Still Going

Anyone who knows me or anyone I help run and race to their potential (that's what I call coaching), knows how I feel about running streaks.  When done for the streak itself, I think it's dumb and a little egotistical.  Sometimes it just happens that a person runs every day for a while.  I'm not talking about a while being 400+ days; more like a while being a month straight.  I glanced at my Garmin calendar and realized I've gone 16 days (17, once I go out and enjoy the sun and warmer weather today).  So, I find myself in a "mini" streak.  I'm fairly organic in my training and let how I feel day to day dictate what I do and how hard and long I workout.  Coming back from the broken ribs has been like a governor that holds me in my MAF heart rate range.  Of course, my MAF range is nowhere near what Phil's formula blankets.  It should be 140 bpm.  Mine is more like 125-130.  I also don't regularly wear my HRM.  In fact, I wear it maybe once every two weeks or so.  I go by feel and always have both for pace and HR.  This intuitive perceived effort is something I've honed over years of training and racing.  I can tell what my HR or pace is within about 2% at any given time.  The caveat to this is at higher efforts where I typically "over perceive" my work output.  Trudging up a stiff climb, I may think, "God, I must be pushing 160 (HR)!"  160 is busting my ass and fairly (very) anaerobic for me.  In fact, I'm typically overestimating my effort in these situations.

Back to the streak and why I've found myself here.  It's about the effort.  Last week I threw on the HRM just to (hopefully) confirm that I was accurate in my feeling that I'd been holding under 130 HR for my (damn slow) runs.  117 avg with a spike one time of 134 when cresting a climb at 9,400 ft.  Avg pace...  9:11/mi.  Ouch.  Of course, I have to take into account the climb in that 7.1 mile run (1,100 ft climb) and the altitude, 8625-9425 ft.  The benefit of holding the HR (effort) down like this is that I can run every day and feel fresh.  How long will the streak last?  I don't really care and will likely take a day off when I don't feel like getting out there.

Another interesting thing is the connection between cycling fitness and running fitness.  Over 3+ months I'd gotten myself in pretty sharp cycling shape.  It seems like that would translate into good running fitness.  Nope.  The efficiency and strength I've built on the MTB has resulted to:  1. a different body build (especially a different shape in my leg muscles' structure) and 2. efficiency and strength on the bike...go figure.

The first week back to running (with quite a bit of fast hiking to keep the effort in check) was humbling.  One of my athletes came up to visit me from Castle Rock and we ran a rather challenging (for me) 14.3 mile, 2:45 run tickling 10,000 ft elevation, post-holing at times, and I found myself holding both of us back to keep the effort in range.  Thankfully, he understands the benefits of aerobic foundation and seemed happy enough with my granny gear effort, even though he's past the base stage and into some solid key workouts. He's crushing PRs on his normal runs and is set up perfectly for a sub 3 hr (sub 2:50, actually) at Boston.

Now, into my third week of running, things are falling into place and I see the familiar improvement indicators that I've been patiently awaiting.  Even my fast walk is getting sharp; 12:14 pace for two miles yesterday on the end of my run (yeah, 12:14 - I'll be killing it when I'm walking around the mall with the other seniors some day).  Once this month is done, I'll move into an equal mixture of cycling and running.  Then the fun begins.

April and May will see some heavy racing: something like 286 miles on the MTB and 131 miles of running raced over 45 days between April 13-May 27, including the Zion 100 Run, which I've had my eye on since last year.  At first glance, it looks overdone in terms of training for the goal of the Leadman Series.  Nope.  Aside from the MTB races on April 13-14 (about 40 miles total), all the racing will be aerobic effort.  Also, usually by that time of year, I've raced a lot (8 times last year).  This year...?  zero.  I've flipped my training upside down this year with the intention of shifting my peak back by 1.5 months, or, specifically, to peak the week of August 10-17.  I get a chill and rush of adrenaline just mentioning it.

Picked up some photos from the race photographer at Temecula 12hr.  And a few other recent shots thrown in for posterity.

Tan surprising himself with a great ride in Temecula.

La Sportiva Helios ready for action.

Daily training playground.

Footfeathers HQ and Kitchen (and bike shop).

Pippit's got good taste in beer.

Benefit of living in a town of 400 people in the mtns - everyone looks like this.