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.

Having Respect For The BBU

One thing the last four early morning BBU runs taught me was to have a healthy respect for the difficulty of this course. When I toe the line Saturday morning, I will not have the confidence I expected or originally planned for, but I will have the desire to conquer it.

 I am in pretty good shape right now, have a solid base and have been able to pull off some good quality runs. What I haven't accomplished is the time on my feet needed to feel I can master this distance. If it were a 25K, I would be pretty excited and I would be attacking this course with reckless abandon.

 Being a 50K changes everything and I will be much more conservative from the start as time is of no value and just finishing is the goal. I really need to finish this race if I am seriously expecting to finish the 50 miler at Stone Cat.

I thought I would be starting the 50 miler with a certain amount of confidence but instead I feel about the same as I did last year heading into the Marathon.  I wasn't able to train well for the last month and a half last year before the marathon and felt that finishing would be a luxury.

 This year I am totally ready for a marathon and would go into that feeling pretty good, but running the 50 miler I feel I have not trained very well .......so there is much soul searching  going on.

Right now I am concentrating on The Brad race and will have much more insight once that is over.  Then I will critique my thinking and adjust for Stone Cat.

 My goals are pretty simple, I need to finish the 50K. I have done a lot of thinking and calculating. My times for one lap of the course has hugged the 3 1/2 hour mark pretty consistently so it seems reasonable to expect  at least 3 1/2 for the first loop and considerably slower for the second, probably closer to 4 hours. So.....my unofficial prediction for the inaugural BBU is 7 1/2 hours.

See you all Saturday....

Plan.......Who Needs A Stinkin Plan?

  The name of my blog says it all, because I seem to be running plan-less at this time.
My plan says to do a 30 mile run three weeks before the 50 miler then taper. I am running a difficult 31 miler TWO weeks before the 50 miler ......and leading up to the 30 miler I am supposed to be at peak for three weeks and I have really been more like in maintenance mode.

 A week and a half ago I was a bit worried, as my 4 hr training run felt way too taxing for about half of the 50K race course. Sense then I have realized that I do have a solid base and what I do two weeks before the event has little to do with my overall condition and as long as I don't overdo it, I am probably going to be fine.

 It's a good thing I have settled down and am not really that worried about the lack of long miles, because this weekend was a blow out as far as distance running goes. I worked Saturday and was out of town Sunday .......so running was a "fit in" type of thing.

 I did get in a decent 5 mile run down to Winchester with my son and it was very enjoyable. The terrain is similar to Bradbury mountain side, though the inclines were not as steep but they were  longer. Kev was still babying the knee so the 5 miles was just right.  After the run we went to the Black Horse Tavern in downtown Winchester and what a great place it was.

 I ordered the local Pumpkin head ale which was a bit more cinnamon-y that our Pumpkin head up here. I also had this burger called a Chuggy Burger........the name doesn't make sense but the burger was fantastic. It was a cheddar cheese bacon burger with a sunny side up egg, tomatoes and lettuce. First time I had a Burger with egg yoke spurting all over the place.....which I soaked up with the hand cut fries.....amazing combo!

 In the process of watching the game, we somehow sucked down two additional beers  and I realized I pretty much consumed all of the calories I burnt during the run ....and then some.
 Upon my return home I had planned a double up run but there was more interference so I ended up calling this week a step back week.

 On the bright side, the Patriots managed to squeak out a win and I have a long run planned this weekend.......so all is good I guess.

 For some reason, I am not worried about the 50K and am looking forward to the experience. I suspect because I have no doubts about finishing other than time and what better lead in for the 50 miler at StoneCat than a tough Bradbury training 50K.

 Actually, I am getting pretty excited.

Feeling Out Of Sorts

 Only two weeks before the Bradbury Bad Ass 50k, then two weeks later is the 50 miler at Stone Cat.......not feeling too ready and there is virtually no time left to do much of anything about it.

 Not that I haven't been training but more like not putting in enough miles. I had a good plan and it included some fairly long runs...but I couldn't seem to get in the quantity of miles I should...or at least what most running plans say you should.

