Coe Project Update: Halfway Into the Pain Cave

My summer project of speed is now at the halfway point and it is time for me to review my progress. Five full weeks down and five more to go. In general terms this has been tough. Duh. There are some positives and some things that are frustrating. By this point Mike has a solid feel for what the focus will be for the remainder of the project. It took a handful of workouts to determine where the biggest bang for the buck will come from. The date for the Farmer Mile has been changed too. A couple of extra weeks was added to the training. An 8 week schedule has now become 10 weeks. In a nutshell, this is what I know...

I have averaged just over 40 miles per week. I hit the track once per week during weeks 1 and 2 and now do work there twice weekly on Monday evening and Thursday morning. Monday is the grinder with longer intervals and target splits below goal pace. Thursday I get an easier session with shorter intervals and goal pace splits. My other days of the week have gone as planned with easy paced maintenance and recovery runs and a "long" run on Saturday of 10-15 miles. Striders a couple times per week, always on dirt or grass.

Inadvertently I have knocked out a few "streaks" since I began. That certainly was not a goal. It is the result, I think, of wanting to do as much work as I can to improve my chance of getting a good time on my mile. I am a 5 day a week kind of guy. Sometimes 6 if I need to push volume. Somehow I opened this project with a 13 day streak before taking an off day. Then it was a 14 day streak before the next day of rest. And then another 14 day streak of work. I began with the idea that I wanted a "shakeout" run the day before a workout. And a "recovery" run the day after a workout. With 3 workouts a week, well, that doesn't jibe out so easy. One of the more important lessons learned is that my non-workout days have to be easy. If not I pay for it on the track. And the track is where the work must be put in. On that end I took my rest day this past week on Sunday in hopes of being fresher for Monday. No running but I did bike 10 miles at a moderate effort level. I think it worked pretty well for me. Looks like I will be taking the next few Sundays off and hitting the two wheeler instead of lacing up the whips. 

The streaks and speed work have left me feeling physically beat up most of the time especially since beginning the twice weekly speed work. My body went from zero speed work to a few miles of near all out sprinting each week in short order. And doing it in the heat of the summer hasn't helped. Again, easy days have to be easy. Thankfully I have stayed on course in terms of being injury free. There have certainly been some aches and pains. That is to be expected when stepping outside the comfort zone. One thing that has helped in that regard is the maintenance work that is now routine. Before the project I wasn't a big believer in regularly taking time to do the little things like warming up, cooling down, stretching, foam rolling, form drills and strength work. But I knew to be successful at this I would have to be smarter than before. Now the little things matter. I feel guilty if I skimp on them. I also feel it in my legs. The lunge matrix and dynamic stretching are pretty much daily routines now. Form drills and strength work after runs have helped as have a couple of yoga like sessions per week. I am careful to warm up and cool down or I feel it. 

I have dropped a couple of pounds. My walk around weight is about 164# these days. The slight feeling of fatigue is a bit of a concern. I have experienced some trouble sleeping at times as well. Especially following Monday evening track sessions. Perhaps that is why I have long preferred to run in the morning. Last night I used some melatonin to help out. I think it worked pretty well. 

Adding much more volume will be difficult. Perhaps even ill advised. Instead, I will try to add some cardio with some bike work and using the pool. I have found that my dynamic stretching routine can be done in the pool and it becomes a relaxing strength routine with the resistance of the water. After 5 weeks I am able to hold pace a bit longer and I don't fall off the cliff quite as badly during intervals. My biggest challenge is the mental aspect of running fast. Track work is a very different beast from ultra training. The acute discomfort of track intervals is quite immediate. A couple of times my throat has hurt on Tuesdays from breathing so hard on Monday. In the middle of repeats I find my brain telling my body it can't happen. A glance at my watch and I can see that I am near correct pace but my Central Governor keeps persisting that I must slow down. One of the reasons for doing this was to work on breaking down that barrier. I haven't been successful yet. I do feel that baby steps have happened in that direction. I need more of those baby steps over the next 5 weeks. 

