Race Report: 2015 Marin Ultra Challenge 50k

2015 marked the fourth edition of Inside Trail Racing's Marin Ultra Challenge. Runners tackled courses ranging from 25k to 50 miles covering the most beautiful trails in the Marin Headlands. I ran the 50k. In years past I have chosen to run Way Too Cool 50k as my winter race. The MUC course offers more vertical and views, making it a better tune up for upcoming races like Miwok 100k and Western States 100.

I used a couple of volunteer credits to gain entry; Tim and Tonya Stahler put on top notch events and it is always a pleasure to work with them. I spent a Saturday helping out at the Lake Chabot Trail Runs in February to earn my keep. 

After American Canyon 25k I had taken some extra rest to mitigate some tightness in my right knee. I regained my composure via strength training and hill climbing. A final workout on the Wednesday before the race had my confidence high. One of my goals for this year is to experiment with my pacing. Thus far in my trail running career, I have managed to complete my races comfortably. I have been conservative and slowed down whenever I was faced with discomfort. I decided to go out strong and hold on, trying to best my average Headlands-area 50k pace of 12:30/mile. That meant a 6.5 hour finish.

Race morning was warm and muggy. Twirly and I made our way across the Bay, arriving at Fort Baker with about a half an hour until race time. I got squared away with my bib and wandered around seeing who I knew as we waited for the 6 am race start. Due to some technical difficulties we started about ten minutes late. Not a big deal. We all had a long day ahead of us.

 Most of the 50k course

I felt strong from the start, and enjoyed talking with some friends as we climbed to the single track. I got a decent spot in the conga line: not too fast and not too slow. San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge made for worthy distractions from the torch lit trail. Switchbacks above and below glowed with hundreds of bobbing LED lights. Sights like that make early morning race starts worthwhile.

I crested the two mile, 750 foot climb feeling great. No niggles and my energy levels were high. A front runner was already hurling in the bushes on the side of Coastal Trail. A little early for that, I thought. He must have really hammered the ascent! I felt confident from the previous training cycle, and I clicked off a few sub-9 minute miles on the dark descent into Rodeo Valley. By the time I reached Rodeo Lagoon, the sun had risen. I could tell I had gone out too fast. Not because I felt worn out, but because runners in singlets surrounded me!

I hit the climb to Wolf Ridge hard, just like I had been in training. Near the top, Kara Teklinski called out my name. She was out cheering on racers. Hearing my name snapped me out of my focused determination. I reeled a little bit, trying to regain my senses and shake off the fog. I had eaten a Clif Shot (the new baby food variety, not the traditional sugar bomb), but I definitely burned a match on that climb. I kept my momentum up through the ridge and on to Old Springs Trail, my favorite descent into Tennessee Valley.

Cruising Pirates Cove, photo by Nate Dunn

I refilled my bottle with Tailwind, dropped my light and I was back on the trail. I kept it easy along the valley floor, eating some MAP and Pocket Fuel. I climbed strong again up Coastal to Pirates Cove. Once there, I found myself racing to keep my spot. Nate Dunn hunkered on the side of the trail with his dog Rosie, snapping pictures. 

Sun kissed Cove, Nate Dunn

I hammered the descent into Muir Beach. The trail there is not technical, per se, but it is rather steep. By the time I saw Twirly at the aid station I was feeling a little spent. Just over a half marathon and about 2000' of climbing in about 2.5 hours left me with little in the tank. If I could keep up the pace I was looking at a sub 6 hour finish. Twirly asked how I was, and "tired" was all I could say. I swapped out Clif Energy Food packets and refilled my bottle for the 7.5 mile loop of Redwood Creek, Miwok and Dias Ridge trails.

Redwood Creek is deceptive. The bouncing footbridges and skinny single track winding through toe-catching grasses make the otherwise runnable trail tricky. About halfway to Miwok, my legs began to scream. I had asked too much of them. They felt like they were full of molten lead. I ate more MAP and soldiered on. My fueling strategy of Tailwind plus Clif Energy Food was working well; I suffered no GI issues. The sticks were running low on muscle glycogen though, and my momentum was flagging when I hit Miwok Trail and began climbing.

I'd never gone up this stretch of Miwok, only run down it in the 2013 Tamalpa Headlands 50k. The runnable grade surprised me. I ran/walked the climb, keeping my heart rate at a reasonable level. I could have run more, but I could feel the wheels coming off. Having only a few 15-16 mile runs this year, I felt my stamina dissipating. Quite a few runners passed me before I topped the hill.

I hit the wall right around mile 18, just before another favorite descent: Dias Ridge into Muir Beach. I picked my way down the climb, gingerly protecting my leaden legs. A fleeting impulse to drop from the race crossed my mind. Then I asked myself what my reasons would be. My legs hurt? Duh. 20 miles ought to hurt. Especially after hammering the first half marathon. Was I injured? Nope. The pain was symmetrical and my gait, while slow, was even. I would have to keep grinding.

Upon my return to Twirly and the Muir Beach aid station, I had shifted into training run mode. I did not want to aggravate any niggles, and I felt horrible. I spent a few extra minutes drinking and eating before I set out for the climb up Middle Green Gulch, the biggest climb of the 50k course. Another runnable grade, I did my best to shuffle until it was over.

Cresting the climb, the course jumped over Coyote Ridge and followed the Miwok Cut-off Trail. I encountered a four way junction with blue ribbons flagging one of the directions. Unfortunately, the other two options had no orange course markings. I knew which way Tennessee Valley was, but without course markings I felt lost. I went the way I thought the course would go, and caught a glipmse of the runner I had been following, confirming I was still on the popular route. Not sure what happened at that intersection. Hopefully those not familiar with the area were able to negotiate the course.

