Tuesday, October 31, 2017

October 2017 Totals

October   236.3 km
YTD      2530.3 km


There were two 50 km Trail Races,   Sticks and Stones and The Bad Thing.    Fall races are suppose to be somewhat cooler then the summer runs but both races were very warm fall days low to mid 20s and even humidity...YIKES! 

Once again the month was punctuated with allot of rest days mostly as a result of running the two races. 

Trail X 4 = 111.3 km
Treadmill X 18 = 120 km
Rest X 11 Days



Mid 1

Starting another round of Mids ... 5K the easy way at a mostly 5:30 pace was done this morning on my meal break.  Shortend the run a bit to fit in an upper body weight routine. 

Friday, October 27, 2017

Friday Running

Did an easy abbreviated lunch run logging 5Ks at a 6:00 pace.    Cut down the time on the treadmill to fit in an upper body weight routine. 


Thursday, October 26, 2017

Endur 2017 Finish Line Videos

They posted some finish line video from this past Summers Endur Run.   I sure miss that "Summer" Running and really look forward to the 2018 Endur .... already registered for the Ultimate.  

Endur 10 Mile Hill Run Finish

Endur 30 km Cross Country Finish

Thursday Eve

More maintenance running done logging another 7K Heart Run on my meal break this evening.

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Recovery Run

Still have a little bit of muscle pain after the Bad Thing Saturday.   Jumped on the treadmill on my meal break this evening and logged a 5Ker at a leisurely 6:00 pace.

Monday, October 23, 2017

The Bad Thing 50K Trail Race - October 21, 2017

 Wow ,  this is one tough event.   Did it last year 3C  / Wind / Rain with a layer of thermal gear on...this year low 20's humid ,  almost hot!    I love the layout of the course its super fun running but they way it all stung together really does live up to the name of the event. 

 This is Ontario's only point to point 50Ker.  Parked in Auburn then took a bus to Gooderich for a 7am start from the former jail .. .yeah we actually started the run in the jail and broke out ... I love a theme!   The aid stations were allot further than what I was use to so this year I cam prepared with an extra liter of water in a backpack.    I more or less stuck to my fuel and hydration plan getting 500 to 700 ml water / hour and a Gel and the odd S Cap here and there!    There was lots of easy running throughout the first half  spattered with little technical bits and climbs.   When I could I really opened up running some 6:00 Ks on the easy trail!   I was surprised at how much of the course I remembered from last year which was a good thing as there was not much in the way of signage through Benmiller...no big deal.     Getting to the third and second last aid station feeling good was my goal and I more or less was successful.    Between the  31 and 39K mark is where this run seals the deal ....it really is about the point in a 50Ker that I am really starting to fatigue.   If I have taken care of things I can usually get past 40 then like a horse to the barn push to the end.  Now the Bad Thing is just pain tough for 8Ks right when the going gets a little tougher.    On some of the climbs I was feeling rather light headed at the top and had to walk a bit to recover....it was also getting super hot with little breeze and the temps climbing to the low 20's.    The last full aid station was at 39K it also was the point where things got a whole lot easier ...many Ks of open gravel roads good you would think  but mustering up a steady pace was hard and for the last 10Ks it was a run ,  slow down or walk for a bit pick it up and try to keep the Ks under 10 mins.   About a half K from the finish there is water crossing ,  knee deep in spots and probably 100 meters across.    The current was strong and I slowly picked my foot falls to ensure I didn't go for a swim! 

Finished a little better then last year tripping the clock at 7hrs8min3sec 18th out of 34 finishers,   15th out of 25 men and 3rd out of 8 in the 50-59 age group.

I really think that I should be able to get this one under 7 hours ,  maybe 6 hours 30 minutes but I will have the give the race plan a little more thought to finish better!

After the race I felt quite nauseous and it was persistent right through the following day which was quiet odd for me.   I wasn't overheated and I wasn't dehydrated I am not sure why I had such a struggle in the last 10Ks.  This race is my new " Creemore " I know I will keep coming back for more just to try to  figure this one out! 

























Fitbit HR Data



Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Taper time ...

