Hi everyone,

Finally had a few minutes to hop onto the internet and try to catch
up with everyone.  Nice to see Rengaw's back, and that everyone is
still running.  Great race reports as usual, BK!

We just moved into a new house, closer to the kids' school, the
office, the mountain and the river.  My foot has straighted up and
is flying right, finally!  Ran 40 miles last week, and I'm doing
weekly hillwork, tempos and long runs nearly as fast as 2003.  I'm
registered for the Hartford Marathon and have my hotel room, but
still need to book my flight.  Anyone else here going to Hartford?

Coach, I heard that you and Ms. Maddog have a link to a cool website
that will let you draw out your running course, and it'll give you
the mileage.  If so, I'd love to get that link.  There are many new
running courses I'm trying out here.

Hope you're all having a great week.

Meg

Coach~Thank you for the update.  Glad to see the bathrooms and the
fountain nearby are functional.

Jabber

--- In CoachMadDogBytes@yahoogroups.com, "Jim Duguay"
<ManiacMutt@M...> wrote:
> --- In CoachMadDogBytes@yahoogroups.com, jabberdogrunner
> <no_reply@y...> wrote:
> > Those of you who run at the river (Cochran Shoals), please note
its
> > closed until further notice due to a large water main break.
>
> Monday A.M. Update ~ The trail has reopened and the restrooms have
> water pressure. The sinkhole is currently being worked on and only
the
> (I-285) parking lot water fountain is turned off.
> };9)

--- In CoachMadDogBytes@yahoogroups.com, jabberdogrunner
<no_reply@y...> wrote:
> Those of you who run at the river (Cochran Shoals), please note its
> closed until further notice due to a large water main break.

Monday A.M. Update ~ The trail has reopened and the restrooms have
water pressure. The sinkhole is currently being worked on and only the
(I-285) parking lot water fountain is turned off.
};9)

Short-term Goal ~ Goofy Challenge – Disney World.
Long-term Goal ~ Chattahoochee Road Runners 10K.

Mon: Inactive Rest.

Tue: Intervals; The Hooch; 8.1 miles 57:34(7:06) 73%PE; 84 w/69%,
74DP, 94FL, winds n @ 3. 8 X 800m @ 78%THR; 400m Rec.  Stress
factor – none.

Wed: Easy Trail Run; Kennesaw Mountain; 6.0 miles 46:26(7:44) 62%PE;
88 w/62%, 70DP, 98FL, winds N @ 6. Stress factor – none.

Thu: Easy Run; Fleet Feet; 7 miles 54:33(7:47) 62%PE; 77 w/88%,
72DP, 82FL, winds N @ 4. Stress factor – none.

Fri: Inactive Rest.

Sat: Modified Tempo Run; Blackwell Road; 5 miles 36:20(7:16) 70%PE;
90 w/55%, 72DP, 106FL, winds NNE @ 3. Stress factor – none.

Sun: Easy Run; Neighborhood Loop; 4 miles 30:06(7:31) 64%PE; 90
w/55%, 72DP, 101FL, winds N @ 5. Stress factor – none.

Maintenance Phase: 30.1 miles (968.3 YTD); 7:29avg. pace; 66%PE avg.
(Unimproved). Body weight 155lbs.

Those of you who run at the river (Cochran Shoals), please note its
closed until further notice due to a large water main break.  See the
attached link.

Jabber

http://www.nps.gov/chat/PressReleases/water_main_break_july_22_2005.htm

07/17 -> 29.7 mi @ 9:05 77%PE (170.0 lbs) 569.8 mi YTD
07/10 -> 11.1 mi @ 7:21 72%PE (169.5 lbs)
07/03 -> 27.0 mi @ 7:55 70%PE (168.5 lbs)

9 weeks - USAF Half Marathon or Relay? (leaning towards relay)

M - 3.0 mi in 22:27 (7:29) 64%PE. I was feeling whipped during and
after the 5K last Saturday and felt that I needed to get out and get an
easy run in just to loosen up and work out some lactic acid.  The heat
definitely took its toll on me this past week. [tired, sore]

T - Planned rest.

W - 2.0 mi in 16:48 (8:24) 56%PE. I realized that I had to take care of
the dog since everyone else is gone, so I had to shorten the run since
the dog can't run as far as I'd like to yet, and I have more pre-work
stuff to do in the same amount of time if I'm going to catch the bus on
time.  It was work getting the dog to cooperate (she's not use to
running nor getting up this early).  She was resistant after about 1.5
mi... wanting to just stop and sit down on the street <ugggh!>.
Anyway, not a great run, but the plan was only to loosen up anyways.
[dog].

H - Planned rest.

F - Planned rest.

S/S - 2005 Hoosier 200 Relay - DNF
Leg 1: 3.5 mi in 24:30 (7:00) 89%PE [heat, humidity]
Leg 2: 6.7 mi in 51:39 (7:42) 88%PE [heat, humidity, hills, stomach]
Leg 3: 3.8 mi in 35:14 (9:16) 85%PE [heat, humidity, hills, stomach]
Leg 4: 4.9 mi in 51:00 (10:24) 70%PE [heat, humidity, hills, cramps]
Leg 5: 5.8 mi in 1:08:31 (11:48) 75%PE [heat, humidity, hills, chest]

The Hoosier 200 is a very challenging race, certainly for an Ultra Team
(of 6).  We gained valuable experience, the question is will any of
want to run another like-race again... hee... hee...  If we would have
(wisely) started earlier we wouldn't have had the DQ cut-off time
constantly pushing us beyond what we learned was a more appropriate
pace.  Unfortunatley we were committed to pushing ourselves way too
hard in these conditions to try and make the cut-off.  I believe we
made the best decision to drop out when we did.

Keep running (...as for me... I'm resting)...
- BK.

Great report. Sounds like a lot of fun. My running club I run with
often talks of doing a race like the one you did, but we seem to have
to many people whos schedules conflict always.

John W.


