Green Lakes Endurance Runs 50k - First Ultra Completed

Yesterday I ran the Green Lakes Endurance Runs 50k race.  This is the first ultramarathon that I've participated in.  The race started at 6:45 am, with a 100k starting at 6:00 and the packet pickup beginning at 5:00 am.  Green Lakes State Park is about a two hour drive from my home so I got up at 2:00 am, showered and ate some left over rigatoni and hit the road.

The course was set up as a 12.5 km loop that we ran four times.  The first part of the trail was through the woods and featured two fairly steep climbs.  There were a few rocks and roots thrown in, but overall the trail was pretty smooth.  The hard part of the course is nicknamed "The Serengeti" which is an open field with no shade lasting about 5km.  After The Serengeti we came back into the woods for a nice long downhill and then some flats back to the starting line.

Starting early in the day was nice and we had some cool temperatures to run in.  The first lap went very uneventfully and I finished the first lap in 1:30.  I hit my drop bag and grabbed a PB&J sandwich and went off for the second lap which I finished in 1:32.  Some far, so good, but the temperature was starting to rise pretty quickly.

The third lap started getting a bit more difficult.  I was running with a friend and she has had some medical issues lately.  She started to not feel well and we walked a bit on this lap.  The heat on The Serengeti was brutal.  The average race day temperatures in this area is 78 degrees.  This race day climbed to 92.  With zero shade and clouds the heat was pretty oppressive.  This lap took 1:51.

The last lap was a bit tough on me.  I started getting some cramps in my quads.  I'm not quite sure if my lack of fitness was coming through or if my nutrition was lacking.  Most likely it was a little of each.  We kept moving forward, running when we could and walking when we needed to.  At this point I was very glad to have a friend along with me.  Having someone to talk to when you're not feeling well is very helpful.  I know I could have gotten through on my own but it would not have been nearly as enjoyable.

Out on The Serengeti we came across one of the 100k runners that was looking pretty rough.  He had been having stomach issues all day and couldn't keep any food or drink down.  We walked slowly with him for a while to make sure he'd be OK.  He ended up dropping out at the next aid station.  This final lap was completed in 2:04, giving me an overall time of 7:01.

Before the race I thought I could complete the course in about 6:30.  When I saw the weather forecast I revised my goal to seven hours.  I didn't break any speed records in this race but I was happy with the results considering the heat and that it was my first ultra.  It was a great experience and I will certainly be back for more.  Most likely the Mendon Ponds Trail Run in November.  I'll wait until next spring to go beyond the 50k mark.

"Dam" Good Trail Race - Letchworth State Park

I had been planning on taking it easy for the two weeks leading up to the Green Lakes Endurance Runs 50k.  I kind of blew that idea.  A few weeks ago I was talking with a friend about the "Dam" Good Trail Race, a 14 mile out and back at Letchworth State Park.  It really sounded like a good idea, but I know I need to taper before the 50k.

So late last night I get a text message that says "See you in the morning, Sleep Well!"  So I'm expected at the race and I hate to disappoint a nice young lady, I'm running the "Dam" Good Trail Race. 

I woke up at 5:00 am to a roaring thunderstorm dropping buckets of rain.  PERFECT WEATHER FOR A TRAIL RACE!  I grabbed a Pepsi Throwback (Real Sugar, no high-fructose corn syrup), a pack of Pop-Tarts and a cup of coffee and hit the road.

I showed up and of course the race site was a soupy mess.  Nice and slick, just the way I like it.

Since I am tapering I planned to run this very slowly, taking lots of walk breaks.  I wasn't even concerned if I finished dead last.  I set out on a nice easy pace and enjoyed the scenery.

About two miles into the run I hit an unavoidable puddle and stepped on a root or rock rolling my left ankle.  I got that nice, sharp pain that ran up to my knee.  I take a few more steps and it doesn't feel too bad.  A few hundred years up someone moves to the right side of the trail so I can pass.  My left foot hit just off the trail and starts to slide.  My already sore ankle can't take it and I slide off of the trail and start heading down a steep embankment.  Luckily I grab a tree and don't fall too far.  I'm a muddy mess and the ankle hurts.

I limp about a quarter mile to the first aid station and they help me wash my hands and now soaked handheld water bottle.  My ankle hurts, but not too bad.  I can keep going.

