Training Log Archive: BashIn the 7 days ending Jun 17, 2012:
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Saturday Jun 16, 2012 #
5 AM
Running race (Trail) 11:47:57 [3] 80.64 km (8:47 / km) +2107m 7:46 / km
shoes: Salomon Speedcross 3 - Purple
Mohican 50-miler
Loudonville, OH
(Check out the Garmin track in USGS map mode - cool!)
The Mohican Trail 100 in central Ohio includes three events - marathon, 50-miler and 100-miler - and attracts about 500 runners. It is 95% trail, mostly single track, mostly shady and very hilly. Ken Niemimaa, winner of the 2011 Sulphur Springs 100-miler, described it as similar to the Hockley Loop and mentioned that when he finished his 50-miler last year, he was happy not to be going out for another 50!
Ang decided a few days ago to try her first ultra at Mohican, and it was great to share the long drive. The pre-race pasta dinner was good and we had fun chatting with friendly ultrarunners. As an Ironman, Ang found it funny to listen to people who considered the marathon to be this weekend's sprint distance.
We splurged and stayed at Mohican State Park Lodge.
Too bad we had to set our alarm for the ungodly hour of 3 a.m.! On top of the sleep deprivation, I felt horrible this morning for reasons that women will understand best.
We started at 5 a.m. with the 100-milers. After 2.5 km, four hundred runners squeezed into the single track. Although the course designer had made a effort, people hadn't spread out much by then. For the next 6 km, we were forced to walk much more than we wanted. If I'd known, I would have started closer to the front but on the bright side, we had a very thorough and gentle warm-up!
It was beautiful watching lines of headlamps weaving back and forth and up and down in the dark forest. As always, it was amazing to experience sunrise outdoors.
My only results-oriented goal was to get an official finish and two Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc points, so I took a very conservative approach. I couldn't afford to fall, twist my ankle, get dehydrated or lose my appetite in the heat.
This is the longest run I will do before the Death Race so it was also the final test for shoes, clothing, gear, running form, etc. In addition, I wanted to take care of myself well enough to finish the race feeling like I could go another 45 km, which I will need to do at CDR.
Two things I used for the first time in an ultra: Salomon Speedcross 3 shoes and XR shorts. It wasn't love at first sight for either of these items. The original Salomon Speedcross had less stability than the new model, and I thought the XR shorts made me look funny. However, I've recently become a big fan of both. They passed today's test with flying colours and will now be my primary shoes and shorts for the Death Race.
The other thing I was testing was more of a theory. This was my 5th ultra (three 50K and two 50-mile) so I'm still a newbie but I've observed some trends. Cardio hasn't been an issue in an ultra yet, and even muscle strength for hill climbing hasn't been a problem, but at some point in every ultra, some type of pain has become a limiting factor. The location of the pain varies, e.g. I haven't been getting quad pain lately but my hips feel tight after awhile. The other variable is the length of time until pain becomes the limiting factor in performance. I wanted to test different running techniques to see if I could postpone the pain until later in the race.
It worked. By the end of 80.5 km, I felt less pain than I felt after 20 km at Sulphur Springs, and the pain started later than in any previous ultra. For my own reference, here's what I did (and will do at the Death Race):
- Slow, steady pace. Resist the urge to pass people early on. Save it for the second half.
- Walk most uphills early on and stretch the calf muscles while doing so, i.e. touch heels down often.
- Keep top of hips tilted forward and think about kicking back toward bum.
- Feet slightly farther apart than feels natural, right below edge of hips.
- Head directly above spine. (The idea of these last few adjustments is to reduce the work done by stabilizing muscles.)
- Take lots of very short, quick steps on downhills and try to land as lightly as possible.
- Avoid unnecessary impact. When the trails were crowded, I sometimes speed-hiked right behind people who were running slowly, and rather than jumping off rocks or logs, I would take a moment to step down gently.
Ang and I ran together for the first 35K. She scared me at one point with a nasty face plant where she hit her knee on a rock and was unable to answer immediately when I asked if she was OK. We walked slowly for 5 minutes until the shock and nausea abated, then she recovered and eventually moved ahead.
My favourite section (for exploring, not running) was the "Enchanted Valley" - a narrow creek canyon where we had to hop over and scramble under logs while trying to keep our feet dry. We arrived at a big waterfall surrounded by huge mossy boulders, then climbed up the steep canyon wall using our hands and feet on a network of tree roots. It felt very Lord of the Rings.
