TNFEC 50 Mile Training - 13 weeks out

Training for TNFEC – 13 weeks out

Adjusting to Structured Workouts

As I’m writing this I’m 9 weeks into training for my first 50 mile trail race, The North Face Endurance Challenge.  So far it’s been very rewarding as I’m in great shape and getting stronger each week under the guidance of my coach, Ian Sharman.   I have 5 weeks remaining until the big day and I’m determined to make the most of these next few weeks, to be in my best shape to compete with the top ultra-runners in the sport, and hopefully finish somewhere in the mix.  This course will be challenging for me as there will be repeated elevation gains and losses of several hundred feet and a total gain of 9,237’.  In The Woodlands I’m lucky to get 400’ of elevation gain in a 25 mile run.  Therefore, we have to be specific with my training plan to ensure I am focusing on what I will experience on race day.  Not having run this course before I am at a disadvantage so everything I have been doing has been preparing me to what could come on race day.

There is a purpose for every workout and I am basically running daily with one rest day per week.  The first few weeks I’ve been getting into the routine of doing various speed workouts and hill workouts, with easy days in between to allow my body to adapt to the training load.   In the 50 mile race the pace for the top 15 will vary between 5-6 minute miles at some points downhill to 11-12 minute miles uphill.  Therefore, I have been doing quite a few high intensity interval workouts and progression runs to get more comfortable with this change of pace.  Some of these efforts have been really tough and outside of my comfort zone, but I’m trying to stay as relaxed as possible so I can maintain these efforts without my form falling apart.  Knowing that my recovery days are very easy days I have more confidence pushing myself on the higher intensity runs.  Recovery days are split between either a pool run workout or an easy run on the Alter-G treadmill.  Sterling Ridge Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine has been a great place for me to do these easy runs.  The Alter-G treadmill allows me to adjust my body weight so I’m less weight bearing on my lower body.  I typically adjust the percentage to 68-72% of my body weight which is enough for me to run comfortable without feeling sore muscles or aches and pains from the prior workout.  I also like this because I maintain the same leg turnover as a normal run.  You can also watch your foot strike on live video as you are running.  

My biggest challenge with everything is not the training load but balancing life and all the things I have going on at the moment.  It has been very busy for us and I haven’t had a lot of free time as these other things on my plate have required a great deal of my attention.  With what little window of free time I have is when I fit in my workouts.  It puts a little more pressure on me when there are more commitments with work, family, and my own goals.  I try to stay as flexible as possible with the training to make sure that I get the most out of it and go into each workout feeling rested.  I typically like to do my workouts in the early morning so it’s done and I can go on with my day.  However, staying up late occasionally has caused me to choose to sleep in and push the workout to a later time in the day.  I have learned from the past that I must get a proper amount of sleep to avoid getting sick.  Fortunately, things are starting to settle down and I’m getting back to a little less hectic schedule.
 
The one thing I have going for me to keep me healthy, and benefiting my training is an arsenal of nutritional supplements from Klean Athlete.  I have made it a habit to take five pills every evening with dinner and it’s made a huge impact on my overall health and performance.   The picture below is those products along with a protein shake.  These supplements are Omega, Probiotic, Vitamin D, Cognitive, and the Multivitamin.  There are more products offered by Klean Athlete at www.kleanathlete.com.  What’s great about these products is that they are tested and certified as being safe and free from banned substances.   That’s extremely important to me and my family.

I usually like to post a favorite workout at the end of the blog.  However, this month there wasn’t one that I would say was my favorite, other than my 50k race performance in Austin.  You can check out my report on my webpage at www.ronniedelzer.com/portfolio/austin-50k-race-report/. I am getting use to this new training method and my body is adapting well to it.  The workouts have been challenging and at this time it’s still hot and humid in Texas making it real tough some days.  Once the cooler temps arrive that will make a huge difference with how I feel.    

 Average miles for this month: 60-65 per week.    Average vertical: 2600’

Back on My Feet Austin 50K Race Report

Back on My Feet Austin 50K Trail Race:  09/26/2015

1^st Overall 4:17:38 *CR

I had planned for this to be a quick trip to Austin to get in a 50k training run and also have a course with some elevation, which has been tough for me to get at home.  This race was at Flat Creek Ranch in Johnson City, about 45 miles west of Austin, TX.   There is a 10k, 30k, and 50k race with the 30k and 50k starting at 6 a.m.  I showed up to the race site at 5:20 a.m. to have time to pick up my race bib and get ready.  The temperature was either high 60’s or low 70’s with medium humidity, and forecast to be above 80 by 10 a.m.

