Got the Bib Number...Guilty Taper for AR

It has been a guilty week of sorts with a Taper week built in for the next two leading up to AR50.  I had been a bit sluggish legs after Rucky Chucky so I did not mind it early in the week.  But as the week wore on I wanted to run a bit harder than the scheduled run on the American River Trail yesterday.  I was feeling guilty knowing I need so much work on long downhills and climbing strong.  That had it settled so I compromised with myself and will talk to my coach about it..I went back to Calstreet and ran to Cal3 and back.  Short in that it was 20miles but good with the downhill, climbs and cruising sections.  It was so much easier than last week on the return when you cut off 11miles.  I ran up most of the way from Cal3 to Cal2 and that had me excited..I then cruised till the steep climb up impail trail (as  I call it) Moved very well to Cal1 aid and stopped to talk to Allyson Thomas, Julie Fingar and Don Freeman...as they where heading in the opposite direction..It was nearly a perfect day..what would happen on the final climb to FH..that did not go as well.  I slowed down to a pace I did not want to be. .  But it still was a very good run, the sun was out it was a great spring day....I went home cooked on the grill, then went out to see Hot Tub Time Machine..suprised it was pretty good......

This week one step closer....I got Bib #280 for Western States! All my forms are complete now time to train, train, train...Next weekend I will run AR course to taper but my heart is in the canyons that are just starting to heat up with the change in weather.  AR will not be a race for me but another training run.  Miwok will be a test and a tough one at that.  Then we are into the last solid month of training leading to JUNE!  Where did the time go?

Rucky Chucky 50k a long training run....

Today's post finds my legs a little tired. Yesterday I ran Rucky Chucky Roundabout 50k..I wanted a training run with support on the Cal Loop to the river and back.  So the race offered the chance.  It is really a laid back race with about 75 -85folks.  Mark Lantz, John Blue, Eric Johnson,Charlie Jones, John Nichols where there and we saw Rory of the mountains as I call her.  A young gifted runner, she won the womens 50k and has her slot in WS so it should be interesting. 
We all took off on a cool very comfortable morning I settled in with Charlie Jones for the most part and we ran with a guy from Oregon as we cruised into Cal2.  Things where not too hard but the idea was to get to the turn around and then add 1 hour to my time down to get my finish time.  As we cruised into the first aid station we where in for a suprise.  About 9miles in and the aid station was not stocked!  Seems the gate was locked and the owners where gone....Jeez.  This seems to be what happens with  this race every year.  Race Director...it does not take much to plan ahead and make sure things are in place for race week...I find this very unprofessional that this continues to occur at this race since he took over. 

Ok on with the race..after we ran to the next aid station about 13miles in we got refueled thankfully.  I was low.  Aid station folks there where helpful and glad to quench our thirst.  Runners where on the return to the start finish and we where on par to hit the turn a little under 3hrs. We hit the turn at 2:50 and got out of there to return.  I suffered my low point really from there to Cal 3..I let Charlie go and was taking my time.  I stopped at one point and a guy passed me as  I was looking into the canyons....He said..are you ok I said yes...two other guys would also pass me on my way to Cal 3..things would change though soon enough...I got to Cal3 and was wondering if we would have full aid at Cal2 on the way back..we would really need it..I stopped and took down a Roctane and did a dry heave putting it down...I was downing S-Caps as well it was getting warm.  On the climb up to Cal2 I passed 2 runners and that felt good they where hurting and I was moving well on this climb.  Yippee they found the key and there was full aid at Cal2..Filled my two bottles and took off I was behind my schedule now but I wanted to get up the steepest climb on the return ok...5hours in and I start that climb..not too bad and I start running for the final 6miles..run then walk up the hills as I was thinking about my time and the final 2.5miles and the climb that can feel like an insult..its hard. 

As I hit that final climb I thought I could get within 10minutes of my goal..and I came upon the dude that asked me hours earlier if I was ok..he was a mess...I blew by him and said lets get this thing done but he had no energy and said for me to go on...I did..I was off goal now and said get in under 7hours..a long day for sure..a middle of the pack finish.   I am happy with the last 6weeks with these long runs each weekend....Now a minor taper as we get ready for AR50....then onto Miwok.  I still have a lot of work to do but just need to stay on the plan....Till next week....

Only 100 Days...!

That's right down to only 100 Days till Western States!  When I see it that way there is so much to get done. In reality after the Western States Training Weekend. Most of the work will be done so the body better get tuned and fast....
I had a minor setback this week with some achilles issues on Tuesday..I think I know the cause and it was foolish..That should not come back again.  Seeing only 100 days sets the mind into a good sense of PANIC! Line all the training up and make it count.  Long runs...and Getting into the Canyons.  Heat Training. More Canyons...Saturday and Sunday's are going to be getting really long and hard.  Weekdays..a little longer runs and repeats at Stagecoach up and down...slam the quads. 

This really is getting fun for me...Spring is in the air, 100 days and a lot of miles to go. 

