Recently, I've been asked by a couple people who know that I love to run, whether or not I am still running now that winter has a full-on grip on the Yampa Valley. This is a completely valid question because winter in Steamboat means very short days, frigid temperatures and copious amounts of snow. (They don't call this place Ski Town, USA, for nothing.) To be sure, these are some serious obstacles to overcome and I can understand why anyone, particularly non-runners, would think that somebody was crazy, or just plain stupid, for wanting to go out when conditions get so gnarly.
The short answer is, of course, yes, I run all winter long. (Usually, this is where people roll their eyes and walk away, satisfied in knowing that I am an idiot who loves to punish himself.) I've tried to elaborate on the reasons but even if they are a little fascinated by my mental illness, it seems that most just can't fathom why someone would purposefully make themselves uncomfortable. The reasons will vary for each runner, but for me, it boils down mainly to adventure and lifestyle.
A couple of weeks ago, my friend Noah, who has a great running blog called "Moore on Running, wrote about how every run instills a sense of adventure in him and this drives him to go on that run and look forward to the next. I don't think he could have been more right about this. No matter what the conditions or location, going for that run is a step into the unknown. A good run, I like to think, is not just a physical experience but a mental one as well. There will be motion and also, emotion. At some point in a run, you may feel frustrated and angry because you aren't as smooth or as fast as you would like to be only to have that replaced with the elation of finding your stride and cruising along somewhat effortlessly. Running teaches us to push through tough times in our life, to keep striving and work hard to get where we want to go. It doesn't really matter how fast or far you go. Those are self-imposed limits. Just that you went out and MADE yourself move forward. Maybe at a time when you didn't particularly want to. Still, you did. And because you chose to, in that moment, you controlled your life, your destiny. At the end, it reveals the result of putting in that work and the adventure of getting where you otherwise would not have gone.
In the winter, it's easy to look at the weather and think about how hard it's going to be running in the cold and snow. Instead, I look at it as an opportunity to prepare for my run (life) in a different way because the challenges will be a little bit different. Then, I will take pleasure in how running is different in the winter compared to the warm months. How the mental and physical challenges are different. I don't get to just throw on my shorts, shirt and shoes. Instead, I layer in breathable, moisture-wicking material, put traction on my feet and a headlamp to guide my way. I relish the solitude I will find on a snow-packed trail, a chance to listen to my feet crunch on the snow and my breath push and pull cold air into my lungs. It doesn't matter if I am just running or just hiking. As long as I am moving. The world outside my light beam falls away and all that matters is a little forward motion.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Switch Stance
Cold weather, epic snowfall, ice, snowbound trails and sketchy road runs all indicate that winter has a strong grip on the Yampa Valley. The Steamboat Ski Area is off to one of it's best seasons ever with over 160" of snow so far and it hasn't been difficult to make it a "powder day in the 'Boat." If you're not afraid to hike a little out-of-bounds to get some once the Mountain gets tracked up. Then, there's Buffalo Pass, which NEVER lacks massive amounts of snow, a veritable playground for shredders that have access to a snowmobile. Yes, sir. My love for snowboarding certainly isn't going to diminish this winter.
On the other hand, it's a great time for the trail runner to go underground and start rebuilding for next year. For the past two months, I've reduced my weekly mileage substantially keeping my runs down to 5 - 8 miles only 3 to 4 times a week in order to facilitate fresher legs when I get a chance to go snowboarding. I've also been incorporating leg weight training into my schedule, hitting the gym for an hour or so after a run or snowboarding. Leg lifts, curls and extensions. Low weight, high repetion to build endurance and I will occasionally hit the treadmill for up to an hour to let my legs turnover a little faster than they can on the sketchy ice conditions we have. My outdoor runs have been fun though in the cold, winter air. I'm usually clad in long, waterproof pants, a shell or jacket over a short sleeved wicking layer, beanie and gloves and shoes with good traction. I've been rotating between wearing Salomon Speedcross 2s, Inov-8 315 GTX and Salomon XT Wings, depending on the weather. If it's below 20F , I have to make sure I switch my water bottle from hand to hand to keep my fingers from getting too cold. Still, it's strangely refreshing to run when it gets really cold. Particularly, when it's dark.
Really, nothing too major on the training front. Mostly, I'm just trying to have fun on my snowboard which has really been bolstered this season by the conditioning my legs recieved this past summer. I've been making some superb turns in fantastic snow conditions punctuated most recently by a Christmas Day descent in Fish Creek Canyon where I was able to link up a super fun, steep and deep ride through the trees with the entrance to the Keyhole, a massive boulder field flanked by two cliffs so there is literally no other way in. The snow was perfect and hardly touched.
Happy Trails for 2011!
On the other hand, it's a great time for the trail runner to go underground and start rebuilding for next year. For the past two months, I've reduced my weekly mileage substantially keeping my runs down to 5 - 8 miles only 3 to 4 times a week in order to facilitate fresher legs when I get a chance to go snowboarding. I've also been incorporating leg weight training into my schedule, hitting the gym for an hour or so after a run or snowboarding. Leg lifts, curls and extensions. Low weight, high repetion to build endurance and I will occasionally hit the treadmill for up to an hour to let my legs turnover a little faster than they can on the sketchy ice conditions we have. My outdoor runs have been fun though in the cold, winter air. I'm usually clad in long, waterproof pants, a shell or jacket over a short sleeved wicking layer, beanie and gloves and shoes with good traction. I've been rotating between wearing Salomon Speedcross 2s, Inov-8 315 GTX and Salomon XT Wings, depending on the weather. If it's below 20F , I have to make sure I switch my water bottle from hand to hand to keep my fingers from getting too cold. Still, it's strangely refreshing to run when it gets really cold. Particularly, when it's dark.
