Making A List and Checking It Off...

The last week or so, I've been working on a 2016 bucket list. I guess calling it a bucket list is a bit of a stretch. It's more like things I want to do in 2016. Some things are quite small - just things I've never done but wanted to, and others are kind of significant...to me, at least.

For example, 1 of those things on my list I did last week. Yes, I know, technically, it was done in 2015 not 2016, but it's my list, so leave me alone. I've always wanted to ride a ferris wheel. I'd never done it because, I'll admit it, it frightened me a little. What if we got stuck at the top? What if it tipped over? Whatever. These are things I think about. Anyway, my son and I did it last week, and we survived. There were some tense moments, but we survived, and it was fun.

I'm not going to share my list because it's a work in progress and some things are personal. Plus, I'm still debating if I'm ready to share some of my personal stuff...which may never even see the light of day, but they're written. 

Make a list and check it off!!!

It could be something as simple as riding a canoe to doing R2R2R. Both those things made my list, by the way.

Nueces 50 Mile Trail Run

Nueces is probably 1 of my favorite place to run in. This'll be the 4th year that I think I run it, so I'm pretty pleased that I probably had my most consistent race ever this past weekend there.  

A couple days ago a friend of mine who has been giving me training advice/tips gave me a brutally honest assessment of how I tend to run. He basically told me that I end up starting too fast, dying, trying to recover by taking too long at aid stations and then hanging on for dear life towards the end. It made me chuckle because it’s spot on.  For example, last year I think my splits for the 50 miler were 3 hours, 4 hours & 8 hours. Yes, 8 hours!!! I think I may have taken a long nap during that last loop.

So my goal for this race was to try to be more consistent.

Driving in, the temps were in the 20s and icy, but we managed to, for once, get in at a reasonable hour.

Loop 1:

As soon as I got to the pavilion, the race began, and I quickly joined the tribe of runners. I was determined to pace myself. Truth be told, the icy rocks kinda forced me to go slow, since I was afraid of slipping and falling.

I tend to start races feeling flat, and it usually takes me several miles (sometimes close to 10) to get into a “groove”. This time, I felt pretty good from the get go.

I was eating a frozen kind bar approximately every hour, supplementing it with chips and pretzels at each aid station.

The only area I struggled was the long climb along the fence line about mile 12 or so. I felt like a slug going up. I kept thinking to myself “gotta continue working on my climbing!!!” Plus, seeing John Sharp practically sprinting up that climb left me kinda speechless.

I ran into 1 of my friends, Bobby, around this time and we spoke of many things, but it sounded like we both wanted to run consistently. We finished our 1^st loop in 4:02. A little slower than I wanted but probably a good thing.

Loop 2:

I grabbed some quick snacks and drank a boost and was out for loop 2 in about 3 minutes. Another goal was to make it in/out fast out of each aid station. Even taking 3 minutes may’ve been too much because I felt “flat” starting this loop. It took me a couple miles to get into a comfortable zone.

At about mile 7, I got into another little groove and picked up the pace a little.

Again, I felt like a slug going up the only major climb.

I finished this 2^nd loop in 4:15…a bit surprised but feeling really well.

Loop 3:

Coming in from loop 2, I saw my good friend, Nancy, heading out. This made me be even quicker at the pavilion. I was hoping to latch on to her pace since she has a steady steady pace. I ended up taking about 3 minutes for a quick snack & refill of my handheld.

I caught up to Nancy at about mile 3 and we ran together for the next 5 or so miles.

I remember looking at my watch and noting that I’d run quite a while and didn’t really feel tired, so I decided to push the pace a bit more. Once I started running a bit harder, I felt really comfortable. I even climbed the 1 tough climb really fast (for me). It was part, “it’s the last loop so I can afford to push” and part “let’s get this s**t over with”. Either way, I finished pretty strong.

My splits for the three 16.7 mile loops were:

4:03, 4:15, 4:09

Overall, it was a good run for me and I had a good time. Eventhough, I still have a ways to go, I feel pretty comfortable where my training is as I continue preparing for my summer goal race, Bryce Canyon 100. 

