Going into the 4th of July weekend it was 6 weeks to race day and my longest run to date had been 13 miles. I had run that distance 4 times in June - that being a base building month - but for whatever reason I was not able to expand my long run distance beyond 13 miles. Now, July is here and even though I think I have a fairly smart training plan mapped out - it is ambitious for me.
So, the opportunity to go longer happened on Thursday - 2 laps of the 13 mile loop of Falcon Trail on the Air Force Academy - nothing like doubling your longest distance to (recent) date. My goal was simple: finish. I knew I would have difficulty on lap 2 - and I did, taking 40 minutes longer than the first. More on that in a moment or two.
Lap one was comfortable and I was joined by Steve (Happy Trails), we took it nice and conversational the whole way. As I started on lap 2, Steve continued with me for another mile plus before he had to turn back for his rest of the day plans. After saying goodbye, my slog began and I quickly ran out of water in the next 4 miles - with 8 to 9 miles to go I knew I needed to be careful - so I dialed it way back and tried to not overheat.
I eventually made it to the Stanley Canyon parking lot and a family graciously gave me 20 ounces of water. For the next 2 to 3 miles the trail went mostly downhill and I continued to take it easy, mixing in a bunch of long walking breaks. I quickly ran out of water again and walked very slowly for another approx. 2 miles before staggering into a fire station alongside the trail. I must have been a mess as I entered, the firefighters allowed me to sit and stay for 10 - 15 minutes and I drank close to 40 ounces of water and ate their food.
Finally, feeling a little better I left, walked up the last of the steep hills and was then able to run the last 3 miles - slowly, but effectively. 26.25 miles on the day, with that bit extra added on for the 2 small detours off the trail, just under 3000' gain and almost 5 1/2 hours on my feet.
Friday was a running rest day - but that and the 2 weekend days involved some numbing cross training: that being painting the exterior of my house, roller and brush style. Up and down the ladder several hundred times for 4 to 6 hours each day.
My two weekend runs are usually light runs - Saturday was a 3 mile jaunt on the treadmill at 15% grade - doing minute intervals. Not exactly easy, in fact I was a sweaty mess long before I was done. Then on Sunday I did an easy 10 miler - out and back on Santa Fe Trail. This run was longer than my usual Sunday run too.
And then there was today..... another ambitious run. The highest I have been up Barr Trail in the past many months was the "1/2 mile to Barr Camp" sign. Today - like last Thursday - I was looking to about double it. With an early start I planned on going up the entire trail and doing the Ascent. This time I carried a water pack and more food - I was not going to run out today. But with the extra weight, not to mention 7900' elevation gain over the 13 miles - my goal today was simple too: finish.
It wasn't pretty - well the trail was, but I wasn't - and I walked most of the top 4 miles, finally summiting in 4:11. No problems with running out of food or water though.
So, in 5 days I have run 52+ miles, gained about 12,000', been on my feet running or walking (not including ladder / painting time) for about 11 1/2 hours - plus I had a rest day in there. For me, that is a tough training block that I am glad I am done with. Hopefully it will bank well for race day. I still have a lot more work to do though. But next up: a nap.
Monday, July 8, 2013
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Heart rate is overrated, or over-inflated
I've had a Garmin watch for about 3 years and it came with a heart rate monitor that I have only just started using in the past couple of months. I think I am ready to unplug it, not because I don't like it - but because I don't like what it says.
Wearing it on most runs recently a common occurrence on each and every run has got my attention. I usually start my run with a resting heart rate of about 80 to 90 - but then for the first 1 mile, sometimes a little longer, it spikes up to near 190 and stays there for a mile or more. This can be on a flat trail or on a steep climb like the Manitou Incline.
After that initial mile long spike it will then suddenly drop back to about 120-140 or so depending on the terrain that I am running. For the remaining time in a run - be it 4, 8, 12 or whatever miles the heart rate will slightly climb but not usually get back up much over 150.
What do I do with this info? I have no idea. Is it a quirk or a glitch with the HRM or Garmin? Is my heart about to burst in the first mile of every run? It happens on my slow and easy runs of 9 ish mile pace too - fwiw.
I'm wondering before I start on a run I should maybe do jumping jacks to get the heart rate up or something. I like the idea of the data it provides - I think it should help me understand a little bit more or my running / effort. But, is it really accurate and helpful? Or maybe I should just unplug it?
26 long slow miles on the docket for tomorrow, 2 laps of the Falcon Trail at the Air Force Academy. Wondering how my heart will like that.
Wearing it on most runs recently a common occurrence on each and every run has got my attention. I usually start my run with a resting heart rate of about 80 to 90 - but then for the first 1 mile, sometimes a little longer, it spikes up to near 190 and stays there for a mile or more. This can be on a flat trail or on a steep climb like the Manitou Incline.
