T-minus 2 days…

Posted on April 5, 2012 by jimmy76mac

..until my first full marathon. For those just tuning in, I’m running a full on trails this Saturday. Here’s some more from my training log; let’s pick up where we left off:

3/22 – 7.06 miles with 1,247 feet of climbing (1:08:07)

ran Redwoods with Carl; we did the dreaded “Woodmonster”, one of the steepest and toughest trails in the park (the combo of Starflower and Madrone Trails; it climbs ~850 feet in less than a mile). Great run, was able to hang with Carl for most of it (he is a 2:55 marathoner btw)

3/23 – rest day

3/24 – 13.1 miles with 2,871 feet of climbing (2:33:17)

ran Tilden in a downpour- some sections of the trail were downright scary; the uphills were hard to get footing, so I had to either use the sides of the trail to get up or go up sideways. Downhills were scarier- I decided to shut it down after running the first loop (today was supposed to be the full marathon simulation run). No sense getting injured 2 weeks out. 

3/25 – 16.74 miles with 1,127 feet of climbing (2:15:56)

ran 14 miles of the Oakland Marathon course as a bandit, jumping in near my apt at 41st & Telegraph and running all the way through to Chinatown (jumped out at 10th & Harrison), easily jogged the 2.74 miles back. Did the 14 in ~1:50 for a 7:50 pace, so I’m counting this as my longest tempo run ever.

week of 3/19 to 3/25 total mileage: 64.39

3/26 – rest day

3/27 – 6.22 miles (52:58)

tried to take it easy, my legs are really sore. I think the above number (64.39 miles) is the most I’ve ever run in a 7-day stretch, so there ya go.

3/28 – 6.64 miles (1:00:31)

ran the lake twice with Pat; his first run after his race the past Saturday. Told him we had to run a negative split if we’re running the same loop twice. We did by a minute and a half- 31:30 1st loop and 29:01 for the 2nd.

3/29 – 6.55 miles with 1,076 feet of climbing (1:04:11)

another hard Redwoods run with Carl; we shortened our previous run here by a half mile, and basically did a modified reverse of the last run. It was pretty muddy still (have I mentioned the rain we’ve been getting?). I had much stronger legs than the week before, was able to hang right behind.

3/30 – rest day

3/31 – 16.84 miles with 2,871 feet of climbing (3:08:05)

last long run before marathon; ran Chabot from Redwood Road (MacDonald Staging Area) all the way into the lake (MacDonald Trail -> Grass Valley -> Brandon) then along the top (Towhee -> Columbine) down into the ravine where the creek was absolutely raging, washed away most of the trail (Cascade) so I had to get in up to almost my waist at a few points (now this is trail running). It was like taking an ice bath in the middle of my run, absolutely refreshing. Ran hard back up Cascade, back to the Stone Bridge (the climb after Grass Valley onto MacDonald was gnarly). Legs were really sore but I knew I’d be shutting it down somewhat this coming week.

4/1 – rest day (no April Fool’s jokes)

week of 3/26 to 4/1 total mileage: 36.25

March total mileage: 214.12 with 11 rest days

4/2 – 6.82 miles with 728 feet of climbing

did the basic 4 hills run; took it pretty easy (didn’t keep time, maybe 1:05-ish?).

4/3 – 5.3 miles in 42:05

tempo run; ran first mile in 8:20 then the next 4 at a 7:40 pace and cooled it down last quarter mile. These legs feel like they have some pop in them now…

4/4 – speed work on track with heart monitor

did 4×400 with 400m cool down between; times were all under 1:30 per 400. Did ~8 min warm up jog then hit

1:26.75 / 1:27.75 / 1:26.69 / 1:29.38

did another 4×200 with 200m cool down between; times were all under 42 seconds.

41.75 / 39.81 / 37.63 / 39.13

both times the 3rd intervals were the fastest; I wonder what that means?

Anyway, that’s it. Next time you see me, I’ll have run my first marathon. 26.2 miles with 5,796 feet of climbing. I’m targeting a ~5 hour finish. I think I know what to expect, know the course forwards and backwards, feel like I know every twist and every turn, where to run. 

Here goes nothing!

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All I do is…

Posted on March 22, 2012 by jimmy76mac

…post training logs!

