It's hard to believe but I'm now under three weeks out from the Burning River 100 (in Cleveland, Ohio), and the taper has commenced!
Overall, my training has been solid, though it had some rough patches as I battled occasional fatigue, an ongoing piriformis issue (which I am treating now with some interesting stretches, thanks to a Joe Uhan video a friend sent me), and the overall demands of life and work. Nothing unusual there as training for a 100-mile run is not easy; it will bring peaks and valleys.
When you add it all up, I logged five weeks of 70+ miles and an additional two weeks of 80+ miles. The two 80+ mile weeks were my final two weeks of training before the taper started, so I wrapped up my training on a strong note and got in some miles on the trail. Within all of the miles I ran are a few 7-day stretches of 80+ miles as well. I really believe that volume of training is critical. Call me old-fashioned but you have to put in the miles. That said, I do think I was smarter this time around with my recovery, and I also took some zero days.
All of my training was at "altitude." I quote altitude because it's really quite a relative term, but, to clarify, my training was all at 6,000 feet or higher, which I guess constitutes "altitude" and may be beneficial as I race my 100-miler at sea level.
I managed to stay relatively committed to quality with hill repeat and tempo efforts. Overall, I would say my quality could have been better but it was still there. My quality suffered during weeks that I battled fatigue.
I had solid efforts at the NORAD Trail Marathon in May and the North Fork 50K in early June. At no point in those races did my endurance ever fail me.
Also, I have been putting in solid efforts with core conditioning and upper body strengthening.
My endurance is there and I feel like through my training I got my body and mind ready to run "all day." That is what this crazy endeavor called ultrarunning is really all about: transcending self as you run "all day."
In the next two weeks, the goal is to keep up with my stretching in order to help my piriformis improve, get my legs fresh, continue with my core and upper body strengthening and hone my walking game. I am a good walker but life has been so damned busy that I haven't had the time to walk as much as I'd like.
I will also start thinking about my drop-bag strategy. Honestly, as this race isn't in the mountains, I won't have to worry about insane weather and drastic temperature changes--really all I'll need out on the Burning River course are the basics: back-up shoes, back-up socks, a long-sleeve tee in case it gets chilly at night, some basic first-aid supplies, and some simple nutritional items. Over the years, I have developed a pattern of not using my drop bags very much. At Javelina a few years ago, I raced all 100 miles in the same shoes and socks and never changed any clothing. I think it's better that way. Just run.
It has been a few years since I last finished a 100-miler, so I am truly going into Burning River with the goal of finishing. Anything beyond that is icing on the cake.
Do I think a sub-24 hour is possible? Yes, if everything goes well and my stomach holds.
Do I think a sub-22 hour is possible? Maybe, if it's a good day.
Do I think a sub-20 hour is possible? It could be, but it would have to be a special day.
Ultimately, I just want to finish and get back in the Western States lottery pipeline.
Burning River is a beautiful course and I'm relatively familiar with several sections of it, having lived in Cleveland for five years. Burning River was my first-ever 100 in 2007 but that was a different course, though there are a few sections that are the same. The course this time around brings about 102 miles and over 8,000 feet of gain.
Having lived and raced here in Colorado for 9 years, and in that time collected 5 big buckles at Leadville, it is hard for me to imagine a 100-miler where I won't have to worry about going over big mountains and up 3,500+ foot climbs. But that doesn't mean Burning River will be easy. Far from it! The course will offer few areas where it'll seem obvious that I need to walk, which can be a silent killer. It may all seem/look runnable to me, which could get me in trouble. So I need to approach Burning River with a careful eye toward pacing myself and finding good spots to slow the effort and walk to conserve energy--I'm referring to the up-hills. The key with a race like this is to run as much as possible (hence my focus on training myself to run "all day," which I have done before) and choose your walking "breaks" carefully (the hills) so you don't lose too much time but yet are allowing for some recovery. And then on the downs I will let my Colorado-strong quads be an advantage.
Another variable will be the humidity. Not much I can do there except deal with it. We have very little humidity here in Colorado and so I'll just need to cope with it. I lived the first 37 years of my life back East, in some insanely humid areas. I am familiar with humidity and will be ready.
Other than all of that.... I will go into the race with no goal splits at any point. This will be good for me. At Leadville, it has been hard for me not to race against my best splits over the years. As you age, you start to see that it's not a good idea to race against your younger self--that is something I continue to struggle with. Though I am familiar with parts of the Burning River course, I am not so familiar that I'll have goal splits. It'll for the most part be new to me, especially as I have not stepped on those trails in over 9 years. I am actually very excited about running a 100 with no goal splits.
One final note that is of great importance to me: I will see many old friends, who I can't wait to see. I still miss my old running buddies in Cleveland and the incredible running community there. Reuniting with old friends will be special. I can't wait!
Showing posts with label Burning River 100. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Burning River 100. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Monday, May 20, 2019
NORAD Trail Marathon; Back on Track?
Had a very solid race on Sunday at the NORAD Trail Marathon at Cheyenne Mountain State Park in Colorado Springs. Put on by Mad Moose Events, it's a figure-8 course with 4,000 feet of climbing that you run twice. Cheyenne Mountain is where NORAD is located--hence the race's name. So a pretty cool location.
I know the course quite well as I've run several races there over the years (including the Cheyenne Mountain 50K and the Xterra Trail Marathon), meaning going into Sunday I knew where to press it hard and where to take my foot off the gas pedal. Experience was on my side in spades. That said, I've kind of tired of the course over the years--there's just nothing on it that is new to me. But it is beautiful and on Sunday I really tried take it in.
My decision to enter the race was pretty last-minute...as in I registered at the table the morning of the event. I had checked with the race directors a few days earlier and they confirmed I could register on-site. That said, when my alarm went off at 4:30 on Sunday morning, I decided right then and there to bag the race and get some more sleep. It had been a busy week at work and I needed more rest. So I turned off my alarm and closed my eyes.
But then regret crept over me and I got out of bed and went through the motions of getting ready. I ate breakfast and had my coffee and then out the door I went, driving to Colorado Springs with very low expectations and, quite honestly, not a great attitude. The temperature on the drive down was in the high 30s. That's what I call "no excuse racing weather."
In truth, what was really holding me back was my flagging confidence as a runner. It has been a tough two years, and the last thing I wanted on Sunday morning was to drive down to Colorado Springs and endure a 26.2-mile death march where I hated every step because I can't race the way I used to race.
I am so glad to ran the race! Right out of the gate--trying to use my experience to my advantage--I opted to keep my effort at MAF and only allowed myself to exceed MAF if I was toward the top of a climb and knew I'd soon be on a descent. I was quite strong over the entire race, actually running the second loop stronger than the first. I lost no strength; in fact, I got stronger with the miles. I was especially strong on the descents and I was quite surprised by my climbing. My average heart rate for the entire race was 138. On a few climbs, I allowed by HR to get into the 150s but only near the top when I knew I was able to level off.
Running the whole thing at MAF was a good decision. Back in my 30s and early 40s, I had the fitness to go out hard and know I could hold it. I am still fit but not like I was in my 30s and early 40s. So it's better to go out conservatively, hold the effort at MAF and let the race come to you--which is what I did on Sunday. I passed several runners during the second loop.
I finished 6th overall out of only 38 starters, with a time of 4 hours and 20 minutes. Not bad for a course with 4,000 feet of climbing on rocky trails! I even got a 90% finish on Ultrasignup! Good to be back into the 90s!
Just like that, I'm feeling good about my fitness with the Burning River 100 now about two months away. I just put in my second consecutive week of 70+ miles. I just started Optygen and it seems to be kicking in. I am confident that, going into June, a couple of weeks of 80+ miles and at least one week at 90+ miles is all feasible. Hell, I might even be able to squeeze in a 100-mile week if I play my cards right (not counting on it).
That should set me up nicely for a Burning River 100 that I can run with confidence...and at MAF :-).
I know the course quite well as I've run several races there over the years (including the Cheyenne Mountain 50K and the Xterra Trail Marathon), meaning going into Sunday I knew where to press it hard and where to take my foot off the gas pedal. Experience was on my side in spades. That said, I've kind of tired of the course over the years--there's just nothing on it that is new to me. But it is beautiful and on Sunday I really tried take it in.
My decision to enter the race was pretty last-minute...as in I registered at the table the morning of the event. I had checked with the race directors a few days earlier and they confirmed I could register on-site. That said, when my alarm went off at 4:30 on Sunday morning, I decided right then and there to bag the race and get some more sleep. It had been a busy week at work and I needed more rest. So I turned off my alarm and closed my eyes.
But then regret crept over me and I got out of bed and went through the motions of getting ready. I ate breakfast and had my coffee and then out the door I went, driving to Colorado Springs with very low expectations and, quite honestly, not a great attitude. The temperature on the drive down was in the high 30s. That's what I call "no excuse racing weather."
In truth, what was really holding me back was my flagging confidence as a runner. It has been a tough two years, and the last thing I wanted on Sunday morning was to drive down to Colorado Springs and endure a 26.2-mile death march where I hated every step because I can't race the way I used to race.
I am so glad to ran the race! Right out of the gate--trying to use my experience to my advantage--I opted to keep my effort at MAF and only allowed myself to exceed MAF if I was toward the top of a climb and knew I'd soon be on a descent. I was quite strong over the entire race, actually running the second loop stronger than the first. I lost no strength; in fact, I got stronger with the miles. I was especially strong on the descents and I was quite surprised by my climbing. My average heart rate for the entire race was 138. On a few climbs, I allowed by HR to get into the 150s but only near the top when I knew I was able to level off.
Running the whole thing at MAF was a good decision. Back in my 30s and early 40s, I had the fitness to go out hard and know I could hold it. I am still fit but not like I was in my 30s and early 40s. So it's better to go out conservatively, hold the effort at MAF and let the race come to you--which is what I did on Sunday. I passed several runners during the second loop.
I finished 6th overall out of only 38 starters, with a time of 4 hours and 20 minutes. Not bad for a course with 4,000 feet of climbing on rocky trails! I even got a 90% finish on Ultrasignup! Good to be back into the 90s!
Just like that, I'm feeling good about my fitness with the Burning River 100 now about two months away. I just put in my second consecutive week of 70+ miles. I just started Optygen and it seems to be kicking in. I am confident that, going into June, a couple of weeks of 80+ miles and at least one week at 90+ miles is all feasible. Hell, I might even be able to squeeze in a 100-mile week if I play my cards right (not counting on it).
That should set me up nicely for a Burning River 100 that I can run with confidence...and at MAF :-).
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Burning River 100, Here I Come
Yeah, I realize I fell off the wagon with my daily run updates. This happened for two reasons:
1) I have been really, really busy and posting daily updates just hasn't been a priority. Plus, I've been traveling a fair amount but am back home and, wow, does it feel good.
2) There were few clicks on my daily updates. No one, it seems, reads blogs much anymore, which is sad. That said, my Syncroblogger entry got tons of clicks.
So I signed up for the Burning River 100, which is July 27. Burning River was my first 100 in 2007. Except pacing some friends in latter years, including my old pal Tim Clement to his overall win in 2008, I have not raced an inch of that course since 2007. Due to some construction going on in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, some major changes are coming to the course this year--changes that are not ideal as the course temporarily goes to out and back versus point to point. Yeah, sucks. Then again, Burning River just "feels" right and I can't explain why. I'm sure it has to do with going back to where it all started for me and at the same time seeing old friends. I weighed it against Javelina and Tunnel Hill and Burning River just feels good and the timing is perfect.
To say my training since January has been inconsistent would be an understatement. I have gotten out and run every day but I've been "consistently inconsistent" in terms of how I feel on a day to day basis--a product of aging. So we'll see how my training for Burning River goes. I tend to start feeling consistently better once spring is upon us and the weather warms up. As of now, I am not prepared for Burning River. But, I have a very deep base and something to work with.
