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Training Schedule Week of 19 July
July 18th, 2010
It has been a difficult few weeks with the day job taking up way too much time. This led to several weeks with only one 4 mile run. Things are starting to settle down now and the training should start to come back online. The next big race I’ll be running is the Lean Horse 50 miler in South Dakota in late August. Based on my performance at BigHorn I’ve decided to add more cycling to my schedule in order to build up more leg strength without increasing the amount of impact my joints are taking. I also will have to slowly build up my overall volume again as I’ve lost a lot of endurance in the last 3 weeks.
Monday:
4 Mile run.
Strength Training
Tuesday:
Hill Repeats
17 mile bike.
Wednesday
6 mile run.
Thursday:
4 mile tempo run.
17 mile bike
Friday:
1.8 mile run
Strength workout.
Saturday:
8 mile run.
Sunday:
8 mile run.
Race Report: Big Horn 50 Miler, 19 June 2010
July 11th, 2010
Ok. I’m still slacking on getting posts updated in a timely manner. My day-job keeps getting in the way. Dan Fettig and I ran the Bighorn 50 miler on19 June and by the time I got back to work on Monday everything was blowing up. Since this is a site dedicated to an active outdoor lifestyle and not workplace rants, I’ll leave the details out. Let’s just say that I finally got my first run in since the race today. Things seem to be settling down now and I should hopefully be able to start training again.
I have uploaded a video of the race here.
I flew into Billings on Friday morning and Dan picked me up at the airport. We drove from the airport to his parents house to pick up their trailer and after some quick shopping drove down to Sheridan to pick up our race packets and some extra socks. We met up with Lisa, Guy and T-bone a couple of hours later and went to a local bar for some drinks and greasy food in preparation for race day. The three 25 oz beers, fried pickles and chimichangas were probably not the best pre-race choice but it was a good time. After dinner Dan and I drove to the finish line where we parked the trailer and went to sleep.
The alarm went off at 3AM and we started stumbling around making last minute bathroom breaks, dressing for the race and choking down some bagel sandwiches. Dan made coffee and we put it into travel mugs before climbing on the bus that would drive us the 1.5 hours to the starting line. At some point I fell asleep and woke up when I spilled my coffee all over me and Dan. Luckily it wasn’t too hot anymore.
2 minutes after the start
At 5:30 we made it to the starting line and got on line for the porta potties. After 20 minutes we got frustrated and decided to just wait till the line cleared out and then go back. We parked ourselves by the campfire and cheered 100 milers as they came in to their turn-around point. A few minutes later we walked back over to the porta-potties and got back on line. As we were waiting someone sang the national anthem. About 3 minutes later Dan and I were on the starting line when they yelled go and we were off.
We started slow. This course is where I got a stress fracture in my foot last year and I knew the trail would be uneven and difficult. Within a few minutes we made it to the mud and began slogging through the ankle deep muck. Dan and I kept a smooth 15 minute mile pace going until we hit the 18 mile mark. At the 18 mile mark we ate as much as possible, cleaned up our feet and began climbing up the wall, a four mile 1800 foot climb. This was where I blew up the previous year but I was actually feeling pretty good as we continued to pass people. The Jemez Mtns race earlier in the year must have helped prep me for this.
Once the trail leveled off we began upping our pace slightly although the uneven single track still made it difficult to run well. At 2PM we rolled into cow camp and began wolfing down pieces of bacon. We knew we would be struggling to make the cutoff at mile 32 but started out a decent pace. At some point Dan moved on ahead as I was bonking pretty hard. 10 minutes after he left I got a second wind and started trying to catch up, setting a 12 minute per mile pace on the road. Dan was waiting for me at the 32 mile point. As I was running in the race volunteers yelled to me that I had two minutes to clear the station. Meanwhile, I was lying on my back heaving. A volunteer asked me if I was heading out. “Sure,” I said, “I’m about to get a third wind”. Dan started laughing. We knew we were done.