After that initial mile long spike it will then suddenly drop back to about 120-140 or so depending on the terrain that I am running. For the remaining time in a run - be it 4, 8, 12 or whatever miles the heart rate will slightly climb but not usually get back up much over 150.
What do I do with this info? I have no idea. Is it a quirk or a glitch with the HRM or Garmin? Is my heart about to burst in the first mile of every run? It happens on my slow and easy runs of 9 ish mile pace too - fwiw.
I'm wondering before I start on a run I should maybe do jumping jacks to get the heart rate up or something. I like the idea of the data it provides - I think it should help me understand a little bit more or my running / effort. But, is it really accurate and helpful? Or maybe I should just unplug it?
26 long slow miles on the docket for tomorrow, 2 laps of the Falcon Trail at the Air Force Academy. Wondering how my heart will like that.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Barr Trail 1 minute repeats x 50
Fresh off the month of June - getting a less than desired 152 miles in - Sunday June 30th marked 7 weeks till Pikes Peak Marathon race day. July for me is the crucial training month. Due to the 6 week layoff for the sprained ankle that kept me from running at all until mid May - I really focused on June just getting that stronger and getting into better overall fitness. I am less trained than where I was last year at this time - but hoping that will translate into being a little more "fresher" when it comes to race day.
I have a lot of work to do to get to the start line.
Ambitious month ahead - 2 x 26 mile training runs planned on the Falcon Trail at the Air Force Academy, 2 Ascents of Pikes Peak planned, 2 races: (Barr Trail Mtn Race & Classic 10K), lots of running vertical, lots of high altitude running and in the neighborhood of about 200 total miles.
One of the most ridiculously hard training runs I did last year was 1 minute repeats going up Barr Trail. Starting at the Cog Railway (BTMR start line) and going 1 minute running as hard as possible, then 1 minute recovery (try to walk forward rather than keel over), rinse and repeat. I did 40 minutes of this last year, twice. That was enough for me.
I had conveniently forgotten how tough it was - so this morning I thought I would do it for 4 miles up, then 4 miles down. For those familiar with Ruxton Avenue - the first 1/2 mile or so on the paved section just above Hydro Street is actually steeper than most of the Barr Trail. 1 minute into my run, I was ready to roll over and tap out. The second minute (which was the recovery minute) into my run I couldn't breathe, couldn't see straight and couldn't move forward at all.
60 seconds is not a long time, especially when trying to recover - it ended way too soon and I ran again. Hard, hurting, suffering, desperately looking at my watch counting down the seconds till that next minute passed. It finally did, I was spent. I managed to walk / shuffle forward for another minute. The pattern continued, I made it up the W's in about 29 minutes, kept going, and going, and slowing, and going.
Finally, an hour after I started I had gone 4 miles - a blistering 15 minute per mile average. I had gained 2600' and was a wobbly mess. I took a minute to catch my breath, drink some fluids and then start back down. Again the plan was 1 minute run, 1 minute walk, and continue all the way back to the Cog Railway. I need to get my body used to the downhill pounding for PPM. It's really 2 races in one: the 13 miles up gaining almost 8000 vertical feet, followed immediately by coming back down the same trail.
It wasn't easy and it certainly wasn't pretty, running almost as fast as I could downhill, almost out of control at time - for minute long sections, then braking to a slow walk for a minute. Doing this (hopefully) didn't trash my legs too much, yet also helped with the needed quick tempo foot placing, especially over the several rocky sections. Back down in 40 minutes. All told: 50 x 1 minute on, 50 x 1 minute off. That's a math equation I don't want to see again soon.
A very tough training run, I'll be doing similar ones again on the trail - but not often, they hurt too much.
I have a lot of work to do to get to the start line.
Ambitious month ahead - 2 x 26 mile training runs planned on the Falcon Trail at the Air Force Academy, 2 Ascents of Pikes Peak planned, 2 races: (Barr Trail Mtn Race & Classic 10K), lots of running vertical, lots of high altitude running and in the neighborhood of about 200 total miles.
One of the most ridiculously hard training runs I did last year was 1 minute repeats going up Barr Trail. Starting at the Cog Railway (BTMR start line) and going 1 minute running as hard as possible, then 1 minute recovery (try to walk forward rather than keel over), rinse and repeat. I did 40 minutes of this last year, twice. That was enough for me.
I had conveniently forgotten how tough it was - so this morning I thought I would do it for 4 miles up, then 4 miles down. For those familiar with Ruxton Avenue - the first 1/2 mile or so on the paved section just above Hydro Street is actually steeper than most of the Barr Trail. 1 minute into my run, I was ready to roll over and tap out. The second minute (which was the recovery minute) into my run I couldn't breathe, couldn't see straight and couldn't move forward at all.
