Well its another year. I have to say that I am getting even more ultrasore as the years pile on. I now seem to be coming down with a cold. I have built up a mileage base of 30 to 40 miles but have dropped that off due to icy surfaces and lack of drive. Its the new year and I will hit the trails again tomorrow morning. I am working towards the John Dick 50K but may have to skip due to a tenant moving out from our condo in Del Rey Oaks that will require us to head west in early Feb.
Badgers lost another Rose Bowl this evening. They made a gallant effort but just could not pull it off.
My goal this year is to post more than 2 or 3 entries for the year. Yeah!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Monday, August 15, 2011
Restart
I don't know what its like for others. I really don't know much about training routines or schedules. My personal running schedule is something like this:
1. Around January, make some sort of goals for spring runs around here
2. Start training and increasing mileage from my base of mid 20's and 8-10 mile long runs
3. April,May and June run a few good local ultras; usually with insufficient base and not enough long runs.
4. Try to keep running in the summer; usually not very effective due to heat/humidity; weekly miles drops down to about 20 to 30 miles.
5. Enter a Fall ultra (last few years I have run the Glacial Trails 50 mile. Have a terrible run and stagger into the finish around 10 to 11 hours.
6. Drop back down to 20 to 30 mile weeks
I guess that for me it is really tough to maintain high mileage year round. I think I am going to try to develop a new strategy that will keep the base levels OK but not kill me. I just have to figure it out.
1. Around January, make some sort of goals for spring runs around here
2. Start training and increasing mileage from my base of mid 20's and 8-10 mile long runs
3. April,May and June run a few good local ultras; usually with insufficient base and not enough long runs.
4. Try to keep running in the summer; usually not very effective due to heat/humidity; weekly miles drops down to about 20 to 30 miles.
5. Enter a Fall ultra (last few years I have run the Glacial Trails 50 mile. Have a terrible run and stagger into the finish around 10 to 11 hours.
6. Drop back down to 20 to 30 mile weeks
I guess that for me it is really tough to maintain high mileage year round. I think I am going to try to develop a new strategy that will keep the base levels OK but not kill me. I just have to figure it out.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Winter Running Again
It feels like it has been a cold winter. There have been several periods with wind chills below -10F. As I mentioned last year, I do have a routine and set of clothes.
Here was my morning:
Wake at 6AM, put on long underwear, wind briefs and running tights, long sleeve shirt, wind coat and fleece pullover, socks, balaclava, hat, light two pairs of gloves. This takes about 15 minutes to find and put it all on. Stagger out the door and head up to Owen Park (right behind my house). I run up Old Sauk to warm up and then enter the park from above. We have about 16 inches of snow pack but it has been over a week since the big snow so things are packed a bit.
I wanted to run on 'trails' to see how it is going after my drop at the John Dick 50K last weekend. The morning was beautiful with a pink light glowing over the snow as the sun rose above the horizon. I could look in the distance at steam rising above the buildings at Hilldale and the UW campus.
I ran about 6 miles and change and called it a morning. I got back and noticed I was covered with frost and ice around my face. The temperature was -11F with wind chills at -25 or so. Another winter morning run.
Here was my morning:
Wake at 6AM, put on long underwear, wind briefs and running tights, long sleeve shirt, wind coat and fleece pullover, socks, balaclava, hat, light two pairs of gloves. This takes about 15 minutes to find and put it all on. Stagger out the door and head up to Owen Park (right behind my house). I run up Old Sauk to warm up and then enter the park from above. We have about 16 inches of snow pack but it has been over a week since the big snow so things are packed a bit.
I wanted to run on 'trails' to see how it is going after my drop at the John Dick 50K last weekend. The morning was beautiful with a pink light glowing over the snow as the sun rose above the horizon. I could look in the distance at steam rising above the buildings at Hilldale and the UW campus.
I ran about 6 miles and change and called it a morning. I got back and noticed I was covered with frost and ice around my face. The temperature was -11F with wind chills at -25 or so. Another winter morning run.
Happy 2011
Well...... The new year has started out rather ominously. I ran the John Dick 50K last weekend and did not have a good run. I made it to about 20 miles but then dropped. The surface was just too soft. I don't know how to describe t but it seemed to be about 2 to 6" of cold soft snow that you just couldn't get enough friction. I guess I just wussed out but I was at about 4 1/2 hrs after 30K and realized it would be a 7 hr day. I had already had plenty of exercise so I felt there was no point to just keep plodding along at 14 minute miles. I am still conflicted about this as I almost always finish what I start.
Anyway, I like this even. Good job by the Badgerland Striders and RD Robert Wehner.
Anyway, I like this even. Good job by the Badgerland Striders and RD Robert Wehner.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Tangent
My brain has been churning for a few days after the midterm elections. I am a political junkie of sorts. I oscillate between hope and severe cynicism. Anyway I think there may be something at play that I wanted to jot down.
I think there is national funk going on. I think that many people (especially outside the Washington beltline) are starting to feel that the best times are behind the USA. They see that incomes are flat or falling while at the same time things (health care, food, utilities) are increasing in price, even though the government says that inflation is flat or non existent. Young people have to go into debt to get through college and still cannot get a job. Senior citizens see their life savings riding on the stock market roller coaster or no cost of living increases from Social Security.
\
What this all means is that people are scared, angry and frustrated. What do you do when you are in this funk?
1. You can become a Tea Bagger . Yes government is failing to solve anything. They keep spending money they do not have.
2. You can latch on political party and hope beyond logic that they will finally do what they say in the soundbites.
3. You can look for someone to blame for all the problem: illegal immigrant, socialists, aliens?
4. You give up. You do not vote because you believe (with some good logic) that nothing will change.
We are in trouble! Why would the same parties that have been in charge for the last 100 years do something radical to change the direction of the country? If you add in the factor of money and special influence, it is unlikely that we will see any real change in the next several years. A Tea party activists is not much different from a hard core Democratic party idealist. I think they hold these strong and passionate beliefs because the alternative is to accept that it possibly hopeless.
I got into a heated discussion with someone after a 'progressive rally'. This person was criticizing me because I was critical of Obamas middling health care reform, lack of follow through on closing Guantanamo and the practise of assassinations of both foreigners and US citizens without any due process. His point was that we have to support the Democrats because the alternative is so much worse.
I really hope that is not what we have come to. I also feel that things are in a bad shape in this country. We cannot continue to do nothing because we are sliding backwards.
