slow runners

Race Report: Chippewa Moraine 50K

Official Results:
Time: 8:57:29
Pace: 17:18 (the course is 31.1 miles, not 31)
Placing:
Overall: 172/174
Gender: 61/63
AG (F 30-39): 18/19

Watch Results:
Time: 8:57:31
Pace: 16:42/mi
Distance: 32.19 mi
Heart Rate: N/A (still haven’t fixed this)

Goals:
A: 8:00
B: 8:30
C: 8:59:59

Food:
What I ate the night before: bagel and cream cheese, bagel and Nutella, Ruffles, birthday cake Chips Ahoy. So, garbage.
What I ate on race morning: bagel and cream cheese, part of a vanilla Coke, Clif bar.
What I carried with me: Clif bars, 6 Gu packets, Strawberry Lemonade Gu tablets (one pre-mixed, plus the container)

Gear:
What I wore: t-shirt, shorts, ball cap, buff, arm warmers (I didn’t wear the buff or the arm warmers the whole time)
Gadgets: GPS watch, fitness tracker

Discussion: Another difficult race, but I am pretty pleased with my result. I went into this knowing I would either get a personal best time, or I would be swept. I can now say with conviction that I do not like chasing cutoffs. It worked out ok this time, but only because the intermediate cutoffs weren’t hard cutoffs, and in fact were very lenient. Which of course I didn’t know until I was already freaking out.

I drove down from Duluth on Friday afternoon, stopping at the interpretive center serving as the race headquarters to pick up my packet on my way, since I was staying further south in Chippewa Falls, about 30 minutes’ drive from the start. It took like 3 seconds, which was nice, and then I went outside to look at the start/finish. The view from the interpretive center was lovely. It’s up on a hill (more on that later), so I could see quite a way (there’s a pic in my race goals post). It must be gorgeous in fall. Apparently it’s quite buggy in summer, so I was thankful we missed that part.

I slept terribly, which was unsurprising. I was tired most of the day, but of course that didn’t translate into sleepiness. Too much adrenaline. I got probably 3 hours or so, which I’ll take. I think I only slept about an hour before Wild Duluth. I set my alarm for 5:40, got up around 6, and farted around aimlessly, trying to pull things together in a disorderly manner, and left around 6:45, since I wanted to make sure to get a decently close parking spot. I did! I sat in my car for a little while, doing a few final preparatory things and trying to keep myself from getting too amped (fail). Then I milled about awkwardly in the interpretive center – I don’t know a lot of runners, and everyone there seemed to be with either a running buddy or a large group of friends. I did talk with my friend Jay, who I know from Runner’s World’s forum. He is running the Ice Age 50 in a few weeks and used this as a training run. That’s on the a different moraine, BTW. They’re really into glacial debris in Wisconsin, I guess.

Start to AS 1: 3.3 mi, 0:48:20, 14:39 section pace (on pace for 4 hr cutoff)
The start is at the top of a rather steep, grassy hill. And the race is an out and back. So put that together and remember it for later. The first (and therefore also last) 5 miles of the race have markers (for the 7 mile runners), which was nice for calibrating my GPS error. The first mile+ of the race is on grass, so it’s more like a cross-country start. I was zipping along, feeling confident, but also feeling hungry. Big mistake not to deal with that sooner, but I was so focused on staying on top of my pace. The race is all rolling hills, few of which are super challenging, but they’re still hills. So many hills. Anyway, I was dumb and was worried about nausea pre-race so I didn’t eat enough. I shouldn’t be feeling physical hunger so early in a race. I could also tell my body was too amped up – I wasn’t going out at too hard a pace, but the adrenaline and excitement made me feel like a low-level electrical current was buzzing through my body. I mean, besides the currents that normally occur. A couple miles in, we passed behind the interpretive center again, which was kind of depressing. A small part of me wanted to turn off. A very small part of me, but still. I didn’t stop at the aid station because I wanted to keep moving, and I was already snacking slowly on my Clif bar. Ugh, swallowing food during ultras is THE WORST.