I move along pretty good until about mile six when my ankle start getting stiff.  This causes me to slow down a bit and alter my gait.  Not a good sign.  I make it through the turn around point and start headed back.  I'm moving slow, but still running.  At mile ten the pain takes over and I start walking.  I pretty much decide to walk it in with a few bits of running.

About mile thirteen I really run into problems.  By this point I had been on the trail much longer than I expected.  My inadequate breakfast and lack of food on the trail is starting to take an effect.  I'm tired and my calves are starting to cramp up.  I'm feeling seriously deflated.  I quickly massage and stretch my calves and decide to run the last mile in.  I finished in a horrible 3+ hour time, but I finished.  I wasn't even dead last.

As bad as the run was, I did learn a lot from it.  The biggest thing is I need to be smarter when taking a longer run.  Eat food of substance beforehand.  Bring extra food with me in case my time gets extended.  Instead of water I should have been using a sports drink.  I'm sure this contributed to my cramping at the end of the run.

A second thing is I need to respect my taper.  There is no good reason to run a 14 mile trail race in tough conditions the week before an ultra.  I tired myself out and risked injury for no good reason.  I really need to be smarter going forward.

Running in Casey Park - Ontario, NY

I'm always looking out for new trails to run.  Anything to keep my running fresh.  Today I had the pleasure of running on the bike trail at Casey Park in Ontario, NY on Knickerbocker Road, just north of route 104.  The trail through Casey Park runs around a narrow, spring fed pond that looked like a nice spot for bass fishing.  I'll have to visit the pond again with my rod and reel.  The pond was created in the 1880s as a byproduct of mining efforts.  It is a very pretty little park.

The path starts off as nice, wide, inviting hard packed dirt.  It is smooth, and even and can be run very fast.  There are distance markers every 200 meters.  I could see myself doing speedwork here instead of the track.

After running the length of the pond the course turns and you come across a small bridge:

Then you come to some nice stairs going up:

Once you hit the top of the stairs you are on a single track the rest of the way.

Some of the single track was a little over grown, but I think that is because it doesn't get a lot of action.  It was also fairly difficult with rocks and roots making constant attempts to trip you up.  Next time I will wear my trail shoes.  The total trail was about 1.8 miles.  Making a complete loop around the pond was 2.05.

The trail as a hole was very runnable, with the first half being very fast.  I ran the loop four times before walking it again to take pictures.  I was impressed that I did not see a single piece of trash.  There was abundant small wildlife.  I saw several rabbits and squirrels and smelled a skunk at one point.  I'm sure there are also a lot of deer in the area.

I was also very impressed with the quality of the pictures on my Garmin Asus GarminFone.  They are certainly better than expected.

Quaker Pond Trail Loop - Mendon Ponds

Tonight I went for a run with a friend on a trail I've never done before.  She's coming back from an injury so the plan was to do a few miles on a nice, easy path.  I read through the Monroe County website and found the description on the Quaker Pond Trail Loop at Mendon Ponds.  It said: 

"This is 2.7 mile easy trail over level terrain. Beavers have been active in this area for many years. As you cross the wooden footbridges over moving water, look around for evidence of felled trees, dams, lodges and even a beaver meadow. There are also three observation points offering great views of the pond and waterfowl viewing, especially during migrations. You will see wildflowers, ferns, sedges, rushes, and an interesting variety of shrubs. No pets or horses allowed."

Sounded perfect.  We took the trail with a nice easy pace.  Running on a level trail felt pretty good after all the hills I've been running lately.  We ran easily and chatted.  It was a nice path with good views.  It seemed like we passed deer on every other turn.  There were several momma deer out with their fawns.  Very cute.

What the description of the trail failed to mention was that it leads you through a swamp.  The trail itself was solid, but either side was mush.  It was hot and humid and I expected a lot of bugs, but it wasn't too bad.  I saw a lot of frogs (or toads?) on the path.  Maybe that helped with insect control.

After running 5 miles we started to walk, then decided to walk another loop.  We ended up with five miles of running and 3.25 miles walking.  All together almost two hours on my feet, but very low stress.  By the end of the walk I felt pretty refreshed and I know my body will feel good tomorrow.  I believe taking a walk after a run helps me recover faster. 

Good, Long, Slow, Trail Run. Exceeded Marathon Distance.

