Isle du Bois 50K race report

Pacing.  It's all about pacing.  After my highly successful run at White Rock on Sunday, where I ran a negative split, I thought maybe I would have learned my lesson about pacing.  For this 50K, I would hold back for the first couple laps and blaze to the finish on the last lap.  Instead, I ran my usual trail ultra, feeling good at first, gradually getting to the point of wanting to quit the stupid race, then feeling great for having finished.

This was the debut race for Endurance Buzz Adventures, put on by Dave Hanenburg of EnduranceBuzz.com.  I had never run at Isle du Bois and for some odd reason I was picturing a relatively easy course.  It turned out to be similar to the Cross Timbers course at Lake Texoma, although not quite as tough as that.  I would place it at tougher than Lake Grapevine's north shore, where I ran the Rockledge Rumble a few weeks ago.  Slightly more ups and downs, many more technical sections, and way more lose, pointy rocks.  Thankfully I never fell, but one runner I talked to had already fallen 6 times--on lap 1!  And check out this runner's busted lip! (Go to Julie's blog here and scroll to the bottom.)

I started out hanging around the back of the pack.  I thought I might replicate my White Rock strategy--start out in back, so I'm passing and not being passed.  That's probably a dumb strategy.  I passed a few people early, then fell in behind a small group of runners, including a lady named Chris and a guy with a mohawk.  I ran with them for a few miles, but at the aid station, halfway through the loop, I left before them and felt like I picked up the pace a little.  I finished the first loop in 2:00:46, feeling like I could keep that up and beat my Rockledge time (6:50).

Loop 2 started out well.  I was thinking negative splits, passing and not being passed.  I managed to keep a pretty good pace the first half of the loop, but after the aid station I slowed down, feeling like 2 loops would be plenty today.  After White Rock, my soreness and stiffness was gone by midweek, but the latent muscle fatigue began to rear its ugly head right about now.  Chris, who had been in sight most of the second lap, finally passed me shortly before we got back to the start/finish area.  I finished the second lap at 4:13:36.  Not a negative split, but still not so bad; loop 2 was .4 mile longer, after all.

I filled up my hydration pack--no cups at this eco-friendly race!--and got a snack to head out for the third loop.  I knew at this point that a negative split was out of the question, shortly gave up on beating my Rockledge time, and ended up just wishing to finish, to get off this trail and back home.  The field was so spread out by this time that I saw very few other runners.  One way-too-perky-after-having-run-23-miles lady passed me up, looking fresh like she was on her first lap.  A runner named Bill caught up to me with a few miles left and we crossed the line together at 7:17:31.

This is one race where I'm glad I didn't run in my VFFs.  Not knowing the trail at all, I chose to wear my NB MT101s.  There were some really nice sections of dirt, but with the sharp rocks, and with lots and lots of dead leaves masking the lurking obstacles, my feet would have been thoroughly bruised and bloodied by the end of the day if I had worn the Vibrams.

Dave deserves praise for putting on a first-class trail race.  Of course, the weather cooperated beautifully, which helps, but he busted his tail to make the rest of it fall into place.  Everything ran nicely, the support was perfect, and, as best I could tell, everyone had a good time.  I hope IDB becomes a staple of the North Texas race calendar.

Boring post, right?  No pictures.  Check out these other blogs for some great pics of the day.  You might even see a picture of me if you look hard enough!

Julie, who busted her lip.

The Trail Zombie.

And Dave, the RD, will surely post some good pics at EnduranceBuzz.com.

White Rock IV

Today I ran my fourth consecutive White Rock Marathon, and it was by far my best and most enjoyable.  All week I had been checking the weather forecast for the race: low- to mid-40s and wet.  The forecasts were spot-on.  The temps hovered around 42-44, I think, and the rain came down continuously.  Thankfully, the rain wasn't very heavy; it ranged from a misty drizzle to light showers.  The result was a wet course, lots of splashing through puddles (VFFs are perfect in these conditions), and thoroughly drenched runners.  (Oh, and by the way, the rain kept some of the bands, who usually play along the course, away.  I didn't miss them at all!)

Slick and splashy was the order of the day.

One of the things I hate about these big urban marathons are the crowds, so I decided to avoid the pre-start mess as much as possible.  I intentionally went late, so I had absolutely no traffic.  I parked right at 8, and heard the National Anthem and fireworks from afar.  I got to the first bank of port-a-potties, and to my surprise there was a bit of a line, but I only had to wait a couple of minutes.  (Note to other runners: when you're doing your business in there, lock the door!  When it's not locked, some oaf like me will open it, embarrassing both of us!)

I jogged over to the starting corrals, and fell in with the crowd, walking slowly with the herd a few hundred yards to the starting line.  I ended up crossing the starting line at 8:23.  Pleased with myself for a smooth arrival and start, I began running by all the slower runners.  Since I was late I started several corrals back from the one I was assigned based on my projected finish time.  So the first mile or two I spent a lot of time weaving in and out of the slower runners.  Eventually the crowd thinned out, especially after the half marathoners split off from the full marathon course.

This was a unique element of today's race for me.  Usually, especially late in a race, I'm the one getting passed.  But today, from the start, all the way to the last mile, I passed virtually everyone I encountered on the course.  Unless I'm mistaken, the only runners to pass me were relay racers on fresh legs.  I kept thinking that it couldn't last, that I wouldn't be able to keep up my anticipated pace, but as I passed each mile marker, and remembered those places where, in prior races, my pace slowed for good, I kept pushing, determined to keep a steady pace.  Somehow, I did.  In fact, I ran reverse splits.  My slowest mile was the first, crowded one.  My fastest mile was mile 24, near the end!

