April 22 - Cedro Peak ultra trail run - Start and Finish
Another hill -
Finishers' medal w/ a stand!!
Instead of racing shirts, we got this warm knitted cap!! Love it!
Saturday: Did I post my run? Anyway, 10 miles at the state park, sunny and breezy. Then we rode our Harley bikes for couple of hours. Then met for dinner at a friend's home by the lake. After short boat ride, we had grilled salmon and walleye.
Sunday: rest day.
Today: Drove to local mountain bike trail in the rec area; lots of walkers and bikers but on a different loop than the one I decided to run on. Overcast skies and breezy all day. Half way through my run on the mt bike trail, it started to sprinkle for about 15 min, then it stopped for 20 min, then it began to shower. The dirt trail was dry so it soaked up the shower but then it started to rain. Thank goodness, I was at the end of my planned run, finished 6 miles. The short hills are decent but I need to run the X-country trails for more steepness. By the time I got home, it started to rain. Monsoon season in northern MN. It's nice.
Tomorrow: 'rest day' but ballroom dance lessons in the evening.
Big Sur International Marathon Report
The Big Sur Marathon is the 2nd half of the "Boston to Big Sur Challenge". There are 400 slots for the "challenge" and you had to win a lottery to get in (400 of 480 entrants get in). DW, here to after to be referred to as "V", ran BSIM in 2011, but course had to be altered due to road damage. She's always wanted to do the "real" course and so we entered the lottery and both got in. If you don't finish Boston, you get removed from the challenge. Consequently, we both felt obligated to finish Boston (tho, the experience of the finish on Boylston is hard to beat). With that out of the way the only real concern was recovering in 13 days. My strategy was to do a few recovery type runs and a couple days off before Sunday's race. Unfortunately for V, she had to take care of running a wild flower show on Saturday, which meant I needed to pick up her packet and that we would have two cars to deal with.
Saturday, V needed someone to step in help with selling native plants for an hour and I was volunteered to step in. Knowing this ahead of time I had everything ready to go so I could leave for Monterey right after I finished my shift. With my work all done I headed to Monterey. When I arrived at the hotel for the packet pickup, the parking garage was full and ended up parking a few blocks away and walking back. Got everything and then decided to get my right calf KT taped, it had been kind of tight the whole week and thought this might make finishing easier. I then proceeded to the hotel to check-in, got the room and was resting watching some random TV shows when V called to say she needed "glide" and could I pick some up. Called around and found a "Fleet Feet" store that sold "Run guard". Decided to walk to it and after 2.5 miles found it a block from the "expo" -- oh, well needed the extra steps anyway. Fairly soon after I got back to the hotel, V arrived. She was a bit dehydrated and so we proceeded to a 7-11 store to get soem gatorade. V took a nap after downing her gatorade and asked me to go get some more. After I returned and after she awoke, we hit a nearby diner to get dinner. We ended up bringing half our food back to the hotel after listening to the waitress and a local argue a bit about how hard hit the area had been by road outages from mud slides and fire damage from the last summer. Shortly after preparing our running gear we were asleep.
Sunday, we got up at 3AM (the bus was supposed to leave at 4AM) and were all packed up and ready to run by 3:40. Got to the bus garages by just before 4AM and proceeded toget in the several block long line for the busses. Finally got on a bus around 4:45 and were on our way. Arrived about an hour later at the drop off point about 1/2 mile from the start of the race. Jumped in a line for a port-a-potty, but left after race volunteer encouraged us to move to the start as there more there. We finally go to start and it's packed and the lines to the potties are twice as long. Oh, well, we've still got an hour. V decides she wants coffee and food and we split up. After my stop, I start looking for food - grab a bagel and coffee down them then check phone to call V. No signal, how am I going to find her? Look up and there she is looking around, whew...