The 50k is a four looped course through the central Texas Hill Country.   My goal for the first loop was to run it at an easy pace and focus on getting familiar with the course.  My challenge was being able to see the course markings which were green ribbons along the trail and also some signs with arrows.  They seemed to be spread too far apart so it was a little nerve racking being out there and unsure if I was on the right trail.  A couple times I had to stop as there were a few paths to choose from and I didn’t see any arrows or signs with directions to go.  Each time the front pack would catch up and we would decide together which way to go.  At about 3 miles into it we missed a trail off to the right and we ran along a dried up creek for 3/10 of a mile before we realized we weren’t on the course.  We turned back and finally saw a green ribbon and where we should have turned.  It was frustrating because I still had a goal time that I wanted to run and we were wasting a lot of time.   The main group had got ahead of us at this point and we then got turned around at one of the aid stations.  One of the volunteers was there and called to get directions on which way we were supposed to go.  There was a lot of uncertainty and I took my chances and went on.  I figured I was going to run 50k regardless so if I got lost or way off course then I would still get my mileage.  Luckily I stayed on the right trails and eventually made it around for one loop.  My watch showed 8.62 miles instead of 8 miles and the time was 1:14.  I’m doing the math in my head and realize I’m way off with where I wanted to be.   Last year’s winning time was 4:17:53.  For me that is doable but not sure I could make up that much time without having to run it at a hard effort.

The second loop I began to pick up the pace as I didn’t need a head lamp and could see the trails.  I still had to pay close attention to the course to make sure I didn’t get on the wrong path.  I got into a good rhythm at a mid to upper 7 minute pace and figured I could make up a lot of time now that I could see where I was going.  The first three miles are pretty much at an elevation loss which made it comfortable to pick up the pace.   There were still parts that had quite a few turns and decent size rocks so you had to concentrate on foot placement and avoid turning an ankle or wiping out.  I had one close call and decided to back off the tempo and chill out.   The middle portion of the loop is where there was a bit more climbing and rocky trails.  I felt comfortable running the inclines and practiced power hiking the steep sections.  The course was nice and we got to run on a variety of surfaces which kept it interesting.  The second loop was definitely the most comfortable and my overall time was around 2:09. I was feeling good with my time and where I wanted to be.

By the third loop I easily knew which parts of the trail to run.  I picked up the pace a little more and had a couple miles that were probably too quick.  I backed it off as I didn’t want to run into trouble later and regret going too fast.  I kept a steady pace for the most part and just focused on running smart and not getting injured.  I had to remind myself this is still a training run and it’s not worth damaging my body.  It was beginning to warm up quick so I starting getting in more fluids at the aid stations and filled up my handheld bottle with Gatorade at a couple of the stations.   About mile 22 I was beginning to feel a little weak.   I usually take a gel every four miles so figured I would take half of one to see if it would help give me a little more energy.  I made it through the third loop around 3:05. 

I did the math on my projected finish time and knew I could pretty much take it easy on the fourth loop.  I started getting an upset stomach which was most likely the Gatorade and gels mixing together.   It was worse on the downhill sections because it would slosh around and then I would burp up some foam or a little bit of fluid.  I wasn’t overly concerned, but just had to deal with a little discomfort and keep taking in fluids.  It did get warm and I won’t lie, my legs were getting tired.  I began to pretty much power hike all hills even the ones I ran before, picked up the pace on the flat sections, and took it easy on the descents to stay as comfortable as possible.  I was averaging around 9-10 minute miles.  At the aid stations I chilled out for a minute or two and then went on.  I thought I had a pretty good cushion on the overall course record but then realized I stopped my watch earlier in the race when we thought we were lost, and also a few times at aid stations.  When I looked at the actual time with a quarter mile to the finish line it was 10:15 a.m.  I still had one hill to run up and then a short stretch to the finish line.  I could see the clock was 4:17 at as I was approaching the finish line and thought I missed beating last year’s winning time.   Luckily for me I was 15 second faster.  

This was definitely a good training run for me and had some challenges that I had to overcome.  I know what I should focus on the next couple months leading up to The North Face 50 Mile Endurance Challenge.  I took care of my body and will be stronger as a result and now ready to put in some more solid training.  The race was put on by Luke’s Locker and Back on My Feet Austin.  Overall, they did a very good job with the race and I would definitely run it again as it was a nice scenic course and Austin is an awesome city to visit.  100% proceeds directly support Back on My Feet Austin and its mission that uses running to create self-sufficiency in the lives of individuals experiencing homelessness. 

