Hello everyone,
It’s a little over a week until Christmas, which means a lot to celebrate. I know quite a few other bloggers have posted their “Christmas Wish” Lists, so I don’t want to bore you too much. Last weekend, I posted about my Top 9 favorite items/grub to use. This week, I’ll keep it short and list my Top 5 Bay Area running routes. Keep in mind that while I know there are other routes in the Bay Area, these represent routes I’ve run personally. In no particular order:
1) Mt. Tamalpais- Only 2600 ft. of elevation gain the ocean, but its compressed into a short distance, which makes this a favorite for training for big climbs in races.
2) Mt. Diablo- It’s much further away from me in San Francisco than Mt. Tam, but Mt. Diablo in the East Bay packs a close to 4000 ft. elevation climb which will definitely test me prior to major races with a large uphill component.3) Dipsea Trail- 7.1 miles one way, but a two way trip yields 5000 ft. of elevation gain and 5000 ft. of elevation loss. Its varied terrain, high difficulty, and quiet trails are great after a stressful week.4) Novato (San Marin area) to Pt. Reyes- 40 miles roundtrip from my parents’ home is a trip through wide open diary and farm land in Northern Marin. It is a road run, but peaceful nonetheless.5) San Francisco Twin Peaks- 7.7 miles roundtrip from my house. It’s 900 ft. of elevation up and down, combined with incredible views of the ocean and downtown, make this an easy choice for this road route.
I’ve also set forth my proposed 2008 race schedule in the lower right hand column, which doesn’t necessarily set it in stone, but it gives a clear idea of where I want to go and what I want to accomplish this year. One notable
Key Races:
2008 Rocky Raccoon 100
2008 Boston Marathon
2008 Badwater Ultramarathon (if accepted)
2008 Angeles Crest 100
These are races that I consider “review” points, races where I can evaluate my progress towards reaching my long-term running goals. While some of the other races in the year may prove to be more valuable in evaluating this due to the unpredictability of long-distance running (particularly ultras), each of these races represents very different types of challenges as well as premier events where the competition will hopefully fuel a higher level of performance. Rocky Raccoon is a flat, fast trail course which will give me a baseline for my speed on the trails in an early 2008 race. The Boston Marathon is a road marathon which, although challenging compared to other marathons, will give me a chance to “let it fly” compared to the ultra scene. My goal prior to Badwater is to run a sub-3 hr. marathon as a sort of speed development goal.
Accountability and Game Plan:
As a sort of accountability for myself, I have decided to post my training on a week-by-week basis in 2008. While I always give myself the flexibility to adjust to life events, I want to accountable for the type of training that leads to the type of results I desire. I will start at the end of next week with this past week and next week’s training.
I hesitate to put down specific hour goals here for each race. It’s not so much that I don’t have goals; it’s that I do not want to boast about things which I have not done. While I believe that I am capable of much more, I can not speak of “talent” that is unfulfilled.
However, to give you an idea of how I approach each race, I go into each race with specific race plans that are geared around multiple goal tiers. It might help in your own goal setting as you push the limits of what your body is capable of. I caution those that are reading this to make sure you apply this appropriately to the particular race.
The first tier is a very low baseline. For a 100 mile race, considering the unpredictability of the endeavor, the first tier is almost always to finish. I know there are other runners that would rather “DNF” than show a poor race time, but I believe this would hurt the integrity of my personal purpose in ultrarunning. While this does not preclude me from a DNF (of which I have 2), I consider a DNF only acceptable for me when my health is threatened or I miss a cutoff while recovering from an unspecified maladie.
The second tier is a more conservative goal tier. It accounts for the occurance of some bigger issues (nausea, major muscle pain, major joint pain). The third tier is the training tier, which my training has been geared for. It represents a bigger step forward and fits with my running development plan and yearly goals which I discussed in a previous entry.
Finally, the forth tier is a stretch goal. It represents a clean race, with few issues. With the emphasis this year on negative splits (faster second half than first half), this would represent close to even splits for the first half and second half of a race (dependent on the overall layout of the course). Anything beyond this is usually gravy on top. While I expect these goals to change as my running ability changes, this provides a framework going into a race. If I feel terrific after the first half, maybe I pick up in the second half. If I run into issues in the first half, maybe I have to reset the race goals. It’s such a fluid process. Going into the race, I examine splits from previous races and use them to match my tiered goals. I take into account the terrain and profile of the course as well, and how they play into my relative strengths/weaknesses.
Ok, that does it for me. As always, run strong, finish well, and God bless.
Gundy
P.S. I found this inspirational story, which further reinforced my focus on “Finishing what I start”. It’s a reminder to me to follow the words of Paul in the New Testament about finishing the race:
October 20, 1968, Mexico City, Olympic Stadium, 7.00 P.M. The closing ceremonies had just been completed. The spectators and athletes, still warm from the euphoria of the celebration, were gathering their belongings to leave the stadium. Then the announcer asked them to remain in their seats. Down the boulevard came the whine of police sirens. From their vantage point, many in the stadium could see motorcycles with their flashing blue lights, encircling someone making his way toward the stadium. Whoever it was, he was moving slowly. Everyone remained seated to see the last chapter of the Olympics take place. By the time the police escort got to the stadium, the public address announcer said that a final marathoner would be making his way into the arena and around the track to the finish line. Confusion was evident among the crowd. The last marathoner had come in hours ago. The medals had already been awarded. What had taken this man so long? But the first sign of the runner making his way out of the tunnel and onto the track told the whole story. John Stephen Akhwari from Tanzania, covered with blood, hobbled into the light. He had taken a horrible fall early in the race, whacked his head, damaged his knee, and endured a trampling before he could get back on his feet. And there he was, over 40 kilometers later, stumbling his way to the finish line. The response of the crowd was so overwhelming, it was almost frightening. They encouraged Akhwari through the last few meters of his race with a thundering ovation that far exceeded the one given the man who, hours earlier, had come in first. When Akhwari crossed the finish line, he collapsed into the arms of the medical personnel who immediately whisked him off to the hospital. The next day, Akhwari appeared before sports journalists to field their questions about his extraordinary feat. The first question was the one any of us would have asked, "Why, after sustaining the kinds of injuries you did, would you ever get up and proceed to the finish line, when there was no way you could possibly place in the race?" John Stephen Akhwari said this: "My country did not send me over 7,000 miles to start a race. They sent me over 7,000 miles to finish one."
