Training Update, Mtn Mist, and Shoes

I haven't raced since JFK in November, so I haven't had much to blog about aside from my 2012 year in review post. Now I'm heading into a "soft" start to a new racing season and thought I would share a quick update on how things have been lately. I call it a soft start because I'll be training through most everything I race for the next couple months and tapering to achieve maximum performance isn't real high on my list of priorities in the short term. Let's talk about my last few weeks of training first.

Following JFK, I began running relatively low mileage, and gradually started working up the volume and intensity. By late December, I was back up to 100 mile weeks and I have been able to keep my miles above the century mark since then. As of today, I've logged 532 miles in the last 5 weeks in one run per day. But I've also been doing some high intensity workouts as well. I wasn't quite sure after my 2012 season what direction I would head in 2013. I have just let my training take me where ever it may. For some reason, road marathon pace seems to be where I've gravitated to. I've been running a lot on the roads, and pretty much everything has been below 7 min pace. I've also progressed to where I was able to run a solo 12 miler at 5:31 pace. I think I'm in the best road marathon shape that I've been in since I won Rocket City in 2009 (2:26:23 PR). I'm not really training for anything in particular right now, that's just where the running that I've been enjoying lately has taken me. I'll have to firm up some racing goals here pretty soon though.

But this coming weekend is Mtn Mist 50k Trail Run and I still expect to run hard and fast there. I just won't have completely fresh legs. Mtn Mist is a special race because its in Huntsville, AL where I grew up and so many of my friends will be there. Total elevation change isn't all that impressive to the mountain goats, but it's still quite a challenging race due to the technical nature of the trail. The mud looks to be a huge factor again this year. I hear it's been really wet in Alabama this winter, so the course will probably be very sloppy. When I set the course record there 2 years ago, the trail condition was unusually good because the ground was frozen. I haven't yet decided how I'm going to attack the race this year.  It will probably be a race-time decision after checking out the trail conditions. It doesn't appear that the competition will be very stiff this year. Although entered, the quick Johnny Clemons from Chattanooga won't be able to make it to the start line. I imagine Rod Bien and Scott Breeden will keep me glancing over my shoulder plenty, and a mistake on my part could open up the race.

Looking ahead to February, I'll be doing more vacationing than racing. An unusual hole in my wife's work schedule next week is allowing us to sneak out to Colorado for a few days to go play in the snow. Then in late February, we have a big warm-weather vacation planned for St Johns USVI. There is actually a race involved with this trip, but this one is much more about the vacationing than about the running. I'll be doing 8 Tuff with a big group of roadies from Cincinnati. It's an 8 mile road race to the highest point on the island, then straight back down to sea level. Should be fun, but I'm trying not to take it too seriously.

Shoes

So I've been threatening to review some products for a while, but just haven't found the motivation to put anything together. Now I have a few pairs of new Salomon shoes that you may not have had a chance to try, so I thought I would share some of my impressions.

S-LAB XT 5

S-LAB XT 5 

First, let me start by say that the S-LAB XT 5 is my current go-to Salomon shoe.  I ran Western States, UROC, and JFK in that shoe and have loved it since I first slipped it on. I recently ran a 14 mile road run in them because I'm that comfortable in them. Now, if you're looking for minimal, it's not your shoe, but if you want a great all-around trail shoe you can be comfortable in for an entire ultra...then you might want to try it. It's supportive, yet very cushioned, the fit of the upper is great. The traction is adequate for your average trail, but it runs smooth enough that I'm not afraid to take them to the roads when needed.  If more traction is what you need, then check out the...

XT 5 Softground

XT 5 Softground

As far as I can tell, this shoe has the exact same upper and midsole as the standard XT 5, but the outsole has a more aggressive lug pattern. I really like the familiar fit, but the traction is much improved. The rubber is sticky, grips rocks very well, and sticks to all but the muddiest trails. The compromise is that it feels a little less stable because of the additional lug height.