Shoes: Hoka One One Stinson ATR Trail

Shorts: Nike
Watch: Garmin Forerunner 220
Handheld Bottle: Ultimate Direction
Nutrition: Power Gels and Gu
Prerace Drink: Beet Elite Neo Shot
Postrace Recovery:  Klean Athlete Recovery

 

Back to the Grind

It feels great to be back on a normal training schedule and having my sights on more ultra-distance trail races the second half of the year.  It’s been a while since my last post about any sort of training and that’s mainly because I’ve been out of it.  We’ll call it an extended off season.  The initial idea I had for a blog was to just share my training experiences leading up to my first 100 mile trail race, Rocky Raccoon.   After that performance I was highly motivated to get back into training and had the intentions to continue on and register for some more well-known races across the country where there would be a larger ultra-runner presence and some tough competition.   

Following RR100 I took about five weeks off to recover and then started training for a late spring road marathon.  What I didn’t plan for was getting injured and having to take off five months from any sort of consistent running.  It was a very frustrating time as I was dealing with a lot of pain and couldn’t seem to pin point exactly what was going on.  Initially I felt a lot knee pain (runner’s knee), then my hip flexors became very weak, and eventually the pain was deep in my quad muscle that prevented me from running comfortably.  Looking back I realize I probably over did it too soon by doing some tough workouts (hard speed sessions) that didn’t make a lot of sense and put my body at risk.  The fitness was there but my body was not ready for that kind of abuse.  I’m fortunate for living in a community with a strong athletic presence and having great resources and places to go to for help.  I spent a lot of time at Sterling Ridge Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine to get looked at and do some PT.  I’m also thankful for having friends that are professionals in the medical field who offered great advice on what to do to speed up recovery.  After accepting the fact that I was injured and taking more time off my body eventually healed up.  By mid-June I was back to running again without any issues.

I jumped into a trail race a month later which turned out to be a humbling experience and eye opener with regards to my current fitness level.  I went into that race undertrained but somehow thinking I could push through a half marathon distance and have the strength to pull off a spectacular performance.  I may have been able to hang in there for a top five but I could tell after a few miles that I didn’t have the leg strength or endurance to stay at the front.  I also wasn’t ready mentally to deal with that discomfort or the heat and humidity.  I pulled out at five miles as it wasn’t worth the risk to get injured again.  For me poor performances usually turn out to be a good thing as that is what it sometimes takes to get motivated.  It was enough for me to want to make a change.

I still had plans to run a couple races I had hoped to do earlier in the year so with the clock ticking I decided to take a different approach towards getting prepared for these end of the year races.  If I wanted to be a successful as possible I would be better off hiring a coach.  I reached out to a well-known athlete and coach in the ultra-running community, Ian Sharman.  I’m looking for a new perspective towards training for ultras and specifically how to train for a course like The North Face Endurance 50 in San Francisco.  Ian has a vast knowledge of varying distances and terrains and is no stranger to running most of these races that I hope to do.  Because of his popularity his coaching services weren’t available until the beginning of September as he only accepts a select number of athletes.  I spent the next six weeks focusing on building base so once I began working with him I would be in shape and could get the most out of the training.

I started running the next day after that trail race and ran 21 consecutive days.  I never do this, but figured my focus needed to be on consistency and getting my body used to running.   The first few weeks were easy low mileage and sometimes running up to twice a day.  Summer is a tough time to get in shape especially in Texas but I actually found the training enjoyable and less demanding on the body.  My number one priority was to remain injury free so I took care of my body and did a lot of maintenance (ART, massages, foam rolling, etc).  I also spent a couple days a week running on an Alter-G treadmill or doing an aqua jog session in the pool which was great for working out with low impact.  I averaged about 55 miles per week for those 21 days and then took a few days off to recover/adapt to that load before another three week session.  In August I started introducing some hills into the workouts, adding speed sessions, and also longer runs to the weekly mileage.  I took easy days serious and continued with the Alter-G and/or aqua jog.  For the month of August I averaged about 60-65 miles per week.  I’m optimistic with my fitness and ready to start training specifically towards December’s race.  Good times and cooler weather are ahead!

I think going forward I will update the blog once a month.  I’m also working on changing up the layout of my blog and giving it a whole new look so it will be a more professional looking website.  I’m excited about the future! 

