What a great weekend I had. The weather was great, and I was fortunate enough to spend time with some great people.
On Sunday, I headed to Marine on St. Croix, MN for a 10 mile trail race at William O'Brien State Park. Schuney and Erik came with, so Duluth had a nice contingent in the roughly 150 person race field.
I was pretty anxious to race after watching the Grandma's races over the weekend, and not having raced since February at Snowshoe Nationals. I had been looking for a race with a bit of distance, preferably a half marathon, just to test my fitness a bit. I found this race off the Northland Runner site and decided it'd be a good enough test as sometimes 10 miles on the trail is worth 13 on the road in terms of effort. I'd say this one was pretty close.
The race was deceptive in its toughness. The trails themselves were easy. Virtually no single track to speak of, and very little dirt in general. Some of the trails were crushed rock, but the vast majority of the race was held on grassy ski trails, about 20 feet wide. The relatively long grass was difficult to run through and did tire my legs a bit, but overall that wasn't the main difficulty. The biggest reason for the tough race was the hills. The constant hills. There was a steady climb at the start, followed by a series of constant ups and downs, not unlike Lester Park here in Duluth.
I traditionally like to start out slow for races, but this time I went out a bit quicker than I would've liked. However, that "quicker" would soon be reduced to a "less quicker" as we began to climb for 3 miles or so. At that point in the race I knew that it would be a grinder for the next 7. I ran about 15 seconds back of Schuney for a good majority of the race, but mostly it was a solo run, almost more like a workout. That was a bit frustrating to not see anybody to try to chase down.
I ended up finishing 8th overall, Schuney was 7th and Erik was 5th. The crazy thing is that though I finished 8th overall, I finished 3rd in my age group! There are some truly impressive old guys out there!
So I'm pleased with the race. I ran as well as I could have and it was nice to get on some new trails and see some new sites.
It was a very good weekend, indeed.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Feels like Summer
One of my favorite things to do is to hang around outside on a Summer evening. I have vivid memories from my youth of playing baseball until the sun went down. Until it became so difficult to see the ball that you actually got scared a line drive would knock your teeth out, simply because you wouldn't be able to see it coming. I remember that after the sun went down the lightning bugs would come out and my brother and I would go to the garage and get the wiffle ball bats. It was time for lightning bug baseball! We would walk around the yard, bat in hand, and wait. Wait for that instant, yellow glow to appear and then...THWAK! With one targeted swing, we'd send a mini yellow meteor flying through the air. It was great fun. Maybe a bit cruel, I admit, but great fun none the less.
And now here I sit, on a summer evening, on my front porch. The sun is going down, kids are out playing and I'm reminiscing about those great summer nights. And it's so nice that it finally feels like a summer night. We've had to endure such a difficult Spring, with cold temps and wind and rain. The one good thing about all of that is that it makes you appreciate these golden, sunshine days. And they always come, the days of sun. It's up to us to make the most of them.
And now here I sit, on a summer evening, on my front porch. The sun is going down, kids are out playing and I'm reminiscing about those great summer nights. And it's so nice that it finally feels like a summer night. We've had to endure such a difficult Spring, with cold temps and wind and rain. The one good thing about all of that is that it makes you appreciate these golden, sunshine days. And they always come, the days of sun. It's up to us to make the most of them.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
BONK!
Two weeks ago I ran 28 at Lester. Things went well with that run, as well as 28 miles can go. But afterwards, I got pretty sick. I lost a full week of training to a nasty virus that kept me from running, and kept me out of work for a bit. I think that 28 probably depleted my immune system a bit and the virus had free reign to move in and put up a couple of hotels. The rent was high.
So finally, earlier this week, I started feeling better and was anxious to get back into running again. So what did I do today? Another 28 in Lester. What the hell is wrong with me? Shouldn't I be getting wiser with my rapidly advancing age? More and more stubborn seems to be the case.
So today's run started out okay. I knew I didn't have the bounce in my legs that I like to feel, so I tried to keep it casual for the first lap or two, but on the second loop, I kinda had a feeling that it was going to be a rough day. Schuney joined my for my third loop and that lifted my spirits again and we ran a bit quicker than what I'd previously been running.
Then Schuney had to go and I was staring into the face of two more loops. Solo. This was not going to be pretty. Today's fourth loop felt like last time's fifth loop and I knew that was a bad omen. I was able to gut that one out without too much trouble. The ultimate loop saw my demise. Within a mile I was reduced to a walk, followed by a shuffle, followed by a walk. I would repeat this slow dance for the next 4 miles until the last, downhill mile when I had finally had enough suffering and just had to get home.
I had mostly suffered from glycogen depletion, I think. I probably didn't eat enough the night before the run and I think that effected me. Plus, I think not having ran very much for the past week and my illness caused me to lose some fitness, certainly some strength.
