Well, after months of training, the taper for the Bighorn 100 is here.
My last big effort (unless you count this morning's 400s) was Sunday. I ran a little over 24 miles on one of my favorite routes--Waterton Canyon and Section 1 of the Colorado Trail. A lot of people hate Waterton Canyon--a seemingly never-ending dirt road outside of Denver--but I like it because the 6.7-mile return trip can be mentally daunting. We often train our bodies but forget about the mental aspects of preparing for a big ultra. That's why I like to test myself in places like Waterton Canyon; the return trip can put me in the mental pain cave and I like that. On Sunday, I had another strong finish, which has become the hallmark of my new training approach. Lately, I almost never finish a long run feeling depleted; I finish a long run feeling like I could do it again if I had to.
Overall, with more than handful of 80+ mile weeks in the bag and lots of quality, I feel like I'm ready for Bighorn. These last five weeks of training have been super solid. I've also gotten out there for some groups runs with guys like Mike W., Scott S., Mark T., AJ, Chuck, Matt, Jon, John and others, which have made a difference. The group element has been huge for me.
As far as the nuts and bolts of training, going hard on hard days and easy on easy days has allowed me to execute when I need to and get the rest my body requires between quality sessions in order to promote recovery. I cannot emphasize enough how important it's been to me to go easy on easy days. We often stress ourselves to the breaking point because we tell ourselves, the more we run, the better. But, in actuality, we get better on the days that we rest. That has been my mantra for the last five weeks.
The taper has always vexed me. But not this time around. I feel like I'm entering my taper feeling good overall, not depleted. Over the next two and a half weeks, the key will be to keep mixing in some quality while also reducing overall quantity of mileage and time on the feet.
If there is one vulnerability I have, it's that I may not have done enough sustained climbs. I've done some good climbing overall, but with a very wet spring it has been hard to get to the mountains for big climbs and descents. That said, I've gotten to the trails and have logged quite a few climbs of 1,500-2,000 feet. And, honestly, I'm feeling good on the climbs. Not sure what's given me this little bounce--hill repeats, intervals, tempos or all of the above--but something seems to be working for me. I would be remiss in not also saying that Tailwind, Honey Stinger Waffles and Justin's nut butters been great on long training runs. It's critical for me that I stay within my hourly calorie and carb zones, give or take.
So, while I'm feeling strong, I also know that my goal for Bighorn is a respectable finish. I actually don't really care about my time; I just want to have fun and enjoy a 100-miler. If my body is working for me (and not against me as has been the case at Leadville), then it may just be a good day.
Showing posts with label Taper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taper. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Thursday, July 31, 2014
If You Want to Finish Leadville, Here's the #1 Most Important Thing You Must Do
Damn, I love provocative headlines!
With the Leadville Trail 100-Mile Run now a little over two weeks away, those of us entered in "The Race Across the Sky" are undoubtedly in our taper or about to begin the taper. Leadville is a fairly unique race in that it's between 9,200 feet and 12,600 feet the whole way. One hundred miles is hard enough; throw in some high altitude and mountain passes and the challenge becomes even tougher.
If this is your first time toeing the line at Leadville and you're unfamiliar with what it's like in the high country and Colorado Rockies, this post is for you (as is my two-part Guide to Finishing Leadville)!
A lot goes into successfully finishing Leadville. You don't want to go out too fast. You need to stay hydrated and fueled. Your stomach needs to stay happy, though you can almost bank on a few queasy moments (or worse). You need to show grit when you're doing the big climbs and thoughts of hopelessness (pun intended) are swimming through your brain. All of that is important, and it's what you'll hear about on Friday afternoon when we all gather for the very motivational pre-race meeting, which I highly recommend.
But there's one thing you may not have thought about, especially if you're coming from sea level. Hell, I even know a few Coloradans who have overlooked or forgotten about this one super-important thing. It's something that can totally end your race.
Are you ready?
Stay warm and dry. There's a saying here in Colorado and it goes something like this: "If you don't like the weather in Colorado, give it five minutes."
