Saturday, June 5, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
50 miles of fun!
The Squaw Peak 50 is Saturday! I’m definitely excited, as this is one of the more challenging 50 milers in the country. Running it as a member of the Air National Guard is a bonus for sure! Allen Steele has agreed to pace me for the last 16.4 miles, so I’m extremely grateful to get that mental boost at the last part of the race! I’ll be video blogging using the iPhone again, but I’m going to conserve battery life by keeping it off except for when actually recording and uploading the posts. Hopefully that will make it last the full run! Stay tuned and definitely comment on my posts on Saturday!
I’m planning to complete several difficult races this year as a part of the preparation for next year’s effort on the 24 Hours of Utah Solo Challenge, and hopefully the Wasatch Front 100-miler. I’ve decided to use the Solo Challenge as an annual MORE Project Fundraiser. It’s a great event, and one which serves the idea of “pledge-based” giving well. By getting pledges per-mile, I push harder to get more miles in during the event, and those donating have a reason to “watch” during the event by following the blog.
The Wasatch Front 100 is one which I hope to luck into… as it’s a Lottery entrance. Too many people out there want to hammer themselves across 100 miles of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains… ;) I’ve paced a runner in that event once, and have thrown my hat into the ring to pace again this year. So throw out your good wishes to the universe and maybe I’ll get into the Wasatch 100 for 2011!
I’m planning to complete several difficult races this year as a part of the preparation for next year’s effort on the 24 Hours of Utah Solo Challenge, and hopefully the Wasatch Front 100-miler. I’ve decided to use the Solo Challenge as an annual MORE Project Fundraiser. It’s a great event, and one which serves the idea of “pledge-based” giving well. By getting pledges per-mile, I push harder to get more miles in during the event, and those donating have a reason to “watch” during the event by following the blog.
The Wasatch Front 100 is one which I hope to luck into… as it’s a Lottery entrance. Too many people out there want to hammer themselves across 100 miles of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains… ;) I’ve paced a runner in that event once, and have thrown my hat into the ring to pace again this year. So throw out your good wishes to the universe and maybe I’ll get into the Wasatch 100 for 2011!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
The Long Run
I've experienced a very long month. My mother passed away. I bought a house and moved into it. I had a large software release at work... and just today completed a three-day marksmanship competition with the National Guard.
The emotional toll was a bit greater than I expected on all fronts, and the impact on my normal training schedule was significant. It seems that for a few weeks, life simply became a long, long run and it was all I could do to complete it. I've never been impacted like this before. In the past, I've always "fit in" the running, and stayed pretty close to my actual training plan. Not this time.
At this point, I'm playing catch-up, and I'm not sure how well the Squaw Peak 50 miler is going to go... Yep, I've committed to run the Squaw Peak with the National Guard team on the 5th of June. I received a call from a member of the team who asked of I could participate, and I agreed. I agreed because I want to run this in memory of both my parents who have passed. My Dad was a decorated pilot and a founding Cadre member of the Utah Air National Guard. My mother was a military spouse who raised me to feel the call to serve in the military and supported my athletic endeavors.
When I run the Squaw Peak, I'll do so as a member of the National Guard and also as a son who is dedicating the effort to two parents who raised him to honor his country. There could not have been better parents to me.
Thanks Mom and Dad.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
The emotional toll was a bit greater than I expected on all fronts, and the impact on my normal training schedule was significant. It seems that for a few weeks, life simply became a long, long run and it was all I could do to complete it. I've never been impacted like this before. In the past, I've always "fit in" the running, and stayed pretty close to my actual training plan. Not this time.
At this point, I'm playing catch-up, and I'm not sure how well the Squaw Peak 50 miler is going to go... Yep, I've committed to run the Squaw Peak with the National Guard team on the 5th of June. I received a call from a member of the team who asked of I could participate, and I agreed. I agreed because I want to run this in memory of both my parents who have passed. My Dad was a decorated pilot and a founding Cadre member of the Utah Air National Guard. My mother was a military spouse who raised me to feel the call to serve in the military and supported my athletic endeavors.
When I run the Squaw Peak, I'll do so as a member of the National Guard and also as a son who is dedicating the effort to two parents who raised him to honor his country. There could not have been better parents to me.
Thanks Mom and Dad.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
FIRST for Ultra Running
To this point I've basically followed the standard approach to training for Ultra-running... run... alot. I've maintained my training at the 40-70 miles per week range, with 40 being the week after my post-race recovery week, and the 70 being two weeks before tapering into a race. In talking with other Ultra-runners, that seems to be the accepted methodology, and so I've simply adopted that to this point.
A few weeks ago, my wife brought home a book called "Run Less, Run Faster" from the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST) at Furman University in Greenville, SC. My wife is using their program to train for her first 1/2 marathon. Of course, a title like that garnered some interest on my part, and so I did a little investigation. It turns out the PhDs there have looked at training for running as more than just running (novel idea!), and have an integrated training plan for up to marathon distances using a variety of cross-training events including swimming and cycling.