 

 

Pool Running

For me to make it through an entire season (almost full year) of Ultras I have to be in-tune with my body.  I have to recognize signs of fatigue and listen to what my body tells me.  If not I will get sick or end up with an injury that could affect me immediately or later in the season, preventing me to perform at my best or performing at all.  I also want to do the most training that I can to be prepared for race day.  To avoid injury and to take my performance to the next level, I do a lot of workouts in the water.  Have you ever thought about training in the water?  Not swimming!  I'm talking about the popular sport of Aqua Jogging.  It’s almost as boring as swimming, and you will get some weird looks. 

Aqua Jogging aka Pool Running which is what I'll refer it to, is basically running in the pool.  I first learned about it in college as our cross country coach had us in the pool twice a week during season for intense workouts.  It was usually one week day early in the morning before class, and then early Sunday morning which was miserable.  I think our coach's tactic for early Sunday was to keep us from staying up all night on Saturday. Anyways it was something that helped keep a lot of us healthy and strong throughout the entire season without over-training and getting injured.  To this day I still incorporate pool workouts.

I choose to do pool workouts when I feel I'm on the verge of getting an injury.  As soon as I experience pain in my joints or maybe just deeper muscle soreness I change my workout from pavement to water.  It allows me to not miss a workout and save my body from the abuse.  Running on hard surfaces when something isn't right or not normal will lead to other potential injuries causing the dreaded down time.  Since completing my hundred miler in January I haven't been able to bounce back to my full potential.  It is stressful and discouraging at times but if I continue to ignore it I'm just setting up myself for failure later on.  I've known injured teammates that spent all cross country season doing pool workouts, and then have their best outdoor track season.

Pool running can be done at your own back yard assuming you have a pool (I'm jealous), fitness club, or now at some sports medicine facilities such as the one at Sterling Ridge Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine.  SROSM has invested in an aquatic therapy pool for their patients so if you find yourself injured you may want to inquire about using their pool.  My pictures below are from the pool at the SROSM location in Spring.  They also have swim jets which can be used for turbulence, making it harder to run against, or swim against the current.

      The most important question… How is it done and what does it look like?

First consider having some sort of flotation device during your initial attempt so you can focus on your form and how to properly perform the exercise.  Wearing a pool belt helps a lot as well as using a kick board, or anything else that will not interfere with your form. You can easily find a pool belt online for $20-$30.  I prefer to use a kick board because it's available at my gym and allows me to concentrate on my body position and leg movement.  The kick board is held under water about stomach level.  You don't want your feet touching the bottom of the pool so make sure you're in deep enough water.  I usually don't have a problem in 4- 4-1/2’ of water as my body is at a slight angle and head is above water.

 

Focus running in place, raising your thighs upwards and engaging your hips and glutes.  It’s actually quite simple once you get the hang of it and almost like running in slow motion.  You will gradually start moving forward in the water.  If you use a board or running belt you will notice you can get a faster turnover.  Try to keep the same running form as if running on land, and visualize striking the ground and kicking off.  Work the full range of motion focusing on body mechanics.  Lean slightly forward, working legs up and down in a running motion.  

 

 

You control the cadence and the workout can be as easy or as intense as you want.  If you want a full body workout then don't wear a belt and pump your arms in the water as if you are actually running.  You will notice the change in heart rate once you start working the arms as it will get a lot more complicated to keep your head above water.  Just don't let the arms do more of the work and jeopardize your form.

Sometimes I will try to touch the board with each knee so I can work on flexibility and increasing my overall range of motion.  The board can be used as well to achieve other things.  You can hold the board directly in front of you (arms straight out) which you will feel your abs getting an additional workout.  The board can also be used for what it's intended to be used for, kicking drills.  I will occasionally begin and end a workout with just kicking.  It helps to strengthen my ankles which is a benefit when running trails.  If you are dealing with a potential ankle or foot injury then listen to your body and only do as much as you feel is right.  If you feel something hurting or pulling then don't do the kicking.  Just like any exercise it's important to stretch before and after.  I usually experience tightness with my hip flexors and or abductors so I take care of this with a foam roller. 

Warning:  This is going to be boring, but it builds mental toughness so that's another benefit to the workout.  Spend 30 minutes in a pool and it will feel like an hour run.  It's just as bad as the treadmill, without a TV.  I have a waterproof case for my iPod so I can listen to music and time goes by much faster.  To help keep the time from seeming like it's never ending try mixing it up with some intervals.  The following is one of my favorite workouts and also helps the time go by.  Start out by going the length of the pool as fast as you can but maintaining good form.  Usually takes about 90 seconds.  Then go back the length of the pool at an easy effort.  This is the recovery set and usually 2.5 minutes.  Repeat for 10 sets and you have completed a 40 minute workout.  10 minute warm-up and 10 minute cool down and you have had a solid hour workout.  For me it's equivalent to an 8 mile run.

