king of the non-sequitur
I've been lurking, but not posting, as I haven't been running much. My knee issue has been lingering, so I ultimately scheduled an appointment. Had an Xray and MRI in the past week, and found out today that I have a radial tear in my meniscus, and will have to have surgery. So...no running for me for a while, and any ultras are probably out of the question for me this year. Guess I'll have to start over with the Western States Qualifying lottery!
sorry to hear that...but it's great to figure it out and fix it! you'll be back!
Bridle Trails 50k 1-13-24 5:39
Cottontail 6 Hour 4-13-24
Cougar Long Series (May,June,July,Aug 2024)
Carkeek 6 Hour 10-19-24
I'm taking another rest day. Either that, or put me down for a .2 mile run today. Knee is still sore after my wipe out on Sat so I ended up walking a couple miles instead. No point in making the knee unhappy.
OMR, sorry to hear about your knee. And really sorry to hear about the loss of WS tickets. Not sure if this makes you feel any better, but it seems like meniscal tears are not too uncommon and heal up with surgery, PT, etc. Okay, sorry, that's probably not helping at all at this exact moment. I'll just say I hope it's a quick, smooth recovery.
Beryl, how often do you take a cutback week? Every "x" weeks, or when you think you need it?
Krash, 71 miles isn't too shabby for taking it easier. Enjoy the tapir.
TM Hound, that's a major improvement in your 25k time. I don't do 25k's often, but apparently my trail race last weekend was a PR, even with the wipeout. Which -- more than anything -- tells you a lot about the state of my 25k times.
Funky, sounds like the belt is helping the hernia? Amazed that you're able to do as much as you are. Not to make light of your health issue at all, but I can't let a blue steel reference pass unnoticed:
5/11/24 Grizzly Peak Marathon, Berkeley, CA
7/20/24 Tahoe Rim Trail 56 miler, NV
9/21/24 Mountain Lakes 100, OR
basically the belt holds my guts in...but strangely the motion of running doesnt seem to bother it as much as when i am at work sitting, standing, bending etc. i think it's ok as long as i take transitions easy (slow to fast, uphill to down etc). it's creepy though. surgery late april, hopefully i can make it that far. love the persona, cant get the look quite right. perhaps i need hair?
Rick
I don't have a set schedule but it has been averaging about every 4th week. Usually after a big week or event. Has really worked well for me and I have been fortunate with the weather and lack of injuries this winter.
12-22 Last One Standing - dnf 37 miles
1-23 Sun Marathon - 3:53
3-4-23 Red Mountain 55k - 7:02
4-15-23 Zion 100 - 27:59
Hey everyone! My first post from my new house in St. Paul. I haven't run in like... a week. I caught a cold last Friday and ended up walking on the treadmill on Saturday and Sunday to stay active. Monday-Wednesday are basically a blur. I was too tired to even think about future running. I'll probably do a few short runs this week, but it seems silly to do a long run when I've got 100 boxes to unpack.
OMR, sorry to hear about the injury, that really stinks. Fnky, glad you're able to function up through til surgery but yikes, a hernia seems a little freaky. Maybe it's the way you describe it.
Had a good week last week, 67 miles including a 50k race I ran as a training run on Saturday, 9,164' elev. gain for the week, around 7k in the race. Race was slow, 8h53m, there was some snow higher up, and it was mostly on technical mountain bike trails. Walked a bit more than I should have probably. Fuelled with just Cliff Bars and chocolate chip cookies and plain water. Was a combined mountain bike race/ relay, so had to jump out of the way a few times. A month until the 100k, it's 2x the vert of the 50k, and cutoff is 18 hours, so going to be tough. Some of the trails are less technical, but parts are steeper than the 50k. Going to do a 25 mile run on parts of the course if I can next weekend
Club Fat Ass New Years Day 50k - Jan 1 - 6h13m
First Half HM (road) - Feb. 9
Chuckanut 50k - Mar. 21
Sun Run 10k - Apr. 19
BMO Vancouver Marathon - May 3
Vancouver 100k (Club Fat Ass) - 32h07m 2 runs, pacing 100 miler friends
Whistler Alpine Meadows 100 miler - September 25
Chuckanut 50K 3-17-2018
Result: 5:34:39 131/429 AG (50-59) 6/43
strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/1458350105/overview
ill try not to make this too long...
Weather:
cold at the start. frost covered the grass at the park and i was shivering. they had something kinda like coffee? ...or tea. i couldnt tell but it was warm. during the day it warmed up to mid 50's. i think most runners would say it was perfect but i think i do better competitively in bad weather
Course:
50-ish K, ~5000' vert. here's my notes: 0-6.7 flattish, 6.7-10.2 1000'up (2M) 500' down, 10.2-13 1000' up (3M), 13-20.3 tech ridgeline then gentle up (5M), 20.4-24.8 chinscraper (1M) then all down dirt road, 24.8-f flattish
i really enjoyed the variety of terrain on this course, esp the technical section on ridgeline. just long enough to have some fun, not too long or steep to do me in. my timing was off a little because of the effort i was putting out and almost fell a couple of times (my handheld saved me on one of them and the other - which could have been spectacular- i was just barely able to run-off). but i kept my focus and recalibrated and the roads were a welcome timing-reset. there are also a couple of sweet - fluid descents on this course. there was one climb called 'chinscraper' that is ~1000 feet up in a mile but all the other ascents are runnable.
