Saturday Running-The goats are out and Lantz,Skaden and Evens smoke me on the final climb!

Today was a very nice day to run in Auburn. It seems the last two weeks running plans have been fluid..As was the case today. Rena joined me on a run from the overlook on the American River Trail we ran a total of 23miles under sunny skies. Mark Lantz,Rob Evens, Eric Skaden and John Nichols started a little later but where never far behind. With all the rain the previous week the trail was near perfect. To back up a bit we ran on presidents day on the same course but only for 15 miles it was sloppy, windy, pouring and cold...we all had fast runs that day up from the river.

It we ran very consistant the first 10 miles and I decided to make the turn at 11.5 and just prior to starting the run through buzzards. It was getting kinda warm. I was out front to this point and with Rena..she knows when I ask her to lead that I am starting to get tired. On the return to RattleSnake we loaded up on water and food for the final 10miles. Just past rattle we hard a familiar sound from last spring...a bells that are tied to two Goats that a guy brings along with his german shepard for a walk on the trail...These really are pretty amazing goats. They walk just in front of the owner with no leash and the german shepard tags along...Only in California! From Rattle to the 6mile to finish mark things where ok..getting slower but not minding. At this point is a section


Still Smiling...on the American River Trail




I need to start working on as repeats...2.6 miles from there to the river before the final climb. It is this section that is so runable that I tend to crumble all the time. I gotta fix that. Rena was gone at this point and I told her to push it since nothing is worse than getting caught by runners that started after you begin...I was not so lucky with a mile to the top I turned to hear Mark Lantz say...your worst nightmere..I caught you..I cursed a four letter word as he blew by...then came Skaden and Rob Evens..all strong to the top. I was tired and sore...
The week was pretty good with highlights of 15miles on Monday, 23 miles today and will end it with a 13mile run Sunday. Still have a lot of work to do for AR but it is coming along...Tony

Fashion is obviously not our game after the run Me, Erik Skaden, Mark Lantz..

Valentines Day Run..No Broken Heart, But Broken Legs!

Aquatic Center, up the bluffs to Cavitt School and Return via south side lake natoma. 22miles...
As the title hints...Valentines Day...No Broken Heart, Just broken legs from the run. In an earlier post I weather was the talk of nocal as Saturday/Sunday approach.
The run was again diverted after hearing weather reports of nasty,cold,snow etc near Auburn..which is only 1200ft elevation. So Friday night with calls from folks it was decided..stay close to Sacramento area and run from the Aquatic Center to Cavitt School via a combination of trail and a well used bike path. This is also part of the American River 50 course so no harm done..it is just more pavement than trail. Rena and I met early Saturday..It did not look too bad out with drips of rain and little wind as we took off. We had planned to head to the Granite Bay Horse Staging area and then back..not to be.

Lets start with what I felt went wrong and then end with positive..I have not been running road, or any ashphalt for that matter much and I was just not I think ready for that mentally as we took off. The mind was thinking...jeez this bike trail thing feels long and no real destination..lots of folks on bikes, a few runners...I wanted to be on the single track trail...alone, only the river below providing sound and focused..The mind was not hooked on the running. Fluid intake was low again this week. I think that hit to my bonk the final 4 miles.
On the plus side this was a good run to be doing since the first 19miles of AR50 are on the trail..this caused leg turnover versus running on the trails..It was faster in overall pace by about one to one and half minutes per mile. So it was kinda a long run with tempo. The last four miles where tough but I kept the legs turning over. Rena knew I was in some pain and was a help by just staying in front of me as we moved to the finish. I was thankful for the finish..let me tell you! The legs felt beat up..again..maybe it was the tempo feel..But overall it was good for me.

As for this Valentines thing..it was a none event...It did leave me time to ponder about someone (a little pinning..how's that for an old fashioned word). WS 2010 really is the outside focus right now..dwelling on situation not in my control does me no good.

