Over time, or more precisely, over the last year and a half, a seemingly obvious statement has become more obvious: racing's fun and training is the slightly less fun (albeit enjoyable, most of the time) means to getting desireable results.
Decent overall fitness and a lot of willpower can get decent results but as one approaches those in the front of the pack it becomes more and more apparent: the people ahead of you trained harder and smarter than you did. Maybe they put in more time, maybe it was more miles, maybe they pushed it harder at just the right times, maybe they recovered better, maybe they ate better, maybe they went further out of their way to train in race-like conditions and terrain. Look, the list of ways to train harder and smarter goes on but seldom is it raw talent alone that places one over another: at least in the front.
I've found myself finishing in the top 10-15 at a few local, but fairly competitive races I've joined in this year. I've trained a bit more than I did when I first started running and found a formula that combines quality and some quantity that really seems to work. It's been really encouraging to see the improvement.
What's slightly discouraging about all of this is where I've arrived as a result of this improvement. Now, as I look at finishers ahead of me, I see hardened training machines and I am both inspired and nervous when toeing up to compete. Will I, or do I, have the commitment it takes to take the next step?
While I stated that I've indeed found a training formula that works I have only one problem: life. I work in the family biz 6 days a week and a 12 hour day is not unusual. I've got commitments at to my family and home like any other happily married person and father of a dog and two cats (don't laugh, I make sure they are fed and know that they are loved). I want to train more but when I make the extra effort (take the time) I feel selfish and can literally see things begin to unravel at work and at home (tensions/comparisons to co-workers and weeds in the yard).
It's tough to find balance. Right now I just feel lucky to get out at all. As a result, every run now has a purpose: strength, turnover, recovery and even a few that are just for fun/social. I'm trying to add a bit more racing to my schedule at the moment to see how well I can race, recover, push it just a bit, recover a bit and race, then repeat. July will be tougher than June but with my "A" race in August I am going to have to work hard to carve out the time (read: get up at 4 am) to put the hay in the barn.
I hate reading these types of whining posts from other dork run bloggers but I felt like writing these thoughts would help me realize where I am at and where I need to go. It did that. Sort of...
On another note, my wine drinking habit has risen to new levels of achievement. Kattie is now gainfully employed (on the only 2 days of the week she didn't work before--what was formerly known as the weekend) by a top grade vineyard and winery called Domaine Serene. As an added benefit of her expressing her awesomeness to customers there she gets quite a load of spendy wine on top of her pay. Needless to say we have been stashing some like classy people do and pouring the rest into our souls like bosses do.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Monday, June 3, 2013
smooth as fine wine, tuff as granite
Kattie and I made an unusual move and told the workweek "that's-it" a few hours early on Friday. We packed up the wagon with a bunch of shit we didn't need and none of the stuff that would have been most handy (i.e. playing cards!) for a weekend in a yurt at the Valley of the Rogue way down in Gold Hill, OR. That's right southern Oregon... folks, it's a-whole-nother country!
Simply because we could, we stopped in Cottage Grove for a snack and the ice tea Kattie craved. It was cooler than I thought it was with it's old, somewhat lively downtown. Just a few meth tweakers lurking about but not too bad. We stopped off again at Canyonville which has the nicest rest stop on I-5. It's appears to be owned and operated by Natives who run a giant casino there. My advice: skip the casino but be sure to relieve yourself there!
Next it was into and through Grants Pass for groceries. The hills along the freeway were a raging inferno of fire but gave us no trouble while on the scenic route in town. We grabbed more necessities (food) and made our way down to the yurt that would be home for the weekend. Chatty senior neighbors quickly made us feel very welcome to what we dubbed the "senior circuit" as the age of our neighbors averaged around 108. Needless to say, around 7:30 p.m. it was very quiet which is nice because Kattie and I can't manage to stay up much past that hour anyway. Especially when drinking. Which is often. Let's be honest and transparent.
The next day I got up for a run in the brisk morning weather. I took Pete, the dog, as he usually keeps the pace very mellow but that morning he insisted on 7-7:20 min/miles which isn't too bad but a bit faster than I had planned. I dropped him off back at the yurt after 4 miles and ran the rest of the River's Edge and Greenway Trail for a total of 8 or so I-pod measured miles which was consistent enough with my plan to run for about an hour of flat stuff.
We had a delicious breakfast and hit the road with only one plan: drink wine from Southern Oregon. After some time lost in Deliverance-ville's gravel roads we finally got on track and arrived at Cowhorn where we had some very nice wines in a spectacular setting. From there we went to eat in Jacksonville which may well be one of the best places on this part of Earth. It's a very cool historical place with not too much kitchy-shit and lots of neat ol' stuff (homes and such). There was a wait at C-St. Bistro so we went around the corner and passed the time drinking more at Quady North which serves up some great variety and really great wine. Probably my favorite stop of the day. After lunch we went to Krissel which is indeed in bum-f-Egypt (they call it White City) as we were told. It's a modern place with a nice view and more good wine.
After all the tasting--which is code for drinking as I am no spitter, I enjoy every last sip of every "tasting" served--I was wine-zonked and couldn't wait to eat dinner (sausage we picked up in Methville... I mean Gold Hill). It took everything we had to stay up for a smore while the senior circuit's lights went out but we did it before hitting the sack. While dozing off I wondered how well this race prep routine would pay off... Seriously? At least of bottle of wine in me and I just topped it off with sausage and a smore?! Oh well... "it is was it is". Whatever that stupid saying is all about. Well, honestly this isn't the first time I've "prepped" like this... click off: sleep.
Race day (finally, Jesus, I was beginning to convince myself that this was a travel-blog written by a lowly alcoholic senior citizen with a drinking and driving habit): we were up early for the hour or so drive down to Applegate Lake. We arrived to the beautiful Hart-Tish park 45 minutes or so before the start and did usual pre-start routine of: bathroom, changing shoes, registration, bathroom, walk Pete, bathroom, etc. During each step of this routine I couldn't help but notice who all was there: it seemed several of the legendary mountain running gazelles of Ashland had made it out for the showdown. Fast women and a slew of fast dudes who run laps on Mt. Ashland until they are hardened off enough to waste competition in national level races. Surprisingly, (but only because I had no idea he was going) Don G. was there too so the Mid-Willamette even had at least one fast horse in the race. Honestly, I didn't get nervous about how it was going to go, my brain just sort of shifted gears: forget placing top 10 or whatever and run my race--PR mode I call it.
