McNotagain 30

     Another weekend, another ultra.  After Forest Glen, Mcnaughton Park will seem tame.  I am so looking forward to getting to Pekin on Saturday morning and getting this thing started!   I have had two weeks of recovery and a good week of  carbo-loading,  I'm trying something different with the loading for this run, I am taking in almost 90 percent of my total calories this week with complex carbs.  I have gained a few pounds and hope they pay dividends at mile 25.  I will let you know.

One Down-Two To Go!!!

Farmdale is in the books.  33 miles-6 hours 30 minutes. Tried to make it in 6:15 but crashed on the last 4 miles.  Painful.  Next week is Forest Glen.  I've heard it is a very difficult course.  Very hilly and water.
We will see who is boss!

No Pushing 50!!

Well, 50 came and went without much fanfare.  Went for a short run to stay loose for this weekend.  Farmdale, Forest Glen, McNotagain.  All three in the month of October.  What a way to celebrate my 50th year.  Michelle treated me to a weekend at a bed and breakfast in southern Illinois.  We had a great time hitting all the wineries and just spending time together.  I will let you know how this weekend goes.

Evergreen Lake Ultra a Great Success!!!

 It  took a couple of days to finally sink in that we really pulled this off!  Eddie, Jared, and Paul really kicked ass on Sunday.  It is hard to put into words the way I feel about what we have done.  Not to brag but I have been to a lot of races  over the years, and I have seen better run, but not many.  I also was humbled to the point of tears when I read the emails congratulating the race directors on such a well run event.  I just hope we can live up to expectations  next year.

Going Nuts!!!!

      The first Evergreen Lake Ultra is less than three weeks away and I am nervous as hell.

Evergreen Lake Ultra

     Only six weeks to go till the Evergreen Lake Ultra  not running-but race director.   Kinda nervous that we only have 16 runners so far.  I know a lot of ultra runners wait til the last minute but I'm starting to get worried.  The trails are running great right now. Wish me luck!

One more day off.

     I start my ultra season training monday!!  Took two weeks off from any kind of hard training, let the body heal just so I can abuse it again in October.  We have a new runner with us these days. I love seeing the progress in new runners, and I especially like to see the reaction of a new trail runner when introduced to our sport.  What percentage of runners are "real" trail runners?  P.H. is going to be good.  I am so ready to get this training in gear,  I don't think I have ever look so forward to a running season as I have this one.  This is the beginning of the time of year when we separate the running geeks from the real runners.  Lets go!!!

Crazy Stuff

   Well Ive done it now.  Registered for back to back Ultras.  By back to back I mean consecutive weekends.  The Farmdale 33 mile on October 8th and  Forest Glen on October 15th.  Had a great muddy, rainy,  run this past Sunday morning.  It is great to run with no so normal people who can appreciate this kind of fun.

Ultra Planning Under Way

      The planning is well under way for the  1st Evergreen Lake Ultra.   14 entries so far, we hope for 40.  I forgot about all the work involved in organizing an event like this.  I am just glad that ultra runners don't demand much.  Just a trail to run on, some food and drink and a trinket that says they have finished.  

Just Thinking

     "Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and sink yourself into that.  Don't be impressed with youself.  Don't compare yourself with others.  Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with you own life."


Galatians 6:4-5

The Steamboat Classic is in the books.

    Another running moment this morning.  I wanted to run around 7:30 pace, ran 7:10s.  I guess all the hills and repeats really paid off.  But it wasn't the pace that made my morning, it was the way it felt.  I have to tell ya, I  kinda got emotional when I rounded the corner, 50 yards from the finish line, and saw the clock.  You have a hard time describing to non-runners and even some regular runners cant understand what this feeling "feels" like.  So I don't talk about it much, I guess I should and maybe it would motivate someone if I did, but I really don't like too.  Now it is time to get back to the trails.  I would like to run an ultra or two this fall, and avenge my DNF at Potawotami. 

Trail Runners Nocturnal Emitions.

     Great trail run this morning.  It is hard to explain to someone not used to running in these kind of conditions, just what the attraction is, or that you are not crazy.  I'm not crazy, and I love running on days like this and in conditions like this.  Just for a reference, the rain was coming straight down, so hard at times that it was obscuring my vision.  Days like this tend to make you appreciate the good and accept the not so good.  As long as I am running trails all is good.

All Is Good

     I am having some great runs lately.  Lots and lots of hills and quarter-mile and half-mile repeats.  I am almost feeling too good if that is possible.  A couple of my recent runs have been a little emotional.  If you are my age and run a lot and get into that rhythm you know what I am talking about.  Not the "runners high" but something beyond it I think.  Its hard to describe. But I think it can happen only to a person my age.  When we are young, we take these runs for granted,  now I relish every one of them. 

 Steamboat here I come!!

Good Trail Run

Great trail run this morning, 14 miles with three good friends.  75 degrees, sunny,   It was a nice recovery run from this weeks hard workouts.  Cant wait to get past Steamboat so I can get to my marathon training. 

Back to the trails

Ran trails today for the first time in a week.  Not that I don't want to run trails, it's just Steamboat Classic time and I wanna run 7:20 pace, pretty ambitious if you know Steamboat.   Speed work (1/4 mile repeats) and lots and lots and lots of hills for the next three weeks.

Wait; I'm supposed to be an ultra runner

     Two weeks into my Steamboat Classic 15k training.  This is a whole different animal than training for an ultra.  Hills, hills,hills and speed work.  It's a nice change from all the looooong slow trail running.  After this, its marathon training!!!!!
    

Beer and Running

     10 kegs drained!! 

