Last week I came to the realization that my life schedule is just too full to run a 100 or even a 50 miler this year. This was a fairly hard thing for me to realize but once I did, it was an easy decision. I am typically not one to back off from a endurance sports challenge so having this possibility even come into my awareness, I am grateful.

This year is going to be a life-redirection year that will require significant mental energies for some schooling so I must back off on the physical side a bit. I am happy that it only took one month of the year to figure out.

I still plan to remain extremely healthy and run five days per week and sneak in a couple local trail races along with the local running club events but the 50 miler-plus distances will be out of the question.

My schedule will now include a 26 mile trail event in March and a 50k trail event in November. The 50 and 100 mile events are gone!

Life is a journey.

Happy Training!

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I have a sneaky suspicion that I didn’t fully recover from my long racing season last year and I still have some residual fatigue hanging around. If it hangs around for too much longer, I will probably get some blood work done.

Since the season is young, no point in trying to push through things right now. I have a lot of miles waiting ahead of me. Eat well, rest well, and see what happens.

Happy Training!

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This reduced volume week basically consisted of getting it done.

The goof ball event of the week occurred during a trail run when I was surprised by a big spider web going across the trail. I saw the web a split second before running into it and somehow I was able to immediately stop my forward motion. I bailed to the ground and scraped one knee up a bit. What a wuss! I ended up driving home with a bloody knee.

I also purchased Guide to the Superior Hiking Trail to become more familiar with the trail before the race.

The Weekly Low-Down:

run: 35.17 miles (5 sessions: 6 miles-easy, 8 miles-easy, 6 miles- 4×1 mile at Threshold, 6 miles – easy/trail, 9.17 mile-easy/trail)

bike: 40 mins

weights/core: 1 sessions

Happy Training!

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Saturday I re-visited Lake Grapevine and took on this trail which has been kicking my butt for the previous two weeks. Finally, finally, I had the feeling that I could actually run this trail beyond 9 miles and not look like the shuffling dead. It was a great feeling to know that I still had a couple gears that I was not accessing. My fitness is finally starting to catch up with the training!

Sunday, well, it just hurt. You gotta love how you can feel invincible one day and the very next like poo. I am talking a lot of poo! The temps were 100+ and the four hour run turned very real after about 30 minutes. This is going to be a long, long run. Even when the sun disappeared below the horizon, I could not get on track. The water in my hand-held began to boil because it was so flippin hot. I could taste sand, dirt, and car exhaust as it coated the inside of my desert-like mouth.

I was fantasizing about eating the watermelon sitting in the fridge when I got home. W-a-t-e-r-m-e-l-o-n…cold W-a-t-e-r-m-e-l-o-n. Delirious? Not completely, but I have been better.

I positive split the run by 15 minutes. Nothing like four hours of mental training which just might prove useful someday.

The Superior Trail 50 miler is now a short 4 weeks away and my training plan says to taper…I taper. No point in changing course now.

The Weekly Low-Down:

run: 68.94 miles (5 sessions: 8 miles-easy, 6 miles-easy, 6 miles- 4×1 mile at Threshold, 24.54 miles – easy/trail, 24.40 mile-easy/road)

bike: 40 mins

weights/core: 1 sessions

Happy Training!

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It was another back-to-back long run weekend and Saturday included a four hour trail run that continues to kick my butt. I tried to go easy on the “out” section but the PE continued to climb on the way back. It was a tough day but I got it done. Try, try again I will.

After finishing week three of my four week build I am actually still feeling decent. I was a bit concerned with so many back-to-back weekends but the body seems to be handling it OK. I am still sleeping fairly well and my energy levels are remaining fairly high/normal. That is a good sign for me.

It is great to have arrived to the final week of my build phase healthy and mentally feeling pretty good. This coming weekend will take it up one final notch with a 5 hour and 4 hour run. I plan to do them both on trails.

Then it is time to taper as the Superior Trails 50 mile trail run is a mere four weeks away. I am not really sure if four weeks is too long of a taper but I am just going to keep following the ultra training plan and see how it goes.

The Weekly Low-Down:

run: 64.16 miles (5 sessions: 8 miles-easy, 6 miles-easy, 6 miles- 4×1 mile at Threshold, 19.74 miles – easy/trail, 24.42 mile-easy/road)

bike: 40 mins

weights/core: 1 sessions

Happy Training!

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Ready to have some fun – Really!

I had a great time on the trail. It felt like more of a strength than a cardio workout as I had to get used to all of the little grade changes. I saw about 5 other runners out on the trail and maybe about 10 bikes. One runner on the trail was just flying. It was quite impressive watching him glide along the trail when we crossed paths. I will have to try and remember his face for some of the local races this fall.

After completing the nearly 18 miles in 3 hours 35 mins, I was ready to head home. I started to feel the fatigue and heat during the last 5 miles. I could of used a bit more water but no cramping was experienced. I was taking HEED and Endurolytes which both provide a pretty solid electrolyte profile.

A few pics from the run.

Some of the trail runs along the shoreline.

A nice little bay pretty close to the turnaround.

More trail running in the coming weeks! Keep it rolling.

The Weekly Low-Down:

run: 57.73 miles (5 sessions: 8 miles-easy, 5.50 miles-easy, 6.0 miles-easy, 20.49 miles -easy/tempo/race, 17.74 mile-easy)

bike: 45 mins

weights/core: 1 sessions

Happy Training!