Really, nothing too major on the training front. Mostly, I'm just trying to have fun on my snowboard which has really been bolstered this season by the conditioning my legs recieved this past summer. I've been making some superb turns in fantastic snow conditions punctuated most recently by a Christmas Day descent in Fish Creek Canyon where I was able to link up a super fun, steep and deep ride through the trees with the entrance to the Keyhole, a massive boulder field flanked by two cliffs so there is literally no other way in. The snow was perfect and hardly touched.
Happy Trails for 2011!
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Into the future (future..., future...)
Since Run Rabbit Run and my last post which was well over a month ago, I've curtailed my running quite a bit in order to let things heal. It's been a great last couple of months despite not getting out on the trails as much as I'd like. Personally, I was ready for a change of pace to regroup mentally as well as physically. Between all the running, travel, work and starting a new relationship, it's been the busiest summer I've had in a few years and it's been nice to rest a little and just retool my running and think about the past summer and what next summer's running calender might bring.
Quite frankly, I couldn't believe how well I ran in my races this year with regards to time and placing. Even though I felt mostly injury-prone (still in this phase, a bit) in the late summer, it was nice to see I was capable of some fast running when I'm healthy. To that end, I plan on using some weight training and cutting back on the running this winter and, instead, getting on the splitboard as much as possible and maybe trying skate skiing and classic cross-country for the ol' cardio. I'm going to need some strong bones and joints for next running season because the races I'm thinking about for next year are going to be challenging.
April
- 15th-17th Desert R.A.T.S. Trail Running Festival, Fruita, CO or 16th, Zane Grey 50, Pine, AZ
May
- 1st Collegiate Peaks Trail Run
- 31st Pineland Farms Trail Running Festival, MAINE
June
- 18th San Juan Solstice 50, Lake City, CO or 18th-20th, Chattanooga Stage Race, TENNESSEE
- 25th Old Gabe 50K, Bozeman, MT or 26th Chattanooga River 50K
July
- Local races and running
- pace at Hardrock 100, Silverton, CO
Aug
- 6th HURL Elkhorn Endurance Run, Helena, MT
- 21st pace at Leadville 100, CO
- 28th Silverton Alpine Marathon, Silverton, CO
Sep
- 5th Breck Crest Mountain Marathon, Breckenridge, CO
- 19th Run Rabbit Run
- 25th Golden Leak Half Marathon, Aspen, CO
Oct
- 3rd Ouray Trail Run
- THAILAND
There will be some fun decisions to be made in most of these circumstances as I whittle this list down to the 3 or 4 races I will actually get to do. I still don't think I'm ready to go for a 100 miler, yet. Pacing duties only at Leadville and hopefully, Hardrock. Instead, next summer I think I want to try some really challenging 50K and/or 50 milers and maybe a stage race. I also want to do more exploring in the great state of Colorado and climb a couple of 14'ers with Katy. It will be an ambitious 2011, that's for sure.
In the meantime, I started running again a couple of weeks ago, just going out every other day and doing 4 to 6 miles on Emerald Mountain or on Spring Creek. I love being able to run to the trails from my doorstep! I've been keeping the effort mostly light, running for an hour or so after work. I've done a little up tempo running but I'm still feeling some tenderness in my feet when I sit for too long so I know I need to keep it easy. For now, I'm feeling good but still not 100% healthy. It wouldn't be bad if the weather wasn't so stellar lately. The cold mornings and 60 degree afternoons are perfect for really long runs in the mountains. Within the next few weeks, it will be snowing and I'll be thinking about surfing the mountain rather than running it.
Quite frankly, I couldn't believe how well I ran in my races this year with regards to time and placing. Even though I felt mostly injury-prone (still in this phase, a bit) in the late summer, it was nice to see I was capable of some fast running when I'm healthy. To that end, I plan on using some weight training and cutting back on the running this winter and, instead, getting on the splitboard as much as possible and maybe trying skate skiing and classic cross-country for the ol' cardio. I'm going to need some strong bones and joints for next running season because the races I'm thinking about for next year are going to be challenging.
April
- 15th-17th Desert R.A.T.S. Trail Running Festival, Fruita, CO or 16th, Zane Grey 50, Pine, AZ
May
- 1st Collegiate Peaks Trail Run
- 31st Pineland Farms Trail Running Festival, MAINE
June
- 18th San Juan Solstice 50, Lake City, CO or 18th-20th, Chattanooga Stage Race, TENNESSEE
- 25th Old Gabe 50K, Bozeman, MT or 26th Chattanooga River 50K
July
- Local races and running
- pace at Hardrock 100, Silverton, CO
Aug
- 6th HURL Elkhorn Endurance Run, Helena, MT
- 21st pace at Leadville 100, CO
- 28th Silverton Alpine Marathon, Silverton, CO
Sep
- 5th Breck Crest Mountain Marathon, Breckenridge, CO
- 19th Run Rabbit Run
- 25th Golden Leak Half Marathon, Aspen, CO
Oct
- 3rd Ouray Trail Run
- THAILAND
There will be some fun decisions to be made in most of these circumstances as I whittle this list down to the 3 or 4 races I will actually get to do. I still don't think I'm ready to go for a 100 miler, yet. Pacing duties only at Leadville and hopefully, Hardrock. Instead, next summer I think I want to try some really challenging 50K and/or 50 milers and maybe a stage race. I also want to do more exploring in the great state of Colorado and climb a couple of 14'ers with Katy. It will be an ambitious 2011, that's for sure.
