Ok, just a short rant today. I just found out that another of the races I was considering this year requires volunteerism as part of the entry process. I know, volunteers are the life-blood of many ultras but does requiring entrants to volunteer really help with this? Or does it just make more red-tape for the RDs who must find something (preferably 6 hours exactly!) for the volunteer to do. And I should say (because I really am a good person!) that I am currently doing volunteer work at a local state park trail system near me but there is no way I would go in and ask them to fill out a form for me so I can run some race. I want to help out with the trails; I'm not doing it so I can enter a race.
The two biggest offenders of this policy in my opinion are:
WS100, which is a for-profit operation and has the highest race entry fee of any 100 mile race. Of course they want free labor; it helps with the bottom line! I think I might start requiring my customers to no only pay for their furniture, but come to my (or another furniture shop) and do 6 hours of hand sanding.
Tahoe Rim 100. This is supposedly the "National Championship" of trail 100s this year, and they want 12 hours in addition to your entry fee for the privilege of racing for the title. Can you think of any other sport that would do this at their National Championship?
Friday, April 25, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Bloody Shin Run
On Sunday Rick H, Dan V, and I headed out from my house to try the Palmer Lake Res/Balanced Rock Road/Rampart Range Rd/Winding Staircase Rd loop. Since moving to Palmer Lake, this has become one of my favorite loops, but it is def. a summer/fall loop with tons of snow in the winter and early spring. We tried it a few weeks ago and turned back after about 4 miles of post-holing. It is 22 miles total, and tops out at 9200 feet (starting at 7200 feet at my house).
There was no snow at all till we go up to the reservoirs at about 7600 feet. Starting here, there were snowbanks extending across the trail every so often for most of the remainder of the loop. Dan was the smart one, as he was wearing tall socks but Rick and I really beat up our shins each time we sunk down into the snow. As we got higher, we were treated to some great views of the snow covered Pikes Peak (South of us) and Mt. Evans (North of us). Probably in a few more weeks this run will be completely clear.
I am feeling pretty good after an easy 3 weeks and am now signed up to run the Jemez Mountain 50 Miler with Rick on May 17.
Also, after the last 2 years being un-sponsored, I'm very happy to be running for Smith Optics/Pearl Izumi as of this week. I'll write up a review of the various shoes as soon as I get them.
Last 3 weeks of training log:
Thu 04/03 – 1:00:00 Including 3.2 mile tempo run up Rampart Range Rd in snowstorm (24:30)
Sat 04/05 – 3:00:00 Greenland Open Space/Spruce Meadows/Spruce Mountain and back.
Week – 4:00:00 / 30 miles
Mon 04/07 – 35:00 around neighborhood
Sat 04/12 – 2:40:00 hilly w/Rick. Crystal Park Road/Palmer Trail/Section 16/Intemman trail/Red Rocks back to Manitou
Week – 3:15:00 / 25 miles
Fri 04/18 – 30:00 easy on roads with Darwin
Sat 04/19 – 23 miles / 3:19:00 SF Trail/Stables/Falcon Loop. Warm.
Sun 04/20 – 22 miles Palmer Lake/Rampart Range Rd loop 3:18 still snowy in places.
Week – 7:10:00 / 49 miles
There was no snow at all till we go up to the reservoirs at about 7600 feet. Starting here, there were snowbanks extending across the trail every so often for most of the remainder of the loop. Dan was the smart one, as he was wearing tall socks but Rick and I really beat up our shins each time we sunk down into the snow. As we got higher, we were treated to some great views of the snow covered Pikes Peak (South of us) and Mt. Evans (North of us). Probably in a few more weeks this run will be completely clear.
I am feeling pretty good after an easy 3 weeks and am now signed up to run the Jemez Mountain 50 Miler with Rick on May 17.
Also, after the last 2 years being un-sponsored, I'm very happy to be running for Smith Optics/Pearl Izumi as of this week. I'll write up a review of the various shoes as soon as I get them.
Last 3 weeks of training log:
Thu 04/03 – 1:00:00 Including 3.2 mile tempo run up Rampart Range Rd in snowstorm (24:30)
Sat 04/05 – 3:00:00 Greenland Open Space/Spruce Meadows/Spruce Mountain and back.
Week – 4:00:00 / 30 miles
Mon 04/07 – 35:00 around neighborhood
Sat 04/12 – 2:40:00 hilly w/Rick. Crystal Park Road/Palmer Trail/Section 16/Intemman trail/Red Rocks back to Manitou
Week – 3:15:00 / 25 miles
Fri 04/18 – 30:00 easy on roads with Darwin
Sat 04/19 – 23 miles / 3:19:00 SF Trail/Stables/Falcon Loop. Warm.
Sun 04/20 – 22 miles Palmer Lake/Rampart Range Rd loop 3:18 still snowy in places.
