In two days, it will be a new year, with new goals, new experiences, and (of course) renewed hope that I can make myself into a respectable blogger!
A couple of weeks ago, I committed myself to the looming task of tackling a 50 mile trail run in Northern Wisconsin. The Ice Age Trail 50 will be run Saturday, May 11th. The race actually sold out in under 3 days! I'm very excited not only to run this race, but to see how my body adjusts and evolves into being a ultra marathon runner!
Given the insane amount of running required to train for this event, I'm reducing the amount of weightlifting throughout the week. Speaking of weightlifting....
I just set a personal flat bench press p.r. of 260# !!!! It's the heaviest I've ever been able to press and, to be honest, I'm been riding a tsunami of self satisfaction all week! The pr came after running a fast 6 miles on the treadmill, so I'd like to think I could even hit 265#.
So, summing it up and closing with a commitment: I will be running 50 miles in 20 weeks. I've set the goal at finishing in 9 hrs (or less). I'm also committing myself to posting once a week (likely on Sundays) what my running (and lifting?) week has looked like, as well as what interesting photos I can take along the trails.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Race Report - Steelhead 70.3 Half Ironman (Benton Harbor, MI) 08/19/2012
We are IRONMEN (...and women)!!! This past weekend, my wife, myself and a Missouri man and his fiancé completed our next tier of endurance sport - the Half Iron Man! This will certainly be my longest post to date, which is not surprising considering it is my longest race to date (second place goes to the 32 miler I ran in June, that one clocked in at roughly 5hrs28mins). So, grab some snacks, pull up a chair and enjoy my FIRST ever Race Report for a Half Iron Man!
The Lead Up
Friday
Planning for a relaxing day before our race, Annie and I arrived at our "Home-Away" home Friday around 3pm, leaving us just enough time to unload our bikes and bags, reload ourselves back into the car and drive to packet pickup at Jean Klock Park. Jean Klock Park would also be homebase for the race Sunday, so packet pickup provided our first glimpse at the destiny we had invested so many hours and dollars into.
Registration was a breeze. Out of the 1500 registered competitors, 150 showed up Friday to pick up their packets, resulting in absolutely no waiting in line. The volunteers were mostly retired residents of St. Joe and the surrounding community and were incredibly positive and helpful. We were surprised, though, at the lack of goodies in our goody bag! The bag was of high quality material and is sure to last, but we were bummed to discover that along with our t-shirt and bib numbers, the only give away was a washer detergent... for cleaning your washer. Really???
There were also an incredibly small number of vender tents set up selling their wares, far different from the cornucopia of venders and samples that assault the senses at half/full marathon pickups. Regardless, we walked the lane of vendors and sampled some of the "bonk breaker" bars that would be available throughout the course (delicious, but pricey).
Finally, we risked jinxing ourselves and took some pictures by the finish line before heading out to grab a pizza down in St. Joe with the couple we would be staying with.
Annie was particularly photogenic that day :)
Saturday
The next morning we slept in...till 7am St Louis time (8am their time). I made a huge fruit smoothie using some fresh peaches, old bananas and preservative-packed OJ. Following a smoothie and some coffee, we were ready to try wearing wetsuits for the first time! Lake Michigan was an absolutely perfect temperature and, after kicking around in the water for 30 minutes, we felt as prepared as we were going to be for the 1.2 mile swim the next morning. I should probably mention that this would be our very first triathlon, as well as the first time we've had to swim in open water.
"Banana Peeling" our way out of our suits and drying off, we made our way to the body marking station and had our race numbers marked on both arms, then our age by the end of the year written on the back of one leg. These would be our badges of honor over the weekend and have the added benefit of acting as a very effective sunblock. We won't be forgetting these numbers any time soon, as the pale skin that was exposed beneath the ink following a long shower Sunday evening showed that we will be branded until we either get back in the sun or our present tan fades away. Oh the memories!
We headed back home (35 minutes) to tune up our bikes one last time and take them for a brief test ride. Thank you Alpine Shop (http://www.alpineshop.com/) for your free bike maintenance class, as I had no problem tweaking the brakes and gears to offer smooth braking and shifting on both bikes. After much debate, we also decided it would be best to drop our bikes off the night before so we could take the shuttle to the start the next morning. Parking was roughly a mile away and not checking your bike the night before translated into having to bike ALL of your stuff into the transition area from the parking lot. Not worth the hassle. We loaded BACK into the car, bikes in tow and drove (35 minute) back to Jean Klock Park.
We were definitely ready to hit the hay, but first needed to carb up! Our good friend Nathan gifted us some delicious heart shaped pasta the week before, so we boiled it up while our friends cooked some chicken and we had a delicious dinner in no time, rounded out by a large bowl of fresh greens. At 8pm Benton Harbor time, it was time to close up shop and hit the hay. Tomorrow was the big day!
