Category Archives: Running

Runner’s Blog

Next up, ATX

08 Saturday Feb 2025

Posted by in Running, Ultra

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, ,

I usually train for marathons. I did for the one in that pic above. I haven’t been tracking my miles post-Bandera, but it feels like I’ve slammed on the brakes these last four weeks. Still, my weight is holding steady at 165. Ten pounds more than in college. 165 is as fit a weight I’ll ever get. I feel good.

As you can imagine, I think about the 50K of the Bandera 100K that I ran, before begging my crew to let me DNF. To not force me to run another segment. I dwell on the course when I’m running. There was a moment when my crew (Brittany Noel) lost track of me because she was planning some crew math for crewing Eric in her head.

I walked up to these people who were standing where race officials might stand. Nothing else about them indicated they might be race officials.

“How do I DNF?”

“You let me take the ankle bracelet off of you,” the lady said as she bent over and clipped the race chip off before finishing her sentence.

And just like that, I was free. I would live to run another ultra. An ultra with a trail. I’ll admit, Camp Eagle had a course. I saw some animal trails, and a few gravel roads. But a runner’s trail? There was some but you had to be looking for it.

While I’ve been training apres-Bandera, my thoughts query the neurons in my head like a dense neural network LLM on an inference cycle. Lately, the search has been on for segments of those 31 miles four weeks ago. Why did I reach the point of exhaustion halfway through?

Like anything, there is dense logic to all the contributing reasons. Top of a ranked list would be because it was my first 100K and I didn’t know what I was doing. I’d look there first. That led to running too hard, too early.

Followed by a trail I wasn’t prepared for, but out of the randomness of the weather, which just seems to be screwing everyone lately, was not the trail I signed up for. Did I just say trail? I mean course.

Then, I think it’s fair to throw gear into the fray at ranking number 3. I chose the wrong pair of shoes. I think the soles of my feet would have been less bruised with a cushy pair of Hokas. I wore my Bushida III GTX Sportivas. To show you the numbers, the Hoka Speedboat 5 has a stack height of 32mm, which is considered soft, versus the Sportiva Bushidas with a stack height of 19mm and considered firm. I won’t throw those Bushidas under the bus though. I could run in them for distances under a 50K. Their grip was unbelievable.

As I approached one rock, oh, let’s be honest, a 2 foot wall, or cliff if that term can apply to mid-thigh-level jumps. I planted my left foot on an adjacent wall of similar proportions, and half-way up, I launched my right foot over the top half of the rock I ultimately needed to climb. It had a Kung-Fu wall climbing vibe. That move alone was such a joyful athletic feat that it was worth running the entire 31 miles, so I think of that memory a lot. Back to point, those shoes had incomparable grip, but they weren’t very soft. My feet felt as if they’d walked over 31 miles of burning coals. They were toast.

More important than poor decisions on gear was that my inexperience led me to run too hard too early. I ran almost the entire distance in heart rate zones 4 and 5. Sure, that’s partly from getting caught up in the excitement of the other trail runners. The narrowness of a single-track trail, course, doesn’t allow for an easy pass and you feel trapped into running fast with runners on your back. You can’t help but keep pace with those around. That single-track trap is avoided by starting in the very back of the corral. I’ll do that next time.

My thoughts are now turning toward the Austin Marathon next Sunday. I didn’t maintain the miles, but I did a really good job retaining my bi-weekly strength and steam sauna routine. My core is still as strong if not better than last fall’s Boulder Marathon. The core can compensate for weak legs, and I don’t think my legs are necessarily any weaker. My goal for the run will be to break four hours. I was on track for that finish time last fall but let myself get low on electrolytes. I demonstrated proficiency in the hydration game on the Bandera run. That’s one of the reasons I haven’t crowed on and on about the absolute unrunability of that course. There were some wins that have me happy and that knowledge will power me through the Austin Marathon.

My other thoughts are on how I’ll run. Hard? Or easy? I’m motivated to break 4 hours and I think I’ll have to push myself a bit, maybe some heart rate zone 4 running. Maybe some zone 5 if I push the rolling hills over Enfield and W. 15th St. Not sure how I’ll run the first 3 miles up South Congress, but I plan to run strong, with gravity, down South First, for the next 3 miles.

That will average out the first 6 miles to maybe an 8 minute pace. That would be too fast for me to run the first 10K of any other marathon, but if you’re in a mood to race, and Austin usually gives me a race vibe, then you want to optimize your pace and form for a surge down South First. Whether or not I’ll maintain a strong pace will become known to me once I hit the rolling hills. Hills are really good at giving bio-feedback. If I run those strong, I might remain strong up to 20 miles. I’m too experienced to ever try predicting anything after 20 miles in a marathon, so that’s my race plan.

My marathon story below began at 16 years of age. My finish times have been slower but trending faster post-apocalypse.

Marathon History

1978    Dallas White Rock (1)          Unknown

1980    Dallas White Rock (2)          3:08

***30 years***

2010    Denver Marathon (1)            3:36 

2011    Austin Marathon (1)             4:23 

2012    Denver Marathon (2)            3:48 

2012    Boulder Marathon (1)           3:58 

2013    Steamboat Springs                4:13 

2013    Denver Marathon (3)            3:47 

2014    Austin Marathon (2)              3:45 

2014    Denver Marathon (4)             3:31

2015    Austin Marathon (3)              3:39

2015    Boulder Marathon (2)            3:30 

2015    Denver Marathon (5)             4:05 

2017    Colorado Marathon  (1)         3:42

***Apocalypse***

2021    Boulder Marathon (3)            4:35

2023    Boulder Marathon (4)            4:30

2024    Colorado Marathon (2)          4:23

2024    Boulder Marathon (5)            4:03

2025    Austin Marathon (4)               3:

Bushwhacking Bandera

17 Friday Jan 2025

Posted by in Britt&Eric, Running, Ultra

≈ Leave a comment

I bushwhacked my first 100K last weekend. Well, 50K, I DNF’d after the first 31 mile loop. It was the Bandera 100K, relocated 90 minutes west at Camp Eagle due to hard rain, a church summer camp with a lot of land on the Nueces River. I can’t think of any place on earth closer to hell than South Texas in the summer, but I suppose they make the most of the Nueces River.