I often fantasize about a party or group of leaders who would lay out a vision for the future. I hope that things do not get much worse before we see some alternative future.
I think there is national funk going on. I think that many people (especially outside the Washington beltline) are starting to feel that the best times are behind the USA. They see that incomes are flat or falling while at the same time things (health care, food, utilities) are increasing in price, even though the government says that inflation is flat or non existent. Young people have to go into debt to get through college and still cannot get a job. Senior citizens see their life savings riding on the stock market roller coaster or no cost of living increases from Social Security.
\
What this all means is that people are scared, angry and frustrated. What do you do when you are in this funk?
1. You can become a Tea Bagger . Yes government is failing to solve anything. They keep spending money they do not have.
2. You can latch on political party and hope beyond logic that they will finally do what they say in the soundbites.
3. You can look for someone to blame for all the problem: illegal immigrant, socialists, aliens?
4. You give up. You do not vote because you believe (with some good logic) that nothing will change.
We are in trouble! Why would the same parties that have been in charge for the last 100 years do something radical to change the direction of the country? If you add in the factor of money and special influence, it is unlikely that we will see any real change in the next several years. A Tea party activists is not much different from a hard core Democratic party idealist. I think they hold these strong and passionate beliefs because the alternative is to accept that it possibly hopeless.
I got into a heated discussion with someone after a 'progressive rally'. This person was criticizing me because I was critical of Obamas middling health care reform, lack of follow through on closing Guantanamo and the practise of assassinations of both foreigners and US citizens without any due process. His point was that we have to support the Democrats because the alternative is so much worse.
I really hope that is not what we have come to. I also feel that things are in a bad shape in this country. We cannot continue to do nothing because we are sliding backwards.
I often fantasize about a party or group of leaders who would lay out a vision for the future. I hope that things do not get much worse before we see some alternative future.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
What Happened to the Year
Okay. Its still only October and the summer weather has not moved out yet. It was in the 80's last week which is a bit of a drag because last weekend was the Glacial Trail 50 mile race that I vowed to get revenge for a breakdown two years ago. Well, the good news is that that trail kicked by sorry ass again. I think I may have topped my time by 3 minutes from 10 hr and 58 minutes to 10 hr and 55 minutes - now the two slowest 50 mile times I have ever run (if you want to call it that).
Race recap - Kudos to Robert Wehner and all the volunteers. It is a blast to see Tom and Lorraine Bunk, Julie Treder, etc. at the aid stations. I ran the first half in 4hr 30 minutes and then I bonked for the next 6 1/2 hrs. I remember seeing Christine Crawford at the mile 30 aid station. I plopped down in the shade next to her and she asked if I was done. I replied that I was done but I was going on. It was about 5 miles past there that I had a bad vomiting episode where I lost all the fluids I had consumed for the prior 30 minutes. I could get nutrition to stay down. At Baker Lake, Julie T and Lorraine B. gave me ice and ginger ale and I plonked down for another 10 minutes before staggering on. I kept waiting for the second or third wind. Maybe I did get them because I finished but I cannot really differentiate between struggle and hope.
Next Year dammit!
Race recap - Kudos to Robert Wehner and all the volunteers. It is a blast to see Tom and Lorraine Bunk, Julie Treder, etc. at the aid stations. I ran the first half in 4hr 30 minutes and then I bonked for the next 6 1/2 hrs. I remember seeing Christine Crawford at the mile 30 aid station. I plopped down in the shade next to her and she asked if I was done. I replied that I was done but I was going on. It was about 5 miles past there that I had a bad vomiting episode where I lost all the fluids I had consumed for the prior 30 minutes. I could get nutrition to stay down. At Baker Lake, Julie T and Lorraine B. gave me ice and ginger ale and I plonked down for another 10 minutes before staggering on. I kept waiting for the second or third wind. Maybe I did get them because I finished but I cannot really differentiate between struggle and hope.
Next Year dammit!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Summer
Summer...... It has been a hot and balmy summer here in south central Wisconsin. Running has been OK. I have not been able to really get long runs in. I did run the Madison Marathon with my buddy Tom. The race was called around 4 hrs because of heat but I finished in around 3hr 35' which got me a 3rd place in my age group. Kind of a nice surprise.
Summer running is when you get up knowing you will lose about 1 to 2 pints an hour to sweat. It is hard to carry or access enough water to do long runs. Then there are the bugs. If you run in the woods, you can outrun the mosquitoes but the black flies will get you. If you stop or slow down too much, then the mosquitoes will swarm you and take blood. I am not really complaining because summer running is a real challenge and its a blast to try to work through it.
Summer running is when you get up knowing you will lose about 1 to 2 pints an hour to sweat. It is hard to carry or access enough water to do long runs. Then there are the bugs. If you run in the woods, you can outrun the mosquitoes but the black flies will get you. If you stop or slow down too much, then the mosquitoes will swarm you and take blood. I am not really complaining because summer running is a real challenge and its a blast to try to work through it.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Skipping Ice Age 50 Mile
For the first time in a few years, I will not run the Ice Age 50 mile or even the 50K this weekend. The Chippewa 50K convinced me that I do not have the base to really have a good (or at least not a really bad) run. Best wishes to all who are participating. It looks like great weather - low 50's for the high, no rain.
My hip is finally feeling OK. Its hard to tell completely because I have been working for the last three weeks on a exterior remodel job with friend Kevin M. I don't remember if I mentioned that I am a carpenter/ solar installer by income. It is tough to do carpentry and tear off siding or roofs, etc. and then run first at 5AM. Climbing ladders gets real tough at my age after a 10 mile run before work.
Had a decent run last weekend. I ran the Lake Monona 20K race which Tom and I do as a training run. Its a good race - lots of participants, good course and beer and wings at the finish. I finished around 1 hr 33?'.
Since the galcial series is not going to happen for me this year, I am still trying to figure out some good events to participate in......
My hip is finally feeling OK. Its hard to tell completely because I have been working for the last three weeks on a exterior remodel job with friend Kevin M. I don't remember if I mentioned that I am a carpenter/ solar installer by income. It is tough to do carpentry and tear off siding or roofs, etc. and then run first at 5AM. Climbing ladders gets real tough at my age after a 10 mile run before work.
Had a decent run last weekend. I ran the Lake Monona 20K race which Tom and I do as a training run. Its a good race - lots of participants, good course and beer and wings at the finish. I finished around 1 hr 33?'.
Since the galcial series is not going to happen for me this year, I am still trying to figure out some good events to participate in......