--- In CoachMadDogBytes@yahoogroups.com, BK <bkunes@y...> wrote:
> [NOTE: I apologize if anyone is caught by surprise at some of the
> details shared here... most of the distribution list are runners from
> the various internet running clubs (or regular recipients of my running
> exploits) and are therefore familiar with the hygiene ingredient that
> accompanies these types of reports and thus are not surprised... for
> everyone else, sorry.  For those of you at LCAR, I just posted the team
> picture our faithful captain sent me on our photo site.]
>
> The team had ended Round 4 and started Round 5 on a emotional high
> note. We had progressively and convincingly whittled away the 1+ hr gap
> by the Leg 24/25 exchange as Bill (not me, just wanted to clarify which
> Bill, here <smile>) ran in triumphantly and mercilessly after killing
> some brutal hills, bounding into the parking lot of Larry Bird's high
> school alma mater like a jack rabbit in a literal "shock and awe"
> fashion in front of our high school rivals.  The body language of the
> two runners and an assistant coach standing next to their vehicle said
> it all, their faces went pale and their jaws ajar.  Both teams were in
> absolute shock to see our arrival seconds behind their exchange.
>
> We were tired, but on top of the running world at this point.  We
> freshened up inside the school facilities and took a look at the Larry
> Bird shrine, filled up on gas at the open gas station across the
> street, picked up more water and proceeded, smiles in tact, to find
> Dave.  We gaped at the monster hill that he had assumedly climbed as we
> just couldn't wipe the smiles of our faces.
>
> We found Dave at the peak.  Ironically, right as he passed the high
> school runner standing with hands on hips in horror at what he was
> witnessing in front of his eyes.  A literal nightmare: a runner and a
> van full of smiling smirks <cheese grin city>.  They had just been
> passed, again.  Dave had a little (albeit short lived) pep in his step,
> a smile on his face and a glow of victory accompanying him on the down
> hill.  We all did... it was well earned.
>
> Ten minutes later the high school team's caravan drove by, honked, and
> packed it in.  They were broken.
>
> Eventually, Dave managed to finish his leg, reflecting the opposite end
> of the spectrum than the glow we saw earlier.  The heat, humidity, and
> hills had broken him down to a crawl.  I sympathized with him, knowing
> what lied in store for me.
>
> My leg wasn't much different.  I started off feeling optimistic.  I had
> had a Red Bull and was feeling better.  I was able to run easy and
> under control for 2.5 miles, until the thematic hills that
> characterized my sections of the race where I had planned to walk
> anyway.
>
> It was humorous.  The team use to hand me water and then drive a mile,
> then a half mile, then it was 10ths of a mile to almost a stones throw.
>  Mercy!  My lungs and legs hurt, my heart was pounding out of my chest,
> I wanted to laugh, cry, and collapse all at the same time.  I was done.
>  The ice cold water form the cooler that I poured over myself every
> other stop was nice, but it evaporated instantly.  I was walking at
> just shy of 10K race effort.  If I even attempted to run it shot up
> near 5K race effort.  That was scary.  That was dangerously scary.  We
> were all feeling it.  About 2/3 the way into my leg the team told me
> through the window that even if we wanted to we wouldn't make the cut
> off.  After each had an opportunity to run one more leg we were going
> to pack it in.  I wanted to finish the leg I started… which took a long
> time.
>
> When I finished, Chris ran well for half his leg, looking nearly
> un-phased, but then the second half started to take its toll, and Chris
> was beat by the last 10th.  The rest of the team wisely passed on
> running another leg.  We came.  We saw.  We gave it out best.  We were
> done.  Let's eat!
>
> My part: 5.8 mi in 1:08:31 (11:48) at 75%AvgPE (about as fine a line as
> dare walk, I mean run, okay walk in this case) [heat, humidity, hills,
> exhaustion].
>
> Lessons learned: Start smart, give it your best, and enjoy the ride
> (literally… just kidding).  In time, we will all be able to work
> through our emotions regarding this experience and probably find more
> meaningful lessons learned and ideas for "a team" to keep in mind in
> the future.
>
> It was disappointing to experience my first DNF (did not finish) ever.
> But I have no regrets.  The team was great.  We hung in there together
> and did our best to support, encourage one another.  I feel we made the
> right choice to stop.  I'm glad that no one got hurt, lost, or
> something worse.  I'm taking away some great memories and some new
> friends from this experience.
>
> We drove to Bloomington to see teams finish, enjoy a massage, food,
> drink, the pool, awards, etc.  I put on my MP3 player and fell asleep
> somewhere en-route.  When I woke up we decided that the food wasn't
> going to be available at the finish for a few hours so we stopped at a
> pizza place first.  Then during pizza we decided to skip the party all
> together and just go home.  Yeah, that was best.
>
> We got back to the cars, said our good byes, and went home.  As soon as
> I got home I called my wife and hearing her voice brought my world back
> into alignment, I let the dog out (my brother-in-law remembered to let
> her out so no messes), I ate a sandwich and soaked in a bath.  Then I
> went to bed.
>
> 36 hours with no real sleep.
> 24 hours with no real food.
> 159.6 +/- a few miles in brutal running conditions
> 50-60 bottles of water
> 24 bottles of Gatorade
> 6 Red Bulls
> 6 Sodas
> Some cookies, (wet) turkey sandwiches, a bunch of bananas and a brownie
> A few tanks of gas, and plenty of unpleasant aromas to last a lifetime
> of torture <smile>
> A pile of sweaty towels, socks, running close and shoes… oh, yea… we
> runners, yeah we're different!
>
> Keep running (friends… I'm taking a break and doing a lot of thinking)…
> - BK.
>
> P.S. Yes, I said thinking T-H-I-N-K-I-N-G, not drinking <smile>.
>
> The End (and I'm sure you are glad it is!)

[NOTE: I apologize if anyone is caught by surprise at some of the
details shared here... most of the distribution list are runners from
the various internet running clubs (or regular recipients of my running
exploits) and are therefore familiar with the hygiene ingredient that
accompanies these types of reports and thus are not surprised... for
everyone else, sorry.  For those of you at LCAR, I just posted the team
picture our faithful captain sent me on our photo site.]

