T-201 Days

Yesterday was a rest day, so no running to report for Sunday. I did do about 15 minutes of core training, but no aerobic exercises were included.  Today, I'm back on the road.

Time of Day - 12:02 PM
Weather - 49 degrees, misty with light wind
Route - Bogata loop x2
Pace - Comfortable with a hard finishing kick
Time - 42 minutes
Distance - Unknown
Cross training - Nothing yet
iPod - Talk radio; I felt like hearing about what was going on in the world and it was anything but motivational

All was well on the road.  I felt strong and in control. My new long sleeve running shirt felt tight as I ran.  Upon finishing, I saw that it was mislabeled as a large when it is in fact a medium. Looks like another trip to Run On! is in order.

I also found another pair of Asics I really like. They are similar to my current Asics GEL-Nimbus 12's, but have a little less weight.  These are Asics GEL-Kayano 17 LE's & might make great competition shoes...

Update: These shoes would force me to under-pronate and could lead to injury.  I need a neutral shoe, like a Nimbus. Maybe Asics will offer a limited edition Nimbus one of these days!

Training Log - Day 28

Time of Day - 4PM
Weather - partly cloudy; upper 30's
Route - St Vrain Greenway to 1st bench
Distance - not sure
Pace - slow
Duration - 23:12
Avg HR - 151
iPod - 105.3 Classic rock
Cross training - Core 10 minutes
Comments - My calf made it through the first week back without reinjury, therefore, I'm anxious to increase my time on the road. Possibly look at 40 minute runs next week.

Run, Willie, Run!

Heart Rate

I read your post about you tracking your heart rate so I decided to do the same.  I've got a Polar too that I used while cycling, but I haven't used the heart rate function in a long time.  Dead battery!

I went to a drug store and tested myself and the results are below.  I'm reasonably pleased with the resting heart rate (57 BPM), but the blood pressure is a touch outside of the norm, so I'll need to watch that.  Probably just recent stress, but nothing serious.

This did make me curious about what is considered 'normal'. For a maximum target heart rate, I found a handy chart on the website for the American Heart Association that provides some guidance.  Once rule of thumb is that your maximum heart rate is about 220 minus your age, but this is only a guide and other factors come into play. Learn more here:
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4736

I also found this chart on resting heart rates:

MEN
AGE	18 -25	26 -35	36 -45	46 - 55	56 -65	65+
ATHLETE	49-55	49-54	50-56	50-57	51-56	50-55
EXCEL'T	56-61	55-61	57-62	58-63	57-61	56-61
GOOD	62-65	62-65	63-66	64-67	62-67	62-65
ABOVE AV	66-69	66-70	67-70	68-71	68-71	66-69
AVERAGE	70-73	71-74	71-75	72-76	72-75	70-73
BELOW AV	74-81	75-81	76-82	77-83	76-81	74-79
POOR	82+	82+	83+	84+	82+	80+

Looks like I still fit  in the 'athlete' classification, if only by the skin of my teeth!  I'm not sure that's completely accurate at this stage, but I'll take it. 

Learn more here:
http://www.netfit.co.uk/fitness/test/resting-heart-rate.htm

Gear

Back in October I bought some Features! socks.  They promised great comfort, a form fit, cushion and support.  As I stated there, I'm a longtime sock hater, but I definitely want to protect my feet for this event. The Features! socks have definitely delivered, but today I found a rival that I wanted to check out. 

This rival is named EXPERIA and they have been favorably reviewed in Runner's World and promise "Aeor-Dynamic fit protection without weight".  They additionally offer excellent padding in the heal and toe and are anatomically engineered.

I ran for over an hour today in the Experia's and I came away impressed. I found them to rank high on the comfort scale and they offered significant protection against the pounding your feet endure.  My feet were comfortable and cool and I noticed no added weight from my socks. They also look good.

By means of comparison, I think that the Feetures! may offer slightly more cushion over the Experia's, but they are extremely similar in design and in the function and stability offered. Both socks do a lot more than just add comfort. They help prevent injury and I recommend them highly. Also, both brands are expensive, but the Feetures! are a little cheaper for those keeping score. I say my feet are worth it.

You can learn more about the socks here:

Experia http://www.thorlo.com/experia-socks.php

Feetures! http://www.feeturesbrand.com/

You can read the original Feetures! post here:

http://300twentydays.blogspot.com/2010/10/gear-again.html

T-203 Days

What a beautiful day in Texas to be outside.  The sky was blue and the weather warm.  Today is also the one year anniversary of my father's death, so it was good to keep my mind otherwise occupied.