RACE DAY
Pre-race
BEEP BEEP BEEP It was 3:50am, but race day was here. Countless hours of training, countable dollars of gear, all leading up to this one day. Turning off the alarm, we rose with purpose in our minds and hopefully strength in our bodies. I had my usual race morning breakfast - a fast cup of coffee and a pb&honey sandwich - but decided to add a peach for the extra boost I assumed the HIM would require. Annie chose to follow suit, sans peach but adding a banana. Finished my morning ritual (runners will understand), packed the car, took a deep breath and started the drive (35 mins) to the race. WAIT - I FORGOT TO GRAB MY SAMMICHES! Turned around, ran inside and grabbed the two pb&honey sandwiches I had made that morning to eat in transition. Okay, off we go....
We were early enough to be in the first wave of athletes to stage their gear, so we had plenty of time to methodically organize exactly how we wanted to set up our gear for our transition. A HUGE thank you goes out to my mom for buying my the GYST BP2 I used in transition. It kept things simple and clean. The nerves were starting to kick in, so I played an encore to the port-a-potty before hitting the beach with Annie, carrying our wetsuits the 1.2 miles down to the swim start.
Before and After of Annie's transition
Swim (36min 49sec)
We watched the pro's go, then wave after wave of age groupers before it was finally Annie's turn to put all of her training to use. The blow horn sounded and, without hesitation, she bounded into the water. Due to the recent drought and high temps in MI, the lake was at a record low so she actually had to run 30-40 yards through the water before it was finally deep enough to start swimming. From that point on, she blended into a sea of swimmers and it was time for me to start mentally focusing. I was the final wave of the day.
The entire time training, I had planned on starting in the very back and walking in to allow enough space for my newbie self to be safe from the other, more experienced triathletes. However, all that changed when I felt that eternal flame of competition first ignite, then swell inside of me. No, I would not be in the back of the pack today. Instead, I would place myself in the second row behind the start line. Far enough away not to risk over confidence, but close enough to strike! The horn sounded and one single purposed mass of 25-29 year old men swarmed into the inviting 67 degree waters of Lake Michigan. My race had begun.
Hands occasionally touched feet in the beginning, but the rhythm of the stroke-stroke-stroke-breath-stroke-stroke-stroke-breath fell into place and, minus a few drifts uncomfortably far from the buoys and an unfortunate arm-pitting of one man's face, my first open water swim exceeded everything I had hoped for. I felt great. I had no idea how far or for how long I had been swimming when I sighted the red buoy. I wasn't sure if it was marking the halfway point or end since my goggles had a light fog that prevented me from seeing any type of distance in detail. It turned out to be the ending buoy, signalling the swimmers to turn in and begin their amphibious assault towards T1. Running up the beach, a huge grin stretched out across my face. The race had started and I was in it!
T1 (7mins 10secs)
Slowing as I entered transition, I quickly found my transition point. A competitor I had talked to earlier arrived at nearly the same time and took his time ensuring everything was ready for the bike portion. Taking a cue from him, I removed my wetsuit, thoroughly dried what I could (I had worn my bike shorts and shirt under the wetsuit) and donned my socks and sneakers for the bike. Yes, you read that right. I did not have clipless pedals, nor did I have clip-in pedals. I would be biking with flat pedals wearing sneakers. Aerobars? What aerobars? My Fuji rides just fine with the bars it came with ;) Slapping on my helmet and shoving pb&honey into my mouth, I made my way out of transition.
Bike (3hrs 6mins 5secs)
The bike started fast and on pavement. I had set a goal of hitting an avg of 18mph and the speed I was hitting early on made that goal seem like a bar set low. Channeling the advice I had picked up a few days earlier, I kept my effort level flat so as not to burn out on the bike and planned to go negative split. That would all change as we turned right and transitioned from smooth, paved speed to country road. Not smooth. Not paved. Definitely not easy speed. Pumping the pedals, I made the conscious decision that, come bumps, cracks, and gravel, I would hit 18mph. My ego was inflating as I passed bikes that were worth easily double, triple, etc. what I had paid for mine. Yes, I belonged here. I was doing well. All that quickly deflated when I was passed around mile 10. The overweight guy I had noticed in my wave? He was now to my left. Not only was he now to my left, but yelling at me, "I BET YOUR GONNA GO A LOT FASTER NOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN PASSED BY A FAT GUY!!!" While my senses reeled to absorb everything that had just happened, he dissapeared ahead of me, a sizable blip blending into the horizon. I mended my ego with soft condolences and promises that yes, I would go a lot faster and make sure I caught him on the run!
This was my first organized ride, having aid stations along the way to refuel and re-energize riders. Finding the proper compromise between pace and safety when grabbing bottles, gel and food was found quickly, as the first volunteer was unfortunate enough to be sacrificed for my learning curve, nearly loosing a hand as we contacted on the bottle exchange. Slower exchanges would be the rule from that point on. Somewhere near the halfway point, a major hiccup occurred. Shifting to a lower gear, I heard ka-chunk. My chain had fallen off. I hopped quickly off the bike and tried to slap the chain back into place. Ka-chunk. I tried again. Ka-chunk. This wasn't going to work. I stopped, stood up and took a deep breath, calming the adrenaline that had been flowing since my wave had hit the water, and mentally coached myself to calmly put the chain back on. I put the chain back on.
