Changes at Lebanon Hills

Things change, sometimes for the better, sometimes not and most times it's all about whose perspective you view the change in. Take the changes in Lebanon Hills, over the years they have been mostly favorable at least in my eyes, the mountain bike folks taught them how to cut good singletrack trails that held up over time. Which led to some great mountain bike trails and eventually spilled over into other sections of the park which led to improved and more single or double track trails for runners and hikers. So for the last few years, I have really enjoyed these new trails to run on however their most recent change is decidedly not a good one, at least from my perspective.

They have changed one of my most favorite loops in Lebanon Hills, the Jensen Lake south loop. It's only a mile and change but it is a section that I almost always started and ended with. What have they done, well, they brought in the bulldozer and they have smoothed it out, the rocks are covered, the roots aren't exposed, some bridges have been added where I used to be able to get my feet wet or at least muddy. I loved this section as portions of it demanded your attention or you would roll the ankle and go down or clip a root and play superman.
Now if you are a family out for a leisurely stroll, these changes are great. Oh well the damage is done, the trail has been smoothed and it will get more use from the general public, some would say this is good, I would say that I liked my trail before. Here is a picture I took with my phone last year while on this loop. This was from one of the smooth sections, when they open the loop again I will take another picture and post it again with the before and after and you will see how the path has been changed.

On a different note, I got the email from Cindy and Les, Surf the Murph (25k, Marathon, 50k and 50 miler) registration is now open. You can sign up on the Surf the Murph website.

Short term plans

I decided since I aborted my run at Afton that I should run on Sunday to see how the legs felt. Well, that worked out kind of, the kind of meaning that I did make a good choice at Afton. Karyn and I did a run/walk along the river bottoms. She could've run but I needed to walk about every 5-10 minutes. Ok, so maybe running on Sunday wasn't one of better ideas but I needed to justify my choice and I had hopes that running on level ground that it would be ok. Ok, wrong again, if nothing else though I got to use the Garmin, it is so cool to look down and see the mileage. The elevation stuff I am still getting used to it's cool too but it really is no surprise that I slow down going uphill. I did get SportTracks figured out so my link to Buckeye is re-established. I look forward to figuring out the other features.

The weird thing about the injuries is trying to figure out what exactly are my problems, the achilles issue I get, I torqued the right ankle and then stepped in a hole at Chippewa all within a mile or so, ran another 20 miles and strained it a bit. It is slow to heal and I have been slow to treat it so that all makes sense. The left ankle on the other hand has me mystified, I rolled that ankle too, yes within that same mile or so, ran the 20 miles and ever since my left foot and ankle have bugged me. Initially I figured I had developed plantar, Dr. K treated that and the pain went away, the ankle pain did not. But without the arch pain, I noticed it more. I guess that proves the hammer theory. What I have noticed is that when I extend or straighten the foot, it seems to catch and clicks somewhere on the inner side right below the ankle bone towards the toes. Kind of like it's stuck and then releases. It doesn't really hurt but it does ache at times and it's a little tender but not painful to the touch. When I run it starts out just as an ache and then I get jolts as I run, the longer I go the less aches and the more jolts. The achilles helps out my experience as it provides occasional jolts as well and then just tightens up after 5 or less miles which means less push off and an already slow runner goes slower as well as providing an increased number of jolts on every slight misstep. Hills are not pleasant with it but that I can deal with that for the moment by avoiding hills. Anyway, I will eventually figure it out or I will go back in to see Dr. K or someone else. For the moment I have decided to stay shut down until later in the week.

All of this thinking about my issues got me to thinking about Surf the Murph, thinking at least with regards to my running usually gets me in trouble but here goes.

If I only focus on one race can I actually apply myself to cross train, strength train and to slowly ramp my mileage up and stay healthy? So I am going to work on the diet, commit to a cross train methodology and see what happens. In the past I have said similar things and who knows maybe I won't follow through but this time I might as although Les is allowing 14 hours, 11 to 12 hours seems like a better goal and if I really got my act together who knows maybe even 10 to 11. For the moment, I will work on my alternate plans and then try to get back onto my running plan the week of the 13th. Heck that gives me almost a week to figure it out and then 10 or 11 weeks to train.

Surf the Murph 50

Surf the Murph will be the focus of the rest of my summer and fall training. That's because as of right now, I plan to do the 50 miler. I do have to get myself healthy. I really probably shouldn't have attempted Afton yesterday on my sore left ankle and right achilles but I did and I am now going to have focus on recovery and getting my legs healthy.

My wife has mentioned that maybe I shouldn't be running but instead I should cross train, you know swim, bike, etc... I am sure she is right but I don't plan on stopping running until the injuries completely shut me down which I don't think they will with a little common sense. But she is still right, the cross training concept is a good idea. And since the next race up is the Turtle Trot Triathlon in a couple of weeks the timing is good. So with that in mind, my question became if I take a couple weeks and do lower distance mileage and some cross training can I still get my mileage back up for an attempt at a 50.

