Running With Jack

Without really meaning to, my blogging has traversed from an almost daily routine to more of a weekly routine. Somehow work and life has left me too mentally worn-out to think of anything clever to say. I have also been wondering lately where I want to go with my blog, I guess we all do this from time to time, and I know sometimes blogs hit the wall and DNF. I think for now I am going back to the basics, which means for me archiving my training so that I can use it as a training tool. In March race season will be kicking in, so race reports and hopefully pictures will once again begin flowing from this site.

My main training goal for 2010 is the 100K race in Biel, Switzerland on June 11th. As part of my preparation I have decided to run at least the following races:

The Escholllbrucken 50K on March 21st (a flat course consisting of 5 km loops)
The German Wine Street Marathon on April 18 (a hilly road marathon)
The Westerwald Forest 50K on May 13 (a very hilly 50K run over fields and forests)

This past week I ran four times:

Wednesday: 17 km (10.5 mi) @ 6:12/km (9:59/mi) average pace
Thursday: 13 km (8 mi) @ 6:30/km (10:28/mi) average pace
Saturday: 26 km (16 mi) @ 5:51/km (9:25/mi) average pace
Sunday: 22 km (14 mi) @ 6:51/km (11:00/mi) average pace

On Saturday morning I ran the first half of my long run with a friend from my running club, we ran a bit faster than I generally run my flat long runs this time of year and I decided to keep up the pace for the second half. The last few kilometers I actually speeded up somewhat, which surprised me on the one side, but also left my legs in less than good shape for Sunday.

Saturday night we got home late from a friend's birthday, so I had a hard time dragging myself out the door on Sunday afternoon for my second long run. I also had to fight the desire to skip my hilly workout and settle for another run around my flat town. Luckily I remembered the upcoming hilly running events in the near future and drove to Weingarten to run my hilly route.

My legs were a bit stiff as I warmed up with a flat kilometer before heading up the first hill, but I knew that once I started climbing this would pass. I kept the pace down, but stayed with my plan, running the most challenging hills that I could find without pause. The route that I picked basically had me heading up the hill, turning right, heading back down the next path, repeat. I literally circled my way around the hilltop until I ran out of trails. From here I headed into the next valley and headed up the next hilltop. By this time my pace was dwindling so after a long climb to the top I circled back to my original hill range and made my way up and over the plateau back to my car. I ended up with 22 km (~14 mi.) with approx. 1150 meters of elevation gain and 1175 meters elevation loss.

The weekend double long run left my legs tired and a bit stiff, to me a sign that the training is providing the necessary effort. My legs were still a bit tired on Monday, but no aches, pain or discomfort. I took a training day off, as planned, and today will only do cross-training (swimming). This week will be a repeat of last week's training; the only difference will be a 2 km (1.2 mi.) increase for my long runs.

This post is for Rachel, Rachel asked how can my body endure such high mileage without injury? High mileage is relative, I think my mileage lies somewhere in the middle compared to others ultra-runners.

Let me first outline my training that I have used the last couple years.

My principal race the last four years has been in June and consisted of a mildly hilly 50 Mile (80 km) or 100 km race (or both). I also try to run a fast marathon at the end of August.

I have a base building period, usually from January to March where I build from around 35 miles a week (4 runs/week) to 65-70 miles (5 runs/week). During this time I usually use sandwich training, whereas I run X miles on Saturday and X-minus-3 miles on Sunday - these runs are "sandwiched" between two rest days on Friday and Monday. This year I have also added two swim nights, usually Tuesday and Thursday.

From April to the end of May I run at least on hilly long run a week and start cycling.

In June I taper, race, and recover. This year I will be doing more swimming and cycling in preparation for my first sprint tri on July 11.

During July and August I run an average of about 45-50 miles a week (including one long hill run) and try to bike as often as I can, usually 3-4 times a week. This seems to work in preparing me for a fast marathon.

In September I start cutting back on the mileage. From October to mid-November I rest, reducing mileage to 15-30 miles a week. Mid-November to December I gradually build up for January's training.

