Sunday, November 27, 2011

....But Mama

Training has been consistent.  Taking my time, not trying to get to carried away.  I easily could have ran 65 this week, but I made the decision to take Saturday off again and concentrate on a good Sunday effort.

Monday - 7.0 in 1:00 w/ Jamie and the dogs.
Tuesday - 7.1 in 1:00 w/ Jamie and the dogs.
Wednesday - 12.1 in 1:41 w/ Jamie and his dog.
Thursday - 8.0 in 1:12 at Nashotah w/ Joel's T-Day crew.
Friday - 7.2 in 1:00 w/ Jamie and the dogs.
Saturday - Off
Sunday - 13.6 in 1:50:10 (56:25, 53:45) Lapham Bunk loops w/ Bro. Grub.

Total = 55.0

Fitness wise I feel stronger than usual for this time of year.  Try an get to 60 next week.  My left leg
is a little tweaked from slipping going down hill.  Didn't notice until after run.  See how it operates
tomorrow AM.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Mega Mind

I think I like trail ultras a lot because I loved cross-country.  It is even fun to watch the HS meets, but deep down one would like to jump in.  A buddy of mine and I have talked for years about having a CC season.  Plenty of open meets, (and you could throw in some shorter trail races) you could also run at Parkside in the open meet with the college kids.  Then there is the various USATF meets.  Might be a gas, or at least a nice change.

I've been running most of my life.  Why am I sore all the time?  I don't stretch at all.  Would that help some?  Not having a problem running...just achey quite a bit. 

I've noticed running early in the AM that people have little regard for stop signs.  I always run with the idea people can't see me.  I'm no match for a ton vehicle, no matter if I have the right-of-way.  The most dangerous place is in the neighborhoods.  People look for cars with lights when backing out.  Not you and the dog 10 feet away.  If there like me their saying, "What in the heck are they doing out here?"

After I say my prayers at night...I immediately think about running.  What if I did this, what races are coming up, how can I beat so-and-so?  The biggest thing is running training regiments through and through.  No wonder I train different every year.

I'm more convinced every year it's all about the weekly miles and not the girth of long runs one gets in.  Why tire yourself out every weekend as we are only hobby joggers in the overall picture.  I'm thinking one effort of 4 hours or so every three weeks.  Those get to be a grind week in and week out.  Plus I feel they compromise your ability to get in decent training the rest of the week.  I'm more of a run every day guy.  I'd like to get up to 10 runs a week.  This always seemed to make me stronger and with a decent taper before a race your bullet proof...or at least that's the hope.

I'd like to hit the track this spring for some bashing.  The dog cuts corners though...whatever it takes for the W I guess.  "Can I pet your dog?"  Beat it kid, she's a killer.                  

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

I admire your salt

In breaking down a training regiment you have to look at a bunch of factors.  I have never figured out how to run effectively on the trails and this is my goal over the winter.  First I have to establish what I call my three phases of weekly training:

Phase 1: Run every morning for about an hour Monday through Friday.  This is complete.
Phase 2: Run Tuesday through Thursday in the PM.  Have averaged about 1 workout so far.
Phase 3: Run 20 on Saturday and 10 on Sunday, or 30 miles over the weekend.  I'm at about 15.

Done correctly, one can get about 80 a week from this.  I have been hesitant to really pile up the mileage and figure I'll add 3-5 miles a week.  The goal is to establish all three phases by early January.  I'd maintain this another 6 weeks or so and then look to impart a few longer runs.  I'd incorporate one tempo run and some type of fast stuff the 12 weeks leading up to Ice Age.  I'd also like to make a stretch and get a 2 hour run in sometime mid week if possible.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Show Stopper

I watched, "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner" this Sunday for the first time.  I guess I'm not as refined as the reviewers on AMC.  All I kept thinking was, "I'd burry you guys."
Favorite Movie: The Deer Hunter

I read something by Mitch Albom called Five People You'll Meet in Heaven.  It was enough for me to finish.  Mitch is a decent writer.
Favorite Book:  The Deerslayer by James Fenimore Cooper

I raked leaves this weekend.  The whole family did.  We get a lot of leaves.  Lots of brown.
Favorite Color: Green

I like shoes that are inexpensive and have lots of size 13s to pick from.  Like more room now in the toe box then when younger.  Probably due to ultras.  I wear the shoe evenly, so I like something that doesn't destruct easy.  Usually wear heavy shoes.
Favorite Shoe: Adidas

I enjoy older rock and country.  I whip through the dial.  Finding older tunes you seldom hear, but remember as a kid always fire me up; like Hotrod Lincoln.
Favorite Song: El Paso by Marty Robbins