My major mistake in my first 50-miler was forgetting to eat enough and then bonking around 60K. Food revived me over the next 5K but it was a scary feeling. This time:
- Drank eLoad most of the day - refilled my 1.5L bladder three times on the race course
- Drank 2 cups of liquid at most aid stations - usually Coke or water.
- Put chocolate Boost in my drop bags and took it along to drink on uphill sections between aid stations.
- Carried Honey Stinger energy chews for trail eating since they always taste good to me
- Used the new eLoad Zone CapsX5 for extra electrolytes
- Ate at aid stations - mostly bananas, chips, PB&J sandwiches
It was a hot, sweaty day although we were lucky to spend much of it in the shade. I felt reasonably well hydrated and never bonked BUT I ran the last 13K with a nasty stomach ache. I'm guessing that I drank too much carbonated Coke, which I normally detest but it tastes like ambrosia during a long hot race. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Any other ideas?
With 5K to go, I came upon a young fellow whom I'd been leapfrogging all afternoon. He was bent over at the side of the trail with his hands on his thighs. When I asked what was up, he croaked, "I'm done." "No you're not - you're coming with me!" I grabbed the poor guy by the arm and dragged him back onto the trail. We ran together and chatted for half an hour; it was his first ultra and the pain had come as a surprise. I walked a few hills that I might have run on my own but it was worth it to see this guy run up to the finish looking strong! :)
Ang was at the finish after a great race. She rocked out there, beating me by over 18 minutes! On the other hand, as we compared notes, she had suffered more and slowed down more, especially in the final 15 km. I'll bet that happens to almost everyone in their first 50-miler!
I was thrilled to sit down and enjoy a post-race burrito and beer by the finish line but another 45 km would have been possible if necessary, so that was encouraging.
This was technically a PB for 50 miles (if you can even use that term when you've only done two races) but my other 50-miler was a little longer so the pace was identical. San Francisco had more elevation gain but the running was less technical so it's probably a wash.
I was 2nd in my age group by exactly 2 minutes - far less time than I spent interacting with other racers and volunteers but that's OK! One of these days, I'll need to approach an ultra as just a race, instead of always having alternate goals for the event.
Congrats to Ang who was 8th of 42 women in the preliminary results; I finished 12th.
2 + 2 = 4 UTMB points. 3 to go!
Loudonville, OH
(Check out the Garmin track in USGS map mode - cool!)
The Mohican Trail 100 in central Ohio includes three events - marathon, 50-miler and 100-miler - and attracts about 500 runners. It is 95% trail, mostly single track, mostly shady and very hilly. Ken Niemimaa, winner of the 2011 Sulphur Springs 100-miler, described it as similar to the Hockley Loop and mentioned that when he finished his 50-miler last year, he was happy not to be going out for another 50!
Ang decided a few days ago to try her first ultra at Mohican, and it was great to share the long drive. The pre-race pasta dinner was good and we had fun chatting with friendly ultrarunners. As an Ironman, Ang found it funny to listen to people who considered the marathon to be this weekend's sprint distance.
We splurged and stayed at Mohican State Park Lodge.
Too bad we had to set our alarm for the ungodly hour of 3 a.m.! On top of the sleep deprivation, I felt horrible this morning for reasons that women will understand best.
We started at 5 a.m. with the 100-milers. After 2.5 km, four hundred runners squeezed into the single track. Although the course designer had made a effort, people hadn't spread out much by then. For the next 6 km, we were forced to walk much more than we wanted. If I'd known, I would have started closer to the front but on the bright side, we had a very thorough and gentle warm-up!
It was beautiful watching lines of headlamps weaving back and forth and up and down in the dark forest. As always, it was amazing to experience sunrise outdoors.
My only results-oriented goal was to get an official finish and two Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc points, so I took a very conservative approach. I couldn't afford to fall, twist my ankle, get dehydrated or lose my appetite in the heat.
This is the longest run I will do before the Death Race so it was also the final test for shoes, clothing, gear, running form, etc. In addition, I wanted to take care of myself well enough to finish the race feeling like I could go another 45 km, which I will need to do at CDR.
Two things I used for the first time in an ultra: Salomon Speedcross 3 shoes and XR shorts. It wasn't love at first sight for either of these items. The original Salomon Speedcross had less stability than the new model, and I thought the XR shorts made me look funny. However, I've recently become a big fan of both. They passed today's test with flying colours and will now be my primary shoes and shorts for the Death Race.
