Monday, September 30, 2013

Tougher Trail

Was going to run ,  wanted to go a bit long but had a hard time getting laced up.  Settled on "my trail" and incorporated a new trail section with a big ass hill making for a 1.1K loop.   .....






















The picture does not do it justice but what you are
looking at is a around a 25 Meter change in elevation.  Where the stumps are 2/3 of the way up its too steep to walk.      So I logged a total of 12.9 Ks in 1hr59 min and for what its worth the Garmin reported a +/- change in elevation of just a little 1 km.     I was going to go longer or shorter but just shy of 2 hours was enough today.  Topped off the run with a couple of Blue and some great tunes.   Goodbye September!


One more from that Dam Hill Run

I really like this picture...


Sunday, September 29, 2013

Chase the Coyote - 14.5K Trail Race

This is my shortest outing this year so short that I almost decided to skip the race but I didnt and I am really happy I ran it.

 I was working until midnight Friday ,   tried to get away at 10:00 pm but left at 11:15.  I was up early ,  6am for an hour in the hot tub with coffee.   Had some toast with PB then drove my youngest to a Hunting course on Hanover for 07:40 am.  The morning was bright , sunny and warm but that changed between Mount Forest and Shelburn .... foggy ,  overcast and a bit cooler ,   better for running.    I arrived 45 min before the 10 am start.  There were tons of people at the Mono Cliffs Park .   I suspected I would be lined up to pick up my race kit but I breezed through the line.     Wore my Adidas Super Nova Trail Shoes ... good solid rock plate and as it turns out they were a good choice.  

I started slow , back of pack but I figured the pace would be reasonable and it was logging a 7:10 pace for the first K which was a long gentle climb.   I was really feeling good and started to open up and started passing folks in the next K  logging an avg 5:19 pace ....that kind of surprised me,  didn't think I had any "trail speed" in me!   Between 2 and 3 K it was a really big climb .... not too steep just really long.   Because it was such  a short  race I decided to run all the hills except for the extremely steep ones.    Logged and avg 7:27 pace in the 3rd K.  Now what goes up comes down and the next 2Ks were a long gentle downhill logging an avg 5:33 and 5:23 pace.  At around the 5.5K mark we had out biggest climb of the day ... there was a set of stairs followed by a small but gentle uphill.   The 6th K with the biggest climb was done at an avg 7:02 pace.    I knew I was closing in on the half way mark and was feeling good and really enjoying the feeling of flying through the forest.   I was breathing heavy all the time and was probably somewhere around 95% of my maximum heart rate and I was Loving it!     The next couple of Ks were somewhat technical ,  root s rocks and a bit of up and down.  7th and 8th K were done at an avg 5:29 and 6:10 pace.   The final 6 K were a blast, fairly easy trails ,   some rocks and roots thrown in for good measure.   I saw lots of folks going down or who had evidence of going down.   Every now and again I would spot someone out in front of me and I would chase them down and pass.  I always enjoy passing vs being passed especially in the closing Ks of the race.  Going out easy like  I did I did all the passing and wasn't passed by anyone.     9K through 12K I logged  5:45, 5:43, 5:22 and 5:12 Ks.   The last couple of Ks were slightly downhill or flat and a tractor trail.   Put the hammer down trying to catch a guy wearing  a CVC shirt... he was picking it up too.   the 13th and 14th K were done at a avg 4:50 and 4:54 pace.    Finished the last half K or so at an avg 4:23 pace reaching a speed of 17 kmh as I passed the CVC shirt at the start/finish line.  

 So I had a blast ,  running fast was fun especially fun through the technical downhills.   I wasn't trying to beat anyone and I really didn't care where I placed I was just out there being a kid having a blast wondering why I don't do more of these sorts of races!   Grabbed a glass of water and a quick slice of Pizza then left for home.   Sept 28 ,  Sun and temps in the mid 20s gave way to an afternoon of drinking Beer and Floating around the pool!


Unabashed Selfie....



Thursday, September 26, 2013

Lunch Again

Love and hate the treadmill but it does keep me running when the days are busy and there is no time to fit in in.   5K tonight at the usual 6:00 pace.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Its all good!

I love when this happens ....

5K lunch run ,  the first  since Saturdays Ultra. Nothing hurts,  no blisters and I still have all my toe nails.   I am a little hungry and perhaps a wee bit tired but I am ready to run another long one.

I am off to Chase the Coyote on Saturday.  This is my one and only short one this year .... 14.5k of up and down the Niagara Escarpment.   No gels ,  no water ,  no brainer just strap on the shoes and run like hell.

5 in 1 ... this is really cool.

If there were any more mats at the Dam Hill Run I would have bee tripping on them.

So I had my best 21.1 ,  25K,  42.2 and 50K results of 2013 all in one race.

