3-23 and 3-24 2013

Ran 13.5 miles pacing at Fleet Feet on Saturday.  First 5.5 was easy; ran some easy; walked some of the hills coming back from the direction of Overlook; pace was about 11:36.  Then I had to pace TL for the last 8 miles of her 19 miler as she prepares for the Nashville  country music marathon.  She's running under 10:00 for her training pace.  We averaged around 9:50 for those 8 miles with a couple of miles at 9:41, 9:38, and 9:37 and never above 10:00.  I was really concerned that I would be able to keep up with her because I haven't been running at that pace much at all this year and I've only run 4 or 5 times this month since finishing the Mississippi 50 on March 2.  However, being rested must have really made a difference because I felt good, was able to talk with her much of the time, and even pushed her, which is why you want a pacer on that length run, especially if it's the first time you've run that far.

A New Beginning

I've decided to start blogging again about running.  I thought about the fact there are a lot of people blogging and I probably don't have anything unique to say about running.  However, it did occur to me that I turned 50 in December 2012 and I have just about decided that I will run my first 100 beginning on December 7 at the Cajun Coyote 100.  Coincidentally, I turn 51 on December 8.  And it is coincidence, since this is the closest 100 I can find to run and also the easiest terrain.  Sure I would love to run Pinhoti and I plan to in the future. But I feel that's too big a challenge at this point--100 miles and lots of climbing.

While I may not have anything especially unique to say, I find myself in an endeavor that I suppose not many people undertake at my age--running a 100 mile race for the first time at age 50.  So I'm going to document as best I can my thoughts, feelings, and experiences as I train.  If nothing else, I want to leave some record of this for my son Thomas to be able to look back upon one day when he gets to the age where he is trying to figure out what his Dad was all about or to maybe find some inspiration or motivation in his own quest.

Currently, I am taking a break until April from training after finishing the Mississippi 50 Trail Run on March 2, 2013.  This was my second year to run it.  Last year, I don't think I really took much of a break because I was already thinking about Big Butts.  That was a mistake because I got sick with a respiratory infection that I couldn't completely shake until September or October.

This year during the month of March, I'm only running some on the weekends when I have to pace and to run trails with my friends JB, KR (aka Howlin' Wolf) and, hopefully, HW (aka Cuatro).  I am also adding some weight training and strength training.  I've been using the machines at the Deville Plaza YMCA.  I'm using the leg press machine, the leg extension machine, the leg curl machine, and a resistance band to develop lateral leg strenght for stability.  Also, as a result of hearing a Dr. Phil Maffetone podcast interview on Trail Runner Nation, I have begun using my 20 lb. dumbells to do deadlifts, curls, and presses.  I do a couple of sets in the morning, a few more sets, if I go home for lunch, and a couple of sets in the evening.  The point is not really to lift to muscle failure, but to simply lift some weight.  I have also begun Coach Jay Johnson's Myrtl Routine a few times each week.  I probably need to do it every time I run.  Finally, I have added what seems to be a great series of vertical core exercises from Andy Dubois at www.mile27.com.au.  I'm doing these four times a week.

For now the object of my training is to start building some more strength and get used to strength training before I start back on my regular running schedule at the beginning of April.  I'll also be training with JB for the Big Butts 100k.  This will be JB's first ultra and I've tried to come up with a training schedule for her that will build on the good base that she has and up her mileage sufficiently to finish Big Butts.  This is certainly a challenge because of the 14 hour cut-off and the Mississippi heat at the end of July.  We can do it though, provided we avoid injury and put in the training.

Sunday, October 28, 2012--9 miles at 11:11, which equates to 1:40 minutes of TOF.  I'm pretty satisfied with that pace on the second day of a low carb, MAF cycle of training.  Again, no carbs before or during the run.  Total 4:25 mins. TOF over the weekend.

October 27, 2012
Ran 15 after not getting to run this week and after really bonking last Sunday.  Didn't have heart rate monitor because I can't find my watch because I took it off when I did something that I don't usually do.

Ran 15 miles in approximately 2:47, which is about a 11:03 pace.  It was a "fat" run; no carbs pre-run or during.  Didn't bonk.  I was a really good run.  Maybe my fat burning capacity is better than I thought.

The Latest

Saturday, Sept. 29; 9 mi.  on the trails, 1:40.18, avg. bpm 140, peak bpm 156; 5.5 mi.  in 1:01.34, avg. bpm 139; 3.5 in 38:44.12, avg. bpm 141

Oct. 6, 2012 at Ridgeland Trails

October 6, 2012; Ridgeland MB Trails; 9.5 mi. loop; 1:42:58; avg. bpm. 148; max. bpm 185(?); hard workout

What Happened?

Saturday, July 28, 2012, I survived the Big Butts 50K ultra in Jackson, MS.  I finished in around 7:30 minutes.  That works out to about a pace of 14 minutes and 30 seconds, which is almost as fast as I could power walk it.  Which is what I did for quite a bit of the last 19 or so miles.  I ran the first 12 miles at around an 11:00 pace, which works out to be faster when I was actually running, considering that the first quarter mile of the race required walking because of the number of competitors and the terrain.  After that, the heat and humidity sapped me.  I don't think it was my fitness (though because of my sporadic training, it wasn't that great. More on why my training was sporadic later).  My highest pulse rate during the race was 152, which I recall being a spike.  It did stay in the 140+ range much of the first two laps.  However, when I started on my third lap, I just felt weak.  It was as if I didn't have anything left after I had to hand climb up the two hills at the beginning of the lap.  I started walking shortly after that.  That third lap was the lap that felt the worst.  From that point on, I had to pick most of my spots where I ran.  With very few exceptions, I ran only when it was shaded, and level or downhill.  Sometimes I even walked those parts.  By the time I reached the 3 mile aid station on the fourth lap I thought I was done.  However, I found E. M. there.  Sometimes your sources of motivation seem strange, but you have to take it where you can find it.  Ethan had decided he was going to drop.  His legs were shot.  He was too old (in his 30s) for this.  I had to laugh at that point and say "Too old?"  He knew what I meant.  Under his logic, at 49, I didn't have any business being out there.  That's all I needed.  I started walk from the aid station with E.  I encourage him to run some, which he did.  The first time he stopped running, I stopped too.  Then I encouraged him to run some more, which he did.  This time when he stopped running, I didn't stop.  I kept running.  I ran most of the last half of that 4th lap, close to 3 miles.  I forgot to add that at this point, I was really afraid that I was bringing up the rear.  I had been lapped by only a handful of folks, but I didn't see anyone coming behind (that was going to finish).  I figured most everyone else must be coming up behind on their final lap or I had missed them lapping me when I was in the aid station.

When I got to the main aid station at the start/finish line, I told B.B.r that I thought I had one more lap in me.  She smiled and encouraged me.  I think it took me about two hours to finish the last 7+ miles.  The last mile or so, the out and back,  was especially, exquisitely brutal in that you ran it on the road with only 20 yards of shade.   My official time was 7:39:14.