Final Thoughts on the FL50s

"Try the meditation of the trail, just walk along looking at the trail at your feet and don't look about and just fall into a trance as the ground zips by."~Jack Kerouac, Dharma Bums

The official results for this past weekend's Finger Lakes Fifties have been posted and I did better than I had expected (at least in terms of where I finished)... as I type that previous statement though, I am struck by how little my place and time mean in this overall experience. Talking with colleagues at work yesterday, I didn't even think to offer my possible time or place, but was proud to share the fact that I have finished... not something I have always done in the past.

At any rate, my time (5:38:15) was about five minutes slower than I had projected (the whole stop your watch at the finish or look at the HUGE clock is not my bag) in previous recent posts, but I placed tenth overall out of sixty-nine finishers (while five did not finish--been there).

Now on to the next challenge...

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Next?

It is probably bad karma to look too far ahead, but following this past weekend's run (and subsequent "rest" days), I need to begin establishing some targets to keep myself motivated in my training.

A few things I do have in mind are to register for a few shorter local runs (5 or 10k) in the interest of supporting my son in his preparation for cross-country season. He and his team will be running at least two 5ks this summer, and I will try to run them along with him. Additionally, I have it in my mind to run at least one or two more runs with him as his training continues.

The next "big" run I'd like to work towards is a fifty-miler. There is, of coures, ALOT of raining that needs to take place before I can acheive that goal though. This seems like a logical progression having run four marathons and (hopefully) two ultras of over thirty miles apiece. In early-October, there is the Can Lake 50 (50 mile and 50k) which seems like the most likely candidate. (The only things that concern me about this run is whether or not my own kids will be participating in one competition or another during the same weekend.) Of course, the potneital to have that "turn into" a 50k exists, too.

There are two shorter trail runs prior to the Can Lakes 50, some being more local (like the Dam Good Trail Race 20k will be held in about a month in Mt. Morris) than others. Ultimately, it would be pretty sweet to (in a year or two) participate in a 100 miler--but I'm unsure how far I can push my body before it breaks down...

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Finger Lakes Fifties, Part 2

Run: 31 miles in approximately 5:31:43 min. @ 6:30 a.m.
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 65°F, 70% Humidity, Wind: SW @ 10 mph; feels like 65°F.
Pace: Loop 1--9:39 min./mi, Loop 2--13:31 min./mi
Course(s): 50K (two loops) on forest trails, roads & pastures in the Finger Lakes National Forest, Hector, NY.
Official Results: Available Here.

Continuing my thoughts/reflections on this past weekend's run... As mentioned in the previous post, the first loop went very well primarily (I think) because the other runner whom I trailed maintained a pace that pushed me but that also allowed me a level of comfort. (It's always a difficult decision to "trail" or pace off of another runner especially as I think it distracts or throws some people of their own game. As is usually the case, shorty after following the individual for about a half mile, I'll strike up a conversation--something that rarely happens in 5-10ks--and get their "permission.")


As you can see from the pic above, I would often check my proximity to the person so as not to be overbearing. Once I realized I could hang with him, it made it easier to briefly slow down at aid stations or to use the potty, comfortable with the fact that at certain points (downhills for me) I would be able to make up the lost ground and continue the pace.

Following the first cow pasture in loop 2, the athlete whom I had been pacing lost me ("You go ahead--I'm slowing down"), and with this came a slight sense of defeat. While I was still moving at a fair pace by myself, I had to recognize that I would definitely lose more ground than could be made up, especially as the mud pits became denser and deeper. It was at this point that I thought briefly about "how can I get out of this," but persevered ahead deciding to test my ability to stay the course and follow the flashes and signs to the finish.


My waning energy needed to be addressed. Previously, I had used the aid stations to load up on the electrolyte replenishment drink (Heed) and water. At the second to last aid station, I changed strategy and downed both 2 cups of a generic cola and two red Twizzlers. The rush of sugar and caffeine reinvigorated me and gave me the "whatever" to focus through to the next (last) aid station.

