My brother and possibly my sister will be coming out from PA to watch me at Ice Age. My brother has crewed for me a number of times. It will be great to have them out. Dewey is expert crew and will be able to provide keen analysis during the run. The only downside is after 30.5 miles, the only other crew access point is 40.3 miles at Emma Carlin. From there I see you at the finish. One can park and walk to a road crossing or two, but no aid can be given. I miss the days when Horseman's was open at about 37.2 out and 43.4 back. Not so much from the crewing angle, but more for the lay of the land on where people were at. Plus it is always encouraging to have folks you know ahead.
I started watching the food intake this week and dropped 4 pounds. If I could cull off another 7-8 in 9 weeks that would be outstanding. The PF is okay, the dueling groins finally showed progress today, but the right hip is hit or miss. The right leg is about 1/2" shorter so it has always flared up now and then, but recently I'm discovering it is also leading to my lower back pain. I'm not doing a lot for it, but am stretching a bit, aspirin occasionally, substitute runs with walks, and I do try and have lifts in the right shoe.
I drive a fair amount during the week so I run scenarios through my brain on how to best strategically run the course. At the end of the day when I look back it really boils down to just going out like a normal run, take care of yourself, and if you can get past 30 miles in decent shape then have at it. If one runs 9:30 pace (with stops, etc.) that is a 7:55 finish. That just seems so possible until it isn't. Running a 9:45 pace is a 8:07:30, so a high end goal of 8:10 appears to be the outer limit. Ice Age is a very runnable course, but it can be hard to find a rhythm. Very few places to unwind. Plenty of undulating, twisting ups and downs over slight shifts in topography is the best way I can describe it. Veterans know what lies ahead and this is a big advantage. There are no giant climbs or descents, but if you decide to pound out every hill and fly down the 50 yard drops all the time it can humble you.
The biggest mistake I see is running too fast at the start, which honestly is the best running of the day. It's okay to run maybe 30 seconds a mile faster here for the first 10 miles, but the issue is you start locking into a higher caloric burn, you feel great, and I'm crushing some people here! Once you start on the single track the damn ball game is on and if you get down to the turn at 21.7 feeling waxed it will be a long day. I tell the same story every year. You run the first 9.1 mile loop and you meet a few people you keep going back and forth with. After an hour they ask what you expect to finish in. I say I'd be happy with 8:30. They typically reply, "8:30! I was think 10:00!"
Look the day is what it is. Best to amble along and enjoy the trip down to the turn at Rice Lake (21.7). For me I count how many people are ahead of me just to see how many I can catch. Again I have learned even up to a couple years ago that doesn't mean you light the match. Too far out. What starts to happen is some of the folks who have been running 9-9:30 pace start running 10-11:00 pace. You start to wind those people in. If you maintain past 30 miles some of these people are now running 12:00 pace or greater and this is how it all continues to progress. If you can still maintain low 10:00 pace you only catch people. It is rare someone else gets you from the back. When you are passing people it is a motivator. Just don't get to motivated.
3/3 AM = 9k walk (1:44:12) with the dog
3/4 PM = 4k walk (40:20) on T-mill @ 6.5 grade
3/5 PM = 10k (48:55) T-mill w/ 6 x 880 (3:18) w/ .25 jog
3/6 AM = 5k (29:40) T-mill
3/6 PM = 5k (29:40) T-mill
3/7 PM = 10k (64:39) Menomonee Park w/ Dewey, Tim and Robert
3/8 AM = 14k (1:30:24) Road and Snowmobile trail
3/9 AM = 18.1k (1:29:43) Road (windy) @ 7:58 per mile pace
Total = 75.1k (46.6 miles)
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