Running has been a lot of things for me over the years. At first it was a way to compete and be a part of a team in HS. It took me a year and a half to realize pure ability and will only take you so far. I read a book by Joe Henderson titled Run Gently, Run Long. I did not quite grasp all the concepts then, but one theme which resonated was running just for the freedom of movement. It didn't need to be hard. What's the purpose of always banging away. Much of my running has been like this, but then again I had to learn the lesson myself. I like both aspects. I like at times to bang away because this really is the only way for me to run faster. However, I need the running with no particular place to go attitude as well. My sweet spot has been 50 miles a week. One can stay in reasonable shape and when the urge to compete comes you simply carve out 12 weeks and make it happen.
Saturday was my last Ice Age tune up run on the course. I just basically ran the 16.6 miles progressively faster after a few easy miles at first. I was looking for that zone and for about the last 12 miles I found it. When you put the accelerator down and the body keeps responding is awesome. This does not happen much in general any more and to achieve the feeling two weeks in a row is a good sign for me. I have a few minor dings and sore areas, but hopefully I can rest and sharpen the edge just a bit more over the next 12 days. I believe I am ready.
4/24 = AM, 5.0 (10:19) road
4/25 = PM, 7.0 w/ 5k in 20:22 (6:33) paved
4/26 = PM, 6.5 w/ 5 x 880y w/ 440y jog, road
4/27 = PM, 6.1 (9:35) paved w/ Dewey and Tim
4/28 = OFF
4/29 = AM, 16.5 (8:53) w/ last 12.3 (8:33) trails. First 4.2 w/ Dewey & Christine
4/30 = AM, 6.0 (10:21) road
Total = 47.1
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Sunday, April 23, 2017
Lost in Space
The last long training run is in the bank for Ice Age. All which is primarily left to do is rest, sharpen up a bit, and lay off the spam. Spending time out on the same trails the Ice Age 50 mile takes place at reminds me of past lessons learned. I thought I'd pine a bit.
1. Whatever one has on race day is what you have to work with. Sure we have basic goals, but you have to play the variables given that day. I'm not discounting ones ability to make it happen, but 50 miles is a long way and best to be cautious early.
2. Every year I run into someone along the way (usually between 10-20 miles) and they ask me what I'm trying to finish in. Sometimes my time is a couple hours faster than their goal and they look at me puzzled. Sometimes they even take off from me. I have never seen this turn out well. Go out conservative. Take care of yourself. Let your mind drift into a state of auto pilot. Plenty of time to leg it out later.
3. If time or place is a major goal then figure out from the course aid stations how you need to manage this thing. Prepare to bring a few items (how hard is it to carry S-caps or TP) and don't act stupefied when they don't have a personal handler at each aid station for you. I usually always have crew and I am told I am easy to crew for. Hand me a new bottle through and have a snack for me. If it is anything special I'll ask for it when I get to the next place I can get assistance.
4. If you plan on running near me then please understand I'm inconsistent and run the course the way I do. Sometimes I'm sailing and other times I'm conserving. I'm not focusing on what you are doing. My main goal is to get through 35 miles and then look for a hot spot. It's not personal. I'm just out there some years to get the damn thing finished and beat a few people.
5. Yes I walk some hills, but primarily at the beginning. I like to keep my heart rate down early and already know I'm probably running a hair fast. In the middle portions I walk maybe 5-10% of the hill when it is the steepest or the steps are hard to get over easily. The last 20 miles if I can I run up almost all hills. To me this seems to work so I have kept with this.
I have to go work on the lawn now.
4/17 = PM, 6.0 (9:28) paved
4/18 = PM, 7.0 w/ 5k (6:43 pace) paved
4/19 = PM, 7.0 w/ 4.0 @ 6:53 pace on T-mill
4/20 = PM, 6.0 (9:51) road
4/21 = AM, 4.5 (10:06) road
4/22 = AM, 34.5 (10:16) w/ last 15.3 @ 9:06 on course, trails
4/23 = AM, 8.0 (10:33) trails
Total = 73.0
1. Whatever one has on race day is what you have to work with. Sure we have basic goals, but you have to play the variables given that day. I'm not discounting ones ability to make it happen, but 50 miles is a long way and best to be cautious early.