AS 1 – 2: 6.5 mi, 1:41:47 (kind of, I forgot to hit the lap button til I was out of the aid station), 15:40 section pace (Off pace, but still cumulatively on track for 4 hr cutoff)
This section was ok. I am trying to remember stuff about it, but my brain is a bit fried. I had to reapply sunscreen on the go because the sun was getting a bit warm. Also a couple of women running together caught up to just behind me, which was fine except they used me to pace off of for longer than I’d like, and when they slowed a bit to let someone pass and to take a quick breather, they didn’t get far enough behind, so I could hear them chattering to each other for miles and miles. This is my own personal problem, but I run alone. I like running alone. I like running in quiet. So it annoyed me to hear them talking, even though they had every right to talk. (On another side note, this race banned external music, which I found amazing. I do not need to hear someone else’s iPhone blaring their walk/run interval mix app.) There were a lot of glacial lakes, which I enjoyed – we even crossed a few, on bridges of varying levels of stability. One such bridge, which I walked across due to its dubiousness, was cobbled together from various chunks of other bridges, planks, and other miscellany. Another bridge seemed to be on the verge of submergence. There were lots of runnable sections, and I ran most of them. There was a short section in grass again (ugh), and then I ran on the road for a bit, back into the woods, and then back onto a road down into the second aid station, which again, I bypassed. I think I started eating a gel during this section, but I can’t remember.

AS 2 – turnaround: 5.75 mi, 1:40:56 (actually longer, see above), 17:33 section pace (no longer on track for 4 hr cutoff)
Ugh. I looked at the elevation profile for this section and confirmed it is mostly uphill. I thought maybe it just seemed that way but I was correct. I really struggled through this section, probably because I was behind on my nutrition from the get-go, and because I was getting a little warm. (I wet my hat and my buff at one point, which didn’t help much. Should have dunked them in the lake.) Just past the aid station, I saw the leader (who set a course record) cruising in. So, I kind of hate out and backs for this reason. Not because I have to see the leaders, but because I have to see everyone. Sometimes in groups. Usually looking better than me. And we all have to greet each other and say nice job! Which, I like to hear, and I like to say, but I don’t necessarily like to say it 171 times. Especially when I’m chasing a cutoff and the returning runners get the right of way, so I’m constantly running to the side of the trail. Once I got close to the aid station (maybe a mile), I was in full on panic mode. I knew I couldn’t make the cutoff. The runners I was passing were encouraging as I wildly tossed out my worries about getting cut, reassuring me I wouldn’t, but I was freaking out. I was questioning signing up for FANS, questioning my goals to eventually move up to longer distances, and questioning my decision to run ultras at all. For a few strides, I’d be resigned to being cut. Then I’d shake myself out of that, and fight for it. I really hustled when I could, though I tried to make sure there was something left in the tank if I did get allowed to continue. And I did! Even though I made it there about 8 minutes after the 4 hour mark. I felt kind of dumb, but at the same time, how was I to know? I’ve seen people get cut, first hand, when I volunteered. I also saw a guy get spared the axe, but he wasn’t allowed to stop at the aid station, he had to continue through. So I was prepared for that, too, even though I desperately wanted pop. They did let me stay, so I chugged some Coke and ginger ale, mixed up another bottle of with a Gu tablet with the help of a volunteer (ok they did most of the work, and someone even offered to open the tablet bottle for me, because they were so amazing and I was so clumsy), grabbed some cookies to go (I didn’t feel like I could eat right at the moment, since I was feeling a bit queasy from hoofing it in), sprayed myself down with sunscreen, and left.

Turnaround – AS 2: 5.75 mi, 1:47:50, 18:45 section pace
I walked for quite awhile once I left the aid station to settle my stomach and recover a bit for the trail to come. Once I ate a few cookies, I picked up the pace again. I wanted to make the secondary cutoff at the 6 hour mark (which was only announced in an email sent this week! yikes!) to get back on track. I knew if I was over, I wouldn’t be over by much, and would mostly likely be allowed to continue, but I wanted to make it on principle. I ran when I could, power hiked when I could, and took it slow on the really steep climbs. I got into more of a rhythm, since I wasn’t passing runners in the opposite direction (I didn’t see another runner for the entire second half of the race), and since it was more downhill than up on this section. It did seem to take an extremely long time. I was having some trouble with my eyes – the sunscreen (I did a 3rd application during this section) or the salt from my sweat was getting into my eyes, and when I got wind to my face, my eyes started stinging. I had to do a makeshift eyewash with some of the water from my pack, cupped in my hand. That worked ok, but I guess it washed off some of the sunscreen (duh) because I have a bit of a sunburn on my face, despite 4 applications (one pre-race, 3 in-race) and a hat. My nose was in tough shape, too. Since it’s always running when I am (ha!), it was getting chapped, and the salt/sunscreen combo was irritating it further. I ate another gel during this section, although it took awhile because I was averse to swallowing. My stomach wasn’t super upset, but I felt like I was going to gag on anything I tried to swallow. (I didn’t, but it felt that way.) At the aid station I drank some pop, grabbed some cookies to go, and headed off at a trot.

