability of ice.

I decided to hit the mountain with no expectations and no real goal --other than get in a much needed run. Not  just because I haven't run all week but more because I needed a good stress relief and to connect with nature.

I was a little worried about the calf but was pretty sure it was more speed related and if I just take it easy I would be fine. Turns out I was right about that and though I could feel it, it never shut me down like last Sunday at back bay.

I expected a lot of snow and ice but found other than the hill on the boundary trail, it was pretty good going. I ran the perimeter and threw in Lunch break hill. I was surprised how comfortable I felt and the hills didn't really bother at all.

I hit many good spots of snow less trail and it felt great. I think I smiled the whole run and when I finished ........well I just plain felt great....I love spring!

OH.....and I got into the BtoB through the lottery system....who would have thought...I never win anything!!

5.2 miles @1:04:03  (12:19 pace)

Getting excited about Spring

OK.......getting spring fever and have been signing up for races in anticipation of it, but am pretty disappointed I couldn't get into Beach to Beacon. Started at 7am sharp and somehow I got beat by 4000 people. I did get into the Lottery though......so it could happen.

Also signed up for the Bradbury Badass trail series,  Merrimack 10 miler,  LL bean 10K,  Pineland barefoot 5K,  Pineland 25k and the new Tarc Fifty miler, pretty excited about this night race but not sure if I will make it fifty miles. I suspect Jedi will offer to carry me so I have that option if things don't go well.

As far as the training is going, I am still struggling with my schedule. I have not been able to find adequate time to get the runs in that I want. Luckily I have not been on a regular training schedule yet as I am trying to work on base through the winter, but now that it is March, I better get going.

I have been finding creative ways to squeeze in the runs. Saturday it was an early morning road run where I pushed a much faster pace to work harder in a shorter period of time. A trail run would have been preferable but I had commitments.

Sunday I had planned an early morning run similar to Saturday but the morning fell completely apart. I did a lot of running around during the day and glad I thought ahead and brought my running gear with me. I found a window of opportunity in the afternoon and stopped at Bradbury for a nice trail run.

I ran the connector at Bradbury and found there was much more ice than I figured so not having screw shoes, the going was a bit slow at times. I almost fell twice but somehow was able to keep control.

There were a lot of deer tracks which is quite common but after the second bridge I came across some very large tracks that could only have been made by a moose. The concept of running into a Moose was intriguing yet also a bit discomforting as they are so unpredictable.

I didn't end up seeing  any animals but did come across quite a few family groups on the mountain trails......was it secretly family day at Bradbury?

Anyway, I hope to ramp things up in the next couple weeks and start my actually training schedule.

Saturday
road run  8 miles @1:08:42 (8:39 pace)

Sunday
trail run 6.4 miles @1:24:34 (13:19 pace)

Indications of Spring

I know it is close to spring when I plan a run after work and end up bringing four shoe choices because I have no idea what the conditions will be. It doesn't help that I have not even decided where I am running.....it all depends on the day and how things go.

 I have my screws shoes in case things freeze up and I suspect ice, I have the inov 8 212s if things are not icy and I run the trails at Bradbury, I have the brooks Casscadias in the slight chance that I make it to back bay and I have the New balance minimus because it could be wet, muddy and I may want to run light and sock less.

 I really need spring this year, I have had a lackluster winter with very little trail running and quite honestly more excuses than a teenager (though  there have been many justified ones). The few times I have made it out there, I loved every minute of it....problem was getting out there.

 I am waiting for an "a-ha" moment when the fog lifts and I finally discover how to make my schedule and the demands of others work in my favor. I think the freshness of spring will help me....also bringing longer days.

I ran at Bradbury Tuesday night and though the run felt good, the trail conditions were not all that great. It seemed to be a chore to negotiate the soft melting snowmobile trail. I spent much of the time thinking about normal trails with no snow and how nice it would be.

 I need to get out of this funk and spring seems like the perfect catalyst.  I am totally done with winter......

Tuesday run

5.7 trail miles @1:02:41 (11:05 pace)

Splits:
11:40
12:02
10:37
10:40
11:27
10:05
  9:52

Finally! accomplished a Run

Photo......where's the trail?