After a slight delay we were off and running on a rolling little jaunt in the woods that tilted mostly upwards. I ran through some of the poison oak, which was everywhere, to pass a dude that looked like a classic case of dash and burn (if I could judge a book by the cover, which--as much as I hate to do it--I am getting better at with a few more races under my belt). Mile 1 passed and I knew it was relentlessly up from here to mile 3ish. I passed a fast looking shirtless local dude, then a very fast girl (who wasted me at the Mac 50k), and came up on Jenn Shelton who I knew was super fast. I kind of parked it behind her thinking she knows a lot more about this sport than me. But eventually she sounded labored and I was ready to move on. Ran with Don G. next before he pulled over and insisted on me going by. Eventually, within the last couple hundred feet of this big climb, I kept running and reciting the mantra "not gonna walk a step, you don't do that in 10 mile RUNs, that's an ultrarunning-thing, and besides it might feel too good anyway." Moving right along I caught up with another LSFD (local shirtless fast dude). He too was laboring hard and I eventually slipped by him before the course tilted down to a truly runnable angle of uphill.
I could end the report there at about mile 3 as nothing changed from a racing standpoint from then on. I could not see anyone in front of me and fairly quickly I lost site of anyone behind me. I might as well of been out there alone. It was rolly and pretty damn techical with rocks, roots and sharp turns for miles before giving away to a nice descent back down to the lake. It was thrilling single track that required a lot of attention to avoid falling off into what often was a very steep hillside (not the kind you could stop on without hitting a tree or rock). The plant geek side of my brain did a nice job distracting the rest as it was dazzled by new and unique flora including groves of manzanitas, madrones and fragrant-blooming california lilcas among other smaller gems including several silvery colored perennials. The Siskyous are a botanical wonderland because of their East-West orientation that bridges the wet and temperate Coast Range with the drier peaks of the Cascades. Anyway, enough plant chatter, after completing the descent I pushed fairly hard in the last 3 miles along the lakeshore and frequently looked over my shoulder as I felt my pace was something that was decent at best. As it turned out the next person was 2 minutes back so my worries were only motivational. The guy in front of me was 2 minutes ahead so not a lot pull motivationally from that direction either.
The finish was on the beach and it was beautiful and fun. I was done after 1:21 which was good enough for 8th OA and 3rd in my always competitive age group. This really great day was made better by the fact that Kattie ran her own race (5 mile Poker Run) well enough to be 1st in her age group and 7th OA (correction 8th OA, Zielinski's sweep 8th!). She was not so lucky with the hand she was dealt however. We said we'd stop at the casino and quickly double our winnings if either of us came home with prize money but without any winnings we just stopped and relieved ourselves there again.
Whew, long write up for the weekend's events. I just don't get out much anymore...
Simply because we could, we stopped in Cottage Grove for a snack and the ice tea Kattie craved. It was cooler than I thought it was with it's old, somewhat lively downtown. Just a few meth tweakers lurking about but not too bad. We stopped off again at Canyonville which has the nicest rest stop on I-5. It's appears to be owned and operated by Natives who run a giant casino there. My advice: skip the casino but be sure to relieve yourself there!
Next it was into and through Grants Pass for groceries. The hills along the freeway were a raging inferno of fire but gave us no trouble while on the scenic route in town. We grabbed more necessities (food) and made our way down to the yurt that would be home for the weekend. Chatty senior neighbors quickly made us feel very welcome to what we dubbed the "senior circuit" as the age of our neighbors averaged around 108. Needless to say, around 7:30 p.m. it was very quiet which is nice because Kattie and I can't manage to stay up much past that hour anyway. Especially when drinking. Which is often. Let's be honest and transparent.
The next day I got up for a run in the brisk morning weather. I took Pete, the dog, as he usually keeps the pace very mellow but that morning he insisted on 7-7:20 min/miles which isn't too bad but a bit faster than I had planned. I dropped him off back at the yurt after 4 miles and ran the rest of the River's Edge and Greenway Trail for a total of 8 or so I-pod measured miles which was consistent enough with my plan to run for about an hour of flat stuff.
We had a delicious breakfast and hit the road with only one plan: drink wine from Southern Oregon. After some time lost in Deliverance-ville's gravel roads we finally got on track and arrived at Cowhorn where we had some very nice wines in a spectacular setting. From there we went to eat in Jacksonville which may well be one of the best places on this part of Earth. It's a very cool historical place with not too much kitchy-shit and lots of neat ol' stuff (homes and such). There was a wait at C-St. Bistro so we went around the corner and passed the time drinking more at Quady North which serves up some great variety and really great wine. Probably my favorite stop of the day. After lunch we went to Krissel which is indeed in bum-f-Egypt (they call it White City) as we were told. It's a modern place with a nice view and more good wine.
After all the tasting--which is code for drinking as I am no spitter, I enjoy every last sip of every "tasting" served--I was wine-zonked and couldn't wait to eat dinner (sausage we picked up in Methville... I mean Gold Hill). It took everything we had to stay up for a smore while the senior circuit's lights went out but we did it before hitting the sack. While dozing off I wondered how well this race prep routine would pay off... Seriously? At least of bottle of wine in me and I just topped it off with sausage and a smore?! Oh well... "it is was it is". Whatever that stupid saying is all about. Well, honestly this isn't the first time I've "prepped" like this... click off: sleep.
Race day (finally, Jesus, I was beginning to convince myself that this was a travel-blog written by a lowly alcoholic senior citizen with a drinking and driving habit): we were up early for the hour or so drive down to Applegate Lake. We arrived to the beautiful Hart-Tish park 45 minutes or so before the start and did usual pre-start routine of: bathroom, changing shoes, registration, bathroom, walk Pete, bathroom, etc. During each step of this routine I couldn't help but notice who all was there: it seemed several of the legendary mountain running gazelles of Ashland had made it out for the showdown. Fast women and a slew of fast dudes who run laps on Mt. Ashland until they are hardened off enough to waste competition in national level races. Surprisingly, (but only because I had no idea he was going) Don G. was there too so the Mid-Willamette even had at least one fast horse in the race. Honestly, I didn't get nervous about how it was going to go, my brain just sort of shifted gears: forget placing top 10 or whatever and run my race--PR mode I call it.