At the race expo Saturday morning, I picked up a pacing arm band, which tells you what your time should be at a particular mile marker in order to have a particular finish time.  I almost picked up a 3:45 band, not trusting my training, but decided that I would give 3:35 a shot and try to PR.  I'm sure glad I did!

The volunteers had a tough, cold day, but were cheerful and helpful without fail!

I was more inwardly-focused during this race than I usually am; I didn't really talk to anyone, except to say hello to NTTR member Eunsup Kim, who I see at every race I run in.  But, as usual, I saw a couple of other runners who nearly stopped me in my tracks and made me thankful for two good legs and the ability to run.  One was a double amputee.  He ran on some of those prosthetic running blades.  I didn't stop and chat but was inspired by what must have been a huge effort on a difficult day.  A few miles later, I passed a wheelchair racer.  Just up the street was his cheering section with signs reading, "My husband is the stud on wheels" and "My dad is my hero--first wheelchair marathon" and that sort of thing. 

Besides running my best marathon time to date, the fact that I ran consistent splits and felt great throughout made this the most satisfying race I've run.  I guess I could always train harder, but I really wouldn't change a thing about my training, race day preparation, and pacing plan.  The only thing I would change would have been to lose those 20 pounds I have been meaning to lose.  How much faster could I have run without the extra weight to carry around!  I still love the trails, but come December 2012, you just might find me pounding the pavement of Dallas once again.

Bottom line: 3:33:51
462 out of 4530 overall
401 out of 2810 all men
83 out of 537 men 40-44
and best of all: Over the final 6mi I passed 285 runners and 0 passed me!

Karl Meltzer on The Human Express

Sunday night I happened to see The Human Express, a documentary about Karl Meltzer's run from Sacramento, California, to St. Joseph, Missouri.  To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Pony Express, Meltzer decided he would run the 2064-mile Pony Express route, something no one had ever done before.  The Human Express records the travails and triumphs of Meltzer and his crew as they follow this historic route.

No stranger to covering long distances, Meltzer has run the Appalachian Trail, and has won more 100 mile races than anyone.  But running 50 miles a day for 40 days has got to take its toll, right?  It would for most of us, but Meltzer seemed to gain strength through the run.  He took daily readings of his resting heart rate and other vitals, and, once he got stabilized after a couple weeks, his health seemed to improve.  Impressive.

I liked his comments on endurance and speed.  He said he doesn't do speed work, but trains for long races by running long distances.  It makes sense, but I have to wonder how well that translates to mere mortals like myself.  Meltzer lives and trains in the Rocky Mountains, so his daily runs must be hilly, rocky, at altitude.  If you're running on mountains every day, you probably don't need to worry about getting in some intervals on the track.  Still, his simple, high-volume, low-stress approach to training is appealing.

The Human Express served as a great commercial for the Hoka One Ones. These are the anti-minimalist running shoes, with so much sole they remind me of those moon shoes that kids wear.  I am a running minimalist, but the farthest I've ever run in my VFFs is 50 miles on trail.  Meltzer ran that much or more every day for 40 days on dirt and pavement.  The Hoka's almost cartoonishly wide soles and thick cushioning certainly made that pounding more tolerable.  His feet held up remarkably well through all that running.

Meltzer's run is an impressive accomplishment, one more to add to his unmatched running resume.  Here's a guy who loves to run, and has figured out how to get a corporate sponsor to pay him to do it.  More power to him!  I look forward to hearing about Meltzer's next insane distance feat.

That's a long, long way to run.

Holey VFFs and a custom pair

A year ago, I got a new pair of red and black VFFs (see here) after I wore a hole in the sole of my blue ones.  I finally started feeling a hole coming on my red ones, and this week it finally wore through.  I figured I must run more heavily on one side or the other, and pulled out my old ones to compare.  To my surprise, the hole is in the other foot.  The good news is, now I have a cool red and black and blue pair with no holes.  I figure since most of my runs these days are in the pre-dawn darkness, no one will be around to laugh at me for wearing mismatched shoes.

Kelly said I could make the full transition to barefoot running by wearing these until the sole is completely gone.  Hmm. . . . it's a thought. . . .

I know you're jealous of my one-of-kind, custom VFFs!

Vibram Five Fingers Treks

I have been remiss not to give an update on my experience with my VFF Treks!  Short review: I love them!

You may recall that I had some not so great experiences with my VFF Trek Sports (read here).  I bought a pair of Trek Sports, and split a seam in less than 30 miles, got a replacement, and split the seam again in less than 30 miles.  I was pretty put out, but due to Vibram's generous return policy, I got my money back both times.  I finally found a pair of Treks and couldn't be happier with them.  Treks have the same sole as the Trek Sports and the same basic design, but they have a leather upper instead of the nylon mesh of the Sports.

So far, I have run a trail marathon (Cross Timbers) and a trail 50K (Toughest in Texas) in the Treks, plus a bunch of training runs on trails.  I don't know the total mileage, but they have held up well through it all.  I still love running in them, I just have to decide whether they will be sufficient for longer runs on rockier trails.  At the TnT 50K, when I was running with Joe P., I mentioned that I had met one of his Austin runners who was running in one of Joe's races in VFFs.  Joe's comment was, Yeah, but he hasn't finished those runs!  As comfortable as they are, they do lack the foot protection that many trail running shoes offer.  I may need to try another shoe for some of the runs on my calendar, but for shorter runs, and runs on trails that are less rocky, VFFs are the shoes for me.