Week One

Monday 400m @ 1:07 and 3x200 (:35, :34, :36) 

Tuesday 5 miles @ 9:01 pace

Wednesday 5.5 miles @ 8:13 pace (8 strides)

Thursday 4.5 miles @ 8:16 pace (4 hill repeats)

Friday 5 miles @ 7:50 pace

Saturday 10 miles @ 8:55 pace

Sunday 7 miles @ 8:23 pace (6 strides)

Week Two

Monday 7 miles @ 8:06 pace (no speed per Mike)

Tuesday 6 miles @ 7:52 pace

Wednesday 5 miles @ 8:20 pace 

Thursday 5 miles @ 8:45 pace

Friday OFF

Saturday 12 miles @ 8:23 pace

Sunday 5 miles 8:29 pace

Week Three

Monday 2 mile w/u and 2 mile c/d, 1k ladder down splits 1k @ 3:27, 800 @ 2:41, 600 @ 2:04, 400 @ 1:20 and 200 at :37

Tuesday 5 miles @ 8:44 pace

Wednesday 7 @ 8:10 pace (8 strides)

Thursday 2 mile w/u and c/d, 10x400 target 1:20 w/ 1:00 rest period. Splits were 1:28, 1:18, 1:16, 1:19, 1:18, 1:20, 1:21, 1:22, 1:23 and 1:24. 

Friday 6 miles @ 7:56 pace

Saturday 10 miles @ 8:54 (6 strides)

Sunday 5 miles @ 8:25 pace

Week Four

Monday 2 mile w/u and 2 mile c/d, 2x800 (2:35 and 2:45), 400 @ 1:22, 600 @ 2:02, 2x400 (1:16 and 1:17)

Tuesday 7 miles @ 10:28 pace (EZ trail run)

Wednesday 4.5 miles @ 7:57 pace

Thursday 1.5 mile w/u and 1.5 mile c/d, 10x400 target 1:20 w/ 1:00 rest. Splits were 1:19, 1:20 (x3), 1:18, 1:20, 1:19, 1:18, 1:19 and 1:21. 

Friday 15.5 miles @ 12:09 pace (tough trail)

Saturday OFF

Sunday 5 miles @ 8:36 pace

Week Five

Monday 1.5 mile w/u and 1.5 mile c/d, 800 @ 2:38, 2x400 (1:20 and 1:20), 600 @ 2:04, 400 @ 1:22, 600 @ 2:02. 

Tuesday 7 miles @ 8:50 pace

Wednesday 5 miles @ 8:30 pace

Thursday 10x400 target 1:20 w/ 2:00 rest. Splits were 1:20, 1:18 (x3), 1:19, 1:18 and 1:19. Only had time for 7 intervals, had to get back to work, wicked hot and got sunburned too. 

Friday 3 miles @ 9:05 pace

Saturday 11.5 miles @ 8:08 pace

Sunday 3.5 miles 8:54 pace

The Coe Project

If you follow my training via Twitter or Facebook or here on my blog (Thanks Dad) then you know that I have been working on some weird "project". Likewise, if you regularly attend the weekly Rush Hour speed sessions at Tiger Track in Bentonville you might be wondering, "Who is that pasty skinned dude doing something different from everyone else?" (Thanks Whitney). Well, it is my Summer carrot...

I thought I could provide some details for this idea here so that I don't have to keep explaining it to people that ask and have them stare at me blankly or hold back the laughter. Yeah, I'm that guy usually pulling off back to back weekend runs of 20+ miles and traveling to Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri or Tennessee for trail races. This time last year I was rebuilding my base following the stress fracture. My first race back was the Pumpkin Holler 50k (Tatur) over near Tahlequah where I bagged a top 10 finish and a new PR. Next up in December was the Rock Creek Series Lookout Mtn 50 miler in Chattanooga where I found a very lonely, dark place to die before being pulled to the light by David Newman for my worst race ever (but a great learning experience). February found me back in the Lone Star State for the Tejas Trails race known as Rocky Raccoon where I once again tackled the 50 miler and bagged another PR. In April I erased my newly set 50k PR with a new one at Frisco Trail 50k (OMRR) in Missouri and earned a top 3 finish. Then I blew myself away with my time at the Bentonville Half Marathon with a huge 18 minute PR. Then this month I grabbed a top 5 finish and new 25k PR at War Eagle. Coming off of that streak I was hungry for more PRs. Namely for the 5k and 10k distance. Based on my new half mary PR I began some workouts for the 5k distance. I was not able to finish any of the workouts. Oh yeah, I could nail it for a couple or 3 miles but then my legs would quickly turn to lead. Sure, I could run 50 miles at a given pace but try to speed things up for a 5k and I was done. My aerobic base was great but the lactate threshold was anemic. 

