Still learning

Dances With Dirt Devil's Lake 50K is in the books. I had a great time out on the trails. I can't wait to do this one again! I learned a few more things this time around. Maybe one of these days, I'll put all this knowledge together and have one helluva race. Probably not, but I'm going to keep trying!
DWD was held July 13, in the Merrimac/Baraboo, WI area. Dirt headquarters was near Devil's Head Resort.
Race morning started at 5:30 a.m. Darn near perfect weather greeted the 50K and 50 milers. Upper 60's, overcast and a bit of a breeze. The sunshine and heat didn't show up until later that morning.
Since we stayed at Devil's Head, it was just a short jaunt to the start area. I did some nervous pacing around the start area for my warm up. I kind of figured the legs would warm up soon enough on the trails. We kind of seeded ourselves in to waves and off we went. Let the fun begin.
The first leg was a loop around the ski area at Devil's Head. The climb up to the top wasn't too bad. The trail kind of wound back and forth up the ski hill instead of going straight up. Not too bad! Along the top and then a quad burning trip down the double black diamond ski hill. Pretty much straight down. Against my better judgement, I let 'er rip on the way down. I knew my legs would pay for this in a few hours, but I just couldn't resist. It felt like I was running on cushions with the Hoka Stinsons on my feet.
Back through the start/finish area and out to the Ice Age trail to the next aid station. Through Parfrey's Glen and uphill. Lots of roots through here helped me slow it down and relax for the climb. I really enjoyed this section. Similar to the trails I usually run on "my" section of IAT.
We headed over to Devil's Lake State Park and through the campground. A bit of a chance for the legs to rest on the pavement. I almost missed a turn here, but somehow was aware and alert enough to see the bright pink flags leading through chest high weeds/grass/stuff. Legs were feeling good, so far!
Then I hit the climb to South Bluff aid station. Hundreds, no thousands, wait, millions of stone steps up to the top of the bluff. I didn't think it would ever end! I heard runners use words I've never heard before. If the faster runners were actually running up this section, I want to know how they did it! The views along the top definitely made it worth it, but I couldn't see or think straight enough to really enjoy them! I wanted to take some photos, but I'm not sure I could have figured out how to use the camera feature on my phone while trying to catch my breath and massage my aching quads!

A little more climbing out of South Bluff and then some fun trail to the next aid station. This was a two way traffic section so while I was going down I was dodging runners coming back. I had a drop bag at Bug Pit aid station and stopped for a fresh bottle and a couple gel packets. Not a long stop, just enough to refuel, replenish and get going. A short out and back to keep the distance honest and then back up the hills I had just come down.
Thankfully I didn't have to go all the way to the top of the bluff. It just seemed like it. A right turn on to a wide gravel road gave my legs a chance to relax and get in something akin to a rhythm. Or it felt like it to me. I really enjoyed this section. Nice, wide, smooth. Some climbing, but nothing like what I'd been through.
From this point it was the reverse of what I'd run earlier. I wanted to bomb the hills but some of the rooted and rocky sections made think twice. I hadn't done my Superman imitation, and I wanted to keep it that way. Once I got closer to the Parfrey's Glen area again, I tried picking up the pace. I was getting really tired at this point. I was coming close to six hours and felt like I should be done! I pulled out my phone and checked the app I use while running. 30.98 miles! And I knew I had at least a couple more to go! WTF?? I know that no two runners using some kind of GPS/app will have the same distance, but I didn't plan on being this far off. At the finish, my Strava app read 32.7 miles. I'm going to take it! It felt like I ran at least an extra mile. Not complaining, just saying!
All in all, I had an awesome time. Great trail, great runners, great aid and volunteers, well marked and challenging trail, great weather. I'll definitely be back.
So, what did I learn? Lots! I learned I probably shouldn't do a run commute comprising a half marathon before and after work, in the heat, less than a week before a 50K! I think my legs were mostly recovered, but not 100%. But I do love a challenge.
I learned I really, really, no-really need to pay more attention to my fueling. I thought I was doing well. I made sure I was always sipping at my water bottle. Hydration wasn't a problem. When I got to the finish and started digging through my drop bag, I realized I hadn't taken in quite what I thought. I went through three gels and two bottles of Accelerade. Approximately 700 calories for 6+ hours of running! No wonder the last hour seemed eternal!!
I learned why so many ultra runners don't wear a shirt. Let's just say I'm going to be checking out some NipGuards! OUCH! I ditched my shirt at South Bluff and was glad to be rid of it!! Glide just didn't cut it that day. Not sure why.
I learned I really need to give some honest attention to the hills. Hill repeats, hilly loops, hilly trails, HILLS!
In the end, I had a great day. 6:19:34. 69/210. 3/16 in my age group.
The Hokas worked great. No foot issues. Legs felt as good as can be expected. Glad I gave 'em a try.
What's next? Probably The North Face Endurance Challenge Series race in Madison in September. Probably another 50K. Yeah, gonna try and finally put things together and nail a good run. But........maybe a hard and fast half marathon might be fun. Anyway......thanks for checking out this really long winded report. More later as I train for ECS Madison!

