Ultramarathon Training

The quiet

2011-07-08T17:39:00.004-04:00

before the storm.

I have not posted to this blog for a while. I've taken on more CrossFit, less ultrarunning. More on that later.

Anyway, came across this video today, wanted to share.

http://beanathlete.tumblr.com/post/7363246904/this-video-gave-me-chills-the-sounds-and-the

Whatever you do out there... do it hard. Then breathe.

Running Through the Wall: a review

2011-04-14T09:36:00.002-04:00

I stumbled upon this very kind and thorough review of RTTW.

Thanks Sheri. Good luck with your running.

Kindle edition: Running Through the Wall

2011-03-15T20:21:00.003-04:00

Both my books are now available at a low price for the Kindle. Other e-book editions are coming soon.

The Thrill of Victory, the Agony of My Feet

Running Through the Wall

And if you are looking for a new book on ultrarunning, check out the latest and greatest how-to book that can help you get to your first or next ultra.

Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons

Pre-order your copy now. It will be out in April.

Run hard out there.

Boston Marathon makes qualifying tougher, only the fastest get in

2011-02-16T19:12:00.005-05:00

Boston is cracking down. The faster you run your qualifying race, the better your chances of getting in. Scrap the lottery system that lets just anyone in. You must be tough. You have to be fast. You have to train hard. You might even have to do some speed work!

Oprah, are you ready for your comeback?

Run hard out there...

Tight IT Band and Hip Flexors

2011-01-11T12:33:00.001-05:00

If you are not following KStar's Mobility WOD... you should be. While they don't all apply to runners, some of them really hit home.

Run hard out there.

2010 Bike Commute Summary

2010-12-23T10:35:00.002-05:00

One of the things I wish I did more of in 2010 is ride my bike to work. Here's how 2010 ended up for me (I'm on vacation next week, so no opportunity to change these numbers).

Bike Commute Days: 46
Miles: ~ 550
Gallons of Gas Saved: ~ 27
Gas Money Saved: ~ $70

46 days is ok, but I would have liked to have done better. In 2009, I set a goal of riding 90 days. I rode 34 days in 2008. Despite the much higher goal for 2009, I only slightly increased my number of commute days to 39. This year, without really trying, I increased to 46 days, so I am happy about that.

But I still want to do better.

Here is where I go wrong: I don't really start riding until March, and I pretty much quit in November. Hmmm... Could it be the winter weather that keeps me in?

We had a lot of snow and ice winter of 2009/2010. And so far for the end of 2010, it has been the cold weather and wind.

Seems like I need to gear up!

Some things on my dream list I need to turn my LeMond Poprad cyclocross bike into the ultimate year-round commuter:

Full length fenders, front and back
38c Knobby or Semi-slick tires for potential winter weather
Better pants for cold weather riding, perhaps rain pants too
Comfortable Balaclava that will fit under helmet
Reflective tape to make me more visible

What else? Is it too late for me to go see Santa?

Run hard out there...

Thankful

2010-11-24T14:48:00.002-05:00

Thankful that, for now at least, I am blessed with the ability to run. Thankful that sometimes I can even run fast and/or long. Thankful for a family that lets me get out and run, even if, for now, it is not their thing. Thankful for a job that allows me to get out on some trails on my lunch hour and a city that gives me places to do it. Especially thankful for friends and co-workers who keep me company out there.

Of course I am thankful for a lot more than just that. But it's a start.

What are you thankful for?

Run hard out there...

This is why I wrote the book...

2010-11-18T06:45:00.002-05:00

To inspire others. I love it when I hear people say that it was my book that got them to start running trails or running ultras. That's why I did it.

Run hard out there...

Mobility exercises for Plantar Fasciitis

2010-11-08T11:11:00.002-05:00

Great Mobility WOD for the dreaded Plantar Fasciitis.

Check it out here.
http://mobilitywod.blogspot.com/2010/11/episode-77365-plantar-fasciitis.html

Thanks Kelly for another great set of exercises.

I'm definitely going to remember this one.

Run hard out there...

My other book

2010-11-06T12:26:00.002-04:00

It's interesting that Running Through the Wall sells pretty well while my other book, almost the exact same format, but about adventure racing, is not selling at all.

Does this say something about the two sports?

If you are not familiar with my other book, Google Books has a large portion of it online. Check it out.

Run hard out there...

Good Company on Amazon.com

2010-10-27T15:06:00.004-04:00

Mobility vs. Injury

2010-09-15T19:40:00.004-04:00

Long time no post. Anyone who knows me personally or follows this blog knows that the only time I ever stop talking about running is when I am injured. Well, it's that time of year again. Some things crept up on me, then a hard descent down Mt. Mitchell in the wrong shoes along with a couple hours of ultimate frisbee in the wrong shoes have introduced me to the wonderful world of ankle tendinitis. I've never felt one like this before.

Along the way, however, I have discovered that working on mobility is the way to keep things like this from happening. The injuries of my past and present: ITBS, foot and ankle tendinitis, and low back pain can all be cured, that's right cured, by introducing some mobility exercises into your daily routine.

This guy, Kelly Starrett, or KStar, is here to show us the way. Runners start with this post, and work your way around his blog and around you body. Regain your youth in 10 minutes per day. While I cannot run, this is what I will be working on.

Run hard out there...

Rain

2010-08-24T20:29:00.002-04:00

What is it about rain that turns an average run into an Epic Adventure? Today's run was a perfect example.

The plan:

Run to Highland Park, and run 2 miles worth of hill repeats (about 20 hills), doing 10 push-ups at the bottom and 10 sit-ups at the top of each repeat. There was some dread about running through the long grass that we jogged through yesterday. On the way to the park, the humidity was very high, it was going to be a sweaty run to say the least.

The reality:

We got there to find the grass very freshly mowed (the mowers were parked at the top of the hill, taking a lunch break). Good, but the grass was about 10 inches tall, so what's left was a wet, green, shirt staining mess.

Oh well. 3, 2, 1, let's go!

Just as we started the workout, the sky opened and the rain started to fall. The temperature probably dropped 10 degrees almost instantly. A few minutes into the workout, it really started pouring. I mean torrential.

It was beautiful.

We found ourselves laughing like children running up and down that hill. We were blinded by the huge summer droplets, making the pot holes hard to dodge. Still, the kid in us ran, as hard he possibly could. It turned into an epic workout that we will remember for some time. Somewhere along the way I told Sammy that I hoped we never got tired of working out like that, and that I hoped we never said, "Not today, it looks like rain."

And I mean it.

On the way back downtown, the rain stopped. It's funny how things work out like that.

Run hard out there.

Fog on Fulhardt Knob

2010-08-15T22:34:00.002-04:00

It's amazing what a difference one day can make in the weather.

Friday it was in the 90s, sunny and hot. Then a front moved in.

Saturday we ran in temperatures in the high 60s, low 70s in the hottest part of the afternoon. Here is a pic from the top of Fulhardt Knob, in a thick fog.

Then today, it was back in the upper 80s again.

What will tomorrow bring?

Run hard out there...

Mountain Running

2010-08-14T20:28:00.005-04:00

What a way to end the week: three days in a row of mountain running.

Thursday we ran up Mill Mountain. Not a mighty mountain, but also not a bad start to the weekend. 6 miles.

Friday evening we ran up and over McAfee's Knob. That was a fun run finished off with a good (late) meal with BBQ and (some new) friends. 8 miles.

Saturday Jay and I ran the AT from 220N to Fulhardt Knob Shelter and a mile beyond before turning around and running back to the car. The humidity had to have been 111%, but the temperature was comfortable for the first time in weeks. The mountain was covered in a heavy fog which collected in the webs of the orb weavers, decorating our path along the way. It was the most beautiful run I've had in some time. A bit challenging too. 14 miles.

Sunday will be a day of rest, before getting into another week of fun.

Run hard out there...

Run the mountain

2010-08-05T09:55:00.006-04:00

(Sandbag Hillclimb, 2009 CrossFit Games)

Today we run the mountain at lunch. How high can you get on your lunch hour?

Run hard out there...

Dedication

2010-07-29T08:53:00.005-04:00

So here's what one of my lunchtime running friends told me this morning:

"I washed my running clothes last night and forgot to get them out of the dryer. I remembered when I was about half way to work this morning (he has an hour long commute). So I stopped by Walmart and bought a pair of shorts and a shirt. I hope they fit!"

That's what I call dedication. What's your excuse for not running today?

Run hard out there...

Is sitting bad for your health?

2010-07-28T09:02:00.003-04:00

Some people think it is.

Run hard out there...

Crossfit Endurance WOD review 7/20/2010

2010-07-20T19:10:00.004-04:00

Today I did the Crossfit Endurance WOD as prescribed.

One Minute Ladder:

Warmup

All Out Efforts.

1min on, 1 min off, 1 min on, 50 sec off, 1 min on, 40 sec off, 1 min on, 30 sec off, 1 min on 20 sec off, 1 min on, 10 sec off, then go back up the ladder until you finish with 1 min on, 50 sec off, 1 min on.

Cooldown

Timing this workout can be difficult, especially in the later intervals when the mind gets a little fuzzy. I programmed the workout into my Garmin Forerunner, and it worked beautifully. It even features a 5-second countdown timer as each interval is about to end.

The recommended warm-up is an 800m easy jog followed by a few short sprints to prepare the legs for hard running.

This workout definitely got harder as the rest periods got shorter. But I was surprised to find that my distance covered on the run intervals was consistently 0.18 miles. My average run pace was around 5:30/mile. I think I was being conservative, but I won’t know until I try it next time.

The total workout was 2.35 miles, just over 16 minutes. 1.8 miles of hard running.

Give it a shot sometime, and let me know what you think.

Run hard out there...

Today: Sprints

2010-07-19T19:51:00.004-04:00

It was just a few of the boys today, so we ran to River's Edge and did some sprints on the soccer field. Total running 5 miles. Sprinting all out? Probably about a mile.

Before the workout I was having the Monday morning "blahs," and almost opted for a slice of pizza instead of a run. But it is amazing how much better I felt after that workout. Instead of the pizza I had some garden fresh tomatoes and cucumbers.

What a great way to start what's going to be a great week.

If you are not sprinting in your workouts, you should try it. Google "benefits of sprinting" to see why. But ease into it if you are new to sprinting.

Run hard out there...

Crossfit Games

2010-07-17T22:01:00.002-04:00

Want to see some elite athletes? Watch the Crossfit Games live. Good stuff.

Constantly Varied

2010-07-16T23:28:00.003-04:00

One of the reasons Crossfit workouts work is that they are "constantly varied." Keep the body guessing. What's next? You want me to do what?!?