AS 2 – AS 1: 6.5 mi, 2:00:01, 18:28 section pace
This section started out ok – I felt pretty strong, rolled through the grassy areas, and then things started to go really badly with my eyes. They were stinging and burning so badly I had to stop and clean them out again, and then I had to get my buff out of my pack pocket and wet it down so I could wipe them as needed. It was a big pain to get my glasses off and on for some reason (they kept getting caught in my hair), and they were filthy (probably from sweat and salt), and cleaning them only helped marginally. Instead of being spotty, they were smeary. Ew. I lost a lot of time and energy dealing with my eyes. Every tenth of a mile seemed like it took forever, even when I was moving at a decent clip. I was itching to hit the 5 mile marker, to begin the real countdown and to figure out where I really was in regard to time left. My GPS was off by about a mile at this point, so I kept having to do Race Math to figure out approximately what distance I had left. I’m an engineer and I’m really good at math, but Race Math is still a problem for my poor, scrambled brain 20+ miles into a race. Just when I thought they had taken down the countdown markers, I finally hit the 5 mile marker. And then eventually the 4 mile marker, and then I knew the aid station would be somewhere along there. I got to re-cross the bridges, re-circumnavigate the glacial lakes, and cruise along on the runnable sections on this stretch. If not for the issue with my eyes, I would have had a much better time on this section. I got more cookies and pop at the aid station, and then marched off, knowing there was nothing else between me and the finish line.

AS 1 – finish: 3.3 mi, 0:58:34, 17:45 pace
I didn’t remember much about this section from all the way back at the beginning of the section, other than that there were a couple climbs. Well, there were 3… but they came in stages, so it felt like more than three. I tried to hustle up because I knew it was going to be close. I really wanted to finish under the 9:00 mark, to meet my goal and to meet the official time on the site (note: they will recognize a finish over the limit but before the sweeps – I thought I was last, but there were 2 women who came in, I think with the sweep, and they received official times even though they were over the “limit.” I’m so glad that’s treated as just a guideline.), and I knew I was going to get slowed down by the steep sections, so I hustled as much as I could. I started to get a side stitch, and kept having to slow down to manage that. It didn’t fully develop, so I was glad of that, but it slowed me down enough. I came around behind the interpretive center, wishing as I had 2 miles in that I could peel off, but kept shuffling along. I finally reached the grassy section, then the road crossing, and then I was winding my way along the hillside below the finish. Even that seemed to take longer than it should have; there were way more twists and turns in that last half mile than I remembered. And then I was mounting the hill. And it felt as steep as a cliff. There was a sign out that said “No Walk Hill,” but there was no way I was going to run it. Another sign followed that said “Don’t Quit,” and that one kept me moving, even when I wanted to stop to catch my breath. A third sign said “Empty the Tank,” which I found amusing because I felt a bit like I was going to empty my tank all over the grass. I didn’t, whew, but that climb really made me feel nauseated. Finally, I reached the flags leading up to the finish, and was able to run the last 100m or so. There was hardly anyone around, and I got a few half-hearted cheers (which was really awkward, why sit around at the finish line if you’re not going to cheer! And I heard people cheering loudly for other people once I was within earshot of the finish, so I felt kinda crappy that I didn’t get at least a bit of that reception.), which I returned with a smile of “appreciation” that was equally lukewarm.

I sat down in the grass and took my pack off, which felt amazing. It had been killing my back and shoulders all day. Too much stuff, not enough core strength. I lay down for a few minutes with my hat over my face, and then sat back up again, thinking about what to do. I saw the Superior/Zumbro race director and he asked me how it went. I talked for him a little bit about how I was pretty happy with the result, but pushing for that cutoff was hard. The other fellow he was talking to told me it was pretty great for me to run it in like that, just before the time limit, and that he tied for last in his first 50 mi. I said he should be jealous, because I didn’t have to share the honor. I was kind of enjoying my first DFL finish, only to find out later that 2 people finished about 10 minutes after me!

