2015 Training Log : 12/21 - 12/27

Quality: 12 miles with 4 at marathon pace on Wednesday. 16 miles on Sunday for a long run.

Trail: N/A

Easy: 5 runs for 32 miles.

Total: 7 runs for 60 miles.

Nasty week weather wise, pretty sure I saw an ark float by on a couple of runs. The saturated ground kept me away from the trails due to trail damage & possible flooding. Even with all the travel for the holidays I only had to make one adjustment, swapping Saturday & Sunday, to make time for my long run. A long run that included plummeting temperatures, a soaked me & gnarly winds.

I was able to get out with the oldest for some hiking on Saturday while in southern KY visiting family. The beauty of that place still amazes me even to this day & I'm going to make a concentrated effort to get down there more. Plenty of trails to run & plenty of exploring for the kid to partake in. Some of my fondest childhood memories involve trekking around DBNF & that's an experience I want my kids to also have. 

Next week will be a step back week in mileage. I've found my body just does better with a schedule of three weeks hard & one week easy.

2015 Training Log : 12/14 - 12/20

Quality: 12 miles with 4 at marathon pace on Wednesday. 16 miles on Saturday for a long run.

Trail: 10 miles on Friday at Capitol View Park.

Easy: 4 runs for 24 miles.

Total: 7 runs for 62 miles.

Skipped out on hitting the Skullbuster trail Monday due to Muzzle Loader season which only allowed for one day out on the trails. Got a chance to test out the modification to my hydration pack using lock laces & give it a solid two thumbs up. Made a night & day difference in the fit of the pack, still not sure why they didn't include some elasticity.

Wednesday saw the return of the marathon paced tempo run, probably my favorite workout for marathon training. Getting as many miles as I can on my legs at target pace is key. Come race day it will be easy to fall back on muscle memory. Saturday's long run was an adventure. I decided to run from my house to the Legacy Trail & do a few of miles on it. With temps in the high 20's the wicked strong winds made it feel much colder, especially after the turnaround when I was already a bit sweaty. In true Kentucky fashion my run Sunday was a sauna in comparison. Next week will be a repeat of this. Hopefully holiday scheduling allows for it.

Modifications to the vest

2015 Training Log : 12/7 - 12/13

Quality: 12 miles on Wednesday for a mid-week long run. 16 miles on Saturday along the Legacy Trail for a long run.

Trail: 10 miles on Monday at Capitol View Park. 12 miles on Friday at Skullbuster.

Easy: 3 runs for 14 miles.

Total: 7 runs for 64 miles.

Migrated all my running posts to a blog dedicated to just running. Will work on tidying everything up this week.

First full week in a very long time, likely since the injury. Was able to get out every day & hit my goal mileage for the day. Got in two sessions of body weight routine, hoping to get this to a consistent three times a week. Definitely feel better when I'm working out more than my legs.

Found a post on reddit where a guy had replaced the sternum straps on his hydration pack with elastic, eliminating one of the major gripes about the pack. I've often struggled with adjusting my UD pack due to the lack of elasticity. I took a pair of lock laces off an old pair of shoes & replaced my straps with them. From the test fit I could already tell a huge difference. I was able to cinch it down without impact to breathing. Hopefully this week will be dry so I can test it out on some trail runs. Will have to avoid Skullbuster next week because of Muzzleloader season. Heard some shots while out on Friday but luckily had on a bright orange shirt :)

Picture of the start of the Blue Loop, Skullbuster Trail

2015 Training Log : 11/30 - 12/6

Quality: 12 miles on Saturday out & back on the bypass for a long run. 10 miles on Wednesday for a mid week long run.

Trail: N/A

Easy: Four runs for 20 miles.

Total: Five runs for 42 miles.

Combination of weather & work kept me from making it out to the trails at all this week. I don't mind getting muddy, even enjoying the added difficulty of the slop, however I feel like it's bad etiquette to go stomping around in the soup on my favorite trails. They already get rutted out in spots.

