Race topo Chart. What is a taper?

I completed the ST 100 elevation chart using the information I extrapolated from "A walking guide to the Superior Hiking Trail." In this book, they took GPS elevation data for the entire trail and placed it on several charts for each segment as it was completed. As GPS is not perfect, the elevation chart is not ideal, but it is close to the other data I have seen. (It also makes Moose Mountain look like the worst climb.)

I have read or heard so much about a taper for a 100-mile race that I am not doing it right. The easiest comments I read were 75 percent of the workout level three weeks before, 50 percent two weeks before, and 25 percent or less the week before. I kept charging full boar up to 9 days before the race, and will do less than 20 percent over the next 9 days? I have been feeling strong over the past few weeks. My confidence that I can finish this year is less after the experience I gained last year. Experience should give me confidence. Although this course is challenging, there must be more than physical workouts and experience.

Most people started the taper with two weeks to go. Although my son is leaving to study in Germany and some other issues are bringing me down, I decided to go to the hills on Wednesday. Karen Gall met me at Hyland after my second repeat, and we attacked the hills very hard together. She was so strong, and after a few more, I knew I needed a taper. We were averaging around 16:55 per mile for the first 12 repeats. I downloaded the run and had an average heart rate of 147… Wow…

Then I challenged Karen to see how long it would take here to catch me. So she started, and I followed. She gained on me with each repeat, and after 5 repeats, we were averaging a 16:20 mile pace, and I was feeling like I was at Sugarloaf last year. My legs were heavy, I was soaked with sweat, and I felt like little was left. Karen still looked strong, and near the end of the 6th repeat, she came up behind me.  What a workout to take the personal issues out of my mind! That was a hard 6 repeats. The average heart rate was 158! AVERAGE. Peak was listed at 173. Now conventional wisdom says 100 percent for me would be 175…

I was so sore and fatigued that I had trouble sleeping that night. I woke to the greatest muscle fatigue. I don't know when I was ever that stiff. Well, last year after the 100. It may not have been a good idea, but I feel better mentally.

I started to think about what a taper is anyway. Thursday, I went for a 2-mile walk and a swim and did some heavy upper body and mid-section weights workout. Today, I plan nothing. Saturday may be a 20-mile easy bike ride? One thing is sure: next Tuesday is the last day I will do anything other than live life. Ice will do ice and heat treatments on the sore areas, start packing, finish the detailed planning, and drop bags for the race. Last year, I was cocky up to the night of the race, and I was so scared I almost had difficulty speaking. This year, I am just nervous about everything. Not overly nervous, not cocky, but apprehensive about my chance of success. Steve Q. gave me an 80%, and I appreciate that confidence. I am a 50/50. I may be better prepared physically than last year, but I need to prepare more mentally. But in the words of many, "That is why we play the game." Without the st "rt, we are 100% assured of failure.

Carry on…

Carry on? All you quiet dreamers carry on

Training is nearing an end. I had a hard weekend with continuously moving the body 38 out of the possible 48 hours from Friday at 5 PM to Sunday at 5 PM. This was good as this is the second effort at keeping the mind focused as I continue to move in preparation for the 102 miles I want to run. This was after Thursday night doing 30 hill repeats at Hyland. Phil and Molly joined me. Phil completed 25, and Molly would go another 45 minutes after I left. She is a feather and just finished the hills like they were flat…

By Sunday, I was a little stiff and sore. It was hard to move quickly, but I made myself go as quickly as I could the whole day. Good training. In Alan's words, "keep moving" is what I practice!

I am a little concerned, as my knee has a funny pain again. It has been here for over a week. It is not deep pain like before, but just nagging. It is not internally, either. I think it is just tendons from working so hard the past weeks. I am going to have one more hill workout, then taper.

Been checking the weather. It changes every day. One thing for sure is that it was 35 degrees up north yesterday… Additionally, I see 61 entrants in the Superior 100, which is at least 20 more than in 2007. And I did not even notice some people who said they were running it on the list. So, could we almost double last year? COOL!

I read Adam's blog, and he finished the entry by stating, "Carry on," noting that it was as "Londell would say." People often write certain sayings or beliefs that may have more significant meaning. I use the "Carry On" end for personal reasons, which I will share.