The team had ended Round 4 and started Round 5 on a emotional high
note. We had progressively and convincingly whittled away the 1+ hr gap
by the Leg 24/25 exchange as Bill (not me, just wanted to clarify which
Bill, here <smile>) ran in triumphantly and mercilessly after killing
some brutal hills, bounding into the parking lot of Larry Bird’s high
school alma mater like a jack rabbit in a literal "shock and awe"
fashion in front of our high school rivals.  The body language of the
two runners and an assistant coach standing next to their vehicle said
it all, their faces went pale and their jaws ajar.  Both teams were in
absolute shock to see our arrival seconds behind their exchange.

We were tired, but on top of the running world at this point.  We
freshened up inside the school facilities and took a look at the Larry
Bird shrine, filled up on gas at the open gas station across the
street, picked up more water and proceeded, smiles in tact, to find
Dave.  We gaped at the monster hill that he had assumedly climbed as we
just couldn't wipe the smiles of our faces.

We found Dave at the peak.  Ironically, right as he passed the high
school runner standing with hands on hips in horror at what he was
witnessing in front of his eyes.  A literal nightmare: a runner and a
van full of smiling smirks <cheese grin city>.  They had just been
passed, again.  Dave had a little (albeit short lived) pep in his step,
a smile on his face and a glow of victory accompanying him on the down
hill.  We all did... it was well earned.

Ten minutes later the high school team’s caravan drove by, honked, and
packed it in.  They were broken.

Eventually, Dave managed to finish his leg, reflecting the opposite end
of the spectrum than the glow we saw earlier.  The heat, humidity, and
hills had broken him down to a crawl.  I sympathized with him, knowing
what lied in store for me.

My leg wasn’t much different.  I started off feeling optimistic.  I had
had a Red Bull and was feeling better.  I was able to run easy and
under control for 2.5 miles, until the thematic hills that
characterized my sections of the race where I had planned to walk
anyway.

It was humorous.  The team use to hand me water and then drive a mile,
then a half mile, then it was 10ths of a mile to almost a stones throw.
  Mercy!  My lungs and legs hurt, my heart was pounding out of my chest,
I wanted to laugh, cry, and collapse all at the same time.  I was done.
  The ice cold water form the cooler that I poured over myself every
other stop was nice, but it evaporated instantly.  I was walking at
just shy of 10K race effort.  If I even attempted to run it shot up
near 5K race effort.  That was scary.  That was dangerously scary.  We
were all feeling it.  About 2/3 the way into my leg the team told me
through the window that even if we wanted to we wouldn’t make the cut
off.  After each had an opportunity to run one more leg we were going
to pack it in.  I wanted to finish the leg I started… which took a long
time.

When I finished, Chris ran well for half his leg, looking nearly
un-phased, but then the second half started to take its toll, and Chris
was beat by the last 10th.  The rest of the team wisely passed on
running another leg.  We came.  We saw.  We gave it out best.  We were
done.  Let’s eat!

My part: 5.8 mi in 1:08:31 (11:48) at 75%AvgPE (about as fine a line as
dare walk, I mean run, okay walk in this case) [heat, humidity, hills,
exhaustion].

Lessons learned: Start smart, give it your best, and enjoy the ride
(literally… just kidding).  In time, we will all be able to work
through our emotions regarding this experience and probably find more
meaningful lessons learned and ideas for “a team” to keep in mind in
the future.

It was disappointing to experience my first DNF (did not finish) ever.
But I have no regrets.  The team was great.  We hung in there together
and did our best to support, encourage one another.  I feel we made the
right choice to stop.  I’m glad that no one got hurt, lost, or
something worse.  I’m taking away some great memories and some new
friends from this experience.

We drove to Bloomington to see teams finish, enjoy a massage, food,
drink, the pool, awards, etc.  I put on my MP3 player and fell asleep
somewhere en-route.  When I woke up we decided that the food wasn’t
going to be available at the finish for a few hours so we stopped at a
pizza place first.  Then during pizza we decided to skip the party all
together and just go home.  Yeah, that was best.

We got back to the cars, said our good byes, and went home.  As soon as
I got home I called my wife and hearing her voice brought my world back
into alignment, I let the dog out (my brother-in-law remembered to let
her out so no messes), I ate a sandwich and soaked in a bath.  Then I
went to bed.

36 hours with no real sleep.
24 hours with no real food.
159.6 +/- a few miles in brutal running conditions
50-60 bottles of water
24 bottles of Gatorade
6 Red Bulls
6 Sodas
Some cookies, (wet) turkey sandwiches, a bunch of bananas and a brownie
A few tanks of gas, and plenty of unpleasant aromas to last a lifetime
of torture <smile>
A pile of sweaty towels, socks, running close and shoes… oh, yea… we
runners, yeah we’re different!

Keep running (friends… I’m taking a break and doing a lot of thinking)…
- BK.

P.S. Yes, I said thinking T-H-I-N-K-I-N-G, not drinking <smile>.

The End (and I'm sure you are glad it is!)

[NOTE: Late minute update... our team captain was Awesome!  He was
extremely generous in volunteering the use of his van during this
WONDERFUL experience... sorry to hear it permanently smells like stinky
foot/shoe oder... it certainly is better than the liquid manure we had
the experience of smelling every other cornfield <smile>.  In all
seriousness, Chris was a great captain (other than the taunting of the
poor high school team at the starting line... hee... hee...).  I
personally appreciated him staying awake, and serving the team by
getting out of the car and encouraging us with water, ice, whatever we
needed the entire race and he kept a positive attitude about the whole
experience... now back to the story I was trying to tell <wink towards
Chris>...]

The end of Round 3 was a blur in my memory.  I remember a park, a drunk
guy asking us about our team name (“Lactic Jacks”) and thought we were
milkmen or something (you know lactose), and seeing the rival teams
setup with coolers of food, drink and a support crew, with mattresses
to lay down on in the back of a pick up truck and a van with a stove
cooking food, mmm…mmm…

I fell asleep (or into a trance) for about an hour waking up right as
the sun was coming up and Dave was finishing up his leg in some pretty
farm country.  I was about to puke as my stomach was getting really
worse.  I needed to a port-o-let soon.