I swear I have a race in like 2.5 weeks. That’s what all the following stuff is about.

Let’s pick up where we left off:

3/8 – 6.74 miles, group run at Tilden with Pat, Jamison & Carl. Super fun, a lot of hills. Was able to sprint the last 1.5 miles very comfortably. Also, got a new pair of Brooks PureGrit; this is my second pair and I’m contemplating buying 10 pairs of these; I also scored a pair of gaiters and was psyched- it was my first “rock and pebble-free” run on trails ever.

3/9 – rest day

3/10 – 24.48 miles (in 4:48:30), this was a modified version of the marathon course, I cut out 1.5 miles in the middle of the second loop, so I still had to do the big climbs. I’m going to conservatively estimate that I still did about 5500 feet of climbing. I took a crazy-ass ice bath after.

mileage for the week: 50.67 miles, 9 hours 4 mins

3/11 – rest day, not feeling so great, I think I’m getting…

3/12 – …sick!

3/13 – sick!!

3/14 – SICK!!!

3/15 – wore the trusty old Mizunos for this night run at Redwoods, did 9.93 with Pat. It’s been raining for 4 days straight, like Noah’s Arc deluging. East Ridge was the worst I’ve ever seen it, it was akin to pudding or brownie batter. Literally thought my shoes were going to be sucked off my feet by the mud at some points.

3/16 – rest day

3/17 – 11.27 miles; Redwoods. East Ridge was still awful- French Trail however was the most beautiful I’ve ever seen it; there were waterfalls on Toyon and Golden Spike coming down the canyon walls; it was awesome. When it rains like this, stick to the single-tracks and stay off the fire trails I guess. Coastal was doing a run here today, the Canyon Meadow #1 (I’m running the 50K for the 2nd installment on June 3rd). Looked like fun, I ran by their staging area at like 7:50 am.

3/18 – Pat was begging me to design him a 16-miler as his last long run before his race (a 30K up at Rodeo with PCTR this weekend). So we hit Tilden and Wildcat Canyon for a 16.59 mile run (3:09:17) with 4,116 feet of climbing. Oh, I got an altimeter, so I can have accurate elevation readings (it also has a heart rate monitor; more on that later). We were slogging through the muck at many points; some of the trails weren’t fit for horses let alone human foot traffic.

mileage for the week: 37.79 miles; 6 hours, 44 minutes

3/19 – 6.82 miles; this was the 4-hills run I like to do (Monte Vista, Mandana x2 and Linda). Used it mostly as a recovery run; ran it in 1:03:05 (9:15 pace). Also, ran new road shoes- the Brooks PureConnect. I am happy to say both of my main running shoes are now Brooks; I’ve completely freed myself from Nike and their awful imperialistic business practices.

3/20 – tempo run; 6.22 miles in 51:06 (8:13 pace). Ran the first and last miles at about 9 per and ramped the middle ~4 up to 7:45 pace. Feel great in the new sneaks. I’m also (ha!) off of the iPhone and its related GPS apps. Nike+ doesn’t work, MotionX sucks, Runmeter was a total waste. I’m using MapMyRun, an online map that utilizes Google Maps and has a point-and-click option, and is about 99.9% accurate. Its elevation totals also match my altimeter readings, so that’s a plus.

3/21 – DOUBLE DAY! Ran 8×400 intervals in the morning with 400 meters cool down between. Used the heart rate monitor, warmed up at 10 mins at 60-70% of heart rate and then did the sprints at 90+% and let it cool down to ~70% for each recovery jog. Totaled 5.39 miles.

Night time: ran 9.06 miles; the middle 3.5 were with Pat as his last taper run before his race Saturday. We ran the lake; I hella love Oakland.

…and that’s it. I wish I had other stuff to post; but that’s why this is a running blog, no?

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And we train…

Posted on March 7, 2012 by jimmy76mac

Since we last spoke…

2/19 -6.93 miles, was supposed to be a rest day but I really wanted to run.

61.81 miles for the week of Feb 13th-19th

2/20 – 6.84 miles, ran from Sibley Staging Area to Tilden’s Steam Trains and back (1:09:20) with a negative split (36 out / 33 back). It’s about +600 feet of climbing on the out and ~300 on the way back. East Bay Skyline Trail, y’all.