All in all it was a good race. I made it 6 miles further this year then last year. I am ready to run some easier courses though and get some finishers medals under my belt this year. We’re considering the Lean Horse 50 in August. I’ll post what we decide.
Jemez Mountain Trail Run 50k May 2010
June 13th, 2010
I left my house around 9AM on Friday, 21 May on my way to Los Alamos, NM for the 50k race being held the next day. I had loaded down my car with everything I would need for the next two weeks. The plan was to spend two days in Los Alamos running the race and then take all the back routes from Los Alamos to Reno Nevada where I was getting married the following week.
By the time I made it to my hotel race check-in and pasta dinner were over. I was a little disappointed. Caballo from the book “Born to Run” spoke at the dinner. I had never met the guy and thought it would be cool to see him. I spent the next couple of hours prepping for the race and then went to bed early.
The alarm went off at 3:30 AM. The race started at 5AM but I still had to check in. I drove down to the starting line, got my race packet and put on my bid. I kept drinking water and nuun, getting ready for the race. At 4:50AM I lined up at the starting line and pulled out a video camera. I was planning on shooting clips of video during the run.
At 5AM someone yelled go and we started down the road towards some stables. The trail looped around the stables and then started up a gradual uphill. A couple of miles in my headlamp stopped working. Luckily the sky was getting lighter and I was able to see well enough to run. We ran through a tunnel underneath a road, crossed another road and began heading up the first steep climb. By 7AM I was at the top of the climb. I refilled my water bottles, ate a couple of fig newtons and then started on the downhill.
This section of the trail was steep narrow single-track and I almost fell a couple of times. It didn’t help that I was running with a camcorder in one hand. A few minutes later I hit the stream at the bottom of the hill and started walking up the stream. At a dam the course followed up a ladder and continued up the stream. A few minutes later I made it to the next aid station and refilled my water bottles again. The next two miles included 2000 feet of climbing to a turn-around point. I started up the climb and immediately started to hurt. Running in Oklahoma had not prepared me for either the altitude or the steepness of the climb. After almost 1.5 hours of climbing I saw a sign on a tree that read “Almost There”. A few minutes later I made it to the end of the climb. I sat down for a few minutes to enjoy the view before heading back down the hill.
I started down the trail. After a few hundred yards I put away the camcorder. The rail was just too steep and I was trying to make up for lost time. Sure enough, I pushed it too hard. About half way down the hill I kicked a rock hard. A sharp pain immediately shot up my foot and in to my leg as I went completely horizontal, headfirst into a pile of rocks. Luckily I got my hand out in front of my face, bounced once and rolled off the trail sliding down the hill. I tensed my leg from the pain and immediately cramped up. Someone below me must have hear me bite it. They yelled up the trail “Are you ok?”. Instead of answering I yelled “f####!”. After a few seconds the pain went down a bit. A passing runner must have thought I was just cramping. She gave me an electrolyte pill and kept running. Five minutes later a runner came by and helped me get back to the trail. I started down the trail unable to run because of my foot. I was pretty sure I had just broken my big toe.
About a half hour later I made it back to the aid station at the base of the hill, popped a few Motrin and headed out. After about a mile of uphill the toe numbed up and I felt ok and started running again. At about 11AM I made it to the next aid station and began the 6 mile out and back to the ski resort. This section of the trail was primarily a gradual downhill and I made good time. The runner who helped me back on the trail (I’ll call him Ft. Worth. I don’t remember his name but that was where he was from.) was heading at the same pace as me so we ran together talking. By 1PM we were back at the aid station. I talked to Wendy briefly on the phone and then we started down the last 11 miles to the finish line.
The first section of trail here has a 4 wheel drive road. After that the trail split to one side and the course follwed some single track down the mountain back towards the finish line. There had been a forest fire here years before and the sun beat down on you as you ran. At 3:30PM I made it to the last aid station and waited for Ft. Worth. He has having trouble running the downhills and I couldn’t walk them so we split up on the way to the aid station. He arrived a couple of minutes later and we started up the last 2 miles to the finish line.
