Breaking Away

Long Trail Run: 18.75 miles, with lots and lots of climbing

Weather: In the clouds. Rain, wind, high humidity. Gear: Peregrines, shorts, T, jacket, hat. Fuel: Cereal and rice milk, coffee, Chiarade, then 3 or 4 gu (lost count) and 2 pb granola bars. Eundurolytes before, and on each hour except hour 4. Carried camelback with nuun, and refilled it with water.

This was the culmination of my experiment this past week - doing a back-to-back set of runs, with a very long trail run today. I hadn't picked a distance (I was limiting myself by time and/or fatigue) so I was doing a lot of math on the trail.

I ended up running 18.75 miles, and I did it the hard way. I started out and went straight up the biggest hill on the trail, then over the other side as far as the trail would go. Then I turned around, went back over the hill again to return to where I caught the trail... then I headed back uphill until I decided it was time to turn around and head home.

I thought about pushing it to 20, but I'm glad I didn't. Especially after running 8 miles yesterday, this 18.75 miles with lots of climbing cooked me pretty well. Mission accomplished. Now I have two days to recover. Woot!



And if you think THOSE elevation numbers are off (the profile is right)... Garmin Training Center said I climbed 14,555 feet!

I'm tired, but not THAT tired. (Then again, I did just polish off a big package of turkey lunch meat. Mmm. Sodium....)

Those are some beautiful trails you've found to run on. Looks like this trail marathon plan is working.

I am envious of your location, Mark. In another life, I'd move to Portland.

Might have to come up and run with you sometime Mark.

Those trail runs look awesome! Next time I'm in Portland, maybe I can join you. Did you hit Stump Town coffee or Voodoo donuts afterwards?

Traveller wrote:Those are some beautiful trails you've found to run on. Looks like this trail marathon plan is working.

Hey, Clark! I'm getting there. My build-up was delayed by injury this summer, but it looks like I ought to be able to get at least a couple of 20-mile trail runs in before taper sets in.

healdgator wrote:I am envious of your location, Mark. In another life, I'd move to Portland.

This area has its benefits, though running through blowing clouds of rain might not be one of them. It was pretty, though. My family has been in the Pacific Northwest since the mid-1800s, and even if they wander away for a while... they end up coming back.

Mike MacLellan wrote:Might have to come up and run with you sometime Mark.

You should, Mike! Though I'm thinking you'd be like the guys I saw on the trail yesterday who were bounding along the trail like a gazelle, barely touching the ground as they covered more distance in one step than I covered in three, even downhill on rocky terrain. How do they do that?

Those guys were impressive, but another guy blew me away. I was working through a rocky/gravelly/muddy section when I heard footsteps behind me. I stepped aside to let the runner pass.. and he was doing it barefoot. Amazing.

Glenn wrote:Those trail runs look awesome! Next time I'm in Portland, maybe I can join you. Did you hit Stump Town coffee or Voodoo donuts afterwards?

Anytime, Glenn! No, I didn't have time for anything other than trying to dry out a little before driving home. I needed to be back in time to meet the bus when Alec got home from school. All play and no work gets me in trouble.

Well, if my back-to-back approach was supposed to prompt a physiological reaction... it worked!

I was fairly sore last night, but my legs are talking to me this morning. But... I am in that weird hungry-not hungry-grumpy place you get to when you're depleted. I'm trying to refuel, but I'm going to have to do it gradually. I am (uncharacteristically) unable to chow down; my stomach says no mas! when I try to sneak in a little extra.

I wonder why that happens?

Mark, that last long run looked like a doozy. What a way to start the run. Nice work on all this stuff.

Randy E wrote:Mark, that last long run looked like a doozy. What a way to start the run. Nice work on all this stuff.