Monday, December 17, 2007
Saturday, December 8, 2007
2007 leading to 2008- Time for Boston
Hey,
It’s the beginning of December, which normally represents the “slow” season in the running world. I’m working on my race schedule for 2008, which should be interesting. Most people go inside for the winter, with travel and family responsibilities taking precedence. While I have many of the same responsibilities and time constraints, I don’t want to lose the training base which I’ve developed. I also don’t want to just stop running, which during the sometimes stressful holidays can provide a quiet rest bit. Besides, I’ve always loved the feeling after a hard run in the cool winter when your breath looks like smoke and your exposed head and arms steam.
Last year, I ended the year with a flurry with the Quad Dipsea and the California International Marathon (CIM) in back to back weekends. This year, I skipped the Quad Dipsea so that I could just focus on CIM and not leave myself with any residual tiredness before the race. I’ve not really focused on marathons over the last couple years, instead using most of them as training runs for longer races. A couple times, I’ve tried to run Boston Marathon qualifying times, but the lack of consistent speed work left me tired during the home stretch at the end and in the end I failed. The Boston Marathon was always an eventual goal of mine when I started running marathons in 2001, so doing CIM was a way to get back to the matter and try to deal with some unfinished business.
Well, I finally did it. I ran the 2007 California International Marathon (www.runcim.org) last Sunday and came away with a 3:07 finishing time. It was just a great moment, an opportunity to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Over the last 0.2 miles, I got a little emotional, thinking of how far I’d come in my running career and how I had finally achieved a long term goal that I had set aside for a time.
I’d been feeling rather lethargic the last week and a half, when I tweaked a muscle in my right lower back. It was so bad, that I could barely get off the couch at Thanksgiving. I even thought I might be at least 5-7 lbs over what I need to be to compete with those real skinny dudes. But, over the last 5 weeks since the Javelina Jundred, I honed my speed work in addition to the speed work I started in early October. I made the commitment to go to the track at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco and run 800m intervals on a consistent, weekly basis back in early October. The crazy thing about the race was that at one point I was almost 5 minutes ahead of 3:10 pace and if I hadn’t slowed to ensure I wouldn’t pull a hamstring I could have done a 3:05. It was by far the best long race of my life; With a 1:31:31 first half and a 1:36:20 second half, this was by far the most consistent long race I had completed. The first half of this race is always a little faster with the downhill sections. There will always be a decrease in performance from the first half to the second half of a race. But by aiming for negative splits (from the first to second half of races), I was able to produce a disciplined performance that was consistently under the goal pace. I do have to say that I was a bit surprised later to find out there was over 4100 ft. of elevation drop and 3800 ft. of elevation gain. That is still a significant amount of change, despite its reputation as a faster course.
It has been a long journey started when I trained for 6 weeks to run my first marathon (which was the first time over 4 miles in 11 years) in 2001. Now, I’ve done it and it felt incredible….and I’m ready go for sub-3, when I’m not running 50 or 100 milers! No Western States for me next year (didn’t get selected in the lottery, but Boston and Badwater in 2008 make for a mighty fine start to the 2008 Race Schedule. Remember to always run hard, stay strong, and God bless all who have made 2007 a great year, and 2008 a year I will never forget.
Since it is the Thanksgiving season, it’s only appropriate to give thanks for the things which we all enjoy. In running, our gear can make a world of difference, particularly when you’re doing a marathon, 50k, 50 mile or 100 mile run. It keeps our minds on the trails rather than our waist pack slipping or the nagging blisters in our shoes. I’m most thankful for my following Top 9 gear/grub list (in no particular order):
Injinji Socks (www.injinji.com)
These things come in all sizes and materials (coolmax and nuwool). I ran marathons and ultramarathons. My feet tend to sweat a lot, so getting these socks in time for my first Badwater Ultramarthon in 2006 was definitely a lifesaver. The only time I got a blister in them was when I ran in a shoe 1.5 sizes too big.
Brooks Cascadia (www.brooksrunning.com)
The best part about being a part of the ID (Inspire Daily) Program with Brooks is the opportunity to work with their new products. When I was looking for a trail shoe which ran more like my road shoes, I developed an affinity for the Cascadias. I’ve used my current pair for three 100-mile races last year, and they’re so comfortable that I might be using them for my first 100-miler of 2008, Rocky Raccoon (www.tejastrails.com/Rocky.html).
Brooks Burn
While I know many people who stay exclusively on the trails (because of wear and tear), I still love a good road marathon. I don’t use these shoes all the time, because the cushioning is less than what I normally need (at 175 lb.). But these have worked great for me, including during my marathon PR. They’re light enough to not drag me down, but just enough cushion to race without knee problems.
Garmin 301 (www.garmin.com)
I know many people have upgraded to the 305, but my 301 works just fine. I like the way the 301 fits on my wrist compared to the 305. The heart rate monitor, GPS system and other nice features keep my training on track. Plus, it fits just fine on my wrist.
CamelBak Classic 70 oz. (www.camelbak.com)
Some people like using waist packs with multiple water bottles. While this works well for convenience to refill them at aid stations, the CamelBak takes the pressure off my lower back and puts it on my shoulders. With frequent muscle tightness in my lower back and my shoulders strong, this is the perfect long run tool. It works well in mountainous races where the distance between certain aid stations is over 7 miles.
Timex IronMan Watch (www.timex.com)
This is an interesting one, I know. I also listed the Garmin, which gives a runner a tremendous amount of feedback about their running. Sometimes, though, it’s nice not to be “tuned in” to all the data. Especially during a marathon, it give me just enough information to keep me going. It can help me learn to listen to my body and adjust the pace accordingly.