Last week of the reverse taper before I get back into some decent mileage next week. Hopefully no more missed runs, would like to get another streak going. 145 days till the Flying Pig would make for a good streak. I also retired a pair of shoes this week, made it to 488 miles on them before sending them off to shoe heaven. Rest easy Kinvaras.

Not much tread left

2015 Training Log : 11/23 - 11/29

Quality: 10 miles on Saturday at the Legacy Trail for a long run.

Trail: 8 miles on Wednesday at Capitol View Park.

Easy: Four runs for 19 miles.

Total: Six runs for 37 miles.

Took last week off & started a reverse taper this week to begin building back up. Looking at the Cincinnati Flying Pig in May for my next race. Might also run a half in late March at marathon pace as an extended tempo & as a gear check. A buddy of mine has a bib for Run the Bluegrass that he wants to transfer. Getting in a dress rehearsal one month out from the race would be a huge training tool.

During my week off I bit the bullet & ordered a road bike. Found a smoking deal on a 2014 Fuji Sportif 1.3. Need to finish setting it up & get in a few rides to get the fit dialed in. Haven't gotten a chance to snap any pics, so the stock photo will have to do.

New bike!

2015 Training Log : 11/09 - 11/15

Quality: 31 miles (50km) on Saturday as a course sweeper for the Rough Trail Ultramarathon, race/volunteer report coming soon!

Trail: 8 miles on Wednesday at Skullbuster.

Easy: Three runs for 11 miles.

Total: Five runs for 50 miles.

Fairly low volume taper week, not counting the race. Went out on Wednesday for a final gear check. Wanted to make sure I went into the race with no unanswered questions concerning my kit. This proved invaluable on race day as I went in confident with my choices & had no issues during the day.

Being a course sweeper was a very unique experience for me & one I won't soon forget. Duties for the race included removing signage & flags from the course, as well as keeping behind the last runner in order to make sure everyone made it out ok. Was a great way to mentally prepare for the longer races where I'll be on my feet all day long perpetually moving forward. I'll go into more detail in the race report but I'm beyond pleased with the way gearing & nutrition worked out.

2015 Training Log : 11/02 - 11/08

Quality: 12 miles on Saturday for a long run.

Trail: 8 miles Friday at Capitol View Park.

Easy: Four runs for 24 miles.

Total: Six runs for 44 miles.

Good taper week, felt strong through all my runs. Had a small pain pop up last week with my ankle that has thankfully subsided. Always fearful of the taper injury. The injury last year was during a taper & it caused me to have to miss Boston, so I'm always a bit leery of tapers. Went to the Skullbuster trail on Wednesday only to find it closed due to law enforcement training, so ended up running on the road instead. One week until the 50k, will do one last gear check Wednesday to make sure everything is solid for race day.

Was reading an interview with Anton where he talked about self powered summits & realized how silly it is to drive to a trail just to run. I've started down the rabbit hole of bike shopping to add a little variety to my fitness routine. I dream of riding 6 miles down to Legacy, banging out a 20 mile run, then riding the 6 miles home. Or hoping on the bike to ride up to the high school track for an interval session. Have even considered shortening my commute by 6-8 miles & biking the rest of the way. So many possibilities here & maybe even a chance for some extreme adventures.

The sign that greeted me on Wednesday...

2015 Training Log : 10/26 - 11/01

Quality: 12 miles on Wednesday for a mid week long run.

Trail: N/A.

Easy: Four runs for 36 miles.

Total: Five runs for 48 miles.

Just a bad week. Time crunched because of work so wasn't able to make it out to the trails, yay for being on call. Skipped Tue/Thu runs due to just feeling wore out. Ended up cutting my long run short by 6 miles on Saturday because of Halloween obligations. Glad to get this week out of my system. Every so often it seems everything lines up perfectly to just make a week a slogfest. Usually foretells the next few weeks will be great. 50k is two weeks out & I'm going into another taper leading into it.

2015 Training Log : 10/19 - 10/25

Quality: 12 miles on Wednesday for a mid week long run & 18 miles on Saturday, at Capitol View Park, for a combined trail & long run.

Trail: 8 miles Monday at Capitol View Park & 12 miles Friday at Skull Buster..