Vibram Bikila review

I have been running in VFF Sprints for about a year and half now for virtually all my training runs, 2 road marathons, a trail 50 miler, and various shorter races.  I love them and don't ever want to run in anything else.  I still have some road shoes which I wear to walk around on the weekends, but for running, it's only VFFs for me.

Runners have been wearing VFFs for a while, but for the first time, Vibram has created a shoe exclusively for running, the Bikila, named after Abebe Bikila, who won the marathon at the 1960 Olympics running barefoot.  On top, the look is similar to some other VFF models.  The biggest noticeable difference from prior models is the padded collar, which adds some comfort, especially around the Achilles, and makes it look more like a traditional running shoe.

The sole is where the Bikila really sets itself apart from other Vibram models.  You can see in this picture the rubber "anatomical pods" distributed around the sole.  This gives the sole protection in all the right places.  The white portion at the arch is thicker and stiffer that what you find in other VFFs.

The smooth ride felt nice when I started running in the Bikilas.  Overall, they feel great, but the pods and thicker, stiffer sole reduces the feel of the road.  The foot still can move like it's bare, but the sole gets less response from the surface.  Having run so many miles in the Sprints, which have a much smoother, thinner sole, the sole felt like a lot more between me and the surface than I'm used to.  But there's no question that the Bikila's sole is much thinner than the typical running shoe.

With the Bikila, Vibram continues to make valuable contributions to minimalist running.  For someone who's looking to try out the transition from traditional running shoes to minimalist shoes, the Bikila would be perfect.  It provides enough sole to alleviate fears of injury due to glass, rocks, or other obstacles you might find on the street, yet is flexible enough to give a barefoot feel.  A barefoot runner, or a runner accustomed to a thinner sole, like on the VFF Sprint, might feel like there's way too much to the sole.  The Bikilas can be a great first step into the minimalist running revolution.

Nice Place to Run: Cedar Ridge Preserve (again)

For some reason, I waited over a year before returning to Cedar Ridge Preserve.  I ran there once last year, on New Years Day, as part of an NTTR club run (posted here).  This south Dallas park is about a 30-40 minute drive from home, so my only excuse for not going back is that it adds at least an hour to the time I schedule for a run.  I prefer to run out my front door, but the options there are limited.  I was reminded on Saturday why Cedar Ridge is worth the drive.

In the D/FW area, this is the only trail system I know of that offers hills, a variety of trail surfaces, easy access, and is closed to mountian bikes.  Now, I don't have anything against mountain bikes, but to have to dodge them and their ruts can take away from a trail running experience.

The parking lot was much more full than I thought it would be on a cold Saturday morning.  I saw some groups of ladies in an exercise class, several small groups of random hikers and/or birdwatchers (it is an Audobon park, after all), and a troop of Boy Scouts training for a Philmont trek.  I also saw 2 trail runners.  After passing a guy in black tights going the opposite direction several times, I saw him at a trail head and thought I'd catch up with him.  He was about 20-30 yards ahead of me at the time, and I never saw him again--he was going much too fast for me!

Then I ran into another guy I had passed a couple of times and stopped to chat.  His name was Mike, and it turns out we have run several races together without ever meeting.  We ran together for a couple of hours and had a great time talking about running and life.  We agreed that Black Tights was pretty fast--too fast for us!  We kept a nice pace, and with the company, I ended up going farther than I probably would have on my own.

Other than my 25 miles at Palo Duro, this was my longest run in the VFF Treks.  They did great, and this run convinced me to go ahead and run at Cross Timbers with them rather than shoes.  If memory serves, Cedar Ridge is a great triaing ground for Cross Timbers, with lots of short, steep climbs, and similar trail surfaces.  I'll need to get out here a couple more times before Cross Timbers, hopefully with Mike or some other good running company.

8 Hour Run from the Ducks

Saturday I spent a lovely, wet day at Clark Gardens Botanical Park running from the ducks, peacocks, geese, and some other fowl that may have been a guinea hen.  It was the 4th annual Run from the Ducks, my first, and my first timed run, in which you run as much as you can in the allotted time.  I was skeptical about this format, but decided it would be a nice opportunity for a training run looking ahead to Palo Duro Canyon.

The Race
Run from the Ducks is run by Tony and Carolyn Mathison and their daughter Cayla, along with a race committee of volunteers.  It showcases the lovely Clark Gardens, and raises funds for The National Vietnam War Museum. Tony, an ultrarunner himself, starts the race by drawing a line in the dirt with his toe (in Saturday's case, in the mud).  At then end of the day, he recognizes every runner (he and Cayla put on a chip and walk the course a bit so that they are the last place male and female runners; he doesn't want a registered runner to be in last place).  The course tours the gardens on dirt, grass, and gravel in a .854 mile loop.

In the past, Vietnam vets from the area counted laps, but this year they added chip timing, which probably made it a much easier day for the vets.  There were still several there to cheer us on.  (On a side note, it crossed my mind that they probably endured rain and mud a million times worse in unthinkable conditions as they served our country in Vietnam.  A humbling thought. . . .)  Also present were Mr. Clark, the gracious namesake of the Gardens, and his daughter.  The family atmosphere, home-town feel, small field, friendly race directors and volunteers, and great setting make RFTD exactly the kind of race that I got into trail/ultrarunning to enjoy.