Announcer is calling people over for wave 2, so we head over to start line. V is planning on going with wave 3, so heads further back. I notice a couple, 1 has a Boston 2 Big Sur shirt on and I strike up a conversation. They're doing the challenge as well and are from the Victoria area. This is the first time they've done the challenge, but they've done Big Sur and Boston before (just not in the same year). The wave separators show up and we're at the front of wave 2. Wave 1 goes and we walk slowly forward. Then, we're up and after the announcer's banter, we're off.
Big Sur is a point to point race and might even be a net downhill. Makes little difference, it is a fairly tough course, but you wouldn't know it by the start. The three of us are moving at a good clip, but fairly slowly given the downhill nature of the first 5 miles. There are the less experienced runners taking off at a full tilt and we spend most of that first few miles keeping track of each other and exchanging a little small talk and banter. I had prepared a pace band to target a 3:55, but was unable to find tape and so left it in a bag. My recollection was that most of the earlier part was to be covered fairly close to 9mpm with a few under but most of the first half over. The first 8 miles have gone by and they're all around 8:40/mile. That's ok, the weather is still cool, sub 60F and it's been mostly downhill. We've caught up to the back of the first wave and there are plenty of people to pass. Somewhere between 8 and 10 miles we lose the male half of the couple (there not really a couple, just running buddies, but I don't know that yet). There have been a couple of bands playing so far and as we pass mile 10 we hear the taiko drummers. This also lets us know we're about to start a 2 mile uphill climb of almost 600'. We hit mile 11 at just under a 10:00/mile pace. The sun is out and it is starting to feel warm and as we crest the rise around mile 12 I can hear the woman is breathing pretty hard. About this time there was runner who clearly didn't want me to pass him, which annoyed me and so I took off a bit since we were on the longest downhill section of the course. I lost my running companion at this point, but figured she would catch up.
We're now running along the coast and the scenery is breath taking. At the halfway point we cross the Bixby Bridge, this is the iconic photograph that one associates with BSIM. Unfortunately, when you're running it you know your going across it, but you can see the "iconic" part of the bridge. Think it was around mile 14 or 15 that the blue of the ocean, white of the surf, brown of the cliffs and the green green grass left me speechless. The other thing I was thinking about now and the rest of the race was finding any shade I could. We got pretty lucky on the weather, with the high around 64F for the race. Around mile 19 I could feel my legs losing it, there are multiple hills in the 2nd half of the race and tho none are like the "big" climb, they feel worse. At this point in the race, for some reason I didn't feel like eating my Gu's, but every time there were bananas and oranges I'm grabbing whatever my hands will hold. Around mile 21 or 22 my running companion says "Hey Stanford!" as she goes by. She mentions something about her running buddy and she leaves me in the dust. At mile 22.5 I grab two handfuls of strawberries and stuff my face. As I near mile 23 I start to feel the twinge in the right hamstring and reach for cramp medicine. V had said they last for about 2 miles and it seems to do the trick. Mile 24 comes and I'm slowing down a bit more as my mile time slips to 10:20/mile. Mile 25 sees just a tad improvement, probably the 2nd round of strawberries. There's one more hill left and I'm hoping I can make it and the twinge returns in the right hamstring. As I start the hill, I concede and start walking pulling out another cramp pill. I'm halfway up the hill and the pill is dissolved, but I can't make myself run yet and walk to the top. I can see the finish line and start running. I know I'm close to 4 hours, but figure to be just a bit over and try to go faster to keep it close. I cross the line in a net time of 4:01:01 and my running companion is there. She introduces me to her husband and then she insists we get a photograph together. She's asking about her buddy and how he's such a strong runner, she really expected him to be near. She's hanging out with her husband and waiting for her buddy and I excuse myself to go get some food. The B2B runners get their own tent and I get my extra finishers medal and my jacket and then some a tri-tip sandwich and extra tri-tip, some asparagus and other veggies and a ice cold beer. Find a table where I can see the finish line and dig in. I see V finish and then she joins me for lunch. I'm mostly done so I go out to find my drop bag and on my return 2nd running buddy is in the tent eating, he says this was a really tough course and I have to agree with him. Turns out he's 66! I hope I can run as well when I'm that age! I rejoin V and put on my warm clothes and change my shoes as she finishes her lunch. Once she's done, it's time to get her drop bag and head to the buses to return to our cars and the long trip home...