So I gave up and decided to just run over the Summer. No specific training, no races, just run. That lasted about two weeks. I read this article at Competitor.com about the mile being America's classic distance. You see, I'm a carrot guy. I need something to shoot for to stay disciplined in my training. The thought of stepping outside my comfort zone was appealing to me. I floated the idea past Mike Rush, owner of Rush Running and former NCAA 800m animal at the U of A. Mike knows my running background. He knows my strengths and weaknesses. He laughed at me. He asked what my goal time was. I told him 5 minutes flat. He laughed harder. He asked "Why five minutes?" and I told him "Because it sounds good." I had to pick him up off the floor. OK, I didn't do that but he did laugh. I explained the reason why. How I wanted to not just set new PRs for 5k and 10k but to blow them away. The reason those first fast workouts were cut short, he said, was because I had worked backwards as far as I could from all of the big volume training for my ultras.  There was no turnover, the engine couldn't rev high for very long. If the goal was to crack new ground in shorter distances then I would need to go forward in my training, not backwards. I needed to start from square one. He asked what my best time was for a mile. I told him I ran "4:50 something back in high school. You know, 1987." He shook his head and told me to meet him at the track the following Monday. He needed some numbers to work with and was gonna make me run hard. 

So I showed up. He wanted me to run a 400 as fast as I could. I knew a 5 minute mile is 4 x 75 second laps. I figured I had go sub 70 to have any type of shot at it. I had no clue if it was possible. For motivation, Matt Blaty offered to rabbit for me. Matt is a former NCAA stand out at Cal Poly Pomona where he set records that remain intact to this day. He was All American in 1980 and once ran a 30:16:00 in the 10k. Sick. Mike says "Go!" and Blaty is off like a scalded cat. I'm thinking "Holy $#@!". He instantly gets 5 meters on me but I manage to hold it there all down the back stretch. Then we hit the turn. Halfway through it my legs were burnt toast. I began throwing my arms out front in an attempt to keep my momentum moving. Probably looked more like flailing. He began to pull away. By now I could hear some of the Rush Runners yelling at me and cheering. I wanted to die. My legs felt so damn heavy. We crossed the finish line and Mike asked for the time. The answer was "77" and I thought I had just embarrassed myself. Then "No, wait, I mean 67." I do the quick math and realize that is 4:28 pace and that Mike might be surprised. I was. Mike then says he wants us to do 3 x 200 repeats all out with a 400m shuffle for rest. We knocked those out in 35, 34 and 36 seconds. More proof that my legs had turned to concrete. After an easy cool down I asked Mike what he thought. His realistic projection was 5:10-5:15 and anything better than that was icing on the cake. And yes, he was a bit surprised that I ran a sub 70 on the 400. 

But you know what? The goal is not the final time on August 12th (yes, just 8 weeks of training), that is almost irrelevant. The process is what is important. That is the focus. I am really stepping out of my comfort zone here. I know if I want to get that 18 minute 5k time and sub 40 minute 10k and get my BQ marathon it is going to take work. But it is possible. I also know that doing this will require smart training. I will need to monitor my body physically in new ways. I will have to incorporate regular strength work and stretching. All the stuff I normally blow off and disregard. After chalk talking it with Mike the plan for the first two weeks looked like this:

Regular runs of 5-7 miles at a comfortable to comfortably hard pace. If the body says slow down then slow down. Just get miles for now. One long run of 10-12 miles weekly. Again, allow the body to dictate the pace. Striders 2-3 times per week, 6-8 x 110 meters and build up to 75-80% effort on them. In other words, not all out but comfortably hard right at the very end of the stride. In addition I complete a lunge matrix before every run that takes about 4 minutes. I have been vigilant about taking time for proper cool downs. I have taken time to stretch when needed and try to closely monitor for any signs of breakdown. It has been a long time since this body went hard. Wait, that sounds wrong. You know what I mean, my body ain't used to running 400s and stuff. 

So week 1 looked like this:
Mon: LM (lunge matrix), 20 min w/u, 400x1, 200x3, 15 minute c/d down and GSM (general strength work)

Tue: LM, 5 miles @ 9min pace (recovery run)

Wed: LM, 5.5 miles @ 8:15 pace, 8 striders

Thu: LM, 4.5 miles @ 8:15 pace, 4 x repeats Fishback Hill

Fri: LM, 5 miles @ 7:50 pace

Sat: LM, 10 miles @ 8:55 pace, several surges during middle of run

Sun: LM, 7 miles @ 8:20 pace, 6 striders

Total: 41 miles in 5 hours and 37 minutes 

After two weeks I am contemplating a name change for this from the Coe Project (in honor of the great miler Sebastian Coe) to Project FT. The FT could stand for "fast twitch" or on other days it could stand for "F*** that!" I like the sound of that. 

