Winter Blahs and Injuries

Its Canada and it's mid March and we just had another dumping of snow.  Actually, the white, fluffly, full of grace stuff is still coming down right now (that was not so obvious sarcasm).  It all started with Wiarton Willy seeing his shadow and then came the bleak anticipation that we would be able to get outside and start training for the Paris to Ancaster that is a mere 6 weeks away.  I had a missed opportunity on one of the nicer Saturdays, but, life gets in the way.  Cornel made it out and came back with both him and his bike covered in mud, so, I was okay with my schedule.  I'm guess I'm a fair weather rider unless I'm forced to do otherwise.

I should be out there running and prepping for my 100 Miler at Sulphur Springs but since my six hour race in January, I have been recovering from a stress fracture and a diagnosis of Morton's Neuroma on my right foot.  It took weeks before even being able to walk on it.  The silver lining in all of this, is that I went looking for a new pair of shoes that would offer roominess and comfort to my foot.  I found a single pair of Altras at my local Running Room, which just happened to be my size and I absolutely love them.  With my falling arch, the toe box has continued to be a bone of contention.  It's confirmed, I have now crossed over the boundary of youth, looking for comfort rather than style, but, I am okay with it.   Just this past weekend, I had a 4 km trial run and all seems good.  The numbness and tingling were still present, but no pain.  Now to start ramping up the mileage.    

Zwift North American Tour - La Bicicletta, TO

But now, comes my night in shining armor,  Zwift!  I had not even used an indoor trainer until last year and then was introduced to the magnificent known as Zwift.  A digital destination for the global cyling community that alleviates the boredom associated to getting on a trainer.  It offers a variety of courses in a variety of settings: training sessions, social rides, races and just time on your own.  I think my second or third trial in this environment, I did 118 km as a training ride for last years Paris to Ancaster. It must have helped as I was able to hit my time goal on race day, minus the time spent waiting to clear the course sabotage of mature trees being cut down.  Who does that?  Certainly not someone that cares about the environment or someone that cares about the charitable needs of others that these races support.  So, I digress.  But really?  Okay, so you can customize your avatar and win achievements where you get to switch up your jersey for the fashion conscientious or tires and bikes for those that are the fanatical aero geeks.   

If you're a woman and have some free weekend time, try the ladies only social rides (you may even see the odd man joining in) that are offered by clubs like ODZ.  The group leaders offer helpful tips to assist in cadence and interval training.   Its such a great community and watching the screen lets you become absorbed into a virtual reality setting.  It even allows for a supertuck if you hit the right conditions; just make sure you don't get dropped while resting if you're in a race situation. Plus, all your efforts can be manually uploaded to Strava, proving to friends when you dominated the sprint sections of QOM.  It also offers a variety of challenges where you accumulate your distance and ride California or Italy to unlock presents which are presented as bikes (Pinarello Dogma F8 or Tron).

Well, I'm going to close off and do a quick Zwift session prior to heading to work.

Happy Trails my Friends and Ride On!  

Next Up, Chicago!

The week prior to Chicago was spent in recovery mode.  That meant, relieving a toenail of the pressure and watching the colour slowly dissipate.  Usually, I just leave them be, but, figured I needed to address it this time to get race ready.  It also reminded me that I need a pedicure; which use to be my most post race reward.  Cornel had a few toenails, but, I was like that Angela Johnson stand up routine...."Beautiful Nail....just one!".  It also meant replenishing lost calories and building some carbohydrate stores.  I felt like Slimer from Ghost Busters, eating everything in sight and still, it wasn't enough.  And finally, the DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness).  And my favourite "adaptation response" which my body is still trying to recall.  Remember, its how the body is suppose to restore itself to balance in response to stress.  I'm pretty sure I never got out of the resistance stage.