Strategy:
i was really ambivalent for a long time about how much effort to put in because of some issues ive been having, particularly an indirect iguinal hernia. i was really sick with pneumonia all of January and coughed so much it caused part of my small intestine to move to a place where it should not be. so that was my biggest concern going in. but i've been wearing this belt every day that is very adjustable and has pockets in front for a pad to go in to add extra pressure to keep one's guts in. tmi? sorry. it's relevant (surgery is scheduled late next month). anyway i was thinking about taking it easy but after watching some videos and seeing what happens when you have 500 people run a trail race you get stuck in a line -and i got stuck in a bunch of them at squamish and it really throws me off, esp on the uphills because my power-hiking stride is longer than most- this had me thinking about how to start. since the first 10k is flat and wide it offers an opportunity to position myself more in front of those who will slow me down on the first climbs...so this is what i did. i ran the first 10k ~8:30 pace and after the first aid station decided to try to maintain THAT effort for the duration and focus on relaxing and 'recovery' on the downhills. i found a really good space and wasn't held up by anyone and don't think i held anyone else up either. no one passed me on any of the steep climbs (i passed many) but a few nimble-footed dancer-types totally schooled me on the descents.
Health:
i felt the hernia a little on the first climb but it settled down after that and didn't bother me again. as usual though all of the niggles came and went and came back and went. i was cramping pretty bad from mile 23 to the finish but just kept on running trying to relax my adductors. The final 10K was the hardest part for me even though it was flat and this is the part that makes me kinda proud of myself for my effort. i always run out of steam in these things around mile 25 or 26. that's why i see the 26.2 mark as a magic number (even though i havent run one!) but that's because i left it all out there! i dont want to finish feeling like i could run another one. ...so the last 5 miles or so i just kept telling myself i am out for an easy jog and i got to 'that' place and overcame the doubt and fatigue.
Fuel:
before the race on the way i ate a bunch of bacon. (i would have carried some with me if it were 50M or longer). during i had about 8 fig newtons (they are easy to spot and i didnt want to waste any time deciding what to eat -the things people waste time on during these races! at one point i got passed by a goat going the other way on the trail and a runner was chasing after the goat with her phone out yelling "i want a picture of the goat on the trail!" smh - i could grab them, fill my handheld and bust right out of there "no dawdling!", i had 2 smash packs in my belt and 4 gels and had two more gels from an aid station. this is the first race for me eating a lot of gels. i also took about 6 sports-legs caps (salt caps) and one ginger candy after a particularly nasty tasting gel that hit my gut hard. i opted for one handheld (20 oz?) and a collapsible cup in my pocket that i could use to 'tank up' water at the aid station if the handheld wasn't enough. actually the handheld was perfect and i topped it off with water at each aid station.
Race org:
decent. i'd say 3-stars. i went to mt hood 50M last year and they kinda set the bar with beer and anything else i needed at the finish. but for me 3 stars is good. i know nowadays everyone gives five stars for mediocrity but i am a holdout. kudos for the pump-style water coolers. they are fast! i hate the dribble ones that are super slow and you cant tell when they are empty. so the aid stations were exactly what i needed but the only glaring deficit was there there was no water at the finish that i could find! there was bottled water for sale at the hot dog stand but that was it and it was a kinda long and 2-bus wait shuttle-bus ride away from my car. i bought a wasteful-plastic bottled water and a hot dog but really? after that effort for the safety of your runners you should have at least water for them. it left me with the feeling like : 'ok now you are done, we have nothing for you, you can die...but we'll toss you something from one of our sponsors! see if you can figure out what it is'. if it's a cost issue ditch some of the freebies sponsor stuff and put some water out for ppl! when we give it all we've got - and i did! - the first thing we need is recovery fuel! my friend who finished after me was also looking for water and couldn't find any. wtf? i know this race has 'star power' but honestly i really dont give a fuck who you are or who you know. i paid the fee, you should at least have some water. also my apologies to anyone i offended with foul language at the finish (it was a happy, conquering, victorious expletive). it just came out 'cos when i saw 5:34x on the clock i was so pumped! sometimes, after something like that, you just gotta let it out!
Thanks:
Thanks to my friend Lena for reminding me to sign up for this event, and coming with me. i am always very awkward at these things (before and after, not during) and it's so nice to have a friend along...and she had a great race too! congrats!
Finally, this was a big victory for me and a big confidence boost. I am really glad i raced it. I don't think i will run any of my upcoming races like this because i'll be training for 100M distance but this helps a lot going forward!
Congrats, fnky! Can't believe you ran that while having to wear something to keep your guts in place! Hope your surgery goes well. And I agree: not having free water at the end doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Great job, Funky, and thanks for the RR. Not to shabby for a guy holding his guts in place with a padded belt. Cramping sucks, but I think continuing to move is ultimately the best way to work through it. Sounds like you summoned some great mental fortitude for that last 10k.
