The Final Stretch

Checking out the HURT site this afternoon I noticed the countdown clock read 30 days, 19 hours, 57 minutes.  I am down to the final month of training which includes 12 days of "real" training and 18 days of tapering.  Shit is getting real here!  I am nervous, excited, and just want to be at the start line already.  I look forward to the conch blow and for this adventure to begin.

I've done some pretty tough training runs the past couple of months including Farmdale, McNotagain, Tecumseh, and Lookout Mountain.  I didn't get in as many back-to-back long runs as I would have liked but I think I found some of the tougher terrains in the area to train on.  My confidence level at this point goes up and down.  I feel great about the recent races I've run.  I feel I've got nutrition down.  I felt physically strong and mentally focused throughout these races.  I set time goals for myself going into each race and was able to achieve those goals.  What makes me most nervous is the amount of elevation gain at HURT.  This past weekend was Lookout which has a stated gain of 6,300 ft. (though I'm going with Matt Treter's garmin which said 7,700 ft).  When I finished I asked myself if I could go out and do it again.  The answer was definitely yes.  If I was in the 100 mile mindset, there's no doubt in my mind I could have gone back for more.  BUT...could I do that if the elevation gain was double?  That shakes my confidence a bit lot!  The other thing that has negatively affected my confidence is the Ultra Signup predictor which is projecting me to finish over an hour after the cutoff.  I don't know how this is calculated but I don't like it one bit.

Lookout

Lookout 50 miler was my last big long run.  I went into that race with a plan to 1.) beat last years time  2.)  go sub-12  3.)  push and leave it all out there  4.) practice game day nutrition.  I will not try to kid myself, that was a tough course.  I did curse the leaves and the uphills once or twice.  For the most part though, I felt great.  I accomplished goals 1 and 2 with a finish time of 11:31 - 1:47 faster than last years time.  Goal 3 I found to be difficult.  I always wanted to push harder but didn't want to empty my tank too soon.  So, when is it the right time in a race to give it all you got?  Goal 4 worked like a charm.  I followed my plan using Vespa every 3'ish hours.  As far as food consumption goes, I had a couple hands full of trail mix along the way, a few mike & ikes to rid my mouth of the stale taste, 1/4 banana, 1/4 pb&j, and a cup on ramen before the final stretch.  I didn't feel the need to eat until my stomach started growling around lunchtime.  That's when I went for the pb&j and banana.  I drank nuun for hydration.  Salt every couple of hours.  Oh right...and a cup of beer that was offered by some spectators around mile 34 - that was delicious!  Once again, no fatigue, no bonking, just a nice consistent flow of energy.  I am really digging the Vespa!  It has worked so well for me in these races.  Lookout was a great race with awesome friends and I look forward to making this an annual road trip!    

The HURT Plan

I need to keep in mind that I was looking for a race that would break me down...chew me up and spit out a better version of who I am.  I'm betting it'll make me hurt, make me cry, yell at the sky, question life, challenge me physically and emotionally.  Bring it!  I wasn't looking for easy, I was looking for a life changing experience that will hopefully end with a new level of clarity. 

I need to show up ready to go head-to-head with the toughest thing I've ever faced.  I need to throw all fear and doubt out the window.  There will be no quitting.  I will give this thing all I've got and hope for the best.  My goals going in are:  1.)  show up at the start healthy and confident  2.)  take it slow  3.)  keep a nice cutoff cushion  4.)  finish within the 36 hour limit.  That is it.   Simple.

Until then, I'm going to run two more 50k's and then start my taper.  I'm going to be way more disciplined with diet until race day.  I'm going to work on my mental game and try to visualize the race.  I'm going to spend some time in the sauna and hope that helps with the acclimation to the climate change.  That is it.  Go time will be here before I know it.  YIPPEE!!!!

Peace!

            


 

Tales from Tecumseh

The Tecumseh trail marathon was a fantastic experience for me.  As always, many lessons learned, new friends made, and a great day spent running through the woods.

I was going to fly solo for the weekend. Use the time to just be alone and decompress. I did drive down alone and used that time to practice my singing...I can almost rap Beastie Boys Brass Monkey!  I might take that on the road.  Tara called while I was driving and talked me into meeting her and others for dinner...at dinner they convinced me to stay with them in this beautiful house in the woods. I had the best time ever - I can't remember the last time I laughed so much. Maybe this was the decompression I needed!  Thanks girls (and John) :-)

Had a great time with these people!  Thank you all for the laughs!