Early in the day Daryl (the fellow I'd been pacing-off earlier had told me that his strategy was "walk by your own choice early and often, so when you need to walk, it is your choice." I took his advice ver seriously and found the key moments (inclines without mud) to preserve my energy and "power hike."

There I repeated the Cola/Twizzler combo and pushed on through to the final half-mile of the race, most of which was uphill and through thick, gooey mud, which by this point had come to resemble (very) watered down clay pools. (How I did not lose a shoe during the race is a credit to the sheinking value of water!)

I was very ecited to finsih (relatievly) strong and with a grimace smile on my face and mostly becuase I had accomplished (finsh, smiel, stay on path) what we had set out to do and that my wife was waiting at the finsih for me.

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Mendon 50k Trail Race Pics!

From the camera of Paul Schwartz:





And one from Tom's Gallery:


Thanks gentlemen for taking the great pics!

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Three Days Later...

Run: 2.1 miles in 0:17:40 min. @ 6:25 p.m.
Pace: 8:25 min./per mile avg.
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 56°F, 67% Humidity, Winds: W @ 12 mph; feels like 56°F.
Course: A short loop around my immediate neighborhood.

Following three consecutive days of very light stationary-bicycle-recovery-riding in my basement, I thought I might be able to venture out onto the streets for some light jogging. My wife and I took the talk for a brisk walk as the sun was setting, so before dinner I set out for a jog around the neighborhood. While my aerobic conditioning was intact (why wouldn’t it be?), my ankles and knees felt slightly unstable and clearly were still not totally up to the task of absorbing the unintentional pounding of the pavement.

I’m almost there and suspect I’ll be capable of running a Turkey Trot next Thursday, though achieving a PR is not even on the menu. It was great to be back out, especially on such a beautiful fall night…

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Mendon 50: Loop 5 of 5

This is the sixth in a series of posts during which I am continuing to tell the tale of my personal journey through five 10k loops this past Saturday, November 10, as I attempted to complete my first (mini)-ultra marathon...

Loop 5 (1:11:47)—The quickly consumed nut-bar tasted good, though it had an unfortunate (if not humorous) side effect... were I to once again find myself lost in the wild of Mendon Ponds Park, the burps and belches which now accompanied me along the trail would lead any rescue party to me, much like a bell around a cat's neck.

Once finishing the fourth loop, and receiving a warming embrace ("You’re doing great!") from Anne, I had a renewed sense of energy and purpose, and gained a melancholy perspective regarding this last loop. At this fourth (and final) transition, I asked Anne to combine the puddle of liquid remains in the two flasks I had been carrying (1 splash of PowerAde and a two-thirds remainder of H2O) into a single flask, and I pulled a fresh long-sleeve cotton tee over my head… then quickly made my way into the final loop.

Psychologically, having finished four loops, and therefore a WHOLE marathon distance, in just 30 minutes over my previous PR for 26.2, was a huge weight off my shoulders… despite a few (seemingly minor by this point) screw-ups on my part, the finish of this fifty was well within my reach, an accomplishable feat. I had gone through a whole slew of emotions and thoughts, a roller coaster not unlike the rolling hills I had travelled these last few hours(!), and now just wanted to savor this last loop.

All morning I had been passing sites, trees, trail markers and flashes, marking my time in the number of occasional on which I came through their distinct neighborhoods of the course. Up until this point my mindset had been one of moving forward through this thing, one mile, one loop at a time. Now I felt a "going" rather than a "coming" and felt it necessary to use this pass to bid “Au Revoir!” to may silent trail companions.

“So long, water tower…”

“Stay cool, marker #23…”

“Thanks for your pretzels and M&Ms, Carol’s Diner…”

“Ciao, weird tree with a huge silver duct-tape band-aid around it…”

“Although ‘mission’ isn't the right word for your absence in my life, necessarily, take it easy kitty-litter hill…”

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Mendon 50k: Loop 4 of 5

This is the fifth in a series of posts during which I am continuing to tell the tale of my personal journey through five 10k loops this past Saturday, November 10, as I attempted to complete my first (mini)-ultra marathon...

