Old Man Still running

Recovering nicely.  Feels like a typical 100-miler recovery. Not much appetite yet, but I can force down some food. I'm still stunned that I put in 187 miles. And acually it was a couple more than that.  The Garmen showed more miles, probably due to weaving around and not cutting all the corners close. The miles went by fast and at the finish I could have kept going.  Ended the month with 475 miles, my top month ever and finished the year with 3,479, my most miles in a calendar year.

Day three of recovery going well, feel better each day.  Today I could even jog down the stairs.  The right ankle creaks.  Left shoulder muscles tired.  I put shoes on for the first time since stopping and they feel pretty tight, the feet a little swollen still.

I had my Garmin on for the first 60 miles.  The map of it is funny.  The side trips are to the big tent.   Mile splits were pretty impressive for the first ten miles.  Pace times were: 7:46, 7:56, 8:17, 8:18, 8:48, 8:24, 8:39, 8:28, 8:35, 8:42, and so on. My first mile over 9:00 was mile 20,  For the first 60 miles I averaged 10:23 pace, including my stops.

I still am having trouble getting my head around the fact that I ran 187 miles.  That really seems crazy.  It went by so fast.  Of course I kick myself for not reaching 200.  But in the history of this race since 1983, there have only been a handful of runners who have gone over 185 miles.  Most of those were international world-class talent.  I'm only the second runner over 50 years old to go over 185 miles in 48 hours at this race.

What if I didn't take that 4-hour rest?  Perhaps I could have hit 200, but I was very wasted at mile 160, running a fever, and soon bonked bad.  I suspect I could have started running again 2 hours later instead of 4, but I probably wouldn't have pushed as hard as I did when I saw that my lead was gone.  I suspect the most miles I could have reached would have been in the low 190s.

Recovery Day 4.  The toughest part is still getting out of bed.  After ten hours of deep sleep, getting up still feels like I've been hit by a truck.  The pain is everywhere when I first get moving.  But then things get better.

My thoughts are already turning toward Rocky Raccoon 100 in only 33 days.  This is again a pretty flat course and this year I'm determined to break 20 hours there.  Last year two guys over 50 years old did it, so why can't I? If the weather can stay cool there, I can do it.

The kind congratulations for my ATY win continue to pour in from the ultrarunning community. That is a big reason I love ultrarunning because you become part of a family of runners who are supportive and take time even during races to get to know you.

On the ultralist, it was funny that a guy remembered that I had finished dead last in my first 50-miler back in 2004 and now is beating US National team members.  He used that as an example to give encouragement to back-of-the packers and what is possible to reach for.  And then a buddy in his 50s chimed in as say that it is because I've reached my prime, in the 50s.

Anyway, enjoying the rest.  No reason to run for awhile.

Recovery Day 5.  A little discouraging.  Getting up today didn't feel like I was hit by a truck anymore, just a small car.  All those joints, even fingers and toes hurt. I felt like an old man with arthritis.  Well, maybe I am and need to start acting my age.

After 100s, typically you have some swelling that protects the joints from pain for the first couple days.  Well, that has gone away and that just leaves some interesting pain.  My problem knee is the biggest worry. It started hurting bad yesterday and continues today.  I know that I'm always one race away from retirement because of that knee.  I think I just have some bruised cartilege that will take some time to heal.

Then, going out to the car, I took a very bad fall on the ice and bruised a hip.  So now I'm really walking around like an old man, especially around the ice.

I think I need to go shopping for a rocking chair to rock on my porch.  When I see runners go by, I'll swear, spit, shake my cane, and say, "Dang young show-offs. Bet you can't run 187 miles!"

Whoo hoo!  I feel much better today, feel recovered. No pain getting up today. Amazing what three straight nights of sleeping 10 hours does for you.  I can't remember the last time I've ever slept so much.  All three evenings, 8 p.m. hit and I was exhausted and just went to bed and fell right to sleep.