Easy: Two runs for 10 miles.

Total: Six runs for 60 miles.

Felt good to get in some serious mileage this week. Missed out on my Tuesday run because I was being lazy. Raced the sun again on Monday without a headlamp so ended up cutting it short & got back to the truck just as last light was running out. Went down to the Legacy Trail, a multi use paved path, for my Wednesday run. Was actually nice to be able to just tune out & bang out some miles.

Friday & Saturday ended up being 30 miles of trails combined. Allowed me to really check out my gear for the 50k. My Ultimate Direction AK Vest 2.0 caused some wicked chaffing on my neck where two seams meet up. Working with the wife to sew me up a solution for that. The Hydrapak softflask was a game changer. Easy one handed operation with no air in the bottle to cause sloshing. I'll definitely pickup another one of these for when I need two flasks. Only downside to it is the 500ml capacity which won't be a problem during the race with aid stations every 4.5 miles. Longer unsupported runs will definitely need two. Also got the chance to try out some Injinji toe socks. The heavier material added just a touch of comfort & each toe being wrapped like a sausage stopped any blisters from forming between my toes. Considering how wet Saturday was these became a god send & has me seriously considering some for my longer road runs.

Next week will be another ~60 miles before the two week taper. Getting really pumped about running the 50k as a course sweeper. Will be my first time at a distance greater than a marathon. Red River Gorge is one of the most beautiful places in this part of the country & I can't wait to spend the better part of a day seeing it!

2015 Training Log : 10/12 - 10/18

Quality: Ran 11 miles on Saturday, on the Skullbuster Blue & Orange loops, for a combined trail & long run.

Trail: Ran 8 miles Friday at Capitol View Park.

Easy: Two runs for 10 miles.

Total: Four runs for 30 miles.


Easy week following the race. Decided to volunteer at the Rough Trail Ultramarathon as a course sweeper for the 50km distance. Basically I'll be bringing up the rear to remove all course markings, tape & trash in addition to making sure all the runners make it off the course. Very excited about this oppurtunity & a little nervous about the distance & time on feet. Could potentially be out there 10 hours depending on how slow the last runner is.

Used my long run on Saturday to do a gear check & found the bottles in my hydration vest to be annoying. They are hard plastic bottles that sit on the chest & the sloshing from them drove me insane. Ended up just carrying the bottle to eliminate the slosh. I've ordered a Hydrapak SF500 soft flask as a replacement & will test it out this coming Saturday.

My Saturday run this week ended up being a race against the sun. I lost the race but got to test out my headlamp in a trail situation & found it to perform adequately. Peak mileage this coming week then into taper for the 50k. I've also decided on returning to the Flying Pig for my attempt at another BQ, so will get my training plan for that squared away soon.

Iron Horse Half Marathon - October 11, 2015

The Iron Horse Half Marathon is ran on a beautiful rolling course through Midway, KY. It is a double out & back style race, forming a T shape, with about 800 feet of elevation gain. The race starts in downtown Midway then heads east for 3.5 miles where you encounter your first turnaround, you then head west for 7 more miles before the final turn around to head home to the finish line, basically where you started.

Training: Didn't do any specific training for the event. More rebuilding of my base while recovering from the nagging injury to both my hip & achilles. Really just trying to get back into a running rhythm. Most runs leading up to the race were just easy paced.

Gear:

With temps in the mid 40s for the start this is what I decided to wear.

• Shoes: Saucony Kinvara 5
• Socks: Champion C9
• Shorts: Brooks Sherpa IV 5" with Champion compression shorts underneath
• Shirt: Champion C9 short sleeve
• Watch: Garmin Forerunner 210
• Other: Flipbelt, throwaway arm warmers & a pair of jersey gloves.

