Well the Solstice fun came in two varieties this year! Running and Mtbing.
Obviously the Solstice needs celbrating, marking the shortest day of the year and the birth of the new year! Good enough reason to build bloody Stonehenge, good enough reason to get out there into the open and do our thing!
Fun started on Saturday 20 Dec with the Celtic Solstice 5 Miler in Druids Hill Park Baltimore. Talked into this by friends and MLW! Not really a 5 mile kind of guy - especially so soon after the JFK 50. Was a bit worried that all the snap would be gone from the legs and I'd be even slower than usual! Managed to put pressure on myelf even more by foolishly mentioning (at my work Holiday Dinner, after a couple of "sherbets") that 6 min/mile pace was what I thought was reasonable. Hell! What was I thinking! So the morning came, cold and windy, adn MLW, some friends and I find ourselves huddlng for warmth at the start, generally mumbling about who's bloody stupid idea this was in the first place - not guilty!
Turns out it's a bloody big race too! Nearly 2000 runners this year.
At 8am (or there abouts) the "gun" goes and we start the run with a rather nasty little hill. Over an overpass and up to the swimming pool. By the time I reach the top I'm feeling winded and am hoping that the first mile will be out of the way - no such luck! A glance at my watch tells me we have been running for 3 min 40 sec! Shite it's going to be a long day - hands are sodding freezing to. When the 1 mile marker finally hoves into view the pack has thinned out and the watch says 6:20, repectable but not 6 min/mile pace. THe second mile is mainly flat but with a couple of inclines, find myself running with a young guy in a black shirt and shorts - decide he looks a good target and get towed by him for the next mile or so - second mile goes (thankfully) easier than the first and the watch says 12:15 so I had clawed some of my time back. Up the hill to the turn round point and I pass my friend in black. Heading back doen the hill I see MLW heading up, looking strong and well ahead of her friends, way to go! By the time I hit the lake loop I am just trying to hang in and maintain some semblence of form. I know I am running a reasonable pace and just need to keep it all together, at some point round the lake my friend in black reappears and passes me. I try to stay with him but my legs just don't have the spring. Once we have circumnavigated the lake we head right and before I know it I am at the top of the initial climb, heading down this tinme toward the finish. All the time I have been aiming for a 31 min finish to save my blushes, but the watch is not even at 30 yet so the ears are pinned back and I do what I can to stretch the stride. Mr Black is too strng and I find myself loosing ground, but hold on just well enough to cross the line at 30 min 8 sec on my watch! Good Enough. MLW has a blistering run - finishing in 37 min and change (clock time), to be in under 7:30 min/mile pace - from a girl running over 8:30 min/miles only a year ago! fantastic run and good enough (once "chip" issues have been resolved) to earn her a podium place (3rd in her age group). She is getting pretty consistent at podiuming this year! Must be the third or fourth time. My time (though good for me) was only sufficient for a 5th place in my age group - still no complaints, fun all round and one of the Bollux-clan on the podium is reason for celebration enough.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Colonic Irritation!
Took advantage of a very short respite provided by Mother Nature (in that it didn't bloody rain for a whole 48 hrs straight) to get out for a night ride. Short notice so participation was restricted to just Todd and myself. Turned out to be a very disappointing ride on all levels!
Headed off from the usual launch site and headed as is customary for the fun that is Small Intestine! Got to the trail head to find....... SHOCK HORROR the trail has been completely dismantled! Not only that but New Trail has suffered the same awful fate! (So too it transpired later had the loggy section at the top of Small Intestine!) Big time downer! My two favorite trails on the HC side are no more. Trying hard to recover from the shock we headed up to Belmont and thence down to the Purple Trail. The Purple Trail was a mess! Being the good souls we are we didn't attempt to ride this (cos we'd just chew it up) but walked our bike to the top in somber mood - sloppy trails and destruction of favorite sections, the night would never recover! Hard to take that trails like Small Intestine that drained pretty damn well and were as fun as hell to ride should be trashed while sections like the Purple Trail that drains horribly and is no fun at all even when dry should be promoted! Ho Hum.
Once on Ridge things were a little better but we decided that in deference to the trail conditions we'd cut it short - past the derelict houses and back to Morning Choice. Nice to get out and blow some air through the lungs, it feels like it's been too long. Rode for a while on the Rockburn park side, just to put in some miles then back to the cars. Stopped at the New Trail entrance and surveyed damage - total trail annihilation, took a photo to commemorate the fall of a once good friend and back to the vehicles for a couple of solemn beers - a wake to fallen trails we have known and loved.