What I have done, is put in mostly quality miles. Is that enough though? I actually thought it was until last Saturday which was my third Saturday in a row that I ran the BBU course entirely (15.5 miles ) then ran the hill again and tacked on a few additional miles.

I showed up at 4:30 am as usual, I felt good at the start and actually quite good though most of the first lap. The plan this time was to finish the first lap as normal (all running no walking) then hit the trail again for at least 8 -10 more miles.

 After the connector and while climbing Bradbury, the leg muscles were feeling real tight and I felt abnormally tired. Coming down Lunch breakhill the quads and calves were cramping up. I was glad to stop at the bottom and unlike last week where I felt great at the bottom and strong on the second trip up lunchbreak, this time I didn't want to continue at all.

 I took about 3 minutes to take a drink and convince myself to hit the hill again. The climb was tough, I wasn't feeling the love at all and at one point started walking which lasted for about 1 minute because it just didn't feel right. I started running again and though I was tired, it felt much better to be running.

 By the time I crested the hill, I had a little more energy but the muscles were still cramping. I ran a loop around the mountain and then decided to abort the original plan of 8 extra miles. I ran back down lunchbreak and was very glad to stop.

 I went home sore, tired and disappointed .....the one day I had time to run longer and my body just didn't want to do it. The hams,quads, calves and back muscles were lame all day Sunday and Monday.  I felt like I ran 30 miles rather than 18....

 All day Tuesday I thought about it and decided perhaps I was running too much on Bradbury terrain and decided to stop at Pineland for a run instead. It was my first run there since the 25K in May and it actually was quite nice not having to worry about foot placement, rocks and roots.

 I had a comfortable yet somewhat speedy run and even though I felt good and strong, it still did not curb the worry in the back of my mind about the BBU......if I struggled that much finishing one loop, how was I going to do on the second loop?

 Let's just say, all the confidence I had two weeks ago after running the first loop, hitting lunchbreak the second time with the Trail Monsters and feeling great the whole way ......has pretty much washed away with the tide.

 I have no doubt that I will finish the BBU, but my original thoughts of beating my PR and  only 50K time of 6:28 (at pineland) is surely a stretch on the Bradbury terrain. I suspect I will be lucky to finish in 7-7.5 hours.

 My real worry right now is the 50 miler two weeks later.......I am going to give it everything I have but am not sure I have enough to earn the coat. The one thing I have going for me psychologically is that I finished the marathon at Stone Cat last year after 2 months of virtually no running ...... I really had to use my will to finish that second lap because the body wasn't liking it.

Last weeks running (not including workouts and such)

22nd
BBU loop (couple wrong turns, 1.5 hrs in the dark)
16 miles  @3:33:51  (13:23 pace)
2.2 miles (up lunch break again)
@25:30  (11:36 pace)

25th
Bradbury mountain portion of the BBU loop (including lunch break hill)
5.1 miles @55:35  (10:54 pace)

27th
East side portion of the BBU loop
4.5 miles @41:34  (9:15 pace)

29th
BBU loop (1.5 hrs in the dark)
15.5 miles @3:21:54  (13:22 pace)
2.2 miles (up lunch break again)
@27:29  (12:30 pace)

Oct 2
Pineland (campus loop and east side loop)
7.3 miles  @1:05:47  (9:01 pace)

Hard Training

I started a little earlier This Saturday to be sure I could get the full 4 hours in.   I hit Lunchbreak hill at 4:45 Am and my first surprise was how much better my new headlamp was than my old one. Besides a solid forward beam, it had enough power to somewhat light up the peripheral. This made my ground perception much better than last Saturday.

 I definitely had less trouble following the trail with this lamp. The one draw back, though minor was that it was a little heavier so I had to make the strap much tighter which bothered a bit.  There was a slight mist in the air and with the lamp on it resembled a tiny snow squall. Not that I am wishing for snow, but it was kinda cool.

 The climb seemed a little harder this morning. I suspect part of that was the extra weight with the Nathan vest and all the gear. Not that I needed that much gear but I wanted to tax myself on this run and the extra weight would help.

