Catching Up

Things have been pretty hectic the last several weeks but training continues to go very well. Since Myrtle Beach I have gotten in two long runs (one 22 miler and one 34 miler) and a good bit of up tempo/speedy stuff. My next race is the Bel Monte 50 miler on March 22 and I feel pretty strong coming into it. Interestingly, I have run almost 100 miles more in 2008 than I did at the same time last year. Plus the majority of these "extra" miles are at a much quicker pace. I expect this added base building will serve me well at Massanutten. My left knee is a little achey (perhaps too much last week) so I am taking a bit more time off this week than planned. I am not really planning on tapering for Bel Monte since it is primarily a training run for Massanutten. Also, I have not written much about the vegetarian thing much but that is going very well. I still eat meat about once a month but am limiting that to seafood. I have not eaten any red meat since Thanksgiving with the exception of a cheeseburger after Myrtle Beach. I will write a preview of Bel Monte next week.

There have been a lot of great ultra performances the last few weeks. Anne Lundblad ran a very fast 5:38 at the Mt. Mitchell Challenge breaking Annette's course record (5:50). Annette herself ran an impressive 3:54 at the Black Mountain Marathon to take the women's top spot. By the way, both of these women are 41 years young! Who says speed goes away with age?! Annette followed up the marathon win with a 4:36 at the Way Too Cool 50K last weekend for 13th woman. Pretty impressive considering she is coming off injury. These two women should be an inspiration to us all.

There have been many impressive male performances as well including Michael Wardian's 2:55 at the Camusett 50K in New York setting a US 50K Road Championship record. Andy Jones-Wilkins also ran a 3:31 at Camusett and 6 days later cranked out a 4:04 at Way Too Cool. And, he is running the Coyote Two Moon 100 next weekend. With these strong performances look for a strong race at Western States by AJW, perhaps the masters course record. Speaking of Way Too Cool, the Oregonians dominated taking 10 of the top 25 spots including the male and women's winners. Sussanah Beck of Eugene broke Anne Trason's record by 4 minutes running a 3:55 en route to the women's title and 25th overall. Other strong OR performances were turned in by Todd Braje (overall winner in 3:32) Hal Koerner, Jeff Browning and Ian Torrence to name a few. In fact, Browning and Torrence had quite a battle down the last stretch.

This year is showing signs of being a tremendous year of performances and Meltzer, K. Skaggs, Tony K. and Jurek haven't even really raced yet. Although Tony K. and K. Skaggs did tie for the win at the Moab Red Hot 50K. As a humble mid pack runner, I am tremendously inspired to see these top athletes run so strong. Seeing performances like Anne and Annette at the Mount Mitchell races and the success of Jeff Browning (a self-proclaimed former mid-pack runner), gives credence to the "best performances are yet to come" argument.

Myrtle Beach Marathon

I had a feeling that a good race was likely in order when the accordion player started cranking out Stairway to Heaven and Bob Marley's Is This Love in succession. More on that later.

Myrtle Beach is the last marathon I ran before getting into ultras in 2006. I have been eyeing it over the last year as a possible spot to go for a marathon PR. My previous marathon performances have been lackluster at best with most in the 3:50s and one just inside 3:48. Therefore, I figured with the improvements I have achieved in both physical and mental fitness that I had a significantly better marathon time in me. So I signed up and figured I woould focus my early season trainning on speed and tempo style workouts to try and get some better leg turnover. I really wanted to run a time in the low 3:30s and hopefully give myself a shot at breaking 3:30. As my previous posts have indicated, I have been in a bit of a funk since mid-January and my training has not gone as well as I would have hoped. I have gotten some good quality workouts in but the focus just has not been there. I resolved that I would go to Myrtle Beach and give it my best and hopefully give myself a chance to break 3:45 or possibly even 3:40.

My friend Don and I drove down from Charlotte on Friday afternoon and had a mostly uneventful trip save for a few missed turns and a minor traffic delay. We got to the packet pick-up and were amazed at the volume of folks around. One thing I do enjoy about races is the pre-race buzz that is in the air and with 10,000 entrants for the various events, the Myrtle Beach expo was humming. I ran into fellow NC ultrarunner Joey Anderson who was doing his second marathon in as many weeks and still has the Mt. Mitchell Challenge this weekend. Talk about endurance. Don and I grabbed our stuff and milled around the expo hall for a bit but soon left to grab some dinner and get to the hotel.

We settled in at Villa Romana for diner and the food was excellent. The entertainment was an accordion player who was just annoying enough to keep the conversation flowing. He serenaded the dining room with an eclectic mix that included a score from Phantom of the Opera, several 1970s classic rock songs, a bit of reggae and even a rendition of Frank Sinatra's New York, New York (at least that is what it sounded like to me). We were also treated to learning all about the insurance business and getting a full rundown of the latest white supremist issues as the tables on either side of us engaged in a spirited discussion. After our fill of declaration pages, deductibles and racial epiteths, we headed to the hotel to crash.

Morning came and the weather was perfect as we jumped on the shuttle bus to the start. Temperatures were in the low 40s and it looked to be a fabulous day for running. At 6:30 we were off and I quickly weaved my way through, stopping to run with Joey and his friend (and cancer survivor) Karla. What an inspiration Karla should be to all of us. My plan was to run a steady 1:53 first half and negative split the second 13.1 to get in under 3:45. I settled into a comfortable pace and soon relaized I was clicking off 8:00 miles, which is pretty quick for me. I tried to settle down and back off to 8:30 pace but by mile 11 realized that I had likley gone out too fast. I didn't feel bad and in fact, felt great. However, I was concerned that I was going to run the first half more than 5 minutes faster than planned.