2. Every year I run into someone along the way (usually between 10-20 miles) and they ask me what I'm trying to finish in. Sometimes my time is a couple hours faster than their goal and they look at me puzzled. Sometimes they even take off from me. I have never seen this turn out well. Go out conservative. Take care of yourself. Let your mind drift into a state of auto pilot. Plenty of time to leg it out later.
3. If time or place is a major goal then figure out from the course aid stations how you need to manage this thing. Prepare to bring a few items (how hard is it to carry S-caps or TP) and don't act stupefied when they don't have a personal handler at each aid station for you. I usually always have crew and I am told I am easy to crew for. Hand me a new bottle through and have a snack for me. If it is anything special I'll ask for it when I get to the next place I can get assistance.
4. If you plan on running near me then please understand I'm inconsistent and run the course the way I do. Sometimes I'm sailing and other times I'm conserving. I'm not focusing on what you are doing. My main goal is to get through 35 miles and then look for a hot spot. It's not personal. I'm just out there some years to get the damn thing finished and beat a few people.
5. Yes I walk some hills, but primarily at the beginning. I like to keep my heart rate down early and already know I'm probably running a hair fast. In the middle portions I walk maybe 5-10% of the hill when it is the steepest or the steps are hard to get over easily. The last 20 miles if I can I run up almost all hills. To me this seems to work so I have kept with this.
I have to go work on the lawn now.
4/17 = PM, 6.0 (9:28) paved
4/18 = PM, 7.0 w/ 5k (6:43 pace) paved
4/19 = PM, 7.0 w/ 4.0 @ 6:53 pace on T-mill
4/20 = PM, 6.0 (9:51) road
4/21 = AM, 4.5 (10:06) road
4/22 = AM, 34.5 (10:16) w/ last 15.3 @ 9:06 on course, trails
4/23 = AM, 8.0 (10:33) trails
Total = 73.0
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Flint or tinder?
There was a time you could just show up out at the trails this time of the year and find people to run with. After a few social miles people would start to light out in their own packs. Somewhere on the way back there was a bit of saber rattling and you finished with a solid workout of a few hours. People you knew littered the trails and you might stop for a brief second to say hello or tell them to pack a lunch on race day (in a perfectly legal and binding sense). This is Ice Age season. Most everyone at some point comes out to give it a go, volunteer, crew, or party. Now don't get me wrong the Ice Age 50 is one of the most successful, well run, popular races you will ever attend. It is my favorite event of all-time. The reality is people don't run or last forever. How much longer do I have to race this thing?
If I was to summarize my training this year I would say adequate. I'd have liked to have averaged about 15 more miles a week, but I could not weave the magic. Honestly it was the live to fight another day training. Calculator says I have averaged 52.66 miles a week since January 1st. Basically what I always run. However, I have done some longer efforts (about 5 miles less per run than the past) and have kept up with some tempo efforts. What I can't pin down is when I will feel good. Is it age, meds or other stuff...probably, but I just have to roll with that. One thing for sure is a good taper is usually good for me. As long as I get over 5 hours in on next weekends run, watch the weight, and zip around a bit I might be fine.
One thing I have learned is you can't will a time to happen. You have to take it as it comes and if you have any wheels the last 10-15 miles than let her go. This is not a course you can unwind on as there are few flat stretches. You have to find a rhythm over the never ending shifting topography.
