Are we there, yet?
It's easiest to post a link to my RR on the RW ultrarunning forum
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
Tim
I wish I had an answer for you, George. I really thought you were going to finish it.
How was the temperature?
On the climbs, was it your breathing or your legs that made you pull up and rest?
In the weekender, I left a reply about using poles. They might be a help on the downhills and help you push the pace to make up for uphills.
“Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway!
I responded on RW as well. What bothered me most was my breathing. I felt like I was on the verge of hyperventilating. My legs needed some rest, too. Temperature was probably in the 70s and still rising. It would have been very warm for the 70 milers by mid-afternoon, maybe 80s by then. My HR was probably high but I wasn't particularly aware of it.
Each race I've felt like I've gotten a little closer, but I'm not there yet. At Elkhorn once I reached the top I could barely move at any pace, just struggling to get to the next aid station and often had to sit for several minutes at a time to recover before I could continue. This time I could still jog easily if the trail wasn't too step up or down. I just wasn't moving fast enough to make the time cutoff. At Elkhorn I couldn't finish even if I had all day. Here it would have taken me more than the 10 hours, but I think I could have finished eventually.
I am sorry to hear about the DNF. Living in Louisiana, training for a mountain race is quite a challenge. In the past, I have tried to overcome the elevation gain with sheer volume of running, which I suppose works okay. But what I have found that helps me the most is joining a gym for about 3 months and focusing on climbing on the treadmill at least a couple of times per week. For some reason, I have always been a strong climber, and I believe that I get great gains with just a little bit of hill work. If there was some way to accurately measure the gains I get from the hill work I do, I may find that I don't get as much as I think. However, I totally believe I get great gains, so I just go with that and it seems to work out.
LB2
Sorry George, I was pulling for you in this one of course. Have you considered working on your walking/hiking pace? Maybe that is part of the key to making the cutoffs in some of these types of races. Honestly I don't practice it myself, but am usually able to hunker down and hike the bigger climbs with some effort.
It does not surprise me that they treated you well out there. It's a very great group of people who put on and organize the race. I love the low key nature of their race.
In dog beers, I've only had one.
running under the BigSky
DNF's aren't fun, but more fun than never entering. Usually a lesson or two to be learned as well.
I'd concur with both recommendations- trekking poles and working on walking. IMO both take practice to work well. Couldn't hurt to try.
Best of luck in your next one.
2023 goal 2023 miles √
2022 goal- 2022 miles √
2021 goal- 2021 miles √
DNF's aren't fun, but more fun than never entering. Usually a lesson or two to be learned as well. I'd concur with both recommendations- trekking poles and working on walking. IMO both take practice to work well. Couldn't hurt to try. Best of luck in your next one.
I'll try the poles. My DD gave me some z-poles which I think I can take in carry-on luggage when I travel. I already include a lot of walking in my training for the fixed time races like NC 24. I need to find some tougher and longer hills to train on also. The Mt Misery trail, which is harder than Mt Joy, is currently closed for maintenance. I really missed that in prep for LH. I was in much better shape than when I had to drop at Elkhorn, so it is getting better. I'm still waiting for results to be posted. Especially as it was getting warmer I'm curious what the drop rate was. From hearing the volunteers and sweep runner tlak, it sounded like there was another group ahead of me that was flirting with the cutoff also. The 70 mile had a 74% finish rate.