Hammer Gel (www.e-caps.com)
Nasty tasting? Sometimes. Do I prefer GU? Sometimes for shorter races (marathons). Despite what are its drawbacks are, I can’t deny that the stuff flat out works. While I do have to be careful how I use it because I do need to take solids with it for my stomach during ultras, it is the one thing that will get me going instantly “on contact”.
Jolly Ranchers (www.hersheys.com/jollyrancher)
Who can resist Jolly Ranchers? They give me the pep I need when my blood sugar level drops later in a race. An added bonus is that by letting one of them dissolve in my front lip, it keeps the salivary glands pumping to keep my mouth from going dry.
NUUN Electrolyte Tablets (www.nuun.com)
I’ve been having problems taking in electrolytes, dissatisfied with the various electrolyte pills out on the market which have started irritating my stomach. The NUUN tablets work great and make my water more like a fizzy flavored soda so I can take in electrolytes gradually.
Two Crazy Uncles
Honestly, I almost consider these two as performance enhancing drugs. Everybody should have a couple of crazy uncles willing to follow them to some pretty interesting locals (i.e. Death Valley). Where others won’t go, they’re there.
It’s the beginning of December, which normally represents the “slow” season in the running world. I’m working on my race schedule for 2008, which should be interesting. Most people go inside for the winter, with travel and family responsibilities taking precedence. While I have many of the same responsibilities and time constraints, I don’t want to lose the training base which I’ve developed. I also don’t want to just stop running, which during the sometimes stressful holidays can provide a quiet rest bit. Besides, I’ve always loved the feeling after a hard run in the cool winter when your breath looks like smoke and your exposed head and arms steam.
Last year, I ended the year with a flurry with the Quad Dipsea and the California International Marathon (CIM) in back to back weekends. This year, I skipped the Quad Dipsea so that I could just focus on CIM and not leave myself with any residual tiredness before the race. I’ve not really focused on marathons over the last couple years, instead using most of them as training runs for longer races. A couple times, I’ve tried to run Boston Marathon qualifying times, but the lack of consistent speed work left me tired during the home stretch at the end and in the end I failed. The Boston Marathon was always an eventual goal of mine when I started running marathons in 2001, so doing CIM was a way to get back to the matter and try to deal with some unfinished business.
Well, I finally did it. I ran the 2007 California International Marathon (www.runcim.org) last Sunday and came away with a 3:07 finishing time. It was just a great moment, an opportunity to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Over the last 0.2 miles, I got a little emotional, thinking of how far I’d come in my running career and how I had finally achieved a long term goal that I had set aside for a time.
I’d been feeling rather lethargic the last week and a half, when I tweaked a muscle in my right lower back. It was so bad, that I could barely get off the couch at Thanksgiving. I even thought I might be at least 5-7 lbs over what I need to be to compete with those real skinny dudes. But, over the last 5 weeks since the Javelina Jundred, I honed my speed work in addition to the speed work I started in early October. I made the commitment to go to the track at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco and run 800m intervals on a consistent, weekly basis back in early October. The crazy thing about the race was that at one point I was almost 5 minutes ahead of 3:10 pace and if I hadn’t slowed to ensure I wouldn’t pull a hamstring I could have done a 3:05. It was by far the best long race of my life; With a 1:31:31 first half and a 1:36:20 second half, this was by far the most consistent long race I had completed. The first half of this race is always a little faster with the downhill sections. There will always be a decrease in performance from the first half to the second half of a race. But by aiming for negative splits (from the first to second half of races), I was able to produce a disciplined performance that was consistently under the goal pace. I do have to say that I was a bit surprised later to find out there was over 4100 ft. of elevation drop and 3800 ft. of elevation gain. That is still a significant amount of change, despite its reputation as a faster course.
It has been a long journey started when I trained for 6 weeks to run my first marathon (which was the first time over 4 miles in 11 years) in 2001. Now, I’ve done it and it felt incredible….and I’m ready go for sub-3, when I’m not running 50 or 100 milers! No Western States for me next year (didn’t get selected in the lottery, but Boston and Badwater in 2008 make for a mighty fine start to the 2008 Race Schedule. Remember to always run hard, stay strong, and God bless all who have made 2007 a great year, and 2008 a year I will never forget.
Since it is the Thanksgiving season, it’s only appropriate to give thanks for the things which we all enjoy. In running, our gear can make a world of difference, particularly when you’re doing a marathon, 50k, 50 mile or 100 mile run. It keeps our minds on the trails rather than our waist pack slipping or the nagging blisters in our shoes. I’m most thankful for my following Top 9 gear/grub list (in no particular order):
Injinji Socks (www.injinji.com)
These things come in all sizes and materials (coolmax and nuwool). I ran marathons and ultramarathons. My feet tend to sweat a lot, so getting these socks in time for my first Badwater Ultramarthon in 2006 was definitely a lifesaver. The only time I got a blister in them was when I ran in a shoe 1.5 sizes too big.
Brooks Cascadia (www.brooksrunning.com)
The best part about being a part of the ID (Inspire Daily) Program with Brooks is the opportunity to work with their new products. When I was looking for a trail shoe which ran more like my road shoes, I developed an affinity for the Cascadias. I’ve used my current pair for three 100-mile races last year, and they’re so comfortable that I might be using them for my first 100-miler of 2008, Rocky Raccoon (www.tejastrails.com/Rocky.html).
Brooks Burn
While I know many people who stay exclusively on the trails (because of wear and tear), I still love a good road marathon. I don’t use these shoes all the time, because the cushioning is less than what I normally need (at 175 lb.). But these have worked great for me, including during my marathon PR. They’re light enough to not drag me down, but just enough cushion to race without knee problems.