Loop 4 (1:09:28) —Pulling into the transition time for the third time, and the first during which Anne wasn’t there, was the most challenging part of the day. I had made the mistake during the third loop of spending the time once I had corrected my path, of thinking about how I might, maybe, just want to, stop short of the fifty. As soon as doubt creeps in, it become4s more of a challenge to move on… Standing at the picnic table, looking at my duffel bag of “supplies” I made the quick decision (without much thought, really) to forge ahead.

By this time, I had soaked through the long-sleeved tee (I know—“cotton kills!”) I had been wearing over my two wicking shirts, and took it off choosing to go cold… I also surprised myself with the realization that I had still been wearing the bright yellow ASICS gloves I had put on prior to running. By this time they had formed a second skin and removing them seemed unnecessary. Oddly my thought process was that if I had the gloves on I would stay warm even if I was only wearing a t-shirt.

I also deviated from my training plan and grabbed a nut bar to carry along with the intention of eating it during my first quick walk up the incline at 1-mile, just before reaching a water tower. During all my training, the only “solid” I had practiced eating (and keeping down) had been the gel blocks, but given my faux pax last loop, I needed a boost and hoped this bar would do it.

Setting out up the driveway away from the transition pavilion, I recalled telling Anne that “I would really need her between the fourth an d fifth loops…” the one detail I had right and now my goal had become not just finishing the loop in order to complete the race, but hurrying back to see my wife…

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Mendon 50k: Loop 3 of 5

This is the fourth in a series of posts during which I am continuing to tell the tale of my personal journey through five 10k loops this past Saturday, November 10, as I attemtped to complete my first (mini)-ultra marathon...

Loop 3 (1:13:40)—Perhaps the best thing about recreational running is that it offers the opportunity to meet folks from many walks of life with which, despite the myriad of possible differences, you share at least this one in common. Roughly two miles into loop three, I came up upon a lad of about twenty-eight, with whom I sparked a short conversation, one which would foreshadow the events to come that could potentially derail my run.

“How’s it going?” I inquired between breathes.

“Okay, how are you?” he said in a drawl which suggested he had traveled to the race from points West.

“Pretty good, I actually feel like I’m holding up okay.”(By this time the other races taking place today of distances between 5 and 20k had begun.)

“Are you going twenty or fifty today?” he inquired.

“Fifty. This is my first time, how about you?”

“This is my first fifty, too. I’m beginning to feel it in my hips, though.”

Surveying the trail ahead I said, “I’m worried about getting lost… the trails are well marked though—good luck!” I pulled away as we headed down a mild hill and we went our own ways.

Every trail has a few points that help the runner take notice of just where they are on the course. Some are natural, such as hills, trees, or other scenic indicators. Others are not. One such point in this race was “Carol’s Diner,” the aid station just over halfway through the loop. About a third of a mile in advance of reaching the station was a small cardboard sign stapled to a wooden stake on which was written in black marker: “Carol’s Diner Just Ahead!”

This station was a blessing in that there were many snacks and drinks available there to help give you a little something as you continued along the trail—M&Ms, H2O, cookies, pretzels, and, most importantly, cheers. By this point in my run I had passed this location twice, once in each of the preceding loops, and as I passed through the third time, I took a cup of replacement drink and some pretzels then continued on. And on… and on…

Eventually, I continued on up the worst incline in the race, one that had been covered with gray gravel resembling kitty-litter, and supplying zero traction. As a pumped my arms vigorously attempting (with little success) to power walk up the hill, it occurred tome that I had been here before. Well, of course I had, this was my third loop. Finally dragging myself up the hill I turned left(?), continued on until reaching a sign: “Carol’s Diner just ahead!”

Uh-oh.

Somewhere midway through loop 3 I lost ten minutes. I can only surmise that I’d gone off course somewhere and inadvertently looped back around this most challenging part. I think my fiends at the Diner sensed something was wrong, as I had just been through, but with so many folks on the trail, I imagine we all looked alike. Once this realization hit me, my spirits began to drop, and quickly.

I continued on and as I hit the top of the final hill which dropped into the chute, I remembered that Anne would not be there… I began to consider for the first time, at what was mile 18, the possibility of stopping short of the entire 50k...

