Monday, November 16, 2009

Official Entry in for WS 2010..Now time to Train

A short post...better running this last week. Volume still low but quality on Cal to Cal2 and back a good sign. Up Next Quad Dipsea...just a slooow run and survive the steps.

Official Spot for Western States is now in and it left me nervous and excited. Other races I have paid for for 2010 Pacifica 50k in Jan, AR50 in April, In lottery for Miwok....

Have a fun week.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Training for Quad Dipsea..do the double

Stinson Beach below, big waves and the turnaround for the double dipsea

Check out the dork compression sleeves: a group photo at Panorama Aid Station

Double Dispsea Profile


I went out to Mill Valley Yesterday to run on the Dipsea Course for the very first time. The run was to be out and back ie..Double Dipsea(Mill Valley to Stinson Beach and back). The course is famous for the stairs at the start which total over 600 right at the start. I was lucky to run into a group that was taking off on their training run on the course so I would not get lost through the complicated first mile as it winds up Mill Valley. Right off the bat we started running up the stairs, no warm up just run. This had my heart rate going from 65 to 177 in a matter of it felt seconds. I had no time to slow down, just look down and put one foot in front of the other, don't fall and don't get dropped so early.
The stairs are slick uneven etc..as we snaked up a series of three sets of stairs, with short respits on road surface. This lasted about a half mile till we finally got to some sort of trail. From their we had a brief rest as we ran down and finally began single track and fireroad climbing for 4.5miles this was pretty gentle but and runnable but I was breathing hard. Along the way we hit some exposed sections where the ocean was in full view, there where huge waves of 15 feet swelling up today..the group said we would need to go to the beach and see these large rollers before we turned back. About the time we hit one of the aid station locations at Panorama Karalee Morris came flying by on her training run.
This was pretty nice really but different than running on the WS course.

shortly past Panorama we made our last climb which markes on the course a downhill to Stinson for the most part. The quads where already feeling this downhill it would be slow heading back. This was about 7miles as we hit the beach with the return trip about ready to begin. I decided to drop back and see what its like to run on my own to Mill Valley, see if I can make the right turns etc...It was tough and it was good to be on this course to see how you feel on the way back..after all come race day we have to go back to Mill Valley, head down those stairs and then return back up and do it all again. I had planned about 3hours to be out there and that is what it turned out being. I was tired but not exhausted which was good but at Quad this will be hard. I am guessing with the crowds the start will be really slow and walking up the stairs etc..Slow going out and back will be the motto...Looking forward to the return to Mill Valley a reall neat town for sure.

Tony