The other thing I was testing was more of a theory. This was my 5th ultra (three 50K and two 50-mile) so I'm still a newbie but I've observed some trends. Cardio hasn't been an issue in an ultra yet, and even muscle strength for hill climbing hasn't been a problem, but at some point in every ultra, some type of pain has become a limiting factor. The location of the pain varies, e.g. I haven't been getting quad pain lately but my hips feel tight after awhile. The other variable is the length of time until pain becomes the limiting factor in performance. I wanted to test different running techniques to see if I could postpone the pain until later in the race.
It worked. By the end of 80.5 km, I felt less pain than I felt after 20 km at Sulphur Springs, and the pain started later than in any previous ultra. For my own reference, here's what I did (and will do at the Death Race):
- Slow, steady pace. Resist the urge to pass people early on. Save it for the second half.
- Walk most uphills early on and stretch the calf muscles while doing so, i.e. touch heels down often.
- Keep top of hips tilted forward and think about kicking back toward bum.
- Feet slightly farther apart than feels natural, right below edge of hips.
- Head directly above spine. (The idea of these last few adjustments is to reduce the work done by stabilizing muscles.)
- Take lots of very short, quick steps on downhills and try to land as lightly as possible.
- Avoid unnecessary impact. When the trails were crowded, I sometimes speed-hiked right behind people who were running slowly, and rather than jumping off rocks or logs, I would take a moment to step down gently.
Ang and I ran together for the first 35K. She scared me at one point with a nasty face plant where she hit her knee on a rock and was unable to answer immediately when I asked if she was OK. We walked slowly for 5 minutes until the shock and nausea abated, then she recovered and eventually moved ahead.
My favourite section (for exploring, not running) was the "Enchanted Valley" - a narrow creek canyon where we had to hop over and scramble under logs while trying to keep our feet dry. We arrived at a big waterfall surrounded by huge mossy boulders, then climbed up the steep canyon wall using our hands and feet on a network of tree roots. It felt very Lord of the Rings.
My major mistake in my first 50-miler was forgetting to eat enough and then bonking around 60K. Food revived me over the next 5K but it was a scary feeling. This time:
- Drank eLoad most of the day - refilled my 1.5L bladder three times on the race course
- Drank 2 cups of liquid at most aid stations - usually Coke or water.
- Put chocolate Boost in my drop bags and took it along to drink on uphill sections between aid stations.
- Carried Honey Stinger energy chews for trail eating since they always taste good to me
- Used the new eLoad Zone CapsX5 for extra electrolytes
- Ate at aid stations - mostly bananas, chips, PB&J sandwiches
It was a hot, sweaty day although we were lucky to spend much of it in the shade. I felt reasonably well hydrated and never bonked BUT I ran the last 13K with a nasty stomach ache. I'm guessing that I drank too much carbonated Coke, which I normally detest but it tastes like ambrosia during a long hot race. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Any other ideas?
With 5K to go, I came upon a young fellow whom I'd been leapfrogging all afternoon. He was bent over at the side of the trail with his hands on his thighs. When I asked what was up, he croaked, "I'm done." "No you're not - you're coming with me!" I grabbed the poor guy by the arm and dragged him back onto the trail. We ran together and chatted for half an hour; it was his first ultra and the pain had come as a surprise. I walked a few hills that I might have run on my own but it was worth it to see this guy run up to the finish looking strong! :)
Ang was at the finish after a great race. She rocked out there, beating me by over 18 minutes! On the other hand, as we compared notes, she had suffered more and slowed down more, especially in the final 15 km. I'll bet that happens to almost everyone in their first 50-miler!
I was thrilled to sit down and enjoy a post-race burrito and beer by the finish line but another 45 km would have been possible if necessary, so that was encouraging.
This was technically a PB for 50 miles (if you can even use that term when you've only done two races) but my other 50-miler was a little longer so the pace was identical. San Francisco had more elevation gain but the running was less technical so it's probably a wash.
I was 2nd in my age group by exactly 2 minutes - far less time than I spent interacting with other racers and volunteers but that's OK! One of these days, I'll need to approach an ultra as just a race, instead of always having alternate goals for the event.
Congrats to Ang who was 8th of 42 women in the preliminary results; I finished 12th.
2 + 2 = 4 UTMB points. 3 to go!