I watch less and less TV, though I am a SportsCenter junkie.  Old reruns are still classic and bring back memories of yesteryear.
Favorite Old Sitcom: Get Smart
Favorite Detective Show: The Rockford Files

The retro cars are cool.  When I lived in Florida you saw about every make of high end car made.  I'd never spend the money for a cool car, but they are fun to look at and see who's driving them.
Favorite Car:  Challenger

I do watch old movies based on who's in them.  We all have our fav's.  Clint, McQueen, Connery, etc.  I enjoy the actors my parents watched.
Favorite Actor: The Duke

Still play cards semi-frequently.  Spades was popular as was poker in college.  I had to learn a new game when I married a Wisconsinite.  Not always easy to find consensus though.
Favorite Card Game: Sheepshead

Been running since 76'.  Probably hit 55,000 miles or so.  I don't need motivation...I have always enjoyed the freedom of movement.
Favorite Distance: 50 miles
Favorite Runner: Gaston Roelants

Other favorites:
Baseball - Roberto Clemente
President - Lincoln
Board Game - Trivial Pursuit
Food - Hamburgers

Monday, November 7, 2011

Buck Wild

Ice Age

Most know this is my favorite race of the year.  I've prepared many differnet ways and ran it different ways.  It is a great race and has had outstanding direction and support since I ran my first one in 2000.  Now-a-days, I tend to run it like I did that first time, plus I throw in what I have learned and gauge it by feel. When I line up I try and stay relaxed and ease into the race.  I do a few test runs the month before to see what kind of fitness might be available.

The Blue Loop.  I used to hammer it, but I found it is a good time to just settle in and run it at training pace.  Nothing to special about that.  I typically see people who went out much too fast.  I see quite a few people around me who are wearing gas stations and wonder if that's all necessary to be in the top 10-15% of the field.  I try and take good care of myself early.  I have to watch I don't eat too much. 

To Highway 12.  Whoever was going to be ahead of me by now is.  I'll pick an occasional person off here and there as people start to reconsider their early starting pace.  From Duffin road until I exit the woods, I check to see how long it takes so I can gauge the time on the way back.  It gives me a feel of how I'm moving later on.  Coming out of the woods you can finally see people ahead and the first inkling of racing enters my head.  When I see people ahead, I don't have to think about closing the gap, it automatically happens.  Getting to 12 is a big lift as my wife usually starts crewing for me here.  I chug some hammer gel and drink and get ready for the next section.

12 to the turn.  I get a little pumped because now I count who is ahead of me coming back.  There are exceptions, but I typically start catching people here.  I try and get out of that turn as soon as possible because now I need to start finding a hot spot.

Turn to 12.  Seeing people on the way back.  Exchange hellos.  It is a fair amount of uphill so I try and not go buck wild.  I don't like to have my low spot here, so again it is just getting a feel.  At 12 is the last real load up for me.  Don't eat as much after this.

12 to Duffin road.  Through the prairie and into the woods.  Usually my lowest part of the race.  I run that hill at a decent clip because, I pass people, I want the people behind me to wonder what's going on, and it gets my mind and body to start thinking about racing.  I used to hate this section, but now because I know how long it should take I don't worry about it.  It is hard to see people in here, but usually a fair amount of people are just ahead.  I usually catch a few people in here.  At Duffin, I blow down my first load of Pepsi or mountain Dew and do an evaluation.

Duffin to Confusion Corner.  I do well through here.  If things are going well I start seeing more and more people.  It is not uncommon for me to see 3-4 people on the hill just before Confusion Corner.  Last year was the first year I saw zero.

Confusion Corner to Horseman's.  Game on!  I try and stretch it out.  Probably running my best if things are going well.  I just go by people and that is a huge boost.  You really have to watch lighting out too early.  Though fun to run past people, there is a lot of ground left to cover.

Horeseman's to Horseman's.  I time these sections as well.  I waste little time in aid stations.  Heck, I barely acknowledge people anymore because I am waxed.  Again I count how many ahead of me and how far.  This is a very difficult section for me, but it is for everyone.

Horseman's to Finish.  Hopefully I am racing.  Half the time it is survival, but even then my early easier pace has left me just a hair better than most.  There is always a hand full off people totally shot.  I feel for them.  They laid it out there and now all that's left is the survival shuffle.  Man I have been there.  That's one reason I run it the way I do now.  Every few years I'm doing my fastest running at this point.  But, I'm at the point in my Ice Age career that the fast guys are way ahead.  There is usually huge gaps of minutes between people.  Hard to go wicked buck wild when no one around.  Not that I want to, but it sounds good typing it.

Just under 8:04 last year.  I wasn't happy with the time, but I wasn't disappointed.  With this plan, I usually can run the last 35 miles without getting passed.  Maybe I need to notch it up a hair next year.