Variety in exercises, sets, reps, weight, rounds, etc. is the key to developing every component of physical fitness.

It works for runners too. Run slow miles every day? Great if you want to be a slow runner.

Keep the body guessing.

So I asked my friends Jay and Amanda at Brickhouse Crossfit today, "At what point will constantly varied not equate to constantly sore?"

They did not really have a good answer. Variety is the spice of life.

You know that "good sore" feeling? I'm feeling it right now. And loving it.

Run hard out there...

Circle Work

2010-07-14T07:05:00.004-04:00

This is always a fun workout when you are with a group.

Circle Work

Form a circle. Every 30 seconds take turns calling out a favorite exercise. Repeat this for 20 minutes.

We did burpees, crunches, squats, jumping jacks, pushups, high knee raises, mountain climbers, plank, more burpees, and so on.

Constantly varied, almost random. Very easy to time with the Gymboss.

Run hard out there...

Crossfit Endurance

2010-07-09T08:34:00.003-04:00

I'm heading down to Charlotte, NC this weekend to take a Crossfit Endurance Certification course. I've posted about Crossfit Endurance before, and I believe it works. Now I am going to dive deeper.

I'll post details next week.

Run hard out there...

Sweaty Clothes

2010-06-16T18:47:00.004-04:00

Okay, Summer is here. Not officially yet, but lunchtime workouts in the 90s confirms it in my book. The result for me and plenty of others I know: Several pounds of wet clothes.

Today my shorts were so wet (from sweat!) I decided just to wear them in the shower, rinse them out and maybe get another day out of them. But alas, they ended up in the grocery bag at the bottom of my messenger bag with the wrung out shirt and very damp socks. A heavy reminder of yet another great workout (today was a 5-mile tempo run).

I visited one of my co-workers today in her office and the first thing I noticed was her clear plastic bag of wet clothes in the floor. She quickly moved it out of the way, perhaps embarrassed, I don't know. They certainly did not bother me. But it got me thinking... there has got to be a better way.

So I did a quick search, and I found a lovely solution. The Sweat Bag.

Most of the designs are a little feminine for my taste, but I think they might make the perfect gift for the woman in your life who has to deal with 5 pounds of sweaty clothes on a daily basis. Come on guys, encourage the sweat!

For now, I'll probably stick with the plastic grocery bag. Turn it inside out each day and it will last for weeks.

What do you do with your post-workout sweaty clothes?

Run hard out there...

Running Through The Wall: a new review

2010-05-19T17:50:00.005-04:00

With only a few reviews of my book on amazon.com,
I'm always excited when I get a new one.
Here is the most recent:

Hey, 3 out of 5 ain't bad! Thanks J.

If anyone wants to borrow my copy, let me know.

Run hard out there.

Crossfit-like Endurance Training Revisited

2010-05-19T16:52:00.007-04:00

On April 24, I ran the first ever Blue Ridge Marathon. It was a tough road course, boasting 3,100' of climbing, all within a few miles of my hometown, Roanoke, VA. It was a great run, and I had a very fun time.

I was a bit nervous about this one because I was trying again to run a long, tough endurance run on very little mileage. I am no longer following "Crossfit Endurance" as prescribed, but I do still workout like that. My daily runs are usually 3-5 miles with lots of high intensity sprints, hills, squats, planks, pushups. burpees, etc. thrown in. In fact, the workouts focus on the sprinting and the "calisthenics," the running is just transportation to/from the park were we workout. I think I did about 4 long runs (13-21 miles) in preparation for this marathon. But they were very spread apart, and most of them on trails, not roads. To break it down even more, my 2010 weekly mileage has only crossed 25 miles per week 3 times. My longest week was just under 40 miles two weeks before the marathon. Most of my weeks this year have been at or under 20 miles running with lots of cross training.

(image from RunningAhead.com, where I log all of my runs)

I approached the marathon not knowing how my body would respond to this low mileage. So I started out very conservatively. My goal was to run aerobically (conversational pace) for as long as possible. I knew that would last only a few miles before the climbing started. Over the first few climbs I was feeling great. The fourth climb is the big one up Roanoke Mountain Overlook. This would be the pinnacle of the race. I chose to walk most of that climb, and still caught many people along the way. I knew I could comfortably walk a 12-13 minute mile, so that's what I did.

At the top of that climb, I realized that with most of the climbing behind me, I was averaging 9 minute miles, and feeling great. At that point I knew a sub 4-hour marathon was in my sights. I continued to push, anticipating the "wall" that hits me in most marathons around 18 miles in. 18 miles came, no wall. 20, no wall. 22, no wall, and at this point I was picking up speed. Several times between 20 and 24 I caught myself running a 7-minute per mile pace. I was having a blast, passing people, cheering on other runners and (half marathon) walkers. I found that the more I encouraged others, the better I felt.

End result: a pretty tough road marathon, 3:53, on very little weekly mileage. I recovered quickly, and was back to my crossfit-style workouts on Monday. Can this type of training get me back into ultra shape? I'm going to find out.

Run hard out there.

Swimsuit season is 25 days away

2010-05-05T08:02:00.002-04:00

Swimsuit season is almost here. Are you ready? What sacrifices will you make to be ready?

Eat cleaner. Give up deserts. No empty calories.
Exercise more. Up the intensity. Run some hills.
Sleep more. It really does matter.

Run hard out there.

How to take down a giant

2010-04-27T14:05:00.005-04:00

Now we're talking! Could a 25-cent toy be the chink in the fast food industry's armor?

Happy Meal toys could be banned in Santa Clara County

A county supervisor has created a stir with his proposal to bar the inclusion of toys in restaurant meals that contain high amounts of sugar, salt or certain fats.

Happy EARTH DAY 2010

2010-04-22T06:42:00.002-04:00

Happy Earth Day everyone. Take a small trash bag on your run today and see if you can pick up a few bits of litter.

May is Clean Commute Month. See what programs are in your area and take the pledge to walk, run, bike, hop, skip, jump part or all of your way to work.

My commuter bike is on display this morning in the lobby of the building where I work. Last year we were able to get a modest number of people here to ride bikes to work. I'm hoping for more this year.

Run hard out there.

Poor Mountain continued

2010-03-30T19:53:00.007-04:00

Some of my favorite images from our Poor Mountain run:

Trespassers will be shot on sight.
Yeah right.

Jay reaching the top before me.

"Well, it looks like the gangs have run up here." -Jay

"Do not stop, keep moving." Something about radiation?
Uh, okay.
(What's that tingling sensation?!?)

Cool towers.

Pretty neat, huh?

Did I mention we missed the summit by a few hundred yards?
I can see the real summit from my neighborhood.

It is taunting me.
Tingling.

Run hard out there.

Exploring Poor Mountain

2010-03-20T20:11:00.007-04:00

Jay, Anita and I decided to spend the first day of spring exploring the highest mountain in both Roanoke and Montgomery counties. The 3928 foot summit of Poor Mountain is home to several (many!) radio, television, and who knows what else antennas. That was our destination, and man what a day to do it. 19 miles total for the run. Probably about 3000 feet gain for the day.

I'll post some pics of the structures we found up there at a later date. But for now, here is the topo.

We didn't know it until we got back to the car and looked at the map, but we turned around just short of a lookout. Oh well, now we have a good excuse to go back.

Run hard out there.

Spring is (almost) here

2010-03-17T19:12:00.003-04:00

Friday's forecast is 71 degrees, sunny. If all goes well, I'll be taking my lunchtime-workout buddies up this route. Most of them are very new to trail running. The snow is gone, so I am interested to see how much easier this climb is on dry turf.

I told my friends that when we finish we might have some small scratches on our arms and legs, but we will definitely have BIG smiles on our faces.

I'll send an update after the run.

Today's lunchtime workout:

Bodyweight 400

Run to the park
Repeat the following circuit 4 times. Minimal rest.

25 Squats
25 Pushups
25 Crunches
25 Burpees

Run (walk) back downtown.

This is one of the toughest we do in the limited time we have. Today everyone completed the entire workout. That's 16-20 minutes of pure anaerobic activity.

Run hard out there.

AT/Catawba update

2010-03-02T20:39:00.004-05:00

I've got some friends planning a little run on the AT around Catawba this Saturday. Here is a trail report:

I was on the trails on Sunday. The dark sides of the mountains still have lots of snow, and we are getting more now, tonight and tomorrow. My front yard was clear this morning, now it is white again. I can see the slopes that lean towards I-81, and they are very white. Nights between now and Saturday are below freezing. Days are above. Saturday the forecast is for sunny, with a high of 53. Perfect afternoon for refreshments off the trail. But first you have to make it off the trail.

I recommend: gaiters, beefy shoes, a change or two of socks, pants with the ability to change to shorts, short sleeve shirt with a light wind breaker, gloves and something for the head. Sunglasses (snowglasses ?) will be important too.

Run hard out there...

More than one way up a mountain

2010-02-21T17:50:00.009-05:00

I've lived most my life here at the base of Mill Mountain, and probably looked at that "scar" (I prefer to call it a beauty mark) up the side the mountain more days that I care to count. There used to be an "incline" (cable car) that took wealthy patrons straight up the mountain to the theater at the top. The incline is gone. Now there is a power line and a 20 yard wide strip of briars and other thick brush left behind.

(The "scar" rises from behind the hospital to the top of Mill Mountain)

As a child, I always wanted to explore that incline. Once I became a trail runner the attraction was even stronger. And with the snow on the mountain this winter, it has looked more appealing than ever.

So today I did it.

Getting to the scar involved some skirting around public works and hospital property. But from the road, I was climbing the incline in less than 10 minutes. Staying the middle of the scar was almost impossible due to the briars that wanted to shred my legs and arms and back and stomach and face. I quickly learned that if I were smart (like the deer whose tracks I finally followed to the top), I would get out of the scar and stay in the natural woods to the right.

(looking up at the steepest part of the climb)

It only took me about 30 minutes to make the climb. My GPS tells me it was about 0.6 miles of steep climbing. Enough to break a sweat, but not nearly enough to wear me out. I have seen the view from the top many times, but today it was better than ever, knowing I had finally realized a boyhood dream.

(View from the top)

From the top I took a series of trails back down, turning a 0.6 mile climb into a nice 4 mile run. The trails around here are still very snow covered. But the 50+ degree temps today made them quite runnable.

Run hard out there...

Top 5

2010-02-06T17:40:00.007-05:00

I don't follow sales ranks very closely, but it's always fun when I see something like this. Click on the image to zoom.

Today's Workout

2010-02-06T17:13:00.002-05:00

Snow Shoveling! 2 straight hours. Oh man, does the sofa feel good about right now.