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I was able to complete all of my weekly workouts which was a nice bonus. The weather in the midwest was also a treat coming from the south. Those 50 degree mornings sure are nice this time of year. It was just fun, fun, fun to be outside running.

To recap the last couple weeks…

The 4th of July included a nice 10k (actually 6 miles) race up in at my wife’s hometown – Bismarck, ND. This little beauty was called the Mandan Rodeo 10k. My wife, sister-in-law, and nephew took on the 5k as well. We flew in the night before so we were a bit tired but ready to have some fun. I am guessing there were about 100 runners in total.

Pre-Race Pic – All Looking Spunky and Fresh

My plan was to cap the flats at tempo pace, steady on the uphills, and relaxed on the downhills. Mandan has plenty of rolling countryside so the course was definitely not flat. My Garmin summary stated 576 ft of gain which felt like a lot.

Pic Just Before the Finish – Still Able to Crack a Smile

I averaged 7:02 min/mile (total – 42:15) for the day which was in my goal pace. I did push it a bit hard the last 1.5 miles which included downhill, uphill, and finally downhill terrain.

It was a fun event to complete my tempo training session for the week.

Last week included week one of my final four week build. I didn’t get in as much trail running as I would have liked but I did get in some very solid sessions. These next three weeks will include as much dirt as I can find for all of my long runs.

The Weekly Low-Down (2 weeks ago):

run: 39.04 miles (5 sessions: 8 miles-easy, 6 mile-easy, 6 mile – race, 12.54 mile-easy, 6.50 mile-easy)

bike: 0 mins

weights/core: 1 sessions

and…

The Weekly Low-Down (last week):

run: 56.13 miles (5 sessions: 8 miles-easy, 17.84 miles-easy, 18.25 miles-easy, 4×1 mile-tempo, 6.04 mile-easy)

bike: 0 mins

weights/core: 0 sessions

Happy Training!

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Over the weekend I completed my first back-to-back long run of about 20 miles each day. One of them was on the trail and the other road.

I did see my first snake on the trail as I was near the end of my long run. I hurdled or “spasmed” over the little guy as it came into my awareness just before stepping on it. Graceful it was not and fortunately I didn’t pull a muscle.

A guy riding a horse was approaching in front of me and if he saw this less-than-graceful maneuver, he probably had a pretty good internal laugh.

I was a bit sluggish starting the second 20 of the weekend but got into a pretty good rhythm after about 1.5 miles. I held my Easy pace at a fairly low heart rate for much of the run until the last 3 miles when it began to creep up.

Due to the family schedule I didn’t start my second long run until early evening and finished in the dark. It actually was surprisingly enjoyable as the sun disappeared and the temperature dropped. I liked it even though my energy level was quite low at the start but once the blood got moving, I was feeling pretty good.

There was no cycling on Friday as I took it as an off day to recover for the big weekend.

This week is a reduced volume week so time to start absorbing those last three weeks!

The Weekly Low-Down:

run: 58.53 miles (5 sessions: 8 miles-easy, 4×1 mile-tempo, 6 mile-easy, 18.27 mile-easy, 20.26 mile-easy)

bike: 0 mins

weights/core: 1 sessions

Happy Training!

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This one thought was pounding through my head as I completed my long run of 26.12 miles on Saturday. The schedule said 26 miles. I thought, why not add an additional .2 miles. How tough could that be?

I stopped at 26.12 miles! I could tell early on that the run was going to be a bit tougher this week as my heart rate was elevated more than I thought it should be. The first 13 miles went OK. The final 13 miles were a real challenge both physically and mentally.

Losing 4.9% of my pre-run weight may have had something to do with the need to stop the run short! I definitely had the dehydration symptoms of “spaced out” and fatigued. I drank 76 oz throughout the run (4 hrs 11 mins) and that definitely was not enough. Maybe I need to run one of my weekday runs outdoors to help with the acclimation. Any thoughts?

Right now it just seems pretty tough to drink any more than 20oz per hour without having some walk breaks.

Anyway…that was the excitement for the week.

I also added a couple additional races during July and August to incorporate into my long runs and add a bit of variety.

The Weekly Low-Down:

run: 52.37 miles (5 sessions: 7 miles-easy, 4×1 mile-tempo, 6 mile-easy, 26.12 mile-easy, 7 mile-pace)

bike: 60 mins

weights/core: 2 sessions

Happy Training!

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During my long run, I also performed a hydration test to try and determine my personal fluid consumption needs. This will definitely be something to track over time under various conditions. I feel this understanding will provide many benefits in both training, racing, and recovery.

The Garmin Forerunner 305 was such a nice tool to have on the long run to provide pace, HR, and distance. This thing rocks! Every stat that I am concerned with is clearly displayed right in front of me. No need to calculate how many miles I have gone or my pace. This device saves plenty of mental energy to be used to contemplate the meaning of life and stuff.

I am a bit tired today due to the training and reduced sleep over the weekend. I will try and get to bed a bit earlier for the next few days…I hope.

The Weekly Low-Down:

run: 47.75 miles (5 sessions: 7 miles-easy, 3×1 mile-tempo, 6 mile-easy, 23 mile-easy, 7 mile-pace)

bike: 60 mins

weights/core: 2 sessions

Happy Training!

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