2013 in review
This year was a big recovery year for me. After injuring myself badly
in 2012 (ResPass 100M), I took all of August off from running. I haven't taken
more than 5 days off in a row from running since the 1980s as far as I can
remember. And I don't recall ever taking off a month since I ran my first cross
country training run in September of 1974.
I slowly, and I mean SLOWLY, got back into training using the elliptical in the gym, then adding slow walk/jogs by the end of last year. I felt pretty good by January - enough so that I was able to jog most of the Frosty Bottom 43M race. I decided to go forward with attempting the ITI 350M in late Feb knowing it would be a fast walk/hike more than a run. I didn't run as much as I wanted to in March and April, and again failed to complete much more than 100 miles at Pigtails 200M. Surprise? No not at all. As I always told my kids, "You compete the way you practice so unless you want to have a bad game/race, practice hard."
God has blessed me as a mediocre runner. I have very little talent and
I'm not one of those who can bust out a great run, or even a decent run without
doing the proper training. The flip side of not having the natural ability is
that I can train a lot and not get injured, burned out or BORED - a common
trend in today's runner. Of course "a lot" is a relative term. I
don't have a strict regimine and have "gone by feel" for many, many
years; and I don’t intend to change that. I love to run/train way more than I like
to race or do well in races. So I'm one of those who "leaves it on the
trail" or "on the road" when I train and at times have poor
races as a result. And the important thing for me is that I'm fine with that ~
just so you know where I'm coming from.
With that in mind, I've probably averaged upwards of 40 miles per week
this year which is barely enough to get me through a 100 miler (mostly because
of experience and the same hard headedness). I also have to remind myself that
just because there are others who are running sub-3 marathons in the 50s
doesn't mean I can.
I still feel I can run a decent marathon and am content with my sub-4s.
My 3:43 at the Mayors marathon was a testiment to the fact that I still have
speed (from strength) and that my strength/recovery was coming along. I was
lucky at the ResPass 100M as there was a small field and was able to tie for
2nd with my wife Shawn and run a 25 hour 100 mile race.
I've had 2 1/2 years here in Alaska to get used to the weather so I
have no excuse anymore about not being able to get out there and run in the
elements. 40 MPW just won't cut it for me ... I'm not getting slow because I'm
getting old. I'm getting slow because I'm not doing the training required for
me to be faster. When I was in what I feel was my prime (2004-2006), I was
putting in 80 MPW easily. While I'm likely not going to get back to those kinds
of mileages I feel I can and should get back to running 60 MPW in order to get
back to feeling like myself, and be a REAL ultra runner, not a poser.
One more thing about training and running in general that seems to be a
theme in the runner blog-o-sphere - (Note: I usually write about My Experiences
with Running but will mention a few others, hopefully in a good light, to
compare and contrast styles). Most ultra runners that I know love, love trail
running and absolutely hate road running. I've seen post after post of runners
posting that they got injured "because" they were running on roads.
While that's a popular line to drop because the writer will get many "likes"
and others agreeing with them, I just don't believe the statement is true. I
stand firm on the idea that one has to train for the conditions in which they
are going to race. I'm a terrible trail runner. Being used to road running,
I've become efficient in my movements; how high I lift my feet, how I carry and
swing my arms; etc. Put that efficiency on the trail and you get the major
injury I incurred in 2012. I can't with any sense of intellectual honesty say,
"trail running causes injuries." I can however say that improper
training on trails can and will lead to my getting injured. And it's the same
with road running. I don't get major injuries road running ... all of mine are
related to trail running (Another small note is that I ran for close to 25 years
running before I ever set foot and a
trail). My wife on the other hand has the opposite situation. While she has the
added pleasure of being pigeoned toed, her knees have trouble on roads. Trials
provide the offset needed for her to enjoy running pain free. Add snow and
that's heaven to her. I know she can run on the road uninjured because I have
seen her do it in the past. When she has focussed on getting stronger and
hitting the pavement more often, she has been
brilliant on the roads. But that's not her thing. She is content to stay
away from roads and limit her road racing. And for my part, I opt for the
dreaded unorganic surface. Give me miles and miles of blacktop and let me go.
That's heaven to me. And should I choose to race on the dreaded unevenness that
trail running provides me, I need to do my homework out there in the dirt, and
mud, AND SNOW.
2014 preview
First of all I want to say that the end of January, 2014 will mark 15
years of ultra running for me. I completed my first race of 50K at the Yours
Truly (virtual race), running with Cheri (Gillis) Pompeo and Lynne Werner in
January of 1999. Since then I have run 200 more ultra races. In that same time
period I have run 56 full marathons bringing my total marathons to 75. I still
have one ultra to do in January and a finish will give me 202 ultras in 15
years.
My primary goal this year is to get my weekly mileage back up to 60 MPW
or more. I also have a goal race in mind. I have been wanting to run a 6-day
race for years. The only 6-day that I knew of was the 6- and 10-day Sri Chinmoy
races in NY. Recentlythe 6-day was added back to the Across The Years race. I
had wanted to run that but knew the timing wasn't right for me with a new
grandchild coming and then with my training being as poor as it has been.
Again, I'm not a Pam Reed so I can't just go out and run 300 miles non stop nor
a 6-day without some serious training. I was a bit disappointed in not being
able to compete in that race but then what happens? The running gods drop a
6-day right in my lap. It's true; Anchorage will have a 6-day race in the Dome
(in indoor 400-meter track) in August of 2014. And while this will prevent me
from running ResPass in 2014, I have to see if I can train enough to be able to
get on the track six days in a row and put up some serious miles. Right now, my
WAG goal is to attempt to run 100K per day or 372 miles.
As with most of my goal races, I use other smaller races to prepare.
Here is what my, very tentative, dance card looks like thus far:
Jan 04 - Frosty Bottom 50M (43miles)
Feb 15 - Susitna 100M (because it's there)Mar -- - No racing. I will use this time to build up my mileage
Apr 20 - Skagit Valley Ultras (100K)
May 17 - Anchorage 24-hour (still in the works according to the RD).
Jun 14 - Willow Running Company 24-hour (still in the works but fairly certain according to the RD)
Jun 21 - Mayors Marathon
Jun 28 - Slucebox 100M
Jul 05 - Hatcher Pass Marathon
Aug 04 - 6-Days at the Dome
Aug 18 - Big Wildlife 49K
Sep 13 - Climbathon (need to get 10 laps)
Sep 20 - Equinox Ultra (40M)
Sep 27 - Kenai Marathon
Dec 20 - Willow Soltice Marathon
2015 plans (hopes & dreams)
Hopefully after a successful year of running in 2014, I will be ready
to step up my speed a bit and see if I can run some decent times in the shorter
events (under 50 miles). And who knows, maybe I'll feel like doing the ITI to
McGrath again. Too early to tell how my mood will be by then.
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