Sunday, June 15, 2008

Taper week 6/9 - 6/15 - 1 week to Mohican

It's hard to believe the Mohican Trail 100 Mile Run is now only a week away. On Monday the 9th I began my tapering with a goal of 50-65 miles for the week. I ended up with 52.3, concluding the week on a pretty rough note but such is life.

I am fortunate to have an excellent Mohican crew/pacing team in Ted and Kenny. We have been in close contact all week and have the logistics lined up. We have a few time goals we're after and hopefully we'll achieve those goals.

In view of the fact that right now I'm running on fumes and am nearly spent physically and mentally (although I may be feeling better by the end of the week), I have revised my approach to Mohican. I'm just going to run my own race, try to me meet or exceed my aid station goal times, do my absolute best and let the chips fall where they may. If I finish top-10, great. If I finish top-5, that's even more great. If I finish in 24 hours, that's OK, too. I'm very run-down right now and, honestly, it's pretty much impossible to imagine myself racing a 100 miler only six days from now...but I know I'll be ready!

Here's how the week went:

Monday
AM: Off
PM: Off

Tuesday
AM: 8.1 miles
PM: Off
Total miles for day: 8.1

Wednesday
AM: 8.4 miles
PM: Off
Total miles for day: 8.4

Thursday
AM: 8.1 miles
PM: Off
Total miles for day: 8.1

Friday
AM: 8.5 miles
Really struggled through the high humidity.
PM: Off
Total miles for day: 8.5

Saturday
AM: 12.1 miles in Cuyahoga Valley National Park with the Lock 29 crew.
Ran a little too hard with Mohican only seven days away. Very humid. Finished the run up with Connie G., who is also doing Mohican and will finish very, very strong. She ran 145 miles at last November's UltraCentric, nearly setting the American women's 24-hour record. Connie is most certainly a leading contender for an outright victory at Mohican, especially if the conditions/weather are bad. She's the type of runner who thrives when the going gets tough.
PM: Off
Total miles for day: 12.1

Sunday
AM: 7 miles at the West Woods, Geauga Park District
Saturday night was a very tough night, as Noah was not feeling well and basically screamed and fussed for 8 hours straight (had to call the pediatrician for advice....). I was too tired to go to Solon so I stayed home, helped out with the baby and then at 10 a.m. went to West Woods for a short run. I'd never been to West Woods and really liked it. Bill W. was right--it's a great place for a run. I will most certainly go back. Jeff U. called later in the day to see if I was OK since I'd missed the Solon run. I appreciated his concern. I heard the Solon crew ran hard. Although I really missed their company, maybe it's best I wasn't there with Mohican so close.
PM: Off
Total miles for day: 7

Total miles for week: 52.3

This week I won't do much more than run maybe 10 miles and walk, taking Thursday and Friday off to get ready for the action on Saturday. I also plan to try to get at least 8 hours of sleep on Wednesday and Thursday nights, carbo load big time Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and get my drop bags in order.

3 comments:

  1. You have done all the training. You have the strategy. You have pacers on whom you can rely. Your confidence should be sky-high. We're all pulling for you, Wyatt. Go get it.

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  2. Good luck.
    And beware of the chair.
    That's my fear at Western.

    Mark

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  3. Good plan, Wyatt.

    Funny, last year at Mohican I found myself passing Connie and Bob P. coming out of the Covered Bridge at mile 21. Instead of sticking with these vets, I decided to run my own race and how I felt. (Also with Connie running Laurel only one week prior, I figured she was a little spent. Boy was I wrong.)

    Although I could hear them (and their pack) chatting no more than a few hundred meters behind. I ran on my own. I think I fared well by doing so.

    Dave P. was even further ahead and I passed him after Hickory Ridge.

    It's a long race and in the end it is all about you and that finish line. You'll make the decisions necessary to get there. Having a plan in place really helps when the mind becomes clouded.

    I won't make it down there until late Saturday night, but hope to catch the finish.

    Trust your training and you will excel. I look foward to witnessing your triumph.

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