Lately I have been procrastinating my way through the week and then falling short for weekend runs. It seems like everything works against me this time of year. Last weekend, the big snow interfered with my snow shoe race. It was sort of a catch 22.......snow...great for the race Sunday....heavy snow, plowing Saturday and work spills over to Sunday...no race for me.

So.....last weekend was a no run situation.  This weekend I had to force the issue and make the runs happen. Finally hit Bradbury at 7am and decided to do a couple hours of running. original plan was to run the connector and return the BL loop which is about 8 miles.

The run started out fantastic with a light snow falling and a very tranquil air. Wore the screw shoes and pretty Glad I did.  A couple miles out, I found not much evidence of traffic and after the bridge, no trail.

I somehow lost the trail twice and ended up bushwhacking for about 45 minutes. I found the trail and then lost it again. The plus was that my tracks were the only ones out there so if I had to backtrack I could .......so feeling lost but good to know I could get back. I crossed my own trail three times which means I was not going straight even though I felt like I was.

I got my two hours in but never made it past the power lines. All and all though it was still a very nice run. I logged about 7.5 miles and still had time left in the day to get some work done.

Sunday morning was a planned easier run on the road, so I could get the run in but still recoup from yesterdays difficult bushwhacking. The wind was crazy and at times it felt like I was not moving when running into it. Accomplished my planned 6 miles.

Finally a weekend that worked as planned (except for the bushwacking).

Sat
7.5 mile @2:00  Trail (no trail) at Bradbury (16:00 pace)

Sun
6.04 miles @ 59:09 (9:48 pace)

What Was I Thinking?

 When I signed up for the cape 10 miler, I really planned on being in tip top running shape so I could breeze through the course like a madman.

 That is not what happened on Sunday, yet I really can't complain about my performance. I have been averaging about 8 miles week for the last two months with my longest training run being 8 miles....of course that means some of those weeks were only one run.

 Because of the lack of running and training, I decided to just run (jog) the course and if I felt really good perhaps get down to 9:30-9:45 pace. I didn't really see much chance of that happening but I lied to everyone and claimed I felt 9:30 would be reachable.

On the two 8 mile runs I did in the preceding weeks of the race, I did average about 9:10s but that was on a much easier terrain than this course. There something about the last two miles that sucks the life right out of me.

I wore my new garmen and was quite surprised to see the first three miles actually have a rolling terrain that is more than the last three miles. So, really the beginning of this course is more difficult.....if you don't add in the head wind that has been there every time I run this race.

I must also mention that the last 1/4 mile of this race is fantastic and I always feel like I am flying on that down hill finish. I like being the guy that powers past a few people near the finish line.

I was pleasantly surprised with my performance as I pulled off an average 9:14 pace  and even though it was no where near a PR for me at this race, it was a full minute faster than the last time I ran it TRAINED........so a pretty big deal for me.

 Looking at the stats of my meager training and factoring the injuries from November and December,
I have to assume I still have a pretty good base of fitness from the trail running last fall. I am pretty stoked about this and hope it transforms into a stellar year for me......I guess we will see.

Mid Winter Ten Mile Classic...........10 miles, 1:32:14 (9:14 pace)

Squall Crispies race Report

Honestly, I was a bit worried about the snow shoe race at Bradbury. I would surely not be racing and actually would be happy just to finish. I ran in snowshoes only once this year, a couple weeks ago and experienced a very painful left ankle and archilles.

 I am not sure if I did something while running.....no memory of twisting it ......but the next day it was swollen, black and blue, and very painful. I suspect it was more the aftermath of the snowboarding incident, or possibly the zero rise runners I wore with the snowshoes, but not really sure.

 The ankle plus the fact that I have only been getting in about 6-8 miles a week (on the road) for the last month and a half, would affect my capabilities at this race .....and running 8 miles on Saturday might leave me with pretty dead legs.

 Was there anything positive to say for this first snowshoe race of  the year? Actually, yes. The conditions were pretty good, the weather was darn near perfect, it was the normal great group of runners and the Trail Monsters (including volunteers) put on such a fantastic race.