Saturday, the day of the road trip we got a fairly early start and I had the good fortune of sleeping a good portion of the morning.  We arrived in Chicago by early afternoon and had about 4 hours to explore the race expo.  We required most of that time to cover all the vendors.  This is one of the benefits of U.S. races, the expo's are quite large in comparison to their Canadian counterparts.  There are now a few more races that have been added to my bucket list. You should have seen the race medal for Little Rock. It was literally the size of a dinner plate.

We got back to the hotel and decided that dinner was in order to ensure an early night.  We were staying at the Drake which put us in the prime shopping district and close to some nice restaurants.  Following dinner, we found our way to the closest drugstore so that Cornel could pick up some supplies for his toes. He was a little concerned that he would have ogre feet forever.  Between Slimer and the Ogre, we could have been additions to Shrek 4.  Nonetheless, we looked at the race map and devised a strategy for him to pull out should his feet give him too much aggravation. None of which he needed come race day. Following that, we jumped into bed fairly early to obtain some adequate sleep.  After all the races I've competed in, I still never get a good night's sleep the night prior.


The next morning came too soon as I was awake to every siren that tore through the city during the night.  Nothing that a good cup of coffee wouldn't fix.  We left the hotel, knowing that we had a 3 km walk to the race start and we were 20 minutes behind already. We were able to catch some of the first wave and then as we approached the park, we were able to witness some of our coral running past us. I forgot to mention our race strategy.  New Balance had partnered with Strava and was offering a pair of shoes to anyone that could produce a negative split.  Knowing that our legs were not at prime coming off the Toad, we figured this would be the most attainable goal and a worthy one. This vision would force us to slow down rather than following the pack and going out to fast.  We could allow ourselves to get nicely warmed up, even though the walk had already taken care of that.  By the time we checked in our bag and hit the chute, we had both missed our coral and we fell in where we could.  It took half an hour to advance up to the start line.  At least, we had another opportunity to visit the Porto-potty. Finally! We were off and the legs felt pretty good, all things considered, rested and limber.  Not the effort I thought it might be.

By the time we hit the half way point, we were ready to pick up our cadence and finish it.  That
feeling may have lasted 2-3 km`s and then it became a struggle.  It was difficult to break free of the group due to sheer number of runners.  It really didn't open up much along the course.  By, the end, we had ran an additional 3 km`s. That`s a lot of weaving.  We were staying positive and we were both feeling good. We lacked any real suffering coming off the Toad, other than lack of energy and that was surprising.  I thought there would be some residual.  Even though the mile markers appeared to never come, we were happy to count them down.  Our feet, to both our surprise were holding up, except for my left metatarsal (normal pain after 10 k), that Cornel massaged for me a few times.  The hardest part was getting back on my feet afterward.  The unlimited number of spectators along the course cheering you on, was exhilarating.  There wasn't a section of the course that wasn't covered.  There were even different organizations that came out to offer hydration and some nutrition.  They had bananas, oranges and even pretzels and gummy bears individually wrapped for you to grab and go.  Truly remarkable to see the support for us runners from the entire community.

The finish was within reach and we assumed the New Balance shoes were just a few km's away.  Both were attainable.  There had been some bad smells along he course, but, I came upon one that was particularly foul.  Right about that time, Cornel was saying move to the right, move to the right.  Then I understood why.  You start to move and things start to move within you.  Kudos to that woman for her perseverance as I don't think I could do it.  She just ignored it and kept on going.  We saw people with prosthetic legs.  I always get emotional when I see the hurdles that other people overcome.  We had a few extra walks as fatigue was setting in, but, our pace seemed to be where we needed to be. Coming up that little hill near the finish was one of those, ; we should have pushed ourselves....just like skeleton hill, but, the mental got the better of us.  What a terrible spot for cameras. That's just mean. There was a slight turn and then the finish line came into view.  You get this sudden jolt of energy and surge with whatever you have left in the tank. Ahhh, the finish.  The glorious finish.  First a bottle of water, then your medal, then nutrition, then beer, then Mylar blankets, ice, photo's.  They just think of everything.