Headed off from the usual launch site and headed as is customary for the fun that is Small Intestine! Got to the trail head to find....... SHOCK HORROR the trail has been completely dismantled! Not only that but New Trail has suffered the same awful fate! (So too it transpired later had the loggy section at the top of Small Intestine!) Big time downer! My two favorite trails on the HC side are no more. Trying hard to recover from the shock we headed up to Belmont and thence down to the Purple Trail. The Purple Trail was a mess! Being the good souls we are we didn't attempt to ride this (cos we'd just chew it up) but walked our bike to the top in somber mood - sloppy trails and destruction of favorite sections, the night would never recover! Hard to take that trails like Small Intestine that drained pretty damn well and were as fun as hell to ride should be trashed while sections like the Purple Trail that drains horribly and is no fun at all even when dry should be promoted! Ho Hum.
Once on Ridge things were a little better but we decided that in deference to the trail conditions we'd cut it short - past the derelict houses and back to Morning Choice. Nice to get out and blow some air through the lungs, it feels like it's been too long. Rode for a while on the Rockburn park side, just to put in some miles then back to the cars. Stopped at the New Trail entrance and surveyed damage - total trail annihilation, took a photo to commemorate the fall of a once good friend and back to the vehicles for a couple of solemn beers - a wake to fallen trails we have known and loved.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
It's been so long!
Wow.....so long since I have gotten of my arse to try and write something here that (i) I hadn't realized my last post was the JFK 50 race Report and (ii) I'd forgotten my Google password.
Since the JFK it's been time to heal the broken body and actually spend some time relaxing. Legs took a surprisingly long time to heal! They never felt really bad but nagging aches and pains that let me know I am getting too old for this foolishness (yeah right). I've done a couple of short (5 mile) runs at comfortable pace but been sore the next day - this running at faster than 10 min/mile lark sucks.
Mother nature has taken care of the biking thing to a large extent. No night rides for past three weeks cos of rain and this week looks like another wash out. Got in a couple of Sunday morning rides at Patapsco - one of which was in the wet. Too wet really to be riding, but the rain started just as we got to the trails and as we were there..... It was cold (in the 30s) and damp/wet but as four of the group were from Europe (two Brits, an Irishman and a Dutch guy) the cold and wet didn't seem such a good excuse. Trails were not muddy but as slick as hell. Plenty of slick roots and logs, many obstacles were just plain unridable - as such a short miserable ride. This was the first time this group has ridden together (an amalgamation of Biker Sean's friends and the usual Sunday group) so nobody wanted to be the wimp would complained first. Due to riding conditions the pace was painfully slow and so only a short ride. Last Sunday fortunately the temp was ow enough to keep the trails frozen for much of the ride. Last 15 min were a bit dicey and a friend who rode later in the day confirmed that once thawed the trials were a mess. But at 8am conditions were pretty damn good and it felt great to be back on the bike. Mojo was in full flow and we took everything the tail could throw at us. Small Intestine, Belmont (including riding the log), Ridge and Cascade - beaut!
On the was down Belmont hill came across an arrow embedded about 8 inches into the side of the trail. Nice carbon (oddly Easton, I thought they only made bike bits) shaft and a razor head. Bit of a worry that from the angle of impact the arrow must have crossed the trail before burying itself in the dirt! That would have ruined a ride if it had hit a biker.
Other than the two rides and two runs the majority of my training has been in the pool - half a mind to aim for an Ironman in 2009 (MLW is not too convinced). We'll see, swim twice a week during the winter and see how it's going by Easter.
Well, I'm back in writing mode and hopefully there will be more to talk about once the weather gets cold and the trails are good a solid!
Cheers
DogzBollux.
Since the JFK it's been time to heal the broken body and actually spend some time relaxing. Legs took a surprisingly long time to heal! They never felt really bad but nagging aches and pains that let me know I am getting too old for this foolishness (yeah right). I've done a couple of short (5 mile) runs at comfortable pace but been sore the next day - this running at faster than 10 min/mile lark sucks.
Mother nature has taken care of the biking thing to a large extent. No night rides for past three weeks cos of rain and this week looks like another wash out. Got in a couple of Sunday morning rides at Patapsco - one of which was in the wet. Too wet really to be riding, but the rain started just as we got to the trails and as we were there..... It was cold (in the 30s) and damp/wet but as four of the group were from Europe (two Brits, an Irishman and a Dutch guy) the cold and wet didn't seem such a good excuse. Trails were not muddy but as slick as hell. Plenty of slick roots and logs, many obstacles were just plain unridable - as such a short miserable ride. This was the first time this group has ridden together (an amalgamation of Biker Sean's friends and the usual Sunday group) so nobody wanted to be the wimp would complained first. Due to riding conditions the pace was painfully slow and so only a short ride. Last Sunday fortunately the temp was ow enough to keep the trails frozen for much of the ride. Last 15 min were a bit dicey and a friend who rode later in the day confirmed that once thawed the trials were a mess. But at 8am conditions were pretty damn good and it felt great to be back on the bike. Mojo was in full flow and we took everything the tail could throw at us. Small Intestine, Belmont (including riding the log), Ridge and Cascade - beaut!