After a slight delay we were off and running on a rolling little jaunt in the woods that tilted mostly upwards. I ran through some of the poison oak, which was everywhere, to pass a dude that looked like a classic case of dash and burn (if I could judge a book by the cover, which--as much as I hate to do it--I am getting better at with a few more races under my belt). Mile 1 passed and I knew it was relentlessly up from here to mile 3ish. I passed a fast looking shirtless local dude, then a very fast girl (who wasted me at the Mac 50k), and came up on Jenn Shelton who I knew was super fast. I kind of parked it behind her thinking she knows a lot more about this sport than me. But eventually she sounded labored and I was ready to move on. Ran with Don G. next before he pulled over and insisted on me going by. Eventually, within the last couple hundred feet of this big climb, I kept running and reciting the mantra "not gonna walk a step, you don't do that in 10 mile RUNs, that's an ultrarunning-thing, and besides it might feel too good anyway." Moving right along I caught up with another LSFD (local shirtless fast dude). He too was laboring hard and I eventually slipped by him before the course tilted down to a truly runnable angle of uphill.
I could end the report there at about mile 3 as nothing changed from a racing standpoint from then on. I could not see anyone in front of me and fairly quickly I lost site of anyone behind me. I might as well of been out there alone. It was rolly and pretty damn techical with rocks, roots and sharp turns for miles before giving away to a nice descent back down to the lake. It was thrilling single track that required a lot of attention to avoid falling off into what often was a very steep hillside (not the kind you could stop on without hitting a tree or rock). The plant geek side of my brain did a nice job distracting the rest as it was dazzled by new and unique flora including groves of manzanitas, madrones and fragrant-blooming california lilcas among other smaller gems including several silvery colored perennials. The Siskyous are a botanical wonderland because of their East-West orientation that bridges the wet and temperate Coast Range with the drier peaks of the Cascades. Anyway, enough plant chatter, after completing the descent I pushed fairly hard in the last 3 miles along the lakeshore and frequently looked over my shoulder as I felt my pace was something that was decent at best. As it turned out the next person was 2 minutes back so my worries were only motivational. The guy in front of me was 2 minutes ahead so not a lot pull motivationally from that direction either.
The finish was on the beach and it was beautiful and fun. I was done after 1:21 which was good enough for 8th OA and 3rd in my always competitive age group. This really great day was made better by the fact that Kattie ran her own race (5 mile Poker Run) well enough to be 1st in her age group and 7th OA (correction 8th OA, Zielinski's sweep 8th!). She was not so lucky with the hand she was dealt however. We said we'd stop at the casino and quickly double our winnings if either of us came home with prize money but without any winnings we just stopped and relieved ourselves there again.
Whew, long write up for the weekend's events. I just don't get out much anymore...
 |
| another running shot from early on in the race. same clothes as last time so it looks the same except for the bib#. |
Monday, May 13, 2013
Forcing it in the Forest: The Mac 50k Report
Since my post about committing to the Mac over a month ago my training slid downhill a bit. It lacked intelligent structure, had no critical peak (mental and/or physical), and really appeared that I just plain didn't give a damn. Springtime at the nursery just gets to be way too much and those 4am runs were moved to evenings which means they turned from 12 to 8 to 6 milers as I felt pressed to just get something in while trying to maintain a somewhat helpful presence around the house. Pete, the dog, makes it clear that he needs both parents.
Even my weekend outings got withered down to shorter jaunts. One weekend I barely got 13-14 hilly miles in at Silver Falls before having to be back to the nursery (on a Sunday) for a sales meeting. Another slightly better day 2 weeks ago I got in 7 hilly miles out at Zena Forest before running the sustained road climb up Orchard Heights and dropping into downtown (another 13+ miles). Lacking distance and having skipped several more speed oriented workouts left me feeling ill-prepared for what I wanted to be a really good race down in Corvallis. I got to the weekend prior and wondered if I should go sort of long or just push something kind of hard. Ultimately, I decided a good 10k effort with a mile warm-up and another mile cool-down would have to do the trick. In a less than focused run did the 10k in the form of loops at Bush Park in well under 40:00 minutes. It felt good but it wasn't the extreme confidence booster I'd hoped for...
Sometime during the week I got an email about bib #'s. I almost didn't click the link at all as I've never been one to pay much attention to bib #'s but out of boredom I clicked it. Initially I zoomed right to the bottom of the list where the Z in my last name usually lands me and I wasn't there. What happened?! I'd paid, my entry was confirmed, has there been a mistake?! I then scrolled back up to the top. The anticipated top 10 women where up there with #'s 1-10 and then the top 20 men with #'s 11-30. My name was listed 28th. Normally, I would have found this exhilarating and an honor but given my apprehension about my recent training I just got really nervous--almost stressed out.
Then Saturday rolled around. This year it was just Kattie, Pete and I headed down there. We got there 45-50 minutes before the start and time went by quickly as we walked around up by the lake. I filled my water bottle said hi and good luck to a few people (while hiding my bib # so no one would have any expectations). Then with a DONG! of the gong we were out of there. I settled in with Pam for a few miles just catching up on things and comfortably clipping away on the logging roads and moderate trails. Soon I pulled ahead and she said good luck, have a great race. I responded "I'm sure I'll see you later." It wasn't for awhile but sure enough I did see her later.
I then ran a bit with Mike Rosling and eventually pulled away from him too. "What the hell is wrong with me?" I began to think. "I really ought to know better than to push the pace like this. These people, Pam, Mike, and about 20 others behind me, are smart runners. I need to be holding back if I am going to execute a decent race all the way to the finish." I did cool the pace just a bit after bombing down Extendo (that section is too good to turn down a zippy descent). But still no one came up from behind.
Then I got into the Maze and struggled the ups in there while trying to keep my focus which first began to get fuzzy at this point. I got out of the woods and on the road to Dimple Hill which I really liked as I finally felt like I was running and making some progress again even though a guy passed me there. On top of Dimple (at mile 18ish), I sort of spaced out at the aid station for a minute or so just kind of staring at the cornucopia of food on display. I must of looked like a stoned high schooler in a 7-11 candy aisle because I was getting strange looks back from the folks running the table. One guy was asking what I wanted and mentioned a cold beer. I thought for just a second, "Sure. Hell, make it 2 and how about a helicopter ride out of here before I really bomb this race." But it was a fleeting thought, I finally grabbed 2 gels and a piece of PB&J and got out of there. I felt better on the decent to Chip Ross than I had felt last year but realized I hadn't been paying any attention to my nutrition just salting and geling on a whim here and there with no rhyme or reason.