It may not have produced any PR's for me (almost 40 minutes slower), but, it was a great race and one that I look forward to racing again.  Once we had wobbled over to pick up our belongings from the bag check and found a place on a bench (easier to get up again) to relax and finish our beer; it all seemed worthwhile.  You recall the things that went well and what you would try differently next time. Then, all of a sudden, you are discussing the race strategy for your next one.  However, I have been told that a certain someone has already surpassed his maximum running distance for the year, so the next race I may have to do alone.  Horror Hill is just around the corner and it would be a shame if I had to run it solo.

We had not finished our stumbling as we had yet to make it back to the hotel which was a vast 3 km away.  We had considered Uber, but, just kept walking, as unsteady as we were.  On a positive note, we passed a Cheesecake Factory and knew exactly where we were having dinner later.  We were in good company along the way with so many runners.  Once back at the hotel, we jumped onto the computer to claim our shoes and wouldn't you guess, a mere 20 seconds behind a negative split.  It certainly sounded easy at the time.

Happy Trails my Friends!
         

D2R2

I've heard of this race, (for all intense purposes we will call it that), referred to as many things, including Hell. And its not just the name that's clever. The courses are well designed and all the proceeds benefit the farmers and land owners that want to protect it from unwanted development. And without farmers....there would be no beer.

 I must admit, studying those elevation maps, watching all those videos and reading the numerous blogs prior to the event, had me a little terrified.

Time to pick up our race kits and meet a few locals

We arrived on the Friday around six to pick up our race kits and everything was well organized with numerous volunteers and and there was a plethora of D2R2 souvenirs to choose from (jerseys, mugs, posters, arm sleeves, etc).  The maps and cue sheets were printed and waiting.  There were a few vendors too which included, "Dug's Art" , a local artist with an extensive racing background and
his stories were as vivid as his paintings.  "The People's Pint", a local brewery and restaurant in Greenfield attended, serving up burgers and beer.  Plus a few more.  Cornel and I  anxiously grabbed for a cold one, for the carbs of course-it had absolutely nothing to do with that seven hour drive.  Unbeknownst to us, was the group of cyclist that had gathered on site at the People's Pint.  We'll be sure to follow up on that one next year.  Oh yeah, there is definitely going to be a next year.

The starting line

As we were toeing the start line, or wheeling in our case, I for one was happy that we had decided to scale it back to the 100km distance.  Everything about this "race" was very relaxed and casual, except for the actual distances and routes-oh, and did I mention elevation?  We took off shortly after 9:00 a.m. and had a good warm up section, traveling on pavement, before the climbing started.   The first hill I took pretty fast and Cornel worried that I would tire myself out too quick.  I was just thrilled our first climb was on pavement; I had also set a goal of finishing within 6 hours and I was pumped, well, at least for the first half hour.  The asphalt road quickly turned to dirt and the climbing on intensified.  I assured myself that all the climbing must be at the beginning.  Prior to the first water stop, there was a steep paved incline and I had to dismount and walk my bike up as I couldn't see a thing.  The sweat was dripping down into my eyes and stinging with contact and without travelling at any significant pace, my glasses were fogging.  This is huge for me as typically I'm not much of a sweater, mostly just a little perspiration; something that resembles Mickey Mouse. That's all I will say about that.   It was only an hour into the race and things were heating up by 10 a.m.  Cornel easily pumped his way to the top.  The assemblage of road surfaces as we wound our way up the hills of Massachusetts made it quite cumbersome, but, on we trekked.

Pickle Juice

When we got to the first water stop, my time limit already expired as we were an hour and fifteen for the first 20km.  That would add another hour over and above.  It didn't seem like an aggressive goal at the time.  I grabbed my half empty water bottle and headed to the water jug to refill it.  On the jug, was a written sign that said "pickle juice" and I thought how cute. What a great simile.  Not so cute and poetic after all, because after I took a big mouthful of the stuff, I realized it was legit.  I've done a few races, marathons, ultra's, a half ironman and never, not once was I ever provided with pickle juice, flat cola maybe, but, never pickle juice.  If you can get by the taste, that stuff is apparently magical, or so I heard.  Much like cabbage juice on a hangover.  I did end up dumping it out, as I was worried about the mixture of coconut water and pickle juice and didn't want to have any emergency stops.  I was a little unprepared in the kleenex situation.