On the was down Belmont hill came across an arrow embedded about 8 inches into the side of the trail. Nice carbon (oddly Easton, I thought they only made bike bits) shaft and a razor head. Bit of a worry that from the angle of impact the arrow must have crossed the trail before burying itself in the dirt! That would have ruined a ride if it had hit a biker.
Other than the two rides and two runs the majority of my training has been in the pool - half a mind to aim for an Ironman in 2009 (MLW is not too convinced). We'll see, swim twice a week during the winter and see how it's going by Easter.
Well, I'm back in writing mode and hopefully there will be more to talk about once the weather gets cold and the trails are good a solid!
Cheers
DogzBollux.
Monday, November 24, 2008
JFK 50 2008 (Race Report)
Well, it's finally over and my life can revert back to just it's usual level of craziness.
It's been a tough time getting ready for my first 50 miler, even if it was the JFK 50 and so fairly easy in the general scheme of things. Lots of long runs that have really eaten into my free time and really left little room for anything else. The family have been pretty awesome about this though MLW has told me in no uncertain terms that this was my "first and last" 50 miler (we'll see!)
Training was going pretty well for a while early morning and evening runs meaning that the head light was working overtime and I was seriously beginning to wonder what it would be like to run in the light. More recently the weight of the miles and some injury issues with my right calf cut the number of miles dramatically. Initial plans were to build up to consecutive 100 mile weeks, run a 30 miler and run two 20 milers on consecutive days. None of this happened though I did run at least one 20 miler pretty much every week for the 5 weeks leading up to the race. Sore leg meant the final week was restricted to a solitary 5 mile very slow effort (the 20 miler on the previous Saturday having been marred by a startlingly painful right leg from 11 miles in).
So the preparation for the trip to Boonsboro Md had not gone exactly to plan and I was a little nervous checking into the Red Roof Inn on Friday night. Early to bed with the realization that there was nothing to be done about lack of preparation at this point and "toeing the line" as ready as possible was all that could be hoped for. Guess I was nervous cos I had a very vivid dream about the race that included a bus ride up a freakin' mountain and then getting lost and chased by the police trying to find the start line!
Race day didn't exactly dawn for me because I was up at 4:30am - long before the sun! Bit cold to say the least! In fact when we got to the start in Boonsboro the bank sign was indicating a temperature of 19 oF (TOASTY!). After huddling together with the other racers like a group of nervous penguins for a few minutes the gun was fired and off we went. The course is a story of three sections, the Appalachian Trail section (first 15.5 miles) that is a mixture of road and single track. This is where the vast majority of the hills are and the running is challenging because of long rocky sections. Seemed a lot of the runners were marathoners who had little trail experience and this section was tough on them - impossible to get into a rhythm as you need to keep changing your stride length to accommodate rocks. Hills were walked and rocks were tripped over. I was lucky I only fell once, the lady running behind me called out "are you alright sir!" as I fell and the only real damage done was to my pride - Sir! How bloody old do I look? My training partner Sean was not so lucky, he fell a couple of times the last time (at 9 miles) hitting the ground hard and dislocating his finger - an injury that would end his race at the aid stop at 15 miles.
The hours past as we trailed across the ridge, past a radio tower - always a cheery sight as they don't put those things in valleys! A tower normally means that the climbing is done, and so it proved. Down a wicked section of switch backs and the AT portion was over 15.5 miles in almost exactly 3 hours. Now the real business would start. Onto the C&O trail clutching a PB&J sandwich and some cookies and life was good. Found out earlier in the day the M&Ms were a bad idea - so cold the damn things were as hard as bullets, more likely to break my teeth on them than gain any nutritional benefit. Picked up the pace a wee bit on the C&O trail tried to get into a groove, but it wasn't really happening just had to slug it out. Tried to run "within myself" waiting for the big crash. Twenty miles came and went, I didn't crash, but it wasn't getting any easier either I was pretty much just surviving between aid stations, at each station I got my bottle refilled with Gatorade, grabbed a handful of potato chips and cookies and headed out again. Slow and easy! At 25 miles my right knee felt ominously like it was locking up - not great after not even a marathon! But as I pushed on it got no worse then slowly eased. Between 30 and 40 miles I had a fairly tough time (as expected - the long dark teatime of the soul), checking my watch showed that I was unlikely to break 8 hours 30 min but should be O.K. for sub 9 hours so that became the target. My initial aim was between 8 and 9 hours so that was fine and my spirits began to rise.
