Photography Rules!

Photography. So simple, yet so difficult for so many people.  I have long considered myself an [extreme] amateur photographer, usually putting things into practice while on travel.  Rather than expensive gadgets and clunky cameras, I just like to refine the actual art of picture-taking itself.

So how does this relate to running?  Well, it does - barely.  Photography is a great tool on the internet and in blogs.  When I post a picture I want it to mean something, I don't just want an "insta-gram" of whatever random thing I grabbed a picture of.  I make these recommendations because I believe anyone, anywhere, with any camera, can take great pictures to capture their life with.  If you only get one chance to capture something, make it count.

Photography Rules I Live By

First and foremost, your camera does not matter (okay, just a little).  I can't say this enough.  I'm amazed by the number of tourists I see on trips with overpriced, SLR cameras taking terrible pictures.  A simple point-and-shoot is usually adequate.  Heck, you can even produce professional quality results from an iPhone camera (one of my favorite cameras actually).  Yes, you can get better results from a giant SLR camera, but you won't want to bring it anywhere, and you have to hang it around your neck.  Photography should be spontaneous - that's why having something that will fit in your pocket is key - as the saying goes, Less is [often] more.

Seriously, how far are you going to make it
carrying around this monstrosity!

Other than the iPhone 4s camera, I usually carry the Canon S95 on trips.  Though it has been superseded by a few models, its still one of the best, truly pocket-size cameras on the market.  It does still retail for a few hundred dollars, but there are plenty of options under $100 as well, like the very compact, 16 megapixel Canon A2400 IS.  If you don't believe me ask Ken Rockwell, who maintains a great photography site which preaches that "Photographers make photos, not cameras".

Next, please set your camera up correctly.  Anytime you are ever in doubt, please just set everything to auto.  It will look fine.  I'll never understand people who fiddle with the ISO, White Balance, Aperture Size, and Color temperature, just to have their pics come out blurry, washed out, or underexposed and not know how to frame things.

Personally, I like to set the color option to "vivid" (giving colors a little more contrast and "pop"), turn on any over-exposure correction to "auto", set the preview grid-lines on (usually by pressing the display button), and turn off the flash.  I also got in a habit of reducing the picture size down to 8 or 9 megapixels to save on memory space, but now that you can get a 32 Gig SDHC memory card for cheap you can just leave it on full megapixels.  I only adjust the finer controls when the picture calls for it.  There is a nice feature under "White Balance" called a "Tungsten" filter - this is for shooting inside where light can make your pictures appear yellowie.  The filter compensates to make things look clear.  All that being said, the iPhone camera is auto-everything and I've taken great pictures with it.

One of the best kept (or maybe worst kept?) secrets of photography is to go by thirds.    Once you have those handy grid-lines on, which divide the frame into thirds both horizontally and vertically, keeping points of interest in the intersection of the lines is usually pleasing to the eye.  If its an ocean pic, try for 1/3 sky, 1/3 water, and 1/3 land.  If its landscape, try for 1/3 foreground, 1/3 middle ground and (you guessed it), 1/3 background (which is often the sky).  Sometimes you will want your subject smack dab in the middle, but still use the 1/3 rule to have some space on their sides to kind of frame what you are looking at.

One of my favorite pictures I took in the Cinque Terre region of Italy with some 1/3 grid-lines crudely drawn on.  Observe how things line up with the lines, spacing, and intersections.

Another favorite of mine taken outside of Cuzco, Peru.  Note the foreground, middle ground, and background; and the donkey is on the right 1/3 line.

The grid lines are also handy for lining up the horizon to be level.  Nothing can ruin an otherwise perfect shot by a crooked horizon, so be careful to get it straight.  You can rotate the picture later during post-processing, but you lose some picture quality, plus its just a pain.

Back-lighting! This poor guy - all we see is a shadow!

If you are taking a picture of people, make sure there is light in their face.  A good rule of thumb is that the sun should be behind you the photographer - no one likes this because they are basically looking at the sun, but just tell them to squint and then try to act normal when you actually take it.  You don't want to be taking a picture of a shadow.  Its called back-lighting, and it sucks 99% of the time.  Same for buildings or still objects - take a picture of the bright side.  If you can't avoid back-lighting, experiment with the flash to see if you can get around it.