So back to your question, here is a list of thoughts I have on why I can endure such high mileage:

• I follow the 10% rule, I try not to increase my total mileage or long run by more than 10% a week.
• I run my long run distance for two weeks before increasing it, for example 16 miles for two weeks, then 18 miles. I think this allows the body to adapt more easily to the increased mileage.
• I don't do any speed training while training for my June ultra race(s).
• I vary my pace based on how I feel on a given day. Since I am training for a 100K race where my average pace is 11:25/mile, even a 9:30/mile pace is speed training ;-)
• I warm-up with military style callisthenics (jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups, etc.) before a run and stretch afterward. I also run the first mile at a warm-up pace.
• For long runs beyond two hours I eat and drink like I would during a marathon.
• I watch my diet, take a daily vitamin, use calcium/magnesium tablets (reduce cramps) and try to get adequate sleep (hard to do).
• I vary my running surface as often as possible: trail, asphalt, hills, gravel/dirt.
• I don't race every race, last year I ran 7 marathons and 3 ultras last year, but only 3 at a competitive pace.
• I make sure that I have one rest day a week where I really rest.

The most important consideration for me is the PACE. Speed training is really hard on my 50 year old legs, since I have replaced speed training with hill training I have no trouble maintaining high mileage, and my race times have improved significantly.

Will this work for you? If you speed train and have significant injuries you might want to try cutting the speed training back and start running hills. It has been my experience that running a long run at a reduced pace (1-2 min./mile) on a demanding hilly trail is at least as good as running a flat long run at marathon pace - and I recovery more quickly.

I had hoped that the weather would warm up and the snow that has blanketed my running paths would be gone by Wednesday. My good running buddy (RB) that I ran with most of last winter said she would run with me if the trails were clear, but alas it wasn't meant to be: The snow did melt somewhat, then froze again, leaving the trails worse than ever. RB contacted me midday and said it was too slippery for her, maybe next week.

After work I headed out anyway, the streets heading out of town were even worse than I expected, and the logging trail leading into the woodline not much better. I switched to single-trails through the forest, which were still covered with snow and could at least run on these.

Last Thursday it snowed again, blanketing the icy streets and trails with a new layer of tread that made running much easier. I met friends Bernd, Uli and Birgit at the local research center and we ran two 6.6 km loops around the lighted compound. For the most part the ice and snow covered asphalt service road was runnable, albeit at a reduced pace.

It warmed up again on Saturday morning and as I drove to my running club trailhead to meet friends in the afternoon I hoped the trails would be free. My hopes were dashed as I slid into the parking lot with my car, you could barely walk across the frozen surface. As I waited for Birgit and Gerd I went for a test run, the trails were really icy, it was only possible to run on the edge where a bit of snow remained.

We headed out slowly on our first 11 km (8.7 mi.) loop, it was treacherous, but we kept the pace down and hugged the snow on the side of the trails. Somehow we made it through the loop without any major mishaps, Gerd took a plunge while navigating one corner, but only damaged his pride. Upon returning to the trailhead Gerd headed home and Birgit and I joined the smaller-than-normal group of runners from our club for a second loop.

The faster runners soon left us behind, as we did the slower group behind us. We gingerly made our way over the forest trails again, slowly feeling the effects of our slipping and sliding around, the quads paid a price this day. As we neared the end of the second round I mentioned to Brigit that I still needed a couple miles, so I headed out for another short loop. I found a single path that was in slightly better condition and was able to speed up a bit, but as I made my way back to the trailhead everyone was gone - except for Birgit and our club leader Gisela who had waited to make sure I come back safely.

I ended up meeting my goal of 26 km (16 mi.) on Saturday, only at a bit slower pace than I would have liked - but okay considering the trail conditions. On Sunday I woke to more snow, I was curious if I would be able to complete my planned 22 km (14 mi.) run after church. I cleared the sidewalk in front of the house, showered and walked over to church (almost across the street). As I came out of church it was still snowing, I decided it was too dangerous to drive to Weingarten and run my hilly route. I suited up and headed into the woods on the other side of town.

The logging trail through the forest was covered with 4-6 inches of fresh snow, but on top of a layer of ice. I took the single trails that I ran last Wednesday, they were still untouched by walkers, sleds and cross-country skis. It was snowing heavily, the snow clinging to my eyelids and clothes, it reminded me of my youth growing up in upstate New York. I let these memories carry me over the miles, as I plodded my way through the fresh snow past the local research center. I circled over to my running club trails, but stayed on a parallel single-track trail through the woods - it was easier to run. The snow ceased after an hour or so, and eventually the sun found its way out from behind the clouds.