Garmin 301 (www.garmin.com)
I know many people have upgraded to the 305, but my 301 works just fine. I like the way the 301 fits on my wrist compared to the 305. The heart rate monitor, GPS system and other nice features keep my training on track. Plus, it fits just fine on my wrist.
CamelBak Classic 70 oz. (www.camelbak.com)
Some people like using waist packs with multiple water bottles. While this works well for convenience to refill them at aid stations, the CamelBak takes the pressure off my lower back and puts it on my shoulders. With frequent muscle tightness in my lower back and my shoulders strong, this is the perfect long run tool. It works well in mountainous races where the distance between certain aid stations is over 7 miles.
Timex IronMan Watch (www.timex.com)
This is an interesting one, I know. I also listed the Garmin, which gives a runner a tremendous amount of feedback about their running. Sometimes, though, it’s nice not to be “tuned in” to all the data. Especially during a marathon, it give me just enough information to keep me going. It can help me learn to listen to my body and adjust the pace accordingly.
Hammer Gel (www.e-caps.com)
Nasty tasting? Sometimes. Do I prefer GU? Sometimes for shorter races (marathons). Despite what are its drawbacks are, I can’t deny that the stuff flat out works. While I do have to be careful how I use it because I do need to take solids with it for my stomach during ultras, it is the one thing that will get me going instantly “on contact”.
Jolly Ranchers (www.hersheys.com/jollyrancher)
Who can resist Jolly Ranchers? They give me the pep I need when my blood sugar level drops later in a race. An added bonus is that by letting one of them dissolve in my front lip, it keeps the salivary glands pumping to keep my mouth from going dry.
NUUN Electrolyte Tablets (www.nuun.com)
I’ve been having problems taking in electrolytes, dissatisfied with the various electrolyte pills out on the market which have started irritating my stomach. The NUUN tablets work great and make my water more like a fizzy flavored soda so I can take in electrolytes gradually.
Two Crazy Uncles
Honestly, I almost consider these two as performance enhancing drugs. Everybody should have a couple of crazy uncles willing to follow them to some pretty interesting locals (i.e. Death Valley). Where others won’t go, they’re there.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Javelina Jundred and 2008
I’ve returned from the 2007 Javelina Jundred (http://www.javelinajundred.com/), which was a terrific 100 mile race, with almost 150 starters. It was successful from a number of different standpoints. In order to mix it up a little bit, I will shy away from the usual play-by-play and try to give you a brief summary of what happened.
-Ran terrific for the first 31 miles (two loops)
-Slowed on loop 3 due to increase in temperatures (over 100 in certain spots)
-Puked after completion of loop 3 and 5, as well as one other occasion
-Took recovery breaks of 1.5 hours total during race
-Recovered to finished the final 20 miles in 4 hours
-Finished well in 24 hours
Now you may be saying to yourself, “He puked again? I thought this was solved.” Well, one of the primary reasons I completely bounced back at mile 80 was the introduction of mass quantities of Lay’s potato chips and Ginger Snap Cookies into my diet. At one point, being my first ultra by myself, I let my mind run a little wild when I was hurting and thought about a) quitting ultrarunning, b) hated family and friends, and c) hated my own life. It was bringing out the best and worst of my emotions. I needed something with a little salt, some sugars, a bunch of fats, and some other carbs to top it off that my stomach would like. The salt came in quantities that my stomach could handle and it felt awesome. At some points, I was almost running away from my pacer, Robert Andrulis, who volunteered at mile 75 to pace me the rest of the way. I met Robert when we both ran Badwater in 2006, and it was nice to chat with a friend who knew how to send my mind on a vacation while my body started kicking into gear. I was just wired like crazy and running like a banchee up and down those hills. I am going to continue to pour on the solid foods in my future 100 milers, which will continue to help balance out my system and give my digestive system food it’s used to. I’m not going to completely abandon the gels and powder drinks, because I think some supplementing is necessary to get all the proper nutrition. But, the balance is shifting, and packing a light Clif bar is going to become more standard in my running repertoire. While never totally satisfied, considering I’ve been only running beyond the marathon for 2 years, I’m content to be where I’m at.
Right now, I’m slated to run Rocky Raccoon in February, which is a fairly fast, flatter course. I’ll be setting the following goals for myself, which I’m going to follow up in training with specific runs/target times that my uncle will hold me to.
· Sub-24 hours- Standard goal
· 22 hours- Good goal
· 20 hours- Better goal
· 18 hours- Best goal
While most of my training will target the 20 hour goal, in order to better incorporate many of the nutritional lessons I’ve learned this year, a conservative 1st-50 targeting 10.25-10.5 hours will be the goal. I am a closer; I love to turn n’ burn over the last 20 miles of a race. Psychologically, the last 20% of an ultra gets me incredibly excited and optimistic, which translates over into how I run. But, in order to do this, I have to have something left in the tank. I believe that I will both feel better physically (especially the stomach) and have the sustained muscle strength if I focus more on negative splits. This is especially true of a loop course (20 mile loops) such as Rocky Raccoon where you can accurately measure performance comparing the 1st 20 mile loop with the 5th 20 mile loop.
A few goals for 2008 include:
· Limit breaks at aid stations in 100 milers to 5 min./max, 2 min. preferred (which I’ve started implementing)
· Continue intense speed workouts at local track at least once a week
· Make better use of solid food to combat nausea
· Make the 100 mile race a focal point for training
· Run better marathons as a base for running better ultramarathons
· Use at least two-fixed time races as times of experimentation/refining
· Run a sub-20 hour 100 miler
· Use “Negative split” principle where applicable (not always true depending on terrain)
· Use 1st 2 Badwater experiences as opportunity to make big leap forward in 2008
Now, I know a lot of these will require a definite increase in my training regimen, but I think that, along with the natural growth curve that comes with the changes in my body to be more runner-like (rather than, say, like a lacrosse-player or basketball-player), I have a definite opportunity to grab hold of here.