Hey Randy! Thanks. A big climb was quite a way to start a long run. By the time I got over the hill to my turnaround point, I was despairing that I'd be able to make it back to where I started, let along start tacking on additional miles. But I tried to remember and apply what Geoff Roes has done in some of his races (VIDEO of WS100 comeback) - how he goes through bad patches and uses fueling and walking to recover on the move. So I refueled, slowed to a walk but kept moving ... and eventually felt better and started running again. So much better, in fact, that I didn't even hesitate when I cruised past my starting point and headed out on the second leg of my run. Interesting.

Easy run: About 4 miles

Weather: Overcast, cool, breezy. 52 degrees. Gear: FR2s, shorts, T, jacket/vest. Fuel: Cereal with rice milk, coffee. Granola bar before. Carried water.

I was planning on going out for a slightly longer run today but chores and computer headaches ate up most of my morning (not happy with Apple at the moment)... so I went out for about four miles. Trouble was, I'd gotten myself so worked up with my computer problems that relaxing into the run was pretty much impossible. It was a fairly aggravating run. Good thing I wore my Garmin, or I think my adrenaline would have pushed me to a much faster pace than would have been appropriate.

Anyway, I got it done. Maybe tomorrow will be calmer and I can go a little longer.

Hill Run: About 4 miles

Weather: Overcast, cool. 55 degrees. Gear: FR2s, shorts, long-sleeved T, hat. Fuel: Cereal w/rice milk, coffee. Chiarade before run (2 endurolytes, too). Didn't take water on run.

I was a lot less stressed-out this morning (my computer mysteriously started working the way it was supposed to again. weiiirrrdddd....) but I was still feeling the results of my little tantrum yesterday, so I kept my run on the short side. I went out to my local hill and went up, over and back. It's about 377 feet of climbing, so it's a nice stimulus. I made a point of not stopping to walk at any point until my cool-down. The run felt pretty good, though I ended a little achy in my left hip/glute area. This route seems to exacerbate it. It might have something do with the steepness of the hill (whether it's going up or down, I'm not sure.), but I really don't know.

Tomorrow is a rest day, then I'll do 8 or so on Sunday and then go for the gusto on Monday - at least 20 miles on hilly trails.

Easy Run: About 8 miles

Weather: Overcast, cool. 57 degrees, 97% humidity. Gear: FR2s, shorts, long-sleeved T, jacket/vest. Fuel: Oatmeal w/chia, coffee. Carried nuun in handheld.

Went out for an easy run with my buddy, getting ready for a longer trail run tomorrow. I spent about 13 hours at work yesterday, so I was pretty stiff - especially in the hips - for the first four miles or so. After that, I loosened up a bit; either because I warmed up or because I found a better stride. Maybe a bit of both.

Tomorrow I hit the trails, and I hope to crack 20. I won't duplicate last week's course exactly. Instead of heading directly up the steepest climb on the trail, I'll head the other direction and just go. It's still plenty hilly, but not quite as immediately intense.

Trail Run: 21.72 miles

Weather: Fog, clearing. 44-50s. Gear: Peregrines, long-sleeved T, jacket (stowed), hat. Fuel: Cereal and rice milk, coffee, chiarade. 4 gu on run, plus granola bar, odwala bar. 2 enduroluytes before, then two every hour.

L-o-o-o-n-g trail run on the Wildwood Trail. I didn't do the "hard" version of this run (I didn't charge up a steep mountain at the beginning), but it was still plenty challenging. (I lost GPS lock for a while, so the miles don't' track exactly.)



I also got a nice photo from my turnaround point. It had been foggy when I started out, but the sun had just come out, making for some nice views.



In a way, it made it tougher, because it was so pretty that deep into the park that I wanted to keep exploring, but I new I'd already committed myself to 21.72 miles -- nearly as long as I've ever run in training -- and that was pushing my luck as far as was wise. So I turned around and ran another 2+ hours back to the car.

Amazing run and just a beautiful photo.



Thanks for sharing that!

Michael Enright wrote:Amazing run and just a beautiful photo.

Thanks for sharing that!

Thanks, Michael!

Here's another shot I took.