That’s Eric’s race face above. What are the odds I’d be standing in a corral with my son-in-law to run a 100K ultra trail race?

I didn’t say “bushwhack” to start out this race report for nothing. There was very little runnable trail at Camp Eagle. There is considerably more runnable trail in Bandera, as I was told by several other runners on the course who’d run Bandera before. I fell once at 3 miles (Windmill A) and again at 8 miles (Windmill B). After breaking my shoulder last year training for this race, falling is sort of a nightmare for me, but these were good falls. The first fall was forward, just like the fall that broke my clavicle. But I performed the perfect roll. I ended up in a plank position with my chest sitting just above a baby cactus. That I could perform that roll was a testament to my strength training regimen. I felt good about it.

My crew was back at the Box Guest House in Bandera. The course relocation created all sorts of logistical problems. Karen, Steve, Susan, and Lucie stayed back in town with Liam and Margot.

Brittany was my official pacer but doubled up as my crew. This photo is a few hours after I finished. She was happy I survived for her formative crew/pacer CV. She was quite good at it.

This is Eric, early into the run still based on his gear, departing the Windmill aid station. The ultra started out below freezing but warmed up nicely into the 50°s. Eric ran super strong, finishing 13th overall. He had a fall too and severely sprained his thumb. We both found our trail legs though once we got going.

Brit wasn’t able to meet us at the first aid station, but the setup was pretty good. I refilled my 500ml bottle with Tailwind instead of my LMNT. And I had enough gels on me.

These guys probably wanted to pass me. I got a lot of that. These official race photos all appear on some actual trail. I can assure you, this course had very little of that. I’m disappointed the course had to be moved, but there was so much that was good about this run.

I executed my fueling and hydration plans perfectly, the best ever for a distance race, and that will help me in my future marathons. I run the Austin Marathon next month. I drank 500ml of LMNT between each aid station, or essentially every hour. LMNT has 1000mg sodium, which is the max a person should consume. I know now that I need the max. It also has 200 mg of potassium and 60mg of magnesium. There is no calcium but I consumed a calcium capsule before the run and at about 15 miles. Magnesium helps the muscles relax and calcium helps them to contract. LMNT kept me on target for all these electrolytes except for calcium. Mortal is the only drink I know of that has calcium and would be my second choice after LMNT, but I’m also going to make it a practice to supplement that nutrient with capsules. I also further supplemented my sodium with a couple of SaltStick Fast Chews every hour. Although my legs were exhausted, I had no cramping issues.

I fueled with Carbs gels. One every hour or between aid stations. It contains 50 carbs, a bit less than SIS Beta Fuel, but 200 calories which is more than SIS. My energy levels felt fine, it was the weakness in my feet, ankles and legs that led me to DNF, even though I felt strong in terms of energy.

I changed into a tank top at the Zip Road aid station and felt so much cooler. I’d waxed my legs and arms and that allowed the sweat to more easily evaporate in the wind. So my gear selections were also a win. I’d even tried acclimating to the humidity by using the steam sauna regularly at the Rec Center. Might have helped, I didn’t feel overly hot but the biggest surprise, other than the nastiness of the course, was that my heart rate was locked into mostly zone 4, followed by zone 5. I expected to run in zone 3 and I felt like I was mostly there. It must have been the effort to hop from rock to rock. I did very little actual running, it was mostly a rock hopping event.

I thought my pace was on target. My watch died after 15 miles but I was averaging a 14 minute pace, which was my goal. I think if there was a flaw in my run, it’s that 14 minutes was probably too fast for me on this course. My overall pace for the 50K I eventually completed was over 15 minutes per mile. But for me to run a 15 or 16 minute pace, I’d need to mix in some walking each mile. Maybe I will next time, although I don’t expect there to be a next time on such a difficult course.

I ran for a ways chatting to Eric’s old college coach, Karl Poetzl, who lives in Houston. It’s such a small world. He ran behind me, allowing me to clear the rocks for him, which I seemed inherently quite good at. My trailing foot would often catch a rock and flip it as my leg moved forward. It never hurt my toe, a credit to my La Sportiva Bushidas, but it was so exhausting for my thighs. I think I ran with the right shoes for this course, but hard to say if the cushion of Hokas wouldn’t have been better. I’ll continue to experiment with shoes. I’ll wear Hokas for the 3 marathons this year as those will be on paved roads. Karl completed the 100K, 8th in his 50 year old division, just under 17 hours which qualified him for the Western States 100M lottery.

Eric had a strong run. Brit and I crewed him through his last 3 aid stations, He finished 2nd in his age division and 13th overall. He didn’t care for the rocks anymore than any of us. It didn’t allow him to stretch out his legs on the downhills which is one of his strengths. If anything, runners had to slow running downhill to avoid certain death.

You’d think I’d be disappointed having to DNF in my first 100K ultra, but I was fine with it. It would have been too risky to run another loop, and really, I would have had to walk most of it and might not have made the 24 hour cutoff. Nailing my nutrition plan and the training itself were both wins. I haven’t been this fit in 9 years. I expected to also be as fast as the last time I weighed 165 pounds, but that’s not the case. I’m a half hour slower in marathons now and that’s just age. But understanding my nutritional needs for long runs is a huge win. And being paced 5 miles by Brit was a lot of fun. I got to see her foot work – she’s a good trail runner. I think I can complete the distance on an easier course and I’ll try again next year.

Not Bandera

10 Friday Jan 2025

Posted by in Running, Ultra

≈ Leave a comment

I wanted to title this post “Bandera”. It’s the Bandera 100K. But it’s not Bandera. Not anymore. The rains from Thursday forced the event to be relocated 90 minutes West at Camp Eagle, along the Nueces River near Rocksprings. Meaning, I’ll have to wake up 90 minutes earlier than planned.

It’ll be more inconvenient for my crew than me. I expect a similar course, similar hills. Similar caliche soil that might clump onto my shoes if still wet enough tomorrow. And it appears to be about 5° cooler further west. Likely because the elevation is 1000 feet higher. But it will warm up into the 50°s. I’ll begin by wearing gloves but shouldn’t need a jacket, perhaps two shirts initially. The running vest serves as a jacket of sorts.