It's November, which for most people means time to go indoors and hibernate for the winter. When I was living in Los Angeles, I always enjoyed when Daylight Savings ended. I used to run around the Rose Bowl in Pasadena when I was living in Los Angeles. I have run the Los Angeles Marathon every year since 2001, and with the race always slated for early March, the bulk of training occurred during the cold winter months.
I got a rush out of running in the cold darkness, punctuated by the filtered light of the fog-covered intermittent street lamps. It gave me a feeling of empowerment, that feeling of working hard while other retreated to their warm houses or to the treadmills at their local gyms. I wanted to work hard while others slept; I wanted to feel the coldness of winter to remind me of the cold nights I had suffered before. I always tried to out run that feeling, but I never could quite do it. I'd run myself into exhaustion, so that as I stood with my arms on my hips, I could watch my breath steam up in the cool air. I'd take my shirt and hat off briefly, allowing my body heat to continue to produce steam. It was then that I knew I was alive. I want the feeling rekindled in me once again.
Besides one marathon (CIM) and one 50k slated for December, this is a month to get well and work on speed. Speed is something a lot of ultrarunners lose because it becomes an afterthought in training. But, the more fit (correlating with heart rate/effort) I am at the 26.2 mile level, the easier it will be for my body at the 100 mile level. Stay strong, keep movin', take care and God bless.
Gundy
-Ran terrific for the first 31 miles (two loops)
-Slowed on loop 3 due to increase in temperatures (over 100 in certain spots)
-Puked after completion of loop 3 and 5, as well as one other occasion
-Took recovery breaks of 1.5 hours total during race
-Recovered to finished the final 20 miles in 4 hours
-Finished well in 24 hours
Now you may be saying to yourself, “He puked again? I thought this was solved.” Well, one of the primary reasons I completely bounced back at mile 80 was the introduction of mass quantities of Lay’s potato chips and Ginger Snap Cookies into my diet. At one point, being my first ultra by myself, I let my mind run a little wild when I was hurting and thought about a) quitting ultrarunning, b) hated family and friends, and c) hated my own life. It was bringing out the best and worst of my emotions. I needed something with a little salt, some sugars, a bunch of fats, and some other carbs to top it off that my stomach would like. The salt came in quantities that my stomach could handle and it felt awesome. At some points, I was almost running away from my pacer, Robert Andrulis, who volunteered at mile 75 to pace me the rest of the way. I met Robert when we both ran Badwater in 2006, and it was nice to chat with a friend who knew how to send my mind on a vacation while my body started kicking into gear. I was just wired like crazy and running like a banchee up and down those hills. I am going to continue to pour on the solid foods in my future 100 milers, which will continue to help balance out my system and give my digestive system food it’s used to. I’m not going to completely abandon the gels and powder drinks, because I think some supplementing is necessary to get all the proper nutrition. But, the balance is shifting, and packing a light Clif bar is going to become more standard in my running repertoire. While never totally satisfied, considering I’ve been only running beyond the marathon for 2 years, I’m content to be where I’m at.
Right now, I’m slated to run Rocky Raccoon in February, which is a fairly fast, flatter course. I’ll be setting the following goals for myself, which I’m going to follow up in training with specific runs/target times that my uncle will hold me to.
· Sub-24 hours- Standard goal
· 22 hours- Good goal
· 20 hours- Better goal
· 18 hours- Best goal
While most of my training will target the 20 hour goal, in order to better incorporate many of the nutritional lessons I’ve learned this year, a conservative 1st-50 targeting 10.25-10.5 hours will be the goal. I am a closer; I love to turn n’ burn over the last 20 miles of a race. Psychologically, the last 20% of an ultra gets me incredibly excited and optimistic, which translates over into how I run. But, in order to do this, I have to have something left in the tank. I believe that I will both feel better physically (especially the stomach) and have the sustained muscle strength if I focus more on negative splits. This is especially true of a loop course (20 mile loops) such as Rocky Raccoon where you can accurately measure performance comparing the 1st 20 mile loop with the 5th 20 mile loop.
A few goals for 2008 include:
· Limit breaks at aid stations in 100 milers to 5 min./max, 2 min. preferred (which I’ve started implementing)
· Continue intense speed workouts at local track at least once a week
· Make better use of solid food to combat nausea
· Make the 100 mile race a focal point for training
· Run better marathons as a base for running better ultramarathons
· Use at least two-fixed time races as times of experimentation/refining
· Run a sub-20 hour 100 miler
· Use “Negative split” principle where applicable (not always true depending on terrain)
· Use 1st 2 Badwater experiences as opportunity to make big leap forward in 2008
Now, I know a lot of these will require a definite increase in my training regimen, but I think that, along with the natural growth curve that comes with the changes in my body to be more runner-like (rather than, say, like a lacrosse-player or basketball-player), I have a definite opportunity to grab hold of here.
It's November, which for most people means time to go indoors and hibernate for the winter. When I was living in Los Angeles, I always enjoyed when Daylight Savings ended. I used to run around the Rose Bowl in Pasadena when I was living in Los Angeles. I have run the Los Angeles Marathon every year since 2001, and with the race always slated for early March, the bulk of training occurred during the cold winter months.
I got a rush out of running in the cold darkness, punctuated by the filtered light of the fog-covered intermittent street lamps. It gave me a feeling of empowerment, that feeling of working hard while other retreated to their warm houses or to the treadmills at their local gyms. I wanted to work hard while others slept; I wanted to feel the coldness of winter to remind me of the cold nights I had suffered before. I always tried to out run that feeling, but I never could quite do it. I'd run myself into exhaustion, so that as I stood with my arms on my hips, I could watch my breath steam up in the cool air. I'd take my shirt and hat off briefly, allowing my body heat to continue to produce steam. It was then that I knew I was alive. I want the feeling rekindled in me once again.
Besides one marathon (CIM) and one 50k slated for December, this is a month to get well and work on speed. Speed is something a lot of ultrarunners lose because it becomes an afterthought in training. But, the more fit (correlating with heart rate/effort) I am at the 26.2 mile level, the easier it will be for my body at the 100 mile level. Stay strong, keep movin', take care and God bless.