Kattie had been supporting me at AS 1 and 2 and I expected to see her at AS 4 but she was no where to be found. I pulled off another awkward zombie-zonk moment at the food table and looked around down in the parking lot but she was no where to be found. Oh well back to the race. Now for the dreaded climb out of there...
I hit a really low point where the climbing is somewhat exposed and steep on Lower Horse Trail. I was thinking, this is like some kind of addiction/sickness, the lows are lower than ever and the highs are higher than ever... this low was lingering a bit too long.
I walked a bit and felt like I was going backwards a couple times. I felt like I was never going to feel the swoosh of energy I just shot into my mouth (in the form of a gross strawberry/banana GU) when all of the sudden I started running up some hills steeper than those I'd just walked. I passed a guy who had just passed me (again--we went back and forth) on the road or someplace on the Ridge Trail. The final AS was full of energy but I was beat. I filled my bottle and the guy running the station informed me that I was in 10th place and 11th was right behind me. My thoughts at this point were "I might as well be 93rd and him 94th. Let them all come and pass me... I am so tired."
I regained some focus and made good time for less than a mile before getting on the newest addition to the course. Another f-ing climb! This brings the total elevation gain into the vicinity of 7000' for this jaunt through the woods. Towards the top I heard people coming up from behind. These were new faces/voices. 2 dudes looking strong and Pam just out killing it. She yelled for me to "come on, let's go!" as she whizzed past. All I could do was mutter a pathetic groan in response. We then got back on the road and I started feeling a little more zing in my step. I passed one superfit looking dude and then saw the 1.64 mile sign for the trail to the finish. I passed the other guy just as we got on the single track and slowly chiseled up the hill. It tipped slightly downward and I bolted. I even caught some glimpses of another guy but he was really dropping the hammer as well. I just pegged the heart rate and leg turn over to something manageable and held out for the sounds of cheering crowds. It wasn't long and I was there, high-fiving and collapsing/laying in the grass trying to settle my guts without passing out. Just trying to talk to Kattie and listening to the bluegrass band gave me a reason to stay conscious and I eventually came out of my near death state. A soda and soup and we hit the road to Rogue Brewery for some celebration on the way home.
All in all it was a great day for a race. The organization at Mac is second to none and the trails were in outstanding shape. The crowds were awesome and Kattie and Pete make the best cheering squad I could ask for. I know it was a race and they never come easy (at least not when you are trying to explore what you are honestly capable of) but this one felt very "forced" if I had to choose one adjective to describe it. My lack of training left some noticeable gaps in strength and overall endurance, not just in my legs but in my mental attentiveness. I had to force myself to stay focused and force some motions that I'd hoped would come more naturally. I am content with the 4:42 time (25 minutes off last yrs. time) but still left wondering, "what could I do if I nailed it? If it just fell into place more naturally without all the forcing, what am I capable of?"
Even my weekend outings got withered down to shorter jaunts. One weekend I barely got 13-14 hilly miles in at Silver Falls before having to be back to the nursery (on a Sunday) for a sales meeting. Another slightly better day 2 weeks ago I got in 7 hilly miles out at Zena Forest before running the sustained road climb up Orchard Heights and dropping into downtown (another 13+ miles). Lacking distance and having skipped several more speed oriented workouts left me feeling ill-prepared for what I wanted to be a really good race down in Corvallis. I got to the weekend prior and wondered if I should go sort of long or just push something kind of hard. Ultimately, I decided a good 10k effort with a mile warm-up and another mile cool-down would have to do the trick. In a less than focused run did the 10k in the form of loops at Bush Park in well under 40:00 minutes. It felt good but it wasn't the extreme confidence booster I'd hoped for...
Sometime during the week I got an email about bib #'s. I almost didn't click the link at all as I've never been one to pay much attention to bib #'s but out of boredom I clicked it. Initially I zoomed right to the bottom of the list where the Z in my last name usually lands me and I wasn't there. What happened?! I'd paid, my entry was confirmed, has there been a mistake?! I then scrolled back up to the top. The anticipated top 10 women where up there with #'s 1-10 and then the top 20 men with #'s 11-30. My name was listed 28th. Normally, I would have found this exhilarating and an honor but given my apprehension about my recent training I just got really nervous--almost stressed out.
Then Saturday rolled around. This year it was just Kattie, Pete and I headed down there. We got there 45-50 minutes before the start and time went by quickly as we walked around up by the lake. I filled my water bottle said hi and good luck to a few people (while hiding my bib # so no one would have any expectations). Then with a DONG! of the gong we were out of there. I settled in with Pam for a few miles just catching up on things and comfortably clipping away on the logging roads and moderate trails. Soon I pulled ahead and she said good luck, have a great race. I responded "I'm sure I'll see you later." It wasn't for awhile but sure enough I did see her later.
I then ran a bit with Mike Rosling and eventually pulled away from him too. "What the hell is wrong with me?" I began to think. "I really ought to know better than to push the pace like this. These people, Pam, Mike, and about 20 others behind me, are smart runners. I need to be holding back if I am going to execute a decent race all the way to the finish." I did cool the pace just a bit after bombing down Extendo (that section is too good to turn down a zippy descent). But still no one came up from behind.
Then I got into the Maze and struggled the ups in there while trying to keep my focus which first began to get fuzzy at this point. I got out of the woods and on the road to Dimple Hill which I really liked as I finally felt like I was running and making some progress again even though a guy passed me there. On top of Dimple (at mile 18ish), I sort of spaced out at the aid station for a minute or so just kind of staring at the cornucopia of food on display. I must of looked like a stoned high schooler in a 7-11 candy aisle because I was getting strange looks back from the folks running the table. One guy was asking what I wanted and mentioned a cold beer. I thought for just a second, "Sure. Hell, make it 2 and how about a helicopter ride out of here before I really bomb this race." But it was a fleeting thought, I finally grabbed 2 gels and a piece of PB&J and got out of there. I felt better on the decent to Chip Ross than I had felt last year but realized I hadn't been paying any attention to my nutrition just salting and geling on a whim here and there with no rhyme or reason.
Kattie had been supporting me at AS 1 and 2 and I expected to see her at AS 4 but she was no where to be found. I pulled off another awkward zombie-zonk moment at the food table and looked around down in the parking lot but she was no where to be found. Oh well back to the race. Now for the dreaded climb out of there...
I hit a really low point where the climbing is somewhat exposed and steep on Lower Horse Trail. I was thinking, this is like some kind of addiction/sickness, the lows are lower than ever and the highs are higher than ever... this low was lingering a bit too long.