I think I'm ready to at least start swimming.  I know if I started doing some running that the knee will hurt within the first mile, so it still needs time.  I know the routine with it since it has been nearly seven years now working with it.   I run on it until it hurts then quit, next day can go further, etc.  It seems to heal faster if I use it.

Still resting, nine hours sleep last night.  Fighting off a cold.

Set my potential race schedule for next year.  Decided not to do Hardrock even if I get in, entered Tahoe Rim 100 again instead, to go for my 5th finish there.  Looks like it will be more competetive there this year.

Rocky Raccoon 100, TX – Feb 5-6

Buffalo Run 100, UT – Mar 25-26

Ogden Marathon, UT – May 21

Squaw Peak 50, UT – Jun 4

Bighorn 100, WY – Jun 17-18

Tahoe Rim Trail 100 , NV – Jul 16-17

Cascade Crest 100??, WA – Aug 27-28

Wasatch 100, UT?? – Sept 9-10

Virgil Crest 100, NY – Sept 24-25

Pony Express Trail 100, UT – Oct 21-22

Across the Years 48???, AZ – Dec 29-30

Back in the saddle!   Treadmill, most at 8:30 pace.  Tested things out.  Delighted that my knee didn't complain as long as I kept the pace at 8:30 or below.  The ankle problem is really a lower leg problem, the extensor digitorum longus muscle.  It still creaks and was in pain after the run, but reading up on it, it doesn't appear to be a serious problem and people can run through it.

No soreness in all other leg muscles.  Legs felt great afterwards and wanted more.  This turned out to be a good fast recovery given I was still running a week ago.

Treadmill miles.  Almost total recovered.  No real pain. Did some long stretches at 15-20% incline and the legs liked it.

Treadmill.  Lots of incline this morning, machine said I climbed 3,000 feet.  Also doing some weights and core every day.  After ATY my left shoulder was pretty sore from arm swinging for 48 hours or from holding a water bottle for hours.

Rocky Raccoon 100 is now in my sights.  It is only 26 days away!  I'm even working on my pacing goals.  I really believe I can break 20 hours there this year.  Shoot, I broke 20 hours for 100-miles at ATY with 18 hours of rain and mud and and more than a half hour of stops. (still haven't seen my detailed splits for Day one).  So why can't I do the same or better at Rocky?  The altitude is even lower. I'll really have to minimize my aid station stops.

A bad cold set in.  Still did some treadmill.

My first-day splits for ATY were finally posted.  Lots of interesting data to me.  I updated my PRs (to the left).  The downpour cost me about 20 minutes into my 100-mile time.  Splits at: http://www.acrosstheyears.com/cgi-bin/splits.cgi?y=2010&rid=708

Here's my average lap time pace for each 10K segment.   The spike at 15 is due ot the downpour.  The spike at 17 was due to break after 24 hours trying to solve my chafing problem, changing all my clothes and shoes.  My splits were coming down during the second evening as I started "sprinting" some laps.   And then came the 4-hour lazy break.  Note the huge improvement after the rest.

This is average lap time for that 10K stretch.  Each lap is 1/2 K.  I tried to keep lap times under 3 minutes for quite awhile and then under 4 minutes for quite awhile, etc.

A 3:00 lap average is a 1:00:00 10K.

A 4:00 lap average is a 1:20:00 10K. etc.

My first 10K was 51:36, 8:18 mile pace.  Second 10K was 52:54, 8:31 mile pace, etc.

100 miles is just over 160K, so 16 on the graph.

Compare this to my ATY 2008 splits.  Huge improvement, mind boggling because 2008 was perfect weather.

More treadmill, legs feeling strong.  Did a long stretch at 19% incline (holding on to the front).

Here's my ATY chart again, this time with minite-miles, easier to understand.  Look at those slow miles during the second half.  Easy stuff, anyone could do this, right?  Those of course include stops.  It does show that there is plenty of room for improvement to reach 200 miles.

 p.m. Instead of just laying around feeling sick, went and ran more treadmill. 

More treadmill, Flats today, 8-7:30 pace with 2% incline.

Went to the doctor and dentist to take care of my non-running problems.  I found out that I'm actually a teen-ager.  That explains a lot.  I need to go have a wisdom tooth taken out.