Congrats to all the finishers and to my fellow RGV flatlanders that went out there (Sami, Cyndi, Beto, Joel, Yano, Crystal, James & Carly). 

Bandera 100K - A Quick Run Down...

My plan for Bandera 100k was to finish between 14 & 16 hours. I felt it was doable for me since my runs lately had been really well.

Of course, the weather was a concern since it was supposed to be rainy & cold, but, I kept telling myself..."it'll make it that much more memorable".

Loop 1: 

Upon beginning the 1^st loop, I felt slightly “off”. It ended up taking me a couple miles to get warmed up…literally, but once I was comfortable, I felt pretty well.

It was pretty cool seeing icicles on leaves, logs and (tejas trails) signs. Fortunately, I did not find the rocks too slippery.  I can’t say the same about the mud.

I found myself either slipping through mud or carrying it on my shoes. It was quite a workout running/walking/hiking with your shoes caked in mud. Mid 1^st loop, my quads were already feeling tired (running with simulated weights on my shoes - in the form of mud - was taking its toll).

I also ran with a nagging pain in the back of my knee which always seems to happen when I run in wet/muddy conditions.

I ended up finishing loop 1 in about 8:20, but feeling pretty good.

Up to this point, I'd been eating every hour on the hour about 200-300 calories which had been my goal. I'm sure this was a good reason why I was feeling well at the 1/2 way mark.

I took about 15 minutes at the 1/2 point before heading out. I made sure and changed my sweaty clothes and ate 1/2 a burger.

Loop 2:

I started the 2nd loop with my good friends, Nancy and Orlando. The 1st 10 miles or so consisted of running and speed walking/hiking. I'd like to think I was still in pretty good shape. I was still eating every hour.

The mud didn't appear to be as sticky as the previous loop, but there was more water on the floor. I think this was so because a lot of the ice had melted and the periodic steady drizzle.

At about the 10ish mile mark, we started power walking/hiking more. I think we were all feeling it at this point. The pain on the back of my knee was getting a little more noticeable, but I was still good to go.

This loop was loooooong. I guess I'm not as fast of a power walker/hiker as I thought I was.

Once we arrived at Crossroads, my crewpeople, which consisted of my son, Joshua, and my GF, Sami, told us "Only a 1/2 marathon to go!" I remember thinking that was still a long way to go, but we had no choice but to get it done.

This...1/2 marathon was a suffer fest. The mud. The water. The climbs. I'd had enough of it by this point and just wanted to finish.

The last 3 climbs, Lucky Peak, Cairn's Climb and Boyle's Bump were brutal. It hurt as much going up as it did going down.

With 1/2 a mile to go, Nancy and I decided to "run it in". I'm sure it was more like a shuffle by this point, but off we went. As usual, I couldn't keep up with her, but we finished several minutes apart.

I finished in 20:12.

I was greeted by my son and Sami. I enjoyed my finisher's buckle near the heat lamp for about 10 minutes before deciding it was time to go. I'm really glad my son was out there to see me. It was a bit of an ultra for him too - spending 20 hours awake, napping and taking it all in. He loved the whole Tejas Trails scene, btw.

It was quite the epic experience, and I'm glad to say that several runners that I coach in our running group made their trail running debut...4 of them to be exact. 2 of them even upgraded to the 50k the morning of. Good job, Eder, Mario, Chris & Jeff, and see you guys at the next race!!!

Specifics:

1st Loop: 8:20

2nd Loop: 11:52

Calories: approximately 200-300 an hour (mashed potatoes, ramen soup, quesadillas, grilled cheese, pretzels, etc.).

Hydration: Water, Rocktane and 3 Boosts/Equates during the last loop.

Footwear: Bondi 4s - Brand new (I washed them twice on Sunday night and have been wearing them to work ever since. Recovery for my feet).

Coldwear: Pearl Izumi gloves, buff, wool socks and hand warmers inside my gloves;

A Steady Diet of Drop Bag Food

It's been 2 weeks since CR, and my drop bags are still feeding me. Thankfully, everything was spoil-proof.

