My sole reason for entering this race was to treat it as a supported training run in preparation for the ultra marathons I'll be running later. I've had a serious lack of discipline on my long runs, and generally won't push my self past about 15 miles or three hours or running. This was one solution to that, and had the advantage that I needn't be concerned with the logistics with water stops every 2-3 miles. It was simple enough to stuff some snacks in a belt pouch since I avoid using gels or GU.

My manager gave me race day off so that was taken care of. I hadn't mentioned anything about preferring not to work the closing shift, so I was scheduled for the 7:00 PM to close shift. I figured I would drive out the day before for packet pickup and drive the course. That would also ensure I knew how to get there and how long it would take. That's when I realize I would get only 5 hours sleep, if that even if I had everything I needed laid out the night before. Not the most auspicious start, but not a major issue either. Even being a training run, I figured I wouldn't sleep well anyway just like before any other race. The course itself included a lot of rolling hills. Only a couple looked like they would be an issue during the race, but as I was enlightened on race day, hills look a lot different from the front seat of a car than they do on foot.

My basic plan was to run-walk the course as if it were the start of an ultra marathon. I learned that there would be pace groups and thought that might be a good way to begin and keep my early pace under control. Unfortunately the slowest pace group for the marathon was 4:40, though there were 2:30 and 2:45 pace groups for the half marathon. Starting with the 2:45 hald marathon pace group sounded reasonable. What I hadn't counted on was that the pacer wasn't planning on walk breaks except on some of the longer or steeper hills and planned to bank time the first half because of the hills on the return. Running the first two miles about 12:00 pace and reaching 5 miles averaging 12:12 wasn't in my prerace plan.

With my plan to emulate the first part of an ultra shot to pieces, I changed strategies mid-race and decided to run steadily as long as I could, only walking the up hills when necessary or prudent and walking through the water stops. Just after the half marathon turn around I joined up with Chris who was running her first marathon. This was an unplanned bonus and we ran together for the next 10 miles. At that point I realized I would not be able to hold a 5:30 pace to the finish without turning this into a race effort instead of a training run, and that didn't fit my long term plans...or even my short term ones with the Ice Age Trail 50K coming up on May 10th. I told her to continue at her own pace while I switched to more of a run-walk rhythm. I was also becoming concerned about the rising temperatures. There had been not extended period to acclimate to them and I have a history of struggling in warmer temperatures as well. When I saw her again after I finished she was quite happy about finishing under 5:30 and thanked me for getting her through what she considered a tough portion of the course.

Having had company for the first 17 miles, the last nine weren't that bad. There were also other runners in sight and, surprisingly considering I'd switched to run-walk, I was gaining on some of them and must have passed at least a dozen over the next 6 miles. Much of the early miles of this section were undulating but not really hilly, so I limited my walking as much as possible knowing I had at least one very tough, short hill shortly after the half marathon turn around. On the way out going down that hill I had to slow down to control my stride, so I knew it would be a challenge coming back. What I didn't anticipate was that it would slow me to a 22:00 walking pace before I reached the top. I walked for a good 200-300m or more before I my legs felt like I could run again. Running itself wasn't too bad, and when I was running I was keeping a good pace. It was the transition and to running that was hard. My legs just didn't want to make the change. Somewhere around mile 22 the course started up hill. I do not remember running that much down hill in the early stages of the race. It seemed like the up hill would never end. I may have walked almost the entire mile before I reached the top. At least it was the last hill and when I started down there was just over 3 miles left.

With no more hills to face I tried to get into a more regular pattern, running for 90 seconds, then walking for 90 seconds. I still find it odd that I had no problems running sub-12:00 pace, but it was hard to hold that for more than 90 seconds or so without a very concerted effort, one I was not willing to make. Even after I turned back into Garden Spot Village and passed the 26-mile sign, I had to walk once more for a short distance before I was confident I could run to the finish. The closk read just under 5:45 and my chip time would be 5:43:50, near the upper limits of what I had anticipated even though I dispensed with my pre-race plan. Of more importance to me was that I finished and felt reasonably good rather than ready to collapse. Still it was a very welcome sight to see my friend, Joanne, after I finished. She also made sure I had whatever I needed or wanted from the post-race food while I found a place to sit and we caught up on news and rehashed the race. Once I felt recovered we headed to a local restaurant for something a little more substantial. I had a grilled cheese with bacon and tomato, only later discovering that today was National Grilled Cheese Day.

With that out of the way, I'm hoping it will encourage me to be more disciplined about getting out for some 4-5 hour training runs. If I can do this well with my slightly higher mileage without the long runs, that's a good omen that I should be able to run better if I can get in the longer runs. I'm starting to give serious consideration to finding a suitable race with a liberal cutoff time to run a 100-mile race.

I'm starting to give serious consideration to finding a suitable race with a liberal cutoff time to run a 100-mile race.

Wow!  Just wow!

That was a nice writeup on your experience, you are definitely not messing around that is for sure!  I obviously know nothing about ultra running but would find it hard to admonish you for your lack of 4 hour training runs as that has got to be extremely tough mentally to not only plan but do.

The clarity ultra running is is providing you is astounding though what with you mysteriously ordering a grilled cheese sandwich on its holiday.  lol

Any idea what the root cause of the 90 second limit on your running later in the race might have been?  Maybe just overall fatigue?

Good stuff George!

I know nothing about ultras (or marathons for that matter), but I definitely enjoyed reading this.  Good luck with your upcoming race!   Thanks for sharing your experience!

Congrats on your training-run-race, George!  I wish I had about 1/4 of your stamina and energy!

 

Any idea what the root cause of the 90 second limit on your running later in the race might have been?  Maybe just overall fatigue?

 

I'm guessing it's 90% mental and the other 50% fatigue. One of the reasons I scheduled this race was because I think I need these longer runs that take me well outside my comfort zone to learn to keep going when fatigue sets in.

I look forward to reading your first 100 mile RR !

Sunday evening I finally pulled the trigger on that and registered for the 100M race at the Jackpot Ultra on Feb 14, 2015 in Henderson, NV. I ran the 12-hour race this year and enjoyed it very much.

I am also enjoying watching you transition to a long distance runner. I remember how unhappy and frustrated you were when you were running shorter distances. It seems as though you have refocused your efforts and found goals that teach you new things about running and yourself and have renewed your motivation for running.

Nice "training run", George.

Can't wait to hear about your 100 miler, that is sure to be memorable.

It's odd how some days hills are much more problematic than others.  I guess it just depends on what's been going on in training and life in general.