So lesson learned. And anyway, it's just a training run. Bonking isn't a helluva lot of fun but it's better to do it in a training run than it is in a race. So tonight it's ice cream and compression socks! That'll fix whatever ails ya! But man, I could sure use a massage, and a Cadbury Creme Egg.
So finally, earlier this week, I started feeling better and was anxious to get back into running again. So what did I do today? Another 28 in Lester. What the hell is wrong with me? Shouldn't I be getting wiser with my rapidly advancing age? More and more stubborn seems to be the case.
So today's run started out okay. I knew I didn't have the bounce in my legs that I like to feel, so I tried to keep it casual for the first lap or two, but on the second loop, I kinda had a feeling that it was going to be a rough day. Schuney joined my for my third loop and that lifted my spirits again and we ran a bit quicker than what I'd previously been running.
Then Schuney had to go and I was staring into the face of two more loops. Solo. This was not going to be pretty. Today's fourth loop felt like last time's fifth loop and I knew that was a bad omen. I was able to gut that one out without too much trouble. The ultimate loop saw my demise. Within a mile I was reduced to a walk, followed by a shuffle, followed by a walk. I would repeat this slow dance for the next 4 miles until the last, downhill mile when I had finally had enough suffering and just had to get home.
I had mostly suffered from glycogen depletion, I think. I probably didn't eat enough the night before the run and I think that effected me. Plus, I think not having ran very much for the past week and my illness caused me to lose some fitness, certainly some strength.
So lesson learned. And anyway, it's just a training run. Bonking isn't a helluva lot of fun but it's better to do it in a training run than it is in a race. So tonight it's ice cream and compression socks! That'll fix whatever ails ya! But man, I could sure use a massage, and a Cadbury Creme Egg.
Monday, May 16, 2011
SHTn' in the woods and Gettin' Loopy in Lester
What a weekend of running! My Saturday was pretty much consumed by running-related activities from sun up to sun down. In the morning, Clint and I led our training group on their long run along Highway 61. That took me until a little after 10am. After that I went to the store and worked a busy day until 5pm. Clint, Schuney and I followed that up with an amazing 8 mile trail run on the Superior Hiking Trail.
We started at the Beck's Road and headed west, getting almost to the Grand Portage trailhead before turning around. The trail out there was, hmmm...what's the word? Perfect! It was perfect trail running. The trail itself was nice and tacky, there was enough mud and water in spots to keep it interesting, the up hills were challenging and the down hills were fast. There was still enough flat surface that, if you wanted, you could open up a bit and run quickly. We didn't though as it wasn't about that kind of running, mostly we just wanted to get some trail miles in.
Another thing that I really like about those single track trails is that they require a little bit of athleticism. With the sharp turns and obstacles to hop over, those trails test your agility and your eye-foot coordination. You have to be good with your whole body and stay balanced as you navigate the terrain. Having quick, nimble feet is a bonus on those trails.
A little after the run, we met at the Brewhouse for some burgers and beers. A great day, indeed.
Sunday, was a whole other animal. And when I say that, it's not to say that I didn't have fun. I most certainly did, but Sunday was about moving forward. It was about distance and time on my feet.
Lester Park has always been my favorite park in town. It was the first park I ran in when I first moved to Duluth and I continue to enjoy it every time I'm there. Even though the ski trails that I run on out there are "easier" then the SHT single track trails, I still am challenged out there and find a lot of benefits from running them. What I really like about that park is it's mix of the long up hill on one side and the long down hill on the other side. What I get out of that, is the steady climb which helps build strength in my legs and keeps me from beating myself up too much and the with the long down hill, I get a chance to push my leg turnover.
So on Sunday, I got that opportunity for 28 miles. 5 loops of 5.62 miles. Around and around, again and again. Sounds fun, eh? I gotta say, it was fun! Good ole' Schuney (that guy is always up for doing something crazy!) joined me for a good loop and a half. It was great to have him there, to run along with me. All in all, everything went really well. I felt pretty solid the whole time, only the last, long climb was a bit difficult, but I think I handled it just fine. The only sour spot was the watermelon flavored vomit/burp I experienced at mile 25. Blech! GU Chomps are just fine the first time, thank you!
So not only was this run a bit of an experiment in terms of looping Lester park for 4 hours, but also for my shoes. I wore 3 different pairs of shoes for this run, to see how I liked each and if I'd maybe prefer one over the others.
I started with one loop with Vibram TrekSports. This was the very first time I've ever worn them for anything other than a quick little treadmill jaunt and I have to say that I rather liked them. They performed really well in the mud and on the soft trails and grass. They drain water very quickly and of course are very light. My two complaints are the toe separation, and the lack of cushioning under the foot. Both of these are more symptoms of not wearing them enough. I will use them more often for trail running, so I'm sure that I'll toughen up a bit. What I do like the most about them is that they almost make you run properly. With tougher feet, I got the feeling that I could run for a long time in them.