I'd prepared 5 drop bags with power bars, cokes, pringles and other assorted goodies. I had a lot of 'em left over. Well, since then, I've been feeding nightly on a steady diet of these items. $ drop bags later, unfortunately, I am on my last one.

A couple years ago, I gave away GUs, power bars and stinger waffles (that I'd had leftover) for Halloween. That was my plan this year since the race was the weekend before. Unfortunately, I had no trick or treaters. None. I was disappointed at the time, but now I'm kinda glad. More food for me.

I guess in a way, you could say I've been prepping for my next ultra....seeing what food works and what doesn't.

So far, it's all working.

Forgetting Where I Stashed my Battery...

I was going to do a write up about my recent Cactus Rose 100 DNF but decided to write about something that happened to me during the race…something much more enjoyable (now that I look back because, at the time, it was horrifying).

Prior to the race, I had set up my extra battery to my headlamp in 1 of my 5 drop bags. A few hours before it got dark, I started thinking “…now, where is my battery?” because I knew my headlamp wouldn’t last throughout the night. I don’t know how it could happen, but I couldn’t remember which drop bag I had put it in.

My friend, Orlando, let me borrow his headlamp when he finished. As he gave it to me, he said something like “Make sure it is working before you go back out.” To make a long story short, I didn’t. I figured – how hard could it be? I think deep down inside I was probably thinking “I’ll worry about that when my light goes out?” Not a good idea.

Well, it got dark soon after that, and my headlamp light started flickering (warning me to replace the battery soon. Very soon).

This happened in the middle of 2 aid stations around 10pm. I took out my back up headlamp, but…I couldn’t turn it on. I kept pressing everywhere (because there appeared to be no buttons) but nothing would happen. I wasn’t sure how much time I had until my headlamp totally gave out, but I knew it wasn’t much. The last time this happened was during a race in the summer. After the flickering warning, it went out, but I was with another runner and was able to use her light to switch out the battery pack. This time, I didn’t have this luxury.

Immediately, dread and panic set it. I covered my headlamp with my hand to see just how dark it actually was, and to gauge whether I could see anything in the dark. I was in the middle of the trail, so it was pitch black. I was about 2 miles from the next aid station, and the previous aid station was 2 miles behind me. At that moment, a runner was coming the opposite direction (and towards the aid station I’d just left several miles earlier). She too tried to start my headlamp but had no luck.

My choices were to either run back behind her, and utilize her light when/if my went out before the aid station or take my chances going forward. I really didn’t want to run back when I’d been telling myself it was all about the forward progress, so I decided to run quickly (as quickly as I could considering that I was already at mile 52…so I’m sure it was just a shuffle).

Throughout the race, I’d been encountering runners going past me, with me or the opposite direction. At this point, it was pitch black, and there was no headlamp in sight in the distance indicating a runner was up ahead in either direction.

I shuffled my way as fast as I could muster hoping my light wouldn’t go out. Every couple of minutes my light would flicker, again, reminding me to switch out the battery. This only added to my terror. Yes, I think I panicked and was kinda terrified. 

My light went dark about 20 feet from the aid station. Yes, 20 feet!!! I was very lucky. Very lucky, and, most importantly, lesson learned.

 

Eat. Eat well and often.

I’ve learned not to underestimate the value of a good meal anymore.

Since upping my mileage (initially, at least), I found myself lagging in energy. So much so, that it concerned me quite a bit. Had I signed up for my current hunnerd too soon? Was I pushing so hard that my body couldn’t keep up? Was I too old to try to run what I want to run?

I think the problem was something so simple that I overlooked.

I’ve never been much of an eater, but my routine used to be:

·         No breakfast

·         Lunch

·         Workout

·         Dinner

...and work, of course.

The funny thing is that I didn’t change it because I thought it would help with my lack of energy/running. Instead, I changed it because it started getting too late to eat by the time I'd get home after my workouts. 