Race morning we are up at 5:30 getting ready for this adventure which will not begin for another 5.5 hours.  There was an hour delay due to some bus issues.  Fine - we have more time to talk with friends and pee another 3 or 4 times.  Finally, go time, 500+ of us take off into the woods for 26.2 miles of tough and beautiful trails.

First lesson of the day, and this is a lesson I "learn" over and over and always forget, the first 3 - 5 miles are the hardest for me!  Getting the muscles loose, getting into a good rhythm, getting caught up with the speedsters and realizing I'm not one of them, and dealing with wardrobe issues.  Lesson two, do not tie my shoes so tight!  I had a new pair of trail shoes I was trying out (loved them) but they were too tight and caused major shin pain.  After a couple of miles I pulled over, loosened them, and was good to go.  NOW, I was ready to tackle these trails.

They warned us to wear bright colors because it's hunting season.

  Hello hunters with big guns!

Tunes on, loosened up, shoes adjusted, and ready to go.  Yes, I'm 4.5 miles in and finally ready to run this race.  I've got some ground to make up now.  I take off, feel great and realize that my third lesson of the day is going to be patience.  With 500 people running single track and not starting my race until 4.5 miles I got stuck many times running a pace slower than I was hoping.  The trail in many places is not passable unless people stop and step off.  I split the difference.  Half the time I would pass and the other half I practiced patience.  I slowed down, thought about HURT and how I should run that race at a nice easy pace.  So to practice this patience thing I would stay at the back of the pack until we hit the next aid station and then move ahead.  This turned out to be a fun game for me.

It's tough to capture the hills on film...this was one of the "little" ones

 

At mile 13 there was the never ending climb.  Just before the climb there were a couple of gentlemen sitting on chairs with a cooler full of ice cold beer.  As I was passing I said something about how good that beer looked...and they handed me one :-)  Saints!  I power walked up that beast with a beer in my hand and a smile on my face.  I felt super strong tackling that hill - like the stairmaster and the workouts with Jeff are really paying off!  What a great confidence boost!  13 miles to go and I feel fantastic!  Somewhere between 18 - 19 I feel some toenail pain.  Like when you catch your toenail on the front of your shoe - especially on the downhills.  I have no other pain in my body and I am taking the downhills with caution because of silly toenails.  Discouraging and laughable at the same time.  Lesson four is another I've "learned" time and time again and never remember - cut the toenails short before a race!   Drats - I will get this one of these days!  I finished the race feeling strong with no problems to report.   After I stopped moving my tummy was icky for a bit but it was fine after I got some food and big diet coke in me.  My legs felt the effects of the climbs - I just needed to give them a little stretching and TLC.  I was walking just fine with a little residual soreness in the hammies and quads on Sunday.

As far as nutrition, at 6 am I had a piece of cinnamon toast, I had a protein bar, and used VESPA an hour before and at miles 9 and 18.  On the course I had NUUN in my camelback, a fudge stripe cookie around mile 9, and some chips around 18.  I did not experience muscle or brain fatigue at all during the race.  No bonking.  Lesson five - keep using the VESPA, it works!

The Tecumseh marathon was a success.  Finish time 5:38.  I'll be back for the repeat in 2013.  Next up - the Lookout Mountain 50!             

http://youtu.be/7aWprb4y7CE - this is a fly over video posted by New Leafer Kevin Kwilinski.  

 

 

The St. Pat's 24 Hour Race

I have to say this was one of my favorite races to date.  So much that this will be on my annual don't miss list.  The race directors, Sara and Jeanne, were so wonderful.  Not a single detail missed.  Not a name forgotten.  They were so attentive to every runner and spectator, and so accommodating to every need.  The St. Pat's Park grounds are beautiful this time of year.  The 3 mile loop course provides so much variety that I never got bored.  The location only 2 hours from home made it a very easy trip.