 I arrived about an hour early and tried a short half mile run on the shoes to see how thing would feel.
The left archilles felt very tight and the last thing I wanted to do was injure it. So my battle plan was pretty simple, this would just be an easy showshoe jog with little expectations and I would pay close attention to the archilles......aborting the race was surely an option.

I lined up somewhere near the back and settled on four goals........start slow and give myself time to warm up. Keep the heart rate around 80-85% max, run the whole way and finish strong. Though these goals sounded awful good in my imagination, I suspected they would fall apart fast and the realization of how out of (running)  shape I was would hit me in the first mile.

Ryan said some funny stuff (as usual) and we were off.......I settled in to a spot after the turn onto single track behind a couple other runners and actually was feeling pretty good. I passed a few runners early and was not passed by too many in the first mile ( maybe three or four).

  The second mile was more of a steady slight climb and though I slowed some, I managed to pass three runners without pushing the heart rate past 85%.  After mile 1.5, I had no issues or scares from runners behind me and my pace keep getting faster.

 I was a bit worried in mile three that I would hit a wall, but it just never happened and I was able to really pick up the pace in the last half mile of the race. I finished strong to surprisingly reach all of my prerace goals.

 I am not sure what happened here because dispite the fact that it felt like I was running with sandbags on my feet, My body just never gave in. It doesnt make sense because I was not trained or race ready at all.......but I had a fantastic race.....go figure.

3.5 miles @44:37  (12:45 pace)
39 th place 

14:08.....147-157
14:28.....152-157
13:11.....155-158
11:31.....159-167

I Am My Own Worst Enemy

I haven't been running now for almost two weeks. Crazy that I have slipped this far. I have excuses and I can explain......but it doesn't sit well with my running and racing plans this winter.

Last week was full of interference but I was not too worried because I had a very long run panned for Sunday that would make up for it. You see Saturday was a planned trip to Peaks Island and our Christmas party with My oldest daughter.

 To our delight, there was snow on the ground and was snowing during the afternoon. We had planned an odd event of bungee sledding. Basically we had this large rubber bungee style rope and the plan was to tie one end to a tree and have three or four able bodied people pull back as far as we could while the sledder or snowboarder held on tight.

Let go of the bungee and the sledder would get a powered jump start for the hill and thus much more enjoyment.  Well the fresh snow was just not slippery enough and it did not work well at all. We decided the only thing left to do rather than abort the idea was to tow the sledder or snowboarder behind a car  (did I mention there was some drinking involved?)

 In the name of safety I thought it would not be smart to tie the bungee to the rear of the car because if the end got caught or if the sledder got into trouble, someone could get hurt. So instead the rear hatch was left open and a person sat in the rear holding onto the bungee rope. The idea was to let go of the rope if the person fell or got into trouble.

I was the first to sit in the back and holding the rope. I found that I had enough strength to hold on as long as I wedged my feet on the left and right side of the car body. This system worked well for one person and also worked well for two, but when we tried towing three or more, it was hard on the hands to hold on.

 So what I did was wrap the end of the rope around my arm first and use my body to help support. This worked well and I was able to let go when needed ........well all except for one time. This time we had four people, one on snowboard , two on sleds and one one his back.

They got tangled up and went into the snowbank, the bungee got caught (exactly what I was worried about and why we didn't tie it to the car bumper) Problem is the bungee was so tight by the time I tried to let go, it became caught around my body.

You can see where this is going right?  The bungee became dislodged and instantly came toward the rear of the car at an incredible speed. If you can picture a man sitting in the rear of a car with both legs spread to lock the feet into the sides of the rear, you can imagine how vulnerable that guy might be......

 The rope and handle hit my left leg from the knee to the groin and my right inner thigh just above the knee. My first thought was that this was not as safe as I first envisioned, my second was ow!! The thud and crack sounds were so loud, I thought for sure some thing was broken. I was able to get out of the car and walk so a bit of a relief. It sure did hurt though.
Consequently I have some pretty good bruises and didn't get my long run in on Sunday.

All week I have been hoping things heal up a bit to allow a run this weekend. The left knee became more painful as the swelling subsided and actually is more sore now than it was the first three days.
My hope is to try a run on Saturday ......I am cautiously optimistic

Was there a lesson to be learned here?  Well not really, sometimes people do dangerous things in the name of fun and sometimes it doesn't go so well ......it comes with the territory. Your only guarrantee not to get hurt is to sit on the couch all day and don't move.