4/3 = OFF
4/4 = AM, 5.0 (9:27) roads
4/5 = PM, 6.0 w/ 3.5 @ 6:40 on T-mill
4/6 = AM, 5.0 (9:03) T-mill
4/7 = AM, 6.0 (9:55) roads
4/8 = AM, 25.4 (10:12) Ice Age trail w/ Christine and Steve
4/9 = OFF
Total = 47.4
4/10 = PM, 7.5 (10:28) roads
4/11 = PM, 8.5 (9:04) w/ 2.0 (6:51, 6:34) w/ Tim
4/12 = PM, 9.0 (10:32) Lapham trails w/ Steve and Jim
4/13 = OFF
4/14 = AM, 6.0 (10:34) QEK trail
4/15 = AM, 15.0 (9:33) Ice Age trail w/ Christine and Steve
4/16 = AM, 12.1 (10:34) QEK trail
Total = 58.1
If I was to summarize my training this year I would say adequate. I'd have liked to have averaged about 15 more miles a week, but I could not weave the magic. Honestly it was the live to fight another day training. Calculator says I have averaged 52.66 miles a week since January 1st. Basically what I always run. However, I have done some longer efforts (about 5 miles less per run than the past) and have kept up with some tempo efforts. What I can't pin down is when I will feel good. Is it age, meds or other stuff...probably, but I just have to roll with that. One thing for sure is a good taper is usually good for me. As long as I get over 5 hours in on next weekends run, watch the weight, and zip around a bit I might be fine.
One thing I have learned is you can't will a time to happen. You have to take it as it comes and if you have any wheels the last 10-15 miles than let her go. This is not a course you can unwind on as there are few flat stretches. You have to find a rhythm over the never ending shifting topography.
4/3 = OFF
4/4 = AM, 5.0 (9:27) roads
4/5 = PM, 6.0 w/ 3.5 @ 6:40 on T-mill
4/6 = AM, 5.0 (9:03) T-mill
4/7 = AM, 6.0 (9:55) roads
4/8 = AM, 25.4 (10:12) Ice Age trail w/ Christine and Steve
4/9 = OFF
Total = 47.4
4/10 = PM, 7.5 (10:28) roads
4/11 = PM, 8.5 (9:04) w/ 2.0 (6:51, 6:34) w/ Tim
4/12 = PM, 9.0 (10:32) Lapham trails w/ Steve and Jim
4/13 = OFF
4/14 = AM, 6.0 (10:34) QEK trail
4/15 = AM, 15.0 (9:33) Ice Age trail w/ Christine and Steve
4/16 = AM, 12.1 (10:34) QEK trail
Total = 58.1
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Student body right
In 1977 we board the bus and head down to Ellwood City to take on the CC team. We have never ran on this course so we pay extra attention on where we need to turn, etc. It seemed common in our area that front runners from the other team get mixed up. I get it. These are rural meets and not a whole lot of extra bodies around to point the proper way. If you felt you were going to be in the mix it was best to get a handle on the last half mile. Follow the leader from the home team and turn on the burners at the end.
We were about to have a special treat this day. There had been so much rain that when you ran down by the creek you had to run across the boards laid out. They went for a long ways in places and to try and not run on them was futile. We had our little band of about a dozen runners and Ellwood appeared to have anyone in the school who wanted to run that day in uniform. I thought nothing of this. This course was 2.7 miles. You started and ran down to the bottom where the creek ran. Eventually you ran on dry terra firma for a ways, then come up out of the bottom to a paved road area. You ran on this for about a mile and finished up on the cinder track. I thought this was pretty cool.
Now the year before on our course we beat Ellwood and I grabbed my first victory ever. We ended that year 2-5. When that little starter pistol cracked I had no idea that every single kid on that team must have been directed to drop a 45 quarter and get to the boards. They were log jammin'. It was frustrating watching the top guys pull away as all these midgets slowed to a crawl. I ran the boards for about 100 yards before I went through the cold, muddy water. Somehow being duped teed me off and I set sail for the front. I caught the lead guy coming up out of the bottom, but was too waxed to do anything else when we got to the road. At this point in my running life I had zero experience on what I felt I should do. Get this...I was on my own. Pretty common in the day. My buddy always called it YOYO. Your on your own.