So what if its really cloudy or foggy out?  You'll have no contrast between your subjects and their surroundings.  Instead, make sure there is plenty of background to create a contrast.  If you are skiing and its snowing out, take pics of people with trees behind them.

In the picture to the left - it was actually cloudy out.  We found a good backdrop standing by the National Cathedral.  Add in some opportune expressions and a little post-processing to adjust the contrast and you end up with a nice pic!

Remember to fill the frame with interesting stuff.  Make your picture like a really interesting story.  Sometimes you do just want a picture of one thing, but usually you want to make your picture interesting.  Just think, you could just take a picture of the Washington Monument and treat people to a giant tower (obelisk to be exact) - kind of boring in my mind.  Or you could pull back - way back - until you fill the frame with the DC skyline!

The DC skyline - so much to see!

Next up, mostly for people pics, but also for things like buildings or mountains - please stop cutting peoples' heads and feet off.  I've had to have many pictures retaken when people cut off the top of my head, or made it look like I'm balancing on my ankles.  Its not hard - just look at the preview and don't cut anything off.  Also check to see if there are any obvious distractions or objects that look out of place.  Don't make it look like a pole is coming out of someone's head!  If there is a bag of trash or something unsightly around keep it out of the frame or move it.  Major problems easily solved.  If you want to get picky, try not to cut off shadows of people either if its sunny out.

Don't ask me to explain why - this is still one of my favorite pictures I've
taken.  Of my dog, curled up in some sheets, from an iPhone 4s camera.

More tips:

• Always take 3 or 4 of the same thing.  If you think you've got a great picture lined up, take several of the same thing just from slightly different angles.  Same for shots of people, their expressions will all be slightly different - this way you can choose the best one.
• Close one eye - when you are lining up a shot if you close one eye this gives a better indicator of what the picture will look like.  Since we see in stereo vision (2 eyes) this will simulate a picture, which appears flatter since its a single lens.
• Don't over zoom - underzoom and then crop later.  I can't tell you how many times I've told people "Please don't zoom in!".  Cameras nowadays have way more megapixels than you could ever need, so you can always just crop it down later.
• Careful about reflecting sunlight and lens flare.  You can make neat affects with reflections (light bouncing off of water, car windows, whatever) or lens flare (which is when too strong a light source gets scattered in the lens and creates a bright "starry" image) but beware of unwanted instances of these.
• Ask yourself: will I want to look at this again
  
  later? Don't just "take take take" for the sake of using your camera, stop and think if after you download this to your computer would anyone want to look at it.
• Steady hand, hold your breath, then exhale and shoot! Nothing ruins a picture like a blurry scene caused by handshake.  I've heard if you take a deep breath and then exhale when taking the picture it makes it easier to steady your hand.  You can even rest your hand on a tree or rock if you need to.
• Post-processing can turn good pictures into great ones! Programs like Adobe Photoshop or GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) are nice for advanced users, but I usually prefer Google Picasa.  Just to make a few quick adjustments - crop it the way you like, adjust the contrast with auto-contrast (this makes a huge difference), and maybe even brighten or darken it.
• Finally, don't be afraid to bend the rules and get artsy!!

Photography is fun! And there are great pictures everywhere.  So grab your point-and-shoot, head out the door, and see what you can find!

Tinkering with my 2014 Race Schedule & The BEAST

The Year of Two Thousand and Fourteen

Planning out your next year of races, a fun yet intimidating task.  Why fun?  Well, you get to think about all those great accomplishments, the people you will meet, and the sights you'll see as you tackle new races.  Why intimidating?  Its a lot easier to put races on your calendar and say you want to train for them then actually going out and grinding out some of these runs, especially when you put down 14 miles on a weeknight that ends up being cold and rainy.  Also, there is still the possibility of getting injured, and that just completely throws your schedule into the garbage disposal from that point on.  These races aren't easy either, I love training for these things, and then relishing in the feeling of accomplishment afterward, but there is usually a point when I'm running a race where I ask myself "Why in the world am I doing this?" (and I don't have an answer).