Trail Running-----Again

Sunday morning up early for my weekly road run (as of late) but decided to head to the Brad and see how the knee handles the trails. Ran 6 miles with absolutely no issues ....other then the usual garmen reading incorrectly.

I arrived with the intent of parking outside the gate because it was so early but the gate was open. I assumed someone must already be running. There were no vehicles in the lot at all so at least I didn't have to fight for a parking spot. I wasted no time to hit the trails as I was quite anxious. It felt fantastic to be running on trails and what better place than Bradbury.

I figured 6 miles would be a perfect distance for starters and really only had about an hour window anyway. When I arrived back at the parking lot, there were two cars there and I  was pretty sure one of them was Vals. I suspected they must have run the connector or something on the west side.

 As usual around the holidays, I eat way too much, don't get much for runs in and in essence lose focus on my training. I don't get too worried though as I will get cracking the whip after Christmas
I love the holidays but at the same time can't wait for the pace to slow a bit and get back to normal.

 The knee issues have slowed me down more than normal and for the first time in three years I will not pass the 1000 mile mark. Though discouraging, I think I handled the injury fairly well and surely will be glad I took it easy rather than pushing through it.

Great Run!!!

 My planned 8 miler Saturday morning went relatively fast, not sure if I was really feeling that good or excited about getting back for the fun day of Grandaughter feastivities.  We had both over for the day and a sleep over. They helped decorate the tree, we watched the northern light show at beans (twice) bought them presents ......(yeah I know, too close to Christmas)  and played.

The 8 mile route I run, I call my money loop. It is the one I use when I trainned for most of my short to mid distance races. The run is a very good mixture of small hills, one long hill and light traffic flow and if need be, I can add in a very long steep hill that adds another mile.

I felt good and had no knee pain what so ever...yeah

8 miles @1:12:28  (9:04 pace)


pace.......heart rate
8:44.......144-168
9:07.......142-151 (small hills)
9:09.......146-156
9:16.......146-150
9:26.......147-153 (not sure what happened here, it was flat)
9:05.......152-163 (start of mile long hill)
9:25.......157-161 (still long hill)
8:44.......156-166 (strong finish but chose not to kick)

A Sugar Coated DNF

  As more Time passes since Stone Cat 2012, the feeling of cop-out has become much stronger .  Though I rationalized my finish there to be a grand  marathon PR, the truth is that it was also my first real DNF.

 I have been known to rave about how there is no quit in me, yet on that day, I did consciously quit and it is not a good feeling to contend with. I am happy with my marathon time but at the same time accept the DNF for the 50 miler.

 It is easy a month later to look back and "feel" like I could have and should have continued. Perhaps I could have gone longer and probably should have continued until they stopped me but I didn't and that shows a lack of heart and conviction on my part.

Physically, I probably did the right thing and perhaps if I hadn't, I would feel the ramification of it in the start of the new 2013 season. What it all boils down to is, I didn't have it in me to finish a 50 miler.

This only means I have to change my training and mindset this year and hopefully find the means to  accomplish my goal.

 On the running side of things, I did get in a fairly long run Saturday. the first 5 (road)miles went very well and like the last run I felt no rustiness from the short layoff, the last 3 miles I ran on trails. The last mile of the five my left ITB acted up a little but not concerning, about halfway through the trail portion, it got very aggravated.

I don't know if it was the trails or the distance that brought it on but decided after to make sure I go into this season very slow and careful so not to jeopardize my plans.

8 mile run @1:11:15 (average 8:54 pace)

first 5.15 miles 44:17 @ 8:36 pace  with progressive negative splits
final 2.9 miles  26:58 @9:18 pace with positive splits and left knee pain.

Pondering

 Lately I find myself thinking about the new year and how I am going to position my runs and races.
I decided that I would do my best to find a way to attend more TM functions and started that by accepting the invite to  TILL WE MEET IN HELL and looked forward to the drinks later.

