Goal this week is to get my legs back and ready for Saturday.
7/26/11 - 20 miles cycling to Green Hill Park
7/27/11 - 3.5 miles at Fishburn Park
7/30/11 - My 3rd attempt at the Catoctin 50k (20th Ultra) in Frederick Maryland. First time was in 2003 and my training log entry started with "that was one rocky bitch!" Last year I went back to see if it was as bad as I thought. 2010 went well until I got off course and added 3 miles. Met back up with James Decker at the turnaround and we took it easy on the return for an easy but slow 50k.
This year I was HOPING for a 5 1/2 hour finish. The weather on Friday on our way up to Frederick we saw the temp gauge go all the way up to 104. Not really what you want to see. Race morning the temp got all the way down to 80 degrees when we got in the car at 6:30am. Anyway, we were informed on what to expect with the last weekend in July and 8:00am start. The race webpage makes the statement of all runners must carry at least 1 handheld bottle and 2 if you want to finish. My plan of attack was 2 20oz handhelds.
This brings up an interesting aside. Gina only wanted to carry 1, so we packed 1 bottle for her. On the way up she decided she needed 2. So we looked for place to buy a handheld. Fortunaty we found the Trail House in downtown Frederick and they had a Camelbak handheld with a Podium Chill Bottle in it. This ended up being the best thing for a hot race. The Podium Chill is a bottle similar to the Polar Bottles. It is unsulated, holds 21oz, isn't as bulky as the Polar Bottles, has a switch so that you don't accidentally squish water out of it (which I almost did in a fall), and had a great snug fit for holding by hand. Now the great thing was that I could run with ice water and not freeze my hand and I could have water or Gatorade that stayed cold all the way to the next aide station. Perfect. I'm ordering some more of these bottle and putting them in my Nathan Handhelds.
So, race starts and all is good. I hit the trail in 8th place. At the 2 mile mark I see the lead out guy moaning at a tree after he rolled his ankle; 7th. I started feeling a 2 week old hot spot by mile 6 (not good). Now this trail system is one of the rockiest trails I've ever been on. and it goes on forever. From mile 5-7 I talk with Serge Arbona the course record holder, the guy that won the Philly Back on My Feet 24 hour road run the weekend before with 145.25 miles, the guy that said he had already run 2 40 mile runs earlier in the week. He was pleasant but I had a feeling I shouldn't be running with him.
I hit the 16.25 mile turnaround in 2:43 and 6th place. Not bad and about what I expected with the hot conditions. To get to the turnaround you have to run about 3 miles downhill. So you know what that means. I started feeling the first hint of a cramp and was passed by what ended up being the first female shortly after the turnaround. My mind wasn't looking forward to battling cramps for 16 miles.
From here I'll be short. For the remaining miles I hit a real low, the lowest I've ever been in 8 years of training and racing long distances. Physically I was cramping here and there, was a little light headed, feet were blistered and bruised in a couple places, stomach a little upset, and just in a poor me state (granted all of these symptoms would go away and change and come back over and over again for the rest of the race). Interesting enough as the low was beginning I thought to myself "this is what it is all about." Overcoming the low and being better for it. So I went into survival mode and just focused on moving forward, staying hydrated, keeping up with my electrolyte caps, and calories.
Long story short I survived and finished in 10th place in 6:22:47. My return trip from the turnaround was 1 hour longer than the first half. I drank over 2 gallons of liquid during the race (2 handheld bottles between each aide station and in places this wasn't enough). 153 runners started and 123 finished a 20% drop rate.
This was supposed to be a test for entering the Cheat Mountain Moonshine Madness 50 miler at the end of August. I'm 90% sure I'm not doing it (it was 110% last weekend). Who knows what is next. Will this be my last Ultra? No! Do I need to get out and enjoy some no pressure runs and rides, Yes. Do I remember how bad it was, no. The mental and physical pain has melted away as each day has passed. Reinforcing again, it isn't what we remember that matters it is what we forget.
I did get out for a 20 mile road ride to Green Hill Park on Sunday. This was mainly to cover up some of the negative memories with something positive and fun.
Totals; 37 miles running and 40 miles cycling.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Training the Week of 7/18/11
7/19/11 - Ran my usual 6 mile loop with a 1.5 mile cooldown. 40:30. Started out easy but the run ended up pretty fast.
7/20/11 - Ran at the Cove - Hotel, up Buck, and down Hi Dee Ho. Went too hard today. Felt good but afterwards I was feeling pretty rough.
