New South Trail Marathon - Half

Saturday March 26th 9am White Water Center, Charlotte, NC - 13.1 miles

http://usnwc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2016-New-South-Awards-Half-Marathon-Overall.pdf

http://usnwc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2016-New-South-Awards-Half-Marathon-Overall.pdf

i tell you the force field that keeps you from coming to the pad to sit and write is awfully strong when you have been away for so long, but i had to jump in and dive headfirst real quick and not stay on the edge, because i have known after letting that trail race marinate on my brain, and seeing it not drift away without demanding recollection, to know that this was a special experience for many reasons, and so, i had to put some letters down on screen.
  i'm writing this 48 hours from when i was traversing mile 5 or 6 at the New South Trail Half Marathon at the White Water Center, wondering if these trails were going to remain so arduous, if my pace was too quick to last the 13.1 miles, and how close i was going to stay with my competitive challengers. The aches and dull soreness felt from hips down has lessened, as has the tightness of calves and fee by this point, but i'm still acutely aware of the full body grinder that was my first real trail course, that eased me in  and spit me out a destroyed heap of something other. while my body has started to heal, the weather has basically stayed the same over the last couple of days-with this Easter Weekend of perfect running temperatures.
      10 miles was the longest i have run going into this race, but i wasn't too concerned about finishing 13. I did have fair reason to wonder how much of a decent pace i could maintain going the extra 3 miles tho, and then especially on a trail course. Being a non stranger to running off the roads, i have ran my share of different surfaces and difficulty levels, but for me the more difficult, technical, and single file a trail that i've run has coupled with it's brevity of length. Basically, green-ways and more accommodating trail ways that stretch long are typically the type i would expect for 13 miles (think moses cone, trout lake, boone nc) - still, i did expect some more tight and curvaceous trails given that i've run just a little bit at the White Water Center and remember them being no easy picnic.
     the best comparison i have for the course was the trails in my old neighborhood of madison park/montclaire and that also are a part of Marion dehl across the street of tyvola...except put that on steroids and blow it up 30 fold - both in terms of length and exaggerated hill climbs and drop off after drop off. basically, it was the most fun and interesting of a trail that i have ever run----especially with it being almost 13 miles long in this one giant incredible loop. switchbacks, bridges of wooden beams, 60 degree banked turns, 3 foot drop offs, 150 foot hill climbs, winding, rocky, rooty, dirty, clear, and the best well markings of any course i have been too.
        as I've been doing now for about 7 or 8 months, i haven't been wearing a watch, which was good because any distraction could have easily resulted in a fall from tripping on the course from not paying attention. this of course also meant that your mind didn't have time to wander and find those negative thoughts that come with boredom which seem to be more available on the open road. but that's really about as far as i'll go in comparing this with most races. It was such a different animal because of the spectacular course that you have to travail, requiring utmost awareness and toughness that i was only able to contemplate my path and getting to the next mile marker. Going out with Josh Brewer, the first two miles we realized our total running time, from his watch, put us at a pace that wouldn't seem too aggressive, but for me i still felt that if the course didn't relent, this pace was plenty eager enough. My legs felt good and able to put in a quality race, as you can asses in that first half mile of if your legs are ready or not. Mine were. My stomach was pretty good - wasn't hungry and wasn't full - just right from the pasta the night before, and the bread and peanut butter a couple hours earlier was telling me that i was good off that. I had a few Sport Beans for energy in my pocket i would dissolve and chew in my mouth during the second half of the run.
     so i felt good, except by mile 3 i knew that i was going to have to stop and pee during this race. The coffee and water i had before had broken the seal and i was off to the urinary races as i typically am after such morning routine beverages. when  i realized that having to stop and pee was consuming more thought that i had available, with trying to concentrate on the course and needing to also have a level and encouraing mindset, i knew i twas time to pull over. I waited until a great spot, at the 1st water station 4 miles in, grabbed a cup, pulled over and balanced fluids. i was quickly off, and now my pack of runners was ahead and i was behind some new bodies wondering how i would get back, and if they would fall back to me.
     so here i don't know any kind of pace times, but i was feeling much better having had the bathroom break and remained through out the race. after being slingshot from the downhills- using my long legs to propel me down the hills and gain ground, i realized that I was surrounded by quality trail runners for the most part. People were able to hold paces, so my catch ups were slow, and i had to work a lot by myself. the first 4 miles with Josh Brewer in conversational ear shot were great to knock out the early miles and get things started, but now being alone i enjoyed where i was because i was allowed to get and stay in my own head. i felt like i was the most aware, present, and totally engrossed and absorbed in the race as i have ever been for that long in my life. I won't say as intense - i think the middle distance track races are the most intense present experiences, but for long term- yes.  i found my rhythm of fast down hills, steady slow hill climbs and surges during the straights and flats. my energy stayed constant, but my legs started to feel the toll of the ups and downs around mile 9. I look back now and realize that the mileage i was covering seemed so long in coming because of the pace i was going - but that never occurred how slow total i was going because i knew my effort was maximum and regulated to get through evenly this tough course for 13 miles.
I was able to never get passed back after the bathroom stop, and continually was able to pass competitors over the last 9 miles, perhaps 7 or 8 people in total. On some of the switchbacks i would pass Josh and knew he was maintaining and increasing and that i just needed to stay committed and see how close i could keep the gap and try and get anyone between us.
   The course was designed smartly by a clearly veteran designer in putting the last mile mostly flat, so any lasts race within a race could occur, whereby the runners would be able to open their legs up and see what was left after coming out of the gauntlet. At least for the most part. They diabolically threw in one last large down and windy descent complete with a last climb, before entering back out around the water in front of the facility in fan view for the last 3rd of a mile to finish. Incredible lay out, and i was alone and could see another in front about 20 secs up and also Josh at the finish line. I spotted my wife and girls on the hill with about 150 meters to go and waved and came in so happy and delighted.
i knew what i just went through on my first real black diamond trail race for 13.1 miles was something unique that i had never done and how I would have a big appreciation for the experience. And when i saw 2 hours as i came through, for the first time seeing a total time, even though it was about 15 mins slower than what i predicted i would finish - obviously not knowing the nature of the course - i wasn't upset, but just smiled and knew that that bear of a trail was nothing i could do but appreciate.