Time of Day - 4:16 PM
Weather - 73 degrees, slight wind gusts
Route - Stonebridge trails
Pace - Comfortable; I'm not really sure if that's fast or slow as I haven't been tracking my distance very precisely. 
Time - 63 minutes
Distance - Unknown
Cross training - Nothing yet
iPod - Rush 2112; not the album but the song.  3 times through and I was in for over an hour on the course.  I haven't heard this for a reallllly long time.
Comments - I felt strong and my wind was good.  I enjoyed running where others were.  Just like in the past, when I saw someone in front of me, I felt that I had to pass them and I usually did.  Watching them run was also a reminder to keep my form proper.  So much wasted energy and unnecessary tightness was going on out there.  I'm pretty proud of going over an hour no problem with a decent kick at the end still.  It's the longest I've run other than a soccer game of flag football in a many years.  I'm looking forward to seeing you next weekend Willie.  Travel well.

Training Log - Day 27

Brian, hope to be running with you in Dallas next weekend. Does an early Saturday morning run work for you?

Time of Day - 1:30PM
Weather - clear, sunny, upper 50's; steady wind out of east
Route - St Vrain Greenway to athletic club cutoff
Distance - not sure
Pace - Smow
Time - 24:52
iPod - Classic Rock 105.3 - The Who, Pink Floyd, Rush, REO, Elton John
Cross training - Core 15 minutes (planks, crunches)
Comments - used heart rate monitor but not sure working properly with average HR at 170. Seems high for pace I was running - will check it again tomorrow. Beautiful day; decent run. Legs feeling stronger.

Run, Willie, Run!

Training Log - Day 26

I coach my son's basketball team on Friday evenings so I had a late run. Dug out my Polar FS1 Heart Rate Montior this week and plan to start logging my average heart rate during workouts. Battery should be replaced and ready to use tomorrow.

Time of Day - 8:30 PM
Weather - clear, upper 30's; breeze out of west
Route - St Vrain Greenway to athletic club cutoff
Distance - not sure
Pace - Moderate
Duration - 24 minutes
iPod - Sugarland
Cross training - Core 10 minutes (planks, crunches)
Comments - legs felt strong; no tightness in quads or calf; less focus on calf and more on the run itself (mental victory)

Run, Willie, Run!

T-204 Days

Willie, glad you're in on the hair challenge. It should be interesting indeed! This might be a Sampson thing.  When we were younger our hair was longer and we surely were faster!  I'm a little concerned about the added heat in the summer training though.  Also, what happens if we buzz it right before the race?  Hopefully we won't lose our mojo! Next step, ZZ Top beards??

Today is beautiful again with an expected high in the low 70's. Of course we are told to expect snow or ice on Tuesday, so welcome to Texas!

Time of Day - Noon
Weather - Perfect! Still, sunny and warm.  About 68 degrees
Route - Out and back
Pace - Moderate
Time - 47 minutes
Distance - Who cares? As I was wisely reminded, we're training for an event with varying altitudes and inclines.  Our major focus should be on time. I'm working on extending my time out on the road and getting used to longer runs back to back (or at least that's the plan!) to aid in recovery.
Cross training - Tonight
iPod - Rolling Stones mix including Monkey Man, Can't You Hear Me Knockin'?, Brown Sugar, Miss You, Shattered, etc.
Comments - Overall very good. I started out thinking this was going to be difficult and struggled for the first 10 minutes or so. After that it was a breeze. The 'back' portion felt much better than the 'out'.  I felt like I could have kept on going for a good while longer.

How long till we get to the point that we crave the road and miss the run when we miss training?  I don't think I'm very far away at all.

Training Log - Day 25

Brian, I think I get the hair challenge! It's like a Sampson thing - the longer our hair the more strength and/or endurance we will have. After much deliberation, I accept the challenge. Please know this will in no way be easy for me. As a matter of fact, I'm more confident in the run than I am in this challenge. What the heck, the pictures will be interesting.

I'm still tenative in my running as I'm concerned my calf is going to blowup. I need to develop some more confidence so I can go strong again.