On that note about WS 2010,I did get a nice note from Jen Pheifer on some suggestions training leading to WS..Her take was use training cycles to hit the goal..Here is an excerpt....In each cycle I would plan a "focus".... hills, speed, downhill running, uphill walking whatever...that way you can really hit all the important stuff and maybe leave the big endurance training (like back to backs) for the last big cycle which will lead you into the race. At the end of each cycle I would plan a "rest period" so that you make sure you are recovering and not over training.

Pretty good advice...Tony

Tony

Wet Trail Running, Tour of California and Dan Moores Update

Just a brief note...Hey is this the drought buster week or what? Rain and low snow levels have arrived this week and will be more intense this weekend. Winds will be with these storms making it a bit more difficult on the trails. But for the most part the sections where we run are pretty well protected. Granted blow downs and diversions will be a given. To avoid as much mud sucking sections Saturday will be a 26 mile run on the American River Section from the Overlook to my favorite section.....Buzzards and those $%#$$# tight rocky climbs..it will be good for me. Sunday higher wind forecast of upto 50miles might have me altering plans but 15-20miles is on the agenda.

Local talk is focused on the start of the Tour of California..and the return of Lance Armstrong..They will be earning their pay this weekend. The time trail around the Capitol should be rain and wind free but the ride in Davis and Santa Rosa will be really wet...Oh well can't time everything.

A positive note...I ran into Dan Moores at his shop Auburn Running yesterday. He was getting ready for a brief snowshoe run near blue canyon. He is prepping for his bone marrow transplant at Stanford first week in March. He is very upbeat. With the schedule he said he will be living through posts of runners training for this years Western States...those posts he will be comparing their prep and race season leading up as he recovers...They expect him to be out of hospital in time to see the finish at the track in Auburn for WS! That is his goal like the runners make it to the finish line. We will all cheer him on.

Tony

Work gets in the Way, Strange Diet and Strong Weekend

The work I am involved in has one or two times in the winter and spring that can bring havoc to my training schedule. The first happend last week. 5 solid days of no running and standing on my feet talking to clients. It just has to be. I have been fortuante for the most part to have some freedom to complete my work and have time for some training runs.

That said I had to run solid Saturday and Sunday. Both runs took place on the American River Trail.

Saturday consisted of the out and back to RattleSnake Bar from the Overlook. Most everyone where racing at Woodside or at Jed Smith. So it was just me on a cool, but sunny day. Skaden and Lantz where running on the same course but being so much faster I was on my own. So off I went. Some may wonder how I while away hours on a trail...? Running alone I usually process something. Today I used the miles to calculate time splits for the AR50 race. Not quite like the lead in a beautiful mind I run calculations in my head...This helped me gauge where am fitness wise as I haed toward April. Getting to the turn around and the final 10miles I felt ok. But as in the past with 6miles to go my splits slowed. I did finish with a good run up the hill better than last weeks.

This lead to the strange diet for the whole day...Here it is..its a wonder I could run at all Sunday...

Saturday Diet...

Pre Run...1 cup coffee, 3blocs, 1 water bottle Ultima, One Vespa

During Run...About 60oz Ultima Sports Drink, Two packs blocs, two salt tablets

Post Run...Immediately after 2-Chocolate Ensures, One small serving coke

Dinner--Three hours later...Two Cheeseburgers on the grill, one beer, one glass milk...
Thats it...I may need to eat a bit more during the run but I am gauging levels of food during the days of running.

Sunday..With all that lack of food..I had a casual run planned. I was only going to run 12 miles. I took it easy in the morning. Just sipping coffee and three blocs prior to the run. With one bottle of ultima off I went back to the overlook and a run on the trail...It turned out better than expected. Legs felt so good the whole day. I used this time to run steady to my 6mile turn around. I could not figure it out why I felt good. But I was taking it for all that it is worth. My return splits to the overlook where very positive....With the coming weeks I feel I need some longer weekends and get past two or three hours on Sunday.

I am still ahead of last years running and feel good about that..

Weekend Total..32 miles.

Tony