I really like having the Run for Kids on Memorial Day Weekend. I selected the date originally because the race was to be held at Veteran's Park and I thought Memorial Day was appropriate. I was very concerned about the crowds that runners would have to deal with during the day but that proved to be no problem. Birmingham went from setting record low temperatures just over a week before the race to record high temperatures on race day. The heat cleared the park.
By moving to Oak Mountain, even if it is hot, the park will still be crowded. The beach area at the park is crowded all summer but especially when it is hot and Memorial Day is the single busiest day of the year . The run would not created a problem for the park and park superintendent, Mike Jeffreys has given up approval for the run. The problem is the crowds will interfere with the runners. Memorial Day weekend there will be cars and people everywhere along the south side of Double Oak Lake.
We have decided to move the race to an earlier weekend in May. I prefer May 19th. but that is the weekend the Oak Mountain Xterra Race has been held in the past. We are trying to find someone with Xterra that knows the schedule for next year. Tentatively, the date that looks best in May,5th. Of course, we would have to serve Margarita's at the aid station and all runners would have to wear sombreros.
I am adding a new twist to the race this year. I want to encourage runners to raise additional donations to Camp Smile-A-Mile by asking friends and family to sponsor them. For example, a 50K entrant might suggest a donation of $1.00 for each kilometer run, or even per lap, (That is only $10 if they finish.) We are putting together a package of gift certificates to area restaurants and businesses that the person that can raise the most in donations will receive. We may also have a drawing for all runners that raise additional donations.
Friday, September 9, 2011
C25K - What a great idea
I received an email from a friend that had just started the C25K (Couch to 5K) program and wanted to know what I thought. I had never heard of it so I started reading about it. This sounds like a really great way to start a running or walking program for non-runners. Maybe I need to start a 5K2100 program!
I copied the first three weeks of the workout program directly from C25K.com website.
There is an iPhone App available for $2.99 that she is using. It apparently guides you through you workout. You select the week and it tells you what to do and times your training. It is sort of like having a really cheep personal trainer.
I copied the first three weeks of the workout program directly from C25K.com website.
| Week | Workout 1 | Workout 2 | Workout 3 |
| 1 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. |
| 2 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes. | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes. | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes. |
| 3 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
| Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
| Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
|
There is an iPhone App available for $2.99 that she is using. It apparently guides you through you workout. You select the week and it tells you what to do and times your training. It is sort of like having a really cheep personal trainer.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Recovery from a 100 Miler
Proper training for an ultra, especially a 100 miler, is absolutely critical. If you don't get your body accustomed to the hours of continuous forward progress (note I did not say running) then it will be very difficult or impossible to finish any race 50 miles or over. As I have stated previously, and this is purely my opinion, anyone that can run a marathon can run and finish a 50K so here I am talking about runs longer than a 50K.
I have used a pretty simple plan ever since I started ultrarunning. I run a long run on the weekend and two short runs during the week, ideally, Tuesday and Thursday. The weekend runs range from 3 hours to 8 hours depending on the number of weeks or months until the next race and the length of that race. On those major training runs I build up to 8 hours about two months before I plan to run a 100 mile race. I will run three 8 hour runs and do back-to-back runs on one weekend before starting to taper. For shorter races I run shorter weekend training runs and instead of tapering for 3 weeks, I will taper for two weeks or for a 50K one week. I have two 50Ks and a 50 miler planned in the next 39 days and I have been running 5 hour training runs the last 4 weeks. Sunday (September 4th) was my final hard run and I plan to run about 3 to 3.5 hours next Saturday as a tapering run.
The 50Ks are Autumn Equinox 50K, at Oak Mountain here in Birmingham in two weeks (on 9/18) and the Stump Jump in Chattanooga, Tennessee on October 1st. I will use these races to boost my training for the 50 miler, The North Face Endurance Challenge in Pine Mountain, Georgia on October 15th. I have never run three races like this so close together (each race is two weeks after the previous) and I am anxious to see how I hold up. After each race I plan to run about 3 hours on the next weekend as a recovery run plus the two midweek runs. I have never run a 50 mile race, either. I felt like I came out of Tahoe in pretty good condition and I would like to hold that conditioning until I start serious training for Hardrock on January 1st. (I am always training for Hardrock. That is the carrot!)
After finishing Tahoe, I really wanted to run another 100 mile race during 2011 but there wasn't one close to home I could fit in. I cannot run the Pinhoti 100 here in Alabama because I volunteered to help Todd Henderson, the Pinhoti 100 RD. The only other 100 this year that is close by is the Georgia Jewel, which is also run on the Pinhoti Trail in Georgia. The Georgia Jewel is the same weekend as my daughters engagement party in New York. I decided to run the 50 miler instead and may also run the Lookout Mountain 50 Mile race in December.
We arrive in NY on 9/22. The 9/11 Memorial opens to the public on 9/11. If I do nothing else while in New York, I will go the the Memorial. We went to New York last year for my daughters surprise 30th birthday party and went to Ground Zero. That is a very difficult place to visit. National Geographic Channel has been doing a series of shows on 9/11 and the "Rebuilding of the New World Trade Center." I have recorded every show. It is almost as hard to watch as visiting the site.
