Posted: 7/31/2009 4:06:55 PM EDT
|
So I went to post a long overdue update only to see that the original thread has been achived.
You can see the backstory here: Archived Thread One of my favorite runs is a path along the river... 
Problem is, today its pretty much under water 
This brings me to my question for today.... Who else runs in any conditions? I run outdoors exclusively....with the lone exception being ice storms because I simply cant run on solid ice....I tried...it doesnt work. Everything else goes.....hot, cold, snow, rain......I take the bad days knowing there will be good days and enjoy the training for the experience it brings. Here is a shot from my window about 5 minutes before I went out today... 
The picture doesnt do the weather justice....it was mid day but dark as dusk....heavy rain, moderate winds. You can see the water pooling up on my side lawn and mud running off into the street...its a mess out there right now! I took a few pictures, put the camera on the table and headed out the door. The way I look at it, running is like any other type of preparedness training....in reality, you dont get to choose the environment you may need to respond to an event in. I run to stay in shape...for health but also to maintain the ability to move quickly, with endurance, when called upon to do so. That call may come on a perfectly crisp sunny fall day...or it may look like the picture above. So....do you train outdoors in the sub zero temps of winter and the 100+ heat indices of summer? (or do you retreat to the treadmill like the smart people  )
|
|
I have become an all-weather runner. This week was an all-time record high in Oregon, so I started my run at 5AM. I have never been a morning person, but I tried doing my normal 5:30PM run in90+ weather and just about couldn't finish. Running in the heat will kill you, not make you stronger. The early moring thing was kinda nice and my shins gave me less trouble without already spending a day on my feet. Running in the summer takes planning and a serious dislike for the treadmill, but you have to have the gear for some cold weather runs. I'm looking into the shoe chains for the ice this winter; last winter I landed on my ass too much and nobody would find me until about 2 hours after I busted my head.
You do have some nice trails there. I do my Sunday runs here: http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?PropertyID=679&action=ViewPark I run from Linneman Station to 82nd and back most days. I do hate it when it is raining sideways. That will send me to the treadmill quicker than heat, cold, snow, or most anything else. The winters here make we want to move to Orlando, where I could run without the winter drama. |
I love your posts, and jealous of your trails
Just did my first ultra the other weekend. Was able to maintain 3rd place for 32 miles(just under 5 hour 50k) then blew my ankle dropping off one of the many steep sidewalks, was a very bumpy uneven course. Tried to walk it off but ended up dropping at mile 38. Was a great experience and I even met an elite runner as well as a future race partner from Florida Going to attempt another 100 in September... The people who do these things are truly some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. I was probably the only one there without a crew and everyone was offering me help. I guess they don't have that competitive cockiness that you usually see in the shorter races. -I usually run at night regardless of the weather |
|
Quoted:
I love your posts, and jealous of your trails
Just did my first ultra the other weekend. Was able to maintain 3rd place for 32 miles(just under 5 hour 50k) then blew my ankle dropping off one of the many steep sidewalks, was a very bumpy uneven course. Tried to walk it off but ended up dropping at mile 38. Was a great experience and I even met an elite runner as well as a future race partner from Florida Going to attempt another 100 in September... The people who do these things are truly some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. I was probably the only one there without a crew and everyone was offering me help. I guess they don't have that competitive cockiness that you usually see in the shorter races. -I usually run at night regardless of the weather And I am jealous of anyones ability to compete for 32 miles
My longest runs are around 1/2 marathon distances. I've never gone the full 26.2, maybe this fall / winter......not really a firm goal of mine, just something I'll get to eventually. I agree regarding the short races bringing out the competitive folks...the front of the line is always crowded with the techno-jocks, with every gadget they can strap to themselves to monitor their pace.I have no gripe with it, I just dont run to be better than anyone else, so I dont really get that mentality. I prefer to run alone and havent competed in a road race in years. I'll probably run some 10K's for fun this fall (I need some new shirts) but I'm not going for placement...just to enjoy the run and support a good charity or two. I'm curious to know what the week or so leading up to an ultra looks like. What type of training does one do in the days leading up? I'd think total downtime for at least 3-4 days to let the body be at peak restoration would be optimal...but honeslty I dont know. What do you eat before a race like that? How often do you eat while running? (assuming that periodic refueling is a must) Would love to hear more about the specifics of training and the race experience. I can only imagine those distances at this point in my running career
|
|
My goal was mainly to finish rather than compete, so my training wasn't as hardcore as you may think, I believe I peaked out around 60mpw with a 20/10 weekend. The people who really get in to these things drop 100 mile weeks like they are nothing, but of course most of them have been running ultras for years and their bodies have simply adapted to the stress. Even though I didn't get to finish, it was still an amazing experience and I am 95% sure I will be at http://www.hinsonlake24hour.com/ for my 2nd attempt.