We got to the exchange and I labored and gave birth to a mess in the
port-o-let and man did it feel good.  My stomach was so much better!  I
didn’t need to wear the sweaty head lamp nor the vest as it was light
enough out at this point in time.  I started my run with a pair of
stiff legs going up a long gradual hill.  Mercy!  The good news, my
stomach felt better.  The bad news is that I felt like I could have run
faster but I had labored so hard giving birth that I think I jerked a
knot in my intestines… I had a painful side stitch that lasted the
whole run.  That sucked.  Here I was getting a second wind, and I
couldn’t even run.  Any time I tried the side stitch would work and
drinking some Gatorade didn’t help it any.  That was disappointing.  I
also started to feel the physical warning signs that I was running too
hard.  Any time my HR would get above 80%PE my ribs would ache.  It
just isn’t healthy for anyone to run at that high a level of effort for
that long in such a short period of time, and yet we were trying to.
So I started wising up and listening to my body, and ignoring my desire
to want to push, and be a hero and run to unrealistic expectations I
had placed on myself.  It was time to pay the piper.

I came over the hill and saw the exchange and was delighted.  It was
sooner than I thought I would see it!  I saw a thermometer that read
80F ~6-7 AM.  Mercy!  The kick in the gut, is that I was under the
impression that I was running a 7 mile leg, it was only 4.9.  In other
words, I was surprised to finish as fast as I did for 7 miles, but
depressed at the thought that it was a time for a much shorter
distance.  Bummer!

At this point in time I really couldn’t tell how the rest of the team
was doing.  I was cooked.  I was going through the motions, trying to
be an encouragement and thinking about my wife and kids (gone for a
week already with another week to go), food (it had been too long for a
guy who eats constantly), sleep (it had been 24 hours) and a nice
shower (just a comfort I missed and longed for at this point in time).

My part: 4.9 (not 7.0) mi in 51:00 (10:42) at 70%Avg PE (yeah! An
“easy” effort… finally!) [heat, humidity, hills, and cramps].

Lessons learned: Listen to your “heart” (rate monitor), don’t push to
hard when you’ve got to go (hee… hee…) and look at the right distance
before you start (mercy!).


To be continued...

[NOTE: I had these written and intended to send them all together, but
Yahoo! won't let me send more than two per hour due to the size of the
distribution list... sorry. <smile>]

Round three was all done in the dark.  At this point we had broken the
other team enough that we had a lead on our visible rivals… for a
while.  This leg brought our for me the theme for my race… hill, hill,
hill and, oh yeah, “1 More Hill”!!!!!!!  I thought I was going to die.
This was the first leg I ran in the dark, with the reflector vest, and
the head lamp.  My leg had four brutal hills in the last 1.8 miles.  If
I didn’t have hands I would have thought the road in front of me would
have scraped the skin off my nose (hee… hee… gasp! Gasp! Heave!).  I
was hurting… I would run down the hill, start walking with hands on my
knees pushing with everything I had trying to get up the hills.  Every
few minutes I would cover the head lamp with my hand and look back to
look for my rival (I didn’t want him to see me looking back).  It
seemed like every time I started up he was just cresting the one behind
me… mercy!  Mommy!  I managed to hold in my cookies, hold off my rival
(barely) and suck enough wind to live to see another one.  Bottom line,
this was just flat our brutal, queasy stomach and all!  I was hungry,
but didn’t believe I could hold down anything, if I had anything, and
this was just getting miserable.  What an experience!

My team offered me some sympathy.  They were in the van that had to
work to get up those hills.  It was comforting.  (Thanks guys!)

The news didn’t get much better for us after this.  At this point we
were getting tired (i.e. sleepy) and we were not able to rest in the
car like we thought we could do with some effort.  Our eyes were
wondering, if we could keep them up at all, and we weren’t of sound
mind… I think the heat had cooked our brains.  Understandably, Ryan
missed a turn coming within a ¼ mile of the exchange.  We were all
brushing our teeth, licking our wounds, and resting when we realized
that he should have completed that last ¼ mile a while ago.  Something
was wrong. Chris and I jumped in the van and went looking.  20 mins and
miles later we decided to come back and see if he had shown up.  He
had!  So we all loaded up the van and went looking for Rachel… well we
couldn’t find her.  She missed a turn.  Everyone was trying their cell
phones to see which service had coverage (if any) and we eventually
after much driving, and panic found her.  Poor girl, had been running
quite a while and trying to stay up with another girl from another team
at too fast a pace just to run with someone (protection from dogs I
suspect… hee… hee…).

The bottom line is we lost about a 45 mins to an hour during all of
this.  It wasn’t Ryan’s or Rachel’s fault… it could have been any of
us.  We were just glad that we had everyone back together safely and
back on course.

My part: 3.8 mi in 35:15 (9:16) at 85%Avg PE (10 race perceived effort)
[heat, humidity, and those blasted hills].

Lessons learned: Think twice about doing a race like this again (just
kidding).  Use the two-way radios and stay in closer contact with your
runners at night (I had brought radios, we just didn’t remember to use
them).  Pack more food… because it was getting rougher, oh yeah, I
couldn’t have eaten anything if I wanted to, I was still feeling like I
was going to puke.

To be continued...

… we were on our way… to where?  We had no idea <grin>.  Round two was
similar to round one in how things played out with the other team.
They caught us, we played catch up, and passed them again when Bill
ran.  The only difference was that it was getting darker, it was
getting a bit hillier, and we were getting hungry.

For my leg, I knew I had to slow down, more importantly lower my heart
rate and control it better.  Running at 89%PE for the first (short) leg
was between 10K and 5K race effort… way too high for an ultra distance
race like this.  The lead my counterpart had from the other team was
slightly larger than last time and by the end of it he would have
gained back what I had gained last time and extended his lead by a
couple of minutes.  The first few miles I ran alone with on sign of my
team nor did I see any painted arrows on the street and I was beginning
to get nervous that I had possibly missed a turn.  Fortunately my team
came along and I could relax a bit and focus on my run.  From the start
of my leg my stomach was feeling queasy from pushing so hard in the
extreme heat and humidity on the first leg.  Basically, I felt I could
literally puke at any moment, especially if I pushed the effort any.
As I ran through the cornfields trying to control myself, I managed to
finish in a pool of sweat at the top of a brutal hill… later to become
a theme for me <sigh… hee… hee…>.  I tried running with my MP3 player,
but it was just too stinkin’ hot, humid with an occasional drizzle (I
think?) with my heart pounding out of my chest, my lungs gasping for
air, and my stomach heaving… I couldn’t enjoy the music so I handed it
back to the van and plodded along.