I first heard of Pamela McNeill in 2006 when a friend, Dana, played me one of her CDs and said she had a song that should be dedicated to me. I had come to a point in my life where I had just healed from a "Jones" fracture in my left foot, was facing the challenges of raising a teenage boy alone (his mom 1,000 miles away), and had recently been told to no longer call a girl I had dated on and off for a few years.  Dana (a good friend) and I were training for the first 50-mile race. The song she had dedicated was called "You Will Love Again." She explained that it was not intended to be for the love of another person, as I had just come from a relationship and needed time to heal, but for a love of life. I once had that love of running and that zest for life, and I see others enjoy it.

This was a significant turning point in my life as I started to find things I enjoyed again after being so out of tune with life. Running was a joy. Walking was a joy. Reading was a joy. Dana and I would run 3 to 4 times a week together, and I had found one of the greatest friends one could imagine. We had a common goal, to finish the Superior 50 mile.

In the summer of 2006, Dana was killed in a tragic bike accident. She wore a helmet, which was insufficient to stop the fatal outcome. I was devastated and hurt. I recalled vividly thinking God was cruel. I had started to lose faith. I went one evening to see Pamela McNeill at Bunkers. She sang a song she wrote called "One Good Angel." She cried in the into, I cried during the song... A part of the song:

Many years have gone by
Since you went away
But sometimes I still cry
like it was yesterday

But through this pain and the sorrow
I found beauty strength and true
And I know there will be one good angel coming through

One good angel coming through
One good angel to hold onto
And when I am out in the moonlight I reach up to you
And I know there will be one good angel coming through

Never have I known
A braver soul
How come it’s the good ones
That have to go

And when I am down in the sorrow
Felling all messed up in blue
I know there will be one good angel coming through

Ironically, this song hit me hard within such a short period of Dana's death. I thought of her often over the months and still do today. At the 50 mile in 2006, at the top of Britton Peak (42 miles), I stopped and cried. I was done. I could not go on... I missed Dana. A hiker stopped and asked if I was OK. I had pulled notes of inspiration from my pocket that I had given to me before the race and was reading them. Then the clouds went away, and the sun hit me harder and brighter than I had ever experienced. I felt a surge of energy… I felt like it was Dana kicking me in the bottom. One good angel.  I went on to finish the 50-mile race we would do together.  I felt like I finished with her!

It is from a song by a local musician, Pamela McNeill, the third song that had meaning.  She wrote we need to carry on. The chorus of the song "The World Beyond" follows:

So carry on...

all you quiet dreamers, carry on

misbehaving sinners, have fun (but hurry up)

'cause the burned-out disbelievers got it wrong

so all you quiet dreamers carry on

anyone who feels they don't belong

raise your hand and listen to my song

'cause the burned-out disbelievers

whoa they got it wrong 'bout the world beyond!

I carried so much hate for Dana's fate. I carried so much anger. But those three songs had such an impact over time. They sum up life. We make life what we want it to be. We can choose to believe or not to believe in God or the world beyond.

As corny as it sounds, I was given messages from these songs. Messages with significant meaning… I finish many posts with Carry on because the end result is that is all we can do. If we decide to quit a 100-mile race at 77 miles, I need to carry on; if we lose a loved one, I need to carry on; and if we find and then lose true love, I need to carry on. That ability to carry on no matter what God throws at us will make us a better person. We need to believe because, in the words of Ms. McNeill, "Cause the burned-out disbelievers got it wrong about the world beyond."

You can learn about Pamela McNeill at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=98210968 and hear One Good Angel and the World Beyond…

That is the story... A little corny, but my heart still has jitters when I hear these songs. May Dana rest in peace and be with me during the 100 mile race and I will do my best to remember, all I can do is carry on.

So carry on, my friends, carry on...

19 days to go...

I woke up this morning, and the first thing I did was get the laptop and check the status of the MN Leadville entrants. It looks like only Al Holtz remains, but from what I hear, the weather conditions were wet, very cold, and even hail. Sounds like it is a cold day in hell? (You know, that day that never comes.) OUCH. As if this race is not hard enough? At least they all dared to start. Then I noticed my countdown timer said 19 days to ST 100. I kept having the Johnny Cash song "25 Minutes to Go" once I got down to 25 days...  Only in that song is it before his execution... It's not a good comparison, but it just sticks in my mind.

Had an excellent Saturday of training. I met Phil at RTA in the morning and did a few loops. I also went grocery shopping, swimming, and ate a late lunch. Then, I played tennis, walked for 2 hours, and went to RTA at 8:00 PM. After 1.5 loops, I met Adam, Jimmie, and Steve Quick shortly after that. We were under a 14-minute for the first mile, and I stayed with them a concise while, as they were faster than I as this was essentially my 14th hour of moving for the day.