The day started out wet.  I woke up to pouring rain and lightning.  What a great day to sleep in!  But I dragged myself out of bed, confident that it was a passing storm.  During the drive west to Weatherford, the rain stopped, so I thought it was clearing up.  I was wrong.  At Clark Gardens, the rain continued with a vengeance.  Thankfully, the support tent was large and dry.  This is probably the only race I'll ever go to in which the support tent has chandeliers, carpet, and tablecloths.  (Clark Gardens hosts lots of weddings and receptions.)  We watched it pour, watched the lightning, and waited for a one hour delayed start. 

We finally did get started at 8, not that the rain had stopped.  It continued to rain for about 2 1/2 more hours.  Needless to say, we got wet.  The raised beds at the gardens did a nice job of retaining the water--on the trail!  Even after the rain stopped, we splashed through the mud and puddles all day.  But it stayed very runnable; even the worst muddy spots were better than the best spots at Grasslands last spring. 

So we ran, around and around, all day long.  The weather cleared up, but it didn't get too warm.  The one aid station (a logistical advantage of a short, repeating course--fewer aid stations to stock!) had plenty of the usual supplies.  Passing by there, and by the support tent where I had some other supplies, once every .854 miles, made this an easy race to run.  In many ultras, you might have 5 miles or more between aid stations, so you really have to think, what will I need over the next hour or so?  At RFTD, if you get hungry or thirsty or need something else, it's always less than a mile away.

This is a great race for people who love timed races, obviously.  I spoke with several runners who have run similar races and love them.  For those who don't love them, it's a wonderful way to try ultrarunning.  If you have run a marathon and want to try a longer distance, this a perfect setting: flat, even course, accessible aid stations, friendly folks, and the ability to stop at any time.  And in my case, this serves as a perfect training run for a longer race, getting in time on my feet with support provided.

The Racers
One of the things I enjoy about these events is getting to know other runners.  RFTD is especially well-suited for this since the course is so short; even if someone is slower or faster than you, you'll eventually see them again as you lap each other.  So I got to visit with some nice folks:

• Dan--who said he weighed 400 pounds 2 years ago, had gastric bypass surgery, and now competes in endurance events to raise money for childhood obesity awareness.
• Thomas--who runs marathons most weekends, sometimes 2 a weekend.  He's a machine.  If I remember correctly, he ran the Rocky Raccoon 50 miler in February, then ran a marathon the next day.
• Buddy--an experienced ultrarunner, he paced for Drew Meyer at Western States.
• Jeff--another experienced ultrarunner and Leadville 100 finisher.
• Robert--who was running in his first ultra.
• Katrina--who's leaving in 2 weeks for Iraq, serving in the Air Force.  Won the women's division.
• Claude and Andy--who kept running by me like I was standing still, and who finished 1st and 2nd. 
• Deborah and Tammy--who were on the race committee.  Both of them like to race in timed races.
• Carlos--whose wife sat out there ALL DAY cheering him (and me) on.
• Ken and Lorri--the only married couple on the course (as far as I know). 

My Race
I set out to finish 35 miles.  I figured I could do that, and if I had a great day I could break 40.  I started out pretty well.  The first 4 hours I ran a lot with Jeff, Buddy, and Robert, eventual 4th, 5th, and 6th place finishers.  I enjoyed talking with them, and picked up some racing and training tips, but after a while, I took it a bit slower.  The second 4 hours, I had segments where I ran well, but couldn't keep up that pace.

With the wet conditions, VFFs were a good choice to run in.  I stopped once about 5-6 hours in to clean them out; I think the only shoes that wouldn't have collected mud and gravel would have been waders.  I did get some chafing in some personal areas, even using my cream to prevent it; when you're that wet for that long, it's hard to avoid!  Overall, my body held up well and I was even able to walk the next day!

So what did I learn?  I was reminded that my biggest weakness in ultras is nutrition, and maybe hydration.  I am quite sure I didn't eat enough, and I may not have drunk enough.  At about 4 hours, I ate a sunbutter sandwich, which sat in my stomach like a stone.  I subsequently had some cramping and 2 too-long potty breaks (one additional benefit to a small loop course--the potty is never more than .854 mile away, and it was an actual bathroom with plumbing, not a skid-o-can) which slowed me down.  By the end, I was doing a lot more walking than running. 

The bottom line, I ran 37.05 miles, according to my Garmin.  Official race results, 10th place overall, 43 laps, or 36.722 miles.

Is That a Runner?
Sometime after 7 hours had passed, I was walking along, counting the minutes to the finish.  A little boy, maybe 3, came the opposite direction with his daddy.  He asked his daddy, "Is that a runner?"  I'm sure I didn't look like a runner, but I was running on the inside!!

First run in the new VFF Treks

At long last, I finally got a pair of Vibram Five Fingers KSO Treks, the VFFs designed for trail running.  The sole is a tad thicker, and there are some lugs on the sole to help grip on the trails.  I tried them out on a short 5 miler at Tandy Hills Natural Area, which I wrote about a few months ago here.  I had run there before in my VFF Sprints, and was uncomfortable for much of the time on the rocky trials.  With the slightly thicker soles, the Treks made a big difference.  I still stepped carefully on the rocky sections, but my feet didn't end up feeling pulverized.  One side issue--any of you VFF wearers have an issue with grass and weeds getting stuck between your toes?  Some of the trails there are not well-travelled, and are a bit overgrown.  There were a few times I had to stop and pull big weeds out from between my toes.