So I went to the Santa Clarita Ultramarathon Training schedule creator and input the date for Surf the Murph (October 31st) and I now have a training program to follow.

Week Of	Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Miles
Jul 13	3 CD	0	2	2	4	0	12	8	28
Jul 20	4	0	2	4	6	0	14	8	34
Jul 27	5	0	4	4	6	0	16	10	40
Aug 3	6	0	4	6	6	0	18	10	44
Aug 10	7	0	4	6	8	0	20	10	48
Aug 17	8 CD	0	4	8	6	0	10	8	36
Aug 24	9	0	4	8	8	0	22	10	52
Aug 31	10	0	4	10	8	0	22	10	54
Sep 7	11	0	4	10	8	0	24	10	56
Sep 14	12 CD	0	4	10	6	0	10	8	38
Sep 21	13	4	12	8	0	0	0	31	55
Sep 28	14	0	4	12	8	0	24	10	58
Oct 5	15	0	4	12	8	0	26	10	60
Oct 12	16 CD	0	4	10	8	0	16	10	48
Oct 19	17 CD	0	4	6	6	0	10	6	32
Oct 26	18	4	3	2	0	0	50m ultra	0	59

CD = cycle down

• You will begin running longer on back-to-back weekends. You will also begin building a semi-long mid-week run, preferably on Wednesday. Obviously you will have higher weekly mileage as a result. You may vary your schedule as necessary but nothing substitutes for the weekend long runs which should be on trails or fire roads. Other runs may be on paved roads.
  
• Rest is essential. It is recommended that you not run at all on Mondays and Fridays. There are occasional easy weeks for recovery.
  
• When you are training for a 50 mile event all other races should be used as training runs, including 50Ks. When it comes to 50 mile training, go for "time on your feet" over fast races.

I think it is a yes, Ok the mileage is a bit much right now but with that common sense I mentioned with regards to my running I think I can accomplish the training. Right now I just need to adopt the positive attitude of the frog,

I do so like this attitude and it's why I struggled yesterday to drop as this picture always pops into my head when the times are tough but all I had to do was remind myself that for this year the stork represents the 50 mile race at Surf the Murph not the 50k at Afton.

One of my major goals for this year has been to run my first 50. To do that intelligently I have to get my legs healthy fast or it will be a miserable day as it was yesterday and at Swan Lake and for 20 miles at Chippewa.

When I start the 50 I don't plan on quiting for any reason. I do have a lot of work to put in if I want this training program to go well but I think everything is lining up for a shot. Once I get healthy then all I need to remember is that I know the course, I will have 14 hours but less than 12 sounds more appealing, I have time to train properly, I have time to get the weight down and to work on fueling, I have nothing else scheduled for the fall. All in all, it seems like a good idea so it's time to get healthy and to train.

Afton 50k DNF

I would like to say that I made a really good choice today and that I am not disappointed as I dropped at Afton today after 25k, you know what I can answer both questions. I did make a good choice and yes I am disappointed but more than anything I am probably most unhappy with running the second consecutive race with injuries. So if you want you can stop reading at this point as I had my first failure in a 50k with a DNF. I do hate that as this is my third one ever although I don't think I will regret this one.

Today, it was a really nice day to run at Afton. I drove over with Londell, in his nice new Smart car. We discussed his upcoming surgery and a few other things, thanks for the ride Londell. When I got there I saw Steve L. and talked with him for a while. Saw Wayne and chatted with him, Saw Dane who I had met a week or so back running in Lebanon Hills. I think I met Brian E. who also runs in Lebanon but I didn't take the opportunity to say hello. Maybe next time. I was apprehensive before the race as I was a bit worried about how my ankle and achilles would hold up on the hills of Afton. Since Chippewa I have pretty much avoided any real hills as the achilles hasn't been fond of them. The weather seemed ok, humid but not too hot and we had a cloud cover so I didn't think it would be an issue as long as I stay hydrated.

The race started right on time and we were off. I told myself to start out slow and try to let the race come to me. I knew the hills that were ahead and I had to show respect for them or I would be in trouble. When we got to the bottom of the first hill, I glanced back and there were only a few runners behind me. Saw Les and said a quick hi but he quickly left me as I was doing a good job of holding back. I also didn't seem to be getting much of a push-off but I convinced myself that I was holding back. Up the first hill, the achilles seemed pretty good and I walked up strong. Onto the "Africa loop", a few more runners passed me and so I glanced once more behind me and I saw only one more runner. Again on the flats I didn't seem too efficient, each step didn't seem to propel me forward with any authority. Down the hill towards the first aid station, I charged hard, no pain, sweet, I passed 3 or 4 runners going down. I breezed through the first aid station, there is at least one advantage to carry the Nathan, and I passed a few more runners. I kind of just zoned out during the "Back 40 loop" section, I do enjoy it a lot. Back to the "Africa loop", I stayed within myself and I still felt pretty good.

