Scripture Challenge of the week from Proverbs 24:16
Total milage for my virtual run across is now at 174 miles. I would have just ran through the small towns of Victoria and Gorham, KS. I would soon be making my way to Russell, which I'm pretty sure is the around the half way point. This means I have averaged about 6 miles a day for 30 days (a little behind my plan, but well within reach of my overall goal of reaching the Missouri line in 9 weeks from September 8th).
Regarding my training, I am now entering my taper for the 50 miler on the 25th, so my mileage will go down for awhile and then creep back up after a couple weeks. I didn't get in my last 30 miler, but I'm going to just trust my training so far and start resting my legs a bit for race day. Following is a brief review of last week's training:
Monday (22 miles) Just wanted to keep moving for 5 hours. I worked on my power hike for first 5 miles and then mile 16, the rest I jogged at about 11 min/mile pace. Felt pretty good.
Tuesday (Off) Meant to run 10 miles, but didn't make the time.
Wednesday (10 miles) Legs were a little tired, and I ran in a thunderstorm for a couple miles, but I pressed on and had a pretty good run.
Thursday (6.5) Legs a little tired, but pressed on with no problems.
Friday (6.5) Legs a little tired, but pressed on with no problems.
Saturday (5.0) Ran at close to midnight. Low energy as I hadn't eaten much. Pressed on for about 4
miles and then felt completely drained. Walked the rest.
I'm officially registered for the Prairie Spirit Trail "Fall Classic" 50 miler. I ran the same course two years ago, but it was in March, when we had that freak snow storm (see video on link). They started the Fall Classic the next year which had the 50K option. I didn't run it, but this year I will...for two reason's really. First, it is the Prairie Spirit Trail, my "training ground" (easy and flat, but it is a good place to put in some long training runs), and although we don't come all the way to Iola in this race like we did in the 100 miler, I still consider it a "local" ultra. I'm not the kind of guy who travels the world to find new ultra races to run, but when it is in my backyard I feel compelled. Second, I plan on getting my rematch next March with the 100 miler (see my review of the race here). A nice (hopefully fast) 50 miler will be a good chance to fine tune some areas where I went wrong last March. I've been doing pretty good on hydration on my most recent long runs, but they aren't 50 milers! They say, "10Ks are the best training for half-marathons, half marathons are the best training for marathons, marathons are the best training for 50's and 50's are the best training for 100's..." or something like that.
My mileage was decent last week, but I would have liked to have put in another 10 miler (priorities are priorities, and I took my sons and some men from our church to the Baptist Men's Recharge in Andover, Kansas. We had a great time--paintball, smoked meat, coffee...and something like 6 hours total of dynamite preaching!) Anyway, on my virtual run across Kansas, I am now pretty close to the half way point which is right about where I wanted to be about now.
Monday - 25 miles on the highway from Iola to Uniontown
Tuesday - 10.36 miles on the Prairie Spirit Trail from Carlyle to Colony and back
As I write this, I'm off to a pretty good running week so far. Now, if I can keep it up...but I'll save that report for next week. First, I want to get caught up really quickly on last month's training. Although I haven't been posting on here for some time, there are two things I have been experimenting with that are helping me with some sort of regular routine and a bit of accountability, I have been posting short videos to a YouTube channel I started, and I have finally started logging my miles on a tracking program called Dailymile, although I still don't have it linked to GPS or anything (I'm way behind on the tech stuff in case you didn't know!)
First of all, for the YouTube Channel. For a couple months now, I have been taking some quick, 1-minute videos (trying to post one per week during my runs...or hikes, or any other type of outdoor activity I am doing that week. This idea started with a conversation I had with some of the teens in the youth group I work with. They seemed to like the idea, and so did I, so I pursued it. I have enjoyed posting these videos as I feel sort of like I am sharing part of my run with others, but more importantly, it is an opportunity for me to challenge others with scripture rather than just attempt to inspire physical fitness (which I do believe is important, but to exercise oneself spiritually is of much greater importance).
About the tracking program, I am always seeing friends on Facebook post their running progress through programs like Nike+ and others. For whatever reason, I found some ultra running friends on Dailymile and decided I would check into this program which seemed simple enough. So, for about a month now, I have been trying to track my distances and write some brief notes about each run. There is something motivating about knowing you are going to post your workout results for others to see when you are done.
So, I have decided to use this post to briefly update last month's training, and then if I can keep it up I will start sharing weekly reviews through this blog. My training should really be increasing in the weeks ahead for some upcoming races I plan to run. Hopefully, posting all this will help with keeping me to push a little harder...perhaps, in time, it may motivate some readers as well.