In total, there were 4 aid stations. I cruised through 3 of them, grabbing a full gatorade at each and making sure it was empty by the next station. I wore a 2L hydration pack on my back and was sure to compliment my gatorade intake with lots of water. Towards the end of the bike, my side started to feel tight and the mixture of sugar, energy gels and liquid felt to be reaching a tipping point. The fourth station was skipped and I started to grind out the last few miles.
Rounding the final curve, I check my watch. AVG SPEED = 18 MPH.
T2 (5min 37sec)
Hopping off the bike and slowly jogging it in, I had two very pressing things on my mind: change my clothes and relieve the 4 liters of water and gatorade I had consumed in the last 3 hours. Having opted to not wear a tri-suit, I wrapped myself up in a large beach towel, exchanged bike shorts for running shorts, slipped on my trusty running shoes (kudos Big River Running - http://www.bigriverrunning.com/) and walked the 10 feet to the port-o-potty. When I finished I was ready to run. WAIT - MY SAMMICH! I grabbed my final pb&honey and headed toward the transition exit shoveling the rare bit of solid food in my mouth. I spotted a sunblock station and sacrificed a minute to prevent melanoma before heading out on my run.
Run (1hr 57mins 18secs)
There always seems to be an extra bit of inertia in the legs after a long bike ride, as if the blood in your bike muscles needs to be re-routed to fuel the run muscles. However, this time seemed to be different. My legs felt GREAT. In fact, my whole body felt great. I had to mentally coach myself to slow down - 7:45min/miles was not how I should start out, no matter how great I felt. Pulling back on the pace, I started hitting my new default, 8:45min/miles. Since cramping is such a problem for me, I had decided to stop at every aid station, walk and gulp down at least 1 cup gatorade 1 cup water, more if I felt I needed it. Around the 5 mile mark, I saw my wife. Or I should say, she heard me! She turned around after hearing me talking to another running and I sped up to meet her. Running the numbers, I had expected to meet her a little earlier given our training speeds, but sure enough she had also found another gear and had really blown away the swim and the bike. We ran/walked together for a few minutes and then I was off again, hitting just under 9 minute miles.
It was incredible how great the run felt. I almost felt remorse at having not pushed harder on the bike, but then, climbing up for the second time that day a vicious hill at mile 9, the inside of the legs started to cramp. I immediately stopped, stretched and started again. No way was I going to cramp while the rest of me was feeling this good. At the next station, I grabbed a banana, two gatorades and two waters. I repeated the grab at the next station. The cramping had passed and I was home free. I dialed the pace up and decided to really nail the last 1.5 miles. Aid station? Nah, I don't need that last one, I've got this. 1 mile out I was hit by a sudden, explosive cramp on both hamstrings. Paralized, I Frankensteined to the side and desperately stretched the cramp out. Would I be forced to walk the last mile and miss my goal time? Just as the cramp was entering the land of bearable, a runner I had passed earlier yelled out to me, "Come on man, I know your cramping but you can do this. Think you can run the last mile with me?" It was just the extra push into accountability I needed. I finished the last mile in 8min 40secs, crossing the finish line in under 6 hrs.
TOTAL: 5 hrs 52mins 59secs
The Lead Up
Friday
Planning for a relaxing day before our race, Annie and I arrived at our "Home-Away" home Friday around 3pm, leaving us just enough time to unload our bikes and bags, reload ourselves back into the car and drive to packet pickup at Jean Klock Park. Jean Klock Park would also be homebase for the race Sunday, so packet pickup provided our first glimpse at the destiny we had invested so many hours and dollars into.
Registration was a breeze. Out of the 1500 registered competitors, 150 showed up Friday to pick up their packets, resulting in absolutely no waiting in line. The volunteers were mostly retired residents of St. Joe and the surrounding community and were incredibly positive and helpful. We were surprised, though, at the lack of goodies in our goody bag! The bag was of high quality material and is sure to last, but we were bummed to discover that along with our t-shirt and bib numbers, the only give away was a washer detergent... for cleaning your washer. Really???
There were also an incredibly small number of vender tents set up selling their wares, far different from the cornucopia of venders and samples that assault the senses at half/full marathon pickups. Regardless, we walked the lane of vendors and sampled some of the "bonk breaker" bars that would be available throughout the course (delicious, but pricey).
Finally, we risked jinxing ourselves and took some pictures by the finish line before heading out to grab a pizza down in St. Joe with the couple we would be staying with.
 |
| Outside of packet pick-up in Jean Klock park |
 |
| Finisher Shirts! |
 |
| The Finish Line |
Annie was particularly photogenic that day :)
Saturday
The next morning we slept in...till 7am St Louis time (8am their time). I made a huge fruit smoothie using some fresh peaches, old bananas and preservative-packed OJ. Following a smoothie and some coffee, we were ready to try wearing wetsuits for the first time! Lake Michigan was an absolutely perfect temperature and, after kicking around in the water for 30 minutes, we felt as prepared as we were going to be for the 1.2 mile swim the next morning. I should probably mention that this would be our very first triathlon, as well as the first time we've had to swim in open water.