Recovery Walk: 1.5 miles

I was understandably sore this morning, and sitting at a desk staring at a computer isn't the most comfortable thing in the world even on the best of days... so I took advantage of a gorgeous fall day and went for a walk during my lunch break. I headed down from my office to the Columbia River and got a nice view of Mount Hood and a peek-a-boo view of Mount Jefferson. It was a breezy day, so there was some nice chop on the water, and I could watch pilots work on their crosswind landing skills at airports in Vancouver and Portland.

I don't know how much good a walk like this does for my recovery... but I'm sure it felt better than another half hour sitting at my desk.

Oh, lordy! Why, oh why, did I click on that link?

Sure, I've been lurking on various race sites, reading about trail ultras and all sorts of wacky things... but they finally just released tentative date for The Mount Hood 50. (July 28)

Here's the description: The heavily shaded course is an out and back almost entirely on the Pacific Crest Trail. The trail is generally soft with good footing, although there are some technical sections with rocks and roots. Runners will start by running North from the Clackamas Ranger Station to the Frog Lake Aid Station. They will then return to the start/finish and head South to the Warm Springs Meadows Aid Station, where they will turn around and head back to the finish.

Total elevation gain is approximately 5,630 feet. For a 50-miler, that's practically Chicago-level flatness.



Well, maybe not exactly Chicago... but nothing like some of the ultras out there.

Now, I have camped and hiked in the High Cascades a lot over the years. It's one of my favorite places on Earth. I'd have a hard time imagining a better place to sling on a hydration pack and just go.

Here are two photos from the website:





Nice, huh? And to top it off, it's pretty close to where I live.

So even though I haven't even finished a trail marathon - let alone a 50k - here I am getting all excited about a 50-miler. Typical.

---

Edit to add: I confessed all this to Alita via email... and she was... not surprised at all.

"So sign up as soon as they open registration," she replied. "That will give you plenty of time to prepare."

Hm...

Hill Repeats: About 3 miles

Weather: Indoors on treadmill. 68 degrees. Gear: FR2s, shorts, shirt (quickly shed). Fuel: Cereal with rice milk, coffee. No water during run.

Alec is home from school today and Alita is working, so I had to do my run inside today. I decided to test out our treadmill's handy-dandy hill feature and see what happened when I threw in a few quarter-mile hill repeats.

I warmed up for a half mile at an easy pace, then ramped up the treadmill to a 6% grade for a quarter mile. That didn't feel too difficult, so I sped up a bit (from 12/mi to 10/mi) and after a quarter mile recovery cranked it up to 10% @ 10/mi. Oof! I felt that. I couldn't make the whole distance and zeroed it out the grade before I hit a full quarter mile. I recovered, slowed back down and did two more cycles of 10% grade @ 12/mi. Challenging but doable.

If I did my math right, I think that works out to about 575 feet of climbing.

I'd originally thought of going four miles total, but decided that I'd shocked my system enough for the first run after a nearly 30-mile weekend, so I called it good at 3.

It's difficult and kind of nerve-wracking being forced to run uphill at an unyielding mechanical pace. When I'm on a trail, its a much more fluid and natural feeling.


I've seen videos of people ripping along at 12% grade for what seems like hours... and I'm seriously impressed. Of course, those are the people who run Leadville, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised.

The Mount Hood 50 looks like a lot of fun. I'd give it serious consideration, but MCM is my goal race next year. I will run and finish that race and everything else next year is with that in mind. I do have a few other races I plan to run, but they are part of the bigger plan.

I loved the 21 mile training run. I'll say it again. Great country out there.

Traveller wrote:The Mount Hood 50 looks like a lot of fun. I'd give it serious consideration, but MCM is my goal race next year. I will run and finish that race and everything else next year is with that in mind. I do have a few other races I plan to run, but they are part of the bigger plan.

I loved the 21 mile training run. I'll say it again. Great country out there.

Thanks for the visit, Clark! I think MCM is a great goal for you. Good luck!