At Leadville, expect everything from sunny skies and temps in the high 70s during the day to hail, rain/lightening storms of the biblical variety and, yes, snow, especially when you're on Hope Pass. Even if during the day the temperature is in the 70s and the sun is out and life is beautiful, you can expect the mercury to plummet into the 30s after sunset. Cold nights in Leadville are the norm. It's especially cold around Turquoise Lake, which you'll be running along very late in the race (with no other aid stations before the finish). If you aren't in warm clothing after the sun sets and especially along the lake, you will risk hypothermia. And, if you go hypothermic, your race is pretty much over.
So, be sure to have:
As for me, well, I'm in shape (I think). Those long tempo runs and long trail runs seem to have me ready even as I dropped my peak weekly volume buy 15%. I did a MAF test yesterday morning and averaged 6:30 pace for five miles, with a one-second drop in time when you compare my mile-1 split with my mile-5 split. Not bad. It's my best-ever MAF test result. But MAF tests don't mean much when you're climbing Hope Pass or Powerline. So, we'll see how things shake out. But I do think I have experience on my side and I also think my nutrition plan is solid.
Have a great taper and race. I hope to see you in Leadville!
If this is your first time toeing the line at Leadville and you're unfamiliar with what it's like in the high country and Colorado Rockies, this post is for you (as is my two-part Guide to Finishing Leadville)!
A lot goes into successfully finishing Leadville. You don't want to go out too fast. You need to stay hydrated and fueled. Your stomach needs to stay happy, though you can almost bank on a few queasy moments (or worse). You need to show grit when you're doing the big climbs and thoughts of hopelessness (pun intended) are swimming through your brain. All of that is important, and it's what you'll hear about on Friday afternoon when we all gather for the very motivational pre-race meeting, which I highly recommend.
But there's one thing you may not have thought about, especially if you're coming from sea level. Hell, I even know a few Coloradans who have overlooked or forgotten about this one super-important thing. It's something that can totally end your race.
Are you ready?
 |
| Me in the finisher's tent after crossing the line last year. Note the hat, sweatshirt and vest. I also had gloves-- and I was still cold. |
At Leadville, expect everything from sunny skies and temps in the high 70s during the day to hail, rain/lightening storms of the biblical variety and, yes, snow, especially when you're on Hope Pass. Even if during the day the temperature is in the 70s and the sun is out and life is beautiful, you can expect the mercury to plummet into the 30s after sunset. Cold nights in Leadville are the norm. It's especially cold around Turquoise Lake, which you'll be running along very late in the race (with no other aid stations before the finish). If you aren't in warm clothing after the sun sets and especially along the lake, you will risk hypothermia. And, if you go hypothermic, your race is pretty much over.
So, be sure to have:
- Rain gear. Get a waterproof jacket and hat--maybe some waterproof gloves, too.
- Warm clothing that will keep you toasty in temperatures as low as 30 degrees. Usually when running in cool temps it's OK to dress on the light side as our bodies heat up with movement. Not so in Leadville after night fall. Dressing on the light side after sunset will get you a DNF.
- Emergency poncho. I highly recommend you carry one at all times, especially if we have cloud cover.
As for me, well, I'm in shape (I think). Those long tempo runs and long trail runs seem to have me ready even as I dropped my peak weekly volume buy 15%. I did a MAF test yesterday morning and averaged 6:30 pace for five miles, with a one-second drop in time when you compare my mile-1 split with my mile-5 split. Not bad. It's my best-ever MAF test result. But MAF tests don't mean much when you're climbing Hope Pass or Powerline. So, we'll see how things shake out. But I do think I have experience on my side and I also think my nutrition plan is solid.
Have a great taper and race. I hope to see you in Leadville!
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Leadville Taper is On
With the Leadville Trail 100-Mile Run just 20 days away, my taper is now on. This morning's 21+ miles put a wrap on another solid week: 103.5 miles, 16 hours and 15,300 feet of vertical. While my mileage in the Leadville run-up hasn't really been that much higher than previous years, my vertical and time on my feet are way up. In fact, I'm putting in, on a week basis, about three times the vertical I put in going into my previous three Leadville 100s. That includes 2011, when I finished in 22:35.
All in all, I feel like I've done the necessary work to give Leadville my best. Having the entire summer off from work (even if it wasn't on my own terms), I took full advantage of the time and trained harder than I've trained probably ever. I hit the trails pretty much every day and, in the process, I asked a lot of my body and mind. Honestly, I feel like there were times when I played with fire, as I didn't really allow for much recovery, but every day my body kept delivering for me--and I think that's because I laid down a super-solid base earlier this year (more on that below). Here's to hoping I remain injury-free going into the race. During taper time, aches and pains have a way of creeping up on you.....