After reviewing their website, I decided to contact them and find out if they did anything beyond the Marathon distance. They responded within minutes of my initial contact, and explained that they don't have any experience Ultra running in their group, but they had a friend of theirs who is an Ultra runner, and had provided some input for him, and it seemed successful. They subsequently sent me the advice they'd given him, and his correspondence to them regarding the results he'd experienced. His reasons for asking for thier input, and his results from following their advice fit exactly within my experience and expectations, so I decided to follow their advice and start training based on that input.
So... my weekly mileage is actually going to go down! However, I'm now incorporating cycling, rowing, swimming, and power-lifting into my weekly program. I'll still run my events through the summer, but I think the "proof" of how this change in the training program will likely not manifest itself for a couple months. I have to assume that the Speedgoat at the end of July will be the first race where I'll be able to initially assess the effectiveness of this program. Should be pretty interesting!
That said, I'm looking forward to the Sapper Joe 50K on the 29th of May! The Sapper Joe also has a 25K and (new this year) a 15K, so for anyone who's up for a shorter version... register at Wasatch Running or mail it in (www.fatpackracing.com) and come join the mayhem!
A few weeks ago, my wife brought home a book called "Run Less, Run Faster" from the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST) at Furman University in Greenville, SC. My wife is using their program to train for her first 1/2 marathon. Of course, a title like that garnered some interest on my part, and so I did a little investigation. It turns out the PhDs there have looked at training for running as more than just running (novel idea!), and have an integrated training plan for up to marathon distances using a variety of cross-training events including swimming and cycling.
After reviewing their website, I decided to contact them and find out if they did anything beyond the Marathon distance. They responded within minutes of my initial contact, and explained that they don't have any experience Ultra running in their group, but they had a friend of theirs who is an Ultra runner, and had provided some input for him, and it seemed successful. They subsequently sent me the advice they'd given him, and his correspondence to them regarding the results he'd experienced. His reasons for asking for thier input, and his results from following their advice fit exactly within my experience and expectations, so I decided to follow their advice and start training based on that input.
So... my weekly mileage is actually going to go down! However, I'm now incorporating cycling, rowing, swimming, and power-lifting into my weekly program. I'll still run my events through the summer, but I think the "proof" of how this change in the training program will likely not manifest itself for a couple months. I have to assume that the Speedgoat at the end of July will be the first race where I'll be able to initially assess the effectiveness of this program. Should be pretty interesting!
That said, I'm looking forward to the Sapper Joe 50K on the 29th of May! The Sapper Joe also has a 25K and (new this year) a 15K, so for anyone who's up for a shorter version... register at Wasatch Running or mail it in (www.fatpackracing.com) and come join the mayhem!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
26.2 is no "walk in the park"!
Well, I finally did it... I ran a traditional marathon. The Salt Lake Marathon runs from the University of Utah "Olympic Bridge", to Sugar House Park, out to Tuscany Restraunt, and then heads back to the Gateway Mall fountain for the finish. I figured this would be just a little longer than my normal Saturday runs of 20 miles (give or take). Arguably, I figured I'd try to push past the "Ultra" per-mile-pace of 11 min, but figured that otherwise it wouldn't be too bad. Well... it was definitely different.
I knew the crowd would be a factor, but we were still dodging around people at 7 miles! By seven miles in any of the 50Ks I've run, I'm basically alone! The fact that there were aid stations every 2 miles or less was kind of cool (no carrying water), and there were actually "spectators" who cheered as you ran past throughout the entire race which was completely alien to anything I've experienced in Trail 50Ks.
Running on the pavement for 4 hours was a bit much... that stuff is hard and boring! I also pushed for 9 min miles and ended up with 9:34's (4:06.34) which is considerably faster than I run my 50Ks, so that could have had something to do with the stiffness I feel today; I actually feel like I ran 50K. Trails may be more variable in angle, steepness, etc, but that's what makes them more fun to run!
All-in-all it was reasonably enjoyable, and I'll probably do some more marathons, especially if my wife is running a 1/2 marathon that corresponds with one. I did see a couple of the guys I see at the Ultras, but between the crowds and the roads themselves, I'm going to stay with my trail-ultras for the most part. I'll post some photos as I get them from the promoter, so stay tuned!
I knew the crowd would be a factor, but we were still dodging around people at 7 miles! By seven miles in any of the 50Ks I've run, I'm basically alone! The fact that there were aid stations every 2 miles or less was kind of cool (no carrying water), and there were actually "spectators" who cheered as you ran past throughout the entire race which was completely alien to anything I've experienced in Trail 50Ks.
Running on the pavement for 4 hours was a bit much... that stuff is hard and boring! I also pushed for 9 min miles and ended up with 9:34's (4:06.34) which is considerably faster than I run my 50Ks, so that could have had something to do with the stiffness I feel today; I actually feel like I ran 50K. Trails may be more variable in angle, steepness, etc, but that's what makes them more fun to run!
All-in-all it was reasonably enjoyable, and I'll probably do some more marathons, especially if my wife is running a 1/2 marathon that corresponds with one. I did see a couple of the guys I see at the Ultras, but between the crowds and the roads themselves, I'm going to stay with my trail-ultras for the most part. I'll post some photos as I get them from the promoter, so stay tuned!
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