Hamstrung

    For the life of me, I cannot figure out why my left hamstring is so sore.  Not sore to the point that I wont run, but just a nagging tightness.  Didn't bother me till I slipped on the ice this past winter, I didn't fall but I caught myself  kinda funny.  I have been doing the stretches and strengthening exercises for a week.    We will see.  Went to the volunteer meeting tonight, for the Lake Run next Saturday.  I am one of the official beer pourers!!!  Should be fun.

50 miles of hills=DNF

     You can probably tell by the title that things didn't go well last weekend.  Mother Nature was being a real bitch.  Rain and mud in the morning.  Sun and humidity at noon.  But an ultra runner like "me" has got to deal with those things, right?  No problem.  But the damn hills!   I have run lots of hills, lots and lots of hills.  I absolutely love running hills.  But there is nothing that can prepare you for the hills at McNaughton Park.   Who knew?  Denman Hill, Hill One at Pere Marquette, the Glen Oak loop at Steamboat, even Mountain Goat at Kickapoo, have nothing on the so called "hills" at McNaughton.  At least the afore mentioned can be (run) up and down. The hills on the Potawatomi Red Trail are better suited to rock climbers than hill runners.  By mile 30 my knees were shredded and my spirit gone.  DNF-DID NOT FINISH!! for only the second time in my running life.  The first time has been  taken care of two times over.  This one will be taken care of Saturday October 8th, 2011.

Potawatomi

          

Mc Naughton Park

    Saturday, April 9th at 6 am.   50 miles, on rugged trails, with 10 creek crossings, 1600 ft of elevation change and I want to do it in under 11 hours.  That's  13 minute 12 second per mile pace.  Pretty ambitious considering I have run only  three times in the  two weeks since  the Clinton Lake 30.  I don't know if the time off will help or hurt?  On one hand, the down time let my body  heal from the abuse it was put through at Clinton, and on  the other hand, I really felt like I could have ran more and kept my fitness level up.  I guess I will find out tomorrow.  Still figuring this ultra stuff out.

Clinton Lake is in the books

     30 miles, in the woods.  6 hours and 7 minutes.  Damn I'm sore.  Had a great run this morning, two good friends and lots of good trail runners.  At around mile 25 I was seriously second guessing my decision run a 50 miler on April 9th.  Now after a couple hours of rest and a few beers-no change.  Maybe tomorrow I will be in a different frame of mind.

One week to go!

    Only one week till my first ultra of 2011.  Gonna do a 22 mile run Sunday morning, I don't know if it is the right thing to do or not, my body says rest, but my head says I need the miles.  My thinking is that I will use the run tomorrow and Clinton Lake 30 as a training run for the 50 mile trail ultra on April 9th at McNaughton.  It seems like lately I have  struggled with my running.  Cant really pin point the reason, just cant get comfortable when I run. Could be all the miles I have put on my knees these last 18 years.  Only time will tell.

Mother Nature is coming around.........finally.

  Haven't written for a while, sorry.  The weather is getting nice and I have started running trails a lot.  Clinton Lake 30 is in less that two weeks.  Two weeks after that I will try to run the Potawatomi  50.  I still cant figure out my left hamstring problem, leg goes numb sometimes when I run.  It kinda has me worried.  Ive tried stretching, not stretching, ice , ibuprofen, rest.  Nothing seems to work. 

Lead Legs Syndrome

Less than three weeks to my 30 mile ultra at Clinton Lake and I am really struggling.  I felt great all winter and I have the worn out shoes to prove it.  Now for some reason,  I cant seem to get my legs moving, like they are wanting to go in different directions.  I am starting to get worried.  Even took a few days off to rest a little and it got worse.  Hope I can run out of it.  

     Two weeks of forty plus miles in 20 degree weather,  then last week it hit 60 degrees once and 50 degrees twice and I couldn't run worth crap.   Gotta get back on the trails soon.  30 mile trail ultra at Clinton March 26, then a 50 mile ultra at McNaughton on April 10th.  Really need to start putting in back to back long runs.

Enough Winter Already!

Got in a good 15 mile trail run with my best bud Eddie last Sunday,  the horse trails and the open prairie really tear the both of us up.  We are just old and frail I guess. Gotta start putting in some back to back long runs soon, six weeks to the first ultra of the year-30 miles, followed two weeks later by a 50 mile ultra-an I am not even close to being ready. 

Feeling Good

     Great run today with my best bud Eddie, 15 miles on the snowy trails.  We were wondering how many other people pushing 50 were out doing the same thing we are doing.  I does seem like we hardly see any other people running on the trails.  Hopefully the Shady Hollow Trail Runners can change this.

Going in Circles

I did something bad today.  Really, really, bad.  I ran INSIDE, on a health club track.  9 laps per mile.  Some kind of ultra runner.  Don't hate me.

BLAH !!!!

   Wow, I normally don't have a problem getting motivated to run.  But this winter it seems like the simple act of getting my ass out the door after work is quite the chore.  I really need to get out of this funk.  I am exploring running The Ozark Trail 100 in November and have started doing the research.  Seems like one cant simple get dropped off at point A, and run to point B 102 miles away without some sort of help.  Gonna take a lot of planning and lots of running the trails.

Happy New Year!!

   Got in a good run yesterday with three good friends.  Ten miles.  26 degrees and windy.  The day before, it was 56 and calm.  Mother Nature is such a tease.  We spent a lot of time talking about how we are going to train properly for our Ultra at the end of March.  We are getting some good runs in but I hope my marathon training from last fall carries over till March.  Just hoping to maintain.  J signed up for a 50 mile run in April.  I'm going to wait till October to attempt that distance. 
    The Evergreen Lake Ultra is now officially on-line and ready to take runners.  Lets go ultra runners!!