Friday Jun 15, 2012 #
Note
Ang and me - full of pasta and ready (as we'll ever be) for the Mohican 50-miler!
The pre-race dinner was Ang's first exposure to people who feel the need to explain why they're "only" doing the marathon or 50-mile distance rather than the full 100-miler. The reason was almost always because they'd done a longer race last weekend. Welcome to ultrarunning, Ang!
The pre-race dinner was Ang's first exposure to people who feel the need to explain why they're "only" doing the marathon or 50-mile distance rather than the full 100-miler. The reason was almost always because they'd done a longer race last weekend. Welcome to ultrarunning, Ang!
Thursday Jun 14, 2012 #
Note
Packing up for the Mohican 50-miler. My only goal is to earn 2 more points toward Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, giving me 4 of the 7 I need. If that happens, then I will need to finish either the Death Race or the Oil Creek 100 to get the final 3 points. It would be nice to come out of this weekend without the pressure of needing to finish both of those longer races - not to mention the knock to my confidence if I can't finish this shorter race. Too many people I know did not finish their first Death Race, and they were all better runners than I. I sure don't count on it.
I have 32 hours to do Mohican since they don't have separate cut-off times for their different race distances. A typical 50-miler cut-off time is in the 12-14 hour range so it is very achievable - but as all endurance athletes know, you don't count your chickens. There will be DNFs at Mohican - twisted ankles, heat-related problems, GI distress, blisters, etc. The important thing is to take it easy on technical trails on a hot day and avoid doing anything silly (forgetting to drink, slipping on a rock, going too hard, not taping up hot spots).
I'm excited that Ang is driving down with me, and a group of Ontarians will be there to race/pace/support the 50 and 100 mile events. Should be a fun weekend. Good luck to all of you who are racing too! Sending extra positive vibes to 'Bent, Tiny and The Shedman at ESAR! :)
I have 32 hours to do Mohican since they don't have separate cut-off times for their different race distances. A typical 50-miler cut-off time is in the 12-14 hour range so it is very achievable - but as all endurance athletes know, you don't count your chickens. There will be DNFs at Mohican - twisted ankles, heat-related problems, GI distress, blisters, etc. The important thing is to take it easy on technical trails on a hot day and avoid doing anything silly (forgetting to drink, slipping on a rock, going too hard, not taping up hot spots).
I'm excited that Ang is driving down with me, and a group of Ontarians will be there to race/pace/support the 50 and 100 mile events. Should be a fun weekend. Good luck to all of you who are racing too! Sending extra positive vibes to 'Bent, Tiny and The Shedman at ESAR! :)
10 AM
Note
Another day, another endurance athlete friend riding 4,800 km across America. This time it's Jason "Hammer" Lane (not to be confused with the *real* Hammer on AP). He started in California yesterday and is aiming to be the fastest rookie on the course - about 9 days of riding. He's also raising funds for Sick Kids Foundation. You can sponsor 100 km of his ride and - amongst other things - they promise to play the music of your choice on their loudspeakers and read your favourite inspiring quotes for Jason during that leg. His team is keeping a blog with text and videos.
http://www.teamhammerfest.com/hammerblog.html
http://www.teamhammerfest.com/hammerblog.html
Wednesday Jun 13, 2012 #
Note
In Tour Divide news, Crash was looking great today until her SPOT tracker stopped for a long time in Lincoln. I finally texted to see if she was really there - and she was. She had a 1-hour delay to fix her bike computer, 45 minutes in a ditch with her head down during a massive thunderstorm with huge hail in the mountains, and her knees are "hammered". She and several other riders are staying in Lincoln to rest, heal and avoid the nasty weather. The next stretch to Helena is another tough one - not a good one to tackle in these conditions.
She also phoned in to the voice mail site but it isn't posted yet. http://mtbcast.com/site2/
She also phoned in to the voice mail site but it isn't posted yet. http://mtbcast.com/site2/
10 AM
Running (Trail and Road) 43:23 6.31 km (6:52 / km) +53m 6:36 / km
shoes: Salomon Speedcross 3 - Purple
Deliciously cool weather for a taper run around Palgrave West. After breaking in my SpeedCross this month and planning to use them this weekend, the insoles disappeared after the 5 Peaks race so I had to test new ones. I'm pretty sure they were drying in the sun beside the shoes and I wonder if the raccoons living in our big tree are enjoying some extra cushioning in their home.