As I approached the halfway mark a voice called out that they recognized me from a marathon two years ago. Turns out this was Robert who ran with my 4 hour pace group at the Thunder Road marathon in 2006 and was hoping to break 3:30 today. As we crossed the halfway mark I lamented that 1:47 was much faster than I wanted to run but figured any "damage" was done. I felt great and was just worried about the miles yet to come. We decided to wotk together and switch off pacesetting each mile. We managed to bang down several sub-8:00 miles up through the mile 20 point where I backed off a bit to preserve my legs for a strong finish. I was a little behind on fluids so I drank several cups and downed another gel and got back to work. I ate a gel every hour and also at miles 20 and 23. I was drinking sportsdrink and water at each aid station stop and took an S-Cap at the start and again at mile 20.

I settled in for the final 10K and slowed a bit through mile 22 and then tried to push to the finish. The race was going incredibly well and I knew that breaking 3:30 was an outside shot. All day I kept waiting for the inevitable "blow-up" but it never came. Around mile 24 I coould feel the fatigue coming in but I labored on and crossed in 3:33! That is a new marathon PR for me by almost 15 minutes. The last time I ran Myrtle Beach I ran a 3:57 fighting a head cold the whole way. Suffice it to say that this year was a bit more successful. I was pumped as the result was way beyond my expectations. Working with Robert definitely helped me to push a bit more in the second half and allowed for a second half split of 1:46. While I was very surprised with my time, I was even more surprised that I could have ran a bit harder earlier and not blown up at the end. No need to psychoanalyze since I am extremely pleased with the result. I ran a little slower in the final 10K because I knew sub-3:40 was in the bag as long as I ran smart. Anything better was gravy.

After the race, I ran into Mark Long who ran a strong 3:25 ahead of Mt. Mitchell this weekend and Boston in April. After getting a shuttle back to the hotel, Don and I made the jaunt back to Charlotte. The weather was perfect all day and the course had good spectators along the main corridors of the course. Hopefully, this PR will set the stage for a successful 2008 for me.

Myrtle Beach Marathon Preview

I am headed down to Myrtle Beach, SC tomorrow to run the marathon on Saturday. This was orignially billed as a PR attempt but my training has not been as great as I would have liked. All the stuff going on has been a bit of a distraction and I am just not sure what kind of legs I have. I know that I will run a smart race as I have "matured" immensely as a runner since my last run there in 2006 (before I caught the ultra bug). The weather looks to be fantastic and hopefully the wind will stay at bay or at least behind us. Hopefully all will come together and I will have a great day and get that PR. If not, if I can run a smart race and get some good training in as I transition to my ultra season, it will be a successful trip. Stay tuned for a report later this weekend.

Baby Steps

My "funk" has gotten some better over the last week or so. I have gotten some quality runs in including a couple of speedwork sessions and have been pleased overall. Perhaps a little time "away" was helpful. I have the Myrtle Beach marathon next weekend where I hoped to run a PR. I still hope to PR but have tempered my expectations a bit as I am not where I feel I should be in my training. That said, with a solid week this week and next who knows... I haven't tried to run a good marathon time since starting ultras so it will be interesting to see how I do. As with all races, as long as I have fun and perhpas learn something, the race will be a success.

Work is still work and while all of the life situations are not great, I have a better perspective from which to sort things out now. I talked with a running mentor of mine this week about a lot of the "stuff" and his thoughts and comments were very helpful. He has dealt with the whole "corporate thing" before so he understands that aspect of life. I have found that just laying it out to folks helps to some extent. I am really looking forward to getting cranked up for the Bel Monte 50 miler in March. I am sure that will be a tough yet very rewarding race. it will also be very good training for my favorite "rock concert" in May known as Massanutten.

These are all baby steps but at least it is a start.

Dark Days

Many of us have heard of the "dark moments" term often used to describe difficult times in a race. How we handle those moments often means the difference between success and failure. I am in the midst of some serious "dark days" right now. I will spare all the details but suffice it to say, I am under immense pressure due the current market environment and how financial institutions are "performing". Some very difficult decisions are going to have to be made as a result. Aside from the overall funk I am in, I am also not motivated to train. Running provides such a much needed release for me and it is difficult to cope with all of this without it. I wish it were as easy as lacing up the shoes and heading to the trails, but I just don't have the motivation. Hopefully it will pass. I have always wondered if I don't suffer from depression from time to time. While I have never been diagnosed, it sure feels like it right now.

My situation is not all bad, I have a healthy body and the ability to pursue my adventure interests. Things could certainly be worse on the job front - I could be in the position of not having one. All of that said does bring perspective but doesn't makes things easier. Hopefully, I will push through all of this soon but until then I would appreciate your prayers and/or thoughts.

Knocking Some Rust Off

Today I officially ended my break from running and over the next couple of weeks, will get geared back up for the early races in 2008. While the break has been very good both mentally and physically, I was psyched to get back out there. I did my best to stay in shape by riding the bike, training on the elliptical machine and doing slow easy runs. However, I definitely lost a good bit of speed (not that there was that much to begin with) and some overall fitness but overall felt okay today.

Mike and I ran in the trails at Kings Mountain State Park which is about 45 minutes from Charlotte on the NC/SC border. It is adjacent to Crowders Mountain State Park, where I did a good bit of training for MMT this year. I have been to the park before but never to run. I really liked the trails and found it an ideal place for both tempo runs or easy recovery pace runs. While there are no big climbs, there are several rolling sections (especially on the back side) that give you a nice break from flat terrain. There are a couple of spots that would be good for mini hill repeats as well. I had limited time this morning so I only did one loop plus an add on section up to Brown Mountain. It is listed as about 17 miles but I think there was at least one extra mile tucked in there somewhere.