Gundy
Monday, October 22, 2007
Friends + Races = Timeless Moments
Hey,
I'm back from the San Diego 100! I've been sick lately, so I ended up taking the 50-mile finish option and save my strength for another 100 mile race (Javelina Jundred) this coming weekend. This has been a year of triumphs and dissapointments for me, so Javelina provides me with another opportunity to finish off my ultramarathon season with a big finish. I'm just trying to run this race with discipline and focus, to run with a consistency of effort that will keep me moving well all the way to the end. The finish will take care of itself. One of the highlights of the race in San Diego was the opportunity to share the experience with my friend, Trish. Uncle Andy was going solo as my crew in San Diego, so Trish volunteered to come out and help. I think she really enjoyed the opportunity to see what many ultramarathoners go through with the ups and downs. I think the hardest thing for any runner who is pushing their limits (no matter what they are) is to manage the emotional roller coaster. It's hard to quantify the emotions and physical difficulties the roller coaster elicits unless you see it person. Having Trish there in person to see it and appreciate it was great. Being able to share you passions with others in a meanful way are moments worth remembering, and having friends to share them with is priceless.
Let me put in another plug to all you runners out there to check out the Runner's World discussion board ( www.forums.runnersworld.com/eve). Sometimes the hardest thing for me is feeling like I'm on my own planet, not necessarily surrounded by other runners who have the same goals. A lot of you are starting 5ks all the way up to 100 mile ultramarathons. Regardless of your distance, sometimes having a forum of like-minded people to bounce things off of is a great thing. I know for me, it's been invaluable in the way of just getting information as well as inspiration. You get a wide range of people with a wide range of goals, from finishing the race to trying to win the race. No matter what, you always seem to get treated with respect no matter what the question.
I am always truly blessed to be alive. I'm praying for those affected by the Southern California wildfires, which affect the victims and all of us who love and play in the outdoors. Getting ready to race next weekend, which will be a treat. Stay strong and keep movin'.
God bless,
Gundy
I'm back from the San Diego 100! I've been sick lately, so I ended up taking the 50-mile finish option and save my strength for another 100 mile race (Javelina Jundred) this coming weekend. This has been a year of triumphs and dissapointments for me, so Javelina provides me with another opportunity to finish off my ultramarathon season with a big finish. I'm just trying to run this race with discipline and focus, to run with a consistency of effort that will keep me moving well all the way to the end. The finish will take care of itself. One of the highlights of the race in San Diego was the opportunity to share the experience with my friend, Trish. Uncle Andy was going solo as my crew in San Diego, so Trish volunteered to come out and help. I think she really enjoyed the opportunity to see what many ultramarathoners go through with the ups and downs. I think the hardest thing for any runner who is pushing their limits (no matter what they are) is to manage the emotional roller coaster. It's hard to quantify the emotions and physical difficulties the roller coaster elicits unless you see it person. Having Trish there in person to see it and appreciate it was great. Being able to share you passions with others in a meanful way are moments worth remembering, and having friends to share them with is priceless.
Let me put in another plug to all you runners out there to check out the Runner's World discussion board ( www.forums.runnersworld.com/eve). Sometimes the hardest thing for me is feeling like I'm on my own planet, not necessarily surrounded by other runners who have the same goals. A lot of you are starting 5ks all the way up to 100 mile ultramarathons. Regardless of your distance, sometimes having a forum of like-minded people to bounce things off of is a great thing. I know for me, it's been invaluable in the way of just getting information as well as inspiration. You get a wide range of people with a wide range of goals, from finishing the race to trying to win the race. No matter what, you always seem to get treated with respect no matter what the question.
I am always truly blessed to be alive. I'm praying for those affected by the Southern California wildfires, which affect the victims and all of us who love and play in the outdoors. Getting ready to race next weekend, which will be a treat. Stay strong and keep movin'.
God bless,
Gundy
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
AC100 and onward to San Diego
Latest Update 09/26/07
Hey,
So, as I just celebrated my birthday this past weekend, I have finally had time to sit down and digest both the recently completed Angeles Crest 100 and the upcoming San Diego 100 in October. While I think most reports (mine included) often are filled with superfluous detail, I’ll try and cut to the chase with this one. If I had one word to describe the theme of this race, I would have to say “Reversal”. Let me use the word in a sentence about the race. “The cause of my 4 reversals was quite simply electrolyte deficiency”. There we go. For those of you who haven’t been exposed to the term, a “reversal” simply refers to throwing up. I used it quite liberally when describing my 2007 Badwater experience, but decided to use it again here to spice things up.
I counted reversals at miles 42, 49, 50 and 68. For the first 20 miles of the race, I moved rather effortlessly up and over the hills to the top of MountBaden-Powell (9300 ft. elevation) before starting the long, rolling descent back to a reasonable altitude. While I planned accordingly for the change in elevation, the one thing about a electrolytes is that the pills will often “explode” all at once, depositing their contents in the stomach. I had not been taking in the electrolyte drinks and solids which would have buffered my stomach while taking the pills. The result was a general weakening of my system that slowed things way down and could only be assuaged by finally stopping at Chilao Flats (mile 52.8) to get some help from the medic.
Amazingly, after a long break at the aid station, I was able to pick myself up and finish strong. While I did have to stop to take care of the reversal at mile 68, I finished with a flurry, ripping off 10 minute miles overall for the last 8-10 miles as I picked my way down the hill and up the uphills. I felt good to be free, free to run.
When people ask you, “What was your finest race?”, the first thought that runs into many heads is the race you had your best time or placed the highest. And while I am still learning and striving for that “perfect race”, for right now I am content with knowing that like life, these races are an imperfect science at best. The greatest expectation that I can have of myself is to “race to win”, leaving everything out there with only the expectation that where that takes is me is where it was meant to take me. The resulting race at the 2007 AC 100 has left me with an insatiable hunger to get out there in San Diego and race (race smart, that is). When I ran at AC, I felt very comfortable maintaining a 20 hour race pace overall. When I had to stop, I was left with the uneasy feeling of trying to reconstruct a body that had been thrashed on the inside.