Monday, April 12, 2010
Chippewa 50K and Sylvester
Well,
I am resting after the Chippewa 50K race this last weekend. I was lamenting the cancellation of this race in January when I was informed that it was picked up by another group.
First, the positives:
1. The weather was great. It was cloudy and cool at the start with plenty of sunshine.
2. The trail was nice and soft with lots of moss and leaves.
3. Great Race - I had a good time once again and thanks to all the organizers and volunteers
Negatives
1. I had a crappy race. The first half was good and fast. The last third was a death march. I am not sure what happened but a list of likely suspects would include: under training, hip injury, stomach problems, going out too fast.
2. The nice and leafy trail covered up a lot of root and rocks so I took about 4 falls. None too serious but more than my average.
My wife Geri ran the new 10K and we had another good weekend up in Chetek. Reds Tavern was definitely the best dinner we have had in town. This area is really nice and the lakes around Chetek are beautiful.
Anyway, back to the race. I have been suffering from a nagging hip pain for over a month that I was suspecting might even be a stress fracture so I had stopped running for the two weeks prior to the race. Good for my hip but bad for me. The first 10 miles of the race were sweet. Lots of singletrack up ridges and around countless lakes. Add a few boardwalks and bridges and it is as nice a run as I have ever participated in. The last 5 miles to the turnaround are a bit less spectacular but still pretty nice. I was dragging at the turnaround at about 2hr 25 minutes but I thought 5 and change was possible but things wend bad pretty quick. I got lost after a mile or two and added about 1/2 mile or so but mentally that hit me right when my body was rebelling. Stomach pains, calf pains lack of energy plagued me the rest of the way in. I would get passed and get a bit of energy trying to keep pace but I always dropped back. I kept waiting for the second wind but it never came. Anyway, the last mile is great because most of it is downhill except for the evil hill in the last 1/4 mile which I managed to stagger up.
Its weird how crappy you can feel but then feel OK about an hour later. We headed to the hotel and a shower and rest for an hour made me fine to go out for a few beers and dinner.
The other tough thing is that we had to put our cat Sylvester to sleep this afternoon. We have had Sylvester since we lived in San Jose and he was about 17 years old although we don't really know because he showed up in our driveway 15 years ago in bad shape. He was a good soul and he shared out life in Singapore, San Francisco and finally Madison. He joins our cat Maya who passed away two months ago as well. The photo I found of them made me smile. They were buddies but also competitors for food even though they never went hungry living with us.
Rest in peace friends!
Monday, February 15, 2010
John Dick and Turkeys
Well, the first long run of the year - the John Dick 50K - was last weekend (Feb6th). I have been doing this run for three years in a row now. The race/run is held on the trails around Scuppernong near Oconomowoc, WI. Since it is early February in Wisconsin, that means you are running on snow/ice/slush or a mixture of all three.
This year, the conditions were pretty good. We had gone a stretch without fresh snow so I was worried it would be too icy but we got a few inches of fresh stuff on Tuesday before the race so it worked out pretty good (although there were sections where the ice slick was showing through the snow). It was about 20F if I remember correctly and we had sun shining through a light cloud cover. It never got too warm or too cold. I started running with my buddy Tom Schlaefer and got a few laps (the course this year was 5 laps of a 10K course) in before I started struggling. The course has one aid station manned and an unmanned water/gatoraid station at the other end of the loop. I have always had trouble getting a base of sufficient miles over winter here in Wisconsin so this race is always a bit of a struggle. At the same time, it is fun to see all the local runners: Robert Wehner (RD), Tom Bunk, Mary Gorski, C. Crawford, Julie Treder, etc.. Great job to Robert and the Badgerland Striders for the event.
Anyway, the last few miles were a struggle but I finished in 5hrs and change.
I had a bizarre experience last week on a morning run. I passed a group of turkeys on a city street and I turned around to look back and saw one of them jogging after me. Another turkey flew out of a tree and joined his pal in chasing after me. I wasn't near any females or chicks so I was unsure what they were doing but sure enough, they started catching up to me. I stopped and faced them but they had no intention of stopping. They were looking at me with these dead eyes and I proceeded to try to back away and wave my arms to scare them off. They were not the least bit afraid of me. I was kicking snow and ice chunks with little effect. This went on for about 100 feet and I was wondering what to do about this. I know turkeys have pretty sharp spurs so I didn't want to turn my back and run for it. Finally, I was able to create about 15 feet of space by throwing ice and I sprinted down the road and lost them. That was pretty weird. I have run by group of turkeys for years and never seen them act aggressively in the past????
This year, the conditions were pretty good. We had gone a stretch without fresh snow so I was worried it would be too icy but we got a few inches of fresh stuff on Tuesday before the race so it worked out pretty good (although there were sections where the ice slick was showing through the snow). It was about 20F if I remember correctly and we had sun shining through a light cloud cover. It never got too warm or too cold. I started running with my buddy Tom Schlaefer and got a few laps (the course this year was 5 laps of a 10K course) in before I started struggling. The course has one aid station manned and an unmanned water/gatoraid station at the other end of the loop. I have always had trouble getting a base of sufficient miles over winter here in Wisconsin so this race is always a bit of a struggle. At the same time, it is fun to see all the local runners: Robert Wehner (RD), Tom Bunk, Mary Gorski, C. Crawford, Julie Treder, etc.. Great job to Robert and the Badgerland Striders for the event.
Anyway, the last few miles were a struggle but I finished in 5hrs and change.
I had a bizarre experience last week on a morning run. I passed a group of turkeys on a city street and I turned around to look back and saw one of them jogging after me. Another turkey flew out of a tree and joined his pal in chasing after me. I wasn't near any females or chicks so I was unsure what they were doing but sure enough, they started catching up to me. I stopped and faced them but they had no intention of stopping. They were looking at me with these dead eyes and I proceeded to try to back away and wave my arms to scare them off. They were not the least bit afraid of me. I was kicking snow and ice chunks with little effect. This went on for about 100 feet and I was wondering what to do about this. I know turkeys have pretty sharp spurs so I didn't want to turn my back and run for it. Finally, I was able to create about 15 feet of space by throwing ice and I sprinted down the road and lost them. That was pretty weird. I have run by group of turkeys for years and never seen them act aggressively in the past????