I typically blog a post before marathons, mostly to soothe my nerves, where I predict my pace. It’s easy to predict a range based on my conditioning, but of course so many things can go wrong with long distances that guessing correctly is partly luck. I don’t have any experience at 62 miles, nor this trail, so really hard to say, but I know what I want to run. I want to run under a 14 minute pace. 16 minutes would be more realistic and that might be my overall pace, but I imagine I’ll start out running a 12 minute pace for the first 15 miles or so. It’s hard for me to run slower than that unless the hills are tougher than I expect and I find myself walking more in the first loop.

I expect plenty of walking in the second loop. I hope not too much as I really want to finish before bed time. The sun will drop around 6pm and I hope to finish before 10pm, so I’ll be using the 800 lumen headlamp my pacer and daughter, Brittany, gifted me for Christmas for a good 4 hours. I’m comfortable running in the dark with a head lamp and I’ll be running so slowly by then that it won’t be a factor. I’ve printed out the chart below, an overly optimistic projection, for Brit to crew me with.

My Apple Watch SE won’t last more than 10 hours, even in low power mode, but I’ll be using it to track my heart rate. If I can refrain from too much running in zone 4 or 5, I should be able to keep my fueling and hydration in check. Really, unless those hills are a bugger, I should be mostly running in zone 2 which is a very comfortable pace. I don’t expect to ever come close to exceeding my lactate threshold. Heart rate zones are determined by your max heart rate, which is mostly determined by your age. I’ve tailored mine with my level of conditioning using the Karvonen method, which suggests my max might be as high as 170. Experience tells me though that if I breach 170, I might be experiencing A-Fib, especially if I instantly go from below 130 to 170. Which is why I intend to track that metric. I’m also doing it to make sure my cognitive abilities are such that I can read my watch and tell Brit my heart rate if she asks. If not, I should maybe consider a DNF.

You can track my progress here: http://edsresults.com/bandera24/

Trail Spirits

03 Friday Jan 2025

Posted by in Running, training plan, Ultra

≈ 6 Comments

Sotol stands as a quiet sentinel of the desert, its long, slender leaves fanning out in a crown of green and silver. A hardy survivor of arid lands, it thrives beneath the relentless sun, its roots gripping the dry earth with tenacity. The leaves, rigid and sharp-edged, shimmer with a metallic sheen in the afternoon light, as if the plant itself were forged by the desert’s heat.

Running along the length of each leaf are rows of small, dagger-like thorns – delicate yet unforgiving. They trace the edges like the teeth of a saw, catching glimmers of light at their tips. This decoration is its defense, a silent warning to any who might venture too close. To brush against sotol carelessly is to feel the desert’s quiet bite, a reminder that even beauty here demands respect.

As the Sotol matures, its towering flower stalk reaches skyward, sometimes stretching ten feet high, crowned with clusters of pale blooms that sway in the desert wind. But below, the thorns remain, standing guard like loyal sentries, ensuring that the Sotol’s grace is not without its edge.

Oddly, Sotol isn’t a cactus, it’s a type of asparagus. The Texas type of asparagus that will take you out with its deadly thorns. I’ll run past 62 miles of them a week from now. There are many things to fear about running 62 miles. Death by a thousand cuts shouldn’t be one of them but at the Bandera 100K Ultra, the Sotol makes the rules. The Sotol is the master of the Hill Country State Natural Area. The trail is there to serve runners’ flesh to the Sotol.

I’ve tried to prepare as best I can for this challenge. Blowdown on my East Boulder Trail has added some challenge to my otherwise pedestrian trail. Its hills might mirror the Bandera trail and now I have downed trees to navigate. And I survived winds at the Boulder Res that nearly lifted me off my feet. Good prep for the Texas wind, which I expect to be a steady 10 mph. All good training prep. I completed my training today with 12 miles on the LoBo Trail. That gave me 100 miles for the week – the first time in 9 years I’ve pushed myself this hard. It feels good to know I’ve completed what I set out to do.

That statement might seem premature since I’ve yet to actually run the 100K, but with goals like this, the training is everything. A lot could go wrong next Saturday, but it won’t be from a lack of training miles, or a lack of studying nutrition, or a lack of training my body to fuel and hydrate over those hundreds of training miles. But there was one thing I’d yet to complete this morning. I still needed to pay homage to the trail spirits, and in Bandera, the God of those trail spirits is the slashing Sotol.

Turns out Sotol makes an excellent spirit in the form of distilled asparagus, 38% alcohol by volume. I had a shot tonight to mark the completion of my training and to shout out to the Sotol that guards the trails in Bandera that I’m ready. Having drunk its distilled spirits, I’ll be one with the Sotol next Saturday. I’ll be protected from its spears and destined for glory in the Texas Hill Country.

Sixty-Two at Sixty-Two

30 Monday Dec 2024

Posted by in Ellie Rose, Margot, Running, Ultra

≈ 1 Comment

I ran 70 miles last week, the first time in 9 years that I’ve run that far in a single week. Today’s 22 miler has me set to do it again this week. I’m closing out the year running strong.

I got in 3 good runs while down in Austin, twice around the lake and once on the greenbelt. It rained on me in the pic above. That warm, soft rain so typical of Texas in the winter.

The Austin Greenbelt was the perfect prep for Bandera. It’s essentially a trail along Barton Creek and there are good sections of cliffs with rocky footing like you see above.

Karen and I stayed at my favorite place in Austin, her cousin Liz’s Casa del Sol on S. 2nd and Oltorf. I can run through the Bouldin neighborhood and reach Lady Bird Lake in 1.2 miles. Here’s some of the yard art from Bouldin.

Margot Fay saw Santa everywhere she went in Austin. Like a toddler Ted Lasso, she believes.

Ellie wasn’t able to join us in Austin because of her new job as a data analyst at Dish. She won’t have PTO until March. Our darling friend Wendy invited Ellie over to spend Christmas with her and Chase.

Ellie Rose and Chase have been best friends since grade school.

These two have been besties even longer. They were the hosts with the most serving a couple dozen family members Christmas dinner. Karen’s father golfed nine holes the next day.

