Thursday 120414

Late afternoon into dusk – pressed for time, 10.4 miles steady, or a bit of a moderate lower tempo – whatever that means.  I think that means trying to keep at it a bit rather than fall into a lull of an easy pace.  I have put the HR monitor on for the last few runs … not because I need it particularly but just to mentally recalibrate on some of that stuff.  Today was AHR of 160 with a MHR of 169 (actually there was an earlier reading of 180 high but I am ruling that out to static as it was early and downhill so it seems wrong).

Been reading Running With The Buffaloes by Chris Lear (again) before I go to bed.  I find it to be an amazing read – a near daily account of the CU XC team in 1998.   Chris got permission from Wetmore to have daily access to the squad.   So in it you get the flavor of the daily workouts (a lot of miles and not slow), the guys killing it every day, the carnage of injuries, the fight to be a varsity runner, and Goucher’s run up to be that year’s National Champ.  But you also get the day to day conversations, Wetmore-isms, the crap that 20 year old guys give each other, and the camaraderie.   And of course, there is the incredibly sad story in the midst of it, the bike crash death of their number 2 runner, an incredible academic scholar Chris Severy. 

I was working in the IT department at The Daily Camera that season and remember that season well (including seeing Goucher crush the course record at Buff Ranch, with some loud kid from Western named Mike Aish several places back).  When we got word of Chris’ death, I recall sitting in the sports department with Sandrock and Hickman just dumbfounded and stunned at the news.  Hard to believe that was already 16 years ago.  Worth the read if you have never gone through it.

News stuff -  Sleep versus soreness (makes me sleepy).
- Mock does a nice preview of the weekend’s TNF 50 miler.  I will be watching the action of the middle guys like Skurka and Walsh probably a bit more than the front.  Justin also wrote up Max’s 100k effort too … I don’t see a long list of guys that are ahead of Max in considering the marathon OT in a couple of years if he gets to 2:12 shape.  It is hard to believe that Meb will rule the roost in 2 more years, and that there is enough duct tape to get Hall or Ritz to the line … Arciniaga and Vail seem to be the next best shots but a spot could open up for King.  A bit of a dark horse, but not a complete long shot.
- Nice story from Peter on One World Running (another tie to Sandrock)