7/22/11 - Bike 15 miles at Douthat. Legs so so.
7/23/11 - Easy run on trail at the Homestead.
7/24/11 - 18 mile road ride; easy. Legs have felt dead since Wednesday's run. Not a good feeling going into a pre 50k week.
Totals; 21.7 miles running, 15 mtn biking, and 38 cycling.
7/20/11 - Ran at the Cove - Hotel, up Buck, and down Hi Dee Ho. Went too hard today. Felt good but afterwards I was feeling pretty rough.
7/22/11 - Bike 15 miles at Douthat. Legs so so.
7/23/11 - Easy run on trail at the Homestead.
7/24/11 - 18 mile road ride; easy. Legs have felt dead since Wednesday's run. Not a good feeling going into a pre 50k week.
Totals; 21.7 miles running, 15 mtn biking, and 38 cycling.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Training Week 7/11/11
7/11/11 - Ran 2 miles in my five fingers. Man are my calves sore and tight.
7/12/11 - Ran my 6 mile loop in 40:27 and cool down. Was trying for a sub 40 minute loop today but I think the humidity played a role and my legs were still off from the 50 mile road ride on Sunday.
7/13/11 - 8.5 mile run at the Cove. Ran 4 gorge, some of 4 gorge ext. comet, songbird, and out on the road.
7/15/11 - Ran 9.5 miles around the Grandin area. Some trail, some greenway, and road. Kept a 7:45min/mile pace.
7/16/11 - Ran 10 miles. This is a road loop that run from home to Lewis Gale, down Apperson and then in some neighborhoods of Raleigh Court. Ran at a 7:45min/mile pace.
Mtb later in the day on the Fishburn Park trails.
7/17/11 - Cycled 38 miles. Home, Roselawn, Sugarloaf, Hidden Valley golf course, Apperson, Harborwood, Wildwood, and back home via Apperson.
Week Total - 37.5 miles of Running, 10 mtn biking, and 38 cycling.
Good week of running. My legs didn't care for the back to back 10 miles days. I see the benefit of doing longer back to back runs for endurance. The road bike is a huge benefit that gives my joints a break while still getting the aerobic workout. In addition, my legs can be dead from running but still be on form for biking. Next week will be a similar run load with a shift to a slower pace in all runs and maybe a shift to a few more cycling days.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Training the Week of 7/4/11
Well I'm not sure if being in CO for a week made any changes to my physiology or not but I'd like to think that I may have a performance boost for a little while because of it.
7/5/11 - 8 miles running. 6 mile loop CCW with cooldown.
Also ran 2 miles later that evening on the treadmill in my Five Fingers.
7/6/11 - 7.75 miles at the Cove. 4 Gorge, comet, enchanted forest, songbird. Very humid. Was soaked following the run.
7/8/11 - 16.4 miles at the Cove. This is my last long training run before the Catoctin 50k. Ran up Buck, trough, Gauntlet, 1000ft, comet, enchanted forest, little bell, some of schoolhouse, back on little bell, and then out on the gravel and then asphalt road. This was my first run in my new Inov-8 RocLite 285s (inov-8 name their shoes by the weight in grams). I really like the way these feel. I ended up having an early hot spot on my right heal and blister below my right big toe. Otherwise I would have made this into a 20+ mile run today. I'm hoping these shoes just need to be broken in. They are nice and light.
7/9/11 - Did 3.5 hours of maintenance at Explore Park and covered 4 miles. Stop and go running and hiking. Good recovery mileage.
7/10/11 - 50.5 mile Road bike ride. Home - Bradshaw - North Fork - Route 11 - Riverside - Apperson and back.
38.65 miles running and 50.5 mile cycling.
I would have liked to be above 40 miles for the week but things didn't work out. My feet weren't too bad from the Friday run and have recovered alright. Next week I plan to get above 40 miles without doing too long of a run. This is something that I normally try to cycle through. Weeks of high mileage with a long run and high mileage with many shorter runs.
7/5/11 - 8 miles running. 6 mile loop CCW with cooldown.
Also ran 2 miles later that evening on the treadmill in my Five Fingers.
7/6/11 - 7.75 miles at the Cove. 4 Gorge, comet, enchanted forest, songbird. Very humid. Was soaked following the run.