Most all of us are in this dinner photo. I’ll see Susan and Steve and Liam in a couple weeks in Bandera – they’re my crew. Promises were made at dinner for me to run the 2026 Austin Marathon with Chad and Laura. The other Laura.

Margo Fay again, at her grandparent’s mountain home. I’m off for a second week. My only plans are to run every day. Today included cold 25 mile-an-hour winds off the water at the Boulder Res. Just more good prep for Bandera where I’ll run 62 miles at 62 years of age. Happy New Years all y’all.

Mud, Ice & Snow

30 Saturday Nov 2024

Posted by in Running, training plan, Ultra

≈ 1 Comment

I consider the East Boulder Trail to be fairly pedestrian. The workout and any technical points come from the hills. There’s a nearly 3 mile section of hills that I run through twice, once at the start and again at the end on the return. Today’s 6 miles out, 6 miles back gave me a 6 mile flatish run in between the repeated hilly sections.

Add mud and ice and snow and this course became very technical today. It gave me the perfect 12.5 mile workout. Footfalls took thought. Such great training for Bandera.

There’s about one and a half months left before I run Bandera. My first attempt at a 100K. I feel ready.

Winter is Slipping in

24 Sunday Nov 2024

Posted by in Running

≈ 3 Comments

Winter is slipping into Boulder County. I know because I’ve been out there running in it. Twenty-three miles yesterday. Twelve today. I’m starting to wear gloves on my weekly evening runs.

There’s snow on the Indian Peaks and the air’s been wet and cold. Colorado’s most humid months are January and February – the winter. It might be less humid in Bandera for my ultra in January. Still, I’m going to keep to my steam sauna and waxing regimen. Discipline.

Around the Res

24 Sunday Nov 2024

Posted by in Running

≈ 2 Comments

My 20 mile run is to the res and back. I looped around it though yesterday for an extra 3 miles. I’m starting to run marathons for training. Please. Someone. Save me. From myself.

The cool thing about looping the res is I got onto the Boulder Backroads on the back-side. And those roads and the trail that connects back are hilly. It’s a good 3 miles to add to the workout.

The 50° weather was great for running, and apparently tolerable for the 3 rowers on the water. Boulder is slipping into winter. It feels good to get outside to enjoy it.

The Boulder Res and Back

09 Saturday Nov 2024

Posted by in Running, Ultra

≈ Leave a comment

Running in the Colorado fall is so perfect. I got in 20 miles today after 3 days of cold, wet snow. To the Boulder Res and back. I haven’t been getting in the miles lately. Daylight Savings Time was hard on me. Weekends are my time.

I don’t know if that’s a bad training plan, getting it all in during the weekend, but that’s the time I’ve got. I’m going to try harder next week to run after work in the dark with a headlamp. I probably need some practice running in the dark. My current estimated run time for Bandera is between 14 and 17 hours, in January, so I’ll be running into the night for sure. 3 hours sounds like a big range, I can usually predict my marathon times the day before within 30 minutes. But this isn’t 26 miles, it’s 62, and I’ve never run that far before.

The really cool thing is that in addition to my brother-in-law and sister-in-law crewing me, my son-in-law just registered for the race. Unless he just treats it as a training run for his next 100 miler, and really, even if he does, he’ll be competitive to win it. I’d bet on a top 3 finish.

And Brit is gonna pace me, likely in the second half. Guidelines only allow for pacers in the second half, but my age can have pacers the entire course. This was us running the Desert Rats 50K in Fruita last spring. This is gonna be a fun family affair.

Strength

03 Sunday Nov 2024

Posted by in Running

≈ Leave a comment

In my day, it was rare for coaches to think much of strength training for distance runners. But in high school, my jr and sr year coach was recently graduated from Baylor University, and was a standout lineman on their football team. Coach Wagner. So, way ahead of his time, he had us perform strength training, as in weights, twice a week. That’s Coach above in a photo with teammate Marc Jurnigan from my cross country team. Likely taken at the Texas State Meet we qualified for as a team in 1979.

You can’t look at this photo of me above and not think I was a strong looking distance runner. My senior year, my team didn’t just win the 2 mile relay (4×800) at every track meet of the season, we set the meet record for the event nearly every week. I’ve been a fan of strength training for distance runners ever since. BTW, RR was for Round Rock, not Road Runner.

Traditionally, coaches have always felt that time was more wisely spent putting in the miles for distance runners. They aren’t wrong on that. Strength training has many benefits, from staving off repetitive use injuries to contributing somewhat to endurance, but from a time perspective, a distance runner is going to benefit mostly from running the miles. It’s an aerobic activity after all. But what about ultra runners?

I don’t know if this thought is pervasive, but I’ve read enough to know that strength training is a good idea for ultra runners. You can only run so many miles in training each week. Lifting weights takes time too, but a separate routine from running can find another time in the day. And think about it, you’re not going to run any more miles each week training for an ultra than you would have for a marathon. I’m currently strength training at the Longmont Rec Center 3 times a week. 50% more than I ever did in high school or college. I’m lifting considerably less weight on my arms than I did back then, but I’m impressed with my progress on my legs. My legs are half the size currently than they were back in the day, but I’m working on them.

The pic above is of me and Doug Hall running the very first Capitol 10K in Austin in the spring of 1978. Doug died later that summer, in my arms, in a tragic car accident. I didn’t know then how traumatic that was for me, but I know now that the incredible positive influence of my high school sweetheart I paired up with the following fall probably saved my life. She was a runner too. I’ve been running ever since. I suspect this was one of those life events that burned running into my psyche. Running drives my emotions to this day like nothing else.

I didn’t beat Doug that day. I never, ever beat Doug in a race. But I kept running the Capitol 10K and improved.

I’m still running. My current goal is to complete the 62 mile course in the Bandera 100K in January. I’ve completed a couple of 50Ks at a 14 minute mile pace. I’m hoping to complete the Bandera 100K at a 14 minute pace. That’ll have me competitive with the top 3. I’m still racing. And I’m still working on my strength.