In the meantime, I started running again a couple of weeks ago, just going out every other day and doing 4 to 6 miles on Emerald Mountain or on Spring Creek. I love being able to run to the trails from my doorstep! I've been keeping the effort mostly light, running for an hour or so after work. I've done a little up tempo running but I'm still feeling some tenderness in my feet when I sit for too long so I know I need to keep it easy. For now, I'm feeling good but still not 100% healthy. It wouldn't be bad if the weather wasn't so stellar lately. The cold mornings and 60 degree afternoons are perfect for really long runs in the mountains. Within the next few weeks, it will be snowing and I'll be thinking about surfing the mountain rather than running it.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Randall's Run Rabbit Run Race Report
Perfect weather and beautiful fall foliage were hallmarks of this year's 4th edition of Run Rabbit Run, our local trail ultramarathon here in Steamboat. More than 150 runners (they say it sold out at 190 runners, but a few didn't make it to the start), including myself and a determined Katy Taylor, who had decided to do the race TWO days before, toed the starting line at the base of the Steamboat Ski Area at 6 a.m. This being only my second attempt at 50 miles, there was just enough doubt in my mind about finishing to keep me a little anxious. I felt healthy and well trained enough though and was hoping to finish in a decent race time, while still enjoying the scenery and having fun out in the woods.
The first 6 miles of the race is a 3400' climb to the top of Mt. Werner (a.k.a. Storm) which I did, mostly, with Katy. As we started off in the pre-dawn darkness, the temperatures were cool, in the 40s (F), and we alternated between running the flatter sections of Why Not Road and hiking most of the way up the mountain. We reached the top in about 1:30 and while Katy stopped at the aid station, I pushed on to the next 6 mile section, Mountain View Trail. On the outbound, this trail of technical single track, gradually decends several hundred feet over a couple small hills as it works it's way down to Long Lake. I decided to stretch my legs a little and ran the downhill sections with a guy named Mike from Ft. Collins. Uncharacteristically, I kept hitting rocks with my rearward foot causing me to trip (and fall and roll once!) many times. It continued throughout the day. I noticed I was not the only one, however, and even Mike tripped at one point. Still, we kept the pace quick. It felt good at the time but, in hindsight, I should've eaten at the aid station and run slower in this section and saved more for later in the race. We arrived at the aid station at Long Lake (I think it was in less than 3 hours) and I had my water bottle refilled as I grabbed a little to eat (some fruit) and pushed on.
From the lake, on Fish Creek Falls Trail, the next section started with about an .8 mile of meandering and up and down single track, first across a meadow and then back into the forest. The trail then crosses paths with the Wyoming Trail (heading North/South) which runners proceed south on, as they pass Lake Elmo, then Fishook Lake, on the way to the Base Camp aid station. During this part, I found myself starting to struggle a bit. Looking back, I was behind on calories even though I was staying well hydrated and taking a gel every hour. I should have been starting slower and eating earlier in the race.
As I passed Base Camp, I knew it was going to be a trudge out to Dumont Lake. My hamstrings were getting tight from the climbing and I couldn't find a rhythm in my running because I was constantly getting tripped up. At least, I had run this section of trail many times in the past and knew all it's twists and turns (and there are many) very well. I found comfort in my familiarity with the trail even though I was starting to feel pretty bad. As we came out of the woods and started along the shoreline of Dumont Lake, I passed Goeff Roes as he was heading back from Rabbit Ears. I looked at my watch and I think it was 4:40. It was about a mile more before I reached Dumont Lake aid station.
I was super stoked to see my friends, JD, Derek and Ross, who had brought me a cooler with some food (hamburgers I made the night before), ice, water and some chocolate milk. (I ended up not drinking any of the chocolate milk, even though I love it after a run.) I changed into a short sleeved shirt and grabbed a couple gels, refilled my water and took off again. I'm not sure why I was ignoring all the signs that I really needed to eat more but I just kept pressing toward the turnaround at Rabbit Ears Peak. About a mile up the road, Katy caught me, looking fresh as ever. I forgot how steep the hills are up to the Ears but I was really slowing fast and we only hung together for about a half mile before she took off ahead of me. I was super proud to see her looking so good and doing well. She was running a really smart race and her IT band didn't seem to be bothering her. After I (finally) hit the turnaround and started back downhill I caught my last glimpse of Katy about a half mile ahead of me on the dirt road. She was flying.
I was so hungry as I hiked back into Dumont Lake. When I got there, I announced to my crew that "my girlfriend was kicking my ass!" They laughed and acknowledged its truth. I ate half of an avacado and tomato burger and drank a bottle of water, while I sat down for a minute. It was great to clown around with the guys for a few minutes and they were having a great time hanging out at their first ultra. It was a cool scene. I wanted to press on so I hastily took the second half of the burger with me and started on the trail. Just a couple hundred yards down the trail, I saw my friend Bronwyn (Katy's crew leader from Leadville) who offered me some watermelon (technically, cheating) and encouragement. She's awesome. I told her I was fading but hanging in there and she let me know she would be volunteering at the Base Camp aid station so I would see her there. (Cool, nothing like seeing some familiar faces along the way.) I pressed on again, knowing I was in for some decent hills and descents before I would see Base Camp. I just kept my head down and kept doing my best to run the downhills and any flats that I could. I found myself hiking much more than I had anticipated. I was having to dig deep to stay in the game mentally. As I ran the half mile of dirt road to Base Camp under the noonish sun, I could hear a volunteer from the aid station rather annoyingly cheering runners on. (Really, I'm all for the encouragement but this bitch was annoying.) I was glad to see Bronwyn again and chatted for a little while, finally realizing that I needed to take a little more time at the aid stations than I had been. I did some light stretching of my hamstrings and made sure that I drank and ate sufficiently before leaving. I thanked all the volunteers and started down the next downhill section. "Just make it to Long Lake." was my mantra and I just kept on striving.
