tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79682177301647233372024-03-19T04:50:20.997-07:00Searching for the TrailUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-81231913374458955652023-11-15T07:44:00.000-08:002023-11-16T07:06:41.146-08:00Pace Calculator<head>
<meta name="description" content="Use our running pace calculator to easily figure out your running pace. Whether you're a beginner or experienced runner, find your ideal pace for optimal performance.">
</head>
<h1>Running Pace Calculator</h1>
<p>Calculate your running pace with our easy-to-use pace calculator. Whether you're training for a marathon or just going for a jog, our tool can help you find the perfect pace.</p><head>
<meta charset="UTF-8"></meta>
<meta content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" name="viewport"></meta>
<title>Pace Calculator</title>
<style>
body {
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
text-align: center;
margin: 20px;
}
label {
display: block;
margin: 10px 0;
}
input {
padding: 8px;
width: 100%;
box-sizing: border-box;
}
button {
padding: 10px;
background-color: #4CAF50;
color: white;
border: none;
cursor: pointer;
}
button:hover {
background-color: #45a049;
}
#result {
font-size: 18px;
margin-top: 20px;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h2>Pace Calculator</h2>
<label for="distance">Distance (in miles or kilometers):</label>
<input id="distance" placeholder="Enter distance" required="" type="text" />
<label for="time">Time (in HH:MM:SS format):</label>
<input id="time" placeholder="Enter time" required="" type="text" />
<label for="pace">Pace (in min/mile or min/km):</label>
<input id="pace" placeholder="Result" readonly="" type="text" />
<button onclick="calculatePace()">Calculate Pace</button>
<div id="result"></div>
<script>
function calculatePace() {
var distanceInput = document.getElementById("distance").value;
var timeInput = document.getElementById("time").value;
// Check if either distance or time is empty
if (!distanceInput || !timeInput) {
alert("Please enter both distance and time.");
return;
}
// Parse inputs
var distance = parseFloat(distanceInput);
var timeArray = timeInput.split(":");
var timeInSeconds = parseInt(timeArray[0]) * 3600 + parseInt(timeArray[1]) * 60 + parseInt(timeArray[2]);
// Calculate pace
var paceInSeconds = timeInSeconds / distance;
var paceMinutes = Math.floor(paceInSeconds / 60);
var paceSeconds = Math.round(paceInSeconds % 60);
// Display result
var resultElement = document.getElementById("result");
resultElement.innerHTML = "Your pace is: " + paceMinutes + " min " + paceSeconds + " sec per mile (or km).";
}
</script>
</body>
</html>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-62648184500782343572017-09-07T13:20:00.001-07:002017-09-07T13:20:07.068-07:00Race Report: 2017 MD Heat Race 50K - Third Time's A Charm!This past August, I participated in my third MD Heat Race located in Patapsco Park, just outside of Baltimore. I was hoping to use the confidence gained on the course last year (I took 68 minutes of my previous year's time), as well as a solid block of training to finish top-three and under five hours. Fortunately, despite a rough start, I was able to accomplish both goals, with the added cherry on top of securing my first overall win! Below is a SUPER quick recap!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxvVlofW-2C0GABUzGUmkNwBQvvi0bv1xhDlGqtoEbST9SDJRNeWrV3mTyAv1vrbPHA2b1SmHd_qqFe1J0IR3qRg3TWVQ3fKJ8rZsL6HZI3v8EVzmOBhgkld-s_uuenRMelVJeAQ5rt2i/s1600/IMG_0068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxvVlofW-2C0GABUzGUmkNwBQvvi0bv1xhDlGqtoEbST9SDJRNeWrV3mTyAv1vrbPHA2b1SmHd_qqFe1J0IR3qRg3TWVQ3fKJ8rZsL6HZI3v8EVzmOBhgkld-s_uuenRMelVJeAQ5rt2i/s320/IMG_0068.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<u>Quick Stats</u>:<br />
<b>Total Time</b>: 4:51:50<br />
<b>Total Distance</b>: 31 miles (50K)<br />
<b>Place</b>: 1st Place Overall<br />
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Gear:<br />
<b>Shoes</b>:Nike Kiger 3<br />
<b>Shorts</b>: Rabbit Quadzilla<br />
<b>Shirt</b>: RAD Rabbit Technical<br />
<b>Socks</b>: Random Bargain Bin Socks<br />
<b>Nutrition</b>: Tailwind, vFuel, Coke, Water, Ice<br />
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<u>Pre-Race, Start, and First Lap</u><br />
As soon as I woke up, my tummy was already yelling at me. I knew this was a bad sign - I often have stomach issues during ultras, so the fact that this was starting before I left the house wasn't great. Woof. I did my best to settle my stomach and try and hit the bathroom, remain calm, and just hope it would get better. Unfortunately, it zapped my focus and excitement, and I quickly switched my mindset to one of "I just want to get this thing over with."<br />
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After one last pit stop, I headed to the open field where the race starts. When the clock hit 7AM, the RD lead us around a field (to thin out the crowd), and then onto the start of the single track, about a quarter of a mile after the start. I did my best to stay up with him so I didn't get stuck behind a conga line, which I was able to do. I broke ahead with another runner, and tried to keep gaining distance in front of the chase pack, while at the same time not moving too fast.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uaPBXWZw-A5w0Bvh04a-40tp2RAtFq61QTWG9hAG3qa1sE-ORkosfVwrUFZPeQR5OiYW6H_2lTz-tc7bXt1agJBovi9qDzrSZ_fW8yB6kwxt4ATB_RWCEeEH7bb0Oo9Z6w-0ZCR72fAs/s1600/IMG_0064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1461" data-original-width="1600" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uaPBXWZw-A5w0Bvh04a-40tp2RAtFq61QTWG9hAG3qa1sE-ORkosfVwrUFZPeQR5OiYW6H_2lTz-tc7bXt1agJBovi9qDzrSZ_fW8yB6kwxt4ATB_RWCEeEH7bb0Oo9Z6w-0ZCR72fAs/s400/IMG_0064.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chasing Nick the RD!</td></tr>
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This was OK for a while, but then my stomach was just really making me uncomfortable. Rather than panic, I reminded myself that racing doesn't f-ing matter, and that if I slowed down, I'd feel better, and would still have fun. So, that's what I did for the first 11 or so miles, until I had to make another emergency pit stop. I thought that was either a sign that I was going to be doing that all day, or the last wave of whatever was going on was over. Thankfully, it was the latter - I felt AWESOME after my pit stop, and came into the start/finish at mile 16 with a big smile and excitement to crush the second half!<br />
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<u>Second Lap</u><br />
The pit stop put me in second place, but after about 20 minutes or so of controlled running, I caught back up to 1st, and we ran together for a while. It wasn't a crazy pace, which was fine because I was still on target for a sub-5 finish, and was thinking more about when to strategically make a move. I was doing fairly well overall, but the heat was starting to get to me (not nearly as bad as last year, but still 78-80 with a ton of humidity). Oh, and the miles of rocky, rooty terrain were starting to beat up my legs.<br />
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I kept pushing together with the other runner, and eventually he started to fall back a bit. For a few miles I thought he was just a few feet behind me, so I kept pushing, all with a big smile on my face, and a deep, deep desire to be at the finish line! I blew through the final aid station on the way back, and kept focused on keeping a decent pace until the end!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd9LOyU9BpUKY8PO7HebowZdD12L-ycDWMrNSAOQlDHfvTpR5HGjsnPNM1l3xIOVHRMlirlY6dX3Ve3CFRDbUSa1Ir2lbLeg2Jw26L7xiLMR6vCxppCnnNu1NuX8_FRgRc9_i2qgfS_vnv/s1600/IMG_0077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="952" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd9LOyU9BpUKY8PO7HebowZdD12L-ycDWMrNSAOQlDHfvTpR5HGjsnPNM1l3xIOVHRMlirlY6dX3Ve3CFRDbUSa1Ir2lbLeg2Jw26L7xiLMR6vCxppCnnNu1NuX8_FRgRc9_i2qgfS_vnv/s400/IMG_0077.JPG" width="315" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So happy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was so exciting to cross as the first finisher, which of course was made even better by the awesome spread of food and wide-selection of beers at the end.<br />
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<u>The Course</u><br />
For anyone considering this race, it's a great, challenging race that is well supported with amazing air and wonderful volunteers. There's about 4K of vert for the 50K, but that's over a lot of technical terrain. I always feel like if this course were just a little smoother, I could run 30-40 minutes faster. There are just too many sections where you're kicking your way through fields of rocks that really slow you down. The same is true for several descents - there's a strong desire to bomb down hills, but you end up being slowed by the technical terrain.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb899ULdJFMaFMdQRkvgPawSwYedAzlk5qmGCLrLD6PLBZRisQM7d4FDZrQ0pxZLV6M4vnyhxq_9DInVYnjx37BuBBvYbwKUtAe3uFVsiF2W_6FO-BlutDomrRkYw1HW7v51E2t9S1_vEG/s1600/MD+Heat+Race.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="214" data-original-width="868" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb899ULdJFMaFMdQRkvgPawSwYedAzlk5qmGCLrLD6PLBZRisQM7d4FDZrQ0pxZLV6M4vnyhxq_9DInVYnjx37BuBBvYbwKUtAe3uFVsiF2W_6FO-BlutDomrRkYw1HW7v51E2t9S1_vEG/s400/MD+Heat+Race.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-85381525075984298662017-08-14T10:56:00.000-07:002017-08-14T11:00:12.061-07:00Race Report: 2017 Endless Summer 6-Hour Run - Back from Injury!<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;">It's been a long journey to get back to regular, healthy running since my injury nonsense earlier this year, but I'm back! After a decent training block, I hopped into the Endless Summer 6-Hour Run in Annapolis, Maryland. I decided to do this race because (a) I wanted a long 'supported' training run, (b) it was a good excuse to work on getting better in the heat, and (c) since it was a timed event, I thought it would be a good way to ease back into ultra racing. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">Overall, the race probably went as well as it could have, but that's not to say it wasn't really tough. The temperature and humidity made for a long, difficult day of racing. While I struggled a lot near the end of the race, I was able to maintain my early lead and secure first place male overall, just half a mile behind the overall female winner! Below is a quick recap - I kept it short because it wasn't the most interesting race or day in the world! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAkeXqv3DzC9ozMzyGLh_Hg-_ZF-_zJE6pCNTyWSs8QlRtuBD_j0gupNsC8i9V1uUlGJeGGqx-U-8WG4CTMD-QbkMcUm2zS4Erx5BYA_8kzlAqSKSbrlKEWRFrH_Xl95vGEkfw_fkYxdu/s1600/Weather+Alert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1221" data-original-width="1235" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAkeXqv3DzC9ozMzyGLh_Hg-_ZF-_zJE6pCNTyWSs8QlRtuBD_j0gupNsC8i9V1uUlGJeGGqx-U-8WG4CTMD-QbkMcUm2zS4Erx5BYA_8kzlAqSKSbrlKEWRFrH_Xl95vGEkfw_fkYxdu/s320/Weather+Alert.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woke up to this</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">Quick Stats:</span><br />
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<b>Total Time</b>: 6:00:00</div>
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<b>Total Distance</b>: 39.43 Miles</div>
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<b>Place</b>: 2nd Place Overall, 1st Place GP, 1st Place AG</div>
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<b>Gear</b>: </div>
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<ul style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Shoes: Altra One 2.5</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Shorts: <a href="https://www.runinrabbit.com/collections/mens-bottoms/products/quadzilla-dressblues" target="_blank">Rabbit Quadzilla</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Shirt: RAD Rabbit Technical</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Socks: Random Bargain Bin Socks</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Nutrition: <a href="https://www.tailwindnutrition.com/" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Tailwind</a>, vFuel, Coke, Water, Ice, Sour Patch Kids</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">A couple of general notes for those reading this who are planning to run the race. They use a chip system to track distance, place, and lap splits. You pass two different checkpoints throughout the race so they can ensure you are on course, and to help with the final calculations. Once the race is nearing the six hour mark, you grab a flag with you bib number, and place it in the ground next to where you finish when the time is up. They then add that distance to what the chip measured. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">One cool thing about the chip system is that it was connected to a big monitor at the start of the loop. This allowed you to check you stats in real-time. At first I really liked it, but since I started in first, I grew more and more concerned about maintaining my position as the day went on! Tough mental game, for sure. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">Finally, even thought it was only a four mile loop, they had two aid stations because of the heat. The second aid station was at the half-way point, and they had water, ice, and a hose to spray people down - it was awesome!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><b>First 3 Hours</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">The race took place on a four mile loop in Quiet Waters Park. We toed the line at 730, and most were already starting to sweat before the run. I had planned to go out near the front, but made sure to monitor my effort as to not get my heart rate up too high. I ended up running the first lap with a former professional triathlete, and we both were the first to come back to the start line. After a quick stop for some ice and a new bottle of Tailwind, I headed back out on my own so I could control the pace a little better. </span><br />
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The next couple of laps were nothing too special - just tried to keep moving at a decent pace, while doing my best to stay cool and keep the calories moving. The temperature kept climbing, and I could easily see from the chip-linked monitor that I was slowing with each lap. At the start of each loop, I took in a lot of water, filled my hat and shirt with ice, grabbed a new bottle, and took off. The ice really did help, but only for so long.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwK0KDxKxtfkprQWi92aZWBgMKnpy8-XafmWqhW_D3Mlb5Pk1y0jUyu1CVRN03OsJ4nsFyyqHqV2gd03LpnlGskxMfdmWGrfvMNuFboJgtWekU2qRFIIkjKC9FGAfyp0ET7Rt-NL66xblM/s1600/ES6Hour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="731" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwK0KDxKxtfkprQWi92aZWBgMKnpy8-XafmWqhW_D3Mlb5Pk1y0jUyu1CVRN03OsJ4nsFyyqHqV2gd03LpnlGskxMfdmWGrfvMNuFboJgtWekU2qRFIIkjKC9FGAfyp0ET7Rt-NL66xblM/s320/ES6Hour.jpg" width="203" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: Denise Hyde</td></tr>
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<b>Last 3 Hours and Finish</b><br />
The heat really, really began to take its toll. I was doing my best to keep moving, but was needing more time at each aid station to get lots of water and ice. I kept using every trick I had, including getting sprayed by a hose at the second aid station! I also tried to incorporate mindfulness as much as I could - focusing on my breath, legs, and the various sensations I was experience, all while trying to not judge.<br />
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As I marched closer and closer to the six hour mark, I found myself slowing down, just hoping time would move faster. I really wanted to hold onto the win, but I just couldn't push myself any more. I kept checking my watch, but each time it seemed as if only a few seconds had past.<br />
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Like most races, though, I just stayed focused, and reminded myself that (a) I chose to do this, (b) I knew it was going to be hard, and (c) despite seeming like it wouldn't, the race would end! And sure enough, as I entered my last lap, I moved halfway around the loop, and finally heard that air horn I'd been waiting for! I set my flag in the ground, and then took a seat before heading back.<br />
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Since I was halfway into the loop, I had to walk about a mile back (it was a four mile loop, but there was a shortcut through the middle). As I began to walk, my breathing became labored, and I was getting dizzy. Another runner was walking with me, but I had to tell him to move on because I had to sit down. I honestly thought I was going to have to give in and get medical help, but I figured if I could just make it to the start/finish, I could get some ice and chill out a bit.<br />