Back to the subject!
On of the keys to successful ultrarunning is proper recovery. Running 100 miles, in my case, 33 straight hours pretty well zaps you. (Is that not profound!) Here is how I recovered, jumped back into training and now I feel stronger than I ever have.
I judge my training proficiency and conditioning based on my hill repeat times on one specific trail. Right now, I am running 8 hill repeats faster than I was before Tahoe, finishing each "HR" under 13:45. Before Tahoe, I could only run 6 repeats under 14 minutes. The last 2 took 14.5 to 15 minutes to complete. The last couple of weeks I ran at least one HR under 12 minutes. I never did that before Tahoe.
Here is exactly what I did to recover from Tahoe, immediately after the run and over the next few weeks.
After I finished the Tahoe Rim Trail 100, I walked around a few minutes and stretched a little. Then I sat around and ate and drank for a while then walked around more and ate a little more and drank a lot more. It is a good idea to walk a while after finishing a really grueling race before sitting down or laying down. After the awards, we drove back to the B&B near Kings Beach and I took a shower. It is amazing what a shower can do. Then, we went to eat dinner even though I had eaten quite a bit between only about 4 hours before. I was still hungry and ate a full dinner.
When we got back to the room I took two Advil PMs and passed out. Although I had not slept in about 42 hours if I don't take an Advil PM or Tylenol PM I will not sleep very well. I also take one Advil or Tylenol PM before I go to bed after my hard weekend runs. If you run ultras, sleep is critical. Adequate sleep is as important to recovery as anything else you can do.
The next morning we woke up early (as always) and make coffee while waiting for breakfast. I decided to drive over to a little bakery in Kings Beach and purchased a pastry until the Shore House breakfast was ready. I sat outside and ate and drank my coffee. The air was crisp and cold and the sky was crystal clear and that deep blue you only see in the western mountain. After breakfast I took a huge pile of filthy clothes and shoes to a laundromat a couple of blocks down the road. (I hadn't been to a laundromat since the 70s.) Next, we went back to the little bakery and picked up sandwiches, drinks and cookies and headed out for a picnic. We found a little park several hundred feet above the lake on the East shore and hiked down to the water. We climbed out on some huge granite boulders and sat in the sun having a great time. Then people started showing up and we realized this particular rock was a popular spot to jump in the freezing water of Lake Tahoe. Here are a couple of pictures from the park. The hike back to the park was no more than 1/2 mile but it had me huffing and puffing.
That afternoon we drove over to Heavenly Ski Resort and looked around and see if we might want to ski there some time. We drove back to the Shore House B&B and read for an hour or so sitting in the garden of by the lake. I kept shifting back and forth from the shade to the sun and back to shade. It was too cool to sit in the shade in a short sleeve shirt and to hot in the sun. I got a jacket and moved back to the shade. Then it was time for afternoon wine a cheese at the B&B then we were off to dinner. Obviously food was high on the agenda.
By Tuesday I was feeling considerably better and we decided to hike up to Marlette Lake from the Tahoe side. We drove up to a trail head and hiked up about 2000 feet in 4 miles to a beautiful overlook. My legs complained a little on some of the steeper sections but did fine and we actually ran most of the way down. Wednesday we decided to drive around to the west side of the lake. We stopped a an amazing lava outcropping near Tahoe City. The outcropping shoots straight up from the side of the road 250 ft and we hiked to the top and took pictures. A nice couple took our picture.
Next we drove on around the lake to Emerald Bay. Tahoe had received so much late season snow that the falls coming down into the west end of Emerald Bay were huge. We took pictures and hiked around the top before deciding to hike down to the lake. The trail is just under a mile in length from the Hwy 89, (the Emerald Bay Highway) to the park on the lake's edge 400 ft below. We wandered around looking at a huge redwoods and beautiful house that is in the park, then I decided to try to run back up the hill. I ran about 100 yards and had to stop a few seconds and I started again. I made it all the way up then turned around and came back down to meed Marye Jo who was walking up. I got to her, turned around and ran back up again, this time continuing on to get our car on the other side of the falls. From where I met Marye Jo I had to run another 0.68 miles to the car. Under normal conditions this wouldn't even be worth the effort. Two days after running 100 miles, it was tough and I was actually surprised I could do it and ran fairly fast. Here is a video I took above the falls.
We arrived home in Birmingham over the weekend and I did not run at all. Tuesday I ran two laps, about 50 minutes at Veteran's Park. Saturday I ran 2.5 hours at Oak mountain exactly two weeks after the start if the 100 mile run. I ran twice, 2 laps each at Veteran's the third week after the Tahoe race and that Saturday I ran 3 hours. (I think I ran 4 hill repeats and felt pretty good.) That was August 6th.
The 4th week after the race I ran 3 laps at Veteran's on Tuesday and swam 40 minutes and ran 30 minutes at Oak Mountain State Park on Thursday. Saturday of the 4th week I decided to try more hill repeats so I ran six repeats which took about 3 hours including the run to the start of the hill and back to get more water, and I felt great. Then I ran an additional 2 hours and died. It was 99 deg. when I got back in my car. The 5th week after the race I did exactly the same three runs only the 6 hill repeats were a little faster. Again, by the time I started the 2 hour loop the temperatures and humidity were almost unbearable and the loop was slow and a real struggle to finish.