Friday, January 29, 2010
Winter Still
I went out for a run this morning. The thermometer read -2 when I headed out the door and the wind chill was about -15. I decided to do the run to the UW Arboretum which is about 4 miles one way and then see what I felt like doing. I actually did not feel too cold starting out. The layering I had on helped alot. When I got to the Arb. I decided to try a turnaround at 9 miles and then back to the barn. This ended up being about 18.75 miles for the day. For some reason (probably because it was cold as hell) my 'member' was chilling up at about 15 miles. I had some hand warmers so put one of those in my wind briefs which did the job. Anyway, it has been a pretty good week for mileage. I will end up with 52 or so after tomorrows run. Next week is the John Dick 50K which it looks like might be good this year. The run the last two years has been on snow so we are supposed to get an inch or two over the next week which should soften the icy crust that is currently on the ground - no snow for two weeks or so but no warm weather either.
Still bummed about Chippewa 50K cancellation? WTF?
I am still unsure what to set for goals this year. I would like to do the Mad City 100k in early April. The Ice Age 50 and Kettle are always good races. Maybe I should look for something out of the state??
Still bummed about Chippewa 50K cancellation? WTF?
I am still unsure what to set for goals this year. I would like to do the Mad City 100k in early April. The Ice Age 50 and Kettle are always good races. Maybe I should look for something out of the state??
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy 2010
Well...... Its been a while. It has been a pretty slow fall for me running wise. First, I suffered through some calf strain issues starting in late October. Then I ran a half marathon (Tyranena) in early November which was a beautiful day and run but I pulled my calf muscle again at about 3 miles and ran through it only to severely aggravate my injury.
This is the first day of 2010. It is a typical January day in Wisconsin. It is partly cloudy with a high around 10F and a morning temp around 2F with a breeze making the wind chill about -10. What do you do on days like this? Well, you can run. And that is what I did. This is the day for the New Years Day dash - a local 5 mile run. It is started from a chicken wing joint in Middleton, WI so you also get to run against a chicken as well as the other runners. The problem is that the chicken is pretty darn fast. I beat the chicken this year and finished first in my age group (34'50" or so) so I got a cheesy mug. Running in the cold requires a few modifications including:
1. Wind briefs - these are magical underwear that keep your organs from freezing. This is not something to snicker about. A run at 10F or so with a slight breeze can result in some serious chilling that can be pretty frightening. The briefs eliminate the problem- period.
2. Long underwear
3. Tights
4. Long sleeve shirt (coolmax or something like it)
5. Glide for the nipples due to the rubbing of all the layers
6. A wind proof top (windstopper fabric)
7. A balaclava (sp?) to keep your ears and cheeks from freezing
8. Hat
9. Gloves or mittens
10. Yak tracks on shoes to keep from falling on your ass
I know it sounds weird to run like this but you can actually do OK once you get used to it. I will not even start on carrying water(which tends to freeze after about 30 minutes).
I am thinking about my running goals for this new year. I will jot them down soon.
PS- I heard that the Chippewa 50K has been cancelled this year. I am not sure why or what happened but this is a huge disappointment. This race is one of the most beautiful runs I have ever done. This throws a serious wrench in any plans for my Glacial Trail Series for 2010.
This is the first day of 2010. It is a typical January day in Wisconsin. It is partly cloudy with a high around 10F and a morning temp around 2F with a breeze making the wind chill about -10. What do you do on days like this? Well, you can run. And that is what I did. This is the day for the New Years Day dash - a local 5 mile run. It is started from a chicken wing joint in Middleton, WI so you also get to run against a chicken as well as the other runners. The problem is that the chicken is pretty darn fast. I beat the chicken this year and finished first in my age group (34'50" or so) so I got a cheesy mug. Running in the cold requires a few modifications including:
1. Wind briefs - these are magical underwear that keep your organs from freezing. This is not something to snicker about. A run at 10F or so with a slight breeze can result in some serious chilling that can be pretty frightening. The briefs eliminate the problem- period.
2. Long underwear
3. Tights
4. Long sleeve shirt (coolmax or something like it)
5. Glide for the nipples due to the rubbing of all the layers
6. A wind proof top (windstopper fabric)
7. A balaclava (sp?) to keep your ears and cheeks from freezing
8. Hat
9. Gloves or mittens
10. Yak tracks on shoes to keep from falling on your ass
I know it sounds weird to run like this but you can actually do OK once you get used to it. I will not even start on carrying water(which tends to freeze after about 30 minutes).
I am thinking about my running goals for this new year. I will jot them down soon.
PS- I heard that the Chippewa 50K has been cancelled this year. I am not sure why or what happened but this is a huge disappointment. This race is one of the most beautiful runs I have ever done. This throws a serious wrench in any plans for my Glacial Trail Series for 2010.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
What Happened to Summer
I am sitting at the computer watching the tail end of a pretty good rainstorm and realizing that next week will be October. I feel like I had a pretty good focus early in the year. For running that was true. I had a race plan and I stuck close to it (close is a stretch). My original goal was to complete my Glacial Ultra Series. What is the Glacial Ultra Series you may ask?
The Glacial Ultra Series of races encompasses Five Races:
1. The John Dick Memorial Crusty 50K in Feb.
2. The Chippewa 50K in April
3. The Ice Age 50 Mile in May
4. The Kettle 100 Mile run in June
5. The Glacial Trail 50 Mile in October
Why these races? I guess my logic was that each of these races traverse sections of the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin. Of course there are a few other races along the trail but since I made up this series and can define it the way I want!!
Well, I made it through the first 4 races with decent results (for me) and then got invited to a wedding in California the weekend of the Glacial Trail 50. I could either backslide and change my definition of the Glacial Series or just wait until next year.
Since I am probably the only person in the world who is likely to run the series this year (or any year) what difference does it make? Let me think about it. I could claim success for completing the 4 race series this year and then expand it next year but I am leaning to just say that I did not make it this year and set the series as a goal for next year.
The Glacial Ultra Series of races encompasses Five Races:
1. The John Dick Memorial Crusty 50K in Feb.
2. The Chippewa 50K in April
3. The Ice Age 50 Mile in May
4. The Kettle 100 Mile run in June
5. The Glacial Trail 50 Mile in October
Why these races? I guess my logic was that each of these races traverse sections of the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin. Of course there are a few other races along the trail but since I made up this series and can define it the way I want!!
Well, I made it through the first 4 races with decent results (for me) and then got invited to a wedding in California the weekend of the Glacial Trail 50. I could either backslide and change my definition of the Glacial Series or just wait until next year.
Since I am probably the only person in the world who is likely to run the series this year (or any year) what difference does it make? Let me think about it. I could claim success for completing the 4 race series this year and then expand it next year but I am leaning to just say that I did not make it this year and set the series as a goal for next year.