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Eventually, after about four stops, I made it back, got my ice, and sat until I could breathe a little better. I then headed to my car, changed my clothes, and went to the award ceremony where I promptly stuffed my face!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCASjpG68S7uUmSKzWA8dUfT6GvGRyYQc70gl9pL6ICR5UU45V6fwUKUu-ECzvARvh06odgs6uc2t-hIpscKHG404acCffIaZ-loUlsLtE9ryNA3DfoHsrqnvrLWEe43VLhB9LVqeXE4C_/s1600/IMG_3766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCASjpG68S7uUmSKzWA8dUfT6GvGRyYQc70gl9pL6ICR5UU45V6fwUKUu-ECzvARvh06odgs6uc2t-hIpscKHG404acCffIaZ-loUlsLtE9ryNA3DfoHsrqnvrLWEe43VLhB9LVqeXE4C_/s320/IMG_3766.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWGIPLFfUvKRm34ffep96ac0ByubmpZmGvLOtURKHHrhrKaz2r9147qdVRDA9vmGig_0yfyWPeCSGtJuF-4pAz2JIOQ3pXi5oFp1SEPWMOxMyIBgYC7wKMuVektZpv2H0kskG1HBtORsV/s1600/IMG_3772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWGIPLFfUvKRm34ffep96ac0ByubmpZmGvLOtURKHHrhrKaz2r9147qdVRDA9vmGig_0yfyWPeCSGtJuF-4pAz2JIOQ3pXi5oFp1SEPWMOxMyIBgYC7wKMuVektZpv2H0kskG1HBtORsV/s320/IMG_3772.JPG" width="180" /></a></div>
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Next up - MD Heat Race 50K in Patapsco Park!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-64507371073456488412017-03-09T06:13:00.001-08:002017-03-09T06:13:24.374-08:00Data Visualizations: The Western States 100-Mile Endurance RunSince I'm starting to see more and more "<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/seeyouinsquaw?lang=en" target="_blank">#seeyouinsquaw</a>" comments around the internet, I thought I'd use a bit of downtime to play around with some of the data available on <a href="http://www.wser.org/">www.wser.org</a>. Let me know if there's anything else you want to see! I want to get more into results and such, but didn't have THAT much free time.<br />
<br />
And, no, I'm not running it this year...<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">2017 Entrants List Data Visualizations</span></b></div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><u>Where in the World?</u> </b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Most of the competitors are from the US, but we still have a lot of friends coming from overseas!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwh1RfJV5PH3jVm0_ERm9p1UA2w9LSJVfU9dl9vdj0Zvh_pAC0G52mHQz5K8i-WQZrQjhmriafA6XRlsOJRtVVIWcJCziPbt2T3_z_o7PKYtlvNYdhftX_fAmA2YdyaaJKsCJYjPFEBLnO/s1600/Participant+List+Bubbles.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwh1RfJV5PH3jVm0_ERm9p1UA2w9LSJVfU9dl9vdj0Zvh_pAC0G52mHQz5K8i-WQZrQjhmriafA6XRlsOJRtVVIWcJCziPbt2T3_z_o7PKYtlvNYdhftX_fAmA2YdyaaJKsCJYjPFEBLnO/s400/Participant+List+Bubbles.PNG" width="335" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not surprisingly, most are from the States</td></tr>
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If we exclude the USA, here's what we're looking at. Canada and Great Britain have a strong showing this year!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRq9eLt0BPhjEuVpUMXXm6Q9Acf_1y-tyaL-wMfIZzk7fuozp9utr5m9gW1vOWBQdm11eno4y1qvw1Zf3ZuqHCjg2MwLUKwaG7Yam8Q9ZO_3WG_vKWBtsqrZPirOCm4NgJTpiwiKMqbMT/s1600/Participants+List+Bubbles+NO+USA.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRq9eLt0BPhjEuVpUMXXm6Q9Acf_1y-tyaL-wMfIZzk7fuozp9utr5m9gW1vOWBQdm11eno4y1qvw1Zf3ZuqHCjg2MwLUKwaG7Yam8Q9ZO_3WG_vKWBtsqrZPirOCm4NgJTpiwiKMqbMT/s400/Participants+List+Bubbles+NO+USA.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Prefer squares instead of circles? No worries (again, without the US):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XEHrFZouTCNFZXjGEbhthc7mudCm59yXa3Khcg7BYtfWObK7UGes_HuSe3vBQaHZAyERdzbKs9jenQINtxZWjtSgvBjN4Dd8fRKZsYAddGdVvF3PYdJ_YSLdUYZblN49vBtlBXyZjbtH/s1600/Participant+List+Country+Squares.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XEHrFZouTCNFZXjGEbhthc7mudCm59yXa3Khcg7BYtfWObK7UGes_HuSe3vBQaHZAyERdzbKs9jenQINtxZWjtSgvBjN4Dd8fRKZsYAddGdVvF3PYdJ_YSLdUYZblN49vBtlBXyZjbtH/s400/Participant+List+Country+Squares.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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How about a map?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqB0rOz6DWz5LiRcXtX7SSQWTycpHb5iIQAVB4PXCTMjNqQo4diY3HpGU2dXY4yNmJWfajVIU7XKsGKw3hJVclLAJFacvkPH2KTzHo_zn6iiEEQkIe3WlI5p8F7WplZHumzHSFr637DzD/s1600/Participant+List+Map.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqB0rOz6DWz5LiRcXtX7SSQWTycpHb5iIQAVB4PXCTMjNqQo4diY3HpGU2dXY4yNmJWfajVIU7XKsGKw3hJVclLAJFacvkPH2KTzHo_zn6iiEEQkIe3WlI5p8F7WplZHumzHSFr637DzD/s400/Participant+List+Map.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div>
<b><u>Where in the US?</u></b></div>
<div>
Ok, let's pull the US competitors back in. Where are they coming from? Seems like a nice mix all over the country this year (although, some great states are not represented):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMDb1z_4zUGelLqiOPPSKa_DhOUEL1YJLq2H94-nM-SayBb6PdA45kuVHB_ZxB7OxxxQ9WDdMW7a2TwcwNFxs3izg7n5wBvYMwJnWHtkIgpoEbGZMJ5okf8u1ioN3TzNUHTPFyzyzRI7F/s1600/US+Competitors+-+Map.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMDb1z_4zUGelLqiOPPSKa_DhOUEL1YJLq2H94-nM-SayBb6PdA45kuVHB_ZxB7OxxxQ9WDdMW7a2TwcwNFxs3izg7n5wBvYMwJnWHtkIgpoEbGZMJ5okf8u1ioN3TzNUHTPFyzyzRI7F/s400/US+Competitors+-+Map.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Within the US, California has the most runners at 79, followed by Colorado and Oregon with 18 and 14, respectively. After that, it's pretty even across the other states.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ODxlKYtdQtvjEPSS3P68l-DboIpEAfYH2wnTVyQil8YbWZT0fPjOy6b8VzCjoS_iJS6-ZCaq09Mz9R8r3c24u5q_knzZSQ-F1h5Jt9Up30wXeH2X2E8_IpsZG5AP0GW9Y6udqvyclqeO/s1600/Participant+List+Squares+by+State.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ODxlKYtdQtvjEPSS3P68l-DboIpEAfYH2wnTVyQil8YbWZT0fPjOy6b8VzCjoS_iJS6-ZCaq09Mz9R8r3c24u5q_knzZSQ-F1h5Jt9Up30wXeH2X2E8_IpsZG5AP0GW9Y6udqvyclqeO/s400/Participant+List+Squares+by+State.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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This helps show the distribution a little better:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcyv0A9cGJN6gdYBN_LoendTVujH_8oN11sn9IHNg8-RgvPNwjClyyCgTIlntsXqQB4ycH1eUjZI5fE_WnmH1Pq1stqd01L3q6Z81W00njcBIpDUDqi4Jm6_A09fnEf3LDrisy5xshRie7/s1600/Participant+List+Bar.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcyv0A9cGJN6gdYBN_LoendTVujH_8oN11sn9IHNg8-RgvPNwjClyyCgTIlntsXqQB4ycH1eUjZI5fE_WnmH1Pq1stqd01L3q6Z81W00njcBIpDUDqi4Jm6_A09fnEf3LDrisy5xshRie7/s400/Participant+List+Bar.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div>
<b><u>How'd they get in?</u></b><br />
In addition to demographics, I looked at the entry type for each runner. As you can see, most people got in with one, two, or eight tickets...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBAI5WvGi8mY68hRzY33HWNg9MGN5VOy2UZW6yaGBmRb-JzvAahuQG2IoLQYDJpkPJSUTbitvvdFekyIWLQTkcflcQIfajyecdAspL9Ygc5I_Qge1VeR3RVqikMjQpRhV3dQXnKD-rBav/s1600/Participant+List+Entry+Type+Squares.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBAI5WvGi8mY68hRzY33HWNg9MGN5VOy2UZW6yaGBmRb-JzvAahuQG2IoLQYDJpkPJSUTbitvvdFekyIWLQTkcflcQIfajyecdAspL9Ygc5I_Qge1VeR3RVqikMjQpRhV3dQXnKD-rBav/s400/Participant+List+Entry+Type+Squares.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Let's check the bubble view...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzspMDdWIzw3JR0cN3TcWZ-47drMWbwsBQ7iiQTXI3fchTbbM-stVTCZ5MmMwG_mjWFLZ7DyIRQ5vXkuiHuf5Iv06-sL85htUOpPalbMKrwdEn-nO5PmErtSfJ3csyrafH4PTExrC1kO0/s1600/Participant+List+Entry+Type+Bubbles.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzspMDdWIzw3JR0cN3TcWZ-47drMWbwsBQ7iiQTXI3fchTbbM-stVTCZ5MmMwG_mjWFLZ7DyIRQ5vXkuiHuf5Iv06-sL85htUOpPalbMKrwdEn-nO5PmErtSfJ3csyrafH4PTExrC1kO0/s320/Participant+List+Entry+Type+Bubbles.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><u>How old are they?</u></b><br />
Youngest: 18<br />
Oldest: 73<br />
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<i>By Category (the interesting ones)</i><br />
Quinquagenarian: 65<br />
Sexagenarian: 7<br />
Septuagenarian: 3<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXr1lNSJ_j85b539g2CJ0IsOMrTEcCO1Fb1OZZfQ6xMR8K0x7o3eqE8t5iumY_nQ7D5NjIwDakTUkAOK4oQbQKQR_h5mJBNJ0DdIUTm8II62zUxOBHXZ76jJ5LFsMJwMybDw9Yi8AuU6S/s1600/Age+Filtered+by+Entrants.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXr1lNSJ_j85b539g2CJ0IsOMrTEcCO1Fb1OZZfQ6xMR8K0x7o3eqE8t5iumY_nQ7D5NjIwDakTUkAOK4oQbQKQR_h5mJBNJ0DdIUTm8II62zUxOBHXZ76jJ5LFsMJwMybDw9Yi8AuU6S/s400/Age+Filtered+by+Entrants.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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So there you have it - some visuals using the entrants data for the 2017 Western States Endurance run. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-11760613294065827072017-02-26T06:48:00.000-08:002017-04-18T12:08:27.987-07:00Race Report: 2017 Mid-Maryland Ultra 50KMy first back-to-back race experience! Exactly one week after the Icy-8, I decided to challenge myself by running another Ultra, which happened to be the Mid-Maryland 50K. I knew it was going to be tough, but I wanted to push myself and see how my body would respond. Overall, I think I executed well, and am really happy with my time and place. Below is a quick recap.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">Quick Stats:</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">
<b>Total Time</b>: 3:57:57</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">
<b>Total Distance</b>: 31.1 Miles</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">
<b>Place</b>: 2nd Place Overall, 2nd Place AG</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">
<b>Gear</b>: </div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<ul style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-style: normal; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="border: none; color: #333333; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Shoes: Nike Zoom Terra Kiger</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333;">Shorts: </span><span style="color: #333333;">North Face</span></li>
<li style="border: none; color: #333333; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Shirt: North Face/Salomon Elevate Jacket</li>
<li style="border: none; color: #333333; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Socks: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HH32KOQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Smartwool PhD</a></li>
<li style="color: #333333;">Nutrition: <a href="https://www.tailwindnutrition.com/" target="_blank">Tailwind</a></li>
</ul>
<div style="font-style: normal;">
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<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><i>Event Overview</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">The Mid-Maryland Ultra 50K is put on by <a href="http://www.bullseyerunning.com/" target="_blank">Bullseye Running</a>, and consists of five 10K loops. The event hosts both relay teams and ultrarunners, which makes for a fun environment! We were well supported, and the course was well marked - in fact, I think it was the most well marked course I've ever raced! The RD/volunteers marked most of the trail with white paint (or whatever it was), and had ample signage at major turns. As a person who often goes off course, I was confident I could run solo for an entire lap without getting lost!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOPfV5h6HljwgEt4162-39alizTJ_HplFejk3aftfdKTxvFAIdLyU8Std9ad3bN-RxPvj4wvRykZe224QYmQByh4VEpbbg5NUQBcwTYEIiiXh_KjfTg7__vY-2rGRM6Fjlg326S_tXQ4A/s1600/IMG_2260+%2528Edited%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOPfV5h6HljwgEt4162-39alizTJ_HplFejk3aftfdKTxvFAIdLyU8Std9ad3bN-RxPvj4wvRykZe224QYmQByh4VEpbbg5NUQBcwTYEIiiXh_KjfTg7__vY-2rGRM6Fjlg326S_tXQ4A/s320/IMG_2260+%2528Edited%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SWAG and Gear</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Start and First Lap</i></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">Although I had raced 50 miles the week before, part of this challenge was to really go for it. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">When I got to the finish line minutes before the race started (we took our time in the AM), I spotted my buddy Dan. We had raced together a few months prior at the MD Heat Race, not far from where we toed the line. I knew he was a strong runner, and with my tired legs, I told myself not to get caught up trying to race with him at the start.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">Of course, I didn't really follow my advice, and ran the first couple of miles way too fast (it didn't help that there were relay people also running). After seeing my heart rate slowly rise into an unsustainable level, I said goodbye to Dan and focused on running consistently. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><i>Second and Third Laps</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">Unlike a lot of the other 50Ks I've done, this course really enabled me to get into a groove. This was partly because there were not any major climbs, and also part because the course was so well-marked. I could focus completely on trying to maintain a steady pace, without worrying about getting lost or slowing down during big climbs. </span></span><br />
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Although I was feeling the previous weekend's run, I still maintained about a 7:35 pace for the first three laps. I knew it was fast, but I felt I could maintain it. Plus, my awesome wife was there to hand me a fresh bottle of Tailwind at the start/finish area, so I didn't waste any time or lose my momentum after each lap. I think that proved to be critical in helping me go sub-4 hours!<br />
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<i>Fourth Lap</i><br />
I can't say I was looking forward to the last two loops, but I gained some extra motivation when I saw the third place runner just barely ahead of me once we entered lap four. I tried to keep him in sight, but I could tell he was slowing down. So, for about two miles, I ran right behind him, not wanting to pass because I didn't quite feel strong enough.<br />
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About halfway through the fourth, I decided to make my move - I passed, said 'good job', and then hammered the best I could to get out of view.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTTsvM6cgqOfoKa4TiOPFAaXa5hdQ_bkWZTg3wdOecThAf3j3yEo0nYUKTiFgamwYnUedeF6MQc1tC9TNG6JgFEQcxHk8UW5VaC2NHoACimPjztNYZ2112VZUTkHqXETPdmCqo9ogM34z/s1600/IMG_2292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTTsvM6cgqOfoKa4TiOPFAaXa5hdQ_bkWZTg3wdOecThAf3j3yEo0nYUKTiFgamwYnUedeF6MQc1tC9TNG6JgFEQcxHk8UW5VaC2NHoACimPjztNYZ2112VZUTkHqXETPdmCqo9ogM34z/s320/IMG_2292.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My wife managed to grab a shot of me right after I passed 2nd place!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>Last Lap</i><br />
I started the lap with third place right on my tail, and first place no where in sight. That was ok - I know Dan is a strong runner, and my hips were going BONKERS. They had totally tightened up on me, and my pace seemed to slow more and more with each step. I stayed focused, and reminded myself that it was worth the effort to get that second place. So, I kept pushing.<br />
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As I moved through the course, I lost any idea of how much time I had on third place, until I got to one of the few hills on the course. From there, I could see a large section of the course, and third was not in sight. I knew this meant I had at least 1-2 minutes, so I kept going.<br />
<br />
Like most ultras, the last few miles were tough - I felt like the end just kept getting further and further away! However, with the encouragement of other runners, and a intense desire to be done with the race, I pushed on and snagged my sub-4 hour 2nd place 50K!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-45162832521024743292017-02-15T09:16:00.001-08:002017-02-15T09:23:00.735-08:00Race Report: 2017 Icy-8 UltramarathonOn February 4th, I headed to Lake Anna State Park in Virginia for the Icy-8 race put on by <a href="https://athletic-equation.com/" target="_blank">Athletic Equation, Inc</a>. For this race, there are two events - the 8-hour open that allows runners to choose between two loops (an 8 mile and a 4.7 mile), and the "Groundhog Day", where runners have to stick to one loop in one direction the entire day. I took part in the 8-hour open.<br />
<br />
I decided to participate in this event because it was far enough away from my injury, and not too close to my main Spring race (Bel Monte). My goal from the start was 50 miles, and a top-five finish, which I knew wouldn't be easy! And, like most ultras, it wasn't. However, I was really pleased with my ability to overcome some serious negativity and self-doubt after the 50K mark to push toward 50 miles and a 3rd place finish! A quick recap is below.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">Quick Stats:</span><br />
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<b>Total Time</b>: 7 Hours 30 Minutes(ish)</div>
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<b>Total Distance</b>: 50.8 Miles</div>
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<b>Place</b>: 3rd Place Overall, 2nd Place AG</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">