The stunning views of Franklin County

As we departed from the water stop, we had company and some of the people started to become familiar.   There wasn't a whole lot of conversation going on, but,  I think that was mostly attributed to attrition, better save it for the next climb.  Within a very short time frame, we ascended our way up and once at the top, you had to grab a photo or at least blink your eyes.  The vista was breathtaking and laid down the perspective of all your climbing thus far.   It was certainly worth the view. The distinction between green and blue was truly epical. Now, this is living. Shortly, thereafter, we were halted by a fire truck as one of our fellow cyclists had gone down. Glad that he was okay. This is the dilemma, you are on a paved decent and then the surface changes to gravel.  There was a lot of sections like that. At the end, we had heard, there was only four mishaps of a similar nature, but, everyone was okay.  Lucky for me, my coach, Cornel has always taught me to stay loose and reactive; much to his chagrin, I still take the downhills with not near enough caution, loving that top-speed.

Almost 3 hours in and we had hit our lunch spot.   A captivating little oasis in Vermont by a relaxed river and covered bridge that was currently under construction. We probably spent at least an hour there enjoying the lunch that was provided.  There was also another pickle juice table and they were serving shots this time. I graciously accepted the sour and salty notes for the gains they would provide as the day continued to heat up.  Thankful for what little breeze there was.  Departing from lunch had to be one of my most favorite spots on the course.  The road followed the river and it was pretty much flat and shaded, so a good way to digest lunch and warm back up again.  This was also the section for the family ride and I was impressed with all the youngsters that were riding their bike.  We still have some work to do where my grandson Kingston is concerned.  Hopefully, one year soon, he'll be able to join us.  I was still convinced, quite unequivocally that we must have completed the majority of our climbing prior to lunch.   Cornel also has this sinister side to him, evilly telling you that there is just one more climb.  All in all, I was still feeling good and was still pretty strong on the climbs, relatively speaking. I just preferred not to do anymore.  Unfortunately, the choice was not mine to choose.  By the end, was had a total elevation gain of 1800m, which was just 200m shy of the hike we did in Austria.  The comparison really put things into perspective for me.

Cornel pondering how I beat him up that last hill.

 One of the most significant clambers in my opinion was on the way up to the orchard.  It is appropriately named Apex Orchard. I received the full definition from a cycling perspective from Cornel.  Who Knew? We were greeted with cold peaches and apples, cookies and other hydration.  It was hard to leave, but, knowing that there was only 20km remaining before cold beer was enough to put you back in the saddle.  Upon leaving, Dr. Evil made his usual remark.....just one more climb.

It was a nice descent and although, I still felt good, I was content knowing that the ride would be over within another hour or so.  There was a technical tailspin close to the end and this is where I suspect I broke my spoke.  It was the only casualty, so not so bad.  This last sag was also another concern for Cornel as he felt I was taking it way too fast for my level of expertise.  Poor guy, I can only imagine the amount of cringing he must do riding behind me making sure that I'm safe.Without him, I'm not sure I would have been able to do this journey.  He has taught me so much.  He is my rock. Fortunately, the broken spoke didn't cause any further damage, most of which, I was totally oblivious to anyways.

Following that, it was just a nice flat section where you could sprint to the finish if you still had the legs to do it. It was such a moment to cross the line with some energy left to eat, drink and enjoy some camaraderie amongst the other cyclists.  Each of us giving a full description of the days events and our favorite portion of the course.

Looking forward to heading back up there next year and hopefully taking some friends along for the ride.

Happy trails my friends.