I started to come back from the dead in this section. I'm sure it was because I had finally eaten something and I made the most of it by running as much as I could. My feet were getting pretty sore but if I put that out of my mind, I was able to keep my pace up. I hiked into the aid station at Long Lake feeling much better mentally even though I was pretty run down physically. I saw a guy (Greg) that I ran with at Spring Creek earlier in the year volunteering at the aid station and we talked briefly. I stretched again and took the time I needed before heading onto what I knew would be the hardest part of the race, the uphill return on Mountain View Trail.
Initially, I was feeling quite good. I managed to run the first couple miles back up Mountain View. Then, in waves, I went through periods of feeling really drained and beat to feeling better (although still in considerable pain) and managing some running. As I hit the last mile and half of the trail, I started seeing a few more runners and by the time I got to the top of Mt. Werner, I was in a train of seven runners. It was cool to press up that final section of trail with a other miserable companions. Finally at the summit, I knew it was a final 6 mile downhill to the finish. I knew I was going to finish and I knew it was going to hurt getting there, so I filled up my water bottle grabbed a handful of fruit and started off. I looked at my watch and it was just about the 10 hour mark. I decided that I could muster a 6 mile run in under an hour to finish under 11 and I proceed to give my quadraceps a nice, long thrashing as I snaked my way to the base of the ski area. Hurt as it did, I was able run almost the entire way down and crossed the finish line in 10:53:14.
At the finish, I was stoked to see Katy (who had blazed a 10:06, one minute faster than last year and 5th Female) as well as a bunch of good friends (JD, Derek, Jason, Becca and Kiarra) who had come down to check out the masochism first hand. All in all, it was another humbling day in the mountains. I didn't run nearly as fast as I'd hoped but the effort was there and lessons were learned. Start slow. Eat early and often. Good times!
The first 6 miles of the race is a 3400' climb to the top of Mt. Werner (a.k.a. Storm) which I did, mostly, with Katy. As we started off in the pre-dawn darkness, the temperatures were cool, in the 40s (F), and we alternated between running the flatter sections of Why Not Road and hiking most of the way up the mountain. We reached the top in about 1:30 and while Katy stopped at the aid station, I pushed on to the next 6 mile section, Mountain View Trail. On the outbound, this trail of technical single track, gradually decends several hundred feet over a couple small hills as it works it's way down to Long Lake. I decided to stretch my legs a little and ran the downhill sections with a guy named Mike from Ft. Collins. Uncharacteristically, I kept hitting rocks with my rearward foot causing me to trip (and fall and roll once!) many times. It continued throughout the day. I noticed I was not the only one, however, and even Mike tripped at one point. Still, we kept the pace quick. It felt good at the time but, in hindsight, I should've eaten at the aid station and run slower in this section and saved more for later in the race. We arrived at the aid station at Long Lake (I think it was in less than 3 hours) and I had my water bottle refilled as I grabbed a little to eat (some fruit) and pushed on.
From the lake, on Fish Creek Falls Trail, the next section started with about an .8 mile of meandering and up and down single track, first across a meadow and then back into the forest. The trail then crosses paths with the Wyoming Trail (heading North/South) which runners proceed south on, as they pass Lake Elmo, then Fishook Lake, on the way to the Base Camp aid station. During this part, I found myself starting to struggle a bit. Looking back, I was behind on calories even though I was staying well hydrated and taking a gel every hour. I should have been starting slower and eating earlier in the race.
As I passed Base Camp, I knew it was going to be a trudge out to Dumont Lake. My hamstrings were getting tight from the climbing and I couldn't find a rhythm in my running because I was constantly getting tripped up. At least, I had run this section of trail many times in the past and knew all it's twists and turns (and there are many) very well. I found comfort in my familiarity with the trail even though I was starting to feel pretty bad. As we came out of the woods and started along the shoreline of Dumont Lake, I passed Goeff Roes as he was heading back from Rabbit Ears. I looked at my watch and I think it was 4:40. It was about a mile more before I reached Dumont Lake aid station.
I was super stoked to see my friends, JD, Derek and Ross, who had brought me a cooler with some food (hamburgers I made the night before), ice, water and some chocolate milk. (I ended up not drinking any of the chocolate milk, even though I love it after a run.) I changed into a short sleeved shirt and grabbed a couple gels, refilled my water and took off again. I'm not sure why I was ignoring all the signs that I really needed to eat more but I just kept pressing toward the turnaround at Rabbit Ears Peak. About a mile up the road, Katy caught me, looking fresh as ever. I forgot how steep the hills are up to the Ears but I was really slowing fast and we only hung together for about a half mile before she took off ahead of me. I was super proud to see her looking so good and doing well. She was running a really smart race and her IT band didn't seem to be bothering her. After I (finally) hit the turnaround and started back downhill I caught my last glimpse of Katy about a half mile ahead of me on the dirt road. She was flying.
I was so hungry as I hiked back into Dumont Lake. When I got there, I announced to my crew that "my girlfriend was kicking my ass!" They laughed and acknowledged its truth. I ate half of an avacado and tomato burger and drank a bottle of water, while I sat down for a minute. It was great to clown around with the guys for a few minutes and they were having a great time hanging out at their first ultra. It was a cool scene. I wanted to press on so I hastily took the second half of the burger with me and started on the trail. Just a couple hundred yards down the trail, I saw my friend Bronwyn (Katy's crew leader from Leadville) who offered me some watermelon (technically, cheating) and encouragement. She's awesome. I told her I was fading but hanging in there and she let me know she would be volunteering at the Base Camp aid station so I would see her there. (Cool, nothing like seeing some familiar faces along the way.) I pressed on again, knowing I was in for some decent hills and descents before I would see Base Camp. I just kept my head down and kept doing my best to run the downhills and any flats that I could. I found myself hiking much more than I had anticipated. I was having to dig deep to stay in the game mentally. As I ran the half mile of dirt road to Base Camp under the noonish sun, I could hear a volunteer from the aid station rather annoyingly cheering runners on. (Really, I'm all for the encouragement but this bitch was annoying.) I was glad to see Bronwyn again and chatted for a little while, finally realizing that I needed to take a little more time at the aid stations than I had been. I did some light stretching of my hamstrings and made sure that I drank and ate sufficiently before leaving. I thanked all the volunteers and started down the next downhill section. "Just make it to Long Lake." was my mantra and I just kept on striving.