I was using this run as training for the HURT.  My focus was on nutrition and sleep deprivation.  I feel the nutrition part worked out very well.  The sleep deprivation part, not so much.  I ran for 15:27 and covered 64 miles in that time.  It was 11:30 pm and I was getting cold...and tired.  I just wanted a little break.  My super pacer, Leah, let me sit by the fire and would nudge me every 20 minutes.  I was not sleeping, but enjoying the warmth and giving my heavy eyelids a rest.  After a few pokes I decided to lay on a cot inside for while.  I was going to go back out later.  I changed out of my sweaty clothes and into nice, dry, warm clothes and that was it.  I was not going back.  I was enjoying the feeling of these uber comfy, super warm clothes around me.  I had to convince Leah that I was happy with 100k and I was REALLY okay to sit the last 8.5 hours out.  We "get" each other and she knew exactly where I was coming from.  Could I get more mileage - sure.  But I chose not to.  I went home on Sunday feeling like a million bucks.  Legs a little sore...but I didn't have to take the stairs one at a time.  Today I feel they are at about 90%.

I've been trying to follow a lower carb / higher fat diet in my everyday life.  Friday night while everyone was chowing down on the wonderful pasta dinner, I was just sitting there fighting the urge to make myself a plate.  I have a serious love for pasta.  BUT, I waited and then headed to a restaurant with Matt and Tif.  We (they) miraculously found this cute little place in South Bend.  The main drag was filled with restaurants - fast food, pizza joints, more pizza joints, and shady looking pubs.  But hidden back behind a hotel there it was.  The perfect place for us to hang, eat, and enjoy some beverages.  I ordered a burger - no bun - no fries - side of french onion soup - and cabernet ( can't cut it all out ).  I spent the week making a conscious effort to cut the carbs where possible.  It's not all that difficult and I haven't missed it too much.

This barn was transformed into sleeping quarters and staging area.

The morning of the race I downed my first VESPA mixed with some cranberry juice.  I ate a piece of ham off of a breakfast sandwich.  I was ready to go.  I felt good going out and was trying to come up with a strategy to use that would allow me to keep going for 24 hours.  There was one hill - which got bigger every time - that I decided I would walk each loop.  I don't even know if it was runnable.  I'll have to ask Joe Ventura.  Early on I got into my own head and was figuring out the hours remaining.  That is never a good idea for me.  I do best when I approach a long race with an attitude of "I'm going to be out here for a long time so I'll just run til it's over."  Instead I started doing math and trying to figure out how many more hours and how many more times I'd run this loop.  After a little pouting I dusted myself off and got on with my race.  I came up with a strategy where I would run 3 walk 1.  That worked for a total of 8 laps.  Then I went into overdrive.  I had a ton of energy, I experienced muscle fatigue for a loop somewhere in the 40's but then it went away.  I did end up going into ultra-walk mode during the night.  The roots were tricky in the dark and well hidden under the leaves, even with my super duper 200 lumen headlamp.  That thing was AMAZING btw!  After 21 loops I threw in the towel and took a rest on the cot.  I got up to find my warm clothes and change.  I was expecting to feel cramped and sore.  NOTHING.  I felt no physical signs of what I'd just done.  There was a tiny voice in my head that questioned my quit as I was doing the walk of shame to my things.  I quickly hushed the voice knowing that  I didn't want to be cold anymore.  And that was it.  The rest of my night was spent cheering on my awesome friends as they continued on - many setting PR's for time and distance.  Big Joe, Little Joe, Tif, Rita, Art, Jeremy - as well as the many new friends - all kicked ass out there!

I didn't over think my nutrition.  I used NUUN in my camelback - took an S-Cap every couple of hours - took 2 Aleve because my feet hurt - and VESPA every 3 hours.  I didn't try to shovel in the calories.  I ate based on my hunger.  During the 15+ hours I ate an uncrustable PB&J, a few boiled potato pieces, a sugar free pudding cup, a few bites of a turkey sandwich, some oranges, a sugar-free red bull, and a lot of blackberries.  Coming off of a tough 30 last weekend and a marathon the weekend prior, I was really shocked at how fantastic I felt.  The lack of fatigue was unreal.  Muscle fatigue and soreness is something I always experience during long runs.  The recovery, unless something has yet to hit, WOW!  The RD's, my pacer, and other friends were surprised how well I moving 30...40...50 miles in.  I was shocked myself.  They were chalking it up to the "Wasp Juice" ie:  VESPA.  Was it?  I don't know.  I do know that it was the first time I've experienced going that distance while giving a decent effort and not feeling the effects.  For the moment, I am going to attribute it to 1.)  VESPA  2.)  Shifting the Diet  3.)  Training / Strengthening program.  I am going to continue doing these three things because right now they seem to be working for me.

Next up...pacing Jack Cook to a 100 mile finish at Ozark!       