I have 3 months of solid training I need to get in! That is not much! But, as Burning River is a "flat and fast" 100 (with very little technical terrain compared to what we have here in Colorado), I feel like what I need to do with my training is attainable. No pressure to go to the mountains to run. No pressure to hit the hills. Yeah, I'll be doing all of the above but only for pleasure within my training--not because it's "required." To execute a solid day at Burning River, I will need two things:
1) Lots of endurance
2) Economy
Oh yeah, and enduring heat and humidity.
On a course as flat at Burning River, there is going to be a lot of running required. There will be some hills but not many--really just speed bumps compared to what we have in Colorado. This will be about who can run 100 miles. I have done that before but it requires a lot of conditioning--a lot! So, time gods on my side, I plan to get my volume up to over 90 miles per week on peak weeks. If the time gods really cooperate, it would be awesome to get in at least one 100-mile week.
Currently, the only race I have signed up for between now and Burning River is North Fork 50K on June 1. I may up it to 50 miles--we'll see. I may also add Cheyenne Mountain 50K in late April. Both of these races involve way more climbing than Burning River but finding flat ultras in Colorado isn't exactly easy. They will help condition me and I will make the best of them.
Although I have struggled mightily with the 100-mile distance in the past two years, I really believe I have a few more decent 100s in me. I just have to pick the right courses and do the work to be ready. Burning River feels right.
So it's on!
1) I have been really, really busy and posting daily updates just hasn't been a priority. Plus, I've been traveling a fair amount but am back home and, wow, does it feel good.
2) There were few clicks on my daily updates. No one, it seems, reads blogs much anymore, which is sad. That said, my Syncroblogger entry got tons of clicks.
So I signed up for the Burning River 100, which is July 27. Burning River was my first 100 in 2007. Except pacing some friends in latter years, including my old pal Tim Clement to his overall win in 2008, I have not raced an inch of that course since 2007. Due to some construction going on in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, some major changes are coming to the course this year--changes that are not ideal as the course temporarily goes to out and back versus point to point. Yeah, sucks. Then again, Burning River just "feels" right and I can't explain why. I'm sure it has to do with going back to where it all started for me and at the same time seeing old friends. I weighed it against Javelina and Tunnel Hill and Burning River just feels good and the timing is perfect.
To say my training since January has been inconsistent would be an understatement. I have gotten out and run every day but I've been "consistently inconsistent" in terms of how I feel on a day to day basis--a product of aging. So we'll see how my training for Burning River goes. I tend to start feeling consistently better once spring is upon us and the weather warms up. As of now, I am not prepared for Burning River. But, I have a very deep base and something to work with.
I have 3 months of solid training I need to get in! That is not much! But, as Burning River is a "flat and fast" 100 (with very little technical terrain compared to what we have here in Colorado), I feel like what I need to do with my training is attainable. No pressure to go to the mountains to run. No pressure to hit the hills. Yeah, I'll be doing all of the above but only for pleasure within my training--not because it's "required." To execute a solid day at Burning River, I will need two things:
1) Lots of endurance
2) Economy
Oh yeah, and enduring heat and humidity.
On a course as flat at Burning River, there is going to be a lot of running required. There will be some hills but not many--really just speed bumps compared to what we have in Colorado. This will be about who can run 100 miles. I have done that before but it requires a lot of conditioning--a lot! So, time gods on my side, I plan to get my volume up to over 90 miles per week on peak weeks. If the time gods really cooperate, it would be awesome to get in at least one 100-mile week.
Currently, the only race I have signed up for between now and Burning River is North Fork 50K on June 1. I may up it to 50 miles--we'll see. I may also add Cheyenne Mountain 50K in late April. Both of these races involve way more climbing than Burning River but finding flat ultras in Colorado isn't exactly easy. They will help condition me and I will make the best of them.
Although I have struggled mightily with the 100-mile distance in the past two years, I really believe I have a few more decent 100s in me. I just have to pick the right courses and do the work to be ready. Burning River feels right.
So it's on!
Monday, December 31, 2018
Warrior
"You and me, we don't even have a choice. See, we're born with this killer instinct that you can't just turn off and on like some radio. We always have to be in the middle of the action 'cause we're the warriors. And without some challenge, without some damn war to fight, then the warrior might as well be dead." - Apollo Creed, Rocky IV
As hard as it is for me to believe, 2018 was my fifteenth year of being a "serious" runner, and my twelfth consecutive year of running 3,000 or more miles per year. I ran my first marathon in 2004, my first ultra in 2005 and my first 100-miler in 2007--and since that time it's mostly been a fun ride.
I hit my peak in 2008 and 2009, not only in terms of race performance with a few nice wins but also in training output with years of 4,000 miles. It seemed back in those years I could tear myself to pieces at the track and then the next day wake up feeling fresh as a daisy and ready for the next workout. My body gave me so much in training and races and it was fun. But it wasn't just physical. I had the killer instinct and was willing to suffer...a lot.
I hit my peak in 2008 and 2009, not only in terms of race performance with a few nice wins but also in training output with years of 4,000 miles. It seemed back in those years I could tear myself to pieces at the track and then the next day wake up feeling fresh as a daisy and ready for the next workout. My body gave me so much in training and races and it was fun. But it wasn't just physical. I had the killer instinct and was willing to suffer...a lot.
I am now a bit older and 2018 has been a year that, quite honestly, I hoped would never happen. As the year comes to a close, I'm not sure I can or will continue my ultra running, at least in 2019. Whether or not I'm burned out, I don't know. Since the late summer, the story has been this: If I feel the fire, usually it's fleeting.
I am going into 2019 having not registered for a single 100-miler or even a lottery--a first for me. I did register for the North Fork 50K--a race I really love. I am eying a return to the Burning River 100 in July. Although the Burning River course has changed a little since I last ran it in 2007, I still know the course quite well--it is flat and fast, which I like. Burning River is also a beautiful course that runs point to point. I love the idea of going back to Cleveland. But Burning River remains a question mark as I am still not sure I want to train for another 100-miler. I have been running ultras long enough to know you should NEVER register for a 100 unless you are all in.
In addition to having to be all in, another ground rule for entering a 100 is that it must be a race I can train for off my doorstep. It can't require that I drive the 45-60 minutes it takes to get to the foothills and mountains here in Denver. If my schedule were to allow for a half-day in the mountains, then great. But a race can't require that I do that--it can't "force" me into anything (which is why I've retired from Leadville). I am more aware than ever before that my son is growing up fast and that the responsibilities I have as a dad are not just about quality but also quantity. With parenthood, quantity counts, too. The experts who say parenting is all about quality are lying. Yeah, quality is the most important thing, but you have to be/should be there a lot, even for the mundane stuff that in the end adds up and counts. I want to be there. I have a busy job that requires a lot and so I can't just keep piling on other responsibilities that cut into my ability to be there for my family--to deliver on not just quality but also quantity.
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| I do still love the trail! Photo by Mike Wilkinson. |
I am still in love with the idea of 100s. I'm still very much in love with the outdoors. Last week, we spent three days at Copper Mountain skiing and I couldn't get enough of the feeling of being on top of big mountains. I'm just not sure I'm in love with the 100-mile training process anymore. I do feel that if I got in really good shape for Burning River, meaning I had the time to do so and also go through the training injury-free, I could run below 20 hours and possibly contend for a top-10 spot. But then I have to check those notions at the door because the reality is that I have not finished a 100 in a few years. I have also lost a lot of speed--speed that I feel I can partly restore. But it's not just speed; it's also strength. My legs now ache on long runs. I'm in really good shape, but not in ultra shape (anymore). I need to get stronger. I do know from years of experience that winters are always a grind for me. Once April rolls around, I will be feeling MUCH better and the fire may re-light.
The quote above from Apollo Creed, albeit a fictional character from the Rocky movies, does really speak to me. I do see myself as a warrior, and I need some challenge out there to stay hungry. It is hard for me to envision a year of no "challenges." What challenges I take on...I just don't know (yet).
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Running My First 100-Miler
In March of 2007, my world got rocked when I found myself suddenly laid off
from a job I’d taken only three months earlier. I’d stupidly left the Cleveland Clinic, a world-class organization, to take a new job with a fledgling start-up willing to pay me what I considered at the time to be a very good living. So basically I just chased after more money. And
now, because my new employer couldn’t make payroll due to budget mismanagement, three of us were out on the street looking
for work. Unfortunately, my old job had already been filled, so there was no going back.
I’d just run a challenging 50K trail race in Maryland the previous weekend and had the Boston Marathon in a few weeks. As we all know, Boston isn't a cheap trip. Fortunately, we had Anne's income to live on while I searched, but I nonetheless felt urgency to get working again.
In times of great stress, running had (and has) always been there for me. But without a job and knowing full well that a layoff after three months would be a red flag on my resume, I could barely get out the door for my daily runs. I spent most of my energy on finding a job and ran a half-hearted Boston held in the midst of an epic nor’easter—rather appropriate given the state of my life at the time. I drew unemployment and applied for scores of jobs, some for which I was overqualified.
Fin ally, a local hospital system gave me an offer—a
part-time, temporary fundraising position with really good potential. With no better alternative, I
accepted. I worked Monday through Thursday and had Fridays off. I
worked harder than ever, trying to make the case for the hospital to
bring me on full-time. During my lunch (as a PRN, I had to punch out for lunch), I often went out to a nearby courtyard and read. During this difficult time in my life, two books really spoke to me: Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air about a tragic Mount Everest expedition, and Kirk Johnson's To the Edge about his experience training for and completing the 1999 Badwater Ultramarathon (Johnson's work remains the best ultrarunning book I've ever read).
I'd begun running a little more with the Cleveland Southeast Running Club, a very serious group of road and trail runners. Within SERC you have many runners with sub-3-hour marathons and a few with marathons in the low 2:30s. You have folks like Mark Godale, Connie Gardner and Tim Clement who have won ultrarunning national championships and many other races. At the time, Godale held the American 24-hour record. You have Kam Lee, a dominant 50K racer and 2:30 marathoner. SERC isn't a group of joy-runners or recreational joggers; this club is for serious athletes who are willing to do what it takes to excel. If you fall short of your potential in a race or in general, you hear about it. The club runs trails on Saturdays, roads on Sundays and track intervals on Tuesdays.
By the time I signed up for Burning River, I'd gotten to know a few members, including a guy named Steve Godale (Mark's older brother), a veteran of many 100s. I asked Steve how to prepare.
“Simple,” he responded. “If you can run 100 miles a week, you can run 100 miles in a race.”
The thought of running 100 miles in a single week jarred me. I’d been running about 60 miles a week. How could I run 40 more miles a week and remain in one piece?
“Build up to it gradually,” Steve suggested.
Looking at the calendar, I had a little less than four months to get in shape for the Burning River race—four months to go from a 60-mile-per-week runner to an endurance machine knocking off triple-digit weeks.
So I began a "gradual" build-up, hitting weeks of seventy and eighty miles with some recovery built in just to be on the safe side. I got on the trails on my Fridays off from work and again on the weekends, running parts of the course to familiarize myself with its turns, terrain, hills, nuances and such. I carried a course description and map and marked confusing turns with sticks so I wouldn't get lost on my return trip. Sometimes I got way off course, but that was OK--more miles meant more fun. I loved big out-and-back runs. I didn't have a GPS watch yet, so I estimated my mileage based on the course description, perceived pace and time on my feet. Anne and I hadn't had Noah yet, so I had boatloads of time to train on the course. I often ventured out on long runs of four, five and six hours.
Still surviving the increased mileage, I jumped up to 90
miles in a single week and then made the big leap, hitting 100 miles. If memory serves, I logged four triple-digit weeks, running most of those miles on the course itself. Incredibly, I got through this massive build-up without any overuse injuries. In fact, even as I increased my mileage, a case of tendonitis in the top of my foot cleared up. I attribute my ability to stay healthy throughout that huge build-up to three factors: 1) I ran mostly soft trails, 2) I never went particularly fast, and 3) my body had relatively low mileage on it and could handle the added stress.