This race was tough for me, but it was also a great result. I set a personal record by over an hour! And my average pace was almost 3 minutes faster than my first 50K! And I didn’t give up! I would definitely run it again, and not just because the bib has a woolly mammoth on it.

I didn’t like chasing the cutoffs. I didn’t mind coming in near last place, but I minded that my chances of an official finish eroded as the race went on. I also wonder if I had not had that intermediate cutoff, if I’d have been able to pace myself better. Or would I have slacked and done even worse? I don’t know. Maybe it was a good thing and I just don’t know. I did feel triumphant that I beat the clock, just barely. There was something very satisfying about coming in at the last minute, that maybe I wouldn’t have felt if I had finished in 8:40 or 7:50. Of course I would have felt some other kind of triumph, but I don’t know. There was something enjoyable about facing down those time constraints and beating them.

Chippewa Moraine 50K Training: Week 11

Last real week of training. Gulp.

Monday: 5.5 mi, trail (Bagley)
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: 6.6 mi, road
Thursday: 4.2 mi, road
Friday: 8.5 mi, road
Saturday: 10 mi, road
Sunday: 4 mi, trail (Hartley)
Total: 38.8 mi

I survived the week! It was rough. I was in a really low mood (as I wrote last week), and really didn’t enjoy any of my runs last week. Even the gorgeous weather on Saturday didn’t help my mood, since I knew cold weather was coming. It was really nice to run in just a t-shirt and shorts on Friday and Saturday, though.

I treated myself to a couple of trail runs. I’ve not been running a whole lot of trails, partially due to trail conditions, and partially due to a desire to get my freaking runs over with. This is sort of stupid because I am running a trail race, but I have done enough running on trails throughout this training cycle that I feel like I’ll be able to stay on my feet.

I’m also not really “tapering” the way a traditional training plan would dictate. I don’t know if this is a smart idea or not, I won’t find out until after the race, I guess, but I chose not to for several reasons. I had some low mileage weeks (weeks 9 and 7) recently, so I felt like those cutback weeks were a good substitute for a taper. I haven’t had super high mileage overall, although I have run 2, 50 mile weeks. I will have to run the numbers on my average mileage to see if it’s higher than I think. I don’t feel run down, and I don’t have any major injuries. Mentally I’m having a bit of a tough time lately, but a few days off can solve that. I’m also running a 24 hour race 6 weeks after CM50K, so I want to build off this training cycle for that race.

This week was tough mentally, but I did manage to get my butt out the door, even if it was almost 7 PM before I started, even if I had to wait out a rainstorm, even if I felt kind of crummy. That’s one of the things that has stood out for me this training cycle: I have taken very few unscheduled rest days just because I didn’t feel like running. (I have taken a lot of unscheduled rest days for hockey, though! A much better reason.) I am going to pat myself on the back for that. Guilt is a powerful motivator, it appears!

This upcoming week, I’m going to take things as they come. If it’s nice enough, I’ll run. If it’s raining or snowing or sleeting, I won’t run. I’m focused on the logistical preparations I need to do, on resting (sleeping well, I hope) and relaxing (yoga every day!), and on giving myself a mental break from running.

Lousy Smarch Weather

This is a frustrating time of year for me. The weather is up and down, and while the rest of the country is enjoying spring (or even sweltering in Boston on Monday), we’re still getting snow in the forecast. This past weekend was really nice, and even though it was much cooler on Monday, it was still sunny and didn’t feel chilly. Then Tuesday it was in the high 30s F and poured most of the day. Yesterday it barely made it over 40 F, and by the time I was getting up to get my running gear, the wind had kicked up.

I was already in a sort of melancholy mood, to the point where I almost sat in my car and finished listening to Eddie Vedder’s cover of “Comfortably Numb,” even though it only started about 30 seconds before I pulled into the driveway. I didn’t, but it was tempting. I updated my Facebook profile photo to Homer Simpson complaining about the lousy Smarch weather. I didn’t even have to upload a photo, because I have used it so many times before! It’s more like Smapril now, but it’s never clear where Smarch fell on the calendar.

After that I stupidly looked through older photos when I was more overweight. There’s more of a contrast between now and then than I thought, which I can look at as good, look how far I’ve come! or as bad, it got worse than I thought. Of course I was in the mood to choose the latter.