I walked a bit and felt like I was going backwards a couple times. I felt like I was never going to feel the swoosh of energy I just shot into my mouth (in the form of a gross strawberry/banana GU) when all of the sudden I started running up some hills steeper than those I'd just walked. I passed a guy who had just passed me (again--we went back and forth) on the road or someplace on the Ridge Trail. The final AS was full of energy but I was beat. I filled my bottle and the guy running the station informed me that I was in 10th place and 11th was right behind me. My thoughts at this point were "I might as well be 93rd and him 94th. Let them all come and pass me... I am so tired."
I regained some focus and made good time for less than a mile before getting on the newest addition to the course. Another f-ing climb! This brings the total elevation gain into the vicinity of 7000' for this jaunt through the woods. Towards the top I heard people coming up from behind. These were new faces/voices. 2 dudes looking strong and Pam just out killing it. She yelled for me to "come on, let's go!" as she whizzed past. All I could do was mutter a pathetic groan in response. We then got back on the road and I started feeling a little more zing in my step. I passed one superfit looking dude and then saw the 1.64 mile sign for the trail to the finish. I passed the other guy just as we got on the single track and slowly chiseled up the hill. It tipped slightly downward and I bolted. I even caught some glimpses of another guy but he was really dropping the hammer as well. I just pegged the heart rate and leg turn over to something manageable and held out for the sounds of cheering crowds. It wasn't long and I was there, high-fiving and collapsing/laying in the grass trying to settle my guts without passing out. Just trying to talk to Kattie and listening to the bluegrass band gave me a reason to stay conscious and I eventually came out of my near death state. A soda and soup and we hit the road to Rogue Brewery for some celebration on the way home.
All in all it was a great day for a race. The organization at Mac is second to none and the trails were in outstanding shape. The crowds were awesome and Kattie and Pete make the best cheering squad I could ask for. I know it was a race and they never come easy (at least not when you are trying to explore what you are honestly capable of) but this one felt very "forced" if I had to choose one adjective to describe it. My lack of training left some noticeable gaps in strength and overall endurance, not just in my legs but in my mental attentiveness. I had to force myself to stay focused and force some motions that I'd hoped would come more naturally. I am content with the 4:42 time (25 minutes off last yrs. time) but still left wondering, "what could I do if I nailed it? If it just fell into place more naturally without all the forcing, what am I capable of?"
 |
| 2nd Mac 50k finish! |
Saturday, April 6, 2013
mac 50k: part deux
With the R2R2R trip with Nick and Dan off the books for this Spring I was left without a longer distance running objective this Spring. So, last week I finally pulled the plug and grabbed one of the last 20-30 spots in the MacDonald Forest 50k. I am excited to be headed back to such a challenging course and a great race.
coincidentally, for last weekend's long run i did the course with RD Dennis G. We started at the saddle so it was done in a mixed up way but we covered the entire route in the proper direction no less. it was a great effort with some good running mixed in with some more mellow efforts (power hiking) on the steeper climbs. the course is in great shape at the moment after a moderate winter with very little rainfall after December's deluge. It's eeking it's way towards 7,000' of vert with a new bump thrown in the mix at mile 27ish. it's a tough run but i felt pretty good despite running seriously low on food, salt and water in the last 6-7 miles (a refill at the cabin was planned but water was not on yet).
training is going fairly well. summer hours at work mean i have to get out the door around 4ish in the morning which is really only tough because i've lost the accountability factor that comes with running with a group (they still start around 5). fortunately, KT's been really busy with work so getting out in the evenings has been an option lately.
today i am headed out to some new trails on private land just 5-10 minutes from home. could this be the phantom 15 miles of hilly forested trail (in Salem!) i've been yearning for?! i don't have time to drive out to other trails in the summer months so i certainly hope so!
the new montrail fluid flex's are pretty nice. they have that buttery "cadillac feel" to them vs. the "porsche feel" of many of my other shoes which takes a little getting used to. i had a great track workout in them but I prefer the "feel" of a more racing flat type shoe when really digging in. Pretty happy with the purchase overall as they really round out the quiver and serve perfectly for the long road runs.
coincidentally, for last weekend's long run i did the course with RD Dennis G. We started at the saddle so it was done in a mixed up way but we covered the entire route in the proper direction no less. it was a great effort with some good running mixed in with some more mellow efforts (power hiking) on the steeper climbs. the course is in great shape at the moment after a moderate winter with very little rainfall after December's deluge. It's eeking it's way towards 7,000' of vert with a new bump thrown in the mix at mile 27ish. it's a tough run but i felt pretty good despite running seriously low on food, salt and water in the last 6-7 miles (a refill at the cabin was planned but water was not on yet).
training is going fairly well. summer hours at work mean i have to get out the door around 4ish in the morning which is really only tough because i've lost the accountability factor that comes with running with a group (they still start around 5). fortunately, KT's been really busy with work so getting out in the evenings has been an option lately.
today i am headed out to some new trails on private land just 5-10 minutes from home. could this be the phantom 15 miles of hilly forested trail (in Salem!) i've been yearning for?! i don't have time to drive out to other trails in the summer months so i certainly hope so!
the new montrail fluid flex's are pretty nice. they have that buttery "cadillac feel" to them vs. the "porsche feel" of many of my other shoes which takes a little getting used to. i had a great track workout in them but I prefer the "feel" of a more racing flat type shoe when really digging in. Pretty happy with the purchase overall as they really round out the quiver and serve perfectly for the long road runs.
Monday, March 25, 2013
New Kicks
Hoping these are on my porch when I get home today... ordered them last week after getting a "friends and family" code from Montrail for the shoe testing I did last summer. 50% off is a good deal, well worth the time it took to write a shoe review.
They'll be my road shoes. I'll admit they look a little "hoka-hokey" but I think I could use the extra cush on all those paved miles. My feet never give me much trouble but both the Rogue Racers and Rogue Flys seemed to lack foam in the forefoot. After long efforts I occasionally felt soreness in the balls of my feet but I love the light and fast feeling they give me on paved or well groomed trails.
