Me & Anton (Krupicka) . . . Maybe

Another week is in the books, and I believe that I'm making solid progress toward my twin goals for the remainder of the year: 1) the August 18 Pikes Peak Ascent and 2) the September 15 North Face Endurance Challenge.  In addition to hill repeats early in the week, I did speed work on Friday and ran trails on Saturday.  It was my first time on trails for a while and I need to do much more of that this summer.  Both of my target races are on trails.

I did the trail workout in my new Asics Gel-Fuji Racers.  I really like them and expect that they will become my go-to trail shoe instead of the Saucony Peregrine.  I have nothing against the Peregrines.  I wore them to run last year's North Face Endurance Challenge 50K and had no problems.  It's just that the Fuji Racer is lighter and has a 6mm drop from heel to forefoot that works better for me.  The Peregrine has a 4mm drop.  I can run in shoes with a 4mm drop but prefer shoes with a 6-9mm drop. 

This week's focus is on a long run--22 miles.  Right now, the best day (weather-wise) for it looks like Wednesday.  Even then, I'll have to get up at 0 Dark Thirty to beat the heat.  It's summertime in Hog Heaven. 

Ultra star Anton Krupicka hopes to end over a year of forced idleness--due to injuries--at this July's Hardrock 100.  The better news--from my standpoint--is that he hopes to use Hardrock as a springboard to the Pikes Peak Marathon in August.  Since I'm running the Pikes Peak Ascent, perhaps I'll get to meet him.  See here for an account of Krupicka's injuries and recovery:  http://www.trailrunnermag.com/people/profiles/article/372-tony-krupicka-is-missing-in-action

Here's Krupicka's own account--with awesome photos--of a recent mountain run in the Ten Mile Range near Breckenridge, Colo.: http://wpblogs.runningtimes.com/blogs/antonkrupicka/2012/05/27/ten-mile-traverse/ 

Everybody knows about the Kenyans' success at distance running.  Here's an inside look at their less-celebrated Ethiopian neighbors and competitors:  http://running.competitor.com/2012/06/features/the-air-up-there-a-look-into-ethiopias-distance-running-legacy_53259

Marathon Recovery

Recovery from the May 6 Colorado Marathon continues apace.  I'm half-way thru a three-week recovery period.  This week I've done two 4.4 mile runs and two days of cross training.  I'll do two more days of cross training and a 6-mile run on Sunday.  So far, things are going well.  No aches or pains or lingering fatigue.  With luck I'll be ready to resume my regular training regimen on May 28.  That will give me 2 1/2 months to prepare for the August 18 Pikes Peak Ascent.  For info on the Ascent and the Pikes Peak Marathon, see here:  http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/entry.htm

One of my goals is to run/walk/hike into my old age.  So far, so good.  If you hope to run for a lifetime, check out this encouraging piece from Pete Magill:  http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=25970&PageNum=1

I recently discovered an analysis of legendary ultrarunner Micah True's (aka Caballo Blanco) autopsy.  True died while out running in the New Mexican wilderness.  The headline from the autopsy news is that he died of heart disease.  This is a more nuanced explanation: http://news.runnersworld.com/2012/05/10/the-micah-true-autopsy-explained/

With summer just around the corner, it's time to think about hydration needs on warm/hot runs.  Here's some timely advise:  http://running.competitor.com/2012/05/nutrition/hydration-101-sports-drinks-vs-water_52293

Post-mortem

The 2012 Colorado Marathon is history.  While I fell short of my time goal, I did finish first in my age group.  (You don't have to run that fast when you're an old guy!)  So, that's something.  The first part of the course through the Poudre Canyon was as awesome as advertised.  The miles from about 17 thru 26 were less dramatic.  More like generic bike path.  But, overall, the course is quite remarkable. 

I don't know if the altitude--I arrived in Ft. Collins on Friday from the Iowa flatlands--contributed to my lackluster time, but I felt fine--and was on pace--at least until I exited the canyon.  So, no excuses.  Just not my day.  As the renowned ultra-running philosopher Forrest Gump once said:  "__it happens!"

The race was well organized and the volunteers out on the course were great.  I thanked as many as I could along the way, but I'd like to take this opportunity to thank them and all of the other volunteers again.  They make what we runners do possible. 

Ft. Collins was nice.  (My wife and I usually vacation in the Colorado Springs area.)  We arrived on Friday and left on Monday so we had time to see much of the town.  The food and the service were great everywhere we ate.  I don't drink, but my wife tried some of the local brews and pronounced them excellent. 

I missed the awards ceremony because I went back along the course to run in with my wife who also ran the marathon.  I hope that the organizers plan to mail trophies to those who didn't pick them up on Sunday. 

The medals and shirts are much appreciated, but I like having the option of a printable certificate.  I didn't see that option in the emailed results.  Just saying. 

In conclusion, I'd encourage everyone to visit Ft. Collins and all runners to experience the Colorado Marathon. 