LMNT

20 Sunday Oct 2024

Posted by in Running, Ultra

≈ 3 Comments

Pronounced “element”, LMNT will be my electrolyte for the Bandera 100K. This stuff has more salt than the Dead Sea. 1000 milligrams! The 200 mg of potassium and 60 mg of magnesium are good quantities too. This will give me exactly what I need for magnesium, and possibly a bit more than I need for sodium. The potassium is a bit light but more than most anything else.

My initial plan was to consume a mix of electrolytes, three different brands. One would be heavy on sodium, the other heavy on carbs, and another a good blend. But complexity is stupid and I know I like LMNT. I’ve been running with two different mixes generally, one in each bottle, but I ran 20 miles Saturday with just LMNT and felt great. I can get my carbs from gels. Probably SIS Beta Fuel Gel but the jury is still out on that.

For variety, I’ll eat foods at the aid stations, and drink some of their Tailwind, which has a strong blend of electrolytes, one of the strongest for calcium. I have all this in a spreadsheet if you’re interested in seeing my game plan.

In Training

13 Sunday Oct 2024

Posted by in Running

≈ 2 Comments

Some runners have this attitude where they are insulted if you call them a jogger. They are a runner. I’m so much worse than that. I don’t workout, I’m in training. It’s a fantasy I enjoy, a 62-year old man’s delusion. Judge me if you want, but I’m happy.

I consider this last week to be my first official training week for the Bandera 100K. The previous week was a recovery week from the Boulder Marathon. It’s not too much of a stretch to say I’m in training, because it’s rare I ever track my miles. I think doing so leading up to the ultra will give me some confidence knowing I put in the miles. I put in 51 miles.

More importantly, I did strength training 3 days this last week. That’s a lot for me. Not every runner considers strength training important but I do, especially for my age. My goal is to continue a routine of 3 days a week up to race day in January. I have a 3 month pass at the Longmont Rec Center, mostly for their sauna but it makes sense to use their weights there too. I could join a gym but I’m a public school kind of guy. I like the rec center.

Which means I also got in 3 days in the sauna. What I’ve read on acclimating to heat and humidity is to spend 30 minute sessions 3 days a week in the sauna. That’s harder than I expected. It’s exhausting, sitting there in a steam bath. I have experience racing marathons in the Texas winter and the humidity is tough; probably harder for me coming down from the dry Colorado air. I’m hoping this works.

For the next 3 months, expect this blog to be a steady stream of ultra training reports. Oh, and that’s my new running hat in the photo.

Boulder Marathon 2024

05 Saturday Oct 2024

Posted by in Marathons, Running

≈ 6 Comments

I survived my 18th marathon. That’s how I know it’s time to run a 100K ultra. I’ve yet to DNF in a marathon. The outcome in an ultra is a bit less deterministic. I have run two 50K trail ultras but that distance isn’t much further than a marathon. I ran well, hitting my stretch goal of a 9 minute pace. No one’s more surprised than me.

Sunday’s Boulder Marathon was a good training run for January’s Bandera 100K. I kept to my fueling plan really well. I planned to consume well over 300 carbs in 4 hours, mostly from the SIS Beta Fuel gels, and I feel like I did. The good news is my stomach was fine and I felt strong the entire run, pushing myself to run much faster than my typical training pace of 10 minutes per mile. I ran under my stretch goal for the first half, averaging an 8.5 minute pace. I even maintained a strong 9 minute pace for the 3rd 10K. I didn’t really fall off pace until the final two miles when my hamstring cramped a couple of times.

I know the bucket hat looks stupid, but I got a lot of compliments on it. Function over form.

Which suggests I didn’t hydrate well enough. I don’t think I missed my sodium plan by much but it’s apparent I need more than 3,000 mg of sodium per 4 hours. I should plan to double that, which I think is still safe as long as I’m hydrating. I found it difficult to drink as much electrolytes as I did, so I might focus on eating more salt chews. Cramping caused me to lose 5 minutes and subsequently lose 1st for my age by 2 minutes, but more important is to learn from my race experience. That’s one point of races, learning where to adjust the plan.

I’m disappointed to have surrendered my first place position in the final mile, but I’m super happy with my race. I ran to plan and met my stretch goal. And learning from it for Bandera is gold. I’ve also determined I need more strength training. That mitigates cramping too. Exercises like squats, lunges, and deadlifts target the main muscle groups used in running. A strong core supports proper running form, reducing fatigue and cramping. Calves and Hamstrings are prone to cramping, so strengthening them can help. My strength isn’t weak. I target 3 days per week but generally only do strength training once a week. I’ll strive to do better for Bandera. I have 3 months.

Around mile 20 in Gunbarrel

Here are some great stats from the race if you’re into that. They show I went from 2nd to 1st for my age in mile 16 and gave it back up in the final mile. The Boulderthon does some really good things, from these superb timing stats to the best aid stations ever.