Running down Miwok into Tennessee Valley is tough. Steep, rutted and dotted with hikers, I continued with caution. I was fighting off the apathy and just trying to stay on track for a 6.5 hour finish. Twirly helped me swap out my bottle for one I had pre-filled with raspberry (caffeinated) Tailwind for the final ~8k. I gorged on watermelon and orange slices as a fellow runner was telling the volunteers that he was planning on stopping at 31 miles. Someone would have to give him a ride the final half mile to the finish, because he had only come to run 50k! I assured him the extra mileage was just to ensure his Garmin registered 50k. I left before the volunteers stopped laughing. One more climb up Marincello and steady cruising to the final descent.

A few more runners passed me in the final miles. Once by a man who must have been over 70. He wasn't running in the race, and he kept a steady jog all the way up the trail. I hope to be running that well at his age. My legs were in bad shape. My right leg especially. Cramping hamstring and soleus muscles meant my gait was becoming more and more imbalanced. I walked a few times and tried to stretch it out before the 1.5 mile descent to the finish line, which looked impossibly far away from the ridge line. San Francisco Bay was full of sailboats, and the day was gorgeous, making it difficult to focus on the trail at my feet.

I continued my shuffle long enough to finish in 6:33. I was amazed that I was able to hit my goal despite blowing up. My pace in the last ten miles averaged over 15:00/mile! So kids, that is how you positive split a race and still hit your goal. The lessons I take away from this race are helpful. Despite feeling spectacular in those first ten miles, I was still going out too fast. I let my heart rate creep up into the anaerobic zone too often and for too long. I hope to execute my pacing better at American River 50 mile in three weeks.

Happy to be done! Photo by Nate Dunn

As always, Tim, Tonya and the Inside Trail Racing volunteers put on a spectacular event. Fort Baker is a gorgeous location for a finish line festival. The views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco compete with acres and acres of green grass. Bob Shebest won the 50k (after setting the 50 mile course record in 2014), and Paul Terranova won the 50 miler. The inaugural 25k had some of Marin's speediest contesting for the win (Galen Burrell took the honor). Some drama arose when local favorite Dylan Bowman collapsed on the course with a mile to go. He required medical assistance for heat stroke or dehydration. Word has it he thought he was running in the North Face Endurance Challenge when asked. Another oddity from the day were the two Tom Turkeys harassing runners in Tennessee Valley. I heard blood was drawn! Twirly and I lounged around and cheered in the 50k runners. We saw Paul win the 50 mile before retiring to my favorite restaurant in Sausalito (fish.) for lunch.

Gorgeous day on the Bay

I've never blown up in a race like that. While it was the most uncomfortable I have ever been in a race (including WS100) I realize that it wasn't as bad as I imagined. With more real estate I may have even been able to come out the other side. I understand how I ended up where I was, and I think I can apply that in future races. Learning exactly how conservative I need to be while still pushing for my best possible pace is something I hope to dial in before June. I have plenty of practice on the horizon. For now I rest and ramp back up to AR50.

FYI, Scott Dunlap took some great pictures of the course. Check them out here.

Here are the deets from Strava:

Year in Review: 2013

2013 turned out to be a very satisfying year at Wanderplace, despite interrupted training by a mid-spring groin pull. I did not see the volume I set out to complete, but I did finish all of my races, and I ventured into new territory via a couple of fifty milers. Here are the numbers:

• Total miles run: 1499
• Average week: 28.8 miles
• Total miles raced: 300.25
• Elevation gained: 154,553'
• Avg HR: 139
• Total calories burned: 172,108 (about 49 pounds worth!)
• Longest run: 49.88miles
• Avg run: 8.56 miles

My total mileage for the year was a bit low (only 125 miles more than 2012) but within my goal of keeping it under 2000. Too much too fast has gotten me into hot water more than once, and upping the distance raced in lieu of total volume worked well for me in 2013. In fact, I doubled my total distance raced from 2012, despite participating in only 10 races, compared to 16 in 2012. Elevation gained increased 50% and my average run rose 33%. The numbers are trending in the right direction.

2012 provided me the opportunity to get to know my body and how it feels under exercise stress. My daily training impulse graph (TRaining IMPulse (TRIMP) = Avg HR zone * minutes) illustrates my progression from running Bizz Johnson 50k (Zone 2 * ~400 minutes) at a much lower TRIMP than CIM (Zone 5 * ~225 minutes), to fully realizing how hard I could push, and for how long, in the Tamalpa Headlands 50k and NFEC 50 Mile. Ironically, it was my Garmin that was holding me back. I raced Tamalpa Headlands 50k and NFEC 50 Mile without looking at anything but the time of day and using a heart rate alarm to let me know when I was nearing my lactate threshold, and my resulting effort was much higher. I was letting my watch tell me I was going too fast, when I actually had another gear (or two).

Daily TRIMP Chart

Finishing the year with a strong and comfortable day at the NFEC 50 Mile was the icing on my ultra cake for the year. All of my GI woes were mitigated by using Tailwind for calories and electrolytes. This simplified my fueling and allowed me to focus on my performance instead of reacting to my discomfort. Of course, just when you think you have everything figured out, everything changes.