Friday, July 17, 2009
July Update
Not whole heck of a lot going on running wise. I have dropped off my mileage in the last few weeks since the Kettle 100. I am a bit worried about that because it is tough to pick it up quickly. I am looking at the calendar over the next two months and I am not seeing alot of opportunities for races. I am planning on heading out tomorrow to the Kettle Moraine for 20 miles or so. Hope to meet up with Tom at 9AM.
Saw that Zach Gingrich came in third at Badwater. I get a sense that he was looking to take that race. I saw him run in the last few months and I think he was really close. He said he had been doing 200 mile week training! As a 50+ year old, I cannot even imagine that. My body aches when I do 50+ mile weeks.
Had a great trip to Kauai with friends; didn't get much running in but did manage lots of swimming, snorkeling and hiking.
My sister, April and family also visited Madison. April was my crew chief when I ran Western States in 2007. If I ever do that run again, she will be my first choice. She was much more organized than even I was. I do need to figure out hydration and calorie intake for 50 mile and longer races. I have had problems at both 100 mile races I have run with vomiting, etc. I know that I am not getting the fuel needed to stay strong.
Saw that Zach Gingrich came in third at Badwater. I get a sense that he was looking to take that race. I saw him run in the last few months and I think he was really close. He said he had been doing 200 mile week training! As a 50+ year old, I cannot even imagine that. My body aches when I do 50+ mile weeks.
Had a great trip to Kauai with friends; didn't get much running in but did manage lots of swimming, snorkeling and hiking.
My sister, April and family also visited Madison. April was my crew chief when I ran Western States in 2007. If I ever do that run again, she will be my first choice. She was much more organized than even I was. I do need to figure out hydration and calorie intake for 50 mile and longer races. I have had problems at both 100 mile races I have run with vomiting, etc. I know that I am not getting the fuel needed to stay strong.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Kettle 100
It is Monday morning and I am resting up from the Kettle 100 mile race last weekend. Let me start off and say that I finished in a good time (21:01) and I am pretty happy with that.
It was a crappy looking day, cloudy and cool and looking like rain in the afternoon and evening. Bad weather for anything but running. My wife, Geri and I had planned to camp out at Whitewater Lake the race weekend. We met up with Tom Schlaefer (my running buddy and pacer) and his partner, Cindy. Friday night was great and we had a fire, good food and company before turning in.
The morning came soon enough and the start was cool (low 50's?) and we all headed off. The Kettle 100 is basically two out and back loops. The first loop heads north to Scuppernong at 31 miles and the return makes the 100k course. The second loop is out again south to Rice Lake and back. The loop is mostly single track and since it is run at night my hope was to be able to get a piece of this in before dark.
My plan was the same as always: start reasonably (5 miles/hr), hydrate well and try to eat enough to keep my body moving. I headed out on towards Tamarack station along the roller coaster of hills. Since this section must be covered 4 times in 100 miles, I knew that the up and down hills would be a pain later in the race. The run up to Emma Carlin aid station went fairly well. I was keeping my pace and feeling a bit leg tired but still strong. After Emma Carlin you go through about 4 miles of open prairie and I felt pretty good and passed a few people there. The rain was still holding off and the thick overcast sky protected the runners from the sun. When I got closer to Scuppernong, I saw the 100k and 100 mile winners fighting it out along the single track. Wynn Davis was leading Zach Gingerich but I guess they fought it out over the first 100K. I met my crew (Geri, Tom and Cindy) and had some food at the turnaround and quickly headed out. I started having stomach problem at the next aid station. I think it was a coke and salty potato combination but I burped my way onward.
The rain started about 45 minutes out from the turnaround but it was not too bad. I noticed running through the prairie area that I was feeling more tired that I had hoped and my feet were getting wet from the wet grass but I caught up with Scott Meyers who I had run with about a 1/4 of the Ice Age 50 race 4 weeks ago. Scott was struggling a bit but he was still powering. At Emma Carlin, I saw my crew again (a bit of a surprise) but I was thankful as I could change my socks before heading out. The rest of the first loop back to Nordic passed uneventfully except for the last 5 miles from Tamarack through the rollercoaster which played a mind game on me as there were countdown mile signs which seemed to always took longer than I had hoped. I made it to the welcoming 100K finish at about 6:15PM and hooked up with Tom, changed my shirt and grabbed by headlamp and headed back out.
Tom and I pushed it pretty good for a while. I really wanted to get as much of the trail under my belt before dark which normally would have been around 9PM but because of the clouds would be around 8:30 (unless you were in the thick woods). We made it out to the open area before HW12 aid station around 9 and got in around 9:30 if I remember right. I downed a cup of soup and some crackers and about 50 feet from the station, everything came back up. I decided to head back and try to get something in my stomach so I grabbed a few more saltines and put a sandwich in my pocket and we headed out again. Its funny how you do feel better after barfing so we pushed on through the tough rocky section. This last 4 1/5 miles to Rice Lake is really three parts: the first rocky and hilly, the second pretty smooth and the last a rocky section with stairs down to the Rice Lake turnaround. We made it to Rice Lake around 10:30PM and after lounging around for a few minutes, headed back. It is a bit dreamlike to be running through the woods at night and seeing lighted runners approaching from the distance. Glow sticks at road intersections also added to the dream elements. There also seemed to be alto of moths that would light up in the glare of the headlamp and fly towards up. I will admit that this last bit was a bit of a plod. I tripped and fell a few times but I think that is normal.
I knew we were doing well because we saw runners coming towards us most of the way back. By the time we got to Duffin Road, I knew it was less than 10 miles to the finish. At Tamarack, it is only 5 miles to the end and even though it was the dreaded roller coaster, I knew That it was doable. We were still running the flats and downhills so I was surprised to be passed about 2 miles from the finish (turned out to be a 38 mile 'fun runner'). Anyway, the finish came soon enough. The crowd of 4 people cheered us in and Tim Yanacheck gave me my kettle and a surprise 2 place plaque in the Senior Masters division.
Anyway, that's the raw race report. It was a good run. It was well supported and my thanks go out to all the volunteers who made it possible for me and the other runners.
Now to deal with the soreness and pain.....
It was a crappy looking day, cloudy and cool and looking like rain in the afternoon and evening. Bad weather for anything but running. My wife, Geri and I had planned to camp out at Whitewater Lake the race weekend. We met up with Tom Schlaefer (my running buddy and pacer) and his partner, Cindy. Friday night was great and we had a fire, good food and company before turning in.