After the 38 mile aid station life started to look more rosey - the end of the second section (the C&O trail) was almost at an end - finishing at 42 miles and that just left the "undulating" 8.2 mile road section to the finish. This was the section that was really worrying me for two reasons, firstly I was very unsure how my fried legs (and mind) would cope with any kind of hills after 26 miles of dead flat running and secondly my right calf was in real danger of seizing solid on asphalt (as it had done the week previously). Fortunately I had been talking to some seasoned JFKers as I had traversed the C&O portion and knew that the initial climb off the trail was tough but the last real tough climb of the day. So when it came into view it wasn't a shock and I was resigned already to walking it. At the top we passed the 8 miles to go sign and the running was pretty flat. Quick mental math confirmed that if I ran 10 min/mile for last 8 miles I would come in just over 8 hours 30 min, so if I just kept running sub 9 hours was in the bag! Every running step made the sub 9 finish more likely as it meant the less walking to be done. At 6 miles to go "aid station" I caught up with a guy I had run with on and off for the past 4 hours - he had asked earlier if I was going for sub-8:30 and I had said I though that was a bit beyond me today. As we headed out for the last 6 miles he asked me what our time was, 7:36 - which meant 9 min/mile would get us in at 8:30 exactly! BUGGER, now I had something to run for!To be honest I didn't feel that 9 min/mile was possible but we marched on. Sometime later (not sure when) my compadre suddenly swore and stopped running! I could have stopped to see if I could encourage him but by now it was "every man for himself". At 3 miles to go I was still spot on target for 8:30 then disaster struck! I felt fine, I didn't think I was slowing, but the 2 mile to go marker just didn't arrive! I passed a mark on the road that I thought might be it but then 4 minutes later I passed the marker! So the last mile had taken me 13 minutes and I only had 14 minutes to get the last mile done. GAME OVER! As I relaxed and resigned myself to jogging in to the finish (still well under 9 hours) I entered the final aid station, just past the 2 mile marker. As they filled my bottle for the last time one of the volunteers said, come on nearly there, only a mile and a half to go! WHAT?! I continued on and in no time I could see the 1 mile to go marker! Looking at my watch confirmed the time 8 hours and 21 minutes. The 2 mile to go marker must have been misplaced! So it all came down to this, 49.2 miles done - 1 mile left and 9 minutes between me and a 8:30 finish. I picked the pace as much as I could (or dared) and just concentrated on keeping going. Up the final straight and I could see the clock at the end was still reading 8:28 something. Relaxed a tad and finished with a big stupid grin on my face at 8:29 and change!
Whole time the temp had never gone about freezing point but I was glad to be done before the sun started to go down and the temperature started to fall again - for many running into a cold sunset was a reality - God Bless'em Every One!
Hard race! Fantastic Fun - too early to say weather I will ever want to repeat this experience. But glad I've done it and it's over! Last race of my 2008 season.
Now I can get back to some decent Mtbing and might even post in a more timely fashion.
Cheers
DogzBollux
It's been a tough time getting ready for my first 50 miler, even if it was the JFK 50 and so fairly easy in the general scheme of things. Lots of long runs that have really eaten into my free time and really left little room for anything else. The family have been pretty awesome about this though MLW has told me in no uncertain terms that this was my "first and last" 50 miler (we'll see!)
Training was going pretty well for a while early morning and evening runs meaning that the head light was working overtime and I was seriously beginning to wonder what it would be like to run in the light. More recently the weight of the miles and some injury issues with my right calf cut the number of miles dramatically. Initial plans were to build up to consecutive 100 mile weeks, run a 30 miler and run two 20 milers on consecutive days. None of this happened though I did run at least one 20 miler pretty much every week for the 5 weeks leading up to the race. Sore leg meant the final week was restricted to a solitary 5 mile very slow effort (the 20 miler on the previous Saturday having been marred by a startlingly painful right leg from 11 miles in).
So the preparation for the trip to Boonsboro Md had not gone exactly to plan and I was a little nervous checking into the Red Roof Inn on Friday night. Early to bed with the realization that there was nothing to be done about lack of preparation at this point and "toeing the line" as ready as possible was all that could be hoped for. Guess I was nervous cos I had a very vivid dream about the race that included a bus ride up a freakin' mountain and then getting lost and chased by the police trying to find the start line!
