3 days till Heartland 50

Only 3 more days till I then we find out if it was enough to surpass last years time
of 9:38:20 for the 50. I got my 2 runs in for then weekend and they were only to be a
1.5 hour and a 1 hour run. But like last year I didn’t follow that either. I went ahead for the 2-10 mile runs and there’s not much difference in those either. Though my heals are very tight in the morning, I just have to be very careful in getting going. I don’t know what the deal is with that.

Thursday was an off day for my daughters volleyball game, which they lost they get a great lead and then they blow it by getting to confident. You can always tell when it’s going to happen they get that smile on there face and it’s over.

Friday was a 9 and Saturday was 10 and 10 for Sunday because I don’t think a extra 30 minutes is going to kill me. The wife can’t get that lucky!! Got some hot tub action for the Achilles and left leg and no I’d rather do Badwater before that. That I thought helped. But the heels were stiffer Sunday.

For the race I have a pair of everyday shoes (Asics) and 2 pair of (Asics) w/1700 and 800 miles on them and a pair of adidias with 800 also. Hmmm which one to pick to run in for the race. Planned on a new pair but not going to happen with a story about that, that is to long. Paranoia don’t know but there’s different aches this year and something is just not right. Though after 13 miles of the race I will have achieved one of the goals to break 2000 miles for the year.

Free State trail ultra race report

Here it is if you can stand to read these scattered thoughts and still trying to get pictures together for a pic video. Also is that a gooberish looking idiot below or what?

I have got to say it was everything I thought and expected from the race. The only exception was trying to find the start line the day before. Someone said it was at the marina in town and at the lake the employee’s said that’s what they heard, but were not sure. Driving around we saw nothing showing where to go for the start.

Though we did my dad and I looked at some of the course down in the bottoms in the tree line between the campgrounds and Clinton Lake. It was pure trail and one I thought was started by deer. There I knew it was going to be a challenging course plus wandering how I am I going to keep on the course and not get lost.

That night we went to Montana Mikes not really a carbo loading restaurant where I had a burger and fries thinking this is still not good. Filled up on that and went to the hotel for a 4:30 wake up. It was close to 10 pm and it was going to be an early morning we hit the sheets and it sounded like a rumble match above us. Still going as well as it ever had from stretching, knees, training, sleep and nutrition. It does not go right for me and the don’t try anything new on race day or the KISS rule apparently doesn’t apply here. Weather it is just stupid luck or plain determination I am not sure. I would go with the stupid luck.

The morning came I was ready in no time everything good to go. Drop bags set and he knowing which to have and were. There was no breakfast because there was not even at least no Mc D’s around. The trouble finding the race start was not a problem now as we followed the line of cars. Race check in found and done pictures taken from a couple websites and a couple of people I knew in the back of the crowd. Got our instructions at 5min before and as quick as that were off without that much of a grand and glorious start to the race. As they say to and this being only the 2nd ultra I’ve done that first step has been the longest stride. Once you get past that it gets easier the rest of the way, because I think the distance is all a mental thing being smart along the way and having fun. You’re usually out there with friends you didn’t know you had.

The first loop was a little rough and never having run here and it all being a hiking trail. I followed a pack that I though I could keep up with for awhile which I did then as time progress the pack started to break up. Then as I’ve seen you never really get ahead of one person or behind them because they’ll be running and you’ll be walkin or vise versa. I ran with a fast pack the first loop with a couple of guys that said they were going to go slow. I made it with them on the 1st loop in 3:55:00 a little faster than I wanted but I wasn’t feeling it. I did get some new clean socks, the others were wet and muddy from the previous 20 miles. The upper trails were great and dry but the lower were wet muddy and was not because of rain of late. I think in a few spots there were small springs making it really nice.