Week – 7:10:00 / 49 miles
Saturday, April 19, 2008
This and That
It's been a wild week here in Palmer Lake; upper 60s early in the week, then 6 inches of snow, then upper 60s again. Today was a gorgeous day for the local ultra (Greenland 50K). A few Team CRUDers ran the event, while the rest of us ran the great Sante Fe/Ice Lake/Falcon Loop run (23 miles), which circles the Air Force Academy on a nice rolling single track trail.
Speaking of Team CRUD, check out our new socks!
The socks are just the latest step in our plan for total world domination. Better join us before it is too late.
For tomorrow's run, we'll be checking out the snow levels up at 9000 feet as we head from my house in Palmer Lake up Balanced Rock road to Rampart Range rd, then back down Winding Stairs road (22 miles). All 3 of the aforementioned roads are rough Forest Service roads with little traffic. The black bears are just coming out so hopefully we'll see one tomorrow.
In furniture news, I just completed a new design this week; this is the 4th piece in my Shaker collection and is made out of Cherry, Birdseye Maple, and Aromatic Cedar.
Speaking of Team CRUD, check out our new socks!
The socks are just the latest step in our plan for total world domination. Better join us before it is too late.
For tomorrow's run, we'll be checking out the snow levels up at 9000 feet as we head from my house in Palmer Lake up Balanced Rock road to Rampart Range rd, then back down Winding Stairs road (22 miles). All 3 of the aforementioned roads are rough Forest Service roads with little traffic. The black bears are just coming out so hopefully we'll see one tomorrow.
In furniture news, I just completed a new design this week; this is the 4th piece in my Shaker collection and is made out of Cherry, Birdseye Maple, and Aromatic Cedar.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
McNotRun 100
Well, I never made it out of Colorado for this weekend's race in Pekin, IL. I was very sorry to have to miss the race, but Judy's surgery recovery wasn't going as good as hoped so I decided it would be lame to leave her alone for 4 days. I did enjoy following the web updates for the McNaughton and Mad City races yesterday. Congratulations to everyone who completed those events.
It has been snowing here in Palmer Lake for most of the last several days. I tapered even more than usual this time (didn't decide not to go till the last minute) and it was interesting how I felt yesterday morning when I did the CRUD long run; terrible! I often feel a bit sluggish for the first few hours of my 100s and I wonder if I might be tapering too much. I have always thought it was the travelling and strange food, but this was a good experiment to rule out some of those other factors. Of course any running you do the last 2 weeks isn't helping your fitness, but doing at least some running each day is probably good to keep everything loose.
What next? I am in pretty good shape so hope to find a race in the next month or so that is still open.
It has been snowing here in Palmer Lake for most of the last several days. I tapered even more than usual this time (didn't decide not to go till the last minute) and it was interesting how I felt yesterday morning when I did the CRUD long run; terrible! I often feel a bit sluggish for the first few hours of my 100s and I wonder if I might be tapering too much. I have always thought it was the travelling and strange food, but this was a good experiment to rule out some of those other factors. Of course any running you do the last 2 weeks isn't helping your fitness, but doing at least some running each day is probably good to keep everything loose.
What next? I am in pretty good shape so hope to find a race in the next month or so that is still open.
Monday, April 7, 2008
McNaughton 100 Preview/Prediction
The McNaughton 100 (and 50 and 150) is less than a week away. This certainly isn't a "goal" race by any means, but I still hope to run a good solid race to kick start my summer season. I'll be driving up there alone, and basically just kicking it old school - camping at the race site and using drop bags and aid stations. I honestly don't know a whole lot about the race, but in the last week I've gotten some valuable information as to an elevation profile and a blow-by-blow course description with photos. While the high and low points of the course are only about 175 feet apart, you go up and down between those elevations constantly. The website says there is 1600 feet gain per 10 mile loop, for a total of 16,000 feet of gain, which is the same as the Leadville 100 and the Vermont 100. Mud looks like a given on this course, along with a few stream crossings. I actually don't mind getting my feet wet but the mud could be a drag.
Prediction: Eric Clifton ran 18:38 in 2005, and Karl Meltzer broke that record with a 17:40 last year. 2005 was certainly past Eric's prime, but still Karl breaking his record by an hour was impressive. I hope to lower that further to 17:00. I don't like races with multiple distances going on at the same time, but I just need to use common sense and not race any of the 50 milers if they go out faster than I want to run.
If any of you have run the race and have any words of wisdom, please let me hear it!
Prediction: Eric Clifton ran 18:38 in 2005, and Karl Meltzer broke that record with a 17:40 last year. 2005 was certainly past Eric's prime, but still Karl breaking his record by an hour was impressive. I hope to lower that further to 17:00. I don't like races with multiple distances going on at the same time, but I just need to use common sense and not race any of the 50 milers if they go out faster than I want to run.