I continued for just under four loops and never saw them again. I was delighted. My average pace was 17:06 per mile for the night. The moon was so bright, and the views from some of the RTA peaks were outstanding. This gave me 19 miles of running/walking for the day and over 50 miles for my second week. The knee has a slight stiffness but no pain.

Today calls for long bike ride and a long walk. . I am already physically tired. Even though I thought I had recovered from last Friday and the hard week, this long day left me more fatigued than anticipated. Only one more week, then taper and repair, will be needed to prepare for the race.

I'm going to Hyland on Thursday night for my last intense workout before I taper… Some think a two-week taper is a little long, but I really pushed it hard for the past three weeks, and I want to be very fresh 19 days from now.

Carry on…

2007 ST 100 (well 77) Splits?

People have been asking what my splits were for 2007. Well, I found my crew's notebook tonight. Here is the data:

RACE START 8:00 AM

9.3 miles to Split Rock -- 10:30 AM

Average 16 Min Mile for Race

10.1 miles to Beaver Bay -- 1:28 PM

Average just under 17 Min Mile for Race

4.9 miles to Silver Bay -- 3:05 PM

Average just under 17 Min Mile for Race

9.9 miles to Tettegouche -- 6:30 PM

Slowed to Average just under 18 Min Mile for Race

8.6 miles to County Road 6 -- 9:55 PM

Slowed to Average just under 19 Min Mile for Race

7.7 miles to Finland -- 12:46 AM

Slowed Average just over 19 Min Mile for Race

7.5 miles to Sonju Lake Road -- NOT KNOWN

4.2 miles to Crosby Manitou -- Not Known (just before sun-up)

9.4 miles to Sugarloaf -- 9:50 AM

Average 20 Min 45 Sec Min Mile for Race

5.6 to Cramer Road -- 12:48 PM

Average just over 21 Minutes per mile

QUIT

So as you can see, it was just under three hours for 5.6 miles before I quit. I recall clearly I was near the end of my rope. I can not explain what I did wrong or right, but if I had to do it again, I know I would have trained to walk. Walking has been a big part of training this year. See if it makes a difference.

Carry on!

Elevation chart Cty Road 6 back to Silver Bay

This is an elevation chart I found for County Road 6 to Silver Bay, reverse of the course... The climbs in the Tettgouche section is a bummer.... This is why I rated this as the second most difficult part of the course... First being that climb out of Crosby...

Hyland Hill

Met Karen out at Hyland on Wednesday. We did somewhere in the range of 12-14 repeats. Forgot the rock pile trick and then when we did, we weren’t sure we moved a rock each time. All I could think was how this did not seem as hard as my buck hill experience last year. I would recall 12-14 times at buck hill last year left me feeling it and the last few were so hard. This was a workout, do not get me wrong, but it was not the killer I recalled. Another thing I noticed that last year, I would average 20-21 minutes per mile and yesterday we averaged about 19 minutes per mile.

Today I did some research and Hyland is only 60 percent of what Buck Hill and that explained the difference. So my experience yesterday was only equivalent to 8 buck hill repeats. So I will head out there Thursday next week with a goal of 20 or more repeats, which will be like 12 at buck hill…

The race is only three weeks away. I am not sure how I am taking this as training is better but I feel like I am less shape. Always second thoughts and doubts. But the advice I have been given many times, just keep moving, forward that is…

Carry on.

Surprised... and shoes...

As previously posted, I ran a long all-night run with Steve Quick on Friday, August 8. If you call it a planned workout, I did not post the Sunday workout. On Sunday, I went to Madison, Wisconsin, to help partially move a student. That means carrying a full room of items and two full flights of stairs. This would be a good leg workout.

On Sunday, I was surprised to find that my legs were not as sore as I expected. My feet were a little swollen as I had changed the tightness of the laces. But all in all, it was really not much of an issue. I had taken two Advil at 6 AM, and that was it for the day. I was pretty worn after 58 flights of stairs in about 3 hours plus packing and dismantling items.

To my surprise, I was less stiff this morning than I thought. I am sauntering, but I have not taken any Advil or anything to ease the pain. I feel like I could run, and I will try later. This is surprising, as I assumed I would need a day or two of rest just to recover. But let's see how the run goes later today.

