Monday, November 4, 2013

The North Face Endurance Championship: T-minus Six Weeks

Recovery from the Stinson Beach 50k was on the docket this week. Fortunately, aside from some scrapes, cuts and bruises from the tumble, I fared pretty well. However, I took a couple extra rest days to ensure complete recovery before I start hammering the hills in preparation for the NFC.
 
Here's the week:
 
Tuesday: 45 minute walk
 
Wednesday 45 minute easy jog
 
Sunday: 3 hours on the NFC course
 
Totals: 20.5 miles, avg HR 136
 
I would have preferred to get a few more miles in, but I think I'll be able to hit my goal of >190 miles for the month of November. After racking up 150 in September, I piled up 175 in October for a gain of almost 17% (I was trying to be a good runner and just add 10%, but that would have meant stopping before the end of the month ;). I don't train on a mileage basis, so in the end it is what it is, and as long as I feel good and keep improving, extra miles shouldn't slow me down too much.
 
With five weeks until the race, I feel like I have some things to work on; climbing efficiency and overall durability. My weekend long runs are about to become suffer-fests with tons of vertical (the more the better), and to ensure I arrive at the start line healthy, weekly visits to the chiro for ART treatments and a couple of deep tissue massages. Continued core-work in the gym on the off days will pay dividends, hopefully, and keep me out of trouble!
 
My long run on Sunday was a scouting of the middle miles on the North Face course, including a large section of Muir Woods I had never seen before. I hope to go back in there and improve my pace through the section, as it was a bit slow for race day:
 
 

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