We've all had something put us in the position of having to run with pain or not be able to because of an injury.  I am a firm believer that you need to listen to how your body feels because it's telling you something.  Nobody wants to deal with an injury and some of us will ignore the signs that our body is telling us.  It's important to recognize these signs and realize you can still maintain your fitness without crossing that line.  So what are you afraid of?  Are you too lazy or are you worried what others are going to the think about you.  I don't care what I look like during training because I care what I look like on the podium. 

Four Week Preparation for Rocky Raccoon 100

Following the Brazos Bend 100, I treated the next week as a typical rest week to allow my body to recover from the stress of running 54 miles or seven plus hours.  This was the longest I have run to date so I figured it would be wise to take a few days off.  My quads were sore and I wasn’t able to do a whole lot on my feet.  I focused on other means of active recovery to hopefully get back on my feet quicker.  Monday I spent some time in the pool to keep from having to put too much weight on my legs, and Tuesday I did a few easy strides on the grass to get the blood flowing and assess the legs.  I was very gentle and paid attention to my body’s condition as to not overdo it.  By the weekend I was able to get in a couple decent runs, which was a good sign that my legs were responding and doing well with the rest and active recovery.  Other things that helped with my recovery was spending lots of time in compression boots, constantly stretching and foam rolling, and a couple visits to get acupuncture treatment, Graston, and ART.  I find ART and Graston method a very useful treatment and experience great results from frequent visits.  The ART can hurt and be uncomfortable at times but the results are relieving.  My doctor seems to find and target the problem areas and work them to break down the scar tissue. Equally important to active recovery is what you put into your body.  I also focus on eating healthy and taking vitamins and other supplements so my body is able to get what it needed to recover quicker.  I try to do as much as I can to accelerate recovery so the sooner I can get back to training.  I use a handful of Klean Athlete supplements (Multivitamin, Omega-3 Acids, and Antioxidants) benefit me the most and I always follow workouts with a Klean Recovery shake and a daily Klean Protein shake so that I’m repairing and growing muscle tissue following workouts.  It’s important for me to be fueled up and healthy for the next workout.   

I wanted to keep the fitness I had and use it towards another 100 mile race.  At this time the Rocky Raccoon 100 miler on January 31^st is six weeks out which allows enough time for me to get in a solid four week training block and also have a couple weeks to taper.  Fortunately, with all the training over the last six months I know what has worked best for me as far as how many days I should run or take off a week, and also how much rest is needed after a few consecutive long weeks.  For me, the optimum training week consists of two days completely off.  My days off are typically Monday’s which follows a long weekend of 40 plus miles, and Friday’s which follows another 40 miles during the week with some speed work.  If I don’t go above 90 miles a week then my body seems to handle four consecutive weeks.  At 90 plus miles a week I find it better to have a rest week every fourth week.  As long as I kept it in this range I felt like I could get a good solid training block in and go into Rocky Raccoon healthy.

The first week I was very gentle to my body and did most of my runs on trails or the local golf courses.  The only problems I experienced were dealing with painful side stitches (cramps) the first couple miles of each run.  I remember getting a side stitch in the Brazos Bend race and I must have aggravated something because I now experience the same stitch at the beginning of almost every run.  It takes about 10 minutes to control my breathing and for the stitch to go away.  This lasted for the first couple weeks. 

Week two I started throwing in some speed work.  I had a really good track workout that consisted up a bunch of half mile repeats (look up Yassoo 800’s) which gave me a very good idea of current fitness level.  I was happy with the speed I had maintained and how comfortable I was during the workout.  I also had a 20 mile run a couple days later with a lot of hard and strong efforts, but that one took me over the edge and left me hurting for a couple days as I pushed it a little too hard.  That week I didn’t hit my goal weekly mileage,  but figured it was wiser to rest a couple extra days and listen to my body instead of pushing through and risk a potential injury. 

I was fresh again for week three and had another key track workout with some good tempo efforts at 5:30/mile splits.  By that weekend I did my longest run of 32 miles which was a big confidence booster.  Due to some of the leg and back issues I was experiencing in my final training block before my last race I wasn’t able to get in a lot of 30 plus mile runs.  My longest run was 24 miles three weeks before my race.  The majority of the first three weeks was running in the rain and cold weather but I was determined to get the workouts in even when the weather was crappy.  It gave me a chance to try different attire to find out what is the most comfortable running in during the wet days.