Ray
Altair - Some good training you're getting in there. Just one note, registration for 2018 open 9/11 for those who are 20 minutes under their BQ time, on 9/13 for those 10 minutes under and 9/15 for those 5 minutes under. On 9/18 registration opens for those who've BQ'd and closes 9/20. IF, that's a big "if", the registration isn't filled by those completing registration by 9/20, then registration will open again on 9/25 on a first come first serve basis. The last few years you've needed to be under by more then 2 minutes, which is to say don't count on there being any spots after the 20th...
Az - some nice pics! Those rocks on the trail look pretty "technical" - looks like it was a fun run.
Art - Tuesday and Wednesday last week were pretty hot here, but only low 90's - nothing like your 108. It's good you got some runs in...
Rich - hope you get some good news on the heel. I bet you had a lot of fun walking those 3 miles. I would say "more steps!", but only 'cuz I have a fitbit...
Friday, finally got off my keester and ran 8.1 miles. Legs felt good and weather had cooled a bit from earlier in the week.
Sunday, did a quick 10.1 in the neighbor hood. Legs felt pretty good.
az2mntrail Congratulations on your races.!! You did a good job! Your medal looks really nice.
I hope your leg continues to do well this year. I like your photos. Everything s so scenic! I am jealous that you were back to Albq again. If you want another road trip, the QCM (Sept.10) here, is only an 8 hr. drive from your place...hint, hint,....Also, www.mainlymarathons.com have races on Oct. 28-29 at Las Cruces, NM.... FM, HM, 10 Km. I really would like to go. Great swag!
NH Runner I hope the doctor can help you. It has been a long haul for you and you have tried many things for that heel. Hope the turkeys fare better..I grew up on a farm and slaughtered animals and my Dad hunted and fished. But now that I am old, I am rooting for the wildlife...sorry...
rmcj001 Congrats to you and your wife on Big Sur! I knew you would do better there! You are certainly a good age-grouper, that's for sure. (hand clap!)
Art in AZ Good runs for you out in the heat. Going to be another hot summer for you. How is the garden coming along? Have you had any harvests recently? My son was encouraged by the D'Backs good seasonal start. We might go back to Glendale at Xmas, depending upon work schedules. If we do, I will do the ATY 24 hr. again. Trying to talk the son into it, but he would rather see the Suns...
Altair5 You seem to be on track for a BQ in the fall! Good workouts! (I want to say Altair4 but then, I am a Stephen King fan)
Sciatica and bursitis are clearing..
I ran 1 mile on Sunday and 3 miles on Monday. Plus walking and yard work.
My fingers are so sore from the yard work...but then I have arthritis everywhere....
Made maple butter pecan tarts...
"dancing on the path and singing, now you got away,
you can reach the goals you set from now on, every day"
Sonata Arctica
Tuesday, 5/9... Sunday and Monday were uneventful mtn bike and tryke rides on the railtrail. Took today off and kept the 10 am appt. with my Primary Care. After looking at my heel, decided on an x-ray, then depending what the x-ray shows, possibly an appt. with Orthopedic Surgeon. I'm hoping for an appt. with the surgeon, the sooner the better...
az... now I understand why you take so many pictures, that country's beautiful! Really enjoyed 'em! You're running pretty dern good lately too, good for you!
Ray... If your legs could talk, I wonder what they'd be saying about you right now? lol 2 marathons in 13 days ain't too shabby! Congrats. finishing Big Sur in a respectable time, enjoyed your race report, as always.
Chantilly... good to see you posting again and nice to see the Bursitis and Sciatica are easing up. Not a lot of yard work for me yet, but the vegetable garden's almost in. Our weather's been wet every day for a week now and the grass is lovin' every minute of it. Turkey's still aren't cooperating, called a hen up yesterday, but her beau stayed back out of sight...lol
5 mile run this morning in beautiful weather. Little rain last night cleared out the skies and it was partly cloudy this morning. Raining a little again right now. Garden is liking the cooler weather.