By race day, I was healthy and well-trained and I had the huge advantage of knowing every inch of the course. I had also transitioned into a well-paid, full-time communications and fundraising job at the hospital. Life was good. Even as I was now a Monday-to Friday employee, I nonetheless had kept up with my training, even increasing my output. A few weeks prior I'd run the competitive, challenging Buckeye Trail 50K in 4:41, finishing seventh overall and earning greater acceptance in the running club. My seventh-place finish hadn't come easily--I held off three surging runners in the end. Things were looking good.
There was just one problem: I was really scared. The forecasted 90+ degree heat on raceday did nothing to calm my nerves.
The drive to the start of the race that dark Saturday morning was quiet. Anne drove as I attempted to stay calm and focused. I had that excited "holy-crap" feeling you get before a 100. I remembered what a friend of mine, Wayne Vereb, had asked me a while back.
"If you were in a plane crash and 100 miles from the nearest city, could you get there on foot, or would you just give up and die?"
"I'd get there on foot," I replied.
"Okay," he said, "that's how you have to think in 100s. It's a game of survival."
I remembered other rules, such as "beware the chair" and "it never always gets worse."
By today's standards, I had very little gear out on the course--just a few pairs of shoes and socks, some toilet paper, etc. The mystery of what I was about to do prevented me from overthinking my drop bags and instead caused me to focus on getting myself ready. I consider that a good thing.
I had no real goals for Burning River except to finish. If I could finish in under 20 or 21 hours, that would be great. But competitive placement wasn't even in my thought process. The distance was too new to me to really want anything but a finish.
I didn't carry an MP3 player or any elaborate gear like a GPS watch, though I did have a Timex Ironman watch. I ran the entire distance without music or worry about pace and just basically focused on the beautiful nature around me and ways to overcome issues I dealt with, like wicked chest cramping, occasional doubts and hot mid-day temperatures. Coming into Boston Store, which marked the halfway point, the temperature exceeded 90 degrees and the road leading back to the trail was literally melting, causing my shoes to stick to the asphalt. It was hot!
I didn't have fancy trail shoes. I'd done most of my training in a pair of bulky Vasques, but they'd died by raceday. So for the race I wore a pair of pretty basic Saucony Trabuco trail shoes. As for my clothing, I didn't have on $90 shorts or a super-fancy top. I wore New Balance running shorts with extra pockets and a Sugoi tech-tee with glow-in-the-dark panels on the shoulders.
I didn't have any fancy hydration devices--just a fuel belt. My plan was to basically live off whatever was offered at the aid stations, be it water, Gatorade, etc. I did, however, carry Hammer Endurolytes.
I didn't have a sponsor. I was just one of a few hundred squirrels out there trying to get a nut in the world of 100-mile racing.
I didn't have a crew, either. Anne saw me at checkpoints and we talked a few times by mobile phone if I needed anything, but pretty much all of my stuff (which didn't amount to much) was in drop bags at the aid stations. Anne and her parents planned to meet me at the finish and drive me back home. We had no fancy hotel to stay in; I'd finish and then we'd drive home.
Because I wasn't running to beat anyone and didn't have goal splits, I took my time at the aid stations. At the mile-75 checkpoint, I posed for a photo with Anne, feeling more excited than rushed. We were both so jazzed; with three-quarters of the race behind me, we knew I was on the way to finishing my first 100!
What I did have were two excellent pacers. Ted Friedman ran with me from mile 62 to mile 75. And then Kenny McCleary ran with me from mile 75 to the finish. This was their first exposure to ultras of the 100-mile variety. Both guys played a huge role in getting me to the finish. Ted would go on to finish the BR100 in 2011 and 2012. As I write this, Kenny is only a few states from his 50-marathon/50-state quest. I remember leaving the mile-85 aid station (Covered Bridge) with Kenny, totally pumped up. By then I was alternating between power-hiking and running, but I still had loads of energy in me (that would soon dwindle...).
It wasn't until about mile 90, as we entered the Cuyahoga Falls city limits, that it dawned on me that I was now in the top 10 and gaining on lots of dudes in front of me. By then I was super tired and fighting some demons, but I was dialed in and determined. I got a lot of motivation as I passed runners, including Billy "Bonehead" Barnett, who was later featured in Christopher McDougall's best-selling book, "Born to Run." Billy was having some issues and was down for the count.
The last few miles of the course, which many of us ran in the middle of the night, are interesting to say the least. You run along the top of a gulch, of sorts. The trail is super rocky and laced with roots. One bad step and you could go over the cliff. So you have to focus on the task at hand and stay upright (my understanding is that this section has since been removed). After a mile or so on the trail, you take a short spur up to Broad Street, which takes you right to the finish.
When I crossed the finish line at 1:08 a.m. on Sunday morning, I experienced pure, unadulterated happiness. Not only had I just finish my first 100-miler, but I'd done it in 21 hours, 8 minutes and placed sixth overall. I later learned that a little under 50 percent of the starters had actually finished--the heat claimed quite a few. We also later learned that the course was long. Depending on who you talked with, it was between 105-107 miles long!
Mark Godale won the 2007 race with a time of 16 hours, 7 minutes. Tim Clement, who would later become one of my closest friends and an ultrarunning mentor, placed third with a time of 19 hours, 19 minutes. Tim, Ted and I, along with several others, would often train together on Saturday mornings in South Chagrin Reservation.
From then on, I was hooked on ultras and especially 100s. I discovered that I'm an endurance junkie--I love going the distance. I love nature. I love the challenge and camaraderie of it all. I've never returned to Burning River, though I did pace Tim to his win in 2008 and paced him again to a top finish the next year.
Maybe one of these years I'll go back.
I’d just run a challenging 50K trail race in Maryland the previous weekend and had the Boston Marathon in a few weeks. As we all know, Boston isn't a cheap trip. Fortunately, we had Anne's income to live on while I searched, but I nonetheless felt urgency to get working again.
In times of great stress, running had (and has) always been there for me. But without a job and knowing full well that a layoff after three months would be a red flag on my resume, I could barely get out the door for my daily runs. I spent most of my energy on finding a job and ran a half-hearted Boston held in the midst of an epic nor’easter—rather appropriate given the state of my life at the time. I drew unemployment and applied for scores of jobs, some for which I was overqualified.
One night in April, while checking e-mail, I came across a message
promoting a new 100-mile race coming to Cleveland, a point-to-point
event called the Burning River 100, named after the Cuyahoga River fire in 1969. As any Clevelander knows, very little has damaged the city's reputation more than the river fires of the 1950s and 1960s. Truth be told, many rivers in the Rust Belt were catching fire. The "problem" was that the Cuyahoga River fire got lots of national attention.
Directed by Joe Jurczyk, a well-known local runner, the Burning River 100 would start in North Chagrin Reservation, not far from my house, and traverse scenic trails, ending in downtown Cuyahoga Falls. From South Chagrin Reservation (where I did most of my training "back in the day") and Bedford Reservation to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Brecksville Reservation and the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath, the Burning River 100 would highlight many of the most beautiful parts of the region and shine a light on once polluted areas that were now lush and home to bald eagles, turtles, fish, deer and other wildlife. The Burning River 100 had a larger purpose, and that's what attracted me to it. I felt I had a larger purpose in life, and I'd yet to find it. Maybe I'd find it while running 100 miles?
Directed by Joe Jurczyk, a well-known local runner, the Burning River 100 would start in North Chagrin Reservation, not far from my house, and traverse scenic trails, ending in downtown Cuyahoga Falls. From South Chagrin Reservation (where I did most of my training "back in the day") and Bedford Reservation to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Brecksville Reservation and the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath, the Burning River 100 would highlight many of the most beautiful parts of the region and shine a light on once polluted areas that were now lush and home to bald eagles, turtles, fish, deer and other wildlife. The Burning River 100 had a larger purpose, and that's what attracted me to it. I felt I had a larger purpose in life, and I'd yet to find it. Maybe I'd find it while running 100 miles?
The Burning River 100 would be held in a little less than
four months--on August 4. I’d heard rumors of this race and felt intrigued by the
opportunity to run 100 miles, but hadn’t given it much attention. And honestly, the thought of running 100 miles seemed unfathomable, especially since I was logging only 50-60 miles a week at the time. Still, I
couldn’t get the race off my mind after that e-mail came across. I thought about it obsessively for over a
week and shared my deliberations about the race with a friend of mine, Bill Wagner, who was involved in the planning.
Then one day, with the click of my mouse, I registered. I
was in. There was just one problem: I had no idea how to train for a 100-miler. Still, I've always been a go-getter, so I wasn't about to sit around and think about how to train. No, I was going to talk with folks who'd gone the distance and start getting ready immediately.
I'd begun running a little more with the Cleveland Southeast Running Club, a very serious group of road and trail runners. Within SERC you have many runners with sub-3-hour marathons and a few with marathons in the low 2:30s. You have folks like Mark Godale, Connie Gardner and Tim Clement who have won ultrarunning national championships and many other races. At the time, Godale held the American 24-hour record. You have Kam Lee, a dominant 50K racer and 2:30 marathoner. SERC isn't a group of joy-runners or recreational joggers; this club is for serious athletes who are willing to do what it takes to excel. If you fall short of your potential in a race or in general, you hear about it. The club runs trails on Saturdays, roads on Sundays and track intervals on Tuesdays.
By the time I signed up for Burning River, I'd gotten to know a few members, including a guy named Steve Godale (Mark's older brother), a veteran of many 100s. I asked Steve how to prepare.
“Simple,” he responded. “If you can run 100 miles a week, you can run 100 miles in a race.”
The thought of running 100 miles in a single week jarred me. I’d been running about 60 miles a week. How could I run 40 more miles a week and remain in one piece?
“Build up to it gradually,” Steve suggested.
Looking at the calendar, I had a little less than four months to get in shape for the Burning River race—four months to go from a 60-mile-per-week runner to an endurance machine knocking off triple-digit weeks.
So I began a "gradual" build-up, hitting weeks of seventy and eighty miles with some recovery built in just to be on the safe side. I got on the trails on my Fridays off from work and again on the weekends, running parts of the course to familiarize myself with its turns, terrain, hills, nuances and such. I carried a course description and map and marked confusing turns with sticks so I wouldn't get lost on my return trip. Sometimes I got way off course, but that was OK--more miles meant more fun. I loved big out-and-back runs. I didn't have a GPS watch yet, so I estimated my mileage based on the course description, perceived pace and time on my feet. Anne and I hadn't had Noah yet, so I had boatloads of time to train on the course. I often ventured out on long runs of four, five and six hours.
By race day, I was healthy and well-trained and I had the huge advantage of knowing every inch of the course. I had also transitioned into a well-paid, full-time communications and fundraising job at the hospital. Life was good. Even as I was now a Monday-to Friday employee, I nonetheless had kept up with my training, even increasing my output. A few weeks prior I'd run the competitive, challenging Buckeye Trail 50K in 4:41, finishing seventh overall and earning greater acceptance in the running club. My seventh-place finish hadn't come easily--I held off three surging runners in the end. Things were looking good.
There was just one problem: I was really scared. The forecasted 90+ degree heat on raceday did nothing to calm my nerves.
The drive to the start of the race that dark Saturday morning was quiet. Anne drove as I attempted to stay calm and focused. I had that excited "holy-crap" feeling you get before a 100. I remembered what a friend of mine, Wayne Vereb, had asked me a while back.
"If you were in a plane crash and 100 miles from the nearest city, could you get there on foot, or would you just give up and die?"
"I'd get there on foot," I replied.
"Okay," he said, "that's how you have to think in 100s. It's a game of survival."
I remembered other rules, such as "beware the chair" and "it never always gets worse."
By today's standards, I had very little gear out on the course--just a few pairs of shoes and socks, some toilet paper, etc. The mystery of what I was about to do prevented me from overthinking my drop bags and instead caused me to focus on getting myself ready. I consider that a good thing.