Also a race update:
Did Buck Mtn. Run (6.5 miles) and had a great race. The day was perfect, nice and cool, and the trail was in outstanding shape with only a little bit of mud and running water on it--no snow this year! It's still quite technical with lots of rocks and roots and hills. After directing traffic for an hour (great warm up!) I headed off to the start line and got in a position towards the front of the crowd. I got off to a quick start as I knew making my goal of <50 minutes would require a hard effort throughout the course, even the 1st mile. I passed a couple guys then a couple more until we moved to the first short, steepish climb. There I passed one more and locked into 4th place. Near the top of the climb I moved into 3rd place with 1 and 2 a good distance ahead. 3rd place was short lived as Don G. came up on me as I relaxed a bit on the downhill, conserving just a bit on the rollers before the long climb ahead. I stayed close to him and came close to overtaking him a couple times throughout the next 3-4 miles but never availed in my efforts. In the last quarter mile he really pushed hard and knowing I didn't have anyone over my shoulder I accepted my position and pushed it in comfortably. I finished 4 overall with a 45:27. As with any Run Wild Event a good post race brew (or 3) ensued and I was stoked to see Evan O. and Justin C. come in with some hugely improved times. Later we enjoyed 1/2 off at 7 Brides with our race bibs! Epic winning all day!
On the 17th Kattie did the Shamrock Run with my Mom. It was a circus out there with 30,000 people running! She finished the 8k in 40 minutes and was elated to know she could hold ~8 min/mile pace for so long! I think it might have been a breakthrough run for her. Now, she's taking running just a little more seriously... look out! My Mom did well too with a 29:16 in the 5k. That got her 6th in her age group! BOOM.
They'll be my road shoes. I'll admit they look a little "hoka-hokey" but I think I could use the extra cush on all those paved miles. My feet never give me much trouble but both the Rogue Racers and Rogue Flys seemed to lack foam in the forefoot. After long efforts I occasionally felt soreness in the balls of my feet but I love the light and fast feeling they give me on paved or well groomed trails.
Also a race update:
Did Buck Mtn. Run (6.5 miles) and had a great race. The day was perfect, nice and cool, and the trail was in outstanding shape with only a little bit of mud and running water on it--no snow this year! It's still quite technical with lots of rocks and roots and hills. After directing traffic for an hour (great warm up!) I headed off to the start line and got in a position towards the front of the crowd. I got off to a quick start as I knew making my goal of <50 minutes would require a hard effort throughout the course, even the 1st mile. I passed a couple guys then a couple more until we moved to the first short, steepish climb. There I passed one more and locked into 4th place. Near the top of the climb I moved into 3rd place with 1 and 2 a good distance ahead. 3rd place was short lived as Don G. came up on me as I relaxed a bit on the downhill, conserving just a bit on the rollers before the long climb ahead. I stayed close to him and came close to overtaking him a couple times throughout the next 3-4 miles but never availed in my efforts. In the last quarter mile he really pushed hard and knowing I didn't have anyone over my shoulder I accepted my position and pushed it in comfortably. I finished 4 overall with a 45:27. As with any Run Wild Event a good post race brew (or 3) ensued and I was stoked to see Evan O. and Justin C. come in with some hugely improved times. Later we enjoyed 1/2 off at 7 Brides with our race bibs! Epic winning all day!
On the 17th Kattie did the Shamrock Run with my Mom. It was a circus out there with 30,000 people running! She finished the 8k in 40 minutes and was elated to know she could hold ~8 min/mile pace for so long! I think it might have been a breakthrough run for her. Now, she's taking running just a little more seriously... look out! My Mom did well too with a 29:16 in the 5k. That got her 6th in her age group! BOOM.
Monday, March 4, 2013
an offering to the god of guts
For a long time now I've wanted to go down to Track Town (Eugene) and do a little running on the trails there and stop by Pre's Rock to make an offering to one of the sport's greatest legends. Yesterday I was going to pick up KT at the airport there so I finally had my chance to make the pilgrimage to the site of the world of running's own folk saint's fatal crash. It was moving and inspiring.
I was shorter on time than I'd hoped to be so the run was not going to happen. But I had the perfect window of time to make it out the bluffs above the Willamette River just outside Hendricks Park. I looped around a bit in search and finally found the Rock. I pulled over and the dog and I walked to the shrine. I'd brought a shoe (one of the blown out Montrails) that I'd been training and racing in lately and my 2nd place ribbon from Zena Road Runs 15k. I placed it in front of the memorial stone amist a few other recent offerings: a NCAA medal, a couple folded up notes, fresh flowers (yellow and green of course). I then read the plaque and sat there "taking it all in" for a few minutes. Thinking about Pre's feats as an athlete and as a person. I dwelled a bit longer on his gutsy style which I admire a bit more than most folks in the long distance/trail running crowd seem to.
A passing car broke the silence and with that I left. It may sound corny but the place has a spiritual vibe to it. I was glad I got to be a part of it.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
a couple quick recaps/notes for 2013 so far
haven't been here in some time. time to recap with some more boring running tales:
Beginning of Dec. I did Shellburg Falls Run. It was classic Run Wild fare with a 6.8 mile course in the Dept. of Forestry lands just east of Salem (in Lyons). The course was a mixture of logging roads and single track, with lots of elevation gain and tight turns on the descents. I had a blast sailing through the heavily wooded course which was covered in fallen leaves with slimey, slick mud underneath. I am not sure if I'd lost my trail touch with all the road miles I'd been putting in or if my traction just sucked (on the the NB MT1010) but I fell more in this race than ever. My hands touched the ground on at least 3-4 occasions. My chest even hit the ground once. I wanted to fly down the final descent but all the tight corners had me hitting the brakes quite a bit to avoid more falls. In the end I couldn't catch the guy in front of me despite my efforts to "drop the hammer" in the last mile. I was surprised when I placed 7th overall for I thought more hot shots were in front of me. Finish time was 50:33. Results.
Did a Fat Ass called Mac Ass 50k up in McMinville, OR in January. It seemed a full on race was actually taking place with a check in, tents, fires and all but once out there I realized it was a classic fat ass experience. Me and a few others in the front of the pack (which included some hot local runners) quickly took a wrong turn about 5 miles in and added another 5 miles or so to the already long 25k loop #1. With around 4000' of gain and 21 miles in the first loop me and a few others bailed when we got back to the beer and all the hot food. I would have liked to challenge myself with another loop but I had a huge blister on my left heel (new kicks, La Sportiva X-country) and put simply I had other things to do that day (wine tasting!).