Altair - Your training is coming along nicely. Monitor your times now and then compare them again in a month or two and you will see improvement.
AZ - Some great pictures there. Love those kind of races even though I don't do many of them. You have a monsoon season there? You would have guessed. Seems early compared to ours here in Arizona.
Ray - Nice race report. Even though you were hoping for a better time I think 4 hours is still a good time considering your description of the course. Congrats to both you and the wife again.
Chantilly - Glad things are getting a little better. I think you meany Las Cruces, NM for the Day of the Dead race. I have heard of that before but never checked it out. I'll have to take a look.
Rich - Good luck with the Xrays.
Art in AZ
Mesa, AZ
Hi Chantilly!! Great and relieved to hear from you! So sorry to hear of your problems w/ sciatica and bursitis, are they in the same area? Arthritis? yeah, same here too, especially in right knee, not surprised w/ all the past injuries from playing basketball, volleyball, etc. Running actually makes them feel better!
We are on the same wavelength!! I actually was checking out the 'Day of the Dead' on mainly marathons site, it's in Las Cruces, NM. About 3 hr drive south of Albq, all on I-25. I am interested in running the HM. Your right, looks like the bling is worth the time!! I'm assuming you are running the marathon? I was checking out the Southwest series too .......
Last year, I was in Albq on my way home to MN a week before Halloween (would have ridden if I knew I would be there), and watch my brother, SIL, niece ride their bikes in this event: http://www.active.com/albuquerque-nm/cycling/races/day-of-the-tread-www-dayofthetread-com-2016
So, I'm thinking that I could run the HM in Las Cruces, on Saturday, Oct 28th. http://mainlymarathons.com/series-3/day-of-the-dead/
Then head back up to Albq for next day bike ride on Sunday, Oct. 29th. http://www.dayofthetread.com/
Art: a run after a rain shower is so refreshing in 'the valley.' So you have grandkids helping out w/ the garden? If you can make it work w/ Day of the Dead event in Las Cruces, I'm assuming you would run the half? I'm pretty sure I will be in Albq for the bike ride since brother/family are thinking of it again, and I'm trying to talk son/DIL to participant. They are not as active as I would like them to be.
Rich: Really keeping finger crossed that you get some good news about your heel, that has been going on too long. Believe you me, it's so frustrating! I hope the ortho doc has some solutions/treatments. You've been so discipline in your cross-training. Well, the 'monsoon' doesn't last too long but I love the overcast sky although it can be just as humid. It's been breezy lately so it's been staying cool. I'm hoping the hen's beau stays away
Altair: What else do you incorporate w/ your running? It sounds like you have a solid plan and it's working for you. I don't have a specific training 'plan' but I try to throw in tempo/intervals when I can, I actually prefer running hills for speed/strength. Right now, my focus is just gaining endurance. Take it day by day...........and come race day, take it mile by mile. You'll finish.
Ray: WOW!! another incredible accomplishment!! And CONGRATS to V also!! I missed the 'challenge' part of this back to back marathons! I get it now, duh!! They were both tough and challenging, and you had to deal w/ those darn hamstrings. I hear BS is very scenic at certain spots. It sounds like you took in energy which really made a difference between both races. I know many runners don't want to slow down/stop to eat but it sounds like you really were conscious of what you needed. Reading your RR is always exciting!! Thanks for sharing.
I'm not sure if I shared w/ you all that we are moving back to northern AZ .....for good!! YAY!! DH accepted a position w/ another facility in AZ. We kept our home in AZ and did buy our MN home but we aren't in any hurry to sell it. People have been buying homes here like crazy!! The paperwork for DH will be at snail pace so we are thinking by Sept. Needless to say, this time crunch is making me search for trail races 'up here' that I missed out on last year due to injury, ugh!! But then, I'm soooo looking forward to the many trail races in the western states.......with mountains/trees/rivers/canyons!! So Chantilly and Art, I will be in NM in Oct.