Speedcross

If you need even more traction, the Speedcross is your solution. This shoe is soft and flexible with a very aggressive tread. It isn't as supportive as the XT 5, the upper fits more narrow, and you wouldn't want to do many road miles in this shoe, but it's served me well in a couple trail 50 milers. If you still don't have enough traction then check out the Spikecross.

Spikecross

Spikecross

The Spikecross is practically the same shoe as the Speedcross, but with metal spikes built into the outsole. The grip of this shoe is hands down the best I've ever experienced. The spikes dig into the dirt and mud like nothing I've ever worn. And slippery wooden bridges are no longer a problem. I haven't had a chance to take them on any icy runs yet, but my guess is they would be perfectly suited for grabbing frozen ground. The spikes make the shoe a little more squirrelly underfoot, and they don't stick to dry rock quite as well as pure rubber, but if you're gonna be in a slop fest, look no further. You wouldn't want to run on the pavement in them very long, however, the spikes do seem to be quite durable.

Sense Mantra

Sense Mantra

All of the shoes I've discussed so far are fairly substantial, but Salomon jumped into the minimalist shoe party last year with the Sense. The low durability, minimal protection, and high price made it hard for me to recommend the original Sense to all but the most efficient and serious trail racers. Salomon has responded to those issues though with the Sense Ultra and Sense Mantra. I haven't gotten my hands on the Sense Ultra yet, but I have two pairs of the Sense Mantra. The Mantra is a little more shoe, more durable, more protective, has more grip, 6mm drop, but it also comes with a lower MSRP and still weighs in at less than 10oz. It's billed as the Sense for the average trail runner, but I think it might just be a better fit for myself as well. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to get it out of the trails just yet but I've been breaking in a pair around the house and so far, so good. If you're looking to make the plunge, I'd lean down a half size because it seems like they run a little large. Hopefully I can update my review before too long on this shoe.

That's all for now. Until next time, go run.

2012 Year in Review

I knew it would be nearly impossible to repeat the breakout season I had in 2011 again this year.  Last year I made the US 100k team for the first time and set several course records.  Of course, breaking the course record that had stood at JFK 50 Mile for 17 years was the most notable and won me Ultra Performance of the Year honors.  Now all I can do is laugh after Max King shaved six minutes off my record this year.  It's clear the sport is growing at a rapid pace, and I'm just glad to be a part of it.

Even if it doesn't quite stack up to last year,  I still think that 2012 was a very successful year for me.  I attempted some new distances and trail types that were a little outside of my strengths.  These were challenging experiences, but I learned much from each race.  I also looked for very competitive races this year.  That's not all that hard considering the trajectory of the sport, but that made the wins a little harder to come by.  But maybe I'm most proud that I was able to make it through another year running mostly injury free while still competing at a high level.

Here are a few highlights from the past 12 months:

Mtn Mist 50k
My hometown 50k was one of those special races last year where I broke the course record.  I knew it would be tough to repeat the feat in 2012 from the start because the course was wet and muddy, not the frozen trail that ran so fast the year before.  I gave it a shot anyway and was running well through the halfway point.  But around mile 20 I slipped on a rock and fell really hard.  At that point, I decided it was too risky to force the issue and try to chase down my own course record.  I knew I had some bigger goals later in the year.  Even so, I won the race and was only 3 minutes of my course record.

Land Between the Lakes 50 Mile
LBL50 was more of a long, hard training run for me, but it was still a strong effort and a fun race.  It's run in Kentucky and within driving distance of my house which made it particularly attractive.  Being relatively flat, I felt like it would serve as a good tune-up race before the 100k World Champs.  Although I got a little excited early and went out faster than planned, I still was able to easily win the race and set a new course record.  I left the race with a list of things to work on, but I also knew my fitness was in a really good place.

