Thoughts

I realize that it has been a while since I have posted. My training has been average and I need to ramp it up as there are only 2 months left until Mountain Masochist. This weekend I am competing in an adventure race. This is something I have never done and am really looking forward to completing the 4-hour race. I will report back on how it went.

Now for some housekeeping. I have taken down my lame ultra training page. After Masochist I plan on publishing a proper guide that takes into account all my experiences in training. My knowledge about the sport is still in an infant stage, but when I originally posted the page I was a premature baby in the sport. I also plan on reviewing some of the products that I have started to rely on while running distance. The larger undertaking I want to start is a weekly post of how my training has been going. I am not just talking about miles, but how I have been feeling and what I have been thinking while wearing my running shoes.

I am giving up the artificial sweetener aspartame (also called NutraSweet). I am now looking at labels to prevent myself from ingesting it. The hardest part of this is giving up diet soda. I love diet soda and aspartame may be why. I am on day 2 right now and though I have occasionally craved a diet coke, I have felt no ill effects. I am still partaking in saccharine sweeteners for my iced tea. Saccharine has been around for over 100 years and is considered much less harmful than aspartame. I will discuss all this in a future post.

I want to dedicate a large post to the tarsal coalition condition that will serve to help others with this condition gain confidence that they can still compete. My foot has felt well the last couple of months. I have begun Chiropractic care and that seems to really help.

Sorry for the very random post, but I had a bunch of stuff on my mind.

Laurel Highlands Ultra 2008 Fact Sheet

• Temp: 60 - 70


• Weather: Rained for 12 hours straight, heavy at times


• Weight: 183 lbs. pre taper and eat week


• Health: It all feels good going in


• Trail Conditions: Course was wet before it rained, very wet and muddy afterward, my feet were wet for all but miles 19 - 23, I changed shoes at 19 and it started to pour at 23


• Injuries: I fell once - it did not hurt anything
  
  
  
  • IT Bands - Both knees hurt when running down hill in the middle miles, this went away, I took advil and did not run so much, did not hurt at all after race
  
  
  • Left Ankle - hurt from wearing hardrocks, not to bad in race unless I landed awkward on it, really hurt next day - I was on crutches until wed after race
  
  
  • Blister on the heel of right foot - hardrocks (maybe, new socks could have also caused it)
  
  
  • Feet - as beat up and sore as to be expected
  
  
  • Toenails - right big one is very black and sore, I may end up losing it soon
  
  
  • Overall soreness - very sore for 2 days, muscles felt ok after that
  
  
  • Fatigue - Very tired entire week after the race, still tired 8 days out
  
  
  
  


• Equipment - ASR4s and injini toe socks rock - I wore these for majority of the miles with soaked feet and no blisters, this is the winning combination from now on. I love this combo


• Food - Shot block every 10 minutes for the entire race - 200 cals per hour + gator and some food from aid stations


• Hydration - 2 to 3 nuuns every 8 miles, carried hpl 020 for entire race and one hand bottle for 40 miles or so, could have got buy with just hpl 020 I think and nuun


• Lights - Petzil tikka headlamp (sucked) and princeton tech led hand light (rocked

Quick Thoughts

I will be publishing a full race report soon and a report on our "Meth Watch" hotel experience Friday night! I just wanted to get these quick thoughts down for now.

• It was a perfect day. 40 - 55 degrees and sunny with litte wind


• The race ended up being 34 miles (measured with my Garmin Forrunner 305)


• I finished in 6:58 and change


• I had my best run the last 3 miles after a grinding second lap


• Chips Ahoy Cookies taste great while running


• Never stay in a Super 8 hotel


• I do not like Clif Shot sports drink


• I am now officially addicted to these races, most fun I have ever had running by far


• Only once thought "The fun level has reached an all time low!" This quote was made famous by my friend Steve during a backpacking trip


• Middle age women can kick my butt

I could go on forever with my list here, but I will save the details for the next few posts. Hopefully I will have some time tonight to complete my race report, hotel report, and a "what I ate" entry.

T - 1

It is not Friday and tonight we are off to a hotel near the race. I have to check in at 6AM. I got a lot of sleep last night and feel great today. There is a flu going around work, but so far I have managed to avoid it. I have enjoyed eating Kraft Macaroni and Cheese last night and today. I am going to eat pretty heavy today early and then light tonight. This is something new I am going to try. I feel pretty sluggish on most race days I have experienced so far, maybe this will help. The weather is looking so so. The high for the day is 40 with a start temp of 32. Ideally it would be 45 to 55. I will have to make a decision on what to wear and weather or not I should carry both bottles.

Wish me luck. More after the race....