"Banana Peeling" our way out of our suits and drying off, we made our way to the body marking station and had our race numbers marked on both arms, then our age by the end of the year written on the back of one leg. These would be our badges of honor over the weekend and have the added benefit of acting as a very effective sunblock. We won't be forgetting these numbers any time soon, as the pale skin that was exposed beneath the ink following a long shower Sunday evening showed that we will be branded until we either get back in the sun or our present tan fades away. Oh the memories!
We headed back home (35 minutes) to tune up our bikes one last time and take them for a brief test ride. Thank you Alpine Shop (http://www.alpineshop.com/) for your free bike maintenance class, as I had no problem tweaking the brakes and gears to offer smooth braking and shifting on both bikes. After much debate, we also decided it would be best to drop our bikes off the night before so we could take the shuttle to the start the next morning. Parking was roughly a mile away and not checking your bike the night before translated into having to bike ALL of your stuff into the transition area from the parking lot. Not worth the hassle. We loaded BACK into the car, bikes in tow and drove (35 minute) back to Jean Klock Park.
We were definitely ready to hit the hay, but first needed to carb up! Our good friend Nathan gifted us some delicious heart shaped pasta the week before, so we boiled it up while our friends cooked some chicken and we had a delicious dinner in no time, rounded out by a large bowl of fresh greens. At 8pm Benton Harbor time, it was time to close up shop and hit the hay. Tomorrow was the big day!
 |
| Looks like a pro! |
 |
| Halfway there... |
 |
| I'm ready! |
 |
| Race Number 1230 |
 |
| Race Number 539 |
 |
| Carb'n up |
 | |||
| Thanks Nathan! |
RACE DAY
Pre-race
BEEP BEEP BEEP It was 3:50am, but race day was here. Countless hours of training, countable dollars of gear, all leading up to this one day. Turning off the alarm, we rose with purpose in our minds and hopefully strength in our bodies. I had my usual race morning breakfast - a fast cup of coffee and a pb&honey sandwich - but decided to add a peach for the extra boost I assumed the HIM would require. Annie chose to follow suit, sans peach but adding a banana. Finished my morning ritual (runners will understand), packed the car, took a deep breath and started the drive (35 mins) to the race. WAIT - I FORGOT TO GRAB MY SAMMICHES! Turned around, ran inside and grabbed the two pb&honey sandwiches I had made that morning to eat in transition. Okay, off we go....
We were early enough to be in the first wave of athletes to stage their gear, so we had plenty of time to methodically organize exactly how we wanted to set up our gear for our transition. A HUGE thank you goes out to my mom for buying my the GYST BP2 I used in transition. It kept things simple and clean. The nerves were starting to kick in, so I played an encore to the port-a-potty before hitting the beach with Annie, carrying our wetsuits the 1.2 miles down to the swim start.
 |
| Everything I took with me (minus the bike of course) |
 |
| Here we go... |
Before and After of my transition
Swim (36min 49sec)
We watched the pro's go, then wave after wave of age groupers before it was finally Annie's turn to put all of her training to use. The blow horn sounded and, without hesitation, she bounded into the water. Due to the recent drought and high temps in MI, the lake was at a record low so she actually had to run 30-40 yards through the water before it was finally deep enough to start swimming. From that point on, she blended into a sea of swimmers and it was time for me to start mentally focusing. I was the final wave of the day.
The entire time training, I had planned on starting in the very back and walking in to allow enough space for my newbie self to be safe from the other, more experienced triathletes. However, all that changed when I felt that eternal flame of competition first ignite, then swell inside of me. No, I would not be in the back of the pack today. Instead, I would place myself in the second row behind the start line. Far enough away not to risk over confidence, but close enough to strike! The horn sounded and one single purposed mass of 25-29 year old men swarmed into the inviting 67 degree waters of Lake Michigan. My race had begun.
Hands occasionally touched feet in the beginning, but the rhythm of the stroke-stroke-stroke-breath-stroke-stroke-stroke-breath fell into place and, minus a few drifts uncomfortably far from the buoys and an unfortunate arm-pitting of one man's face, my first open water swim exceeded everything I had hoped for. I felt great. I had no idea how far or for how long I had been swimming when I sighted the red buoy. I wasn't sure if it was marking the halfway point or end since my goggles had a light fog that prevented me from seeing any type of distance in detail. It turned out to be the ending buoy, signalling the swimmers to turn in and begin their amphibious assault towards T1. Running up the beach, a huge grin stretched out across my face. The race had started and I was in it!
T1 (7mins 10secs)
Slowing as I entered transition, I quickly found my transition point. A competitor I had talked to earlier arrived at nearly the same time and took his time ensuring everything was ready for the bike portion. Taking a cue from him, I removed my wetsuit, thoroughly dried what I could (I had worn my bike shorts and shirt under the wetsuit) and donned my socks and sneakers for the bike. Yes, you read that right. I did not have clipless pedals, nor did I have clip-in pedals. I would be biking with flat pedals wearing sneakers. Aerobars? What aerobars? My Fuji rides just fine with the bars it came with ;) Slapping on my helmet and shoving pb&honey into my mouth, I made my way out of transition.