I really noticed some fatigue in my legs (especially hips and quads) after about 2 hours. That is not surprising to me since I have not been running lately and did give a decent effort early on. I also bonked somewhat after about 2.5 hours, likely due to being a bit behind on calories. The weather was surprisingly humid which made the 50 degree temps feel much warmer - 30 minutes into the run and I was already drenched. I managed to roll my left ankle a couple of times which felt wonderful. :-) Towards the end of the season this year I had overcome my seemingly chronic ankle-rolling ways but a month away from the trails provided a window for them to creep back in. I iced it for a bit this afternoon and it feels okay now.

I would be lying if I said the loss of speed and some fitness didn't bother me but a wise man once said that the first run after a meaningful break should be difficult, otherwise you didn't take a long enough break. Mike made a good point in that my endurance seemed fine and the fitness will come back before I know it. I hope to run on these trails much more this year and could even envision putting on a race there someday. 2008 is a year that I have big expectations of myself (preview to follow soon) and am excited about taking the first steps today. Hope everyone has a Happy New Year!

New River Trail 50K

I wanted to post some information about a new 50K trail race planned for 2008 - the New River Trail 50K. The inaugural event will take place on October 11, 2008 in Fries, VA, which is about 13 miles from Galax, VA near the NC/VA border. This region has some fantastic trails and natural areas and will no doubt make a great locale for a trail race. The race is being organized by ultra runner extraordinaire Annette Bednosky. Annette needs no introduction but for those whose head has been underground for the last few years, she is an accomplished ultra running veteran with wins at several races including Western States, Rattlesnake and most recently, Hellgate. If her RD ability is half of her running prowess, we are all in for one heck of treat come October.

Proceeds from the race will go to The National Committee for the New River (NCNR) an organization that protects, restores and educates about one of the oldest rivers in the world. The New River's watershed includes North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia and the NCNR does work in all three states. Entrants will also have the opportunity to make a contribution to NCNR's Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program. This option will be included on the registration form at active.com (link included on the race website).

Annette is striving to have this be a "green" race, using local, recyclable items and products from companies with "green" practices as much as possible. In the spirit of being green, minimal disposable materials will be used and those that must be disposable will be recyclable. Finally, she is striving to have 75% of the goods used for aid station supplies and runner giveaways come from local manufacturers and/or growers. Way to go Annette! This is a great way to support the local economy and help out Mama Earth at the same time! This is something we should all do more of. I know what my plans for October 11th are and encourage readers to visit the race website to learn more and sign up through the online registration link. You can also contact Annette through the website with any questions that you have.

Best of luck to Annette with the New River Trail 50K. This is sure to be the first year of a great event. Be sure to check out the website and learn more about the race and the causes it supports.

Random Blabble

This time of year is one of my favorites, a time that I look forward to throughout the year. It is ironic, given how much I enjoy running, that I get so much enjoyment from a time when I do hardly any running at all. Perhaps it is the joy that the little boy in me gets from the Christmas season. I think a big part is that I don't have a schedule to follow - training or otherwise, which provides a much need mental break for me.

At the same time, I am anxious about the coming year and the goals I am already setting for myself in my mind. January is going to be a painful month with lots of track and tempo runs as I get ready for the Myrtle Beach Marathon. I haven't tried to race a marathon since I started ultras (not that my previous performances were races per se) and am curious as to what kind of time I can put up. I am hoping for something in the 3:30 range. While this is very slow for many of my blog readers, it would be a huge improvement for me and would be a terrific way to start off the year. I am not going to obsess about the time in training (yeah right) and will be satisfied as long as I give my best effort (and don't wimp out).

One thing I have learned from running ultras and the people I have met is that success can measured differently in each race. Those that can adapt as conditions change (including just having a bad day) are stronger both mentally and physically since they can "find the other gear" or be smart enough to even shut it down. As I look ahead to 2008, I want to continue to develop as a runner and improve my "running IQ" by continuing to run smart races that are within myself and maybe a couple that are on the fray.

The BIG goal for year will once again involve the 100 mile distance. I am going back to Massanutten to try and improve on the 35:02 I posted this year. It was my first 100 and that is a TOUGH course, but I still left a lot out there. I learned some very valuable lessons during the race that I have applied to shorter races but am anxious to see how I can improve. I also plan to adjust my training some to better prepare me. I am also going to try another 100 miler this summer - hopefully Cascade Crest in August. I want to try the longer distance multiple times in a year and also want to experience a race "out west" and Cascade Crest allows for both of these.

Stay tuned for a 2008 preview of sorts where I will provide more details about my goals for 2008. For now, I plan to enjoy a little time off from running so I will go into 2008 with a renewed focus and lots of energy for the miles that lay ahead.

Madness - MMT fills in 45 minutes!

Yesterday, entry opened for the Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 (MMT) mile race. I ran it this year as my first 100 and really hoped to run again in 2008 to try and improve on my performance. This past weekend the Western States 100 (the most popular 100 miler in the US) lottery was held and had a record number of entrants. How quick would MMT fill this year? Last year it filled in two weeks but only offered a print and mail application. This year entry was online only.

Enter a big wrinkle - I had to travel for work on Tuesday and would have no computer access when entry opened. I knew a buddy of mine would be fully engaged when entry opened so I asked him to enter for me. Good thing too as the race filled in about 45 minutes! Fortunately the race maintains a waiting list so many folks will likely get in through this avenue. I am amazed at how quickly ultra running is growing and how quickly races are filling up. I think it is a phase that will abate in a couple of years but who knows.

A lot of people were upset by the entry procedures and many didn't get in for a variety of reasons. Many want a fairer entry process. I submit that the current procedure (first come, first served) is the fairest. Although I was out-of-pocket all day, I improvised to ensure that I got in the race. I just don't agre with the notion that certain people had an advantage for getting in the race. Afterall, I was on a plane at 33,000 feet when the race filled.

