Weather is starting to look good for the weekend. More on that later, but I am planning on going for it. I have been … accused? told? judged? … that my mindset for this is not nearly focused enough, and that because of that – I don’t want it enough. One guy asked me if I was going to do a 100. I said I was going to try. He gave me the Yoda, “NO, you DO, there is NO TRY.” I get it but I don’t think I need to be ape shit at the line or even five days before the run. Maybe I need to be ape shit after 10 laps.
That said, I really don’t know what to expect. My longest run ever has been 45 miles and I felt pretty crappy at the end of that. I had a lengthy conversation with TZ about it the other night. I am ready to walk it in if I need to but I am also ready to realize I may need to come to grips with not finishing if I am barfing blood or something.
Anyway – it starts at 9 on Saturday. Then I run all day and into the night. Pacers are apparently allowed after 7PM, but I have not come to grips with asking anyone specifically to be a pacer. If people want to come out and run, I would certainly enjoy that but it seems a bit weird to ask somebody to come out and hold my hand … family members withstanding. I am not judging anyone who needs a pacer, I am just saying I am not sure if I ought to be asking for one when I visit my car every 7 miles. JT mentioned he might come out to laugh at me at 2AM and just to see me cry due to lack of sleep.
I also have no idea if this will take me 15 hours or 30 hours. I do those stupid math games where I think, “hmmm … 12 minute miles is 20 hours. I can do that.” How the heck do I know? Maybe I am fine for 15 hours and the last 10 miles take me 10 hours … I don’t know.
Which is exactly why I WANT to scratch that itch.
I am dragging arse today. Up way too late screaming my face off
Some video from Brandon
I play in tamer settings than the ”Can.” Pix from the weekend from fellow Scout parent John B.
Kids rocking out …
That's what I like to hear!
ReplyDeleteI volunteer my services for all day (if you want some crew help) & night (for some handholding) if you want...send me a note and we can figure something out.
NMP - congrats on kicking ass at Oil Creek!!
ReplyDeleteMy 2 cents, take walking breaks for a few minutes at regular intervals (like at each lap or something?) to (a) use different muscles and (b) make sure you stuff your face full of food and drinks. I finally stuffed myself in my last ultra and I felt completely different than any other ultra I've ever done. I literally ate and drank constantly to try to stay on the edge of 'I'm full' and 'I'm starting to not be full'.
ReplyDeleteThat first paragraph is penny 1. The other penny of my 2 cents is to not worry about stupid DNF stuff. The last 2 years I have participated in a 24 hour ultra my body has failed structurally around 2am. Terrible shin splints in 2010 and some sort of bad ligament/tendon pain in my left foot in 2011 that both took 2 full weeks before I could walk right again. Shit may happen.
Even if you are just tired and feel like going home to sleep, well really who cares? This will be as much an experiment and an exercise in enjoying life as anything else. Do wtf you feel like doing. I think with a laid back attitude (like you have) just the adrenaline of setting a new distance PR mile after a mile will take you a long way...
You'll be fine, and I think your attitude is fine, it doesn't matter what other people think unless you're putting yourself in danger, which you're not. We know you have plenty of fitness and training up through 50M, otherwise you're in a safe environment close to home.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing you should take seriously is a planned easy pace so you don't get too aggressive immediately. I'm no expert, but one of the most impressive things you could do, IMHO, whatever the time ends up being, would be as tight of splits as possible.
Have fun!
I like your mindset. Focus and preparedness + a good day can equal a great race. But we've all seen plenty of examples where having huge focus just doesn't pan out anyway. It's your race, enjoy the experience of going really long. Scratch that itch and good luck!
ReplyDeleteBrett - thanks for the kind counsel. Mucho appreciated.
ReplyDeleteFWIW - my son asked me if I was doing the 100 over the weekend. I asked in return why he wanted to know. He said it would sound cooler to say his dad ran a 100 than his dad ran a marathon.
Ego fer shure ... that one went into the bag for pulling out later.
Mike - thanks. I am going in with a eye on the positive. I was thinking this AM that I have trained all my life for this race. I must have close to 30000 miles coming into it? :)
ReplyDeleteCB - nice running over at Slickrock!
JT: I'll bring the beer.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
ReplyDeleteYou no doubt have the milage/training to get it done. I would agree with others that you should force yourself to take some walk breaks early on (1-2 per lap) to break the running up. It will pay off later. The key is to just find the pace so that you get to mile 65-70 feeling like you havn't done any work...takes a few tries to figure that out though ;)
See ya there, I am signing for the 12 hours so you will have some company.