As Bill was running the last leg of this round for our team we stopped
in at the only gas station that we saw so far.  We filled up and bought
six 6-packs of water and some cookies.  Apparently it was odd to the
cashier seeing us late on a Saturday night buying 6-packs of water
verses beer (being a non-drinker it took me a while to understand the
oddity and humor myself)… he suspiciously asked us what was going on
and we told him.  He felt sorry for us; he had rode his bike in the
conditions earlier in the day and wouldn’t wish that on any one.  He
wished us luck and off we went.

My part: 6.7 mi in 51:39 (7:42) at 88%AvgPE (above 10K race perceived
effort) [heat, humidity, hills, stomach]

Lessons learned: It’s not fun running an ultra event when you start
with a queasy stomach, one because it just doesn’t feel good, and two
you can’t eat anything… if you could.  We didn’t see any of the food or
grocery stores on route that the packet said existed, so we didn’t
bring much, with the plan to grab stuff as we went along.  Therefore we
rationed a few bananas and turkey sandwiches that Ryan had packed.
Lastly, it felt good changing into dry clothes after each leg.

To be continued...

Dave: ran a strong 7:15 pace first leg a couple of minutes behind the
other team.  We should have caught on 15 mins into the race what to
expect (but of course we didn’t)—Dave was sweating like Niagara Falls.
It is safe to say here that the heat and humidity was brutal right from
the start.  A smarter team <smile> would have realized that a 7:30
target pace for the race was at this point not wise.  But since we
didn’t have much choice being that we picked such a late starting time
(and more realistically because we were caught up in the excitement and
competition of it all) we swallowed hook, line and sinker.  Chalk it up
to experiential learning.

I was next.  I ran with my heart rate monitor with the goal of running
about 78-80% effort, comparable to a hard marathon pace.  I had been
averaging around 25 mi/wk and had about 32 mi to run over the next 24
hours, so I figured this was a realistic goal.  Hee… hee… (sorry) here
is where things didn’t quite go as planned.  I was focused on keeping
the guy in front of me in site and ended up running a 7:00 pace at
89%PE for my first leg--way too fast, way too hard.  The conditions
were hot, humid, and plain brutal.  I definitely paid a price for going
out too hard on the first leg.

The trend continued.  Chris went out in a 6:47 pace for his leg,
sweating like a banshee as the other team continued to pull away.  Ryan
ran an 8:06 pace for what seemed to us the most grueling leg of the
race yet (mercy!).  Rachel ran a 7:34 paced leg and the other team was
not in sight.  Bill (our ace in the hole… targeting a 2:40 marathon
this fall) ran a blistering 6:35 leg in sweltering heat and I don’t
even know if he broke a sweat, but he not only caught the other team
but crushed (at least temporarily) the spirit of the other team as he
pulled away.

At the end of round one, we were hot, sweaty, and excited to have
pulled in front of the other team… we were on our way…

My part: 3.5 mi in 24:30 (7:00) at 89%AvgPE (btwn 5K and 10K race
perceived effort) [heat, humidity, bright light]

Lessons learned: Adjust your goal in extreme weather, run your own race
(it’s a long one), start slower than your target pace, don’t wear a hat
(a visor is wiser) and bring sunglasses when you are use to running
before the sun comes up… the sun is bright!… don’t talk smack? (hee…
hee…)

To be continued...

Slowly but surely I’ve recovered my sanity to write my account of the
Hoosier 200 miler Relay Race I ran this past weekend from Evansville,
IN to Bloomington, IN (sorta).  Yes, being of “sound” mind and body, I
consciously accepted an invitation to torture myself in an event like
this… with no regrets, I might add…

Our team’s rotation: Dave, BK, Chris, Ryan, Rachel and Bill.
Our goal: 203+ mi over 36 legs in under 25:00.

When you spend this much time together, a complete race report could
take forever to write and read, so I will keep it to a summary level,
highlighting some of the more memorable moments from my perspective
with an emphasis on my legs (since that’s what I ran).

I grabbed a Dunkin’ Donuts bagel and crème cheese and a small coffee on
the way over to Chris’ house.  We then drove to a location in KY where
we met the rest of the team and loaded up the van.  Off to Evansville,
IN we went.  We stopped ~12:00 CT for a dinner portion pasta lunch.
Little did we know that this would be our last meal… and by the way I
think the salad was the right choice over the black bean soup <smile>.
I had the salad <grin>.

I’ve known Chris and Dave for a few years from casual conversation at
local races (same AG) and from countless times passing each other at a
local running route on the weekends for years.  Chris knew Bill and
Dave.  Dave works with Rachel and Ryan is her brother.  That’s the
team.  The originator of the idea (who got a lot of verbal bashing
during our time together as an outlet for our emotional outbursts)
dropped out months before the race started, in fact before the team was
even finalized.  Chris asked if I’d be interested in running on the
team, and quite honestly, I was honored to be considered—I had always
wanted to try one of these type races but don’t know enough runners
serious enough (or crazy enough) to put a team together.

In short the race works like this… you pick a team rotation which you
must keep throughout the race.  You rotate running assignments over the
36 legs of varying distances and elevation changes until you finish.
The goal is to finish at 4:00 PM.  Finish outside +/- 1 hr and you get
a 1 hr penalty added to your time, outside of +/- 2 hrs you are “in
theory” disqualified.  The idea is to encourage teams to finish within
the same window of time, and allowing them to start based on their
ability and projected duration.

You could start as early as 6:00 AM on Saturday.  We started at 3:00 PM
with another team (more about them later <smile>) with one team
scheduled to start at 3:30 or 4:00 (?) PM.  We and the other team
starting at 3:00 were both ultra teams (6-person).  Overall there were
~30 teams competing in the race… 27 of them somewhere in front of us.

The team we were starting with was 5 high school cross country runners
and an assistant coach.  Our faithful captain started talking smack
with the other team right up to the start.  The pressure and game was
on!

To be continued...