Time of Day - 5:30 PM
Weather - clear and low 40's; nice evening
Route - St Vrain Greenway to 1st bench
Pace - slow
Duration - 22 minutes
Distance - probably 2 miles
Cross training - Core 10 minutes (planks and crunches)
Comments - quads not as tight as yesterday; calfs a little stiff; thinking too much about my injury and not focusing on running strong; tenative

Run, Willie, Run!

Pageviews

This may be a little off topic, but I found it interesting to see where our pageviews are coming from.  Portugal represent!

<>

Pageviews by Countries
United States	86%
Russia	4%
Lithuania	2%
Denmark	2%
Portugal	2%
Germany	1%
India	1%
United Kingdom	1%
Singapore	1%
Slovakia	1%

T-205 Days

The numbers have been crunched and we have only 205 days until the mountains.  We'd better make the most of what time we have left.

Time of Day - Noon
Weather - 53°, cool with a gusty north wind
Route - Bogata loop, extended south
Distance - Unclear
Pace - Reasonably quick pace

Time - 23 minutes, plus stretching, warm up and cool down; cross training action tonight
iPod -  New Radicals

Comments - The run felt pretty good.  I had to cut my time short due to work constraints so I picked up the pace and hit it pretty hard on the finish.  Nothing spectacular but a reasonable effort.

As far as the Hair Challenge, this is about as long as mine has been.  If we do this, we are allowed to get it trimmed or shaped up just a tad, but no length reduction!

Training Log - Day 24

Brian, as to the Hair challenge...gotta think about that one! After that many months I may look like my friend Troy here. HMMMMM!

Ran around 5:30PM - weather was clear and in upper 30's. 26 minutes on the road at a SMOW pace. Quads still a little tight but the calf is holding up. Also, did 10 minutes of core workout (planks and cruches). Good day.

Run, Willie, Run!

Training

Today's run was more of a challenge. My calves felt a slight bit tight and after what Willie went through, I didn't want to hurt myself. Pretty quickly I could tell that today would not be as strong as the previous runs.  My legs were heavy and I wanted to quit. To combat this, I decided to mix up my route and just run due north for 20+ minutes and see where that got me. When I arrived at my appointed time, I knew that the fastest way home was to turn around and keep on going. No short cuts. Sometimes you have to play games with yourself.  I got a decent 45 minute run in.

It reminded me of high school time trials where the coach would send us on a run to a point 3 or so miles out and we'd kill ourselves to get there in the Texas heat. Once there, we'd then run all the way back to the showers. Most memorable was the time we caught a ride in the back of a pickup truck all the way to school. Let's just say that didn't go over well.

Today was another beautiful day, clear and crisp, temperature of about 43. A great day to be outside.

Willie, here's a challenge for you.  Let's not cut our hair until the race. If we don't make the race (other than due to injury or emergency) we might not be able to cut our hair until the next year's race!  This would surely be the longest I've ever gone without a hair cut and I'm fairly certain the same can be said of you.  What do you think?  Before you ask, there is no significant purpose to this.  It just sounds like something fun to do.

Training Log - Day 23

Brian, thanks for posting the routes and stages. It is good to have that "in my face" as a reminder and motivator for the challenge ahead. I met yesterday with Chad Ricklefs who is an accomplished ultramarathon runner and world class athlete. As a matter of fact, Chad won the prestigious Leadville 100 in 2000 and 2002, as well as, set a course record. Chad is from Boulder and offers coaching services for those interested in pushing themselves to accomplish an ultra. I'm looking forward to working with Chad and gaining some knowledge that I can share to make this a greater success for both of us.

Today's run was 32 minutes long at a slow pace. It was the first time I ran with a compression sleeve on my left calf. It actually seemed to help...I suppose the tingling sensation was from increased blood flow. Inside quads a little stiff and a slight cramp on right side. Man, it feels good to be running again.

Run, Willie, Run!

Training

Another day is in the books. It's beautiful and crisp outside, with a temperature of about 46 degrees.  Sometimes it just feels right and today was one of those days. 

My legs felt strong, my lungs were healthy and I actually enjoyed the 43 minutes out on the course. I had a nice finishing kick, lifting my knees and picking up the pace as I covered the last two or three hundred yards as I crossed the finish, with the Eagles playing "The Long Run" in my ears. Victory!