In the beginning of Feb. I did my first road race, Zena Road Runs. Of the various distances I opted for the 15k which went from the Spring Valley Community Center out in NW Salem up Bethel Heights for a steepish (by road runners' standards) climb up to the ridge were we ran (quickly!) past some great Eola Hills scenery. The vineyards and Christmas trees went whizzing by as we flew down the hill back to Spring Valley Road. I clipped away a couple 5:30ish min/miles (fastest was 5:24) before heading over the giant rollers back to the start. I was surprised to take one place in the last mile and nearly take another in the last few hundred yards as the field seemed pretty spread out in front of me. Mile 8-9 was not entirely downhill by any means and I was able to eek a 5:48 in there. Guess there was still some gas in the tank which is a good sign. My 57:38 was good enough for 11th place in a fast crowd. Results.
I've been diligent about the track workouts (Mondays, though hardly with the group in the morning) and easy stuff (with them on Tues. and Thurs.). I've been doing hills at effort on Wednes. evenings. They are generally loops at Bushie ascents on the Derby Hill and descents down "Rollercoaster". The hill is not very significant so it's more of a 25 minute tempo effort than a real climb trainer.
Not too much long stuff. I joined some Corvallis folks (and Dennis G) for a nice run in the Mac back in December. No new trails but great conversation and a good longer effort at 23 miles with some of the bigger climbs the area offers. I did sneak in a marathon distance run a few Sunday's ago. It was on roads and gravel through the hills out south. The hilly run felt good but I did suffer some pain in my bottom left forefoot for a week of two following. Those Montrail Rogue Flys are shot, I can feel it. Time to retire them to the garden. Probably pick up another pair for the roads stuff as the uppers held up really well and they did last well over 700-800 miles. Plus they are half price, always a factor to consider when picking shoes! Just this past weekend I got out for another 20 miler on Mac's West Side with some cool dudes that basically wrote the Mac story. They knew every blade of grass out there as they made almost all the trails way back when. I forget how tough that side of the course is. Unfortunately, they are looking to add another big bump in the elevation profile this year at mile 27ish by routing it up the antenna hill. Just cruel...
Next up is Buck Mountain Mudslinger on 3/9. Ran the course with Kattie the weekend before last and it was in good shape (by Buck Mountain standards). It's since snowed and blowed a bunch so I am sure it will be treachorous again come race weekend. Hoping to do really well there this year. I was a newbie to running last year (I am still "new" but I've definitely got more training now) and finished in under an hour, this year I'd like to go around 50 minutes.
I feel like the Cinco de Mayo R2R2R with Nick and Dan trip is not going to pan out so I am looking for other options to fill out the Spring race calender. I am okay with this as the budget is a little tight right now and fall has always appealed to me more for this run. I'd like to do the Peterson Ridge Rumble 40 mile (or 20, that was fun last year). And the Mac 50k would be fun to do every year. Maybe I'll just come up with an adventure run somplace closeby and call it good with no races for awhile. We'll see.
I am currently signed up for Granite Man 10 Mile Run at Applegate Lake, Oregon on June 2nd. Don't know much about this one but I've been wanting to get down to Southern Oregon for an event for awhile now.
Whew, I've got to do recaps more often, this is really long winded...
Beginning of Dec. I did Shellburg Falls Run. It was classic Run Wild fare with a 6.8 mile course in the Dept. of Forestry lands just east of Salem (in Lyons). The course was a mixture of logging roads and single track, with lots of elevation gain and tight turns on the descents. I had a blast sailing through the heavily wooded course which was covered in fallen leaves with slimey, slick mud underneath. I am not sure if I'd lost my trail touch with all the road miles I'd been putting in or if my traction just sucked (on the the NB MT1010) but I fell more in this race than ever. My hands touched the ground on at least 3-4 occasions. My chest even hit the ground once. I wanted to fly down the final descent but all the tight corners had me hitting the brakes quite a bit to avoid more falls. In the end I couldn't catch the guy in front of me despite my efforts to "drop the hammer" in the last mile. I was surprised when I placed 7th overall for I thought more hot shots were in front of me. Finish time was 50:33. Results.
Did a Fat Ass called Mac Ass 50k up in McMinville, OR in January. It seemed a full on race was actually taking place with a check in, tents, fires and all but once out there I realized it was a classic fat ass experience. Me and a few others in the front of the pack (which included some hot local runners) quickly took a wrong turn about 5 miles in and added another 5 miles or so to the already long 25k loop #1. With around 4000' of gain and 21 miles in the first loop me and a few others bailed when we got back to the beer and all the hot food. I would have liked to challenge myself with another loop but I had a huge blister on my left heel (new kicks, La Sportiva X-country) and put simply I had other things to do that day (wine tasting!).
In the beginning of Feb. I did my first road race, Zena Road Runs. Of the various distances I opted for the 15k which went from the Spring Valley Community Center out in NW Salem up Bethel Heights for a steepish (by road runners' standards) climb up to the ridge were we ran (quickly!) past some great Eola Hills scenery. The vineyards and Christmas trees went whizzing by as we flew down the hill back to Spring Valley Road. I clipped away a couple 5:30ish min/miles (fastest was 5:24) before heading over the giant rollers back to the start. I was surprised to take one place in the last mile and nearly take another in the last few hundred yards as the field seemed pretty spread out in front of me. Mile 8-9 was not entirely downhill by any means and I was able to eek a 5:48 in there. Guess there was still some gas in the tank which is a good sign. My 57:38 was good enough for 11th place in a fast crowd. Results.
I've been diligent about the track workouts (Mondays, though hardly with the group in the morning) and easy stuff (with them on Tues. and Thurs.). I've been doing hills at effort on Wednes. evenings. They are generally loops at Bushie ascents on the Derby Hill and descents down "Rollercoaster". The hill is not very significant so it's more of a 25 minute tempo effort than a real climb trainer.
Not too much long stuff. I joined some Corvallis folks (and Dennis G) for a nice run in the Mac back in December. No new trails but great conversation and a good longer effort at 23 miles with some of the bigger climbs the area offers. I did sneak in a marathon distance run a few Sunday's ago. It was on roads and gravel through the hills out south. The hilly run felt good but I did suffer some pain in my bottom left forefoot for a week of two following. Those Montrail Rogue Flys are shot, I can feel it. Time to retire them to the garden. Probably pick up another pair for the roads stuff as the uppers held up really well and they did last well over 700-800 miles. Plus they are half price, always a factor to consider when picking shoes! Just this past weekend I got out for another 20 miler on Mac's West Side with some cool dudes that basically wrote the Mac story. They knew every blade of grass out there as they made almost all the trails way back when. I forget how tough that side of the course is. Unfortunately, they are looking to add another big bump in the elevation profile this year at mile 27ish by routing it up the antenna hill. Just cruel...