The morning came soon enough and the start was cool (low 50's?) and we all headed off. The Kettle 100 is basically two out and back loops. The first loop heads north to Scuppernong at 31 miles and the return makes the 100k course. The second loop is out again south to Rice Lake and back. The loop is mostly single track and since it is run at night my hope was to be able to get a piece of this in before dark.
My plan was the same as always: start reasonably (5 miles/hr), hydrate well and try to eat enough to keep my body moving. I headed out on towards Tamarack station along the roller coaster of hills. Since this section must be covered 4 times in 100 miles, I knew that the up and down hills would be a pain later in the race. The run up to Emma Carlin aid station went fairly well. I was keeping my pace and feeling a bit leg tired but still strong. After Emma Carlin you go through about 4 miles of open prairie and I felt pretty good and passed a few people there. The rain was still holding off and the thick overcast sky protected the runners from the sun. When I got closer to Scuppernong, I saw the 100k and 100 mile winners fighting it out along the single track. Wynn Davis was leading Zach Gingerich but I guess they fought it out over the first 100K. I met my crew (Geri, Tom and Cindy) and had some food at the turnaround and quickly headed out. I started having stomach problem at the next aid station. I think it was a coke and salty potato combination but I burped my way onward.
The rain started about 45 minutes out from the turnaround but it was not too bad. I noticed running through the prairie area that I was feeling more tired that I had hoped and my feet were getting wet from the wet grass but I caught up with Scott Meyers who I had run with about a 1/4 of the Ice Age 50 race 4 weeks ago. Scott was struggling a bit but he was still powering. At Emma Carlin, I saw my crew again (a bit of a surprise) but I was thankful as I could change my socks before heading out. The rest of the first loop back to Nordic passed uneventfully except for the last 5 miles from Tamarack through the rollercoaster which played a mind game on me as there were countdown mile signs which seemed to always took longer than I had hoped. I made it to the welcoming 100K finish at about 6:15PM and hooked up with Tom, changed my shirt and grabbed by headlamp and headed back out.
Tom and I pushed it pretty good for a while. I really wanted to get as much of the trail under my belt before dark which normally would have been around 9PM but because of the clouds would be around 8:30 (unless you were in the thick woods). We made it out to the open area before HW12 aid station around 9 and got in around 9:30 if I remember right. I downed a cup of soup and some crackers and about 50 feet from the station, everything came back up. I decided to head back and try to get something in my stomach so I grabbed a few more saltines and put a sandwich in my pocket and we headed out again. Its funny how you do feel better after barfing so we pushed on through the tough rocky section. This last 4 1/5 miles to Rice Lake is really three parts: the first rocky and hilly, the second pretty smooth and the last a rocky section with stairs down to the Rice Lake turnaround. We made it to Rice Lake around 10:30PM and after lounging around for a few minutes, headed back. It is a bit dreamlike to be running through the woods at night and seeing lighted runners approaching from the distance. Glow sticks at road intersections also added to the dream elements. There also seemed to be alto of moths that would light up in the glare of the headlamp and fly towards up. I will admit that this last bit was a bit of a plod. I tripped and fell a few times but I think that is normal.
I knew we were doing well because we saw runners coming towards us most of the way back. By the time we got to Duffin Road, I knew it was less than 10 miles to the finish. At Tamarack, it is only 5 miles to the end and even though it was the dreaded roller coaster, I knew That it was doable. We were still running the flats and downhills so I was surprised to be passed about 2 miles from the finish (turned out to be a 38 mile 'fun runner'). Anyway, the finish came soon enough. The crowd of 4 people cheered us in and Tim Yanacheck gave me my kettle and a surprise 2 place plaque in the Senior Masters division.
Anyway, that's the raw race report. It was a good run. It was well supported and my thanks go out to all the volunteers who made it possible for me and the other runners.
Now to deal with the soreness and pain.....
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Syttende Mai
My running buddy Tom Schlaefer and I ran the Syttende Mai last weekend. This is a fun local 20 mile run from Madison to Stoughton. It is run from the state capital square through local countryside ending up along main street in Stoughton. The morning was a bit brisk. I ran from the house to add a few more miles (6 it turns out which was a few more than I thought). Anyway, the run was fun; I finished in about 2hrs and 43 minutes although my name and time are missing from the results? I wonder if the chip timing malfunctioned because I ran over all the mats and they called out my name at the finish?
I have decided to run the Kettle 100 in early June so I need to keep my mileage base up. I am shooting for 50 mile weeks for a few weeks and tapering the first week of June. I have not run a 100 mile race since Western States 2 years ago. It is a bit intimidating but I have decided to just try to have some fun with the Kettle. It is a course I am somewhat familiar with (at least parts). I will try to run steady for the first 100K and then hold on for the last section at night. Lets see how the next few weeks go.
I have decided to run the Kettle 100 in early June so I need to keep my mileage base up. I am shooting for 50 mile weeks for a few weeks and tapering the first week of June. I have not run a 100 mile race since Western States 2 years ago. It is a bit intimidating but I have decided to just try to have some fun with the Kettle. It is a course I am somewhat familiar with (at least parts). I will try to run steady for the first 100K and then hold on for the last section at night. Lets see how the next few weeks go.
Monday, May 11, 2009
2009 Ice Age 50
Another Ice Age run under my belt. The day started out pretty miserable with windy and light rain conditions at the start. A bunch of people tried to huddle around the outhouse to stay out of the wind but most packed into the warming hut until a few minutes before the start.
I took my normal position at the back of the pack and shuffled off a few minutes after 6AM. The crappy weather seemed to ease off as we were finishing off the nordic loop and my glasses were fogging up so I changed to a short sleeve shirt and headed off to the Rice Lake turnaround. This is a nice section through a pine plantation, a few open fields but a lot of Wisconsin native forests. As we got near Highway 12 we could hear the Sandhill Cranes making their normal racket. The boardwalk section has been rerouted to a evil hill right before Hwy 12 due to ? (flooding or damage - its been 2 years now).
Just past 12, I saw Zach Ginerich coming the other way. I didn't see his race number and I assumed he was just a runner that was not part of the race. It seemed too early to have the lead runners coming back? Then I saw Wynn Davis powering right behind and I knew that there was going to be a fast finish. After the Rice Lake turn, it feels like a long haul to Confusion Corner (not really very confusing). This is probably around 25 to 30 miles into the race. Its tough because I am starting to feel fatigue but I know that I have 4+ hours of running ahead of me. I always feel that the mental elements of these races is critical. The body can do a lot of things if the mind tells it to.
