Training Log Archive: Timato

Event: Western States 100mi Endurance Run
 

I'll try to write a race report at some point, but logging the time for now.

Overall I'm really lucky to have such amazing friends who travelled with me down to this event and spent the whole day/night supporting me and didn't ask for anything back. The experience was worth every minute including the heat as I got the full Western States experience.

Also I can't forget Sam Fiandaca who I befriended during the training camp and let me use him as a pacer to keep my pace slow during the heat of the day. I felt bad when I learned he got cut off, but he's more experienced at this than I am, and he'll be back next year.

Finally, Kristen and Aubrey who supported me chasing this race, preparing for the race and running the race. I'm really lucky all around.

The countdown clock says 3 days, 22 hours and 47 min right now.

The weather network says 102 (not sure the C on that, but I know triple digits is hot).

Adventure time.

If you are interested in following along at home, here are the official options:

1) Official splits and runner tracking are available on ultralive.net. https://www.ultralive.net/ws100#tracking/info. I am bib 197.

2) Runner tracking information will also be available in real time by Voice using Google Assistant (Android/iOS) or with devices like Google Home or Amazon Alexa.

Hey Google, ask Western States where is Ted Knudsen?
Hey Google, ask Western States where is runner number 127?

Alexa, enable Western States.

3) The Finish has a continuous live video feed on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/wser100/ and a short clip of every finisher crossing the line will also be available.
http://videos.wser.org/

Also make friends with some of our travel companions (Barb, Sally). I'm sure they'll be posting to facebook when they can. At the very least it's worth it to see my great costum, er I mean running gear.

Last day of training for Western States.

Started with a fun group ride with 2 former co-workers. Nothing to strenuous, but also long enough to feel it in my legs.

C • Good luck 14

After a scone and a coffee headed home to change and ran up to the gym.

Spent 45 min in the sauna today. After that I ran home and added a lap in the park. Tried to keep the pace comfortable. Basically what I should do at the beginning of the race.

Felt good even at the end.

Training stops now and it's all about rest and packing from now on.

C • Training Stops Now 1

Run to and from the gym. At the gym I sat in the sauna for 35 min.

A short ride on the trainer at the gym to warm up and try to raise my core temperature.

After that spent 30 minutes sitting in the hot sauna. Temps in there were 90 degrees good for acclimatization training.

First time out on the road bike this year since up until now every opportunity I've had to get out has been focused on running. Nice morning ride, a bit cool, but not so cool that I really had to layer up.

Western update for today.
- 3 ice bandana's have been sewn
- chocolate zucchini bites are baked and taste good and moist
- after trying so many shoe combinations I have decided to go with speed cross for the high country and then my old caldera for the rest of the race.
- I now have a tank top with a lot of holes cut into it and a secret plan with Aubrey about it.
- the temps for race day as of today are 35 so production if the ice cap has been brought up in priority.

Just under 12 days to go

C • Great Update! 5

Out with Aubrey at Ark fest. She did really good for the whole. Planning her routes and knowing where to go on the map.

Looking at results the girl who won the U8 female category (Aubrey's category) would have come first place in the open female. hmmmm.....

Less than 14 days to go.

Headed out for one last long run (was planning for about 4 hours). First 2 hours went great and I was cruising along the Grand Valley Trail clearing all the spiderwebs for anyone else. At some point I realized in two weeks I'd be sitting on the starting line about to climb a big ski hill (I may have been listening to an ultra running podcast at the time).

Then my left achilles started to get tight. It got to the point where it was pretty painful. Took an Aleve and decided on a short route home. I'll see a massage therapist on Wednesday so get her to help with the muscle and probably ride a bit where I would have run in the next two weeks.

It's coming scary fast. No more work really to do except for Kristen to sew my ice hat and planning more and more planning.

C • Excited! 2

Went out to Homer Watson. After a brief warmup the plan was I started at the top of a long hill. Ran down to the bottom of the hill, turned around and ran back up. The whole time trying to do this as fast as possible. Recover and repeat. Did 8 of these.

1-2-3-4-4-3-2-1.

Cold was a bit better today, so headed back to normally scheduled training. Although I took some extra breaks to get my breathing under control. Normally I only give myself a minute to recover between interviews, today I gave myself 2 min after the 3 and 4 min intervals.

Originally had a good weekend of training planned, but I've come down with a cold (had it before last weekend, and I think the travel and training gave it the window to really hit me). So ended up taking the weekend off to sleep and try to get better.

C • Smart 1

Initially started out trying to ride a GCN training video, but with the cold I have right now that was going to be too hard hacking away in the basement. So paused the video and just put on Netflix for the rest of the ride.

Another lunch time run, short on time between meetings today.