There has been a lot of discussion lately about special consideration for top runners at races. I agree that a certain amount of spots should be reserved for top runners so that the competition level is maximized. Remember all the excitement this summer surrounding Jurek vs. Meltzer at Hardrock? How great would it be to see a battle between Meltzer, Krupicka and Skaggs (to name a few) on a tough course? It is not aboout catering to elite runners but 100% about maximizing the top competition at races. Perhaps even creating prize money for the top finishers. Some may argue that this will make the races more "high maintenance" and require corporate sponsorship, etc. Well folks, if the sport continues to grow the way it has the last several years then these will become realities eventually. Mind you I am a mid pack (at best) runner so I don't have a dog in the top competition/prize money fight.

Vegetarian Bedrock?

Over the last few weeks I have done a good bit of reading about vegetarian diets. In doing so, I made a number of observations, none of which are very surprising. First, there are a number of "reasons" for choosing a vegetarian diet including improving health, protecting animals and supporting environmental causes. In addition, there is the whole "fad following" concept that is probably the worst reason of all. Second, there are a lot of "famous" people who have adopted various forms of a vegetarian diet including Paul McCartney, Tony LaRussa, Clint Eastwood and athletes Carl Lewis and Amby Burfoot to name a few. Other than Lewis and Burfoot both being athletes, each of these people are very different (other than being famous) yet all adhere to vegetarian diets. It is well noted in the ultra running community that Scott Jurek has achieved great athletic success while following a strict vegan diet. Rather than "follow a fad" or copy a celebrity, I would need to delve into this further to see if vegetarianism (or some form of it) was for me.

I don't think it is realistic for me to completely cut meat at this point but think I can gradually lower my intake over time. The thought being that a more gradual approach will likely be more sustainable in the long run. I began my little experiment after turkey day and have been amazed at the results so far. My two biggest concerns were feeling hungry and lacking energy, neither of which has occurred. In fact, I don't feel as "weighed" down after I eat and my energy level has remained normal. Perhaps the biggest surprise is that I haven't really missed meat all that much. In a nutshell, I just feel better.

I have started reading a book called Vegetarian Sports Nutrition by Enette Larson-Meyer, PhD(foreword written by Scott Jurek) that has been very interesting. One critical point made in the book is the need for variety in your diet. I have noticed that I have fallen into a soup and salad "trap" of sorts this week since those are easy options. For this to be sustainable in the long run, I will need to get smarter about varying my diet (that is true for non-vegetarians as well) so that I don't "burn out". I am looking forward to exploring new recipes and food combinations in a quest to capture the benefits while pleasing my palate. As an athlete a big key will be getting adequate protein to aid in recovery and to promote an overall balanced diet. Stay tuned for updates on this and as always, I would appreciate any advice or tips from others. Below are some links to sites that I came upon during my research.

http://www.goveg.com/

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/

http://www.theveggietable.com/

http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/vegetarian.html

2007 Ultra Season Review

With the completion of Mountain Masochist on November 3rd, my 2007 ultra season is complete. This past year has been my first full year of ultras since "discovering" the sport last summer. It has been a tremendous year of "firsts" and I am very pleased with both my development as a runner and the improved fitness I have achieved. In short, 2007 was comprised of 7 ultra races, each of which played an integral part in my continued development as a runner. The focus for 2007 was the Massanutten 100 (MMT), my first crack at running a 100 mile race. Below are some notable highlights of my 2007 season.

January - completed the Frosty 50K and improved my PR at the distance by more than 30 minutes. Also used the race as a speed workout as I prepared for MMT.

February - completed Horton's Holiday Lake 50K and for the first time, ran strong at the end of a race rather than totally falling apart.

March - ran the Bel Monte 50K and completely fell apart. First there was an electrolyte issue and then dehydration. Managed to finish but ran significantly slower than I hoped.

May - completed the Massanutten 100, by far the hardest physical feat I have ever undertaken. The course was brutally challenging but crossing the finish line was surreal.

I took a much needed 6 week break from running during the second half of May and June. My body and mind needed the break and I was able to resume training in July with renewed energy and determination.

August - completed the Laurel Valley Trail Run, my first "unsupported" race and a huge mental toughness test. This was one of the more scenic courses I have run but the view was costly - 100+ degree temps!

September - ran the GEER 100K as a "comparison" to last year (this was my first trail ultra in 2006). In my opinion this was my best performance of the year. Although my time was roughly the same as 2006, the course was about 90 minutes slower (evidenced by comparative mid pack times). Also, I put together a "complete" race and felt strong from start to finish.

November - ran Mountain Masochist for the second time and was able to run 20 minutes faster than in 2006 despite not running near as hard. This was my 10th ultra race in less than 18 months.

My race times are still not where I want them to be but I am having a ton of fun and realize that improving my performance is going to take some time. I learned a tremendous amount during the year as I gained something from every race that I did. In a nutshell, I feel as though I became a much smarter and confident runner throughout the year. Two things I really hope to improve on next year are leg turnover and toughness. The first will require a little alteration to my training methods. The second will get better with time. I just need to learn to "suck it up" more during the "dark spots" in races. Much easier said than done. Overall, I am really excited about 2008 and hope to reap many benefits from all that was learned throughout 2007.

25 Years of Masochism

The Mountain Masochist Trail Run ("MMTR") is a legendary if not infamous race in Virginia that celebrated its 25th birthday this year. The race is known for its challenging yet runnable course, scenic fall colors and energetic race director. David Horton (Mr. Energy himself) thinks so much of the runners, that he provides some extra distance (he does this in all his races) to ensure you get plenty of time in the woods. The race is a bit of a homecoming of sorts as it attracts a national field and the pre and post race festivities provide and excellent venue to visit with old friends and meet some new ones.