  Course  Interval  Chip Time Place  
 TimeDistanceTimePaceDistanceTimePaceOverallSexAge
Mile 1*7:17:07 AM18:328:31/mi18:328:31/mi272221M 2M60-64
Mile 27:25:36 AM217:008:29/mi18:298:28/mi272221M 2M60-64
Mile 3*7:33:54 AM325:188:25/mi18:198:18/mi261216M 2M60-64
Mile 47:42:12 AM433:378:24/mi18:198:18/mi261216M 2M60-64
Mile 57:51:07 AM542:318:30/mi18:558:54/mi257215M 2M60-64
Mile 67:59:07 AM650:318:25/mi18:018:00/mi262217M 2M60-64
Mile 78:08:15 AM759:398:31/mi19:089:07/mi261216M 2M60-64
Mile 88:16:58 AM81:08:238:32/mi18:448:43/mi266220M 2M60-64
Mile 98:26:41 AM91:18:058:40/mi19:439:42/mi274226M 2M60-64
Mile 108:34:38 AM101:26:028:36/mi17:587:57/mi274227M 2M60-64
Mile 118:44:47 AM111:36:118:44/mi110:1010:09/mi336277M 2M60-64
Mile 128:53:07 AM121:44:318:42/mi18:208:19/mi326270M 2M60-64
Mile 139:01:42 AM131:53:068:41/mi18:368:35/mi291242M 2M60-64
Mile 149:09:57 AM142:01:218:40/mi18:158:15/mi276230M 2M60-64
Mile 159:18:55 AM152:10:198:41/mi18:588:57/mi274229M 2M60-64
Mile 169:29:25 AM162:20:508:48/mi110:3110:30/mi274228M 1M60-64
Mile 179:37:40 AM172:29:058:46/mi18:168:15/mi264221M 1M60-64
Mile 189:46:13 AM182:37:378:45/mi18:338:32/mi260217M 1M60-64
Mile 199:55:17 AM192:46:418:46/mi19:049:03/mi251206M 1M60-64
Mile 2010:04:46 AM202:56:118:48/mi19:309:29/mi250206M 1M60-64
Mile 2110:15:04 AM213:06:298:52/mi110:1810:17/mi233198M 1M60-64
Mile 2210:25:00 AM223:16:248:55/mi19:569:55/mi228190M 1M60-64
Mile 2310:34:56 AM233:26:218:58/mi19:579:56/mi251203M 1M60-64
Mile 2410:44:46 AM243:36:109:00/mi19:509:49/mi245197M 1M60-64
Mile 2510:56:19 AM253:47:439:06/mi111:3311:32/mi261209M 1M60-64
Mile 26*11:09:32 AM264:00:579:16/mi113:1413:13/mi291232M 2M60-64
Mile 26.211:12:11 AM26.24:03:369:17/mi0.22:3913:13/mi291232M 2M60-64

Quarterly stats below further show I was running under my stretch goal for 3 quarters of the distance.

  Course  Interval  Chip Time Place  
 TimeDistanceTimePaceDistanceTimePaceOverallSexAge
1st Quarter*8:04:08 AM6.5555:338:28/mi6.5555:338:28/mi261216M 2M60-64
2nd Quarter*9:02:31 AM13.11:53:568:41/mi6.5558:248:54/mi276230M 2M60-64
3rd Quarter*10:01:27 AM19.652:52:518:47/mi6.5558:568:59/mi250206M 1M60-64
4th Quarter11:12:11 AM26.24:03:369:17/mi6.551:10:4510:47/mi291232M 2M60-64

After gaining a better understanding of my body’s sodium requirements, the next area of learning revolves around my max heart rate and lactate threshold. Understanding this better will facilitate my training for the ultra in January. My average heart rate during the marathon was 153. The age-based max heart rate math suggests 158 is my peak. My peak heart rate Sunday was 181, so clearly my max is somewhere above the average for my age.

I was never winded, although I started breathing heavier in the final 10K. This tells me the 150 range is well below my lactate threshold. What this also tells me is that I should start to maintain my runs in the 150 range. I generally run in the 130 range. So I need to train a bit harder. I don’t have the time to put in many more miles than I’m already running, but I can squeeze in what is called HIIT for High Intensity Interval Training. I need to challenge my lactate threshold. That will improve my endurance and performance in less miles. That’s my second lesson learned and my plan for the rest of the year.

Learning and planning. That’s what makes racing fun.

Pre-Race Jitters

28 Saturday Sep 2024

Posted by in Boulder Marathon, Running

≈ Leave a comment

This photo is of my son-in-law Eric hugging my granddaughter Margot at one of the first aid stations in this weekend’s Bear 100 Miler. This is a big weekend for big runs. My buddies Keith and Bob ran a 50K ultra in BV today.

I’m pretty comfy now, sitting in my Boulderado Hotel king-sized bed, but at 7am tomorrow morning, I’ll be lined up to run 26.2 miles. It’s hard to sleep knowing that. I’m obsessing over the thought of pushing my pace. Going out fast hurts in the end. If I do, I probably won’t be able to hold the faster-than-I-can-really-run pace beyond the half-way point; so really, it starts hurting in the middle.

I ran both the 2023 Boulder Marathon and the 2024 Colorado Marathon at a 10 minute pace. I think I can do better. Maybe a 9 minute pace. That would give me a finish time under 4 hours. I’d be really happy with myself to run that fast. I do believe I can finish in 4:30, if all goes well, which would be about the same as my previous, recent marathons. So, 4:30 is my official projection, and 4 hours even is my dream goal that I’ll fall asleep thinking is possible.

If I’m bold, I’ll start out running with the 3:45 pace group. That’s a bit under a 9 minute per mile pace and would qualify me for Boston if I could hold it. I can’t. I could probably hold it for the first 10K, maybe even the first half. Then it will get hard. Really hard because that’s what starting out too fast does. I could start out slower and the entire run would be much more comfortable, but that won’t help me train for Bandera in January. Another strategy might be to ignore the pacers and simply queue up in the D corral, which is intended for anyone running a 9 minute pace. That’s likely what I’ll do.

I feel like accelerating my body’s demand for energy might help me to test my fueling and hydration plan for the Bandera 100K. Because an ultra assumes you got in the training miles and performance comes down to fueling and hydration. And the trail spirits being in your favor. This run is just a training run for the next one. This is how a runner thinks.

The wild card will be the heat. It’s going to be a bit warmer than earlier forecasts. Plus, I haven’t been training that fast. My training runs have been around a 10 minute pace. So one could say I’m a bit delusional, and I am. It’s part of what makes me a fiction writer. I do believe I’ll be safe being able to hydrate at the 16 aid stations that carry Mortal Hydration Mango and don’t plan to carry water bottles. I plan to carry a half dozen salt chews, but the aid stations will also have SIS Beta gels which I’ll be fueling on in Bandera, so perfect practice. This marathon has the most abundant and well-stocked aid stations I’ve ever seen. I plan to take full advantage of that. Being able to stomach all the fuel and hydration is perhaps another wild card. There are porta-potties at every aid station.

You can track me here starting at 7am, Sunday morning.

Fall Racing Season

22 Sunday Sep 2024

Posted by in Boulder Marathon, Britt&Eric, Margot, Running

≈ 1 Comment

I have a new running hat – the bucket hat style of serious ultra runners. This hat alone makes me an ultra runner. The bucket hat style is brilliant, and this REI version of it worked out well in the rain this morning. I’m a happy camper. I’ll be wearing it for next Sunday’s Boulder Marathon. You can track me here, starting at 7am Mountain.

