As previously posted … got this in an email today:
Anyone got an entrants list link?
While I have respect and healthy dose of fear for a 100 miler, I also have a fair confidence that I could finish this thing. Sure, stuff can happen, at any distance in fact, and maybe you don’t even make it to the line. But as I sit here 219 days a way, realizing that I have a bunch of business trips, vacations to sea level on the SEA, and a crap ton of excuses in that time, I also feel pretty good about my chances of finishing this bugger. It might play out otherwise, but I will look to do what I can between now and then to minimize that.
But it ain’t just about finishing it. Running races has almost never been that for me – at least at the start (I say that because there are those occasions where all hell has broken loose in the race and it has become a “just finish this damn thing” death march). I didn’t line up at the middle school gym mile to see if I could run the mile, it was to see how fast I could run it. And it has been pretty much like that since, be it the mile, the marathon, or a 100 miler. My first PPM, I was really not even sure if I could finish the thing when I looked at the top from the start line and truly realized I had to go up and down that dang mountain. But I didn’t walk from the start gun to better ensure I could finish.
And yeah, I know I am not setting myself up to do it in the smartest fashion by plugging Pikes the week before. I can fully see myself making decisions in that race that could really stack the deck against me for the week afterwards. Yup, I am going to go for it because there will come a time when I won’t be able to, and I rather get kicked trying then setting some low bar goal and left wondering.
I am looking forward to this journey with the whole community that is in it.
Post script – admittedly, I have gone into burro races thinking about just completing the thing. When I have gone in wanting to race it, it has never gone well. Jack has other plans at those times it seems. As a result he and I need to work through some mental trickery to get around it.
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A holy crap workout described.
If you can’t go fast, go far.
Fellow burro racer, and a Sweeney from a different weenie.
Good interview with a very real guy – David R.
A week from today, I am going to go for a run with this guy as he is in town. Let me know if you want in.
Screw Paypal. I tried to buy Hal’s book through it a few weeks ago and it wanted me to do all sorts of verifications of billing address, etc. I appreciate the fraud checking of course. I have a pretty high tolerance for that sort of stuff as I wade through a website but it got so nutty I ended up mailing Hal a check snail mail instead. I went to contribute to Elevation Trail, HOR, or Endurance Planet today and I could not do it because PayPal did not like something about my credit card. Had no problem contributing to the Scout Master pod, but they don’t use flipping PayPal.
AM – 5 miles with Hans. Always a challenge when he wants to chase the rabbits.
PM – mild weather. Fartlek effort, cruising easy to steady to a couple of hard efforts. 10.1 miles. I have come to love the brown of these fields I run through.
She likes to SnapChat.
In the words of philosopher Iggy, "first things first, you're the realest."
ReplyDeleteSo what's the plan for Leadville? I'd love to read about the broad strokes of your training plan.
David - yeah, I have some ideas. I will get those up. In short it is do what I can WHEN I can because I have a lot of interruptions.
DeleteI promise not to vomit on our run.
ReplyDeleteUnless we are doing a beer mile, then there is a 10% chance.
I have vomitted on very short runs without beer. So my chances coming out of the gate are at least 11 percent.
DeleteCongrats! Can't wait to see the training and payoff.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're the right person to do what you can, when you can -- understanding the point of workouts, periodization, and specificity -- while remaining disciplined enough to get after it when you can/should.
Glad you're honest and putting it out there about about Pike's, that you'd still push it hard if/when it came to that. That'll undoubtedly hit hard at Leadville and I thought it'd be the other way around. But, you're right, you can certainly finish the race (also being respectful to the idea that it is still a challenge) and capable of much more than that. Sounds like both races will keep you interested and inspired, and your heart (perhaps literally!) will dictate how much to put into each one.
Basically, I have imagined three scenarios with Pikes.
DeleteFirst, let's say I get to the summit at or under 2:50. If I do that, that has potentially positioned me well to possibly PR. I am going to go for it. That means I might thrash myself for the following week, but I am going to go for it.
On the other end, let's say I get up at 3:15 or higher. I am having an off day. I can see me hedging my bets at that point and being more casual in the descent, in hopes that I would minimize damage for the next week.
This all of course leads to the middle scenario, which means it is bound to happen. Something in between, and probably closer to 2:50 than 3:15. I will race then as well, but it comes up with the risk of maximizing damage for the next week without the reward of a Pikes PR.
Arguably, as the Masters ranks have been getting won in less than 4:30, I can't see that I am contending for that (in case that question came up).
I'm taking you down at Pikes!
DeleteI will put a bet on that. I might even be up for doing a wager where we negotiate how many minutes I give your done for tail.
DeleteIt doesn't count unless you double.
Deleteoh, so we have our first in the game, eh?
DeleteTired legs from Pikes maybe keep the pace in check at Pb, leading to a better race in the end? Who knows? That will be the logic I'm using this summer since I'll be in the same boat. I know PPM beats me up as much, if not more, than any 100s. As the kids like to say, "YOLO".
ReplyDeleteI have contemplated that as well. I guess I can hope for that. I can pretty much see that the week after Pikes is just gonna be moving very easy to flush crap out.
DeleteGlad to hear there is another nut case doing this. If I can get my hands on the reg list for Leadville, PPA, PPM, I will put together an overall special idiots list (and afterwards, times).
So yeah, there is the possibility that some real nut cases will do all three.
It's actually a 100, off week, 100K, 100 for me, with the first 100 being Hardrock if they take me off the wait list. As long as you are walking normal a few days after that PPM descent, you should be fine by Pb. After 20 miles in, you'll forget you even did PPM.
DeleteWhat?! No burro race in there to make it a little challenging?
DeleteAhh, the varsity distance. This is exciting George. I will follow your progress all the way. Awesome, man.
ReplyDeleteI hope to do Leadville again someday. Any idea if there will continue to be last minute "competitive" entries with this new lottery business? I almost signed up on New Year's eve, but the busted hip and drained endocrine system urged a conservative 2015. I am high on the never starts waitlist at Hardrock, so there's that...
Jer - thanks. I will explore a competitive entry possibility for Leadville, but I'd guess they probably don't have that. And if you are high on the never starts waitlist at HR, then that is probably gonna play out.
DeleteAnd if Leadville is the varsity distance, then HR is truly the post graduate degree of ultras.
Jer - this is the closest thing I have found related to a competitive entry: http://www.leadvilleraceseries.com/run/leadvilletrail100run/leadville-trail-100-run-qualification-system/
DeleteIf you're looking for a pacer, I sort of know someone.
ReplyDeleteMail coming your way. And someday a check to ET.
DeleteI think you should hold back on Pikes and save it all for Leadville ;). In all seriousness though, with the Hokas, it seems like I am mostly normal by Weds and totally over it by Fri/Sat, so I assume you would be similar, or better off (though you always push that descent harder than me). I think no matter what though, you should be fine.
ReplyDeleteI think you should hold back on the climb at Pikes too.
DeleteThanks for the link to that workout! Wow, totally awesome and something I need to do. I don't go to the well nearly enough, but that really inspired me. Time to get serious!
ReplyDeleteGist of the Nate workouts he has been posting ... run some section hard, then back off a little for recovery but that recovery is still moving it ... repeat.
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