I had no real goals for Burning River except to finish. If I could finish in under 20 or 21 hours, that would be great. But competitive placement wasn't even in my thought process. The distance was too new to me to really want anything but a finish.
I didn't carry an MP3 player or any elaborate gear like a GPS watch, though I did have a Timex Ironman watch. I ran the entire distance without music or worry about pace and just basically focused on the beautiful nature around me and ways to overcome issues I dealt with, like wicked chest cramping, occasional doubts and hot mid-day temperatures. Coming into Boston Store, which marked the halfway point, the temperature exceeded 90 degrees and the road leading back to the trail was literally melting, causing my shoes to stick to the asphalt. It was hot!
I didn't have fancy trail shoes. I'd done most of my training in a pair of bulky Vasques, but they'd died by raceday. So for the race I wore a pair of pretty basic Saucony Trabuco trail shoes. As for my clothing, I didn't have on $90 shorts or a super-fancy top. I wore New Balance running shorts with extra pockets and a Sugoi tech-tee with glow-in-the-dark panels on the shoulders.
I didn't have any fancy hydration devices--just a fuel belt. My plan was to basically live off whatever was offered at the aid stations, be it water, Gatorade, etc. I did, however, carry Hammer Endurolytes.
I didn't have a sponsor. I was just one of a few hundred squirrels out there trying to get a nut in the world of 100-mile racing.
I didn't have a crew, either. Anne saw me at checkpoints and we talked a few times by mobile phone if I needed anything, but pretty much all of my stuff (which didn't amount to much) was in drop bags at the aid stations. Anne and her parents planned to meet me at the finish and drive me back home. We had no fancy hotel to stay in; I'd finish and then we'd drive home.
Because I wasn't running to beat anyone and didn't have goal splits, I took my time at the aid stations. At the mile-75 checkpoint, I posed for a photo with Anne, feeling more excited than rushed. We were both so jazzed; with three-quarters of the race behind me, we knew I was on the way to finishing my first 100!
What I did have were two excellent pacers. Ted Friedman ran with me from mile 62 to mile 75. And then Kenny McCleary ran with me from mile 75 to the finish. This was their first exposure to ultras of the 100-mile variety. Both guys played a huge role in getting me to the finish. Ted would go on to finish the BR100 in 2011 and 2012. As I write this, Kenny is only a few states from his 50-marathon/50-state quest. I remember leaving the mile-85 aid station (Covered Bridge) with Kenny, totally pumped up. By then I was alternating between power-hiking and running, but I still had loads of energy in me (that would soon dwindle...).
 |
| Ted (L), me, and Kenny (R) at the 2008 Mohican 100, where I finished 4th. They're holding me up because I'd blown up my knee. I'm wearing my Burning River 100 shirt from the previous summer. |
It wasn't until about mile 90, as we entered the Cuyahoga Falls city limits, that it dawned on me that I was now in the top 10 and gaining on lots of dudes in front of me. By then I was super tired and fighting some demons, but I was dialed in and determined. I got a lot of motivation as I passed runners, including Billy "Bonehead" Barnett, who was later featured in Christopher McDougall's best-selling book, "Born to Run." Billy was having some issues and was down for the count.
The last few miles of the course, which many of us ran in the middle of the night, are interesting to say the least. You run along the top of a gulch, of sorts. The trail is super rocky and laced with roots. One bad step and you could go over the cliff. So you have to focus on the task at hand and stay upright (my understanding is that this section has since been removed). After a mile or so on the trail, you take a short spur up to Broad Street, which takes you right to the finish.
When I crossed the finish line at 1:08 a.m. on Sunday morning, I experienced pure, unadulterated happiness. Not only had I just finish my first 100-miler, but I'd done it in 21 hours, 8 minutes and placed sixth overall. I later learned that a little under 50 percent of the starters had actually finished--the heat claimed quite a few. We also later learned that the course was long. Depending on who you talked with, it was between 105-107 miles long!
 |
| Standing at the finish of the 2007 Burning River 100 with Anne. I was so tired! |
From then on, I was hooked on ultras and especially 100s. I discovered that I'm an endurance junkie--I love going the distance. I love nature. I love the challenge and camaraderie of it all. I've never returned to Burning River, though I did pace Tim to his win in 2008 and paced him again to a top finish the next year.
Maybe one of these years I'll go back.
Monday, June 21, 2010
This is what ultrarunning is all about
My misadventure at Pikes Peak really changed me--I think forever. Although I successfully summitted the peak, it was a very hard journey (thanks to the snow) that left me pretty humbled and hobbled from a badly sprained ankle (that is improving). Unless you've been all by yourself above treeline on a huge mountain with snow more than waist-deep in areas, it's hard to describe what the experience of summitting a 14,000-foot peak is like. That high up in the air--well above the clouds--you come to learn a lot about yourself and what's really important in life. I now know what's important and I'm trying to walk the walk.
This past week (6/14-6/20) was one of my better weeks in a long, long time. I logged 105 miles, covering 64 miles from Friday to Sunday. That included 26 miles on Friday on part of the Leadville 100 course with Jason R. and Matt C., both of whom are doing Leadville. Matt is a childhood friend--we've known each other for nearly 30 years and our parents are very close.
As far as the Leadville course, all I can really say is that it's very challenging, as the sign above would indicate. We ran from Twin Lakes to the Fish Hatchery, basically staying above 10,000 feet the whole time. In a few weeks I intend to do the Hope Pass and Sugarloaf Pass sections, which constitute the course's four mountain crossings. There was a point on Friday where I was cruising along at 11,000 feet and it hit me--I'm running strong at over two miles in the sky, not really breathing hard up the hills. I'm getting into good shape and, while Leadville will be the ultimate challenge to date, I feel like I'm doing what I need to do to be in shape. This was especially apparent on Sunday as I was in the midst of a ferociously intense 17-mile tempo run in the Parker hills (elevation 6,000+ feet).
I've seen enough of the Leadville 100 course to know it commands your full attention and focus. As I look at what I'm doing runningwise for the next 6 weeks, all roads lead to Leadville. Both races I have coming up--the Leadville Marathon on 7/3 and the Barr Trail Mountain Race up Pikes Peak on 7/18--are about getting ready for Leadville.
I think one of the most important components of successful training for a 100-miler is knowing who you are as a runner and person. As a runner, I know that while I have decent speed, I'm not a super-fast guy with optimal efficiency of stride. At 6'2", 168 lbs., I'm a big, strong runner with a powerful stride and maybe not lightening fast turnover. I'm going to use my strength and power at Leadville, just as I did for my Mohican win. This is not a course where you let it rip. This is a course requiring strength, fortitude, gobs and gobs of endurance, and courage. Courage is who you are as a person, and it's what carries you to the finish line of a 100.
***
I want to recognize a very good friend of mine, Ted Friedman, who is doing something amazing. I've known Ted for a long time. We met through our wives in 2005, shortly after Anne and I moved to Cleveland. When I first met Ted, he'd done a few races and enjoyed running. I sensed a distance runner in him and over time we became better and better friends. I learned a lot about Ted, including the fact that in high school he and a friend biked across Ohio. He was a good friend throughout the very painful process of moving from Ohio to Colorado.
Ted paced me at the 2007 Burning River 100 (my first 100) and the 2008 Mohican 100, where he helped me get through severe knee and GI problems to finish 4th in a race I was winning when disaster struck. He finished the Mohican 50-Mile in 2009, when I won the Mohican 100, but he and his wife, Tami, were of course there with Anne, Noah and me to share in the moment when I collected my winner's plaque. Ted has been a big part of my running life and a good friend for five years and counting. I really miss running with him, Tim and the others at South Chagrin Reservation on Saturday mornings.
Over time, I have seen Ted undergo an incredible transformation as a runner that reminds me a lot of the transformation I underwent in the spring of 2007. Like me way back when, he was a guy who ran 40-50 miles a week. And then, with a few marathons and 50Ks and a 50-miler under his belt, he set his sights on the ultimate test of one's strength and endurance--the 100-mile race. Ted is running in the 2010 Burning River 100 on 7/31-8/1. He has been bitten by the ultrarunning bug.
Ted has taken the challenge of the Burning River 100 very seriously, gradually building up to weeks of 80, 90 and 100 miles. He just completed his first 100-mile week and is holding up very well. He is not content to just finish the BR100. If he were, he'd just do 60 or 70 miles per week. Ted wants more than a finish and a buckle. That's why he's training like a crazed man. In fact, his commitment has inspired me to train even harder for the Leadville 100. This past week he completed 101 miles. I, too, was at 101 miles when he shared the news of his first triple-digit week. Inspired, I went out and ran 4 more miles to end the week with 105. That's not rivalry; it's friendly inspiration.
Ted's drive to train hard may appear to be about a man taking a challenge as seriously as could be and putting his whole heart and soul into it. But it's about more than that. Ted lost his dad, Howard, to cancer in May 2000. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of his dad's passing. By all accounts, Mr. Friedman was a very good man and a devoted husband, father and member of the community who taught for a living. Ted is honoring his dad's legacy by raising money for The Gathering Place, a renowned cancer-support community, through the Burning River 100. You can learn more about Ted's "100 Miles for Life" and contribute to The Gathering Place by clicking here. The last I heard, he's close to $5,000! Anne and I have committed to a gift and I hope you will, too.
Ted has taken what is often a selfish endeavor--training for a foot race--and turned it into a vehicle for helping a lot of people in the community. I admire Ted and believe he represents what is so good about ultrarunning. Good job, Ted!
***
As a final note, I have been thinking a lot about my next writing project. You may remember that my last publication was an article about my experience at the 2007 Burning River 100 that ran in Marathon & Beyond magazine back in 2008. It's time to start work on another story--maybe about the Leadville 100 and my experience in acclimating to elevation here in Colorado. I'm giving it some thought.
I think people are fascinated with long-distance running--even people who aren't runners themselves. Our society admires runners because running is about dedication, never giving up and laying it on the line. There is a reason books like "Born to Run" and the Karnazes tales are national best sellers. It's because so many people today feel empty inside and long for adventure that will help them feel alive again. You can't experience adventure on the TV. You have to live adventure, and this takes effort and time. There are many people out there who are sitting on the sofa and don't even own a pair of running shoes, much less realize they are runners deep within. If I can make even a small contribution in turning people into this great sport, then I feel like I've done at least a little good in this world.
If you're a hardcore ultrarunner, here's a video to leave you inspired (as it's inspired me many, many times since Yiannis is one of the ultrarunning heroes):
This past week (6/14-6/20) was one of my better weeks in a long, long time. I logged 105 miles, covering 64 miles from Friday to Sunday. That included 26 miles on Friday on part of the Leadville 100 course with Jason R. and Matt C., both of whom are doing Leadville. Matt is a childhood friend--we've known each other for nearly 30 years and our parents are very close.
As far as the Leadville course, all I can really say is that it's very challenging, as the sign above would indicate. We ran from Twin Lakes to the Fish Hatchery, basically staying above 10,000 feet the whole time. In a few weeks I intend to do the Hope Pass and Sugarloaf Pass sections, which constitute the course's four mountain crossings. There was a point on Friday where I was cruising along at 11,000 feet and it hit me--I'm running strong at over two miles in the sky, not really breathing hard up the hills. I'm getting into good shape and, while Leadville will be the ultimate challenge to date, I feel like I'm doing what I need to do to be in shape. This was especially apparent on Sunday as I was in the midst of a ferociously intense 17-mile tempo run in the Parker hills (elevation 6,000+ feet).
Jason, Matt and me at Twin Lakes. Matt and I have known each other for literally 30 years--since we were kids.
I've seen enough of the Leadville 100 course to know it commands your full attention and focus. As I look at what I'm doing runningwise for the next 6 weeks, all roads lead to Leadville. Both races I have coming up--the Leadville Marathon on 7/3 and the Barr Trail Mountain Race up Pikes Peak on 7/18--are about getting ready for Leadville.