This run was also a wake-up call: I do not run enough on trails and hills.  By necessity of schedule, most of my running is on flat streets and sidewalks in my neighborhood, which is fine if I'm running road races.  But to get ready for the trail runs I have coming up, I really should make more time for trails.  Tandy Hills offers some great short climbs for training.  I got to practice my "power hiking" there (i.e., I was too hot and tired to run up the steep, rocky trails, so I walked some of them!), as well as picking my way down those trails.

It's about time: New VFFs

I have some Luke's Locker gift cards burning a hole in my pocket.  I thought I would use them to buy some new VFFs, but they can't keep them in stock.  Even if they have them at all, they never have my size.  So I finally broke down and ordered some from The Shoe Mart.  Free shipping, and they were here in 4 days.

I've been running in my VFFs for almost a year.  I don't know how many miles I have put on them, but I did run White Rock and the Rocky Raccoon 50 mile trail run in them, plus some other races and virtually all my training runs.  As you can see, I have about worn them out.  The seam along the big toe ripped pretty early on; we'll see if my new pair does the same.

I got the new ones in this flashy red and black color scheme.  I'm sure they'll make me run much faster!  They're also Sprints.  I noticed a couple of minor changes in the stitching, but they're essentially the same.  

I still have the Luke's gift cards.  I'll be calling them regularly to see about buying some VFF Treks.  In the meantime, I'll start wearing out these new Sprints!

Barefoot Running on NPR

This morning Diane Rehm had Christopher McDougall, Amby Burfoot, and Dr. Stephen Pribut on her show to discuss running.  As you might expect, with McDougall, author of Born to Run (best running book ever), as a guest, much of the show was dedicated to a discussion of barefoot running.  Dr. Pribut's take could be summed up like this: As long as you're moving, not sitting, I don't care what you have on your feet.  Burfoot, long-time editor at Runner's World, defended the running shoe industry--after all, they pay his bills.  Both Pribut and Burfoot would agree that less is more; many running shoes tend to have too much padding.

McDougall and Burfoot got a little feisty at a couple of points.  To McDougall, most running problems can be solved by ditching the modern running shoe.  But he reminded me of the most important thing: it's not whether you are barefoot, in VFFs, sandals, or some other minimalist shoe that matters, but running form that matters.  Since ditching the shoes usually leads to correction in running form, sometimes that's all you need to do.  But you still have to be aware of form.  My achilles has been tight lately, in spite of running exclusively in VFFs.  I need to pay more attention to form.

You can listen to the show at Rehm's website.

By the way, I have gift cards for Luke's Locker I have been saving to get some new VFFs but they never have any!  I'm wearing holes in the soles of mine and I need new ones!

A full week of training

This is perhaps the first week since my Spring hiatus that I actually completed all the runs I had planned to run!  I normally do my long runs on Thursday night, but since the boys spent the night at the Southerlands' last night, and Chloe didn't have swim class this morning (to which I normally take her), I decided a Saturday morning long run would do the trick.

Fueled by Miguelito's chips and salsa and some of the best carne asada I have ever put in my mouth, I got up early and hit the road in my VFFs.  I originally thought I would run trails today, but after the rain we've had all week, including last night's gully washer, I figured to find a dry trail I'd have to travel out of state.  So I ran on all pavement today.

I took it pretty slow, aiming for 10:30-11 minute miles, then the last 3-4 at sub-9.  Well, I stayed pretty steady (10:45 avg.) but couldn't quite get the sub-9s I was looking for.  I did run a 9:32 at mile 13, but then got discouraged because a park I like to run through was closed.  (One time I went around the barrier anyway and was met a mile in by an impassable, raging river where a bridge over a small stream usually is.  I suspect that was the case today.)  I had to find a detour, slowed down a bit, and couldn't get my speed back up.  I did finish with a 10:10 mile which, after 20 humid miles, felt like an all-out sprint.

After last week's disappointing night trail run, and the shortened run from a couple weeks before that, it was certainly gratifying to actually complete a long run, even if a little slower than I hoped.

Nice Place to Run: The Lake at Lakes of River Trails South

Of all the places I run, I am pretty partial to the lake at Lakes of River Trails South, chiefly because it's out my front door.  Convenience is certainly the number one attribute for me, but it's great for a few other reasons, too.  One lap around the lake is right at a mile; it's actually a tad less, so if you want to run your best mile, you can tell yourself it's a full mile around and shave a few seconds off your time instantly.  I like to run intervals here because the surface is predictable--a wide, level sidewalk, with very few cracks, all the way around.

Besides all that, it's just pretty.  One side of the lake is lined with trees, and the side with houses has a nice hill up from the sidewalk to the houses.  The HOA put in some benches along the lake, picnic tables at one end, and recently added a volleyball court, tetherball pole, and a horseshoe pit.

I share the lake with a variety of water foul (you can see the Canada geese at the bottom of the picture above if you look closely).  There are some decent sized fish in the lake (eat them at your own risk), and a few years ago someone caught several ugly gar.  This morning I saw a beaver, and one morning a while back I was chased by a skunk.

So come for a run at our little lake.  Look for the overweight guy wearing Vibram Five Fingers, running really slowly or huffing and puffing through a set of Yasso 800s.

DNF at Mudlands 2010

I've officially registered my first DNF (did not finish).  From the middle of the pack at Rocky Raccon, to a last place finish at Cross Timbers, to a DNF today at Grasslands, my decline has been precipitous.  I don't really have any excuses.  I just lost my will to go on after the 19 mile start/finish aid station, so I turned back, got my BBQ sandwich, and went home.