<b>Gear</b>: </div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<ul style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Shoes: Hoka One One Challenger ATR 2 and Topo M-Runventure</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Shorts: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Saucony-Mens-Run-Lux-Short/dp/B00E1YI3LO" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Saucony Men's Run Lux III Short</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Shirt: Generic Wool Longsleeve and Salomon Elevate Jacket</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Socks: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HH32KOQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Smartwool PhD</a></li>
<li>Nutrition: Tailwind, Coke, Candy, and Quesadilla</li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><i>Start of the Race - First Loop</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">I went out with the front pack and quickly made running buddies with about 4 other guys. They had all done the event before, so I was keen to get their perspectives on the strategy and different routes and such. I knew one of the runners was going to be a contender for the win, but the course record holder, who was signed up, had not been seen. As we got to the split between long and short, three went short, and another runner (John) and I took the long loop. He had made a compelling case for doing four eight mile loops, and four 4.7 mile loops, so that became my plan.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">The trail was pretty smooth, and the weather wasn't too cold. There were a couple of baby climbs, but nothing crazy. I was pretty confident if all went well that I could get to 50 miles. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><i>Second - Fourth Loops</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">I moved out of the aid station quickly, having prepared several bottles of Tailwind for me to grab easily. As I headed out on the second loop, I finally saw the course record holder, who eventually passed us about halfway through the loop. However, I didn't let him get too far...we ended up yo-yo-ing for a while, until he eventually gained some ground and I lost him. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBR5DfYg95R3ZIZqHzo5UrW-XZTnfGeWBT0oHSSVcitzdvAtkGXYIOZ22ZbRdoOEOi22MedXa_wBSUHqxbHv08ITDIyxahVQmoD1ZRmuqMatdA50NuqkiGKiso2G_-_kdLS0X1c8xIO41/s1600/Icy+8+Elevation.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="58" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBR5DfYg95R3ZIZqHzo5UrW-XZTnfGeWBT0oHSSVcitzdvAtkGXYIOZ22ZbRdoOEOi22MedXa_wBSUHqxbHv08ITDIyxahVQmoD1ZRmuqMatdA50NuqkiGKiso2G_-_kdLS0X1c8xIO41/s400/Icy+8+Elevation.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elevation - Just Baby Climbs!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><br />The next couple of loops were pretty average, but once I hit the 32 mile mark, I was running solo, and the pain started to really creep in. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><i>Remaining Short Loops</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">I took a bit more time at the aid station after my last big loop, in part because I had to change my shoes. My Hokas were starting to bother me a bit since they were just a touch too narrow. I switched to the Topos, and then took off. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">As I was running, the self-doubt and bargaining began. Since I was alone and had no idea where I was in the overall field (because people can take different loops in different directions, you have no idea what place you are in), and I was running by myself, I began to change my goals. Instead of 50, I decided just over 40 would be good. Instead of top-5, top-10 would be a successful day. This continued until my second short loop, when I realized I had more than enough time to get two loops in for 50 miles on the day. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghK-CPge2XMz7c1VtDDrKWp_txSAFiFJLNg-bGdnVEbofedbYKSLtlzGm_hXZFffkch9WGhBBRlakVJI7AcdxqUIqn45Tix3L6VgCMulKX1bRq5cX0KU4Uu8GjxpBzyUBxddd9KUJBu9rC/s1600/Icy+8+Map.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghK-CPge2XMz7c1VtDDrKWp_txSAFiFJLNg-bGdnVEbofedbYKSLtlzGm_hXZFffkch9WGhBBRlakVJI7AcdxqUIqn45Tix3L6VgCMulKX1bRq5cX0KU4Uu8GjxpBzyUBxddd9KUJBu9rC/s400/Icy+8+Map.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">I sucked it up, and I pushed. I was breathing hard, and people started to look at me weird. I felt like my second to last lap needed to be fast so I could have enough money in the bank to make it to 50 miles. So I pushed, and I pushed, and I made it back to the start with over an hour to spare (the last couple loops had been about 45 minutes). I knew at that point as long as a kept a slow jog (and even some walking, which I hadn't been doing), that I could make it to 50. </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">As I got to the second half of the loop, it felt like it was never going to end, but that seems to be the case with most loop courses I run. Nevertheless, I eventually got to the start, and was beyond excited to hit the 50 mile mark in under 7 hours and 30 minutes! I had set not only a 50K PR, but also a 50 mile PR as well!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">Overall, the race was a good time. It was incredible that we were able to run in 45 degree weather on Feb. 8th, but that's just the way this winter has been. I think if it had been really cold, I might have had a tougher time getting the miles in - who knows? The aid was great, volunteers were friendly, RD was organized, and competitors were fun. I'd definitely go back to this event as an early season long training run!</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-51457660327254246952016-10-21T06:15:00.003-07:002017-01-02T13:41:00.953-08:00Race Report: 2016 Flagstaff to Grand Canyong Stagecoach 100 2 Person Relay<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;">Last month, I had an awesome opportunity to spend a long weekend in Arizona running and enjoying the outdoors with my best bud. We ran the <a href="http://www.aztrail.org/ultrarun/" target="_blank">Stagecoach 100 2-Person</a> relay, and were the first to cross the finish line in 17+ hours. I ran the first 54, and my friend took us home for the last 46. Here's my <b>quick </b>recap!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">Quick Stats:</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">
<b>Total Time</b>: 9:24 (17:12:49 for full 100 miles)</div>
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<b>Total Distance</b>: 54 Miles</div>
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<b>Place</b>: 1st Place, 2-Person Relay Division</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">
<b>Gear</b>: </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<ul style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Shoes: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011KDDI7M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Nike Zoom Kiger 3</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Shorts: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Saucony-Mens-Run-Lux-Short/dp/B00E1YI3LO" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Saucony Men's Run Lux III Short</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Shirt: DC Capital Striders Tech Shirt</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Socks: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HH32KOQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Smartwool PhD</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Nutrition: Tailwind, Coke, Candy, and Chips</li>
</ul>
<div style="font-size: 14.85px;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><i>Arrival in Flagstaff</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">We grabbed the rental car from Phoenix and headed up to Flagstaff, dropped our stuff off, and knocked out an easy shakeout run in Buffalo Park. I was excited to get back there after last summer's experience at the Rob Krar Ultra Camp, and to test the lungs in the altitude. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisC8S7vVR0Bj_puXrFKK4cI10-Ik2HSc7ywHJI9U27wWiAu35bxZLuqA3WrPCr4YqeWvI9AJW6Hm6z5UPWXIGqBNCAiUlFBX5kvj9r9dB0W70sGAgYyAcrUPbqhDF24CR-X9ExS3sx3GKC/s1600/IMG_1676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisC8S7vVR0Bj_puXrFKK4cI10-Ik2HSc7ywHJI9U27wWiAu35bxZLuqA3WrPCr4YqeWvI9AJW6Hm6z5UPWXIGqBNCAiUlFBX5kvj9r9dB0W70sGAgYyAcrUPbqhDF24CR-X9ExS3sx3GKC/s320/IMG_1676.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">After the shakeout, we ran some errands and headed to a friend's house (who was also a volunteer at Rob's camp last summer) who kindly cooked us dinner and had a little gathering. The food was amazing, and the company was fun. It was a great way to start the long weekend. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><i>Start of the Race - 55K Mark</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">There's something comforting about toeing the start line of a race put on by such an ultra legend like Ian Torrence. I had confidence that the course marking would be solid, aid would be great, and volunteers would be on point...which was definitely the case!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">The race started at 8:10AM, which was awesome since I was on East Cost time. I started with the plan to take the first hour easy as I got sense for the altitude (we climbed to about 8K feet in the first few miles), and then hammer the later miles, which was a net downhill. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">I was able to keep to this plan for the first 50K (around 5 hours), but then I started to slow way down. The downhill and hard dirt roads really crushed my legs. I was quite surprised by how early the fatigue set in - it was either my low training volume, or the result of hammering a little too hard early on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">The 55K mark was the next big aid station where I was greeted by my relay partner. I spent a couple extra minutes at this aid station re-adjusting my pack, taking in calories, and chatting with my buddy to take my mind off the pain. I had 20 miles left, and had to get my head in the game!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite sections!</td></tr>
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<i style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">The Last 20 Miles</i><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">The theme of the last 20 is pain, solo running, and what seemed like endless stretches of dirt road. The long, straight trails made it one of the more difficult ultras I've run from a mental stand point. Not a ton of climbing or technicality, just...long and straight. I had to use a lot of mantras and singing to get me going!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">At about mile 49, I started to experience I really sharp pain in my left hip. It wasn't quite bad enough to make me stop or walk, but I did have to massively alter my stride, which of course put pressure in other weird spots. With the pain and weird stride, plus no finish in sight, I started to get a little bummed out, and worried I was going to be a lot later than I had planned. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">I kept moving, but when I realized I had 3-4 miles left (my watch had been a little off), I decided to call my relay partner and let him know I was going to be at least an hour...I was moving so slow, and the sun was slowly starting to go down! As I was talking to him, there was a slight bend in the road, and at the end of that bend was the most beautiful sight I had seen in hours - the aid station! I hung up the phone and ran as fast as I could to the finish. I was SO. HAPPY. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris, my relay partner, ready to bring us home!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><i>Finishing the Race</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">It took me a long time to get the car out from where the relay exchange was located, but once we were out of the ranch, it was a close drive to where we ended up staying for the night. I checked into the hotel, grabbed some food, and watched some college football until I decided to mosey over to the finish. I was able to figure out that my relay partner would be coming in around 1am, so I went back, watched TV, and then headed back to see him finish. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">He had a great race and we were super pumped to be the first 2-man relay team to finish. We ended up walking back to the hotel (very close to the finish), having a late-night beer, and then passing out. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">The next day we were actually up fairly early, so we headed to the finish for our awards, and then over the the Grand Canyon for some sightseeing. It was a great weekend!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><i>Training Leading Up</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">September was my worst month this year in terms of total time, mileage, and ascent. This had me a little worried heading into the race, but I had to remind myself that I had just run a solid 50K 4 weeks before, and was feeling very healthy and rested. I also couldn't beat myself up because it just wasn't in the cards - I needed to recover from the MD Heat Race, and work/work travel dominated my waking hours. Ultimately, I got it done, and was happy to be healthy for the first part, but definitely think I could have benefited from a little more volume. That said, there's really nothing I could have done about it (except be sleep-deprived, which I refuse), so there's not point dwelling!</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-86124208931483289022016-09-01T06:11:00.000-07:002016-10-01T15:17:38.856-07:00Race Report: 2016 MD Heat Race 50KLast Saturday, I headed up to <a href="http://dnr2.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/central/patapsco.aspx" target="_blank">Patapsco State Park</a> for the <a href="http://www.mdheatrace.com/" target="_blank">Maryland Heat Race</a> 50K. The race consists of two, 15.5 mile loops with almost <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/691130437/overview" target="_blank">4,000 feet of total vert</a> (there's also a 25K option, which is a very popular distance for this great event!). I'm really glad I got to attend again - the RD does such a good job, and the event is super fun.<br />
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Below is my quick recap of the race - feel free to comment with any feedback or questions!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">Quick Stats:</span><br />
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<b>Total Time</b>: 5:00:12</div>
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<b>Total Distance</b>: 31 Miles</div>
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<b>Place</b>: 3rd Overall, 3rd AG</div>
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<b>Gear</b>: </div>
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<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Shoes: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011KDDI7M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">Nike Zoom Kiger 3</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Shorts: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Saucony-Mens-Run-Lux-Short/dp/B00E1YI3LO" target="_blank">Saucony Men's Run Lux III Short</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Shirt: Buckeye Trail 50K Technical Shirt</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Socks: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HH32KOQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">Smartwool PhD</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Nutrition: Tailwind, Nuun, Coke, Swedish Fish, and PB&J</li>
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<i>Before the Race</i></div>
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Despite it being a fun, local run that I was using for 'training', I felt the need to take it seriously. After my debacle at the JIM, I lost a lot of confidence, and have become very frustrated with how hard a time I've been having in the heat. All week I remained focused on my nutrition, sleep, and mental state. I really believed that I not only <i>needed</i> to do well, but that I <i>could</i> do well. It worked!</div>
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<i>The First Loop</i></div>
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The goal was to run the first mile hard so I could get in front of the pack before most of the single track, and continue to hammer...within reason. Normally, I like to be more conservative, but with the problems I've been having in the heat this summer, I knew I had to push it while the temperature was still somewhat cool. Of course, I knew hammering the hills and descents on the first loop would have consequence, but I felt it was worth it given my expectation of how the heat would slow me down. This was my plan early in the week, and I think it worked. </div>