I decided to run until I felt fatigue before eating or drinking. The idea was to bonk a bit and then fight back from it. I also needed to know how far I could stretch it. Two hours went by and I still felt fairly fresh, then about 6 minutes later I could feel the cement hardening on my legs and the breath laboring. I don't think I slowed the pace too much and I had no muscle cramps, I just felt tired and heavy.

 For the second time, I had problems following the right trail on the East side so I had a bit extra mileage when I got back to the school. I striped off the nathan vest and gear then headed back to the trail. It is amazing how much better that felt.

 I ran the hill a minute faster and felt much stronger......funny how different it can feel with just a few pounds shed. I did a two mile loop which I called a cooldown. Kinda  funny though because my pace was 1-2 minutes per mile faster than when I first started. I am sure part of that is the dark running which is considerably slower.

Now that I have run about  a half dozen times from the school, I found the part I least like is the descent. I think the grade is just too much to allow me to run comfortable. It is almost like I have to brake a bit. Whats odd is I don't have the same problem running down the Terrace trail and I think the grade is similar.

 Upon the second return, I actually felt great and if time had permited, I would have shot for five hours.

BBU loop:  16 miles @3:33:54 (13:23 pace)
Lunch break hill cooldown loop: 2.2 miles@ 25:30 (11:36 pace)

Not A Fan

Tuesday nite I ran bradbury in the rain. I find I am not a fan of the new gravel surfaces they are creating there......seems more like Pineland than single track in many places.
 
That being said, I wasn't too upset about it on this run because I couldn't see with my glasses being wet and fogged up so the roots, holes and rocks became more of a reaction than a planned step. It seemed lonely there as there were very few cars in the parking lot.

 I didn't see a sole until I return at dusk and there was one guy there who had just finished biking. There is something about running in the rain that I like ....and this night it was surely welcome as the days at work lately really drag me down.

 My schedule this year is worse than ever and I find myself daydreaming about VC and wish I was going even if it was to just spectate and cheer on the Monster gang.

Ran the connector + for a total of 7 miles @1:18:59
NB minimus

Brad Ultra Training

The initial plan was to join the group for the course training run on Saturday, it seems I never run with them. I spent much of the week trying to adapt my schedule to meet the plan.

One thing that came up was the chance to run a few miles in the dark. Dave was camping at Bradbury and had a few night miles on the agenda. I was hoping to join in because I have only run in the dark a couple times and Stone Cat is coming soon.

I would not say I am scared of the dark or anything but it is a little concerning to be in the woods running alone in the dark, so a run with Dave would have worked out perfect. Safety in numbers I guess.

Well the night run didn't work out as I didn't arrive home until close to 9:00. On top of that, an 8:00 start at Bradbury was out of the question because of a 9:00 am schedule conflict.

So....my new plan was to start early Saturday morning with my son and we would both get some dark running in. Well, his knee is still acting up and he elected to take it easy this weekend and run on the road. He did not want to jeopardize his StoneCat Marathon plans.

New plan.....I would run the BBU course alone, in the dark, and hopefully not get lost or worse, get eaten by something hungrier and faster than me. My hope was to run one loop and then meet up with the group at 8am and at least say hi.

I landed at the school at 5am, got the gear together, put on the head lamp, took a deep apprehensive breath and hit the woods. The trail is so different in the dark, especially here because I am not too familiar with the trail.

I added four things to my gear for safety, my cell phone...my fold up hunting knife...an extra flashlight and a compass. Not that I felt I needed these items but being prepared is a smart thing.

I can't believe how many times I tripped or landed funny because of the limited vision. Running in the dark is totally different and you have to pay much more attention .....similar to the O trail type of focus.

Before I made it to the top of the long hill, I lost the trail three times and had to search a bit to relocate. I also noticed many new noises that seemed so much louder and more prominent when your vision is impaired.

I never felt threatened but did find myself having visions of what might be out there just beyond my tiny beam of light. My thoughts turned to Joe and how he ran solo at night on the 100 mile trek......damn he was pretty brave as those woods were surely full of many unknowns.

I felt much more comfortable when I hit the Boundary trail because I know it so well and somehow just felt relieved to be on familiar ground. I crested the mountain and hit the East side trails. I cruised around for about another half hour before the sky started showing signs of morning daylight.