Sulphur Springs 100 Miler

What a race....and a race it was.  Against time, heat and mental anguish.  O all you host of heaven! O earth!  What else?  And shall I couple Hell? (William Shakespeare, Hamlet)

Running Supplies

It all started well and I was feeling very well prepared....well mostly spoiled.  My nutrition, my hydration, the tent and all supplies other than what I would need to wear was all prepared for me....thank you Cornel.  You truly are the most considerate and caring person I know.  Just knowing that you and Claudia were in my corner and would be there to run with me when things got tough was motivating in itself.

Sulphur Tent City

Arriving at the dinner the night before and meeting some seasoned veterans like Guy and Lucy and hearing their stories provided a mix of excitement and apprehension.  Could I really pull this off?  Guy had only been running Ultras less than 2 years and he already had quite a few under his belt---held on with the choice of 100 Miler buckles I am sure.  Guy provided a lot of insight and really helped in finalizing my race plan.  Start off slow he said.  It was also my first time meeting the race directors, Tim and Andrea, and what an amazing pair. I would come to get to know them quite well over the course of the following day.  They provided the utmost motivation and insight to continue, but, we'll save that tidbit for later.  Everything was extremely well organized by all the volunteers and that was even more evident the next day.

Sulphur Mascot

Toeing at the start line the next morning, I was ready.  I took off at a comfortable pace and heard someone say, I'm just going to walk down Martin Road and let myself warm up nicely.  And, I recalled from the previous 50 Miler last year, how much havoc that Martin Road decent played on my quads.  Little did I know, but, this runner with all her expertise would be my running partner for most of the race.  The tips and encouragement that Robin provided along the way helped immensely.  I don't think there was a person on the course that didn't know her and lucky for me, she was using this 100 Miler for training and was running a slower pace than her usual stride. In the 3rd loop when my legs were feeling off, sluggish and painful, she offered me a Tums and almost instantly, I felt better.  Tums will be in my pouch for next year, amongst other things.  It was great conversation that passed the time away.  You meet such nice people with amazing stories at these races.


By the beginning of the 4th loop, the heat had intensified yet again and we caught up with another veteran Ron.  He was also feeling the affects of the heat and we collaborated and decided to walk the entire loop.  I had met Ron at a previous Ultra, That Damn Hill, so it was nice to catch up again.  Robin and Ron are the many faces of Ultras.  You see them at all the big races.  We had an enjoyable loop despite the conditions and even came across a snake in the grassy section.  Snakes, I'm okay with, now June Bugs, that's another story.  Despise them and the thought of them had not even crossed my mind at this point.

By the end of the 4th loop, I was still feeling pretty good, considering the heat and length of time already on my feet (considering I finished the 50 Miler in 11:35 the previous year).  Upon making another ascent up Martin's Road hill, I found some additional support at the top.  There beside Cornel was Susan, Jorg and Helen who had come out to support me.  I sat with them and drank a Radler while I worked on releasing my heel blister (never had one there before-in fact-I never usually get blisters at all).  When I started back down the hill, I thought, this is totally doable.  I started into a walk and by the time I got to the Hermitage, I was feeling good and really picked up the pace into a nice run.  I was thinking, where did this come from?  Then, it was right around the area where we had run into the snake earlier, that it was too dark to continue running and on went the head lamp and back into a walk I went.  It was shortly after that, that my calf seized, despite the salt tablets and lots of hydration through the day.  Susan met me at the last aid station and was willing to walk with me through this last portion. Thank you again for that, Susan.  Out came the June Bugs (you could hear the 2 of us scream as each one crashed into our headlamps) and the 3 Sisters to battle; while I struggled to keep it together to get to the finish.  I knew I was done.  My calves were obliterated.  I'm not sure, if they buckled under over use or whether it was the unfolding climate of the day.