Race day didn't exactly dawn for me because I was up at 4:30am - long before the sun! Bit cold to say the least! In fact when we got to the start in Boonsboro the bank sign was indicating a temperature of 19 oF (TOASTY!). After huddling together with the other racers like a group of nervous penguins for a few minutes the gun was fired and off we went. The course is a story of three sections, the Appalachian Trail section (first 15.5 miles) that is a mixture of road and single track. This is where the vast majority of the hills are and the running is challenging because of long rocky sections. Seemed a lot of the runners were marathoners who had little trail experience and this section was tough on them - impossible to get into a rhythm as you need to keep changing your stride length to accommodate rocks. Hills were walked and rocks were tripped over. I was lucky I only fell once, the lady running behind me called out "are you alright sir!" as I fell and the only real damage done was to my pride - Sir! How bloody old do I look? My training partner Sean was not so lucky, he fell a couple of times the last time (at 9 miles) hitting the ground hard and dislocating his finger - an injury that would end his race at the aid stop at 15 miles.
The hours past as we trailed across the ridge, past a radio tower - always a cheery sight as they don't put those things in valleys! A tower normally means that the climbing is done, and so it proved. Down a wicked section of switch backs and the AT portion was over 15.5 miles in almost exactly 3 hours. Now the real business would start. Onto the C&O trail clutching a PB&J sandwich and some cookies and life was good. Found out earlier in the day the M&Ms were a bad idea - so cold the damn things were as hard as bullets, more likely to break my teeth on them than gain any nutritional benefit. Picked up the pace a wee bit on the C&O trail tried to get into a groove, but it wasn't really happening just had to slug it out. Tried to run "within myself" waiting for the big crash. Twenty miles came and went, I didn't crash, but it wasn't getting any easier either I was pretty much just surviving between aid stations, at each station I got my bottle refilled with Gatorade, grabbed a handful of potato chips and cookies and headed out again. Slow and easy! At 25 miles my right knee felt ominously like it was locking up - not great after not even a marathon! But as I pushed on it got no worse then slowly eased. Between 30 and 40 miles I had a fairly tough time (as expected - the long dark teatime of the soul), checking my watch showed that I was unlikely to break 8 hours 30 min but should be O.K. for sub 9 hours so that became the target. My initial aim was between 8 and 9 hours so that was fine and my spirits began to rise.
After the 38 mile aid station life started to look more rosey - the end of the second section (the C&O trail) was almost at an end - finishing at 42 miles and that just left the "undulating" 8.2 mile road section to the finish. This was the section that was really worrying me for two reasons, firstly I was very unsure how my fried legs (and mind) would cope with any kind of hills after 26 miles of dead flat running and secondly my right calf was in real danger of seizing solid on asphalt (as it had done the week previously). Fortunately I had been talking to some seasoned JFKers as I had traversed the C&O portion and knew that the initial climb off the trail was tough but the last real tough climb of the day. So when it came into view it wasn't a shock and I was resigned already to walking it. At the top we passed the 8 miles to go sign and the running was pretty flat. Quick mental math confirmed that if I ran 10 min/mile for last 8 miles I would come in just over 8 hours 30 min, so if I just kept running sub 9 hours was in the bag! Every running step made the sub 9 finish more likely as it meant the less walking to be done. At 6 miles to go "aid station" I caught up with a guy I had run with on and off for the past 4 hours - he had asked earlier if I was going for sub-8:30 and I had said I though that was a bit beyond me today. As we headed out for the last 6 miles he asked me what our time was, 7:36 - which meant 9 min/mile would get us in at 8:30 exactly! BUGGER, now I had something to run for!To be honest I didn't feel that 9 min/mile was possible but we marched on. Sometime later (not sure when) my compadre suddenly swore and stopped running! I could have stopped to see if I could encourage him but by now it was "every man for himself". At 3 miles to go I was still spot on target for 8:30 then disaster struck! I felt fine, I didn't think I was slowing, but the 2 mile to go marker just didn't arrive! I passed a mark on the road that I thought might be it but then 4 minutes later I passed the marker! So the last mile had taken me 13 minutes and I only had 14 minutes to get the last mile done. GAME OVER! As I relaxed and resigned myself to jogging in to the finish (still well under 9 hours) I entered the final aid station, just past the 2 mile marker. As they filled my bottle for the last time one of the volunteers said, come on nearly there, only a mile and a half to go! WHAT?! I continued on and in no time I could see the 1 mile to go marker! Looking at my watch confirmed the time 8 hours and 21 minutes. The 2 mile to go marker must have been misplaced! So it all came down to this, 49.2 miles done - 1 mile left and 9 minutes between me and a 8:30 finish. I picked the pace as much as I could (or dared) and just concentrated on keeping going. Up the final straight and I could see the clock at the end was still reading 8:28 something. Relaxed a tad and finished with a big stupid grin on my face at 8:29 and change!