Hay in the Barn

This coming Saturday will be a big step forward for me in my slow recovery from the stress fracture. On that morning I will be on the top of a mountain in Chattanooga, TN toeing the line for the Lookout Mountain 50 Mile Race put on by Rock Creek Outfitters. I'll have some good company as a few other NWA Goats will be making the trek as well. This will be the most challenging course I have tackled to date for an ultra. Athens Big Fork is a tougher course but that is a marathon distance race. Butterfield Trail at Devils Den is tougher too but only 16 miles in length. This is basically a 23 mile loop down and back up the mountain and then a second, separate 27 mile loop down and up the other side. Throw in some water crossings, spectacular scenery and 6,400 ft of vertical and it will be a challenging day. I am using this not so much as a focus race but more of an adventure. And on that notion I should share that this will be the first time that I will be posting via Twitter and Facebook my race progress. The plan is for all of us NWA Goats to give some updates during the race. My goal is a finish time under 11 hours. That would allow me an average pace of 13+ minutes per mile. I plan on going out very mellow (as much as 8 miles of downhill will allow) and enjoying a day out on the trails with at least 300 other runners. My focus race is still RR50 with a goal of going sub 9 hours there. The big question is which Goat will go sub 8 minute pace on the downhill and trash his quads leading to a miserable back half?

After a final tough training run this past Sunday a buddy mentioned "the hay is in the barn". For those of you uninitiated to the Southern vernacular that means what done is done and there is nothing more that a person can do to prepare for something. Now we wait and see.

The thought occurred to me... what is it that I have in the barn anyway? I decided to analyze. I went from two months of no running (post fracture) to cycling, to walking/hiking, to jogging and by late Spring I was running again. In March I cycled a little over 100 miles. There was no running. In April I rode 200+ miles and got in about 20 miles of running (120 in 2011). In May it was nearly 200 miles on two wheels and 45 miles of running (155 in 2011). Then I started back in earnest with 180 miles running in June (130 in 2011) and 190 in July (135 in 2011). I purposefully cut back in the heat of August and logged 130 miles (150 in 2011). I managed 155 miles in September (150 in 2011), 175 in October (140 in 2011) and 200+ in November (185 in 2011). 

As my mileage has gone up my average pace per mile has slowly improved. I began incorporating some "speed" work into my training. It started with strides (10-20 seconds) at 10k-5k pace during shorter runs. I also threw in some tempo runs of 6-10 miles once a week or so. And twice during the last two months I have included a week in which everything I did was fast (at least for me). During those weeks I would cut back about 30% on my total mileage but run every mile with intensity. For me that meant half marathon pace or better if on the road and sub 10 minute miles on the trails. And as always, I make an effort to finish all of my training runs with some kick over the closing mile or two.

That training block has included some monster runs in the Grand Tetons, some PRs at half mary, 25k and 50k distances, a memorable trek along the Ozark Highlands Trail, a return to Lake Wedington and plenty of good times with some good folks. Looking at the numbers I can see the work that has been done. What I like most is the consistency I have been able to get over the last few months. More than anything I believe that will pay off. Now it is taper week and my question is does 50 miles last week count as a proper taper? And that makes me feel pretty good about where things are at currently. Saturday should be interesting. I expect some highs and lows, plenty of smiles and some good stories. Hope your training is going well and that you are healthy and strong. 

Cheers!

Weekly Scoop October 1 - 7

Monday
Rest day as I required recovery from a weekend of traveling, microbrew consumption, a bevy of kids sporting events and my 25th high school reunion.

Tuesday
Blowing Springs
11 miles ~ 1,000' vertical
1h45m @ 10:12 pace
A regular Tuesday morning run with The G-Unit but the dude was feeling it today. He made me work some. Good to see a running buddy on the mend find a new gear.

Wednesday
Bentonville
6 miles ~ No vertical
47m33s @ 8:39 pace

Just wanted to blow some cobwebs off with another road effort. I plan on incorporating some road grinds into my training as I ramp up the weekly mileage totals. I find this allows my body a break from the demands of the trail and helps me feel fresher as the mileage builds. Plus I was short on discretionary time today. I dropped my wife's car at the dealer for service and ran to a lunch meeting with fellow NWA Goats. It was a kick off for our guys running the Arkansas Traveler 100 the following weekend. 