7/8/11 - 16.4 miles at the Cove. This is my last long training run before the Catoctin 50k. Ran up Buck, trough, Gauntlet, 1000ft, comet, enchanted forest, little bell, some of schoolhouse, back on little bell, and then out on the gravel and then asphalt road. This was my first run in my new Inov-8 RocLite 285s (inov-8 name their shoes by the weight in grams). I really like the way these feel. I ended up having an early hot spot on my right heal and blister below my right big toe. Otherwise I would have made this into a 20+ mile run today. I'm hoping these shoes just need to be broken in. They are nice and light.
7/9/11 - Did 3.5 hours of maintenance at Explore Park and covered 4 miles. Stop and go running and hiking. Good recovery mileage.
7/10/11 - 50.5 mile Road bike ride. Home - Bradshaw - North Fork - Route 11 - Riverside - Apperson and back.
38.65 miles running and 50.5 mile cycling.
I would have liked to be above 40 miles for the week but things didn't work out. My feet weren't too bad from the Friday run and have recovered alright. Next week I plan to get above 40 miles without doing too long of a run. This is something that I normally try to cycle through. Weeks of high mileage with a long run and high mileage with many shorter runs.
Two months late - Training Update for May and June
I'm not as consistent on this as I'd like. Can you say too much to do and too little time? Anyway, next goal is top 10 (or best case scenario of top 5) at the Catoctin 50k on 7/30/11 in hopes that I feel good enough to tackle a race length that I swore I'd never do again following my 2003 Mountain Masochist. The Cheat Mountain Moonshine Madness 50 miler is on 8/26. It is near Snowshoe Mtn. This race starts at 9pm. Moonshine fun, maybe.
Week of May 9th.
5/9/11 - Wore my five fingers on a 2 mile run.
5/10/11 - 7.5 mile run. Did my usual 6 mile loop this morning. Felt good and decided to go for a PR. Ran the loop in 39:19. My splits were 7:06, 6:07, 6:29, 6:20, 7:10, 6:39. This loop in the CCW direction ends with the last 2 mile being in the woods. At 5:30 in the morning the woods don't have much light so the going is a little slower and hard to push the pace. Previous best was 40:22.
5/11/11 - 6.2 miles at the Cove. Hotel, buch, hi-dee-ho.
5/13/11 - 23.5 miles the Conquer the Cove Marathon course. This was a crutial decision for me. With only 2 runs of 10 miles or longer since the 2/12 Holiday Lake I wasn't sure how it would go. I felt like I should "race" the course prior to the event and this was the only day that would work. So I started out at the end of Timberview knocking off the 2.5 road miles with my Camelbak mule, 100oz of water, two clif bars, first aide kit, and handsaw. Not a racing set up but that is what I normally run in. I ran the course in 3:12. I did stop my watch a couple times to clear debris from the trail and to call Gina to let her know I wasn't going to bail early (My backup plan was to stop at the gate. You know, before the 2.8 mile 1000ft climb).
5/15/11 - 3.5 mile recovery run in my five fingers.
This was a big week. Hard run on Tues and then the marathon course on Friday.
42.7 miles of running.
Week of May 16th
5/17/11 - 7.5 mile run. The normal 6 mile loop with a 1.5 mile cooldown.
5/18/11 - 7.85 mile run at the cove. 4 gorge, 1000ft climb to the drop, comet, and then out via the road.
5/20/11 - 8/4 mile run at the cove before 5 hours of trail work on Sawmill Branch Trail. Ran in on the road, ran the road to the end of Arrowhead, ran arrowhead and songbird cutting back new growth hanging into the trail and then ran back on the road.
5/22/11 - Rode the lower loop at the cove. Cut out a few downed trees. Then later in the day ran 3.4 miles in my Five Fingers.
27.15 miles running and 11 mtn biking.
Week of May 23rd
5/24/11 - 7.5 mile Birthday run. Did the usual 6 mile loop CW today in 40:03. Ran as hard as I could. I now believe the loop is easier CCW.
5/25/11 - 7.75 mile run. Hi-dee-ho, 1000ft climb, and back on 4 gorge.
5/26/11 - 15 mile run. Back wood trail from Hollins up to the AT, AT to Sawmill Branch Trail, and back to Hollins on the Happy Valley fireroad.
5/27/11 - 13 mtn biked at the cove.5/29/11 - Road biked to Green Hill Park and back.
30.25 miles running, 13 mtn biking, and 20 cycling.
Week of May 30th
Not much training this week in preparation of the Conquer the Cove 25k and Marathon races. Too much to do and too much stress to fit in the usual training schedule.