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After the first quarter of a mile, there were five of us in the lead, but the front guy was quickly breaking off. I heard from one of the runners that the leader was Michael Daiguean, who I had <a href="http://ultrarunnerpodcast.com/michael-daigeaun-interview/" target="_blank">heard of before</a>, and knew he was pretty much a lock to win. The second place runner was my buddy Dan from DC (we drove up together), who is objectively a much faster, stronger runner than me, so I also felt that he was a lock for finishing ahead of me. After that, I didn't know much about the other two guys in our pack of five, but felt good hanging with them.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile 24ish - Hill was steeper than it looks!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">Eventually, 1st and 2nd were gone, and it was just me and my new friend Dan (different Dan), cruising along the course. I knew we were moving fast, but as much as I wanted to slow down, I kept thinking about how hot and humid it was going to be later, and kept going. Dan and I ran together for the entire first loop, making great conversation and working together. This is honestly one of my favorite things about this sport!</span></div>
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<i>The Second Loop</i></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">
Dan got ahead of me about two miles before the end of the first loop, which was fine by me - I just couldn't keep up! When I got to the start/finish aid station, I saw him there, we chatted, and then he headed out. I had to make a quick bathroom pit stop, and then hammered the first mile of the second loop. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">
As expected, the heat killed me. I slowed WAY down. I pushed where I could, but I was just SO HOT, and so uncomfortable. Seeing more and more 25K runners helped because I had more human interaction, and they were so encouraging. But, it was still tough. I eventually caught back up to Dan, who at that point was having some cramping issues. We ran together for a while, but he eventually had to drop back because of the cramps.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOn9QRss0F-cJDVuCtXEdBw2NG1zT5mgw-p_CuE37JDVbDRkMctL1rejFqQhqmuoIILAj6LbJA3YA5VXIPlfzweJrw2xnGE03mqMxiemMDojg7_2nnxfBWGW77YwuEbV9b7REugjPv8OKl/s1600/MD+Heat+Race+Profile.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="87" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOn9QRss0F-cJDVuCtXEdBw2NG1zT5mgw-p_CuE37JDVbDRkMctL1rejFqQhqmuoIILAj6LbJA3YA5VXIPlfzweJrw2xnGE03mqMxiemMDojg7_2nnxfBWGW77YwuEbV9b7REugjPv8OKl/s400/MD+Heat+Race+Profile.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not flat, but not too crazy. A little hard to get a rhythm, though.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">
<span style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">I did the best I could in the heat - hiking where I needed, hammering downs, and trying to stay hydrated. By mile 27, I was really ready to be done, but I did my best to block out the negative thoughts. I eventually hit the mile 28 aid station where I saw some friends from my local running club, and that was a really great morale booster! Such great people! I chugged some water and Tailwind, and then headed out (I took a hard tumble trying to cross a small mud bridge immediately after, but fortunately did not hit any rocks or roots). </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCpZc41kEMGYQoNkDO9u6E9oGrYQ3XpS4Qs862cZV3pWhdh-WckQPwll-J8EXmTpMEkf35GelPZ0tXcSEBSrWX4zKjM4gknjPRylyq8FUEiV6SzdjENSirnLNFnGo0cwPhYG7SYbLOaAji/s1600/MD+Heat+Race+50K+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCpZc41kEMGYQoNkDO9u6E9oGrYQ3XpS4Qs862cZV3pWhdh-WckQPwll-J8EXmTpMEkf35GelPZ0tXcSEBSrWX4zKjM4gknjPRylyq8FUEiV6SzdjENSirnLNFnGo0cwPhYG7SYbLOaAji/s320/MD+Heat+Race+50K+2016.jpg" width="187" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I look better than I feel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">
With a 5K left, I tried to stay focused, and just kept plugging away. Eventually, the finish line was in sight, I kicked as much as I could, and finished a full 68 minutes ahead of last year's time, and in 3rd place behind two amazing runners! The best part? As soon as I finished, a little girl gave me an ice towel and ice pop - it was the best! </div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_2dBQwxg5CmXesVZUvD5vrcmZBCXZu2hkj7I2qIblsFOz5Tg3mYKJbUUSsy7wH4KHrSFfojmxwmkcIiDUeG_VBu024470XVrbX5dlaOC97w8P-mZW2gU4Xy7jBI56nLa_hb1jpaPHfFRT/s1600/IMG_1532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_2dBQwxg5CmXesVZUvD5vrcmZBCXZu2hkj7I2qIblsFOz5Tg3mYKJbUUSsy7wH4KHrSFfojmxwmkcIiDUeG_VBu024470XVrbX5dlaOC97w8P-mZW2gU4Xy7jBI56nLa_hb1jpaPHfFRT/s320/IMG_1532.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dan and me after finishing - he finished 2nd in 4:48!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">
<i>Lessons Learned - The Positive</i></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">I LOVE the Nike Zoom Kigers. Feels so good to find a shoe that works.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">My mindset, even during the week, is critical for executing on race day. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">A strategy is key in helping me be successful, despite my weaknesses. For this race, it meant a massive positive split, but without that first fast loop, I'd have finished way later!</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">Nutrition remains crucial. I did a good job with hydration and calories, despite not wanted to consume anything. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">Confidence is back, and I'm ready to rock <a href="http://www.aztrail.org/ultrarun/" target="_blank">Stagecoach 100 Relay</a> (in cooler temps!)</span></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;"><i>Lessons Learned - The Negative</i></span></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">I'm still so terrible in the heat. Amazingly bad. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">I really need to focus on hip, core, quad, and lower back strength. Like, really. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">I need to climb more. And more, and more, and more. Living in a pretty flat city can't be an excuse...that's what repeats are for. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">More mental training.</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-73668324992197790352016-08-24T06:14:00.003-07:002016-08-24T06:14:41.438-07:00Training Update: MD Heat Race, Stagecoach 100, and Stone Mill 50I'm starting to get back into a groove after a slow summer. This is pretty common, as I usually take it easy in the summer with all the heat and travel. This summer was a bit more 'meh' than usual, I think just feeling like I was in a little bit of a funk, especially the last couple of weeks after the Jarmans Invitational Marathon.<br />
<br />
Looking ahead, here's why I've got on the calendar:<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.mdheatrace.com/" target="_blank">MD Heat Race</a></b> - I ran this really under-trained last year, and it was actually kind of painful. This year I'm heading back a little more fit, but not by much. It will be good to get my butt kicked by the heat again, and to have a solid run before Stagecoach 100 Relay.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.aztrail.org/ultrarun/" target="_blank">Stagecoach 100 Relay</a></b> - This race is a month away (September 24) in Arizona, and I'm super excited to get to travel for another race. I'm taking the first 55 miles, and my best buddy from growing up is taking the second half. It should be a fun time.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.stone-mill-50-mile.org/" target="_blank">Stone Mill 50</a></b> - This is a local DC race that's close to where I live, and I got a free entry! I have heard mixed things about it, but I'm excited because it's one of those local races I'd like to check off the list.<br />
<br />
My August is hopefully setting my up nicely for the fall. So far, I'm at 176 miles and about 20,000 feet of climbing, which isn't too bad for DC. It's already better than my June, and I still have some days left!<br />
<br />
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<span id="goog_253425127"></span><span id="goog_253425128"></span>I'm also thinking about possibly adding Devil Dogs 100 to the calendar, but we'll see how things go.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-62248592889597135182016-08-17T08:34:00.001-07:002016-08-17T08:34:22.892-07:00Running Experience: Helping a Stranger in Need<div class="MsoNormal">
Preface – I hesitated to share this story, but ultimately I
thought sharing would help me, and hopefully encourage others to stop and offer
help when they see someone in need. It’s also a good reminder, especially with
all the political nastiness going on, to take care of each other. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have to admit I’ve never been a fan of the phrase,
‘everything happens for a reason’. However, last night my two passions –
running and suicide prevention – collided in a way that makes me rethink my
position on that expression. I can’t stop switching between ‘what ifs’, and
‘thank goodness I was there’. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was running (yes, when all the crazy sh*t in my life
happens) up 16<sup>th</sup> St NW in Washington, DC, which is a very busy
street during rush hour. I normally would have turned on a side street about a
mile in to hit Rock Creek Park (RCP), but for some reason, I kept going. As I
got closer to my other common RCP trail entrance, I again, for no good reason,
decided to keep going. My revised plan was now to hit the 3<sup>rd</sup>
entrance, about 4.5 miles up from my apartment.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before I made it, I saw and heard a bus driver honking and
trying to get the attention of a young male lying on the sidewalk. His eyes
were closed, his feet hanging ever so slightly into the road, and he wasn’t
moving. I went over to see if he was ok, saw his eyes twitching, and told the
bus driver I’d look after him. The driver took off, but I quickly realized the
kid was NOT ok. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Quick side note</i>: We were at the corner of Missouri and 16<sup>th</sup>
ST NW, which is where 16<sup>th</sup> St goes over Military road, and therefore
forms a bridge that is pretty high off the ground. The part of the bridge
facing 16<sup>th</sup> as a big fence, but the on-ramp (Missouri) does NOT have
a fence. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I tried to wake him, it was very clear something was
wrong. Since his eyes were moving fast, I thought he was in REM sleep, but
after trying really hard to wake him, I grew concerned. Some of the cars
waiting for the light to change offered to call 911, and I said I thought it
was a good idea – he was not responsive, and it was 93-ish degrees.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then, all of the sudden, he got up. I turned to the guy in
the car calling 911 and said I thought he was ok, but then I looked up and saw
him heading right to the bridge (without the fence), where he proceeded to
climb up the wall. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I ran across the street, and grabbed a hold of him just as
he had started to move over the other side of the bridge. It took all my effort
to pull him down, as he was totally flexed and pushing toward the edge. All I
could see were cars below, and from what I remember in the heat of the moment,
at least one person yelling at him not to jump. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I got him down, I let go and he started walking down
the on-ramp (which meant the height of the bridge was also decreasing). I then became
concerned he was on some crazy drug, or possibly having a psychotic episode, so
I stayed back to keep myself safe, but also close enough to make sure he was
OK. He eventually moved back to the top of the on-ramp (and thus close to the
bridge he almost jumped off), but then walked in front of the bridge that had a
safety gate in front of it, and then passed out again. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Feeling better about his safety (in terms of access to the
bridge), I began to look for help since I didn’t have my phone. Almost as soon
as I turned up the street, I saw a man running towards me pointing at his phone.
He was a Lyft driver who had witness me pull the kid down from the bridge. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He called 911, and a firetruck appeared almost 30 seconds
later. At this point I was shaking like crazy, but was slowly able to calm down
once the medical crew was checking on him, and the police cars began to arrive.
I also noticed from where I was standing that there was a big patch of grass
below where he was about to jump, not just a road filled with cars. I don’t know
why that made me feel better – I guess just knowing he might have survived had
I not been fast enough? In any case, I’m glad I didn’t have to find out. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Firemen gave the all-clear, and the police tried to talk
to the young man, who was now in handcuffs. I stayed back to give another cop
my statement, and walk him through the locations of each incident.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The emergency response crew was amazing, and so was the
driver who called them. He even offered to give me a ride home, which I
politely declined so I could run back and process.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I still can’t stop thinking about that young man, but I am
SO THANKFUL that I randomly, for no known reason, decided to keep going up 16<sup>th</sup>
St, and to stop and see if that man was ok. I now just have to believe that
he’s going to get the help he needs, and that he’ll be ok.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-75614824767457518042016-05-19T06:29:00.000-07:002016-05-19T06:29:22.012-07:00Race Recap: Sean O'Brien 50 VideoI finally made time to put together some of the clips from my Sean O'Brien experience in February. Before I got to LA, I thought about making a comprehensive before, during, and after race video, but I kinda got lazy and too focused on the race halfway througg. Given the day I had out there, I can't say I regret it (though, I did leave my camera at an aid station and missed a crazy section). Maybe next time? I'm still new to the video thing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/I4oMyJoLq1k/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I4oMyJoLq1k?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-60993841843560168562016-05-12T10:59:00.000-07:002016-05-12T10:59:08.150-07:00Race Report: Farm Park Challenge 6-HourThe Farm Park Challenge 6-Hour is a bit different than most timed events. The course consist of a 5.2 mile loop that runners must complete six times in under an hour. Each lap starts at the top of the hour, and as long as you make it back before the next hour, you keep going. If you make it to the sixth hour, that's the "race" - how you finish that lap determines your overall place. It's a really fun idea, because you have no incentive to run the first 26ish miles fast, so you can relax, enjoy the day, and chat with people.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Like last year, I had an awesome time! There were some really fun people out there, and I got to meet a lot of my Strava/Twitter friends, which is always good. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Quick Stats:</div>
<div>
<b>Total Time</b>: 5:35ish (Including breaks between laps)</div>
<div>
<b>Total Distance</b>: 31 Miles</div>
<div>
<b>Place</b>: 2nd Overall, 2nd AG </div>
<div>
<b>Gear</b>: </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Shoes: Altra Olympus 2.0 (First time racing in them...and probably my last)</li>
<li>Shorts: North Face</li>
<li>Shirt: North Face</li>
<li>Socks: Injinji </li>
<li>Nutrition: Tailwind, Nuun, Goldfish, Swedish Fish, Coke, Giner Ale, and Ginger Chews</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Course</b>: There were two, 5.2 mile loops that we alternated between. Lots of grass/bridal trails, with some muddy single track. Not a ton of elevation gain, but some rolling hills (I think we ended up with 2500 feet over 31 miles).<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
Strava: <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/568739962/overview">https://www.strava.com/activities/568739962/overview</a><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilw5EQehBC6Hqda-mq4DQT6CVnLcssdfF4ZRDMhNWHbVKsx0V2vtF7Tk1ueiuros31aZ3b2cv4ZUPLqiGU3u-KNe37yIx8hS3revL0gQg4B7l0sutLYwpri-BAXP6Adb3EHa9AgRyHgzFm/s1600/IMG_0705+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilw5EQehBC6Hqda-mq4DQT6CVnLcssdfF4ZRDMhNWHbVKsx0V2vtF7Tk1ueiuros31aZ3b2cv4ZUPLqiGU3u-KNe37yIx8hS3revL0gQg4B7l0sutLYwpri-BAXP6Adb3EHa9AgRyHgzFm/s320/IMG_0705+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Muddy</td></tr>
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<u>Expectations and Goals</u><br />
I was coming off of a very easy two weeks. I had been having hip and knee issues, and decided I'd lay low for a while. About a week before the race, I actually thought about either dropping altogether, or moving to the 3-Hour. However, as race-day moved closer, I was feeling well-rested and healed, so I went for it.<br />
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<u>Race Re-Cap</u><br />
For each of the first five laps, I ran at about a 10 min/mile pace, chatted with people, and made sure I was taking in calories and fluids. It was really fun to exchange stories and not have to worry about running too hard, moving up positions, or anything else that comes with racing.<br />