ReplyDeleteShad
Sheesh GZ (tongue is firmly inserted in cheek) - what are you thinking? A hundred freakin miles! Do you know how far that is? Thats like 30 something 5K's. Have you spent too much time in the thin air on Pikes Peak? I fear you have gone over to the "dark side" and will soon be wearing white spandex.
ReplyDeleteIn all seriousness - as someone who is as unlikely as uncapable of doing 100 miles - I wish you the best and really hope you do well. My 2 cents would be: 1) Start. 2) Finish.
Since you want to do a 100, I agree that there's no glaring reason to not do this race. And your laid-back attitude, is, I think, preferable to coming in with some kind of life-or-death focus. I think we all probably do our first 100mi for similar reasons: just what the hell is it LIKE to keep going? I know that's why I ever became interested in the distance.
ReplyDeleteA couple things:
1) You've carved out a certain financial and time commitment to this endeavor, so you owe it to yourself (and maybe your family?) to not give up (easily). This requires that you stand on the starting line Saturday morning with the absolute, rock-solid, internal conviction to FINISH. NO MATTER WHAT (barring injury/health issues). The bottom line is that if you start with anything less than that kind of conviction, it will be way too easy to rationalize a DNF to yourself when the going gets tough past miles 60, 70, 80 that you will almost certainly regret later. Of the two 100s I've DNFed the first was because I didn't have that conviction and the second was because of health concern/being completely incapacitated and incapable of further forward movement.
2) I'll save you the suspense and let you in on the little secret that after 45mi or 50, or 80 it is STILL JUST RUNNING. There is no magic.* Success/satisfaction (finishing) is mostly determination, stubbornness and tolerance for suffering. Be mentally prepared that any prolonged discomfort you've encountered on Pikes or in any other long run will be total child's play (seriously) compared to what is virtually guaranteed to happen on Saturday. It's stupid how much these things hurt. Or maybe I've just been doing it wrong?
3) You will HAVE to eat more than you have thus far in your longer efforts. Period. Plan out a regimented fueling strategy to follow from the start and stick to it. Finishing will be almost completely dependent on your ability to get as close to 200-300cal/hr as possible down the hatch (and have it stay down).
4) Nick touched on it, but from the very beginning go at what feels to be a stupid, awkwardly slow pace for the first 60ish miles. You'll be so happy you did, later.
5) Stay in the moment. Be prepared to adjust expectations on the fly. Tiered goals are key to staying in the game mentally.
But, seriously, I'm a massive novice at this stuff. Heck, Tim L has finished as many 100s just this summer as I have in my entire life!
*There actually is some magic. The magic is that you can be feeling phenomenally shitty--even at some point shockingly and discouragingly early in the day--and if you just keep plugging away, things will eventually turn around. It's true. That experience is the revelation of running 100 miles. Don't give up.
What he said.
ReplyDeleteHey George. Wish I was there to run with you. I know you can get this thing done. Tony nailed one thing (of the several good points of his) that I've been thinking about in regard to your run; you need to be focused and consistent on the fueling. I was shocked at how little you ate at GG50k and still felt ok. It won't work here.
ReplyDeleteYou'll be amazed how fast the time goes by. It'll be dinner time before you know it, then night running is a blast. Keep a couple things running through your mind. It will be over and you'll be home in no time. No matter how bad it hurts or how much you "think" you're suffering, it will get better, then worse, then better. The first wave of pain is the worse, then just roll with it and take care of the fueling. Just keep in mind how good you'll feel knowing you did it, then you can decided whether you like it or not based on informed, personal information. These things are so different for everyone. They aren't that difficult, really. Many, many people who are not as fit or physically capable as you finish them all the time and much more difficult ones than Boulder. Have fun and absorb the experience good and bad.
Give me a call if you get low and want to chat while you're out there.
Tim
Great to hear this GZ. Have a great 100 this weekend!
ReplyDeleteI can't even begin to imagine a 100 miles. I'm worried about entering a half-mary in November...
ReplyDeleteGood Luck GZ!
Holy crap all! Thanks! Awesome words of encouragement, and great feedback in there.
ReplyDeleteShaun - I might have a bit of a beer fest post all this fun on Sunday. If so, you - and fact all of you - are invited.
Tony - awesome stuff. I am going to take this, and a few emails I have rcvd and make a post out of it all. Incredible to get such feedback and insights from folks like yourself and other experienced 100ers. I can't see you as a novice!