I signed up fr the race in May as I knew that it would fill quickly with the whole 25th anniversary and all. This would also be Horton's final year as the RD of MMTR as he passed the reigns to Clark Zealand after this year. This made me particularly glad that I was running in the race this year. Although I am still relatively new to the sport, I still have a tremendous appreciation for what Horton has done to promote ultrarunning.

I really had no business running MMTR this year. After all, I was pleased with my effort at GEER 5 weeks earlier and had only logged about 40 miles TOTAL since that time. My original intention for running this year was to go back so a friend of mine could avenge a DNF from last year. However, he was injured and not running. So why run the race? Well, despite my lackluster training I felt that I could still improve on my time last year. Check the results and you will see that rocket speed was not necessary to improve over 2006. So off I headed up to Lynchburg for my second helping of Horton Masochism.

Given my training (or lack thereof) I simply wanted to run a smart race, have fun and hopefully improve over last year. The only section I wanted to run hard was the "loop" where I struggled immensely last year. Once again, John Teed and I would run most of the race together since neither of us were really concerned with posting a great time. We decided to run the opening road section harder then normal to try and bank some cushion on the cutoff and this seemed to work well for us. We were both happy to get that section over with and hit the trails. The weather was perfect, much better than last year and as the sun rose, you could tell it was going to be a beautiful day. The first half of the race was pretty uneventful as we tried to power walk the hills as best we could and really run the flat and downhill sections. We ran a bit with Sophie Speidel before she left us in the dust. Sophie was very helpful to me during a "dark moment" at Massanutten this year and it was great to run a bit with her.

John and I remarked how much more we liked the course this year. Last year's race was a comedy of errors from the time we left Charlotte so it was no wonder we weren't thrilled with the course. The fall colors were close to peak and sections of the course were bathed in bright reds, yellows and orange. The crystal blue sky made for an excellent backdrop as well. We rolled into the AS 10 and Long Mountain Wayside right where wanted to and quickly filled up, got a few things from our drop bags and headed out. John had to head back to retrieve something and I headed on. I would run mostly alone the rest of the day until John caught back up with about 2 miles to go. I settled in to Buck Mountain and made much better time this year. I was amazed at how relaxed I was ad how much I was enjoying the race. before long, I came upon the Loop, which I wanted to run really well. Last year I was in death march mode here and it took me over 1:30 to complete the section. This year I ran very focused but did not push the pace too hard. I covered the loop in just over 1 hour and felt great leaving there. I continued to make steady progress and arrived at Salt Log Gap just as the sun was starting to really heat up. I took it easy on the climb to Forest Valley because I knew the next section was a beast.

Upon leaving the aid station I reflected on how bad I felt at this point in 2006, where I was worried that I might not make it in under the cutoff. This year I knew that I could walk it in and make it with time to spare. I still moved purposefully and tried to march up the steep climbs and pound the downhills. Finally I came upon the final aid station and moved through to get going to the finish - I could smell the barn! After a mile or so of a pathetic shuffle, John caught back up with me and we ran in together to the finish. I did improve over last year by about 20 minutes or so but did not "kill myself" to do so. I really had a lot of fun this year and think running more relaxed was a huge benefit.

After the finish, John and I met up with Jeff McGonnell who finished about 10 minutes before us and watched as the other finishers came in. We saw Tom Green complete his 25th Masochist - the only person to do so and watched our buddy John Teague come in. We then headed back to Lynchburg and headed to the post race dinner. MMTR is the only 50 mile race I have run and I have now completed it twice. Last year it was my third ultra ever and this year it marked my 10th ultra. I am amazed at how much I have learned over the last year and the many friends I have met on the trail. But then again, that is one of the things that makes this sport so addictive.

Thank you to David Horton for his 25 years as RD and thanks to Nancy, his wife for putting up with it. I know we are in good and able hands with Clark Zealand as the new RD. Thanks to all the volunteers and aid station workers, you guys did a great job.

Mountain Masochist Preview

Today I am heading up to Virginia to run in the Mountain Masochist 50 mile trail run. This is a storied race that is celebrating 25 years in 2007. Since GEER, I have taken a bit of a break and focused most of my efforts on tempo/speed workouts. The weather is set to be near perfect which will be a welcome change from the bone shivering cold of last year. I had a tough time last year battling nausea the final 10 miles to finish in the back of the pack. Then again it was only my third ultra and I am a much fitter and smarter runner this year (hopefully). My only goal this year is to improve over last year and enjoy the time on the trails. I will post a report next week.

Back in the Routine

After taking all of last week off, I am getting back into a regular running routine. I generally take at least a week off after peak races and my travel schedule last week wasn't conducive to regular workouts anyway. The rest, albeit a short one did me a lot of good both physically and mentally. I am easing back into weights and running this week and with Masochist only 3 weeks from this Saturday, my training will be somewhat measured. I am curious if any readers out there have any tips for "training" for races that follow closely to a peak effort. I do want to improve on last years time at Masochist but realize that my legs will likely not be 100%. However, I am much fitter now than last fall and think I can improve over last year despite not being 100%. My plan is to do two tempo/speed runs, two recovery runs and one medium long (2-3 hours) run each week. Now, if only the weather would become more October-like rather than July-like.

GEER 100K - Perfect Weather, Tough Trails and Legs Late

The GEER 100K was the site of my first trail ultra back in 2006 and I was anxious to use this year's event as a measure of my improvement since then. The course was changed significantly this year incorporating more single track trail and about 16,000 feet of elevation gain and about 15,000 feet of descent. I feel I have learned a lot over the last year and with finishes at Massanutten and Laurel Valley, I felt very confident both physically and mentally going into the race.