You can tell it’s fall in these photos. Some trees are turning color and the air was 49° as I launched into my 16 miler this morning.

The cool temps helped me average a 10 minute pace. I’m hoping to run a bit faster than that in the Boulder Marathon. If my son-in-law Eric has a strong performance at the Bear 100 Miler on Friday, that’ll put some pressure on me to do well. You can track Eric here on Friday.

The other reason you know it’s fall is because Margo turned 3 on Saturday. Her birthday always marks the end of summer.

Mile Zero

08 Sunday Sep 2024

Posted by in Running, Victoria BC

≈ 5 Comments

Mile 0 refers to the start of the Trans Canada Trail that begins in Victoria. I got in some really pretty miles here this past week.

I ate seafood absolutely everyday, including some great sushi in the Cook Street Village nearby.

The hotel my condo is located in is called Parkside, because it’s next to Beacon Hill Park, where I ran through countless flower beds to reach my ocean front path for my daily runs. These peacocks roam around the entire neighborhood. Headed down to the ferry now to take the slow boat back to Seattle. It was a good trip.

Dallas Road Waterfront

06 Friday Sep 2024

Posted by in Running, Victoria BC

≈ Leave a comment

This last week was a working vacation in more ways than one. I worked from our condo in Victoria B.C. And I ran every day as I’m training for the Boulder Marathon on Sept 29th.

The first photo above is me running along the Dallas Road Waterfront, and this pic immediately above is my view of it, and the Straight of Juan de Fuca, as I descend down Beacon Hill onto the coastal path.

I’ve been running further down Dallas Street than on previous visits to Victoria, giving myself a good 5 mile run. I’ve kept my pace at or under 10 minutes per mile, but the important thing is I’ve been running every day after work. This trip hasn’t interrupted my training regimen. I’ve even gotten in some strength training in my condo hotel’s gym. I’ll see if I can keep this travel fitness routine going next week as I’ll leave here Sunday for one night in Seattle, then off to STL Monday for a work trip. Hoping I can keep at it.

The Boulderthon Fueling Plan

30 Friday Aug 2024

Posted by in Boulder Marathon, Running

≈ 3 Comments

I should practice wearing my running vest in races leading up to the Bandera 100K, but I’m nothing if not a pragmatist. The 2024 Boulder Marathon has aid stations every two miles and they are stocked with really, really quality gels and hydration. A rarity. And I wear my vest plenty on my long weekend runs.

So I’m going to enjoy running naked. I’ll eat the SIS Beta Fuel gels and drink the Mortal Hydration mango electrolytes at each aid station. My fueling plan is below. Each aid station cup is about 150 ml but I’ll plan on getting an even 100 ml out of them. The water bottles in my vest are 500ml. I’ll target drinking two cups at each aid station.

Aid Station Miles – BoulderthonmlCarbs – gramsCaloriesSodium – mgPotassium – mgMagnesium – mgCalcium – mgSIS Beta Fuel Gel carbsSaltChew sodium
2.420041818060108
4.220041818060108
620041818060108802
7.620041818060108
8.620041818060108
10.220041818060108
12.320041818060108
13.420041818060108802
14.420041818060108
16.220041818060108
1720041818060108
18.420041818060108
20.420041818060108802
2220041818060108
23.720041818060108
25.320041818060108
32006428828809601601282406

It’s just so unusual for a race to offer such quality fuel. And SIS Beta gels are one of the gels I plan to consume at Bandera, so while I’m not practicing wearing my vest, I’m still eating the gels I need to test out. Not sure if I’ll drink Mortal Hydration, but this marathon will be the perfect opportunity to test that out as well.

Struts

25 Sunday Aug 2024

Posted by in Running

≈ 2 Comments

I’m so happy when I go to a rock concert. I do it sometimes once a year, at least every couple of years. I can’t explain why I don’t do it more often because I end up having the best time. I feel like a kid again, remembering my first ever concert in San Antonio when I saw Bad Company and the opening act was so much better – Cheap Trick. I went to a lot of concerts in high school and college.



I saw Struts perform at the Mission Ballroom earlier this week with my buddy, Jed. We met for beers and wings at the BrewDog because it’s a short walk from the venue. I highly recommend it for that reason alone, but the IPAs are tasty as well. I have to ding them for charging a $1 for each additional ramekin of blue cheese. I’d let that go but they were smaller than a Dominoes ramekin and only half full. I mean, seriously, blue cheese is a condiment. But go, it was good.

I’d describe Struts as glam rock – which describes the performance more than the music itself, which I’d call pop rock. Struts puts on a good show. They get the audience involved. I’ve attached a couple of videos to give you a feel for them. Go see them if you get a chance. And go to the Mission Ballroom. There’s seating if you want it and a huge floor for standing with quick access to bars galore.

It’s Time to Up the Miles

11 Sunday Aug 2024

Posted by in Running

≈ 2 Comments

The cooler temps that ended the week have been nice. I ran a really fast 10 miler Thursday, a 9:40 pace which is fast for me, and a 10 minute pace Saturday on a 15 miler. That’s also my longest run since the Colorado Marathon in May. It’s time for me to up my miles to prep for the Boulder Marathon at the end of September. And I think 15 miles is long enough but I’d like to run a couple of 20 milers before then. I could have gone for 20 today. The cooler temps really make a difference.

I learned a cool running tip while watching the women’s marathon in Paris today. Carry an ice pack in your left hand. Blood flows from the heart through your left hand before moving to the right side of your body, so you can cool your blood off early in its circulation. It could be cold in Bandera in January, but it will be humid and that’s just like heat because the sweat doesn’t evaporate effectively.

I have my hydration plan decided now for Bandera. I’ll drink 3 different mixes. One bottle of LMNT with 1000mg of sodium and one bottle of high carb/high calorie SIS Beta Fuel. I’ll drink that for the first loop. I’ll continue drinking the high carb SIS on the second loop but swap out the LMNT for high sodium (500mg) Precision Fuel. PF has a bit less electrolytes than LMNT but is still on the high end while it contains a higher dose of calories, closer to what SIS has. PF is a super good blend of high calories and high electrolytes. Swapping out LMNT for PF will give me some diversity in taste. I’ll be able to drink Tailwind at the aid stations which is another good drink and one I know I do well with.