About two hours and forty five minutes into my run, I was heading back down lunch break hill and actually feeling pretty good. I figured my timing was perfect and the gang would be just about ready to hit the trail when I got back to the School.

There was a large group of runners ready to hit the trail and I decided to tack on a couple more miles and run with them. It would be good training to run Lunch break hill at about the time I would at the 50K. I had no idea how my body would handle it but figured I would hang near the rear if needed.

We took off and I was running near the front and actually feeling pretty darn strong for three hours running. I ran the whole hill no problem while maintaining my position in the group.

I figured I would turn around and head back once we hit the bottom of the mountain so when we hit the terrace trail, I just let it all hang loose and let gravity dictate my descent.

It felt great though I suspected I would suffer for it on the climb back up. I turned around at the parking lot and shouted out greetings as I passed all the runners coming down the trail.

The run back up was not as bad as I figured but I was definitely tired coming down lunch break hill for the second time. It all worked out well and I made it home for 9:00

I could have easily run longer, though one never quite knows where that bonk is going to rear up. All said and done I feel the 50K training is on course and expect a favorable run at the BBU.

2012 Bruiser Race Report

All the races leading up to the Bruiser this year were important and memorable, and even though I have a couple big races still planned, the Bruiser was my "state meet" as far as trail racing is concerned.

In training, my fastest unofficial time was 2:10:00 which was 7 minutes faster than my PR on this course. I worried that the 2:10 was maybe a fluke, or I missed part of the course, or perhaps I peaked too soon.....on top if that, the course was changed because of the missing bridge.

I wish I could say that I did all the right things in the two days leading up to this race, but somehow I didn't. Saturday I worked at my sons house hand shoveling, setting cement blocks, ripping out old walls and constructing new ones. I started at 5:30 am and didn't quit until 7:30 pm.

I ate way too much pizza and junk, sweat all day without re hydrating enough and then after we finished, we went out for supper and drinks and more drinks. I went to bed way too late then woke up tired and lame on race day. I also felt the beginning of a sore throat. OK.....so not a good scenario for a race day PR.

I was up plenty early so I took a morning swim in hopes of limbering up the muscles a bit then headed to Bradbury. On the way I rationalized by reminding myself I merely needed to beat 2:17:00 to PR and I should be able to do that regardless.

I decided I would stick to my race plan and see how things fell into place. If I crash and burn.....well I put myself in this position. After Ian reminded everyone how much fun we were going to have, the race was on.

I positioned myself pretty close to the front at a place that I would be forced to push a bit for the first two miles. This worked out real well and I actually felt pretty comfortable and strong.

My first mile was 8:38 pace which was quite fast for me on these trails. I come out of the Island trail about a minute faster than any training run. I felt good and was not being passed by many runners.

I was in full race mode and even though it was too early in the race to know such things, I was confident that I could race the first tens miles according to plan. The O trail would just be a careful jog to the finish. I had no doubt that I could beat 2:17

The first five miles ticked by and I was enjoying the ride. The trails seemed tranquil today as there are days they are surely hateful and do everything they can to trip a runner up.

It was as if the rocks, roots and obstructions moved to allow me good foot placement. There were a few runners that that came up behind me who were obviously running much faster than me and I graciously moved to let them by. But this was a race and because of being in race mode, all others were required to earn a pass as I had to earn most of the places I gained.

I figured mile five would be about the time I would realize the extent of any type of crash and burn because that is about when I usually settle in and get my second wind.

Five came and went without me realizing how I felt, I was playing leap frog with a gal wearing vibrams. It was amazing to watch her foot placement. She was so graceful and seemed capable of placing her feet in all the right places.

In mile six we rounded the corner and headed up the snowmobile hill trail. This hill seems to last forever and I suspected it would be my chance to gain a little ground on this gal as I felt I was stronger on the hills. Almost 2/3rd the way up and we were still side by side in our friendly duel. I knew there was not much hill left so I surged and started leaving her behind.

My plan at the water stops was to eat a gel, wash it down with water and keep my lost time down to about 40 seconds. Instead I felt rushed and aborted the gels for a drink of Gatorade and a douse of water on my head which took in the range of 30 seconds.