I want to keep focusing on Ultras, while not giving up entirely on speed.  Marathons are still cool, but just not as satisfying to me as Ultras.  A Marathon PR is still the crowning achievement in running, but you have to dedicate yourself solely to that event, and it could damage you beyond repair for months.  After running Chicago in 2012, I told myself I would wait a good, long time until I attempt a new PR, and that time is still at least another year away.

The Beast

As I focus on Ultras, while mixing in some shorter races, I have also come to a determination:  I need to do the Beast series.  I've heard it calling, heard it beckon for me to try it.  Grindstone, the Lynchburg Ultra Series, Hellgate, these are all great accomplishments individually but I think for this year to truly delve into the heart of Ultra-Marathoning I must complete them all.

What is the Beast?  Its a race series of Ultras consisting of three 50ks, a 50 miler, a 100k, and a 100 miler (not all in that order).

So now I present my list of focus races for 2014, fairly subject to change:

• Holiday Lake 50k++ - the first in the Beast series.  Two fairly flat loops around a lake.
• Terrapin Mountain 50k - a month later the Beast series continues in rural VA Mountains.
• Cherry Blossom 10 Miler - a favorite of mine in DC.  I probably won't try to PR since I don't think ill have the speed.  You do this more for the atmosphere anyway - finally Spring!
• GW Parkway 10 miler - a locals' favorite run on a scenic course from Mt. Vernon to Old Town Alexandria.
• Boston Marathon - had to come back for the 2014 race.  Hoping a road marathon won't hurt my training too much.
• Promise Land 50k - intimidating since its less than a week after Boston, but a favorite 50k of many.  Super hilly, so I can always just power walk and easy run it.
• MMT 32 miles Pacing - in what should be a great experience, I'm going to sign up to pace someone for the final 32 miles of the Massanutten Mountain Trails 100.  It will be slow and rocky.
• OSS All Nighter 50 miler - a fairly technical night-time run on the original proving grounds of the CIA.  Its two 25 mile loops.  Excellent practice for running at night at Grindstone!
• Catoctin 50k - a hilly, summer-time 50k in Maryland during July heat.
• Reston Century Bike Ride - to give my (running) legs a break and get maximal time in on the bike.
• Iron Mountain 50 miler - I conquered the 30 miler, now I want to tame the 50.  An insanely hilly course should provide for one last great training run before I get ready for Grindstone.
• Backroads Century Bike Ride - A more scenic century than Reston to help me recover from Iron Mountain and get a day long workout in.  Probably my last major cycling event of the season.
• Rim2Rim2Rim - A growing legend among Ultra-Runners.  Not a race, but a challenge - to run from one rim of the Grand Canyon to the other side and back in a day.
• Grindstone 100 miler - my first 100 miler!  And it won't be easy.
• Mountain Masochist 50 Miler - Another east coast favorite.  Things will be dicey having run Grindstone just 6 weeks prior.
• Hellgate 100k - the ultimate in self-loathing.  Starting at midnight, in winter, one final death-march to becoming "The Beast"!

This might look like a crazy schedule, but when you think about it, each race is really a training run for the next one.  I would not in a million years run this many road marathons in one year.  I also have another dozen or so shorter road races penciled in, but I've decided to make those all optional in favor of my goal Ultra races.

The 2 hour and 30 minute gym visit

Its that time of year again, when I end up finding myself inside the confines of a gym more than I would like.

Why 2 hours and 30 minutes?  That's just about the amount of time I have to pencil in to feel like I have had a good workout.  I encourage anyone to go to the gym for even 30 minutes if the alternative is sitting on the couch, but for me I need some serious time to get a workout in that rivals  7-10 miles of running.  So why bother with the gym?  Desperate times call for desperate measures.  The times being when you are tired and banged up from a season of ultras and road races, the weather is cold and icy, and there is little daylight to be found after work hours.  The measures?  Treadmills, arc-trainers, spin bikes, and weights.

The always infamous "dread-mills".

So why do this to myself?  After years of cyclical injuries that require weeks if not months of time off, I'm finally staying conservative with things.  Recovering right, and if things start to feel off cutting back on the running in favor of other cardiovascular activity.