Starting with my next post, I'll turn my attention to my next major effort of 2012: the Pikes Peak Ascent.  You can visit their website here:  http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/entry.htm

Channeling Imelda Marcos

It's been more like early spring here in Hog Heaven over the past two days with high temps in the 60s.  That's still above average though.  Our average temp for today is 53 and our average low is 32.  But, we've been about 10 degrees above average since Dec. 1 so this feels about right.

I ran a speed workout yesterday.  3 x 1-mile at 5k pace.  Add in a mile of warm-up and 3 miles of cool-down and my total run was 7 miles.  Today, I did a brisk 4-mile hike and 8 sets of 25 push-ups for cross training.  Tomorrow's schedule calls for a 1 1/2 mile maintenance run.  Slow and easy. 

Next week's schedule includes my penultimate long run in the train-up to the Colorado Marathon.  After bonking on my last long run, I'm hoping to do better this time.  My goal is 24 miles.  I'll also do three maintenance runs (1 to 1 1/2 hours) during the week and three days of cross training.

I channeled my inner Imelda Marcos this past week and ordered two new pairs of running shoes: a pair of INOV-8 Roclite 285 and a pair of New Balance MT 110.  Both are trail shoes and were purchased to celebrate my decision to register for the Pikes Peak Ascent and the Madison North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Mile.  The NB MT 110 is a lightweight shoe and I hope to use it on Pikes Peak.  If it works out over 13.32 vertical miles, I'll consider it for North Face.  I plan to use the INOV-8 for training on the local trails in preparation for both Pikes Peak and North Face.  I also have the Saucony Peregrines that I ran in at North Face Madison last fall to use for training this summer.

There's one other shoe that I'm seriously considering for purchase later this year: the Saucony Kinvara 3 that debuts May 1.  The Kinvara 3 will replace a pair of the Kinvara 2 that won't last the summer.  A trail version of the Kinvara, the Kinvara TR, will be out in July.  But, I'd like to take a look at it and read a few reviews before adding it to my wish list.  There's also an intriguing lightweight shoe from Salomon, the S-Lab Sense, coming out this summer that might be worth a look.  I'm afraid that at 6.5 oz., it won't offer enough protection or durability.  But, it's worth a look anyway.

The rest of 2012

The calendar finally says spring, but the weather outside here in Hog Heaven has been shouting spring for some time now.  Today's forecast high temp of 81 degrees will make this the sixth straight day of record highs here.  It's supposed to cool down a bit later this week, but temps will remain well above average for this time of year.

Today, I did a hill workout: 6 x .5 mile hill repeats at a 5K effort.  I'm pretty pleased with the result.  Tomorrow will be a one-hour recovery/maintenance run, and Thursday will be cross training.

It's a good thing that I've been keeping up with my hill workouts this winter.  Yesterday, I finally pulled the trigger and signed up for the Pikes Peak Ascent.  See here: http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/entry.htm
Run in Manitou Springs, Colo., on August 18, the Ascent is the little brother of the Pikes Peak Marathon that is run the following day.  Both run up the east face of Pikes Peak.  The Ascent stops at the summit; the Marathon returns to the start.  The Ascent gains 7815 feet of vertical over 13.32 miles.

The Marathon field closed early in the first day of registration.  Field 1--the competitive runners--closed in 3 hours, 27 minutes.  Field 2--you and me--closed in 1 hour, 1 minute.  The Ascent remains open but is filling fast.  If you're interested, better get going.  The Marathon is limited to 800 runners, and the Ascent is limited to 1800.

There are qualifications for both races.  The Marathon requires an Ascent finish.  The Ascent requires meeting a time standard in a marathon or half-marathon run in the past three years.

I completed my 2012 dance card yesterday by registering for the Madison, Wisc., North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Mile ultra.  See here: http://www2.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/

I ran my first ultra--the 50K--at last year's Madison North Face Endurance Challenge so this will be a homecoming of sorts for me.  The North Face events also have registration limits, but it's early yet for Wisconsin (races are September 15-16).  If you want to join me there, you still have plenty of time. 

The Pikes Peak Ascent will be the first time I've raced above tree line.  North Face Madison will be 19 miles longer than I've ever run before.  Life's an adventure.  Stay tuned. 

To Hill and Back

Today is another outstanding winter day here in Hog Heaven:  Temps in the mid- to upper 30s with sunny skies (this morning anyway) and light winds.  The snow predicted by the Weather Service is supposed to begin toward evening and likely will not amount to much.

I celebrated the nice running weather by doing a hill workout: 6 x .5 mile hill with 92' elevation gain and c. 3% grade run at a 5K effort.  I managed a decent and consistent effort--the final two repeats being only slightly slower than the first two.  With warm-up, cool-down, and jogging back down the hill between repeats, I totaled about 8 miles.  Tomorrow will be cross-training--an easy 3/4 mile walk--and Sunday brings a 6-mile run with one of those miles run at 90% effort. 