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Mendon 50k: Loop 2 of 5

This is the third in a series of posts during which I am continuing to tell the tale of my personal journey through five 10k loops this past Saturday, November 10, as I attemtped to complete my first (mini)-ultra marathon...

Loop 2 (0:57:06)—My time for completing this loop was faster than the previous, and my quickest of the day. I had not realized I was actually moving more quickly (and this was not intentional), but once again Anne had stayed to cheer me on and let me know I had picked up the pace. The final 400 meters to the finish started up a slope and the chute and those waiting at it, as well as within the pavilion which served as a “transition area” of sorts, came into view at the hills zenith. Once there I would look for Anne and receive a charge of motivation when she would wave her recognition of me coming down the hill.

By this time, she had been standing in the cold for nearly three hours, so I told her again that she could go and “I wouldn’t blame her” for doing so. Anne wanted to wait, but I told her that I would be okay for the next two loops, but would really need her prior to the last. I had anticipated some t5ouble keeping my mind intact and focusing “on the prize.”

A quick check of supplied had shown that I still had some PowerAde in one flask and H2O in the other, but had gone through most of the Clif Shot Bloks, my preferred on-trail “food.” Two (less desirable) gels remained in my belt, but IO figured I could re-load during the next trip down the chute. I still felt grand as I swigged some replacement fluids on my way back onto the course… a “place” I would eventuqally find myself beginning to lose some familiarity with…

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Mendon 50k: Loop 1 of 5

Weather: Cloudy, 36°F, 89% Humidity, Wind: E @ 5 mph; feels like 32°F
Course: One completion of the Mendon Trail Races 10k loop

Loop 1 (0:58:28)—This was my first introduction to the trail course. I had tried in a number of different ways to acquire a layout of the course for training on, with little success. In the end, all I really needed was this first time through the loop to adjust my strategy. Prior to the race, I had worked with a number of different “ a run-walk-run” strategies. All of which dealt with the currency of “time;” you know, run for 10 minutes, walk for one and so on. At roughly a mile and a half into the race, I threw that out the window and began mimicking the strategies that others had suggested and employed, electing to walk the most severe inclines and run the balance. This worked very well. AS is often the case moved up through the small pack of runners by choosing those athletes ahead of me who appeared to be of a similar pace. The intellectual “wild card” was the understanding that many of these folks had gone this distance before, while I had not—I was concerned that by following the wrong leader I might burn out too soon..

Eventually, I settle into a comfortable pace and began to develop a better lay of the land, one which I would attempt to use throughout the five loops, in an effort to stay focused and consistent. As I came through the chute to complete my first loop, I was glad to see that my wife, who had brought me at 7:00 a.m. this Saturday morning, had stayed to support me, though I had told her it would be a long day. I did not feel winded after the initial loop and giving my wife a hug, as I took a sip of water, I told her “It wasn’t that bad.” Reflecting back now, that may have been cocky, but I was elated at the familiarity I quickly gained with the terrain, especially given my trip out a week earlier with my son and the fact that course was cobbled together with pieces of previously run races.

My statement of assurance, though, would foreshadow an odd problem in Loop 3…

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Mendon 50k: Pre-Race Observations

Run: 31 miles in 5:30:18 min. @ 8:00 a.m.
Pace: 0:00 min./per mile avg.

Weather: Cloudy, 36°F, 89% Humidity, Wind: E @ 5 mph; feels like 32°F
Course: Five completions of the Mendon Trail Races 10k loop

Supplies: My hydration belt loaded with one 16 oz. “flask” of H2O and another with Grape flavored POWERade, one plastic baggie containing 6 Cran-Razz flavored Clif Shot Bloks, one 1.1 oz. Strawberry flavored Clif Shot Energy Gel, and one another gel pack of a name I cannot recall just now. In my duffel bag (which will be left at a pavilion past which the loop will run each of the four times I start a loop, I have band-aids, mole skin, a fresh t-shirt, an extra pair of shoes, a hat, a towel, Vaseline, and other potentially necessary products and salves... oh, yeah, and my phone.