I tried to recover correctly after JFK, taking some time off (well, basically a few days) and then just running easy.  It was probably a mistake to work back in some speed work and shorter road races, but hindsight is always 20/20 and I thought I had rested back up to 100%.  The result was some lingering soreness in my lower left calf around the achilles.  Achilles - a word that brings shivers to the spines of all runners.  It wasn't the achilles injury where you can feel it "crinkle" around in the sleeve, the kind of pain that can drop a runner to their knees and end their career.  It was however annoying enough for me to nurse it back to health, running every-other day, mixing in cross training, and backing off the speed work.  And of course the atypical RICE routine.

I should still be able to mix in some faster tempos and short road races, but nothing on the track, no focused hills, and I won't really be able to run my races all-out.

Enter: The Gym.  The non-running winter solution to getting cardio.  I must admit it is at least nice to have people around and not be freezing.  I'm trying to mix a little strength training back in too, which I usually ignore during nicer seasons.  Its good to keep your running muscles strong, work the stuff that running doesn't hit, and high-rep/ low-weight activities are great for staying lean.

Whats my 2.5 hours at the gym look like?  Really, it takes even longer when you add in time to change, walking around time, cleaning off the machines, and showering:

Arrive.  Find a locker.  Change into gym clothes.  Start workout now.  Hop on arc-trainer (the better alternative to an elliptical).  Get going with enough resistance and incline to keep my heart rate up.  Do this for about 30 minutes while listening to iPod to prevent getting bored out of my mind.  Stretch out for 5 minutes.  Hit the weights for 25 minutes.  Keep it high reps and low weight.  Today lets focus on core (back/abs, chest, and quads/calves/hammies).  Next time we will work on arms, shoulders, and do squats.  Go to locker and put on cycling shorts, grab shoes.  Spinning class for 55 minutes.  Sweat a lot. Pedal really hard.  Keep pedaling hard on my own when instructor calls out annoying (and useless) jumps. Cool down.  Hydrate.  Stretch out for 5 minutes. End workout now.  Shower, change, leave.

Then get home and not feel bad about my lack of running since I still burned 1400 calories.  Here's to a combination of running, spinning, ellipticaling, weight training, and stretching when the weather is dark and cold and your soleuses are feeling tired.

Spinning - still probably the best indoor workout I can find.

DC Roadrunners: Member Spotlight

My running club, DC Road Runners, does a member spotlight every month to highlight a local area runner.  The basis for selection isn't necessarily based on experience or performance, just only that you be a DC/VA/MD area runner who is active in the club.  After coming off a pretty good year of Ultras they asked me some open ended questions:

At JFK.

When did you begin running and why?

I had always been athletic but never ran much. Shortly after college due to a mixture of boredom and weight gain I started checking out area fun runs. Once I got over the 3 mile hump I was hooked, wanting to get faster and run farther. Cute runner girls helped provide some extra motivation - I met my fiance running!

How did you find out about DCRR and when did you join?

From what I can remember it was just word of mouth that brought me out to the Saturday Long Runs. After that I started coming out to more club activities and races. I knew there were a lot of fast runners in the club, and since I wanted to get faster this seemed like a good place to learn. This was probably around the Spring of 2009.

What are you training for right now?

Since I'm in a recovery phase I'm not training for anything specifically at the moment, but I would like to do more speedwork soon and race some of the DCRRC Snowball Series events. There is an Ultra-Marathon Race series called "The Beast" in Virginia that I want to target for 2014. It's a lofty goal but good to have something to shoot for. I plan to get back to the longer distance stuff in late winter.

What's your proudest running moment?

There are many - first 10 miler, first marathon, first ultra, etc. - but the one that stands out was breaking 3 hours at the 2012 Chicago Marathon. As I passed under the race clock at the finish it still read 2:59:something-something so I knew I made it! My last mile was my fastest, albeit the most painful, to make sure I would come in on time.

What's your favorite part about being a DCRR member?

The connection to a larger community of runners is what keeps me coming back. Not only do you have people to run with and races to test your fitness, but I feel like I can "make a difference" in the greater DC/VA/MD running community. Oh, and the free tech t's!