I started to come back from the dead in this section. I'm sure it was because I had finally eaten something and I made the most of it by running as much as I could. My feet were getting pretty sore but if I put that out of my mind, I was able to keep my pace up. I hiked into the aid station at Long Lake feeling much better mentally even though I was pretty run down physically. I saw a guy (Greg) that I ran with at Spring Creek earlier in the year volunteering at the aid station and we talked briefly. I stretched again and took the time I needed before heading onto what I knew would be the hardest part of the race, the uphill return on Mountain View Trail.
Initially, I was feeling quite good. I managed to run the first couple miles back up Mountain View. Then, in waves, I went through periods of feeling really drained and beat to feeling better (although still in considerable pain) and managing some running. As I hit the last mile and half of the trail, I started seeing a few more runners and by the time I got to the top of Mt. Werner, I was in a train of seven runners. It was cool to press up that final section of trail with a other miserable companions. Finally at the summit, I knew it was a final 6 mile downhill to the finish. I knew I was going to finish and I knew it was going to hurt getting there, so I filled up my water bottle grabbed a handful of fruit and started off. I looked at my watch and it was just about the 10 hour mark. I decided that I could muster a 6 mile run in under an hour to finish under 11 and I proceed to give my quadraceps a nice, long thrashing as I snaked my way to the base of the ski area. Hurt as it did, I was able run almost the entire way down and crossed the finish line in 10:53:14.
At the finish, I was stoked to see Katy (who had blazed a 10:06, one minute faster than last year and 5th Female) as well as a bunch of good friends (JD, Derek, Jason, Becca and Kiarra) who had come down to check out the masochism first hand. All in all, it was another humbling day in the mountains. I didn't run nearly as fast as I'd hoped but the effort was there and lessons were learned. Start slow. Eat early and often. Good times!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Pre-Rabbit Thoughts
Well, it wouldn't be a week away from a 2010 race if I wasn't dealing with a running injury. So far, I've been able to toe the starting line at every race this year by NOT running the week before the race. Ironically, I can't help but feel like it's because of the racing that I've been taken out of my overall rhythm with regards to trail running. As I've mentioned before, it's the day to day running, not the races, that really keep me stoked and although I am really jazzed that Run Rabbit Run is finally here, I will be very happy to put the self-imposed pressures of racing in the rear view mirror for a while, do some adventure running and start thinking about snowboarding!
I do feel race ready though. Last night, my left quad felt good enough and I did 5.2 easy miles (800'+) up to the quarry on Emerald Mountain with faithful dog Benihana. Today, it aches only mildly. I may run the next couple days but will keep it to an easy 30 - 45 minutes at a time as I rest up for Saturday. I expect to start the race feeling completely ready to go in both mind and body.
JD has agreed to "crew" for me and is going to post up at Dumont Lake with a cooler, chair and canines. I'll see him at miles 22 and 28 before and after running to the Rabbit Ears. Some ice packs, Honey Stinger gels, chocolate milk and a sandwich will help keep me going on the trip back. (Thanks for being there, man! Bring friends!) Other than that, I plan to eat and drink at the aid stations, as needed, and will carry one hand held 21 oz. bottle of water and a couple of gels as I run.
My last run to the summit of Mt. Werner gave me a good idea of how conservative my pace needs to be for the first six miles of the race. After that first big climb, it will be important to keep my pace slow and even in the first half of the race to save some strength for later in the day. I definitely learned that lesson at North Face 50 last year. Start slow! Pace in the second half of the race is strictly TBD by how well my body is holding up. It would be nice to finish in the 9 - 10 hour range but my mindset will be to run a relaxed, conservative race and to finish healthy under the 15-hour cutoff.
On a personal note, this race is a big deal to me because it represents a major change in my life. I decided to run this race a little over a year ago and have been preparing for it ever since. I'll never forget running into Katy on the mountain and wondering why this beautiful woman was out running these rugged mountain trails that I was so fond of. When she told me she was going to run a 50 mile trail race, the challenge of it sparked something in me I haven't felt for many years and I felt the need to experience the same adventure. I've run many hundreds of miles in the intervening months in alot of cool, interesting places and made alot of major changes in my life to facilitate running even more miles in the future. The fulfillment that running has brought me is worth celebrating and I'm going to honor it on Saturday.
I do feel race ready though. Last night, my left quad felt good enough and I did 5.2 easy miles (800'+) up to the quarry on Emerald Mountain with faithful dog Benihana. Today, it aches only mildly. I may run the next couple days but will keep it to an easy 30 - 45 minutes at a time as I rest up for Saturday. I expect to start the race feeling completely ready to go in both mind and body.
JD has agreed to "crew" for me and is going to post up at Dumont Lake with a cooler, chair and canines. I'll see him at miles 22 and 28 before and after running to the Rabbit Ears. Some ice packs, Honey Stinger gels, chocolate milk and a sandwich will help keep me going on the trip back. (Thanks for being there, man! Bring friends!) Other than that, I plan to eat and drink at the aid stations, as needed, and will carry one hand held 21 oz. bottle of water and a couple of gels as I run.