NH Runner Good that you can keep fit on the bike and tryke. Too bad about the soft footing on the trail. I suppose it will harden up, just as long as it is not with big ruts in it. Is your wife walking outside?
I don't have a garden anymore, just flowers, shrubs, trees. I try to do a lot of manual labor instead of spraying, because of the bumble bees which live somewhere on my property. They like my hardy roses and bleeding heart and the dahlias. Hope you get some news about the heel.
Art in AZ Your garden would like the moisture. Nice 5 miler.
If I went to Las Cruces, I would have to fly into El Paso and then rent a car. Just like Roswell, it isn't easy to get there from here. But it is a race that I would like to go to.
az2mntrail That looks like a good plan for you Oct. 28 and 29. I don't know if I can go to NM, but I would like to..Sciatica is always in my left back/leg and the bursitis was under the inner aspect of the left knee. That will be nice for you to live in AZ, closer to your family.
4 mile run on the track and 30 minutes walking. I bought a pair of Saucony Jazz 2.0 from Sport Chek and they seem to be ok.
Drove to state park. Ran mostly paved portion but a couple of miles on dirt/grassy portion of X-country trails. Quite breezy along the lake and chilly, brrrrr!! Finished 8.5 miles. Pressed Garmin to save and it just erased today's run!! I looked at it before pressing so I know I ran 8.53 to be exact. Anyway, no biggie. Might run Friday again. Thinking of driving to the Lake Wobegan Marathon on Saturday to cheer on RB, not sure. The following weekend is our HIKE FEST 2017, about an hour north of Duluth along Superior Hiking Trail, it's a 3 day event, we are camping out!!
I registered for the 25K in this trail run in July: http://marathons.ahotu.com/event/afton-trail-runshttp://marathons.ahotu.com/event/afton-trail-runs
And for August, I might run the 16 miler and RB might run the marathon in this trail run in ND: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=41941
I'm still searching for a race when we are in D.C. the end of this month. Close ones are road races, ugh!! Might just wait for June ........
Chantilly: El Paso, TX to Las Cruces, NM is less than an hour away. I'm not sure about my running the half either, it's a road race and my injury doesn't like those much. Who knows? there might be a dirt trail run that shows up! Sciatica and bursitis sound so annoying, hoping that it doesn't last too long. Have you always had it? I'm happy about moving back to the southwest. I'm originally from northern NM, in the four corners so any of the 4 states is 'home' to me. So, I don't live THAT close to family but it's close enough
8.4 miles on that canal route. Ran the loop part backwards just for something different. Nice weather still here.
AZ - I can tell you're happy to being back in Northern AZ. Always nice to be "home". So you should be home in time for the Fall season up there. I looked a little more at the Day of the Dead event and they mention the course is like an out and back loop you do 6 times. The swag looks nice but I would like a better course. The same day there is the Wicked Half here in Peoria on their trail system. Given with the description I would lean to the Wicked Half if I choose that race. The weekend before is the Petrified Forest half near Holbrook. That would be my pick for the month. Nice run for you there and I see you have a couple more races scheduled.
Chantilly - Hope your "pains" don't interfere with your running too much. I like the manual work also. Better exercise and less chemicals. An answer to your earlier question I have gotten a couple of peppers from the garden so far. Plan to pull a couple of carrots and a few cherry type tomatoes for a salad this weekend.
Art: Almost the same mileage as I ran.........WTG!! I would have gone for that last push to get 8.5 .... Easier to remember, i.e. last post: garmin went berserk and erased my data. The half fanatics series seem to be have those 'routes' of out/back, laps or loop running. I don't like those, not very good at them, it's tough for me to focus and/or stay engaged but I have yet to try one. Just to say I did one would be my reason for it. There are other races and I'll be searching for trail races. I still will be planning on being in NM for the 'Day of the Tread'.