When I reached the second aid station I lost all I had gained on the vibram gal because she took a splash and go while I was sucking down the Gatorade. I almost took off to chase her then reminded myself I should be running my own race. I finished the drink doused my head as usual and hit the trail ......never to see vibram girl again.

Miles eight and nine, I ran on screech mode trying to push the pace as hard as I could. I needed to hit the head of the O trail no later than 1:40 but preferably at 1:35. I liked the fact that I felt in control and was still running strong. In my mind I played with the idea of blowing off the last aid station but knew It would be a bad idea as I needed all the energy I could muster up to try and master the O-trail tired.

I found myself really liking the new trail as it seemed to prep me for the mindset of the O. I reached the final aid station at 1:32:50. Wow ....over three minutes faster than my best!

I usually run the O-trail a conservative 35 minutes but have run it as fast as 30 minutes. I didn't expect the 30 but felt a sigh of relief knowing that my easy 35 minute pace of the O would still earn me a PR under 2:10.

I started easy and payed close attention to my foot placement. I hadn't gone down yet today and I didn't want some injury derailing my race. Then what I didn't plan on happened.......I noticed some runners catching me and for some reason I couldn't stay out of race mode...even though I knew I was going to PR and even though I knew racing the O trail always caused a few face plants before it was over and even though I have become so focused on the trail while racing it that I took a wrong turn.

All that meant nothing and I started speeding up, pushing hard when I could, trying to spread the gap with the runner behind me. I was refusing to be passed by anyone. I was full out racing the O trail and it was working.

About halfway through, I could feel the fatigue of the race catching up with me, my legs felt heavy and I caught a few rocks and roots but was able to stay upright......that is until I suddenly found myself flying through the air. I went down hard and landed on the elbows and knees. Lucky for me it was a very soft area and except for a lot of black dirt all over me, there were no injuries and no blood.

I hit so hard that my wrist pushed the Garmen into my arm and shut it off. I got up quick and brushed as much dirt off as I could. Now I not only lost time but I had no idea what my time was.

I was pissed, I had a plan and the most important part of it was to respect the O trail and run it conservatively. I took off and started sprinting...yes I was sprinting the Otrail and for some reason it seemed easy.

In no time I popped out of the woods and turned on the kick. The finish felt great and for some reason the time didn't really mean that much to me. I guess it was because I gave it all I had and when you do that, there is nothing left to complain about.

I actually ended up with a great finishing time and a tough PR to beat next year. I only wish I could have stayed around longer to cheer others and and bask in my glory, but it was Grandparents day and the agenda was apple picking......Hmmnn does that qualify as a cool down?

Bruiser 12 miler 2:00:53 ......somehow I ran the O trail in 28 minutes (fastest mile of the whole race in the O trail 8:29!)....he-ha! perhaps I should run all my races while sick and tired.

Bruiser Practice

Saturday morning, hit Bradbury early again and executed a very satisfying (but tiring) race pace run of the Bruiser course, including the O trail. Even though we parked outside the gate and there were no cars in the parking lot, we encountered two runners and at least four bikers on the trail.

 The run was fantastic for me but a little discouraging for my son who had a bit of knee trouble in the O. he was smart and aborted rather than continue. later in the day the knee was feeling much better and he was glad with his decision.

 After the Bruiser run, it was a quick cool down swim then off to a golf tournament. I figured I would be a bit tired playing 5 hours of golf after my race pace run and I was right.  I figured the golf doubled as training for the 50k and 50 miler....lots of walking.

 My race pace run went so well that I am worried that I wont be able to duplicate the results at the actual race.....wouldn't that suck. What if I peaked at this run and the rest is all down hill. I suppose it doesn't matter all that much because my real focus is on the Brad ultra and Stone Cat anyway.

I may be crazy, but I actually enjoy running the O trail and as long as I am not racing it, I don't feel it beats my body up that much. I think the key is to be conservative and just let the terrain dictate the pace.....the rest falls into place on it's own.

Next weekend it will probably be a run of the BBU

Bruiser run  
12 miles @ 2:10:08  (a PR by 7 minutes)