Pre-Race Observations: Run, or race, morning is finally year, and following yesterday’s day and evening of fueling-up and resting, I wake up this morning with little optimism, but with and equal desire to find a measure of success in the form of a finish on today's trail. I have woken up a few hours early for my traditional oatmeal and coffee pre-race meal, as well as to shower and shave in anticipation of a wet, cool, start to the festivities. My wife will get up in about an hour and drive me to Mendon Ponds Park, where she will leave me following my completion of the first loop, only to return either a) when I finish the full five loops equaling 31 miles or b) comes to find me waiting at the pavilion earlier with a problem. I am however, choosing to do my best, run smart and finish strong.

Things are likely to be different at the end than at the beginning, and not just my state of mind and physical comfort. From what I understand, having read all I could, the weather may change dramatically during the course of the run, as will the scenery and company on the trails. I am physically and mentally prepared to handle any shifts and as evidenced by my lack of "bark" in my writing now, ready to just go and "bite."

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

50k Countdown: Five Days to Go

Run: 5 miles in :38:21 min. @ 7:10 p.m.
Pace: 0:00 min./per mile

Weather: Drizzle, 46°F, 71% Humidity, Wind: SE @ 12 mph; feels like 41°F
Course: A quick route around the east side of my community passing through many familiar landmarks: Park Avenue, Wegmans, Cobbs Hill, and the Expressway.

This evening I began the last three days of my (extended) taper leading up to the Mendon Trail Run 50k this coming Saturday. It is hard to believe that I have been training for nearly fifteen weeks, but I HAVE been training for FIFTEEN WEEKS. Following this evening's rainy five miles, tomorrow's three and two miles on Wednesday, all that will be left is to continue to prepare mentally for an early breakfast Saturday and finally hitting the trail at 8:00 a.m.

I've been blogging about the anticipation of this run for a long time now and it feels like time to stop talking... er... blogging about it and time to just GO FOR IT.

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

First-time 50k-er Tip 3: Scouting the Route

While the first tip dealt with the necessity of building walks into your run in training for an ultra, and the second addressed the looping shape of the course, this time, I was looking for an actual map of the 10k course which (when completed five consecutive times) would become the layout for next Saturday's(!) run.

I posted a query on the Rochester Running Page's community message board, asking if anyone had an idea as to what the actual route through Mendon Ponds Park was. (It has been noted elsewhere that though there are many local trail running, road running and cycling races in the park, most tend to have very different routes--Mendon is an awesome local training resource.)

Some thoughtful responses came in from many of the same folks who have been helpful in building my knowledge base with earlier assistance. “DJK” said:

”If you go to the Monroe County web site… there is a map--that will give you some idea, but basically just remember two words: rolling terrain…”

More sage advice came in from “Rick”:

…the course is essentially a combination of the BLUE trail (north part of course) and GREEN trail (south portion), is run clockwise, and has very minor variations at the south end. It starts by going up Canfield to pick up the BLUE where it jumps back into the woods to head south; toward the loop end, it also crosses Douglas Road just to the south of the cobblestone house, going around behind and then hugging the woods back to the start area.

Rick also offered to allow me to accompany he and another registrant today (Saturday), but due to a previous commitment I am unable to go.

With all the information, and support, I am hoping to perhaps walk the course (or at least enough of it to get a lay of the land) tomorrow with my son, who recently completed his first cross-country season. The best advice in the end may be DJK’s advice to simply “travel in the direction of (y)our fears.”

Now that’s making me nervous…

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

NOTE: The picture above is taken from The Mendon 10k Trail Loop" phto essay on the Western New York Ultra Series page.

A Medium Run on a Long Day

Run: 12.7 miles in approximately 1:48:00 min. @ 6:30 a.m., including :04:00 min. of “walking time”
Pace: 8:30 min./per mile avg. (NOTE: the “walking time” is also factored into this overall average pace).

Weather: Cloudy, 57°F, 93% Humidity, Wind: CALM; feels like 57°F
Course: Four Times Equals Twenty Four (loop, mixed flat & hills, roads & sidewalks).