2013 also brought Nevada County's first Hash House Harrier club, the Cougars. Twirly and I have really enjoyed getting out for fun runs with like minded beer drinkers. The hash runs are just the thing to break up my regimented training schedule. They remind me how fun it is to run with no expectations. Speaking of expectations, after employing Footfeathers as a coach for a little over a year, I had to let him go after NFEC 50; we just weren't aligning anymore. The feedback had become scarce, the support failed to materialize in my darker moments, and Tim held the opinion that States was "a lot to bite off" for someone in my position. Obviously, that attitude was not one I cared to have in my camp while preparing for my first hundo. Fortunately, Jorge and Laura at Mauka Running have stepped in to support the next six months of training.

Last but not least, 2013 brought me my first Western States 100 entry. This follows a rather smooth progression into longer distances, and despite feeling a deep-seated anxiety about the distance I am eager to experience such an epic and prestigious event.

Race Report: 2013 Tamalpa Headlands 50K

The Tamalpa Headlands 50K Start/Finish line

My summer "A" race, the 2013 Tamalpa Headlands 50K, took place in the Marin Headlands on August 24th. This storied event began in 1998 (then the Headlands 50K) and enjoyed ten years of racing with the start/finish line at Rodeo Beach before a two year hiatus in 2009-2010. The race returned in 2011 with a slightly altered course (the start/finish moved to Santos Meadows, but the course layout remained the same). Organized by the Bay Area's premier running club, the Tamalpa Runners, this race was an easy choice for my late summer ultra. The course covers some of the most picturesque trails in the Headlands, which also happen to be part of the North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Miler in December. Overall, a good opportunity to race some of my favorite trails.

My training coming into the race was somewhat lackluster. A pulled groin in May meant that my base building phase was non-existent, and a shameful pacing performance at altitude had not bolstered my confidence. The final month before the race brought some reassurance as I built my volume up to a reasonable level and had a few solid tempo and hill workouts. I took it very easy race week, and felt good at the starting line.

I was joined by Torrey, who had gotten into the race off the wait list only ten days prior. His training consisted of regular Cross Fit workouts, but little distance running. I hoped his lack of fitness would translate into the two of us running together for the bulk of the race, but that just wasn't in the cards.

Without much fanfare, the race started promptly at 8am. The pack jogged across the meadow and turned towards the sea as the course followed Muir Woods Road for a brief leg, and then we all funneled onto the single track of the Redwood Creek Trail. Torrey hung back a few runners, and I had a runner behind me that was breathing like a race horse. "A little early to be laboring like that!" I thought to myself, repeating my mantra for the day: "run within yourself".

We quickly covered the first mile and a half to Muir Beach and began to climb the Coastal Trail towards Pirates Cove. Torrey showed his Cross Fit strength and steadily dropped me on the climb. I let him go.

I was inspired by Lucho and Tawnee, in the most recent Endurance Planet podcast, to ignore the meta data on my Garmin during the race. Only the time of day was displayed; no heart rate, pace, or elevation. If I noticed the vibration of the auto lap alert, I could look to see which mile I had just completed, and how long that mile had taken. I enjoyed the lack of distraction the data so easily becomes, but the end result was that my effort for the race was much higher than any race I have done to date! I'll be examining that more in a future post.

Entering Pirates Cove

Single track conga line

The pace of the conga line along the Pirates Cove single track was comfortable. Once we began the climb out of the cove, I learned that I was surrounded by the 10th-13th place women. I challenged myself to stick with them. They gapped me a little by the crest of the hill, and I kept them in sight on the long, smooth descent to Tennessee Valley, carrying momentum across the valley floor and into the next climb.

The leaders climb out of Pirates Cove

Pirates Cove stairs

Wolf Ridge in the fog

The ascent to Wolf Ridge on the Coastal Trail is the steepest section of the course. I had completed the climb in about 23 minutes the week before, and set out to break 20 minutes. I paced myself comfortably ("run within yourself"), and halfway up I realized I had more energy to give, so I began to pass some runners. I caught the small pack of women near the top of the climb, and began looking for opportunities to pass as I bombed down the technical descent to Rodeo Beach. The combination of rocky drops, stairs and logs made good terrain for my "skipping" technique. I encountered Jorge Maravilla leading a group run for San Francisco Running Company on one set of stairs.

"Nice style, you look like you're doing the salsa", Jorge exclaimed.

I could see Torrey in the distance; he'd put about a half mile on me. I carried my speed off the hill and onto Bunker Road, clicking off two sub-9 minute miles (2 of the fastest miles of the day) on the flat road section. The Rodeo Valley aid station was bustling with people, and I did not need anything, so I cruised through without stopping. I caught up to Torrey as I left the station, and we stuck together for the climb up Miwok Trail. We power hiked as I outlined the next few sections of the course for Torrey, and in good time we were running again. Old Springs Trail, one of my favorite descents in the Headlands, took us back into Tennessee Valley, where Twirly was waiting.

Mile 11.5 - 2:10 - 106th place

Upon arriving at the aid station, Twirly gave me my second hydration pack, pre-filled with Tailwind. I had completely emptied the first, about 600 calories in two hours. This was huge for me, as I normally struggle to get that many calories in without my stomach shutting down. So far, I felt great, and my stay at the aid station was brief. Torrey and I set out to climb the Miwok Trail headed for Muir Woods.

Torrey continued to climb much stronger than me, so I told him to get after it, and that I might catch him on the next descent. He steadily moved up the trail, and I repeated my mantra, "run within yourself". The trail levelled out and traversed to Shoreline Highway. Surprisingly, I caught up to Torrey again, and we ran together at a comfortable pace to the highway crossing. Kara Teklinski was pouring water at the aid station and providing encouragement. I drank a cup of water, my first consumption of aid from a station at mile 14.7.