Whole time the temp had never gone about freezing point but I was glad to be done before the sun started to go down and the temperature started to fall again - for many running into a cold sunset was a reality - God Bless'em Every One!
Hard race! Fantastic Fun - too early to say weather I will ever want to repeat this experience. But glad I've done it and it's over! Last race of my 2008 season.
Now I can get back to some decent Mtbing and might even post in a more timely fashion.
Cheers
DogzBollux
Monday, November 10, 2008
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
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
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Public Nudity!!!
Wow, this running malarky is really sucking up my time. Hence the lack of regular posts, when I should be sitting here tapping away at the keyboard - these days I am either getting ready for a run, running or too knackered after a run to do bugger all.
Not going to improve any until after November 22 either - hopefully after that the postings will resume a more regular schedule. Not that it matters apparently cos I read an article the other day that claimed the blog was "officially dead" as a phenomenon. According to this article blogging was obsolete and a waste of time - apparently it is "soooo 2004". The last comment triggered a brief moment of vertigo in "Yours Truly" - suddenly my mind went blank as I though "shit what year is it then?!" assuming that some hideous amount of time must have passed since 2004 and I must have somehow missed it!
Well training wise things were going pretty well - the trip to La Jolla allowed me to get three solid days in (though the traveling cost me a day each end).; As mentioned last post Wednesday saw me trucking away on the treadmill for an hour before hitting the local state park for a slow 4 miler in the evening. Thursday was another treadmill day - another hour and 8 miles done inside. Friday was pay dirt though!! Conference finished at 3pm meaning I had several hours of daylight to squander! Running kit on and headed into the State Park equipped with map - initial plan simple run every bloody trail in the park. Turns out it is a pretty small park! Ran down the park road and took every trail and was finished after an hour, so it was down to the beach and I thought I would simulate the JFK 50 (in miniature) by after a hilly run (and the first hour up and down the cliffs was kin hilly) a dead flat section. So I headed south along the beach towards what I assume was La Jolla. Round a cove and I'm chugging away - no glasses on so I can basically see just as far as the end of my running shoes. After 15 or 20 min it starts to dawn on me that - either all the people on the beach are wearing very pale swimsuits or............. they are not wearing any swimsuits at all! Turns out it is the latter! I am running through a nudist beach - great! I am conflicted as to whether I should "declothe" but I reckon that the risk of sunburn in delicate places is too much of a risk.
What I notice, as I run though the nudists is something I have thought during similar runs in Europe, that by the time a person is comfortable enough with their bodies' that they are willing to go naked - perhaps they shouldn't! Lots of tubby middle aged men (many with ponytails for some reason - it was like being at a naked Status Quo concert).
Oddly as I emerge from the south end of the nudist beach I run through a group setting up for a surf competition. Here the people involved are all young fit and (of course) fully clothed - seemed the wrong way round for some reason.
On my way back along the beach the nudists had organized themselves into teams and were playing (of all things) volleyball! WHY????? If you are going to be old, overweight and naked fine, but at least keep still! Don't go jumping about like an idiot after a ball - aesthetically very unpleasing, I was glad I didn't have my glasses on.
After my encounters on the beach I climbed the trails back to the road then took one last trip down the road to the beach, just so I could run back up it - fantastic. By now it was close to 2.5 hours I has been out - desperate to make three hours I ran past the hotel and ran round the neighbourhood until the 180 minutes was up. Longest run to date - hopefully around 22 miles, even got into an "ultra-groove" at the end slow and minimal effort.
Back in Md on Saturday and realized Todd's Sunday "screw football - lets mountain bike" event was the next day. Having been away for four days already I was happy to forgo this, but SWMBO was insistent that if we could make it work I should go! Happily the planets aligned (just about) and although the guys had to wait for me I made it to Todd's in time for the ride. Five takers, Todd (obviously), George, Rodger, Mark (a friend of Rodgers) and DB. Some of the trail I had ridden perviously with Todd and George as a night ride, but most was new to me. Awesome fun, wicked downhills, rocks, logs and some lung bursting climbs - managed to clock a respectable 18 miles in just over two hours before impending dark, cold and the draw of a hot tub, food and beer drove us back to Todd's. Beers were opened, the venison sandwiches (oh yeah we know how to live) were made, music was cranked up and we all got naked on Todd's back porch to hose off and get our swim suits on for the hot tub!