If any of you have run the race and have any words of wisdom, please let me hear it!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Ultradriving
I did more driving than running this week. 2240 miles to 58 to be precise. Luckily I had great weather the whole way and, while tiring, it was nice to get out and see some beautiful, empty country. My clients in Northern California loved their new furniture and gave me a great place to stay overnight. And, Fiddeltown CA is a beautiful area with loads of hilly, curvy, mountain roads for running. The Poison Oak is everywhere out there so watch out AR50 runners!
I took Highway 50, aka the Loneliest Road in America, across Utah and Nevada.
There are just a few towns, each separated by a hundred miles or so, along US50. The towns include Ely, Eureka, and Austin. All are at about 6500 feet and surrounded by mountains. This region is part of the Great Basin, meaning water doesn't flow out to any ocean. Austin is surrounded by tons of mountain biking/hiking/running trails, but they are under a lot of snow right now. I stopped in Eureka, which is a small mining town of about 600 people, to have a beer in the Keyhole bar. Unlike Colorado, there are no smoking bans in Nevada bars apparently.
Somewhere out there I saw 2 guys walking down the highway pushing baby joggers full of gear; I think they must have been doing some kind of trans-state or trans-continental walk.
This tree is east of Fallon NV and is full of shoes. Supposedly, a newlywed couple had a fight underneath this tree and one threw the others' shoes up in the tree. The couple made up, and so threw the others' shoes up in the tree as well. Now, it is a custom to stop and toss your own shoes up in the tree. I declined as I had only one pair of running shoes and my good boots with me.
Similarities between Ultrarunning and Ultradriving:
1. Fuel is important to both. On Highway 50, there were several stretches of over 100 miles between "aid stations" and one expected fuel stop was closed for the winter.
2. When the sun finally rises, you perk up and feel like you can go all day again.
3. Your mind wanders in the most unusual ways.
4. You'll go crazy if you worry too much about each mile split.
Week Log:
Tue 03/25 – 1:01:00 hilly road run in Fiddletown CA through vineyards and horse farms. 2200 feet elevation sure feels good.
Sat 03/29 – 3:51:00 CRUD long run. Manitou – up Rampart Range Road to the Overlook, down to Waldo Canyon, around the long way, and back on the Ute Indian trail.
Sun 03/30 – 3:08:00 with Dan Vega and Kelly Mortensen. Santa Fe Trail - Ice Lake – Stables – Falcon Loop and back. 7 minutes faster for this loop than a month ago and it felt much easier, even coming the day after a long run. Did this one with no breakfast and no calories during the run to make it seem a bit longer.
Week – 8:00:00 / 58 miles
I took Highway 50, aka the Loneliest Road in America, across Utah and Nevada.
There are just a few towns, each separated by a hundred miles or so, along US50. The towns include Ely, Eureka, and Austin. All are at about 6500 feet and surrounded by mountains. This region is part of the Great Basin, meaning water doesn't flow out to any ocean. Austin is surrounded by tons of mountain biking/hiking/running trails, but they are under a lot of snow right now. I stopped in Eureka, which is a small mining town of about 600 people, to have a beer in the Keyhole bar. Unlike Colorado, there are no smoking bans in Nevada bars apparently.
Somewhere out there I saw 2 guys walking down the highway pushing baby joggers full of gear; I think they must have been doing some kind of trans-state or trans-continental walk.
This tree is east of Fallon NV and is full of shoes. Supposedly, a newlywed couple had a fight underneath this tree and one threw the others' shoes up in the tree. The couple made up, and so threw the others' shoes up in the tree as well. Now, it is a custom to stop and toss your own shoes up in the tree. I declined as I had only one pair of running shoes and my good boots with me.
Similarities between Ultrarunning and Ultradriving:
1. Fuel is important to both. On Highway 50, there were several stretches of over 100 miles between "aid stations" and one expected fuel stop was closed for the winter.
2. When the sun finally rises, you perk up and feel like you can go all day again.
3. Your mind wanders in the most unusual ways.
4. You'll go crazy if you worry too much about each mile split.
Week Log:
Tue 03/25 – 1:01:00 hilly road run in Fiddletown CA through vineyards and horse farms. 2200 feet elevation sure feels good.
Sat 03/29 – 3:51:00 CRUD long run. Manitou – up Rampart Range Road to the Overlook, down to Waldo Canyon, around the long way, and back on the Ute Indian trail.
Sun 03/30 – 3:08:00 with Dan Vega and Kelly Mortensen. Santa Fe Trail - Ice Lake – Stables – Falcon Loop and back. 7 minutes faster for this loop than a month ago and it felt much easier, even coming the day after a long run. Did this one with no breakfast and no calories during the run to make it seem a bit longer.
Week – 8:00:00 / 58 miles
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