60 seconds is not a long time, especially when trying to recover - it ended way too soon and I ran again. Hard, hurting, suffering, desperately looking at my watch counting down the seconds till that next minute passed. It finally did, I was spent. I managed to walk / shuffle forward for another minute. The pattern continued, I made it up the W's in about 29 minutes, kept going, and going, and slowing, and going.
Finally, an hour after I started I had gone 4 miles - a blistering 15 minute per mile average. I had gained 2600' and was a wobbly mess. I took a minute to catch my breath, drink some fluids and then start back down. Again the plan was 1 minute run, 1 minute walk, and continue all the way back to the Cog Railway. I need to get my body used to the downhill pounding for PPM. It's really 2 races in one: the 13 miles up gaining almost 8000 vertical feet, followed immediately by coming back down the same trail.
It wasn't easy and it certainly wasn't pretty, running almost as fast as I could downhill, almost out of control at time - for minute long sections, then braking to a slow walk for a minute. Doing this (hopefully) didn't trash my legs too much, yet also helped with the needed quick tempo foot placing, especially over the several rocky sections. Back down in 40 minutes. All told: 50 x 1 minute on, 50 x 1 minute off. That's a math equation I don't want to see again soon.
A very tough training run, I'll be doing similar ones again on the trail - but not often, they hurt too much.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
The price of setting a Manitou Incline PR
Dear City of Manitou Springs, please accept my apologies for writing, clearly I can't read very well at all. I would understand if you discarded this letter - dismissing it from the guy who clearly couldn't read. I understand how easily it would be for you to easily assume that you wouldn't expect me to write right - when clearly my ability to read signs is negligent - especially before 6 am on a weekday.
Instead of venting my frustrations in an angry letter, I am actually writing to give you some suggestions with what to do with my $35 parking ticket that I acquired earlier this morning. Please put that money to good use - perhaps you could use it to buy a sign and attach it to the parking meter that I parked right beside? On that sign could you maybe write that even "if you attempt to pay money in an area not designated for "public" parking until after 8 am and the meter doesn't take your money - instead it just says: try later" I clearly missed a sign saying that the area was for resident parking. Entirely my fault. I really am sorry.
Another thought for the $35 I will be sending is maybe putting up a larger sign at the base of the incline regarding dogs - specifically what to do if one encounters something that has come out of the base of a dog - as I encountered today - right in the middle of the trail - just below the false summit. At the time of cautiously maneuvering past it, I and those around me were clearly struggling with our breathing and focus - but to have to focus on that? I clearly did not get my $35 worth for that piece of entertainment.
Really though - I had a good day on the incline and then further up Pikes Peak on Barr Trail (capped out at 3300' elevation gain for my 2+ hr run). So with that in mind, here's another thought for what to do with my parking fine: Maybe place a statue in my honor of my new PR on the incline? I took 55 seconds off my previous best. I'm really happy for myself and was hoping you would share in my excitement. That may sound a bit egotistic I realize and I apologize for that also. It's probably best you put that statue up in honor of the guy who told me he did a 24:57 today (6 1/2 minutes faster than me).
Once again, I'm sorry, because it was my fault and I am not one of those people who blame their own mistakes on someone else. I'm not angry, I will pay the fine and I have certainly learnt my lesson, albeit a costly way.
Instead of venting my frustrations in an angry letter, I am actually writing to give you some suggestions with what to do with my $35 parking ticket that I acquired earlier this morning. Please put that money to good use - perhaps you could use it to buy a sign and attach it to the parking meter that I parked right beside? On that sign could you maybe write that even "if you attempt to pay money in an area not designated for "public" parking until after 8 am and the meter doesn't take your money - instead it just says: try later" I clearly missed a sign saying that the area was for resident parking. Entirely my fault. I really am sorry.
Another thought for the $35 I will be sending is maybe putting up a larger sign at the base of the incline regarding dogs - specifically what to do if one encounters something that has come out of the base of a dog - as I encountered today - right in the middle of the trail - just below the false summit. At the time of cautiously maneuvering past it, I and those around me were clearly struggling with our breathing and focus - but to have to focus on that? I clearly did not get my $35 worth for that piece of entertainment.
Really though - I had a good day on the incline and then further up Pikes Peak on Barr Trail (capped out at 3300' elevation gain for my 2+ hr run). So with that in mind, here's another thought for what to do with my parking fine: Maybe place a statue in my honor of my new PR on the incline? I took 55 seconds off my previous best. I'm really happy for myself and was hoping you would share in my excitement. That may sound a bit egotistic I realize and I apologize for that also. It's probably best you put that statue up in honor of the guy who told me he did a 24:57 today (6 1/2 minutes faster than me).
Once again, I'm sorry, because it was my fault and I am not one of those people who blame their own mistakes on someone else. I'm not angry, I will pay the fine and I have certainly learnt my lesson, albeit a costly way.
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