IAU World 100km Championship - Seregno, Italy
My best performance of the year is likely my most overlooked race as well.  After a DNF in 2011 due to some sort of illness in the Netherlands, I was determined to avenge my drop when I was selected for the 2012 team. While my training had been great, a work trip to France immediately prior to the race, unfamiliar accommodations, and logistical headaches in Italy all left me little time to worry about the road race. So I arrived at the starting line oddly relaxed and just ready to do something that felt comfortable...run.

A slew of slower runners who felt they were entitled to have their toes pressed against the starting line got me fired up and the adrenaline coursing through my vanes as I snowplowed through them as soon as the gun went off.  That got me off to a quicker than normal start where I soon found my rhythm at 6:20 pace - a little faster than planned.  But I felt comfortable and just hung on for as long as I could.  I made to 50 miles or so before I really started to die, and that last 20k loop was really tough.  But I held it together well enough to finish 5th overall, the first American to cross the line, and with a new 100k PR of 6:45:19.  The top 10 finish at the World Championship qualified me for the 2013 US Team and we'll be racing in South Korea next fall.  (I just received word that the 100k in South Korea has been cancelled and race organizers are looking for a replacement venue.)

Quad Rock 50 Mile

My training for Western States began immediately after the 100k.  I'm not sure what I was expecting to do at Quad Rock just 3 weeks after Italy.  From an incredible effort at a pancake flat, road ultra to the most elevation change I've ever run before, and my first ultra at altitude as well.  No surprise now that I have the benefit of 20/20 vision.  It was a tough day in the mountains outside of Fort Collins.  I wasn't fully recovered, the altitude bothered me, I wasn't eating nearly enough, and I just wasn't prepared for that much climbing.  No regrets on that last point; I had to pick training focus for the spring and I chose the 100k.  I nearly quit around mile 32, but I just sat at the aid station for 10 minutes until I was able to eat.  Once I got some calories in me I was able to pull on my big boy britches and finish the race.  Although far from perfect, Quad Rock was a great learning experience and really gave me an appreciation and respect for what I would be up against in just six weeks at Western States 100.

Elevation profile of QR50 compared to my toughest race to date.

Western States Endurance Run
My first 100 mile race wasn't perfect, but it was about all I could ask for.  Well, maybe I could ask for one spot better.  I finished in 11th place with a time of 16:42:55 on one of the coolest days in the history of the race.  A top 10 finish would have earned me a spot in the 2013 WS100 race, but it wasn't to be.  Check out my race report if you want all the details, but the short version is this:  I felt off for the first 30 miles struggling with the cold and altitude.  The next 30 miles climbing through the canyons should have been my weak point, but I finally started feeling normal and ran this portion really well.  But then I crashed hard on the flat Cal Street section when I should have been able to roll.  I struggled for about 20 miles, but ran really well the last 7 miles or so and had a strong finish.  There so much energy and attention surrounding Western States that it's tempting to make every effort to get back in, but I'm taking the "when one door closes, another one opens" approach and will look to race more to my strengths this spring.

Offseason
During my offseason I ran a 15:37 road 5k and also participated in the Hood to Coast relay.  Both were very fun events and added a little variety to my schedule.  Although I hope to be involved in ultras for a long time, I will continue running the short, fast stuff occasionally.

Ultra Race of Champions
The UROC 100k was my mulligan for the year.  I went out too fast, got a sour stomach, and wasn't prepared for the elevation change that was much higher than advertised.  I dropped around mile 44 after eating almost nothing since getting sick at mile 18.

The following weekend I jumped in a very small, local 6/12 hr race on a 1.4 mile paved loop.  I put in 51 miles in 5:50.  I proved to myself that my fitness was fine, but it also proved to be too much for my body to handle. I struggled with minor injuries for the next month that prevented my normal training regimen leading into JFK.