As far as rest before the race, knowing my body personally if I take more than 2 days off I suffer significantly in my next run. I think I did a 7 miler on Tuesday and a 2 miler on Wednesday(the race was on Friday). Ideally speaking, I didn't really have enough time to train so I made the best with what I had. As far as eating on the run, the course was a 3.16 mile loop with an aid station just before mile 2 and at the start/finish line. Every aid station I would take a quick walk to consume my liquids and be on my way, I tried to maintain a 2/1 water to gatorade ratio which worked pretty well. Every 2 full loops, I would stop at my drop bag and consume calories from either Carbo Pro 1200 or gu/sports beans. I don't know if that's the best way to manage things but an elite runner told me the best thing to do is to do what YOU feel like at the time. It was kinda cool because I was used to seeing Akos Konya on youtube videos and reading about him. Pretty funny being able to see him run in person, that man is simply amazing. He clocked 85 miles in the 12 hour race  . Looking back at the splits I was doing extremely well until I got stupid and rolled my ankle.
1st place finisher after 10 loops: 10:(loops)31.60(mileage)31:16(last lap time)5:02:49(total time) 2nd place finisher after 10 loops: 10(loops) 31.60(mileage) 30:13(last lap time) 5:04:43(total time) Me after 10 loops: 10(loops) 31.60(mileage) 32:42(last lap time) 5:04:34(total time) 1st and 2nd place both finished 113 miles in the 24 hour period I know I couldn't hang with them regardless of my ankle as I was about to hit a wall anyways, but it was still pretty cool being toe to toe with some amazing runners for over 50km. The guy who placed 1st, Byron Lane, placed 3rd in the nationals last year over in Texas and this was his 61st ultramarathon. ETA: As far as eating before the race, I basically planned it like any other race. 4 days before I started loading up on Carbo Pro every morning and before I went to bed. The day before and the same day I had a pizza to myself. The race was at 7pm so other than the pizza I ate pretty lightly that day with my main consumption of calories being high energy foods such as sports beans or Carbo Pro. Next time I'm going to try Accelerade over Carbo Pro 1200. It's good stuff, but its too syrupy for me to effectively gulp down the necessary calories in a timely manner. |
|
Did a mellow 7 miler today on the trail picture at the top of this thread, although it was a little coudy and not quite the perfect spring day it was when I snapped the photo. Temps were down around 80 with reasonable humidity for this part of the Country.
Running on flat ground is a nice retreat from the hills in my neighborhood.
|
|
Been a few weeks since I updated this thread....been 90-100 degrees for a while now.
Managed to get in a few 100 degree runs, most have been in the low-mid 90's with really high humidity. The environmentals have cut down my mileage....I just cant run distance in the muggy air. Its been all 3 and 4 mile loops with a few exceptions. Did a nice 7 mile out and back one day, but it was overcast and in the low 80's that day. Just came in from a morning 5k training loop (tried to beat the heat and got out on the road early because I have the day off) As much as I enjoy the extremes of the hot sunny day runs, I really am looking forward to a cool crisp fall afternoon and a 10k that I dont break a sweat until about half way into it
After all is said and done, I think I can finally say that I prefer heat to cold. For years I have been trying too figure out what is better (or worse)....sub zero frigid nights with wind......or....hot sunny humid summer runs. I usually crave the opposite no matter what season it is...but lately, I am starting to realize that although heat makes running difficult, it doesnt hurt as much afterward. Those sub-zero runs leave my body way more beat up...probably because I wind up running more miles....but I still think the body need less adaptation in the hot air when compared with a hostile winter run. That said, I still cant wait for the first "snow run" of the year...its always fun to take that nice long loop with the snow falling around, the smell of wood fire in the air. Nothing beats a good run. |
11 Miles yesterday
Temps dropped down to around 65 degrees and I took the opportunity to hop out on the trail by the river and log some miles for a change. Shin and calf muscles were feeling it last night a few hours after the run but by this morning all was pretty much back to normal. Between my hiking this past weekend and the run yesterday I figure I covered about 25-30 miles on foot over a 72 hour period
Speaking of hiking, here are some pictures from the weekend....(hiking 15-20 miles of hills didnt seem like much work while taking in the scenery...didnt feel it until the next day  )
Service road leading off into the forest... 
A few shots of the stream I hiked along on my way up to the top of the mountain... 
And here is what was generating the stream...a 100' falls just below the lake on top of the mountain... 
|
|
Did another run at the place pictured in the first post - nice quick run today, about 5-6 miles.
They were doing trail maintenance earlier this summer and I had not been on the trail since it was completed....wasnt sure how far they finished the path. Decided to run out 30 minutes and turn around. Well, turns out that after about 1 1/2 miles the nice tiny gravel ends and the remainder of the path was crushed concrete, and fairly large chunks at that. After about 25 minutes I had enough and turned back, settling on a 50 minute out & back. I was really nice coming into the home stretch and getting back on the soft crushed shale....was like running on rubber after the concrete trail I spent the bulk of my run dealing with.
I definitely need to get out and travel more for cool running locations. This is much more fun than running around my development
|