The Long Run

2.83@10:36

Hotel treadmill in Boca area.

6.24@10:11

Looping around the 1/10 mile track on Carnival Cruise ship on way to the Bahamas.

Also got in some good stair climbing.

Cruise day.  No run but got in steps on the track and stairs.  Flight of stairs from Deck 0 to Deck 12, started to feel it about deck 6.

Was in Nassau today, mainly hung out at Junkanoo Beach, had some local beach food (Conch fritters especially), on the walk back to the ship bought a few souvenirs.  It was a pretty fun day with Jessica, Charlotte, me, Jacob, Sophia, Aubrey, and Andy, almost everyone.  Maybe get everyone next time.

17.21@12:14    HR  128 bpm

Starkey Trails (off road) and then a little bit on the bike trail out to the Suncoast Pkwy trail.  Stopped by the new bathrooms and fountain on way back.

3.1@11:35

One easy loop inside Westlake Village

3.11@10:29

Run very similar to yesterday, one loop inside Westlake Village

2.32@10:23

Another easy WLV run

3.12@9:56

Easy day, WLV 1 loop

2.79 @9:57  HR 131 bpm

Taking it easy still.  Was a little bit sick earlier this week but pretty much back now just in time for tomorrow's race.  Was behind on blogging so I started to fill in the gaps but decided to jump ahead.

My in-laws gave me a gift card to Dick's Sporting Goods so I bought two new pairs of shoes including Hoka Speedgoat 5, my first trail shoes in a while, seem pretty good, my first try using Hokas.  Trail might be muddy tomorrow from this week's rain but won't get any wetter during the race, supposed to be good weather this year, cool, nothing below freezing and nothing too hot.  Start temp in low 60's then it just gets cooler from there.

68.11@16:57  (avg moving pace 14:59)

DNF'd at the Longhaul 100 race after completing 4 loops (16.7 miles per loop approx.)

Course was very muddy, lots of mud throughout but worst part was about a 4 mile stretch of deep shoe grabbing mud.  Temperatures not terribly cold but cold enough combined with the wet mud to make it miserable (last year's race was colder).

Good times running with Daisy, completed first two loops in under 8 hours (7:50:22), so reasonably on track for 24-26 hour range.  Toward's the end of the second loop we picked up Laura, so that was fun to have a little group.

After the second loop I stopped at my car for a little bit.  Caught up to Daisy and Laura and continued on for the 3rd loop.  Sometime past the campground loop, Laura started going ahead because it was getting colder and she wanted to move fast enough to stay warm.  We continued on reasonably well, finishing the 3rd loop 12:36:34 into the race (or about 4:14 for loop 3, a little bit slower but still pretty reasonable).

After the third loop, sent Daisy ahead while I stopped at my car for a longer stop to change my socks and warm up a little bit.  I got going again and felt pretty good going at a steady jog instead of run/walk to catch up to Daisy.  Got to the camp area just as she was ready to start going again.  We did the out and back from the camp.  She was dragging a little, I was feeling ok but starting to get a little bit colder.

Got back to the camp area and saw Eric and Evan.  After the camp loop we head over to the muddy out and back.  I suddenly had trouble keeping up and started feeling more and more miserable.  Air was getting colder and I didn't have gloves, was not staying ahead of the cold.   When we got to the point where the trail turns right and goes through the extra mud I thought about going left and shortcut back to the start/finish area.

Slogged through the mud, the water, the cold, reached the aid station, was now by myself (Evan stayed back while I did the short extra muddy road to the aid station).  Sat down by the fire and had some potato soup (heard someone say, hey that's just watery instant mashed potatoes - but no matter it  was still good and warm).  Andy B, the aid station captain came over to check on me.  He said ok see you in four and a half hours?  It was optimistic and encouraging and was more belief in me than I had in myself at that moment.

Got up after about 10 minutes, slogged back on the mud road to where Evan was then we continued until out of the muddy section and back to that intersection where I wanted to short cut back.  The rest of the trail was nice and made it to start /finish just after 12:30 am.  Got some food and drinks and continued the half mile to my car.