My last run to the summit of Mt. Werner gave me a good idea of how conservative my pace needs to be for the first six miles of the race. After that first big climb, it will be important to keep my pace slow and even in the first half of the race to save some strength for later in the day. I definitely learned that lesson at North Face 50 last year. Start slow! Pace in the second half of the race is strictly TBD by how well my body is holding up. It would be nice to finish in the 9 - 10 hour range but my mindset will be to run a relaxed, conservative race and to finish healthy under the 15-hour cutoff.
On a personal note, this race is a big deal to me because it represents a major change in my life. I decided to run this race a little over a year ago and have been preparing for it ever since. I'll never forget running into Katy on the mountain and wondering why this beautiful woman was out running these rugged mountain trails that I was so fond of. When she told me she was going to run a 50 mile trail race, the challenge of it sparked something in me I haven't felt for many years and I felt the need to experience the same adventure. I've run many hundreds of miles in the intervening months in alot of cool, interesting places and made alot of major changes in my life to facilitate running even more miles in the future. The fulfillment that running has brought me is worth celebrating and I'm going to honor it on Saturday.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Slow and Dirty with some Altitude Adjustments
It's been a real pleasure to get back to some solid, regular running since Leadville. With all the races I've done this summer, I've discovered that I don't particularly like having to taper my running so much just to be healthy on race day. That, coupled with the foot overuse injuries I've been dealing with, curtailed my running through August. It's the day to day running that I REALLY love and missed throughout the last month and it's been great to get back out there and feel my legs turning over. The lack of regularity in my conditioning has caused a couple more frustrating leg issues to pop up (right upper hamstring and left inner quad) but I've decided to not cease running in order to heal but rather to slow down my pace and mix it up with more hiking (and swimming) to not beat my legs up so much. As a result, my other muscles are staying conditioned, my injuries are adapting to "healing on the run" and I'm staying happier because I'm still getting out on the trails. Consistency, I feel, is the key to being a strong and disciplined runner and human.
That said my last two weeks have been very productive. I don't have the numbers on my runs with me but I logged around 70 miles for each of the last two week, doing 6 - 12 miles after workdays, a 20 miler at altitude (10,400-11,600') on the Wyoming Trail on Saturday of last week and 30 miles on the Steamboat 50 course this past Saturday.
I started last week of August by doing an easy run on Mad Creek trail out to Elk Park to get myself back into the groove on an easy and familiar trail that I always enjoy. Mad Creek has such a great mix of gradual uphills and downhills, open meadows and forests to run. Nothing terribly steep, though. Later in the week, I went up on Rabbit Ears Pass and ran an 8 one day and a 14 miler out to Lake Elmo the next to get some time in at 10,000'. I went for an easy run from the pool to home on Friday (I think) and then did a couple more miles with Benny. Last Saturday might have been one of the sickest runs I've ever done as I drove up to Summit Lake on Buffalo Pass and ran 20 miles, first on the Wyoming Trail (heading north) then a loop on the Crags Trail down to Lake of the Crags and Luna Lake and then back up Luna Lake Trail to the Wyoming to run back out. The run started at 10,400' and never went below that. It was amazing to run along the Continental Divide in the wild, open tundra. I passed a couple bow hunters and one hiker but otherwise was happily all alone for the entire 4:48 run. The Lake of the Crags was one of the most amazing views I've ever seen while trail running. Incredible hanging alpine lake at the foot of an 800' foot wall of rock. A small island, just big enough for one pine tree dotted the lake To the north, I could see Hahn's Peak and Farwell Mountain. Truly, a stupendous view and I really wish I had brought my camera on this run.
The next week, I resumed my normal mileage on trails and good tempo run (10 miles @ 8:00/mile) on the road to get my legs spinning for a little while. I developed a little hip flexor pain in my left leg after that but I've continued running and after a week it's still there but feeling much better. I'm sure I will be completely healed for Run Rabbit Run. Speaking of which, I prepped for the race this past Saturday by running the first 15 miles of the course out to the Wyoming Trail and then back to get 30 miles in about 6:06. It was a good "dress rehersal" and I feel really confident about my finishing the race in around 10 hours. It would be nice to try and run faster but with all the aches and pains I've been dealing with the past couple months, I'm going to stay relatively conservative with regards to effort.
The last few days, I've been running Emerald Mountain or Spring Creek Trail since I can leave from the new house and get a great workout (6-11 miles, 1000' vertical) on either run. All in all, the last couple weeks have me feeling very prepared for the 50 miler. I've had a good combination of altitude, long distance and shorter recovery and tempo runs to keep my running balanced and my body (somewhat) healthy.
That said my last two weeks have been very productive. I don't have the numbers on my runs with me but I logged around 70 miles for each of the last two week, doing 6 - 12 miles after workdays, a 20 miler at altitude (10,400-11,600') on the Wyoming Trail on Saturday of last week and 30 miles on the Steamboat 50 course this past Saturday.
I started last week of August by doing an easy run on Mad Creek trail out to Elk Park to get myself back into the groove on an easy and familiar trail that I always enjoy. Mad Creek has such a great mix of gradual uphills and downhills, open meadows and forests to run. Nothing terribly steep, though. Later in the week, I went up on Rabbit Ears Pass and ran an 8 one day and a 14 miler out to Lake Elmo the next to get some time in at 10,000'. I went for an easy run from the pool to home on Friday (I think) and then did a couple more miles with Benny. Last Saturday might have been one of the sickest runs I've ever done as I drove up to Summit Lake on Buffalo Pass and ran 20 miles, first on the Wyoming Trail (heading north) then a loop on the Crags Trail down to Lake of the Crags and Luna Lake and then back up Luna Lake Trail to the Wyoming to run back out. The run started at 10,400' and never went below that. It was amazing to run along the Continental Divide in the wild, open tundra. I passed a couple bow hunters and one hiker but otherwise was happily all alone for the entire 4:48 run. The Lake of the Crags was one of the most amazing views I've ever seen while trail running. Incredible hanging alpine lake at the foot of an 800' foot wall of rock. A small island, just big enough for one pine tree dotted the lake To the north, I could see Hahn's Peak and Farwell Mountain. Truly, a stupendous view and I really wish I had brought my camera on this run.
