Ultramarathon Blues

"I've got those,
Can't get rid of those,
Ultramarathon Blues"

Big miles are totally failing to materialize at the moment - and this is an issue! The plan was to have a couple of 100 mile weeks under my belt by now, no such luck. Longest weeks have just about topped 60 miles. That being said I've had more long runs (over 20 miles) heading up to the JFK 50 than I've ever strung together in one training block. Trouble is that at the moment neither the mind or the body is holding up too well to the increased running milage. The early morning runs took their toll long since manifesting as tiredness/bad temper and general malaise - a real struggle in forcing myself to get up and run in the early am's. Weekend long runs have continued but mid-week efforts have gone by the wayside. Last four weekends have witnessed three hour runs and that will have to do it - with two weeks to go the right leg is painful as all hell, suggestions of a reoccurance of the muscle tear from the early season. Just trying to maintain fitness and weight and get some rest/healing so that come 22 November I will "toe the line" healthy and enthusiastic.

The long runs have generally been much faster than "ultrapace" (8-8:30 min/mile) but have left me worn out - one aspect that gives me hope is (as pointed out by a friends wife) I am not eating on my long runs and only drinking water. DOH! Almost certainly just hitting the wall due to lack of blood sugar -expecting the gatorade and food at the rest stops to sort that out come race day. This weekend did the long run at more like 'Ultra-pace" (over 9 min/mile) and took a gel midway - other than the right leg hurting felt damn good at the end.

Time to rest and heal!!

Biking has been good - last two weesk the nightride has been ACE!! All SS affairs (Brian now sporting a 29er Monocog) new trails and much fun. Latest edition saw six (count em, six) of us all 29er SSers hitting the trails - both HC and BC and riding for close to 3 hours, then berers at the cars. New trail BC side, (The Tunnel) all the good stuff represented, steepness, logs, kin great big rocks. Woo Hoo! Slippery as a slippery thing after light rain - glad I was wearing my pads cos I went down hard two or three times, but with the pads no real damage.

Sunday and MLW, Sean, Greg and DB hit the trails - Small Intestine, Ridge, and the old connector between Morning Choice and Ridge - looked like nobody had ridden the connector for a good long time, loads of virgin leaves. On a steep section MLW took a header over the bars, not too much damage but a few hours on the couch in the pm with an ice pack on a swollen knee!.

On well more running to do in next two weeks then I'm going to reast adn ride my bike(s) for a while.

Catch ya later

DogzBollux