I haven't been able to run the last few days.  Between thunder storms and coaching baseball it has been hard to get free time.  Yesterday was the last baseball game so I'm being set free.

This morning I had planned to run the 1.2 mile path at the Helmer Nature Center in Irondequoit.  It is a relatively flat, unexciting trail, but it is close to home and the small loop makes it easy to set up a personal aid station.  I planned to run for five hours.  Upon arriving at the nature center I noticed LOTS of cars.  Apparently there was a softball tournament or something going on.  I don't like crowds and decided to drive to Mendon Ponds Park where I know I'll be mostly alone.

I decided to run multiple laps of the East Esker Trail/North Meadow Trail.  I do this loop frequently.  It is 6.59 miles and most of it is the path used in the Mendon Ponds 50k in November.  Today I ran it in the opposite direction of the race.  I don't know why, just felt like it.

This path is very hilly and fairly tough.  To use it for my long run I have to be smart about it.  I decided to run it as I would in an ultra.  That meant walking the uphills, running the flats easily and hammering the downhills.  After each lap stopped at the car, refilled my water bottle and grabbed a peanut butter sandwich.  I need to get used to eating while running.

The run itself was uneventful.  I didn't press too hard.  I slowed down a few times when I passed hikers with dogs.  I was afraid of getting the pups excited and getting bit.  I had one older couple make a comment when I passed them the third time.  It was cute watching them walk holding hands.  I know that I need to work on walking uphill faster and have to practice running again after walking.  All in all, it felt pretty good.

In the end I completed 4 loops for 26.36 miles in just over 5 hours.  It is the first time I've exceeded marathon distance.  I could have run further.  I could have run faster.  I don't think I could have done both.  My right Achilles tendon is a little sore, but not too bad.  My shoulders and lower back feel tight.  Nothing that will stop me from doing a light recovery run tomorrow.  A little ice and ibuprofen can't fix it.

As much as I enjoy coaching baseball I am glad the season is over.  It's hard to get runs in when three days a week are tied up.  Now there is nothing stopping me from getting out every day.

Mendon Ponds Park Trail Run

As I was getting ready for my evening run (ie. eating a sandwich and taking a nap in the A/C) I got a text from Chrissy asking if she could join me on my run.  Good deal.  It's always nice to have company.

The run was pretty uneventful.  We did the 6.5 mile loop around East Esker and North Meadow trails.  We kept a nice, easy pace and chatted as we ran.  We walked two or three steep uphills, but ran most of them.  It felt pretty good.  It was nice to have a running partner to talk to.  Keeping the conversation going stopped us from running too fast as well.

After the run we walked over to the South Meadow trail planning to do a three mile walk.  We looped all the way around and came off on the road.  Not thinking we walked in the wrong direction for a mile or two before realizing the cars were parked back at the other trail.  Our short walk turned into about six miles.  All together we were on our feet for about 2.5 hours.  Not too bad.  Felt very good.

Bought a Pair of North Face "Rucky Chucky" Trail Running Shoes

After my slip and ankle twisting incident at Mendon Ponds yesterday I realized I needed a pair of trail running shoes.  Tomorrow Fleet Feet of Rochester is having their clearance/tent sale.  I figured I would go and see what deals turned up.

A little while ago I went to Marshall's to buy pants for work.  I didn't find anything I liked so I moseyed over to the shoe department.  There I found a pair of North Face Rucky Chucky trail running shoes for $39.00!  These were list priced at $110.00, and sell online for $76.95.  Needless to say I bought them.

I can't wait to hit the trail again and see how they feel.  I'm sure they'll work out better than the Asics Gel Strike 2s I've been using.  Don't get me wrong, the Asics are a decent shoe, just not suited for tougher trails.  I'll post up a full review after a couple of runs.

Trail Run at Mendon Ponds Park

After work I decided to hit Mendon Ponds Park for a little run on the trails. My plan was to start at the south side of the East Esker Trail, work my way up the eastern portion of the path, then switch to the North Meadow Trail just after the water tower. I would then loop around and reconnect with the East Esker Trail. It would be about a 6.5 mile run. There are a fair number of hills in Mendon Ponds Park. I planned to run the small hills, flats and downhills and walk the steep uphills. This is the strategy I will need to employ when I start entering Ultras. I plan to spend at least one day a week practicing walking uphill quickly and restarting running after a walk.