Some people do this for exercise!

No wonder I'm tired!

Run hard out there...

SNOW!

2010-02-05T16:52:00.002-05:00

This is our second large snowstorm in two weeks. We have a good 6-8 inches already, and it is still falling. I cannot wait until I can get out to the Parkway for some good running in the snow!

Today's workout:

Run 3 miles on the treadmill (that's about all I can take). Every half mile, hop off the treadmill and do 2 minutes of high intensity exercises like Burpees, squat jumps, mountain climbers, etc. Then hop back on the hamster wheel and run some more.

I followed that up with a full hour of snow shoveling.

Run hard out there...

Crossfit Endurance strikes again

2010-01-19T19:51:00.004-05:00

Mark Matyazic, 2nd place Javelina Jundred 100 Mile run. 17:22:09. Check out the video [wmv] [mov]. It was his first hundred miler. He seems to be in pretty good shape at the end too.

He trained the AnaerobicEndurance (aka Crossfit Endurance) way. No details yet about his training, but you can bet it was not the traditional long slow distance high weekly mileage plan.

Run hard out there...

Today's Workout -- Hill Repeats, 100 Burpees

2010-01-10T17:54:00.003-05:00

Went to Fishburn Park, and ran hill repeats on one of my favorite hills. I was only looking for about a 40 minute workout due to time constraints, so 10 repeats worked out great. I did 10 Burpees at the top each time for a total of 100 Burpees. There is still a whole lot of ice and snow here. Temperatures are finally going to get above freezing this week, so maybe some of it will go away.

I think the Burpees are getting easier.

Run hard out there.

Today's workout, 10K and Burpees

2010-01-09T14:03:00.004-05:00

I ran the Frozen Toe 10K this morning. Most of the run is on the 5.6 mile Chestnut Ridge Loop, one of my favorite running trails in this area. The trail was about 70% covered in snow and ice, which made for some interesting running. Despite going out too fast, I was pleased with my time and performance.

Mountain Junkies not only put on great races, but they catalog all of the local trails and give a whole heck of a lot back to the community. Check out their races. You will not be disappointed.

I was home alone after the run, and had some extra energy, so I knocked out 100 Burpees while listening to The Ramones, Rocket to Russia. Most of the rest of the day will be spent on the couch watching college hoops.

Nice day to be outside

2010-01-07T18:49:00.003-05:00

We've had a warming trend here, so a couple of us got outside for a lunchtime workout:

Jog to the park (about 1 mile)
10 x (10 burpees, jog down/up hill)
Run the long way (3 miles) back to downtown

A great day to be outside.

Run hard out there...

Today's workout

2010-01-05T17:22:00.004-05:00

No time during lunch, decided to fire up the treadmill at home:

1/2 mile run
10 Burpees
Repeat for a total of 6 times

3 miles, 60 burpees. Particle in the earphones. Not a bad way to spend half an hour.

100 day, 100 Burpee challenge ends today

2010-01-03T18:22:00.000-05:00

But I did do three Burpees today -- January 3rd, 2010.

100 more Burpees

2010-01-02T15:38:00.001-05:00

100 more Burpees today and oh man, two days in a row of this and I've just about had it.

Burpees

2010-01-01T13:07:00.003-05:00

I've written about them before. Beloved exercise of tough people everywhere. The mighty Burpee. Yes, with an uppercase B. Approach this one with respect my friend. Because it will slap you down hard if you don't.

People everywhere talk about the 100 day Burpee challenge. 1 burpee on Jan 1, 2 on the 2nd, 3 on the third. Are you asleep yet? No offense to those who attempt the challenge. Never having done it, it could be a lot tougher than I think. Recall my history with New Year's goals.

But here is a real challenge. 100 burpees per day for 100 days. Or as long as you can do it. I just did 100... not my best time at it, but I finished them all during No Quarter from The Song Remains the Same.

Run hard out there.

Goals Shmoals

2009-12-31T16:49:00.005-05:00

So 2009 did not go as planned, from a fitness goal standpoint. Sub 14 hour Hellgate. 100 push-ups. 20 pull-ups. Oh well. So I didn't make it.

But...

I can do a heckuva lot more push-ups that I could 365 days ago. My sprint endurance has improved. Today I shoveled snow and didn't even get winded.

What's in store for 2010? Not sure yet. But you can be sure the bar is not getting any lower.

2009 Hellgate: End of a Fun Run

2009-12-06T18:56:00.004-05:00

Well, it's official. I'm not running the 2009 Hellgate 100k. My heart and mind were just not into it this year enough to get me there. I told Horton this past week that I was out. I think he knew it anyway. I'm a bit sad, but it's just a race, right?

I celebrated today with a great run on the trails of Mill Mountain. The 12 miles felt almost effortless as we made our way up, down, around, up, and down again. The beauty and spirit of the run today made me question my decision. Six Hellgates in a row. My streak has ended. It was a fun run.

Below is an image of today's 12 miler. Every bit of it, I believe, within the Roanoke City limits.

Good luck Hellgate runners. No full moon this year.

Run hard out there...

Today's Intense Workout

2009-12-02T18:02:00.002-05:00

Today's workout:

38 degrees, pouring rain.

Jog to the park, about 1 mile.

I had my timer set to beep every minute, for 20 minutes. On the start of every minute:

10 push-ups
100 Yard Sprint
Rest till next minute.

Jog back downtown.

It's a keeper.

Run hard out there...

Gymboss Timer Revisited

2009-11-26T09:11:00.004-05:00

Last May I wrote about a neat little timer gadget called the Gymboss. My in-laws bought me one for my birthday and I immediately started using it for timed workouts. I had recently attended a kettlebell clinic in Atlanta, which is the first place I ever saw one of these little timers in action, and I knew I had to have one. There's a popular workout in the kettlebell community designed to raise VO2Max. It is 30 seconds of work, followed by 30 seconds of rest, repeated for 20-40 minutes.

A bit of searching turned up some interesting research on this protocol. A good deal of it is summed up in this article, along with a sample interval workout.

After some playing around with the protocol, here's what I came up with.

The VO2Max To The Max Workout:

30 seconds running (about 90% effort)
30 seconds rest
30 seconds burpees
30 seconds rest
Repeat for duration.

The first time we tried this workout we did it for 20 minutes and knew immediately it was a keeper. Yesterday we attempted it again, this time for 25 minutes. This is definitely a workout I plan to keep around. Some of my workout buddies have suggested mixing in other exercises instead of the burpees (jumping jacks, high knees, mtn climbers, etc.). I might consider that next time we do it. And of course, you could just run for the entire time, but I prefer to mix it up and get some full body work in there with the burpees.

The Gymboss timer takes the guesswork out of workouts like this, and it also keeps you honest. Set it to beep every 30 seconds, and to stop at 25 minutes or whatever duration you desire (or unlimited time if you just want to go till you drop). Setting the duration of the workout up front helps to keep me honest. I won't stop till the Gymboss says to stop.

Will Running Kill Me?

2009-10-22T07:15:00.003-04:00

I've wondered about this since I had a heart scare in 2006, when I was in the best running shape of my life. Is "obsessive" running bad for the heart? When I heard about deaths in Detroit last week, it rekindled the question in my mind.

The docs over at Science of Sport have a long post about it. Their conclusion:

"The reality is that people who die during exercise have some underlying, probably undetected condition that predisposes them to a cardiac event during exercise.
...
So in the light of the latest events, and until toxicology reports are in, deciding on the cause is premature. Agreeing that it's sad for all involved, but recognizing that it's not running that killed them, is the way to go!"

Run hard out there...

Exploring the mountains

2009-10-18T15:22:00.010-04:00

(all images from Google Earth. Click to zoom.)

Sometimes the best runs are those that are begun without thoughts of time or mileage. Thanks to tools like Google Earth and GPS, it is easy to find places to explore right in your own backyard. As long as you respect private property and Leave No Trace, the world is at your, um, toetips.

My running buddy Jay and I spent most of Saturday exploring Fort Lewis Mountain. This mountain runs from Bradshaw Rd in east Salem, VA all the way to Ironto, west of West Salem. Its ridge line runs about 13 miles, making it one of the longest continuous ridges in the Roanoke area. The highest point on the mountain is around 3300 feet, but we started our run at around 1250 feet on the valley floor. We climbed about a mile through the Forest Acres neighborhood (including the new construction which seems to be continuously encroaching higher and higher). At the end of the asphalt, we left civilization and started our adventure.

4.5 miles later we were at about 3100 feet and we begin exploring the ridge. First we checked out what we thought was the summit to our right. We found a radio tower and some interesting stuff that seemed to be weather station related. As we started along the ridge, Jay suggested that we try to get in 20 miles for the day. 20 miles would be my longest run since March, by several miles. So I told him I would let him know later if that was in the cards.

One of our goals for the day was to find what our map called a "lookout tower." We ran for miles along the ridge in search of, but never finding anything resembling a lookout tower. We were following what appeared to be an old power or phone line, so we kept on running. Just as we were about to give up and turn around, Jay spotted a tall radio tower just ahead. His discovery led us to a complex of FAA towers and radio towers. Pretty neat stuff.

We had come 12.5 miles out and we both had places to be and people to see later that evening. Our goal for the day was to get in a good run and explore this unfamiliar ridge. We reveled in success as we turned around and headed back. The "back" was about an hour faster than the "out," not hard to do when you consider how much of it was down hill.

What a great day to explore the mountains!

Run hard out there.

Cold and Miserable

2009-10-14T19:14:00.004-04:00

I rode my bike to work this morning. It was dry and 51 degrees. Shorts and a long sleeve wind jacket proved to be too much and I had a good sweat going by the time I got to work (rarely a goal, given that I have no showers available in the morning). By lunchtime, it had dropped 10 degrees outside. It was windy and raining hard.

A few of us ignored the weather and went out for a quick run and a workout. All I could think was how happy I was that Hellgate weather was finally coming to town.

The workout?

1 mile jog to the park, then a prison workout (descending sets) starting at 10 of:
Burpees, push-ups, crunches
Run 50 yards,
repeat until done.

12 minutes later we were done with the workout, and continued for another couple miles back to downtown.

It was cold and miserable. I was in Heaven.

Run hard out there.

Fun with GPS

2009-08-22T14:40:00.006-04:00

Last week I read an article in the NY Times about using GPS to create artwork. I discussed this with some friends a long time ago, and we never did it. I guess we missed out on an opportunity, so now if we do it, we are just being trendy.

(Michael Nagle of the New York Times)

There are two reasons why I sometimes wish I lived in a big city. 1) so I could ride my fixed-gear bike everywhere (also quite trendy I am told), and 2) so I could do neat art stuff like this.