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The day overall was really smooth, except for about 30 minutes of discomfort. I mistakenly added too much Tailwind to my bottle (I was eyeballing from the large bag), and that ended up giving me some stomach issues. However, after a few minutes and some Ginger Chews, I was good to go!<br />
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During the fifth lap, I was trying to decide if I was going to really push the final 5.2 miles, or just take it easy. Ultimately, when the RD said, "Go", I couldn't help myself, and I took off. I was in front for about 60 seconds, and then ran side-by-side with another runner for about a mile. After realizing I simply couldn't keep up with his pace, I fell back and tried to hang on to second place. Third wasn't far, so I had about 20 minutes of running scared until I rounded the final turn and couldn't see him behind me.<br />
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I was happy with my second, especially since the first place runner has about 50 minutes on me in the marathon distance. That said, I honestly didn't care much about where I placed - it was just nice to get out there for most of the day!<br />
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After the race, I headed to the "beer garden" for some pizza, beer, and good conversation. It was a perfect way to end this year's event.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Derwood, MD 20855, USA39.1174267 -77.16119029999998739.092786700000005 -77.201530799999986 39.1420667 -77.120849799999988tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-35088555511847926862016-03-14T18:17:00.001-07:002016-03-28T11:50:41.588-07:00Race Report: Thomas Jefferson 100K - Pain, Community, New Friends, and Pure Happiness <div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m attempting my TJ100K race report while I’m still trying to soak in - or even comprehend - the truly incredible day I had out in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday. I didn’t expect to struggle so much. I didn’t expect I’d have to overcome so much. And I sure as heck didn’t think I had it in me to fight as hard as I did. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rather than going section-by-section, I thought I’d try and write a general summary of my 11 hours and 20 minutes on the course (I tried to keep the report short, but failed - it's a long race!). If you like reports with struggles and comebacks, grab some coffee!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Per usual, here are the quick stats: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Time</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 11:19:34</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Place</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 5th OA, 4th AG</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gear/Food</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shoes: Mizuno Wave Hayate</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nutrition: Tailwind, Coke, PB&J, Tater Tots, and Quesadilla</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shorts: Saucony</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Course</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Single-Track Loop Course (seven, nine-mile loops) in Charlottesville, Va. No </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>major </i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">climbs, but never really flat, totaling about 1K of gain per loop. Some technical parts - plenty of places to trip and fall on your face...typical East Coast stuff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Expectations and Goals</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since the day had so many unexpected turns, I thought I’d start with my thoughts going into the race. For starters, I was planning to race. Although it was my first 100K, I felt confident after Sean O’Brien, and while I knew I couldn’t podium, I thought I had a chance at top-ten (I’m usually a mid-packer, after all!). In terms of time, I wasn’t too sure, but sub-12 hours seemed to make sense based on my previous training run on the course. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">I terms of how I felt - I was a bit scared by the distance, but felt good about my training. I was eating well, and trying to sleep a lot the week before, and all signs pointed to a good day. With one exception. A couple days before the race, I woke up with itchy eyes, a stuffy nose, and lots of sneezing - for the first time in my life, I had allergies. I was a little annoyed but just thought it would be a minor inconvenience, and didn’t worry about it too much. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Boy, was I wrong. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Suffering</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We started at 5am, and my first lap (9 miles) was pretty solid - right up there with the front pack. After a bio break, I drifted back a bit, but I didn’t mind because I enjoy solo running during longer races. My legs were good, and my nutrition and hydration were on point (actually, probably the best it’s been). But, my head/sinuses started to bother me in a painful, weird way.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By lap three, I was freaking miserable. Legs and nutrition were still good, but I felt so, so shitty. For a big chunk of the race, all I could think about was a bed, and with that mentality, came the flirtation with DNF-ing. I just felt like total crap! However, as I moved along and had help and encouragement from aid station volunteers (that's TRULY an understatement), the co-RD John, the other co-RD Andy Jones-Wilkins (“yo-yo time! You’ll bounce back”!), I knew I had to finish...even if it was going to take me into the night.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuS5gqG7-wUywco2Z-sSYK0-KsSXxhrTzldUQlPMBpsN_fkhZHiCfgDHbzQEr6Hq371BIpP-0p6ohY7MxCqtiBHRyzeR8ZHVqWFv11HSKzr-hiGo2nDawfwv2T5vSXk-Hztm0oWBN3n05P/s1600/1658659_1693499560916008_9064060976792486913_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuS5gqG7-wUywco2Z-sSYK0-KsSXxhrTzldUQlPMBpsN_fkhZHiCfgDHbzQEr6Hq371BIpP-0p6ohY7MxCqtiBHRyzeR8ZHVqWFv11HSKzr-hiGo2nDawfwv2T5vSXk-Hztm0oWBN3n05P/s400/1658659_1693499560916008_9064060976792486913_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trust me, I'm faking that smile...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I finished lap five of seven, I told my fiance, who was my crew captain, that she should head out and have some fun since I figured it was going to take me so long. I just didn’t want her to wait…</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.38;">Then the unexpected.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Comeback </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Hey Taylor” - John, the co-RD. “Do you need a pacer?” he asked, as I was talking to my fiance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Ah, sure...yeah”. I’m a talker, and I love people, so I thought it could be a good distraction. So, Jeff of Crozet Running, finished his fourth slice of pizza, put on his shoes, and caught up to me as I was leaving the aid station. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">I told him I was struggling, and he just stuck with me and chatted. Eventually he said, “you’re running really strong...I wouldn’t have had all that pizza if I knew you were going to be racing!”. I don’t know what happened - I guess it was partly because I was passing people, partly his distraction, partly some temporary relief (ICE TOWELS), and partly because a top-10, sub-12 hour finish was STILL POSSIBLE - but I kept moving along at a decent pace! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70q1fQ4hYPYbR7SZ4q6MDtLQbVs_WdgooPIaiN3OnrnXDZfXbQCJQHBGJbsHkV43b0LXiXjVFPtw1-og1kxFtPaYXeCvdu70zyuK5qwdGvuSziPI2_LIWh8GyAzj7LulXiwZqPc3gCVW8/s1600/12841333_1693498537582777_667719806216291567_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70q1fQ4hYPYbR7SZ4q6MDtLQbVs_WdgooPIaiN3OnrnXDZfXbQCJQHBGJbsHkV43b0LXiXjVFPtw1-og1kxFtPaYXeCvdu70zyuK5qwdGvuSziPI2_LIWh8GyAzj7LulXiwZqPc3gCVW8/s400/12841333_1693498537582777_667719806216291567_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jeff believed I had it in me, so he switched from ‘supportive’ to ‘pushing’. He didn’t let me complain. He gave me targets - ‘by that next hill, you’ll pass that person’. I put my head down, and I grinded. We eventually passed two people on my lap (and about 10 we lapped), before we flew into the aid station at the start/finish. I was met with cheers and excitement from all the volunteers, including the RDs Andy and John, and my incredible fiance who stuck around after she realized we were really moving. Andy said, “how you feeling now - you look much better!”. With a smile on my face, I said, “yes! Because I know I’m going to finish!!”.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUu97ZjeWWNE_xgo4rWsTm6c5Bz4xMOw6RqtaQIzNh59zoUwYeT5JEbaaZeaQTzpFLcTmulrH_pLh6ZKgTKytW89cqSb4Jal54XXjDTKQ-bJuAZI3-WFdrc7nOYdEU64LDeLzqB7vxpjl/s1600/12828336_1693503020915662_3912761479654340234_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUu97ZjeWWNE_xgo4rWsTm6c5Bz4xMOw6RqtaQIzNh59zoUwYeT5JEbaaZeaQTzpFLcTmulrH_pLh6ZKgTKytW89cqSb4Jal54XXjDTKQ-bJuAZI3-WFdrc7nOYdEU64LDeLzqB7vxpjl/s400/12828336_1693503020915662_3912761479654340234_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This guy!!!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">At this point, invested and crucial to my strong sixth lap, Jeff grabbed his running mate Dan (a.k.a., “Danton”) who he told to bring me home. They got me through the start/finish aid station quickly, and we were off!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last Lap - Pure Happiness</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About a quarter mile into the last loop, Dan turned to me and said - “Taylor, that’s fifth place up there - let’s go get him!”. We passed him, told him great job, and kept moving. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although I was plugging along, it was much slower than before. My head was killing me, and my heart rate and lungs were all over the place. Dan was super chill, very supportive, and just so genuinely happy to help - not just me, but everyone else on the course. He and Jeff are why this community is amazing. They are why I love this sport, and what makes it special. I’m still so grateful...like I said - still digesting all that happened!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we were slowly moving along, there was a point where Dan said, “Taylor, in about 7 or so miles, you’re going to be a top-5 100K finisher. A Legend, Andy Jones-Wilkins, is going to hand you a $2 bill -- which basically makes you a pro (hehehe). You’re not going to catch 4th. I’m just being honest with you - he's too far ahead. But, sub-12 or not, you’re running strong, and you’re top five." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">One step after the other, we passed the halfway point aid station, got through the tougher climbs, encouraged runners, managed my crazy heart rate/breathing issues, and eventually got to that beautiful, beautiful final climb before the finish. I told Dan how happy I was, and thanked him for the 50th time. I ran up the hill, saw that Finish banner, and took off as fast as I could. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">I threw my arms in the air and was greeted by smiling faces and pure, genuine excitement by the RDs and volunteers. That one moment was truly one of the highlights of the entire day - I won’t forget it anytime soon!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sub-12 became sub-11:30, and top-10 became top-5. Although I completed all nine laps, it really was a team effort. I’m so glad I had this experience. Not only did I learn a ton about myself, but I think seeing everyone and experiencing such a dark place for so long really helped me grow as a person. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">John, AJW, Jeff, Dan, and Sarah - thank you, thank you, thank you! What a day!</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-89340544126727421842016-02-15T09:06:00.000-08:002016-02-23T18:58:26.743-08:00Race Report: Sean O'Brien 50 and the First Ultra PukeThe Sean O'Brien 50 Miler proved to be the perfect excuse to leave the DC winter for a bit. I headed out Friday before the race, and was able to stay a few extra days to recover and hang out with my awesome cousins. It was an incredible weekend - especially since my Broncos won the Super Bowl!<br />
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Below is a quick recap of the race...it wasn't smooth, but ultimately, I'm happy with how things turned out.<br />
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<u>Quick Stats</u>:<br />
<b>Time:</b> 9:24:44<br />
<b>Place:</b> 3rd OA, 2nd AG<br />
<b>Gear:</b><br />
-Shoes: Mizuno Wave Hayate<br />
-Shorts: Saucony<br />
- Shirt: TNF Marathon Shirt (Neon - thought I'd go with bright)<br />
- Nutrition: Tailwind, Coke, Candy, Ginger Chews, PB&J, and Chips (but mostly Tailwind)<br />
<b>Course: </b>Non-technical fire road-ey type trails and single track with 12K feet of gain.<br />
<b>Weather</b>: Freezing for 40 minutes, then eventually hot as all get out.<br />
<b>Aid Stations</b>: Top notch nutrition, incredible volunteers.<br />
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<b>Miles 1-6.5</b><br />
I drove about 10 minutes from my hotel to Malibu Creek State Park, where I quickly learned the temperature in that area is about 20 degrees cooler than where I was staying (or at least it felt that way). All I had was a long sleeve shirt, and I was FREEZING. It was crazy. I was walking around with my hands in my shorts to try and stay warm, and even ran back and forth from my car to get the blood flowing before the start.<br />
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Although freezing, I was partly distracted by the stars and awesome moon over our heads as we waited for the proverbial gun to go off. It was a great reminder about how lucky I was to be spending the day running in the mountains, and made me appreciate my time away from DC.<br />
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When we finally started, I was actually looking forward to getting my climb on, because I knew my hands and feet would finally warm up. It was a bit awkward the first mile because I couldn't really feel my toes, but fortunately that didn't last long (and also fortunately, I was able to avoid stepping in the water at the creek crossing located at mile two). As I was climbing in those initial miles, not only was I happy with the returning sensation in my extremities, but also with the incredible sunrise over the ocean! It was an awesome view that helped fuel me through the first part of the race.<br />
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When I got to the first aid station, I confirmed that I was in second place, and was feeling pretty good. I probably had a little too much gear on me (my long sleeve shirt, Go Pro, etc.), but I just had to deal with it until mile 13 or so when I got to my drop bag.<br />
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<b>Miles 6.5 - 30ish</b><br />
The short version is I felt awesome...until about mile 30. I was climbing well, hitting the downs hard, and felt like I really had it in me to hold on to second place. It was around that time when I was able to catch up to a buddy doing the 100K. Still feeling strong, he warned me that some of the worst climbs were coming. Boy was he right.<br />
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The temperature started to rise, and my DC winter training just wasn't enough to get me ready - my body slowly began to freak out when I got to the 50K mark. I was feeling less Super Man-ey, and more like I was going to slide all the way to the back of the pack.<br />
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Just before the aid station at mile 31.3, the third place runner caught up to me, and boy was I struggling. I was hot, didn't feel like eating, and was super thirsty. The latter concerned me, because that meant I was on the path to dehydration.<br />
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At the aid station, I chugged a bunch of ice water, ate some grilled cheese, and chilled for a bit before heading out. Right after the aid station was a downhill, and my stomach did not like that. I started to get super nauseous before hitting another big climb.<br />
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I eventually had to pull over because I was so nauseous and coughing so much, I knew an ultra puke was imminent. I found a nice spot off the trail, but I just kept dry heaving, and feeling so much worse. Eventually, I new I had to force myself to throw up to feel better, and that's just what I did. I lost all the water I drank, but not the food, which was good because I knew I really needed it.<br />
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A couple of 100K runners had just hiked by and asked if I needed any help. Realizing I didn't have my Ginger Chews with me, I asked them for one, and fortunately they had some! I noshed on that for a while while slowly hiking up the hill (I had back-to-back 20 minute miles!).<br />
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<b>Mile 30ish - 45, a.k.a, "The Comeback Stretch"</b><br />