Thursday

Crystal Bridges 

8 miles ~ 600' vertical

1h16m @ 10:13 pace

Ran around the museum trails and a bit on Slaughter Pen near Cub and NE A Street. The plan was to cover some smoother trail at a slightly casual pace since I was now pacing at the Traveler in two days. 

Friday

More rest, saving the pegs and glycogen for the Traveler tomorrow.

Saturday

Ouachita National Forest - Lake Winona Area

16 miles ~ 1,200' vertical

2h50m @ 10:39 pace

The plan was to drive down and meet my runner at the midway point and pace him for 20 miles. Only he decided to run completely out of his mind and blow through that aid station more than an hour ahead of schedule and in first place overall. We caught up at the next stop and moved steadily from mile 54 through 70. Arkansas stud PoDog Vogler made the pass for the lead at mile 62 but I delivered my boy safely back into Powerline in a solid second position. Read more about the adventure in my blog. 

Sunday

Blowing Springs

11 miles ~ 1,000' vertical

1h55m @ 11:00 pace

I looked at this as a chance for a weekend double of sorts and kept things at a relaxed pace, just wanted to stay easy and move forward. It was a late night Saturday returning from Central Arkansas and I was a bit tired. Good way to end a good week. 

Totals

50 miles ~ 3,800' vertical

8h36m @ 10:21 pace

It has been a while since my last 50 mile week. Pumpkin Holler 50k is in two weeks and I feel ready to put in a solid performance there. After that I begin a focused increased in training for Lookout Mountain in December. Physically I feel good, nothing out of sorts, just a couple of normal aches here and there. I have slacked off on my diet (a bad thing) but at least I realize that and can make the needed adjustments. 

Weekly Scoop Sept 24-30

Monday 9/24

Rest day

Tuesday 9/25

Blowing Springs 10 miles

10:39 pace ~1,000' vertical

Total time 1h47m

Two laps of the big loop in opposite directions

Wednesday 9/26

Bark Park Lake BV Loop 7 miles

8:29 pace ~ Negligible vertical

Total time 59m

Dusted off the old road pegs, cool, overcast morning and I was low on time so I went kinda fast, felt great. From the Bentonville Bark Park to Lake BV, two laps and return. 

Thursday 9/27

Blowing Springs 8 miles

10:39 pace ~ 850' vertical

Total time 1h25m

Big loop and then the inside track in return. 

Friday 9/28

North Bentonville Trail 3 miles

7:39 pace ~ No vertical

Total time 22m

Really short on time, had a plane to catch in Branson at lunchtime. Fast splits. 

Saturday 9/29

Dupage Co. Main Stem Trail 8 miles

8:22 pace ~ <250' vertical

Total time 1h7m

Busy suburban multi-use trail full of folks making final preps for the Chicago Marathon. Really crisp, sunny morning, negative split the final 3 miles @ 8:05, 7:55 and 7:35. 

Weekly Totals:

36 miles in 5h41m, faster pace than normal with all the paved/flat miles and not much vertical. Have 3 weeks until PH50k and things are coming together nicely. No Sunday run or long run this week due to travel. That and an excess of beer from the Lake Bluff Brewing Co. on Saturday at my LFHS Class of 1987 reunion. 

Weekly Scoop Sept 17-23

Monday:
Off day but I did a 20 minute core routine

Tuesday:
Blowing Springs 5.25 miles @ 10:31 pace
55m total time and 500' of vertical gain

Wednesday:
Red Dirt Roads 3.5 miles @ 8:54 pace
31m total time and several short hill strides thrown in

Thursday:
Blowing Springs 5.7 miles @ 10:18 pace
59m total time and 600' vertical gain

Friday:
Off day, just rested up

Saturday:
Hobbs State Park Pigeon Roost Trail
17.5 miles @ 10:51 pace
2h58m total time and 1,900' vertical gain

Sunday:
Blowing Springs 7.5 miles @ 11:20 pace
1h25m total time and 500' vertical gain

Weekly totals:
40 miles @ 10:30 pace
7h05m total time and 3,700' ft vertical gain