I think one of the most important components of successful training for a 100-miler is knowing who you are as a runner and person. As a runner, I know that while I have decent speed, I'm not a super-fast guy with optimal efficiency of stride. At 6'2", 168 lbs., I'm a big, strong runner with a powerful stride and maybe not lightening fast turnover. I'm going to use my strength and power at Leadville, just as I did for my Mohican win. This is not a course where you let it rip. This is a course requiring strength, fortitude, gobs and gobs of endurance, and courage. Courage is who you are as a person, and it's what carries you to the finish line of a 100.
***
I want to recognize a very good friend of mine, Ted Friedman, who is doing something amazing. I've known Ted for a long time. We met through our wives in 2005, shortly after Anne and I moved to Cleveland. When I first met Ted, he'd done a few races and enjoyed running. I sensed a distance runner in him and over time we became better and better friends. I learned a lot about Ted, including the fact that in high school he and a friend biked across Ohio. He was a good friend throughout the very painful process of moving from Ohio to Colorado.
Ted paced me at the 2007 Burning River 100 (my first 100) and the 2008 Mohican 100, where he helped me get through severe knee and GI problems to finish 4th in a race I was winning when disaster struck. He finished the Mohican 50-Mile in 2009, when I won the Mohican 100, but he and his wife, Tami, were of course there with Anne, Noah and me to share in the moment when I collected my winner's plaque. Ted has been a big part of my running life and a good friend for five years and counting. I really miss running with him, Tim and the others at South Chagrin Reservation on Saturday mornings.
Over time, I have seen Ted undergo an incredible transformation as a runner that reminds me a lot of the transformation I underwent in the spring of 2007. Like me way back when, he was a guy who ran 40-50 miles a week. And then, with a few marathons and 50Ks and a 50-miler under his belt, he set his sights on the ultimate test of one's strength and endurance--the 100-mile race. Ted is running in the 2010 Burning River 100 on 7/31-8/1. He has been bitten by the ultrarunning bug.
Ted has taken the challenge of the Burning River 100 very seriously, gradually building up to weeks of 80, 90 and 100 miles. He just completed his first 100-mile week and is holding up very well. He is not content to just finish the BR100. If he were, he'd just do 60 or 70 miles per week. Ted wants more than a finish and a buckle. That's why he's training like a crazed man. In fact, his commitment has inspired me to train even harder for the Leadville 100. This past week he completed 101 miles. I, too, was at 101 miles when he shared the news of his first triple-digit week. Inspired, I went out and ran 4 more miles to end the week with 105. That's not rivalry; it's friendly inspiration.
Ted's drive to train hard may appear to be about a man taking a challenge as seriously as could be and putting his whole heart and soul into it. But it's about more than that. Ted lost his dad, Howard, to cancer in May 2000. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of his dad's passing. By all accounts, Mr. Friedman was a very good man and a devoted husband, father and member of the community who taught for a living. Ted is honoring his dad's legacy by raising money for The Gathering Place, a renowned cancer-support community, through the Burning River 100. You can learn more about Ted's "100 Miles for Life" and contribute to The Gathering Place by clicking here. The last I heard, he's close to $5,000! Anne and I have committed to a gift and I hope you will, too.
Ted has taken what is often a selfish endeavor--training for a foot race--and turned it into a vehicle for helping a lot of people in the community. I admire Ted and believe he represents what is so good about ultrarunning. Good job, Ted!
***
As a final note, I have been thinking a lot about my next writing project. You may remember that my last publication was an article about my experience at the 2007 Burning River 100 that ran in Marathon & Beyond magazine back in 2008. It's time to start work on another story--maybe about the Leadville 100 and my experience in acclimating to elevation here in Colorado. I'm giving it some thought.
I think people are fascinated with long-distance running--even people who aren't runners themselves. Our society admires runners because running is about dedication, never giving up and laying it on the line. There is a reason books like "Born to Run" and the Karnazes tales are national best sellers. It's because so many people today feel empty inside and long for adventure that will help them feel alive again. You can't experience adventure on the TV. You have to live adventure, and this takes effort and time. There are many people out there who are sitting on the sofa and don't even own a pair of running shoes, much less realize they are runners deep within. If I can make even a small contribution in turning people into this great sport, then I feel like I've done at least a little good in this world.
If you're a hardcore ultrarunner, here's a video to leave you inspired (as it's inspired me many, many times since Yiannis is one of the ultrarunning heroes):
Friday, February 5, 2010
Believe in yourself
A long time has passed since my last post. Life has kept me very busy these past few months. In fundraising, the end and beginning of each year are very hectic times. Not to make excuses, but my job has kept me busy. And life has kept me busy.
A sign to Carpenter Peak in Little, Colorado. Elevation 7,300 feet.
Beyond work, there is so much on my mind right now, and honestly I lost focus with my running and am only now regaining some sense of direction. That’s a good thing. It’s now February, the spring is approaching and I certainly want to be in super-good shape for a competitive racing season.
My schedule for 2010 is pretty up in the air. I’m still trying to figure out what races I’m going to run. I want to defend at the Mohican Trail 100 Mile Run but honestly the Burning River 100 Mile Endurance Run, which is hosting this year’s USATF 100-mile national championship, is alluring. Both are Ohio races and I know both courses well, but I know the BR100 course very well.
Despite a lack of focus these past few months, I’ve stayed on target with my mileage. I ran 70 miles per week throughout December and January and, with it now being February, have increased my output to 80 miles per week. Last week (1/25-1/31) I put in 81 miles and this week I’m projected to hit 85 miles. More importantly, I’m seeing great improvement in my weekly tempo runs and am doing my best with intervals despite treadmill speed limitations (maxes out at only 6:00/mile) and slick roads due to the snow and ice. I’ll stay in the 80s throughout February and then up the mileage to the 90s in March and—oh yes—100s in April, May, and beyond.
***
Last week we got back from a trip to Denver, where we visited with friends. Although we kept a very busy schedule, I did manage to get away for a little while on Sunday morning and run Carpenter Peak in Littleton’s Roxborough State Park—elevation 7,300 feet. That’s the highest elevation I’ve ever run and this was my first time in Denver or ever seeing the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies are spectacularly beautiful. I saw “rocky mountains” in Eastern Europe when I was an exchange student in college and I’ll never forget the site, but not since I saw the Colorado Rockies a few weeks ago have I seen such beauty. My Carpenter Peak run was a penultimate running experience for me. I had the time of my life and reaching the top—with its beautiful views—was an awesome experience. I’d love to someday get to the top of one of or many of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks.
Making my way up to Carpenter Peak.
I’d always pictured Denver as a mountain city. In reality, the city itself is on relatively flat and in some places hilly land—albeit high-up land (5,000-6,000 feet)—with the mountains just west and to the south. They are always on the horizon. It’s an extraordinary site. I can't imagine what the early pioneers must have thought as they made their way across the plains--huffing and puffing from the high altitude--and then suddenly saw these gigantic mountains far off. "Damn, we have to get past those things--but how?" they must have said. In these mountains legendary races like the Leadville 100, Hardrock Hundred, Pike’s Peak Marathon, Imogene Pass and other events are run. I dream of running Leadville and Hardrock one day…and maybe Pike’s Peak and Imogene. Living at sea level as I do, those races are a tall order.
A sign to Carpenter Peak in Little, Colorado. Elevation 7,300 feet.
Beyond work, there is so much on my mind right now, and honestly I lost focus with my running and am only now regaining some sense of direction. That’s a good thing. It’s now February, the spring is approaching and I certainly want to be in super-good shape for a competitive racing season.
My schedule for 2010 is pretty up in the air. I’m still trying to figure out what races I’m going to run. I want to defend at the Mohican Trail 100 Mile Run but honestly the Burning River 100 Mile Endurance Run, which is hosting this year’s USATF 100-mile national championship, is alluring. Both are Ohio races and I know both courses well, but I know the BR100 course very well.
Despite a lack of focus these past few months, I’ve stayed on target with my mileage. I ran 70 miles per week throughout December and January and, with it now being February, have increased my output to 80 miles per week. Last week (1/25-1/31) I put in 81 miles and this week I’m projected to hit 85 miles. More importantly, I’m seeing great improvement in my weekly tempo runs and am doing my best with intervals despite treadmill speed limitations (maxes out at only 6:00/mile) and slick roads due to the snow and ice. I’ll stay in the 80s throughout February and then up the mileage to the 90s in March and—oh yes—100s in April, May, and beyond.
***
Last week we got back from a trip to Denver, where we visited with friends. Although we kept a very busy schedule, I did manage to get away for a little while on Sunday morning and run Carpenter Peak in Littleton’s Roxborough State Park—elevation 7,300 feet. That’s the highest elevation I’ve ever run and this was my first time in Denver or ever seeing the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies are spectacularly beautiful. I saw “rocky mountains” in Eastern Europe when I was an exchange student in college and I’ll never forget the site, but not since I saw the Colorado Rockies a few weeks ago have I seen such beauty. My Carpenter Peak run was a penultimate running experience for me. I had the time of my life and reaching the top—with its beautiful views—was an awesome experience. I’d love to someday get to the top of one of or many of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks.
Making my way up to Carpenter Peak.
I’d always pictured Denver as a mountain city. In reality, the city itself is on relatively flat and in some places hilly land—albeit high-up land (5,000-6,000 feet)—with the mountains just west and to the south. They are always on the horizon. It’s an extraordinary site. I can't imagine what the early pioneers must have thought as they made their way across the plains--huffing and puffing from the high altitude--and then suddenly saw these gigantic mountains far off. "Damn, we have to get past those things--but how?" they must have said. In these mountains legendary races like the Leadville 100, Hardrock Hundred, Pike’s Peak Marathon, Imogene Pass and other events are run. I dream of running Leadville and Hardrock one day…and maybe Pike’s Peak and Imogene. Living at sea level as I do, those races are a tall order.
At the top of Carpenter Peak. The sites around me were beautiful.
***
I was quite sick the week before we visited Denver and managed only 41 miles. I missed three whole days of running (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday). Puking 10 times and missing a night of sleep as a result of a violent stomach bug takes a toll on you. I’m over it now and honestly I think the three days of not running did my body some good. I felt great last week as I did 81 miles and so far this week I’m A-OK.
I now realize that it took me a long time to fully recover from the North Coast 24-Hour back in early October. There’s a rule in distance running that I used to doubt but now think may actually be true. For every mile of a race you run, factor in one day of recovery. As I did 131 miles at the NC24 on Oct. 3-4, that means I needed 131 days—or just over four months—to fully recover. I’m now almost at 131 days. My left knee is still not 100% but is much better. I didn’t realize until very recently, when I actually started to feel good again, just how messed up I was for so long after the 24-hour. The immediate effects of the race—skin and bones from the fat burn (I looked like Skeletor after the race—just ask my wife), a shut-down digestive tract, a week of indigestion, zero appetite for three days, off-the-charts tiredness, badly damaged feet and toes, and a totally messed-up knee, heel, and arch—were only a prelude of what was to come: a very beaten up body and soul and the threat of burn-out. I’m glad the damage is now behind me. All for the better; I am a 100-mile trail runner and marathoner anyway.
***
Now, for a closing thought. I’m not sure what came first: my belief in myself when the cards are down, or my love of ultrarunning. Did ultrarunning force me to believe in myself, or am I an ultrarunner because I believe in myself? It’s the chicken and egg argument. Anyone who’s put themselves out there and run a 100-miler or 24-hour or some other super-long race knows what it’s like to have run all day and night and faced down and ultimately overcome enormous doubt stemming from physical, emotional and spiritual anguish. As you shuffle along, the lights are off and you’re in a dark tunnel. The eyes of evil are fixed on you and demons are swirling around. In the face of such dread and despair, you believe in yourself and find strength from something far greater than yourself—God, in my case, but maybe something else in yours—and you prevail.
