My training for JFK has been successful yet inconsistent. Summer went fine, but the first month was really spent recovering from some cumulative soreness from Spring. I had been experiencing some sore hips and after doing the Northface 50 miler decided to take a small hiatus, dive helmet-first into cycling, and then spool back up to ultra running condition. The Dahlgren 50k went as planned, giving me some confidence, albeit in hot and humid weather. Things progressed into the Iron Mountain 30 miler, which tested my hill climbing (and descending) abilities. I then went through about a 5 week period where I wasn't able to get a lot of running in. I was in the process of buying a condo and performing some minor renovations, and then off playing in Europe for almost 3 weeks. It was probably for the best - its always better to take down time when you decide to, rather than having an injury dictate it for you. And I wasn't just sitting on my bottom the whole time, walking a ton and still getting in some miles here and there, probably about 30 per week on average.
Even after returning from my trip I couldn't jump right back into training, so it took about a week to feel back to "normal". I got in a few more key trail runs, long back-to-backs, some high mileage weeks, and a couple of good rides (ride = cycling). The highlights were easily the JFK course training run I did, and then the Rosaryville 50k race (only a week later mind you) that felt so good before, during and after.
My weight has remained pretty consistent at around 176 lbs. When I came back from Europe I was maybe 178, but I can't really seem to get under the 175 mark. I know I shouldn't worry about this, so I decided not to! But its still funny that I just kind of bottom out there. If it was a marathon PR I was shooting for I would probably care more about thinning down to under 170, but I'm not so ill happily eat all the carbs I want.
I have also managed to avoid the I-word (that would be: Injury), but its not out of luck. I feel like I'm a smarter runner than I was a year ago, I tried to change my stride some and stuck with it, and I know when I'm overdoing it or about to "red-line". I still do speed work (mostly on the track), but cut it back to every 2 or 3 weeks even. To be honest, for the first time in a long time, I'm not too worried about an overuse injury.
I also haven't gotten sick in I-can't-remember-when. Not to brag but I just don't really get sick. I don't know if its my diet, my love of running and fitness, minimizing stress at all times, or that I try to focus on getting a full nights sleep (its probably a combination of all 4 - maybe doctors should start taking note of my formula!), but I just don't really get sick. This is fortunate because a bad cold, flu, or "stomach bug" can really knock you on your ass if you are trying to train seriously.
Course Training Run
One highlight of my JFK training was a 24 mile course training run completed 3 weeks out from the race date. A buddy of mine organized it and we ended up with 10 runners, a pretty good showing for an ultra training run. The athletes were varied but all pretty serious with plenty of Boston Qualifiers, a Kona Qualifier Iron Man, and a couple of sub 2:30 marathoners to round things out. |
| Our whole group of crazies pre-run, at Boonsboro Highschool - same spot the actual race starts from! |
We had parked some cars at our end spot and then continued in fewer vehicles to our starting point, same as the race starting point, at Boonsboro High School. We ran through a small main street and up a huge hill to the Appalachian Trail entry point. Everything had been on pavement for the first 4-5 miles until we got onto the trail. The group was beginning to space out at this point but we all met up at the AT trail entry point.
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| Rocks, leaves, trees... yup thats the AT! |
The next couple hours were spent going up and down the rocky, rooted, AT. Despite plenty of careful foot placement there weren't any big events to report. We did hit a water fountain about half-way through that I filled up at.
We continued on through the woods, as I mostly just ran with one other guy. The group was really spaced out now. The final section of the AT was a steep decent down to the C&O Canal Towpath.
I had heard rumors about runners getting stuck at a rail-road crossing in JFK before and to my amusement we were the victims of a train! Right before joining the towpath a train blocked our progress for a solid few minutes. We didn't mind - it would be different in the race though!
We continued on the towpath, often crowded with walkers, passing by beautiful Harper's Ferry across the river in West Virginia to our left. The rest wasn't too eventful, just mostly flat, crushed dirt running. Though I only had to contend with 6 miles on the towpath for the training run, in the real thing we will be on it for about a Marathon. This will present a major challenge as boredom really starts setting in. The monotonous physical motion can wear you down as well, since you use the exact same muscles on every stride. Lets hope I can keep it steady come race day.