That brings up to the 6th week after Tahoe. (August 27th.) I ran Tuesday at Veteran's for 3 laps but did not have time to run Thursday. On Saturday I headed out to Oak Mountain. Hurricane Irene was heading up the East Coast of the US and pulling the humidity out of Alabama. The air temperature was slightly cooler but still hot but the low humidity make it feel great. I ran 9 hill repeats, all under 14 minutes (two under 13 and one under 12 minutes.) I finished the run with a loop and a total time of 5:05. This may have been the best run I have had in years and by far the fastest hill repeats ever.
I will know more after the upcoming 50Ks but I think the way I eased back into hard training really worked great. I was in good condition for Tahoe and I think I have been able to stay at that fitness level and actually improve. I was a little discouraged until the 6th week when it was cooler. The cooler temperatures and low humidity made all the difference in the world in my run and my attitude.
I have used a pretty simple plan ever since I started ultrarunning. I run a long run on the weekend and two short runs during the week, ideally, Tuesday and Thursday. The weekend runs range from 3 hours to 8 hours depending on the number of weeks or months until the next race and the length of that race. On those major training runs I build up to 8 hours about two months before I plan to run a 100 mile race. I will run three 8 hour runs and do back-to-back runs on one weekend before starting to taper. For shorter races I run shorter weekend training runs and instead of tapering for 3 weeks, I will taper for two weeks or for a 50K one week. I have two 50Ks and a 50 miler planned in the next 39 days and I have been running 5 hour training runs the last 4 weeks. Sunday (September 4th) was my final hard run and I plan to run about 3 to 3.5 hours next Saturday as a tapering run.
The 50Ks are Autumn Equinox 50K, at Oak Mountain here in Birmingham in two weeks (on 9/18) and the Stump Jump in Chattanooga, Tennessee on October 1st. I will use these races to boost my training for the 50 miler, The North Face Endurance Challenge in Pine Mountain, Georgia on October 15th. I have never run three races like this so close together (each race is two weeks after the previous) and I am anxious to see how I hold up. After each race I plan to run about 3 hours on the next weekend as a recovery run plus the two midweek runs. I have never run a 50 mile race, either. I felt like I came out of Tahoe in pretty good condition and I would like to hold that conditioning until I start serious training for Hardrock on January 1st. (I am always training for Hardrock. That is the carrot!)
After finishing Tahoe, I really wanted to run another 100 mile race during 2011 but there wasn't one close to home I could fit in. I cannot run the Pinhoti 100 here in Alabama because I volunteered to help Todd Henderson, the Pinhoti 100 RD. The only other 100 this year that is close by is the Georgia Jewel, which is also run on the Pinhoti Trail in Georgia. The Georgia Jewel is the same weekend as my daughters engagement party in New York. I decided to run the 50 miler instead and may also run the Lookout Mountain 50 Mile race in December.
We arrive in NY on 9/22. The 9/11 Memorial opens to the public on 9/11. If I do nothing else while in New York, I will go the the Memorial. We went to New York last year for my daughters surprise 30th birthday party and went to Ground Zero. That is a very difficult place to visit. National Geographic Channel has been doing a series of shows on 9/11 and the "Rebuilding of the New World Trade Center." I have recorded every show. It is almost as hard to watch as visiting the site.
Back to the subject!
On of the keys to successful ultrarunning is proper recovery. Running 100 miles, in my case, 33 straight hours pretty well zaps you. (Is that not profound!) Here is how I recovered, jumped back into training and now I feel stronger than I ever have.
I judge my training proficiency and conditioning based on my hill repeat times on one specific trail. Right now, I am running 8 hill repeats faster than I was before Tahoe, finishing each "HR" under 13:45. Before Tahoe, I could only run 6 repeats under 14 minutes. The last 2 took 14.5 to 15 minutes to complete. The last couple of weeks I ran at least one HR under 12 minutes. I never did that before Tahoe.
Here is exactly what I did to recover from Tahoe, immediately after the run and over the next few weeks.
After I finished the Tahoe Rim Trail 100, I walked around a few minutes and stretched a little. Then I sat around and ate and drank for a while then walked around more and ate a little more and drank a lot more. It is a good idea to walk a while after finishing a really grueling race before sitting down or laying down. After the awards, we drove back to the B&B near Kings Beach and I took a shower. It is amazing what a shower can do. Then, we went to eat dinner even though I had eaten quite a bit between only about 4 hours before. I was still hungry and ate a full dinner.
When we got back to the room I took two Advil PMs and passed out. Although I had not slept in about 42 hours if I don't take an Advil PM or Tylenol PM I will not sleep very well. I also take one Advil or Tylenol PM before I go to bed after my hard weekend runs. If you run ultras, sleep is critical. Adequate sleep is as important to recovery as anything else you can do.