The view from Miwok Cut-Off Trail

We continued on the Miwok Trail, passing Dias Ridge. My watch read 2 hours and 55 minutes at the 15 mile mark. We were almost exactly on 6 hour pace, which I relayed to Torrey. I took stock, and was happy to realize that I had no significant pains and my energy level was still good. After battling GI issues in almost every ultra I have completed thus far, having my nutrition plan work so well was the highlight of the race for me. Dialing in that aspect leaves me more room to focus on my overall performance.

I dropped Torrey on the descent to Frank Valley and the Redwood Creek Trail, only to have him catch up once I gained the valley floor. We crossed Muir Woods Road, and began to climb Deer Park Trail towards the Dipsea Trail and Cardiac aid station. This section of the course shared a few trails with the Steep Ravine Marathon Torrey and I ran in January, and I was hoping to better my time climbing this segment.

Torrey continued to climb strongly, and dropped me as we hit the Dipsea Trail. I would not see him again until the finish. I continued at a comfortable pace, running what I could and power hiking the rest. The trails were becoming crowded with day hikers from Mill Valley and Stinson Beach, requiring more attention to footing and presenting a challenge to my momentum.

Dipsea Trail marker

Mile 19.5 - 3:50 - 95th place

As I crested Cardiac Hill, the third place finisher was coming through on his way to the finish. 4 hours into the race, and the leaders were more than 8 miles in front of me! I was falling behind on my second pack of Tailwind; I should have been close to empty, but still had about half of a bladder. So, I ate some aid station fare: a pb&j square, some potato chips and a slice of melon. Then, I was off towards the Pantoll Ranger Station and the Matt Davis Trail.

My stomach began to slosh during this stretch, so I ate a ginger chew and slowed my pace a little. I leap-frogged with a couple of runners on the rolling stretch of Mine Trail that connected the aid station and the Ranger Station. Once I got to the Matt Davis Trail, I was running alone. A couple of hikers said "it's all downhill from here" as I set out for the descent to Stinson Beach. Of course, the next 2.5 miles were rolling, and had a few climbs requiring hiking.

The Matt Davis Trail was one that I had not run before. It had a reputation for being the most picturesque way to get to Stinson Beach, and I was looking forward to the views. Once the trail began its steep descent, however, my focus was on footing and negotiating the hikers, who were getting more dense as I neared the coast. I felt strong on the technical descent, a continuing theme of my race. I attacked the trail at every opportunity, and alerted the hikers with ample time, so that I might keep my speed up. At one particularly congested switch back, I actually had to hurdle a small child!

Mile 24.1 - 4:44 - 88th place

I cruised into the Stinson Beach aid station feeling a bit worn out from the descent, and with only 10K to the finish, I dropped my pack with Twirly and poured the remainder of the Tailwind into a handheld bottle. Torrey had just left the station, and I was surprised to see Chris Jones limping out of the station as I was getting situated.

"What the hell are you doing behind me Chris?" I exclaimed.

"I'm in front of you now!" he said with a grin, hobbling up the road to the Dipsea Trail.

Once I had everything straight, and got a kiss from Twirly, I set out in pursuit of Chris. I knew the climb from the beach through Steep Ravine would be tough, and I figured I could catch Chris in his addled state. I put my head down and hiked as hard as I could, running every flat-ish section. I caught Chris in a couple of miles, and together we trudged up the steps on the ravine floor. It felt good to be in the rain forest shade of the ravine, and despite feeling horrible, Chris was good company and set a decent pace as we picked our way through the throngs of hikers.

We passed the marathon mark, and I allowed myself one glance at my Garmin details to figure out the elevation and elapsed time. 6600' of elevation gain in 5 hours and 36 minutes. Compared to the Steep Ravine Marathon, I'd only lost ten minutes over that distance, which meant I was in better shape than I thought coming off my injury.

At Pantoll, a volunteer once again said "it's all downhill from here!", and I said goodbye to Chris, encouraging him to finish strong. The pain was slowing me down a little, and I loped into the Cardiac aid station looking for a refill of my bottle and enough calories to get me to the finish line. Chris was coming into the station as I left, and I set a goal to get to the finish as fast as I could. I was smelling the barn like never before; the faster I ran the sooner I would be done.

Mile 27.7 - 5:49 - 88th place

Aside from one small but insulting climb, the final 5k was fast. Time seemed to slow down, and I was getting a little bit of tunnel vision when slam! I hit the ground. I bounced back up and resumed running, brushing the dust off. I wasn't hurt, but I needed to focus on my footing and not let my fatigue put me in a precarious spot. The final mile and a half were maddening; a never ending series of switch backs. The finish line was visible, but never really seemed to get any closer. Gradually, the sound of the announcer calling out names and the crowd cheering grew. I felt like I was bonking, I had no energy and my water bottle was nearing empty, but I took advantage of the downhill and gave in to gravity, pulling out a sub 27 minute 5k coming into the finish line.

Finished: 6:23:07, 86th place, photo courtesy of Brightroom

I was happy with my finish, even though I did not meet my goal of sub-6 hours. I had no acute pain, and my plan had unfolded well. Free pizza and beer amongst friends and a ten minute massage put the icing on the cake. We continued the post race celebration with a trip to Fish. for dinner, something I could get used to!

