"50K Poser"

STOP! Watch this video -- http://trailandultrarunning.com/how-to-be-an-ultrarunner/

That's "me" at :27. The 50K Poser.

I have really been struggling with feeling of inadequacy these last few months. I don't have the right to claim the moniker of "UltraMom." I know (and know-of) many many people that run way more and way longer than I do. Often juggling it against greater family/work/social commitments than I have. (Take Christie, for example.) I've "only" run two 50Ks. Last year. I have yet to do a 50M or 100K, or the belt-buckle-worthy 100 miler.  (And those are just the typical beyond-marathon distances.  See below for a few of the better-know events longer than 100 miles.)

Falling and breaking my wrist has turned out to be tougher for me mentally then I thought. I actually didn't lose *that* much conditioning while restricted from running while in a splint for three weeks.  I probably could have picked right up in my training plan for doing a 6-hour timed event at the end of March. I could have walked more. Resumed running longer, sooner, more often. But I lost my Mojo. It was still cold. It was still icy. The last thing I wanted to do was go and fall *again* especially under the spectre of a hospital bill the size of a VW Jetta.

In blog-land this is when I'm supposed to be all inspirational-like and tell you how I have/am overcoming these feelings and on track to bounce back for my best year yet! But I can't do that. I'm running two (maybe three) times a week, for weekly mileage of about 10-15 miles.  (By comparison, in the months leading up to my two 50K's, I had several 40-50 mile weeks, and several 100+ mile months, with a peak 150-mile month.)

In my defense, I am working more. I'm a contract instructor, and last year I had more free time.  Bad for the pocketbook, but great for running 150 miles a month! (And at my pace, that is a significant time investment, let me tell you.)  But despite the greater demands on my time, I still have a bad case of Lackadaisical.

I did run a 10K event a couple of weeks ago, and I have a plan to ramp up to a 25K (~16 mile) event in the middle of June. The secret to success is no secret -- I need to return to the practice that got me to 50K twice last year -- "early to bed, early to rise" and "Just Do It".

I can do this.

For Independent Study:

The origins of the Belt Buckle for 100 mile races -- Gordy Ainsleigh and the Western States 100 -- http://youtu.be/629q81fPqYM

A few runs ~longer~ than 100 miles:
-- The Spartathlon -- http://www.spartathlon.gr/en.html
-- Badwater Ultramarathon -- http://www.badwater.com/
-- Race Across USA (one of many transcontinental options) -- http://raceacrossusa.org/
-- Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc -- http://www.ultratrailmb.com/

What Does the Specialist Say?

If I were really clever, I would do this post in rhyme as a parody of "What Does the Fox Say?"

♫
Feet go slip
Bone goes crack
Girl says OW OW OW
ring ding ding dingding dingdingdingding
ring ding ding dingding dingdingdingding

♫

But I'm not.

After getting patched up at the E.R., I was sent home with a referral to a hand & arm specialist. I called as soon as I got home Tuesday afternoon and was fortunate to be seen right away the next morning.  All night I was hoping that the break could simply be set and cast, and I'd be on my merry way.  After all, I had some running to do. I had a race in 10 days ... a free one, at that! I had won a spot in the Wilson Creek Frozen 50K in a raffle and was really looking forward to it.  I think I can see Wilson Peak from my back window, and I want to know if I can see my neighborhood from Wilson Peak.

I had a feeling, though, that this was not to be the case. If it were that straightforward, couldn't the ER doctor do it?  Why was I being referred to a specialist?

This is the most difficult thing I've ever had to write...

No really! This is the most difficult thing I've ever had to write because I fell and broke my arm this week! I am attempting to type this one-handed... left handed... and I am not a southpaw.

