Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Race Report 2009

I knew in the back of my mind that sooner or later I would have my first DNF. Going into MMT I was 6 for 6, but I had never attempted a 100 miler and certainly had never faced a beast of a course like MMT. I was confident going into the race, or at least I thought I was. My wife confided to me after the race that she had a bad feeling going into it because when I talked about MMT I would always say I would give it "my best shot" and "if I finish". I guess subconsciously I had given myself an out if it got to hard out there.



My longest race going in was Laurel Highlands in 2008. I gutted it out and did not quit when it hurt bad and I was mentally drained. I thought that experience would prepare me for MMT, but was wrong in that assumption. If I can describe MMT as another sporting event it would be a heavy weight fight. This course just keeps coming after you, body blow after body blow after body blow and then finally a hay-maker meant to knock you out. The experienced fighter/runner survives the hay-maker and suffers through the night to the hope that Sunday morning's sunrise must bring. My hay-maker came in Duncan Hollow on my way from 211 back to Gap Creek/Jawbone II.

My MMT story begins back in 2008 on the Laurel Highlands course somewhere around mile marker 32. I was really down at this point and an older gentleman caught me and I muster the strength to keep up with him. We talked and I learned that he worked the Edinburg Aid Station at MMT. He said it was a hard long slugfest of a race and not to run it. Of course I took this as a challenge. After a few miles I was feeling better and moved out past this man, never to see him again. I wish I would remember his name to thank him for helping me get to the start of MMT.

Week of Running April 13 - 19 - pre Promise Land 50K

Back on track! I ran 65 miles this week, including a tempo interval session and a interval speed session. The highlight of my training was a  great 23 mile run at First Landing State park. It was a great day to run and I put forth a worthy effort, taking a few short walk breaks not because I had to, but to ensure I slowed down and not burn my legs out one week before a race. My original plan was 80 miles this week, but sometimes commitments get in the way of training. Not hitting my mile goal was not because I was tired.

Next Saturday I will compete in the Promise Land 50k. I have run 4 different ultras (5 total) in my short career, but regard this one as a favorite, maybe only second to Masochist. Here are some reasons for running promise land:

• Location - Everyone camps in a big field at a youth camp - with a bond fire Friday night who could ask for anything better
• Food -  Runners pitch in for Pizza Friday Night and Race Director David Horton and his family put on a huge cookout after the finish (fruit salad, burger and hotdogs with Mountain Dew!)
• Terrain - Nice mix of it here - a little dirt road running, a lot of grassy fire road running, some single track, and of course some river crossings
• Elevation - Tons of climb and descent - better warn your quads they are in for a nasty day
• Scenery - Good all around, apple orchard falls is as beautiful as the trail is steep
• Ending - A 2 mile run down the steepest gravel road you will ever encounter (you run up this bad boy to start the race)

Stats

• Weekly Mileage: 65
• Month To Date: 125
• 3 week average: 52

Week Of Running April 6 - 12 2009

Tired week....  I had 2 exams this week and was up late studying most nights. This left me tired and not mentally or physically prepaired to run like I wanted too. This was all topped off on Saturday when I slept through my alarm and managed a meager 13 miles at First Landing before running out of time. The first 5 was horrible as I walked a bunch. I had some caffeine and felt much better and ran pretty hard the last 8 back to the car. At least I salvaged it a little bit.

Speaking of caffeine, there was an interesting article in the New York Times about its performance enhancing abilities. I have been tracking my caffeine input prior to some key workouts (long runs, tempo intervals, and speed intervals) to determine how it effects my pace and level of effort. I have also been tracking the weather, time of day, and monitoring my heart during the interval workouts. I have turned my training into a science report. Once I gather some data I will discuss how caffeine MAY effect my performance and level of effort.