Relaxing in the hot tub and the realization that today is actually my 12th wedding anniversary hits me! Fortunately MLW has forgotten so my life is safe - but I cut the relaxation short to head home via the store to buy flowers and champagne for MLW - what a guy! In a bit of a rush at Safeway - need to get home. Stick my wallet in the pocket of my cargo shorts, which I have thrown on after the hot tub ( going commando as forgot the "Hanes") and set off running across the car lot. Now.... all this running has had a toll on my weight, and I am not the same size that I was in the summer when I bought my cargo shorts! Result? With the weight of my wallet and car keys the shorts are pulled clean over my hips to my knees! And I am left waddling along with the "wedding tackle" on view for anyone to witness. Fortunately I don't think I was witnessed by anyone, but i do hope that Safeway doesn't have good security cameras!!
Cheers
Dogzbollux
Not going to improve any until after November 22 either - hopefully after that the postings will resume a more regular schedule. Not that it matters apparently cos I read an article the other day that claimed the blog was "officially dead" as a phenomenon. According to this article blogging was obsolete and a waste of time - apparently it is "soooo 2004". The last comment triggered a brief moment of vertigo in "Yours Truly" - suddenly my mind went blank as I though "shit what year is it then?!" assuming that some hideous amount of time must have passed since 2004 and I must have somehow missed it!
Well training wise things were going pretty well - the trip to La Jolla allowed me to get three solid days in (though the traveling cost me a day each end).; As mentioned last post Wednesday saw me trucking away on the treadmill for an hour before hitting the local state park for a slow 4 miler in the evening. Thursday was another treadmill day - another hour and 8 miles done inside. Friday was pay dirt though!! Conference finished at 3pm meaning I had several hours of daylight to squander! Running kit on and headed into the State Park equipped with map - initial plan simple run every bloody trail in the park. Turns out it is a pretty small park! Ran down the park road and took every trail and was finished after an hour, so it was down to the beach and I thought I would simulate the JFK 50 (in miniature) by after a hilly run (and the first hour up and down the cliffs was kin hilly) a dead flat section. So I headed south along the beach towards what I assume was La Jolla. Round a cove and I'm chugging away - no glasses on so I can basically see just as far as the end of my running shoes. After 15 or 20 min it starts to dawn on me that - either all the people on the beach are wearing very pale swimsuits or............. they are not wearing any swimsuits at all! Turns out it is the latter! I am running through a nudist beach - great! I am conflicted as to whether I should "declothe" but I reckon that the risk of sunburn in delicate places is too much of a risk.
What I notice, as I run though the nudists is something I have thought during similar runs in Europe, that by the time a person is comfortable enough with their bodies' that they are willing to go naked - perhaps they shouldn't! Lots of tubby middle aged men (many with ponytails for some reason - it was like being at a naked Status Quo concert).
Oddly as I emerge from the south end of the nudist beach I run through a group setting up for a surf competition. Here the people involved are all young fit and (of course) fully clothed - seemed the wrong way round for some reason.
On my way back along the beach the nudists had organized themselves into teams and were playing (of all things) volleyball! WHY????? If you are going to be old, overweight and naked fine, but at least keep still! Don't go jumping about like an idiot after a ball - aesthetically very unpleasing, I was glad I didn't have my glasses on.
After my encounters on the beach I climbed the trails back to the road then took one last trip down the road to the beach, just so I could run back up it - fantastic. By now it was close to 2.5 hours I has been out - desperate to make three hours I ran past the hotel and ran round the neighbourhood until the 180 minutes was up. Longest run to date - hopefully around 22 miles, even got into an "ultra-groove" at the end slow and minimal effort.
Back in Md on Saturday and realized Todd's Sunday "screw football - lets mountain bike" event was the next day. Having been away for four days already I was happy to forgo this, but SWMBO was insistent that if we could make it work I should go! Happily the planets aligned (just about) and although the guys had to wait for me I made it to Todd's in time for the ride. Five takers, Todd (obviously), George, Rodger, Mark (a friend of Rodgers) and DB. Some of the trail I had ridden perviously with Todd and George as a night ride, but most was new to me. Awesome fun, wicked downhills, rocks, logs and some lung bursting climbs - managed to clock a respectable 18 miles in just over two hours before impending dark, cold and the draw of a hot tub, food and beer drove us back to Todd's. Beers were opened, the venison sandwiches (oh yeah we know how to live) were made, music was cranked up and we all got naked on Todd's back porch to hose off and get our swim suits on for the hot tub!