I knew if i didn't get myself together, I would just keep dropping back in the back, and would have a miserable time getting to the finish and recovering. I've also learned from that shit just goes wrong in ultras, and you can bounce back if you have the right mentality. I took my time at the incredible aid stations (the volunteers were all over my like a surgical team - ice, bottles, ginger chews, bread, etc - it was amzing!). I was slowly able to get more liquid down, and was beginning to feel better.<br />
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When I hit mile 45 or so, I actually came across a pretty demoralizing view of the trerrain in front of me. It seemed like more endless climbing, and the heat was only getting worse. That said, I knew I had less than a 10K to go, so I kept pushing.<br />
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<b>Mile 45 - 50</b><br />
I pushed and pushed while passing more and more marathon runners, which really helped - seeing people and getting words of encouragement was a nice boost. Plus, it helped shame me into more running, and less walking :)<br />
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As I got closer to the finish, I remembered running on that same trail while it was barely lit with my headlamp, and took a moment to reflect. It had been a very long day, but I was happy that I was able to overcome the struggles I had earlier, and be able to finish.<br />
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When I got to the finish, I heard a couple of new friends cheer for me, and was thrilled to receive my medal and prize for third place. I hung on!<br />
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Huge thanks to Keira Henninger and all the volunteers for an incredible race! Next up...Thomas Jefferson 100K!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Malibu Creek State Park, 1925 Las Virgenes Rd, Calabasas, CA 91302, USA34.1050769 -118.73151940000002-19.962926600000003 158.65129309999998 88.1730804 -36.114331900000025tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-45617988403600081182015-12-29T14:35:00.001-08:002015-12-29T15:41:42.891-08:00Favorite Trail and Ultra Resources - A Starter ListWith the growth in popularity of running, new books, blogs, and websites seem to popup weekly. I spend a fair amount of time sifting through a lot of these sites, but always come back to the same solid resources. As such, I thought it would be fun to compile a list and share with others. This first take is a 'starter' list so as to not overwhelm...I plan to start posting more reviews of books going forward.<br />
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<b>Websites and Podcasts</b><br />
<b>1. <a href="http://irunfar.com/" target="_blank">iRunFar.com</a></b>: this is probably my favorite, and most visited site. They have excellent columns (some I actively follow, like AJW's Tap Room), pre- and post-race interviews, results predictions, product reviews, and my favorite - live race coverage!<br />
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If I had to dock the site for anything, it would be some of the interviews they do before and after events. The audio is usually sub-par, and sometimes the flow of the interview can be a bit awkward. Aside from that though, it's all good stuff!<br />
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<b>2. <a href="http://trailrunnernation.com/" target="_blank">Trail Runner Nation</a></b>: I love listening to these guys. Don and Scott are the hosts, and they frequently have other 'correspondents' on their show that are big names in the trial and ultra world. Over the past three years, I have learned a TON from this show and their guests. Not only do they bring on elites, but also folks from other fields that touch our sport - medicine, psychology, nutrition, etc.<br />
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<b>3. <a href="http://ultrarunnerpodcast.com/" target="_blank">Ultrarunner Podcast</a></b><a href="http://ultrarunnerpodcast.com/" target="_blank">:</a> Another excellent resource I've been learning from over the past couple of years. If I had to rank them, I'd put it just behind Trail Runner Nation, but I always listen to both! Eric is the host, and he gets elites (and sometimes non-elites) for interviews. The interviews are much more focused on the interviewee (which makes sense), so it's not as much about general content to learn from like TRN. That said, you obviously learn from what they are saying, and some people prefer that format.<br />
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<b>4. <a href="http://www.richroll.com/" target="_blank">The Rich Roll Podcast</a></b>: While not specifically running-relate, there's a lot of great content from interviews with leaders in areas of health, wellness, fitness, etc. Rich goes in-depth with all of his guests, and there's a lot you can learn. I tend to like and agree with a lot of the messages he and his guests put out, but not all of it (can't expect to agree with everything one person says!).<br />
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<b>Books</b><br />
This is definitely a starter list - there are so many good books out there! I chose the below because they were the first titles I dove into when I was figuring out this whole running thing. Since then, I've consumed several other books, which I'll write short reviews of over the next year. If you've read these and are looking for more suggestions, leave a comment!<br />
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<b>1. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Born-Run-Hidden-Superathletes-Greatest/dp/0307279189/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451427023&sr=8-1&keywords=born+to+run" target="_blank">Born to Run</a></b>: Yeah, I know this is on a lot of lists, but there's a reason - it's an excellent read, and a really good look at the ultrarunning world. Like many people, this was my first exposure to the trail and ultra world, and has been a fun one to go back and re-read from time to time.<br />
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<b>2. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Run-Unlikely-Ultramarathon-Greatness/dp/0544002318/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451426998&sr=8-1&keywords=eat+and+run" target="_blank">Eat and Run</a></b>: Scott Jurek's autobiography, and a solid read for those looking for motivation, inspiration, and more details about our sport. He has stories, recipes, and even tips for running better at the end of select chapters.<br />
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<b>3. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Relentless-Forward-Progress-Running-Ultramarathons/dp/1891369903/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451427148&sr=8-1&keywords=relentless+forward+progress" target="_blank">Relentless Forward Progress</a></b>: Written by iRunfar's Bryon Powell, this is a must own for ultrarunners. It's setup as a 'how to', with tips from a variety of elites, training plans, and more. I frequently refer to different sections during big training blocks.<br />
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<b>4. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ultramarathon-Man-Confessions-All-Night-Runner/dp/1585424803/ref=pd_sim_14_8?ie=UTF8&dpID=51aVOWle7HL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR104%2C160_&refRID=0WZ6WZQN1J459Y9XRKYY" target="_blank">Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner</a></b>: Like <i>Born to Run</i>, this book makes most of the 'top running books' lists out there, and for good reason. In this book, Dean Karnazes documents his journey from businessman to ultramarathoner who has conquered a variety of crazy races, expeditions, and self-made events. It's frequently cited as the book that got people into ultramarathons, with stories of Western States, Badwater, and more.<br />
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<b>Movies</b><br />
As with the books, there are actually a decent number of solid running movies out these days. The list below contains my personal favorites.<br />
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<b>1. <a href="http://www.ws100film.com/" target="_blank">Unbreakable: The Western States 100</a></b>: I've seen this movie multiple times, and I love it. From the website: <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"><i>Unbreakable: The Western States 100' follows the four lead men on this amazing journey. Hal Koerner, two time defending Western States champion, and running store entrepreneur from Ashland, Oregon. Geoff Roes, undefeated at the 100-mile distance, an organic chef from Juneau, Alaska. Anton Krupicka, undefeated in every ultramarathon he has ever started, a graduate student living in Boulder, Colorado. Kilian Jornet, the young mountain runner and two time Ultra-trail du Mont-Blanc champion, from Spain </i>(</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">http://www.ws100film.com/).</span><br />
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<b>2. The Prefontaine Movies: '<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119934/" target="_blank">Without Limits</a>' and '<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119937/" target="_blank">Prefontaine</a>'</b>. These movies are about Oregon runner Steve Prefontaine, and are both excellent (can't remember which one I like better). Highly recommended for those in search of a good motivational film before a big race!<br />
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<b>3. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHoXgYPvj6o" target="_blank">Western Time: A Western States 100 Film</a></b>: This Billy Yang film follows Sally McRae's WS100 Journey in 2014. It's well-made, inspiring, and easily viewable on YouTube. Highly recommended, even if you have no interest in ultrarunning or WS100!<br />
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Ok, I think that's good for a starter list! Enjoy!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-40179451486319064972015-12-16T19:01:00.001-08:002015-12-16T19:01:38.630-08:00Training Update and Nuun Ambassador Program<u>Training Update - Sean O'Brien 50M</u><br />
I'm continuing along with my SOB50 in unseasonably warm DC weather. Nothing like runing in shorts and a t-shirt mid-December!<br />
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For the most part, I'm continuing with low-ish mileage, in the 40-50 range, with one workout and long run per week. This is to give me a chance to chill out a bit and make sure I stay healthy. There are a few things I'm doing a little differently:<br />
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<b>1. Focusing on hills:</b> not super easy in DC, but they exist. I've found a pretty good trail route that I can use for long and short runs that will give me some decent gain. Without driving, there's just no way I can get enough climbing in near where I live.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATTJhP-z2O2M5K3c1XFk1AwtTfRrTIu1ngJXyHPoydbDlBMMqPi-fNO98ZRKeasWfkUHbCHzKwroeOziPmY4r2GB7mVKgWrSlHQuXtWU_xoJdVzbeJPnazn5BICyNxG4q6dMG1LMqRwPG/s1600/RCP+Hills.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="73" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATTJhP-z2O2M5K3c1XFk1AwtTfRrTIu1ngJXyHPoydbDlBMMqPi-fNO98ZRKeasWfkUHbCHzKwroeOziPmY4r2GB7mVKgWrSlHQuXtWU_xoJdVzbeJPnazn5BICyNxG4q6dMG1LMqRwPG/s400/RCP+Hills.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Not a lot of gain, but repeats and out-and-backs help.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>2. Focusing on recovery and staying healthy:</b> this is nothing new for me, but I'm even more focused than ever. Work is not too crazy right now, so I'm taking more time on food and recovery effort than ever. This includes immediate post-workout replenishment, eating well, trying to sleep well, etc.<br />
<br />
<u>Ambassador Program</u><br />
I'm excited to announce that I've been selected as a Nuun Ambassador for 2016! This is absolutely one of my favorite products, and I'm stoked to be part of the team.<br />
<br />
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What are you training for? Have you run SOB50? Any tips?<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-66742207217093069282015-12-09T07:23:00.002-08:002015-12-09T07:23:38.584-08:00Training Update: Recovery and 50 Mile PrepAfter a hard 50K, I took a couple of easy weeks, and am now starting to get back into a training block focused on a 50 Mile race. I'll be heading out to the <a href="http://sob5050.com/" target="_blank">Sean O'Brien 50 Miler</a> in February, which I expect will be a nice break from the cold winter training in D.C.!<br />
<br />
<i>Post-50K Schedule</i><br />
<i><u><br /></u></i>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8KRnIIqvzjHsRvQI3PXGiSgC08MfQNkVaKvJtw6QhGLTvRoM7GRfXcSqpRJ5J1RLGFe0KewU29w3MQHX1gkgpXgchMmYrc9TKJe41SGhXluRXlixU0uVL2C2EYjnBMPMuYqlqp6xBxMo/s1600/Nov+Training.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8KRnIIqvzjHsRvQI3PXGiSgC08MfQNkVaKvJtw6QhGLTvRoM7GRfXcSqpRJ5J1RLGFe0KewU29w3MQHX1gkgpXgchMmYrc9TKJe41SGhXluRXlixU0uVL2C2EYjnBMPMuYqlqp6xBxMo/s400/Nov+Training.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Click to enlarge</span></div>
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Now that the new training block has started, my coach has me doing similar workouts as before (or so it seems), with probably some more hill training. SOB50 has some decent climbs, so I'll need to do my best to get more elevation in during my DC winter training. Won't be all that easy!<br />
<br />
After SOB50, I'll take some time to recovery before diving into a new block for the <a href="http://tj100k.com/" target="_blank">Thomas Jefferson 100K</a>. This will be my first 100K, and I'm the usual mix of excited and nervous. I chose the race because it's run by Andy Jones-Wilkins, an ultrarunning legend, and it's in Charlottesville, which is one of my favorite cities (and home to my alma mater)! We'll see how the training and race play out. I'm a little nervous if it goes too well, I might get some more crazy ideas in my head...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-40695209726212724382015-11-15T05:48:00.001-08:002015-11-16T12:10:52.206-08:00Race Report: Rosaryville Veteran's Day 50KOn November 14th, I toed the line at the Rosaryville Veteran's Day 50K just outside Washington, DC. It was a GREAT event with awesome volunteers, great RDs, and really fun runners on the trail. I had an absolute blast, and will definitely be back at some point in the future!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIi2IwPBf6LxECthkyLTEYKSg4VjlfDZopDX28Og4vbKDwBaZxNIJ6Uo88ezajOpJqo6Qd5Qyh77T9EmllUWfq_gQUusaLfqOp0kq-qvaZ-7RqeFSpjl4BzSaWmjmEidvDMZT5XPqYlAR5/s1600/IMAG0593.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIi2IwPBf6LxECthkyLTEYKSg4VjlfDZopDX28Og4vbKDwBaZxNIJ6Uo88ezajOpJqo6Qd5Qyh77T9EmllUWfq_gQUusaLfqOp0kq-qvaZ-7RqeFSpjl4BzSaWmjmEidvDMZT5XPqYlAR5/s320/IMAG0593.jpg" width="320" /></a>Below is a recap of my experience!<br />
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<b>Quick Facts (Unofficial)</b><br />
Time: 3:57:55<br />
Pace: 8:48<br />
Overall: 3rd<br />
Age: 2nd<br />
<br />
<u><br /></u>
<b>Race Start to Aid Station (~4.5 Miles)</b><br />
For the first time, I intentionally started the race fast. We had about a mile of running on the road before hitting the single track, and I didn't want to get behind too many people. I had run the course before in training, and I knew it was a pretty narrow trail -- I thought trying to pass too many people would require too much energy, and could risk injury.<br />
<br />
So, when the RD said, "go", we took off, and gradually the pack thinned until it was about four of us hitting the single track up front. The first place guy (who would go on to win), took off from there, and 2nd-4th stayed together. It was a pretty quick pace, but I was ok with my perceived effort. The course doesn't have a lot of big climbs, so I knew I could push it more at the beginning. The other runners in the pack seemed very focused, but as I like to do, I eventually broke the ice and we had a fun conversation about...you guessed it...running! Always cool to learn about other races.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYQIKlGW_u642YOyqs6Zx8Bvo6HWk-V8EjocK6aW8nVVCD7pFv1pplQyCX3Ki8ohjR1em1vJArFbSc-5J9YMebYuZbdvwUoxSM2_jHlPW-8vXejSVKZ3HWqapk55791AvxK_RIGkNr6K-/s1600/DSC_0151.NEF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYQIKlGW_u642YOyqs6Zx8Bvo6HWk-V8EjocK6aW8nVVCD7pFv1pplQyCX3Ki8ohjR1em1vJArFbSc-5J9YMebYuZbdvwUoxSM2_jHlPW-8vXejSVKZ3HWqapk55791AvxK_RIGkNr6K-/s320/DSC_0151.NEF" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cruising through the parking lot - first mile was sub-7</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<u><br /></u>
<b>Mile 4.5 - Start of the Loop (~9 Miles)</b><br />
