Ask anyone around and they’ll tell you I’m a reader. I’ve an entire room devoted to books. In a large house this would be no big thing, but in our small 1600 square foot, 7 room house, it’s a serious commitment to institute a library. In my library are several shelves devoted to training and fitness. I’ve read everything and I do mean everything available about distance running, the marathon, nutrition, the runners body, etc... Some of the books have been wonderful gems of information, some are better suited for the ‘que as kindling. There are hundreds of books out there about distance running and optimal training - so when I began my ultra running research I figured it would be relatively easy to find some valid information. Uh huh…. That the library doesn’t even recognize ultra-running as a subject should have been my first warning. Next stop on the research train was Barnes & Noble online. Check their marathon running category and you come up with over 100 titles. Try ultra running or ultra marathons and you come up with 7, 3 of which have nothing to do with ultra running, 2 of which are over 20 years old and out of print. Yes, this was going to take a little more digging. Hours and hours later I found some tasty tidbits via running blogs and running times. I am honestly surprised at the lack of information out there in the middle of this information age. Ultra-running is a bit of a middle finger to the boon of distance running as an everyman sport. It’s the underground rave world of running. This both excites me and scares me. And as I start this project I am as under-prepared as I’ve ever been in terms of research. Somehow though, my nerves are steady and I have confidence that I can not only find some relative and relevant information, but even if I do not - that I can make it through a 50 mile run. It’s a little like a kindergardener’s confidence when they barrel through the doors of learning - all boundless energy and optimism. My training week bolstered this, and I was able to complete all my boxes.
The week was not without struggle however. My hips - both of them - have been pesky lately. This is not a pain I’m used to experiencing and it’s quite uncomfortable. In addition, I had a bit of a bug, slight fever, bad headaches S/Tue - but nothing to X a workout over. So on Wednesday night I jumped into a 4 mile race in Forest Park for my “speed” work, and it was rough. After the first minute I felt like my legs were cement. When I hit the first mile marker in 7:18 I was dumbfounded; my body certainly FELT like it was working much harder than this. I should’ve been hitting that marker a good 45 seconds earlier. I took a deep breath and soldiered on, knowing it was going to be an embarrassingly slow speed-workout for me. I hit the remaining 3 markers in 7:16, 7:18, and 7:01 respectively. In the end, after crossing the finish line almost 3 minutes slower than anticipated, I was actually glad to have the experience in the bank, and hopefully I’ll be able to watch my fitness grow as the weeks progress. This race also serves as a remarkable reminder of my age. I’m by no means an old timer but spring chicken doesn’t ring so true anymore either…. These are the moments when you realize: you’re not invincible youth anymore. I can’t just go out there and rip off fast miles without real preparation in every way. From my sleep numbers to my food input, it all matters now. It reminded me of the need to focus on all of the variables and centered my drive to do just that. The week ended with a peaceful 9 mile run in the park, a perfect way to end an imperfect week of running.
Miles Run: 40 + 1 Hour Swimming + 1 Hour Resistance Training
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