Training Highlights: 7 - 13 March
- Happy 35th birthday Brandie (Monday)!
- The Tuesday group was only Dan and I, as the rest of the crew was racing Way Too Cool. Still had a great run and chat with Dan. Great perspective on running from him
- Best tempo run to date (5:42, :36, :38) on Wednesday
- Good "problem-solving long run" on Friday. I was sick, but still got in a long day: my 2nd longest run ever (28 HILLY miles in 3:38):
Did not feel great today: still ill. Worked an easy 3hrs, then a few appts, then finally the run. I parked at 39th/Hilyard again, with the plan of 3x Ridgeline, this time with the added Fox Hollow trail loop. I ran in my new NB M101s, which are light and comfortable trail racers, that I'll likely wear for Chuckanut.
Did NOT feel good; the first lap felt like the 3rd did two weeks ago: tired and sluggish. The climb wasn't easy and I was breathing too hard, so I backed off. The Fox Hollow loop was a nice, but hilly addition. Overall the footing was better, which was nice.
My R achilles was CRANKY on the first lap, but after focusing on relaxing, and later taking smaller (hip extension) strides, it felt basically fine. Stopped at the cemetary to get water. Had half a bottle of freshwater, then refilled.
Lap 2: felt WORSE. More tired, a tad woozy. Annoying. Heels were so-so. I thought about bagging the last lap, but instead I thought: "Lets solve some problems!". I had blown through my 2nd Nuun bottle quick (before getting to Spencer trail), so I knew I was short on fluid. At the cemetary, I drank a WHOLE water bottle, then refilled. THEN, at the car, I drank HALF my cooldown bottle of Nuun, grabbed some Clif Bloks, and a Clif Bar. Ate the Clif bar on the start of the 3rd lap. ALSO changed out of the M101s into the more supportive Mizunos.
The 3rd lap was still tough but much better than #2: focused on form, especially the "chip-chip-chip" flick & pull up the hills. The last downills I took a bit easier, because I felt some L knee soreness. REALLY focusing on equal loading of the L knee.
Consensus: TOUGH RUN but GOOD PROBLEM SOLVING. Here was my food/fuel intake:
PRE-RUN: maybe a bottle, some coffee, a Clif Bar
LAP #1: 16oz Nunn, 8oz Water
LAP #2: 24oz Nuun, 16oz Water, Clif Shot (Razz)
LAP #3: 16oz Nuun, 8oz Water, Clif Bar, Clif Bloks (whole sleeve)
Total FLUID: 5.5 bottles.
SODIUM: 1100 mg+ (not including shots/bars)
I only peed twice, and I was not over-hydrated OR have any sodium gut-rot, post run. I was VERY TIRED, however.
- I'm learning A LOT about my fluid/salt needs. It was 55F here, but it seems like I need a whole bottle every SIX MILES? Sheesh!
- The best part about Friday long runs? I got to spend Saturday running easy, then hanging out at Jackalope, sharing a pitcher of Spring Reign with NO ONE. :)
Training Highlights: 28 February - 6 March
- Another good Tuesday night run with "The Eugene/States 4".
- So-so tempo (3 miles): easy, but SLOW (5:50s - 6:00)
- Found out on the 3rd that I got into Chuckanut! That'll be a terrific race to be a part of!
- My achilles' are still bothering me on and off, but I figured out I'm still tensing them too much while running...
- I moved into my new apartment most of the day on Saturday, which was a good workout!
- Did a race-specific long-run on Sunday, which went pretty well:
Slept in a bit, then drove to 39th/Hilyard for the long run. Did a flat 4 on Rexius+, then did x2 loops of Ridgeline. Felt TIRED from moving, and the pool, but overall strong. Had 2 Nuun bottles + half a bottle of water over the first 20 miles, but only x2 gels. Dropped off the bottle at my car and ran "hard" over the last 3.8 miles around Rexius (road). Wound up running 6:00 over that segment. Not great, but solid considering.Total mileage: 70 miles, including a sweet "rest day" of a one-hour pool session w/Britt
Really focused on TOTAL RELAXATION of my lower legs and "floppy feet" -- I think I've been over-tensing these, ever since the injury. Very little heel/calf soreness whatsoever on the run. Post-run: got a good 70min of work w/Kelly Woodke, which was fun -- talked "shop" (ultra running).
Training Highlights: 21-27 February
- Tuesday, 2/22: Ran with a group of Ultra Guys: perhaps henceforth noted as "The Eugene/States 4" -- myself, Craig Thornley, Dan Olmstead and Lewis Taylor -- all of us running in the 2011 event -- representing 1% of the field. They all meet on Tuesday nights from Craig's house and do a night run w/headlamps up in the south hills, on the Ridgeline Trails nearly up to the top of Spencer Butte (2000'). Nice climb and descent, mid-week. Fun to run and learn from those guys
- Did my first legit trail run: that Ridgeline Loop (~8mi) x3. Learned a lot:
Worked til 11, then drove my car to 39th and Hilyard to do 3x the Ridgeline "Hunting" (Tuesday night ultra) loop. Very cold for Eugene: maybe 36F? I forgot my pants at home so it was shorts and a LS + jacket.
The plan was x3 of those "9 mile loops", and that's what I did. Here's what I ran and how I fueled:
PRE-RUN: Clif bar, banana
Lap 1: :59, 1 bottle w/Nuun, banana + Clif shot
Lap 2: 1:02, 1 bottle w/Nuun, Clif bar
Lap 3: 1:01
I only had two bottles of liquid for the whole run: I did not refill until the end of the 2nd lap, stopping at Safeway on 40th because the cemetary faucets were off due to the weather.
The course was INCREDIBLE: just regular "cold Eugene" at the bottom (500'), but by the time I got up to Fox Hollow TH, it was wintry -- snow and a bit of ice. Once I climbed up to the base of Spencer, it was LEGIT WINTER: snow covering all the trees and ferns, and iced-over trails. So cool! The only bad part was the descent down Spencer -- dangerously icy.
Overall I felt really good, but CLEARLY not enough water/salt: I had a headache for the rest of the day, into Saturday.
- Had a terrific weekend w/Britt at the Oregon Coast in Yachats. One incredible beach run w/great weather, the next day...brutal weather but still a good run.
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