Our pack split up after the aid station when one skipped it, and I only stopped for about 30 seconds to fill my bottle with water. After that, I began a long period of running solo for the rest of the race. It was actually pretty hard trying to figure out where I should be. On the one hand, I wanted to hold on to third, but on the other, I didn't want to blow up too early. So, I pushed it, but reined it in when I felt like my effort was too hard for that early in the race.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKwK2fsLn93VLOkcbTD1-Ztk7ACzIX_NVcCwUVBvoXnMjWEn_ff_GynVnUnt6ZlxvgNrRXR3CUk9i62tBkpgupRPybGfG3iLq-3lUTEf3K2qSPgG6b9XwbmdPN_6hJcZNXmYwRN_Cilvj/s1600/DSC_0154.NEF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKwK2fsLn93VLOkcbTD1-Ztk7ACzIX_NVcCwUVBvoXnMjWEn_ff_GynVnUnt6ZlxvgNrRXR3CUk9i62tBkpgupRPybGfG3iLq-3lUTEf3K2qSPgG6b9XwbmdPN_6hJcZNXmYwRN_Cilvj/s200/DSC_0154.NEF" width="200" /></a>At the end of the first loop, there was another aid station with our drop bags. An awesome volunteer grabbed mine for me quickly, and I promptly filled my bottle with tailwind, and then hit the trail. I couldn't see 4th place in sight, but I didn't want to lose time, so I kept going.<br />
<br />
Along the way, several volunteers and bikers kept telling me, "you are in third place - the other guys are about a minute ahead"! It was really motivating.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>The Second Loop</b><br />
The goal for the second loop was to keep up a solid pace, but also save some in the tank for the third lap. For the most part, I was able to do that. I had some GI issues, I think, because I actually took in took much liquid and calories at one point. Eventually that passed, but when I got to the aid station, I needed a quick burst of sugar to get some more energy in my legs, so I grabbed coke and gummy bears, chatted for a bit, and then hit the trail.<br />
<br />
At the second aid station, I made the decision to ditch my handheld so I could focus on really pushing the last loop. I grabbed more coke, some water, thanked the volunteers (they were AWESOME), and then moved out of there.<br />
<br />
<b>The Third Loop</b><br />
With no bottle and a handful of gummy bears, I got back on the trail and began to push it. There were more runners I had to pass, but they were so enthusiastic about me being in third, it was just awesome. Shortly after the aid station, I saw my fiance and friend, which was also around the time my stomach got a little angry. I said hi to them, let the gummy bears go down, and then I kicked it into gear.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgly__EzUhQp60gFT1iuN7Fct3xMpTuRWMj5fR_j2kzuMXSniduDuoUX-iS1uGkGwadn-Adtzq35gTc4J8Z9ZG40DUWv_DARpPY9Fd87BR1PHN5-O89_d9YQM1RmPptgTsoB8DBIBMWd4XV/s1600/DSC_0179.NEF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgly__EzUhQp60gFT1iuN7Fct3xMpTuRWMj5fR_j2kzuMXSniduDuoUX-iS1uGkGwadn-Adtzq35gTc4J8Z9ZG40DUWv_DARpPY9Fd87BR1PHN5-O89_d9YQM1RmPptgTsoB8DBIBMWd4XV/s320/DSC_0179.NEF" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saying hi, and taking a breather</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The paranoia of getting passed by 4th gradually went away, and I was focused on moving quickly. There were a few things that slowed me down, such as encounters with horses or large groups, but for the most part, I didn't drop too too much from where I was earlier.<br />
<br />
After the mid-loop aid station, I was feeling pretty good, but definitely had the typical late race pain. That said, I was able to deal with the pain because I knew the finish was close. At this point, I had run the loop about 5 times (training and race), so I had some good milestones in my head to reach (e.g., "just make it to the bridge"). This helped the time go as I was still running solo.<br />
<br />
I did eventually see the same biker from earlier, but this time he said, "you are in third...the other two are way ahead". I laughed and said, "that's ok, I'm not worried about them!" I just kept doing my thing.<br />
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When I got closer to the road (and the final stretch), I spotted the second place runner. I didn't know if he saw me, so I held back and hiked the last two hills so I could save some gas in the tank for the road section. As we hit the road, he looked back, and knew I was on his tail. However, he was a good quarter of a mile ahead, and had some good speed. There was simply no way I was going to catch him, and I was OK with that! It wasn't a matter of me not trying my hardest...I was...he was just too far ahead, and much faster than me!<br />
<br />
After about a mile on the road, I crossed the finish line excited for a third place finish!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8J2AcIa3HIRBQZaT1ATjoqVTUy2yNDrjYO-objnsaR6fE4GjXlULO7klQFq7yDMJXM85CD8FUq1oZUEk3lxPH1_KzbqelSlPV6v5sjbff7NHzWPAgtMI_kdzCpdgwUIyNt7XVF5qe0kR5/s1600/DSC_0185.NEF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8J2AcIa3HIRBQZaT1ATjoqVTUy2yNDrjYO-objnsaR6fE4GjXlULO7klQFq7yDMJXM85CD8FUq1oZUEk3lxPH1_KzbqelSlPV6v5sjbff7NHzWPAgtMI_kdzCpdgwUIyNt7XVF5qe0kR5/s320/DSC_0185.NEF" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
Once I finished, I thanked the RDs, took in some recovery fluid, grabbed a snack, and then headed back to DC. I was hoping to hang out at the finish longer, but we needed to get moving.<br />
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<br />
<i>Other Stuff:</i><br />
<u>Gear</u>:<br />
Injinji Socks<br />
Mizuno Shoes<br />
Saucony Shorts<br />
Brooks Shirt<br />
Free Trucker Hat<br />
Ultimate Direction Handheld<br />
<br />
<u>Nutrition</u>:<br />
Tailwind<br />
Candy<br />
CokeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-11479387983503880752015-11-13T05:33:00.002-08:002015-11-13T05:36:00.014-08:00Tapering for an Ultra - Dealing with Madness and StrategizingI don't know many people who like tapering. It's either a change to the normal weekly routine (running less often or shorter distances), or if you are like me, it's just a period filled with inescapable thoughts and daydreams about the upcoming race. I frequently utter the phrase, "put me in coach"!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://annapolisstriders.org/2015/images/RosaryvilleLogo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Race Logo" border="0" src="http://annapolisstriders.org/2015/images/RosaryvilleLogo1.jpg" height="155" width="200" /></a>For this go-around, I'm preparing for my last 50K of the year, the Rosaryville Veteran's Day 50K. It's a low-key, loop race located just outside Washington, DC. While the trail is not particularly challenging, I've put in a solid training block so I can really push the pace.<br />
<br />
While the training was tough, it almost seems easier than the taper. I finished with a 62+ mile week, and then gradually dropped down to a pre-race 18 miles for this current week. Through this process, there are a few things I have been doing to help me prepare and deal with the madness that is tapering.<br />
<br />
<b>1. Focus on Nutrition</b><br />
With training winding down, there's more time to focus on cooking and eating healthy. I placed a lot of emphasis on this because I really wanted to make sure I was staying strong and healthy after a all the training and travel I have been doing.<br />
<br />
<b>2. Spend Time on Other Things</b><br />
Work and friends - I've been focusing more on work, both for my clients and internal to my company, and spending more time with friends. During those times, I try to focus on the moment, and try not to talk or think about running or the race.<br />
<br />
<b>3. Focus on Recovery</b><br />
This is closely related with nutrition, but also includes things like foam rolling and active recovery (elliptical, cross-training, etc.). The goal has been to get my legs fresh, but to also make sure I'm moving and keeping myself active.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>4. Spend Time on Race Strategy and Learning</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lDXvmno1cHO9YTs7RgoTFc7PVK-fJU71KxUpfSKr_FB0ZF1csQr3Ug1Ny6V-LUAHpLS3V_3UkHpgh6rBfht1kxbxby6XH2AeyB2Fxhu3YDY3_p74AjmSJFc-kUiQ0Ge8qFLQw0nb1H96/s1600/IMAG0558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lDXvmno1cHO9YTs7RgoTFc7PVK-fJU71KxUpfSKr_FB0ZF1csQr3Ug1Ny6V-LUAHpLS3V_3UkHpgh6rBfht1kxbxby6XH2AeyB2Fxhu3YDY3_p74AjmSJFc-kUiQ0Ge8qFLQw0nb1H96/s200/IMAG0558.jpg" width="113" /></a>While I do like to take my mind off running, it's also a good chance to take advantage of the down time and learn more. During taper trail runs, I like to discuss nutrition approaches, race strategies, etc. For a 50K, it's not as involved, but it's still something that has to be dialed for a successful race. Additionally, I like to watch race films, read stories, and other activities to get me focused on the race.<br />
<br />
For this race, I've done many of those things, and have added more race-specific planning. Specifically, having run the course, I've put more thought into how I'm going to approach the start (actually NOT going to be going out slow!), each lap, nutrition, aid stations, etc. It's a lot of focus to really make sure I let this stuff sink in so it doesn't all fly out the window with the hype of the race start.<br />
<br />
So that's it - a mix of distraction and focus! We'll see how it all plays out this weekend...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-12546113756799705572015-11-12T08:44:00.003-08:002015-11-12T08:44:36.082-08:00Crazy Ultramarathon DreamsAs someone who has always remembered their (crazy) dreams, I didn't think much of it when I started having the same reoccurring dreams in the weeks leading up to a race. Recently, however, I've had several conversations with people who experience the same thing, and they are all oddly similar!<br />
<br />
Here are some common themes for me, confirmed by several others:<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>1</b>. <b>The "Stop Mid-Race" Dream</b><br />
Somehow, you find yourself eating a nice lunch, having breakfast, visiting a friend, or some other activity when all of the sudden you remember -- YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A RACE! You start to panic about cutoff times, or simply your ultrasignup results...<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>2. The "Running Late to Start" Dream</b></div>
<div>
A lot of people have had the classic running late dream. This is when you somehow didn't set your alarm, and now you are scrambling to find you headlamp, nutrition, etc. It's pretty common in life, but for ultras it's always amusing to me because a). I wake up like 50x a night before the race, b). set like 100 alarms, and c). obsessively get my stuff ready the night before. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>3. The "My Legs are Too Heavy to Run" Dream</b><div>
You are having a solid race, when all of the sudden, you just CAN'T move your legs any faster. It reminds me of another dream where you get in a fight or argument and you are too weak to fight or too quite to raise your voice. It always seems so real...<br />
<br />
<b>4. The "Running is Easy" Dream</b><br />
This is a fun one, and I've had it a few times. Most recently, it took the form of me running the Thomas Jefferson 100K - I was at mile 50, and running fast and without pain. I thought to myself, man, this isn't so bad...I could definitely run a 100 miler! If only it were that easy and pain free...<br />
<br />
<br />
So, that's the short version. I thought it would be a fun post since I've had a few lately! Thoughts? Any unique ones not listed? </div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-44338613095050829052015-11-03T08:15:00.000-08:002016-09-21T12:35:27.888-07:00Race Report: 2015 MD Heat Race 50KThe MD Heat Race took place on August 8th in Patpsco Park, which is located just outside Baltimore, and not too far from where I live in DC. I finished 9th overall, and 2nd in my age group with a time of 6 hours 8 minutes and some seconds. I did NOT expect to run over six hours that day...<br />
<br />
Below is my very short recap of the race. I lost a lot of the details in the blog migration, but hey, it was probably too long anyway!<br />
<br />
<b>Start to Mile 8</b><br />
I was under trained for this race, that's for sure. I thought about jumping down to the 25K, but I had already run a 50 Miler, 50K, and gone to RKUC just months before, so I figured it wouldn't be that bad. In fact, although I was still in the low-30s for weekly mileage, I was still fairly confident I could have a strong race because I was so healthy.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaGKJj0tED4n7WSc7lh2-cwpUl7itY6c4VP7RC7iL2WJpOERBuS6Abt0Aa6ZqrzlKMUhCOeH3sHgf0LjQeokkXzQ8RCGB0ko1o0rg4Z0I1FL-abwIok3MVAxt3CZ76v1UlgiSAwzFzUcY/s1600/FB_IMG_1439153285335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaGKJj0tED4n7WSc7lh2-cwpUl7itY6c4VP7RC7iL2WJpOERBuS6Abt0Aa6ZqrzlKMUhCOeH3sHgf0LjQeokkXzQ8RCGB0ko1o0rg4Z0I1FL-abwIok3MVAxt3CZ76v1UlgiSAwzFzUcY/s320/FB_IMG_1439153285335.jpg" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me staring off thinking, "am I really ready for this?"</td></tr>
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I started off a little quick, but slowed myself down around the half mile mark, where we soon started our first climb. It wasn't too bad, but I took it easy because I had another lap ahead of me. I also quickly realized that I had underestimated this course. It was rocky, rooty, and hilly...very hard to get a rhythm going.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPd-MIqfrOVfxvaavtE8nJGYB-UrbMEpNV-xfVnxY6deuiISbLTwFTmXYcrkWhtOFPNgpl3JB82CT_d5zHy4uZVjVec3z6rHy9dnDKyhIdC8SpKrDz5NDYlqTz2g-Bz2VY-hxbHoBaDIu3/s1600/MD+Heat+Elevation.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPd-MIqfrOVfxvaavtE8nJGYB-UrbMEpNV-xfVnxY6deuiISbLTwFTmXYcrkWhtOFPNgpl3JB82CT_d5zHy4uZVjVec3z6rHy9dnDKyhIdC8SpKrDz5NDYlqTz2g-Bz2VY-hxbHoBaDIu3/s400/MD+Heat+Elevation.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not super tall, but some were steep, and a major blockade to my flow</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTDPCJtNwVSplXMbFnXE6RKn222VphTGVGNq8e7fsnav8tdWCdx4Uj_18op-R7Jp33wDy0t_Z13Oim41W9DVOPPAqnKYFX1ZEpvSWx_1raYyZkIfRChszhlOjtSGGgvMpEWW_Yf_bqeZP/s1600/Going+Up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTDPCJtNwVSplXMbFnXE6RKn222VphTGVGNq8e7fsnav8tdWCdx4Uj_18op-R7Jp33wDy0t_Z13Oim41W9DVOPPAqnKYFX1ZEpvSWx_1raYyZkIfRChszhlOjtSGGgvMpEWW_Yf_bqeZP/s400/Going+Up.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of that East Coast rocky, rooty love</td></tr>
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The aid station wasn't until mile 8, which was a bit long for what I'm used to. Fortunately, the weather was actually pretty tame for August, and I had enough fuel with me. Plus, they had Tailwind at this race, which was freaking awesome - for me that meant I didn't have to bring extra packs with me.<br />
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<b>Mile 8 to 16</b></div>
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I felt pretty good, but my mindset shifted from thinking I was going to finish closer to the top of the pack to, 'just have a fun day on the trail'. I was a bit discouraged by the fact that I had another lap ahead of me, but at least I knew what to expect, right? </div>
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Also, the weather started to warm-up a bit, and I'm just terrible in the heat. However, my nutrition was pretty dialed, and I managed to stay on point with fluids and electrolytes.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XF10aLDYmevq_RqBUPOilXM5E1DPCyp4hE7NraTE5Fo2UW2CCrz3Om8gZcJ0ELjWcr_6aRCyvFBcfU4PTHp6z0My4MOsoGV5OP_tRKR5nTCjJ0y8nys4hdTGrcvZdenapA1oJ8oN_yUt/s1600/Rocks+and+River.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XF10aLDYmevq_RqBUPOilXM5E1DPCyp4hE7NraTE5Fo2UW2CCrz3Om8gZcJ0ELjWcr_6aRCyvFBcfU4PTHp6z0My4MOsoGV5OP_tRKR5nTCjJ0y8nys4hdTGrcvZdenapA1oJ8oN_yUt/s320/Rocks+and+River.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rivers sure were nice in that heat!</td></tr>
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<b>Mile 16 to Finish</b><br />
The course is two, 16 miles loops. Just before you get to the start of the second loop (and the finish), there's this huge wall. Let me tell you, getting up and over this beast after 30 miles was not fun!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqy06lEHbJAm6qY1W2lz-Gfi3_toK-P2ahODw1DLDigmiANzg9Xv0TzaII7ne_O_WHRMofqGviFX-kSRUfJlrYmbsvu7BgoPEySt7yEFJqlFeG2jpoHRl9cNXvavfQFcMYe5g1fB3kdpL/s1600/The+Wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqy06lEHbJAm6qY1W2lz-Gfi3_toK-P2ahODw1DLDigmiANzg9Xv0TzaII7ne_O_WHRMofqGviFX-kSRUfJlrYmbsvu7BgoPEySt7yEFJqlFeG2jpoHRl9cNXvavfQFcMYe5g1fB3kdpL/s320/The+Wall.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The other side is higher...a bit of a pain to get down.</td></tr>
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At about mile 26 or so, I ran into a guy I had been running with earlier in the race. It was nice to see him - we were both happy to have someone to talk to at that point in the race, especially because we had been riding solo for a while. It's a pretty fun way to get to know someone!<br />
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Around 29 or so, I ran into some friends who were bopping about on the 25K course. It was fun to see them and a good break (although, they were not pleased I encouraged them to signup after they had done little training). I wanted to stay with them longer, but I had a major case of the 'just want to be dones', so I kicked my butt into gear and got moving.<br />
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When I got to the wall for the second time, I just threw my handheld over, shot up and down as fast as I could...the finish line was calling.<br />