JFK 50 Mile
JFK wasn't a bad race, but it wasn't great either.  Unfortunately, it would have taken a great race on my part to run with Max King or Trent Briney.  Max broke 5:35 shaving a considerable amount of time off the course record of 5:40:45 that I set last year.  Max and I came off the Appalachian Trail section around mile 16 together, but he just had too much leg speed for me to run with him on the tow path.  The nagging injuries I struggled with following UROC kept me from being in top form, but I don't think I would have been able to run with him regardless.  Trent Briney came off the AT several minutes behind me, but showed off his 2:12 marathon speed as he came rolling past me somewhere around mile 30.  It was mostly just a lonely grind the rest of the day for me, but I am proud of myself for staying mentally strong and finishing the race well.  My time of 5:45:13 is still the 5th fastest time ever run on the JFK course in its 50 year history.

2013
I haven't finalized all the race details for 2013 yet, but I'm exploring my options.  Mtn Mist 50k is the only race I'm certain I'll be doing in the next 3 months.  I'd like to take some time and really focus on my training for the next few months and not worry too much about racing.  December's training went really well, and it seems as though I have my nagging injuries ironed out now.  The last full week of 2012 I put in 110 miles in singles with two hard workouts and averaged 6:44 pace.  Right now, I have a strong desire to work on my road marathon speed again.  We'll just have to see where that takes me.

Happy New Year to all my friends!  Best of luck achieving your goals in 2013.

Redefining the Grind

2012 JFK 50 Mile Race Report

Grinding down the towpath.

Perspective is a strange thing.  Case in point, I just ran 5:45 at this year's 50th running of the JFK 50 Mile. That is the 5th fastest time in race history.  It would have been a new course record in the first 48 editions of the race.  Sounds like I have a lot to be excited about right?  Well, I am - sort of - but my perspective tempers my excitement.  It just didn't feel like I ran very fast last Saturday.

First of all, I ran 5 minutes slower than last year.  Granted, that was one of those phenomenal races where everything just comes together perfectly.  It's not realistic to think every race could be that way, but it's hard to forget how that felt.  Secondly, I came in third place this year.  It's even more difficult to feel great when you watch 2 guys roll by you effortlessly and know you won't be seeing them again until the finish line.

So the best description of how I feel about my race is that it felt like a Grind.  I never felt particularly good or fast, I just gutted it out and never gave up even though I didn't feel smooth early.  But I am proud of myself for grinding it out.  Especially after a DNF at UROC six weeks ago and the ensuing injury that hampered my training since, I really needed a solid race.  I knew my training hadn't been perfect, and I wasn't quite in the same form as last year, but JFK gave me a chance to learn how strong I am - mentally as much or more than physically.  

Here are a few more highlights from the race:

Max and I ran relatively close together for a good portion of the Appalachian Trail.  I think he was content just to sit a few seconds back, being careful not to make a mistake, and just wait for the towpath.  My legs felt relatively good on the AT.  I was a minute or so faster hitting the towpath after being slower to the trailhead at the start, so I ran the technical section a good bit faster than last year.  It's fairly apparent where my training has been focused the last six months, and I was very strong on the rocky trail because of that focus.

The grinding really began when I hit the towpath.  Max passed me within a mile and was gone.  Last year I was consciously holding myself back to keep from running sub 6:30 pace early, whereas this year I didn't feel smooth running sub 6:40 and the legs began aching early.  My lack of fast, flat long runs over the last 6 months was very apparent.

My nutrition situation has been a problem most of the year, and this race was no exception.  I dropped out of UROC largely due to stomach problems, and because of my injury, I wasn't able to practice a new nutrition strategy between then and JFK.  But something had to change, so I went ahead with my untested strategy which consisted of only drinking GU Roctane...no gels.  I had the occasional pretzel, a couple swallows of Coke, and a few salt tabs, but other than that it was just the high-calorie Roctane drink.  Clearly I survived following this plan, but the stomach definitely could have felt better.  I need to continue tweaking and practicing my nutrition plan, but I imagine this will be my biggest weakness for some time to come.

