Training Log Archive: boyle

NT
126/72 46

On day 2, I got 19 minutes out of my embouchure.

C • Huh? 4

Interesting stat: rather than passing thousands of runners like in Boilermakers past, between the 5k split and the finish line I was passed by 1457 racers. How times have changed.

I will always regret not getting to wear a three-digit bib even though I finished in the top 1000 racers many times.

1, 2, 4-8, 16, 17

It was good to be back in the woods but things have changed a lot since racing season. The streams are dry allowing for more route choices. The vegetation is much greener discounting any speed gained through the stream beds. The green is especially nasty on the trails and outside of the forest cover.

I've got lots of work to do on my speed. Visiting #5 before and after #4 is probably not the best routing. At this slow speed (in the humidex of 30), I spiked the other controls except #17. Using the sun I still drifted too far right and hit the trail to the soccer fields.

Just off the rail bed (abandoned by 1939) I picked up what I thought was a very solid twig through my shoe and under my foot. At the end of the workout, it turned out to be a rusty old drill bit. I've got to move beyond off-road running shoes. The demands on my shoes are different now.

Waiting for my ride, I went back for one control. That's actually when I picked up the drill bit.

I finally snuck on to the sprint series standings: 646th of 668. 'Tis to laugh!

I have that nearly-forgotten feeling of lactic acid build up in my thighs.

Boilermaker, Utica NY
48.9%
4601/9773 421/684


The only mile on pace was the first one and then I just got slower. It was a new feeling to be unable to maintain the pace of my corral mates. By 4k, the runners of corral 4 (green) had all passed me. By the finish, I was surrounded by runners from corral 6, the slowest corral.

By the 3 mile marker, my watch told me that my projected time (based on my May 5k in NL) was not attainable and I shut down the rockets. While fighting my body to keep moving, I took in scenery that was just a blur in years past.

At the first water station of the two descent miles (5 and 8), I came to a full stop, grabbed two cups of water, drank them both down as I walked, decreasing my forward momentum for the rest of the downhill. Even so, my first few steps on the grass of that formerly glorious golf course mile 5 confirmed that this is where I tore my meniscus years ago. I have stopped advising people to attack that downhill.

I worked hard to prevent those ten-minute miles today but my perceived effort failed. Though I have lost significant leg speed (83% of a year ago), the difficulties today were likely due to detraining and dehydration.

Detraining was confirmed by chaffing in new and unusual places (tops of my feet, right underarm). These day, I can't even put in enough training to callous my skin. I'll need extra body glide next July. I was out on course much longer than I'm used to.

While it has never rained during the Boilermaker race (not once in 31 years), there was significant downpour all through my pre-race warm-up run. The rain cooled the thermometer but the humidex was likely extreme. It was the warmest start for any of my BMs: 73F. I couldn't really judge the environmental conditions with the headwind and the lack of shadows (overcast skies) but I could tell from thirst that something was off. Even though my tummy was sloshing, I started taking water at every station in the final 5k. In the last mile, I even felt thirsty before drinking.

I actually enjoyed an unofficial popsicle at the mid-point of the race. It was yummy and just what I needed - risky but yummy.

Taking so long to finish, there were a few thousand more runners already at the post-race party which I skipped. I grabbed a soda, some water and a snow cone and headed to the car.

While not happy about the time. I am SO GLAD that I got in another BM. I still have 30 minutes of play before the time limit is a factor.

splits: 9:03 9:18 9:32 (29:00) 9:58 9:13 9:58 (59:10) 10:16 9:51 10:19 target 84:22

All chip times were lost at the Boilermaker. The starting mats malfunctioned.