Hilly treadmill workout, at least half 10-19% incline.  Machiine thinks I climbed 5,000 feet.

Going to have a fun Monday, getting a wisdom tooth hacked up.  They can't take out the roots, too close to the nerve, so they will cut off the top, hack at it some, and try to reach my pain threshold.  Bring it on!

p.m. More treadmill.

eve. 4 with the dog

Treadmill.  Took about seven miles to feel warmed up.  Good training week this week, but more than 80 miles on the treadmill was brutal.  Funny that still the miles this month is way short from the miles run the last two days of last year.

Kept thinking of friends running HURT 100 in Hawaii.  It helped me keep going, understanding the tough run they are doing over there.

Did an ice run on Utah Lake.  Lots of people out there.  Duck hunters, ATVs pulling sledders, and others.   I first went out to check it with the dog. It is her favorite place in the world.  She just runs and runs and runs and runs.

Went back out and ran a long loop to American Fork and back.  Lots of fun. Oh, I see I topped 100 miles this week.  How did that happen?

Tomorrow I go under the knife, getting a wisdom tooth hacked out.

In case I don't wake up, here is my runner last will and testament

To ScottW, I give my GPS, maps, emergency whistle, and signal mirror.  I know he will still get lost, but it might help.  At least he can use the whistle and mirror.

To Jun, I give me Pony Express 100 championship trophy.  This will be the only way he will get one...heh, heh.

To Kelli, I give my green flashlight so maybe she won't be afraid to run on trails at night

To Jon, I give all my old stinky shoes and socks with holes in them.  I'm sure he will find some good use for them.  They will smell even better in the humid south.

To JimKern I give all the runner schwag that I've received at races.  You might need to rent a u-haul to get it home.

To Smooth, I give my hot chocolate, oranges, and hammer gel.  Mix them all in a blender for your next run with the girls.  Then everyone has to raise their glasses full of it to toast me.

I write this wihile still be unsound in mind but able to run 187 miles.

Out the door a little before 4 a.m.  Ran six mile in the light drizzle before the storm and then went in to the treadmill.  Ran 6x7:30x5% and then backed off 5x8:00x3%.  Amazing what a three day rest does.  I felt very fast and strong.  The treadmill was much easier after that six mile warmup.    Friend at the clubhouse.  "Did you get in 11 miles?"  "Uh, actually 17, ran six in the rain before."  He just shakes his head.

There is one curious guy at the club house.  He come in almost every day and just does about a ten minute treadmill, runs fast for 30 seconds checking his heart rate and then walks, and repeats.  And he has to have the fan blasting on him (and me).  Not sure what he's accomplishing, wondered if he has a heart condition, but I don't think so.  I think he just trying to get his heart rate up for a few minutes each day and doesn't want to sweat doing it.  At least it is something I guess.

Crazy hills on the treadmill.   First a 6x7:53x15% (holding on to front with some step-offs).  That was good and tough.  Backed off to 5% for awhile and then ended off with a long 8:30x15%.  The machine thinks I climbed more than 6,000 feet.  I think that was the first time I've clicked those numbers past the 6,000 foot mark.  Quads felt nice and tired afterwards.  Looks like the weather is improving, I look forward to getting back outside.

Hit the pavement at 3 a.m. in the hazy moonlight, 28 degrees.  Didn't take a light.  Most of the icy spots are gone.  Ran the Jordon River Trail, streets in Lehi and Saratoga.   In a residential area, ran into a skunk.  It put its tail up at me, but I slowly went around and the tail went down.  Great Lehi wildlife.  Wildlife in Saratoga is a little classier. A few nights ago, the dog woke us up when we heard a strange sound out our window.  Finally I went down to see what it was.  A fox in in our back yard. 

After that went and ran 8 miles on the treadmill.  Usual crowd there.  I need to get some trail miles in before RR100.  Maybe I can dodge this next storm.

Pain in the jaw getting worse from the pulled tooth.  Hope it calms down soon.