Hoka One One Stinson Evo Trail impressions

Howdy all. This is a new type of post for me. Instead of blathering on about my training, or racing or just whatever, I'm going to take a stab at a shoe review.
First off, I'm not a professional, not getting paid by Hoka, nor am I an expert in running analysis of any type. These are just my honest opinions and observations. Like 'em or not.
I purchased the Hoka One One Stinson Evo from an on-line retailer. The closest brick and mortar store is in Madison. Just a little far for me to drive.
The price was the biggest stumbling block for me. I'm used to buying last years models or sale shoes. I'm fussy though. I won't buy a shoe just because it's cheap. It has to fit well and work for my type of running and my weird feet. I did get a pretty good deal and saved a few dollars. Still at just north of $150, they are pricey-in my opinion. I'm used to spending less than $100.
My main reason for giving the Hokas a try was some foot problems I've never had before. Just very sore feet in general, especially in my arch. After my first 50K last May, my feet were actually bruised, in addition to being just beat to hell. I ran that in some Brooks PureGrit for the first 22 miles and then Cascadia 6 for the last 9 miles.
My first run was a short jaunt around town, mostly on roads and sidewalks with a short section of trail. The cushioning is definitely noticeable. It felt kind of like running on springs! An odd feeling but I got used to it fairly quick. It was an easy run. I was surprised when the first mile went by in just over 8 minutes. Not fast for some, I know, but faster than my normal training lately. It didn't feel that fast and it didn't feel like the shoes slowed me down. They didn't feel clunky, clumsy or heavy. Just different.
My next run in the Hokas was a true trail test. 16.5 miles in just under 3 hours on the Ice Age Trail in Waupaca county. Hilly, some roots and rocks. Tossed in some of the bike single track for fun. The shoes felt very comfortable. I was a little worried about catching a toe and doing my famous Superman imitation. It is a pretty normal occurrence when I run trails. No issues at all. And this was after eight hours at work. They didn't feel heavy going up the hills. They really allowed me to let it hang out on the downhills. I'm not exactly fast but the shoes did make me feel more comfortable going down hills. No issues at all with stability. I had imagined because of the thicker soles that there might be more of a tendency to roll an ankle. I've never had an issue with this, but I could see how it might be a factor if you have weak ankles or tend to easily roll an ankle. The sole seemed to have good traction. I've never had an issue on the trails I run, but I couldn't see much difference between the Hokas and my last few trail shoes.
The shoes come with quick laces. I'm not a big fan of that type of laces. I've had them in Salomon shoes and I've tried them in other shoes as an add-on. I either seem to have the laces to tight or to loose. I can't find that happy medium. They do come with normal laces if I want to change them, so it isn't an issue. Just a personal preference. I'll give them a few more miles.
I normally wear a size 11, and the shoes seem to be spot on. I read some reviews where people complained that they ran narrow. I had no problem with that issue. My feet have a wide forefoot and narrow heels. With a pair of normal thickness Injinji socks, I haven't had any issues with fit. They come with a pair of flat insoles and a pair with arch support. I'm using the arched pair since the flat ones made the shoes feel a little big.
In some very informal side by side comparisons with a pair of Brooks Cascadia 6 I came up with these measurements. Key word informal-well used kitchen scale and an inexpensive caliper. The weight was about the same-375 g/or just over 12 oz. per shoe-size 11 in both. Here are a few more measurements-
                    Brooks Cascadia 6          Hoka Stinson Evo
Heel width-               77mm                          92mm
Arch width-               64mm                          79mm
Forefoot width-         101mm                        100mm
I think there might be a very slight learning curve to running in the Hokas. I have had any difficulty, but depending on where you run and your current shoes, it could be a possibility.
Overall, I like the shoes. They will go in to my trail shoe rotation, mostly for longer (>25K) runs. I plan on using them in my upcoming Dances with Dirt-Devil's Head 50K. I'll let you know how they work out.
Questions? Comments? I welcome both. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Lessons learned, experience gained