Didn't pack any sunglasses, a decision I would later regret. I always make a pair of throwaway arm warmers by cutting the toes off a pair of old dress socks. This coupled with the jersey gloves keeps me warm until I get moving. I usually toss them at the first aid station without remorse as they don't cost a lot. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Race Day:  I live fairly close to the race & know from previous years that there is ample parking at the college so I didn't get up super early, opting for a 5:30 wake up. Had two servings of steel cut oats & two fried eggs for breakfast, which is my normal meal minus yogurt. Took a quick shower to keep it fresh & put on my race attire. After a short drive I made it to the race at 7:15, giving me 45 minutes before the start gun. At 7:30 I started my normal warm up routine of 10x squats, 10x side to side, 10x lunges, 10x front leg swings & 10x side leg swings before going on a ~10 minute warm up run. This put me at the start line with about 8 minutes to go before the start. Before I knew it they were doing the 10 second countdown & it was go time!

• Mile 1-4: From start to first turnaround. Ditched the throwaway arm warmers & gloves at the second aid station. Settled into my groove in this first section. Splits were 7:00, 7:10, 7:00 & 6:57.
• Mile 5-8: From turnaround back past the start. Really got into the equal effort flow during this stretch, slower up the hills but bombing down them. Likely frustrating for people as I would pass them on the downs only for them to retake me on the ups. Ended up being a net gain later in the race with higher energy levels. Splits were 7:04, 7:13, 6:53 & 6:49.
• Mile 9-11: From a little past the start through the last turnaround. Biggest climb of the race in this section & it was reflected in pacing. Still felt surprisingly well considering the low mileage base. Picked off a few runners in this stretch. Splits were 7:22, 6:54 & 6:56.
• Mile 12-13: From past the last turnaround back to the start. Small climb to start this section then all downhill. Picked off a couple more runners & dropped the hammer in the final mile. Splits were 7:03 & 6:40.
• Mile 13.1: The last tenth is what makes the T shape. At this point it's an all out sprint to the finish line. Tried to catch one last runner but wasn't able to. Final .1 at 5:57 pace. 

Strava Activity

Conclusion:  For a come back race I couldn't be happier with the effort & result. I ended up coming in 25th place, same as last year, in a time of 1:31:38. This was only 62 seconds off my PR on the same course. Missed out on 3rd place age group by less than 1 second. I like to think it was the guy I was trying to pass at the very end.

Remember when I said I regretted not bring shades?

Yeah, 7 miles of this...

Coming in hot for the big finish!

2015 Training Log : 10/5 - 10/11

Quality:  Iron Horse Half Marathon on Sunday.

Trail:  No real trail running this week, unless you count the gravel path I found on vacation.

Easy:  Four runs for 20 miles.

Total:  Five runs for about 34 miles.

Second week of my taper ending with the race on Sunday. Running on the coast is always boring as every run is pancake flat. I definitely miss my rolling hills when we go to the beach. Had to skip my Thursday run due to an achilles flair up, which was brought on by a lot of walking in downtown Savannah. Friday had me in a car for 14 hours which was hard enough on my body that I felt like a run would be miserable.

Ran the Iron Horse Half on Sunday, race report coming soon. This is the race I had to medically defer from last year when I injured my hip just two weeks out. Ended up finishing in 91:37 with pretty even splits, good enough for 25th overall & 4th in my age group. Only 61 seconds off my PR on the same course, which is great considering the low mileage I've been running this year. One more race on the calendar for this year then time to build that base!

2015 Training Log : 9/28 - 10/4

Quality:  On Wednesday went out for a 10 mile mid week long run. On Saturday, after traveling all day, put in an 8 mile "long" run exploring my new surroundings.

Trail:  Only made it into the woods for 1 trail run this week. On Monday I ran about 8 miles on the Skullbuster. This is becoming my go to trail running spot, love the secluded nature of the trail & its low traffic.

Easy:  Three runs for 13 miles.

Total:  Six runs for about 40 miles.

Kept the mileage low this week. With the vacation travel & race coming up I decided to do a two week taper. Going into race week I will continue with easy mileage & take advantage of the pancake flat running on the coast. With a lot of missed runs last week my achilles & hip actually feel much better. Once race season is finished I might take a week or two off to get fully healed before building up for an April ultra. Working on race calendar for next year, mostly locked down just need to find a marathon to re-qualify for Boston at.