Well, I only have a few weeks of training left before my first 50 mile race...or should I say...run! I doubt I will be racing. I did have a great week of running this past week, though, culminating in a long, comfortable 23 mile run on saturday at Redbud. It was feeling pretty easy, and I am feeling better and better about my first attempt at 50 miles.
This weekend, David and I are going to run Steamboat Mountain again. It's an excellent workout, and we are going to run it, and then turn around and run it the other way...so it will be a 26 mile run with some pretty good hills!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Running the Mineral Wells Trailway
This has been an interesting week of running. I started out on Monday wanting to run the trails and cross country course over at Sherrod Park at ACU, however, it had rained the night before, and I didn't want to run in the mud. So, I went to Redbud and ran an easy five miles. Tuesday, I went back to Sherrod Park and ran my hill circuit. It turns out to be a pretty tough run as I made a loop out of the Cross Country course, the trails there, and back out onto the pavement for a run down to Washington street, all the way to Highway 80 and back. It's about 6 miles of nothing but intermittent hills. Wednesday was a rest day.
Thursday was an interesting day, as I ran another 6 mile run down Industrial boulevard, all the way out past the airport and back to my home. Friday, I did a recovery run of four miles, just taking it easy.
Saturday, I got up at 5:00 a.m. and drove to Weatherford, Texas to run the Mineral Wells Trailway, a trail that used to be the railroad tracks from Weatherford to Mineral Wells. It's a 20 mile trail. I ran a 10-mile out and back, and the trail was beautiful and peaceful. I took a 20 oz. bottle of gatorade with me, and it started getting warm right about the midpoint in the run. I ran out of fluids around mile 13, which was not good. I made it back alright, but was thoroughy dehydrated when I was done.
It was a good week, leading up to the Palo Duro Canyon 20k this weekend. I'm looking forward to this run...it should be an adventure.
Thursday was an interesting day, as I ran another 6 mile run down Industrial boulevard, all the way out past the airport and back to my home. Friday, I did a recovery run of four miles, just taking it easy.
Saturday, I got up at 5:00 a.m. and drove to Weatherford, Texas to run the Mineral Wells Trailway, a trail that used to be the railroad tracks from Weatherford to Mineral Wells. It's a 20 mile trail. I ran a 10-mile out and back, and the trail was beautiful and peaceful. I took a 20 oz. bottle of gatorade with me, and it started getting warm right about the midpoint in the run. I ran out of fluids around mile 13, which was not good. I made it back alright, but was thoroughy dehydrated when I was done.
It was a good week, leading up to the Palo Duro Canyon 20k this weekend. I'm looking forward to this run...it should be an adventure.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Heading for Palo Duro Trail Run
Well, my running the last two weeks has been intense. I have been training mostly in the hills and trails around here. Trust me, if you look in the right places, there are some good training hills. I have made a nice training loop out near ACU. Sharrod Park has some trails...they are not very long, but really interesting to run through. I run the established cross country course that ACU uses, go through the trails, and then move out onto the streets like North 11th Street, I believe it is...which brings you to another pretty good hill or two. Then, if you go farther on, you can hit Washington Street which is also a good course for some hills. You can get about 10 miles of rolling hills that are fairly challanging if you do it just right.
Nothing can top Steamboat Mountain, though, and the run we all did out there a few weeks back was great. I have been going out to the State Park and running through those trails and hills, and then running down the highway toward Lake Abilene where there are a number of good hills that I combined with some long distance work. That whole area offers some nice surprises as far as training goes....if you don't mind the occasional "road kill" on the side of the highway.
This week, I will go out toward Coronado's Camp and run through the hills out there, including a 20 miler that should be pretty interesting. There are some tough hills, especially out there where all the windmills are sitting.
Another run David and I were talking about to get prepared for the 50 mile race in December at Sunmart, is to go out to Steamboat Mountain, and run the 13.2 mile course, and then turn around and run it the other way. I may actually attempt that before the Sunmart 50.
I have gotten hooked on running ultras, but am looking forward to the spring, where I am going to try to really "up my speed," by running some 5 and 10k's, as I would like to get my marathon time back down close enough to qualify for Boston.
The 10k at the Balloonfest was a really cool, well done race that I enjoyed. I was just using it as a speed workout, mostly, and wasn't prepared to enjoy it as much as I did. Next up for me, is the Palo Duro 20k Trail race in Canyon. I'm really looking forward to that. I have heard it is a tough run...but I love trails more than anything. AFter that, the Sunmart 50 is getting closer and closer. Only 9 weeks left! I'm doing a 20 miler this week, then after the Palo Duro run, I will be upping the mileage on the long runs...and will begin training on the trailways between Mineral Wells and Weatherford. It's a 20 mile trail, one way, which allows for some really long, trail runs, with no traffic, no dogs, and practically no people.
Nothing can top Steamboat Mountain, though, and the run we all did out there a few weeks back was great. I have been going out to the State Park and running through those trails and hills, and then running down the highway toward Lake Abilene where there are a number of good hills that I combined with some long distance work. That whole area offers some nice surprises as far as training goes....if you don't mind the occasional "road kill" on the side of the highway.
This week, I will go out toward Coronado's Camp and run through the hills out there, including a 20 miler that should be pretty interesting. There are some tough hills, especially out there where all the windmills are sitting.
Another run David and I were talking about to get prepared for the 50 mile race in December at Sunmart, is to go out to Steamboat Mountain, and run the 13.2 mile course, and then turn around and run it the other way. I may actually attempt that before the Sunmart 50.
I have gotten hooked on running ultras, but am looking forward to the spring, where I am going to try to really "up my speed," by running some 5 and 10k's, as I would like to get my marathon time back down close enough to qualify for Boston.
The 10k at the Balloonfest was a really cool, well done race that I enjoyed. I was just using it as a speed workout, mostly, and wasn't prepared to enjoy it as much as I did. Next up for me, is the Palo Duro 20k Trail race in Canyon. I'm really looking forward to that. I have heard it is a tough run...but I love trails more than anything. AFter that, the Sunmart 50 is getting closer and closer. Only 9 weeks left! I'm doing a 20 miler this week, then after the Palo Duro run, I will be upping the mileage on the long runs...and will begin training on the trailways between Mineral Wells and Weatherford. It's a 20 mile trail, one way, which allows for some really long, trail runs, with no traffic, no dogs, and practically no people.
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