What's the most important lesson running has taught you?

I like to call it "The Three Ps" of running. Patience (don't get anxious and overdo it; Rome wasn't build in a day!), Persistence (follow your plan and keep at it in good times and in bad), and Pacing (run the easy runs easy, the hard runs hard, and then run the heck out of those races when you peak!). Apply these in life as needed!

When did you get into ultra/trail running?

It was around Spring 2012 when I started getting out on the trails more and doing back-to-backs. My first trail race was the Northface Trail Marathon in June, and I did my first 50k a few months later.

What race day traditions do you have?

My race days are pretty regimented. First I like to wake up early enough to have time to just kind of hang out for half an hour (I wake up slowly...). I have 1 cup of coffee and a bagel with peanut butter and a little jelly - I get nervous when I'm stuck with only stale hotel coffee. If its a big race or a long drive to the start I'll sip on some water and maybe eat a banana or cliff bar. I'm not superstitious so I make sure everything I do is for a reason. Don't forget the Body Glide!

Favorite running shoes or running gear?

I find I run pretty well in Saucony shoes, I also like the Books Pure line (though I won't touch anything else even close to "minimalist" footwear). I wear the odd looking Hoka OneOne shoes on the trails for ultras. As far as apparel, Brooks really knows what they are doing, their gear just always fits me perfect. I kind of hover between a medium and a large so it can be tough to find new stuff. I usually only wear a stop watch while running. I think that while technology (such as GPS and iPods) do a good job motivating some people, it can also detract from the experience so I've learned to just run by feel. Oh, and I love my foam roller!

What’s your life like outside of running?

There's life outside of running? Haha, its pretty normal I think. After work I like to play with my dog, watch movies, and just kind of relax at home. I got into cycling last spring so thats a good compliment to running when it's warm out. I'm a big Washington Capitals hockey fan so that keeps me busy when it's dark out in winter. I really love to travel when I get the chance.

If you could be be a pro athlete in any sport other than running, what would it be?

Good question! Probably rugby, the only other sport I have ever really taken seriously. I played in college and it was a blast, it combines the grit of football with the fitness of soccer, and a camaraderie unmatched in any other sport. Like running it probably won't make a good source of income - not that I would be tough enough to play in the big leagues anyway!

You can see the article online along with dozens of other DCRRC member spotlights.

The 2013 JFK 50 Miler: race recap

I have now had over a week since I finished JFK to let things fully sink in.  Immediately after a race you go through a lot of emotions.  Sometimes you can't wait to sign up for another race, other times you don't even want to think about running.  You went through the agony, and now get to feel the ecstasy.  If you had a bad race all you can do is try to analyze your training and race day to figure out what went wrong.  If things went well you just get to savor the accomplishment.  I was pretty happy overall with JFK.  Given my relaxed training schedule that included a 3 week hiatus while I was in Europe, I felt my race day performance was awesome!

Race: JFK 50 Miler
Date: November 23, 2013
Location:  Boonsboro, MD
Finishing Time: 8:10:31

The Wait

Staying warm pre-race in the gym.

Although it would have been possible to come up race morning, I headed up (as did most people) the night before.  Its always fun to be around all the other runners ahead of time, just don't get too excited or you won't be able to sleep!  Speaking of, I was able to get a solid 6 hours of sleep in which is pretty great considering I probably only slept 2 hours before my first marathon.

I let my hotel at 5:15am and walked across the street to meet some of my friends at the official race hotel.  After some weak coffee and stale bagels, it was about a 15 minute drive to the race starting area in Boonsboro.  We got to keep warm while we listened to a pep talk from the race directors in the gymnasium of the Boonsboro highschool.  At about 6:45 we took the half-mile walk to the start line.  We had a jovial group of about a half dozen runners together, all of which would be separated soon into the race.

The First 4 miles

The race started in downtown Boonsboro, which is actually just a tiny main street strip that soon turns into a rural road.  I've never heard of an Ultra that starts in anything else than basically a field, but this is the largest 50 miler in the country so I guess its an exception.  The sun was just starting to peak through giving us more than enough light to find out way.  We were walking down, still lining up at about 6:59am when suddenly the gun went off!