Problem is, a scheduling conflict arose and here I am declining a great event again not only that but I might also have a problem making it to the GAC fatass this year too..... this is already starting to feel like last year. I can't let this continue and have to find the means to get back on my planned track.

 Anyway, I seem to be catching myself daydreaming of great races and long runs.....It's a good sign that I am healthy and ready for the new season. I want, no I am going to run a 50 miler in 2013.

That being said, now all I have to do is find ways to keep outside interferences to the minimum, not sure how I am going to accomplish that.

ON Track...I Guess

 December was the start of my new running season. After almost a month off from Stone Cat and the ITB issues, I felt pretty antsy to get out for a run.

  I decided to run the road, leave it short and slow, just wanted to see how much the condition has slid and whether the ITBs would act up. I expected a fair amount of rust and surely some struggling moments with the cardio.

 I headed out with very little expectation but quite excited to get a run behind me. To start with, Saturday morning was  kinda cold and it took a bit to figure out just how much to wear. As soon as there was enough light, I hit the road running and figured a 5k would probably be enough.

  I actually felt great, but purposely did not check my watch. I wanted to run by feel and just enjoy it. I call this loop a 5K but it actually measures 3.15 and has a fair amount of hills in the second mile so it is a good 5K training loop.

  To my surprise, I felt like I was running at a fairly fast clip and there was no rust , ITB or cardio issues at all. It was like I never took a break. Perhaps the lay off was just what the body needed.

 When I hit the second mile which is pretty much a steady incline, I expected to suffer a little but to my wonderment, I just worked the hill with ease. The only point I felt a slight bit out of shape was the last 1.5 miles which ended up being a somewhat pathetic attempt at a finishing kick.....no turn over at all though I did manage to speed up some.

  The run felt great and I was quite excited to review the stats and find that it was fairly speedy too. I ran close to 8 minute pace which is about where I normally run my tempo runs when training for 10 Ks Overall quite happy with this run.

3.15 miles @25:42 (8:10 pace)
8:18.....160-166
8:36.....153-167 (hills)
8:00.....155-160
6:28.....162-166 (last 1.5 kick)

2012...

My last scheduled 2012 race was Stone Cat, though I had visions of maybe picking up a 5k or something. I have no complaints what so ever for the year. I PRed every race I ran ( except for the ones where I paced someone else)The only disappointment for the year was not accomplishing a 50 miler. I plan to take it easy for a couple months ( to hopefully get ahead of the IT Band issue) and then set a plan in place for 2013. I am toying with starting a training plan for May and perhaps run the 50 miler at Pineland.....not to sure yet but the thought is rambling around my head. I am heading into the winter in the best shape I have been for years, so training for the 50 miler seems pretty feasible. It's all about finding enough time to run for hours on end .......the only element missing from my fall training and surely the reason for the ITB issues. In the past I have used a treadmill to get in some running during the dark weekdays of winter and got my long runs outside on the weekends. This worked relatively well and allowed me to do some speed work. This year it will be different because my treadmill has finally giving out after 8 years of hard labor. I suspect I will be substituting with night road runs and weight room work outs. Right now I plan on a run when ever it fits the schedule kind of routine until after the Christmas holidays with my first run being after thanksgiving day. I have allowed over two weeks for the ITB and will start off with fairly short runs for a while....depending on how the knees feel. My only real plans right now is the Bradbury snowshoe series and we will see how things go from there. I suspect I will run a couple Fatasses this winter also. (PS.....I did set this up with paragraphs but the system for some reason is not saving it that way)

Stone Cat "kinda" 50 mile Race Report

Two weeks ago I ran the Bradbury Ultra 50k, at the time I labeled it in my mind as the "good, bad and ugly" The good was my first 15 mile loop which was amazing, the bad was my second 15 mile loop and by bad I mean real bad. The ugly was the fact that I planned a 50 mile race just two weeks later and the injury I sustained running BBU, would surely kill my dream of running a 50 miler this year.

  I thought I might have tweaked my right knee but after researching a bit, I am sure it is an ITB overuse injury. Basically running the 50K while not being very well prepared for the distance. I took it easy for six days and then tried a fairly easy trail run. The first three miles of the run was business as usual, but the last two I was reduced to mostly a walk.

