This was my third year running the Trail Mix team race. My team from last year abandoned me as they all qualified for Boston and I didn't. None of them felt that running 7.75 miles in the hills just 2 days before Boston was a very good idea. The Boston bunch all got PRs Monday - Jim 3:27, Karl 3:28, and Kim 3:10 (4th MN woman). Congrats to them!
Now back to the Trail Mix... I'm still coming off not running this winter and my pace is not what it used to be. The Trail Mix would be my first hard run since I last raced in October. Not wanting to suffer sudden death or just blow an artery or something, I decided at the last minute to run by heart rate. I picked a number, 163, to try to keep my heart rate at. Sure, it jumped past that on the hills, but I would try to keep it near 163 overall. That strategy wasn't going to get me a good time but it seemed to keep me at the right level of effort for the day. Half way though the race I adjusted my HR goal upward and tried to keep it around 165. Besides walking up the back of the ski hill (everyone was when I came though) I had to walk up the top half of the grassy hill near the south end of the course. I felt good at the finish now know I could have pushed harder. Oh, my average HR was 166 for the race so I did well in sticking to my running plan.
Last year on a shortened course I ran 7:20's in mud. I ran 8:40's this year in perfect running conditions. When my Boston marathon friends are done with their recovery I'll be just about ready to run with them. I think it may be a month before I'll be able to run with them comfortably on their moderate days but they will help me become faster in a hurry.
Next race: Get in Gear 10K on 4/25.
--Mark
p.s. Since I started tying my shoes tighter 9 days ago I have had no problems with foot pain.
Showing posts with label Trail Mix. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trail Mix. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Trail Mix 50K team race 2008
Q: How do you take a pair of road shoes and turn them into trail shoes?
A: Wear them at a Trail Mix race.
Those shoes have almost 400 miles on them... all treadmill or road until Saturday. Now I'll just use them on trails until they're worn out. They worked out very well in the hills and mud. On the topic of mud... I saw one guy in a mud pit with his shoe sucked off his foot. He didn't look happy.
I like comparing my races results to help gauge how I'm performing. This year, as well as last year, I ran the Trail Mix team race. In the team race, 4-person teams run one loop (12.5K) of the course each and their times are added together for a team time. My team, Live to Win, ended up coming in 3rd in the uneven-mixed division. I think we were 8th in the division last year.
I met Marise W. before the race. She a member of the Upper Midwest Trail Runners group. We chatted a bit and discovered we both want to run the Superior 50 Trail Race in our 50th birthday celebration month in 2009. That's something to look forward to!
My marathon training, that I've several months into, has made me much faster than last year. My overall place at the Trail Mix last year was 99/433 (top 23% and 7:59 pace). This year I was 35/394 or in the top 9% at a 7:20* pace. My time was 52:53 officially, but 52:45 on my watch. The added time was due to a two-runner backup in front of me at the finish. It took a while for the time/number keeper to record my time.
It was a very enjoyable race to run this year and I hope to do the team run again next year!
--Mark
*note: Update 4/22: The Trail Mix website now lists the team race distance as 7.2 miles.
A: Wear them at a Trail Mix race.
Those shoes have almost 400 miles on them... all treadmill or road until Saturday. Now I'll just use them on trails until they're worn out. They worked out very well in the hills and mud. On the topic of mud... I saw one guy in a mud pit with his shoe sucked off his foot. He didn't look happy.
I like comparing my races results to help gauge how I'm performing. This year, as well as last year, I ran the Trail Mix team race. In the team race, 4-person teams run one loop (12.5K) of the course each and their times are added together for a team time. My team, Live to Win, ended up coming in 3rd in the uneven-mixed division. I think we were 8th in the division last year.
I met Marise W. before the race. She a member of the Upper Midwest Trail Runners group. We chatted a bit and discovered we both want to run the Superior 50 Trail Race in our 50th birthday celebration month in 2009. That's something to look forward to!
My marathon training, that I've several months into, has made me much faster than last year. My overall place at the Trail Mix last year was 99/433 (top 23% and 7:59 pace). This year I was 35/394 or in the top 9% at a 7:20* pace. My time was 52:53 officially, but 52:45 on my watch. The added time was due to a two-runner backup in front of me at the finish. It took a while for the time/number keeper to record my time.
It was a very enjoyable race to run this year and I hope to do the team run again next year!
--Mark
*note: Update 4/22: The Trail Mix website now lists the team race distance as 7.2 miles.
Monday, April 14, 2008
5 weeks to Fargo
I had a great week last week. 53.9 miles total, I felt great during and after my second-to-the-last 20-miler, and I feel great now. No injuries.
Saturday I stopped into Run-n-Fun and bought my 'Marathon shoes'. They're Brooks Adrenaline GTS-8's. I've only ran in Brooks Adrenaline shoes except for my one day with ASICS. This morning I ran 9 in the new shoes and they felt great. I plan to put about 80 to 100 miles on them before Marathon day. I have three other pairs I rotate but they all have ~300 miles on them.
I'll be dipping my toes into the ultra-marathon waters this year. I'm signed up for the Afton 50K and also joined the Upper Midwest Trail Runners group. I didn't really want to sign-up for the Fab 5 Fifties series this year as I'm only running one race on the list. Well, I'm signed-up and I'm not dropping out. Next year I plan to run three 50K and two 50 mile races. Yikes!
Oh yeah, my next race is the Trail Mix 50K 4-person team race on Saturday. I only run 12.5K. My 4-person team all run at the same time and our finishing times are added together for the team time. It was great fun last year on the dry and fast course. I'm looking forward to some mud this year!
--Mark
Saturday I stopped into Run-n-Fun and bought my 'Marathon shoes'. They're Brooks Adrenaline GTS-8's. I've only ran in Brooks Adrenaline shoes except for my one day with ASICS. This morning I ran 9 in the new shoes and they felt great. I plan to put about 80 to 100 miles on them before Marathon day. I have three other pairs I rotate but they all have ~300 miles on them.
I'll be dipping my toes into the ultra-marathon waters this year. I'm signed up for the Afton 50K and also joined the Upper Midwest Trail Runners group. I didn't really want to sign-up for the Fab 5 Fifties series this year as I'm only running one race on the list. Well, I'm signed-up and I'm not dropping out. Next year I plan to run three 50K and two 50 mile races. Yikes!
Oh yeah, my next race is the Trail Mix 50K 4-person team race on Saturday. I only run 12.5K. My 4-person team all run at the same time and our finishing times are added together for the team time. It was great fun last year on the dry and fast course. I'm looking forward to some mud this year!
--Mark
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
