Weeks 41, 42: The Dump, two stories about one run

Week ending March 10, 2013

Sat 3/9  8 1/2 miles at Croft. I love the Chapters. So much about it is good training--lots of technical trail uphill and down, some off-camber trails that really work your feet, and a generally unrelentless pile of climbs.

from Dairy Ridge: Palmetto to the Chapters back to Palmetto

Sun 3/10  14 miles at Croft with Scott. I always appreciate Scott’s willingness to try new trails at Croft. I took advantage of that to run Jerry Perry, which for me is pretty new still. Coming back by way of the Boy Scout hut and the Lake Trail, I tried to see through Scott’s new eyes. 

Of course Bristol ran both days. 

I felt sick on Monday, with achy ears just a little and whatnot. I actually missed work one afternoon, and slept pretty much through the next day. I tried to go by the “above-the-neck-you-can-run” theory, along with my general feeling. By Saturday I felt better, and I had two pretty good runs.

from Dairy Ridge: New Edition to Jerry Perry to Lake Craig connector to Foster Mill to the Boy Scout Hut and the Lake Trail to Lake Johnson trail to Hensington to Palmetto

Total: 22 1/2 miles in 2 runs



Week ending March 17, 2013

Tue 3/12  4 miles, including 2 miles barefoot.

Wed 3/13  4 miles on Cottonwood

Thu 3/14  8 1/2 miles at Croft

from Dairy Ridge: Palmetto to the Chapters back to Palmetto

Sat 3/16  The Dump, 24 1/2 miles 

A: This was not a good run from the beginning. I felt heavy, dead legs under me as I started in on the first climb. Not sure if it’s driving an hour and a half to get there, or if didn’t eat enough. But by the start of the fourth loop, I knew I wasn’t going to make 35 miles, and probably not 30, and I bailed. 

Felt like a DNF: I was discouraged about not finishing the run on my dad’s birthday, I felt like I had let down those who donated for this run. I felt like I was not going to be able to finish Ice Age at this rate. 

I found out later that each of the seven-mile loops has about 1800 feet of climbing. That means there was well over 6000 feet of climbing in the 24 1/2 miles I ran. That makes me feel a little better about the run. Ice Age has 6800 feet of climbing over 50 miles. I realize I have eight more weeks, and more training time. 

B. Seriously? I ran 24 1/2 miles with lots of climbing and descent, with good folks on a beautiful day, and I’m complaining? I can pretty much count the number of times I’ve run that far, most of them in the last few years. I really like the folks that put these things on and the vibe of the events.

I ran with Dave and Ali for a loop or so. Dave hung out with me after the Pisgah run last May while I hurled uncontrollably for a few minutes. I will be forever grateful. Ali was one of the few who finished 50K. The course was not particularly scenic, there was indeed trash from the dump scattered around, work at the dump was audible throughout. That scene there is totally worth it.

I’ll do just fine in May. I decided I would run every day again, which would put the race on day 55. That confidence alone will help, and the added miles will be good recovery time. 

Total: 40 1/2 in four runs