The next morning we woke up early (as always) and make coffee while waiting for breakfast. I decided to drive over to a little bakery in Kings Beach and purchased a pastry until the Shore House breakfast was ready. I sat outside and ate and drank my coffee. The air was crisp and cold and the sky was crystal clear and that deep blue you only see in the western mountain. After breakfast I took a huge pile of filthy clothes and shoes to a laundromat a couple of blocks down the road. (I hadn't been to a laundromat since the 70s.) Next, we went back to the little bakery and picked up sandwiches, drinks and cookies and headed out for a picnic. We found a little park several hundred feet above the lake on the East shore and hiked down to the water. We climbed out on some huge granite boulders and sat in the sun having a great time. Then people started showing up and we realized this particular rock was a popular spot to jump in the freezing water of Lake Tahoe. Here are a couple of pictures from the park. The hike back to the park was no more than 1/2 mile but it had me huffing and puffing.
By Tuesday I was feeling considerably better and we decided to hike up to Marlette Lake from the Tahoe side. We drove up to a trail head and hiked up about 2000 feet in 4 miles to a beautiful overlook. My legs complained a little on some of the steeper sections but did fine and we actually ran most of the way down. Wednesday we decided to drive around to the west side of the lake. We stopped a an amazing lava outcropping near Tahoe City. The outcropping shoots straight up from the side of the road 250 ft and we hiked to the top and took pictures. A nice couple took our picture.
We arrived home in Birmingham over the weekend and I did not run at all. Tuesday I ran two laps, about 50 minutes at Veteran's Park. Saturday I ran 2.5 hours at Oak mountain exactly two weeks after the start if the 100 mile run. I ran twice, 2 laps each at Veteran's the third week after the Tahoe race and that Saturday I ran 3 hours. (I think I ran 4 hill repeats and felt pretty good.) That was August 6th.
The 4th week after the race I ran 3 laps at Veteran's on Tuesday and swam 40 minutes and ran 30 minutes at Oak Mountain State Park on Thursday. Saturday of the 4th week I decided to try more hill repeats so I ran six repeats which took about 3 hours including the run to the start of the hill and back to get more water, and I felt great. Then I ran an additional 2 hours and died. It was 99 deg. when I got back in my car. The 5th week after the race I did exactly the same three runs only the 6 hill repeats were a little faster. Again, by the time I started the 2 hour loop the temperatures and humidity were almost unbearable and the loop was slow and a real struggle to finish.
That brings up to the 6th week after Tahoe. (August 27th.) I ran Tuesday at Veteran's for 3 laps but did not have time to run Thursday. On Saturday I headed out to Oak Mountain. Hurricane Irene was heading up the East Coast of the US and pulling the humidity out of Alabama. The air temperature was slightly cooler but still hot but the low humidity make it feel great. I ran 9 hill repeats, all under 14 minutes (two under 13 and one under 12 minutes.) I finished the run with a loop and a total time of 5:05. This may have been the best run I have had in years and by far the fastest hill repeats ever.
I will know more after the upcoming 50Ks but I think the way I eased back into hard training really worked great. I was in good condition for Tahoe and I think I have been able to stay at that fitness level and actually improve. I was a little discouraged until the 6th week when it was cooler. The cooler temperatures and low humidity made all the difference in the world in my run and my attitude.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Heat and Humidity
Running in the heat and humidity can be really frustrating in the Southeast and I suppose any where else you sometimes feel like you are running in a steam bath. It seems no mater how hard you try, you just can't get beyond a certain point. You feel great at the beginning of the run and plan to run, for example, 5 hours. Your first hour or two is good and you are running as strong as ever. Everything is going according to plan. Then the bottom falls out.
During the first hour, the temperature was in the 70's, fairly cool for the SE and you did not need to drink too much waster because you pre-hydrated. (For me, that means after the early morning 3/4 cup of Starbucks Coffee, I drink some water at home and drank a little more on the way to Oak Mountain State Park. By the second hour it is beginning to get a little warm but not bad. You are soaking wet with perspiration and start drinking more water. Normally, I don't drink much water in that first hour but try to up H20 intake to about 16 oz per hour by the second hour. If it is "really" cool or cold I don't drink that much. I mostly drink if I am thirsty. I also drink a little at the time and drink constantly (every 4 or 5 minutes.)
You have now been running three hours and it is getting hot. You seem to stay thirsty and your shoes are getting squishy because they are filling up with sweat. You are beginning to have a hard time with the hills. You ate an energy gel at the start of the second hour and eat another at three hours. You will also probably begin eating an occasional cookie or Honey Stinger Waffle, (I really like those.) or some other type of solid food. Despite all this the power wanes and by hour four it has become a real struggle to "just keep moving."
Hour four? If you keep going, you are probably going so slow you don't think it is even worth the effort. You have been soaking wet for three hours, you legs are beginning to cramp, you probably are having a little stomach discomfort, you haven't needed to pee for the last 3 hours and basically, you just feel lousy. If you quit, then you really feel frustrated and think you will never be able to run another ultra. Does any of this sound familiar?
The natural tendency is to get discouraged and think you just can't do this. Well let me share a little story about my last few weeks of training.