Relaxing in the hot tub and the realization that today is actually my 12th wedding anniversary hits me! Fortunately MLW has forgotten so my life is safe - but I cut the relaxation short to head home via the store to buy flowers and champagne for MLW - what a guy! In a bit of a rush at Safeway - need to get home. Stick my wallet in the pocket of my cargo shorts, which I have thrown on after the hot tub ( going commando as forgot the "Hanes") and set off running across the car lot. Now.... all this running has had a toll on my weight, and I am not the same size that I was in the summer when I bought my cargo shorts! Result? With the weight of my wallet and car keys the shorts are pulled clean over my hips to my knees! And I am left waddling along with the "wedding tackle" on view for anyone to witness. Fortunately I don't think I was witnessed by anyone, but i do hope that Safeway doesn't have good security cameras!!
Cheers
Dogzbollux
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
No Time!!!
Training is in full swing for the JFK and it's sucking up my "personal" time in a big way! So biking time is almost zero. Only real chance has been the night rides, managed a couple since the "fixin". Both have been as trios with George and Brian. Great rides, over two hours each time, hitting both BC and HC sides of Patapsco plenty of ups and downs and some really nice new areas of "trials-style" skills areas around the New Trail and Small Intestine trails. Over loggy sections and raised sections, lots of opportunity for falling (which I took full advantage of). Even hit the "old Ridge Trail" both uphill and downhill, gut busting and ass puckering respectively.
Most of my time obviously, however, has been spent running - my plan is based on trying to get to about 100 miles a week! Wow, that is far more than I have ever managed before - but then a 50 mile run is nearly 20 miles than I have ever run at one time, so heroic measures are clearly in order.
Started off early in September with about thirty miles a week, averaging running 4 to 5 days a week. Now it's up to high forties and low fifties a week and averaging 5 to 7 days a week running. Getting to higher weekly mileages is looking tricky, even with long runs topping 20 miles. Every week day lunchtime (when at all possible) a run is on the cards short (4-6 miles) only thing I can do to make these of value is to try and inject some speed. Whilst long runs (over 15 miles) are run at pretty slow pace (8:30/mile or more) shorter runs are taken at sub 8 min/mile and even sub 7:30 min/mile. I am hoping that this "speed" work will translate into ease at slower long distances. The plan is really to use back to back running days (at speed) and even doubling up runs some days and trying to get miles in any way I can. Looks at the moment that 100 miles/week will be a real struggle but with "fast"runs on tired legs I hope I am building in strength and endurance that will be up to the job come 22 November - just got to do my best and see what will happen.
At the moment I am enjoying a few days on the West Coast (La Jolla) at a conference. Making the most of the opportunity - today I managed 8 miles at lunch on a treadmill (how I hate those things) but also a 4 mile jaunt round Torrey Pines State Reserve which took me down a fantastic trail to the Pacific Ocean, along the beach then up a "beach" of a hill climb back up the beach access road back to the hotel. Loving it!! It would be nice to have included some photos (as the views in the Reserve were absolutely amazing) but of course in my supreme wisdom I left my camera at home! Oh well.
For now "that's all Folks"
DogzBollux.
Most of my time obviously, however, has been spent running - my plan is based on trying to get to about 100 miles a week! Wow, that is far more than I have ever managed before - but then a 50 mile run is nearly 20 miles than I have ever run at one time, so heroic measures are clearly in order.
Started off early in September with about thirty miles a week, averaging running 4 to 5 days a week. Now it's up to high forties and low fifties a week and averaging 5 to 7 days a week running. Getting to higher weekly mileages is looking tricky, even with long runs topping 20 miles. Every week day lunchtime (when at all possible) a run is on the cards short (4-6 miles) only thing I can do to make these of value is to try and inject some speed. Whilst long runs (over 15 miles) are run at pretty slow pace (8:30/mile or more) shorter runs are taken at sub 8 min/mile and even sub 7:30 min/mile. I am hoping that this "speed" work will translate into ease at slower long distances. The plan is really to use back to back running days (at speed) and even doubling up runs some days and trying to get miles in any way I can. Looks at the moment that 100 miles/week will be a real struggle but with "fast"runs on tired legs I hope I am building in strength and endurance that will be up to the job come 22 November - just got to do my best and see what will happen.
At the moment I am enjoying a few days on the West Coast (La Jolla) at a conference. Making the most of the opportunity - today I managed 8 miles at lunch on a treadmill (how I hate those things) but also a 4 mile jaunt round Torrey Pines State Reserve which took me down a fantastic trail to the Pacific Ocean, along the beach then up a "beach" of a hill climb back up the beach access road back to the hotel. Loving it!! It would be nice to have included some photos (as the views in the Reserve were absolutely amazing) but of course in my supreme wisdom I left my camera at home! Oh well.
For now "that's all Folks"
DogzBollux.
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