  A very discouraging result only seven days before Stone Cat. My first thought was to abort the whole idea as there was no way I would make the cut off walking the whole way and honestly after walking most of the last five miles of the BBU,I didn't cherish the idea of walking a fifty miler. I decided that I didn't want to give up on Stone Cat and began a regimen of stretching with the intent of trying to run the Marathon.

  As days ticked by, my knee felt better (though I didn't try running on it) and I began fantasizing that perhaps I could make a go of it. Of course the reality is that if the ITB acted up on the 50K and it has only been two weeks since the BBU,Then six days later I couldn't run 5 miles so surely I couldn't expect to run fifty. I almost stepped down to the marathon but then decided if I was going to DNF, it might as well be while attempting the big race.

  In my warped sense of rationalizing, I decided that just maybe I could pull off the 37.5 because there was no cut off for that. I just wanted to end this season on a high note. So, I taped up the knee, toed the line with the fifty milers and hoped for the best. I was prepared to accept what ever fate was coming.

  I actually felt pretty good heading out into the dark and was surprised how good the knee felt. I also seemed to have no rust issues even though I basically didn't run for two weeks, except that one ill fated attempt.

  For six miles I felt great, until the knee pain started coming back....slowly at first but stronger as each mile passed. My new plan was to just get through this lap and then quit. I forced myself to push  back the urge to walk and just keep the legs moving. My cardio and my fueling were perfect and the rest of the body felt great. It was discouraging to be so sure I could finish this fifty miler if it weren't for the knee.

  Knowing that it would be just this one lap, I decided to at least make a race of it and try to beat my first loop time from last year. I started pushing the pace everywhere I could and found myself passing many other runners. I found the pain was no worse when running faster so I kept going. I finished the first loop much faster than last year at 2:14:12 and decided I would attempt another lap. I figured if the pain level stayed pretty much the same I should be able to go another 12 miles.

  I stopped at Ryan's aid station and stuffed down a couple pieces of bacon......so good. I think Ryan was worried that I would just settle in for a great breakfast of pancakes and bacon, then ultimately abort running all together because he started shoeing me away. He told to get out there and get running ....as I think back, he was pretty helpful as I probably needed a little prodding at the time.

  The first three miles of the second lap went well and the knee seemed to settle into a dull but sustainable ache. Then on one of the down hills the band really acted up and I lost stability in the knee. It was an odd feeling and it surprised me. I became worried that I might do some real damage if I kept running this way.

  I started running the downhills with a stiff right leg which worked fairly well until I got a cramp in the right quad so bad that I had to stop for a while and message it. I suspect it was caused by the stiff legged running so I change my strategy to fast hiking the downhills and powering up the inclines to make up for the time loss.

  Other runners must have thought it was very strange to pass me on the downhills only to have me scream by them on the ups. I am sure they thought I had no idea how to run pace. Around mile eight I suddenly had pain in my left knee, same place as the right on the outside near the cap.......I am thinking I was probably compensating with my left leg. Now I had serious pain in both knees which was throbbing even when power walking the downs.

  This is when I realized that two or even one more loop was out of the question. I spent the next mile feeling sorry for myself until I realized how far ahead I was of my marathon time last year. The director told me I could step down if I wanted and my thoughts drifted to a PR for the marathon. What a great way to finish out the year, if I could PR then all would not be lost.

 This new decision put a little more bounce in my step but I could feel the fatigue of the faster pace settling in. I also wasn't sure they would allow me to tack on the extra 1.2 miles and get an official time. I crossed the line then asked if I could run the extra for the marathon. They said no problem and directed me to the marathon first 1.2 loop.

  As I ran by Ryan, he looked pretty excited thinking I was heading out for my third loop. I let him know I was only doing the Marathon .... he cheered me on anyway.

  The last 1.2 was extremely painful and all I wanted to do was cross that line and stop moving. I finished with an unofficial time of 4:48:20, over an hour faster than last year (6:11:37). As I take an overview of the last 8 weeks, I think about The Brad, how it prepared me for this PR and the things I can change to do a better job next year.

  OK.......LET IT SNOW!!!