Many discussions have been about the Superior 100 course section, which is more difficult. Steve and I talked about segments throughout the night, and I ranked them according to my memory. (I have now been on each section twice, so I am not an expert by any means!) Here is a rank list I have after giving this considerable thought. I will send this to the run list to see what others think if they care to chime in... It might be fun as I will place any replies on a spreadsheet, and I think what I will find, depending on the type of runner we are, there is a whole array of opinions, and no one will have the same list?

1 to 14 with 14 being the most difficult (# before mile means difficulty rank)

(5) 9.3 miles to Split Rock

(9) 10.1 miles to Beaver Bay

(1) 4.9 miles to Silver Bay

(13) 9.9 miles to Tettegouche

(8) 8.6 miles to County Road 6

(10) 7.7 miles to Finland

(11) 7.5 miles to Sonju Lake Road

(3) 4.2 miles to Crosby Manitou

(14) 9.4 miles to Sugarloaf

(2) 5.6 miles to Cramer Road

(6) 7.1 miles to Temperance

(12) 5.7 miles to Sawbill

(4) 5.5 miles to Oberg Mountain

(7) 7.1 miles to Finish

One last note: Have been many e-mails written about shoes and the need for trail shoes on the Superior Hiking Trail. I seem to be in the minority about wearing street shoes. After much thought, I realized two things. (1) My foot specialist told me that the Asiacs Nimbus shoe is an excellent running shoe for both as it has a low profile; and (2) my orthotic is rigid plastic and has little flex in my shoe, so I probably get the stability others need from the trial shoes? I never feel like my foot is twisted and turning although when I hike the trail with my softer orthotics, my feet are contorted in all directions.

So, just like ranking what is more demanding of a segment, the answer on shoes and food usually has more variables to get a clear answer.

Carry on!

Lost.... but found

Larry Rode could not make the planned overnight excursion, so Steve Quick and I drove with the veteran driver Shelley to the Superior Hiking Trail at 5:30 PM on Friday. We thought our driver was doing a great job making the trip short when Helen Lavin cruised by our speeding vehicle just before Two Harbors. I guess even in the car, she is FAST….

Now that the fun and lighthearted portion of the trip was nearing an end, Steve and I started to get serious about our overnight run. I took off one of my shoes to lube up the feet, and WOW, the smell was atrocious. I was as shocked as the rest of the vehicle, but it was good as there was no way we would get tired. I would compare it to having smelling salt in the car. Were they so happy when I put the shoes back on?

We drove to Crosby and Finland, where we dropped off supplies. Our expert support crew was going to sleep in the car and meet us at Sugarloaf, where we would refuel before continuing to County Road 1. This would accomplish two goals: 35 miles and attacking what I consider to be the Section from hell, Crosby Manitou to Sugarloaf.

We started our cruise around the hills at 42 miles (City Road 6) at about 10:00 PM. I had told Steve the story about the guy getting DQ due to the error made in that segment, and he missed the aid station. I told him I remembered we had a left turn to get to the Finland Recreation Center, so he trusted me, and we watched the left side of the trail with great interest to ensure we would take that turn.

Well, with about 1 mile left in the 7.5-mile run first stage, we were running on what I think was the snowmobile trail, and all of a sudden, the grass was getting taller, light rain had moistened the ground, and our feet were getting wet. We both discussed how we must have missed the turn, but I was so sure it was on the left that we continued on. Walked into the backyard of a home and flashed out lights all over the place. We were unsure, but I convinced the cautious Steve to keep going.

We found the trail was thoroughly washed out, and we had to make a four-foot leap in the night to continue onward. After we were registered 10 miles on the Garmin, I admitted I was wrong. Steve was great about it. We came to a road and decided to run on the road. Steve noticed the sign we had seen 6 miles previously: Finland Aid Station, which was 3.2 miles away. What the hell! We had just run in a 6-mile circle. We were very cautious this time and found the right path, only 13.5 miles later… Great start on my part.

Fortunately, we were able to leave that issue behind and proceeded on our journey. I have no clue when or where Steve went down, but he can share that story… This was now 2:00 AM; well over 90 minutes passed as we thought. Bummer… The rest of the run until daybreak was filled with noises, and we questioned each other about where we should be going. We somehow totally blew by the Sonju Lake Road Aid station and ended up at Crosby at sunrise.