2/21 – 6.34 miles, boring road junk miles @ 8:29 pace

2/22 – AM: ran 10 x 400 intervals with ~1 mi of warm up and ~1 mi of cool down (5.43 total) and ANOTHER PM session of 6.91 miles easy, slow miles

2/23 – 8.32 miles, PM run at Redwoods with Pat

2/24 – rest

2/25 – 22.38 miles at Tilden- ran the 30k (actually was 19.05 miles) course for the Grizzly Peak race (April 7th, the trail marathon I am currently training for) then did another 3.3 mile loop (Curran -> Canyon Meadows -> Wildcat Grove). Here’s my splits:

4.8 miles (would be the first aid station): 54:35

8.5 mi (2nd aid station, +3.7 mi): +42:15

13.1 mi (3rd aid, +4.6): +49:17

19.05 mi (30k course, 4th aid): +1:08:09

22.38 mi (total, +3.33 mi): 35:21

total time: 4:09:39 (link for course map, link for other course info & elevation gains)

2/26 – 6.78 miles, slow with lots of climbing

63.01 miles for week of 2/20-2/26

2/27 – 6.84 mi, reverse of the run I did on 2/20 (did it in ~1:10)

2/28 – 5.56 mi, did Skyline Gate @ Redwoods to Sibley’s Round Top trail and back (28:30 out, 28:56 back). Here’s a trail map. I think this is the most challenging section of the trail, it drops down into this insane canyon and the climb out is at 50+ degrees sometimes.

2/29 – 7.43 miles, PM (Redwoods, first solo night run up there- was wet and foggy)

February miles – 223.58 with 6 days of rest

3/1 – 9.12 mi, Redwoods again with Pat & Jamison. Ran a 10:01 pace.

3/2 – rest day (actually, fun day- skied insane powder at Alpine Meadows!)

3/3 – rest day; first time I took off 2 days in a row since like last September- I’m really starting to feel the miles in my legs, not to mention the way I’ve been sleeping (head hits pillow, and we’re out!) but trying to eat enough to make sure the tank is always above E (I think I need close to 4000 calories a day now). Anyway, I volunteered at Coastal Trail Run‘s Montara Mountain race in the morning and it was awesome. Not only to help some great runners on their big day but to meet some other awesome volunteers, learn some cool things about nutrition and hydration, etc. A really cool community-building experience. Volunteer at a race everyone!

3/4 – 15.9 miles, Redwoods (did Moon Gate -> West Ridge -> Toyon -> Golden Spike -> Bridle -> Stream -> Mill -> French -> Tres Sendas -> Moon Gate for first loop and then West Ridge -> Stream -> Prince -> East Ridge -> Canyon -> Stream -> Tres Sendas -> Moon Gate next loop) 2 hr 47 mins at ~10:30 per mile. I call this one an “easy long run” because I was supposed to do ~23 miles but I’ll get out and hammer those miles next Saturday.

44.85 miles for week of 2/27-3/4

3/5 – 5.05 miles (48:54.1) ran the hills up into Piedmont, Monte Vista -> Oakland Ave -> Highland route

3/6 – 6.55 miles (1:02:10) ran hills again, did the Monte Vista -> Grand -> Mandana -> Crocker -> Wildwood route

3/7 – today (might run an easy ~7 tonight, might take another rest day; stay tuned).

I’m exactly a month out from my next race, the Grizzly Peak marathon, things are progressing nicely. I’m noticing a bit of fatigue lately, but fighting through the “tired” while trying to focus on what actually “hurts” vs. just plain “sore”. I’m noticing a slight dull ache in my left ankle, definitely going to stay on top of it and not try to push it too hard- it feels like it could just be an overuse thing. I’d rather lose days running now, a month out than be hurt right before the race. 

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Great week of training…

Posted on February 19, 2012 by jimmy76mac

Here’s the last 10 days or so since I last updated my training log

2/9 – night group run at Redwoods; 7.14 miles

2/10 – rest day

2/11 – 18.42 miles; Redwoods, started at 6:05 am; headlamp’d it for the first 45 mins. Ran a huge 11.3 mile loop, started at Skyline Gate -> East Ridge -> down Canyon -> Bridle -> Golden Spike -> Montiero -> Dunn -> Graham -> West Ridge -> back to Skyline (to drop off headlamp, grab headphones & Gu’s) and did another 7.1 down Stream -> up Canyon -> back on East Ridge. 3:11:08 total, 10:22 per mile.