At 4:20 we crossed the finish line. This goes down as my slowest 50k I have ever run. However, the course was tough, the scenery was beautiful and the volunteers were awesome. I will be trying this race again. Next time, I will run more hills in training.
Note added 14 June: I couldn’t get the embedded video to work. Click the link below to see the video from the run.
Strength Workout: 7 June 2010
June 7th, 2010
June 6th Update
June 6th, 2010
It has been an eventful few weeks. Two weeks ago I ran the Jemez Mountains 50k. After the race I drove to Reno, NV, did a two day back packing trip and then got married. We spent the last week driving back to Oklahoma.
I’m working on a video blog and race report for the Jemez 50k and a summary with pictures of the backpacking trip. In two weeks I am running the Big Horn 50 miler with a couple of friends in Wyoming. Should be a good time.
With all the travel my training has been all over the map. Yesterday I completely blew up due to the heat on a 17 mile training run. At least I hope it was due to the heat. If not this could be a very painful 50 miler at the end of the month.
This week’s Schedule:
I’m debating about running a 50k down in Oklahoma City this weekend as a final prep run for Big Horn. I should probably start to taper but I’ll figure it out by the end of the week. I may also try and do a pool workout this week at the local YMCA.
Monday:
1.8 mile run
Strength Workout
Tuesday:
6 mile run
Wednesday:
Pool Workout?
Thursday:
6 mile run
Friday:
1.8 mile run
Strength Workout
Saturday:
17 mile run
Sunday:
9 mile run
Training Summary and a Look Ahead
May 17th, 2010
Last week was a slow week. I did a few 4.5 mile runs and called it good. I’m flying to Phoenix in a couple of hours for work, will be there for a few days, and when I get back my vacation starts.
On Friday I’m driving to Los Alamos for the Jemez 50 miler. I’ll be taking it slow (will most likely hike the majority of it). After the race I’m taking the deserted route north of the Grand Canyon, through Death Valley to the High Sierras and then north to South Lake Tahoe where I’m meeting up with some friends. On Thursday the posse and I start our 3 day backcountry trip from the north end of the Mt Rose Wilderness to Walley’s hot spring resort. Should be a good time.
On Sunday Wendy and I are getting married and then starting the road trip back to Oklahoma. We’re trying to stop at all of the cool, out of the way parks to camp, hike etc.
I’ll be posting pictures of the trip as I go and may even take some video so check back.
The last couple of weeks (including a recap of the OKC Memorial Marathon)
May 2nd, 2010
Well, my training has been a bit inconsistent for the last couple of weeks. Two weeks ago on a Tuesday I came down with a really bad flu which knocked me out of commission for 4 days. By then it was Saturday and we were driving down to Oklahoma city for the OKC Memorial Marathon.
The race started at 6:30. Wendy dropped me off about 4 blocks from the starting line at 5:45 and I made my way to the starting corral. At around 6:15 they had 168 seconds of silence for the victims of the OKC Federal building bombing. It was nice to see everyone (20k plus people) go absolutely silent out of respect. I’ve never seen a crowd actually do something like that. At 6:20 they sang the national anthem and the whole crowd (at least everyone around me) sang along. Wow. At 6:30 the starting gun went off. I didn’t make it to the starting line for another 15 minutes. Its kind of wild when you think about that. The race leaders were at mile 3 before I even made it to the starting line.
I took the run very slow, running ten minutes and walking one. My goal was to maintain a steady pace throughout the race. Just before mile 13 we hit a huge lake and started down a bike path. I was two hours into the race and feeling pretty good. At mile 18 I met up with a group from Annapolis and some guy from Pittsburg. The guy from Pittsburg had run at least one marathon every week for the last 11 weeks. Pretty impressive. They were taking it slow so I stepped it out after talking with them for about 10 minutes.