August 4-10
This was a pretty good week of running. I put in more mileage than I had for a while. I suspected my legs would be really tired, but they weren't too bad until the week after. I ran 16 on Monday (when video was taken), and then 20 on Tuesday with my brother-in-law who plans on running his first 50 in October. A couple days later I did a 6 miler and then a 4 miler. Legs never felt too bad, but really felt it during the next week.
August 11-17
During this week, I only put in three 4-milers. Each run was miserable as it was very hot and my legs were sore. In the upcoming weeks I would get acclimated to the heat, but at this time it really paid it's toll on me.
(Did not post a video this week)
August 18-24
I didn't post a video this week as well. I was thinking I did, but I'm not finding it. Anyway, it started out a bad week of running as I was still acclimating to the hot temperature and my legs were still sore. However, Saturday I took part in a "low-key" 6-hour race (not really a race...more like a handful of ultra runners who just needed an excuse to get in a long run). The course was a two mile loop that we would repeat for 6 hours. There were more hills than I was used to (nearly all my running had been on the flat Prairie Spirit Trail for quite some time now). I knew after a few miles that 6 hours was going to be really tough for my legs in these conditions (also very hot, but I think I had started acclimating pretty well by then), so I started to do a LOT of walking. In 6 hours, I only went 22 miles...but hey! 20 miles is 20 miles! Chalk it up to some good training for my feet!
August 25-31
Two days after the 20 miler my legs felt great. I went for a run (mostly on the highway in direct sun, temp. in the 90's) in Fort Scott. I felt really good, apparently had acclimated to the heat and my legs were no longer tired. Still had a low-mileage week for whatever reason, but decided I will have to pick it up in September.
The first week of September is now in progress, I'm looking forward to sharing it with you next week!
Right before sundown, headed out for a run two
nights before 10/10 challenge.
As I mentioned in my last post, my training got off track during the holidays. Then, I attempted to get back on track, and quite honestly still didn't get in all the miles I was supposed to (I hesitate to post a link here to my training plan, because I'm not sure I want anyone to see how much I was supposed to have run compared to what I actually did. But you can see the 18 week plan here).
So, I got determined last week and said, "That's it! I'm not going to mess up next week. I'm still going to do the 10 miles/10 day challenge I had planned on doing." Unfortunately, after looking at the calendar, I realized I was supposed to be on week 7 and was jumping the gun a little. Actually, though, I think it makes better since to move week 7 to after week 9 anyway. So the challenge was on.
My footprints after a 10-mile out and back run two
nights before Day 1 of the challenge.
And as part of the challenge, I decided to take on the Mile-a-teen challenge as well, where I pray for a different teen (in some cases, non-teens, too) per every mile. Besides some of the wonderful spiritual benefits of praying for the teens and dedicating a mile to them, this will also provide some accountability and get me through these 10 days.
Then Friday comes, and with it comes snow. It was very cold, but I decided to run Friday night anyway. Then I would rest two days before the challenge. As you can see from the picture, nobody but the coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, and myself had been on this. Come Monday morning, the trail was still in the same condition.
Oh yeah! Then Monday morning I wake up and it is -5 degrees outside--the coldest day of the year! What fun. I didn't even bother taking a water bottle since my Gatorade turned into a slushy Friday night...when it was 15 degrees warmer. Instead, I ate snow along the way which is probably not advised, but it kept my mouth moist (I had hydrated pretty good before the run).
I dressed warm, but couldn't keep the moisture from my sweat and my breath from freezing. By the time I was done, I looked like this (my clothes were stiff, my nose hair frozen, icicles on my brows and eyelashes). Yeah! I had a great time...
Here is my 18 week plan. I decided not to tackle the 60 mile long run goal or the two 100-mile weeks goal. After some consideration, I think that would be overkill. I'm just not ready for it! Anyway, I kept the 10 miles in 10 consecutive days goal and the back to back marathons goal (I rounded it down to 25 milers though). I have a high week of 85 miles which I feel is sufficient considering my back to back Monday/Tuesday runs.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
(Total)
1
20
5
x
15
x
x
x
40
2
20
10
x
15
x
x
x
45
3
20
15
x
15
x
x
x
50
4
10
x
10
10
x
x
x
30
5
25
15
x
10
x
x
x
50
6
25
20
x
10
x
x
x
55
7
25
25
x
10
x
x
x
60
8
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
70
9
10
10
10
x
5
5
x
40
10
30
10
x
20
5
5
x
70
11
40
15
x
10
5
5
x
75
12
25
25
x
x
5
5
x
60
13
55
x
x
20
5
5
x
85
14
30
10
x
10
5
5
x
60
15
20
10
x
x
5
5
X
40
16
10
x
10
5
5
x
X
30
17
5
5
5
5
x
x
X
20
18
5
x
3
2
x
100
110
There! Now it is posted. I just need a copy on the fridge so my family knows the plan and can hold me accountable. After all, they will be my crew.
