Boston Buildup series/jan recap

So far, the story this winter has been the weather --snow, snow and more snow. This year's Boston Build up series started on January 9 with the 10K --on Friday, Jan. 7, the area got 6 inches of new snow. The NYRRC even moved the Central park Fred leBow 5 miler from sat the 8th to sun the 9th. I thought that Jim might have to postpone the 10K, but he went ahead and had it, with a record turnout of over 300 runners. I
started my Umstead ultra (training has been non-existent) build-up on Sat. Jan 8 with the 'recovery from the holidays' fat ass 50K, which was put on by the
MHRRC in Straatsburg, NY ....it took me and Frank C., along with other friends, alot of effort to navigate the snow-covered roads of the 3 mile loops course -
I finished in 5:40, which was perfect--wanted to go slowly and walked alot on the snowy areas. On the way back, a group of runners met for
a beer at the new Hyde park brewery, and since the sun came out, and I finished, it was a successful day.
On Sunday, wasn't sure how would feel, but wanted to run the 10K as a social workout. Last year, the wind chills were -3, and the custodian of the Norwalk
high school gym never showed up, leaving the runners stranded outside in brutal weather!! This year it never warmed above freezing, and a stiff wind blew,
but at least the school was open!! and it was a touch warmer. The Rowayton/Norwalk course was beautiful with all the snow, and the first mile
was exciting with so many runners slipping and sliding on the high school entrance/exit road --since the first 3 miles are downhill, I was able to maintain
a faster pace (7:40s) than the 8 minutes I had hoped for (the day after 31 slow miles). I don't remember my splits, but do remember that my quads started hurting on the last section with the climbs --I made it to the top of the hill without stopping, and felt pretty good in the last push to the finish--I ran even splits for a 7:42 pace. The nice thing about the 10K is that we know everyone --lots of Wolfpitters ran, including Anton. This is a tough course!!! I was glad i wasn't in shape to race it.

Fast forward to the 15K (planned for Jan 23) and the weekend of january 22 and 23--more snow fell on Friday, jan 21, and the forecast was for bitterly cold temps.
The NYRRC held the Manhattan 1/2 marathon as scheduled in 14 degree temps, but Jim wisely postponed the 15K with snow covered roads and 8 degree temps , with
windchill of zero...turns out that the sun came out that day but it was truly bitter cold. So, ANOTHER snowstorm (over a foot) pummeled the area
on Wed jan 26, and Ridgefield looked like a winter wonderland --but would the 15K be on as scheduled? It was touch and go, but Jim did decide to go ahead. He changed the course to and out and back along the road (eliminating the undulating dirt road but still included some snow covered roads)The day was much warmer, although it did seem cold at the start (25 degrees??) and almost every runner wore 2 or 3 layers. We started out with 2 loops around the parking lot- another exciting start!! and then out onto the rolling roads --i love this course, as like the hills, and loved the snow covered roads as it is more of a strength workout. I wanted to run this one faster than the 10K, and went out a bit fast --my breathing was horrible--could not breathe or catch my breath so was forced to slow down, and the
snow covered roads helped me relax...especially as woman after young woman flew by me:)) The last mile is tough --uphill to the finish with a
sharp climb --the course seemed to take longer and when I finished i found out that it was really 9.6 --which was good...a better workout. and everyone else had to run the same course.
Thanks to Rick F. for manning the waterstop--it was great to see him, even thou I couldn't answer his question 'how's everybody'?...and congrats to all the Wolfpitters for finishing this tough run. Afterwards, new Ridgefield resident Gail J. had a lovely brunch at her house, but parking was next to impossible with all
the snow around her roads!! Amazing....what will the 20K weather bring?

Recover from the Holidays 50K-Jan 8, 2011

After a month-long 'break' (following the dec 11 bartram forest 100K), I finally toed the line at a 50K..Frank and I had gone to the new year's marathon but 2 feet of snow foiled the efforts of most of the runners to do the full distance..we ran the 1/2 marathon in knee-deep snow covered trails and that was enough for me --I was moving for almost 3 hours!. the following day i ran 10 easy on the roads and felt completely beat up from the snow running!! So, appropriately, it snowed again on Friday, jan 7,
and running the MHRRC 50K seemed questionable--I worried about the drive up and about the snow on the course. I needn't have worried --the drive was easy (getting out in the dark was hard)if an hour and a half; and the sun came out and the day was pretty nice for January at Norrie Point park. The race started at 9 a.m. and was 10 loops of 3.1 miles --Frank and I got to the park at 8:50, right on time -I started with all my layers on, and wore my trails shoes-the footing was pretty bad, and my legs just wouldn't move!! Despite a rest day on Friday, they just seemed dead tired, and my quads were hurting--I think it was the combo of the stiffer trail shoes and the snow...but I didn't feel like i could pick up the pace and 15.5 miles took me 2:50! (with stops)--I then changed into some lightweight shoes, and felt much better -I was able to pick up the pace in the last 3 loops (34 min each) and to finish with negative splits in 2:40 (5:42)--we then met seth and Frances at the Hyde park brewery on the way home, which was the highlight!of the trip, besides finishing and seeing running friends like Lisa G. finish her first ultra!
The next day I ran the Boston Build up 10K, and while quads sore and overall tired, actually felt good and had some pick up in my legs to run a 7:42 pace...this week my achilles is bothering me--i think from the snow --so have to take it easy this weekend --next long run with hopefully be Run around manhattan in late jan...

2010 recap

wow-seems so long ago (July 2010) that I updated my blog...2010 was definately a year that was crammed with races, and had its highs and lows in terms of performance--
the winter was smooth sailing but somewhere in the spring every ultra became harder and i went into over-training mode which stayed with me til August --then felt awesome after Beast of Burden (pacing Frank and running 75 miles) and cranked up the racing and long runs again but somewhere in mid Oct reached that stale stage again, and got sick and the rest of the year was tough--nycm and JFK 50, 2 races which should have been good, were lousy --but I still had fun...and i capped off the year with the bartram forest 100K--the weekend away was an early holiday present to myself, as barely traveled in the summer!! I also ran some high mileage weeks -many weeks close to 100, and averaged 50 miles a week-maybe 55.
My total miles for the year were 2848 --walking would put the total over 3000!!!
Over the course of 2010, I did
2 100 milers (Umstead and VT)
3 50 milers and over (Joe K. 12 hour (59 miles)jfk and bartram Forest)
4 marathons (albany, nycm,boston & nipmuck trail)
9 50Ks/6 hours (watchung, run around manhattan, FL 6 hour run, Camsett park, Sybil Ludington, Greenbelt, LI 6 hour, Trail mixup 6 hour, and Bimbler's bluff)
2 24 hour races (NJ --87 miles; Beast of Burden -75 miles)

when i look over this schedule, I def. see where I can take out some of the 50Ks and prioritize some races --in 2010 it seemed like i ran every race because it seemed like a good training idea at the time but never prioritized!!
So, in 2011, definately want to build more rest (all of fall -no ultras) into my schedule and target a few ultras where i am well rested and ready to go, and avoid burnout and injury-lol