A Cool Weekend..Next up Rucky Chucky Roundabout

Cool Cupcakes (photo by Jack Meyer)....Me by Chuck Godtfredsen


Way too Cool really was Cool.  Friday I arrived at Auburn Running Company to work packet pickup.  Only an hour or so into workng we started to see the first rain of the week. This was not too welcome of a sight for all the runners coming in the store.  Temps where dropping and it looked like a cold day in late December not March.  Jeez.  I was happy to be working inside versus the crews setting up the Start and Finish in Cool.  I had a good time but not so much taking time to talk with folks..just ask for last name, grab their bib packet and move on..I left late in the afternoon and a return to Cool on Saturday morning to work some more at the race.

Saturday was cold and foggy as I arrived in Cool runners where all bundled up..with temps in the mid 30's everyone was happy to get the race underway..But it sure was gonna be slick.  I will not get into race details but the day was filled with a lot of fun catching up with folks as I worked the awards table. I was gonna come back on Sunday for my long run and was a little worried I had been standing all day for the last 2 days making my 30'ish run to be hard. 

I arrived Sunday at the overlook in Auburn to run my long run solo again for the third week.  EEEsch...It was again cold but with the time change a bit warmer than previous days....Sun was out as I took off towards Cool, Not a bad run as I made my way up from Nohands..I ran into Grant Carboni who was out since before 7am...Not too many runners on this day a lot of folks resting.  The mud really was pretty bad after I made my way on the Cool course at HWY 49 and decided to run up Ball Bearing to ALT...Energy was ok but not a fast pace.  I was practicing walking pace every 12 minutes or so to review how my walking will be at WS..it was hard for me to walk for a set time especially when in the middle of my 1 or 2 minute walk time I was on some flat or downhill just wanted to move on those sections..I need to practice this a bit more it did not feel natural.  ALT to Browns was really pretty good and I started to think about how this will feel on WS race day/night/errr morning...Browns to Quarry road was a mess to just get down and cross the streams..It was slow going here as it will be long into the night.  I really lost it on the mental energy side once I got to Nohands and my last few miles...Finished my run at Placer High and my traditional touch the WS plaque found there..It felt long today, hard but overall a good week with increased mileage.

That leads me to about a month out from American River 50...I want to run one last long hard run this weekend and am gonna run Rucky Chucky Roundabout. About a 50k course from Calstreet to the river and then back...lots of downhill and alot of climbing..should leave me very tired come Saturday night..I will practice the walking on the steep long climbs and manage fuel and fluids on this test race...

Till next Week...

A week of Lone Long runs....

Geez...there are so many options this time of year that there are weeks where one has a good chance of running alone on those loooong runs.  This was the second consecutive week as folks raced pctr series, Napa Marathon or taper for Cool. 

I really don't mind the lone time as I have put into words before..I even thought of taking my ipod along but thought better of it as I set out on a 31 mile run along the American River...Silence is fine for me except for the sounds of spring be it the birds or mud puddles splatting against my shoes.  I use these longer solo runs to review things and see how well I can go since this is mental to be out for 5 or 6 hours. 

Funny that with American River 50 coming up in a month I have not really thought of that or even Miwok I just want to run each day and focus on hitting the training goals on the schedule...Perhaps this being such a narrow focus is doing me good.  I am not getting to caught up in others faster, longer programs but just looking at what I am doing getting to that day in June.  That said the long Saturday run had some low and high moments all of which I handled well.  I had a low point about 25 miles in but just put the head down to speak and moved through it for about 2miles after which things go better once more.  Steady was how I felt on this run.  The next days follow up recovery run of 9 miles had me thinking that only 2 or 3 weeks ago I was feeling exhausted to run and made every effort to get out the door.  This week like last no problem...The legs feel it put the endurance is getting there again...Longer runs on Sunday to come that is good news I am getting ready. 

Having a heck of a time getting my pacer('s) lined up...maybe living so close to the course and having friends in the race is a curse for this..I have asked four friends so far and all taken.  Way Too Cool is this weekend and I am doing my WS volunteer work there so I hope to see some other folks out there that I might be able to ask pace me..gotta get this taken care of soon.

Tony

Why all the competitive juices when I have gotten so slow...?

A quick note this morning...I am off for another busy day of WORK.....hmmm another 10hour day, constent multi tasking in terms of subject matter  I am reviewing,discussing and presenting solutions...I love it..

But what jumped into my mind this morning is that even though I have slowed down and have no chance at placing in my age group at any race...unless they are really slow is I have taken time to review folks on the WS list to see how I compare to them and my scant race resume...Gad...! When I do race it has been when I have not been in my best shape and in other cases run via a heart rate monitor...I consider that I really have only been in good running shape with very solid training one year in the last 9...the rest just goofing off...run a marathon or trail race in crappy shape....
This year with help of my coach and that new found PANIC of being in Western States knowing that effort put in now will make a huge difference for me in June has my competitive juices flowing a bit...I have a private list of folks in WS that I want to beat at WS...Its great that they are in....many for their first time, a few folks that have run well at WS in previous years...But they have never raced against me when I am in shape and tuned both mental and physical...Funny...49 years old and just wanting to finish the race also has some targets on other runners backs to chase down...I love it...Will see what happens but I know I am putting in a solid effort these last three months and look forward to seeing the result...Now off to work!

Tony