Ultras are the act of placing the body under enormous stress for an inordinate amount of time. In many cases, it’s about maintaining that complex balance that only a complex body like that of a human would require. Run, drink, eat and digest all in the same motion continuously for hours on end. Perfect balance is impossible, and yet it is what all ultra runners are trying to achieve. Being perfect in the attempt is all to be expected. In the 2 years that I have been running ultramarathons, I’ve been learned a great deal about myself and my body. I charge on with the wisdom of Corinthians yearning me to “run the race to win”, stretching for the finish line with the knowledge that my best is yet to come…..Will San Diego be the place where potential meets reality? No matter what, I am always truly blessed to be alive. Stay strong and keep movin'.
God bless,
Gundy
Hey,
So, as I just celebrated my birthday this past weekend, I have finally had time to sit down and digest both the recently completed Angeles Crest 100 and the upcoming San Diego 100 in October. While I think most reports (mine included) often are filled with superfluous detail, I’ll try and cut to the chase with this one. If I had one word to describe the theme of this race, I would have to say “Reversal”. Let me use the word in a sentence about the race. “The cause of my 4 reversals was quite simply electrolyte deficiency”. There we go. For those of you who haven’t been exposed to the term, a “reversal” simply refers to throwing up. I used it quite liberally when describing my 2007 Badwater experience, but decided to use it again here to spice things up.
I counted reversals at miles 42, 49, 50 and 68. For the first 20 miles of the race, I moved rather effortlessly up and over the hills to the top of MountBaden-Powell (9300 ft. elevation) before starting the long, rolling descent back to a reasonable altitude. While I planned accordingly for the change in elevation, the one thing about a electrolytes is that the pills will often “explode” all at once, depositing their contents in the stomach. I had not been taking in the electrolyte drinks and solids which would have buffered my stomach while taking the pills. The result was a general weakening of my system that slowed things way down and could only be assuaged by finally stopping at Chilao Flats (mile 52.8) to get some help from the medic.
Amazingly, after a long break at the aid station, I was able to pick myself up and finish strong. While I did have to stop to take care of the reversal at mile 68, I finished with a flurry, ripping off 10 minute miles overall for the last 8-10 miles as I picked my way down the hill and up the uphills. I felt good to be free, free to run.
When people ask you, “What was your finest race?”, the first thought that runs into many heads is the race you had your best time or placed the highest. And while I am still learning and striving for that “perfect race”, for right now I am content with knowing that like life, these races are an imperfect science at best. The greatest expectation that I can have of myself is to “race to win”, leaving everything out there with only the expectation that where that takes is me is where it was meant to take me. The resulting race at the 2007 AC 100 has left me with an insatiable hunger to get out there in San Diego and race (race smart, that is). When I ran at AC, I felt very comfortable maintaining a 20 hour race pace overall. When I had to stop, I was left with the uneasy feeling of trying to reconstruct a body that had been thrashed on the inside.
Ultras are the act of placing the body under enormous stress for an inordinate amount of time. In many cases, it’s about maintaining that complex balance that only a complex body like that of a human would require. Run, drink, eat and digest all in the same motion continuously for hours on end. Perfect balance is impossible, and yet it is what all ultra runners are trying to achieve. Being perfect in the attempt is all to be expected. In the 2 years that I have been running ultramarathons, I’ve been learned a great deal about myself and my body. I charge on with the wisdom of Corinthians yearning me to “run the race to win”, stretching for the finish line with the knowledge that my best is yet to come…..Will San Diego be the place where potential meets reality? No matter what, I am always truly blessed to be alive. Stay strong and keep movin'.
God bless,
Gundy
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
A Time To Run
Hey out there,
This last week has been a good one, filled with adventure and training. A bunch of us from the Runner's World discussion board (www.forums.runnersworld.com/eve) got together for a day of running on the Western States trail on Saturday. For some odd reason, we all decided to run the downhill course backwards. For those familiar with the area, we traveled 32 miles from the town of Forresthill in the Sierra foothill area to Robinson Flat, which is squarely in National Forest land. A couple people estimated an elevation gain of 10,000 ft over the course of the run, which is a lot! While some may question the judgement of such a run a week from the start of the AC100, we took our time to enjoy the scenery and not burn ourselves out. We ended up taking just a shade over 10 hours for the odyssey, which included stops to eat, jump in the rivers to cool off, and avoiding errant hunters in the area.I have to say, that was the most fun I’ve had during a training run in a long while. Training in a vacuum, the one thing I’ve missed as I’ve gone up to the ultramarathon distances is training with others. Granted, the pool of ultramarathoners is small to begin with. But, in the process of doing this run, I realized that I probably didn’t have the motivation to finish it one week out from the AC100 if it wasn’t for the company of my fellow Runner’s World Forumites. It wasn’t so much that I couldn’t do a 32 mile run, but the fact that as a naturally social being, the lack of connectedness to others was in some ways stifling my training. It kind of got me nostalgic for those days when my good friend John Soggs and I trained for the 2001 Los Angeles Marathon, my first.
John was an accomplished runner, having posted a 4:06 mile in college and completed an Ironman competition only a year or so back. Considering that I had run only as far as a 12k (on two occasions), I was the one who was struggling to get up to speed with him during our 7 crazy weeks of training for the race. When we’d finish our training runs around the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, I could feel that he was stronger than me and tried hard to keep my heavy breathing to a minimum. I didn’t want him to think that I couldn’t do it and pushed myself to keep up. The beauty of it was that by aligning myself with someone who would push me further, I had put my ego in a position to either “put up or shut up”. The fact that that training partner was a friend only made the choice to “put up” that much easier. Even if I wanted to let myself down, I could not let down my friend. I hope to continue to have opportunities to both train with others and help train others to reach their goals. I don’t know if I’ll ever love running, but I love people and running is just avenue to express that. I want others to have that feeling of being emptied of every ounce of energy you have, and still continuing to reach for that finish line regardless of whether you get there.