I appreciate the honest 3-star review of the race. And bummer that they didn't have a better spread at the finish area. Even if it was a cheapo, bargain race, water is pretty basic stuff. And yeah, hard to compare with Go Beyond racing, though...
My week was pretty uneventful. Knee was bruised and sore after taking a tumble last weekend so I took several days off. I'm gingerly climbing back in the saddle today, 7 easy miles.
so the aid stations were exactly what i needed but the only glaring deficit was there there was no water at the finish that i could find! there was bottled water for sale at the hot dog stand but that was it and it was a kinda long and 2-bus wait shuttle-bus ride away from my car. i bought a wasteful-plastic bottled water and a hot dog but really? after that effort for the safety of your runners you should have at least water for them. it left me with the feeling like : 'ok now you are done, we have nothing for you, you can die...but we'll toss you something from one of our sponsors! see if you can figure out what it is'. if it's a cost issue ditch some of the freebies sponsor stuff and put some water out for ppl! when we give it all we've got - and i did! - the first thing we need is recovery fuel! my friend who finished after me was also looking for water and couldn't find any. wtf? i know this race has 'star power' but honestly i really dont give a fuck who you are or who you know. i paid the fee, you should at least have some water.
I don't understand this. Nothing at the finish? Every race I've run has had food, water, and usually something else to drink (sports drink, lemonade, pop) at the finish line - it's basically the last aid station. Even in very bare bones races!
Slower but happier
Fnkyhd, nice job, glad your hernia didn't cause you too much trouble. You could get into some "unusual" chaffing situations with those things if they go south. Anyway, that's a great pace even without the medical condition. Agree on the water, did they run out? (but running out at 5:30h is pretty bad anyway to run out that early) It seems really odd. Every race should have at least water, beer, and cheeseburgers at the end. I would rather have that than swag.
I finished my run today as I came into the driveway the Uber pizza guy had just arrived. Great way to end the run. Especially since I had basically Oreos and Ensure for lunch. Some day when I'm in the Nursing home they will bring out the Ensure and then I will remember back to my ultra days of yore.
drock: That's a nice week of training with 67 mi and the elevation.
My Week: 50.5 mi, mostly road, some treadmill, had to work this weekend so couldn't get to the trail on the weekend, weather has been nice, sunny 30-40s, today up to mid 50s felt like summer
workout: 16 mi was supposed to be 12 mi with 7 mi @tempo (7:30). I got 5 miles T done, then needed to jog a bit, then
did 1.4T, then jogged, then 1T more. I was able to hit the paces, but it really beat me up. And the jogging in between
just extended the run (so did not turning around when I should of on a linear bike trail).
I think I am due for a cut back/easy week. I have the 25K next weekend. I am going to take this week easy,
I am starting to get all sorts of niggles. Its weird, sometimes my overdoing it manifests purely physical overuse stuff
but sometimes more mental exhaustion or I'm sick of running. I am enjoying doing walking incline intervals with flat running
on the TM at an easy pace. Hoping to up my hiking game.
2020 goal: couch to 5K, currently working on the couch block
just heard back from RD. turns out there was water, just no one i asked knew where it was
Pain is my friend
Had a great taper week. Ended up with 46 miles. Paced the Canyonlands half marathon 1:50 group in Moab UT on Saturday. Came in right on time. Killer head wind. Bring on the 100 this weekend.
ATY 24 141.445 2019 1st
Bear 100 22:08 2021
Jackpot 100 Feb 14:59 - 5th
Pulse endurance 48 hr 175.3 miles
Bonnevile Backyard ultra
Ute 100 Aug
24 hour loop race?
41 miles for the week. Had a rough week with some minor work injuries (head and arm) Does not hurt to run, but contributed to the beat up feeling. Had a nice long run of 22 miles which I tried something to break up the flat miles. I speed walked the first tenth of every mile and every 5th mile I did a tempo. Ended up with a faster overall pace then just running the entire distance slow.
Drock - congrats on the race. Nice gain.
Fnkyhd - great race. Thanks for the report. Too bad about not getting a beverage at the end. Hope the surgery goes well.
Treadmill Hound - nice week. Can relate to the sick of running feeling. A friend commented that I peaked too soon for my race, Mud season is not helping.
Krash - sounds like a good time in Moab (minus the wind). Try not to go taper crazy this week.
Fnkyhd - Nice race. I enjoyed the report. Truly terrible the lack of water at the finish. You'd think that would almost be a requirement of the permitting agencies.
63 miles for me this week in 6 runs. URD on Tuesday due to being too busy at work, but worked out OK because I probably needed a rest day.
Monday-4.5 easy TM
Tuesday -Rest
Wednesday-9 miles trails with some tempo (~1300ft gain)
Thursday-10 miles trails easy (1300ft)
Friday-6 miles TM with some tempo
Saturday- 21 miles trails (3600ft)
Sunday-13 miles trails (2500 ft)