At the top, when I told Tim I was done.....he said...oh no.....you're not done.......you have 3 more laps.  He helped with trying to work through my calves and Cornel was there to take over.  I think Cornel was a little disappointed that he wasn't doing the next loop with me as he had taken it easy on the 25k that morning, so that he would be in good shape to see me get to the finish.  Well, as easy as he could considering his daughter Claudia was also racing the 25k and the challenge was on.  Claudia was determined to beat her Dad this one around and that she did.  Her training and determination definitely paid off.  Well, just touching my calf at this point sent me reeling into pain.  I was happy to admit that I completed 100km (my longest distance thus far) and I would not be continuing.  Andrea also gave me a great pep talk and I am grateful for their attempts.  As I sat with Cornel and Susan and  drank another Radler, Cornel softly coerced me to try again.  It took some time, but, no convincing was enough to get me back on my feet, well,  until the pouring rain hit and then I didn't even have enough in me to run to the car.

The next day after a semi restful sleep, we arrived to bring down the tent and gather our supplies and were fortunate enough to see the last 3 runners come in.  It was Deborah, a gentleman and then Rhonda.  Rhonda was the last runner and this was her first 100 Miler;  to see her come up that hill, was so empowering that it convinced me to give it another try next year.  I think I've also talked Cornel in attempting the 50 Miler.  Well, truth be told, it didn't take much persuasion at all, come to think of it.  See you at the Sulphur 2017.

Happy Trail My Friends

70 P2A

70 K Paris to Ancaster Classic Cycling Race

The fridge is becoming empty....not the contents, but, the postcards that adorn the front of it.  Well, until Cornel finds some new races that he is anxious to try and let me tell you, there is plenty.  I get weekly emails with links and YouTube videos of races all over the world, with the majority being held in North America.  I have to admit, I am pretty fortunate to have found an equal when it comes to his sense of adventure.  

So, our latest race, was the 23rd edition of the 70k Paris to Ancaster.  The course takes you over a terrain of rough farm lanes, trails and gravel roads.  I must say, I felt like a kid again, with the amount of dirt I ate that day.  The route takes the riders down dirt corridors with trees on either side and rolling hills of grass amongst the dirt and rocks, but, the sun was on your face and the robin egg sky blended into the green horizon.  It doesn't get any better.  I almost forgot to mention the mud pits; the last being the worst of all.  I took my honey's advise and walked down the Powerline portion, so I wouldn't have to clean my chain and derailleur after making it through. Not sure that I would have kept the momentum going anyways, so I spared myself some time, but, mostly the embarrassment of being covered head to toe in mud.  The course nicely finishes with Martin's Road, which is a climb of 1.3 km.   I will get to see this road again (8x) in about a month when I attempt my first 100 Miler at the Dundas Conservation area.
   

We had fabulous weather considering how unpredictable the Spring can be.  I was checking reports daily to ensure I would be mentally ready for the chance of rain or snow.  Thankfully, the day settled on mostly sun, fortunate for me with the gear I packed.  Cornel and I were in Wave 3, which nicely starts at 10:15.  I have to admit, I love races where you also get to sleep in, or relatively speaking.  We decided prior that Cornel would race and I would chase and this worked out essentially well for us as we both hit the times we were aiming for; if you subtract the time that we were delayed due to the course sabotage.  Its a shame that someone had decided to cut down mature trees to prove some sort of wayward point.  It takes all kinds, doesn't it and I'll leave it at that.  

This was also my first race on a CX bike, after just getting it in March.  I have to admit I love the
responsiveness compared to my Mountain bike.  It provides the ability for turning over the legs fast once you come out of a turn. Its got the power.  Cornel felt it was appropriate for the race and as always he was right. I'm looking forward to our next undertaking, whatever that may be.   

Happy trails my friends!

  

Do More of What makes You Awesome!

Awesome defined......tempo runs!  Don't worry, you'll be finished before your body evens knows you started.  

Tempo runs are the single most important workout you can do to improve your speed for any race distance.  Long runs develop pure endurance, but, tempo running is crucial to your race performance because it rains your body to sustain speed over distance.  The problem being, as runners, we rain our cardiovascular system to deliver oxygen to the muscles but we have not trained our bodies to use that oxygen once its present.  Imagine doing the tango without a dance partner.  In essence, you are missing the crucial detail.  Tempo runs do just that; they teach your body to utilize oxygen.