I have a short list of gels to fuel with, that I know don’t cause me GI distress, and I’ll have a more diverse mix of those. I want to avoid super sticky gels because that really irritates me. The empty packets make a mess out of my vest and hands. SIS Beta Fuel gels and Maurten gels will be on that short list. Maybe Santa Madre, they have a hugely diverse assortment and I like their jelly bars – they’re not sticky and also not as dense as gummy bears which don’t digest easily for me. I’ll eat some natural foods at the aid stations. I’m a big fan of oranges.

I would have run on the track today but Karen and I got in a mountain trail hike instead. The air felt so good up along the Indian Peaks. We got in an hour on the Middle St. Vrain Trail. It’s an area we typically snow shoe, about 45 minutes from our house.

On the Track

04 Sunday Aug 2024

Posted by in Running

≈ 9 Comments

This is me today, running on the track. I intend to run 400 meter intervals for the month of August to improve my cadence and stride length before the Boulder Marathon at the end of September. I ran 4x400s today and I’ll add one more interval each Sunday until I reach 8, which is what I used to run in college, 8x400s.

This was me on the track in college, forty years ago. I don’t expect my stride length to get to where it was then, but a boy can dream.

My Racin’ Heart

03 Saturday Aug 2024

Posted by in Running, training plan, Ultra

≈ Leave a comment

I’m still thinking about last weekend’s getaway to Angel Fire, where the temps were so much cooler and the trails were tree covered. I gave hydration special attention today in the 90° plus temps but failed. I drank a pint of electrolytes before my run but made the error of not drinking during the run until after 3 miles. I should have started sipping immediately.

I walked half my return on a 12 miler. I depleted my liter of water early and almost called Karen to pick me up as I became nauseated. I didn’t wear a watch or my heart monitor today but I could feel my heart racing and that’s what would lead me to walk. I can’t say if it was my A-Fib kicking in without my chest strap, but it felt like it was acting up.

I’m deliberately practicing my hydration routine to prep for Bandera but clearly I have a ways to go. Hydration, meaning both water and electrolytes, is critical. You can recover from a lack of calories but you can’t recover from dehydration while continuing to run. You have to DNF. Or you should DNF. Unfortunately, dehydration impairs your decision-making and so many runners continue to run until they drop.

I recall running the Beach-to-Bay Relay Marathon in Corpus Christi in high school and college. I think I ran it 6 or 7 years in a row. One year in high school, I wandered down to the water after my leg and fell in because I was so delirious. We had to rush another runner from my team, Jessi Montez, to the hospital after he became dehydrated. My last episode with dehydration was the Desert Rats Ultra this spring. I was cramping and couldn’t maintain my balance afterwards. It was a bit embarrassing really but my friends were there to help me.

I’m grateful the air quality improved enough today after the fires to run outside. I ran most of the week indoors, on my elliptical which is sort of like running without gravity. If it’s not smoke in the air, it’s unbearable heat. It’s getting hard to be a runner anymore.

Whoop De Doo

28 Sunday Jul 2024

Posted by in Britt&Eric, Running

≈ 1 Comment

Brit and I found ourselves running the Whoop De Doo Trail in Angel Fire this morning. Technically, it’s a 3 trail loop comprised of the Whoop De Do, Elliot Barker and Ho Chi Min trails. Absolutely zero signage, so take your phone.

There’s not what I would call a trail head, but start at the end of Via Del Ray, which you pick up from behind the Lowes Grocery Store. There’s room to park on the side of the road. You could also park at Lowes, run up Deer Trail, and cross the road to Ho Chi Min to reach the loop. So many options to run in the Angel Fire Greenbelt.

It’s perhaps a moderate trail with a few hills, but nothing steep. Although it does sit at around 9,000 feet. It’s a good run. We got in an hour but you could go all day long in the greenbelt.

Fire of the Gods

27 Saturday Jul 2024

Posted by in Britt&Eric, Colorado Trail, Margot, Running, training plan, Ultra

≈ 2 Comments

Angel Fire was first named by the Utes – Fire of the Gods – after the gloriously red and orange sunsets and glow seen above the mountains at dusk and dawn. The Spanish later renamed it The Place of the Fire of the Angels. Renowned explorer and buffalo killer Kit Carson would later rename it to Angel Fire. Karen’s good friend graciously lent us her condo at the resort for the weekend. A weekend when the air quality in Colorado meant working out indoors if at all. Not only was there some visibility in New Mexico, but it was 20° cooler.

I was in Angel Fire last in 2016 to run a 24 hour relay through the ski slopes with my friends. Karen and I hiked the Greenbelt across the road from the ski slopes because they are 99% dedicated to mountain bikers during the summer. We hiked the Lady Slipper near Monte Verde Lake Friday morning. The two photos above are from that trail.

We hiked the Deer Trail Saturday morning and we saw deer.

Brit got in a trail run while Karen and I hiked.

Once we returned to the condo, Eric launched off to Taos via the South Boundary Trail for a 22 miler.

We picked him up at the El Nogal Trailhead outside of Taos after strolling around town a bit.

Eric said it was his prettiest run of the year. He only saw 3 others, mountain bikers, the entire distance.

I’ve yet to run but expect to get in a few miles tomorrow. Nothing as extreme as Eric.

The Ultra Distraction

14 Sunday Jul 2024

Posted by in Britt&Eric, Running, Ultra

≈ 1 Comment

Eric and Margo are stepping into the Animas River in this photo. They were in Telluride this weekend so Eric could pace his buddy in the Hardrock 100.

Margo Fay enjoyed the weekend’s festivities.

Eric paced his buddy Robert Panas who finished 30th in 36 hours.

Eric paced Rob 14 miles from Ouray to Animas Fork, with 6,000 feet of elevation gain, which is a lot of elevation.

They had a blast. I’m hooked on following ultras right now as I psyche myself up to run 100K next January. I can’t get enough of this stuff. I watched both Hardrock and Western States recently on YouTube. It’s been a fun distraction.