 ( I haven't run a 21.1, 25k or 42.2 this year and the best 50K I did was Niagara in 6:07! )

Distance  km         Time     AVG   Pace           PB
   21.1                  2:07:33      6:03               1:38:50
    25                    2:30:46      6:02               2:10:39
  42.2                   4:48:34      6:50               3:29:09
   50                     5:44:55      6:54               5:05:34   ***Oct 2012***

I added the PBs to show just how slow I was running on the weekend.  I haven't done any speed work and it shows.  I have been to Boston so I don't have to run fast anymore!






 

Sunday, September 22, 2013

The Dam Hill Run - 6 Hour Ultra - September 21,2013

 I was looking forward to doing this race for some time.   The Dam Hill Run was staged in Springnbank Park in London, Ont.  I grew up in London and had lots of great memories of time spent at that venue.  The format was kind of intriguing.  There were mats placed in such a way to provide us with a 21.1 km,  25 km, 42.2 km and 50 km.   The RDs was going to provide us with times in each of those distances.   It was hard not to want to zoom out of the gate but the format did play a big role in how my day went.  A week ago I was thinking 5:00 pace until Grant and I went out on the Georgian Rail Trail for a little 30K  constant Run.   Without taking in any resources I managed to get through 20K at a 6:00 pace before my legs turned to stone sue to a Latic Acid build up.   I should have know better then to think I could go fast without doing any speed work.   So the 6 hour race plan was revised to something a little more obtainable 6:00 pace as long as I could hold it.

 Race day started with the alarm going off at 4:00 am.   A pot of Coffee,  an hour in the new Hot Tub and I was off around 5:15 am.  Stopped at Tims in Durham  for breakfast arriving at the race just before 08:00 am.   Race kit pick up,  a few words with Chris, Christa and Kim then before I knew it we were off.

 I paced by my Garmin's average pace  until the Battery failed.    The 2.25 km loop started more of less flat for the first 0.5 km  then it was more or less a gradual downhill for a little over a km then the last half K of so were up a fairly easy hill.  Pace varied depending on where I was in the loop but I worked on keeping the average at a 6:00 pace.    I made it through 20 km on target and feeling pretty good.   I had done a couple fo Gels ,  an S Cap and drank a couple of bottles of water.   I had my Gels ,  Water ,  Cokes  and S Caps under the back of my car about 20 meters off the course.  The more I made the trek to the car the more pissed off I was that I didn't have it available on the course ... bad planning again.   So I made it though 25 km ,  in 2hrs30 min for an avg 6:00 pace.  I was starting to feel quite a bit of pain in my legs due not being use to running on pavement.    I decided to push the pace to the 3 hour mark and successfully made it 30K in 3 hours but this is where I started to struggle.    After last weekends run I was pretty happy to get as far as I did without breaking pace.   I felt like I was a little light on the Calories and S Caps and increased the intake of both.   Started on solids too eating boiled potatoes  and potatoes chips.    I struggled through the 4th hour but was still running just allot slower.   Just before the 4 hour mark I  was walking more then running.  The Garmins battery died at 4hrs14min at 39.5K.    Grabbed a slice of Pizza walking an entire lap.  I was soaking wet and cold so I  had my longest pit stop of the day changing into a long sleeve tech T and gloves.    I continued to walk the next lap and was beginning to wonder if I was even going to make it to the 50 km mark before the 6 hours was up.   Nearing the 5 hour mark I was slowly beginning to move again establishing a new pace and regular routine.   I would slowly run the first 2K of the loop then walk the other half K or so ...repeat ,  repeat ,  repeat.  Turned a couple of 16:00 laps somewhere around and avg 7:30  pace....I was pleased.   Really started to move in the last 20 minutes posting a 14 min  lap more or less back on race pace.   In the final 10 minutes of the day I was really pushing covering 1.5K in 7min38sec avg 5:02 pace.

I was a bit disappointed with the way the day went but I gave it an honest effort paid the price the fought hard to come back  I finished 8th out of 27 males 2nd out of 12 males over 50 years old covering 52.699 km in 6 hours.  


Race Splits...


Thursday, September 19, 2013

Forgot to post

You know its a busy day at work when you don't get a chance to update your Blog.

Started a 2 day taper after doing a 5K lunch run yesterday.     After 13 consecutive days of running I am going to take 2 days reset before running The " Dam"  race in London Saturday!


Tuesday, September 17, 2013

2nd last run

2nd last run before the 6 Hour Dam Hill Run at Spingbank in London Saturday.  5K@6:00pace

Speaking of a 6:00 pace thats my rave plan ... 6 minutes per kilometer for as long as I can,  so simple really.


Monday, September 16, 2013

Re Thinking the Dam Race

5K done at a 6:00 pace today at lunch.     After this weekends runs I have decided not to go out at a 5:00 pace and hold it as long as I can in favor of going out at a 6:00 pace and hold it through the whole 6 hours ... still a lofty goal but maybe just maybe I can do it!