The finish line and the buckle are not only rewards for persevering, but also a reaffirmation of your own humanity and strength. If you’re a dedicated ultrarunner, you’ve experienced a level of living few ever have—voluntary suffering in the search of something deeply personal revealing the basest elements of humanity and a spiritual rebirth. An achievement many call extraordinary and super-human only makes you realize how human you are and a humble person at that.
Here’s to the greatest sport of all—ultrarunning.
***
I was quite sick the week before we visited Denver and managed only 41 miles. I missed three whole days of running (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday). Puking 10 times and missing a night of sleep as a result of a violent stomach bug takes a toll on you. I’m over it now and honestly I think the three days of not running did my body some good. I felt great last week as I did 81 miles and so far this week I’m A-OK.
I now realize that it took me a long time to fully recover from the North Coast 24-Hour back in early October. There’s a rule in distance running that I used to doubt but now think may actually be true. For every mile of a race you run, factor in one day of recovery. As I did 131 miles at the NC24 on Oct. 3-4, that means I needed 131 days—or just over four months—to fully recover. I’m now almost at 131 days. My left knee is still not 100% but is much better. I didn’t realize until very recently, when I actually started to feel good again, just how messed up I was for so long after the 24-hour. The immediate effects of the race—skin and bones from the fat burn (I looked like Skeletor after the race—just ask my wife), a shut-down digestive tract, a week of indigestion, zero appetite for three days, off-the-charts tiredness, badly damaged feet and toes, and a totally messed-up knee, heel, and arch—were only a prelude of what was to come: a very beaten up body and soul and the threat of burn-out. I’m glad the damage is now behind me. All for the better; I am a 100-mile trail runner and marathoner anyway.
***
Now, for a closing thought. I’m not sure what came first: my belief in myself when the cards are down, or my love of ultrarunning. Did ultrarunning force me to believe in myself, or am I an ultrarunner because I believe in myself? It’s the chicken and egg argument. Anyone who’s put themselves out there and run a 100-miler or 24-hour or some other super-long race knows what it’s like to have run all day and night and faced down and ultimately overcome enormous doubt stemming from physical, emotional and spiritual anguish. As you shuffle along, the lights are off and you’re in a dark tunnel. The eyes of evil are fixed on you and demons are swirling around. In the face of such dread and despair, you believe in yourself and find strength from something far greater than yourself—God, in my case, but maybe something else in yours—and you prevail.
The finish line and the buckle are not only rewards for persevering, but also a reaffirmation of your own humanity and strength. If you’re a dedicated ultrarunner, you’ve experienced a level of living few ever have—voluntary suffering in the search of something deeply personal revealing the basest elements of humanity and a spiritual rebirth. An achievement many call extraordinary and super-human only makes you realize how human you are and a humble person at that.
Here’s to the greatest sport of all—ultrarunning.
Monday, August 3, 2009
A week of variety / Training week 7/27-8/2
I spent a large potion of the training week doing some different things. From Thursday morning through Friday late night, my focus was on working with Ted F. to mark the Burning River 100 Mile Endurance Run course from the Polo Field aid station to the Harper Ridge aid station. This is about a 6-mile stretch mostly along horse trails. Ted and I got out on Thursday morning for three hours and marked about two-third of the stretch, using lime, pie plates on stakes and orange flags. To carry our supplies, he used a baby jogger and I used one of Noah's strollers. That night we finished up in about 90 minutes, feeling really good about our section.
And then the rain came. Lots of it. I woke up on Friday morning at around 1 or 2 to sounds of a massive downpour--which wasn't in the forecast. I guess it was what they call a "rogue thunderstorm." I felt sick to my stomach.
Ted and I were planning to run from the Polo Field to Harper Ridge on Friday night just to check the section over and fix problem areas--a "run-and-check." Those plans were now out the window as the rain had washed away most of the 50 lbs. of lime we laid down. So Friday night's scamper turned into one of re-marking several areas of the course where the lime was now gone. Fortunately, it wasn't too bad. All of the pie plates and flags were still up. A few more flags and plates here and there and we were done!
Afterward, we celebrated at the Rusty Bucket in Solon. There we sat at about 11:00 p.m.--me chomping on an enchilada and Ted on some mac and cheese while we both enjoyed well-deserved cold brews.
Our efforts paid off. The section of the course we marked was perfect. I now hope the eight hours I invested in this endeavor will count toward my volunteer hours for both the Buckeye 50K and potentially the Western States 100, assuming I go out West next summer.
***
On Saturday at the Burning River 100, I paced last year's champ, Tim Clement, a fellow Southeast Running Club member who I train with on Saturday mornings in South Chagrin Reservation. Tim had a great race, finishing third overall in 18:35. I went the last 30 miles with him, feeling really good the whole way except for the fact that I should have worn road shoes instead of my Salomon Speedcross 2's.
Mark Godale, also of SERC and the 2007 BR100 winner, won the race with a time of 16:17. I saw Mark come into the mile 70.3 Happy Days aid station and he had the look of a someone who was locked in. Jay Smithberger, winner of the 2008 Mohican 100, finished a very strong second with a time of 17:58. And a big congratulations to Connie Garder, who once again was the top woman at the BR100 and finished fourth overall. I saw Mark and Jay at the finish line after Tim crossed.
I hung out at the finish line in downtown Cuyahoga Falls for about a half-hour and then headed home. On the drive back to Chagrin Falls, I got really hungry...but where to eat past midnight? I didn't want to stop at a sit-down restaurant and I didn't want to make something when I got home, risking waking up Noah. So I figured drive-thru was the only option. I stopped at the Burger King in Solon and ordered a #1 "value meal," which included a (delicious) Whopper, french fries and a Sprite. I sat in the parking lot as I stuffed my face. I HATE fast food because of what it represents and what it's done to America (obesity), but damn was this good. I can't decide what's better--the Whopper or the Big Mac.
Back to the BR100. Congratulations to the following other friends who finished the BR100: Jim Chaney, 19:52/master's winner; Marc Abramiuk, 20:06; Rich Henderson, 21:40; Greg Dykes, 22:45; Dawn Malone, 23:10; Frank Duchossois, 25:35; Dave Peterman, 29:00; and "Wild" Bill Wagner, 29:17. Complete results can be viewed by clicking here.
***
This week I logged only 75.6 miles but spent many, many hours on the my feet marking the course and went the 30 miles with Tim. I had a great hill-repeat workout on Tuesday and was forced to skip Friday's track workout due to course-marking.
My goal this week is 85 miles with good hill and track workouts.
I look forward to my next big race, the Tussey Mountainback 50-Mile in Pennsylvania. It should be a lot of fun and a big challenge.
And then the rain came. Lots of it. I woke up on Friday morning at around 1 or 2 to sounds of a massive downpour--which wasn't in the forecast. I guess it was what they call a "rogue thunderstorm." I felt sick to my stomach.
Ted and I were planning to run from the Polo Field to Harper Ridge on Friday night just to check the section over and fix problem areas--a "run-and-check." Those plans were now out the window as the rain had washed away most of the 50 lbs. of lime we laid down. So Friday night's scamper turned into one of re-marking several areas of the course where the lime was now gone. Fortunately, it wasn't too bad. All of the pie plates and flags were still up. A few more flags and plates here and there and we were done!
Afterward, we celebrated at the Rusty Bucket in Solon. There we sat at about 11:00 p.m.--me chomping on an enchilada and Ted on some mac and cheese while we both enjoyed well-deserved cold brews.
Our efforts paid off. The section of the course we marked was perfect. I now hope the eight hours I invested in this endeavor will count toward my volunteer hours for both the Buckeye 50K and potentially the Western States 100, assuming I go out West next summer.
***
On Saturday at the Burning River 100, I paced last year's champ, Tim Clement, a fellow Southeast Running Club member who I train with on Saturday mornings in South Chagrin Reservation. Tim had a great race, finishing third overall in 18:35. I went the last 30 miles with him, feeling really good the whole way except for the fact that I should have worn road shoes instead of my Salomon Speedcross 2's.
Mark Godale, also of SERC and the 2007 BR100 winner, won the race with a time of 16:17. I saw Mark come into the mile 70.3 Happy Days aid station and he had the look of a someone who was locked in. Jay Smithberger, winner of the 2008 Mohican 100, finished a very strong second with a time of 17:58. And a big congratulations to Connie Garder, who once again was the top woman at the BR100 and finished fourth overall. I saw Mark and Jay at the finish line after Tim crossed.
I hung out at the finish line in downtown Cuyahoga Falls for about a half-hour and then headed home. On the drive back to Chagrin Falls, I got really hungry...but where to eat past midnight? I didn't want to stop at a sit-down restaurant and I didn't want to make something when I got home, risking waking up Noah. So I figured drive-thru was the only option. I stopped at the Burger King in Solon and ordered a #1 "value meal," which included a (delicious) Whopper, french fries and a Sprite. I sat in the parking lot as I stuffed my face. I HATE fast food because of what it represents and what it's done to America (obesity), but damn was this good. I can't decide what's better--the Whopper or the Big Mac.
Back to the BR100. Congratulations to the following other friends who finished the BR100: Jim Chaney, 19:52/master's winner; Marc Abramiuk, 20:06; Rich Henderson, 21:40; Greg Dykes, 22:45; Dawn Malone, 23:10; Frank Duchossois, 25:35; Dave Peterman, 29:00; and "Wild" Bill Wagner, 29:17. Complete results can be viewed by clicking here.
***
This week I logged only 75.6 miles but spent many, many hours on the my feet marking the course and went the 30 miles with Tim. I had a great hill-repeat workout on Tuesday and was forced to skip Friday's track workout due to course-marking.
My goal this week is 85 miles with good hill and track workouts.
I look forward to my next big race, the Tussey Mountainback 50-Mile in Pennsylvania. It should be a lot of fun and a big challenge.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Adopting proper form is no joke / Training week 7/20-7/26
In five years of serious running, few challenges have been greater than working to correct my form. This is a huge undertaking--one that will take a long-term effort--because it requires constant focus on how I'm running. You can drift off mentally or else you'll go back to your old form. I'm not really sure how my efforts are going. All I can say is that I'm trying!
I've been a slight over-strider and a heel-striker for years now. While it may make sense that a long stride would make you go faster and cover more ground with less effort, it in fact does not allow you to do any of that. It actually makes you more susceptible to injury and less economical from an energy consumption standpoint. You want a shorter, quicker stride and for your feet to hit the ground right beneath your body. You also want to hit the ground with your forefoot and then allow the foot to go through its natural motion.
With the stability shoes I've been wearing, running with proper form is next to impossible because the heels are so built up that you can't help but heel-strike. Realizing that my current efforts may be in vain so long as I remain in stability shoes, I have ordered some neutral-cushion shoes and will start working them into the mix with the overall goal of going neutral all the way. I ordered a pair of Saucony ProGrid Triumph 6's (along with a really nice yellow Brooks technical tee). Stay tuned....
***
While I'm thinking about it, here are two pretty nice write-ups:
Ohio Sports & Fitness - "In the Long Run"
Chagrin Valley Times - "South Russell Runner Wins 100-Mile Race"
***
I had a pretty strong training week, logging exactly 80 miles with some solid efforts with my hill repeats and track intervals. I did my hill repeats on Tuesday, running three hard intervals on Chagrin Boulevard, followed by a hard effort up the super-steep Main Street hill in the village and a few other hills on my way back home. Living in Chagrin Falls, I have access to a lot of great hills--some long and gradual and some steep and short. There are few flat areas in Chagrin Falls to run.
I headed to the track on Friday for what I planned to be 5x1600--each under 6 minutes. As I was feeling pretty fatigued after my fourth repeat, I ended up doing 4x1600 and 1x800 at 5:49, 5:50, 5:56, 5:57 and 2:58. Friday's workout was 10 miles total.
On Saturday I ran 17.5 miles mostly alone in South Chagrin Reservation. I ran with the South Chagrin/Southeast Running Club crew through 7 miles, but no one was sticking around for extra miles so I went solo for the final 10+ miles. It was pretty humid and started to rain when I was done.