I backed off the pace a bit on the hill strides mid week, hitting 10k pace instead of the 5k pace I did last week. Why? I don't foresee using 5k speed for any ultras. Gotta keep the big picture in mind. Saturday was a great run, a good confidence booster. I fueled with 3 gels and water only during a 3 hour run and my energy level was steady throughout. I did feel some fatigue creep in the last couple of miles but I had put in a tough effort so I wasn't surprised at that. I did have a Vespa before the run and a pretty good breakfast. I have been trying to eat more healthy fats (EFAs) like Udo's Oil and coconut oil. That morning I had a yogurt w/ Udo's and a slice of whole grain bread w/ coconut oil on it. The point is to determine if the increased consumption of EFAs will provide a steady energy source for long runs and help with recovery. I also employed a 25/5 run/walk ratio on the Saturday run. First time I have tried that. I wanted to see how incorporating some regular walk breaks would influence my overall pace and how I felt during and after the run. I have to admit that I like it. My overall pace stayed right in the wheelhouse and I was able to really run much of the course. In fact, I flew down most of the downhill sections. My legs felt OK the next day and I attribute that to two things, the walking and the Ultragen. I continue to be impressed with the difference the Ultragen makes in decreasing the muscle soreness after long runs. My legs may have felt OK but my glutes were another story. I walked with a purpose on my breaks Saturday and used muscles I'm not usually working. I kept the walking pace quick even on the uphill sections. So far I continue to give a thumbs up to Ultragen and ProBars (raw, vegan friendly whole food bars) and I like the new run/walk ratio. I know I will have to use that at Lookout Mountain in December.
The PF tenderness all but went away quickly. No more issues. The shin continues to have a slight twinge in it at times. I continue to regularly stretch, roll and stick any spots that need attention. I also started doing little sessions of footwork to strengthen my feet and lower leg stabilizers. The sort of stuff that ballet dancers do. It's easy and can be done while watching a movie. Hopefully this will help out. 

Weekly Scoop Sept 9-15

Not that anyone out there is truly interested in what my training is like but it helps me to put it down. That way I get a better perspective of things.

Monday 9/10

Off day. I did a core strength routine for about 20 minutes.

Tuesday 9/11

An important day for me. A day that led me back into public service for several years following the attacks in NYC. I wanted to do something out of the ordinary. So I ran 9.11 miles at a 9:11 pace. Nice.

Wednesday 9/12

Off day and another core workout.

Thursday 9/13

5 miles at Blowing Springs with 500 ft of vertical at 10:30 pace.

Friday 9/14

Off day, went for a short walk with the family after dinner.

Saturday 9/15

Hobbs State Park, GOAT run, 24 miles at a casual pace in the steady rain. Total time on the move came in at 4 hours and 59 minutes. Right at 1,800 ft of vertical gain. Ran Little Clifty, Dutton Hollow and Bashore Ridge and then Clifty again in reverse.

Sunday 9/16

5.5 mile easy, recovery run around Elm Tree Elementary neighborhood.

43.5 miles

8 hours 8 minutes

11:16 pace

After ramping things up over the previous 4 weeks the goal this week was to back off a bit. I decided to reduce mileage by about 15% from the previous week, take an extra off day and slow my pace overall. My legs feel pretty good following the long run Saturday. The lingering shin tenderness is all but gone. I have spent time daily stretching out my calves and foam rolling throughout the week. I did have a touch of PF ache sneak in during the long run and I jumped all over it that night with ice and will keep a close eye on it over the next several days. Maybe that tight shin isn't gone after all? Could the new shoes (Patagonia Tsali 2.0) be a little too flexible? Should I pick up a new pair of inserts? 

On the long run Saturday I continued with my "More is Less" experiment for my hydrating and fueling. I made sure to have a decent breakfast. I had a big piece of locally made whole grain toast with peanut butter spread on it, some yogurt with Udo's Oil mixed in and a banana and a glass of water. I downed a Vespa Junior before the run and a couple of antacids (a first for me). During I consumed a gel about every 45 minutes. I also went through a 1/2 pack of Chomps. Other than that, it was strictly water, no Sustain or S! Caps. About 60 oz of H2O total by my calculations. My energy level was noticeably steady with zero GI issues. Was it the antacids, the cooler temps (mid 60s) or the relaxed pace? Maybe some of each I suspect. Immediately after finishing I drank a bottle of Ultragen that included a scoop of greens powder. That afternoon, evening and the next day I experienced very little in the way of soreness, muscle fatigue or low energy. The experiment will continue. 