On this last out and back to Emma Carlin aid station, I hooked up with a group including Scott Meyers, Dave Reid, Ken and Steve Plumb, and Nick Stoneman and we trudged along for most of the remainder. It was somewhat exciting to see the leaders coming back around including the women runners: Christine Crawford in first and Ann Heaslett following closely. There were also two younger women running well: Chelsea Clammer and Toney Avakova - good to see some fast youngsters.
Anyway, I was able to keep moving forward and tagged along with Dave Reid (first 50 miler) for the last few miles (although I did sit on the bench on top of Bald Bluff for 20 seconds as a reward to myself). Just before the finish, I noticed Steven Arndt making a sprint to pass us but I found a few more fumes in the tank to finish 59th in 9:31:58 at an 11:27 pace.
I turned out to be a great running day - cool and overcast. The beer at the finish was tasty and I sat by the fire to keep warm. Great race and volunteers. It was probably a tough day to man an aid station due to the cold, light rain and breeze but I thank you all! Especially the person at Confusion Corner who had the lonely job to steer people onto the right trail.
I took my normal position at the back of the pack and shuffled off a few minutes after 6AM. The crappy weather seemed to ease off as we were finishing off the nordic loop and my glasses were fogging up so I changed to a short sleeve shirt and headed off to the Rice Lake turnaround. This is a nice section through a pine plantation, a few open fields but a lot of Wisconsin native forests. As we got near Highway 12 we could hear the Sandhill Cranes making their normal racket. The boardwalk section has been rerouted to a evil hill right before Hwy 12 due to ? (flooding or damage - its been 2 years now).
Just past 12, I saw Zach Ginerich coming the other way. I didn't see his race number and I assumed he was just a runner that was not part of the race. It seemed too early to have the lead runners coming back? Then I saw Wynn Davis powering right behind and I knew that there was going to be a fast finish. After the Rice Lake turn, it feels like a long haul to Confusion Corner (not really very confusing). This is probably around 25 to 30 miles into the race. Its tough because I am starting to feel fatigue but I know that I have 4+ hours of running ahead of me. I always feel that the mental elements of these races is critical. The body can do a lot of things if the mind tells it to.
On this last out and back to Emma Carlin aid station, I hooked up with a group including Scott Meyers, Dave Reid, Ken and Steve Plumb, and Nick Stoneman and we trudged along for most of the remainder. It was somewhat exciting to see the leaders coming back around including the women runners: Christine Crawford in first and Ann Heaslett following closely. There were also two younger women running well: Chelsea Clammer and Toney Avakova - good to see some fast youngsters.
Anyway, I was able to keep moving forward and tagged along with Dave Reid (first 50 miler) for the last few miles (although I did sit on the bench on top of Bald Bluff for 20 seconds as a reward to myself). Just before the finish, I noticed Steven Arndt making a sprint to pass us but I found a few more fumes in the tank to finish 59th in 9:31:58 at an 11:27 pace.
I turned out to be a great running day - cool and overcast. The beer at the finish was tasty and I sat by the fire to keep warm. Great race and volunteers. It was probably a tough day to man an aid station due to the cold, light rain and breeze but I thank you all! Especially the person at Confusion Corner who had the lonely job to steer people onto the right trail.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Music While Running
I am running the Ice Age 50 this weekend and I got an email of runners rules. Of course one of them says the wearing of headphones is a violation of the rules and not allowed by the insurance? WTF? Is there a higher risk of tripping on your headphone cord and face planting? Are you going to be so focused on a Coldplay tune that you would bump another runner off a cliff accidentally?
I guess that going into the headphone world is a bit antisocial during a race. It is fun to chat with other runners during a race. What I will say is that when I am training, I do like to have some music to help me get into a 'flow'. When you are 6 hours into an ultra, your mind does things that I think music can only help.
I will keep my eyes open this Saturday and see what is going on with this. Its really not that big of a deal. So 50 miles on Saturday. I know this race pretty well. It is a pretty tricky course with a lot of up and down (small ups and downs) and some rocky, root covered sections.
My strategy: Take it easy around Nordic (say 11 minute miles); eat well; keep moving and hold on for the last 8 miles or so. It seems like the section back from Emma Carlin turnaround can be a bit of a struggle. Focus on the run (and a cold beer at the finish). I will give a race recap and describe what I feel like at the end (it could be ugly).
I guess that going into the headphone world is a bit antisocial during a race. It is fun to chat with other runners during a race. What I will say is that when I am training, I do like to have some music to help me get into a 'flow'. When you are 6 hours into an ultra, your mind does things that I think music can only help.
I will keep my eyes open this Saturday and see what is going on with this. Its really not that big of a deal. So 50 miles on Saturday. I know this race pretty well. It is a pretty tricky course with a lot of up and down (small ups and downs) and some rocky, root covered sections.
My strategy: Take it easy around Nordic (say 11 minute miles); eat well; keep moving and hold on for the last 8 miles or so. It seems like the section back from Emma Carlin turnaround can be a bit of a struggle. Focus on the run (and a cold beer at the finish). I will give a race recap and describe what I feel like at the end (it could be ugly).
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Sore about Economy
I have to chuckle to myself when I read how things are starting to pick up. Consumer sentiment is improving, the markets are up 20% (even though the economy shrunk more than 6% in the last quarter), the banks are making money, housing prices are down 8% but it is the first month not to set a record!
Well, some see all these items and say that we are at the bottom and that things are only going to head up from here. I don't feel this way. My main concern has to do with an item that is not really seriously discussed : Jobs
We have supposedly lost over 7 million jobs since the last quarter of 2007. We are expecting to continue to see increases in unemployment into 2010. My question is: How can we see a significant improvement in the economy when the country is losing jobs at this rate?
I think there is general agreement that the US economy has been sustained over the last few decades by bubbles of inflated value. The most recent bubble was housing. A minor bubble that continues to this day is credit card debt. These credit bubbles have allowed people to borrow and spend beyond their real income so as to grow our economy (about 70% of our economy comes from consumer spending). The US worker income is not growing at a rate to support a growth of the economy - bottom line. With the exception of a few percentage of the jobs that are highly paid and with large growth in total compensation, the vast number of workers are seeing little to no pay increases and increases in their out of pocket costs for health care. This trend is only growing in the current bad economy.