Inspired by the article, I decided to make some artwork during my morning high intensity sprint/pushup workout.

The workout, in case you are interested was a "prison" workout with pushups.

25 pushups, sprint 100yards, walk 30 yards,
24 pushups, spring 100 yards, walk 30 yards,
23...
22...
all the way down to 1.

Brutal. My arms are still a bit shaky as I type this.

Slightly disappointed by my first GPS art effort, I went out for a longer run and captured it for the sake of art. Here it is:

Ok, maybe not.

Run hard out there...

Blue Ridge Parkway Marathon

2009-08-15T15:51:00.008-04:00

There's a buzz around Roanoke about a new marathon: The Blue Ridge Marathon. It's scheduled for April 24, 2010. I registered for it last week. It's going to be a doozie, climbing Mill Mountain twice, and running around the "4-mile loop" over Roanoke Mountain, which I've read is the steepest spur road off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Then at 24 miles, it hits one of the steepest hills in Roanoke City. Someone had an evil grin on his face when he designed this course.

I ran the 4-mile loop the other evening, and my quads are still sore from the 2+ mile, 1000' downhill pounding. People who sign up for this one had better train on that loop, or else they will be in for a big surprise.

I'm not sure why they say this one is "on the Parkway," although it does benefit Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Runners will be on the actual BRP for about a quarter of a mile. I guess relating it to one of the most famous drives in the southeast will bring in more runners.

This event is being put on by Ronny Angell of Odyssey Adventure Racing. Ronny knows how to put on races, so it is pretty much guaranteed to be a success.

Seriously, if you are thinking about running this one, make sure to test your legs on the 4-mile loop before race day.

Run hard out there.

Running Through The Wall

2009-07-24T12:26:00.010-04:00

Amazon.com has lowered the price of my book to a bargain basement price of $10.98. It has been selling pretty good since it came out in 2003. In fact, sales have picked up in the last few years due to the increased popularity of our sport. Today it was ranked #16 in the "Exercise & Fitness: Marathons" category on Amazon. Note that they do not have an Ultramarathon category. Yet.

Post a comment or contact me via email if you want to order a personal autographed copy of Running Through the Wall for $11, shipping included.

When I started working on the book, I never thought I'd run more than 50 miles at one time. I thought those who ran hundreds were whacked. Ironically, a year and a half later, on the day I received the first shipment from the publisher, I was leaving to run my first hundred miler. Interviewing and writing about some of the best ultrarunners in the world motivated me to run like I never thought possible.

I hope Running Through the Wall will do the same for you.

Run hard out there.

Antioxidants, and heading to the beach

2009-07-24T11:05:00.004-04:00

I wanted to pass this along from Dean's Newsletter:

Did you know?
ORAC is a measurement of a food’s antioxidant capacity. Oranges have a score of 2,000, Red Apples 4,000, and Blueberries over 9,000. The so-called “Superfruits” (e.g., Acai, Goji, Mangosteen) can have values exceeding 20,000! .

ORAC is the "oxygen radical absorbency capacity," and berries, which are in season right now, have tons of it. Apples, just coming into season are very high too. In fact, if you ate mostly in-season fruits and veggies, you would certainly not be lacking in the ORAC category.

It's been a while since I posted, and it will be a bit longer because I am heading to Hilton Head Island, SC next week for a well needed family vacation. If you've never been to Hilton Head before, I highly recommend you check it out. It is the best beach I've ever seen for running. It's flat, about 100 yards wide, and after a nice rain, you can run for miles without seeing anyone.

My back injury is much better now, and in the last two weeks I've been able to return to some running. I've kept up my biking, so I have not lost too much fitness.

Run hard out there, and eat your superfruits.

Matt and Lily

2009-06-19T14:58:00.003-04:00

Matt and Lily are over halfway back home now. They ducked into our place for a couple days to get out of the rain. We shared some good meals and lots of laughs over legos and Wii Bowling. I hope I don't have Matt hooked on video games now. Somehow I doubt it.

Continue to check out Matt's blog for updated photos from their journey. They left here with 14 days and about 530 miles under their belts. We loaded them down with leftover food and drink, and wished them well as they were once again on their way.

Two beautiful people, living the dream...

Out of commission, but here's some interesting reading

2009-06-12T13:01:00.003-04:00

I hurt my back a couple weeks ago playing Ultimate with a bunch of 20 year old kids. After a week I was back to about 90%, but then I did too much too soon, and now I'm hurt again. It's keeping me from running, which I don't appreciate at all. I'm going to try to get in to see a doctor today to rule out anything more than muscle strain.

When I'm not running or working out I don't feel much like writing about running and working out. So here are some links to blog entries that have caught my eyes lately.

Run hard out there...

Another Crossfit Endurance success story -- MMT 100!

2009-05-24T19:33:00.001-04:00

Great job to Jen on a fine finish at MMT 100. Jen trains crossfit and is a very fine ultrarunner. Check out her blog to read her story.

Congrats Jen!

Good Luck to Matt and others on the BMT

2009-05-22T13:05:00.002-04:00

Matt Kirk is doing what he does best... fastpacking. This time he is on the 288-mile Benton-MacKaye Trail. Learn more about the BMT and follow Matt's progress here.

Matt is a high school teacher. What would the world be like if every teacher spent a weekend out on the trail once in a while?

Run hard out there.

Neal

Clean Commute Day

2009-05-15T09:22:00.004-04:00

Today is National Clean Commute Day, or something like that. Did you miss it? Oh well, there's always next week.

Run, bike, walk, crawl. Just do it.

Run hard out there.

Update: Ran to work today (Wednesday, 5/20). I drive a few miles in and park in a church parking lot. From there, I just pick my route depending on how I feel. This morning I hopped on the Murray Run Greenway for a soft mile or so, then through the Roanoke River Greenway in to downtown. 5.2 miles with a backpack on -- a great way to start the day.

Gymboss Interval Timer

2009-05-08T09:06:00.007-04:00

I received one of these last week for my birthday. It is a cool, inexpensive (under $20) gadget for all types of interval training: Tabatas, track repeats, sprints, etc. It can even be used to remind you to take a nutrition or walk break during a long run. It chimes and/or vibrates, and is smaller than a small old-school pager. It also has a handy clip so you can fasten it to your shorts or watch band for hands-free running.

With just three buttons, it is easy to program after a very short learning curve. The first one I received in the mail was dead. I called their toll free helpline, and in two days I received a new fully functional timer with a postage paid return envelope for the broken one. They assured me that this was a rare occurence. Based on reviews I've read, quality control is not an issue.

For any runner who collects gadgets, and especially the runner who is in to speed training, track intervals, HIIT, Tabatas, etc., this timer belongs in your toy box.

I recently learned about a workout that kettlebell enthusiasts believe is the quickest way to improve VO2 Max. It is 30 seconds of high intensity KB swings followed by 30 seconds of rest. They repeat this for anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes. I personally believe this workout can be tailored to any exercise (hills, sprints, stairs, dumbell curl-presses, etc.). I plan to experiment with this some starting next week using my new Gymboss timer.

Run hard out there...

One workout can improve your life

2009-04-09T08:40:00.007-04:00

Want to know how one short workout can improve your life? Read on...

I like to get out at lunchtime and do some crazy workouts. A little bit of running, high intensity bodyweight exercises, hills and sprints, etc. I have some buddies who join me regularly, and occasionally someone new will tag along. One day several weeks ago a new guy decided to join us. I didn't know a lot about this guy's fitness, but I considered him to be the kind of person who goes to the gym a few days/week, puts in 15 minutes on a cardio machine, lifts some weights, maybe follows up with a little cool-down cardio. He was what I consider an "average exerciser."

It just so happened that the agenda on this particular day called for a 1-mile run, followed by sets of hill sprints and burpees with very little rest in between. It was intense -- definitely not your average exercise routine, but the new guy hung in there, did a great job, definitely got a good workout, and claimed to even enjoy it.

But then he didn't come back.

I asked him about it the other day. To my surprise he assured me he loved the workout and planned to come back out. Then he said to me,

"That one workout helped me tremendously!"

I asked him to explain, and he said that the one workout boosted his aerobic capacity and helped him get to the next level. He said he went from running 1 mile on the treadmill to running almost 3 miles! All because of that one workout.

That's a 200% increase in fitness? Just from one workout? What's the number for the patent office?

Ok, we all know that is too good to be true. Or is it?

That one workout DID help him. It definitely increased his fitness level, but not that much. Anytime we stress our bodies that way, adaptation takes place and we come back stronger. But it wasn't the physical adaptation that helped him.

It was all in his head.

Perhaps he was like many average exercisers. They go for a jog or get on the stationary bike or elliptical machine, watch TV or read a magazine. 30 minutes later they feel good about what they have done. And they should, don't get me wrong. That's their workout. This guy's workout at the time included running 1 mile on the treadmill. Good for him. But he was capable of so much more. All he had to do was learn to step outside of his comfort zone.

That intense hill sprint and burpee workout helped him see that he could push his body to a whole new level. And doing it in a group setting helped even more. Had he attempted a hill sprint/burpee workout alone, he might have done it with the average exerciser mindset and worked at a lower intensity or even quit before he really got started. But because there were several of us out there that day who love to explore our "discomfort zone," he pushed himself to keep up. He took his brain out of the workout and allowed himself to work harder. By working outside of his average exerciser comfort zone, even for just 20 minutes, he learned that he is capable of doing so much more. And now he does so much more.

Believe it or not, this directly applies to ultrarunning. How many ultrarunners really get out of their comfort zones? Many runners are happy with the slow steady-state training runs. Then in races they stay toward the back of the pack, talking with others, enjoying the time on the trail, all the while marvelling about the front runners wondering "how do they do it?" The difference is that most of the front runners push outside of their comfort zones every day. They have trained their minds to allow their bodies to call the shots. All of our bodies are capable of amazing things, we just need train our brains to let it happen.

So yes, one workout can change your life.

Here are a few I recommend:

100 Burpee Challenge
10x short hill sprints with 10 burpees at the top (recover on the downhill only)
Tabata sprints
10x 1 minute on (sprint all out), 1 minute off

These workouts, done completely and intensely, will take you out of your aerobic comfort zone and help you get to the next level. Pick one and do it. It just might change your life.

Run hard out there.

Kettlebells

2009-04-03T10:30:00.007-04:00

When I was in Atlanta last week, I met with a personal trainer for a kettlebell clinic. It was fun, rewarding, and I hope to post more about it soon.

Kettlebells are showing up everywhere these days. I caught a glimpse of one on The Biggest Loser last week, which means they are now an official fitness gadget. A local YMCA is looking to start a KB class similar to Body Pump. It kind of flies in the face of traditional Russian kettlebell training, but at least they are helping people get off the elliptical machine and get in shape.