I should say first of all that this is a terrific race.  I love the casual atmosphere and the well-stocked, well-manned aid stations provided by North Texas Trail Runners, the race sponsor.  Race directors Kevin and Stacie Boudreaux are to be commended for their hard work in hosting the race.  Great job by them and the many volunteers!

Char Thompson, NTTR President, and Tia,

who will be so happy that I posted this picture.

I ran the marathon at Grasslands last year so was looking forward to returning for the 50 miler.  Today the weather was a big factor in the race.  At the start, it was raining pretty hard.  That didn't last long; it soon turned to sleet, which I guess is an improvement, since it just bounces off you.  The rain and sleet ended within an hour or hour and a half or so, but the heavy rains overnight on the already saturated ground took their toll on the trails.

One thing I love about trail running is the variety.  Instead of running on a consistent asphalt or concrete surface, as in a road race, you get a feel for more varied terrain.  Grasslands certainly offered a variety: there was brown mud, red mud, and black mud, sticky mud, sloshy mud, slippery mud, packed mud, and flowing mud, muddy streams running across the trail, muddy streams that were the trail, muddy pools on the trail, and muddy trails through muddy pools.  There was grassy mud, and muddy grass.  Oh, and every now and then the course followed short parts of muddy roads.  And in between all the muddy sections, there were more muddy sections.

Yeah, it was muddy.

Besides the mud, it turned out to be quite a bit colder than I expected.  It started out in the high 30s, I suppose, and I fully expected it to warm up as the day went on.  It didn't.  It became progressively colder and windier.  I was wearing only shorts, a long-sleeved shirt, and a parka.  As I left the 19 mile aid station, I realized I was almost to the point of shivering.  Between the cold, the mud in which I could hardly walk, much less run, and the simple desire to get home and spend some time with my family, I decided to call it a day.  About 6:45 it started snowing at my house, about 40-50 miles southeast of Grasslands, and had gotten much windier.  I'm glad I was not out on the trail, dressed as I had been in the morning.

So I came home and showered, then spent the afternoon and evening with my family.  I did some laundry and cleaned up the kitchen.  Zippy and I went to Gamestop to get a new video game.  We all watched Baylor's awesome NCAA tournament victory over Old Dominion--Sweet 16 here we come!  We had dinner together.  I put the boys to bed.  I went to bed with Kelly at a decent hour.  And I had to ask myself, in what universe would I really rather be cold and miserable, slogging through the mud, trying to reach a finish line 50 miles away?

First run in weeks

Leading up to the flurry of 50 milers in my pursuit of the Texas Style Fifty Mile Grand Slam, several experienced trail runners advised me not to run at all in the 2 weeks between Rocky Raccoon and Cross Timbers and between Grasslands and Hell's Hills.  Others gave similar advice, not to run for a solid week before or after a 50 miler. 

I have enjoyed following this advice, my lazy side taking over.  The last training run I ran was on January 31.  Then I ran Rocky on 2/6 and Cross Timbers on 2/20.  I felt like I recovered quickly after CT, and even toyed with the idea of running Cowtown on 2/27.  I should have resumed training on 2/28, but due to laziness, weather, family obligations, overtime at work, or some combination of the above, I didn't run at all until today.

I didn't have much of a plan, just set out on one of my long loops from home.  This was the first time to run on concrete or asphalt (except for a few yards on the trail runs) since 1/31.  I wore my VFFs for the first time since Rocky.  I ended up running 11 miles, and did not enjoy it much.  My hips hurt, my feet hurt, I went way to slow, it was too hot for my long sleeved shirt, and to top it off, I couldn't get my ipod to work, so I did not have that to distract me from my other complaints.

I finished the 11, but sure did not feel like I could run another 39.  I hope I can pick it up a bit for Grasslands and Hell's Hills.  I would like to finish both of those in less than 15 hours!  Sorry for the whining.  In my fantasy life, I am one of those runners who seem to float across the trail, who go for hours without breaking pace, who run up and down hills without huffing and puffing.  I have a long way to go.

BRRR!

Last week I started back training in earnest after a bit of a holiday break.  Between now and Easter, I have four 50 mile races on the calendar.  I've worked out a running schedule, hoping to be prepared for each race but not burned out.  So I am determined to stick to it as closely as possible.  I definitely did not want a little cold weather to get in my way!

I am usually OK running in shorts.  Even with temperatures in the 30s, and sometimes below freezing, I feel great in shorts.  But the forecasts for this week were calling for temperatures in the teens, with windchills at zero or below.  So I decided to put aside my reluctance to run in tights and try some out.  Kelly found some for me and did a wonderful job picking them out!  They fit perfectly.  My legs stayed warm, and I like the compression qualities enough that I may run in them even when it's not 20 degrees!

I realize I probably look like an idiot, not just in terms of fashion but also for the fact that I am out there running when it's so bitterly cold.  I remember hearing about a guy in Minnesota years ago who went out running in the cold with shorts on and got frostbite on his legs.  If I remember correctly, he had to have at least one leg amputated.  Then there was this runner who had to have some toes amputated because of frostbite he got during a race: http://www.startribune.com/local/14024017.html.  I'm sure I'll never face temperatures that extreme in Fort Worth, but it's a good reminder to bundle up.  You will notice that I did  choose to run in shoes and socks today; I thought they might be warmer than my VFFs.

