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Bonkin's Ultramarathon Training (Read 622 times)

btb1490


    I weighed myself before (192) and after (188) the run. Since I drank 100 oz of fluids (6.25 pounds) - that means I lost 10.25 pounds in sweat. Holy crap! Holy crap is right? Did you leave puddles in the stores where you stopped to get your drinks? Did you pay with soggy dollar bills? Nice run Mike!
      Thanks, Bob! Yes, I left puddles in at least the second one, the first one it was still before 6 am so not too sweaty yet. After a few looks of total disgust from store clerks when I started running last year - I've gone to carrying my cash in a zip lock bag. The disgusted looks have gone away! Big grin

      When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

        So a rough update. I forget which week is which at this point. Basically, El Scorcho is in 18 days. I got in two decent long runs recently. I plan to do my last one of 18ish miles this weekend. I'm also just going to continue to focus on keeping my consistency up and throwing in a tempo or interval run of some sort once per week. My main goals right now are to continue my weight loss progress (down about 18 pounds since May 1st) and to finish the 50K comfortably, and maybe go sub 5 if I feel I can. There are other factors in play - so we shall see. I've got a 5K this Saturday. Barring anything stupid, a PR is almost guaranteed. I've been doing very little in the way of speedwork and have only been totally off the smokes again for 10 days - so I'm not expecting any miracles. Something that started with a 22 or 23 would make me happy I think. So after this week, I've got about 5 more "normal days" left to train before I head off to the high mountain desert of west Texas for Scout camp with my son and the rest of the troop. Another one of the leaders runs, so we will definitely get a little running in here and there. I've signed up for the BSA Lifeguard class which is 7 hours a day from Monday to Friday in and around the pool. I have not done much swimming in 20 years - so that should be interesting. Oh yeah, and it's a 9 or 10 hour ride home on the same day as the 50K. Can you say "scheduling problem"? I knew you could. They also have a 24 mile "marathon" hike that I am contemplating. Apparently it's never been run and never been done solo - so of course it has my gears turning. I mean how much more reason could I need? Big grin Anyway. That's where the Bonk is at the moment. Just cruising through summer. When I get done with the 50K (or the 25K if my brain turns on in time), I will recover for a couple weeks and then move into some base training to get ready for a couple marathons this fall. Right now the serious contenders are Trent's evil Flying Monkey marathon and the Dallas White Rock marathon. If I feel especially frisky, I may sneak in another go at Ultracentric. Here's to a great week of running for everyone!

        When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

          WTG on 10 days!!!!! Good luck with your 5k! Can't wait to hear how it goes. ALso good luck at El Scorcho!! Hope to see you in Nashville !

          Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson


          #2867

            Good luck!

            Run to Win
            25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)


            Future running partner.

              You'll do well. Have fun. Cool
                WOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO WTG MIKE!!!!!!! CONGRATS on the NICE PR!!!

                Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

                  Thanks, Pam! I'll definitely take it! MTA: Of course now I'm wondering what would happen if I actually trained properly for one of these shorter races.

                  When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

                    GOOD LUCK THIS WEEKEND!!!! Will be thinking of you as I'm running one of my many 8.4 laps.

                    Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

                    btb1490


                      Go MIKE! I hope things are well, your training log is not up to date. Good luck!
                      btb1490


                        Report please!


                        #2867

                          Run to Win
                          25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

                            So to catch ya'll up, last Saturday I left for a week of Boy Scout summer camp with my son and the rest of the troop. I had signed up for the BSA Lifeguard class and since I haven't done much swimming in 20 years, I was a bit nervous. This was supposed to be a "taper" week ahead of the El Scorcho 50K. Well I must say that the first day was an ass kicking, but the rest of the week wasn't nearly as difficult as I had been led to believe. So far so good. Here's a shot of the "classroom" that I spent a week in. A few weeks before the trip, I found out the ranch has a 24 mile "Marathon Hike" and went back and forth several times whether to run it or not. I thought if I could do it early in the week I would be fine if I didn't run it too hard. By the time I got to camp I had decided to not run it. One of my lifeguard instructors was the organizer of the event and by the end of the week there were about a dozen staff and adult campers talking smack. One of the other adult leaders from troop wanted to run it - but had never run farther than a HM (years and years ago). Damn! For some reason - I signed up. And it was on Thursday night at 7pm! Damn! So off we went. It was a unique format in that you could start anytime you wanted after 7pm - the timing was done by signing in and out at the office. Ray and I decided to go ahead and leave right at 7 even though it was a little hot out still. We ran up and down (mostly down) the hills, past cattle and javelina. About 6 miles in a couple bulls were blocking the road. We wondered how we going to get around them. I told Ray I wasn't too worried, because he was wearing the red shirt. He picked up a rock and gently hit one of the bulls in the rear. They took off running away from us and off we went again. We saw plenty of buzzards and quite a few dung beetles rolling little poop balls across the road. We made it to the turn around. It was really high tech. Spray painted on the ground were the words - "Now turn around and go back". Nice. Here's the turnaround point. It was almost dark when Ray and I were there, but this was taken on the way out of camp. Ray and I had asked one of the staff to drop a bag of stuff for us at the water station near the turn around - so we sat down and changed our socks and were off again. Ray had mentioned a couple times that he had never run farther than a HM and that he was starting to cramp up. I gave him an S! cap and a pop tart and let him know that actually we just passed 15 miles, so he had a new running record. He was very surprised. A minute or so later we came across the first of the smack talkers still heading out to the turn around. Not long after that, Ray started needing to take walk breaks. He felt guilty about slowing me down, but I didn't want to leave him behind. He wasn't a very experienced runner and it was already after dark. I thought it would be safer for both of us if we came across something more dangerous like a coyote or mountain lion. I focused on keeping Ray in good shape with water, S! Caps and pop tarts. He was focused on making it to the finish line in good shape. He had mentally already entered survival mode and wasn't talking much. So I kept up the chatter and reminded him of how great he was doing. When we got within sight of the camp entrance - Ray came alive and said something like "I ain't going to let them see me walking". He jogged in as best as he could - while I ran ahead to sign us in at the office. Off to the showers and some food in camp. We wouldn't find out until morning that we had come in first and second. On Friday morning, I passed my final physical and written exams and got certified as a lifeguard, as well as a lifeguard instructor. Sweet! A nice ending to week of hard work. So Saturday morning, I got up at 4am, loaded up the truck with gear and 3 Scouts and about 7:30 we started the 500 mile ride home. I was sort of feeling that the 50K was still in reach. Dropped off all my passengers and unloaded our gear. I tried to overcompensate with the carbs and downed a little over a pound of pasta for dinner. By the time I got to race, I was feeling pretty good and my confidence was building for the 50K. The first 4 laps (5K loop course) went fine - saw Len a couple of times. Halfway through the fifth loop - I knew that it was time to see about dropping down to the 25K. My legs were a whole lot more wrecked than I thought. After the fifth loop, I found the race director and he said yes, sure I could stop. And take a DNF. Crap. Didn't think about that. But the smarter side of me won out. I took the 25K medal and went and found Len. A little while later, Modal (Tim) crossed the line. I hung around for another hour or so - waiting on four of my friends from work to finish. Even with a DNF - it was a great time. I'll be back next year to redeem myself and run the 50K. Anyone know were the Awesome Sauce went to?

                            When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?


                            #2867

                              I had a roommate from college run the 50k; haven't really spoken to him much but saw his name in the results so I shot him an email. Sorry you had to DNF, but at least you had a good week of it.

                              Run to Win
                              25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

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