Bike (3hrs 6mins 5secs)
The bike started fast and on pavement. I had set a goal of hitting an avg of 18mph and the speed I was hitting early on made that goal seem like a bar set low. Channeling the advice I had picked up a few days earlier, I kept my effort level flat so as not to burn out on the bike and planned to go negative split. That would all change as we turned right and transitioned from smooth, paved speed to country road. Not smooth. Not paved. Definitely not easy speed. Pumping the pedals, I made the conscious decision that, come bumps, cracks, and gravel, I would hit 18mph. My ego was inflating as I passed bikes that were worth easily double, triple, etc. what I had paid for mine. Yes, I belonged here. I was doing well. All that quickly deflated when I was passed around mile 10. The overweight guy I had noticed in my wave? He was now to my left. Not only was he now to my left, but yelling at me, "I BET YOUR GONNA GO A LOT FASTER NOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN PASSED BY A FAT GUY!!!" While my senses reeled to absorb everything that had just happened, he dissapeared ahead of me, a sizable blip blending into the horizon. I mended my ego with soft condolences and promises that yes, I would go a lot faster and make sure I caught him on the run!
This was my first organized ride, having aid stations along the way to refuel and re-energize riders. Finding the proper compromise between pace and safety when grabbing bottles, gel and food was found quickly, as the first volunteer was unfortunate enough to be sacrificed for my learning curve, nearly loosing a hand as we contacted on the bottle exchange. Slower exchanges would be the rule from that point on. Somewhere near the halfway point, a major hiccup occurred. Shifting to a lower gear, I heard ka-chunk. My chain had fallen off. I hopped quickly off the bike and tried to slap the chain back into place. Ka-chunk. I tried again. Ka-chunk. This wasn't going to work. I stopped, stood up and took a deep breath, calming the adrenaline that had been flowing since my wave had hit the water, and mentally coached myself to calmly put the chain back on. I put the chain back on.
In total, there were 4 aid stations. I cruised through 3 of them, grabbing a full gatorade at each and making sure it was empty by the next station. I wore a 2L hydration pack on my back and was sure to compliment my gatorade intake with lots of water. Towards the end of the bike, my side started to feel tight and the mixture of sugar, energy gels and liquid felt to be reaching a tipping point. The fourth station was skipped and I started to grind out the last few miles.
Rounding the final curve, I check my watch. AVG SPEED = 18 MPH.
T2 (5min 37sec)
Hopping off the bike and slowly jogging it in, I had two very pressing things on my mind: change my clothes and relieve the 4 liters of water and gatorade I had consumed in the last 3 hours. Having opted to not wear a tri-suit, I wrapped myself up in a large beach towel, exchanged bike shorts for running shorts, slipped on my trusty running shoes (kudos Big River Running - http://www.bigriverrunning.com/) and walked the 10 feet to the port-o-potty. When I finished I was ready to run. WAIT - MY SAMMICH! I grabbed my final pb&honey and headed toward the transition exit shoveling the rare bit of solid food in my mouth. I spotted a sunblock station and sacrificed a minute to prevent melanoma before heading out on my run.
Run (1hr 57mins 18secs)
There always seems to be an extra bit of inertia in the legs after a long bike ride, as if the blood in your bike muscles needs to be re-routed to fuel the run muscles. However, this time seemed to be different. My legs felt GREAT. In fact, my whole body felt great. I had to mentally coach myself to slow down - 7:45min/miles was not how I should start out, no matter how great I felt. Pulling back on the pace, I started hitting my new default, 8:45min/miles. Since cramping is such a problem for me, I had decided to stop at every aid station, walk and gulp down at least 1 cup gatorade 1 cup water, more if I felt I needed it. Around the 5 mile mark, I saw my wife. Or I should say, she heard me! She turned around after hearing me talking to another running and I sped up to meet her. Running the numbers, I had expected to meet her a little earlier given our training speeds, but sure enough she had also found another gear and had really blown away the swim and the bike. We ran/walked together for a few minutes and then I was off again, hitting just under 9 minute miles.
It was incredible how great the run felt. I almost felt remorse at having not pushed harder on the bike, but then, climbing up for the second time that day a vicious hill at mile 9, the inside of the legs started to cramp. I immediately stopped, stretched and started again. No way was I going to cramp while the rest of me was feeling this good. At the next station, I grabbed a banana, two gatorades and two waters. I repeated the grab at the next station. The cramping had passed and I was home free. I dialed the pace up and decided to really nail the last 1.5 miles. Aid station? Nah, I don't need that last one, I've got this. 1 mile out I was hit by a sudden, explosive cramp on both hamstrings. Paralized, I Frankensteined to the side and desperately stretched the cramp out. Would I be forced to walk the last mile and miss my goal time? Just as the cramp was entering the land of bearable, a runner I had passed earlier yelled out to me, "Come on man, I know your cramping but you can do this. Think you can run the last mile with me?" It was just the extra push into accountability I needed. I finished the last mile in 8min 40secs, crossing the finish line in under 6 hrs.