Well, I was going to run today, but I've been feeling a little fatigued this week (legs feel good, body feels bleah), so I bagged the run today. It's probably for the best: I woke up with sore feet from yesterday's treadmill antics -- at one point, I was toe-striking to speed up my turnover. Wow. My muscles can tell the difference.

Another (scheduled) rest day today. I think this step back week was well-timed. I'll do a moderate run Sunday and then head out on the trails Monday for 12-14 miles or so. This approach of clustering runs (Run on Sun/Mon, rest Tue/Wed, run Thu/Fri, rest Sat) seems to be working pretty well so far. It's a little like the "sandwich" approach that some ultra runners use.

If all goes well, I'll bump the miles up again next week and see if I can manage to get in two more 20+ runs before taper begins in mid-November. (Hm. When you race on a Saturday instead of a Sunday, how does that affect the placement of that last long taper run? Hm.)

I'm watching the forecast for Indiana carefully... hoping that winter doesn't decide to come early to that part of the country. One year, it was 14 degrees at the start (yipes!), last year, they had several inches of fresh snow (snow is less scary, except that it'd probably cover all sorts of nasty roots and rocks, so.. yipes!). What I really ought to be worried about is what happens around here sometimes: 38 degrees, rainy and windy (hypothermia weather - yipes, yipes, yipes!). I think I'd prefer 14 degrees. (At least then any moisture would be frozen...)

Easy Run: About 8 miles

Weather: Partly cloudy, muggy. 54 degrees, 94% humidity. Gear: FR2s, shorts, T, jacket, hat (stowed). Fuel: Oatmeal with chia, coffee. Carried nuun.

Out for an early morning run with my training partner on the Salmon Creek Greenway Trail. It looked like rain was likely, but the weather turned for the better and it ended up quite pretty.



Another angle, which captures the sky a little better.




The run was weird. I had moments that felt nearly perfect but others where I felt like I was struggling. I didn't take any endurolytes before I ran, and I'm starting to think that some of the problems I've had (especially when racing) might have something to do with my electrolytes bottoming out. More on that later.

At any rate, I got the run done. I'm glad I'm doing fewer miles tomorrow on the trail. It'll still involve lots of climbing, but I'll keep it to about 13 or so.

Trail Run: 12.72 miles

Weather: Beautiful. Clear skies, cool. Gear: Peregrines, shorts, long-sleeved T, jacket/vest (eventually stowed). Fuel: Cereal w. rice milk, coffee. Chiarade before. Granola bar, Gu (2), nuun during. Endurolytes before and during (60-minute intervals).

This was a step-back run, but it wasn't easy. It was, in fact, harder than I expected. I headed straight up the steepest hill on the Wildwood Trail and down the other side, working power hiking and running on lower grades, flats and downhills. I've decided that heading this way is definitely the hardest possible run, in terms of hill climbing. These babies are steep. It also doesn't help that the trails are so well-travelled that much of the way is underlain with gravel. When I take the trail less followed, it's much more natural.

Highlight of the run: As I came over a rise, a lady who was out walking the trail got flustered and in broken English explained that, for a second, she mistook me for Jackie Chan. Hey. He's a pretty good-looking guy, and quite fit, so I'll take that as a compliment.

Lowlight: Getting bonky and cranky. Bleah. I need to fine-tune fueling.

The route:

Easy Run: 6.3 miles on the roads

Weather: Partly sunny with patchy low clouds, breeze. 41-45 degrees, 98% humidity. Gear: FR2s, tights (!), T, pullover, gloves (stashed). Fuel: Cereal w/rice milk, coffee. Chiarade. Carried handheld with nuun.

I've been feeling run down lately, cranky and hungry but not liking carbs (protein and fat on the way!), so I was cautious approaching this morning's run. I wore my Garmin to keep me from pushing too hard, and I worked to keep it as easy as possible.

The weather was cool and damp, something to which my body seems well-adapted - because it was pretty happy to be out there running. Parts of the run felt fabulous, and no part of it felt bad. I'd call that a success.

Now, time to make myself a massive protein bomb... er, omelet.