Great fun running a 50K before sunrise.  I was out the door at 2 a.m. and ran a big 21+-mile loop around much of Lehi.  http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/27301148

There was light snow falling, just a dusting on the roads.  I ran into another skunk on the Jordan River trail.  It ran ahead of me for about 100 yards and then finally went into the woods.   It was nice and peaceful out on the roads, very little traffic.  I was going to do more, but was running low on water.  About 4 a.m., the skies cleared a little and a hazy moon brightened things up.

Returning home, I was done with the cold weather. I went to run the rest on the treadmill.  A guy I haven't seen before came in and pounded out two miles with really bad running form.  When he got done, he saw I was on 5 miles and he said, "wow, that is really good."   I knew he wouldn't understand if I told him the whole story.

Got in another ten miles before the sun came up.  Did some hills, climbing 3,000 feet. Not bad getting in 78 miles with just four running days this week.  I might do a little more later on today.   I'm feeling ready for RR100.

p.m. 3 miles with the dog

p.m. 6 more TM miles during Jazz game.

Slept in, lazy bum.  Starting my taper, anyway.   I'll probably run a 5K race on Saturday, so I'm searching for a 4-day training program to run a 5K.  Any suggestions?  I'm thinking it involves eating, sleeping, and watching sports on TV.

The wisdom tooth hole is really a problem.  Went back today and they did wonders on it, feels much better.  The dentist said it was a monster hole that will just take several weeks.

Day one of my 4-day 5K training program.

First, a 5K tempo run on the treadmill, made it in 19:25.  Then backed off, but tried to do some half mile bursts under 6-minute pace.  The treadmill would only let me go to 5:45.  I suspect my feet weren't pushing the belt fast enough so it started laboring.  Hit the 10K mark at 41:48.   After that, still did some speed spurts, but they were tough to do very long.  Boy do I hate doing this tempo/speed stuff.  Felt tougher than my crazying climbing workouts.  My feet just don't want to move that fast.

I think tomorrow's training schedule calls for me to eat a couple of those new stuffed burgers at Burger King, and a big bowl of ice cream.

Day 2 in my 5K training.  Quad was a little sore from yesterday's speed work, so I didn't push it as hard.  Did the first 10k in 42:30.  Did some long stretches at 6:30 pace to get used to feeling comfortable doing that.   With the quads a little tight, I guess I'll have to go into a taper for my 5K.  How do you taper for 5Ks?  A walk out to the mailbox? Lay on the couch eating pizza?  Watch programs of people working out?  I think all those would work.

Looks like I'll run the 5K out at Saltair.  I've run that for a few years.  I looked at the Hale's 5K but it isn't as competitive, smaller field.

Day 3 of training for my 5K.  No running today, quads still a little sore from the speed work.  So, it was stuff-the-face day.  Nice big steak lunch with a couple guys who will also be running RR100, donuts, candy.

Five easy TM miles.  8:30 pace at 5%.  In my taper mode, just enough to keep the taper pains away and not get tired out.

At the eleventh hour, the RR100 RD announced that no headphones, music, etc. could be used while running RR100.  I couldn't believe he would put in that rule after everyone had already registered.  I waged a campaign against it. I stuck out my neck and probably made some enemies.  While I don't always run with music, I find it offensive that people keep trying to ban it from our sport for purist reasons, not true safety reasons.  "You should be listening to nature.  You shouldn't be distracted, etc."  Give me a break, let me run how I want to.   100-milers are so long and sometimes it gets so lonely at night, there is no reason to ban them on safe trails. He mentions that people aren't hearing people who want to pass them.  Bogus reason.  I lapped more than 100 runners there last year and can only recall one runner who I had to tap on the shoulder in a friendly way.  No biggy.  The biggest problem is the litter.  For some reason in Texas they trash their courses.  I've never seen it so bad as at Rocky Raccoon.  And another bad problem is lights in the face at night in the two-way portions of the course.  Pacers for slow runners point their lights up at you as your approach and blind you.  That is a far bigger safety concern.

