will try RR if I find time during work day. is there a way to save what you've written if you have to leave computer for a time?

mKayc Hope your speed training goes well.

rmcj001 Too bad about getting lost, you probably would have had another great result.  I think the SF marathon is very scenic and although it is my only DNF, I really liked the route.

az2mntrail  Nice new "normal" distance for you!  Easier when the humidity backs off.

Fletch_NC Those speed workouts are really going to help you for your fall race.

adkkev You and your wife have done a lot of renovations.  Inconvenient to have no shower, though....but not for long.

justrundan Good race! Hope you have recovered well.

12 miles on the track. Only a few seniors there and an aerobics class.

Dances with Dirt RR

DW and I went to packet pickup the evening before the race; held at a ski/golf resort near Devil’s Lake, but race headquarters was in a field nearby. Lots of tents set up for those who needed to be there extra early and didn’t want to pay resort prices.

Up at 5:30 Saturday morning (ultra runners started @ 5:30) for PBJ toast and coffee to get the ‘system’ moving. Left @ 6:30 (marathon started @ 6:30) already 70 and humid. Arrived @ 7 and put on second layer of bug spray and headed for portapotties. Good thing, the line was long and I got to the starting area just as the first wave was sent out.

I headed to the back and started in the 4th wave @ 7:37. ½ mile or so flat, then into the woods and hills started immediately. First 2 miles mostly all uphill with a few flat areas, quickly most of us in wave 4 were walking a good portion of the hills. I had decided earlier that I would walk when HR hit 160, which it did quickly on the hills. Miles 3-4 were more gentle but still lots of up/down. First aid station at 4.2 mi, took Gatorade since I figured I needed the electrolytes. I normal cannot stomach it, but it seemed weaker and watered down. Good thing!

Miles 4-6 were again up/down, I was able to make up ground on the downhills as I let the hill speed my leg turnover; most people continued at the same pace as on flat ground. Mile 6 turned from single track, which it had been for the most part, to wide graveled area, but all uphill. We all did a lot of walking that mile, but I tried to ‘power walk’ and made up some ground even walking. We got to the second aid station around 7.5 mi, at top of bluff overlooking the valley and a small portion of Devil’s Lake. Beautiful!!! The path turned back toward the first aid station, but took a different route, longer ups and downs, some so filled with stones sticking up that you had to walk to avoid turning an ankle. Reached the aide station (same as #1) and had 4.2 mi to go. I spent a little longer there, hydrating with water and Gatorade. Also had another GU, ate one of those about every 40 minutes, and I think that was enough. I was also VERY glad I had carried a water bottle with me. It was larger and slightly inconvenient, but being able to frequently take a drink helped!

After crossing the highway we were retracing the first 4.2 miles, and the last 2 were almost all down hill. Again, I made up lots of distance on those, as most just kept to the same pace, perhaps out of fear of losing control. I gunned ahead pretty good, and probably passed 20 people in the last 2.5 miles. When I cleared the woods and hit the last flat I had to walk for 30 seconds, then finished with a decent pace, and didn’t get passed at all. I spent 20 minutes just drinking and having a couple bananas, and finally my legs stopped wobbling nd I could stand in line for the lunch they provided. When I found out I got second in AG I went to get my prize, a nice felt blanket with “Dances With Dirt” stitched on a corner.

I'm OK with the time, though the average pace seems glacial.  Walking all those hills takes a toll.  I need LOTS of work on the hills!

It was fun, and I think I’ll do it again if I get the chance next year. Now that I know what it’s like I can train for the hills and the path and push the hills a little more!

Chantilly - 12 miles.  Sounds like the foot's feeling better!

Mary Kay - hope you're feeling better.  I know the "dragging" feeling.  Maybe the Emergen-C will help.  Nice job pushing through it for 4 miles.

Dan - great RR for Dances with Dirt!  That sounds like a really fun race, but difficult.  Given the description of the trail, I don't consider your time "glacial" at all.  You ran a great race!

Follow-up note on the group run Wednesday morning - we had to detour around fire trucks that were blocking a road, trying to extinguish a fire at a very popular pizza joint in our little downtown area.  I had just been in there at about 7pm Tuesday night.  Had a great pizza and a couple beers and chatted with the owner.  He has only been open about one year, but was telling me how pleased he was with the business, and how much he was enjoying running it.  Unfortunately, it caught fire about 8 hours later.  Looks to be a total loss.

Thunderstorms rolled through here yesterday, and really cooled things off.  It was a very pleasant 65 degrees, with low humidity, at 6:30 this morning.  My HM training plan called for 5 miles easy (10:15-10:30 pace).  But it felt so good, I ended up running 6 miles, at 9:41 pace.  First mile was warm-up, at 10:17.  Followed with 9:43, 9:48, 9:44, 9:37, and 8:57.  I was listening to the Audiobook of Unbroken, and the last mile of my run just happened to be right at the point in the book that the main character, Louis Zamperini, was running in an olympic qualifying 5,000 meter race.  Maybe I should bookmark that section, and pull it up for the last mile of my next 5k!

Happy Running!

Nice RR Dan!!  Thanks for sharing ...

I have walked many of the steeper uphill sections in the trail runs I've participated in ... the climb up Mt. Moosalamoo in Vermont is mostly fast walking/hiking before you have to head back down ...

About 81 degrees, partly sunny, 8mph breeze, NICE with 50% humidity!! What a difference that makes!! Finished 7.1 miles on the mtn bike trail, very quiet, all by myself!! YAY!! DH's birthday today!

Chantilly- I used my Brooks Ghost road shoes, they worked well.

 

AZ- Happy Birthday to DH!!  Next July would be great.  If anyone wants a weekend in Baraboo, DW and I can host while you train on the hills!

 

5 miles this morning, hopefully 9-10 tomorrow before I head to dealer for some maintenance on the Beemer.

 

Dan:  I got the feeling that you went with your Brooks, glad it survived the trail.  You might want to invest in a good trail running shoes.  If you like Brooks and you're a 'neutral', try the Cascadia.  I love them for trail running.  Still looking for road shoes.  Bought the Mizuno which I ran in in the Relay but it has a narrow toe (causes small blisters too, on right foot) compared to the Cascadia which I am use to.  You did great on your first trail race!! Hills are always part of trail running, and single-track trails are challenging but I love the feeling of them!!  Duluth, I'm told, has good trails to run on and they do have trail races but it's about 3 hrs from here just to 'train' on hill running.  Thanks for the offer, will let you know if we are 'nearby.'  I need to get some maintenance work on my Harley as well.  We are searching for a group ride for this weekend, if any. Lots of bikers around, enjoying the less humidity and nice breeze!!   What race (s) are in the near future?