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As I heard the sounds of the finishers, I pushed the last half mile or so, and finally crossed the finish line. The BBQ was amazing - there was a ton for me to eat as a vegetarian, and the beer selection was on point. The race director, Nick, did an incredible job with this low-key, fun race. I'll definitely come back again in the near future....<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Patapsco Valley State Park, 1101 Hilton Ave, Catonsville, MD 21228, USA39.247631299999988 -76.74287119999996812.833350799999987 -118.05146519999997 65.661911799999984 -35.434277199999968tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-47446242115115471512015-11-02T08:08:00.003-08:002015-11-02T12:01:09.851-08:0050K Training Update - Welcome to Taper TownNow that I'm officially tapering, it's time to reflect on this last training block. In short, I'm very happy with how much work I've put in, and where my fitness levels are. In fact, I think I'm more prepared for this local 50K than I was for TNF 50 Miler, which is giving me a lot of confidence!<br />
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My numbers were not, nor have they ever been, huge every week. That said, I got in key workouts, long runs, and most importantly - I stayed injury free. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUZbF_L2GYvX58l5XOY83nonKxh3kqHM3fVUKpOBdE0_52UrXYJdaUjeeZM1uYYMLzpl2racW1W4eajEOTQwHgHoonhV9uU7JwnSk_9M2BbbDJo-E06PG-e63EP8_cYeV5HgOEPUiUB-e/s1600/October+Train.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUZbF_L2GYvX58l5XOY83nonKxh3kqHM3fVUKpOBdE0_52UrXYJdaUjeeZM1uYYMLzpl2racW1W4eajEOTQwHgHoonhV9uU7JwnSk_9M2BbbDJo-E06PG-e63EP8_cYeV5HgOEPUiUB-e/s400/October+Train.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garmin Calendar for October - Highest Week was 62.5 Miles</td></tr>
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<div>
Some of the things that I think worked well for me: </div>
<div>
<ol>
<li><b>Nutrition and Recovery</b> - I was militant about my recovery this time. After each run, I made sure to get some glycogen back in right away, either with real food or a recovery drink like Vega or Hammer. I really think this helped me with long runs and workouts, and the ability to increase mileage while staying healthy.</li>
<li><b>Focus</b> - I was really focused this training block. I mention this because I think the mental game is going to be really important for my upcoming 50K, so that became an important part of my training. </li>
<li><b>Balance</b> - I didn't hit everything my coach laid out for me in this cycle, and that's ok. I was mostly there, but I made some exceptions for family and friend-related activities. This is important to me, so I made sure not to let training get in my way. That said, I didn't make excuses. I got up early at times, ran long runs during the week, etc. </li>
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<div>
Here's what I have for now until the Race:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDC2WwvVOddE-R4hs7DUiNC4gbucdvnBLmlo7diZsQYge4ZvdblMJLmRnO3kkB-PGEP1x9iJ0XiULMlmOGM6VOmhiFc0xKnbjdD7v0RFH6_L1oE9-tN7wz3BBque5LcoJea0K3ThOqaN8/s1600/50K+taper.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDC2WwvVOddE-R4hs7DUiNC4gbucdvnBLmlo7diZsQYge4ZvdblMJLmRnO3kkB-PGEP1x9iJ0XiULMlmOGM6VOmhiFc0xKnbjdD7v0RFH6_L1oE9-tN7wz3BBque5LcoJea0K3ThOqaN8/s400/50K+taper.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taper, Race, and Recovery!</td></tr>
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On November 14th, we'll find out if I can execute and put all the hard work to a successful race. I have some big goals, even for such a small, local race. And, if not, I'll just turn around and get ready for the San Diego 50 Miler in January!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-9671005315100624052015-10-28T05:50:00.000-07:002015-10-28T05:50:40.117-07:00Race Report: The Buckeye Trail 50K<i>This report is from June 2014. The original version got lost in the blog migration. </i><br />
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My first 50K sure was a good one. I headed out to Brecksville, OH for the Buckeye Trail 50K on July 12, 2014. I was traveling with my best bud, who at the time, was living in Columbus - otherwise, it would have been a totally random trip!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihlS6U8zS2GsTw_EHJAe89gxUq7OBHqRFbtuNmVods60_zwW0e2oXFZ6zUjc8Aq6wzK6NK4yFOZYTFr_ChBelfs_8fQj80ttqM4kX1ultXXs8PYRNDWEbjlnjdVidc5dQQhTmcFrhd6Um6/s1600/1960853_917865838270163_4652913932402060360_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihlS6U8zS2GsTw_EHJAe89gxUq7OBHqRFbtuNmVods60_zwW0e2oXFZ6zUjc8Aq6wzK6NK4yFOZYTFr_ChBelfs_8fQj80ttqM4kX1ultXXs8PYRNDWEbjlnjdVidc5dQQhTmcFrhd6Um6/s200/1960853_917865838270163_4652913932402060360_o.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Course</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The course is an out and back on the Buckeye Trail that consists of rolling (sometimes steep) hills, and fairly technical single track portions. I made the mistake of not looking at the elevation profile until about a month before the event, so I was a little surprised by the fact that it was so hilly.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkIdfbrSWyulY8eE0rH79YiQt1DqEhM26b8xhq9pwwrphphV9YSIdibui4zCir5f58T8jyKw9HiFdTFPTEbgb-wzNn6UVMEVCOYc2rTk9GLl6EPTq7t2s0aOwxUv5Dfu1Jbmqtl-pAzzI/s1600/Maltz_BuckeyeTrail50K.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkIdfbrSWyulY8eE0rH79YiQt1DqEhM26b8xhq9pwwrphphV9YSIdibui4zCir5f58T8jyKw9HiFdTFPTEbgb-wzNn6UVMEVCOYc2rTk9GLl6EPTq7t2s0aOwxUv5Dfu1Jbmqtl-pAzzI/s320/Maltz_BuckeyeTrail50K.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The start was located on a street where folks lined up before climbing about a quarter of a mile up a road, just before hitting some single track. It was hard to stay back and not go over the planned pace, but luckily, I had a running partner to keep me in check. Although it was a little rough starting with the climb, it sure was a nice was to think the pack before hitting the trails.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first section was smooth, packed single track, but there was a lot of mud. The kind of mud that makes you slip around and feel like you are barely walking (like the first time I went ice skating). We were amazed at how much this slowed us down, but were ultimately grateful when we learned from other runners that it was a ‘dry’ year. I guess the prior year was MUCH worse.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There were also a lot of hills that ranged in size and difficulty. We used caution on both the up and downs to not use too much energy, and also to avoid potential injuries and muscle issues on the downs. It was definitely not the easiest course for a first 50K, but I’m glad we faced a solid challenge.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After the first sections of singletrack and some fields and open trails (not much, really), we hit a rough section filled with all kinds of roots and ankle-breakers. It majorly slowed us down, but as we were hitting miles 15-17, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aid Stations</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The aid stations were solid. I was using my own nutrition (Tailwind Nutrition), but I did use the aid stations for water refills, some crackers, a bit of candy, and small bits of PP&J. The volunteers were awesome, and each one provided me with the little boost I needed to keep going.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Issues</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The race was fairly smooth, but I did have a couple of issues. The first was when I stupidly tried from a bank down to a dry section of a stream. I rolled my ankle, and was worried I was going to have to drop after just three miles. Fortunately, after walking a bit, the pain was gone and I was on my way…for a bit at least.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I got to mile 27 or so, we reached a very steep hill with wooden steps. As I went down the hill, I started feeling this sharp pain in my foot, that eventually hurt so much I had to stop and sit down. Fortunately, my friend is not only a good running pal, but a doctor as well. He encouraged me to keep marching toward the aid station, where I could grab a chair, nutrition, and have him check it out. He quickly determined there was no fracture, and figured the plantar had just been stretched out. I was able to wiggle it around, stretch it, and eventually, run on it. The pain went away for the rest of the race, and only came back first thing in the morning when I stepped out of bed. I had Plantar Fasciitis, and it was a bitch.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First Finish</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I ended up crossing the finish line by myself, just a couple of minutes ahead of my buddy. He insisted that I go ahead around mile 29.5 because he was dealing with some major cramping. If it were further back in the race, I would have waited, but knowing I would have wanted him to continue strong if I were in his shoes, I decided to march forward.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As I got closer to the finish line, I held off until about a tenth of a mile, and then gave a nice little sprint at the end. I was proud of my strong finish, and surprised I was able to give it that much effort. I crossed the finish line, grabbed my medal, some water, and headed for the shaded grassy area where I could stretch out my legs, and deal with the pain.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-38768932432244881302015-10-21T10:48:00.001-07:002015-11-02T07:57:46.259-08:00Management Consulting and Ultrarunning: A Happy Couple!<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 32px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
As an ultra runner and management consultant, I often get questions about how the two relate.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yTG7FWo2C88WgR1MPd6gpIg_4vX4O72YisCRVQ1hWrJXbCx6kijnI9liAO_pCwblRwB5FTNjGsD6ZeBtailndxJWkiXsRfxuSq8oStmN74RElkyNoa3rN69hnAZNGovvTPSurNlDZQro/s1600/G0060313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yTG7FWo2C88WgR1MPd6gpIg_4vX4O72YisCRVQ1hWrJXbCx6kijnI9liAO_pCwblRwB5FTNjGsD6ZeBtailndxJWkiXsRfxuSq8oStmN74RElkyNoa3rN69hnAZNGovvTPSurNlDZQro/s320/G0060313.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
When I’m busy with work, people often ask if my training provides me the discipline to keep my head down and crank out tasks. When my work is challenging, friends wonder whether my experiences slogging out miles on the trail gives me more strength to find the solutions. The answer, unsurprisingly, is yes - training for ultramarathons requires many of the skills and efforts as I use regularly in my career as a management consultant.<br />
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What’s not as obvious, however, is how my consulting profession helps me as an ultramarathoner. Many of the skills I use regularly with clients are critical in helping me execute a successful race. To have some fun and illustrate this relationship, I’ve created a table using the the common project life-cycle phases as categories:</div>
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<img class="center" data-loading-tracked="true" height="892" src="https://media.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/shrinknp_1000_1000/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAbQAAAAJDc1N2FiYmU1LTVmZTgtNDQ1MS05YTdkLTJlOGIwZjMwNDE3Mw.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin: 30px auto; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;" width="640" /></div>
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<img class="center" data-loading-tracked="true" height="671" src="https://media.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/shrinknp_800_800/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAV5AAAAJDFkOWY4MWUwLTFmZmQtNDNlYy04ODgyLTdiYjYxYWY4NmQ4ZA.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin: 30px auto; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;" width="640" />In addition to the similarities with the different phases listed above, there are two other critical elements that are required for success in both my career and running:</div>
<ol style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 35px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Balance </strong>- with consulting and with running, striking the right balance between work (both training and consulting) and life is critical to ensuring a healthy mindset and preventing burnout. There are times when work hours are long, or I have to skip a dinner to complete a long run, but those need to be the exception, not the rule. If balance slips, then the result is a one-sided approach that is destined for failure.</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Physical and Mental Health</strong> - </strong>to perform well as a professional and an athlete requires a healthy lifestyle so I can always bring my best. This includes eating well, getting enough sleep, listening to my body, and surrounding myself with fun, positive people. If I’m sick and tired, I simply cannot keep up with what I expect of myself, and I end up falling behind, making it harder to reach my goals.</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">FUN!</strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> - One of the core values at my firm is FUN, and I love it. Work and ultras are not always going to be easy, but if you can make a tough situation into something fun, you'll be a lot happier. Whether it's good music and food when you are working late, or singing a silly song at mile 45 - you can't take yourself too seriously, and need to make it fun!</span></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4aRFIgiaQiVLbEuSsD8xpZ9WN_4_64vPYWS3eW8yEHrYxHSJyncpnls9xtvdGP0Nwv7KulY4n-uwvITI4jrAqrcJvtOrYesoqbW1s0OFoAZQqW499NpVLzUYztvz5fvIVKV2qu4pBAtxH/s1600/Post+50+Beer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4aRFIgiaQiVLbEuSsD8xpZ9WN_4_64vPYWS3eW8yEHrYxHSJyncpnls9xtvdGP0Nwv7KulY4n-uwvITI4jrAqrcJvtOrYesoqbW1s0OFoAZQqW499NpVLzUYztvz5fvIVKV2qu4pBAtxH/s320/Post+50+Beer.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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So that’s my short and fun comparison of my favorite hobby and awesome career. What activities do you participate in that helps your career? Does your career make you better at your hobby?</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968217730164723337.post-9407493868538854882015-10-20T07:38:00.004-07:002015-10-21T05:54:47.944-07:0050K Ultramarathon Training UpdateMy training block for the upcoming Rosaryville Veteran's Day 50K has been pretty solid. I've had a few tough runs and weeks, but overall, I feel I'm on point and ready for a solid race. In fact, with the exception of a couple of longer runs, it seems my training is ahead of where I was for The North Face 50 Miler back in April. I'm hoping that's a good sign -- I'm really looking forward to a solid 50K PR!<br />
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September and October have been fairly consistent, with a slight increase in October. I'm pretty happy with this since I've traveled to three different states for three different weddings! This is where a coach really comes in handy - very helpful with the training plan and approach.<br />
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<b>September</b><br />
Mostly in the low 40s each week, but lots of cross-training (in gray). I was traveling a lot for work, so I was able to take advantage of the gym at the hotel.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8vsGJWsjDXkoKVTVHFJeVE-mmKiQp6HAz-79fFl2GO9auz7WMlqgghkorqRM6JBIoUsCRuypIXQ2mLvhlLHPPH-xGnHfmLS1LfRIrsou9Z5CD3lUx-y3SZzsiUNswDfbOMUZiumMehyq/s1600/Sept+50K+Training.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8vsGJWsjDXkoKVTVHFJeVE-mmKiQp6HAz-79fFl2GO9auz7WMlqgghkorqRM6JBIoUsCRuypIXQ2mLvhlLHPPH-xGnHfmLS1LfRIrsou9Z5CD3lUx-y3SZzsiUNswDfbOMUZiumMehyq/s400/Sept+50K+Training.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>October</b><br />
Started to get in the 50s, with a few hikes thrown in when I was in California. I didn't record my cross-training on the Garmin site, but I was able to accomplish some of it here and there. I'm planning to hit 40-45 this week (hard to get back to 50 with another wedding!), inclusive of speed sessions, long runs, and core workouts.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXm-qM7-56TFg27HC9x4SL0JmwgFxr5IaQ8bt7jx0ZlStLPlHs7_ceozGLc7MfX3sbY2Bn6zJ8jek2KaphoCSJndXeB5AMnf2rkriYPZifoE2FC5AO46Pkso7vWBJ9WBONROijV0k8NoU/s1600/October+50K+Training.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXm-qM7-56TFg27HC9x4SL0JmwgFxr5IaQ8bt7jx0ZlStLPlHs7_ceozGLc7MfX3sbY2Bn6zJ8jek2KaphoCSJndXeB5AMnf2rkriYPZifoE2FC5AO46Pkso7vWBJ9WBONROijV0k8NoU/s400/October+50K+Training.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>November</b><br />
Obviously, I'll start a bit of a taper in November, which will be nice to get some rest, especially because I will be traveling more for work. Once the race is over, I imagine a slower week, followed by a gradual ramp-up with a focus on the <a href="http://tj100k.com/" target="_blank">Thomas Jefferson 100K</a> in March. That said, still TBD - just have to wait and see what the coach dishes out!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0