My second pair of shoes I wore for 2 loops. They are a pair of Brooks cross country spikes, the Mach 12. They are very narrow and after having my toes spread out in the Vibrams, my feet at first felt very constricted in them. However, I really like running in them because of their narrowness and their flexibility. They offer you great agility when needed and I felt like I could come out of deep mud very quickly and easily because of the narrowness. They also drain water very quickly, which is a necessity.
For the final 2 loops I wore my all time favorites, the Inov8 x-talon 212s. They simply are the best trail shoe I've ever worn. Very light, very flexible with perfect traction. The outsold is aggressive but sheds mud very quickly, which is important. Though the x-talons are pretty narrow by trail shoe standards, they were by far wider than the Mach 12s and my feet needed that room to spread out. I had planned it that way, to save them for last, thinking that the extra width would feel good, and I was right.
Looking back on the day and wondering if I'll do something like that again, I think I would. I really had a good time, I learned a few things and got some great training in. Now I get to take a day off and recover, I wish I had another Cadbury Creme Egg!
We started at the Beck's Road and headed west, getting almost to the Grand Portage trailhead before turning around. The trail out there was, hmmm...what's the word? Perfect! It was perfect trail running. The trail itself was nice and tacky, there was enough mud and water in spots to keep it interesting, the up hills were challenging and the down hills were fast. There was still enough flat surface that, if you wanted, you could open up a bit and run quickly. We didn't though as it wasn't about that kind of running, mostly we just wanted to get some trail miles in.
Another thing that I really like about those single track trails is that they require a little bit of athleticism. With the sharp turns and obstacles to hop over, those trails test your agility and your eye-foot coordination. You have to be good with your whole body and stay balanced as you navigate the terrain. Having quick, nimble feet is a bonus on those trails.
A little after the run, we met at the Brewhouse for some burgers and beers. A great day, indeed.
Sunday, was a whole other animal. And when I say that, it's not to say that I didn't have fun. I most certainly did, but Sunday was about moving forward. It was about distance and time on my feet.
Lester Park has always been my favorite park in town. It was the first park I ran in when I first moved to Duluth and I continue to enjoy it every time I'm there. Even though the ski trails that I run on out there are "easier" then the SHT single track trails, I still am challenged out there and find a lot of benefits from running them. What I really like about that park is it's mix of the long up hill on one side and the long down hill on the other side. What I get out of that, is the steady climb which helps build strength in my legs and keeps me from beating myself up too much and the with the long down hill, I get a chance to push my leg turnover.
So on Sunday, I got that opportunity for 28 miles. 5 loops of 5.62 miles. Around and around, again and again. Sounds fun, eh? I gotta say, it was fun! Good ole' Schuney (that guy is always up for doing something crazy!) joined me for a good loop and a half. It was great to have him there, to run along with me. All in all, everything went really well. I felt pretty solid the whole time, only the last, long climb was a bit difficult, but I think I handled it just fine. The only sour spot was the watermelon flavored vomit/burp I experienced at mile 25. Blech! GU Chomps are just fine the first time, thank you!
So not only was this run a bit of an experiment in terms of looping Lester park for 4 hours, but also for my shoes. I wore 3 different pairs of shoes for this run, to see how I liked each and if I'd maybe prefer one over the others.
I started with one loop with Vibram TrekSports. This was the very first time I've ever worn them for anything other than a quick little treadmill jaunt and I have to say that I rather liked them. They performed really well in the mud and on the soft trails and grass. They drain water very quickly and of course are very light. My two complaints are the toe separation, and the lack of cushioning under the foot. Both of these are more symptoms of not wearing them enough. I will use them more often for trail running, so I'm sure that I'll toughen up a bit. What I do like the most about them is that they almost make you run properly. With tougher feet, I got the feeling that I could run for a long time in them.
My second pair of shoes I wore for 2 loops. They are a pair of Brooks cross country spikes, the Mach 12. They are very narrow and after having my toes spread out in the Vibrams, my feet at first felt very constricted in them. However, I really like running in them because of their narrowness and their flexibility. They offer you great agility when needed and I felt like I could come out of deep mud very quickly and easily because of the narrowness. They also drain water very quickly, which is a necessity.
For the final 2 loops I wore my all time favorites, the Inov8 x-talon 212s. They simply are the best trail shoe I've ever worn. Very light, very flexible with perfect traction. The outsold is aggressive but sheds mud very quickly, which is important. Though the x-talons are pretty narrow by trail shoe standards, they were by far wider than the Mach 12s and my feet needed that room to spread out. I had planned it that way, to save them for last, thinking that the extra width would feel good, and I was right.
Looking back on the day and wondering if I'll do something like that again, I think I would. I really had a good time, I learned a few things and got some great training in. Now I get to take a day off and recover, I wish I had another Cadbury Creme Egg!
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