Thanks Ohno!  I am also looking forward to participating in the
group again instead of lurking.

Rengaw

--- In CoachMadDogBytes@yahoogroups.com, "John" <ohnoohno1@y...>
wrote:
> Way to go and good to see you are back in the running again.
>
> John W.
>
>
> --- In CoachMadDogBytes@yahoogroups.com, rengaw99 <no_reply@y...>
wrote:
> > This is my third race in a month.  I have only been running on
the
> > weekends during that time period.  I have done no speedwork,
other
> > than racing, rather my focus right now is just to run when I
can.
> >
> > I ran a four mile race in late June in 36:51.  I hoped to
improve
> > that time a little.
> >
> > The race was fairly hilly and it seemed very humid to me.  I
warmed
> > up for about five minutes.  During the wamup I saw the oddest
> > thing.  I family of turkeys in the front yard of one of the
houses.
> > Weird.
> >
> > To the race:
> >
> > I ran the first mile in 9:09.  I felt pretty good but I went out
a
> > little fast in the first quarter mile or so.
> >
> > The second mile was in 9:22.  I started sweating a lot and it
felt
> > very humid.  I tried to focus just on my breathing and not
letting
> > it get to labored at this point because four miles is a long
race
> > for me right now.
> >
> > The third mile I ran in 9:23, the same pace as mile 2.  I still
felt
> > decent but I wondered if I could race any portion of the last
mile.
> >
> > I had driven part of the course on the way to the race and I
knew
> > about where the 3.5 mark was.  I thought I could race from
there.  I
> > tried to pick it up but I started feeling a little nauseous, so
I
> > eased back a little until I was closer to the finish.  I picked
up
> > the pace again about a quarter mile out and finished in 36:58.
9:04
> > for the last mile.  I usually can kick longer than that, but
again,
> > I am not in the shape I used to be in.
> >
> > Overall I am a little disappointed in my time not being faster
than
> > the last 4 miler but it was a tougher course in worse weather.
I am
> > glad I ran the race.  But running races always inspires me to
run
> > during the week!
> >
> > Rengaw

Way to go and good to see you are back in the running again.

John W.


--- In CoachMadDogBytes@yahoogroups.com, rengaw99 <no_reply@y...> wrote:
> This is my third race in a month.  I have only been running on the
> weekends during that time period.  I have done no speedwork, other
> than racing, rather my focus right now is just to run when I can.
>
> I ran a four mile race in late June in 36:51.  I hoped to improve
> that time a little.
>
> The race was fairly hilly and it seemed very humid to me.  I warmed
> up for about five minutes.  During the wamup I saw the oddest
> thing.  I family of turkeys in the front yard of one of the houses.
> Weird.
>
> To the race:
>
> I ran the first mile in 9:09.  I felt pretty good but I went out a
> little fast in the first quarter mile or so.
>
> The second mile was in 9:22.  I started sweating a lot and it felt
> very humid.  I tried to focus just on my breathing and not letting
> it get to labored at this point because four miles is a long race
> for me right now.
>
> The third mile I ran in 9:23, the same pace as mile 2.  I still felt
> decent but I wondered if I could race any portion of the last mile.
>
> I had driven part of the course on the way to the race and I knew
> about where the 3.5 mark was.  I thought I could race from there.  I
> tried to pick it up but I started feeling a little nauseous, so I
> eased back a little until I was closer to the finish.  I picked up
> the pace again about a quarter mile out and finished in 36:58.  9:04
> for the last mile.  I usually can kick longer than that, but again,
> I am not in the shape I used to be in.
>
> Overall I am a little disappointed in my time not being faster than
> the last 4 miler but it was a tougher course in worse weather.  I am
> glad I ran the race.  But running races always inspires me to run
> during the week!
>
> Rengaw

This is my third race in a month.  I have only been running on the
weekends during that time period.  I have done no speedwork, other
than racing, rather my focus right now is just to run when I can.

I ran a four mile race in late June in 36:51.  I hoped to improve
that time a little.

The race was fairly hilly and it seemed very humid to me.  I warmed
up for about five minutes.  During the wamup I saw the oddest
thing.  I family of turkeys in the front yard of one of the houses.
Weird.

To the race:

I ran the first mile in 9:09.  I felt pretty good but I went out a
little fast in the first quarter mile or so.

The second mile was in 9:22.  I started sweating a lot and it felt
very humid.  I tried to focus just on my breathing and not letting
it get to labored at this point because four miles is a long race
for me right now.

The third mile I ran in 9:23, the same pace as mile 2.  I still felt
decent but I wondered if I could race any portion of the last mile.

I had driven part of the course on the way to the race and I knew
about where the 3.5 mark was.  I thought I could race from there.  I
tried to pick it up but I started feeling a little nauseous, so I
eased back a little until I was closer to the finish.  I picked up
the pace again about a quarter mile out and finished in 36:58.  9:04
for the last mile.  I usually can kick longer than that, but again,
I am not in the shape I used to be in.

Overall I am a little disappointed in my time not being faster than
the last 4 miler but it was a tougher course in worse weather.  I am
glad I ran the race.  But running races always inspires me to run
during the week!

Rengaw

Short-term Goal ~ Peachtree Road Race 10K.
Long-term Goal ~ TBA.

Mon: Peachtree; Peachtree down / Piedmont back; 14 miles 1:42:18
(7:18) 68%PE; 73 w/100%, 73DP, 83FL, winds E @ 5. Stress factor –
none.

Tue: Trail Run; Kennesaw Mountain; 6 miles 46:42(7:47) 61%PE; 90
w/55%, 72DP, 101FL, winds N @ 6. Stress factor – none.

Wed: Revolver Circuit Training; The Hooch; 6.6 miles 47:14(7:09) 66%
PE; 79 w/73%, 70DP, 88FL, winds NE @ 5. Stress factor – none.

Thu: Easy Run; Fleet Feet; 7 miles 1:03:05(9:00) 53%PE; 77 w/73%,
68DP, 78FL, winds WNW @ 11. Stress factor – none.  W/Coach,  Suzanne
& Randy.

Fri: Dommy & Daddy Run; Neighborhood Loop; 4 miles 32:33(8:08) 64%
PE; 88 w/42%, 63DP, 93FL, winds N @ 9. Stress factor – none.