On Sunday, I got to 16.75 miles in Solon with the Southeast Running Club. Despite not being on top of my game physically, I had a very good time as we had an excellent turnout and everyone seemed in good spirits despite the anxiety of some as the Burning River 100 is now less than a week away. Physically, I'm not sure what was going on, but I just felt kind of tired, flat and winded. I think the hard effort on Friday, combined with the 17.5 miles on Saturday and the fact that I'm still probably not 100% from Mohican, left me not quite 100% on Sunday.
***
This week is going to be hectic. Between working full-time and having the responsibilities of a husband and dad, I have to find the time to mark a 6-mile section of the Burning River 100-Mile Endurance Run course. It's the section from the Polo Field to the Harper Ridge picnic shelter. Fortunately, Ted F., Tom A., and a few others are going to join in on the action as we mark the course on Thursday morning and evening and potentially on Friday morning.
Now in its third year, the Burning River 100, a.k.a., the BR100, is a point-to-point course run in the greater Cleveland/Akron area. Many are surprised by how beautiful the course is, mostly because Cleveland/Akron has been mistakenly branded as an ugly area when the total opposite is true (our region has never gotten over the fallout from the heinous river fire of '69--a real branding/PR problem). Take it from a guy who has lived in 10 states over the course of his life; the land in Northeast Ohio has character and there are areas that are breathtaking, many of which are on full display at the BR100--steep gorges, rolling hills, peaceful wooded areas, meadows, overlooks, rivers with tons of birds including bald eagles, the Sound of Music Hill, etc. You see wildlife everywhere. And our parks? What else can I say except they are exceptional and the envy of many other cities. Our trails go for hundreds of miles. Maybe that's why we are a hotbed of ultrarunning, and many of these parks and trails are on full display at the BR100.
The BR100 starts at historic Squire's Castle in North Chagrin Reservation and ends in downtown Cuyahoga Falls. It goes through the beautiful Cleveland Metroparks, Brecksville Reservation, Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Metroparks Serving Summit County. There are some decent hills to contend with and the course is fairly technical in areas with rocks and roots. The first 13 or so miles are on road. If it's going to be hot, I'd go out fast and cover the first 13 miles aggressively. The last 10 miles are mostly flat--just when you need easy terrain. I did the BR100 in 2007, finishing sixth overall, and it's an awesome race with excellent organization, supportive volunteers and a strong ultrarunning culture to back it up.
This year's Burning River 100 features a very strong field, including Tim Clement (2008 BR100 winner), Mark Godale (2007 BR100 winner and 24-hour American record holder), Jay Smithberger (2008 Mohican winner), Zach Gingerich (2008 Kettle Moraine winner and 3rd overall/1st American at the 2009 Badwater), Connie Gardner (winner of MANY races including top woman/2nd overall at the 2008 BR100) and Dawn Malone (top woman at the 2007 BR100). The darkhorses include well-known local runner Jim Chaney, Darris Blackford of Columbus and Ryan O'Dell of NY. Older guys who could surprise some folks with their speed and toughness include Frank Duchossois (who's had an excellent 2009 and is making his 100-mile debut) and TJ Hawk (10-time Mohican finisher and previous Mohican winner). I am sure I missed some names and apologize for the oversight.
A special good-luck to my friend Dan C., who paced me for my Mohican 100 win and will be making his 100-mile debut at Burning River.
I am returning as Tim Clement's pacer and will go the final 30 miles with him. Should be a lot of fun and I think we'll see quite a war among the frontrunners.
***
The goal this week is 85 miles, including the 30 miles with Tim on Saturday. I plan to hit the hill repeats on Tuesday and the track on Friday. My track workout will probably be 3x1600.
Onward and upward!
I've been a slight over-strider and a heel-striker for years now. While it may make sense that a long stride would make you go faster and cover more ground with less effort, it in fact does not allow you to do any of that. It actually makes you more susceptible to injury and less economical from an energy consumption standpoint. You want a shorter, quicker stride and for your feet to hit the ground right beneath your body. You also want to hit the ground with your forefoot and then allow the foot to go through its natural motion.
With the stability shoes I've been wearing, running with proper form is next to impossible because the heels are so built up that you can't help but heel-strike. Realizing that my current efforts may be in vain so long as I remain in stability shoes, I have ordered some neutral-cushion shoes and will start working them into the mix with the overall goal of going neutral all the way. I ordered a pair of Saucony ProGrid Triumph 6's (along with a really nice yellow Brooks technical tee). Stay tuned....
***
While I'm thinking about it, here are two pretty nice write-ups:
Ohio Sports & Fitness - "In the Long Run"
Chagrin Valley Times - "South Russell Runner Wins 100-Mile Race"
***
I had a pretty strong training week, logging exactly 80 miles with some solid efforts with my hill repeats and track intervals. I did my hill repeats on Tuesday, running three hard intervals on Chagrin Boulevard, followed by a hard effort up the super-steep Main Street hill in the village and a few other hills on my way back home. Living in Chagrin Falls, I have access to a lot of great hills--some long and gradual and some steep and short. There are few flat areas in Chagrin Falls to run.
I headed to the track on Friday for what I planned to be 5x1600--each under 6 minutes. As I was feeling pretty fatigued after my fourth repeat, I ended up doing 4x1600 and 1x800 at 5:49, 5:50, 5:56, 5:57 and 2:58. Friday's workout was 10 miles total.
On Saturday I ran 17.5 miles mostly alone in South Chagrin Reservation. I ran with the South Chagrin/Southeast Running Club crew through 7 miles, but no one was sticking around for extra miles so I went solo for the final 10+ miles. It was pretty humid and started to rain when I was done.
On Sunday, I got to 16.75 miles in Solon with the Southeast Running Club. Despite not being on top of my game physically, I had a very good time as we had an excellent turnout and everyone seemed in good spirits despite the anxiety of some as the Burning River 100 is now less than a week away. Physically, I'm not sure what was going on, but I just felt kind of tired, flat and winded. I think the hard effort on Friday, combined with the 17.5 miles on Saturday and the fact that I'm still probably not 100% from Mohican, left me not quite 100% on Sunday.
***
This week is going to be hectic. Between working full-time and having the responsibilities of a husband and dad, I have to find the time to mark a 6-mile section of the Burning River 100-Mile Endurance Run course. It's the section from the Polo Field to the Harper Ridge picnic shelter. Fortunately, Ted F., Tom A., and a few others are going to join in on the action as we mark the course on Thursday morning and evening and potentially on Friday morning.
Now in its third year, the Burning River 100, a.k.a., the BR100, is a point-to-point course run in the greater Cleveland/Akron area. Many are surprised by how beautiful the course is, mostly because Cleveland/Akron has been mistakenly branded as an ugly area when the total opposite is true (our region has never gotten over the fallout from the heinous river fire of '69--a real branding/PR problem). Take it from a guy who has lived in 10 states over the course of his life; the land in Northeast Ohio has character and there are areas that are breathtaking, many of which are on full display at the BR100--steep gorges, rolling hills, peaceful wooded areas, meadows, overlooks, rivers with tons of birds including bald eagles, the Sound of Music Hill, etc. You see wildlife everywhere. And our parks? What else can I say except they are exceptional and the envy of many other cities. Our trails go for hundreds of miles. Maybe that's why we are a hotbed of ultrarunning, and many of these parks and trails are on full display at the BR100.
The BR100 starts at historic Squire's Castle in North Chagrin Reservation and ends in downtown Cuyahoga Falls. It goes through the beautiful Cleveland Metroparks, Brecksville Reservation, Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Metroparks Serving Summit County. There are some decent hills to contend with and the course is fairly technical in areas with rocks and roots. The first 13 or so miles are on road. If it's going to be hot, I'd go out fast and cover the first 13 miles aggressively. The last 10 miles are mostly flat--just when you need easy terrain. I did the BR100 in 2007, finishing sixth overall, and it's an awesome race with excellent organization, supportive volunteers and a strong ultrarunning culture to back it up.
This year's Burning River 100 features a very strong field, including Tim Clement (2008 BR100 winner), Mark Godale (2007 BR100 winner and 24-hour American record holder), Jay Smithberger (2008 Mohican winner), Zach Gingerich (2008 Kettle Moraine winner and 3rd overall/1st American at the 2009 Badwater), Connie Gardner (winner of MANY races including top woman/2nd overall at the 2008 BR100) and Dawn Malone (top woman at the 2007 BR100). The darkhorses include well-known local runner Jim Chaney, Darris Blackford of Columbus and Ryan O'Dell of NY. Older guys who could surprise some folks with their speed and toughness include Frank Duchossois (who's had an excellent 2009 and is making his 100-mile debut) and TJ Hawk (10-time Mohican finisher and previous Mohican winner). I am sure I missed some names and apologize for the oversight.
A special good-luck to my friend Dan C., who paced me for my Mohican 100 win and will be making his 100-mile debut at Burning River.
I am returning as Tim Clement's pacer and will go the final 30 miles with him. Should be a lot of fun and I think we'll see quite a war among the frontrunners.
***
The goal this week is 85 miles, including the 30 miles with Tim on Saturday. I plan to hit the hill repeats on Tuesday and the track on Friday. My track workout will probably be 3x1600.
Onward and upward!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Tim Clement wins the Burning River 100; Connie Garden 1st woman, 2nd overall
Last night at 10:40 p.m., friend and fellow SERC member Tim Clement won the 2nd annual Burning River 100 Mile Endurance Run with a time of 17:40.
I had the honor and privilege of pacing Tim the last 31 miles of the race. He is a former 50K, 50-mile, 100K, and 100-mile national champion. At 47 years old, he is now back on top of his game.
Without giving any too much info, there was a stretch from 81-85 when things for Tim got dicey, but he battled through it all like a champion, regrouped and won the BR100 by 41 minutes. Watching him run with so much mental and physical strength amid the challenge of 100 miles was astonishing.
Connie Garder, also one of the top ultra runners in the nation, finished second overall with an awesome time of 18:21. We knew Connie would do everything she could to chase us down--she's as tough as they come. But Tim never let up. The last 10 miles he kept going and going and going when most of us would have been at a jog/walk pace.
For me, this was an extraordinary opportunity to see and experience how a successful 100 is run. I've run two pretty good 100s, but watching Tim the last 31 miles of the BR100 I learned a few things that I plan to put into practice at my next 100. Most of what I learned isn't physical; it's mental.
Congratulations to other club members and/or running friends who finished the BR100:
I had the honor and privilege of pacing Tim the last 31 miles of the race. He is a former 50K, 50-mile, 100K, and 100-mile national champion. At 47 years old, he is now back on top of his game.
Without giving any too much info, there was a stretch from 81-85 when things for Tim got dicey, but he battled through it all like a champion, regrouped and won the BR100 by 41 minutes. Watching him run with so much mental and physical strength amid the challenge of 100 miles was astonishing.
Connie Garder, also one of the top ultra runners in the nation, finished second overall with an awesome time of 18:21. We knew Connie would do everything she could to chase us down--she's as tough as they come. But Tim never let up. The last 10 miles he kept going and going and going when most of us would have been at a jog/walk pace.
For me, this was an extraordinary opportunity to see and experience how a successful 100 is run. I've run two pretty good 100s, but watching Tim the last 31 miles of the BR100 I learned a few things that I plan to put into practice at my next 100. Most of what I learned isn't physical; it's mental.
Congratulations to other club members and/or running friends who finished the BR100:
- Dawn Malone (last year’s top woman) – 22:18
- Kim Martin – 23:04
- Roy Heger – 23:10
- Steve Hawthorne – 25:41 (first 100 finished – congrats, Steve!)
- Dave Peterman – 26:57 (3rd 100-miler this summer – Massanutten, then Mohican, and now the BR100 – Dave, you are the man!)
- Fred Davis III – 27:14
- Rich Henderson – 28:18
Results can be viewed by clicking here.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
How will today's Burning River 100 shake out? That is the question!
