Training Log Archive: Ari-o

"My everything hurts."

A bit of 50m post-mortem. Overall things went pretty well. I was sprinting for a train this morning and after about 15 seconds of DOMSy goodness, I started feeling a little better. Not that I want to go more than 500m today, but I can mostly walk.

Looking back, here's how I'd grade the experience:

* Training: B. The long distance stuff I did this spring definitely helped. The past two months in Chicago don't: hard to get proper hills and distance in. I think long stadium workouts are probably very good for ultras. Maybe another VM this fall? (Obviously, so are long hikes, and those are even fun!) If I sign up for a 100m, I'll have to be very cognizant of long training.

* Hydration: B-. I drank enough, but didn't pee during the race. What came out afterwards was yellow, but not too dark. I was on the edge of having to pee but would wind up sweating it all out. So maybe I drank the right amount, since most of it was ice water.

* Heat management: A. At least once I figured out the ice thing. Had the race not had ice, I would have dropped out at mile 30. But every aid station was well-stocked, and having a singlet on to dump ice down worked well. As did a hat; glad I grabbed that at the last second. The one thing with the singlet ice was that it would settle around my waist (gravity, and all) and then that area would almost get too cold. There's probably a (small) market for a singlet which would hold ice next to your body and be easy to refill.

* Feeding: B+. I never felt like I was quite eating enough, but also never bonked. The race is very well-stocked (no need for a vest to carry things) and I found out that M&Ms and pickles taste good together. Never got hungry, never neglected to eat at a feed. Stomach was good.

* Chafe Management: A-. Lots of body glide at the start, and everything stayed with with ice and water. Chafe all healed pretty quick.

* Feet: A-. Feet got a bit wet, and I could have had socks to change in to in a drop bag. But they stayed non-blistery, just turned to calluses, and the bottoms aren't even that hurty.

* Injury prevention: A. So far, just some doms and sore feet. No ITB. No ankles (legs feel strong). Need to keep up leg strength.

Figuring that I may wind up doing something on Wednesday. Until then a couple of days off!

C • 100M 8

After almost finishing the Voyageur 50m last year on minimal training and even less notice, I decided to make a go of it this year. More training (a couple of 50ks in the spring, and not dying) and planned to do this more than a day in advance. Weather looked good, but warmer than last year. That was less good.

Started out well at the start, a little less fast than last year because being conservative is good, right? Running with a pack with a the top women and a couple of guys, chitchatting, generally feeling good. 8-9 minute pace on the ski trails, 10 on the technical stuff and the steep hills. Still cool, just grabbing powerade at the feeds.

Then we hit the power lines. They weren't too bad, early, and not in the sun. From there it was running over the next few sections, including a long climb, although it was getting warm in to Magney and I realized that I needed to be much more cognizant of cooling, hydration and feeding. At 21 miles I put the first bit of ice down my shirt.

This became a theme. From the turn back, every stop had the following:

Food
Coke
Ice and powerade in the water bottle
Scoop of ice down my shirt front
Scoop if ice down my shirt back
Ice in my hat

This worked. Miles 20 to 30 were struggly, as I worked to get the system figured out, but once it worked, it worked. Miles 30 to 40 went well. My legs still felt pretty good and I was cooling well enough. The power lines were brutal, but I had cooled well before them and it was just fast hiking up and running down, passing a couple of people. The hill after the power lines was also good, in to the feed where I'd dropped the year before running.

From there things went a bit downhill. My legs were getting less happy, and I took a seat on the Struggle Bus. (I decided that there are three transport modes used in trail running: the Struggle Bus, the Pain Train, and the Waaaaahmbulance. I only made it to the Struggle Bus. Also my mind had time to wander.)

There was some walking in the last 10 miles, and some struggly running. My garmin had died, so I didn't know my pace or heart rate. Any goals were long gone; I was looking to finish in under 10. The last 3 miles seemed interminable but were probably only about 40 minutes, I hit the paved trail and jogged to the finish.

Did my legs hurt? Well, is the pope catholic? But I was able to walk to the car, take a lovely shower, eat some food, drink some water, and drive down to the Cities. It was … fun? Kind of. Definitely Type 2. Would like to take a 50m some time in slightly more conducive weather. I will probably do something dumb like this again.

Drop off Divvy, run with backpack to NP.

Before PR Day I wanted to try to set the Strava course record for the PR course. None of this stopping in the middle, just running. So I sprinted down the hill and around and up, and set it by 10 seconds.

Ran the PR Day not too fast out of the gate, because tapering. Still got in 9 laps.

The core part of PR day.

Now two days rest!

Quick morning run before work. Taper week continues, rather than not get enough sleep and go to track, I did my own 60 second intervals. Five of them. Felt good. Shower, breakfast, left my sandwich on the counter. Darnit!