In looking at 2013, my plan through April was to build a solid aerobic base by adhering to the Maffetone Method while also weight training (disclaimer: weight training technically violates MAF, but I felt it was critical to improve muscular strength in my legs and hips). Coming off a Boston-qualifier time at the Rock 'n Roll Arizona Marathon in January, clearly I was building on what was already a decent base, but I felt I was aerobically weak relative to where I needed/wanted to be. I believed my aerobic weakness, which was compounded by the effects of living at 6,200 feet, was at the heart of my many injuries and declining performance over the past three years.
That's where MAF came into play. For four months, I ran 70 miles a week at my MAF pace and I never, ever strayed from my target heart rate zone. It was an enjoyable process, actually, and it helped me develop a good aerobic base and better fat-burning capacity during running. I routinely run for three hours on hilly trails without needing a single calorie. That's because my body has learned to better-utilize fat as energy. Even the leanest athletes have plenty of fat to burn. These days, we're told (by companies wanting to make a buck) we need X number of calories every hour to keep going. While calories are necessary during long races--as well as faster races like marathons--they're not always necessary during training. One benefit of being a better fat burner: I've lost about 7 pounds and am down to a lean 159-161 pounds. I'm sure I'll put on a few pounds during my taper, and that's okay.
My performance at the Cheyenne Mountain 50K in late April, while respectable, wasn't quite where I wanted it to be, and I think that's because I was a bit weak in terms of anaerobic strength (a side effect of MAF). That started to change in May. With the loss of my job (FYI, I just landed a new gig and will start in early August!), I quickly shifted gears to trail running, with a particular emphasis on hilly, mountainous terrain that gave me plenty of opportunity for strength-building. And so I've made daily trips to the trails and, for the first time since moving to Colorado, learned to run up and back down mountains. Deer Creek Canyon and Mount Falcon have been go-to places for my training, though I've ventured to many others places, too, like Grays and Torreys peaks, Hope Pass, Bergen Peak, the Barr Trail, etc. My time at the Leadville Trail Marathon in late June signaled that my efforts were paying off.
When I look at the numbers behind the work I've put in this summer, I'm really happy with what I see.
May
339 miles
51 hours
45,000 feet of vertical
June
373.2 miles
59 hours
61,000 feet of vertical
July (through 7/28)
371.4 miles (will probably get to 400 miles in July)
59 hours
57,000 feet of vertical
As far as the taper, I'll probably cut my mileage by 30 percent next week, and then another 30 percent the week after, and then just do very light running along with some short striders the week of the race. I'm going to continue to hit some vertical and I'm going to get as high up as possible, but on a reduced basis, and also work in some short, fast stuff to keep my legs feeling strong and lively.
If there's one area I've neglected, it's been faster stuff. I have gone on some tempo runs (and can run within my MAF zone at6:15-6:30 6:30-6:40/mile for 6-8 miles), but all along I've felt the priority had to be volume and vertical. In 100-milers, the guys and gals who do best are the ones who slow down the least in the last 25 miles of the race. I feel that what I've done this summer positions me for a strong finish at Leadville. I know what it means to finish a 100 strong. I've done it before, but not for a few years.
I'm not really thinking (yet) about my race-day approach and all the details, mostly because I'm still processing what I've done over the past three months and what it really means. I feel like I'm in a great place mentally, spiritually and physically. I've really enjoyed the journey and I've had fun every day, but I need to figure out what it means to my Leadville readiness. What I can say is that it's been fun and fulfilling. That said, I do have a few loose race-day goals I'll keep in mind once the gun goes off. I'd like to get into Winfield, the halfway point, within 9 hours--but only if that pace feels good to me. I'm not going to force any pace. If I can get into Winfield in 8:45 or 8:50, feeling good, then I'll be positioned for a time under 20 hours. But the real work doesn't begin until the second half, particularly after Twin Lakes on the return trip. That's where the race really begins.
Congratulations to all Leadville 100 entrants who have put in the hard work this summer and are now tapering. The taper isn't always easy to handle, but in my case I've put in some good work and can now rest up and get ready.