It came down to not losing contact. If the kid on his home course would have made any kind of move then he probably had me. I had no idea how far it was to the finish and he did. I eventually caught him with less than a half to go and wound it up. By the time I hit the track I was clear. I sprinted for the tongue depressor they had held out with the #1 written on it. I have this somewhere in a box to this day. I'd probably pick this over any other trinket ever handed to me. Unfortunately we had it handed to us that day and they got the W. We finished the year 0-11.
3/20 AM = 7.0 (9:27) roads
3/21 AM = 6.5 w/ 2.0 @ 6:27 T-mill Cleveland
3/22 AM = 14.0 (8:42) T-mill Cleveland (25mph winds outside)
3/23 AM = 5.0 (9:45) T-mill Cleveland
3/24 = OFF
3/25 AM = 10.5 (8:11) roads at Mom's in PA
3/26 AM = 11.1 (9:13) roads at Mom's in PA
Week = 54.1
3/27 = OFF (Drive PA to WI)
3/28 AM = 7.6 (8:54) w/ 1.0 in 6:16. Tim and Dewey on Bugline
3/29 PM = 10.0 (10:06) Lapham trails w/ Todd, Rick, and Jim
3/30 = OFF
3/31 AM = 3.4 (9:49) roads
4/1 AM = 14.0 w/ Southshore half marathon in 1:30:02 (6:52)
4/2 AM = 17.0 (10:33) Ice Age trail w/ Christine
Week = 52.0
We were about to have a special treat this day. There had been so much rain that when you ran down by the creek you had to run across the boards laid out. They went for a long ways in places and to try and not run on them was futile. We had our little band of about a dozen runners and Ellwood appeared to have anyone in the school who wanted to run that day in uniform. I thought nothing of this. This course was 2.7 miles. You started and ran down to the bottom where the creek ran. Eventually you ran on dry terra firma for a ways, then come up out of the bottom to a paved road area. You ran on this for about a mile and finished up on the cinder track. I thought this was pretty cool.
Now the year before on our course we beat Ellwood and I grabbed my first victory ever. We ended that year 2-5. When that little starter pistol cracked I had no idea that every single kid on that team must have been directed to drop a 45 quarter and get to the boards. They were log jammin'. It was frustrating watching the top guys pull away as all these midgets slowed to a crawl. I ran the boards for about 100 yards before I went through the cold, muddy water. Somehow being duped teed me off and I set sail for the front. I caught the lead guy coming up out of the bottom, but was too waxed to do anything else when we got to the road. At this point in my running life I had zero experience on what I felt I should do. Get this...I was on my own. Pretty common in the day. My buddy always called it YOYO. Your on your own.
It came down to not losing contact. If the kid on his home course would have made any kind of move then he probably had me. I had no idea how far it was to the finish and he did. I eventually caught him with less than a half to go and wound it up. By the time I hit the track I was clear. I sprinted for the tongue depressor they had held out with the #1 written on it. I have this somewhere in a box to this day. I'd probably pick this over any other trinket ever handed to me. Unfortunately we had it handed to us that day and they got the W. We finished the year 0-11.
3/20 AM = 7.0 (9:27) roads
3/21 AM = 6.5 w/ 2.0 @ 6:27 T-mill Cleveland
3/22 AM = 14.0 (8:42) T-mill Cleveland (25mph winds outside)
3/23 AM = 5.0 (9:45) T-mill Cleveland
3/24 = OFF
3/25 AM = 10.5 (8:11) roads at Mom's in PA
3/26 AM = 11.1 (9:13) roads at Mom's in PA
Week = 54.1
3/27 = OFF (Drive PA to WI)
3/28 AM = 7.6 (8:54) w/ 1.0 in 6:16. Tim and Dewey on Bugline
3/29 PM = 10.0 (10:06) Lapham trails w/ Todd, Rick, and Jim
3/30 = OFF
3/31 AM = 3.4 (9:49) roads
4/1 AM = 14.0 w/ Southshore half marathon in 1:30:02 (6:52)
4/2 AM = 17.0 (10:33) Ice Age trail w/ Christine
Week = 52.0
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