Then there was a huge gust of wind outside my window, and I decided not to run. Five minutes later, I said out loud, to no one but the cats, “NOPE.” I stood up, put on my gear, and managed to get outside.

I expected the run would make me feel better, and it didn’t. The first mile really sucked, it was into the wind, and had some annoying uphills (when leaving from my house, it’s basically impossible to avoid an uphill in the first mile), but I figured it would get better. Then I realized I was bleeding. A raw spot under my nose had split open (again). I had five more miles to go, so I got blood all over my lovely mint green jacket trying to stop the bleeding or at least avoid getting blood all over my face. It’s gross, but whatever.

It never got better. I somehow had to run into the wind no matter what direction I was heading. I kept burping the chicken curry Chinese takeout I had for lunch. My feet were landing hard on the ground, practically stomp-running, and I couldn’t fix it. I ran by a long-dead squirrel in someone’s yard. Dirt blew in my face. Not even the view of the lake along Skyline Drive near the copper top church cheered me up.

And my watch malfunctioned. It beeps when I’ve hit a mile, and occasionally I hear a phantom beep, which was what I thought I heard, until I looked down and saw that it was showing 6.2 miles when I was barely over 3 miles into the route. But a 7:17 average pace, congratulations to me!

I didn’t have the energy for any of the downhills I’d earned the hard way, through the big climb on Arrowhead Drive. Even as I turned down the final hill and was less than half a mile from home, I didn’t feel relieved. It felt like it would never be over.

I got home and had to do a load of laundry (to clean my coat), marinate pork chops (I really didn’t want to eat pork chops, but that’s what was thawed), and do some strength exercises (I did!), so even the end of the run didn’t bring me to a better mental state.

The point of this stream-of-consciousness post is merely to say: sometimes running sucks. The whole time, not just the first 2 miles. Sometimes running isn’t the answer to a bad mood, or a way to clear my head, or a way to feel like I’ve accomplished something on a day I’ve felt like I don’t have the energy to do anything. Running doesn’t solve every problem, and that’s okay. It’s not supposed to, and if I expect it to, it’s only going to make things worse. Tough days happen, and every single time I get out there and run on a tough day, mentally, physically, or emotionally, I’m figuring out new ways to cope. I can’t imagine when that will come in handy — maybe at mile 18 of Chippewa Moraine, or hour 18 of FANS?

Chippewa Moraine 50K Training: Week 10

Amazing week! The weather was finally warm!

Monday: 5.3 mi, road
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: 6.6 mi, road
Thursday: 4.6 mi, paved trail (Lakewalk)
Friday: 22.3 mi, paved trail (Munger Trail)
Saturday: 7.9 mi, paved trail (Lakewalk)
Sunday: 4.1 mi, road
Total: 50.8 mi

The weather was rather erratic this week, but on the days it was warm, I felt like I was flying. I had a hard time getting my butt out the door earlier in the week (I had convinced myself on Wednesday that I could take another rest day — and then made it out! And Thursday I got home and got distracted, so I didn’t get out running til 7:00, but I still made it!)

Friday I had the day off, and the weather looked decent, so I decided to do my last long run. I drove down to the Munger Trail trailhead near Jay Cooke, ran back toward Duluth, turned around just after the Buffalo House (6 mi), continued past my car another 5 miles past Carlton (after nearly getting stopped by a train), and then turned around and headed back for good. I felt really strong, with no stomach issues and no issues getting overheated (I wore shorts, a t-shirt, and arm warmers, which I took off about 10 miles in, and then put back on with about 4 miles to go). I did struggle a bit with an overactive bladder, which put me in the woods 5x (for basically no reason 3 of those times, ugh) and threw me off mentally, but that was the worst thing that happened.

I followed up Friday’s run with a medium run on Saturday. I meant to do 10 miles instead of just under 8, but didn’t have time as we had a long drive for a family dinner. It rained a tiny bit, and then ended up extremely humid. I felt great, though. The only part of me that was really hurting was the middle of my back, where the clasp of my sports bra has destroyed a small section of skin. I ignored my watch for most of the run, and tried to relax.

Sunday I went for a quick run before the Wild game (ugh, more sucky hockey) and again, I felt really relaxed and my body felt good. I’m not sure what the deal is, if it’s the warm weather or the fact that I don’t have to wear 4 layers or clothes or what, but I’m enjoying it.