I have really tried to focus my recent training on developing my climbing skills with hill repeats and improving leg turnover with more speed/tempo workouts. An added benefit of the speed work has been the improvement in overall fitness and running form. I knew these aspects of my training would be very important to run well at GEER. I also hoped to be much more efficient in the aid stations as this has been a pariah of mine in past races. I went in to the race READY - I felt as good as I ever have from a confidence standpoint.

The weather was near perfect as the RD sent us off into the early morning towards the first big climb of the day. The first 25ish miles would be shared with 50K runners so it was important to keep that in mind as folks flew by early. My plan was pretty simple - run conservatively for 35 to 40 miles and then pick things up after this point. I am tired of going out too hard only to blow up halfway through. I am also tired of being sooooo slow, and wanted to have legs to really run late.

I settled in early and made good time through the early sections, which were a combination of single track trail, gravel road and a short stint on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I felt really good when I got in to the 25 mile checkpoint and quickly got what I needed and headed out. At this point the 50K runners were headed back so the runners were much more spread out. I continued to run easy down the Kennedy Ridge trail as the toughest climb of the day was looming. Ironically, the climb up Kennedy Ridge would be our final climb of the day so I tried to memorize landmarks. Upon reaching the bottom, I slammed a Balanced protein drink, filled my bottle and headed out. A short gravel road section took us to the climb up the Stony Run trail (miles 32 to ~40). This would be the hardest climb of the day but also the climb that I covered the fastest.

I "attacked" the climb (at least to the extent a mid-pack runner attacks anything) as I wanted to get it over with. I knew that after the mile 40 aid station, we had a nice 7 mile section that was completely runnable that I really wanted to cover fast. I made it up the climb in about 2 hours, which was really quick for me (perhaps too quick?). I got what I needed from the aid station and headed out to run the 7 mile section along Mill Creek. This was my favorite part of the race. We started out with about a 1 mile section down several switchbacks and then covered about 5 miles along the valley floor. The last section is about 1 mile along a forest service road to the aid station. In the two previous races that I have run on this section of trail, I have bonked badly here. I was determined to hammer this sections as best I could and ended up running the whole way, covering the section in 65 minutes. Really fast for me.

Next I took it easy on a 3 mile gravel road section to "save up" for the last big climb up Kennedy Ridge. I was pretty spent though as the hard efforts up Stony Run and down Mill Creek had taken a big toll. Not to mention I was at the 50 mile point and had yet to sit down all day. I put my head down and moved up Kennedy Ridge but knew that I was really slowing down. I just couldn't get the leg turnover I needed to make good time up the climb. I did my best to run the flats and covered the jeep road heading to the aid station well. I made it about 54 miles or so before I turned my headlamp on.

At the 56 mile aid station I grabbed some broth, filled my bottles and took off to get this thing done. I ran all of the jeep road but took it easy on a really rocky (think Short Mountain at MMT) section and then trotted into the last aid station with 5 miles to go. I checked in and out and took off for the finish. I have never had the legs or mental resolve to do this in previous races and I have to admit that it felt GRRRREAAAT (think Tony the Tiger). I ran about 95% of the way in only walking a couple of hills. In fact, I only stopped once to take my final gel with about 3 miles to go. I cranked the final half mile on the road and finished in 15:48, about what I ran last year. I picked up 6 places over the last 12 miles including 3 spots in the last 3 miles. The best part was passing someone about 200 yards from the finish!

Although I ran well all day, I really hoped to post a faster time since I thought my training had prepared me to do so. However, I gave it everything I had and did not waste any time during the race. The truth is, I am just not a fast runner and have to accept that I have a lot more to learn and develop before I will be. That is okay though since I am having lots of fun in the sport as I continue to learn. I try to give myself a break and remember that I have only been at this ultra thing for 15 months. In fact, 24 months ago I was 30 lbs. heavier and was struggling with road marathons much less trail ultras. The RD said the course was about 1.5 to 2 hours slower than last year and comparing times with last year generally supports this. So overall I am pleased with my effort.

I was very efficient in the aid stations, never spending more than 5 or 6 minutes and didn't sit in a chair throughout the whole race. Nutrition and hydration worked the best it ever has. Water/E-caps and a combination of gels and solid foods for the first 40 miles. Then I switched to a sports drink/water mix and ate gels and shot blocks (no solid food at all) for the final 22 miles. Throughout the race I drank a Balanced protein drink every 2 - 3 hours and ate some crystallized ginger about every 2 hours. No foot issues (only one small blister) and my Montrail Continental Divides worked perfectly.

This race was very well done. The course markings were as good as I have ever seen and the aid stations were well stocked with good food and enthusiastic volunteers. At the finish we had warm showers, hot lasagna and the most comfortable chair (wooden bench) my posterior has ever sat on. Definitely one to put on your list of races to do.

GEER Preview

I will be running the Great Eastern Endurance Run (GEER) 100K this coming Saturday. The race is located just outside Charlottesville and was the location of my first trail ultra. My running has improved immensely over the last year and I am anxious to see how I do relative to last year. I have really put a lot of work into my training and expect it will pay off on Saturday. The course has had some significant changes all of which make the race more challenging. However, the scenery of the Blue Ridge Mountains will make it all worthwhile. The weather outlook calls for temps in the 70s with clear skies. Hopefully the forecast will hold.

One of my goals for this race is to really focus on holding back early so that I can run stronger during the last 20 miles. I want to continue to move purposefully but not open things up too much early on. Another key goal is to be much more efficient in the aid stations, getting what I need and then moving on. I think a key component of this is to avoid any extended breaks at the aid stations. If I need a rest, get through the aid station and rest further down the trail. In my opinion, aid station efficiency and having legs late in the race are two ways to significantly improve ones race times - particular in longer races such as 100K or 100 mile events. Regardless of how the chips fall, I am expecting a fun time on the trails in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Will post a report next week.