So what we have now is actually flat or decreasing income for those who still have jobs and massive job losses in the overall job market. This will not allow the economy to grow significantly. The economy will need consumer spending growth to pick up as the government cannot maintain deficit spending at current levels ( the current unsustainable bubble). How can this happen? Where will the jobs come from?
I will give some of my thoughts on this question later (on things like the green economy, etc.)
Well, some see all these items and say that we are at the bottom and that things are only going to head up from here. I don't feel this way. My main concern has to do with an item that is not really seriously discussed : Jobs
We have supposedly lost over 7 million jobs since the last quarter of 2007. We are expecting to continue to see increases in unemployment into 2010. My question is: How can we see a significant improvement in the economy when the country is losing jobs at this rate?
I think there is general agreement that the US economy has been sustained over the last few decades by bubbles of inflated value. The most recent bubble was housing. A minor bubble that continues to this day is credit card debt. These credit bubbles have allowed people to borrow and spend beyond their real income so as to grow our economy (about 70% of our economy comes from consumer spending). The US worker income is not growing at a rate to support a growth of the economy - bottom line. With the exception of a few percentage of the jobs that are highly paid and with large growth in total compensation, the vast number of workers are seeing little to no pay increases and increases in their out of pocket costs for health care. This trend is only growing in the current bad economy.
So what we have now is actually flat or decreasing income for those who still have jobs and massive job losses in the overall job market. This will not allow the economy to grow significantly. The economy will need consumer spending growth to pick up as the government cannot maintain deficit spending at current levels ( the current unsustainable bubble). How can this happen? Where will the jobs come from?
I will give some of my thoughts on this question later (on things like the green economy, etc.)
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Chippewa 50
Well it was a nice change from last year. The Chippewa 50K ultra in norther Wisconsin is one of the most beautiful races I have run. It is well directed by Wynn Davis and his team of wonderful volunteers.
Recap
It looked like the history of crummy weather was going to continue in the second year. The drive up from Madison offered rain and pelting hail. I started wondering what you do if you are on a trail and golf ball hail starts up? Anyway, the day turned out perfect; cool and dry with 45 to 55F cloudy weather. Perfect spring weather for Wsiconsin runners. After a quick chat about some course changes, Wynn ran the bell and off we went - straight down an evil hill that would come back to haunt me at the finish.
My plan was to try to average 10' miles. I don't know why this was my plan. I have not done enough long trail runs or trail races this spring to have some realistic expectation. Anyway as I ran along with others on the beautiful single track around lakes, over boardwalks I did manage to hit the first 10 miles in about 100 minutes. I felt pretty good so I tried to keep the pace and stop for food at the aid stations. I always have issues with eating in these races. I love MM's but cannot figure out how to eat them during a race. I also get tired of sugary foods. I won a bottle of apple cinnamon heave/Heed last year so I carry a vial of this with me and it is growing on me. Peanut butter sandwich piees seem to be my current food of choice. As we got to around 14 miles, I saw a tent and some campers crawling out with their coats. They must have been shocked to see 200 runners in shorts and shirts cruising back and forth for a few hours at their remote lakeside spot.
Actually a bt before this, I saw the lead runners on their way back. I didn't really know where I was at and was a bit surprised to run by about 30 or 40 runners. Soon we arrived at the turnaround aid station (just past the hunting blind - turkey season?). I still was feeling Ok but a bit leg tired.
I hit 20 miles and figured I had dropped about 8 minutes from my first 10 mile pace. I cannot really control this very much. There is only one direction for me once my pace starts to drop. I passed a few runners and played leapfrog with Karen Schoenrock (F2) for the last part of the race. I felt OK actually and only bogged down the last 3 miles or so. It is tough to finish this race for two reasons:
1. You go right next to the finish at 29 miles at the top of a hill and you know you need to do another 2 miles.
2. That mother hill at the end. I don't know who that person was harrasing me to run the hill but that was not going to happen.
The finish is a relief about 100 feet beyond the top of the hill.
Not too sore that night and went back with my wife, Geri, to run 4.5 miles on Sunday. I am happy!!
Great race and one I hope to return to annually.
One request: I am not wining but there are better beers to showcase Wisconsin than Leinenkugels! Hint Hint
Recap
It looked like the history of crummy weather was going to continue in the second year. The drive up from Madison offered rain and pelting hail. I started wondering what you do if you are on a trail and golf ball hail starts up? Anyway, the day turned out perfect; cool and dry with 45 to 55F cloudy weather. Perfect spring weather for Wsiconsin runners. After a quick chat about some course changes, Wynn ran the bell and off we went - straight down an evil hill that would come back to haunt me at the finish.
My plan was to try to average 10' miles. I don't know why this was my plan. I have not done enough long trail runs or trail races this spring to have some realistic expectation. Anyway as I ran along with others on the beautiful single track around lakes, over boardwalks I did manage to hit the first 10 miles in about 100 minutes. I felt pretty good so I tried to keep the pace and stop for food at the aid stations. I always have issues with eating in these races. I love MM's but cannot figure out how to eat them during a race. I also get tired of sugary foods. I won a bottle of apple cinnamon heave/Heed last year so I carry a vial of this with me and it is growing on me. Peanut butter sandwich piees seem to be my current food of choice. As we got to around 14 miles, I saw a tent and some campers crawling out with their coats. They must have been shocked to see 200 runners in shorts and shirts cruising back and forth for a few hours at their remote lakeside spot.
Actually a bt before this, I saw the lead runners on their way back. I didn't really know where I was at and was a bit surprised to run by about 30 or 40 runners. Soon we arrived at the turnaround aid station (just past the hunting blind - turkey season?). I still was feeling Ok but a bit leg tired.
I hit 20 miles and figured I had dropped about 8 minutes from my first 10 mile pace. I cannot really control this very much. There is only one direction for me once my pace starts to drop. I passed a few runners and played leapfrog with Karen Schoenrock (F2) for the last part of the race. I felt OK actually and only bogged down the last 3 miles or so. It is tough to finish this race for two reasons:
1. You go right next to the finish at 29 miles at the top of a hill and you know you need to do another 2 miles.
2. That mother hill at the end. I don't know who that person was harrasing me to run the hill but that was not going to happen.
The finish is a relief about 100 feet beyond the top of the hill.
Not too sore that night and went back with my wife, Geri, to run 4.5 miles on Sunday. I am happy!!
Great race and one I hope to return to annually.
One request: I am not wining but there are better beers to showcase Wisconsin than Leinenkugels! Hint Hint
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