I took a look at the TRR course route and schedule yesterday after Willie tipped me off to a few changes to find that the race has been extended to 119.5 miles.  It's only another 4.5 miles over the original distance, but I'm thinking that every inch is going to matter.  The 6 stages are 20.9, 13.3, 24.2, 14.1, 23.6 and 23.4 miles respectively. Given a marathon is 26.2 miles, we basically get 4 marathons and 2 halves over the stages of the event.  That's a lot to comprehend, but the scariest aspect might be that we gain almost a mile in elevation on the final leg (5,100 feet elevation gain & 20,800 feet in total). It's OK though. We'll still be fresh, right?

The distance made me return again to thinking about maximizing efficiency of motion and getting the most out of each stride.  Form and mental toughness are going to be so important to our performance.  Nutrition and conditioning are also critical to our success.  This race won't be about speed.  It'll be about survival.

As I finished running today, I heard the lyrics "Well, we're scared, but we ain't shakin'.  Kinda bent, but we ain't breakin'." The Eagles had it right.  As long as we stay healthy, we've got this.

TransRockies Run Route and Stages

The latest from the TRR organizers:

http://transrockies.com/transrockiesrun/transrockies/race_route.htm

Route and Stages

With extensive experience in creating dynamic and challenging courses that run the gamut of mountain environments and conditions, the 2011 GORE-TEX® TransRockies Run organizers have once again designed a course that will, in every definition, leave you breathless.

The route and stages listed below are offered as inspiration, and a guide of what to expect. The actual route will remain secret until just before the event so that all competitors can maximize the adventure experience of entering something totally brand new.

Note: The route information provided is preliminary only, and is subject to change pending final route planning and U.S. Forest Service permit approval.

Stages

2011 Stages

Stage 1: Buena Vista to Railroad Bridge (15 min. shuttle to camp)
Stage 2: Vicksburg to Twin Lakes (30 min. shuttle to Leadville)
Stage 3: Leadville to Nova Guides at Camp Hale
Stage 4: Nova Guides at Camp Hale to Red Cliff (2 nights at Camp Hale)
Stage 5: Red Cliff to Vail

Stage 6: Vail to Beaver Creek

RUN 3 Stages

The RUN3 route covers the first three stages of the overall TransRockies Run, and runs concurrently with stages 1-3. The total RUN3 distance is 58.4 miles with 8,600 feet of elevation gain. See the profiles below for details.

Route Overview (Click for full size PDF)

Running Elevations and Surface Types

The route of the 2011 GORE-TEX® TransRockies Run will take place at elevations between 7,400 and 12,600 feet above sea level. Based on the preliminary route proposal (subject to change and approval by the U.S. Forest Service), the percent of distance at various elevations is as follows:

• 7,000' to 8,000' - 3%
• 8,000' to 9,000' - 31%
• 9,000' to 10,000' - 28%
• 10,000' to 11,000' - 27%
• 11,000' to 12,000' - 10%
• 12,000' to 13,000' - 1%

The following numbers are preliminary estimates and are also subject to final approval. In the event of extreme weather during the event and any subsequent re-routing, running surface types would also be subject to change.

• Dirt and Gravel Roads - 37%
• Non-Motorized Single and Double Trails - 33%
• 4-Wheel Drive and Motorized Trails - 18%
• Paved Roads and Pathways - 12%

The following Stage Elevation Profiles are based the proposed route plans presented to the U.S. Forest Service and are subject to change. They are provided here for illustration purposes only. All route plans are subject to U.S. Forest Service approval. We have updated these profiles as of November 17, 2010.

Stage 1 (TRR & RUN3): 20.9 miles, 2,550 feet elevation gain

Stage 2 (TRR & RUN3): 13.3 miles, 3,250 feet elevation gain

Stage 3 (TRR & RUN3): 24.2 miles, 2,800 feet elevation gain

Stage 4 (TRR): 14.1 miles, 2,900 feet elevation gain

Stage 5 (TRR): 23.6 miles, 4,200 feet elevation gain

Stage 6 (TRR): 23.4 miles, 5,100 feet elevation gain

Totals:
RUN3 - 58.4 miles, 8,600 feet elevation gain
TRR - 119.5 miles, 20,800 feet elevation gain

Camp Locations

All camp locations will be passenger vehicle and truck accessible, although most will have no services beyond those provided by the organization. Driving directions for support crews 
will be provided with camping passes.

Training

OK, so I'm not yet the machine I had hoped to be, but today I felt like a champion. 