Here is a great deal for the ultrarunner looking to start a kettlebell regimen.

Okay, maybe I'm a couple days late on this one...

Run hard out there.

100 Burpee Challenge

2009-03-29T19:53:00.002-04:00

I came across this on one of the crossfit sites I follow: The 100 Burpee Challenge. It's simple. Start a timer and see how long it takes to do 100 burpees. I tried it for the first time two weeks ago and was a bit disappointed to finish in just under 10 minutes. Today I did it in 8:40. That's good enough for a top 50 time on Sherdog. But I know I can do better. I think I am putting form over speed. I'll try this weekly, and once it gets easier I'll move up to a 150 and eventually a 200 burpee challenge to simulate the stress of a fast 5k.

The first quarter of 2009 is almost gone. What about those goals? I really need to start working on those pullups. With Catawba behind me, it's also time to focus on the 5k training.

Run hard out there.

Hill Repeats

2009-03-27T15:21:00.006-04:00

(click graph to zoom)

Hill Repeats. You run up, then down, and you never really get anywhere. But for some reason I love them. You should too.

Today I went to the park for my lunchtime run and did 11 repeats of a 0.2 mile hill. I was not sprinting it, but I did run every bit of every hill. I also did 10 push-ups at the top and bottom of each repeat. At the top of the last hill I did 20 push-ups. So in less than an hour, I ran 1 mile of warm-up and cool-down, 2 miles uphill, 2 miles downhill (recovery) and did 240 push-ups. It was a very nice way to spend a lunch hour.

Oh, the image is courtesy of my GPS and RunningAhead.com. Check them out.

Run hard out there...

One of my favorite reasons to visit Atlanta...

2009-03-23T21:23:00.007-04:00

Piedmont Park

(click to zoom)

Intervals on the 800m cinder oval. Hill repeats on the grass above the lake. It makes running in the heart of the city fun. And wearing a Garmin Forerunner so you can see where all you went makes it even more fun.

And it's all about having fun.

Run hard out there...

Prison Workout

2009-03-12T20:01:00.005-04:00

Not too long ago the officials who run prisons decided that allowing prisoners to work out with weights all day long was a bad idea. Seems that the guards were just sitting around doing what it takes to pass federal and state physicals, and the prisoners were doing what it takes to survive in prison: pounding iron. Eventually the officials found themselves on the losing end and made the official decision to officially ban weights.

So the prisoners came up with a new plan. The Prison Workout. Burpees baby. Have you tried Burpees yet? Watch Mike Rowe, from Dirty Jobs explain why you should be doing burpees.

So today, when most of my lunchtime running buddies were planning to run on the treadmill, eat, or even go shopping, I came up with a new plan: We would do a Burpee prison workout.

Here is what we did:

Jog to the park (about 1 mile)
At top of hill, Do 15 burpees
jog down and back up hill
do 14 burpees
jog down and back up hill
repeat (descending sets all the way to 1 burpee)
jog down hill and back
jog home (about 1 mile)

This was 120 burpees, and 15 hill repeats. Very little rest. All in about 22 minutes.

Talk about the Happy Face! I was happy from this workout for the rest of the day.

Have you tried burpees yet?

Run hard out there.

I finished Catawba Run Around, now what?

2009-03-08T20:16:00.004-04:00

2009 Catawba Run Around: 35 miles, 10:30

For most of the hikers I saw on the Appalachian Trail yesterday, it was a perfect day. Who could ask for anything better than 78-degrees and lots of sun on an early March day?

I'd rather have had 45-degrees and raining.

The 2009 Catawba Run Around is over. I finished, in a slowest time ever of 10:30 (two hours slower than last year). But it was a tough run from the get go. Here are my excuses (you know what they say about excuses, right?):

I started out too fast. Note to self: ascending Dragon's Tooth early in the race in the top 6 is not a good idea.
It was hot. No lie. I bet it hit 80-degrees in the mid-afternoon. And there was not a cloud in the sky.
I wore the wrong shoes. Where was all that mud I predicted?
Nutrition: I didn't eat enough early in the race and ran out of water 4 miles short of the 3rd aid station
The reverse direction is TOUGH! The climbs seem so much steeper in that direction. It's not just my imagination either. Run organizer Keith said the same thing.
My training? I don't know. I finished ahead of some great high-mileage ultrarunners, but could I have done better with more training mileage?

I do know that I am not sore today. I have no injuries from the run. My legs were strong most of the way (except for some of those climbs!). I credit that to the sprints and squats I've been doing.

I really feel like my biggest adversary was the unexpected heat. When you do all your training in 25-40 degrees, 65-80 degrees is a bit much.

I felt worse than I have felt in a race for a long time, and mentally it was a big challenge. But on a day where many dropped, (Yo Adrian!) I finished.

For now I'm going to keep training the way I've been training. Short, high intensity runs and lots of non-running workouts. I need to start focusing on that 5k goal. I have a 50k to run in July, but it is on very forgiving trails compared to my other ultras. I think I can do well there on 25-mile weeks and high intensity training. As Hellgate approaches, I need to spend more time on the mountains. That is the one element that I think was missing from my training for Catawba.

At least I can count on more comfortable temperatures for Hellgate.

Run hard out there...

Great run in the snow!

2009-03-02T17:30:00.004-05:00

Okay, so what is looking to be the biggest snow "storm" of the winter of 2008/2009 provided the perfect conditions for my last hard run before Catawba. I hit Fishburn Park for 4 tough miles of running in about 6 inches of snow. It was absolutely beautiful! I must start carrying a camera while running. I have a birthday coming up (hint hint).

I wore my Nike ACG running shoes.
These rugged beasts beat any other shoe I have ever worn for running like this. Problem is, I don't know where to find them anymore, and that picture is not even of the shoe I have, although I think it is the same model. It was these same beasts (an earlier model) that I screwed screws into the year that I ran my PR at Hellgate -- also in snow and ice. Lots of it.

Right now the Catawba trail is completely covered by at least 10" of snow. Most of it will likely melt before this weekend -- maybe. The current forecast is for 60-degrees by Saturday. Perfect

Absolutely perfect.

Run hard out there.

Holiday Lake 50K on how many training miles?!?

2009-02-24T19:16:00.004-05:00

When I heard about this one, I immediately chalked it up to youth and desire for bodily harm, but then I read more. The guy in the white shirt is Adam Eidson. Adam, 34, just finished the Holiday Lake 50K ultra in a fantastic time of 5:19. That put him in 75th place out of 257 starters. He finished ahead of some very fine ultrarunners. It turns out Adam is a very fine ultrarunner too, although his training is a bit atypical.

Before Holiday Lake, Adam ran a total of 7 miles. Really. 7 miles.

Adam runs RARE Crossfit in Fredericksburg, VA. Here is some info about his training, quoted from his website:

This race was about 34 miles long and preparation for it consisted of running a total of about 7 miles and doing CrossFit on a daily basis. Yes, you read it right, Adam has only run twice since October of 2008. He ran 3.1 miles on Thanksgiving morning and 2 weeks before Holiday Lake he ran 3.8 miles. All other training was CrossFit.

Adam also plans to run the Terrapin Mountain 50K, Promise Land, and Bull Run. Stay tuned to see how he does. I hope to talk to Adam soon to learn more about him, his training, and his ultrarunning goals.

P.S. Today's workout: Run to the park, warmup with 20 burpees,
then with a 15 minute timer running, repeat the following with no rest between exercises:

Sprint 100 yards 100% effort
5 push-ups
plank 20 seconds
10 jump squats
hold squat position for 20 seconds (this was tough)
repeat

The 15 minutes went by pretty quickly, but the "run" back downtown was a challenge. Total run about 4 miles (1.7 miles of sprinting).

Run hard out there.

More ultrarunners, less mileage

2009-02-22T20:40:00.004-05:00

I stumbled across this story of a 22-year-old woman who just finished the Rocky Raccoon 100 in 25-hours on very low training mileage. Yes, she is another Crossfit success story.

Speaking of that, I ran 13.5 miles on the AT today (my longest run since early December. In fact, this week was a 29-mile week, my longest training week since just before Hellgate). It was a cold, windy run with a mix of sun and snow flurries. I reached McAfee's Knob in 51 minutes, a recent record for me. Then I stormed the descent and continued a couple miles toward Tinker Cliffs before turning around and running back. I met a guy coming off the Knob who was carrying a 45-pound backpack, training for some mountaineering. I was impressed.

If I can get just one more power run up there on the AT, then I know I will be ready for the Catawba Run Around. I think the next training run will be on North Mountain. It's been almost a year since I've been up there.

Run hard out there...

Today's workout -- no running

2009-02-18T17:34:00.006-05:00

(photo taken from http://www.athleticadvisor.com)

Today's workout did not involve running at all, so only read on if you are interested in a good one. It really wiped me out and I just have to share it.

Working continuously for 15 minutes (that means no rest),
repeat the following circuit:

5 push-ups
10 squat jumps
5 pull-ups (I used a pull-down machine)
10 dumbbell snatches

I was sore from yesterday's hill sprint/burpee workout, so this one started off rough. Once I warmed up, however, it started to flow. Five minutes into it, I was sweating profusely wondering if I would make it through the whole 15 minutes. At 10 minutes I was in a zone, and 15 minutes was there before I knew it.

The exercises:

Push-ups: 5 reps seems low, but you are doing 5 reps about every minute for 15 minutes. It adds up.

Squat jumps: You squat down, and explode up so that your feet leave the ground. It starts to burn after a few sets.

Pull-ups (or pull-downs). I did not have a static pull-up bar available, so I did pull-downs at 120#. I don't have the strength yet to do that many reps/sets of much heavier.

Dumbbell snatches. If you don't know this one, you almost have to see it. Squat down with a dumbbell on the floor. Explode up with your legs as you raise the dumbbell over your head, arm extended. See it here, along with some other great lifts.

Snatches and jumps are very aerobic when done quickly. Especially the snatches because your heart is forced to pump blood to both your lower and upper extremities. That really gets the heart going fast.

And I thought a runner's high was good!

I felt so good after this one. I'll pay for it for a couple days, but exercises like this, especially when done with high intensity, carry over to running in so many ways. Since I've started working out like this my hill running has improved greatly, as has my overall strength. I hope to prove it in the upcoming Catawba Run Around.

Run hard out there...

The Run Commute

2009-02-10T19:02:00.007-05:00

(image courtesy of http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/)

When I really want to peak for a long race, I turn to the Run Commute for that extra challenge.