I was moving along pretty well for a half mile of so when I came across this sign:

At first I thought "Oh crap!" But then I decided it would be fun and give me a lot of practice at run/walking. I pressed on. I was feeling great until I was coming down a fairly steep hill with a bit of loose sand. I was moving along at a pretty good clip and trying to be sure of every footfall. Wiping out here would suck. I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye and turned to see a large deer with two fawns. That moment of distraction was enough for me to slide a little bit and twist my ankle. I sat down to evaluate the situation.

My ankle was sore, but not too bad. I could continue running, but there was no sense risking injury. If it was a race I would have gone on, but decided it was best to just walk back to the car. I had gone 2.94 miles in 34:35. Not fast by any means, but not bad considering the terrain. Rather than complete the loop I walked back out the way I came. I did come across a few more deer as I walked:

I'm a little disappointed with the run, but I did learn a few things. First is that I need to get more practice running more technical trails. Most of the trail running I've done has been on pretty established routes where footing isn't much of a problem. I need to learn how to pay attention and avoid the things that can hurt me. Second, I need to pick up some trail shoes. I normally run trails in my Asics Gel Strike 2s. A more agressive lug pattern and greater protection in the sole will serve me well in longer runs over more difficult trails.

Now I'm sitting here with my foot elevated with ice. It's a bit swollen with a little purple in it, but not too bad. I coach little league baseball and have games on Wednesday nights so tomorrow is a scheduled rest day anyway. I don't think I'll need to miss any runs because of the ankle. Thursday I'll run short and light to see how it feels, but I don't think any major damage was done.

Getting Started as an Ultrarunner

Last fall I was looking at some pictures and came to the glaring conclusion that I was quite fat. Not the "Hey kids, look at the blimp" kind of fat, but way too big nonetheless. I started walking quite a bit and watching what I ate. The weight started to come off, but not nearly as fast as I wanted. In October 2009 I went in for a physical and was a mess. I was 6'3", 274 pounds and had very high blood pressure. My doctor wanted me to start taking stronger blood pressure medication (I was already on Atenenol). I was also having a lot of trouble sleeping because of sleep apnea. I decided I needed to get a little more serious with the weight loss.

By January 1, 2010 I was down to 267. A little progress, but still not where I needed to be. A Planet Fitness opened in my town with $10 month memberships. I signed up and started running on the treadmill. Actually, I started run walking. I could barely run two minutes at a time. I'd run until winded, walk to catch my breath and start running again. My stamina started building pretty quickly though. As the weather got nicer I started venturing onto the roads. That was so much better than the treadmill. Then a friend invited me to run in the woods. Being on the trails was so much nicer than the roads.

At the urging of the good people on the Runner's World Beginner's Forum I signed up for a 5k race in May. The thought was, if I had a goal to aim for I would stick with my training. Race day came and I had a very enjoyable experience. I wasn't particularly fast but I ran the whole way and finished mid pack under 30 minutes. This led to a few more 5k races, then some 10k races. My times have improved, but I will never be very fast. I have been enjoying running and have made some good friends in the running community.

My training has been very simple to this point. One day a week I run long, an hour and a half to two hours (occassionally three or four hours). One day a week I do some form of speed work, mostly Fartleks or hills. These workouts are about 45 minutes, but pretty intense. Two to three days a week I run for an hour at a pretty comfortable pace. All together I've been running 4-5 days a week for 6 months now.

At this point I am realizing that by far my favorite run is the long one. It gives me time to clear my head and think. As the months have moved along my long run has gotten longer and longer. Going 10-12 miles isn't much of an accomplishment for me. I hit 15 miles fairly frequently and have gone as much as 18 miles without walking. Again, not fast, but I'm not the guy that had trouble running on the treadmill for two minutes straight.

I've found that I enjoy running in races, but most of them are just too short. I go to a 10k and I'm done in under an hour. A 5k is over in 25 minutes or so. Even when I'm happy with my performance I'm a little disappointed. I kind of want my races to be an all day event.

To make a long story short, enjoying my long runs, loving the trails and my desire to take part in longer events has made me start to really think about participating in ultras. Now it's time to start increasing my mileage and learning about what it takes to compete. I'm excited to see how far I can push myself.