I made it the aid station by the river and I saw Londell taking pictures and I had caught back up to Les. I told Les to take off as he was too fast for me. We ended up staying together through "Nigel's hill" and through the "Campground" and back to the same aid station. Les filled me on Surf the Murph (new web page still getting developed but go ahead and take an early look), for this year he is offering not only a 25k and a 50k but he confirmed that he has added the 50 miler and he also has thrown in a marathon. He said the shirts will be like last years (long sleeve Race Ready) except they will be black with orange lettering. After all we will be running on Halloween. It was fun talking with Les, we talked to another runner named Jeff, a 50k newbie who had done the trail mix in under 6. I said why are you with us? I felt pretty good during this section as walking the uphills seemed ok and running the downhills was working well. I thought at this time I was on-track to finish the first loop in 3 hours and 20 minutes so I wasn't having a bad day, even if I fell apart and ran a 4 hour second loop it would still be a PR. Sweet.

Then we hit the mile and a half straight section. Fairly quickly I had to tell Les to take off, I could not keep up with him, again the flats were irritating the achilles and I wasn't getting a good push-off and to add to my woes, the left foot was aching probably from compensating from the achilles. Onto "Meatgrinder", the uphills weren't so easy now, the downhills weren't going too well either, it seemed like every fourth or fifth step I would torque one of them which added more pain. I hobbled my way to the final aid station for this loop and mentally told myself to buck up and work my way through these issues.

Onto the "Snowshoe loop", I tried hard to find a style of running that would not aggravate my trouble spots. I thought I had it until I hit the grassy downhill section that was fairly rough at least in the fact that it wasn't an even running surface. I looked at my Garmin, did I say yet how nice it is to look down and know that I had a clue for my mileage. I had about a mile and half to the turnaround. Find the style that works, I kept telling myself. As we headed back onto the dirt singletrack I thought I had it, then I went through one of the sharp down and ups, ouch. I made it to the asphalt where we pass under the road, less than a mile. I was going to do it today. No doubt. It was warm from the humidity but I was hydrating ok, onto loop 2, then I went up what I thought was the final fairly steep hill and it hurt more than I wanted even though I was walking. An endless (ok it just seemed like it) number of 25k'ers went by, I struggled on up with no push-off on the hill. I tried to get going again and then I went up yet another short hill out in the open and I had to think about what I was going to do. I was not sure if it would be wise to attempt the second loop. I was in some pain but I had not done any more damage. If I start the second loop, I will finish it I thought but at what cost? I thought about what I yet wanted to do this year and I made the decision I should quit. I came around a bend and saw Paul from work. I asked him why he wasn't out here he said his knee which I had forgotten about. He asked how I was doing, I told him I was done. I didn't like saying that at all.

I said earlier, the hills at Afton require some respect and with a bum ankle and a sore achilles I was risking too much and I will admit I was afraid that I would take a hard fall or worse yet I would have to walk the downhills. So I headed to the aid station for the 50k'ers and told them I was done. They said are you sure? I hesitated and said, yes. I forgot to stop my Garmin but I am pretty sure it was around 3 hours and 33 minutes when I came in.

I chatted with the folks at the aid station a bit and watched the few folks behind me come through and I thought again, nope, stick with your decision. They gave me some ice and I sat down and I iced the achilles and the left ankle. Did that ever feel good.

I called my wife and said I would need an early pick-up and then I looked to see if Wayne had made it in. He hadn't so I sat back down and relaxed and then I saw him coming in. We talked a bit and we discussed getting food, he said he wasn't ready and I said it sounded good. I got a hotdog, it tasted good. So it looks like my stomach works through the 25k distance. Kel came in and was talking with Wayne so I went over and introduced myself (nice to meet you Kel). I can't remember the two other guys Wayne introduced me too, sorry about that. I watched the 50k winner come in, so that is what they look like when they come in. I have always wondered that. He looked strong finishing. Saw a whole bunch more 50k'ers come in. Saw Dane, he did a great job in his first 50k, I think he came in either just under 5 or just over, so much for my short term memory. Saw Steve Q. come in and I talked with him briefly. He said he was just a minute off of a PR, congrats on a good day even if it wasn't a negative split. I talked with Londell and he said I made a "Smart" decision because I came over in his "Smart" car so it must've rubbed off on me. He might be right as I seldom have made smart decisions.

You know, although I failed on one goal, that being another 50k finish. I did achieve the rest of my goals, I enjoyed myself, I think I ran fairly smart all things considered, I didn't injure myself any further and I can now enjoy the rest of the 4th of July weekend with my family. I am pretty sure if I had continued, I would have paid a heavy price. Even now, with my ankle wrapped, I have some issues walking without a hobble. Lesson learned again, if you start out injured you probably will finish still injured.

Final note, it was great to see some of my fellow runners and to meet a few more, Afton is a great course, a great race, has great volunteers and I can't wait for my revenge next year when I hit it injury free :-).