Sat: Inactive Rest.

Sun: Inactive Rest.

Maintenance Phase: 37.6 miles (910.8 YTD); 7:35avg. pace; 65%PE avg.
(Improved). Body weight 156lbs.

07/10 -> 11.1 mi @ 7:21 72%PE (169.5 lbs) 540.1 mi YTD
07/03 -> 27.0 mi @ 7:55 70%PE (168.5 lbs)
06/26 -> 24.0 mi @ 7:52 65%PE (168.5 lbs)

1 week - Hoosier 200 (Relay)
9 weeks - Midwest 10K Championships? (sub-40:00?)
10 weeks - USAF Half Marathon or Relay?

M - Planned rest... start of taper.

T - 3.0 mi in 23:17 (7:45) 63%PE. [none]

W - Planned rest.

H - 3.0 mi in 22:44 (7:34) 65%PE. [none]

F - Planned rest, although the amusement park, heat and concert took
its toll <smile>... got home late.

S - 5.1 mi in 35:44 (7:00) 82%PE. Was a bit stiff and tired when I woke
up, so I did some yoga and light stretching to losen up and get out
some of the kinks.  Ran a .5 mi w/u with Chris and Dave (fellow Lactic
Jacks) and talked about the upcoming Hoosier 200. Raced in the Beat the
Heat 5K in 19:44 (6:21) 92%PE 16OA/15M/3AG[42.9], 1.5 mi c/d.  I
3-peated in the Cinergy Challenge with my slowest combined time yet,
but I'll take it. [heat, stomach]

S - Planned rest. A little sore (quads) from race.

I was a little disappointed in my race.  I expected to do better than I
did but this time I didn't overcome the external factors... that's
okay.  I was excited about winning the AG award in the Cinergy
Challenge for the third year in a row, and even more so seeing my wife
win her first!

This was a big week to celebrate: our double victory, we paid off our
minivan, and my student loans all in one week!  So we went and got MP3
players for the both of us.

I've got the Hoosier 200.  I don't know if I'm ready (endurance-wise),
but I am excited and up for the challenge!  I can't wait.

Keep running (irregardless of less than desired race performances)...
- BK.

This morning's race was my seventh running of the Beat the Heat 5K.  It
is also my 5K PR course (18:55 in 2001) and the fourth race in the
annual Cinergy Challenge best 3 of 4 race series.

Originally my goal was to focus on speed work for the 5K this year and
try and break 18:00 (a very ambitious goal).  Then I caught the flu for
3-4 weeks.  Goal was revised to 18:30, then I started experiencing knee
problems so I adjusted to just winning the Cinergy Challenge and if I
broke 19:00 I would be extatic!

Well I 3-peated in the Cinergy Challenge this year (with my slowest
combined time yet) on a rough day for me.

My wife and I went out with friends (Randy and Michelle) to King's
Island for a concert fest and a few roller coasters in there (hee...
hee... ouch, ouch... man, I'm getting old).  It was a total blast but
my legs and feet were tired by the end of the night.  I was probably a
little hungry and under-hydrated too.  I had a light snack and tried to
sip some water on the drive home and before getting to bed late.

When I woke up in the morning my lower back was a little uncomfortable
(roller coasters) and I was feeling a little stiff... I did some yoga
and stretching to help loosen up (interupted by a few bathroom breaks
from something I ate at the park).

My wife and I drove to the race (5 mins from our house!) and knew
instantly it was going to be a hot one.  I made another potty break
(mercy!) and talked with two of the guys on the ultra relay team I'm
running on next weekend in a 200 mi relay race and ran a short warm-up
with them.

My goal was to try and run 6:10's for the first two and run a negative
split if possible.  The plan was to run behind guys that pass me almost
every 5K at mile 2-2.5 since they seem to run pretty even paces.  So I
ran right behind the one guy and one of my team mates (who beat me at
this race the pass two years right at the finish) came up beside me.
Odd... he said he was hoping just to break 20:00, and I was shooting
for 19:00, but the guy I was following (a typical 18:50 guy) was right
there????  Mile 1 = 5:56.6 84%AvgPE/91%MaxPE.

Oops.  Both of my planned pacing benchmarks were running faster than
expected... and therefore so was I.  (Bite me!)  Well during the second
mile I tried not to panic, just relax and start running my own race.
Well, nice thought.  The heat was taking its toll, my legs were
starting to fade in and out and my breathing was becoming more labored
and I was having an uneasy stomach (needed a pit stop).  Both of my
pacers were now running side by side (the 18:50 and the guy hoping to
break 20:00) and I kept them within reach running Mile 2 in 6:24.4
93%AvgPE/95%MaxPE.

At this point I was hurting and knew I was done, cooked, and just
wanting to finish (and under 20:00 hee... hee...).  My pacers continued
on and pulled away.  I was on my own now.  The heat had one in this
year's Beat the Heat.  Mile 3 was 6:41.3 96%AvgPE/98%MaxPE.  I wanted
to run faster and kick it in, but the HR was nearly maxed out it wasn't
going to happen.  I finished up with a 19:44 (6:21) 92%PE.

One of my pacers ran a 19:12 and took second in our AG, he beat me now
three years in a row.  A mutual friend of ours ran an 18:08 and won our
AG.  The cool thing the three of us represent 50% of the Lactic Jacks
ultra team in next weekends Hoosier 200.  An AG sweep!  Now lets set a
course record next weekend.

My wife won the Athena category in the Cinergy Challenge... her first!
She is geeked, and I am excited for her!!

Keep running (everyone)...
- BK.

Thanks Coach!  Looks like I made the right decision.  When I trained
for marathons I really focused on the running part of training and
really ignored learning about hydration and nutrition.

Rengaw

--- In CoachMadDogBytes@yahoogroups.com, "Jim Duguay"
<ManiacMutt@M...> wrote:
> Q: Is it a mistake to not take water in the last two miles?
> A:  Probably not.
> Q: Could it have helped my result or was it too late at that point?
> A:  Probably too Late.
>

Q: Is it a mistake to not take water in the last two miles?
A:  Probably not.
Q: Could it have helped my result or was it too late at that point?
A:  Probably too Late.