I returned for running the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 on the weekend of July 23rd and 24th. I did not run that weekend but Wednesday, the 27 I ran two laps (6 miles) at Veteran's Park, my usual mid week run location. (I run in the afternoon at Veteran's, usually starting between 3:30 and 4:30 so it is HOT.) Saturday the 30th, I ran 2.5 hours at Oak Mountain and run 2 or 3 hill repeats and felt pretty good. Now we get to August. I was still recovering and taking it pretty easy. I ran at Veteran's Tuesday and Thursday for 2 laps each day and really struggled. I was not sure if it was residual effects from the 100 miler or the heat or both. Saturday I ran 3 hours and 4 hill repeats at Oak Mountain. As I recall, I felt pretty good. The next week on Tuesday I ran three laps at Veteran's thought I would die on the third. All three were really hard and pretty slow. Thursday I went out to Oak Mountain and swam for 40 minutes, then run one lap on the new Lake Trail, the site of the Run for Kids Challenge in 2012. The run felt good but the trail is almost entirely in the woods and shady.
Saturday the 13th, I ran at Oak Mountain for 4 hours, 50 minutes. I started with 6 hill repeats which take about 3 hours including 13 or 14 minutes each way to get to the hill and back to the car. The first 4 were great although it was getting hot by the 4th and I was soaked. The last two were really hard. It was all I could do to keep running. I returned to the car to refill the water bottles and headed out again for two more hours. I struggled up the 1.5 mile series of climbs up the blue trail but had to walk up much of the hill. I was so zapped by the time I reached the ridge crest, I was probably averaging 14 minutes per mile until I finally made it back to the car. I came home and laid around the rest of the day with no energy to do anything. There is no telling how much liquid I drank, starting with a "Bruster's" chocolate shake on the way home. While I was driving home the thermometer on my truck read 100 deg.
That week I repeated the Tuesday/Thursday schedule with 3 laps at Veteran's Park and a 40 minute swim and 30 minute run at Oak Mountain. The Tuesday run was awful and very hot, (100deg.) Saturday, the 20th was almost a carbon copy of the previous Saturday. Six hill reps and a two hour loop. It was again very hot and humid. The last two hill repeats were a real struggle and the loop was almost embarrassing. This time the thermometer only read 99. As before, the rest of the day I was really tired and didn't do much.
That brings up to last week. I did not have time to run Tuesday so I ran at Veteran's on Thursday. Do you happen to remember what was happening in the Atlantic last week? Well, apparently by Thursday Irene was pulling the moisture out of the air in Birmingham. The temperature was about 90 deg. when I stared the run but the humidity was very low. It actually felt cool and the three laps felt great and were considerably faster than they had been the last few weeks. Saturday as I started my usual 6 hill repeats followed by a 2 hour loop the air again felt cool and dry. After 4 hill reps it was still cool and I still felt great and I was not even sweaty.
Each hill repeat in the white trail, where I normally run hill repeats, is about 3/4 of a mile of continuous climbing and gains between 500 and 600 feet. It is the best climb I have found without driving over an hour. By six hill repeats I was still feeling great and decided to tun a few more. I ended up running nine repeats, more than I ran at any one time getting ready for the Tahoe Rim Trial Run. I felt really strong on number eight but as I started 9 it seemed to get noticeably hotter and I decided that was enough. After the ninth I continued along the crest for about a mile before heading back to the car on another trail just to be sure I got in the 5 hours. When I got back to the car my shirt was only damp, not soaked as usual. I didn't even have to use the "ski boot drier" on my trail shoes as I usually do. I actually felt good the rest of the day although my legs were a little rubbery. I did have my "Bruster's" reward on the way home.
As I got in the car to leave the park my thermometer read 92 deg. Those few degrees along with the low humidity make all the difference in the world. Not only were the repeats comfortable they were the fastest I have ever run. All were under 13:35 with three under 12:40 and one in 11:45, the fastest repeat I have run to date. ( That was on repeat 7, I think, and I was trying to chase down another runner.) My point is, don't beat yourself up if you are struggling with you summer runs not being up to you norm. Do the best you can and you will be amazed what happens that first run on a really cool day.
One additional note. I ran yesterday, Tuesday, at Veteran's Park. I ran my usual 3 laps and the cool, dry air is gone. Even though the temperature was only about 91 when I got home at 6:10, the run was miserable. My splits were 24:30, (about average on a hot day) 25:25 and 25:50. Normally, I run pretty consistent laps. Not yesterday! I was exhausted.
During the first hour, the temperature was in the 70's, fairly cool for the SE and you did not need to drink too much waster because you pre-hydrated. (For me, that means after the early morning 3/4 cup of Starbucks Coffee, I drink some water at home and drank a little more on the way to Oak Mountain State Park. By the second hour it is beginning to get a little warm but not bad. You are soaking wet with perspiration and start drinking more water. Normally, I don't drink much water in that first hour but try to up H20 intake to about 16 oz per hour by the second hour. If it is "really" cool or cold I don't drink that much. I mostly drink if I am thirsty. I also drink a little at the time and drink constantly (every 4 or 5 minutes.)
You have now been running three hours and it is getting hot. You seem to stay thirsty and your shoes are getting squishy because they are filling up with sweat. You are beginning to have a hard time with the hills. You ate an energy gel at the start of the second hour and eat another at three hours. You will also probably begin eating an occasional cookie or Honey Stinger Waffle, (I really like those.) or some other type of solid food. Despite all this the power wanes and by hour four it has become a real struggle to "just keep moving."