I will sort of taper for the race (less than 2 weeks! OMG!), and I’m done with long runs for now (this is very exciting! I’ll have my weekends back!). This training cycle has been so weird and haphazard, but it seems to have kept me healthy in mind and body, so I’ll take it.

Chippewa Moraine 50K Training: Week 9

I had a great time in Chicago, even though the Bulldogs lost in the national championship game. They still had an amazing season!

Monday: 8.7 mi, road
Tuesday: 2.7 mi, road
Wednesday: 6 mi, treadmill
Thursday: 4.8 mi, treadmill
Friday: no running
Saturday: no running
Sunday: rest (travel)
Total: 22.2 mi

I had to piece together this week as best I could due to travel. Monday, I knew I had to get in a medium-length run, and I felt pretty great, despite a 50 mile week the week prior. Tuesday, my normal rest day, I sneaked in a very short run before my final FE prep class. It turned out I could have run after the class, since it only lasted about an hour (instead of 3), but whatever.

Wednesday we left for Chicago, and I ran on the treadmill when we got to the hotel. I’m going to pat myself on the back for that, because it was tough to work up the motivation to run after sitting in the car for almost 7 hours. It kind of sucked but I survived, and watched part of The Hunt for Red October while I ran. I’ve never seen it before, and it was on mute (I was also listening to music) and had captions, but I think I got the gist of it. After I ran, we went out to dinner and I ate a burger and fries in about 40 seconds.

Thursday, I got up early (early-ish) to run on the treadmill again before we checked out. I felt pretty crummy while I was running and actually had to pause the treadmill a few times to drink (and also to turn the AC on full blast). I finished with about 40 minutes to shower, get packed, and check out. We drove in to the city to our VRBO condo, and then walked over to the bar where the UMD Alumni party was, then to the United Center, then did plenty of walking around the arena (and also screaming and clapping and jumping around) and walked home after the second game.

Friday was a free day, so we did plenty of walking around the city. I got in 22,000 steps according to my fitness tracker, between walking to the El, visiting the Field Museum, watching a Twins game, and heading home. It’s so different to be in a walkable city with an established public transportation system. I’ve spent all my life in the suburbs or in Duluth (which is not walkable and the buses aren’t more convenient than driving), except for the three years I lived in Champaign while attending college, round 1.

Saturday was more of the same, walking down along the river and then heading to the bar, and then the arena for the final game. My legs were killing me, not because of the walking, but because of all the standing. That was tough on my calves for some reason.

Sunday we drove back to Duluth so I was basically sedentary. Oh well.

It was nice to have some days off running but still stay active. I am not counting any additional miles beyond the 22 I actually ran, but I still consider this an ok training week. It’s not like I sat on my butt like I usually do on non-running days!

Less than 3 weeks before the race! I really need to get focused on it, I’ve kind of been pretending it’s in the far-off future.

Chippewa Moraine 50K Training: Week 8

 

Big week!

Monday: 6.4 mi, road
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: 5 mi, paved trail (Lakewalk)
Thursday: 8.6 mi, road
Friday: 4.1 mi, trail (Bagley)
Saturday: 20.2 mi, trail/paved trail (Western Waterfront Trail/Munger Trail)
Sunday: 6.1 mi, trail (Hartley)
Total: 50.4 mi

Pretty pumped. 50 miles! I’m not sure I’ve hit that in a week (as defined as Mon-Sun) ever, will have to look through my spreadsheet to be certain.

I felt pretty good this week. The weather has been better, so it’s been easier to get out of the house, and the streets are mostly clear of snow and ice, so I’ve had additional routes open up for me. Now I only have to run the Lakewalk when I’m feeling exceptionally lazy.

Of course, if I run the Lakewalk, I’m treated to things like this:

That was well-earned, because it was incredibly windy.

My weekday runs were pretty basic. Procrastinate, finally get my butt out there, feel like a goddess for doing so. Repeat. I was determined to have a good training week. No hockey to schedule around, and pleasant weather for the most part!

