My most recent big race was Ironman Florida, which was over 2 months ago. Leading into that race, it was all "To say that 'this is the most I've ever trained/best I've ever prepared/superlative blah etc thing more/you get the point for any race I've ever done' would be an understatement!"
To say that this is the most I've ever trained for/prepared for an ultramarathon is not only a huge OVERstatement, but it's also nefariously deceptive. It's the ONLY ultramarathon I've ever really trained for/prepared for in any proper fashion. My first 50k was a notorious rude-awakening, having never run trails, having never run THESE trails, and having only had 2 weeks to recover after my first Ironman. My second 50k had training that consisted of "running trails once or twice a week wherever I could fit it in during nursing school" and the raceday planning and preparation consisted of "......... ........ ......... um..... yeah." My 40 miler consisted of similar training and a slightly more intelligent approach to nutrition and hydration planning.
I guess in fine "Pull A Loental" style, I finished all 3 of these races, and some of them in halfway decent time/good style. Lots of people just DNF on ultra races that they put in crappy preparation for, I'm told. I don't really know what to say, but I can certainly shrug my shoulders and make a stupid "I dunno" face.
So what's so different about THIS race that it warranted three entire tangential paragraphs? Well...I've actually built mileage somewhat appropriately, I've actually done several good long runs, and I've ACTUALLY experimented with my nutrition and might sort of have a PLAN this time. Amazing right? During the course of preparing for this race I did something that most people do in preparation for their first marathon. I ran a 20 miler.
"But Danny, haven't you done three ultramarathons, two marathons, and two full Ironmans...those runs were certainly longer than 20 miles, you bozo."
Yes, you are correct. But those were races. What I'm trying to say is that in January of 2013, nearly 4 years after I became a runner, I did a 20 mile TRAINING run.
"But doesn't, like, EVERYBODY insist that you can't do a marathon without doing at least one 20 miler? Don't you have to KNOW how your body will feel when it hits the wall? How did you weasel your way out of that rite of passage?"
<Shrug> <Stupid face> I dunno...
So it was, this January I ran my first 20 miler out at Colleen's Frozen Fat-Ass, busting out 7 laps at 3 miles a pop. And then two weeks later, I ran my second 20 miler...two laps of The Course out at WyCo. And then a week after that, I ran my THIRD 20 miler, once again at WyCo.
"Wow....three 20 milers in one month? Making up for lost time? Paying a debt to the gods of running?"
Well, perhaps...but more than likely it's simply a shift in my attitude. This is, after all, the Year Of The Ultra...so I had probably get used to the idea of 20 milers and beyond.
Furthermore, in addition to a refocusing of my motivation to excel at running and racing this year, I also kinda stumbled into a very surprising and amazing personal trend. A fellow Trail Nerd, Bryan West, posted a personal challenge on Facebook and invited others to dare and give it a shot. He was going to attempt to go 100 days in a row with at least 30 minutes of exercise. I mean...as much as I have bitched about New Year's resolutions, that's a pretty badass challenge. I decided to throw my name into the hat and give it a shot. I was really just curious how long I'd make it.
Well...I'm 39 days in and going strong. To be fair, a LOT of those days I've relied on yoga to be my workout. But it fucking counts, and if you disagree then you and I are no longer friends.
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| Truth bomb |
"Hey wait, weren't you wanting to do more yoga anyways?"
You bet your ass, I sure as shit was! And not only that, but as much of an emotional wreck I've been lately, the yoga has been an absolute blessing. Not only is it giving me something to do besides obsess over things I have no control over, but it is also giving me a calmer mind and better control over my thoughts. Kinda like this: --------------->
It sounds cheesy and hippy-dippy and all that crusty granola BS that I tend to disagree with. But it fucking works. In the midst of the worst depression I've ever experienced, I'm finding serious peace just focusing on my breath, working on the poses, and letting go of all the bullshit that my brain is trying to fixate upon. And more often than not, this serenity lasts for at least a few hours after I leave the studio.
I could keep ranting about the yoga, but this blog is about a race or something, right? I'll talk yoga another time.
So what do I know?
I'm pretty well prepared. I've got a decent nutrition plan, so I hopefully won't blow up with 2 miles to go (See also: 2nd 50k). Yet, despite all of this training and preparation, the biggest X-Factor in this race appears like it will be the trail conditions. When these trails get wet, they get very VERY messy. And they are currently wet. Throw in several hundred pairs of shoes tramping and slipping and...squorschhhing their way through this course, I foresee an utter quagmire for all 3 loops.
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| This was after ONE lap on a mostly dry course. Jeebus help us! |
Under favorable conditions, I would predict a finish somewhere around 6:30-6:45 based on how well I've been running during my 20 milers out there. With the deteriorated conditions of the trail, I would be utterly THRILLED to break 7 hours. Though at the end of the day, this is not THE race. This race is just miles. I am fully prepared to DNF if things start to feel tweaky. I'm not gonna risk an injury at this point in the season for just another 50k. Remember that I have bigger plans on the horizon. I have officially signed up as a solo runner for this year's 44 mile Brew2Brew, and plan to sign up for the Free State 100k. An athlete who trains the way athletes are supposed to train would call it their "A" race. I'm just saying I want a belt buckle with a 1 and two 0's. <Protip...For those unaware, 100k and 100 mile races tend to give out belt buckles to their finishers instead of medals>
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| Please be advised, I am NOT doing Western States. |
So...now it's kinda late and I should probably do the whole sleep thing...though I should mention that I did my first 50k on two hours of sleep. Just sayin...gonna kill some bears tomorrow, regardless of the circumstances.
BONUS PICTURE!
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| The 3 pair on the left saw me through 1200 miles of trails, and the pair on the right will see me through 400 more. |
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