Max King and Trent Briney just raised the bar and redefined what is humanly possible on that course.  I have my work cut out for me if I want to challenge their times next year.

That's a pretty solid top 10 group of guys.

So what now?  To be honest, I'm not sure.  I didn't earn an entry into Western States, so that doesn't look like a real high possibility for June.  I'm tossing around a few ideas though.  I know I'm going to focus on the World 100k that will be run in South Korea next October.  This spring I think I could go two ways.  I could train to run a fast, flat 100 miler.  Or I could go back to real road marathon training and see what I'm capable of now.  The road marathon speed would serve me well next fall at World 100k and if I decide to run JFK again.

First though, I'm going to take a few weeks, get everything healthy, and enjoy the holidays.  I hope you do the same.

King, Riddle and Clifton.  19 years of the JFK course record.

Uncharted Territory

I have been incredibly fortunate to have avoided a serious injury throughout my competitive running career. For the last month though, I have been struggling to keep a relatively minor injury from snowballing into something more serious.  The issue is a bit of tendonitis that I think was triggered by a stone bruise that I picked up at UROC.  

Stone bruise from UROC.

The strange thing is that the tendonitis is in a quite different spot than the bruise is the picture above.  The pain is actually on the front of my shin, just above the ankle.  My unprofessional opinion is that all symptoms point to anterior tibialis tendonitis.  That tendon attaches to a bone in the arch right where I got the stone bruise.  I ran for more than a week after UROC with zero pain.  The spot on my arch was tender to touch, but not to run.  But, I think the trauma to that attachment point caused the muscle and tendon to tighten down in an attempt to protect itself.  I ran way too long a week after UROC (but felt really good doing it), and then I felt the tendon above my ankle give way after a Tuesday night track workout a few days later.

Arrow shows where it  hurts now.

I didn't think much of it when it first happened.  I thought it would heal quickly like other nuisance injuries I've had before.  But this hurt pretty good - even just to walk.  I ran real easy and short on it for a few days, and when it started to feel better, I went longer and harder.  That was a mistake.  I made that mistake about 3 times before I figured out that I had to let it get all the way better.

You may have heard that I ran a consecutive day running streak.  I don't like talking about it anymore, because I don't think it's all that healthy, and I really wouldn't recommend starting one to anyone I was coaching.  In periods of low motivation, the streak can be very encouraging, but it's going to be very difficult for me to break off.  So of course, I still ran every day through this injury.  The sad part is that it most likely would have healed faster if I had taken just a week completely off.  Let that be a lesson if you're ever in a similar situation.

Anyway, I finally backed off enough that it got better.  I think I'm about 95% right now and running with no pain again.  I was able to go 20 miles at a nice clip yesterday.  That was the first time in a month I could have finished that run.  

I'm still planning to race JFK, and being less than 2 weeks out now, I don't have the time to hammer myself to make up for lost training (<<another thing I don't recommend).  The good news is that legs should be pretty fresh.  And while I don't think I lost a ton of fitness in the last month, I don't think I'm quite as tuned for JFK like I was last year when I spent all summer and fall training for flat an fast ultras (World 100k and JFK).  I'm most worried about the legs just being a little flat since I haven't been able to exercise them like I normally would.  

I just hope I can keep it interesting this year.  Max King should be the clear favorite to win.  Zach Bitter and myself will probably be duking it out for 2nd place.  I haven't heard of any other top men, but you never know who might show up.  Ellie Greenwood will be there and she'll overshadow us all.

In other news, I'll be heading to a trail running camp sponsored by Team RWB next weekend down in Texas. The camp is targeted at veterans and is aligned with Team RWB's goal of helping to re-integrate soldiers returning from deployment back into civilian life.  Endurance sports is one of the primary tools that the group uses to achieve that goal.  I will be there serving as a coach and mentor along with a bunch of other accomplished trail runners.  It's going to be a great way for me to give a little back to our veterans by sharing my passion for the trails.  I'm sure it will be a lot of fun as well.