Fish. it's what's for dinner (yes, 32 oz beers)

Overall, the race organization was stellar. The volunteers were effusive in their encouragement and support, and I tried to recognize each and every one of them for being out there, to which they almost always replied in kind. Without the volunteers, there would be no race. What they all seemed to recognize, is that without the runners, there can be no race either. The course contained some of the best trails the Headlands have to offer, and I can easily imagine returning to this race year after year. Even though it is not a PR course, the experience left me feeling satisfied, and I would encourage any ultra runner with the time to check out the Tamalpa Headlands 50K. You won't be disappointed!

For the number junkies, here's the Garmin data:

Tamalpa Headlands 50K Training Week Eighteen: the Taper...

Race week finally arrived, and my schedule called for two short shakeout jogs of 45 and 40 minutes. At least I got one of them in! The race went well; I was once again humbled by Torrey the speed-demon, who entered the race with nothing but cross fit and its 400 m sprints under his belt for the past couple of months.

Here's the week:

Tuesday: easy 45 on the treadmill

Wednesday: 15 miles on the bike

Saturday: Tamalpa Headlands 50K

Totals: 35.79 miles, avg HR 154, Weight 195

I got to the start line well rested, with no niggles. Overall the race went extremely well. My new nutrition strategy of Tailwind in my hydration pack supplemented by aid station fare and ginger chews also worked to my satisfaction. I had one brief low spell where my stomach sloshed, and I'm pretty sure I bonked in the last mile and a half, but I finished strong, in the top half of the field. The course was beautiful, and the volunteers were remarkably supportive. I noticed a marked difference between this club organized race and the for profit races I have run: more laid back and more fun. No medal, jut a tee shirt, beer and pizza. I really enjoyed hanging out with friends after my finish.

Mixing in at least one day of biking a week looks like it will be paying fitness dividends, and my weight continues to improve. I should be down to race weight by North Face. This week is a mix of recovery and continued endurance training, with a three hour run kicking off a ten day vacation next week. I'm looking forward to running in some coastal rain forests in various parts well north of here.

Keep your eyes open for the Tamalpa Headlands 50K race report, which will be up as soon as I can gather the race photos.

Tamalpa Headlands Training Week Seventeen: Meh, I Guess I Peaked

The view from the SCA Trail

Week seventeen ended up being a mini-reset week, with just half the weekly volume I had built up to over the past month. Before hiring a coach, I tried to maintain a routine of three weeks building/one week of rest to avoid over-training. From the beginning, Tim has pushed my comfort level, and the increased intensity has paid off in both results and race-comfort levels. Sometimes, however, I have to abide what my body tells me, and last week it told me to lay off. It began with a tempo run getting cut short for no reason, and continued through two skipped runs and another one cut short. At least I'll be fresh for the race this weekend.

 

Here's the week:

 

Tuesday: Tempo run, interrupted (45 minutes)

 

Thursday: Easy 60

 

Sunday: 2:20 hilly trail run

 

Totals: 22.34 miles, avg HR 141

 

Mega-yacht on the America's Cup course boundary

Quality miles, but skipping Friday and Saturday dredged up those familiar feelings of self-loathing. Saturday we sailed Kuani out to watch the America's Cup action, which came complete with two crew falling off the Kiwi's boat!

 

 

After sailing all day, running did not sound like fun, so I skipped the easy hour on my plan. My long run on Sunday was supposed to be 3.5 hours, but I rolled my ankle coming into the trail head parking lot and chose to call it quits, as I had almost completed the prescribed elevation total in my plan. Plus, I wanted to spend time with Twirly.

Angel Island and the Tiburon Peninsula

Eucalyptus grove on Alta Trail

Richardson Bay

I have skipped or re-scheduled runs to spend time with Twirly in the past, but Sunday she laid down the law: no more skipping training in her name. I had not realised that she might feel guilty when I do so, assuming that she too would rather spend time together. It is a good illustration of how much she supports my pursuit of this silly sport; she would rather I put my best foot forward than enable mediocrity. I love her for that.

 

Fog filling Tennessee Valley, Mt. Tam on the horizon

I snapped some good photos during my long run on part of the Tamalpa Headlands 50K course. I got a good look at the Coastal Trail climb to Wolf Ridge, which turned out to be rather steep, but only took me 20 minutes to climb. Maybe I can do it in 18 on Saturday!

I crossed paths with this little coyote on Bobcat Trail

Tamalpa Headlands 50K Training Week Sixteen: Counting Down to the Pain

Recovery from pacing went well; I was able to get in moderate volume, and I substituted a hilly round of golf for an easy hour on Friday. Having had family in town over the past three weeks has been good, but training becomes a guilty pleasure when spending time with loved ones is the alternative.

 

Here's the week:

 

Tuesday: 60 minutes at base pace

 

Thursday: 90 minutes at base pace

 

Friday: golf

 

Saturday: 60 minutes at base pace

 

Sunday: 3 hours at 50K pace

 

Totals: 39.5 miles, Avg HR 138

 

This week was all easy running to lay down a good base for the upcoming workouts. Coach has some tempos and hill sessions on the schedule, and with TH50K only days away, I'm looking forward to putting in some effort. I hope to get out on the course to tackle one or two of the tougher climbs this weekend. The Coastal Trail from Tennessee Valley to Wolf Ridge is looming in my minds eye. That climb is so steep I've never been on the trail, always opting to use Old Springs Trail to connect TV and WR.

 

Also, Torrey got in off the wait list, so I'll have someone to chase! He hasn't trained very hard, and only found out he was in with ten days to go, but something tells me he's still going to go out hard, and if I can keep up with him, maybe I'll have a shot at a new 50K PR.