I haven't felt this good running for awhile; too bad I am such a princess in heat. I passed a woman running the other way on the Bruce Side Trail and tried not to look too shocked. In almost 14 years of living here, I don't think I've met a trail runner in Palgrave West who hasn't been to our place for dinner - let alone a complete stranger.
I haven't felt this good running for awhile; too bad I am such a princess in heat. I passed a woman running the other way on the Bruce Side Trail and tried not to look too shocked. In almost 14 years of living here, I don't think I've met a trail runner in Palgrave West who hasn't been to our place for dinner - let alone a complete stranger.
11 AM
Note
Crash called in to the Tour Divide voice mail line last night. She sounds great! We exchanged texts last night and she sounded very cheerful after pushing through a snowy pass around sunset, even though she's tired and her Achilles was inflamed when the day started.
http://mtbcast.com/podcasts/2012/TD12/MTBCast_TD12...
She remains in 4th place of 10 women. As of 8 a.m., it looks like she's finished her restaurant breakfast. The women in 3rd and 5th place have not moved yet this morning. The 3rd place woman, Tracey Petervary, had a rough day yesterday, getting passed by Katherine Wallace, who had been in 3rd since the start of the race. Then close to midnight, Tracey made a wrong turn and went back and forth on the wrong road for awhile, adding over 13 km to her ride.
http://mtbcast.com/podcasts/2012/TD12/MTBCast_TD12...
She remains in 4th place of 10 women. As of 8 a.m., it looks like she's finished her restaurant breakfast. The women in 3rd and 5th place have not moved yet this morning. The 3rd place woman, Tracey Petervary, had a rough day yesterday, getting passed by Katherine Wallace, who had been in 3rd since the start of the race. Then close to midnight, Tracey made a wrong turn and went back and forth on the wrong road for awhile, adding over 13 km to her ride.
12 PM
Note
Broken vertebra and no Tour de France for my boy Andy Schleck! :(( Now I need to pick someone new to cheer for. Maybe Cadel Evans since it would be nice to see George Hincapie go out on a high - although Cadel is rarely exciting to watch.
Tuesday Jun 12, 2012 #
Note
Great news! Ang is going to come to Mohican with me to do her first 50-miler and earn some UTMB points. :)
I'm breathing much better and now think I was feeling the effects of bad smog rather than starting a cold.
I've been researching the tick situation in Ohio for this weekend's race, and the news isn't good. According to government figures:
- The number of black-legged ticks sent to them last year for testing by members of the public and veterinarians was more than double the number of ticks submitted in all previous years combined.
- They operate a project where hunters submit deer heads and the government looks for ticks. In 2010, they found 29 black-legged ticks. In 2011, they found 1,830.
Yuck.
I was supposed to do a short taper run before dinner but we lost power for 4 hours, and neither 'Bent nor I could get inspired to run in the heat, knowing there would be no running water to clean up for an undetermined length of time. (When you're on a country well, losing electricity means losing water too.) So we wimped out and went to a restaurant for some pre-race nutrition instead.
I'm breathing much better and now think I was feeling the effects of bad smog rather than starting a cold.
I've been researching the tick situation in Ohio for this weekend's race, and the news isn't good. According to government figures:
- The number of black-legged ticks sent to them last year for testing by members of the public and veterinarians was more than double the number of ticks submitted in all previous years combined.
- They operate a project where hunters submit deer heads and the government looks for ticks. In 2010, they found 29 black-legged ticks. In 2011, they found 1,830.
Yuck.
I was supposed to do a short taper run before dinner but we lost power for 4 hours, and neither 'Bent nor I could get inspired to run in the heat, knowing there would be no running water to clean up for an undetermined length of time. (When you're on a country well, losing electricity means losing water too.) So we wimped out and went to a restaurant for some pre-race nutrition instead.
Monday Jun 11, 2012 #
Note
"In the next 100 years, sea levels will rise by approximately one meter. We have no idea how much devastation that will cause because it's metric."
~ Stephen Colbert "sympathizing" with the North Carolina legislators who are trying to outlaw climate predictions based on anything other than extrapolation of historical data.
~ Stephen Colbert "sympathizing" with the North Carolina legislators who are trying to outlaw climate predictions based on anything other than extrapolation of historical data.
12 PM
Note
Ugh, feeling sick less than 5 days out from a big race. Nooooo!!!