I live about 10 miles from where I work, so that is too far for me to run without having to get up at 4am. Plus, a 20-mile road run commute would put an end to my running pretty quickly. So, I get up around 5:30, and drive a few miles in to a convenient parking place. From there I shoulder my Hot Shot laptop backpack, turn on my Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS, and head towards town. The nice thing about the GPS is that I can select from any number of routes, and still know my exact distance.

I usually get in between 4 and 6 miles in the morning, then a more direct 4 miles in the afternoon. Carrying a laptop, along with the twice/day run, really challenges my body and gets me race ready.

I don't do this more than two days per week, and usually only within a month or so before a big event. I've used the Run Commute to train for all of my big ultras. It's a lot of pavement pounding, so I tread lightly and get off road every chance I get.

The Run Commute is not for everyone. But if you can swing it, give it a shot.

P.S., an update on The Interval Challenge. I've done this workout twice since I wrote about it in January, and taken almost 2 minutes off of my finishing time. Today when we finished (13:58 vs. starting time of 15:52), we joked about how we might have to start doing it twice!

P.S.S. I have changed my Bike to Work goal for the year to include running. My goal is now to Run OR Bike to work more than 90 days this year. With my run in this morning I am up to 5 days. Slow start, but warmer weather and longer days are coming.

Run hard out there...

.

Hurricane Training

2009-02-07T13:16:00.003-05:00

I read in the March issue of Men's Health about trainer Martin Rooney. He has a book out targeted toward mixed martial artists, ultimate fighters, etc. called Training for Warriors. Now I'm no warrior, and the average ultrarunner is about 100k from Rooney's target audience. But, I like to challenge my body and workout hard. So after reading the article this morning over breakfast, I decided to incorporate what Rooney calls the Hurricane Workout into my morning run. The idea behind the workout is that you go from one exercise to the next with no rest. After 5 exercises, you rest 2 minutes, then do it again for a total of 3 sets.

Here's how my workout went:

Run to the park (3 miles)

Hurricane workout:
3 X

1 min sprint
1 min bench jumps
1 min crunches
1 min pushups
1 min squats or lunges
rest 2 minutes

Jog home (3 miles)

Holy cow. The "Jog Home" was more of a walk/jog home. That's all I could do after getting hit by the hurricane.

I recognize that this type of workout is geared more for training fighters. Intense 5 minutes of work (e.g. a round in a fight), followed by 2 minutes of rest. I'm not training to be a fighter. I'm a long distance runner. Runners, especially ultrarunners, don't need that kind of fitness. Right?

I guess that depends on on what kind of ultrarunner you want to be.

Give this kind of workout a try sometime. You might like it.

Run hard out there...

1 minute intervals

2009-02-06T16:12:00.004-05:00

Today's workout was 10 1x1 (1 minute intervals with 1 minute of rest).

I warmed up by slowly jogging to the soccer fields where I run a lot of my sprints.

Then, using my Garmin Forerunner's "interval" workout, I ran 10 sets of 1 minute sprints with 1 minute of rest. The rest periods were mostly spent bent over, hands on knees, followed by a little bit of walking. I covered 2.36 miles over those 10 intervals. The intervals were between .18 and .21 miles each.

Then I ran a slow cool down for a total of 5 miles.

1 minute intervals. If you go out all, they are intense. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Run hard out there...

Running with your Dog

2009-01-27T10:29:00.003-05:00

Dogs love to run. There is no doubt about it. Now that I am running shorter distances on most of my runs, I am more often able to include one of my favorite running partners, my dog. Yesterday she even did a sprint workout with me. For the first 3 or 4 sprints, she challenged me to keep up. After the first few, however, I had to shout words of encouragement ("Let's go girl, come on!) to keep her motivated. Then on the last sprint (8 total, about 120 yards each), she surprised me and stayed ahead of me. Or maybe I was slowing down more than I thought.

If you have a dog, and he or she is healthy enough to run, give it a shot. Be sure to break her in slowly, and just as you would a new runner, pay attention to her response and know when it is time to quit. Here are some more tips for running with your dog.

Have her checked out by a vet first. Make sure there are no conditions that would limit her.
Start out slowly and with short distances. I hear of people who take their dogs on very long runs. My Spots is only good for 3 or 4 miles right now.
Bring some extra water, a bowl, and some treats/snacks. I find with Spots that if I can take a break and allow her to play in a creek for 2 minutes, she's good for another uninterrupted mile.
While your dog might be obedient enough to run unleashed (mine is not), keep her leashed anyway. If is for her (and your) own good. But be mindful of where she is. If you go on one side of a tree, and she goes on another... you get the point.
Watch for signs of overuse. Check your dogs foot pads regularly. If they appear torn or raw, stop running and see a vet. There are sprays and even boots that your dog can wear if this is an issue. If your dog appears sore (trouble getting up stairs, etc.), it could be a sign of arthritis or pad wear. Take it easy for a few days, and if it does not improve, see a vet.
Watch for signs of overheating. Excessive panting, vomiting, drooling, are all signs that you should stop, rest, and hydrate.

Have fun out there with your dogs!

Myofascial release with a foam roller or massage stick

2009-01-16T10:08:00.003-05:00

It's a fact of life with running or any repetitive exercise: things will get sore and tight if we let them. I used to feel how hard and tight my legs were and think that was good. That was until I got hit with my first real case of ITBS. I went for some physical therapy and learned that my thinking was all wrong. If they are too hard and tight, then something ain't right.

Now when I get a bit of pain or tightness, I go straight to my foam roller or The Stick. These tools are great ways to work out the knots via soft tissue massage and Myofascial release.

Here are a few sites I found that show good technique for using these tools:

And a couple books I have found:

I get real good results using these tools and techniques on my ITB and lower legs (front and back). And believe it or not, all it really takes is 10 minutes. You'll feel the difference immediately. The Stick now travels with me to all of my races. It's great for warming up, and post race massage.

Run hard out there...

The Interval Challenge

2009-01-12T17:15:00.000-05:00

(photo courtesy ShannonRowbury.com)

Today's workout comes from RossTraining.com, home of Ross Enamait. Ross has trained many athletes, including professional kickboxers, MMA fighters, and even track and field athletes. Middle distance Olympian, Shannon Rowbury (pictured above) has this to say about one of Ross' programs.

Most runners just focus on logging miles. I never feel more tired than when I finish one of your Minute Drills, but I have found that the core and upper body strength, as well as explosiveness, that it has helped me to develop has been instrumental at the end of races, allowing me to maintain form and kick rather than break down.

Ross' methods are what many would consider unorthodox. To quote the subtitle of one of his books, Ross "puts the work back in workout."

The Interval Challenge is a short workout that consists of 6 repeats of the following circuit:

6 Burpees
12 Push Ups
24 Air Squats
200m run

There is no prescribed rest time. Basically, the goal is to complete that circuit 6 times as fast as possible, rest when you need it. Believe me, you will need it if your intensity is where it should be.

My interval buddies and I did this today at lunch. After a short warmup jog to the park, we started our stopwatches, and got started. It occurred to me about halfway through the squats that pacing would be key to even finishing this workout. At some point during the second set, I wondered if I would make it to 6. But I did. We even kicked in the run on the last set and it might have been the fastest circuit. Knowing the end was near helped.

For me, the difficulty in this one came from the squats and the high intensity of the whole workout. Maybe it was because I rode my bike to work today, maybe it was just the cold air, but my knees were barking a little on a few of the deeper squats. On top of that, my cardio system felt like I was running a fast 5k the whole time.

In the end, my time was 15 minutes, 52 seconds. I can't wait to do it again and see improvement. It is a great workout, and I encourage you all to give it a shot.

Run hard out there...

Biking to work

2009-01-11T14:31:00.000-05:00

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." -- Albert Einstein.

I've heard that the only time Einstein was photographed smiling was when he was on his bike. I don't know if that is true or not, but I know biking makes me happy.

One of my 2009 goals is to bike to work more. In fact, to meet my goal of 90+ days, I pretty much have to average 2 days per week (due to vacation, holidays, telecommuting, etc.). Eleven days into the year, I've only ridden once. It is supposed to be 27-degrees here in the morning, but I will be biking, and loving every minute of it.

One of the thrills I get from cycling to work are the comments from my co-workers who just don't believe it is possible. Sure, it ain't always easy, but like ultrarunning, sometimes the hardest days are the best.

We all have good excuses... I live too far away, It's too cold, I have to wear a suit, I'm an ultrarunner, not a biker...

They are (almost) all good excuses. But even a good excuse is just an excuse. Here are some sites to help you overcome your excuses for not biking to work. Check out the links and see if any of these help to change your mind. Just be sure to dress smart, put some lights on your bike, and wear a helmet.

BikeTraffic.org
US News and World Report article
CommuteByBike.com
Wired.com article on bike gadgets
BikeCommuteTips Blog
IceBike.org (you'll never say it is too cold again)
Google "Bicycle Commuting"

Ride your bike. It will make you a better runner and who knows, you might even smile more!

Run hard out there.

Workout with a Dog

2009-01-09T15:33:00.000-05:00

In Crossfit terminology, WOD is the workout of the day. But for ultrarunner Catra Corbett (aka Dirt Diva), WOD has a new meaning. Catra regularly writes about her crossfit experiences and her love for her dog Rocky. Now she has found a way to bring the two together.

WOD = Workout of the Dog.

Read her blog post for more pictures and the full details, but here's her workout:

"Rocky"
run 10 min. 50 squats with Rocky
run 10 min. 4.0 minute walk carying Rocky
run 10 min. 30 push-ups
run 10 min. 20 lunges carrying Rocky
run 10 min. 10 burpess

If you have more than one dog, I suggest you pick the smallest. An alternative would be to carry a sandbag, a dumbbell, or a big cat.

My workout today was short due to time constraints, so I did a fartlek 5k. That's a 5k with some mile-pace fartleks thrown in. Despite a couple short walking breaks (to recover from the fartleks), I finished just over 20 minutes, averaging 6:30 per mile. I'd have gone a lot faster had I not been carrying that dog.

Not really.

Have fun out there...

Ultra Adventures (ncultra.org)

2009-01-07T20:15:00.000-05:00

Most of you who follow my blog probably read Mike Day's Ultra Adventures site already. For those of you who don't -- you should. He is doing a series on overtraining. Here is the first post, and the second. It is worth the the few minutes it will take you to read, especially since it could save you from serious injury.

Mike has recovered from Achilles tendon repair surgery and gone on to finish some great races, so he knows a thing or two about overtraining, diagnosis, treatment and recovery. He also writes equipment reviews, race reports, and more.