By the way, the goofy hat is one of the USA winter Olympic team hats from the 2002 Olympics.   It may look a bit goofy, but it's perfect for cold weather running!  It's supposed to get back above freezing today.  We might not see temps that low for the rest of the winter, but I'll be ready!  I read that my next race, Rocky Raccoon, at Huntsville State Park, has the distinction of being run in 60 degree weather one year, and in a snowstorm the next!  I'll keep my fingers crossed for about 40 degrees.

Nice Place to Run: Cedar Ridge Preserve

This morning I greeted 2010 with a bunch of new friends from the North Texas Trail Runners.  We met at Cedar Ridge Preserve, on the south side of Dallas, for a cold morning run.  This was my first time to run with a group from NTTR, and they're a great bunch of folks.  I ran with a couple of 67-year-old experienced trail runners who could probably outrun me on any given day, a woman who's run countless ultras, including the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning, which consists of four of the toughest 100 mile races in the U.S, all run in one year (in the span of about 14 weeks!).  Plus there was a guy who rides a unicycle on mountain bike trails.  Nuts!  It's great to be with people who not only share my passion, but who have run the races and met the goals I aspire to.

The preserve, a park maintained by Audubon Dallas, has about 10 miles of loop trails of varying difficulty. My favorite, the Cedar Break Trail, has some steep, rugged climbs; my running partners today said that's one of the best trails in the area for practicing technical ascents and descents.  A couple of them ended up on their rears as testament to the toughness of the trail.  Today Cedar Break had the additional virtue of not being sloppy muddy.

When we started out, it was still in the high 20s, so the first hour or so we crunched over frozen mud.  But after a couple of hours, some of the trails in the low-lying areas were just nasty.  I guess running in that muck is the only way to learn how to run better in muck!  (Is there a good way to run in muck?)  I had considered running in my VFFs, but I was glad I didn't.  The trail had some very rocky sections, which I may be been able to navigate OK, but my feet would have been wet and cold in that mud.  I was happy to have on my Gore-Tex lined NB trail shoes.

I didn't take my camera today, so I lifted these photos from some other web sites.  I hope that's OK with them!

The trails are very well-maintained, with steps, logs, rocks, etc. to control erosion.

I'll have to go back in the spring to see it this green.  Not so green today.

There are several bridges throughout the park.  There is also an observation deck where you can take in a terrific view of the area.

I'll definitely be back here for some training runs, and may bring the kids for a hike in the woods.  It's a beautiful place!

White Rock Marathon 2009: A New PR

What a perfect day for a marathon!  It was in the low 40s at the start, and very overcast, with very low hanging clouds.  Cold enough to chill you while waiting at the start, but not so cold that you needed to bundle up much.  Once we started running, of course, I warmed up quickly, and never felt too cold or hot.  Wind was not much of a factor this year, like it was last year.  A bit of a breeze hit us in the face across the lake, but for the most part it was calm.  Shortly after I finished, the sun came out and the clouds disappeared, warming quickly and making me thankful that I was not still out on the course.  All in all, pretty ideal conditions for a race.

So how did I do?  First, the good news: I finished, with no injuries to speak of.  One small blister on my left forefoot, sore feet and legs, and a very tired body, but all of that will heal quickly.  No need for medical attention or physical therapy.  What a blessing to be able to run!  (One other physical item: I remember to put anti-chafing cream on my feet, but not on other parts.  That red streak on my shirt will look lovely in the finish photos!)

More good news: This is about as fast as I have ever run!  I set PRs (personal records) for four distances.
My previous 10K PR: 47:54.  Today: 47:28  (26 seconds)
My previous half marathon PR: 1:57:34.  Today: 1:39:56 (18:38)
My previous 20M PR: 2:40:33.  Today: 2:37:23 (3:10)
My previous marathon PR: 3:51:38.  Today: 3:35:32 (16:06)
I also beat my White Rock time from 2008 by 27:44.
I'd say that's quite an improvement!

So the bad news: I have made no secret that my goal for White Rock was to qualify to run in the Boston Marathon.  To do so, I have to run in 3:20:59.  I have been training pretty hard, but for the last several weeks, looking at my pace times during training runs, I knew I was unlikely to meet my goal.  I figured that even though I had a pretty good shot at meeting a new PR, my chances of qualifying for Boston were probably 30% or less.  Nevertheless, I started out with a 3:20 pace team, which means I was following a runner with balloons on a stick who would keep a steady pace fast enough to finish in 3:20.  As long as I could stick with him, and cross the finish with him or shortly after, I would meet my goal.

I lined up with the 3:20 group at the start, and looked around at the lean, fit runners.  I wasn't sure my middle-aged girth would allow me to keep up with these guys.  I did pretty well for some time.  I stayed with the 3:20 pack for a good 17 miles.  I was beginning to flag, though.  Around mile 18, I had fallen behind, but I could still see the balloons and figured I was less than a minute behind him.  By mile 19, I could no longer see him, so I knew I would not be qualifying for Boston today.  As I noted before, some say that for every pound you lose, you cut 2 seconds off your pace.  My average pace today was 8:13; it should have been 7:40 to meet my goal.  If only I had lost another 17 pounds before race day, maybe I could have kept up!

I was wearing my Garmin GPS watch for the race, but I had put duct tape over the display so I would only focus on running with the pace team and not on the time or distance.  But after 19, I could feel my pace slow considerably, and EVERYONE on the course seemed to be passing me.  (I know you might think that was only my perception, but there is a handy stat on the official results page which helpfully points out that during the final 6 miles, I passed 13 runners and 156 passed me!  Those 13 were mostly people who were clearly injured and were limping along, just trying to reach the finish.)