The road quickly starts gaining in elevation.  The starting temperature was in the 30s, and while this is great for running you are pretty cold starting out so the opening hills were a good way to warm up.  It can also be easy to expend too much energy too early on, so I made sure to take it easy an even walk up some portions of the hill.  We soon arrived at the crest of the mountain pass where the entrance to the Appalachian Trail awaited us.

12 Rocky Miles on the AT

Tip-towing down the trail.

If you have ever run on the Appalachian Trail (which fortunately I had) you know its rocky, rooty, and requires your utmost attention.  I was worried about getting caught behind a train of runners but it was spaced out enough that I could see where I was going just fine.  I really did not want to fall flat on my face so, even in the flatter, easier sections, I tried to stay focused on my footing and on the terrain 2-5 feet ahead.

Though is was probably the slowest going section of the race it was also my favorite.  This feels like real trail running, and really allows you to take advantage of practicing on technical trails. As much fun as I was having I still had to hold back a little - you don't want to exhaust yourself considering you aren't even close to being half-way done!

There was more climbing than I remembered, and more pavement than I expected - one long section required walking up to the summit on roads before we ascended back down on the trail.  Things were mostly uneventful - I filled up my water bottle with about 5 miles of AT left.  As you begin to exit the trail there is a steep downhill segment that requires some major tip-toeing, all this while hearing the cheers of spectators in the first major aid station.

A Marathon on the C&O Canal Towpath

View of Harpers Ferry.  We passed in front of the Rocks on the Towpath in
the bottom-left of the frame.  Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia/Harpers_Ferry.

After leaving the Appalachian Trail section, and passing through a cheer tunnel of onlookers we ran through a short but precarious section, under a bridge (that turned out to be Rt. 340), and out to the actual aid station.  This time I not only refilled my hand bottle but eat a PB&J sandwich, a few chips, and grabbed a Gu to eat momentarily.  We crossed the railroad tracks (fortunately no train crossing today) and go onto the C&O Canal Towpath around Mile Marker 59.  What awaited me was over a marathon on the towpath, a tall task both physically and mentally.

I tried to split it up in my mind like you would most marathons: the first 10 miles, the middle 10 miles, and the last 10 kilometers.  Starting off was nice, lots of people around to trade pleasantries with and the sun was starting to really come out.  We passed through Harpers Ferry, a beautiful, historical area at the intersection of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland.  Looking out at the railroad tracks and church steeples peaking up through the trees I was reminded of a quaint, sort of "any-town", European village.

From there the towpath just drags on, and on.  The crowds space out and there isn't anything to look at, only forest to your right and the Potomac river to your left.  You really just need to focus on reaching the next aid station, which were about 4 miles apart.  I was really hurting around 35 miles into the race, mentally and physically.  I had the good fortune of meeting up with another runner to give me someone to talk to.  This guy was very experienced and just kind of taking it easy at JFK.  This gave me someone to keep up with when I might have started to fade otherwise.

We kept going, taking walking breaks at times, knocking down mile after mile.  You can run faster than on a real trail, but at the same time the repeated motion on the fairly flat towpath stresses the same muscles for so long that things have a habit of wearing out.  My hamstrings and achilles were getting fatigued - I didn't have any "pep" in my step at this point, not that you need much on an Ultra.  The last aid station I remember on the Towpath was a big boost - not only did I fill up my hand bottle and have a snack like all the other stations, but they also had hot noodle soup which provided for a salty mix of carbs and hot broth.  As we exited the Towpath my new friend took off to try and make some time up in the last 8 miles.

SO happy to be off the Towpath!

8 More Miles on Roads

Finally off the towpath I was cautiously optimistic.  Over 42 miles in you start thinking you are "almost" done, however the term is relative since you must remind yourself you still have probably an hour and a half of running left.  We immediately hit a huge hill that necessitated a walking break, and from there got onto some country roads to guide us into Williamsport, Maryland.  Although you are able to run faster on pavement the biggest downside of this section was the exposure of being in wide open spaces, which nothing to shelter you from the wind and sun.  A lot of the hills were runable but I still opted to power walk up them just to give my running muscles a break.