Heart Verses Head

My heart and head are fighting.  Heart says to run the 50 miler no matter what. Head says, you idiot, you know you can't possible make the cutoff even if you have the desire to continue in physical duress.

 Since I can only run a few miles, fifty sounds real stupid and truth be known after doing a lot of soul searching, I think my real problem is having a DNF. I emailed the race director and he said no problem stepping down to the marathon ....but no guaranty of a finishers jacket.

 Hey, I didn't even think about the fact that I might be taking someone Else's well earned jacket away from them. On top of that, I really have no idea if I can finish the marathon either.

 Now maybe, just maybe my IT band will not act up .......I am not too optimistic though.  As I think about it, if it does act up, I will have no chance to PR the Marathon even if I do finish it.

So, other than a DNF, what harm is there in just toeing the line and running as long as I can? Does it really matter whether I'm calling it a marathon or a 50 miler? Perhaps this is merely the last hurdle in my transition from a road racer to a true trail runner.

I know this is totally different than a 5k or 10k, but I can remember times I had injuries or felt like crap, came dangerously close to just not showing up for a race, and then having a good race regardless.

 I seriously don't expect a miracle here but I am going to show up anyway, so why not at least attempt the 50 and just run. I can except the fact that it may only last a few miles and that I will DNF ......that being on the table, I suspect I will just start with the 50 milers and see how it goes......savor the experience as long as it lasts.

My battle plan is to get as much enjoyment as I can from the whole experience. I will try to run one lap and then if I can, I will try to run a second one and go from there. Going in with no expectations seems to take the bulk of the load off, so now perhaps I can just enjoy the trip.

Not Going Well

I attempted another run and experienced right knee pain only three miles into it, walked two more..... lasted 5 before I aborted. The dream that I can somehow beat the cut off at Stone Cat while walking most of the course is far fetched and it is time for me to be realistic.

 My plan of running a 50 miler this year has vanished......pretty disappointing to say the least

Not sure what my plans are at this moment

BBU--Pounder Race(s) Report

 

 

In my title, I put races as plural because in essence I ran two entirely different 15  mile races. The description however is the same………wet, slippery, muddy, gnarly, hilly, relentless and beautiful terrain. The only consistent factor throughout the day was the drizzly fog and never ending choices at the aid stations.  I felt like royalty as these more than helpful volunteers not only offered any aid needed  but treated the whole visit like a party that was just waiting to peak on my arrival.  One very cheerful volunteer (who,  I am sure I do not have to name)  ran toward me before I even made it to the aid station yelling out for my demands……..on top of that there was bacon. As much as I love any aid station snack with chocolate in it, nothing tops the smell of bacon cooking as one is running out of the woods. I also found a new favorite food…..baked potato smeared with peanut butter and dipped in salt, add in the bacon and I think it covers all the major food groups.

 

As usual this event was top notch, put on by runners who know what it takes to bring an event like this together. I have yet to figure out what higher power Ian is connected to, but he seems to consistently get the trail conditions he loves so much. The course could not have been better for a hard core trail runner, just the right mix of mud and water, enough run off to cause the streams to bubble with pleasure and just enough mist to keep one cool but not a heavy enough rain to cause discomfort (except maybe for the 50 miler start)

 

I am proud to report that only fell once and I am not sure how it happened, but it was mile 7 of the 2^nd lap. There were no roots or rocks to blame it on and I landed on the edge of a very muddy puddle. My left calf locked up so bad (because of trying so hard not to go down) that I had to sit for a few seconds before I could get back up and then it took a little messaging to get it to calm done enough to start walking.

 

I didn’t train very well for this event as far as high mileage goes and it showed in the later miles.  I felt I trained very well for a tough 15 mile trail race and knew I would have to run smart to accomplish the finish here that I desired. In retrospect I did not run very smart but did  learn some extremely valuable lessons. I opted to run the first loop as bare as possible by leaving the Nathan vest behind and depending solely on the aid stations for fluids. After the first loop I planned to  change into lighter shoes, possible put on dry clothes and gear up with fluids and gels.