12:22 p.m.: As of the second Station Road bridge aid station (39.7), Tim Clement has extended his lead to eight minutes. Going into the second Station Road bridge aid station, runners have just endured a tough stretch as they climbed the Carriage Loop trail and then made their way back to the bridge via the towpath, which was a hot and humid stretch last year. Now they enter the Buckeye Trail 50K course, which is a challenging stretch.
The current top 5 now looks like this:
1) Tim Clement--5:58
2) Randy Miller--6:06
3) Bob Pokorny--6:09
4) Russ Goodman--6:10
5) Darris Blackford--6:11
Connie Gardner is running 6th at 6:12, and Chris Petit, who placed 2nd at the Laurel Highlands 70 in June, is at 6:19.
Tim has some tough competition behind him, but the good news for him is that he knows how to win races and stay strong. Randy Miller won the Laurel Highlands 70 and Pokorny is tough and experienced and now appears to be getting stronger with the race. I will be leaving soon to meet Tim at the Happy Days aid station (70), where I run him in.
10:27 a.m.: Big news--last year's BR100 winner, Mark Godale, has dropped from the race, likely due to the injury he's been courageously battling for some time. I feel terrible for Mark. He's a champion who fights through pain and I know this is tough for him. For him to drop means the pain he was feeling was off the charts.
Amid the bad news of Mark's status, there is some good news! Our fellow SERC member Tim Clement, who I'm pacing today from 70 to the finish, has moved into the lead as of the first Station Road bridge aid station. The top 5 is now:
1) Tim Clement--4:59
2) Russ Goodman--5:00
3) Randy Miller--5:02
4) Darris Blackford--5:05
5t) Connie Garder--5:09
5t) Bob Pokorny--5:09
5t) Scott N. Draper--5:09
I can't see Tim relenting. The level of toughness and natural endurance he brings give him a huge advantage. But there are 67 miles to go and a lot can happen in a 100....
9:14 a.m.: According to my thermometer, it's 67 degree. There's been some movement in the top 5 as of the Shadow Lake aid station (18.6):
1) Darris Blackford (2:33)
2) Benjamin Bowman (?)
3) Mark Godale (2:39)
4) Tim Clement (2:42)
5) Randy Miller (2:42)
Not sure what's going on with Dougherty, who was running second as of my last post.
Last year I think Mark G. was 2nd or 3rd and eventually moved into first sometime around the second Station Road bridge aid station.
At this point, runners are now on trails/towpath for most of the rest of the way. Some of them might be feeling some minor leg ache from the 9-mile road section to start the race.
Just now I see that Blackford and Bowman entered the Egbert Picnic Shelter aid station (23.4) at 3:19 and 3:24, respectively.
8:26 a.m.: Going into the Harper Ridge aid station (15.4), runners have just completed a long but steady climb up the Bridal Trail. I would imagine the front-runners ran, not walked, it. The top-5 are:
1) Darris Blackford--2:04
2) Benjamin Dougherty--2:09
3) Mark Godale--2:09
4) Benjamin Bowman--2:11
5) Tim Clement--2:12
Bob Pokorny, Connie Gardner and Russ Goodman all came in at 2:13.
Not surprisingly, Connie leads the women!
A whopping 5 minutes separate Blackford from his nearest competitor, and 8 minutes separate him from the #5 guy. But in 100s, 8 minutes isn't much. Sometimes the tortoise will beat the hare (though no one in the top 5 could be construed as a tortoise--they all have speed). It will be interesting to see if Blackford can hang on.
The weather is perfect--not even 70 degrees.
7:15 a.m.: The Burning River 100 Mile Endurance Run started a little over 2 hours ago. I wish I were there, but that's not the point of this post!
Thanks to the organizing committee and our friends at Vertical Runner, you can track runners' times via webcast by clicking here.
Interestingly, only 120 runners started this morning. Last year, 144 started. I wonder if the less-than-50% finishers rate last year kept some folks away.
Needless to say, who crosses first will be interesting to see. I think it's going to be a battle between returning champ Mark Godale (16:07 at last year's race; 24-hour American record holder with 162.4 miles) and Tim Clement (2003 100 mile and 2004 100K national champion) who are both SERC members!
I also think Rich Wisneski, a very fast marathoner who is making his 100-mile debut, the ever-tough Connie Gardner and of course Bob Pokorny will be in the hunt.
I am pacing Tim from mile 71 to the finish and look forward to it. Mark has a great pacing team, with Jeff U. going from 60-75 with him, and Kam L. bringing him home.
I will try to check in again later this morning, but at 2 p.m. I'm outta here to go meet Tim!
The current top 5 now looks like this:
1) Tim Clement--5:58
2) Randy Miller--6:06
3) Bob Pokorny--6:09
4) Russ Goodman--6:10
5) Darris Blackford--6:11
Connie Gardner is running 6th at 6:12, and Chris Petit, who placed 2nd at the Laurel Highlands 70 in June, is at 6:19.
Tim has some tough competition behind him, but the good news for him is that he knows how to win races and stay strong. Randy Miller won the Laurel Highlands 70 and Pokorny is tough and experienced and now appears to be getting stronger with the race. I will be leaving soon to meet Tim at the Happy Days aid station (70), where I run him in.
10:27 a.m.: Big news--last year's BR100 winner, Mark Godale, has dropped from the race, likely due to the injury he's been courageously battling for some time. I feel terrible for Mark. He's a champion who fights through pain and I know this is tough for him. For him to drop means the pain he was feeling was off the charts.
Amid the bad news of Mark's status, there is some good news! Our fellow SERC member Tim Clement, who I'm pacing today from 70 to the finish, has moved into the lead as of the first Station Road bridge aid station. The top 5 is now:
1) Tim Clement--4:59
2) Russ Goodman--5:00
3) Randy Miller--5:02
4) Darris Blackford--5:05
5t) Connie Garder--5:09
5t) Bob Pokorny--5:09
5t) Scott N. Draper--5:09
I can't see Tim relenting. The level of toughness and natural endurance he brings give him a huge advantage. But there are 67 miles to go and a lot can happen in a 100....
9:14 a.m.: According to my thermometer, it's 67 degree. There's been some movement in the top 5 as of the Shadow Lake aid station (18.6):
1) Darris Blackford (2:33)
2) Benjamin Bowman (?)
3) Mark Godale (2:39)
4) Tim Clement (2:42)
5) Randy Miller (2:42)
Not sure what's going on with Dougherty, who was running second as of my last post.
Last year I think Mark G. was 2nd or 3rd and eventually moved into first sometime around the second Station Road bridge aid station.
At this point, runners are now on trails/towpath for most of the rest of the way. Some of them might be feeling some minor leg ache from the 9-mile road section to start the race.
Just now I see that Blackford and Bowman entered the Egbert Picnic Shelter aid station (23.4) at 3:19 and 3:24, respectively.
8:26 a.m.: Going into the Harper Ridge aid station (15.4), runners have just completed a long but steady climb up the Bridal Trail. I would imagine the front-runners ran, not walked, it. The top-5 are:
1) Darris Blackford--2:04
2) Benjamin Dougherty--2:09
3) Mark Godale--2:09
4) Benjamin Bowman--2:11
5) Tim Clement--2:12
Bob Pokorny, Connie Gardner and Russ Goodman all came in at 2:13.
Not surprisingly, Connie leads the women!
A whopping 5 minutes separate Blackford from his nearest competitor, and 8 minutes separate him from the #5 guy. But in 100s, 8 minutes isn't much. Sometimes the tortoise will beat the hare (though no one in the top 5 could be construed as a tortoise--they all have speed). It will be interesting to see if Blackford can hang on.
The weather is perfect--not even 70 degrees.
7:15 a.m.: The Burning River 100 Mile Endurance Run started a little over 2 hours ago. I wish I were there, but that's not the point of this post!
Thanks to the organizing committee and our friends at Vertical Runner, you can track runners' times via webcast by clicking here.
Interestingly, only 120 runners started this morning. Last year, 144 started. I wonder if the less-than-50% finishers rate last year kept some folks away.
Needless to say, who crosses first will be interesting to see. I think it's going to be a battle between returning champ Mark Godale (16:07 at last year's race; 24-hour American record holder with 162.4 miles) and Tim Clement (2003 100 mile and 2004 100K national champion) who are both SERC members!
I also think Rich Wisneski, a very fast marathoner who is making his 100-mile debut, the ever-tough Connie Gardner and of course Bob Pokorny will be in the hunt.
I am pacing Tim from mile 71 to the finish and look forward to it. Mark has a great pacing team, with Jeff U. going from 60-75 with him, and Kam L. bringing him home.
I will try to check in again later this morning, but at 2 p.m. I'm outta here to go meet Tim!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
My take on the Burning River 100
Today I was looking over the Burning River 100 Mile Endurance Run roster of entrants (as of July 29) and noticed a number of very good runners in this year's race. Every one will have fun. The BR100 is a well-organized, point-to-point race through many beautiful areas of Northeast Ohio, making it an excellent experience for runners, pacers, crew members and volunteers alike.
Random photo: Yours truly at the Mohican 100. The red lettering on my arm proudly read NOAH. I didn't take many good photos at the BR100.
While the BR100 is a rewarding, accessible 100-miler for local runners because we spend so much time on the course and know it well (it was my first 100), it's by no means easy. Far from it. The August heat and humidity are factors. Based on my experience with last year's inaugural race, here are a few personal observations on the BR100:
1) It's important to run the first 9 miles, which are all on road, patiently and at a relaxed pace. Going too fast on the road will beat up your legs. When you enter the Polo Field from the road section, you have 92 more miles in front of you.
2) Try to get out of the very rocky, hilly, overall nasty Perkins Trail loop (81.6-85.7) before night fall (about 9 p.m.). The next several miles, except for a brief stretch in O'Neill Woods, are either flat road or towpath. If you enter the Perkins Trail loop in the dark, you're going to spend twice as much time on it as you would if it were light. (This same rule applies to the Mohican--get out of the red loop, which ends at mile 90/Rock Point, as quickly as possible because the rest is road. Granted, it's hilly road....)
3) The BR100 gives you flat, runnable sections when you most need them--namely from mile 86 to the finish--with a few exceptions such as O'Neill Woods, a brick road going up from Memorial Parkway, a few nasty sets of stairs late in the race and the technical Glens Trail along the gorge in Cuyahoga Falls that demands your careful attention when you may be struggling mentally.
4) The final stretch of the BR100 is awesome. From the very dark, somewhat technical Glens Trail, you come up on Front Street in downtown Cuyahoga Falls (via a spur) and the finish is about a mile in front of you. Running down Front Street with the finish line in sight, I took in the experience for all it was worth (whereas at Mohican I was half-dead when I crossed. Do you think I'm kidding? :) ).
One of the big pluses of the BR100, which you won't find at the Mohican 100, are civilized, running-water bathrooms. The BR100 course offers many bathrooms--both park and commercial facilities. Hell, there's a McDonald's about 20 feet from the towpath toward the end of the race. If you don't need the bathroom, maybe you need a Big Mac? Just kidding.
While I am sure I missed a few big names--and if so, I apologize--here are the names of which I took note, separated by men and women:
Men
Biggest names:
Mark Godale (SERC member; 1st overall last year with a 16:07; American record holder for 24 hours at 162.4 miles)
Tim Clement (SERC member; 3rd overall last year; previous 100K and 100M national champion; in top shape right now)
Other names:
Rich Wisneski (fast; first 100)
Bob Pokorny (SERC member; very strong and experienced)
Randy Miller (1st overall at the Laurel-Highlands 70)
Chris Petit (2nd overall at the Laurel-Highlands 70)
Women
Biggest name:
Connie Gardner (SERC member; has not yet registered; first woman at 2008 Mohican; potential outright-win contender; incredibly tough)
Other names:
Dawn Malone (SERC member; strong 2008 Mohican 100; last year's BR100 women's winner)
Kim Martin (experienced and tough)
Let me know if I overlooked any names.
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