Tamalpa Headlands 50K Training Week Fifteen: Peaking and Pacing

Ken Michal and his San Francisco 100 Mile crew/pacers, photo courtesy Tony Dunnigan

A good week culminating in a 25 mile tour of the Marin Headlands in the dark. I got a couple easy hours in and a good day spent commuting on the bike before running all night with Ken "All Day" Michal.

Here's the week:

Tuesday: Easy 60 minutes

Wednesday: 14 miles biking

Thursday: easy 60 minutes

Saturday: 8.5 hours pacing at the San Francisco 100

Totals: 37.8 miles, Avg HR 112, 6457' of climbing

While Ken's pace did not make for an aerobic workout on Saturday, it was quality time on my feet. My average heart rate for the 25 miles was really low, and I was able to experiment with some nutrition and gear options:

• I used Tailwind drink mix for the first three hours, and I felt great. No GI issues, my energy held up and the taste is mild and never became offensive.
• I had zero energy gels, although I carried a half dozen.
• I used a new chest-strap mounted headlamp, combined with a Fenix TK-22 handheld flashlight.

I will summarize my findings in my pacer's report, which should be up tomorrow. With three weeks to TH50K, I feel like I am in good shape, and a PR might just be on the table. The course has 2500' more elevation than Way Too Cool, but at sea level, I'm thinking I could still give it a run.

Tamalpa Headlands 50K Training Week Fourteen: Feeling Like a Runner Once Again

Back to back weeks of modest volume have me feeling good about my training again. The ramp up to 30 miles a week has been a long painful ride this time around, and I hope to maintain the volume straight through to December and The North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Miler.

 

Here's the week:

 

Tuesday: 45 minutes on the treadmill

 

Wednesday: 45 minute walk

 

Thursday: 3 hour hilly trail run

 

Saturday: easy 45

 

Sunday: easy 45

 

Totals: 31.18 miles, avg HR 136, Body Fat % 19.1

 

It is good to see my body fat % coming down. One percent every two weeks will have me in good shape come autumn. The coming week should be exciting, as I am pacing Coach Ken from Running Stupid in the San Francisco 100 on Saturday. I'll be helping Ken try to go sub-24 hour by running miles 50-75 with him. I am enjoying cutting my teeth on pacing duty; I get all the race day experience with none of the fees or swag. Ken has said that one of his goals is to drop his pacers, and my goal is to not be dropped again!

Tamalpa Headlands 50K Training Week Thirteen: Five Weeks to Race Day and I Feel Fine

Ten weeks since my injury at the Run For Your Lives Zombie 5K, and I can finally say that I have recovered. I put in a modest volume this week, capped by pacing David at the Tahoe Rim Trail 50 miler. My injury no longer hurts, but remains tight and needs specific attention (i.e. rolling, stretching, massage and ART).

 

Here's the week:

 

Tuesday: 60 minute tempo run

 

Thursday: 60 minutes at base pace

 

Saturday: 5:20 pacing at TRT 50

 

Totals: 31.86 miles, avg HR 147

 

Diamond Peak ski area, during TRT 50

The 19 miles on Saturday was a huge confidence booster. Despite sucking wind at elevation and getting dropped by David (who went on to a top 30 and took 19th male finisher), my mechanics felt good and my hip and groin held strong over the rolling, sometimes technical terrain. I have no unordinary residual soreness even two days later. Participating in a race was just what I needed to jump-start my motivation and get back into the swing of things. David has been training hard since American River 50, and his hard work paid huge dividends last weekend. I need to focus, commit, and put in the time so that my experience at The North Face 50 in December is as quality as David's performance was at TRT.

 

I'll get a Pacer's Report up in the next couple days. Until then, see you on the trail!

Tamalpa Headlands 50K Training Week Twelve: Enough with Distractions, Get Back to Work

Injury can cause despair. Not just the runner's despair that comes from taking running off the table (versus uh oh, I hurt my body, maybe I shouldn't be doing that), but a desperation that can erode other facets of life. Old, destructive behaviors rear their head, and bad habits become habits once again. I have been caught in this vicious cycle before, and recognized the cycle beginning again with this groin injury. Fortunately, this week marked a turn towards health, both physical and mental. Residual soreness from modest runs is finally abating, and my gait feels smooth enough to begin building up the volume and tempo. The heart is all that's holding me back, and everyone continues to tell me it will rebound quickly, once I return to training in earnest.

Here's the week:

Tuesday: 45 minutes @ base effort

Wednesday: 35 minutes treadmill

Thursday: 15 miles on the bike

Saturday: 60 minutes in the foothills

Sunday: 45 minutes @ base pace with Twirly

Totals: 19.85 miles running, avg HR 146, body fat 20.2%

Enough with the distractions, I get preoccupied and I am left with nothing to show but a little exhilaration for my time and energy. I need to get back to racing weight, something that will pay dividends. Focusing on racing weight means daily measurements to keep me accountable, and using body fat % as the metric instead of weight. Setting short term goals of 2% reduction per training cycle should have me back down to 14 % by December, to be in good shape for The North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Miler. Higher volume and better lifestyle choices will help, as will the strength work I have been doing to rehab my injury. Keeping those routines routine will make this all a piece of cake.

Mmmm, cake.

Tamalpa Headlands 50K Training Week Eleven: Building a Base and America's Cup 34

Week eleven finally felt like a good week of training. The mileage is slowly returning, and my muscles are protesting, but my injury continues to improve. Every time I begin again I am amazed at how uncomfortable building a base can be.