And yeah - like you, Tim and Brett said ... I know I need to eat eat eat.
Brandon - I am hurting today. Voice is raw from all the shouting.
Tim - sorry to hear about the 50ishK this weekend. I am very hopeful that I can't get lost or off track on this course. But I guess it is possible. FWIW - I am glad to see you taking a bit of a break. If I call you, we will need to record that stuff for a future podcast for IT.
Rick, Larry - thanks!
All - thanks. Rather blown away by the number of you who care to comment on something as nutty as this. I love our community!
Sounds freaking awesome GZ - I can't wait to hear your take on the LONG, LONG run. Good luck out there, as far as advice, I pass to the previously much more capable folks. Have fun! ;-)
ReplyDeleteDon't underestimate the importance of pacers, especially when you are in the middle of a pitty party in the middle of the night, when you are cold, hungry, and exhausted beyond belief. The lesson I learned in my last 100 mile run for my students is to lean on those who care and are there to help you achieve your dreams.
ReplyDeleteI think my jaw just dropped about 10"....most people hype up their 100-miler for about a year (well, I would anyway) and you just nonchalantly casually mention it and have such a laid-back attitude!! I wish I lived closer (poor excuse, I know) but looks like you're going to have some company. Next time, let me know in advance and I'd be glad to slow you down to a pathetic pace for a few miles!!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks truly for your very nice comment today. I know you didn't know me during my heel fiasco, but this race was pretty sweet on so many levels!!
Good luck sir! I got nothing to say than what's already been said above.. I'm looking forward to hearing about your experience!
ReplyDeleteGoing Ape Shit is a state of mind! Excited to see you commit to the 100. Wish I could offer up some support but will be out of town for the weekend. Looking forward to seeing how it all plays out. You'll do great!
ReplyDeleteAnton pretty much hit it on the head. Especially with the eating and going extremely slow bit. If there is one thing that had to be beaten into my thick skull after many failed 100 mile attempts was the fact that I needed to let go of my ego and just go super slow for the first half. I always fixated on getting a good time in 100 milers and look where that got me...not even finishing. Instead, on my last Hole to Hump effort (a week ago) I finally succeeded in finishing because I just let go, ran super, super slow. Mixed in a bunch of walking early on where appropriate and, sure enough, finished the god damn thing. Sure, I can look back and think of how I could have shaved off hours of time but in the end I finished. I can't push enough how satisfying it was to finish slow instead of DNF again trying run at my limit at a 100 miler. For sure, 100 milers are a totally different animal than any other ultra length... only the best "race" at this level. The rest of us just try to survive. Now GO GET EM!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is going to be fun (to watch)! Don't forget to smell the flowers.
ReplyDeleteI need a good, hard long run. You'll be able to run sub seven minute miles from 2AM to 5AM, right?
ReplyDeleteNo Advice here, Just a good luck and remember to Embrace the Suck!
ReplyDeleteHappy Trails - thanks. PS - I am still reading your race report!!
ReplyDeleteJill - well, I have been thinking about this for a bit, so it is not totally new or off the cuff.
Jim - Thanks. How the hell did you do pacers when on the mill? Crikey.
Rob - thanks man. Hope to connect with you soon.
Jaime - thanks!
Jason - good point. I have been contemplating that back and forth. It is about finishing but I do see those thoughts of time slipping in there all the time. I need to let that go (for now)
JimP - I will smell. But not of flowers.
Brownie - when I get that far, I will look to pull one out.
MtUnpaved: Love it - embrace the suck.
2 different challenges. People just running on treadmills with me for the 17 hours/70 miles. 24 hours/100 miles is outside...4 mile loop around town with students, staff, friends, strangers joining me for company and to keep me safe and moving forward. Doing both again next spring.
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty inspiring GZ. Good luck. I know you will handle it, whatever the outcome.
ReplyDeleteAwesome GZ! Good advice given so far. You already know pain and discomfort at a high level. You can't throw down the times you have at Pikes and have it be a cake walk. This won't be any more uncomfortable...just a prolonged discomfort that comes and goes.
ReplyDeleteOn Monday and for many days thereafter, you're going to have people ask you how it went. What's going to be your response? Think about what your answer is going to be while you're going through the tough patches. Especially at night when the "this is plain stupid" thoughts kick in.
Jim - you have a very big big pair in my book.
ReplyDeleteWill - thanks!
Woody - awesome words. I will be thinking about that response a lot. Thanks.