That's all for now.  I'll try to keep you up-to-date over the next couple weeks via Twitter (@rundavid1), but I kind of doubt I'll have cell reception down in Texas.

UROC Not So Much

In some ways it's almost easier to blog about my bad races than my good ones. It's been especially tough just getting a post started lately. Although I don't really want to talk about it, I have plenty to say about UROC 100k. So let's get this over with.

It was a lonely day even when I was running with Mackey. (photo by Gill)

The short story is that I got sick to my stomach and puked around mile 18 for some unknown reason. Although I've struggled for the past year or so to get my gels down, I have actually never thrown up as a result of running. Pretty impressive since I've been racing at some level for 18 years. I got close at Western States, but recovered relatively well. The same can't be said about UROC. I felt better briefly after I got sick, but continued to feel that if I looked at another gel that I'd puke again. So I only ate one more gel the rest of the race. Pretzels and saltines tasted good and settled my stomach but I wasn't eating enough to keep me going. I was still drinking OK, but again, not enough calories. I kept moving forward hoping that I would turn the corner and start feeling better. But it never happened and the legs basically shut down around mile 40.  I dropped at mile 44.3 as recorded by my Suunto Ambit.

I was pretty content with my decision to drop at the time because I was in a good deal of pain and didn't want to risk tearing my body up. Of course, now that I feel better, I am second guessing myself. You always feel like you could pushed a little harder after the race don't you?

An early smile. Wish it had lasted. (photo by iRunFar.com)

My legs actually felt really good early in the race. I was pleasantly surprised as I felt like I was climbing well without over-extending myself. I have been working on my climbing lately. I wasn't well prepared for the downhills, however, and first three miles of the race were straight down. Although I was trailing off the lead pack of elites, I still probably went too hard. I latched onto Nick Clark for the first big climb and was pleased that I was beginning to get the hang of the short, choppy, climbing stride that just 6 months ago was not in my repertoire. But on the road descent out of Wintergreen I left Nick and descended too quickly trying to catch up to Dave Mackey.  I caught him, but then I got sick.

Elevation profile from my Suunto Ambit.

I was actually in the lead when I got sick, but only because Max King and Sage Canaday had missed a turn earlier and gone off course for a few minutes.  They caught Mackey and I around mile 20 I think.  The 4 of us ran together for a couple miles, but eventually I started to trail off.  And then when we got back on the road again, Max split the pack wide open.  Max ended up running an incredible race.  It probably won't happen because of what Olson ran at Western States, but his performance should be seriously considered for ultra performance of the year.

I came into the race mentally prepared for 7,000-7,500ft of climb and an equal amount of descent.  I heard there was more than that last year, but I assumed the course had been altered since that was the number reported on the race website.  When I stopped at mile 44, I had 7400ft of climb already on the Ambit which is very accurate because it uses a barometric altimeter.  My buddy Jorge Maravilla who finished the race (3rd) with an Ambit on his wrist recorded 10,600ft of climb.  Granted, some last minute course changes had to be made, but that amount of climb takes it out of the "race that favors no one" category.  Sure there was a lot of road, but hardly any flat road.  I definitely wasn't as prepared as I could have been for the descents.  I think my quads and IT bands took more abuse from UROC than Western States.  But, overall I am nowhere near as locked down as I was after WS100, and will recover much more quickly.

But, my main problem is my nutrition.  I have got to figure out how to eat in a race or there isn't much point in me going longer than 50k.  Unfortunately, it seems to be a problem that is getting worse and not better.  I've got some ideas that I'm planning to try, but I'm certainly open to suggestions.  I think gels are out of the question for the time being.  I found chicken noodle soup worked well at Western States, but it's slow, inconvenient, and probably impractical for anything less than 100 miles.

I don't mind making it hurt when I run, but it's just not fun when I feel sick.

Picked up a pretty nice stone bruise early in the race.