Overall it was a great training run, aided by perfect 50s-and-dry weather. I ran with my Nathan Ultra pack which I had planned on using race day, but after the success I experienced with my hand bottle at Rosaryville I might opt for the hand bottle. I think ill let this be a function of temperature - if its cooler, lets say below 55 degrees, I'll use the hand bottle. Since you don't sweat as much and don't work as hard to stay cool, you simply don't need to drink as much as on a warmer day.
I'm feeling pretty confident going into JFK despite not having a stable, consistent training season. I know I could be fitter since I didn't get the high mileage or consistency in that I would have liked, but I'm happy to be feeling 100% healthy. My energy already feels through the rough and its hard to hold back on my last few shorter runs. I'll be resting (and eating) Thursday and Friday to top things off before the big race Saturday in Boonsboro, Maryland!
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| We had to wait for a train! And sorry for the poor photography - remember never to shoot into the sun! |
I had heard rumors about runners getting stuck at a rail-road crossing in JFK before and to my amusement we were the victims of a train! Right before joining the towpath a train blocked our progress for a solid few minutes. We didn't mind - it would be different in the race though!
We continued on the towpath, often crowded with walkers, passing by beautiful Harper's Ferry across the river in West Virginia to our left. The rest wasn't too eventful, just mostly flat, crushed dirt running. Though I only had to contend with 6 miles on the towpath for the training run, in the real thing we will be on it for about a Marathon. This will present a major challenge as boredom really starts setting in. The monotonous physical motion can wear you down as well, since you use the exact same muscles on every stride. Lets hope I can keep it steady come race day.
Overall it was a great training run, aided by perfect 50s-and-dry weather. I ran with my Nathan Ultra pack which I had planned on using race day, but after the success I experienced with my hand bottle at Rosaryville I might opt for the hand bottle. I think ill let this be a function of temperature - if its cooler, lets say below 55 degrees, I'll use the hand bottle. Since you don't sweat as much and don't work as hard to stay cool, you simply don't need to drink as much as on a warmer day.
I'm feeling pretty confident going into JFK despite not having a stable, consistent training season. I know I could be fitter since I didn't get the high mileage or consistency in that I would have liked, but I'm happy to be feeling 100% healthy. My energy already feels through the rough and its hard to hold back on my last few shorter runs. I'll be resting (and eating) Thursday and Friday to top things off before the big race Saturday in Boonsboro, Maryland!
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| Through the woods we go... |
Life Beyond Running
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| Happy Halloween from Abbey the beer wench! |
Halloween was last month, one of my favorite holidays. As I am trying to spend as much time in liederhosen as possible, I re-wore my Oktoberfest outfit for this year's Halloween festivities. My alternates were re-using my Spartan "The 300" costume (though I'm kind of skinny for that now!) or being Ryan Hall by basically wearing running clothes and a fake HALL bib. Knowing my love of all things Oktoberfest my sister had gotten my dog a matching beer wench costume a while back. What a perfect chance to dorkily dress your dog up to match yourself!
I even managed to make it out to the annual DC101 Elliot's Halloween Bash. I was impressed with myself - due to my scheduled Saturday Long Run the next morning (with trail run to immediately follow) I took it easy on the beer (even snuck some non-alcoholic beer to my friend's pregame party), and headed out early enough to still make it up in time for my running ventures.
As any runner knows, it can be tough to stifle your social life and cut out of stuff early in favor of your training, but always worth it in the end. I don't think I would have been able to do this a few years ago when I was still a novice runner. This provides a moral victory of sorts - you get to feel like you can do it all - be a dedicated runner while still maintaining a social life.
I even managed to make it out to the annual DC101 Elliot's Halloween Bash. I was impressed with myself - due to my scheduled Saturday Long Run the next morning (with trail run to immediately follow) I took it easy on the beer (even snuck some non-alcoholic beer to my friend's pregame party), and headed out early enough to still make it up in time for my running ventures.
As any runner knows, it can be tough to stifle your social life and cut out of stuff early in favor of your training, but always worth it in the end. I don't think I would have been able to do this a few years ago when I was still a novice runner. This provides a moral victory of sorts - you get to feel like you can do it all - be a dedicated runner while still maintaining a social life.
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