TOTAL: 5 hrs 52mins 59secs
 |
| 5 minutes after finishing |
 |
| The Iron Couple! |
 |
| The Iron Crew |
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Long delay...preview of what's to come
Wow ... I really underestimated how much time it took to actually blog! Well, it's been a very eventful week; I ran 32 miles in roughly 5 1/2 hours (complete with sprained tendon), had a few great bike rides (complete with crash) and conquered a brand new running trail! I'll slowly be uploading maps, reviews and stories in the following few days!
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Chubb Trail (West Tyson County Park / Lone Elk Park)
Chubb Trail may very well be the best trail run I have ever experienced in the St. Louis area. It may also be the worst.
Thursday was a day... that shall live... in infamy. My wife, a friend and I embarked after work to experience this popular mountain biking and trail running destination. The confusion in driving to the actual trail was par for the course, as it took us roughly 40 minutes to make it from downtown St. Louis to the West Tyson County Park (traffic, road closures, and a quick reminder from local law enforce that even adults have to follow "right turn only" lanes).
After taking I-44 exit 266 (Lewis Road Exit), we turned right at the stop sign. The sign to the right of the road for West Tyson Park is easily missed, so stay keen! We agreed in advance that this would be a "BYOP" run, ie "Bring your own pace!" so I embarked on this journey alone. The Chubb Trail marker is a blue tree and it unfortunately took me several miles to figure this important piece of information out.
Runner beware - the first mile of the Chubb Trail offers many opportunities to get turned around, confused and filled with doubt. Fear not, you will survive so long as you follow one simple rule:
Keep. Running.
Also, a word of advice: the "switchback" for this trail is easily overlooked! There is a small sign with a u-turn symbol, stating "Switchback" in blue. This sign is intended to convey a sense of understanding that one should immediately turn a hard left and ascend up the trail running parallel (but in reverse) to the one you were just on. This was information hard learned.
The first 3 miles of Chubb Trail (starting at West Tyson) offers a gauntlet of technical climbs and drops, complete with exposed roots and pitted sedimentary rock outcropping. The trail varied from wide track to single track within this zone.
Leaving behind the technical section, there is a railroad crossing (stop-look-listen!) serving as a gateway to a far mellower, soft, flat section of Chubb. The trail then comes to a fork; continuing forward leads to a "Low Water Section" following a mostly dry creek bed, while cutting to the right will lead to a nice prairie. I was still in a state of confusion at this point and ended up taking the "Low Water Section." DO NOT TAKE THE "LOW WATER SECTION." Does running next to a creek bed sound scenic? Why yes, of course it does. Does battling vicious horseflies for at least 3 miles, then waking up the next morning covered in poison ivy sound romantic? No, no it does not. Nor does it feel romantic. Again, DO NOT TAKE THE LOW WATER SECTION!
A second railroad crossing leads to an open trail that looks like it is was originally intended to be driven on. From this point on, it is pretty easy going, minus one last climb. The last climb offers one last hurrah to your heart rate, as it is long and fairly steep. There are not banners of congratulations at the end, though, just an opening to the large parking area used to access the trail head from Lone Elk Park. Turn around and enjoy the 7 miles you now get to run back ;)
All in all, an incredibly fulfilling run. I completed the 14 miles (+ some extra for getting lost at first) in a little over two hours and made it back to the car just in time for sunset. The memory of the trail will unfortunately be forever marred by the epic battle of the horseflies through the Low Water Section (don't take!), as well as the full body armor of poison ivy rash I am currently battling.
Spottings:
8 deer (7 doe, 1 buck)
1 raccoon
1 fox
LOTS of squirrels and rabbits
Lessons Learned:
-Always wear bug spray
-Bring a map
-Poison Ivy still exists...perhaps short shorts and a tank wasn't the best choice.
I will be back, Chubb Trail, stronger and with less exposed skin!
GORC Trailmap of Chubb
Thursday was a day... that shall live... in infamy. My wife, a friend and I embarked after work to experience this popular mountain biking and trail running destination. The confusion in driving to the actual trail was par for the course, as it took us roughly 40 minutes to make it from downtown St. Louis to the West Tyson County Park (traffic, road closures, and a quick reminder from local law enforce that even adults have to follow "right turn only" lanes).
After taking I-44 exit 266 (Lewis Road Exit), we turned right at the stop sign. The sign to the right of the road for West Tyson Park is easily missed, so stay keen! We agreed in advance that this would be a "BYOP" run, ie "Bring your own pace!" so I embarked on this journey alone. The Chubb Trail marker is a blue tree and it unfortunately took me several miles to figure this important piece of information out.
Runner beware - the first mile of the Chubb Trail offers many opportunities to get turned around, confused and filled with doubt. Fear not, you will survive so long as you follow one simple rule:
Keep. Running.
Also, a word of advice: the "switchback" for this trail is easily overlooked! There is a small sign with a u-turn symbol, stating "Switchback" in blue. This sign is intended to convey a sense of understanding that one should immediately turn a hard left and ascend up the trail running parallel (but in reverse) to the one you were just on. This was information hard learned.