Steve had heard from so many that this was the Section that made all others look simple. The downhill’s were challenging, but Steve was like a maniac on the uphill. We had him so scared and prepared that he made it look simple. He just cruised while I was on fours at some locations. I bitched, he attacked, I bitched some more, and he just attacked more. The rest of the run was me trying to remotely keep him in sight on the uphill, and he looked back on the downhills to see if the freight train would run him over.

We both experienced horse flies, like hornets, circling our heads. As we ran, we reached up and swatted them dead. I think I killed 20 or so. Steve killed many more. We reached Sugarloaf just over 12 hours from our start, but instead of continuing to County Road #1, we stopped. It was 35 miles due to the Londell gets lost experience.

All in all, it was a very solid run. It was an asset to prepare me for the race, and if Steve had not accepted my offer, I would not have gone. It was a hoot… Well, all the owls, wolves, and other creatures we encountered and navigation challenges made the night a challenge, but I would do it again in an instant. Familiarity with this trail will enhance the opportunities for success.

Until next time, Carry On!

Strange bruise?

I need some clarification. The bruise looks small, yet those who run behind me ask what that is! It does not hurt to run or bike. But if it is touched, WATCH OUT! Bummer. The only thing I can think of is a very hard climb on the bike on Saturday, and I had a really sharp, short-lived pain in that area. (BTW: this is the back of the right knee, and the bruise is on the inner part of the leg...

Phil had to back out of the weekend due to foot concerns. So it is Larry Rode, Steve Q, and I heading up to Superior on Friday for an all-nighter. My girlfriend is driving us, and we are leaving Friday after work. It should be fun...

Carry on!

Plans Change - Heart warm-ups

I did not get to the North Shore this weekend. I did not want to take that long drive or run alone, so I went to RTA instead. I did 5 loops plus three additional hills on the hill west of the parking lot. I was so slow, but it was hot. I was just over a 15 min mile for the run. I felt OK; my heart rate was down, and I did not feel fatigued but could not move any faster. The average heart rate was 133? Go figure.

Since I felt underachieved at RTA, at 2:00 PM, I went for a road bike ride. After 18.5 miles into the wind, I was dry (which is strange as it was hot out), and I felt strong. However, I feel like a bee bit me just above the inside back of the right knee. Well, it's not the knee, but just above it. It's very painful to the t, but doesn't it hurt to run or bike?

During the RTA run, I was listening to a health/exercise-related podcast. It was about properly warming up the heart to optimize race performance. It said most people know that you have to warm up skeletal muscles to help protect them from injury, but many do not know that warming up the heart muscle is just as important.

They emphasized that many heart-related issues are caused by improper warm-up. They say when it's heat cramps, it's too late! It makes sense that the demands of exercise, especially intense competition, require the body's muscles and joints to be warm and limber. Athletes have long used warm-ups to prepare their bodies for physical challenges.

Despite universal acceptance that warming up is good, there is little scientific proof that it improves performance or reduces injuries. This is because the need to warm up is ingrained in us, making it difficult for researchers to collect unbiased data. For example, try sprinting at full speed on a cool day without warming up, and your mind says to slow down.

They say a proper heart warm-up has been documented to enhance a race. Warming up can decrease stress on your heart. If you try a strenuous task like sprinting uphill without a warm-up, your heart muscle will probably need more blood flow and oxygen. Warming up will lower your blood pressure and increase blood flow to the heart. This could reduce the risk of a heart attack. The speaker said he tested this with a heart rate monitor at several marathons.

He said the result, keeping the heart rate at the 50-60 percent threshold for the first 20 minutes, resulted in his slowest-ever first few miles but resulted in a PR. He also said he felt better overall after the race.  He stated he tested this theory by starting a race at 80 percent for 20 minutes and backing down, and his heart never really recovered, and he had an unusually high heart rate for the remainder of the race. 

The theory is to ease the heart into it, and it works more efficiently in the long run. May experiment, but from personal experience, I agree with him. I was not in the same shape as last year, but I wondered how I did better at Afton. The previous year at Afton, I pushed the first 10 miles, crashed, and struggled. This year, I started with the intent of keeping my heart rate in the 120's. For 10 miles, I did, but it was slower than the previous year. Although, I was able to keep moving with less fatigue.  That is an interesting subject, but I swear by running with a heart rate monitor to tell me how the ticker is performing.

Friday will be an all-night run at Superior. This is needed, and I look forward to it. Hope all is well in your training world.

Carry on.