 

The core of my plan was to start very conservative and save something for the last 6-8 miles …….that didn’t happen and I really do not know where my brain was,  that is why I split these loops up. The first loop was amazing and I ran it like a 15 mile race. I guess I just got caught up into the flow of it. I felt strong and very much in control for the whole 15 miles. I even told some runners I was passing that I was probably running too fast….. so I knew what I was doing but somehow must have felt I could pull a rabbit out of my hat for the second 15 miles…….mistake number one!

 

Mistake number two, I didn’t bring my stuff to the tent, I just left it all in my truck and figured I would just jog over to gear up for loop two…….I didn’t do it. You know, the truck wasn’t that far away, was I too lazy or maybe I felt so confident from the first loop, I don’t know but I do know it was a bad decision. I felt it immediately as I WALKED up lunch break hill, I was in for a tough finish. I kept the pace conservatively slow and patiently waited for the moment after the bonk when the body decides to let things flow again and it came at mile #19.

 

Problem is, a disturbing pain in the outside of my right knee also seemed to appear at the same time. At first it was more bothersome than a problem but the more I ran the down hills the worst it felt. Like most aches and pains, I figured this would pass because I didn’t remember a point where it felt like I tweaked it……but it sure felt tweaked and instead of passing, it kept barking louder. Eventually I had no choice but to drop the run part of my run/ walk 2^nd lap  strategy and  then it even  hurt while  walking down the hills.

 

There were some short spurts of running but only long enough to convince me that it was a mistake. The most difficult part of this for me was the fact that I had cardio and though my body was fatigued, I could have continued running if it were not for the knee issue. It was so discouraging to have runners pass me that I should be able to stay in front of. Then the oddest thing happened, I took a wrong turn ……not sure how that could happen when I knew the terrain, I knew the course and I checked to find that the markings were all in place. I guess I was so caught up in feeling sorry for myself that I didn’t pay attention. Luckily I didn’t lose any time as I caught it fairly quickly.

 

I kept plugging along and had it in my mind that I would finish at all costs. At about one mile from the end I decided I was going to run to the finish regardless of the pain and even though it was probably a mistake, I just could not bring myself to walk it in. The finish was an odd experience for me, It didn’t feel like a finish at all…..it just felt done and my thoughts went directly to the Stone Cat 50 miler in two weeks…..will I be able to run it?  Did my lack of training and executing a solid plan ruin my first 50 miler attempt?

 

I went home very discouraged and not too happy about my performance but now that a day has passed and I can look at the race as a whole, I realize that I created my own hardship and that the hardship is exactly what happens in the ultra races. It is inevitable and for some runners anticipated in an enjoyable way. As I look back now, I see all the moments I enjoyed and am proud of weathering the storm.

 

This was a very tough  race,  was exactly as described on the website and what I knew I signed up for. I  am proud to say I attempted and finished it. I can’t however say I conquered it, cause I kicked it’s ass the first lap then it turned around and kicked mine on the second ( I would say that puts us even) ….So…I will save that statement for the BBU next year.

 

1^st lap 15.7 miles @ 3:06:18  (11:52 pace)
2^nd lap 15.4 miles @ 4:09:03 (16:11 pace)

Back To Church

Spent the first part of the week feeling a bit of anxiety about the 50k so kicked out of work a half hour early and went to church.......the Brad. The east side was beautiful and nothing settles things down more than an enjoyful easy run at Bradbury.

 I find it very calming to let my brain wander and meditate in a way.....if that is possible while dodging rocks, roots and trees. Reguardless, I always feel better when I am done than when I started.

I have no problem going to a "real" church, but honstly I feel much more religous and closer to the esssense of our maker when out in the woods. I don't need a bunch of Amens around me to feel like I am on the praying level.

I feel one must live how they preach, every moment of their life. Be honest and caring to the people around you. I find this quality in trail runners and esspecially with the Trail Monsters.

 I read George's 100 mile report and said to myself, I want to be that guy.....I read dave's 100 mile report and  immediately I wanted to be that guy. I watch Ian and Ryan preaching at the race start and think I want to be like those guys, I see the drive and commitment of Val and mindy and wish I was more like them. I could keep naming names as there are so many more that set an amazing example for others.

 I guess I am just plain lucky to be associted with such a fine group of people. I sit here and realize that I am extremely excited and ready to tie up the trail runners and hit The Brad.......it just feels like home.