My routine now is very simple…if I’m hungry, I eat, and it has made all the difference in the world. After changing my eating habits by eating when hungry, I've had a lot more energy. I've even been able to do back to back 2-a-day workouts while going at it hard, and even doing crazy mileage on back to back days. This was unheard of for me.

I thought about this yesterday that I had 6 meals. Yes, 6. This might be an exceptionally high amount because I'd run 25 miles the day before. Normally, I've noticed that I'll just eat about 4...or so. That's not including snacking, of course, 'cause there's gotta be snacks.

So, my advice to those running/working out: Eat. Eat well and often. You just might notice a big change.

 

Introducing Tire Drags To My Training...

Things suddenly got real for me when I signed up for the Mogollon Monster 100 race. How was I going to run in that type of terrain when I live in terrain that’s like this______________________.  It's still 3 months away, but I knew I’d have to get creative with my training.

I’ve made several trips to the hill country to get some running in rugged elevated trails, but I can’t afford to make those trips weekly (as much as I may want to).

There are options: Running back and forth over an overpass gets old very quickly. The dreadmill, you ask? Don't even get me started with it. As boring as it may be, it's helped me too, but I felt like there had to be more options out there.

At a friend’s encouragement, I decided a month ago to add tire dragging to my workouts. I was a little intimidated because I’m not the strongest person and wondered if I would even be able to drag this tire. I had no choice but to do it.

The 1^st thing I did was tell my dad to be on the lookout for any tire on the side of the road. Being from the RGV, unfortunately, people dump tires on the side of the road almost everywhere. Within a day, my dad called me that he found 2 tractor tires. “Ummm. I was thinking something smaller.” Was my response. “Maybe, like a small car’s tire.”

By the end of the day, he called that he’d found 2. By the way, I was making 1 for myself and 1 for my friend, David, so this was perfect.

Surprisingly, it was very inexpensive to make:

-          8 feet of ¼ nylon rope:          $2.75

-          Screw with a loop head:        $2.50     (full disclosure: don’t know the actual name)

-          Weight belt:                             $19.99

-       Tire:                                           Free

I've seen others wrap the rope around their waist, so I guess the belt could be optional, but this looks too painful/uncomfortable. I even read somewhere somebody posted on FB that a belt for this could be made from duct tape. Nevertheless, I suggest a belt.

I have done 4 workouts (1 x week) the last month using my tire drag. The 1^st drag was 1 mile (to test it out) on the street in front of my apartment. The last 3 weeks I’ve increased the workout by 2  miles. I've done runs of 4, 6 and 8 miles.  

In my opinion, the street / paved is a little bit easier than gravel / dirt. 3 out of 4 of my workouts have been in the dirt next to a canal.

The Verdict:

I feel like my quads are getting stronger, and  I think my running is getting stronger too. I’ve made 2 trips to the Hill of Life in Austin in 3 weeks and have done the similar workout (repeats) but with different results. The 1^st time we did repeats, I really struggled. They’ve difficult and I earned every single step. This last time, it was still difficult, but I felt more comfortable out there. I think I was even hiking “with a purpose” as I like to call it…and let’s be honest: I hike the uphills on most ultras.

At the 5+ mile point of dragging my tire, my quads feel like that indescribable feeling towards the end of a long trail run when you are drudging up a huge incline. That’s the only other time I’ve felt that way. Simulating that feeling's gotta be a good thing.

It feels as if my core is getting an intense workout...almost like I'm dragging it and doing crunches at the same time. I've been ending my tire drag with a couple miles to cool down (without the tire). At the onset, I'm flying without the added resistance, but suddenly, within several hundred meters, it kicks in...the fatigue. It's running on tired legs, I keep telling myself.

The plan is to increase my weekly tire drag run by 2 miles each week. Tonight, I'm due for 10 miles. I remember that 1st time when I barely could muster 1 mile. It's been 5 weeks since that evening. No joke.

I won’t discount that fact that it might be all in my mind, but even if that’s the case, I’ll take it.

I definitely recommend tire dragging – especially for those of us (as we are fondly known) flatlanders.