The fourth week I stayed off the track and just got the mileage in without over doing it.  I had another 32 mile long run and felt very strong and comfortable.  I ordered a new pair of shoes that I would use in the race and started wearing them to break them in.  I also started doing a few different dress rehearsals on my runs to know what I would be wearing for race day.

I planned for a two week taper.  Week one included five runs and totaled about 40 miles.  I tried to do something similar to what I did before as I felt very fresh for my last race.  I kept the pace at race effort just to get a good feel for what I would be doing.  On the weekend Kyle Rodemacher (also racing RR100) and I went to Huntsville State Park and ran 14 miles of the actual race course.  It was a cold morning (low 30's) and the wooden bridges were frozen.  It was good to get some familiarity with the course and I realized that my gloves weren't keeping my hands warm enough. The following day I did a Fartlek workout on some other trails which allowed me a chance to focus on high cadence and foot placement.  I was feeling good with where things were headed.

The week leading up to the race was probably one of the craziest weeks you would not want before a big race.  On Monday I stepped on a coil of nails while on a job site for work and a nail pierced right through my shoe and stabbing my toe.  I put just enough weight on it to cause a little bleeding and soreness for a couple days after.  On Tuesday I got rear ended by another car, but fortunately it wasn't anything major.  I just had to deal with getting a rental car and my vehicle into the shop.  On Wednesday I woke up with a severe sore throat and went to the doctor and found out I caught strep throat from my son that had it earlier in the week.  I was put on some antibiotics and worn down a little bit, but wasn't doing much of any exercise that week so figured I was healthy enough already to bounce back.  Only problem was the medication kept me awake so it was difficult to fall asleep.  On Thursday my three year old daughter decided it would be fun to jump on my six year old son's back and ride him like a bull.  Of course he knocks her off which resulted in a late night trip to the ER.  Fortunately, my wife took her and let me go to bed, but I was worried and unable to fall asleep easily that night which for me is the most critical before a big race.  Friday, I decided not to take any chances and didn't go into work.  I was able to stay calm pretty much all week and by Friday I went for an easy 5K run and felt absolutely great.  I had seen my chiropractor a couple times and massage therapist once so I was feeling fresh.

12/18 – 01/18: 315 miles

Rest week:  25 miles
Completed 80 of 80 miles for week 1. 
Completed 60 of 90 miles for week 2. 
Completed 80 of 80 miles for week 3.
Completed 70 of 70 miles for week 4.

Brazos Bend 100 Race Recap> 12/13/14

The day began at 4 a.m. I didn't sleep the best in the hotel room and kept thinking the alarm was going to go off at any time. I woke up in the middle of the night thinking it had to be around 3 a.m. and it was 11:45 p.m. Guess I was excited and ready to go… Got my stuff ready and had a bagel with cream cheese and some coconut water. We arrived to the Brazos Bend State Park at 5 a.m., on schedule and headed to the race start/transition area. Peter Bardenhagen was two cars behind us entering the park so it was nice having extra hands to carry our stuff. It was a nice morning and I was very calm and felt extremely good. I did my normal stretching and foam rolling followed by a short warm up jog. I drank about 8-10 oz. of Beet Elite thirty minutes prior to the start and then relaxed with Stefanie and Peter until the start. The race started at 6 a.m. and my plan was to go out at a comfortable pace. The first mile was quicker than I had expected at 7:04 but my heart rate was good at 154 bpm. This was actually one of my strategies as I prefer to run alone in a race, allowing me to run my own race and not get caught up in running others paces. I also wasn't known by the top runners in the field so most times you are free to go off the front if you aren't a threat. The course is flat with hardly any incline (50’ elevation per 25 mile loop) and for the most part no roots or any obstruction on the trails. I backed down the effort a little and ran the next 10 miles at 7:22 to 7:49 pace which for me is probably quick but I was trying to build a comfortable lead early without burning too much energy. My main focus was to run as efficient as possible, get in as much fluid (water) as I could, and take my nutrition (gels) as often as possible. It was 55 degrees at the start with a forecast of 72 and humidity at 96% so I knew I had to take care of the hydration early on. My plan was two gels an hour and if I could absorb more I would try to take a gel every 25 minutes. I was also consuming about two bottles (32 oz.) water and Gatorade an hour. It seemed to be working as I was feeling very fresh and having to stop to relieve my bladder every few miles so I knew I was hydrated. My heart rate was around 154 bpm which for me is okay but mid to upper 140s probably would be better for a 100 miles. Cooler weather in the 40s would have made that possible. The back of the park had some horse trails from miles 16 to 19 which were tougher to run as there were lots of divots in the ground. That section also had some mud as well so your shoes would stick to the ground. I controlled my effort and dropped my pace by 45 seconds to a minute per mile to allow my heart rate to stay at mid-150s. I had an Ipod and just relaxed listening to music from this point on. I kept reminding myself to practice self-control and not push the pace. My goal was 3:20 for the first 25 miles and I came into the transition area at 3:08. It was quick but I don't feel like I jeopardized anything. I took more time (3 minutes) before going out for the second loop. Both Stefanie and Peter helped me by getting me what I needed. I took my left shoe off to put on a couple band aids where I could feel some friction and a blister coming. Other than that I grabbed about 7 gels, a pack of Klean electrolytes, a bottle of coconut water, and another hand held bottle of water. I ditched the shirt and probably wish I kept my visor on or took a small cloth as the sun was now coming up and I was sweating a lot more. I went out around 7:40 pace for miles 26-29 and saw second and third place running together. I estimated I had a 12-15 minute lead. At that point I intentionally backed off the pace and ran by heart rate in the upper 140s. I knew it would be a long day and I figured I would conserve as much energy so I could have a good solid run with my pacer, Jason Johnston, during miles 50-75. My average pace was now 8:12 to 8:27 and then the unexpected happened.