Four days from now I will be racing the Charlotte 10 miler. This will be the first time i have participated in this race, which is around 5 years old. This will be the third race of 2016 for me, adding to the New Years Day 4 mile trail race, and the Charlotte Running Club Winter Classic 8k Jan 30th at McAlpine cross country course. 

I have never done a 10 mile race, but i have run a 15K (9.3 miles), twice. The majority of the course is on the 4 mile creek and mcmullen creek greenway in south charlotte, and some on the surrounding roads. Looking forward to this distance and course. 

writing, running, and weather

Maybe it was not mindlessly clicking over to Facebook as I have done so often, that caused my brain to fire off the thought of clicking over to my blog site - something i have not done in over a year.

At one time I wrote regularly on here about running, mostly. And as I type right now, I'm remembering the freewheeling feeling of wide open possibility in taking thoughts from my head and attempting to corral them into a coherent thought, while leaving the possibility of also just using this as an exercise in brain upkeep to put words down on "paper" regardless of any consideration to my reader. A lot of times writing is most beneficial to the author, on any number of levels.

But as this blog so often does, I'm brought back to thoughts on running. And what goes hand in hand with running is weather. Well, because of the lingering and annoying weather we have had lately, my running has been non existent after a refreshing and robust half marathon a week and a half ago which felt like knocked the rust off a little. Was looking forward to starting back up the training and getting into some races, but have not gotten back out to continue this motive since the race.

I ran a wonderful trail race, which was a really fun 14k distance on Jan 1st. Since, have been running - no workouts- a few times a week of around 25-45 mins, with a handful of hour-ish long runs during some weekends. Yet the half marathon served as my longest run in probably some 6 months or more! Still, that lack of expectation provided an accomplished feeling when I crossed the line in 1:32 after going out very conservatively and closing with great negative split miles.

And so, my slothness contines, but I do think i will force myself out for a slight jog this evening to get things going again. After all, yesterday I did sign up for another race on April 12th which will prove to stare at me guiltily, should i be inclined to keep this lazy trend going. I don't see that though, as long as the end of March should start to feel like the end of March. Thinking warmer temps should be sustained coming up in a matter of days.

anyway, that's all for now. hopefully more writing soon.

-Daniel

What's up?!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh! I regret not recapping my Boston Marathon!!!!!!

I need to do it and kind of want to now. But now I need to keep working at my job, so perhaps it will be up soon...now that I want to get it out.

Anyway, I haven't even visited my blog site in almost 5 months. I've still be running here and there. Won that Showmars race actually, that I posted about last....ran a reindeer romp around Beverly Woods in December, and was part of a 4 man 50k relay, which was fun.

I'm currently signed up for the Columbia Half Marathon again in March, and looking forward to running with some good running buddies: Carson, Mitchell, Josh B., David, and Paul.

My training the last couple months has kept me from loosing too much, while also not really striving to get back to high mileage/intensity weeks of training. I think the base I have maintained will still allow me to see the next level only after a good 2-3 weeks. Just a matter of time when I decide to up the ante. I've kept the legs fresh with some speed work outs on the track over the last few months, and enjoyed some easy miles with nothing more than 8-10 as a long run. Typically my average run is 4-7 miles during the week.