2/12 – rest day

2/13 – 6.76 mi (in the snow, South Lake Tahoe at elevation of ~6250 feet)

2/14 – 7.11 mi (Nevada side, Tahoe Rim Trail for ~2 mi at elevation of ~7300 ft)

2/15 – first double ever, did AM speed work on track (8 x 400 m with 200 m cool down between, ~1 mi warm up, ~1 mi cool down) for 4.87 mi. Then ran 6.92 mi PM really slow (like 9:20 per).

2/16 – night run at Redwoods with Pat, 8.22 mi (went out on the killer single track French Trail, oof! Up Orchard, back on West Ridge)

2/17 – rest day

2/18 – 21 miles even; started at Sibley Volcanic; Skyline Trail down into the canyon, back up to Pinehurst Rd crossing, into Redwood Regional’s Skyline Gate, down Stream -> Golden Spike -> Redwood Rd. (~3 miles of road running) -> Anthony Chabot Regional Park’s Bort Meadow (10.4 miles out @ 1:36:57) -> McDonald Trail -> Bird Trail -> Golden Spike -> Stream -> Skyline Gate -> back down the canyon and up into Sibley (10.6 miles back @ 1:58:41). Total time- 3:35:34 at 10:16 per with ~2600 feet of elevation. The out part had ~1000 feet of climb, the back was ~1600, so note the +22 mins on the return. Started getting real bonky around miles 13 and 19, just fought through. 

54.88 miles last week.

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Posted on February 14, 2012 by jimmy76mac

Today’s run was 7.11 miles, about 2 were on the world famous Tahoe Rim Trail. It was untracked and a few drifts were knee-deep. Probably the most fun I’ve had running in a long time. This was just west of Kingsbury, NV off of route 207, past Daggett Summit (elevation 7,334 ft).

I’ve never had a problem running at these elevations, I’d love to get back up here in the summer and run above 9,000 feet.

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Posted on February 14, 2012 by jimmy76mac

Beardcicles! 6.76 miles yesterday, Stateline, NV through So. Lake Tahoe along route 50. Started at 6 am, was 22 degrees and flurries. Awesome.

Confession: I have never and will never ever run on a treadmill.

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Today’s run…

Posted on February 11, 2012 by jimmy76mac

…was a 3 hour, 11 minute and 8 second romp through the Redwoods that started at 6:05 AM in the pitch blackness with a glorious fog replete with periods of rain and mud. Did the first big loop of ~11.3 miles in 1:55 or so, stopped back at the car and dropped off the headlamp, re-applied cream for the oft-chafed areas and grabbed some headphones (I needed a “pacer” for the last 7.2 loop which I crushed at an hour and 16 mins).

Nutrition: ate a banana and a whole wheat english muffin & Nutella with a huge cup of coffee upon waking, then 6 Gu’s and 64 oz of h2o (3 lemon-lime Nuun tablets, please) during the run. 

Only about ~1800 feet of up elevation, I wanted to take it easier after last week’s monster run (Tilden Park; 3:34 / 19.73 mi @ 10:50 per with ~3100 feet of climbing).

Getting ready to really start upping the mileage, I’ll probably do an easy run tomorrow of ~10 miles, take Monday off (skiing!!!) and do an easy run Tuesday morning. Then speed work Weds, easy run Weds night.

So today’s run was 18.42 miles (10:22 per mile); and I want some more.

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Joe Gentsch: Road to the Olympics: Why?

Posted on February 11, 2012 by jimmy76mac

rungentschrun:

I train harder because they told me it can’t be done. In their eyes: I don’t have the knee lift and leg power, I started too late, I am too far behind, my body has physical limits, my speed can’t be augmented, I too am lazy, I don’t have enough fast twitch fibers, I don’t run enough mileage, I…

Here it is, I couldn’t have said it better

Joe Gentsch: Road to the Olympics: Why?