I told Evan I was going to sit and try and warm up but was also thinking about quitting.  My friend Cynthia was heading out to meet me but I ended up telling her it was probably best if I quit.  If she had come out would have most likely given it another go.   I was also not thinking straight and did have some heavier pieces of clothing in my car.

Finally after about 45 minutes drove over to start/finish and told them I was quitting.

I had been sick at the beginning of the week and also had very poor sleep the night before so was worried about getting sick again.  In general I had forgotten the 90% rule - that a 100 mile race can be 90% mental.

As for Daisy, she did go on to finish the race in 30:45, slogging through the 4 muddy miles two more times alone (she had pacers but they sat out the mud bath but were with her on other sections). 

This report was written three weeks later which was enough time to try again so there does end up being a somewhat happy ending in the end.

3.12@11:02  HR 124 bpm

One loop inside Westlake Village, feeling not too bad after Saturday's 68 miles

4.12@11:13   HR 132 bpm

Out and back southbound Starkey Gap trail.

4.16@9:47   HR 128 bpm

One loop and a little more inside WLV, a little bit faster today than earlier in the week.

10.12@8:55   HR 134 bpm

Took garmin up on it's suggestion of one hour 30 minutes @ 9:05 pace.  Averaged a little faster and kept heart rate near easy range while ending up with sub-9:00, one of best heart rate/vs pace runs in a while.  Was very nice weather.

Northbound up Starkey Blvd bike trail into the park a little bit and then back

7.19@9:03

Southbound out and back on Starkey Gap trail, aiming for about 9:05 pace again.

3.68@10:43

Easy paced pre-dawn run inside Westlake Village.

AM 5.52@7:54

Did 5x3min @6:45 goal pace per garmin suggestion, even though another long race is coming up legs felt good, glad I got some leg turnover practice.  Looping in Westlake Village

PM 3.1@9:43

Humpday Hustle run with Evan at Longleaf.

6.25@10:08  HR 133 bpm

Couple of loops inside Westlake Village, easyish pace.

4.25@10:04   HR 127

Pre-dawn run in Westlake Village, a loop and a little more to get over 4 for the morning.

Heart rate right where I wanted it for that easy feeling

11.85@11:51    HR 132 bpm

Out and back trail run in Starkey Park, keeping it easy and getting in some trail miles.

Felt pretty good and it reminded me I should be on these trails a lot more, very quiet and peaceful.

One week from today attempt at redeeming myself at the Rocky Raccoon 100.  This will be a harder course than Longhaul but I think I can do it.  But really the main goal is to go back out after 3 loops when it will be dark and later and just be mentally prepared that I'm going to be moving all night.  And if I make it to the start of loop 5 before the cutoff I should be able to bring it home.

Two cutoffs similar to Long Haul - 32 hour cut off to finish and get the belt buckle and 30 hours to finish and count as Western States 100 lottery qualifier.  Georgia Death Race at end of March is also a qualifier but there is less certainty there.  For that 74 mile race it is 25 hours to finish and 23 hours to qualify.  In 2016 I did it in 23:09 but that year course was 72 miles, and qualifying time was 21 hours.

So, if I can get sub 30 at Rocky Raccoon then pressure will be off at GDR.  Rocky will give me some hill practice too, some consider Rocky to be "flat", will be about 5500 feet of climbing, so I guess it is one of the flatter 100's out there.

0.55@12:51

I wanted to try out the packable puffy vest I just got.  It was pretty warm.  I want to be prepared this time in case of the cold but it's looking like perfect temperature next weekend.  High 60's at the start then it gets cooler during the day with night time going down to 50 but shouldn't be much colder than that at its coldest.

3.26@13:21   HR 122 bpm

Starkey Park trails out and back with practice using trekking poles.  Not sure if this was a guide idea to try these for the upcoming race but wanted to at least get beyond trekking pole theory, got a little bit better with them.

5.73@9:50  HR 134 bpm

Westlake Village looping, taking it easy.

2.67@9:54  HR 133 bpm

One shorter loop inside Westlake Village.