Hour four? If you keep going, you are probably going so slow you don't think it is even worth the effort. You have been soaking wet for three hours, you legs are beginning to cramp, you probably are having a little stomach discomfort, you haven't needed to pee for the last 3 hours and basically, you just feel lousy. If you quit, then you really feel frustrated and think you will never be able to run another ultra. Does any of this sound familiar?
The natural tendency is to get discouraged and think you just can't do this. Well let me share a little story about my last few weeks of training.
I returned for running the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 on the weekend of July 23rd and 24th. I did not run that weekend but Wednesday, the 27 I ran two laps (6 miles) at Veteran's Park, my usual mid week run location. (I run in the afternoon at Veteran's, usually starting between 3:30 and 4:30 so it is HOT.) Saturday the 30th, I ran 2.5 hours at Oak Mountain and run 2 or 3 hill repeats and felt pretty good. Now we get to August. I was still recovering and taking it pretty easy. I ran at Veteran's Tuesday and Thursday for 2 laps each day and really struggled. I was not sure if it was residual effects from the 100 miler or the heat or both. Saturday I ran 3 hours and 4 hill repeats at Oak Mountain. As I recall, I felt pretty good. The next week on Tuesday I ran three laps at Veteran's thought I would die on the third. All three were really hard and pretty slow. Thursday I went out to Oak Mountain and swam for 40 minutes, then run one lap on the new Lake Trail, the site of the Run for Kids Challenge in 2012. The run felt good but the trail is almost entirely in the woods and shady.
Saturday the 13th, I ran at Oak Mountain for 4 hours, 50 minutes. I started with 6 hill repeats which take about 3 hours including 13 or 14 minutes each way to get to the hill and back to the car. The first 4 were great although it was getting hot by the 4th and I was soaked. The last two were really hard. It was all I could do to keep running. I returned to the car to refill the water bottles and headed out again for two more hours. I struggled up the 1.5 mile series of climbs up the blue trail but had to walk up much of the hill. I was so zapped by the time I reached the ridge crest, I was probably averaging 14 minutes per mile until I finally made it back to the car. I came home and laid around the rest of the day with no energy to do anything. There is no telling how much liquid I drank, starting with a "Bruster's" chocolate shake on the way home. While I was driving home the thermometer on my truck read 100 deg.
That week I repeated the Tuesday/Thursday schedule with 3 laps at Veteran's Park and a 40 minute swim and 30 minute run at Oak Mountain. The Tuesday run was awful and very hot, (100deg.) Saturday, the 20th was almost a carbon copy of the previous Saturday. Six hill reps and a two hour loop. It was again very hot and humid. The last two hill repeats were a real struggle and the loop was almost embarrassing. This time the thermometer only read 99. As before, the rest of the day I was really tired and didn't do much.
That brings up to last week. I did not have time to run Tuesday so I ran at Veteran's on Thursday. Do you happen to remember what was happening in the Atlantic last week? Well, apparently by Thursday Irene was pulling the moisture out of the air in Birmingham. The temperature was about 90 deg. when I stared the run but the humidity was very low. It actually felt cool and the three laps felt great and were considerably faster than they had been the last few weeks. Saturday as I started my usual 6 hill repeats followed by a 2 hour loop the air again felt cool and dry. After 4 hill reps it was still cool and I still felt great and I was not even sweaty.
Each hill repeat in the white trail, where I normally run hill repeats, is about 3/4 of a mile of continuous climbing and gains between 500 and 600 feet. It is the best climb I have found without driving over an hour. By six hill repeats I was still feeling great and decided to tun a few more. I ended up running nine repeats, more than I ran at any one time getting ready for the Tahoe Rim Trial Run. I felt really strong on number eight but as I started 9 it seemed to get noticeably hotter and I decided that was enough. After the ninth I continued along the crest for about a mile before heading back to the car on another trail just to be sure I got in the 5 hours. When I got back to the car my shirt was only damp, not soaked as usual. I didn't even have to use the "ski boot drier" on my trail shoes as I usually do. I actually felt good the rest of the day although my legs were a little rubbery. I did have my "Bruster's" reward on the way home.
As I got in the car to leave the park my thermometer read 92 deg. Those few degrees along with the low humidity make all the difference in the world. Not only were the repeats comfortable they were the fastest I have ever run. All were under 13:35 with three under 12:40 and one in 11:45, the fastest repeat I have run to date. ( That was on repeat 7, I think, and I was trying to chase down another runner.) My point is, don't beat yourself up if you are struggling with you summer runs not being up to you norm. Do the best you can and you will be amazed what happens that first run on a really cool day.
One additional note. I ran yesterday, Tuesday, at Veteran's Park. I ran my usual 3 laps and the cool, dry air is gone. Even though the temperature was only about 91 when I got home at 6:10, the run was miserable. My splits were 24:30, (about average on a hot day) 25:25 and 25:50. Normally, I run pretty consistent laps. Not yesterday! I was exhausted.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Upcoming 20K-50K in the Birmingham area
This is just a quick note. There will be a 50K and 25K run at Oak Mountain State Park here in Birmingham in a couple of weeks. It is the 3rd Annual Autumn Equinox Ultra - 9/18/2011. This is a VERY laid back run. It started as a birthday run and has evolved into to real event. There are no shirts and no awards, just a lot of fun and good food. Entry fee is $15.00 preregister or $20.00 at the gate. Here is a link to the Ultrasignup registration for the race.