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Update: Training Log

Posted on February 9, 2012 by jimmy76mac

I haven’t updated since the last race (Jan. 28th’s Steep Ravine). So, here’s the training log since then:

1/29 – rest

1/30 – 7.04 miles

1/31 – 4.73 mi (speed workout on Oakland Tech’s track)

JANUARY TOTALS – 165.94 miles, 9 days of rest

2/1 – 7.16 mi

2/2 – 6.34 mi (night group run at Redwoods)

2/3 – rest

2/4 – 19.73 mi (Tilden Regional park trails, ran the 30K course for the upcoming Grizzly Peak race there. I will be running the marathon, so here’s my 20-miler in preparation- 10:50 per mile with ~3100 feet; not bad for a “training” run…)

2/5 – rest

2/6 – 9.16 mi

2/7 – 6.28 mi

2/8 – 4.70 mi (speed work on OT’s track)

I will run later tonight with the gang up in the Redwoods. I’m also playing with the idea of adding some two-a-days into the mix; most likely a Wednesday night slow run, somewhere around 6-7 miles with no hills and an another easy one Thursday morning, probably 4-5 miles with some light hill work. I’d like to have my mileage logs up to around 70 mi/wk about 2 weeks before the Grizzly race.

Okay, get out there and run.

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Steep Ravine 30K yesterday…

Posted on January 30, 2012 by jimmy76mac

…totally kicked my ass.

Probably because I ended up running an extra mile or so (damn confusing trail markers!) before some runners coming down the switchbacks into Muir Beach were like “you’re going the wrong way!”

So I turned back around, literally sprinted towards Muir Beach, found the correct Orange trail marker and double-timed my ass through a really cold and shaded tree single-track, passing a few runners but the damage was already done- I was cooked by the time I started up the Miwok trail to the Dipsea, that uphill was intense (it was about 30 seconds of running followed by 2 mins of power hiking, repeated about 50 times until I got to the crest and the Cardiac AS).

I was passed by about 4 or 5 runners as I realized my calves were crampy as all hell. I figured my strength is my near-mountain goat downhill running, and my quads felt great. Another Gu, a few Chomps, some boiled potatoes and a bunch of water and Cytomax (I lingered long at this AS, wanted to go out really strong- I had just passed the Dipsea “4” marker notifying me that the Stinson finish line was only 3.2 miles away, all downhill). I took off and passed as many runners as I could- maybe 10 or so, I was w00ting all the way down that trail- it was just as steep down as the first climb up.

So, the final result- 31st place (out of 82), total time of 3:14.22. Add that extra mile on and I ran about 19.6 (or like 31.62 kilometers). These totals were both the farthest and longest I’ve ever run.

A ton of boiled potatoes, a bag of kettle chips, an avocado, a half pound of turkey, about a gallon of both water and Cytomax and a soak in the ice-cold Pacific, then a long car ride home (followed by shower and nap) and a huge dinner later seemed to do the trick, I’m sore but I could totally run today.

Some other thoughts: I hate that I was counting the runner’s numbers (every three-digit bib that started with 4 was in the 30K) so I realized I was in about 15th place going into the Muir Beach AS, took a Gu really quick, 2-3 water shots and 2-3 Cytomax shots and left Muir Beach in about 12th (there were three other 30Kers I left behind at the AS that didn’t look so hot, they were definitely lingering and grabbing their knees).

I must’ve gotten passed by those 3 dudes and another 10-12 racers when I took my detour; my goals were either a top-20 finish or to finish under 3 hours. I can say that 1) I ran my race to the best of my ability and 2) I can take ownership of the fact that I made a huge blunder- that’s some “rookie mistake” shit right there, and if there’s anything else I can take away from this experience it’s that 3) I trained great, ate great, slept great- the only thing I didn’t do was practice mindfulness on the trails. I was like on autopilot, just running and not thinking that I’d have to practice some orienteering skills.

I heard some other runners, both in my race and the marathon make similar complaints- that the trails weren’t marked well- but in Coastal Trails Runs’ defense- that was a damn hard course to mark, and I think they did a fine job throwing a great race. Best AS and nicest people working them!

So, there’s my newest goal- to be more “aware” of the trails and have my last training run before my next race on the actual course, to familiarize myself with exactly what to expect.

I did not use my head, and I’m making a promise to myself to be more mindful next race. There it is.

Here’s the link to the results page: Steep Ravine results, 2012

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