Chantilly: any other races you are thinking of? considering what you're dealing with at the moment, it can be frustrating to wonder if you should register or not. I really would like to get an herb garden going, got some small pots .......they are still sitting empty.
Thursday, 5/11... took Tuesday and Wednesday off and rode the tryke 7 miles on the railtrail today. So happy to have the tryke, I'm not a big fan of riding the bike a lot, so the tryke gives me the break I need. Was fortunate yesterday to have successful end to the Spring turkey season, a 20.5 pound bird that ate nothing but what nature intended for the last 3 years, no artificial growth hormones anywhere in his diet. Also heard from my Primary Care today concerning heel x-rays, they show bone spurs at the "Attachment site of Achilles Tendon with associated soft tissue swelling". Says she's placed an 'Ortho consult' to see if there's something more they can do. Not sure what that means, I just want the spurs gone...
Chantilly... I don't use any sprays in my yard, I remember reading the warnings for a weed killer I was thinking about trying once that warned about killing bugs and the birds that eat the bugs. Who would put that on their lawn! Finally mowed the lawn today, it was getting pretty bad...lol And yeah, we need to take care of the bees...
az... nice run yesterday, 8.5 or 8.53, I'd take either one right now...lol Lots of racing in your future, you're doing great. And congrats. on the move coming that'll take you home where the heart is...
Art... when I first read your post, I read it like you'd ran backwards...lol Nice run though, even running forward...
justrundan
Hello everyone, I did survive the Crazy Legs Classic. I wasn't expecting much, didn't equal my time of 5 years ago, but enjoyed the race overall, particularly the part along the lake. Running down into Camp Randall and finish at 50 yd line. Made it easy to speed up & push to the finish. the had a large screen set up so you could see yourself finish. As an explanation of how slow I was, when I looked up to see myself the had cut away to the award ceremony! LOL Running has been very sparse since then, but hoping to get out more this weekend.
You all have been so busy! just read through May and I am impressed!
Ray- another great race and great RR! 2 marathons in 13 d, impressive!
Chantilly- you do a great job working through the aches and pains, nice job. The yard work cross training never hurts.
Rich- good luck with the heel. DW had surgery for chronic plantar fasciitis years ago; it took a long time for her to start running again, but all is well now. There are some ortho docs who specialize in surgery of foot & ankle, so if you can fine one with special training in that, I'd go for that one.
AZ- Happy for you to be moving back to the SW, but sad you are leaving the mid-west! September will come quickly. Any chance for a trail race between Baraboo and Bemidji? I'm doing a road HM in September in the Dells, the one I affectionately call the half marathon from hell. I swore I'd never do it again, but this is the 50th year it's been run, reportedly the oldest HM in WI. You really have a lot of options for trail races down in the SW! If we can't get one here, DW and I'll just have to travel there! . You are right about the race with temp of 40- in WI that's a great temp to start a race!
DW had her retirement party this evening, given by co-workers at her school. I took off work early so I could get there and she had a great time. We are both looking forward to her being free from September to May!
Dan
Friday, 5/12... 10.5 mile railtrail mtn bike ride today. Rode the extra half mile to get to the railroad covered bridge in this link... https://newportnh.st7.vt-s.net/about-newport/pages/pier-wrights-railroad-wooden-truss-covered-bridges built I believe, in 1907. Also set to meet with Ortho on May 23rd to discuss treatment options for my sore heel. From what I read, the name for what I've got is 'Insertional Achilles Tendinitis'. I'll keep an open mind....
Dan... I'll see what options are available for ortho surgeons if it comes to that. I've a feeling that's where I'm headed, but we'll see. You did pretty well to finish the Crazy Legs Classic considering the lack of miles you were able to run. Who needs an awards ceremony anyway, right? lol The routine of getting up and going to work in the morning is about to change for DW, eh? It's a little emotional when you realize that part of your life is coming to an end, then you realize ALL the free time you're about to have and break into your happy dance... Congrats. to DW on her newfound freedom...