I have more pictures of Run for Kids Challenge trail and Start/Finish area. I will post them soon. By the way, if you come to the Autumn Equinox race you can take a look at the new location for the RFK.
I have more pictures of Run for Kids Challenge trail and Start/Finish area. I will post them soon. By the way, if you come to the Autumn Equinox race you can take a look at the new location for the RFK.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Run for Kids Challenge 2012
We have already started planning next years Run for Kids Challenge and have decided to make a few changes. First, we plan to move the race venue to Oak Mountain State Park. This is a beautiful 10,000 acre park located about 5 miles from the Veteran's Park location we used last year. Veteran's Park was great and everyone enjoyed the course (although not the heat) but the park is very expensive to rent. We will still have the 12 Hour Challenge and the 50K Run just as we did last year.
We will add a 50K relay and allow teams of any size from 4 to 9 runners. Our goal is to try to create more involvement from local businesses and organizations by encouraging them to sponsor their own teams. We also hope individuals will form teams with friends and family members. I plan to create a link where runners can find others interested in joining a team. The distance per lap will be just over 3 miles, almost the same as last year, a 5K.
The new course will be about 85% in the woods and circles Oak Mountains Lake (the swimming and canoeing lake). The course will pass along the beach area where, if you are hot, just hop in the water to cool down. The course has gentle rolling hills but no steep climbs like the wooded section on last years course. I have not checked the elevation gain per lap but it is probably very similar to Veteran's Park.
We will add a 50K relay and allow teams of any size from 4 to 9 runners. Our goal is to try to create more involvement from local businesses and organizations by encouraging them to sponsor their own teams. We also hope individuals will form teams with friends and family members. I plan to create a link where runners can find others interested in joining a team. The distance per lap will be just over 3 miles, almost the same as last year, a 5K.
The new course will be about 85% in the woods and circles Oak Mountains Lake (the swimming and canoeing lake). The course will pass along the beach area where, if you are hot, just hop in the water to cool down. The course has gentle rolling hills but no steep climbs like the wooded section on last years course. I have not checked the elevation gain per lap but it is probably very similar to Veteran's Park.
The new web page for the 2012 Run for Kids Challenge Is up and running, at least a couple of pages. It does have a map of the new course at Oak Mountain State Park.
Here are a few pictures of Oak Mountain Lake and the course.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Things You Might Want to Add to you Drop-Bag
The July issue of Ultrarunner had a couple of good articles on drop-bag supplies. The first article tells about a box the author created with just about everything an ultrarunner could ever need during race. Your crew keeps it with them and has it available at each "crew accessible" aid station. Basically it contained a little everything anyone could possibly need. Probably, most of us do that instinctively anyway. Marye Jo keeps a backpack with her and brings it to each aid station. I have extra of just about everything I normally use, electrolyte capsules, NUUN tablets, Perpetuem, socks, tape and so on.
If you have not read the article by Sammy Blende, it is a good idea to look over the list. It might help you remember something you had forgotten or suggest something that might really come in handy. One thing that I need to remember to add to my check list is a pair of scissors. They also mention a magic marker to label anything you put in a baggie to carry with you. Oh yes, extra baggies. Another good idea is to put some "real" food in the box, like chips, soup, cookies and a sandwich or two. I did that in my first ultra but they usually have most of that stuff at aid stations.
The second article in the "Beginners Corner" and written by Gary Dudney really had some good ideas. Several, I had not thought of I intend to employ during two races I have signed up for in October.
1. Zip Lock Baggie: Carry an extra baggie with you when you leave each aid station to put those used, sticky GU packs in. This is a problem I have dealt with for years. How many times I have stuck my hand into a pocket to find the sticky "GOO" has leaked out and is now all over my hand. Lately, I have started sticking the emptied GU containers in a mesh pocket on my hydration vest. Of course at the end of the run, I have to wash the entire vest. What a simple solution. Stick the empty GU pak in the baggie while running and throw the whole thing away at the next aid station.
2. Throw in a Wash Cloth: Place a damp wash cloth zipped into a baggie in each drop bag. He is right, too. That will be the first thing I reach for at each aid station to wipe off the dirt and sweat. (Instant Perk-up)
3. A Dry Shirt: He suggests putting a dry shirt in every drop bag. If you think a fresh shirt would feel good, there it is. It is a good idea to put any articles of clothing in a zip-lock baggie if you are going to leave them at an aid station. They are usually left outside and if it rains, everything gets wet, including you dry shirt!