There are many ways of performing tempo runs, but, I prefer to use the progressive type and build on the distance.  Its simple to perform and is in many ways more enjoyable as your body gradually warms up to your pace.  You feel stronger through the middle portion and can typically finish at a faster pace.  To do a progressive tempo, start with one kilometer (1/3 your distance) at warm up pace.  Then gradually and evenly increase your pace over the next kilometer or second part of your distance at an easy endurance pace (60-70% of your maximum heart rate-you can hold a conversation).  The last kilometer or final 1/3 of your distance is at race pace (90% maximum heart rate - just shy of breathlessness).

This type of tempo run can also be divided by time rather than distance.  It gives you the additional advantages of running while improving your ability.  It will also help with those negative splits.  You'll be running faster at the end of a long quality run.

Note:  Ensure that all speed work sessions begin with a dynamic warm-up and cool down routine.  And, don't forget to stretch.

Now, For the Rest of the Story!

One of the main reasons for signing up for the Boxing Day 10 Miler was that Claudia (Cornel's youngest daughter) was coming home for Christmas.  Claudia is a very active and vibrant young lady (so full of life as I found out on race day) and like her Dad, she enjoys a very active lifestyle, full of hiking, cycling and running; well and whatever else she can squeeze in.  She currently lives in Vancouver and attends at the University of British Columbia.  As she progresses in her studies, she will be a great resource for our racing nutrition, so stay tuned for that.
She, like the rest of us had started out with the best of intentions, but, those dreaded mid terms were omnipresent and so, her training runs also suffered.  It was hard for me to notice though.  Also, like her Dad, they have a natural running form that makes them a little faster.  I have to admit, it was on account of trying to run along side her and share in her first race experience that I started out with that sub 5 min pace.  Fortunate for me, I do the 10 and 1 program and lost her after 10 minutes.  I was then able to settle into my own personal and much slower pace.  As life shows us, sometimes, things just work out for the best.
It was her longest run to date, but, as her endurance and mental stamina prevailed, Claudia took first place in her age category of 19 and under, winning her a gold belt buckle in her very first race.  Cornel and I were so overjoyed to be part of this experience.  It appears that someone will be returning next year to defend that title in the next age group category and also beat her Dad, who only finished a mere 6 minutes ahead.  So proud of you Claudia!  Also, important to mention, our goal is to be well trained for next years race.

Happy Trails my Friends!

The Under Trained

How much training is considered too little?  Does it depend on the distance or on the amount that you push it?  If it happens to be the latter than my body is cooperating quite nicely.  My partner Cornel (you'll hear him referenced many times in my blogs) has said that we are not able to do any further races without doing the appropriate training and yet, here we go again.
The Boxing Day 10 Miler race was a great thought when we considered it back in late October or early November.  Easy to get in 3 runs a week, right?  That changed into one run a month in November and two in December.  Maxing the distance in those runs at around 5 km as I didn't want to push it too much.  I will do that on the next one.  Sure, then life gets in the way.  Why does time move so fast after 40?
Well, as I always said in my clinics and the mantra I have used in more than one race, "a finish is still a finish".  The one benefit in racing under trained is you tend not to push it as you fear risking an injury for that next race, so you finish without breaking much of a sweat, which means dry clothes.  This is a positive when its only 4 degrees outside.  The other benefits of running at a 60-70 max heartbeat, you can talk a lot; or at least to anyone that is willing to listen.  Its enjoyable, you notice things and the people around you.
Well, just be sure to start off slow.....or when you look down at your Garmin and you're running a sub 5 pace, ease up as you're running way to fast to get through it.  All in all, finishing at the half way point of your gender and age group is satisfying enough for lacing up. Good thing you showed up.

Happy Trails my Friends