Training Log Archive: Tundra/Desert

From Cañada College (SamTrans #274 stop) to Huddart, Oak picnic area. Some walking.

Purisima Creek Redwoods 50 km. Great weather. I started very slow and was passing people for the first 10 miles. A nice run until an encounter with a race official. The "map" they gave was ambiguous, and I didn't pick up the written instructions, so was just about to turn left at the 50 km/33 km split, and got a rude attitude adjustment. I sure didn't start the rude, but took it a lot further than I wanted to. In retrospect, turning left there made no sense, as I'd then be skipping the 10-mile mark. But all I was looking at were direction arrows on the map.

I could see the 50 km lead coming back from the second aid station; the leader was hanging on to the 33 km lead, and the first female was not far behind him. Already 20 minutes behind, only 15 km into the run!

Then, twisted my ankle on a downhill, about 19 km into the process. Hobbled for the rest of the downhill, thinking I'd quit at the next aid station. But the following uphill went just fine, so I continued on. However, all the possible advantage I had over the others on the downhill running was gone, as I was way too careful. I had this group of females just a few minutes ahead, and could not make up any time. Was mostly alone after the 33 km split, and only passed 5 people.

The goal was 5:00. But I felt almost not tired afterwards, a striking difference from January's 52 km run. The last loop was very easy, and I got to around 4 min/km for the last 2 km or so, trying to pass one person.

Aid station splits / miles: 0:50:41 / 4.4; 1:46:56 / 10.4; 3:01:51 / 17.3; 4:04:40 / 23.3; 4:44:07 / 27.7. 14th/64. Aid station/bathroom time: 8:16.

Is anyone gonna train (besides the Canadians/Australians/Swiss)? Attackpoint has become so depressing.

To Baylands for a short/efficiency interval session. After dark. At Baylands: birds, SJC takeoffs, rabbits, baseball players in the distance. Some light from the latter.

Intervals at Baylands knolls: 5×(250/12 + 250/12 + 450/12) m/m climb, with 250/0, 250/0, 450/12 full rest, respectively. Wind was from the East Bay, mostly in my face for the intervals, but at the end, there was this gentle whiff of trichloroethylene from Mtn View.
Results:
53.7 50.8 105
51.0 52.0 101
51.6 52.2 102
53.3 53.7 103
52.1 53.8 107
I am quite far from my efficiency shape of last October. Terrain running is a different optimization problem from track, as my lower back, right side; and right quad are telling me. I felt awkward, spending too much energy; and this new feeling of the muscles flowing in "the" proper, harmonious way, unexplored for many years, was not there.

Cooldown, back to work.

Warmup at De Anza. Nobody else showed up.

Stretching.

Threshold miles with 1-minute rest: 6:03 6:06 6:05 6:03 6:01 6:04. I'd think I should be ready for a mid-36 10 km, but there aren't any races around within the preferred timeframe to verify the hypothesis.

From the last Caltrain to the last #23 at San Antonio in Mtn View, after seeing sister off at the airport. Made it.

The ligaments on the outside of the right ankle hurt like crazy; because of getting used to a ski boot but also, apparently, because I had worked them with the intervals.

BAOC ski-O at Royal Gorge: Blue. New snow, below freezing. At the last minute, selected full-length fishscales, which worked out pretty well; they did, however, feel glued to the snow any time I tried skating (which was most of the first hour).
Fell twice. Took skis off once for an uphill, and rested and drank for 4:21 (including putting the skis back on) midway through the course, at #7.
Did much better relative to Kent Ö and Vadim than at both ski-O events I did last year. I skipped around the Guillotine, however, diagonaling around pine trees instead of plunging face down. It saved about 5 m of climb and just a hair of distance. Obeyed the rules otherwise.