All in all, I feel like I've done the necessary work to give Leadville my best. Having the entire summer off from work (even if it wasn't on my own terms), I took full advantage of the time and trained harder than I've trained probably ever. I hit the trails pretty much every day and, in the process, I asked a lot of my body and mind. Honestly, I feel like there were times when I played with fire, as I didn't really allow for much recovery, but every day my body kept delivering for me--and I think that's because I laid down a super-solid base earlier this year (more on that below). Here's to hoping I remain injury-free going into the race. During taper time, aches and pains have a way of creeping up on you.....
In looking at 2013, my plan through April was to build a solid aerobic base by adhering to the Maffetone Method while also weight training (disclaimer: weight training technically violates MAF, but I felt it was critical to improve muscular strength in my legs and hips). Coming off a Boston-qualifier time at the Rock 'n Roll Arizona Marathon in January, clearly I was building on what was already a decent base, but I felt I was aerobically weak relative to where I needed/wanted to be. I believed my aerobic weakness, which was compounded by the effects of living at 6,200 feet, was at the heart of my many injuries and declining performance over the past three years.
That's where MAF came into play. For four months, I ran 70 miles a week at my MAF pace and I never, ever strayed from my target heart rate zone. It was an enjoyable process, actually, and it helped me develop a good aerobic base and better fat-burning capacity during running. I routinely run for three hours on hilly trails without needing a single calorie. That's because my body has learned to better-utilize fat as energy. Even the leanest athletes have plenty of fat to burn. These days, we're told (by companies wanting to make a buck) we need X number of calories every hour to keep going. While calories are necessary during long races--as well as faster races like marathons--they're not always necessary during training. One benefit of being a better fat burner: I've lost about 7 pounds and am down to a lean 159-161 pounds. I'm sure I'll put on a few pounds during my taper, and that's okay.
My performance at the Cheyenne Mountain 50K in late April, while respectable, wasn't quite where I wanted it to be, and I think that's because I was a bit weak in terms of anaerobic strength (a side effect of MAF). That started to change in May. With the loss of my job (FYI, I just landed a new gig and will start in early August!), I quickly shifted gears to trail running, with a particular emphasis on hilly, mountainous terrain that gave me plenty of opportunity for strength-building. And so I've made daily trips to the trails and, for the first time since moving to Colorado, learned to run up and back down mountains. Deer Creek Canyon and Mount Falcon have been go-to places for my training, though I've ventured to many others places, too, like Grays and Torreys peaks, Hope Pass, Bergen Peak, the Barr Trail, etc. My time at the Leadville Trail Marathon in late June signaled that my efforts were paying off.
When I look at the numbers behind the work I've put in this summer, I'm really happy with what I see.
May
339 miles
51 hours
45,000 feet of vertical
June
373.2 miles
59 hours
61,000 feet of vertical
July (through 7/28)
371.4 miles (will probably get to 400 miles in July)
59 hours
57,000 feet of vertical
As far as the taper, I'll probably cut my mileage by 30 percent next week, and then another 30 percent the week after, and then just do very light running along with some short striders the week of the race. I'm going to continue to hit some vertical and I'm going to get as high up as possible, but on a reduced basis, and also work in some short, fast stuff to keep my legs feeling strong and lively.
If there's one area I've neglected, it's been faster stuff. I have gone on some tempo runs (and can run within my MAF zone at
I'm not really thinking (yet) about my race-day approach and all the details, mostly because I'm still processing what I've done over the past three months and what it really means. I feel like I'm in a great place mentally, spiritually and physically. I've really enjoyed the journey and I've had fun every day, but I need to figure out what it means to my Leadville readiness. What I can say is that it's been fun and fulfilling. That said, I do have a few loose race-day goals I'll keep in mind once the gun goes off. I'd like to get into Winfield, the halfway point, within 9 hours--but only if that pace feels good to me. I'm not going to force any pace. If I can get into Winfield in 8:45 or 8:50, feeling good, then I'll be positioned for a time under 20 hours. But the real work doesn't begin until the second half, particularly after Twin Lakes on the return trip. That's where the race really begins.
Congratulations to all Leadville 100 entrants who have put in the hard work this summer and are now tapering. The taper isn't always easy to handle, but in my case I've put in some good work and can now rest up and get ready.
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