I had to keep telling myself to take it slow. This race was simply a training run for the Big Horn 50 miler I am running in June. Around mile 20 I was starting to hurt (my longest run previous to this was 17 miles). At this point on the course there is a banner every few yards with the name of one of the people who lost their lives 15 years ago. It was easy to forget sometimes why this marathon was started and then you come to something like these banners or people from the city thanking you for running the race. It was a very different race.
About 2 miles further along and I was really starting to hurt. I started running 5 minutes and walking one. At 4:21 I crossed the finish line and grabbed one of the space blankets they were handing out. There was a cold wind blowing. Wendy met me at the finish line and reminded me to grab my finisher’s training tee. I grabbed it and we jumped in the car and drove down to Bricktown for some Mexican food and a beer.
The following week I had to fly up to Seattle for a week long conference. I’d like to say I got a lot of running in but I didn’t.
My next race is Jemez Mountain 50 miler outside of Los Alamos, NM. The race has 12 thousand feet of elevation gain so I’m going to take it very slow. I don’t want to get hurt prior to my bachelor party.
Training to date:
This week’s schedule:
Monday:
4.65 mile run
Tuesday:
1.8 mile run
Strength workout
Wednesday:
9 mile run
Thursday:
1.8 mile run
Strength Workout
Friday:
4.65 mile run
Saturday:
17 Mile run
Sunday:
13.2 mile run
Training update 18 April 2010
April 18th, 2010
Another ok week. Only got two runs in but one was a 17 mile run this morning. I didn’t cover my nipples with band aids and now no longer have nipples. Ouch. My shirt also has two cool red stripes on it now. Oh well.
I will have an easy week this week with the OKC Memorial Marathon on Sunday. I’m doing the run as training for the BigHorn 50 miler and will be taking it slow (goal is a 4 hour run). I’ve decided that multiple races is the only way to keep me motivated here in the midwest. It just isn’t that much fun running on roads.
Monday:
Rest
Tuesday:
Easy 4.65 mile run.
Wednesday:
1.9 mile run
Thursday:
Easy 4.65 mile run.
Friday:
Off
Saturday:
1 mile slow run.
Sunday:
OKC Marathon
Training Summary Week of 12 April
April 15th, 2010
Last week was a low key but solid training week. I managed to get a 13.5 mile run in over the weekend. This week I’ll be upping my weekend run to around 17 miles in preparation for the OKC memorial marathon next week. I’m treating the marathon as a training run for BigHorn and will be taking it slow. I currently plan on doing it in about 4 hours.
This week’s schedule:
Monday:
Off
Tuesday:
Off
Wednesday:
4.65 mile Firehouse loop
Thursday:
Hill work (10 sets)
Kettlebell workout
Friday:
4.65 mile Firehouse loop
Saturday:
17.5 mile loop
Sunday:
1.8 mile short loop
My Bachelor Party
April 5th, 2010
In about two months I will be flying out to Reno to get married. And, in time honored tradition, a few friends and I will be celebrating with a bachelor party. Here is the plan:
We will start on day one at the Truckee River near the Patagonia warehouse. From there we will head south cross-country through the Mt. Rose Wilderness Area, climbing to the summit of the mountain from the northern side. There are no trails on through this area that I know of so it should be interesting.
From Patagonia Warehouse to the Summit of Mt Rose
From the summit of Mt Rose we will descend to Tahoe Meadows and make camp somewhere in that area before continuing south along the Tahoe Rim Trail the following day.
Day two will be around 25 miles ending somewhere around the Spooner Summit trailhead by route 50. I am getting these pictures from Mapmyrun.com so the course I’m plotting may not exactly follow the rim trail but we will simply follow the trail south. My brother will probably be joining us here as may a couple of other friends.
The final day we will continue south until we hit a canyon roughly due west of Walley’s hotspring resort. That is where most of my family will be staying that weekend so we will head East, find our own way down the canyon and finish at the resort.
Right now two friends, Dan and Chuck have committed to the full trip and my brother may join us for the last stage. It should be a really good time and should function for some good training for future races/shennanigans. Total distance is around 45 miles with about 10 thousand feet of climbing.