Saturday, oof. It was a tough one. It was a lot warmer than I thought, and I was wearing black heavier-knit tights when I should have been wearing shorts. I did the first nearly 7 miles on the Western Waterfront Trail, which was good because it broke up the run a bit, and bad because it was gravel, and I now hate gravel. It’s hard to get good footing, and I hate kicking loose rocks (not picking my feet up enough + the tread on my shoes = kicking lots of rocks). My stomach also went sour fairly quickly. I wasn’t feeling like I was going to hurl (for the most part), but I had some reflux issues and some lower abdominal cramping and knew I had hours of running to go. I handled it ok – I grabbed my vanilla Coke and some mints in the parking lot before heading out on the Munger Trail, and at mile 9, started doing a walk/run combo to give myself a break, up until the last 2.5 miles, which I was able to run without breaks. It was good practice for my upcoming 24 hour race, if nothing else, and definitely a good exercise in problem-solving on the go and working through some mental issues. I still completed the run with a 14:02 average pace, well ahead of where I need to be for the first half of CM50K. So, hooray for that.

Sunday was almost worse. Hartley was muddy, and I was over it. I quit looking at my watch, walked when I needed to (uphill and over slippery spots), and just tried to survive mentally. I think I need to stop running at Hartley for awhile, not just because the trails need a chance to recover & dry out, but also because it’s messing with my mind. The trails are shorter now due to the flooding (I assume), and I have not adjusted my expectations accordingly. I ended up having to piece together 2.5 miles to even get to 6 miles, and it was really frustrating to do so. I used to be able easily pry a 5-6 mile run out of a single loop (without even going on the ski trails section). I got it done, I made it to 50 miles, that’s the important thing.

I’m kind of tired now (writing this Sunday night), thanks to a long running week and the damp, chilly weather that came over the city right after I was done with my run (there was some light rain during the run, but nothing noticeable). This upcoming week is yet another step back week, thanks to my trip to Chicago to attend the Frozen Four. I will probably only be able to run Monday & Tuesday (v. short run, thanks to class – last one, then I have to actually register for the stupid FE exam) before leaving for Chicago on Wednesday. If I can either run before we leave (hahahahahahahha) or run at the hotel (maybe), then I can run Wednesday, and if I can run Thursday before we check out (hmm, maybe), then maybe I’ll be able to salvage the week. We are staying in a VRBO the rest of the weekend, which naturally does not have a gym. The good news is, I’ll be walking a lot, and of course elevating my heart rate through hockey stress.

Chippewa Moraine 50K Training: Week 7

Slackin’.

Monday: rest (massage)
Tuesday: 5 mi, road
Wednesday: 7.1 mi, road (Minnesota Point)
Thursday: 5.8 mi, paved trail (Lakewalk)
Friday: 4.1 mi, road
Saturday: rest
Sunday: rest
Total: 22 mi

Oops, hockey got in the way.

Monday I got a massage, which I normally reserve as a treat after big trail races, but I hadn’t had one in awhile and I also have been putting my body through a lot, even without racing. It was a good idea. It was relaxing, rejuvenating, restorative, all those “re” words. I love being all warm and cozy on the massage table. I got out of work with enough time to run before the massage, and it was a nice warm day, but I wanted to get the most out of the treatment, and didn’t want tight muscles. My calf muscles are already tight as violin strings. I got a bit of a headache afterward, which happens sometimes due to all the “toxins” moving through my body, or whatever.

Tuesday I got out of work early enough to run before my FE prep course, so I was able to get in a 5 mile road run, which felt easy thanks to my newly-relaxed muscles, I guess. Wednesday I had a really unmemorable run, and Thursday I almost didn’t run because it was raining a little. I almost turned my car around… and then I didn’t, I got out there and ran, and it was fine, and I got home about 10 minutes before it started pouring/sleeting/something loud. Whew. It was a good thing I was doing some intermittent pickups so I finished quickly.

Friday I wasn’t going to run, because I wanted to listen to UMD’s hockey game, which was slated to start at 5:30. It didn’t, due to a double-overtime game preceding it, but I ran just a short 4 miles since I figured Saturday I’d do my 20 mile run as planned, and I didn’t want to overdo it.

Nope! Thanks to UMD winning their game and North Dakota losing in that double-overtime game I mentioned before, I ended up in Fargo on Saturday to see the Bulldogs win the regional final and earn a berth in the Frozen Four. I considered running Saturday morning before the game, and chose to sleep instead. I also didn’t run Sunday after returning to Duluth. I could have, but chose to be lazy instead. My race is 5 weeks away, so this is probably not the best (especially since I’ll be going to Chicago for the Frozen Four and won’t be getting a long run in that week yet again), but I strive for a hockey-run balance, the way most people seek a work-life balance. This upcoming week is going to have to be on point, though.

I signed up this week for a 24 hour race in June, which deserves its own post.