Ultra Running: Trials of the Trail 

Finished up my week with a steady effort on the treadmill. Wanted to keep the heartrate under 150 to work on building VOMax.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 11/09/2008
• Time: 12:00:00
• Total Time: 00:51:52.00
• Average Heart rate: 147
• Calories: 702
• Distance: 6 miles
• Average Pace: 8:38.73/mile

and kept indoors for my run. I know I will be on the treadmill all next week because I won’t run alone outside in Argentina. I might as well get used to the grind. The run itself felt fine, I have a blister on my second toe right foot that is causing a bit of trouble. This toe regularly has gnarly blisters and issues, after healing completely during my layoff, I can see I will once again be lancing this toe regularly to drain the fluid. Is that too much information??

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 11/08/2008
• Time: 08:00:00
• Total Time: 00:40:29.00
• Calories: 927
• Distance: 5.1 miles
• Average Pace: 7:56.19/mile

Nice trip, half on trail half on road.  Happy with the effort and run.  Feel good about hitting my goals so far in October.   Lots of rolling for a great challenge climbed almost 3000 feet, that’s a good workout.  Wish I was a little faster, something to work on.    I wore my Saucony heavier street shoes, by 9 miles I was getting tired of them on my feet, won’t take them out for longer than 90 minutes in the future or on trails,

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 10/26/2008
• Time: 10:30:00
• Total Time: 1:41:00.00
• Average Heart rate: 160
• Max Heart rate: 174
• Calories: 1119
• Distance: 11.1 miles
• Average Pace: 9:06.28/mile
• Ascent: 2,971 ft
• Descent: 2,971 ft

Should not be this much effort to run 5 miles.  But sometimes it just is harder than usual.  Also ran around mad at the last X-country meet of the season.  Tired today, felt like I had already put too miles in this week and I haven’t even done my long run.  Have to remember I am building a base for Western States.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 10/23/2008
• Time: 10:30:00
• Total Time: 00:44:44.00
• Average Heart rate: 169
• Max Heart rate: 180
• Distance: 5.1 miles
• Average Pace: 8:46.32/mile
• Ascent: 1,300 ft
• Descent: 1,300 ft

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

It’s official, I am back in!  Entries to last years starters were sent out in an email Monday and I confirmed my spot.  This morning on my run I thought if 40 minutes is this tough how can I run for 24 hours?  But I know I can do it and I have a long time to bring my fitness back however slowly I must.  I have a lot of muscle soreness, sadly, from my  short run earlier this week, more importantly no knee pain today!  Maybe just maybe my problem was an overuse injury and I have let the body take of itself and heal over the last 7 weeks. 

Met up with the Down Sound Racers this morning some of them did the Black Diamond Tri this weekend.  The race reports were pretty rough.  These are true Iron men, extremely talented athletes and they had some troubles out there.  It must be  one tough course.  Even though I am slow and sucking air, they welcomed me back graciously, love our community.  Now they all begin training for their Ironman next June, it is going to be  a fun 9 months!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 09/17/2008
• Time: 06:00:00
• Total Time: 00:39:59.00
• Average Heart rate: 166
• Max Heart rate: 179
• Calories: 538
• Distance: 4.76 miles
• Average Pace: 8:24.2/mile
• Ascent: 800 ft
• Descent: 800 ft

Had team parent meeting today for my X-Country kids.  Between practice and the meeting decided to sneak in a quick run.  The sun was so beautiful today it was so warm I could not say no.   I ran around the school and took a wet wipe bath before the meeting.  The parents were great and I feel lucky to be connected to my community.  I was a little sore from yesterday’s run, but well on my way to my goal for the week.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 09/15/2008
• Time: 16:15:00
• Total Time: 00:25:01.00
• Average Heart rate: 168
• Distance: 3 miles
• Average Pace: 8:20/mile

I want to be a runner again.  I need to be a runner again. I want it back.  One mile at a time.  Today was the longest I have ran since dropping out of my 50 mile race and it pushed me to my limits.  It is humbling to know I have to crawl myself back into shape.  I ran a lot harder than I should have.  This is a simple four mile loop that I am very familiar with and I wanted to mark my current aerobic condition.  Well the truth is I am out of shape, compared to where I want to be.  However I was able to run the entire distance and at a decent pace.

My goal for this week is to run 3 times and log 10 miles.  Not a lofty goal big picure, but a reasonable goal for now.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 09/14/2008
• Time: 12:30:00
• Total Time: 00:33:56.00
• Average Heart rate: 167
• Max Heart rate: 179
• Distance: 4.1 miles
• Average Pace: 8:16.55/mile
• Ascent: 702 ft
• Descent: 702 ft

While I am playing around with middle school kids and testing my knee for ability to train again, my WS Pacer Pierre goes out and finishes second in the grueling Stevens Creek 50k http://www.stevenscreek.com/stevenscreek50k.html

What a great course, the ugly kind that all ultra runners love.  Great job to him.  You are an inspiration Pierre!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 09/11/2008
• Time: 03:30:00
• Total Time: 00:15:00.00
• Distance: 1.2 miles
• Average Pace: 12:30/mile