 

Here's the week:

 

Tuesday: 45 minute power hike

 

Thursday: 60 minutes at base pace and 11 miles on the bike

 

Saturday: 85 minutes easy

 

Sunday: 16 miles on the bike

 

Totals: 17.92 miles, avg HR 154

 

Biking with Twirly is helping flush the legs, and my weekend long run is testing my hip. Progress is happening! I received more Active Release Technique treatment from my chiropractor on Tuesday, and plan to hit the masseuse this week to stay on top of the knots and scar tissue.

 

Yachtie Disneyland

Sunday's 60 minutes were swapped for a trip across the bay to watch the first race of the 34th America's Cup. Twirly and I brought our bikes on the BART train and wandered around the AC facilities on Pier 29 before watching the race from the finish line. These new foiling catamarans really fly!

 

 

 

I have been recruited by Coach Ken from Running Stupid to help pace him in the San Francisco 100 miler in August. It will be three weeks before the Headlands 50K, and 25 miles motivating Ken to a sub-24 hour finish would be a great last long run. Hopefully my recovery timing works well for that effort.

Tamalpa Headlands 50K Training Week Ten: Western States 100 and a Hash House Run

After two and a half months of fitful training, week ten brought the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run. Always inspriational, volunteering at mile 55 of the WS100 led to some of my biggest volume weeks of 2012. Hopefully my physical therapy and strength work will allow me to springboard back into a worthy training volume. With eight weeks to Tamalpa Headlands 50K, I have some serious work to do.
 

Here's the week:

Tuesday: easy 30 minutes

Thursday: 10K with David in the heat of Mountain View

Sunday: Hash House run with Twirly

Totals: 13.10 miles, avg HR 149, weight 197.2 lbs

 

The mileage is still embarassingly low, and my heart rate reflects a significant loss of fitness. My weight is stable, but hovering 25 pounds over my desired race weight of 172. If I look at body fat % instead, which is a better indicator of health, the math says I'm headed in the wrong direction. I need more miles.

On the positive side, the runs are becoming more tolerable. I even felt good on the Hash! The pain of my injury is slowly replaced with what I would call "feeling weak". Armed with more stretches and strength exercises, I hope to put in a training effort at the 50K, with my focus shifting towards TNFEC 50 Miler in December.

Tamalpa Headlands 50K Training Week Nine: More Injury, Less Cowbell

Another gorgeous night on the bay

While I intended to return to training with a vengeance this week, by Thursday I gave up and wrote off the weekend. No matter how I look at it, my groin is still too vulnerable for a real run. So I hit the chiropractor on Thursday and enjoyed the solstice weekend with Twirly. We sailed the Bay Saturday night, watching the sunset and the rise of the super moon. Sunday we checked out the wooden boat show at the Corinthian Yacht Club and saw some absolutely beautiful old ships. Pretty to look at, but way too much maintenance for us!

Solsitce sun setting

Super moon rising

The week:

Tuesday: 70 minutes at 10:00 pace

Wednesday: 45 minutes of trail running

Saturday: Easy bike ride with Twirly

Total: 11 miles

I hope to get a few decent runs in before next weekend, when we will be hosting the Michigan Bluff aid station at the Western States 100 Miler. This event always gets me motivated to log some miles. Hopefully I will emerge with a rejuvenated spirit. We're hitting another hash with the Cougars on Sunday.

Until then, anyone got a good story about struggling with an injury? Share your pain below.

Tamalpa Headlands 50K Training Week Eight: Beginning Again

My injury continues to improve; I'd estimate that I am at 75% right now, and running every other day, ish. My fitness has suffered from two months of non-training. I had hoped to be building a rock solid aerobic base, but find myself starting anew eight weeks into my training plan. Easy jogging and strength exercises are my staples at the moment, but I look forward to getting back to trail running and some elevation!

Here's the week:

Tuesday: 30 minutes on the treadmill

Thursday: 30 minutes on the treadmill

Sunday: 90 minutes on the Coastal Trail with Twirly

Totals: 11 miles, avg HR 119

Keeping it easy enabled Twirly to join me on Sunday, when we ran to Pirates Cove on the Coastal Trail. We left from the Tennessee Valley trail head and had gorgeous weather for the short stint over the hill. I always run past the spur trail to the beach, so it was cool to make the beach our destination for the day. It feels more like a pirate's cove when you're down on the beach.

As my pulled groin muscle slowly regains its composure, I am trying to internalize the training changes I have made: hip and core strengthening, reduced carbohydrates and more sleep! Tahoe Rim Trail 50 miler is in five weeks, and I'll have to be able to power hike/jog 20 miles of mountainous trail at altitude with David. Upon returning from a training run on the race course last weekend, he told me he would not wish the trail on anyone. However, he did not provide me an opportunity to back out of my pacing duties...

Tamalpa Headlands 50K Training Week Seven: The Week That Wasn't

My groin injury took priority this week, and running was cancelled. Repeated manipulations by various doctors ruled out the possibility of a hernia, but left me feeling more sore than the week before. So I took a long walk and managed to eek out a day commuting by bike.

Fighting the depression that comes with an injury has been the most difficult part. I cannot argue with my body; rest is required. At least my Two Week Test Diet is ending soon. I miss carbohydrates fiercely!

Tamalpa Headlands 50K Training Week Six: Slow and Steady

Week six already?!? Only twelve weeks left to prepare, and I am still hesitant, cautious, and generally timid about running. Like a fledgling bird teetering at the edge of the nest, I just cannot commit. Last week was full of walk/runs and strength exercises... And a 10K (which also included some walking).