I should apologize to WWII hero and 1950s Hollywood star Audie Murphy for the title of today's blog.  Murphy, who earned the Medal of Honor as well as a chestful of other decorations, entitled his autobiography To Hell and Back.  The movie adaptation, starring Murphy as himself, used the same title.  As a Vietnam vet and the father of a veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan, I understand the difference between running hills and combat, and I mean no disrespect.  I just liked the play on words. 

That said: Done right, hill workouts are not easy, and you'll likely feel like hell before you're through.  I do six repeats of a hill that's almost exactly .5 miles from bottom to crest and has an elevation gain of 92'.  My math isn't the greatest in the world, but I believe that works out to about a 3% grade.  I try to run them at a 5K pace. 

On the best of days, I'm ambivalent about hill workouts.  On one hand, I don't look forward to them, and I most certainly don't enjoy them.  On the other hand, I know that I'll feel virtuous once I'm done.  I also know that hill repeats will make me a stronger runner.  And, I'm a closet Calvinist.

Having done hill repeats during training and incorporated several hills into my usual training routes, I find that I don't obsess over hilly race routes.  I'd prefer flat, of course, but I'm confident that I can handle the hills.  That's worth the discomfort of the occasional hill workout.

The Colorado Marathon, which will be my first race of the year (May 6), promises a gradual descent along the entire route and an elevation loss of 1100' or so--albeit at a beginning elevation of 6100'.   Coming from Iowa, I'm interested in how that will impact my time.  I'd like to think that it will help.  My son warns that what the elevation decline gives, the elevation itself will take away.  The race directors seem to be of a similar opinion.  We'll see.

Later in the season, I'm considering "running" the Pikes Peak Ascent.  The elevation is all gain--some 8000' over 13 miles, and some at 13,000' and 14,000'.   The challenge for me is preparing for something like that while at 500' in Iowa where climbs over 100' are rare.  People from places that don't have mountains run (and finish) Pikes Peak every year.  Of course, the perennial winner lives in Colorado Springs at the foot of the mountain.  Go figure.

Just for the Hill of It

Or not.  I debated doing a hill workout this morning, but decided against it since I'm doing a long run (15 miles) on Friday.  No sense in overdoing it.  So, I ran an hour (c. 6 miles) at marathon race pace.  I didn't start out to run race pace, but I was on race pace at two miles and decided to hold it there.  It felt pretty comfortable.  And, it's early in my train-up.  Who knows?  Maybe I'll need to recalculate race pace before May 6 (Colorado Marathon).  As Martha Stewart would say, "That would be a good thing."

For those of you looking for a little inspiration to kick your training into high gear, I'd like to suggest a documentary that I watched last week:  "UNBREAKABLE: The Western States 100."  The film covers the 2010 Western States 100 and focuses on the competition among four of the world's best ultra runners: Kilian Jornet, a two-time Ultra-trail du Mont-Blanc winner from Spain; Hal Koerner, a two-time Western States champion from Oregon; Anton Krupicka, an elite ultra-marathoner from Boulder, Colorado; and Geoff Roes, another elite ultra-marathoner from Juneau, Alaska.  For those who don't know, the Western States is one of the most celebrated ultras on the planet.  The race starts at Squaw Valley, Calif. (Lake Tahoe) and continues through the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Auburn, Calif.  The race footage is thrilling, the interviews with the principals are informative, and the scenery (along the course and at the home bases of the four runners where they are profiled) is gorgeous.  The documentary is directed by JB Benna and is available from Journey Film at their website:  http://www.journeyfilm.com/servlet/StoreFront

Over Thanksgiving, I watched "On the World Stage: A Spectacular Mountain and Extraordinary People,"  the commemorative DVD for the 2011 Pikes Peak Ascent and Pikes Peak Marathon.  The Pikes Peak Ascent starts in downtown Manitou Springs, Colorado, and winds its way up the eastern slope of the mountain, gaining 8000' of vertical in 13 miles and ends at 14,115'.  The Marathon, held the day after the Ascent, turns around at the summit and returns down the mountain to the start.  The commemorative DVD is relatively short but adequately captures the grueling nature of the races.  It is available at: http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/order.htm  (This race is on my bucket list.)

I've (obviously, see bucket list above) never run the Pikes Peak Ascent or Marathon, but I've been to the summit.  The first photo below shows me at c. 13,000'.  I would say hiking, but I'm (again, obviously) sitting.   Probably wondering what I was thinking when I decided this would be a good idea.  This was August, 2007.  The summit was already socked in and it was only just after noon.  Before the afternoon was over, we'd hike through hail, sleet, and rain.  The second photo shows the wife and me at the summit.  It was in the 80's that afternoon down in Manitou Springs.  It was 35 degrees at the summit.  We didn't stay long!