As I headed over the open field paths towards home the sun was shining brightly, only the wind reminded me to hurry along the way. I arrived with tired legs back at the house and cooled down by sweeping the remaining snow from the sidewalk. Time for a warm shower and some hot food, have a great week!

This past weekend I did some sandwich training, i.e. I took a running day off on Friday, ran long(er) runs on Saturday and Sunday and took a training day off on Monday. I found this training method to be quite effective last year as I trained for my first 100K race.

On Saturday I met Gerd at our running club trailhead about an hour and a half early so we could run a loop before our scheduled running club run. It was just above freezing temperature outside and was icy in spots, but overall good to run, we managed around 14 km (8.7 mi.) and made it back to the trailhead a couple minutes before the group took off. Gerd went home and I started out with Conny and a small group, but dropped back and ran with Uli, RB and another friend after a kilometer or two, because Conny and crew were running a bit faster than I wanted. I had a good time running and chatting away with my friends, the miles melted away. I ended up with just under 26 km (16 mi.), about a mile further than planned.

On Sunday noon I drove to Weingarten with the intent of running at least 20 km (12.5 mi.) on my hilly route. My legs were a bit tired from the day before, but this feeling faded as I warmed up with a relatively flat kilometer. After my short warmup I headed up the first hill, whereas it didn't take long on the steep climb to remember that it has been a very long time since I had done any hill training.

I adjusted my pace and kept running, eventually making it to the top after 7-8 minutes. I turned and ran down another path that brought me almost to the bottom of the hill on the 80 km (50 mi.) course that I run every June. I started back up the hill running for a couple minutes before turning onto a path that is one of the steepest that I have found so far, on a bad day I usually end up walking the latter part, but on this day I was still fresh and made it to the top with still some resemblance of running. Out of breath, I headed back down the mountain on still another path.

I continued this up and down training a couple more times, then headed out over the rolling hills, eventually heading down through a valley toward the next group of hills. This second group of hills borders the town of Weingarten and is where the town has established their vineyards that produce the fruit that the town is named after (Weingarten = wine garden). I soon found myself running along a path with rows and rows of grapevines and, as the vineyards are located on the hillsides, was soon climbing again.

I tried a couple new paths that I had noticed last year when I trained in this area, and soon was running a winding single track path down into Weingarten. I arrived at the edge of town an followed a bike path for a few minutes until I found a new path leading back into the woods. The trail was slick from the mud and snow, but I clawed my way up the hillside, eventually returning to a single track path that led me back up to the vineyards. As I arrived at the top I did a quick calculation and figured it was time to turn back and head to the car. Thirty minutes and several hills later I was back to the trailhead, tired, hungry and 22 km (14 mi.) richer. My Garmin tells me that my run consisted of 1050 meters of elevation gain and 1067 of elevation loss, not bad for a start!

I hope the weather holds and I can head for the hills next weekend. Have a nice week!

Last night I came to grips with my secret fears inside and met friend Uli at the swimming pool in Karlsruhe. Fear? Yes, you see Uli and her husband Bernd are Ironman (Ironmen?), and they have been the main catalyst in my decision to participate in a Triathlon. I have seen both of them swim, they make it look sooo easy, I mean I thrash through the water in comparison.

I arrived at the pool a little early so I could warm up before Uli arrived. The pool was full, which didn't help my nerves, which were doing backflips due to my lack of confidence in my swimming ability. After a couple hundred meters I spotted Uli's red swimming cap and joined her. Bernd was with her, he wanted to train with the Triathlon club that met Friday nights.

Uli warmed up with a lap as I talked to Bernd, then Bernd turned me over to my new swim instructor. Uli swam a lane with me, then got out of the pool and watched me as I swam the crawl back to the other side. To my surprise she said my technique was much better than she had expected. She mentioned that my main weak points seem to be that I don't lift my elbows out of the water enough and I need to learn to glide forward.