On this September 11th, I just want to remember all the people who lost there lives in the tragedy 6 years ago. As the years pass, the emotions brought forth by this day will change, but the fact that so many people lost there lives will not. God bless their families and loved ones as they continue to cope with the loss.
Gundy
P.S. If you want to follow the race, the webcast is starting this Saturday at 5 am and goes through Sunday at www.ac100.com.
This last week has been a good one, filled with adventure and training. A bunch of us from the Runner's World discussion board (www.forums.runnersworld.com/eve) got together for a day of running on the Western States trail on Saturday. For some odd reason, we all decided to run the downhill course backwards. For those familiar with the area, we traveled 32 miles from the town of Forresthill in the Sierra foothill area to Robinson Flat, which is squarely in National Forest land. A couple people estimated an elevation gain of 10,000 ft over the course of the run, which is a lot! While some may question the judgement of such a run a week from the start of the AC100, we took our time to enjoy the scenery and not burn ourselves out. We ended up taking just a shade over 10 hours for the odyssey, which included stops to eat, jump in the rivers to cool off, and avoiding errant hunters in the area.I have to say, that was the most fun I’ve had during a training run in a long while. Training in a vacuum, the one thing I’ve missed as I’ve gone up to the ultramarathon distances is training with others. Granted, the pool of ultramarathoners is small to begin with. But, in the process of doing this run, I realized that I probably didn’t have the motivation to finish it one week out from the AC100 if it wasn’t for the company of my fellow Runner’s World Forumites. It wasn’t so much that I couldn’t do a 32 mile run, but the fact that as a naturally social being, the lack of connectedness to others was in some ways stifling my training. It kind of got me nostalgic for those days when my good friend John Soggs and I trained for the 2001 Los Angeles Marathon, my first.
John was an accomplished runner, having posted a 4:06 mile in college and completed an Ironman competition only a year or so back. Considering that I had run only as far as a 12k (on two occasions), I was the one who was struggling to get up to speed with him during our 7 crazy weeks of training for the race. When we’d finish our training runs around the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, I could feel that he was stronger than me and tried hard to keep my heavy breathing to a minimum. I didn’t want him to think that I couldn’t do it and pushed myself to keep up. The beauty of it was that by aligning myself with someone who would push me further, I had put my ego in a position to either “put up or shut up”. The fact that that training partner was a friend only made the choice to “put up” that much easier. Even if I wanted to let myself down, I could not let down my friend. I hope to continue to have opportunities to both train with others and help train others to reach their goals. I don’t know if I’ll ever love running, but I love people and running is just avenue to express that. I want others to have that feeling of being emptied of every ounce of energy you have, and still continuing to reach for that finish line regardless of whether you get there.
On this September 11th, I just want to remember all the people who lost there lives in the tragedy 6 years ago. As the years pass, the emotions brought forth by this day will change, but the fact that so many people lost there lives will not. God bless their families and loved ones as they continue to cope with the loss.
Gundy
P.S. If you want to follow the race, the webcast is starting this Saturday at 5 am and goes through Sunday at www.ac100.com.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Camping in Angeles Crest
Latest Update
09/03/07
Hey everyone!
It's been crazy at work, which has eaten into the time I get to do things like update the website. However, I've been training hard for the Angeles Crest 100. In addition to doing trail maintenance work for 8 hours as a requirement for the race, I spent last weekend in Angeles Crest forest camping with friends from church at SGVAC and the youth group at their end of the year trip. One of the primary benefits was a chance for me to spend a couple days at 7000 ft. elevation and above. We took the youth for a nice hike up to 8000 ft. elevation on Saturday. On Sunday, I had time for a 15 mile run from 6800 ft. elevation to the top of Mt. Baden-Powell (9400 ft. elevation) and along the ridge line above 8500 ft. elevation. I have to say, the 360 degree views of San Bernadino/Los Angeles County as well as Mojave were incredible. Too bad I forgot to bring my camera to take pictures and video. I really enjoyed the trip as an opportunity to interact with the youth I had worked with previously as well as see old friends again. The run was just an added bonus. Before the AC100 , I will have run two 50ks, a 50 miler and a 100k. These runs have been a great way to test out an antacid pill that so far has yielded great results for preventing upset stomach during runs. I'm confident they will allow me to push hard again and go for another 100 miler PR at the 2007 AC100. I'll just have to race hard and see what happens.
Thanks again for your support, keep movin', stay strong, and God bless.
Gundy
09/03/07
Hey everyone!
It's been crazy at work, which has eaten into the time I get to do things like update the website. However, I've been training hard for the Angeles Crest 100. In addition to doing trail maintenance work for 8 hours as a requirement for the race, I spent last weekend in Angeles Crest forest camping with friends from church at SGVAC and the youth group at their end of the year trip. One of the primary benefits was a chance for me to spend a couple days at 7000 ft. elevation and above. We took the youth for a nice hike up to 8000 ft. elevation on Saturday. On Sunday, I had time for a 15 mile run from 6800 ft. elevation to the top of Mt. Baden-Powell (9400 ft. elevation) and along the ridge line above 8500 ft. elevation. I have to say, the 360 degree views of San Bernadino/Los Angeles County as well as Mojave were incredible. Too bad I forgot to bring my camera to take pictures and video. I really enjoyed the trip as an opportunity to interact with the youth I had worked with previously as well as see old friends again. The run was just an added bonus. Before the AC100 , I will have run two 50ks, a 50 miler and a 100k. These runs have been a great way to test out an antacid pill that so far has yielded great results for preventing upset stomach during runs. I'm confident they will allow me to push hard again and go for another 100 miler PR at the 2007 AC100. I'll just have to race hard and see what happens.
Thanks again for your support, keep movin', stay strong, and God bless.
Gundy
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