Inadequate hydration significantly impedes performance through a
variety of means, but most notably, low bodily fluids inhibit
performance by increasing heart rate, blood lactate, body
temperature and reaction time.

Hydration is a crucial part of all runs, and especially on race day.
Falling behind on hydration during a race by even a small degree can
affect your performance. Thirst is an unreliable indicator of your
hydration status. You are 2-3% dehydrated before you become thirsty
(7% dehydration can put you in the hospital). Also, you will stop
being thirsty before you are fully hydrated.

Pre-Race Recommendation:

Begin preparing for a race several days before the event. Drink
generous amounts of water throughout out the day. You know you are
drinking enough if you are frequently passing clear urine. Avoid
caffeine, which can dehydrate you, unless you are a regular user.
You should also avoid antihistamines such as Benadryl.
Antihistamines will decrease your ability to sweat and can cause you
to overheat.

On race day, drink 16oz, 2 hours before the race. This will give you
time to absorb the maximum amount you can and allow you to pass the
excess before race time. Practice hydrating this way before training
runs so you know how long your body takes to get rid of the excess
water. (You don't want a surprise at the start line.)

Immediately before the race, drink another 4-8oz of water if you can
tolerate the water in your stomach.

Race Recommendation:

Your goal is to drink every 15-20 minutes of a race. However, you
may not be able to tolerate this high an intake. In that case, just
drink what you can tolerate. You should also use carbohydrate drinks
rather than just water. It is important that you push yourself to
attempt to maintain good hydration. Good hydration can make a
critical difference in your performance. Remember that the weather
on race day will further affect your hydration needs. Hot or humid
conditions mean you will need more water.

Post-Race Recommendation:

After a race, you need to replace all the water you lost. Since your
body always loses some water in making urine, you actually have to
consume 50% more than you lost to get your body fluids back to pre-
race/run levels. You can calculate how much water you need to
consume based on how much weight you lost during the race/run (if
you were hydrating well, you did not lose weight). You need to drink
1.5 oz of water for every oz you lost. These calculations assume you
have a scale available and that you weighed yourself before the race.

Sodium is especially important in a post-race time period. You will
have lost a lot of sodium in your sweat. Sports drinks alone will
not be sufficient to replace your losses. You can supplement your
salt intake with salty foods (soups, pickles, pretzels, pizza,
cheese, processed meats) or by adding salt to your sports drink.
Having a higher salt content in the sports drink will also help your
body absorb the fluid better.

When you sweat, you lose sodium but you also lose potassium, calcium
and iron in small amounts. However, you don't need to supplement
them post-race. Your regular training diet will cover these losses.

Bottom Line ~ Practice to discover what works for you.
};9|

Love the graphic today!  Very good Coach : )  Looking forward to seeing
you tonight.

First, thanks to Coach and Jabber and the rest of the volunteers for
giving their time to allow the rest of us to enjoy the race.  I
always thank several of the volunteers at each race I do.

My hydration question.

As you know, it was hot and humid at the race.  I drank a half liter
of water before the race over the course of 30-40 minutes.  I took
water at each stop until after mile 4.  Knowing I would run the last
2 miles or so in about 19-20 minutes, and based on having read that
it takes the body 15 minutes to asorb 4 oz of water, I passed on
water because I would not be able to asorb enough water for it to
help me in the last part of the race.  That is, the time for me to
take water to help me in the race had passed.  Other than affecting
my recovery, is it a mistake to not take water in the last two
miles?  Could it have helped my result or was it too late at that
point?

My other reason for not taking water was I was starting to vurp
(burp vomit = vurp, sorry for being graphic), and I did not think my
stomach would tolerate more water.  It may be because the water I
already drank had not been absorbed.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Rengaw

To all the volunteers for this years Peachtree. This was the first
year that I could pay attention to all kinds of things during the
race, since I wasn't racing.

Made sure I thanked everyone I could . Of course, thanks to Coach,
Mary, Jack, Amy, Suzanne, Bev and Margaret (I saw her at a water stop).

Without the volunteers this race would be a mess and it would suck.

JabberDawg
God Bless America

07/03 -> 27.0 mi @ 7:55 70%PE (168.5 lbs) 529.0 mi YTD
06/26 -> 24.0 mi @ 7:52 65%PE (168.5 lbs)
06/19 -> 25.1 mi @ 7:34 68%PE (168.0 lbs)

1 week - Beat the Heat 5K (last race of Cinergy Challenge)
2 weeks - Hoosier 200 (Relay)
10 weeks - Midwest 10K Championships? (sub-40:00?)
11 weeks - USAF Half Marathon or Relay?

M - 4.0 mi in 31:27 (7:51) 60%PE. [none]

T - Inactive

W - 5.0 mi in 40:09 (8:02) 65%PE. [humidity]

H - 8.0 mi in 1:03:11 (7:53) 73%PE. [heat, humidity, spider webs]

F - Planned rest.

S - 10.0 mi in 1:09:21 (7:56) 75%PE. I ran 5.0 mi in 39:24 (7:52) 77%PE
when I woke up. It was a really humid morning.  After 6 hrs at the
soccer field I ran another 5.0 mi in 39:57 (7:59) 74%PE with less
humidity but higher temps.  Overall, I felt good about the double.  The
intent was to get an idea of what is to come with the Hoosier 200
coming up in two weeks.  The course I ran was gentle rolling hills, the
race will be lots of hills. [double, heat, humidity]

S - Planned rest. Finished my "Framework" self-assessment (doing all
the strength, balance and stretching tests). [none]

The highest mileage week of the year (until the Hoosier 200; hee...
hee...).  I will only run twice this week before the last 5K of the
Cinergy Challenge.  Then I will probably run 1-2 times next week just
to stay loose before the relay (30-40 mi).

What happens after the relay is still uncertain at this point in time,
other than I will start the Framework program and work on some weak
areas.  I will be vacationing and working on the basement pretty
heavilty the rest of the month too... so relaxing (or trying to) and
reading along with making progress.

Keep running (and enjoying your summer)...
- BK.

Coach~Thanks for posting the information.  God bless them for their
service and God Bless America.

Jabber