Ultra Running: Trials of the Trail 

Quick jog with the X-Country team.  Thought about not going with them today, but knew it was my only opportunity to get a quick jog in before heading back to the real job.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 10/14/2008
• Time: 15:30:00
• Total Time: 00:24:06.00
• Distance: 2.6 miles
• Average Pace: 9:16.41/mile

We hosted a meet today for 3 other middle schools.  I went to the school early to mark the course and set-up.  I am counting this prep work and the meet itself as a workout.  Yes I am desperate to fill my log with workouts, but yes it really was a workout.  Pushing the 4 wheel chalker around the mile loop of grass and gravel put me in a full sweat and I actually felt my legs and glutes being worked.

For each of the races, girls and boys, I ran like the maniac coach I am from point to point on the course cheering the first to the last runner.  So much so that I almost logged this as a run, but  could lie to myself that much.

My kids ran tired today, it is the exact middle of the season and they are feeling it.  Our course is also .25 miles longer than the other course we have been on, and at race pace that is a long way for 12-13 year old bodies.  I will make sure to talk to the kids about building than tapering to the best performances at the district meet at the end of the season.

Workout:

• Type: General Cardio
• Date: 10/02/2008
• Time: 03:00:00
• Total Time: 1:00:00.00

Ran 16 minutes with the kids the workout was a ladder, run 3 min. hard, 3 min. easy, 2 min. hard. 2 min. easy, 1 minute hard, 1 min. easy.  The we did some down hill striders working on running techniques and relaxation when tired.

When I got home I wanted a little more of a workout in, but I didn’t have running legs.  I did an indoors strength workout I used to do in hotel rooms when I traveled a lot for work.  Push-ups, sit-ups, and stretching.  Truth be told I put my IPOD on and dance like a teenager, luckily my own teenager was not aware of my display of  ”grinding it out”.   Hard to put that in a category on my workout chart, broke a sweat, heart-rate up and lots of abs and hips.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 09/23/2008
• Time: 15:00:00
• Total Time: 00:16:00.00
• Distance: 1.6 miles
• Average Pace: 10:00/mile

Living in Mukilteo for 4 years and never knowing about the trails at Japanese Gulch is embarrassing for self defined trail runner.  Embarrassment aside, I am so happy to be introduced to the trails right here in my backyard.  Once again the Downsound Racing connection pays off big.   Bob from the group took me out this morning for the first half of his 2 plus hour run on the trails.  I managed to keep up with him for the loop, if I had to guess my distance I would have said about 7 miles…..but thanks to my new Garmin 405 I know the truth, I ran under 6!  Sometimes the truth really hurts.  But wow look at the elevation gain and loss that’s good to see! 

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 09/20/2008
• Time: 07:00:00
• Total Time: 1:09:02.00
• Average Heart rate: 143
• Distance: 5.85 miles
• Average Pace: 11:48.66/mile
• Ascent: 3,126 ft
• Descent: 3,105 ft

Wow what a great device.  I love the information this thing gives me…even maps how cool.  I used it for the first time to measure the middle school cross country course.  I can’t wait to take it out on a real run.   Although I am not sure if I needed to know my heartrate sky rocketed to 180 during my first mile.  This ultra runner is soft and out of shape, but the knee holds for another day!  I am beginning to allow myself to believe I can start training again.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 09/09/2008
• Time: 15:30:00
• Total Time: 00:19:00.00
• Max Heart rate: 183
• Distance: 2 miles
• Average Pace: 9:29.62/mile
• Ascent: 745 ft
• Descent: 745 ft

ran around to each kid on the team while they did a moderately hard hill workout.  I have not had any pain in my knee with these simple jogging moments with the team.  I am however still very afraid to test me knee for real.  With confidence I am gaining being out with the kids, maybe I will attempt to put together a few miles in the morning.  I wil also openly admit that I was pretty winded after the short run, amazing what 6 weeks of sideline will do to you VOMax.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 09/08/2008
• Time: 15:00:00
• Total Time: 00:15:00.00
• Distance: 1.5 miles
• Average Pace: 10:00/mile

Met up with the Down Sound Racing group last night for a full moon escapade.  7 of them were in the Serene Lake at 9:00 for a mile swim.  I don’t swim especially in open water especially at night, so I met them on the shore.  4 of them came on the run to complete there night time brick.  Matt, straight from the airport came for the running portion.  So 6 of us strapped on our headlamps and fired up the flashlights and headed out.