Some point to USATF "rules" against headphones.  These rules don't exist other than championship events.   USATF needs to stay out of ultras anyway. Their 100-mile national championship each year gets no attention, it is a joke.  Shoot, I even won their 50+ age group a couple years ago, but it isn't a big deal. They don't help ultras, except for providing affordable insurance to race directors.  Otherwise their influence only is an imposition with little benefits.  OK, off my soap box.

Well, looks like it worked, the RD backed down for this year, but implied he would ban it next year and doesn't give any understandable reasons why. This is likely my last RR100.

I sure hate 5Ks.  In fact I dispise them.  Did I mention I hate 5Ks? They make me feel old and slow.  But they build character, so I still do one or two a year just to keep myself humble.   I did a 4-day training program to get ready for this race, but it looks like I should have stepped it up and done a 5-day training program.

Worst case this morning, ice-smog.   My lungs are always a limiting factor for this race and distance.  I warmed up inside in the clean air, on the treadmill and then went out to Saltair.  Ran another mile and felt fine.

This course is flat as can be.  So flat that it makes it very challenging for me.   I started off fine, keeping the breathing under control and clocked a 6:10 for the first mile.   I had forgotten my Garmin, shoot, that would have helped push me.   Mile 2 was the problem.  I lost focus and even was thinking about Rocky Raccoon 100 next Saturday.   Mile 2 was 6:40, 20 seconds slower than it should have been.   I noticed an old guy that passed me around the half way point, running strong.   I tried to keep him close and planned to reel him in, but it never happened.

Mile 3 was 6:37 and a big struggle, but I kept on pushing, still with a hope to break 20, but I knew it would be close.  I finished in 20:07.  Some dude took a page out of my own book and sneaked up on me, sprinting past me with about 5 yards to go.  I believe he was my age group winner.  Hats off to him, dang.

Well, it was a course PR for me and just 16 seconds off my 5K PR.  I did get second place in my age group, losing it by one second. So not really bad.  It was also the Utah Stake 5K championship for RRCA, and I think I got 4th for Grand Masters, but it left me angry at myself and determined.  A perfect attitude going into Rocky Raccoon this week.   My focus there is to get top-3 for ages 50+ which they give awards for.

Right after I finished, I had terrible pain in the jaw from my extracted wisdom tooth 12 days ago.  It was so bad it made me dizzy.  After resting in the car for five minutes, the pain calmed down.  Wow.  Sure hope this heals up more this week.

Did I mention I hate 5Ks?

Taper week....who hoo!  Just an easy seven miles on the treadmill to keep things loose and scare away the taper pains.   7x8:00x3.5%

Rocky Raccoon weather this Saturday looks perfect to me.  Cold start mid-20s (can really push that first 20 miles hard), warming up to mid-50s, cooling to about 40 by finish.  No heat, no rain!  Mud in places could be an issue, but blast on through it!  Humidity only 50%.

The no-headphones debate continues on the races' facebook blog.  It is interesting to that those who chime in and are so negative toward people who use them haven't even run a 100-mile race before, yet they want to see them banned.

Here's a funny exchange:

Runner: "One of the things that I like about trail running is the friendliness of the fellow runners. When you add headphones (like on the roads) people become very unfriendly - no smile, wave, nod, or howdy. Besides, if someone can't handle using his own brain for entertainment, makes me wonder how much he likes his own self? To me, it's a time to think things through, review classnotes, to do lists, listen to nature, make new friends as they jet by."

My reply: "Yes, same old endless argument. People who like to listen to music while running are mentally weak, unattached from nature, unfriendly, not alert, so we need to put in a rule so we can make them be better runners like us. I don’t buy it at all and I go both ways in my use. I find all 100-mile runners to be generally a fantastic, friendly, completive, mentally strong group. Some are in a zone and aren’t going to say hi to everyone, that is fine, after all, it is a race. But let’s not impose rules to make people run exactly the way we think is “right.” Barefoot/Hokas, headlamps/handhelds, meat/no-meat, music/no-music, and on and on. Live and let live, run and let run."