Saturday, May 31, 2014

Today's Run brought to you by the letters P and C

A warm and lazy 10.8 on the trails this afternoon.  Best part was the Pool and the Corona afterwards!

Friday, May 30, 2014

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Back in Saratoga

First run since Sulphur today ,  11.9K at the Saratoga Springs State Park.   9K trails ,  2.9K paved parked path.  It was nice to be on the trials.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Sulphur Springs 50 Mile Ultra - May 24, 2014

 Returned to Sulphur for my third consecutive 50 Miler.   My 50 Miler PB of 10hrs17min is pretty soft so I thought I would try to better it this year.  Plan was to go out fast and play the fade.

 Up at 2:30 am after a few hours of broken sleep.   Arrives at 5:00 am with lots time to get ready ...just chilled in the car.  Sunrise was spectacular ,  I knew it was going to be a great day!

 Race started at 6:00 am.  Temps were around 10C  with almost no Breeze and lots of clear Blue Sky.   I knew it was going to get into the mid 20's in the afternoon which deifnetly slow things down so the race plan fit the weather.   Had a blast running fast ,  felt great and didn't want to slow for water , gels all that sorts of stuff that allows you to keep going.   Did 2 glasses of Eload ,  a glass of Water ,  a Gel and about a quarter of my water bottle in the first of 4 20K loops.  No big deal I thought at the time I will make it up when I slow up a bit on the next loop.  Tripped the 20K time at 2hrs8min ....holly smokes fast loop!   Heading out on loop 2 my Quads were hurting a bit.  I have had that pain before and I knew it would go away.   I had filled my bottle at the start finish with the goal of downing one before all 4 aide stops in the loop and that what I did.  I also started eating everything that there was to offer as well as taking S CAps!   So I was a little behind ,  slow down and let what I have consumed do what I was suppose to.   Finished loop 2 in 2hrs38min  fully expecting to pick it up in the next loop.    Well loop 3 was a bit of a disaster.  All the stuff I ate and drank in the previous loop was having almost no affect.   I was quite dehydrated and the rising temperatures and constant Sun exposure with almost no breeze was not helping.    Mt chest was quite tight from the extra work the heart was doing as a  result of my thickening blood!   Usually when I walk the stomach processes the food , water and electrolytes but I walked and I walked and I walked but nothing happened.   I just couldn't get it going and was fully prepared to quite DNFing  the race.   I started moving again in the last few Ks of the loop Running a couple of Ks down the "Lolly Pop".    Finished loop 3 in 3hrs56 min walking 90% of it.   I decided to sit down at the Start / Finish ,  put my feet up and crack a Beer before dropping from the race.     Well the Beer and the break made me fell much better.  Gone was the tight chest so I figured that all the stuff I had been consuming for the past 7 hours was finally starting to be processed.   The Sun was lower in the Sky ,  there was a little more Breeze and the Temps were beginning to ease.  Suddenly I found myself Running again ,  albeit rather slow but I was Running.  Teh trails were much more relaxed with mostly the 50 and 100 milers on the course.   There were lots of folks walking dogs,  hiking ,  riding Horses so I made a point of greeting everyone...had a blast.  I was really feeling good and was getting so much enjoyment out of the last 20K.  I  thanked my lucky stars for being back out there.  I came so close to missing it all wanting to quite.  Finished up the last loop in 3hrs35min but that included my 20 minute Beer Break after loop 3.    The last loop was at a perfect pace if I was doing the 100 Miler....once again I finished Sulphur feeling like I missed half the race!

My final time was 12hrs19min finishing 66th out of the 82 folks that completed the 50 Mile Journey.   I am really happy I hung in there and turned things around.   Yet another valuable experience that I can draw on in the future.  

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Happy Run

Today's 5K  lunch Run was full of joy.... last treadmill  run until next week and only two sleeps until Sulphur.  

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

On the Eve of Sulphur

 Only 3 more sleeps ,  really looking forward to a fun Run.  Still thinking about playing the fade.   I will try to pick it up a little thought the Gatehouse Loop the first time then decide how i want to proceed.   It fun reading the musing of my fellow runners on Facebook.   The Ultra crowd certainly has a tough time with the Tapper.   Ironically enough there is squat hat you can do 3 days out that will make your day any better and the best darn thing to to eat ,  sleep and generally take it easy!  I didn't run yesterday ,  had a Physio appointment for my Whip Lash so there went my " lunch run".  Got into the Gym today logging a little 5ker the usual way.    I feel better now!  