Time to reflect after finishing my second 50K. I've had a couple weeks to mull things over. 

What did I learn? Don't run a race the week before. Not even for fun, or to run with one of my kids. And never, ever say before afore mentioned race, "it's only an easy 5K. What could go wrong?

I ran this easy 5K with one of my sons, to help pace him. Plus the opportunity to run with one of the kids is pretty rare. I figured an 8:00 per mile pace would be easy.  A good chance to stretch the legs a week before my run. We started out nice and easy. Less than a mile in, I caught a toe and did my best Superman imitation. I was up as fast as I went down, but not before landing hard on my knees, elbows and hands.  A little blood. How bad can it be?  Things didn't hurt until Monday. My left knee ended up bothering me late in my 50K. Okay, lesson learned. 

I learned that if I want to keep dropping my time, I need to run more/faster and walk a little less. My run 15/walk 5 actually worked great.  It was hard watching people pass me early on, but I eventually caught and passed most of them. I think I just need to increase the running interval. I'll be working on that. Maybe 25/5?

I learned that my training plan worked well. Admittedly I was training for 50 miles, so I had a good endurance base. I felt stronger and less sore at the end of this run versus last year.  The hills beat me up, but not as bad. If my knee hadn't bothered me, I might have been a little quicker.

Overall, I'd have to call this 50K a success. I believe I made the right move dropping to the 50K. My foot felt okay, but was beginning to complain by the end.  My nutrition worked well, although I could have probably upped the energy consumption a bit. 

I am going to take my new found wisdom, keep training, and do another 50K. I'm not sure when or where.  I've got a couple in mind. I'm not sure if I'll be faster, but I will be wiser!

T minus 2 until race day

                                                 Great Lakes Endurance Iola trail race
                                                           Snowy trails - in April!
Race day is almost here, and I'm as ready as I can be. After my last post, I e-mailed the RD of the Ice Age Trail races and requested a move to the 50K. It was hard, but I think it was the right choice. I've got the rest of the summer and fall to nail that 50 miler. I've got a couple plans floating around in my tiny head. I'll see how Saturday goes and then move forward from there. I think my training was as close to spot on as it can be while working shift work. I got in a bunch of long runs (15+) including 24, 27 and 32 miles. The run 15 minutes and walk 5 minutes plan was working great. I was averaging 10:00/mile pace while employing this strategy. Keeping the pace easy and trying to burn fat instead of carbs has helped my efficiency. I used "Metabolic Efficiency Training" by Bob Seebohar and like how it worked.  I think all the long road miles finally caught up to my feet. The first four months of 2013 I ran over 800 miles compared to just over 600 for the last eight months of 2012. I believe some trail miles would have helped.
I managed a couple races since the last post. I ran a trail 15K at Iola Winter Sports Club, and the weather must have felt it had to go along with the name of the venue. The April 14th race was run entirely on snow covered trails. Cross country skiers were waiting for us to finish so they could ski! To add insult to injury, by the end of the 15K race, Mother Nature treated us to almost white out conditions. But I had a great race. I ran it easy and well paced. I felt in control the entire time and never laboring or working hard. My time was only a second slower than two years ago in much better conditions. I also ran a last minute road 5K with one of my boys. It was our first race together and I helped pace him to a PR. How much better can it get?!
So now it's time to relax, do one easy shake down run on Friday and head off to the trail. I can't wait. I'll let you know how it goes in a couple days!