My goal today was not a quick pace or a particularly challenging course, but to establish a 10k loop and run it numerous times, as few as three and as many as four, in order to get a feeling for the repetition of scenery that I will experience at the 50k. The Mendon Trail 50k is set on a 10k loop and will have me hoping to complete five loops.

Unfortunately, just as I was beginning my thrid loop, I recieved a phone call from my son, who was preparing to go to teh District Cross-Country Finals. Apparently I had neglected to pack his running shorts when he went to his mother's, so I needed to cut my run short, run home, shower, and take his shorts to him in a nighboring suburb.

What I did manage to finsih this morning went pretty well and I was happpy with the level of preparation for the 50k that I am currently running at.

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

BOtB: Introducing... The "Ultra-Beard!"

For the record, I haven’t shaved in about five (?) weeks, a reminder of which recently turned up in my school mailbox in the form of my complimentary package of school pictures, a photo in which I had not shaved that morning. This past week my in-laws came over for dinner. Following the meal, we took out my stepson’s recently received school pictures, at which point I “doubled-down” and through my pictures on the table. “Oh,” my mother-in-law remarked at the babyfacedness of the pic, “these must have been taken a long time ago!”

In thinking about “why” I have recently (again) let my facial hair “go,” and thereby, grow, I’ve rationalized it all as, in a way, borrowing the playoff beard strategy from the world of professional hockey. For those who don’t know, the playoff beard began as the superstitious practice of a National Hockey League player not shaving his beard during the Stanley Cup playoffs, it has since spread as one of sports greatest superstitions, to the point where even tennis (Bjorn Borg), football (Ben Roethlisberger) and basketball (LeBron James) are getting in on the act. The only requirement is that a player stops shaving when he or his team enter an important competition (like the Stanley Cup, Tennis’ Grand Slam, or NBA Playoffs) and does not shave until he or his team is either eliminated or, preferably, wins.

So what is it I am “not shaving” for? I would suppose it is the 50k I am training for which will be run on November 10, an event for me whose “winning” or “losing” of will be measured not in my overall place, but in my (not so) simply finishing.

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

The BIG 21-Mile Trial Run!

Run: 21 miles in approximately 3:03:00 min. @ 8:06 a.m.

Pace: about 22 minutes total walked, the remainder was run at a pace of roughly 7:40(!) min./per mile avg.
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 56°F, 72% Humidity, Winds: From NW @ 6 mph; feels like 56°F

Course: Erie Canal Footbridge (Genesee Waterways Center) to 490 Expressway and back on the Erie Canal Trail. (10.49 miles each way)

Supplies: My hydration belt loaded with two 16 oz. “flasks” filled with H2O, one plastic baggie containing 3 Strawberry flavored Clif Shot Bloks, one 1.44 oz. Raspberry flavor PowerBar Gel and my cell phone.

Here was the plan for this morning's run: Start with approximately five-and-a-half miles (Erie Canal Footbridge to Clover equals 5.69 miles) of continuous running at a pace of 9:30 min-per-mile (Easy Henrietta Road to Clinton Avenue is just short of 1 mile, so use this as a check?), then walk for 1 minute (timed), thus beginning a run 10 min./walk 1 min./run 10 min. rotation. The purpose of this "trial run being not to focus on “cumulative time,” but on 1) going the distance, 2) testing an identifying supply needs and 2) establishing and preparing psychologically for the necessary run-walk-run rotation.

So, how did it go?

Now that I've taken a shower, eaten two (!) bowls of granola with raisins and bananas, and regained some psychological balance (thanks in no small part to my wife talking me back)the most productive way to look at this might be considering what worked (+) and what challenges still exists (-):

(+) Pluses: despite walking the last half mile (let's call it a cool down) I finished! I did as planned running the first 5+ miles before settling into the run 10/walk 1 pattern, I did eat all three Clif Shots Bloks and they seemed to did the trick, I managed to use the water I di bring and it was effective in offering hydration.

(-) Challenges: I lost my mental balance at about mile 17 (which also happened during my three marathons), I ended up dropping and losing my PowerBar Gel, so did not have it to eat, though I wanted (and needed) to, I could have used more fluids, the average pace (though I suspect it started fast and got progressively slower) was way too fast at 7:40 min/mile.