 As I approached a full aid station at mile 38 the volunteers said they were out of fluids. Before I get to an aid station I drink what's left in my bottle so then I can get as much water as possible. I saw about eight cups of water on the table and I started filling up my bottle with them but then felt guilty for taking the water as there were other runners there in need of fluids. Instead, I took some orange slices and left with about eight oz. in my bottle and decided I'll refill at the next station which at most would be a couple miles away. No big deal and I left in good spirits, smiling into the camera as the race was live and had video at three parts of the race. As I approached the next aid station they had three coolers but no water. The volunteer said they were on their way with water but runners on the course were stopping them as they needed water so it was taking longer to get it. I was struggling with the thought of waiting to get water and be caught by second and third place, or keep on moving and hopefully not allow too much time to be lost. I took a chance and kept going hoping I could fill up and rehydrate at the next aid station. That was another couple miles and as I got there I couldn't believe those were empty too. There were three empty coolers and lots of upset runners at this point. Some people were starting to panic and I was getting concerned myself. The next section of trails is the horse trails where you have to slow down because it's more difficult terrain. I wasn't sure at the time how long that trail section was so I asked a runner coming from the opposite direction and he said a couple miles. I was taking a risk but I went for it anyway and figured it would be another 20 minutes without water. Since my urine was clear I knew I wasn't dehydrated, and I was doing well up to this point that I would probably be fine. The problem was now I'm not able to take any electrolyte pills or any gels so I'm not getting any nutrition. My pace is slowing down because of the slower trail sections but my heart rate isn't going down so I can tell I'm starting to get fatigued. I'm trying to conserve as much energy as possible and take a gel anyways thinking it was better than nothing. Then the mental games start playing in your head. I'm thinking to myself I'm in the woods and the closest aid station with a volunteer that can call for help is three miles away. Nobody else is running at this point and if I go down what kind of trouble am I going to be in. All these thoughts are going through my head which I can usually fight through. I make it through that portion and that table with the coolers was still empty which was devastating for me. My pace is around 9 to 10 minutes and my body (quads) is now starting to hurt and tightening up. The next station had water which was about mile 45 or 46. I chugged one full bottle and filled again, but I could never get back to feeling fresh like I had before. At some point for each of the next four miles I was walking and my pace was 9:30 or 12:30 per mile. I was already talking myself out of it knowing if I couldn't get into a rhythm again then my goal of 15 hours was not going to happen. I made it to the transition area in 6 hours and 55 minutes and probably should have been there in 6:30. I drank a bottle of coconut water trying to replenish as much as possible. Everything at this point is getting tight so I try foam rolling which seemed to help a little with the glutes, hip flexors, and quads. Jason Johnston, my pacer for the next 25 miles, talked me into going for the third loop so I went and gave it a shot. I took a small hand held roller with me hoping I could loosen up my quads along the way as they were getting tight. Our first three miles was 9:31, 10:02, 11:29, and I'm back to walking again. Now I'm doing the math in my head and thinking I could probably survive another lap, but then I would probably have to walk the entire last lap. This didn't line up with any of my goals so I decided to stop and call it a day. This is the first running race I ever stopped and DNF. I gave it my best effort and it's unfortunate that something which should never happen actually did.

