Random Stuff

The day after we returned from our backpacking excursion, Kevin and I took the mountain bikes out to the Moats. Our legs were sore and tired starting out, but riding that nice flowing single track really loosened them up and we both felt a lot better toward the end of the ride...except for the climb back up the Mineral Site Trail switchbacks. There was definitely some residual fatigue in my quads that made that part tough.

Yesterday I wanted to run 16 or 17 miles on hilly trails. After running a few errands in the early morning, I parked over in North Parsonsfield and ran 4.1 mile loops over the old Hobbs Swamp Rd (hilly rocky dirt tote road) and the Chase Rd (paved back road with a mile of steep uphill each loop). I felt like crap right from the start. I started out at 9 minute pace and things went downhill from there.

I have a 30 minute/1 hour rule for the days my running feels lousy. On short runs I give myself 30 minutes of running and if I still feel bad, I quit for the day. On long runs, it's an hour. The way I see it is that if I feel that bad, my body must need an easy day for rest and recovery. Yesterday each loop was worse than the one before and I definitely should have quit after an hour. I toughed it out and felt terrible for the rest of the day and have no desire to run this morning (but I will.)

What's ahead?
1. I am going to do a mid week Pemi Loop within the next few weeks. I've done this loop several times but always had company on the trail for at least part of it or outside support at one point or another. This year I'd like to do it solo.

2. Yesterday I received an email telling me that most of my trail friends will not be running MMD on August 21st for various reasons. I think I will still go, even though it has always been a social outing as much as a good physical challenge. I'm sure I will know a few people there, and if not there will be plenty of time on the trail to get to know people.

3. Vermont 50 Mt Bike race is on my calendar, but I have not had any responses to my plea for someone to switch work weekends with me, so it might not happen.

4. Mt Pisgah 50K will be on September 19th. It's hard to believe, but that will only be my third trail race of the year. Truthfully, I'm having a lot of fun doing other things right now!

5. I would really like to run at the Maine Track Club 50K/50M in October. I believe this will be the 30th year for this event. Some runners new to the ultra scene scoff at this road loop event but that is how many of the early ultras were run, FAST on road loops. There is a lot of historical significance to this event with several big names attempting national records there. My 50K(4:08?) and 50M (7:05?) PRs were both run there, back when I could run faster :) For the past 6 or 7 years my degenerative spine problems have prevented me from running on roads for more than a few miles at a time. But there is a dirt shoulder there that might make it possible for me to participate.

Looking farther ahead...I read the top 30 female 5K times run in Maine in 2010 in the Portland Press Herald yesterday and started thinking... 5K on the road...Hmmmmmm...my spine could take 5K of pavement... intervals, reps, Fartlek...bouncing around in a bundle of nerves at the starting line...Taking off fast and holding that pace until the end, even with my head spinning from lack of oxygen...slumping over in a heap after the finish... I wonder if I still have it in me. When I gave up road racing I told everyone, I'm not saying never!