What's Next? Fortunately a recovery day! I also need to work on increasing my training time on trails to better prepare for the actual race--this is hard as most of my available tie is in the dark, either early in the a.m. or late in the p.m. When I came home from the run, I was mentally exhausted and told my wife "maybe I shouldn't do this (the 50k). I don't think I can finish it."

"You did it today," she reminded me. She's right.

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

First-time 50k-er Tip 2: This Loop Changes!

"There is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse! As I have often found in travelling in a stagecoach, that it is often a comfort to shift one's position, and be bruised in a new place."~Washington Irving

While the first tip dealt with the necessity of building walks into your run of an ultramarathon, especially one taking place on hills as this one is, today's tip addresses the layout of the course itself. Some background first: my least successful marathon run-to-date was on a loop course... a very short 1.5 mile loop in Dublin, Ohio. For some reason, I got snake bit by the continuous looping nature of the suburban course, passing through scenery which never changed.

The advice left by "Newbie" on Rochester Running Page's community message board, offers the following insight to the course:

"The 10K loops bring you back to your own personal aid station every 1 to 1.5 hrs... The scenery changes as the day goes on. Hikers, dogwalkers & equestrians come & go as do the 5,10 & 20K runners later in the morning."

Of course, I've known all along that the 50k course was simply repeats of a 10k course (significantly preferable to 10 5k loops!), but I am glad to hear that while the rugged nature of a trail course requires more concentration, the scenery will change, allowing for a more diverse visual trip and stimulating "ride."

Of course, as the Washington Irving quote above suggests, be careful what you wish for as, while change may be exciting, it is often not without bruising!

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

First-time 50k-er Tip 1: Walk & Finish

Having grown just a little nervous about my upcoming (November 10) attempt at completing an Ultra-marathon (32.5 miles) trail run, I threw out a wide net onto my local running community's message board, the Rochester Running Page, looking for suggestions. Just as I suspected such a supporting group would, a number of folks actually offered some help. One key suggestion, or tip I should take to heart is:

Take regular walk breaks. Walk up the hills. Focus on finishing, not on time.

Apparently there are many hills on the course (it is a trail course after all!) including the one pictured to the right.

I have heard this sentiment about "walking hills" before and for the first time I am really building this psychological idea into my physical training by attempting to will myself to a slower pace which is more likely to be sustained over the long(er) haul. As I've often written, it takes a great deal more discipline to pace myself than to just run like hell for as fast and as long as I can!

The whole "walking hills" thing is an approach I need to become more refined in simulating. I have been trying to find occasion to train on the surface on which I will be "racing," that is to say I've sought out steep inclines and trails... but to this point I have not fully "power walked" the inclines choosing instead to see these as opportunities to raise my level of exercise. This weekend I am hoping to run a good portion of my 20 mile run on trails. As part of this my plan is to build in power walks on hills... primarily to begin to reinforce to my mind and body that I'm still running a race even if I am "walking."

Thanks again to Shy Flirt for taking the time to post the great suggestion on the Rochester Running Page.

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Run: 8.3 miles in 1:04:37 min. @ 7:15 p.m.

Pace: 7:47 min./per mile avg.
Weather: Cloudy with Drizzle, 74°F
Course: A familiar loop of four miles north of Interstate 490 and another four miles south of it.

I really, really intended to s-l-o-w down my pace this evening shooting for somewhere between 8:00-8:30 min/mile pace, but it didn’t work out. While it may seem odd to want to go at a lesser pace, my intent is in recognition of the fact that my pace during the upcoming 50k will have to be much slower if I am to finish the run, so I am trying to physically and psychologically preparing for the shift in pace.

As the date for the run moves ever closer, I have reached out online via a local message board, the Rochester Running Page, for some suggestions about handling the logistics of the run. My initial query was a simple one:

“Any suggestions for a first time 50k-er?”

I've already received some great suggestions, some of which I'll be sharing here over the weeks leading up to the November 10 Mendon Trail Run.

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!