I started this journey six months ago to get back into shape and signed up for a 100 miles in order to take the training seriously.  I'm in great shape and I've learned a lot about my body along the way so I should be able to use what I have learned towards another challenge.  Thanks for following me and all the support!

Pre Race Report for my Support Crew

Race Site: 

Brazos Bend State Park  @ 21910 FM 762 Rd. Needville 77461  (90 min drive from TW’s)

Race Start: 

6 a.m. for the 100 miler

7 a.m. for the 50 miler (same course)

7:45 a.m. for the marathon (same course). Estimating to catch the end of the pack by 40 miles

8:30 a.m. for the half marathon (different course and should not be able to catch anyone)

Park Fee is $7 per vehicle

Park Opens at 3 a.m.

After 6 a.m. there is overflow parking at 40 acre lake (3.5 miles from start/finish)

There is also more overflow parking at Hale Lake (1.5 miles from start/finish)

**Only one shuttle per parking lot so plan accordingly with time to get from the parking lot to the start/transition area.

Pacer/Crew Rules:

One pacer at a time per 25 mile loop (after 50 miles). 

-Jason Johnston third loop

-Kyle Rodemacher fourth loop

Pacer cannot mule water, supplies, and pack for me. 

*I’ll have bags ready to go with nutrition that I can easily get after each loop

*I’ll have a plastic box with a bunch of supplies for anything that comes up and I may need (medical, extra nutrition, head lamp, hand towels, extra socks, roller, etc.)

Crew members are allowed at the following aid stations; Elm Lake, 40 acre, Hale Lake, and Brazos (see map included).  The first three are accessible via biking.

*If you come then you are considered my support crew.  Feel free to enter an aid station and help me if needed.

My schedule morning of

Wake up 4:10 a.m.

Leave hotel 4:30 a.m.

Arrive at race site 5 a.m.

Warm-up 5:30

Estimated pace/Completed loop times:

1-25 miles: 7:40-8:00/mile (1 min rest/stretch every 4 miles/30 min) Complete 1^st loop:  9:20 a.m.

25-50 miles: 7:40-8:00/mile (same with rest/stretch) Complete 2^nd loop: 12:40-1 p.m.

50-75 miles: 8:00-8:20/mile (rest/stretch as much as needed) Complete 3^rd loop: 4:10-4:30 p.m.

75-100 miles: 8:20-8:40/mile (do whatever it takes to move forward) Finish at 7:50-8:10 p.m.

**I plan to keep moving through the aid stations unless I need to stop for aid/stretch/roll, etc. I’ll hang around for a minute between each loop but don’t want to stay too long unless needed to take care of something.

Goals:

*Sub 15 hours - This is my ultimate goal and I think it’s doable as long as I don’t have any major issues and adapt to whatever problems/challenges may arise.

*Place top five - I really want to win but I will run my own race.  Sub 15 hr. will give me a great shot.

*Save body for Rocky 100 miler - If I’m having the perfect day and I’m up front with a good lead remind me to save my legs for Rocky 100.  If the day is not going my way then I may consider saving my body for another race like Rocky.   I’m not prepared to be on the course after mid night (16 hours) and if I am something bad is probably going on.  I may change my mind while I’m out there, and my goal should be to finish but I want to come away from this injury free so I can get back training sooner than later.

Nutrition/Hydration plan:

1 PowerGel every 30 minutes

2 Electrolytes every hour,

16oz Gatorade every hour

16oz Water every hour or as needed if more

16oz Coconut water start of each loop

**I’ll have three bags of Gel/electrolyte pills at the main aid station with enough nutrition to get me through 25 miles.

** I will need somebody (one of you) from my Crew to have one nutrition bag, one bottle of coconut water, and a new hand held bottle with ice water, all ready to exchange with me as I come through.

I cannot handle much solid food at all up to 40 miles.  Don’t know after 50 or 75 miles and a slower pace.  I am able to eat bananas, oranges, warm biscuits (not bread), plain salted chips (not greasy), probably soup if needed/available.

Weather Forecast:

Low 55

High 70 (73% humidity)

Live Results:

Live results and splits will be available via Ultrasignup and you can follow me at the link below

http://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=27858

Stefanie will be there most of the day.  Kids are coming with our parents later on so she may be busy entertaining them for a while.  She will most likely send everyone a group text for the first and second loops so you will know how I’m doing and pace.  Her number in case you need to contact her is 281-770-0892. 

Course Preview Link

http://www.ultrarunning.com/featured/race-preview-brazos-bend-100/?utm_source=Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=d0360d7899-Weekly+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1577fa00f6-d0360d7899-131010185