Excalibur

 Saturday morning before dawn I packed a few peanut butter sandwiches in my shorts.  Then I grabbed a handheld and jog/walked 35 miles in 7:23:24.  Using the water fountain at Liberty Park on the 6 mile trek to Whispering Pines (WP) and then using the two fountains in WP.  It was the easiest effort one could wish for.  No stress, no low spots.  These are rare efforts.  I could have covered 50 miles if warranted.

Big confidence builder for Ice Age.  I’m not sure if anyone has figured out why and how these runs magically appear.  I guess that’s why some of us run.

Camptown Race Track

 Enjoyed a day off from everything.  Beautiful day.  About 76 for the high.  This might be my last Ice Age. I’m old, other things appeal to me, and honestly it is a hassle traveling back and forth.

 But we shall see.  If you are going to be a bear…be a Grizzly.  Not so easy anymore.

Little Angry (Gene Clines)

 23.2 miles today at 10:56 pace.  Time for a few easy days.  Pirates are just crushing the Marlins and I am loving it.  It’s been 45 years, time to dominate in the World Series.

I’ll be back

 Tried to get out moving today just to shake the pummies out.  I actually felt reasonable so I jogged and walked at a pace that was under that needed to finish in 12 hours.  Got in 7.7 at 13:56 pace.  That’s what I have to do to be able to move around tomorrow and hopefully have a run near 12’s.

 At this point the whole strategy is on the weekly long run and losing weight.  I can’t try and grab too many extra miles, or I’ll be in the funk.  I also plan on taking Friday’s off to at least have a shot at a decent Saturday.  I would much rather pile up miles even if I walk a lot to get them.  However, I need to run more than walk to have the confidence needed to beat the clock.

 A person can cover more miles with executed walk breaks.  You need the right combo of maximizing rest and achieving the best pace per mile.  The challenge at Ice Age is it is constantly shifting topography.  No gigantic hills, but continuous rollers, turns, and terrain.  Hard to get a rhythm with the walking, but I have as good a chance as any with my course knowledge.

The 4 rail fence

 The past week I contemplated not running Ice Age.  I received a bit of wisdom from Spider and State Champ.  The event is 7 weeks from today.  So out I went today after light walking, a bit of slow jogging, and Friday off this week. I covered 21 miles in @ 12:29 pace.  All of it jogging.  The last 4 miles were difficult and I was in the mid 13’s the last couple of miles.

 I checked in at 182 pounds.  I only took water.  On the next effort I believe I will conduct a run/walk sequence and take in calories.  I am setting a goal to be at 172 pounds for Ice Age.  Now it is calorie counting time.

 There is no sound plan as it seems dependent on my energy level.  I went to the Doc for the kidney discomfort and they think it may be muscular.  They gave me some type up muscle relaxer, but I only pop that before racking.

 So don’t dance on my grave yet.  My hope is this is not being right at the cutoffs all the time.  

Butch Patrick

 Having to re-tool for Ice Age means going back to more miles with a lot of slow jogging and walking.  Back to 15-20 hours a week of slogging along in hopes of a good day, some tasty waves, and walking skills for May 11th.  Crawford has mentioned she would fist fight the course with me if necessary.  Very honorable gesture.

 With the time change it is back to the headlamp.  The sun didn’t come up to 7:35 today.  Dang.  Perhaps it is better this way so folks don’t have to see me with the Al Lewis shuffle.  

...and loving it

 Oh special bikers, many thanks for gracing the paved trail with your presence.   Thanks especially to those free wheelers who clip by unencumbered by any rules or manners.  Please...many times bowing to clear the path so your peak of athletic harmony is on display for us to see.  So special.  Please forgive those of us who might not be looking up and down the 46 mile paved trail about 12' wide to triple check if you may be asked to squeeze over 1' 4" and divert the straight path.  You are truly the Golden people and I get a little tingle as you go by in your uniform.  

 11.5 miles today at 13:45 pace.  I am contemplating going ham (wicked hard) for about a month to achieve close to 50 miles a week of 13 pace and then doing a trail 50k by feel.  If 13:30 pace isn't achievable then I may have to drop Ice Age.  I'm going to do whatever I can to do it, but I'm not going to go if dropping is a higher probability than finishing and I think I know enough to determine this.

 Everything is good.  The issue is it takes me about 1:30 to cover 7 miles in training.  Do the math.  I need to consider getting near 15 hours a week of training to move the needle as 15-20 of this is walking.  Not by choice.  Not that my watch is super accurate, but I burn 1000 - 1500 extra calories above my base metabolic rate a day and am gaining weight.  I put 4 pallets of sod down last week, worked my job, kayaked, and still gained weight.  The Sargeant Carter lifestyle is quickly losing its appeal.  If it sounds like I am whining it's because I am.  I feel healthy,  but can't as Red Buttons used to say, "Can't get a dinner. "