Doubler Survey

The following survey was posted up on the PP Message Board.  I am posting my response here as well as there.

Everyone's body feels different things,but got a few questions for those super studet's or stud doubler's out there.
   1. How much effort percentage did you give on first day race compared to 2nd. day race?

I started the Ascent with wanting to race conservatively but the conditions made it tough.  Once I got to Barr Camp, I kept mentally playing a game of "run to ...".  In other words, run to the B-pit, run to the A frame ... and then once I got there it was a survival fest due to the conditions.  In other words, I was running almost as a point of necessity to keep the body warm.   All said, I put more into the Ascent than I thought I would or could.  In other words, I ran 100 percent on the day of the Ascent.  I am not sure how anyone could NOT given the conditions ... they forced the issue.  Under different conditions, I might have been able to hold back some.

Really the lesson I learned on the Ascent was this - don't think too much about getting to the top post Barr Camp.  Execute carefully to Barr Camp, and then focus on the next task, the next milestone at hand to get to.  This is not much different than doing intervals.  When you do intervals, when you get about 2/3's through if you think about getting to the last one you are probably overwhelmed.  But if you think about just getting through the next one ... suddenly you start knocking them down.

Day 2 - I was waxed on the day of the ascent in the Marathon.  Simply the effort of the day before left me worked.  Additionally, mentally, I had a tough time wrapping my head around what I was going to do.  It was very fresh in my mind as to the entirety of the event and I let that get in my way some.  I still gave 100 percent the second day but it was hardly the same level of performance!

   2. After  1st. day race ,what did you "do" or "take in" to recover for the next day race?

Laid in bed, ate, drank water, took a nap, when to the awards assembly, hung out with my family, and enjoyed the craziness of what I just did.

In retrospect, I should have, if I was more serious about physically recovery, not gone to the awards assembly, etc - but that is not what this double was about for me.  I wanted to bask in the glow of people who had taken on the mountain that day.  It was good for my heart, but probably impacted my recovery some.

   3.How did you feel on starting line 2nd. day race(marathon)and as marathon race progressed?

Scared.  I saw what the mountain had done the day before, and now I was going up it again one day later, and coming back down.  The marathon alone is scary when you think about it.  Doing it under those conditions is even more nuts.  It would have been better if I almost was brain dead to the facts.

But I was also determined.  I was going to complete my Double journey, assuming the weather let us ... as the race progressed, I knew I was in bad bad shape but I was determined to complete this set of work.

In some regards, however, I felt better in the marathon than I had the year before where I went into cramping, etc on the down trip.  Perhaps my prep for the double or the slower ascent on the second day made it that I was not running as much on damaged goods on the decent.

   4. What form of prep or training did you complete before the big 2 days of racing?

9-12 hours a week of training, lots of hills (about 10000 feet a week).  Hardly enough really.  If I could I would up this to 14 hours a week, with back to back days and more long runs of 3-4 hours.

  5. Most stupid question of them all-How did your body feel after race or the next couple days following your finish?

I actually felt really good.  I was able to jog by the middle of the week.  I suggest MOVEMENT post the races.  Not as in running, but keep moving so that you don't tighten up ... (one person in this thread indicated a problem with sitting in a car for 8 hours ... OUCH).  Recovery is aided by eating well, drinking well, some light self massage ...

Really, if I had to, I could have gone back up the mountain again for a third day.  It probably would not be a PR by any stretch of the imagination, but it would have been very possible.

6. What was your age,and what was your body comments to you after both race's?

38 on race day. 

7. How long to recover after both race's or were you spent for a while the next several months?

Recovery ... tough ... I was ready to run again a few days later.  Was I ready to rock again a few days later?  Probably not.  Part of the thing for me though was I was coming into the Double on a short lead up because of injury.  I started training again in May so I did not have the classic nine month lead up (as suggested in the PPM/A training book).  That meant I was less prepared than I should have been but had less miles in my legs overall  (and so I think I was less in need of a break?).

Generally, I'd suggest for MOST that a lay off period of as long as your body and head call for.  It could be up to 2 - 3 months.  Listen to your legs, your head, your heart ... it will tell you.