The first 3 miles of Chubb Trail (starting at West Tyson) offers a gauntlet of technical climbs and drops, complete with exposed roots and pitted sedimentary rock outcropping. The trail varied from wide track to single track within this zone.
Leaving behind the technical section, there is a railroad crossing (stop-look-listen!) serving as a gateway to a far mellower, soft, flat section of Chubb. The trail then comes to a fork; continuing forward leads to a "Low Water Section" following a mostly dry creek bed, while cutting to the right will lead to a nice prairie. I was still in a state of confusion at this point and ended up taking the "Low Water Section." DO NOT TAKE THE "LOW WATER SECTION." Does running next to a creek bed sound scenic? Why yes, of course it does. Does battling vicious horseflies for at least 3 miles, then waking up the next morning covered in poison ivy sound romantic? No, no it does not. Nor does it feel romantic. Again, DO NOT TAKE THE LOW WATER SECTION!
A second railroad crossing leads to an open trail that looks like it is was originally intended to be driven on. From this point on, it is pretty easy going, minus one last climb. The last climb offers one last hurrah to your heart rate, as it is long and fairly steep. There are not banners of congratulations at the end, though, just an opening to the large parking area used to access the trail head from Lone Elk Park. Turn around and enjoy the 7 miles you now get to run back ;)
All in all, an incredibly fulfilling run. I completed the 14 miles (+ some extra for getting lost at first) in a little over two hours and made it back to the car just in time for sunset. The memory of the trail will unfortunately be forever marred by the epic battle of the horseflies through the Low Water Section (don't take!), as well as the full body armor of poison ivy rash I am currently battling.
Spottings:
8 deer (7 doe, 1 buck)
1 raccoon
1 fox
LOTS of squirrels and rabbits
Lessons Learned:
-Always wear bug spray
-Bring a map
-Poison Ivy still exists...perhaps short shorts and a tank wasn't the best choice.
I will be back, Chubb Trail, stronger and with less exposed skin!
GORC Trailmap of Chubb
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Well, Chubb Trail has officially been added to the cutting block. I had intended to run it (as a down and back, total mileage: 14) Monday for my long run but Mother Nature chose, egregiously, to interfere with said plans and I was sentenced to run 10 miles at my local YMCA. After setting the incline to 1 degree and treating myself to the rarity of headphones+music, I was able to knock the run out in 81 minutes, closing the last mile out in under 7:30... not bad.
So, the Monday call went,"YMCA, Chubb Trail on deck and Lewis & Clark Trail in the hole." I'll spare you the high intensity dot that would be the GPS of my Y run!
So, the Monday call went,"YMCA, Chubb Trail on deck and Lewis & Clark Trail in the hole." I'll spare you the high intensity dot that would be the GPS of my Y run!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Castlewood 10 miler (2012_05_28)
Madison County Trail (Illinois)
Great 56 mile bike ride Sunday, May 29th. The trail was absolutely beautiful, passing mostly under cool trees and occasionally over creeks beds. A peaceful escape for someone seeking a long ride without the continuous hassle of traffic lights, cars and crowds.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Mississippi River Trail to MCT Confluence Trail (and back!)
Sunday was both Mother's Day and EPIC Bike Ride Day! Many remembered to honor the former, few observed the latter. We were that lucky few.
The Mississippi River Trailhead is located just East of Morgan Street on the Landing. We chose to park for free at the casino, but were almost instantly approached by a guard asking if we were guests at the hotel (I think the bike rack gave us away). One white lie later, we had unloaded our bikes and were heading to the trailhead. When we arrived at the trailhead, my wife was having some issues with her seat. Not to worry - Midwest hospitality runs deep and we were able to borrow an allen key from a great couple unloading their recumbent bikes to hit the trail. They even let her take one of the recumbents for a spin while I fixed up the bike seat. Soon we were tuned up and ready to hit the trail.
The first few miles of the trail leave you second-guessing your decision to take this particular trail. Do not worry, the sites will improve and Missouri's (and western Illinois') natural beauty will come shining through in clear detail. Not to say there weren't curiosities along the opening miles; there was a two story hobo-hut, a now bulldozed homeless village and a very friendly reststop complete with canned water and mostly full portopotties.
Once you've passed the industrial zone, you'll enter into nature. The trail is incredibly well maintained and offers wonderful views of colorful, wild fields, the gently rolling Mississippi river, wild turkeys, snakes (!) and other little critters venturing out. On a sunny day, it is a great way to reconnect with something deeper and experience some recreational exercise at the same time.
After passing over the Chain of Rocks bridge, we followed a country road hoping to connect to the MCT Confluence Trail. Passing over a metal bridge of questionable integrity, we were relieved to see a trail map indicating we were on the right path. Hanging a sharp left and following another country road, we were spit out into a construction zone that led up to the trail. Unfortunately, this section of the trail was gravel, leading to some members of the ride questioning the decision to continue. Alas, this was EPIC Bike Ride Day and we persevered. After a couple of "will this tire pop" miles, we were finally able to hop onto a paved section of the trail. The rest of the MCT was absolutely beautiful, the only sound other than nature being the steady hum of the wheel spinning across the asphalt.