Push on or suck it up? (Pride or common sense)

I'm posting this while sipping a cup of hot tea and watching the occasional  snow squall from Ma Nature. On April 19!! What the ?!@$ The crappy and unseasonable weather isn't helping my mood or my training. I've got my ultra in less than a month, and I've been on the trail once. In the snow!!!
Which brings me to the thinking for this post. I'm not sure if it's all the road miles, or just all the miles, but my body is starting to rebel a bit. I guess I'm not the genetic freak some of my kids think I am. Nothing serious (I think) but my feet are starting to complain. Yes, I've seen a medical professional, so I'm not self-diagnosing!! It's mostly arch pain, sometimes in both feet. Now it's spread to the top of one foot. My original thought was plantar fasciitis. That doesn't seem to be it. It stays around constantly. Doesn't go away (usually) throughout the day. The ache on top of the foot can really get my attention if it tries!
So what does this have to do with pride or common sense? I'm signed up for the Ice Age Trail 50 on May 11. 50 miles. I'm beginning to think the feet aren't going to put up with the distance. I've notched a 50K on the road, plus a few more above 20 miles. Add in a handful in the teens. After my latest 27+ miles, my feet weren't happy with me at all. The rest of my body was fine with the miles. My feet and I are no longer on speaking terms. I've been icing, heating, rolling and talking nice to them. Apparently they are stubborn piggies! So, do I suck it up and press on regardless? I know, long miles hurt. It ain't a walk in the park.  Maybe take a chance and screw up the rest of the season. Or do I try and contact the RD and see if I can move to the 50K? I know I can do that. The prospect of starting the 50 miler and DNFing is a thought I don't like. I've been running, biking and xc skiing for 30+ years, and have 3 DNFs-all mechanicals. I like to think I'm tough and won't give up. But, I've realized I'm not in my 20's, or even my 40's, anymore. I want to push myself, but I need to be smart too. My job doesn't allow my to relax and put my feet up either. I need to get up and head to work six days a week. Time off due to injury isn't an option. It would add insult to injury if it was a case of hard headedness and self induced.
I need a few days to think and mull things over. I know the taper that is coming up will help. And I'm not even sure moving down is an option. If not, I give it my best and take the miles as they come! I'll let ya know what happens.
Thanks for visiting!
Sven

