Blogging is not one of my strong points. While I enjoy blog stalking, the time it takes to put something together that makes sense not only to me but the few that may read it is probably better served studying. That said, I started a post about three weeks ago knowing I would not finish it in a timely manner. That certainly held true because here I am attempting to finish it and basically having to rewrite because of the time gone by. This is a bit lengthy and there are no photos, so if your interested, please read on.
With the onset of aging taking hold and failure of joints unavoidable, I’m not quite sure what each season is going to bring. It is a fine line between training smart in order to race well or getting carried away with the training miles and intensity only to get sidelined with joint issues. It has taken some time but I have learned some valuable lessons in regard to my training and racing. I have accepted the fact that marathoning may be my longest race distance and that effort is saved for once a season, probably the fall because I know the recovery is going to be slow. I’m good with that plan. As fun as Ultras are, when one shifts from ultra distance training to shorter (submarathon distance) miles, you look back at the time commitment involved with ultras and wonder where you ever found the time. Not to mention the stress level is drastically reduced.
Going into this summer, my plan was to build up the race distance with Pikes Peak Ascent as a mid summer focus race then Xterra Half Marathon Trail Championships and maybe if the everything is still holding together, race the new Boise Foothills Frenzy 50K. Yes, I said ultras are probably a thing of the past, the great thing about 50K’s is that one can basically marathon train with some minor adjustments. The 50K would be my season ender for sure, so I’m not sure if that is the route I want to go or go back to Lithia Loop to defend my USATF Masters Trail Marathon Championship win from 2010.
The season has been going as planned, I raced the Dry Creek Half (a stop on the La Sportiva Mountain Cup) and finished third. A good early season effort on a not so dry trail – major mud! Even in the conditions, the top three men went under the previous CR. After Dry Creek, Pocatello 50 was next – no not the 50 for me, I was racing the 20 miler. Anyone that follows trail racing has heard of the near disaster of the 2010 Pocatello run, I was there running the first leg of a relay team and witnessed it first hand. Being so close to home, there was no way I was going to miss this year. Jared and Ryan delivered another amazing race with some course tweaks that proved rather difficult. Basically the 20 mile course (the third portion of the 50 mile course) went up, then descend, then went up again and then descended again to the finish. The route was measured by many to be closer to 22 miles. I ran for a second place finish, behind Pat Braggasa. Two “older” guys throwin’ down. For July, one cannot miss the 30-year-old Elephants Perch Backcountry Run. Taking place in my backyard and returning to try to defend my 2010 win this was going to be one tough race. The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation always puts nordic kids on the line – and they are tough runners. Last year I beat 25-year-old Mike Sinnott - Nordic phenom, this year he was ready to put it down. And that he did, the race unfolded exactly as 2010. I caught him at mile 10, he then dropped me on the final climb and I had no response. Mike would set a new course record for the 16.5 mile run, I would finish third. Top three seems to be my place for this race.
Pikes Peak would fall in line next. Pikes had been the focus for most of the summer, the other races serving as tests. I tweaked my training from last year in prep for the grueling half marathon race that requires a marathon effort. More volume, more concentrated hill work and less time peak bagging. The Sun Valley area doesn’t have great high elevation running, you are either on the valley floor (6000′ feet) or going up only to reach the high points and have nowhere to go. Last year I did a large amount of run-ins and then peak bagging, this year I’m focusing more on finding difficult hilly terrain with consistent higher elevation (8,000′-10,000′ ) running. It has been tough to put together but I feel has been working well. My taper plan called for ten to 14 days. The taper went well, although doing 18 in the backcountry the weekend before with AJW, Hank, and Travis may not have been the best idea, it was still fun and an outing I wasn’t going to miss. I traveled to Pikes on the Thursday before unlike last year which I spent the week prior in RMNP. I was anxious for the race and felt confident in my training. I arrived at the start in plenty of time to get my head straight and get warmed up. I moved into my position in wave one, keeping back from the line about ten feet. I do this so I don’t get caught up in the crazy pace.
My goal was a 2:35:00 finish. I had my splits for the popular landmarks on my arm. As the race progressed, I nailed every spilt within a few seconds. Feeling good! The feelings quickly changed. Just like last year and just like all the warnings, the mountain had its way starting above the A-Frame shelter. My 2:35 quickly disappeared as mile 11 to 12 took me 15:22 and the last mile took me 20:39! I finished 2:47:44 – completely wasted and somewhat bummed with the final miles. I was pleased with the effort, just not happy with the results. I now have two runnings of the Ascent and two different training plans. I will return to the Ascent next year with the combination of both training plans under my belt.
The rest of the summer? Well, this week has turned into a recovery week, which I didn’t plan on. I was hoping to take a day or two post Pikes then jump right into a final cycle for Xterra and Boise Fiithills Frenzy. That plan has had to change. The stresses of Pikes has somewhat taken a toll and I need a few more days to come around. Hoping to nail a good LSD backcountry run this weekend to kickstart the next cycle. This cycle will most likely be the last of the season. I’m already excited for Xterra Trail Run Nationals and really hoping to keep the body together for Boise but I know if I can pull Boise off, it will end my season. But what a great way to wrap it up. The Boise foothills in October, perfect season ender.
It has been a great season so far. Good backcountry training with friends, fun racing with top results and not too much joint pain. Once again, the sponsors have been great – The La Sportiva Mountain Running Team, First Endurance nutrition, GreenLayer apparel, Ultimate Direction hydration products, Headsweats for the best hats to keep the sun off my bean and the sweat out of my eyes and Petzl headlamps for the o’dark – thirty morning runs! Now be sure to get out and do something!