5/31/11 - 7.5 mile run. Ran the 6 mile loop CCW - 41:32 ran pretty easy.
6/1/11 - Ran 5.5 miles at the Cove. Ran 4 gorge out and back.
6/3/11 - 16 mile mtn bike ride marking and clearing the course. Cut out a number of trees.
13 miles running and 15 mtn biking.
Week of June 6th
6/7/11 - 8 Mile loop at 7 min pace. Went at about 80-85%
6/8/11 - Easy 6 mile run at the Cove. Road in, comet, tuck-a-way, comet, 4 gorge.
6/10/11 - 16 miles mtn biking at Douthat. Lots of elevation.
6/11/11 - messed up my ankle riding the day before. Did an easy 5 miles.
6/12/11 - 10 mile run from home to the greenway, did 5 out and 5 back.
29 Miles running and 16 miles mtn biking.
Week of June 13th
6/14/11 - 7.5 miles running. Did the 6 mile loop CCW. 43:30. Legs felt heavy.
Also cycled 16 miles on the greenway and back on the road.
6/15/11 - 6.75 miles running from Dragon's Tooth to 311. Really hard section. Did it in 70 minutes.
6/17/11 - 16.5 mile running at Mill Mountain. Ran woodthrush, chestnut ridge, woodthrush, changed shoes, refueled, and then ran the greenway home. Legs had not recovered from Wed.
6/19/11 - 7.5 mile run. Did the 3 & 4 miles loops.
38.25 miles running and 16 miles cycling
Week of June 20th
6/21/11 - 7.5 miles running. 6 mile loop CCW.
6/22/11 - 7.4 miles running at the Cove. Up Hi-Dee-Ho and back on 4 gorge.
6/24/11 - 4 miles of hiking at Chatauqua Park in Boulder CO
6/25/11 - 12.65 miles mtn biking at Heil Ranch in CO
6/26/11 - 14.2 miles mtn biking at Bobcat Ridge in Ft. Collins CO
18.9 miles of running and 26.85 mtn biking.
Week of June 27th
6/27/11 - 15.65 miles running at Hall Ranch in CO
6/28/11 - 9.25 miles mtn biking at Valmont Bike Park in Boulder
6/29/11 - 13.2 miles hiking Longs Peak. Made it to 13252ft before having to turn back due to snow, ice, and heavy winds.
6/30/11 - 15.7 miles mtn biking on the Sourdough Trail in Nederland CO
7/1/11 - 4.6 miles hiking at Batasso Preserve in Boulder CO
9.35 miles biking at Valmont Bike Park in Boulder CO
7/3/11 - 4 mile loop at Fishburn Park.
37.44 miles of running and hiking and 34.3 miles of mtn biking.
Alright, I'm all caught up in my training log. Remember this is a log to show you how you can train less than most plans suggest and still do well in long distance events. My goal with many things I do is to do the least to effect the most. Why run 60 miles per week if I can concetrate on my runs and do shorter more specific runs to achieve the same result.
Week of May 9th.
5/9/11 - Wore my five fingers on a 2 mile run.
5/10/11 - 7.5 mile run. Did my usual 6 mile loop this morning. Felt good and decided to go for a PR. Ran the loop in 39:19. My splits were 7:06, 6:07, 6:29, 6:20, 7:10, 6:39. This loop in the CCW direction ends with the last 2 mile being in the woods. At 5:30 in the morning the woods don't have much light so the going is a little slower and hard to push the pace. Previous best was 40:22.
5/11/11 - 6.2 miles at the Cove. Hotel, buch, hi-dee-ho.
5/13/11 - 23.5 miles the Conquer the Cove Marathon course. This was a crutial decision for me. With only 2 runs of 10 miles or longer since the 2/12 Holiday Lake I wasn't sure how it would go. I felt like I should "race" the course prior to the event and this was the only day that would work. So I started out at the end of Timberview knocking off the 2.5 road miles with my Camelbak mule, 100oz of water, two clif bars, first aide kit, and handsaw. Not a racing set up but that is what I normally run in. I ran the course in 3:12. I did stop my watch a couple times to clear debris from the trail and to call Gina to let her know I wasn't going to bail early (My backup plan was to stop at the gate. You know, before the 2.8 mile 1000ft climb).
5/15/11 - 3.5 mile recovery run in my five fingers.
This was a big week. Hard run on Tues and then the marathon course on Friday.
42.7 miles of running.