From there Uli got down to business, we did lap after lap of various drills, with only a short pause after each to explain the next one. Most of the drills I recognized from my swim class, and I managed to once again prove how uncoordinated I am in the water. Luckily Uli understands the difficulties of a beginner and has a great sense of humor - she kept me smiling as she dogged me out.

After about 45 minutes Uli noticed that I was suffering, and I admitted that I needed a break. She left me to unwind with some easy laps and she knocked out 700-800 meters of her own training. Afterward she suggested we do a couple fast laps, I knew there was no way this was going to happen. She took off in the lead and I tried to hang with her, after 25 meters I could barely lift my arms any longer, so slowed down. I met her at the end of the 50 meter lane and I said I probably need to swim the breast stroke back. As she took off I decided to at least try to crawl as far as I could, after about 25 meters I noticed Bernd was watching me from the sidelines, no stopping now, I tried to bring my form in grips and managed to make it to the end of the pool still crawling.

At this point Bernd took over and suggested we go to the smaller pool in the back and work on some specific training. He showed me several different drills that I could use to improve various points in my swimming technique.

Finally after almost two hours at the pool I headed for the showers, I was exhausted, this was the hardest swim workout ever! As I showered I thought about all that Bernd and Uli had said, it was clear that I have a lot of work ahead of me. But they both said that I should have no problem completing my sprint Triathlon in July, I only need to keep up the training. As I walked to the car my muscles ached, I was hungry, tired - but my heart glowed, I can't wait to head to the pool again!

On Tuesday I met friend Birgit at the local research center for a couple laps around the outside of the lighted compound. Most of the snow from the previous weekend was gone, making it much safer to complete our 13.2 km (8.2 mi.) run.

On Wednesday morning I stopped at the swimming pool in Karlsruhe on the way to work and did 1200 meters of laps, alternating 100 meter breaststroke and 100 meter crawl. My breathing is slowly improving, as is my overall swimming endurance. I still need to work a lot on my technique, but first when my breathing is more comfortable.

Last night I met Birgit, Uli and Gerd at the local research center for two 6.6 km laps. It was a bit warmer than it has been, around 3°C/37°F, and the asphalt path surrounding the complex was mostly free of ice. We had a good time running and chatting, time goes fast in a group. Towards the end of the last round we were joined by Uli's husband Bernd, who ran from their house to join us. He talked Birgit and I into running part of a third loop with him, he knows Ultra runners are easy to talk into a couple more miles.

Tonight I am meeting Uli at the pool, she is sitting out the Triathlon swim training that she usually does on Friday evenings and offered to give me some pointers on how to improve my swim technique. Uli completed her first Ironman in Zurich, Switzerland last year, she and her husband Bernd talked me into doing my first sprint Tri this coming summer - they obviously don't know how bad I swim.

This weekend I have 24 km (15 mi.) on my training plan for Saturday and 20 hilly km (12.5 mi.) on Sunday, I hope the weather cooperates. We are supposed to get more snow in the next couple days, snow is okay, but ice I could do without...we'll see.

My training is about a month behind last year's training, I figured out that I peaked about four weeks early last year, so adjusted my schedule accordingly. At the moment my body is still getting used to longer runs and higher mileage, most runs feel a bit sluggish in the moment - but last December was the same, so by next end of next month I should be ready for some hard training. Stay tuned.

Yesterday morning my legs were still sore from slipping and sliding around the trails on the weekend, so I postponed my Monday night run until tonight. But rather than laying around on the couch I decided it would be a good time to FINALLY start my weight training that I have been putting off since November.

I warmed up with a set of jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, back-extension and dips then headed upstairs in my shed to my "fitness room" (basically an unheated attic). I haven't done any Crossfit since last year, so decided to start slowly with some circuit training. I went through 2 rounds of the following exercises:

5 min. cycling on stationary bike
10 x bench press
10 x kettlebell swings
50 strokes rowing
10 x jerk
10 x dead lift

I used really low weight with the lifting, it has been almost a half year since I have been doing any lifting so need to build up gradually.

The workout warmed up my muscles well, without working stressing them too much, in other words ideal for a "recovery" day. The important thing is that I have started, now I only need to work up to the normal Crossfit routines. Tonight I'm meeting friends for a run, on Wednesday after work I want to do laps at the pool.