On Tues, Jan 7 I headed out for what was supposed to be a routine long run of 12 miles in preparation for two goals. Short term, doing the 20-mile route at the Wilson Creek Frozen 50K on Jan 18; and longer term staying on schedule with my training plan for the goal of hitting 50K in the time limit of 6 hours at the end of March (http://24hour.pickledfeetultras.com).  I had only run once on trails since completing the Foothills 50K Frenzy back at the beginning of October, and that was several weeks prior, before Thankgiving. Only one trail run in three months?! Yikes. If I didn't want Wilson Creek to completely kick my ass, I needed to log some more trail miles, stat.

I knew snow and ice were factors, so I studied my Ridge to Rivers trail map for a route that was... long enough, exposed so there would be minimal ice, and not too remote. I specifically sought one of the trails that had multiple access points "in case something happened."  In hindsight it's tempting to try to call that foreshadowing or a premonition, but in truth I seek that criteria for most of my solo runs, no matter what  time of year.

I considered running up Rocky Canyon Road, but ultimately decided not to due to the lack of restrooms, and the unrelenting up followed by straight down. I wanted more of an undulating trail, since I was out of practice. Thus, I planned on Corrals Trail, up and around in a "U" to the end of Bob's Trail, and return.  I knew that about a mile of Corrals was in a little ravine following a creek, which would probably be icy, but the rest should be fine. I actually wasn't familiar with Bob's.  Just the day before, there was this on the Boise Foothills Trail Conditions facebook page:

Post by Boise Foothills Trail Conditions.

The Mid-Packers

This writer believes he is writing about The Mid-Packers, folks like me; but I think it provides just as much insight into the mind of someone who is usually closer to the front.

WHAT'S NEXT?

So ... What's Next?

I've learned that training consists of a cycle of push-and-recover, push-and-recover. This cycle occurs  at all different levels, weekly, monthly, yearly. In the course of a week, you stagger your workouts between long and short, easy and hard, aerobic and anaerobic. Week over week, you build strength, endurance, log more miles until you reach a target event or pinnacle of some sort. Then, take some time off to recover, regroup, recoup. Repeat. Over years, that base builds, experience is gained. If you're smart about it, and with a little luck, you Level Up instead of Break Down!

In the build-up to the Frenzy, I reached a peak of 40+ miles per week (with one 50 mile week!), and had a string of 100+-mile-months (and one 150 mile month!), all a first for me.  Now, it's time to come full circle, back off and run about 20 miles a week for a while.  Then, start the build again... 30, 40, 50 miles a week to prepare for the next challenge.

A big component of training that I have not bothered with is speed training.  I have worked on making running a consistent habit in my life, part of my routine.  Then I worked on endurance and stamina.  Now I am ready to try to speed things up a bit.

Towards that end, at the moment, I am eyeballing the Pickled Feet TIMED Challenge (http://24hour.pickledfeetultras.com/) in which you run for a set time, not a set distance. The person who runs the most miles in the set time is the winner. This event has options to sign-up for the following times: 6 hour, 12, 24, and even a 48 hour!  Yeah, I think I'll stick to the 6-hour, thank you.

The course, while unpaved, is a flat and smooth 2.5 mile loop.  Based on my experience at Weiser River Trail last April, in which I hit the 26 mile mark at 5:45, I think it is possible to come along a year later and complete 50K (31 miles) in 6 hours.  According to my calculations (thanks Excel!), this would require an overall average pace of 11 minute miles including stopping at the aid station. It's ambitious for me, but I don't think it's unrealistic.

I have the stamina. I've been "out there" for 6+ hours quite a few times now and I know I can handle it.  The challenge is going to be maintaining the speed for that long. I maintain that pace or faster all the time in my mid-week training runs of 10 miles or less. Other than the three half-marathon events I have done, for distances beyond that, I've slowed way down. I'm pretty sure it's mostly mental. I psych myself out -- "You're going soooooo far today! You have to slow down if you're going to make it!"  The physical training -- preparing -- for a target is the easy part.  That self-talk is killer!

So far, the best way I've found to quiet those voices is to prepare.  Worried about running 20 miles? Go do it. When you're successful, it shuts up the voice that says you can't!  Worried about running fast(er)? I'm just going to have to go do it!