Run, Write, Run: March 2010

Last Sunday on March 7 I competed in my first ultra race. The genesis of deciding to do so is outlined in my prior blog. Basically, I was feeling really aerobically fit, saw the application, and decided to go for it. Mix it up and try new things. The race was the 2010 USATF 50K Championships and I took first place in a time of 3:34:26.

I planned on going out relatively conservatively and testing the waters from there. But, I blew this from the first few steps and ended up going out quicker than planned, passing the first mile in 6:40. I'm usually pretty good about sticking to a game plan, but I think because I was on the fence about how to run it, I just went by feel. I slowed down a bit the next few miles, but not a lot. So, at that point I decided to go with it. I was in a nice, comfortable rhythm and decided that since I didn't know where my boundaries were with the distance the only way I would find out was if I bumped up against them. I decided that: 1. this might have a very painful ending. I was okay with that. And, 2. the given pace/effort would not sacrifice my training for the Boston Marathon. That was the go-ahead.

I was in a nice rhythm for the first six laps and even the seventh loop (the course was 10x5k loop, which rolled a bit), although if you check out the lap paces on the results page my seventh loop looks slow, but this was due to a bathroom stop. The last few laps were tough, particularly the next to last lap. I knew I was fading, but I felt that I "managed the fade" pretty well.

The race was also a great opportunity to practice fueling for the marathon...I took in 4 Hammer Gels (one about every 45 min., although I took one or two of them in half-portions) and water. Go Hammer!

Overall, the race was a blast. It was a unique and tough pain to work through the last few loops, but leading up to that I felt smooth and steady. Everyone at the venue was so nice. The other competititors in the 50K and 25K were really kind, supportive, and encouraging. The volunteers did a wonderful job--not only were they spot-on with working at the aid stations, but they really seemed to be enjoying it. The race director, Amy Goldstein, did a great job and was very personable before and after the race. If anyone is looking for an introduction into the world of ultra's I would highly recommend this race. The logistics were easy and the event was wonderful. Of course, the nice, almost spring-weather didn't hurt, either.

Perhaps one of the best things from the race is that my recovery went really smoothly. I'm still on the look-out for any latent fatigue or aches, but after two easy days for running, I felt ready to get back into things full-swing. From here until April 19, I need to emphasize marathon-pace and faster running. I have been doing workouts at this pace throughout the training segment, but I need to really lock into it at this point.

The photos are graciously from Mike Polansky, President of the Greater Long Island Running Club.

Race Director, Amy Goldstein, congratulating me on my win.

Things are going well. We've had a decent amount of snow the last few weeks, somewhat complicating training, but it has been manageable for the most part. And, now, spring is getting closer and closer, which is always something to look forward to.
Regarding my training, I'm at a point wehere I feel my aerobic conditioning is really good. About two weeks ago, I began to feel that this part of my fitness really "clicked." I was steadily moving my mileage up and began to recover well between runs and not feel totally wiped by heavy distance days. It's always nice to take a jump in your conditioning and feel that "click" in training. On flipside, I was (am?) struggling a bit with workouts (speed work), but I'm excited to emphasize them the next few weeks. I'm optimistic about fitting the puzzle pieces together and having them mesh at just the right time.

Before full-on tackling this speed issue though, I, on a whim, signed up for this weekend's USATF 50K Championships in NY. I haven't trained specifically for this race, but I think the training I've been doing lends itself to it. So, I found out about the race and signed up 3 hours before the deadline. I plan on using it as a stepping stone in my Boston training and for that reason I'm still deciding how aggresively I want to run it. It's unknown territory and I'm looking forward to the adventure. My adventure, which is a great opportunity to practice fueling for the marathon, will be fueled by Hammer Nutrition, my great sponsor. I recently received a new shipment of drink mixes, gels, and supplements. The new Montana Huckleberry gel is AWESOME...it tastes so good!

Well, I have to hit the road. I'm driving to the race site and checking out the course and then staying at a friend's for the evening...Thanks Pete!