Mike has assured me that if I run his Sweaty Butt 50K this summer, he will return to Hellgate. I ran the first Sweaty Butt, but due to the extreme heat, most of us cut it short at 22 miles.

Mike is a good friend, a great guy, and an excellent ultrarunner. I look forward to seeing him on the trails in 2009.

Take a look at Ultra Adventures when you can.

Run smart out there...

Fitness Goals for 2009 - a work in progress

2009-01-06T20:25:00.000-05:00

Not all of my goals for 2009 are ultra-related. In fact, only one is. Here's the list:

Sub-18 minute 5K
Sub-38 minute 10K
20 consecutive pull-ups
100 consecutive pushups
Bike to/from work more than 90 days
Run a Hellgate PR (sub 13:48)

I've been wanting to get some speed back into my running for some time. And since 2008 was not a good long distance year for me, I think it's time to turn my attention back to shorter, faster running.

(OK, 2008 was a good long distance year for me, I just did not achieve all of the goals I had set due to injury.)

I will start with a fast 5K. Earlier I joked about running a sub-5-minute mile. I don't see that happening, but with the speed training for a 17-minute 5K, anything can happen. I'm picking an April race for my first attempt at the 5K PR. We'll see what happens.

From there I will progress to a fast 10K, hopefully before the heat of summer sets in. If the spring goes well and I am running fast into summer, then I may train for a fast fall marathon. That's what I did in 2005 when I turned in my fastest ever Hellgate. I might even go for a fast 50K in the fall as well.

Other goals include increasing the number of consecutive push-ups and pull-ups I can do. These two exercises are perhaps the best ever total body exercises. If you don't believe me, do 5 sets of 2 pull-ups (manageable by most, maybe), and see how sore your abs are the next day. I also want to increase the number of days I ride my bike to and from work (10 miles each way).

I read a great post recently about goals. In summary, we need to define reasonable goals, make sure they are measurable or quantifiable, put them in writing, and review them daily. To that end, I am posting my 2009 fitness goals to the right at the top of this blog. I will update them occasionally with my progress.

I encourage all of you to set goals, make them public, and make them happen.

Run hard out there.

My favorite Christmas present

2009-01-03T13:41:00.001-05:00

Thanks to my parent-in-laws for my Patagonia Wool 4 Hoody. I usually have to run very long races to get anything from Patagonia. Now, if just the weather would cooperate. It's almost 60-degrees today.

Review of a Crossfit Endurance Interval workout

2009-01-02T14:31:00.000-05:00

Today I did the Crossfit Endurance Interval workout posted on the CFE site on 12/31. In general, this workout consists of short time trial (TT) intervals, followed by brief rest. The only instructions are to cover as much distance as possible during the TT intervals. I guess the "rest" is up to us. I prefer to rest in motion (jog or walk), but as you will see, that is sometimes hard to do. Here's the workout:

Warmup
6 minute TT, 3 minute rest
4 minute TT, 2 minute rest
1 minute TT, 30 second rest
30 second TT, 15 second rest
15 second TT
Cooldown

The recommended warmup is a 800m easy jog followed by a few short sprints to prepare the legs for hard running.

I warmed up as recommended (0.52 miles), then my workout went as follows:

Segment	Time	Miles	Pace
6 min TT	6:02	1.02	5:54
3 min rest	3:01	0.25	12:19
4 min TT	4:01	0.67	6:02
2 min rest	2:01	0.14	14:25
1 min TT	1:00	0.19	5:16
30 sec rest	0:30	0.03	18:11
30 sec TT	0:31	0.11	4:53
15 sec rest	0:16	0.02	18:05
15 sec TT	0:17	0.05	5:21
	Total	2.48

After a short cooldown, the total workout was 3.47 miles, just over 27 minutes. Here's how it went:

The first and longest TT (6 minutes) seemed to go on forever. I went out a bit too fast in the first 3 minutes, and struggled to hold on for the duration. I chose to walk the rest period, and recovered enough to allow me to hit the 4 minute TT pretty hard. Or so I thought...

The 4 min TT seemed easier (duh, it is shorter), but when I see my times I see that I did not hit it as hard as I thought I was.

It was much easier to go "all out" on the shorter TT intervals. For the rest periods following these intervals, I pretty much just stopped and tried my best to catch my breath. It's interesting that the 30 second TT was my fastest, because that one was on a slight incline. I think I ran that one so hard that the last TT was tough for me, even though I knew it was the shortest and my last.

It was all I could do to keep walking after my last interval. I stumbled into a short 800m cooldown feeling like I had really given it my all. This was a good workout that left me feeling like a hard workout should.

Give it a shot sometime, and let me know what you think.

Run hard out there...

Fitness goals for 2009

2008-12-29T11:11:00.000-05:00

"Set your goals high, and don't stop till you get there." -- Bo Jackson

Goals for 2009 (I hate the idea of a "resolution," so these are just goals):

Average 2+ days per week biking to/from work (100 days)
5k PR
10k PR
Run a sub 5-minute mile
Half-marathon PR
Marathon PR
Hellgate PR
100 consecutive push-ups
20 consecutive pull-ups
Explore the art of Free Running (or Parkour)
Learn Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
Become a certified personal trainer
Sprint more
Sleep more
~~Eat and Drink less~~ (too much like a resolution)

Ok, some of these are real, some are not. Some will stick, some won't. I'll post back in January with the final list. What are your goals?

Set 'em high, and run hard in their direction.

Nike + iPod, first impressions

2008-12-27T16:11:00.001-05:00

First off, let me say that I love my new iPod Nano. This is the first "Apple" audio product that I have used (I've used several other less expensive players), and it does seem that Apple has this market figured out. This is an amazing little player.

Today was my first run with the Nike + iPod. For those of you that don't know, this relatively inexpensive running toy includes an add-on for the Nano (a little chip that you plug into the bottom of the player), and a pod that you put into your shoe. Nike would have you believe that these things are only compatible with their shoes, but that is not true. I made a little pouch out of duct tape that allows me to integrate the pod into my shoe laces much like you would a timing chip. No problems there.

The small instruction manual that came with the product mentioned something about calibrating. "Nike + iPod is quite accurate for most users. You can improve the accuracy by calibrating Nike + iPod to your natural running and walking styles."

Basically, you choose calibration from the menu, select a distance, then go run and walk that distance. Then the system is calibrated. I decided to skip this step and see just how accurate it was out of the box. I used my trusty Garmin Forerunner for comparison. I am visiting family for the Holidays, so I do not know the "real" distance that I ran. Here's how today's run turned out.

Nike + iPod
Duration: 45'23"
Total Miles: 7.04
Avg Pace: 6'27"

Garmin Forerunner 205
Duration: 48'25"
Total Miles: 6.11
Avg Pace: 7'55"

Given that I did not calibrate the system, I expected some discrepancy. But this is more than I expected. I felt like I was running pretty hard, but not quite as hard as the iPod display was telling me. Based on the distance that I can estimate from Google maps, the Garmin is pretty darn close for the overall distance. And I cannot explain the time difference. The Garmin is a stopwatch even when it is not getting good satellite reception, so I trust its timekeeping ability. I did need to pause the Nike+iPod workout mid run to change the music I was listening to, but not for 3 minutes. I tried to start and stop them at the same time, so this one is baffling.

So far the jury is out on this one. It definitely needs calibration before it can be trusted. I do not like the fact that I need to pause the workout to change music. I think I can get around this one by learning how to use the overall system better. So I will calibrate it before my next run, and make a better effort to run a course with known mileage.

I like my toys.

Run hard out there.

Merry Christmas everyone

2008-12-25T11:31:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone got a fun toy or two for Christmas. I got a unicycle. I'm not sure what to do with it yet.

Oh, I also got a nike+ ipod thingy. I'm not a big fan of the swoosh or the apple, but I understand it is a fun training tool, and I'll post a review next week.

In the mean time, check out my "mini" over here to the right (be patient, let it load). Commercialism at its finest.

Run hard out there...

First run in a week

2008-12-20T11:18:00.000-05:00

Every time I run a tough ultra, I promise myself throughout the last tough miles that I will take a week (or sometimes two) off with no running. But usually I get a couple days before I have to get out there again.

This week I did it. I went all week without running a step. I did a couple quick circuit workouts, and got back into doing pull ups again, but no running.

But you know how obsessive we runners can get. I sat around this morning after a breakfast of French Toast and fried apples, thinking about how out of shape I have become because I haven't run or worked out hard for a week. So I did it. I went for a short run. It felt good to get back out there.

Some have asked about my recovery from Hellgate. It has gone really well. I had some DOMS in my quads for a couple days. My feet have been sore, but not bad. My biggest complaint was with my big toe, which I hurt when I tripped on a limb pretty early into the night. It was swollen even a couple days after. It was stiff at the beginning of the run this morning, but it loosened up nicely and feels fine even now.

Time to start thinking about goals for 2009. I've shared a few of mine with some of you, and I'll post more later. I think my first goal is going to be a 5K PR.

"We need speed. Speed's what we need. Greasy fast speed."

How I trained for Hellgate

2008-12-17T21:39:00.000-05:00

"Neal Jamison probably should not even be here."

That's how Hellgate Race Director David Horton introduced me at the pre-race briefing. He knew that I had been injured since early summer. He knew I had been forced to drop out of the races I had planned for the fall. He knew that I had only decided to run Hellgate a week before this very night. But what he didn't know was that I had a secret.

2008 started out as a great running year for me. I was consistently running 40-50 mile weeks leading into the spring races. I finished almost all of them strong, turning in a couple PRs along the way. I was running strong with the tough Grindstone 100 in my sights when I got a little over ambitious and ran a hundred-miler in early June. I ran a good time, but paid for it. I developed tendinitis in both of my feet, a condition that would possibly change my running forever.

I tried to get the wheels turning again in August, but after a couple "long runs" of 15 and 11 miles, I gave up. The tendinitis was winning. Knowing that it would take time for me to heal - time I could not be training, I contacted David Horton and told him that I was out of Grindstone, Masochist, and quite possibly, Hellgate. Frustrated by injury, I lost the motivation to run. I don't run for "exercise." I run for fun. I wasn't having fun anymore, so I stopped. I hardly ran at all during September and October. I had one 18-mile week, the rest were under 12-miles per week.

Because I do enjoy getting outside and pushing my body, I turned to other things. I started lifting weights again. I began biking again. I rediscovered "Crossfit." While I don't follow their workouts to a T, I began to really enjoy the type of metabolic conditioning workouts that Crossfit prescribes: fast circuits of bodyweight or weighted exercises with very little rest. The feeling I got from those circuits reminded me of when I used to do hill sprints or track workouts. So much so, that I started incorporating sprints and hills into my workouts again. My total weekly mileage rarely topped 15 miles, but I was running again. Sprinting, running fast up hills, all out efforts. My daily run went like this: a 1.5-mile jog to the park, 20 minutes of sprinting, pushups, lunges, squats, planks, whatever felt good that particular day, then a walk or jog (if I could still jog) back. I was running hard, the way I like it.