I will absolutely be doing this ride again. The only negatives from this trail were the two road crossings on the MRT and the 2-3 miles of blockades/roadcrossings on the MCT (I'm definitely not complaining though). Oh, total mileage: ~55 miles. Nicknames bestowed: 3 (Lazer, Snake and Chain).
Whoaa - two weeks and no posts?!?! I am not taking my new found, late 20's duty of blogging very seriously. It's been an interesting past two weeks for both personal and training/running/biking reasons. I'll be sure to update this blog later tonight in more detail, but I'll simply outline a couple of the fun activities I've been up to.
The month of March opened up with my very first obstacle/adventure run: Ruckus Run! I placed in the top 10% and qualified to run the whole thing a SECOND TIME later that day. Suffice it to say I felt worse at the end of that second run than I did the last 10K of my first marathon last year. Rough!
This past Sunday, I had a "big ride" bug biting me all week that was finally actualized in the form of a 55 mile bike ride from St Louis to Alton, starting at the Mississippi River Trail. It was an absolutely gorgeous ride. We took our time and made room in the schedule for several breaks, along with a short lunch (of trail mix and granola bars!) in Alton. The overall time came out around 6 hrs, but accounting for all the break I'd say we were closer to 4.5 hrs.
More to come tonight!
The month of March opened up with my very first obstacle/adventure run: Ruckus Run! I placed in the top 10% and qualified to run the whole thing a SECOND TIME later that day. Suffice it to say I felt worse at the end of that second run than I did the last 10K of my first marathon last year. Rough!
This past Sunday, I had a "big ride" bug biting me all week that was finally actualized in the form of a 55 mile bike ride from St Louis to Alton, starting at the Mississippi River Trail. It was an absolutely gorgeous ride. We took our time and made room in the schedule for several breaks, along with a short lunch (of trail mix and granola bars!) in Alton. The overall time came out around 6 hrs, but accounting for all the break I'd say we were closer to 4.5 hrs.
More to come tonight!
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Looking out of the window with disappointment at the miserable, wet weather, I've committed myself to uploaded some great St. Louis trail runs this morning to distract me from having to bike at the Y this afternoon instead of taking a long Mississippi River ride I was hoping for.
Last night we were blasted by some very severe weather, complete with tornado, golf ball (and larger) sized hail and flood-level downpour. Here's a picture I took showing the size of the hail relative to a nickel:
That weather has passed but we are now left with the afterglow of periodic showers throughout the day. Fortunately, I was able to sneak in a trip to Castlewood State Park before yesterday's storm and knock out a 6 miler through the trails with my dog.
The trail run was my first unorganized, true trail run. There was no event, no pack of people to follow, I didn't even run it with a partner! Compounding the ambiguity was the decision to not plan a route or even check a map - I.just.ran. Having hiked and ran a few races through Castlewood in the past, I felt confident I wouldn't get lost and had a general idea of where I wanted to go. The former held true, yet the latter proved far more capricious. The first mile (and last) was marked by a full foot submersion trail crossing (much to the pooch's delight), and there were two major climbs that rewarding with a beautiful scenic view of the Meramec river.
All in all, a GREAT trail run. I'm looking forward to bringing the wife with me now that I've worked out the kinks and have found a route with just the right mix trail (1 part climb, 2 parts flat, + some wet surprises)! Check out the trail tab above to see the map and elevation diagram of the run!
Last night we were blasted by some very severe weather, complete with tornado, golf ball (and larger) sized hail and flood-level downpour. Here's a picture I took showing the size of the hail relative to a nickel:
The trail run was my first unorganized, true trail run. There was no event, no pack of people to follow, I didn't even run it with a partner! Compounding the ambiguity was the decision to not plan a route or even check a map - I.just.ran. Having hiked and ran a few races through Castlewood in the past, I felt confident I wouldn't get lost and had a general idea of where I wanted to go. The former held true, yet the latter proved far more capricious. The first mile (and last) was marked by a full foot submersion trail crossing (much to the pooch's delight), and there were two major climbs that rewarding with a beautiful scenic view of the Meramec river.
All in all, a GREAT trail run. I'm looking forward to bringing the wife with me now that I've worked out the kinks and have found a route with just the right mix trail (1 part climb, 2 parts flat, + some wet surprises)! Check out the trail tab above to see the map and elevation diagram of the run!
Monday, April 23, 2012
The first stroke of the pen or strike of the keyboard always seems to carry the largest amount of inertial impedance, so I will haphazardly embark on this adventure of a blog with a brief entry outlining my expectations. I will be uploading lots of great running routes, recipes and reviews in the coming days/weeks/months/years(?) and am optimistic that I will figure out how to customize this page into something resembling an organized collection of thoughts and interests. This is my first blog after all, which I feel is a rite of passage for transitioning into the late 20-something crowd.
Be sure to check out my "About Me" for a clearer perspective on what to expect out of my corner of the internets!
Be sure to check out my "About Me" for a clearer perspective on what to expect out of my corner of the internets!
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