Stats

• Weekly Mileage: 46


• Month To Date: 60


• 3 week average: 45

Week of Running March 30 - April 5 2009

Disappointing Lazy Slacker Tired Injured Un-Motivated - These words and more can all be used to describe this week of running. First off I was really hoping to just run an easy 40 miles this week. It had been a planned easy week to allow my body to recover some before I make the final push to MMT. I should be fully recovered after this week where I ran a total of 17 miles and walked 1 mile. 4 of those miles were very slow recovery runs early in the week. Then I just bonked and did not run for 3 days in a row. I have not taken 3 days off since after Mountain Masochist last November. The rest of the miles were done on a spirited 12 miler Sunday afternoon. I ran hard in the middle 10 miles and was pretty sore the next day.

The race is now less than 6 weeks away and I have 4 big mile weeks planned up until the taper 2 weeks out. Wish me luck, not only in running but getting my mind wrapped around training and the challenge of mmt.

Stats

• Weekly Mileage: 18


• Month To Date: 14


• 3 week average: 51

Week of Running March 23 - 29 2009

We are now less than 7 weeks away from MMT and I am excited. Running has been great and this week was highlited by a 38+ mile run on the MMT course on Saturday. I also enjoyed a great hike on Sunday in Shenandoah National Park with my friends. I covered around 70 miles this week, the most miles I have run any week except for Laurel Highlands Week last year. My foot was sore after the run and hike, but it is now feeling better. I wore the new Montrail 09 Hardrock for the run and they worked out great. I will be posting a full review on this shoe soon.

• Weekly Mileage: 70


• Month To Date: ~250


• 3 week average: 49

The Importance of Quick Aid Station Stops

Check out this clip dealing with the Ultramarathon culture and the importance of getting in and out of Aid Stations fast. MMT Race Director Stan Duobinis even talks about how it is one of the aid station captains main jobs to get runners out fast. The race director and aid station captains goal is to have no runner be pulled from the race because of the cutoff time.  A race like MMT has 16 aid stations, so the time can add up fast. It is normally my goal to be in and out in less than 2 minutes, unless I need medical or equipment attention.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqKc3FOeJ78

Week of Running March 16-22 2009

There are 7 weeks and 5 days left until the Massanutten Mountain Trail 100. I just had one of my best ever weeks of training. I am feeling strong and like I am rounding into ultramarathon shape. My week was highlited by a 24 mile run on the trails Saturday afternoon. I ran/walked a total of 65 miles this week, which I believe is the most mileage I have completed in a week except for last June when I finished the Laurel Highlands Ultra. I also had a great tempo workout and many medium length runs this week.

Now it is time to step it up even more. This week I have planned a 73 mile week, highlited by a tempo run, an interval session, and a 40+ mile long run over the weekend. I am also hoping to get some good hiking in on Sunday. This will be a really nice change of pace from the usuall running all weekend I have been doing.

• Weekly Mileage: 65


• Month to date: 175


• Year to date: 443


• 3 week average: 58

Massanutten Mountain Trail 100 (Pain or Pleasure?)

Since my last post (last year) I have won the lottery. Maybe I should be more specific and say I won the pain lottery. I have gained entry to the Massanutten Mountain Trail 100 (MMT). Lucky for me! I have been training pretty steady now and have loggeg 40, 50, 60, and hopefully 65 miles per weeks in the last month. I feel pretty strong going into this race. I also ran Holday Lake in February almost an hour faster than last years time. I really fell apart in the second lap, but I also did not have the mileage in to finish it strong. I believe that the mileage is coming and will be there by MMT.  I will run Promise Land 50k 3 weeks before MMT. This will be my larges mileage week in training and then the taper will begin.

I will be posting more on MMT in the weeks to come.

2009 Plans

Today I officially started my 2009 season training. I signed up for the Massanutten Mountain Trail 100 (MMT) lottery. As it stands right now I have a greater than 50% chance of getting into the race and not being placed on the waiting list. Since I have never attempted this race before and never put my name into the lottery there is little chance I would move off the waiting list if I am not picked outright. The backup plan is to go and run Laurel Highlands Ultra again.

If I get into MMT I am going to try and put together a Laurel Highlands relay team and run it that way. Anyone interested?

I will likely run Holiday Lake and Promise Land in preparation for my bigger race. This will give me a benchmark on my condition as I can compare times on these courses.

Tomorrow at 4 PM I will know if I get into MMT. Wish me luck!