 I thought maybe since they had just come off a long swim, I might be able to keep up with the group.  They were chatting easily at this sub 8 minute pace, while I was gasping for air.  I had one of those runs were nothing felt smooth or right. It could be that my normal bedtime is 9:00.  However, it was way fun to run in the dark amongst the safety of 5 ironman types.

On a side note I tested out my  Fenix L2D high tech flashlight  totally spectacular flashlight!  We could see for days with this thing.  I highly recommend one not only for running but any night time activity, I think I will buy at least one more.

All in all I am glad to have run and happy to have this group of insane ultra athletes around to push my limits.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 07/18/2008
• Time: 22:00:00
• Total Time: 00:41:00.00
• Distance: 5.2 miles
• Average Pace: 7:53.06/mile

On June 2^nd I had the most awesome opportunity to get my VO2max and Lactate threshold measured.  I went to Seattle Performance and met with Dr. Cooper and staff.   As an endurance runner I have always been extremely curious about my VO2max.

This number indicates ones ability to convert oxygen to deliverable fuel to the muscles.  A person’s VO2max is a combination of age, genetics and fitness.  I know I have decent genetics and I don’t think it hurts that I was born and raised in Colorado at 7000 ft.

The tests were performed on a treadmill.  I started with a warm up and then the treadmill incline was increased ever 2 minutes until I was almost to exhaustion.  This took just over 14 minutes at 6.2 on the treadmill maxing out at an incline of 7.5.  It was relatively easy for the first 11-12 minutes, but when I fatigued I was done very quickly.  My max heart rate was 180 and after a 2 minute recovery I was down to 130. This is a quick recovery!

My VO2Max is 46ml/kg/min. The oxygen uptake average for woman in my age group is 31-33, the excellent category for VO2max tops out at on most charts at 45ml/kg/min for woman.  Seattle Performance works with endurance athletes and they came up with a revised chart reflecting this population.  On this revised athletic chart I am still in the excellent range but fell short of the “Competitive Endurance” rating of 50kg/ml/min.  This is the story of my journey….. I have labeled myself as “first housewife off the bench”, just shy of the real deal but having enough talent and desire to not settling for jogger status.

Now that I know my VO number I have a new goal (post 100 miler) to improve my VO to the coveted 50kg/ml/min.  This can be done by building base miles over a 8 – 10 week period.  These miles must be done below lactate threshold so as to teach the muscles to uptake oxygen and utilize it more efficiently.  I will focus for the first time in my running life on using heart rate for training purposes.  I have always trained hard and rested too much in between.  Having this new information will help adjust after the race should I have some post race depression.  It may also require an invetment in the new Garmin 405

The training that I will do to improve my endurance and aerobic power will be done with my heart rate at, near or below 155 beats/min.  My lactate threshold is at 174 beats/minute.  This is very close to my max of 180, the goal will be to build my body’s ability to have a bigger buffer between lactate threshold and max effort.  In other words give myself another gear.

Another part of the testing was a calorimetry resting test.  This measures the amount of calories burned in a non workout day.  I burn approximately 1600 calories a day just to exist and not workout.  This is good to know also as I have not been able to maintain my weight during this preparation for the Western States 100, I have since started counting calories to put some weight on for the race!  Can I say almonds are awesome for this purpose….so are breve lattes.

I am little scared as the big day approaches.  Kept my mind on the race today and made sure I only thought positively. 

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 06/16/2008
• Time: 14:00:00
• Total Time: 1:01:01.00
• Distance: 7.2 miles
• Average Pace: 8:28.47/mile