My new friend Gene.  76 years old.  This was his 33rd race of 2012.  Over 500 marathons under his belt.  Can't wait to see him at Lakefront 50/50 this weekend!  #INSPIRATION!

  

               

Less Carbs...it makes sense

I learned of a product called VESPA from a friend.  I am distrustful of most things, so I've been reading about the product, talking to others who use it, and talking to Peter from VESPA not only about the product, but the health benefits of a low-carb lifestyle.  The idea behind VESPA is that it works by encouraging your muscles to metabolize fat, rather than depleting your stored glycogen.  I'd like to burn the hell out of my fat stores!  The benefits are said to be that you will not hit the wall, you will have more mental clarity, and faster recovery with lower levels of muscle soreness.  This all sounds good to me.

When Peter started talking to me about the benefits of a low-carb higher fat diet what came to mind was the Atkins diet fad.  But, I've been reading the studies and science behind the idea and it kind of makes sense.  Though, it is a lifestyle change, not a "diet".  I have a lot more reading to do and many more questions to ask, but the one thing Peter said that stuck was this:

Glucose is one of the most tightly controlled substances in our bloodstream. If one does the math the body likes to have what amounts to 1 teaspoon of free glucose in circulation when blood sugar is normal and stable......eat a bagel and you just dumped 8 teaspoons into your blood and that is a toxic level your body has to deal with...it does so using insulin as the primary modulator to facilitate this but by doing so you turn off fat burn and then are dependent upon the glucose......over time this insulin load rises creating insulin resistance and even more dependence upon glucose and less ability to burn fat so not only are you finding your energy levels all over the map and needing to eat every few hours when sedentary but also things like weight gain and mood swings...

I am no scientist but I am going to experiment with this low-carb / higher fat lifestyle for a bit to see what comes of it.  I recently had my annual blood work done - maybe I'll have it re-done after a few months of this to see if there are any noticeable differences.  I am going to use the VESPA during my upcoming runs and see how I feel.  I'll be starting this weekend at the St. Pat's 24 hour.

I feel like I have been at a stand still with my weight and fitness level for some time now.  I am excited to learn and try new things in order to move ahead.  These dietary changes, along with the coaching and ass kicking from Jeff and his ILP, will hopefully be the kick start my body needs.  I will put it all to the test come January 19th.  Bring on the HURT!

Elevation profile of the 20 mile loop.

    
    

Lifestyle Changes in Order

102 days until my awesome crew and I depart for Hawaii.  There is a lot of work to be done during these days.  Training is going alright - but I really need to step it up over the next three months. 

I've started working with a trainer who is going to help me get on track with my overall fitness and diet.  We went through a strengthening routine last week and I could not believe just how weak I am, how much it hurt, and how long it took me to recover.  I was a gymnast for years and held the school record for sit ups in a minute and pull ups.  I was lean and strong and flexible...but I guess I worked at it every day.  Years went by and here I am, "able" to do 2.5 push ups, zero pull ups, and unable to touch my toes.  Time to start working at it every day again.  I will come out on the other end lean, mean, and ready to tackle the mother effin' mountain, thanks to Coach Jeff Lung and the ILP (Iron Lung Program).

Diet.  BLECH!  I've started logging everything I eat and drink.  It is seriously a wake up call when I look at that at the end of the day.  It is EASY to consume 2,000 calories - and that's without eating too much junk food.  We now have mini tootsie rolls in the office and every time I stroll past the front desk I grab 1 or 2.  No big deal, right?  Until I add them up...8, 9, 10...holy hell, that's over 200 useless calories consumed not out of hunger but habit.  Time to break the bad habits and make good healthy choices.  Challenge accepted.

I have a lot of races lined up that will be used as training runs for HURT.  Sleep deprivation training with St. Pat's and pacing Ozark100.  Climbing and technical training with Farmdale, McNotAgain, Tecumseh, and Lookout Mountain.  I've been hitting the gym and spending time on the stair master.  I'd also like to add one day per week where I focus on hill repeats.  Mt. Trashmore or Big Bertha would be good.  I'd like to get my weekly mileage up to about 75 - 80 miles by December and start the taper the first week of January.  That's the goal.

Looking forward to this transformation and lifestyle change...   
    

Assessing the Fitness

I kicked off my official training on August 25th with a 20 mile run along the fox river with the Fox Valley Marathon training group. During my first official training week, I logged 34 miles of running, an hour on the stair master, and an hour of hill repeats.  Not too bad. 