The next week, I resumed my normal mileage on trails and good tempo run (10 miles @ 8:00/mile) on the road to get my legs spinning for a little while. I developed a little hip flexor pain in my left leg after that but I've continued running and after a week it's still there but feeling much better. I'm sure I will be completely healed for Run Rabbit Run. Speaking of which, I prepped for the race this past Saturday by running the first 15 miles of the course out to the Wyoming Trail and then back to get 30 miles in about 6:06. It was a good "dress rehersal" and I feel really confident about my finishing the race in around 10 hours. It would be nice to try and run faster but with all the aches and pains I've been dealing with the past couple months, I'm going to stay relatively conservative with regards to effort.
The last few days, I've been running Emerald Mountain or Spring Creek Trail since I can leave from the new house and get a great workout (6-11 miles, 1000' vertical) on either run. All in all, the last couple weeks have me feeling very prepared for the 50 miler. I've had a good combination of altitude, long distance and shorter recovery and tempo runs to keep my running balanced and my body (somewhat) healthy.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Leadville Trail 100 Race Recap
Katy and Bronwyn, her crew chief, tried to leave for Leadville on Thursday night but got vehemently denied by a combination of mudslides and one badly running RV. Instead, we headed south the next morning, me following in my truck. After the heavy rains the day before, it was a beautiful morning and we made it to Leadville in plenty of time for Katy to do her pre-race medical check-in and to sit in on the race briefing and crew meeting. 800 runners had registered for this year's race, it's largest field ever and about 750 made it to the starting line (362 finishers) Saturday morning at 4 a.m.
We awoke around 2:30 a.m., got ready and drove to the start. Even in the dark, cold morning, the energy at 6th and Harrison was palpable. Bronwyn, myself and other crew members, Johnathan and Laura, watched on as Katy and hundreds of other runners, streamed down the road, headlights beaming, beginning a grand adventure. We then loaded up into the Suburban and made our way to the first aid station, May Queen, where we would resupply Katy after the first 13.5 miles around Turquoise Lake.
Due to the incredible volume of people crewing for runners, the roads were a madhouse all day. At May Queen, we parked about a half mile from the aid station, assembled and loaded a gear chariot and towed Katy's supplies (food, extra clothing, etc.) down to meet her. Katy arrived at May Queen looking calm and relaxed in about 2.5 hours. Her first question, "Did you bring the blue bag?" was met with befuddled looks from the rest of us. Immediately, John bolted into a run back to the Suburban. As a crew, we were now batting 0 for 1. Still, there was no big hurry to get Katy out on the trail right away and she ate a little and stayed warm until John returned with her gear. The next leg had an aid station about 10 miles from this point but we wouldn't meet her until Twin Lakes, about 27 miles away. She packed and wore a running backpack with enough supplies to get her there. After a brief stay, she rejoined the race and began the trek up the Colorado Trail towards Hagerman Pass and onto what would become her toughest stretch.
After leaving Katy, the rest of the crew went back to our campsite to prep food for later in the day and I tried to start mentally preparing myself to pace. We left for Twin Lakes and arrived there a couple hours before we expected Katy to arrive. The little "town" was all abuzz and the front runners were already starting to trickle through. When she finally arrived, Katy complained that the IT band (connective tissue running along the quadracep from the hip to the knee) in her left leg was giving her problems and locking her leg up when she tried to run flats or downhills. The pain had started around mile 18 and wasn't getting any better. John, our masseuse, worked on her for a few minutes as she ate and got ready to climb Hope Pass. I think everyone was little nervous at this point but Katy was determined to keep going. A few minutes after she left Twin Lakes, she called from her cell phone to tell me that she had passed the leader, Anton Krupicka, going the other way (Unfortunately, Anton ended up not finishing the race after "bonking" around mile 80) and to say her leg was locking up again. Still, we stuck to the plan and John, Laura and I went to Winfield to wait for her.
After a dusty and slow drive out to the ghost town of Winfield, we anxiously waited a few hours for Katy's arrival. There was well over a thousand people at the turnaround and it was really quite a spectacle as masses of people gathered to spectate and support these incredible runners. As it got later and later passed the time we expected her to show up, we knew Katy's injury was getting the best of her. We started to think that maybe she had turned around and headed back to Twin Lakes but with a scant 45 minutes to go before the cutoff time, Katy came rolling into Winfield. Her IT band had definitely taken a turn for the worse but she was determined to continue as long as she could. After another massage and conferring with a doctor at the medical tent (who recommended she NOT continue), I joined my beautiful and persistant girlfriend back down the dusty road for 3 miles before heading up the south side of Hope Pass.