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Mixing it up

10.2K done on MY Trail ....   12 loops that I so so love!    It ain't easy but it ain't too hard either ...just right!  Finished up just as the rain started.  Managed 1 Beer before I had to duck for cover.  

Saturday, September 14, 2013

LSD Saturday

Great Run today with Grant.  I so needed a constant pace and we averaged 5:53 through 20K before we stopped at the Beer Store for fuel.     We were on the Georgian Trail starting in Thornbury then turning around at the Craigleith Ski hills 15K in.   Couldn't
run by the Beer Store twice so Grant ran in a grabbed 2XCoors Light Tall Boys .... never tasted so good.     Weather was ideal ,  Sun and temps in the mid teems. Called it a day at 30K ,  headed home after a stop at Tims for a Vanilla Latte.    Both of us agreed that this is the sorts of run we need to do a few times a month.    All in all we covered 30K in 3hrs19min.  

Friday, September 13, 2013

and its Friday

Last of 5 consecutive and exclusive lunch runs this week another 5K at a 6:00 pace.  

Thursday, September 12, 2013

I have no idea

5K@6:00 pace at lunch.

Ramped up to a 5:00 pace for the last 0.5 K ... holly smokes does it feel allot faster then the 6:00 plodding I have been doing all year.    I have no idea hoe long I could hold a 5:00 pace but I hope to find out next week in London.  My predict is ...

5K ...yuper
10K ...yuper but boy I am hot and my knees hurt
21.1K ...holly shit I don't know how long I can hold on
Someheres around 26K .....slowing down baby
42.2K .... Oh God I am dying why did I go out so fast .... as I exceed a 6:00 pace.
50K ...feeling better but sowed to a 7:30  pace ...boy am I pathetic!
6Hours in .... 58.45Ks done and so I am I

An hour later after some food and beer .... lets do it again!




Wednesday, September 11, 2013

You know things are going well when...

You know things are going well when your mind switches off the fact that you are running and you totally zone out thinking about whatever.     Another 5K @6:00 pace done at lunch today. 

Really getting pumped for http://www.thatdamhill.ca/ and what intrigues me is  this ....


In the 6hr race, there will also be a mat at the marathon distance, 50K distance and 50mile distance.Once you reach that distance, than your time will automatically be listed in that race as well.If you want to get to one of these distances, and 6hrs isn't enough time, then just tell the timer on the way bye, that you are running longer.


 Its like a race in a race in race...very cool!  I am definitely  going out fast and play the fade ..been awhile since of  done that.  It will be a ton of fun and yes its going to hurt!



Monday, September 9, 2013

Lunch Run

5K at a 6:00 pace at lunch today.  Felt a little tired at first but it didn't take long to shake it.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Hair of the Dog

Unexpected little trail run today.  I thought my feet were trashed and was quite surprised to only find a little extra damage today.   3 Band Aides later and I was good to go.  Noah my 13 year old wanted to go fishing at Allan Park so I figured why not!  The only error I made was sitting down in the Sun and having a Beer after 5K...lets just say I was satisfied with running 5K today!

Hallucination 100 pre-race meeting


Hallucination 100 DNF

I went to  "Run Woodstock" in Pickney Michigan this weekend to run the "Hallucination"100 miler.   Running the DG race I had decided that I wasn't going to do this one in-spite of being registered.   The recovery from DG was so good it was only a couple of days later that I had decided to go ahead with the race.

Left home a little after 8am arriving in Pickney 6 hours later.   Grabbed a bit of food before heading to the Hell Creek Ranch.  Got a bit turned around in Pickney and burned 30 minutes looking for the race.  Arrived and parked 100m from the start finish right on the course.    Attended the 3pm meeting  with a beer and a burger and the company of Chris B, Chris and Christa Baker and a friend "Lim" from NYC that they had picked up in Detroit the day before.