4. Carry a Tiny Flashlight: This is almost too obvious to mention. If there is a chance you could still be on the trail after dark, carry a backup flashlight.. When I am running a 100, I put a Fenix DL40 LED light in my pak and carry it with me the entire race. (This way there is no chance to end up in the dark without a light) So far I have not needed it for myself, but it certainly helped another runner at Tahoe in July. After leaving Hobart aid station at mile 56 we climbed to the ridge crest and followed it to Tunnel Creed about 6 miles away. This is where many of the snow fields are located and in the dark they were a little trick to follow. I noticed a runner in front of me way off the trail on one of the large fields. I yelled to him that the trail was over here and he came on over a little way behind me, then passed me. A few minutes later, he had again veered way off to the left of the trail and was looking around. Again, I directed him to the trail. This time I noticed his light was very dim. I was carrying extra AAA batteries for my headlamps, but he needed AA. We ran along for a while and I remembered my extra light and dug it out of my pak. He said he had an extra light in his drop bag at the aid station so I told him to just leave it at with one of the volunteers and I would pick it up when I arrived. We arrived at almost the same time and I he gave back to me.
5. Carry Extra Batteries: (My addition to the list) Carrying extra batteries for you light. Even if you just put new batteries in, they may be old or defective an not last very long. Put extras in your pak just in case. There is another reason to carry an extra light, not just extra batteries. One night in a training run I broke my headlamp. I was testing several lights so I had others, but if I had not, I would have been in trouble.
6: Always Carry a Shell: During the summer I do not carry a shell with me for training runs or races unless thunderstorms are likely. It just isn't necessary in Alabama. Spring and Fall are another story. If there is a chance of rain at all, I will carry a light shell jacket if the temperature is cool. When you are wet, it doesn't have to be very cold to be really miserable. One alternative that will work is to cut a hole for your head and arms in a garbage bag. I did that many times in the 70s and 80s at the start of very cold races. In the mountains, carry a light jacket all the time.
Do any of you have any ideas that might come in handy in a drop bag?
If you have not read the article by Sammy Blende, it is a good idea to look over the list. It might help you remember something you had forgotten or suggest something that might really come in handy. One thing that I need to remember to add to my check list is a pair of scissors. They also mention a magic marker to label anything you put in a baggie to carry with you. Oh yes, extra baggies. Another good idea is to put some "real" food in the box, like chips, soup, cookies and a sandwich or two. I did that in my first ultra but they usually have most of that stuff at aid stations.
The second article in the "Beginners Corner" and written by Gary Dudney really had some good ideas. Several, I had not thought of I intend to employ during two races I have signed up for in October.
1. Zip Lock Baggie: Carry an extra baggie with you when you leave each aid station to put those used, sticky GU packs in. This is a problem I have dealt with for years. How many times I have stuck my hand into a pocket to find the sticky "GOO" has leaked out and is now all over my hand. Lately, I have started sticking the emptied GU containers in a mesh pocket on my hydration vest. Of course at the end of the run, I have to wash the entire vest. What a simple solution. Stick the empty GU pak in the baggie while running and throw the whole thing away at the next aid station.
2. Throw in a Wash Cloth: Place a damp wash cloth zipped into a baggie in each drop bag. He is right, too. That will be the first thing I reach for at each aid station to wipe off the dirt and sweat. (Instant Perk-up)
3. A Dry Shirt: He suggests putting a dry shirt in every drop bag. If you think a fresh shirt would feel good, there it is. It is a good idea to put any articles of clothing in a zip-lock baggie if you are going to leave them at an aid station. They are usually left outside and if it rains, everything gets wet, including you dry shirt!
4. Carry a Tiny Flashlight: This is almost too obvious to mention. If there is a chance you could still be on the trail after dark, carry a backup flashlight.. When I am running a 100, I put a Fenix DL40 LED light in my pak and carry it with me the entire race. (This way there is no chance to end up in the dark without a light) So far I have not needed it for myself, but it certainly helped another runner at Tahoe in July. After leaving Hobart aid station at mile 56 we climbed to the ridge crest and followed it to Tunnel Creed about 6 miles away. This is where many of the snow fields are located and in the dark they were a little trick to follow. I noticed a runner in front of me way off the trail on one of the large fields. I yelled to him that the trail was over here and he came on over a little way behind me, then passed me. A few minutes later, he had again veered way off to the left of the trail and was looking around. Again, I directed him to the trail. This time I noticed his light was very dim. I was carrying extra AAA batteries for my headlamps, but he needed AA. We ran along for a while and I remembered my extra light and dug it out of my pak. He said he had an extra light in his drop bag at the aid station so I told him to just leave it at with one of the volunteers and I would pick it up when I arrived. We arrived at almost the same time and I he gave back to me.
5. Carry Extra Batteries: (My addition to the list) Carrying extra batteries for you light. Even if you just put new batteries in, they may be old or defective an not last very long. Put extras in your pak just in case. There is another reason to carry an extra light, not just extra batteries. One night in a training run I broke my headlamp. I was testing several lights so I had others, but if I had not, I would have been in trouble.
6: Always Carry a Shell: During the summer I do not carry a shell with me for training runs or races unless thunderstorms are likely. It just isn't necessary in Alabama. Spring and Fall are another story. If there is a chance of rain at all, I will carry a light shell jacket if the temperature is cool. When you are wet, it doesn't have to be very cold to be really miserable. One alternative that will work is to cut a hole for your head and arms in a garbage bag. I did that many times in the 70s and 80s at the start of very cold races. In the mountains, carry a light jacket all the time.
Do any of you have any ideas that might come in handy in a drop bag?
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