We tried to run on the road but it was just too painful for her. However, once we reached the trail she had no problem with the uphill hike. On the contrary, we began passing many people on the climb. Most were just having trouble dealing with the altitude. I know it was frustrating for her that we had no problem passing 20 or so people on the uphill knowing that the downhill would be excruciatingly slow. We reached the Hopeless aid station (complete with 30 or so llamas that had brought in all the supplies) just as the sun was going down, around 8 p.m., and ate a cup of noodles and stood by a fire for a couple minutes. It was getting cold and we were a little underdressed since we had planned to do all this section in daylight. Still, we trudged on downhill, into the dark woods. After about an hour more, we reached the first of several, cold water crossings. These, combined with some cold mud, made the last mile fairly uncomfortable. Just after 10 p.m., we reached the Twin Lakes aid station, 15 minutes after the 9:45 p.m. cut off time. Katy's run had covered 60.5 miles in 18 hours. Not her desired result but very impressive considering her physical condition. Mentally, she did not let down at ANY time. She's a champ.
After a few hours of sleep, we awoke to cheer on some of the final runner's along the part of the course that went by our campsite. Around 9 a.m. we all went to the finish line to watch the last people who would make the 30-hour cutoff (and one that wouldn't). The street was lined with a couple hundred people and the finish was a very emotional scene, especially for these final runners who had fought the course longer than those before them. Particularly moving for me was one man who was in the 70-79 year age group who finished with about 10 minutes to spare. The crowd roared as he came through. Amazing. Chances are very good that Katy and I will both attempt the Leadville 100 next year.
We awoke around 2:30 a.m., got ready and drove to the start. Even in the dark, cold morning, the energy at 6th and Harrison was palpable. Bronwyn, myself and other crew members, Johnathan and Laura, watched on as Katy and hundreds of other runners, streamed down the road, headlights beaming, beginning a grand adventure. We then loaded up into the Suburban and made our way to the first aid station, May Queen, where we would resupply Katy after the first 13.5 miles around Turquoise Lake.
Due to the incredible volume of people crewing for runners, the roads were a madhouse all day. At May Queen, we parked about a half mile from the aid station, assembled and loaded a gear chariot and towed Katy's supplies (food, extra clothing, etc.) down to meet her. Katy arrived at May Queen looking calm and relaxed in about 2.5 hours. Her first question, "Did you bring the blue bag?" was met with befuddled looks from the rest of us. Immediately, John bolted into a run back to the Suburban. As a crew, we were now batting 0 for 1. Still, there was no big hurry to get Katy out on the trail right away and she ate a little and stayed warm until John returned with her gear. The next leg had an aid station about 10 miles from this point but we wouldn't meet her until Twin Lakes, about 27 miles away. She packed and wore a running backpack with enough supplies to get her there. After a brief stay, she rejoined the race and began the trek up the Colorado Trail towards Hagerman Pass and onto what would become her toughest stretch.
After leaving Katy, the rest of the crew went back to our campsite to prep food for later in the day and I tried to start mentally preparing myself to pace. We left for Twin Lakes and arrived there a couple hours before we expected Katy to arrive. The little "town" was all abuzz and the front runners were already starting to trickle through. When she finally arrived, Katy complained that the IT band (connective tissue running along the quadracep from the hip to the knee) in her left leg was giving her problems and locking her leg up when she tried to run flats or downhills. The pain had started around mile 18 and wasn't getting any better. John, our masseuse, worked on her for a few minutes as she ate and got ready to climb Hope Pass. I think everyone was little nervous at this point but Katy was determined to keep going. A few minutes after she left Twin Lakes, she called from her cell phone to tell me that she had passed the leader, Anton Krupicka, going the other way (Unfortunately, Anton ended up not finishing the race after "bonking" around mile 80) and to say her leg was locking up again. Still, we stuck to the plan and John, Laura and I went to Winfield to wait for her.
After a dusty and slow drive out to the ghost town of Winfield, we anxiously waited a few hours for Katy's arrival. There was well over a thousand people at the turnaround and it was really quite a spectacle as masses of people gathered to spectate and support these incredible runners. As it got later and later passed the time we expected her to show up, we knew Katy's injury was getting the best of her. We started to think that maybe she had turned around and headed back to Twin Lakes but with a scant 45 minutes to go before the cutoff time, Katy came rolling into Winfield. Her IT band had definitely taken a turn for the worse but she was determined to continue as long as she could. After another massage and conferring with a doctor at the medical tent (who recommended she NOT continue), I joined my beautiful and persistant girlfriend back down the dusty road for 3 miles before heading up the south side of Hope Pass.
We tried to run on the road but it was just too painful for her. However, once we reached the trail she had no problem with the uphill hike. On the contrary, we began passing many people on the climb. Most were just having trouble dealing with the altitude. I know it was frustrating for her that we had no problem passing 20 or so people on the uphill knowing that the downhill would be excruciatingly slow. We reached the Hopeless aid station (complete with 30 or so llamas that had brought in all the supplies) just as the sun was going down, around 8 p.m., and ate a cup of noodles and stood by a fire for a couple minutes. It was getting cold and we were a little underdressed since we had planned to do all this section in daylight. Still, we trudged on downhill, into the dark woods. After about an hour more, we reached the first of several, cold water crossings. These, combined with some cold mud, made the last mile fairly uncomfortable. Just after 10 p.m., we reached the Twin Lakes aid station, 15 minutes after the 9:45 p.m. cut off time. Katy's run had covered 60.5 miles in 18 hours. Not her desired result but very impressive considering her physical condition. Mentally, she did not let down at ANY time. She's a champ.
After a few hours of sleep, we awoke to cheer on some of the final runner's along the part of the course that went by our campsite. Around 9 a.m. we all went to the finish line to watch the last people who would make the 30-hour cutoff (and one that wouldn't). The street was lined with a couple hundred people and the finish was a very emotional scene, especially for these final runners who had fought the course longer than those before them. Particularly moving for me was one man who was in the 70-79 year age group who finished with about 10 minutes to spare. The crowd roared as he came through. Amazing. Chances are very good that Katy and I will both attempt the Leadville 100 next year.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)