So I was off at 4pm with what seemd like two to three hundred folks doing the 100 K and 100 Mile races.
The 26.8 K loop was to be run 6 times and  there were 4 aide stations equally spaced it would be every 6.7 K ... a little further between then I am use to.    The first loop was fantastic.  There were always others around and lots of chatter going on making it easy to forget about what I was doing.    The course is very flat ,  only a few small hilly sections.  The trail was a combo of single track ,  mountain bike ,  rail trail and gravel roads.   Finished the first loop in around 3.5 hours somewhere around a 7:30 avg pace feeling really good.  It was 7:30 pm so I had to stop at the car and suit up for the night run... this is where things started to change for me.   It seemed to take forever getting ready I was a little perturbed for not being more organized ...should have been quick grab.  I even took my shoes off and dumped the sand and dirt that had already accumulated.  So heading out just before 8pm I grabbed a Coke and a PB and Jam Sandwich walking the first little bit of the course while I ate.    Just as I was finishing the PB and J I just about threw it all up.  The tummy wasn't upset I was just having trouble swallowing it.   So it was disaster averted and I started running.  A few K in we hit a Rail Trail for 2-3 K.   Dead flat with Zero hazards a gift I would say.   It was twilight and getting dark fast.  The Sky was beautiful and I had my lights off just enjoying the ride watching the sky feeling good and taking it all in.    I had passed a few on the trail ,  most with their lights on.  As I was lost in my thoughts one came up.... maybe you should have your lights on so you don't miss the trail markers.   Looking down there were Blue Flags .... I should be following Pink.  Looking back down the dead straight and flat track there were no lights to be seen.  Then a K or 2 back I saw a light ,  then it went out.  Then another and another.  Strange I thought to myself that folks kept turning their lights off.  Then I dawned on me that they were turning off the trail.  So back I went probably close to 2K.  I tried to shake it off bu the next 15K were not so fun.  Started walking allot and it was way way way to early for that.  I found that the walk was as fast as my shuffled run and it seemed to take allot less effort.  I figured I was coming in somewhere around a 10-11 min pace which I was OK with.      I was a little dehydrated after the first loop but made it up in the second.   I had been doing a GU Roctane at every aide station and was eating Granola Bars and bringing in lots of fluids and the occasional S Cap.   At the third and last aide station I had a slice of Pepperoni Pizza ... it was so good.  Cranked the tunes and suddenly I was running again .... the last part of the loop was hilly but really wide sandy trails.   Finished loop 2 around 1am feeling great ,  awesome actually and was really optimistic that I had turned things around and was going to be able to run loop 3.    I was around 1:30 am when I hit the rail trail again .   This time determined not to miss the turn.   I couldn't believe how well marked it was a was amazed that I had run by the spot a half dozen hours previous!   I didn't know it at the time but the rail trail was the last running I would do that night.   I could not  muster up a run at all.   I was good with the Nutrition ,  Hydration and I was getting enough Calories,  I just couldn't run.   The weather couldn't have been better ,  clear and around 15C.    I was frustrated because I knew that it was darn near perfect conditions and that I was looking after everything but I just couldn't get running.    Half way through the loop my walk was starting to slow to what I guessed was a 14:00 pace.   There were an awful lot of very talented runners flying through the night.   I only came across the odd person that was going slower then I was.  There was an option at the end of your 4th loop of drooping down to the 100K race.  You would get a medal and an official time.  I  had entertained the idea of doing just that...perhaps taking a break after loop 3.    My feet were sore as is usual.  I had blisters on toes that normally don't bother me.   Figured it was from all the walking.    During the last 5K of the loop it was becoming light out.  I was going to finish it around 7am after taking nearly 6 hours to cover the 26.8k.     The idea of a 1-2 hour break heading back out around 9am for up to another 6 hours just to get he consolation prize didn't appeal to me at all so I decided I would DNF and it didn't bother me in the least!  

 It only took about 10 minutes to pack up the car and get dressed.   After grabbing a Red Bull,  Coke and PB and J I headed out and was home around 1pm.     The highlight of the weekend came at the border thanks to a friendly Canada Customs Agent.  It went something like this....

Agent :"Where are you going Sir"
Me:"Durham "

Agent:"Anything to declare" 
Me:"Well I got this Duty free case of Blue 21 hours ago and expected to be away until Sunday but plans changed and I left early." 

Agent:"What were you doing in the U.S."
Me:"I was running a 100 mile Ultra Marathon and things didn't work out so i bailed at 80K."

Agent :"You ran 80K...good for you! Have you every done that before?"
Me: "Yes I completed a 100 miler a month ago."

Agent :"A month ago ...don't you think you should have waited a bit longer to do it again?"
Me:" Well today's result certainly suggest that "

Agent " Well Sir enjoy your Beer ...you certainly earned it!"

I drove off without paying any duty...how cool is that!


   All and all a great experience.   I would like to go back next year not for redemption but to participate in a truly great race.     

 I shot a ton of video through the night capturing all my highs and lows.  When I post it to YouTube in a week or two I will also add it to a Blog Entry.   Its going to be interesting viewing!

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

I Lied

Being true to my "Ultra" roots I did one more 5K lunch run before my 100  miler Friday...let the taper begin.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

And that may be it folks!

May have done the last run before this weekends 100 miler in beautiful Michigan.  5K at a 6:0 0pace logged today.


Monday, September 2, 2013

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Good start

Great start to a new month with a 10K lunch run at a 6:00 pace this eve.   Left ankle is still a bit tender but much better then yesterday.

August Totals

August    303.3 km
YTD     2389.8 km

Only ran 19 times.  Did one race covering more then half my monthly distance ...160 km at the Dirty Girls.