Then I read about a guy named Carl Borg who ran the Angeles Crest 100 in a decent time with a long training run of 13 miles. That intrigued me. Knowing that my feet were still not ready for long training runs, I decided to see what Carl knew that I didn't. Through Carl, I discovered Crossfit Endurance: a group of accomplished endurance junkies, marathoners, Ironman triathletes, and ultrarunners. But where most endurance junkies run endless long slow miles, these guys run hills, intervals, and sprints. And they lift weights. Heavy weights.

I'll be honest here. I was looking for an easy way out. I couldn't put in the miles needed to train for Hellgate. At least not the way I used to train. In previous years I would ramp up to 60-80 mile training weeks in the last six weeks before Hellgate. There was no way my feet would take that this year. I needed an alternative.

What Carl was doing gave me hope. I was working out like that! I didn't know if it was getting me back into ultra shape or not, but I felt good, and I was having fun doing it. My body was buying into this Crossfit Endurance idea, but my mind just wouldn't go along. I was still convinced that without the long training runs, Hellgate would not be possible.

Then I got an email from a running buddy, Marc. He convinced me to go for it. Run, walk, crawl, do whatever it took. Just give Hellgate a try. I had a streak going there. Five finishes. Only eight others could say that. So with a few weeks to go, I upped my mileage a bit, and threw in lots of walking and a couple trail runs (the first in quite a while). My longest week leading up to Hellgate was 37 miles total, and it included two hill workouts, two interval workouts, two short runs with my dog, and the rest walking. Three weeks out, I ran an 11-mile run on the AT. This would be my longest run since August, and my only long one before Hellgate. I ran it hard, and when I got home and started comparing times, I realized it was a great run. Two days later, I ran a 5K time trial in one of my fastest times in years. Then the following week I ran a favorite 5.6-mile trail, in my third fastest time ever. I now knew my fitness was dialed in. But what about my endurance? Would it be enough to get me through?

Much to my surprise, it was. I'm still processing all of this and determining how it will influence my training in 2009. For now I'm a research project with one test subject. And it's kind of fun.

I did it

2008-12-14T08:36:00.000-05:00

I finished the 2008 Hellgate 100K (66+ miles) in my second fastest time ever, 14:45. I'll post more about this later, but I do want to say thanks to Sophie for helping pull me through this one. We ran together for about 40 miles. I got a finish I wasn't sure I'd get, and she got a PR!

Check ExtremeUltrarunning for results.

Thanks Marc.

2008-12-10T21:22:00.000-05:00

Below is an excerpt from an email from one of my good running buddies Marc Griffin. Marc and I spent many hours on the Hellgate course last year training together. This is the note that got me back on track with respect to my running.

...I have to send you this email to get your butt in gear. You have a little over a month to get ready. Run a few miles each weak and keep biking. Since you are already signed up come out and run with me. This will be a lot slower then you are used to and hopefully we can get you to the finish. We can run it together, this will help both of us. Let me know what you think. If its one race this whole year I would love to see you finish ...

And then again today:

One thing to remember and I believe this with out a doubt,

70% is physical and in the training,
30% or more comes from the heart, if you want it bad enough you WILL do it.

All that is left now is to relax, rest up and eat good. There is nothing you can change now so why worry.
Remember if i come running up and catch you, I am going to drag you to that finish so be prepared, also if i see you stopped at an aid station i am not leaving without you!

Hopefully neither of these two will happen and we can celebrate together sometime Saturday afternoon!

I got lots of support from others too, but these stand out in my mind for some reason. It helps to have good running friends to support us along the way.

Thanks Marc. I'm looking forward to seeing you out there this weekend.

The Long Run (or lack thereof)

2008-12-08T20:39:00.000-05:00

A week away from my most important event of the year, and I have to ask: Am I ready for Hellgate? Have I put in the training to get me through 66 cold mountain miles?

The chart below shows that in the last 6 months, I have had a total of 4 runs over 14 miles. The longest run was 18 miles, in August. Following the standard ultramarathoning mentality, that ain't gonna cut it. But, what if there's more to it than just the long run?

What if the guys at Crossfit Endurance, or the guys behind the best selling book Run Less Run Faster are on to something, and quality is much more important than quantity?

Can I finish my 6th Hellgate on a long run of 18 miles (and a more recent long run of just 11 miles)? Since the end of August, I've only run longer than 10 miles twice. Is it possible? It's been done before. Can my determination and experience win out in the end? Will my knowledge of the course, my experience with race nutrition, and my general strength and fitness get me through?

I ran three time trials in the last three weeks. First an 11-mile tough run up to McAfee's Knob and back on the AT, in what might be my fastest time ever. Then just two days later, a 5K in 18:44, my fourth fastest recorded 5K time. Yesterday I ran a favorite 5.6-mile trail in my third fastest time ever. My fitness is there. What about my endurance?

Only time will tell.

The next full moon...

2008-12-01T22:13:00.000-05:00

I was out running tonight as the clouds cleared to reveal a beautiful 17% of full, waxing crescent moon. It occurred to me that on the eve of the next full moon (December 13), I will run my 6th Hellgate 100K. The first Hellgate was under a full moon. There was snow on the ground that night, and there were many sections of the course that were so bright that we turned off our lights and ran under the light of the moon. I noticed this morning that there is snow in the mountains already this year.

Will there be more snow (or ice!) on the course in two weeks? Might be!

Will it be cold? Might be!

Will it be slick? Might be!

Am I staring to sound like Hellgate Race Director, David Horton? Might be!

Will I be ready? With less than two weeks to go, I don't have the answer for that one yet.

For those of you who are not familiar with this Hellgate of which I obsessively blog, check here to learn more.

Run hard out there...

So what if you eat too much

2008-11-27T09:23:00.001-05:00

It's Turkey Day!

So many blogs that I follow are offering tips on how to get through the Thanksgiving holiday without eating too much, gaining weight, or otherwise blowing the diet. It's crazy. "Drink a big protein shake just before you sit down to the table." "Fill up on raw veggies first." One blog I read suggested that we just skip the big meal altogether.

You know what I say? What's the big fuss all about? So what if I have a day or two (or three or four) each year where I stuff myself with thousands of calories worth of great food? What's the problem with that? As an ultrarunner, I also have many days where I burn thousands of calories too. I say, it all works out in the end. Plus some.

But if you still want to fuss about it, the solution is not to avoid dinner or fill up first. The best solution is to make sure that the huge meal does not become a habit. And make sure that you dedicate a good hard workout or two to the memory of that turkey and all those poor green beans and sweet potatoes that made your dinner possible.

For the truly obsessed, About.com has a calorie calculator that lets you pick your Thanksgiving day menu item by item, then it tells you how many miles you need to walk (or run) to work it off. Ridiculous.

Enjoy the day with people you love.
Be thankful for what you have, and forget about what you have not.

Run hard out there.

Cold snowy run on the AT

2008-11-25T14:34:00.000-05:00

(Steve Pero on McAfee's Knob, March 2005)

That picture is from the 2005 Catawba Run Around. I think Keith Knipling took it. I stole it from his site, so I'm giving him credit regardless. I was up there today, and it was snowy, just not quite that snowy. It was about 30 degrees, the wind was strong, and a flurry blew through that coated the entire mountain in a nice thin layer of white. I actually saw 6 other people (3 separate couples) up there, which is pretty odd for a Tuesday morning in cold weather.

It was a great day for a mountain trail run. 2400' of gain in just over 11 miles.

Run hard out there. Winter is almost here.

Breakaway Friday: Joel's Story

2008-11-17T19:21:00.000-05:00

Endurance Planet has recorded another podcast from Running Through the Wall.

"Running Through the Wall by Neal Jamison is a terrific compilation of ultramarathon stories. On today's Endurance Planet, a Breakaway Friday edition, we hear one of those tales. It's called Joel's Story and it's written by Robert B. Boeder. It's about the life of Joel Zucker, a 3-time finisher of the Hardrock 100-Mile Endurance Run, who died the day after completing the 1998 Hardrock. He was the only runner to die during or immediately following one of these events. But, as you'll hear, Joel is remembered for much, much more than his untimely death at the age of 44."

Enjoy.

What a difference 6 months makes...

2008-11-17T18:37:00.000-05:00

Here's a graph of my weekly mileage for 2008 to date.

This chart is a feature of RunningAHEAD.com, one of the best online sites I've seen for logging runs. Anyway, what should be obvious in the chart is the difference between my mileage for the first half of the year, and my mileage from June on (and especially after August, when I decided to take my injury seriously).

If you know me or have followed this blog, you know I started the year with some big goals. This was going to be a breakout year for me. I set PRs in almost every race I ran for the first half of the year. But then I jumped into the Old Dominion 100 a bit under-prepared. I had a fantastic race (sub 24 hours, top-ten finish) in brutal conditions (99-degrees that afternoon), and I am very glad I did it. I would never give up the exhilaration of racing for that buckle.

But...

It came at a cost. After the OD100, I was mentally and physically broken. What I lacked in motivation I made up for in tendinitis. I went from averaging 50 miles per week to struggling to find excuses to run at all. From June to August I tried to push it too far too soon, and I paid for that too. In fact, I still am to some degree.

But you know what? So what if I missed Mountain Masochist (A race I absolutely despise due to the early start and the logistics of getting to and from the start/finish). So what if I missed the inaugural Grindstone. Those races mean nothing to me. What really bothers me is that finishing another Hellgate is in jeopardy. I've enjoyed five successful years there. Without a doubt some of the most memorable moments in my ultrarunning career happened there. I recall spending hours on that course with some of my dearest ultra friends Dan Lehmann, Mike Day, Cat Phillips, Kevin Townsend, Doug Blackford, and too many others to name. And finishing every year to find my wife and son waiting for me, it's more than any man deserves.

I am not ready to give that up. I will not give that up.

I have my work cut out for me between now and December 13. But I am willing to give it every ounce of passion I have. The reward is there, all I need to do is run smart and claim it. And that's exactly what I plan to do. Just before midnight on a cold December night, I'll stand at that gate one more time, shivering with anticipation as we pray and sing the National Anthem. Then, with the shout "Go!" and a chorus of nervous cheers, I will join 120 others and run into the darkness.

To be continued...

Hellgate revisited

2008-11-13T20:29:00.000-05:00

One of the "what ifs" has been removed. Now what?

Is it really all up to me?