When Less is More

If you have followed my blog at all then you know that I have been on a journey to find out how far I can go in terms of "running with less". It started after reading Born to Run and like countless others I, too, wanted to run like a Raramuri. Minus the flowing skirt. I never saw myself struggling to into a pair of Vibram Five Fingers much less running in sandals or barefoot but I liked the concept. Long story short, since I already wrote in detail about this, I wanted to find how little of a shoe I could comfortably run long distances with. After a slow and methodical trail I found the Pure Grit by Brooks was a tad over the line for me. Now that I am recovered from my stress fracture what's next? Well, I read about Waterlogged by Dr. Noakes and Joe Uhan's experience at WS100 this year (read the article from iRunFar) and became interested in the fueling aspect of doing with less. I believe the human body is capable of amazing things. From phenomenal feats of strength and endurance to an unbelievable ability to heal itself. At this point in my running I know I can run 50 miles. The question then becomes not can I run 50 miles but can I do it without electrolyte supplements, a case of gels and a handful of fermented Japanese wasp saliva? And not merely cover the distance but do it relatively easily. 

So I began to experiment and devour any material I could find about the topic. Things like the different fueling systems used by the body or what to eat before different types of runs to maximize performance. My water bottles are now filled with plain water, I drink to thirst (not XX number of ounces every XX number of minutes) and I no longer carry electrolyte capsules with me on long runs. Guess what? No cramps. Not that I ever really had an issue with them but it was a question for me. Now I have an answer. Can I complete a 4 hour run with only a handful of gels? I'm still working on that one. My usual strategy had me slurping a gel every 30 minutes and some sort of solid food about every hour. What about a gel every 20 minutes or 45 minutes? Things seem to go well for me up to about 3 hours and then the stomach has taken issue with the gel only approach. That was with Gu brand gels, my longtime gel of choice. My energy level seems to be more or less there but I have experienced some pretty wicked acid reflux and fought the urge to purge a few times. Some solids seem to help, I prefer Powershots to Chomps simply due to ease of use. But the point is to get through long, tough runs on gels only. The one gel that shows some promise for a gel only approach to long runs is EFS Liquid Shot from First Endurance. I was exposed to them at the Inca Runner Camp in July up in the Tetons. Great taste (I have tried vanilla and kona), available in 5 oz flask so no little packets to open with sweaty hands (and reusable w/ the 32oz refills), no wrappers to stash and it seems to sit well in the ol' GI tract. The biggest issue I have is with finding an easy and practical way to carry the flask. I would like to find an armband type carrier to keep my hands free. I'm just trying to determine if I can find the right combination. Maybe it can work or maybe it won't. Time will tell. 

Why even try you ask? At some point a given distance becomes a known factor and perhaps some of the allure fades away. So if one is striving to improve upon that known mark there are few options. I could go longer but the 100 mile distance has yet to call upon me. I have not been struck by that arrow. What about going faster? That is definitely on the table. I could make a go at it on a tougher course, say, with more elevation. That challenge is on the radar as well. But the call I hear now is to do it with less. The way I see it, if I can eliminate 3 Vespas, 6 Stinger Waffles, 10 Gu gels and 12 S! Caps on my next 50 miler that has to be, what, like $40 plus bucks in savings. Over a few races that's enough for my UltrAspire pack or Hokas. 

The real challenge is in doing the same, or even better, with less. Training my body to become more efficient. To do this I will have to eat better when not running. And that's a good thing. It will require making my body stronger and that, too, is a good thing. In the end isn't that what runners are all about? The challenge. Whatever it is, whatever form it takes, that thing that causes you to wake up in the morning and lace the shoes up when you could stay in bed. I needed a new motivator and this was it. 

Building the Base (Again)

Three months ago, as I was tapering for RR50 and coming off my best training cycle ever, I was one of those runners that never thought about being seriously injured. Being that I exercised discretion and caution in my training. I carefully built my base, slowly progressed my long runs, stepped softly when it came to speed work and did all the stretching, rolling and so forth. Sure, I had experienced little aches and pains here and there, but nothing that a couple days of rest didn't clear up. That was before the stress fracture (styloid process fifth metatarsal) and several weeks of no running at all. 

There were the two weeks on crutches, two more weeks before easy walking (just to get around the house), then easy stationary cycling for 20 minutes for a week before graduating to actually riding a bike. But the doc said to keep my butt in the saddle. Over the next couple of weeks I did several 13-20 mile rides before I finally did some serious walking seven weeks after the diagnosis. Then the process of making the comeback began. With a single mile. That's right, I ran 1 mile. For three days and then took a rest day. Then I did 1.5 miles the same way. Then 2 miles and this weekend I did 3 miles. Next weekend I should be able to do a 5 miler. I have noticed that the base is pretty intact (for short runs) but a small hill killed my pace Saturday and left me sucking air. I have much work to do. My plan (doc approved) is to work up to three 7 mile runs before expanding things and adding a long run and some tempo work. I will continue to cycle on my off days as well as the core/strength work (for injury prevention and running economy). My routine has been to run, then cycle for about an hour before finishing with a 30 minute power hike (on hills). An added bonus is that our pool is finally open which means I can find a way to mix that into things as well. 

