A running post?  Imagine that.

Two weeks to go until my first race of 2013. Might as well kick off the season with a 100 miler!

Things have been pretty quiet running-wise on the blog for the last few months. To sum up my activity since October:

Oct – Raced 50k, broke rib.
Nov/Dec/Jan – Limped through training, ate/drank a lot, got really fat.
Feb – Quit soda, eating a little better, still fat, running stronger.

Too little, too late??

My training leading up to last year’s Antelope Island Buffalo Run 100 miler looked like this:

10/2011 - 195 miles: Slickrock 100, Moab Trail Marathon
11/2011 - 234 miles: Woody's Pancake Run
12/2011 - 295 miles: Lots of training
01/2012 - 276 miles: Ponderous Posterior 50K
02/2012 - 259 miles: Psycho Wyco 50K
1260 total miles
60/wk avg

My training seemed really good last year. 60 miles a week seems to be my sweet spot, and to have that work out as the average for that entire period was very good.

This year:

10/2012 - 142 miles: Lake Perry 50K
11/2012 - 202 miles: Barely hanging on
12/2012 - 184 miles: Barely hanging on
01/2013 - 190 miles: Struggled through 25 miles at Ponderous Posterior
02/2013 - 237 miles: First decent month in a long time
958 total miles
45/wk avg

I have only run 6 times over 18 miles in this cycle vs. 14 last year. I basically crammed another month’s worth of running into last year’s training. Staring down the barrel of a 100 miler sitting on 45 miles a week isn’t exactly confidence inspiring. At least I have no lofty goals this time.

One thing I have been doing with some consistency is my Powerlines workout on the treadmill. I’ve done it 15 times in the past 2 months, and at 1 hour each that is some solid work. The cardio part is getting ridiculously easy for me, but my calves are always holding me back. I wouldn’t say they are getting better, but they are a little less bad lately.

So how did all that training translate to the race last year?

Not that well, really. I was in okay shape, but had a lot of issues in the race, ultimately finishing in 23:38 for 13th place.

The issues –

Coming off a 21:15 the previous October in Moab, I was convinced I could go near 20 hours at this race on an easier course. So of course I started way too fast for me, ran every climb like I was doing an interval, keeping up with (or ahead of) people that are better runners than me, and was dipping into the 6:00’s pace-wise on the downhills. Dumb.

I felt good for 20 miles.

Then I cratered hard.

The next 60 (!) miles were a blur of dehydration, fluid retention, mangled feet, and non-existent legs or energy. To make matters worse, I had not gotten any sleep the night before the race. As in none. Zero. Instead, I laid in my tent listening to the hurricane force winds flapping the rain fly like a machine gun. My back was pissed off in a major way from unloading water jugs the day before. I was a mess.

I finally turned things around a little for the final 15-20 miles and still got in under 24, which I was pretty happy with at the time.

This year?

Who knows… I am undertrained, overweight, and struggling with my chronically injured calves. On the other hand, I am cautiously optimistic and determined to run a whole lot smarter. Relax, no pressure.

My weight has not budged since November and it looks like I will be going into this year’s race 8-10 pounds heavier than last year. That doesn’t sound toooo bad (maybe), but it feels more like 15-20. Really.

I am eating better and have cut out the gallons of crap soda I was drinking. Despite all the running, it just takes forever for this 43 year old body to get the signal and turn things around.

168 last year:

Even that was still 7 over what I consider my ideal 161.

I guess it sounds like I’m pretty hung up on that. I sort of am, but not going to change anything else until after the race. I’m trying to think of this race as a stepping stone to the rest of the year. If I run smart and recover well, I should respond and be good-to-go for the summer.  Time to find out!