 Just a wee little 6:00 5K done this eve on my meal break.   HR didn't even break into the 120's topping out at 119 bpm.   Did a weigh in and it was a whopping 177 lbs.   Now I rest in advance of The Badthing 50K Trail Race on Saturday.   Once again the weather is expected to be more Summer like then fall with temps pushing into the mid 20s!   

Monday, October 16, 2017

Sunday, October 15, 2017

Saturday, October 14, 2017

Extra Innings

Working over the weekend so I took it indoors once again today logging a 10K at a mostly 5:00 pace today on my meal break.  

Friday, October 13, 2017

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Thursday Lunch

Another 7K Heart Run done on my meal break today.   It seemed a wee bit harder then yesterday's Run.

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

5@5

5K @ 5:00 pace done on my lunch break...first run since Sticks and Stones.   Being back on the treadmill sucked! 

Monday, October 9, 2017

Sticks and Stones 50K Trail Race - October 7, 2017

 Well it was hot ,   sort of crazy hot for October.  Usually this time of year I am writing race reports about being overdressed or freezing but not this long Thanksgiving weekend ....  started at 18C and ended at 26C super humid but there was one savings grace and that was the wind at times! 

  The race started at 9:00 am ... latest one this year!   Was up 30 minutes before the alarm at 5am which bought me 30 minutes in the Hot Tub with my morning Java!   It was a little under a 2 hour drive to the Christie Lake conservation area with a brief stop at the Tims in Durham for what has become my traditionalist race day breakfast a Bacon /  English Muffin / Egg,  Hash Brown and an Orange Juice.

 The race was done on a  5 km loop around Christie Lake.    No need to carry water so I was travelling light.  The race plan was simple and that was every even loop I grab a water and 0.5 L water in a handheld ... repeat ,  repeat ,  repeat and repeat ,  race done.   Because it was so warm on the laps that I was not carrying water I grabbed it at the 2 aid stations on the loop and I also upped the S Caps as needed.   The loop was pretty easy running...too easy!  It kind of reminded me of the CTC course at Shades Mills.  Ran into trouble on the 50Ker there being the first hot run of the season so that was in the back of my mind throughout this race .... " No Death March".    As much as I like looping I found this one to be rather momentous.  It was probably just me not really being into it that day with so many other things that I wanted to do over the weekend.   Ran and chatted with Robin for the first few loops it was nice to chat away the first bunch of Ks.    I was through the half way point in 2hrs53mins or so and had by eyes on a sub 6 hour run.    The course was a wee bit long probably around 2 K longer but unfortunately they always tack the extra Ks at the end of the race LOL!    Everything was working pretty well through 7 laps then I really started to fatigue there is no doubt the conditions were starting to catch up with me.  I was a wee bit dehydrated which was no surprise I just couldn't get any more fluids in and had to gear it back a bit.     There was never a " Death March " but I did extend out the walks after the few walking hills and from time to time I walked where is was super hot  but only for a few minutes at a time.   

Wrapped it up in 6hrs24min50sec finishing 20th out of the 56 folks who laced up.   It felt like a bit of a blow out for me but when I compare my results to the others its was really and OK day... not great ,  not bad bit somewhere in between.    

Up next in two weeks its my second crack at The Bad Thing...I have some getting even to do! 

A few race pictures .....









Wednesday, October 4, 2017

...and now I rest

One last 7K Heart Run done and my last run before Sticks n Stones 50K Race this Saturday. 

Two Run Tuesday

Hit the backyard trail after work for a little 4.8 Ker.  Was starting to settle in after the run for a hammock session but ended up heading to Thornbury for Dinner...a better ending to a wonderful Summer day in October!

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Tuesday Lunch

7K Heart Run don today on my meal break!

Two Run Monday

Super weather and a pent up desire to hit the trail after work yesterday.  Logged 4.8 Ks on the backyard trail with some quality hammock time afterwards!

Sunday, October 1, 2017

October 1st at work!

Started the month with a 10 km treadmill run at a mostly
5:00 pace. 

HR was solid  136 BPM.