The Blue 50 miler course was announced today ... very awesome course.  I was afraid that we would spend the day going up and down Ski Hills but there are lots of runnable sections and of course some really great climbs.  

Monday, May 19, 2014

Working

Working this Holiday Monday.    5K done the usual way.  Feeling pretty good after the weekends activities.... bring on Sulphur.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

10-4

Actually that's 10.4ks on the trail this afternoon.   Only 4 lunch runs between now and Sulphur Saturday.  

Friday, May 16, 2014

Great start to the May 24 Weekend

2C , Overcast, Light Drizzle .... a perfect day to take it indoors for a wee bit of Speed Work.   Ended up in Hanover first thing after the 18 year old missed his School Bus so I decided to stop in at work for a treadmill run.    Logged 25K today ,  mostly between a 6:00 and 5:00 pace.  Kept changing things up just to break the boredom and make it a little more challenging.    Time to take it outside the next couple of days.  Nothing too long with Sulphur 50 miler a week away!  

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Monday, May 12, 2014

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Like Yesterday

10K on my meal break more or less the same with a few bathroom breaks after having beans for lunch!

Saturday, May 10, 2014

No Socks

Forgot my Gym Socks so I went without during this afternoons "lunch run".  10K logged ,  gradual build up from a 6:00 to a 5:30 pace.  

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Back in NY

Back in Saratoga Springs NY this week.    Been busy helping  my Mom and Dad but managed to get a 20K run in this evening.   Highlight of the night was joining up with a local running groups "Wednesday Night Run" .  I just dropped into the conga line and when they stopped for a break I pipped up " So random running group how far are we going".     They were all over the State Park and at times I had no idea where I was but every now and again I would spot a familiar land mark.   The adventure was fun ...after running the first 2K I decided to run back to the car to get my I Phone so I could take a few pictures .    Threw together this video ...

Monday, May 5, 2014

Last midnight

Last of 7 night shifts.  Logged my final treadmill run of the week logging 14K at a mostly 5:30 pace.   11-12k was done at a 5:00 pace then a gradual cool down ending in a 400 meter walk.  

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Working on my 180

12K done early on tonight's shift.   First 10K was at a 5:30 pace then picked it up to a 5:00 pace for a K before beginning a cool down.    When I was running at the faster pace I concentrated on achieving 180 foot falls / minute.    I seem to naturally fall in the 170-175 range at a 5:00 pace and I suspect that a 4:30 pace would more naturally be around 180 but I almost never Run that fast any more.

Longer Lunch and a few race thoughts....

 Snuck in a 10ker this morning on my meal break.  First 5K 5:30 pace  then played a bit ,  5-6K 5:00 pace, 6-7.5K 5:30 pace, 7.5-8.0K 5:00 pace then geared it down 1kmh every 400 meters until I walked the last 400 meters.

 Decided to do the 25K Run at Creemore.    In 2008 I did one loop in 2hrs38min29 seconds.     Way back then I was 47 years old and had never Run an Ultra or a Marathon and this was my 3rd ever trail race.   My B goal is to break that time and my A goal is to get it under 2hrs30min.   I really enjoyed the 14.5K Chase the Coyote Race last Sept.    I averaged a 5:43 pace and it wasn't flat +/- 580 meters  so I think that I am setting a reasonable Creemore Goal.     Another reason for going shorter is the 50 Mile North Face Race at Blue the following weekend!  And another another reason ,  Creemore is fun ,  there is a Keg ,  a River and its very social so less time running and more time to take in all the other stuff!

Friday, May 2, 2014

Almost didnt get er done!

Waited until 4:30 to hit the Gym this morning but I still managed to log a little 5Ker at a normal 5:30 pace.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

90%

Almost recovered from PYP.   Back up to my normal 5:30 treadmill pace logging a 5K Run at 3:30 this morning.

April Totals

April -    253.1 km
YTD -  1135.5 km  

One race the PYP 50K.