The start of week two I decided to do a very unscientific assessment of my current fitness level by running the closest thing to HURT one can find around here, the McNaughton, home of the Potawatomi races.  Ten mile loops, 1,600 feet of elevation gain per loop, stream crossings, technical single track, and I think it's always muddy there.  Compared to the HURT 20 mile loop we are short only 1,800 feet of elevation.

The conditions during this run were perfect, and by perfect I mean conditions closely mirroring HURT, not ideal running conditions by any means. 80 degrees, 95% humidity, scattered showers.  BJ came out for loops 1 & 2.  The trails were nice and mostly dry on loop 1 - though our clothes could have been wrung out within 10 minutes. The humidity was a killer, made breathing hard!  Lap 1 done, 2:15.  Eat pb&j, brownie, refill Nathan and head out for loop 2.

Loop 2 was a lot harder!  We had some showers, the cool off was a welcome relief, but the rain turns that course into a slippery mess!  Climbing and descending the hills was quite comical - though there were surprisingly no spills to report for anyone that day.  A couple of close calls, but no men down.  Lap 2 done, 2:30.  Eat pb&j, brownie, refill water, drop BJ, pick up Jack and Spencer.

My legs feel trashed.  My goal was 4 laps and I am already saying no to #4.  I am even considering sitting this one out.  But, I didn't drive all this way to run 20 miles.  Lap 3 was interesting.  Legs heavy in the beginning, the climbing sucked, and the runnable sections and downhills felt like I was on a rollercoaster.  Some were easy to run and felt great...other times I felt slow and weak and just like walking.  It'd be interesting to know just why that happens.  Lap 3 done, 2:28.  This "assessment run" done.  Thank you BJ, Spencer, and Jack for joining me, pushing me, and keeping me company out there.

What did I learn?

I LOVE running with all the deer!  I've never seen so many deer in my life.  Absolutely beautiful!

Never talk about how your feet do not blister and how chafing is a rarity.  You might just end up with blisters and chafing.

VESPA - some sort of running nutrition that helps convert your stored fat to energy.  Great concept.  But it apparently tastes like wasp piss.  Thank you for the honest review BJ.

I am completely directionally challenged in the woods.  Without fail, this happened about 50 times...
BJ:  "Which way do you think we go here"  Me:  "Left"  BJ:  "No, right"  I may have gotten 2 out of 50 correct.  Take away, do not run McNaughton alone.

I have a lot of work to do!  My goal before HURT is to be able to run back to back 40's out at McNaughton and feel good while doing it.

130 days and counting...   
   



        

Bigger Challenge - Accepted

After finishing the KM100 and waiting for the tears to fall and emotions to take over...none of which happened...I declared that I might need a bigger challenge.  Not that KM100 wasn't plenty tough.  EVERY 100 mile race is tough.  It's 100 miles!  Whelp, I found the next challenge.  It is called the HURT100.  I will start this journey on January 19, 2013 at 6 am in the mountains above Honolulu.  100 miles in a semi-tropical rainforest, 24,500 feet of elevation gain, 20 stream crossings, terrain like I've never seen before, and 36 hours to complete this task.  If this doesn't bring me to tears...

Course Photos - here is a link to some photos of the course taken by Robert Smith.

Profiling HURT - here is a link to a video clip from the course

I am not looking to cry just to cry, I could watch Lifetime for that.  I am not looking for the holy hell I hurt so bad I have to cry kind of cry.  I am looking for something big.  Something that that will break me down and build me back up.  Something life changing.  I want it to chew me up and spit out a better version of who I am.  Self-discovery.  We'll see what happens.

In the meantime, I have a little less than 5 months to train.  Plenty of time if I don't procrastinate.  I have watched videos, read tons of race reports, talked to people who have run the race to get perspective and training tips.  Now I just need to put together a plan and execute.

I am extremely lucky, and feel my chances of finishing this beast are increased significantly, to have an amazing pacer and crew come out with me.  Leah will be there to pace me.  Gosh I trust her like nothing else in this role.  She is simply the best!  Tifanie will be there with her calming demeanor and infinite knowledge about everything outdoors to crew.  My dad will be there for his very first running event to crew and help Leah and Tif with whatever they might need.  Words can not express how grateful I am to have these people with me.

Let the training begin!

Elevation Profile

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