So I took the duct tape off my watch, and payed more attention to my pace.  While before my pace was in the 7:30-8 miles/min. range, now it was in the 9-9:30 range.  I was determined to keep it below ten, no matter how I felt.  Even though the hills aren't that bad on this course, and even though I run hills a bit when I train, I was reminded that I'm not too good on hills.  Mile 18.5 to mile 20.5 is a pretty good climb; that's when people really started passing me up.  As is my habit, I had started too fast, ran too hard the first miles, and the negative splits I always wish I ran again once again eluded me.

Even though I would love to have qualified for Boston, a 3:35 finish, and a 16 minute improvement in my PR makes a pretty terrific day.  Running a race like this, I was constantly reminded of what a gift the ability to run is.  The wheelchair racers were inspiring.  When I passed the lady running on a prosthesis who was pushing a girl who had no legs in a wheelchair, I almost lost it; I nearly started weeping openly right there on the course.  And plenty of t-shirts testified that the runner was, for example, a recovered cancer victim, Hodgkins survivor, or veteran, or was running to honor one of the above.

The emotion of running is a mystery to me.  Besides the inspiring runners, the mere fact of pushing my body, of reaching a goal brings out the emotion in me.  When I saw Kelly and the kids cheering for me at the finish, I nearly wept.  I nearly started weeping when I finished.  When I found my famity later, I probably would have wept if the boys had hugged me, but no one wanted to touch stinky, sweaty Dad!  I can't really explain the emotion of finishing a race.  Maybe after a few more races, I will become inured to it.  But for now, I'll enjoy the high of the finish, and the tremendous feeling of accomplishment that comes from crossing that finish line!

One other note: I ran today in my VFFs.  This was my longest run in them.  I ran my last 20 mile training run in them, and ran the Great Brazos Relay in them.  It will be hard to go back to running shoes now.  And talk about a conversation starter!  Several runners asked me about them, or said they had some but hadn't worked up to running much distance.  I heard plenty of comments from spectators, like "Look at that guy's shoes," or "Go, barefoot runner!"  I saw one other runner wearing some; he said he used to get shin splints all the time, but since he's been running in VFFs, he never does.  My feet and calves are sore, so maybe I'm not completely built up to where I need to be, but I really believe I ran faster today than I would have were I to have run in regular running shoes.

All in all, a great day for a marathon, and, in spite of my slower-than-desired finish, I'm proud of my performance.  I finished 529 out of 4453 overall, 459 out of 2855 men, and 98 out of 506 men 40-44.  Plus, not that it matters, I finished ahead of 96% of female finishers.  (Oh, and by the way, if I were 50, or if I were a woman, my time today would have qualified me for Boston.)

My First Barefoot Run

This morning I got dressed for my run, my weekly Yasso 800s.  Lately I have been running almost exclusively in my Vibrum Five Fingers, but as I started to put them on, I thought, what better day to try a barefoot run?  I run my Yassos around the lake next to our house, so I knew the surface would be smooth, familiar, predictable, and relatively free of debris (if you don't count the goose poop).

So off I went, shoeless, in the 38 degree morning.  At first I thought I would have to call it quits after a mile or so, but once I got warmed up and used to the feel of the bare feet, I decided to go ahead with my intervals.  I stopped periodically to check my soles, half expecting to see them bloody and raw, fearful that the cold would have numbed them too much.  But each time they looked great.  Occasionally I would flick away a tiny piece of twig or something that stuck to my foot, but I kept a solid pace and the feet felt great.

After 6 800 yard intervals, I was on pace for one of my best Yasso sessions yet.  I stopped to flick another little pebble off my big toe, and, alas, discovered an unanticipated peril: a little blister!  It makes sense, of course, I just didn't think about it.  I was thinking about sharp objects and the like.

Today I ran a bit over 6 miles.  I think I'll be able to build up to longer runs without blistering, but for now that's probably the most I'll want to run.  I sure do have ugly feet.

Stuff I Like: Vibram Five Fingers

Last week I ran over 56 miles in my Vibram Five Fingers, including interval training, hills, and a long run of 17.75 miles. I'm not completely ready to give up regular running shoes yet, but I sure do like running in these.

I first read of them in a Runner's World column last year. I saw a pair at Luke's Locker and laughed. Then I talked to a guy running in bare feet at the White Rock Marathon last year. Interesting, but not compelling. Then I read Christopher McDougall's Born to Run. I usually resist getting on any kind of popular bandwagon, but I readily admit to buying into the minimalist running philosophy that he describes in the book.

The idea is, basically, that running shoes tend to cause injury by encouraging improper running form. The cushioning encourages harder heel strike, leading to jarring in the knees. The extra support inhibits natural motion and strengthening in the foot. On this last point, my chiropractor made a good analogy. She said that a back brace is designed for added support, but her patients end up relying on it too much, leading to further injury. So might too much support in a running shoe lead to injury.

I'm no expert in biomechanics, engineering, anatomy, sports injuries, or anything else that matters. But the growing number of people who promote running in VFFs, minimalist shoes (like the Tarahumara huaraches McDougall describes), or barefoot make a lot of sense to me. I do still like having some protection for the soles of my feet, so I'm not sure I'll be running barefoot. I enjoy running in my VFFs, enough that I'm considering running the White Rock Marathon in them.

By the way, they're great for climbing, too!