Too long, again

Well, if the road to hell is paved with good intentions, my road must be smooth as hell! I mean to update this much more often than I do, but life just seems to keep getting in the way.
Anyway....My training had been going very well. I feeling better about my upcoming 50 miler, but not over confident.
I had a really solid January. The snow wasn't really good enough for cross country skiing, so I piled on the running miles. I got in a couple outings on the skis, but it was a running month for me. I logged 230 miles, which is most likely a personal best for me. Long, slow miles, with some walk breaks, but still good miles. Lots of cold miles too. I guess if Mother Nature wouldn't give us snow, she made up for it with cold.
I eased up a little in February trying to get ready for the Birkie. Not enough skiing made for a long day come Birkie Saturday. I had my slowest Birkie in memory, maybe my slowest ever. But, I finished and had fun. Next year, my goal is to train hard, weather permitting, and have a strong and fast Birkie. We'll see!
March is going strong. At the pace I'm going, I just might surpass January's miles. I'm getting in good long runs. I'm working on hydration and fueling. I've got my walk/run ratio dialed in. I wish I could get on the trails, but the snow is hanging on for dear life. I've had fun running routes I usually cover on the bike. It's nice to slow down and enjoy the scenery. But I do get some odd looks from people in the cars as they pass by, like " what the hell is that guy doing running out here miles from anywhere?"
I haven't spent any time on the bike. I know I'll be paying for that come WORS season, but I guess I race myself in to shape...again!
Mostly, I'm kind of proud of the miles I'm getting in while working shift work six day a week. I've run 24 miles before going in to work my 3 pm to 11 pm shift. I've run 20+ miles during my 11-7 shift. Actually my top mileage week was while working "graveyard shift". I got an 18+ mile run after day shift this last week and followed that up with over 16 after work on Sunday. I realize everyone has busy lives these days, I just like to think I'm proving that if you want it bad enough, time isn't an excuse.
It's an easy week for me this week, at least in terms of work. VACATION! Not sure if I'll squeak in some extra miles or not. The schedule I've been following seems to be working, and I don't want to mess with it too much.
I'll try to babble more later this week. Thanks for checking this out. Comments are always welcome.

Wishing for snow-sorta!

Well, it has been a few weeks and it's time to check in. I'm just wrapping up week 7 of my 50 miler training. Week 6 was one of my best weeks since ???? Admittedly being on vacation helped! I ended up with just over 62 miles, one day on snowshoes, and a day at the gym. To bad work always has to interfere! Week 7 is going just as well. I ran a 20 miler on January 11 in the mist, fog and somewhat unseasonable (40°F) temps. This is my longest run since my 50K in May of 2012. These last two weeks have me feeling just a wee bit more confident about my 50 miler. I have been playing around with my walk/run plan on my long runs. I'm not foolish enough to think I can RUN 50 miles with out some walk breaks! So far I've tried 25/5 and 15/5. Maybe something in between for the next long run. I've also been very cognizant of my pace while running. I've been trying a different type of training after reading "Metabolic Efficiency Training: Teaching The Body To Burn More Fat" by Bob Seebohar. Basically, it calls for easier paces and teaching your body to burn more fat instead of carbohydrates. To do that, you slow your pace and/or effort. Plus you don't consume as many carbs. Ideally, I'd head off to a sports testing lab at a college or hospital and have my metabolic efficiency tested. Being to cheap, not having the time and finding a location to have it done, I'm counting on 35+ years of experience, for what that's worth! I've been trying to stay around 9:30-10:00 per mile, especially on longer runs.This isn't to say I'm totally neglecting speed. I've hit the treadmill for some intervals, just to remind the legs that they can go fast, if they have to! All in all, I think my training is going well. Time will tell!
So just what does this have to do with wishing for snow-sorta. Well, in the middle of all this ultra training, I'm planning on doing the Birke. That means some cross country skiing. How's that going. Not so good! We had some pretty decent snow here the beginning of January. Between work, holiday hoo-hah and trying to keep to a running plan, I've been out once! And it wasn't pretty. I felt slow, awkward and generally uncoordinated. Now we've had a mid-January thaw, with temps in the 40's and some rain. Bye bye snow! I'm fairly confident I'll have an endurance base that will allow me to complete the Birkie, without much more skiing. I managed a sub 4 hour Birkie - barely- in 2012, with only 3 days on snow and about 35 miles. Will it be pretty? Nope! But it isn't goal number one this year.
That's how my new year is going. I hope everyone else has started of 2013 with a bang and has big plans and lofty goals for the the coming months. I'll be back shortly to update you.
Thanks for checking this out. Feedback is always appreciated!
Sven 'o the North