I ran the Bogata loop twice in a little over 40 minutes at a fairly consistent pace.  I slowed a bit on the second lap, but noticing my elapsed time, I picked it up and with a good finishing kick. I clocked in at about the same split time as I had on the first lap.  The run felt really good.  This was probably the best I've felt yet.

It was 34 degrees out, but the sun was bright, the sky was blue and there was little wind.  With long sleeves on and my cap, I was perfectly warm.  I've let the snow, rain and temperatures in the teens keep me away for several days, but I've relearned not to let weather dominate me.

The tunes consisted of a mix of Frampton, Thin Lizzy, AC/DC, Boston and Zepplin.  I knew I was in for a good time when "Eye of Tiger" worked it's way in early.  Cheesy, yes, but still motivational.  Also, "Fly Like an Eagle" by the Steve Miller Band came on half way in.  That was one of our pre-race songs in high school (we were the Eagles) and it seems I'm still conditioned to get slightly nervous when that song plays.  A little extra adrenaline is always good in my book.  And what randomly came up for my kick?  Clapton's "Running on Faith".  Very timely.

I'm very pleased with today's effort and I'm looking forward to doing it again tomorrow.  Willie, glad the calf is getting better.  I can't wait to get a run or to in with you and do the Super Bowl in a few weekends!  It can't come quickly enough.

Training Log - Day 22

Ran 5 of the 5.5 route today...slow pace. My left calf got a little tight towards the end so I walked the last .5 miles. Months ago I would have just tried to run through the tightness but no longer. I can't afford to sit out another 8 weeks. I'm probably a little over cautious but with only 6 months to train better safe than sorry.

Now it's time for some playoff football!

Run, Willie, Run!

Training Log - Day 21

Finally...I'm back! It has been an extremely frustrating 8 weeks. My calf injury was much more severe than I thought as I was literally unable to run any sustained distance. I feel like I'm starting over and have lost the mental edge from starting early. With that said...time to move forward.

Today I ran 5.5 miles in approximately 55 minutes. I kept waiting for my calf to tighten up but it didn't...whew! I certainly didn't feel strong throughout the run but that will come back soon. This week I plan to get some help with a formalized training plan and then get started. As Brian stated...Game On! Brian, I'm glad to see you back!

Run, Willie, Run!

Training

Another day back in the saddle (although I'm not on my bike).  It's a bit gusty out as we have a front heading our way in the next day or so, but the weather was fine.  Low to mid 50's I'd say.  I had a desire to cut the run short early on as my hip was hurting and my head is aching for about the 20th consecutive hour, but I fought through it.  Small victories.

Keeping me company today were some choice selections from Sneaker Pimps, Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins and some pre-Dark Side Pink Floyd.  It was a nice mix.  I ran for a solid 35 minutes and did a little cross training before, so I feel good about the effort.  I haven't checked into the marathon program yet, but that schedule will come soon enough.

Overall the body is feeling pretty well.  I haven't gotten much of an endorphin rush yet, that sometimes elusive and much sought after 'runner's high', but I guess that only means I'm not working hard enough.  It will come.  In the meantime, I work, build and clear my head.  It's good to have an outlet.

Willie, I hope your leg is getting better.  Do they make snowshoes in your size?

Training - Game on

After a lengthy and painful absence, I'M BACK! A number of issues arose over the last month plus that have had me at less than full speed, but now is the time to get back up and drive hard for the goal. I've endured a somewhat problematic bit of eye surgery, some freakin' cold weather and various and sundry other issues that I won't go into here that have taken their toll on everything from availability, to strength, to desire. So much for that.

I've had some good runs since my last blog entry, but it's high time to get serious about this again. My plan is simple - run my butt off and get ready for this thing. I need to reassess the training time left to determine when to use a really nice marathon training program I found. I'll just keep putting down a base in the meantime.  My enemy now is time. I've got to return to consistency and start upping the time and miles.  The mountains loom ahead and I won't let them beat me without a fight.

Today's run was simple - 35 minutes in the cool drizzle. My right hip flexor started to feel just a tad tight again, but nothing unmanageable. My feet still feel great and I can thank my shoes and socks for that. I've never been one for socks, but they have become a necessity. My lungs are feeling pretty good and I can feel a second wind coming on at about the 30 minute mark.

Excuses are for the weak and I've never wanted to fall in that camp, physically or mentally.  Game on.