Next up is Buck Mountain Mudslinger on 3/9. Ran the course with Kattie the weekend before last and it was in good shape (by Buck Mountain standards). It's since snowed and blowed a bunch so I am sure it will be treachorous again come race weekend. Hoping to do really well there this year. I was a newbie to running last year (I am still "new" but I've definitely got more training now) and finished in under an hour, this year I'd like to go around 50 minutes.
I feel like the Cinco de Mayo R2R2R with Nick and Dan trip is not going to pan out so I am looking for other options to fill out the Spring race calender. I am okay with this as the budget is a little tight right now and fall has always appealed to me more for this run. I'd like to do the Peterson Ridge Rumble 40 mile (or 20, that was fun last year). And the Mac 50k would be fun to do every year. Maybe I'll just come up with an adventure run somplace closeby and call it good with no races for awhile. We'll see.
I am currently signed up for Granite Man 10 Mile Run at Applegate Lake, Oregon on June 2nd. Don't know much about this one but I've been wanting to get down to Southern Oregon for an event for awhile now.
Whew, I've got to do recaps more often, this is really long winded...
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
a new yr.
For 2013:
To accomplish improved health and financial soundness by:
1) set simple goals that don't involve grand changes. i.e. eat a salad as a meal everyday. tranformation in life comes easiest with small changes that create routine.
2) save more through reducing expenditures and waste and increasing resourcefulness.
3) run smart. always recover and stretch. it's as important as the workout itself (lesson learned in 2012)
4) race more often. thrive off of the motivation and challenge that comes with community.
5) write more letters.
6) love more.
7) continue to collect experiences not stuff.
8) listen to and make time to be with the elderly.
9) inspire others.
To accomplish improved health and financial soundness by:
1) set simple goals that don't involve grand changes. i.e. eat a salad as a meal everyday. tranformation in life comes easiest with small changes that create routine.
2) save more through reducing expenditures and waste and increasing resourcefulness.
3) run smart. always recover and stretch. it's as important as the workout itself (lesson learned in 2012)
4) race more often. thrive off of the motivation and challenge that comes with community.
5) write more letters.
6) love more.
7) continue to collect experiences not stuff.
8) listen to and make time to be with the elderly.
9) inspire others.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Others
Awhile back I discussed how running had been turning me into a lone wolf. While the long and lonely runs will always have their place in my training schedule for reasons I listed in that post, lately I've adjusted my routine and found my motivation coming from others a bit more. A friend noticed a few Salemites finishing times were really close to mine in the last race I did, the Condor 25k, and suggested I train with them. A few mouse clicks and a quick blog message later and I am making plans to join them for their Monday track stuff. I enjoyed the company of much more experienced runners and the workout so much I joined them for 12 road miles the following morning. That's saying a lot about how much I enjoyed my fellow runners' company: I might have gotten out the door at 5 a.m. before but never to run 12 miles of dreaded pavement.
I've also done a few runs with some great new people from the Run Wild clan. We did a couple of loops at Silver Falls (that together complete the upcoming marathon course) and I had a lot of fun out on the trails with some pretty fast guys. Good stuff.
Running with others has advantages: it can be motivating (especially when they are fast and experienced) and there is also an element of accountability that kind of goes with group stuff. I have been pretty accountable to myself and my goals all year but I could feel it waning a bit after being laid up with knee issues. There is also conversation that can be enlightening but is often quite entertaining if not anything else. Today it was noted that we (mostly them, as I mainly sit back and listen) have solved the world's problems on the morning runs: only one problem, everyone else is still asleep and not listening to our solutions.
Speaking of the knee... I am reluctant to say it's cured but I've been doing a different series of cheesy exercise and stretching vids I found on Hulu of all places and I've had no trouble. One is called 7 Minutes to Save Your Knees, another is a short abs workout and the last is a AM/PM Fitness Stretch vid complete with a lady in a one peice leotard suit. They might be cheesy but seriously, just like that my knee trouble is, dare I say, gone after what has been now months.
I've also done a few runs with some great new people from the Run Wild clan. We did a couple of loops at Silver Falls (that together complete the upcoming marathon course) and I had a lot of fun out on the trails with some pretty fast guys. Good stuff.
Running with others has advantages: it can be motivating (especially when they are fast and experienced) and there is also an element of accountability that kind of goes with group stuff. I have been pretty accountable to myself and my goals all year but I could feel it waning a bit after being laid up with knee issues. There is also conversation that can be enlightening but is often quite entertaining if not anything else. Today it was noted that we (mostly them, as I mainly sit back and listen) have solved the world's problems on the morning runs: only one problem, everyone else is still asleep and not listening to our solutions.
Speaking of the knee... I am reluctant to say it's cured but I've been doing a different series of cheesy exercise and stretching vids I found on Hulu of all places and I've had no trouble. One is called 7 Minutes to Save Your Knees, another is a short abs workout and the last is a AM/PM Fitness Stretch vid complete with a lady in a one peice leotard suit. They might be cheesy but seriously, just like that my knee trouble is, dare I say, gone after what has been now months.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
8 weeks marathon training
http://halhigdon.com/training/51153/Marathon-Multiple-Marathons-Training-Program
Scroll down to the bottom and where it says "8 weeks" and lists a bunch of numbers... That's what I'll be up to in the next couple months as I try to ease back onto the horse in preparation for the Silver Falls Marathon. I am going to stick with the schedule like glue as I think it allows enough free time to work on the other areas of fitness I need to address and get all the project around the house/yard done.
Since there will be a fair amount of hills on the course I will naturally be attacking hills when I get the opportunity. I am not sure of the benefits but I will also commit to riding my bike to work on Mondays and Fridays once farming duties subside a bit.
Stoked!
Scroll down to the bottom and where it says "8 weeks" and lists a bunch of numbers... That's what I'll be up to in the next couple months as I try to ease back onto the horse in preparation for the Silver Falls Marathon. I am going to stick with the schedule like glue as I think it allows enough free time to work on the other areas of fitness I need to address and get all the project around the house/yard done.
Since there will be a fair amount of hills on the course I will naturally be attacking hills when I get the opportunity. I am not sure of the benefits but I will also commit to riding my bike to work on Mondays and Fridays once farming duties subside a bit.
Stoked!
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