I never really felt close to the point of "bonking", which is a major cause for concern in any multi-hour race.  My quads and hamstrings were really starting to fatigue, and both my achillies were just about dead for the day.  Stretching things out on the hills did at least help keep everything going when the roads would flatten back out.  I was just kind of in a daze, counting the miles down 1 by 1, but finally started to wake up with about 3 miles to go.  I couldn't wait to be done.  It was cold out and the only way to stay warm was to keep running.

Looking only at the elevation chart for JFK it never really looked like a "hard" race (though its never easy running 50 miles!) since elevation changes are what normally tires you out and slows you down.  The long, boring, stretches on the towpath, coupled with the exposed road sections in the cold & windy November weather made this race justifiably "tough".

Kicking it into high-gear with the finish in sight!

The Finish

With 1.5 miles to go, or "6 more laps around a track" as I reassured myself, I decided to speed it up and run as fast as reasonably possible.  Coming around the final bend I could see the finish chute about 200 meters away.  I was ecstatic and SO happy to finally be done!!  With no other runners around I threw off my hand bottle and hat, pumped my fists, and did a celebratory flying kick through the finish line!

I feel like JFK was one of my biggest accomplishments, right up there with my first marathon, breaking 3 at Chicago, my first trail race, and running Boston.  I got to set a respectable PR for myself in the 50 mile distance and check-off one of the few legendary Ultras.  It wasn't easy, and this was probably the most sore and stiff I have been since my first marathon, but it was totally worth it.

I had some family at the finish so it was great to find familiar faces after so much cold, isolated, and tiring running.  Inside the Williamsport middle school there was plenty of food, massages and a growing number of exhausted runners.  I even got to speak with Charlie from RunWashington, who quoted me in their JFK 50 recap!

Feeling well rested and recovered I can now ease back into running, work on some speed in December and January, and get back into pure Ultra training in late January to prep for my lofty 2014 Goals (stay tuned for those).

JFK Training as a whole

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.

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 had to wait for a train!  And sorry for the
poor photography - remember never to
shoot into the sun!

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!

Through the woods we go...

Life Beyond Running 

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.

Rosaryville 50k Race Report: The one I finally got right

Race Summary

Race:  Rosaryville 50k
Date: November 9th, 2013
Location: Rosaryville State Park, Rosaryville, MD
Finish Time: 4:19:39

Wow! What a great race! I really only signed up for this as a tune-up for JFK (which is in 2 weeks) and because its local, but between the course, the support, and the weather this ended up being probably my favorite 50k I have run to date.  The course was basically 3 loops on single-track trails around a state park.  There was an aid station half-way through each loop, and a bigger one with runner drop bags at the start of each loop.  Each aid station was more than adequate, stocked with water, gatorade, snacks, and even Gu's.  The trails were very runable with only small climbs and descents.  I still considered this a trail race though - it wasn't flat like canal-towpath-flat flat.

And they're off!

It was an easy 30ish minute drive from the DC area to the park.  Arriving around 7:20am it was still close to freezing and the grass was covered with frost.  I decided to go with a long sleeve tech shirt, light windbreaker, and leg tights.  I figured this might be a bit much but I wanted to be sure my legs would stay warm the whole time.  If my top got hot (which it did), I could ditch my jacket at the bag drop station after the 1st lap (which I did).

Looking strong mid-way through!

We set off on about a mile of paved road until we entered the trail.  I wanted to keep it slow and steady.  This ended up being easy as I was caught behind a huge train of runners.  It amazed me that even only 20 minutes into the race people behind me were getting anxious and trying to pass by for pole position.  Really?? We've got over 4 hours left!  As I always say (well, think at least) - "see you again in about 2 hours".  The first lap around I was mostly stuck behind the train of runners, even if I felt like speeding up a little I wouldn't have been able to.  After the first aid station (which I didn't need to stop at) I was at least able to get around the bulk of the crowd.

Things continued on steady and I was able to fall into a nice, fastish but not too hard pace.  Once I finished the first loop I passed a bunch of people at the aid station and the trail opened up for me.  Things stayed pretty uneventful for this lap, holding steady, focusing on footing, and creeping up on some runners who were starting to die off.