Crowder's Mountain Training Run

Yesterday I headed over to Crowder's Mountain for a 6 hour training run. This run was important for a number of reasons. First, it would be my final "long" run before the GEER 100K on September 29. Second, it would give me a sense of how much my climbing has improved over the last 8 weeks. Finally, I hoped to test my leg turnover on technical terrain in the latter half of the run. Both climbing and leg turnover late in the race would be critical to my success at GEER.

The weather was warmer than I hoped for but wasn't totally unbearable. I hoped to cover about 31 miles but would start with two 14 mile loops. If all went well, I would add on @3 miles before covering the final 2.5 miles of the second loop. If I had about an hour left at this point, I would add the 3 miles. I would make one stop at my car after the first 14 miles and had two water spots along the route. There were two "goals" for the run. First, I wanted to go out easy and cover the first "half" in just over 3 hours. By doing so, I would hopefully save my legs and be able to push the second half of the run, hopefully breaking 3 hours for the second half. Leg turnover would be critical in achieving this goal. My second goal was to climb strong on the hills and run all but the steepest sections even if it was more of a trot at times.

The hardest climb would be at the beginning of each loop and it went well both times. It was about 2 miles to the top and I was up in around 30 minutes and down in around 20 minutes both times. After the climb, I had a 5 mile out and back that also covered a big climb at the halfway point followed by a nice 2 mile downhill section. This would allow me to not push too hard on the climb and make it up on the downhill. I covered the first 14 miles in about 2:50 (@ 3:10 for 15.5 miles) and felt really good. I quickly refilled my pack and bottle, replenished my gels and shot blocks and was off for the second loop.

I again took the first climb relatively easy but was actually 4 minutes faster up and ~6 minutes faster down. On the next round of the 5 mile out and back, I pushed the pace some(heart rate up to about 160, 164 on uphill sections). After the second climb, I cranked the downhill section (heart rate up to 166) to do a bit of threshold training and to test the quads. I covered the two miles in a little over 15 minutes, which is pretty quick for me. When I arrived at about 2.5 miles to go, my time was about 4:55 so I added the "extra" three miles and decided to push as hard as I could. The hope was to cover the last five miles in under an hour. My legs were pretty tired but it was worth a shot.

The "extra" three miles included the two mile downhill section but added a steep one mile climb on a gravel road. Before getting to the downhill section I had to go up to the Crowder's summit one more time. I ran the gravel section and pushed the stair steps to the summit as fast as I ever have. I pushed the downhill section and again covered it pretty quickly in about 16 minutes. I was pretty wiped but made my way up the steep climb, running all but the steepest sections. My legs were screaming the whole way but I covered the climb in about 12 minutes, leaving me only 17 minutes to break 6 hours for the day - no way that was happening. I stuffed my watch in my pocket and decided to run the last section as best as I could. I opened up and ran as hard as my body would let me, never once looking at my heart rate or time. When I got back, my time was 6:06, I had covered the second 15.5 miles in 2:56 and the last 2 .5 mile section in 23 minutes! These are fantastic times for me.

This was one of my best training runs ever and I accomplished both of my primary goals. I am particularly excited about covering the second half ~14 minutes faster. Also, to see the benefit of holding back early so you can turn it on later is a huge mental lift as well. Hydration and nutrition (gels, shot blocks and e-caps) all went exceptionally well. I also used this run to "test" out the gear I would use during the race and everything went off without a hitch. My confidence level is pretty high as GEER approaches. Hopefully, the race will go as well as the training run yesterday.

September Arrives - Football and Cooler Temps

Flipping the calendar from August to September always gets me excited. This generally signifies the arrival of football season and a reprieve from the summer heat. In North Carolina, the landscape will soon become picturesque with fall color.

This year September means my training for the GEER 100K (September 29th) is coming to a close. In fact, this week is my last big push with next week being a "mini push" of sorts before I taper for two weeks. Total mileage for this week will top out around 70 with another 50 or so next week. My training has gone very well as I have focused largely on leg turnover and improving my climbing. These are two areas that have limited my performance in some previous races and I wanted to really make a concerted effort to improve these areas. Hill repeats are hard in Charlotte as the longest climb can be covered in about 15 minutes. It is not realistic for me to get to the mountains mid week for repeats so I have had to improvise - treadmill!

I am not a treadmill fan by any means, but my climbing has definitely improved with the addition of 3 x 30 minute repeats on the treadmill at 12 to 14 incline. I usually alternate running and walking every 10 minutes with a 10 minute "recovery" on 0 incline at ~8:00 pace in between the repeats. The results have been good so far but the real test will be in three weeks. I have also done a good bit of tempo and threshold training to improve leg turnover and have incorporated segments of these into my long runs. The improvements from both of these workouts as boosted my mental confidence, which is also a very good thing.

Tomorrow I am headed to the mountains to do about 6 hours on technical mountain trails as my final long run before GEER. Hopefully, the weather will be cooler and my legs will stay strong. Last but not least, my friends Mike Mason and Brennen Wyssong are both running the Wasatch Front 100 this weekend in Utah. This is a tough race that I hope to do someday. Both Mike and Brennen ran very strong at Massanutten this year and I am sure both will do great out west. Good luck guys.

Blisters on blisters

I know this picture is disgusting but I put it up anyways. In my Laurel Valley report I noted how bad the blisters were on my heels at the end of the run. Well, this picture is three days after the run. Actually, the picture doesn't really do them justice. They are all healed now. Lesson learned - Vaseline is your friend!