The fracture site is still tender to direct pressure (from the side) and I have found that some shoes work better than others. The same can be said for inserts. Superfeet are OK but Soles are a problem. The doc said I have the good fortune of having an enlarged styloid process on both feet. Supposedly a sign of higher intelligence or something. I will have to monitor and manage it as best I can. For life. To me that means doing what I can to strengthen the stabilizer muscles in my lower legs, keep my core fit and allow for recovery as needed. Another t-shirt I don't want. 

I was able to grind out a sub 24 minute 3 mile run this weekend. I am on for my first race (although I won't be setting any PRs) this Friday at the Gold Rush 5k, followed by the Joplin Memorial Half on May 19 and then the Hobbs Tail Twister 50k (trail) on June2. All of these will be a way for me to see some of my running friends and to get out and have some fun. I don't foresee and real racing until the Heritage 5k in August. It will be a happy day when I can run for an hour but that is still a few weeks away. 

On the upside, I see this as an opportunity to "re-boot" things. Starting from almost scratch I can change some things that might need changing or just to experiment. I plan on using less shoe more. Huh? By that I mean wearing things like my Brooks Pure Flow and ST Racers more in training and I'm looking forward to the new Saucony models due out in June that have lower heel/toe drops. I want to add strides and hill work and more cross training. I miss running with my buddies. This past weekend I just drove to the Square knowing I wouldn't be running with them. Just wanted to chit chat for a few minutes and make sure they remembered me. I was asked if I wanted to run the Des Moines Marathon in October. Sounds inviting but no commitment. At least not yet. Any technical trail runs are out for the near future. Likely for the remainder of the year. Gravel roads I can do but rocky terrain still hurts. 

I simply have to remind myself that patience comes first. I will build back up one block at a time. Carefully and calculated. Slowly but surely. I want to come back faster, stronger and more durable than before. 

My Training and Sept. 11th

As I mentioned previously I am in the late stages of training for the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon in October. My expectation is for a PR. Probably in the 25-30 minute range. My training has gone well and I have about 14 months of consistent running under my belt. This summer I added some twists to my training routine. I began a weekly speed workout with the Rush Running crew. In the span of a few months I have dropped my average mile split time at the track by a full minute. Mike Rush knows how to push folks. I also embraced the idea of back to back (B2B) long runs that some ultra runners use. I decided to do these in blocks of two weeks on and two weeks off. For example, my first B2B week consisted of a 17 mile road run followed by an 11 mile trail run the next day. On the following weekend I logged B2B 15 milers. I also incorporated a couple of "tempo" weeks. During these weeks I ran everything at or below race pace. Of course I cut down on my mileage for these weeks, about 20% or so. The result is feeling that I am in the best shape of my life. With the cooler weather setting I find myself having to slow myself down on training runs. With that said I think I could have followed almost any routine and improved over the last year. Why? The real key, in my mind, was being consistent. The B2B runs, speed sessions and tempo weeks are icing on the cake. The foundation is the mileage and time I spent on my feet the last 14 months. My confidence was boosted by my performance at a 5k in August at which I ran a flat 7:00 pace. On Labor Day I finished a 10k at 7:23 pace and this week, on a solo training run, I beat my best half marathon time by 1 min 18 seconds. And for those of you local that was with running Crystal Bridges twice on my course.
Tomorrow morning is my last long run before the marathon. A 22 miler with a couple of buddies. Always nice to have some company on a long one. The weather looks pretty good and we should really be able to gauge things by the outcome. I need it more mentally than physically even though I know the distance is not the issue. I still have some lingering doubts about being able to finish 26.2 strong. If I feel bad at the finish line in Minneapolis I want it to be from pushing the pace and not from the distance itself.
In closing I wanted to share a great line from an article I found at Running and Rambling about September 11th, for the full article click the link below.

Before you go for a run on September 11th, and every day after, make sure you are running toward something and not away from it. And hug your family before you go.






http://www.runningandrambling.com/2011/09/honoring-september-11th.html