The third lap was easily my favorite.  I knew it was late enough in the game that I could push the pace even more.  Blasting through each aid station I wasted no time getting in, getting what I needed, and getting out.  I was starting to feel confident in myself.  By starting out slow I had plenty left in the tank for the final stages of the race.  This is not only a physical advantage, but a huge mental boost as you remind yourself you played your cards smart.  You are gaining on people - you get to be the predator and not the prey.

At around the marathon mark a race official told me I was in 15th, I was happy to hear that but figured I would be able to pass at least a few more people.  I kept reeling in runners the rest of the race, even passing someone into my eventual 9th place position with only a mile left.  I even had a kick down the final stretch.  I wasn't even thinking about my finishing time - until it became visible on the race clock that I would probably break 4:20 - I kept kicking and came in at 4:19:39!  I was ecstatic to cut 15 minutes off my 50k PR.  I think it was about time though - I was finally coming off a good training cycle and feeling healthy; I got my tactics just right using my hand bottle, and (the biggest factor) was racing in cool, dry weather.  I hope to make it back next year!

My friend Jeff and I at the finish.  The matching jackets were purely a coincidence!

The one I finally got right

I felt like everything came together for this race.  In 50k races I have run in the past I have taken wrong turns, wasted too much time at aid stations, eaten and drank too much (or not enough), gone out too fast and made other tactical errors that cost you in the end.  Courses that are super hilly, as much fun as they are, just are not feasible to set a 50k PR on.  The cool weather really lent itself to faster times, as you fatigue less and don't have to drink as much fluids to push on.

I used my hand bottle for this race, a first.  I have used it for training runs, but I typically go with my Nathan hydration pack.  While running in the heat I don't want to risk running out of fluids, but in the cool, dry, fall weather I figured I could get away with just a hand bottle.  I was worried about it bothering my right arm or messing with my form but it ended up being a non-issue.  The hand bottle also has the huge advantage of letting you blast through aid stations.  Just take off the cap right before you arrive, let a helpful volunteer fill-er-up, replace that cap and you are off!  No taking on and off your pack, opening the bladder, repacking everything, etc.  I passed probably a dozen people through the day at aid stations alone.

Success in this race was really the product of cumulative training and finally getting some experience under my belt at 50k trail races.  There is also the perfect weather conditions and being fortunate enough to have a "good day", free of cramping, gastro-intestinal issues, or unpredictable fatigue.

Veterans Day at the Battlefield

Sunday I wisely rested from all sports activity; I wasn't hurting too bad but still feeling a little stiff all over.  Monday I decided to head out to Manassas Battlefield Park for some easy trail miles, a place I have been meaning to check out for awhile.  Though the trails weren't marked too well I had a map and am decent enough at navigating to make my way through.

Trail map with my approximate course in Orange.  Ended up taking about
 80 minutes, so im guessing 10 or 11 miles.

Really great place to run.  The trails are very runable and flat with little actual terrain to navigate.  You pass through woods, open fields, and historical places of interest.  There is a visitors center with water and bathrooms in the middle of the park if you really need it.  The only downside is that there just aren't that many miles of trails - I tried to do the biggest loop I could figure out and it probably wasn't more than 11 miles.  Great for a tune up at least!  I would like to come back and do a training run here for the Holiday Lake 50k in February - you could do the 11 miles loop counter clockwise, refuel at your car, and then do it all over again clockwise for a 22 mile run.  This circular out-and-back motion is basically the course at Holiday Lake.

I almost felt like I was overdoing it having just crushed Rosaryville 2 days ago and with JFK coming up so soon, but I wanted a little something more before I truely taper.  I had the day off work and this was probably one of our last great, beautiful, sunny-and-50s day of the season.  I heard we are supposed to get an "arctic blast" this week... I blame Canada.

Manassas Battlefield is a great find for Civil War History, and felt like
an appropriate venue on Veterans Day.

Now that I finally get to relish in the amazing feeling of having a great race, I have 2 weeks to do some major tapering for JFK.  I'll be doing some cross-training on the arc-trainer, getting in some easy runs, an 11 mile easy shake out next weekend, and then 2 rest days before the big race in November 23rd!