Hot! Hot! Hot! at Laurel Valley

Laurel Valley is an infamous trail run put on by the Runners From Hell running club each August. This year, it felt like the venue was moved to Hell rather than the usual location in the upper northwest region of South Carolina as it has been noted that this was the hottest year ever. This race is unique in that it is purely about the run as Claude (the RD) provides no wicking t-shirts, goodie bags or even aid stations (the remoteness of the race precludes aid stations). The low-key nature of this race is a nice "break" from typical races and allows new generations of ultra runners to get a glimpse of the way the sport used to be (all about the running). You carry everything you need to sustain you on your journey including food, water purification (you drink from the many streams along the course), electrolyte tablets and last but certainly not least, a heaping dose of mental resolve and a dash of stupidity. So what do you get for completing this race? Well, you get a t-shirt and some Coke and pretzels at the finish. You can also order a handmade wooden plaque but have to pay extra for it. What this race lacks in swag is more than made up for in scenic trails that challenge a runners limits forcing you to look deep within yourself for strength on multiple occasions. For me, I gained a new form of mental toughness and confidence that can only be developed by going through such an adventure.

On Friday evening John, Mason and I met up with Byron Backer, Mark Long, Jim Musselman, Stephen Morris and Mohammed Idibi at a local pizza place to fuel up. Afterwards we all headed to Byron's house as he was kind enough to let us all crash there. We spent the rest of the evening reminiscing and talking about past and future races and finalizing our preparations. Everyone turned in early as we had to be on our way before 4:00 AM to drop off cars at the finish and make our way to the start. Once there I talked with several others including Jeff McGonnell, John Teague and Bill Keane about the course. Although it was my first year, I was given a waiver on sweeping since I had sufficient experience with some tough races (the finish at MMT being the crown jewel). Nonetheless I wanted to be certain to show proper respect to a course I had little knowledge of. Key was to stay hydrated, eat properly and follow white blazes. How hard can that be?

We took off promptly at 6:30 AM and I ran most of the first 2 hours or so with John Teed. We pushed a little hard early to try and take advantage of the cooler temps and downhill terrain. Within an hour I began to feel a blister on my right heel. It didn't hurt too bad and there was nothing I could do about it anyways so I just pressed on. All went fine until I got off course and lost John for the remainder of the run. I rumbled around on the wrong side of some whitewater falls for about 25 minutes or so until I finally saw a backpacker on a trail above me and realized where to go. Next I realized that I was getting low on water so I tried to slow the pace. This wasn't too hard as I had to go under a number of fallen trees and had some nice climbs to conquer. Eventually I got to a water source, filled up and went along my way. Several runners passed me in the next hour including Richard Schick who was going for his 10th finish. He looked strong and had a good race on a tough day. I continued to make decent progress but was beginning to feel the effects of pushing too hard early and knew I was behind on fluids. I was eating well and taking an S! Cap (341 mg sodium) every 45 minutes.

My blister had stopped hurting and at my next water stop I found out why, my right sock was red on the heel from where the blister had popped. It looked unsightly but again there was nothing I could do so I kept going. Eventually as I was heading down some stairs I rolled my right ankle, which I had injured during a run up Mt. Mitchell last month. It hurt but was fine until I rolled it again as Mark Long and Richard Sexton were passing me. Mark asked if I was okay and I said I was fine and he moved on. He and Richard also had a good race. Fortunately I had no more problems with the ankle and ran alone for most of the next couple of hours until I met up with Bill Keane, Leon Harmon and Lynn DiFiore as I was getting water. The views to this point had been spectacular with several suspension bridges and waterfalls. I ran with them for awhile and we got off course again briefly but soon found our way back. We continued on but I was really starting to struggle in the heat. I was amazed at how strong Bill and Leon were despite the temps. I took it as proof of the benefit of experience. I hooked up with Lynn and we ran most of the rest of the race together. Eventually we caught up with Bill, Leon and Tyler Peek. Brian Beduhn also caught up with us. Bill, Leon and Brian ran ahead while Tyler, Lynn and I got some more water. At one point we encountered some backpackers who were really cheering folks on. That was a big help for me as I was pretty low on energy at that point.

When we got to the biggest river crossing on the course, the Horsepasture River, Lynn stopped to get in the water for a bit. I should have stopped but ran on to try and make up some time. We continued to leapfrog with Tyler for a bit until he finally left us for good. At this point I was having to stop and rest for a couple of minutes in an effort to cool down. Why I never got in the water baffles me. I knew that any hope of a good time was long gone but I didn't really care since I was using this as a good training run for the GEER 100K in September. I justified that the extra time on my feet would serve me well. Whatever; the things you say to yourself during these runs never ceases to amaze me.

I enjoyed talking with Lynn who now lives in Colorado and volunteered at Hardrock this year. She lives near the course and it was nice to get a first hand account of the scenery there. Eventually, we made it to an intersection in the trail that gave us an indication of what we had left (probably about 4 miles or so on mostly flat trail). We slogged our way through until we saw the sign indicating it was 1.7 miles to the parking area. Lynn mentioned that it was farther. It felt like it was 10 miles as opposed to the 1.7 posted on the sign. Once we crossed the final bridge oer the Whitewater Falls, I was in awe of the beauty of that section. Next up was a scramble over some boulders and then several switchbacks up to the stairs that take you to the top. All told, you gain about 1,000 feet in elevation over the last mile of the course! I had to stop and rest a couple of times on the climb as I was whipped. Lynn ran on as I sat down and wheezed while I searched for energy. Finally I reached the top and ran down the asphalt walkway to the finish in 10:26.

After the finish when I took off my shoes I had some of the worst heel blisters I have ever seen. Others commented that they were the worst they had ever seen. Three days later and they still look like something out of a horror film. This was a very tough race, one that I underestimated but I learned a lot as a result of the experience. That alone makes it worthwhile. In my opinion this race is harder than Horton's Mountain Masochist which is 20 miles farther. Although very difficult, the experience makes me a better runner (a reward much better than any medal or finisher's award) and Coke and pretzels have never tasted so good.