Week of May 16th
5/17/11 - 7.5 mile run. The normal 6 mile loop with a 1.5 mile cooldown.
5/18/11 - 7.85 mile run at the cove. 4 gorge, 1000ft climb to the drop, comet, and then out via the road.
5/20/11 - 8/4 mile run at the cove before 5 hours of trail work on Sawmill Branch Trail. Ran in on the road, ran the road to the end of Arrowhead, ran arrowhead and songbird cutting back new growth hanging into the trail and then ran back on the road.
5/22/11 - Rode the lower loop at the cove. Cut out a few downed trees. Then later in the day ran 3.4 miles in my Five Fingers.
27.15 miles running and 11 mtn biking.
Week of May 23rd
5/24/11 - 7.5 mile Birthday run. Did the usual 6 mile loop CW today in 40:03. Ran as hard as I could. I now believe the loop is easier CCW.
5/25/11 - 7.75 mile run. Hi-dee-ho, 1000ft climb, and back on 4 gorge.
5/26/11 - 15 mile run. Back wood trail from Hollins up to the AT, AT to Sawmill Branch Trail, and back to Hollins on the Happy Valley fireroad.
5/27/11 - 13 mtn biked at the cove.5/29/11 - Road biked to Green Hill Park and back.
30.25 miles running, 13 mtn biking, and 20 cycling.
Week of May 30th
Not much training this week in preparation of the Conquer the Cove 25k and Marathon races. Too much to do and too much stress to fit in the usual training schedule.
5/31/11 - 7.5 mile run. Ran the 6 mile loop CCW - 41:32 ran pretty easy.
6/1/11 - Ran 5.5 miles at the Cove. Ran 4 gorge out and back.
6/3/11 - 16 mile mtn bike ride marking and clearing the course. Cut out a number of trees.
13 miles running and 15 mtn biking.
Week of June 6th
6/7/11 - 8 Mile loop at 7 min pace. Went at about 80-85%
6/8/11 - Easy 6 mile run at the Cove. Road in, comet, tuck-a-way, comet, 4 gorge.
6/10/11 - 16 miles mtn biking at Douthat. Lots of elevation.
6/11/11 - messed up my ankle riding the day before. Did an easy 5 miles.
6/12/11 - 10 mile run from home to the greenway, did 5 out and 5 back.
29 Miles running and 16 miles mtn biking.
Week of June 13th
6/14/11 - 7.5 miles running. Did the 6 mile loop CCW. 43:30. Legs felt heavy.
Also cycled 16 miles on the greenway and back on the road.
6/15/11 - 6.75 miles running from Dragon's Tooth to 311. Really hard section. Did it in 70 minutes.
6/17/11 - 16.5 mile running at Mill Mountain. Ran woodthrush, chestnut ridge, woodthrush, changed shoes, refueled, and then ran the greenway home. Legs had not recovered from Wed.
6/19/11 - 7.5 mile run. Did the 3 & 4 miles loops.
38.25 miles running and 16 miles cycling
Week of June 20th
6/21/11 - 7.5 miles running. 6 mile loop CCW.
6/22/11 - 7.4 miles running at the Cove. Up Hi-Dee-Ho and back on 4 gorge.
6/24/11 - 4 miles of hiking at Chatauqua Park in Boulder CO
6/25/11 - 12.65 miles mtn biking at Heil Ranch in CO
6/26/11 - 14.2 miles mtn biking at Bobcat Ridge in Ft. Collins CO
18.9 miles of running and 26.85 mtn biking.
Week of June 27th
6/27/11 - 15.65 miles running at Hall Ranch in CO
6/28/11 - 9.25 miles mtn biking at Valmont Bike Park in Boulder
6/29/11 - 13.2 miles hiking Longs Peak. Made it to 13252ft before having to turn back due to snow, ice, and heavy winds.
6/30/11 - 15.7 miles mtn biking on the Sourdough Trail in Nederland CO
7/1/11 - 4.6 miles hiking at Batasso Preserve in Boulder CO
9.35 miles biking at Valmont Bike Park in Boulder CO
7/3/11 - 4 mile loop at Fishburn Park.
37.44 miles of running and hiking and 34.3 miles of mtn biking.
Alright, I'm all caught up in my training log. Remember this is a log to show you how you can train less than most plans suggest and still do well in long distance events. My goal with many things I do is to do the least to effect the most. Why run 60 miles per week if I can concetrate on my runs and do shorter more specific runs to achieve the same result.
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