Well, that's all for now.

-Eggers

goin' racin'

since my last post, I have only raced once: The Rock N Run 5k back in the latter part of August. (actually referring to the last post, I did race the 5k at McAlpine in May...19:33). I managed to stay under 20 mins (19:47), but it wasn't very pretty. However, I have not really been doing much this summer running wise - so it's not a surprise.

The last couple months though I have started to pick up my frequency (3 runs a week-ish), but have turned towards the Track for a good portion of those runs. Once or twice a week I have found myself doing some light to medium workouts at shorter distances around the oval. I'ts been fun to rebuild some speed, and change things up.

I always enjoyed running track more than the next runner, and I plan on keeping it up ever how long I desire. I think it started when I wanted to resume activity coupled with some of my summer readings about the great track teams of Oregon during the Bowerman years. I definitly would recommend his biography written my Kenny Moore.

Anyway, I'll be racing at the 1st annual Showmars 5k this Saturday, and we'll see how some of those speed workouts translate into a 3.1 mile race. 

Peaking

Just sitting here and was hit with some thoughts I wanted to put down. I'm going racing Saturday at McAlpine, and I put that on my status and my old HS coach commented something about me "owning" McAlpine. I don't know about that, but in the small private school world of HS X-Country, I guess I did for a little bit. That lead me to day dream about my JR and SR year's, and the wins I had...and then the disapointment I had at my last race at McAlpine. The stars aligned for the State Championship to take place (For the first time in many years) at McAlpine, and going into the race I was probably considered the favorite to win based on times from the season of all the runners.

As it would turn out, I didn't have a good race and came in 6th place I believe. Very dissapointing given the expectation, the "home field", the crowds of supporters I had, and it being my last HS XC race. I went out in the lead, ran with the lead pack for the second mile, got boxed in, and then never could pick off the front pack once they claimed their position during the last mile. One of those times I can recall where I beleive I peaked too soon.

Peaking in running is something of a helpless feeling. You can almost feel it happening, and you begin to even get premonitions of it in the back of your head once you find yourself unable to hit the quickness with ease that you were building up towards. As my last post talked about fragility of running, this is part of that.

Top runners train regularly, workout tactically, and rest to peak for certain races. Of course, the State Championship would have been a nice peak, but I think I peaked the week before at the Conference Championship instead. It's so fragile. I can recall a couple instances in college where this would happen too. Premature peaking. We all go through it.

Anyway, just some thoughts rumbling in my head this morning. Now, back to work.

The Fragility of Running

This was thought up on my run, of which I just finished not more than 5 mins ago...

Long distance running is one of the most delicate and sensitive sports. This is something I have thought about since college. No other sport's scale of performance slides as much by the balance of so many variables that go on on an hourly basis, every day of the week, every week of the month.

Let alone your diet, sleep history, and stress levels - how you train, when you train, and the conditions of your training all play into this equation which ebbs and flows daily and is manifested in your most recent run. Not even regularity promises improvement, assuming you are correctly following all the other "non running" related factors. How you train is just as big of a piece of the puzzle.

Continuing to run each day like you have been won't get you to the next level, although it will get easier to do. You have to train harder and faster. You can't continue to do what you have been doing, and magically get better. You have to shoot for new target times, you have to push yourself into deeper pain, and you have to go further. And once you bring this new piece to the table, you then slide the scale further towards the risk of injury and burnout, and premature peaking.

Even from a merely recreational standpoint, you'll notice this phenomenon from time to time when you have a great run on a Friday, take a couple days off on the weekend, and go out on a Monday and wonder why in the hell it hurts so bad and you are so much slower and lethargic. The degree to which you feel a "random" off day is not as noticeable as it would be in basketball, soccer, or football. Yes, those are skill sports, and the off day happens nevertheless in any of those sports - but having played many sports, I've never been as amazed at how delicate and needy running is.

So many things come into play with how you will feel on your next run. Sometimes you can't put your finger on it, and sometimes the answer is clear. Running is a needy mistress. She takes time, effort, attention to detail, and persistence to get over the rough patch of your training and keep on going...all while trying to balance the scale to achieve your goals.

Today was one of those days. I had a pretty poor outing, but I got through it. I have a constant battle with wanting high performance, and also living how ever I want. Both cannot be achieved, but I'm never convinced to allow one to rule. Such is my state, and such is true for many things in life. However, I am proud to say that while the battle wages on in running, my maturity in other more important parts of life have improved.

Happy running....