 

Here's the week:

 

Monday: casual walk

 

Tuesday: Easy hour jog

 

Thursday: Easy 45 minute jog

 

Saturday: Harmony Run 10K

 

Sunday: recovery walk/jog ~50 minutes

 

Totals: 22 miles, avg HR 144, weight 196.3

 

On the plus side, my weight has begun to drop. The MAF TWT diet, while not limiting calories, has been interesting. My energy levels suck; most of the walking I have been doing is due more to lack of energy than sharp pains, although my hip/groin continues to feel vulnerable.

 

The Harmony Run 10K was a good test run. A two loop course, I completed the first loop with an average pace of about 9:15/mile, which is the fastest I have covered ground on foot since my injury. I could not hold the pace for the second lap, and shuffled across the line in just over an hour for my slowest 10K to date.

 

Visits to the chiropractor and physician next week should help get me back on track. I have to be in pacing shape in six weeks for the Tahoe Rim Trail 50 miler. David is going to need the best support I can provide, and I need to figure out how to get some  altitude training in before pacing at 7000+ feet!

Tamalpa Headlands 50K Training Week Four: Ouch, My Hip Hurts

Week four did not go well. My delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) from the Zombie Run continued to bother me well into the later days of the week. In addition, I felt like I had pulled my groin; I had sharp pains throughout my right hip, which wouldn't loosen up as I ran, so most of the plan went out the window, and I tried to fill in the activity with a few days on B, my Bianchi Pista Via Brera. Here's the week:

 

Tuesday: 45 minutes of walk/running

 

Thursday: Bike to work

 

Saturday: a short bike ride and then 80 minutes trail running with Twirly

 

Sunday: two hour bike ride with Twirly

 

Totals: 7.63 miles running, avg HR 121, 29.5 miles biking

 

Obviously, distance running alone is horrible conditioning for flag football. My body hurts more this week than after AR50 or CIM. The groin continues to require special attention, and I find myself babying it constantly. I reacted to the slow recovery by incorporating Coach Jay's myrtle routine daily. Hopefully I will find some strength before the Harmony Run 10K at the beginning of June.

 

My chiropractor is opening a new office which is much closer to me, a huge plus. I need to get some ART treatments to get this hip back to 100%. I also plan to begin monthly massage sessions from now until the NFEC 50 miler in December. My muscles are beginning to recover more slowly; I can tell my muscular endurance has suffered in the 6 weeks since American River, although my cardiovascular endurance is still pretty good.

 

When I decided to take a break and start my training cycles over, I did not anticipate this much discomfort. Use it or lose it, as they say...

Tamapla Headlands 50K Training Week Three: Zombies and the Cougar Hash House Harriers

Twirly joined me for a Hash on Sunday

Week three of my training for August's Tamapla Headlands 50K was the most novel chunk of training I've had this year. I managed to bike to work twice (Thursday was "Bike to Work" day in the East Bay), and volunteered at an obstacle 5K where I was part of an obstacle: the Zombie Horde. It was a cross between a three hour game of flag football and a fartlek session. I felt like a kid again; the next day I felt ninety years old. The week wrapped up with a hobbled hash house harrier (HHH) run with the Nevada City based Cougar Hash House Harriers. Lot's of variety, lots of new niggles.

Here's the week:

 

Tuesday: 60 minute tempo

Wednesday: 60 minutes at 9:00 effort

Saturday: Run For Your Lives 5K (3 hours as a Zombie)

Sunday: 45 minutes with Twirly and the Cougar Hash House Harriers

Totals: 21.79 miles, avg HR 137, weight 202.8

Two weeks into my weight loss attempt, and I have gained MORE THAN SIX FUCKING POUNDS.

 

Ridic.

 

Severe measures have been tabled, amongst them the infamous beer exclusion. It is a little-known fact that for every beer considered but not consumed, a fat cell is sacrificed on the altar of the liver. So after Sunday's HHH run I decided it was time to kill some fat cells and take a hiatus from the suds. Other items on the table include salads for lunch everyday, and more activity. I'm considering a standing desk at work, but I need a doctor's recommendation in order to request one.

Feeling undead and old

Speaking of doctors, my zombie horde duties at Saturday's Run For Your Lives 5K left me needing a refill on my ibuprofen prescription. My right hip adductor and psoas, which have been speaking out of turn since March, were not happy in the car ride home, and on Sunday morning I was not sure I would ever run again. My knees ached, my feet hurt. My IT bands were pissed off, and my back and arms were sore in places I'd forgotten about years ago. I implored my coach for a reprieve in next week's plan, and he provided an option I think I can pull off. He also said, with a wink, that I was too old to be running round like a kid. He is right, of course, but even running 50 miles hadn't left me feeling old. So, I have a new goal/aspiration: cross train my way into a level of overall fitness capable of helping me fight this aging feeling. I want to be able to pick up a basketball game without going to pieces the next day. More biking and strength training is in the docket.

Twirly helped me get up the motivation to participate in the Hash, and we both enjoyed meeting some new people and  stretching the legs, although after about a mile and a half I was toast. My legs loosened up a little at the start of the run, but began revolting at the amount of downhill the hare had put at the beginning of the run. My quads were simply shot after all the cutting, juking and jiving on Saturday. We took the three mile option and beat most of the runners back to the beer...

I'll post reports on both Run For Your Lives 5K and the Hash in the next few days.