The second loop of 20 was just as fun as the first but I think some of the muddy parts were not so bad after 200 people tromped over it. Some though were worse going down one trail with a switchback left turn and going down a ravine you saw a little stream of water it was not raining. Also about 3 stream crossings which were pretty fun, really. Following a guy that said he was going to go slow the day before because of not enough training was going a pretty good clip, but I was keeping up. I even had a veggie / protein burger which was damned good. We were to only stop back at the start/finish line we said for 5 min and the 2nd loop ended in about 4:40:00.

The 3rd loop started with me changing blackened shoes and socks, legs cramping really bad I missed taking back off with them. I could hear thunder in the distance and got moving and kept it steady and slow and busted through about 7 miles with lighting and a light showers with a couple tornado sirens added in at the aide station they put a hold on race and pulling ones that wanted to be done I and another guy told them see ya and headed out before they got any bright ideas. We wanted to make 50 miles with a little help we got there at the next station avoiding a sheriff and ranger somehow Hmmmm. 3 behind us that passed us didn’t make it that far because they called the race and they were looking for everyone. We got to 52 mile aide station at 10:30:00 and had a burger coke and all the other goodies and were happy we got that far. I got back to the finish line to find I was about mid pack and predicted to be in at 13hr 30min to 14 hrs just before dark. For our efforts we did get a 40 mile finishers medal for 52 miles due to race being called for tornados and a second storm was coming. It was fun, muddy and a good time, will also do it again.

2 Days Good

So far after the weekend of the global warming blizzard that dumped all kinds of ice
and some snow. The weekend was not productive at all. I had a very good run on Monday with 13 in and under 2hrs surprising at that. The stretching must be coming along and I got to remember to do that next time after my runs. I’d be a lot further along than I am if I had. Now coming on to the last weekend to be able to get a long run in we have rain all week sprinkled through the days. Tuesday and Wednesday I was able to pull off a 10 miler and a 13.1 right on track of 1:35 and 1:58 and it didn’t take warming up to get there. It does need to get just a little warmer but now that I said that I’ve jinx it most likely will go overboard on that. 22 days left and a short run for today and 5 hr run with hopefully 30 miles within it also would be great and a nice confidence booster.

Not a good thing!!!

Yes I was hoping to get a 30 miler in on Saturday the 28th but someone wants to make it even more interesting. When we did and had a March snow storm with blizzard conditions with ice and snow for most of the day Fri and Sat. It was not a very good opportunity to get out for that last long run and the only one done for this race and the only one that was going to be able to do. This is now 3 weeks out and it’s not looking to good. It’s not going to be that spectacular of a finish but I’ll just be glad to finish. So as it goes I got confirmation of entry last night in an email. Snow storm Fri. and sat. Clean up of melted snow in basement from LEAK, part-time work for 4hrs and do the taxes. Three days gone with stretching and getting loosened up has been the main goal in these days of nothing. Got to get it this week this is the last chance ditch effort to get in that one more big week and 30 mile day. Because.

There are 2 finish lines and no quitting lines!!

It was a great run

Finally a great run and I can say on the mend. Taking nothing I took off
with my daughter as she's getting ready for track for a 2 mile run in which we did in 20 min and dropping her back at the house I did the rest of my 13 and some miles it was awesome. Where I normally do stretch a little I could get up on my own from a squat position and was now headed around the lake. Beautiful afternoon to alot of walkers and helping me to get a push off them to doing loops on the side roads and catching them again. I was only a mile slightly off pace and going. I believe I finally figured what the problem was with the knee's, thighs and legs. 2 weeks ago when it started I started to run this cut prairie field and that was it 3 miles a night on that is what did it. I may not get to free state and my not get to the spirit of the prairie the funds I have for one then none for SOP or not enough for SOP and in waiting to gather enough I may be out due to it being full up. DELIMA It you have 40 thats burning a hole in you pocket just let me know!

My race report for the Spirit of the Prairie Oct 11th 2008. It is one race that will not be forgotten for a long time. I heard and do now believe the there is an Ultra family togatherness that you just can't find at the smaller races. The post race meal with everyone. Being able to meet some of the people your running with and make a few new friends.Around 120 give or take some at the meal the night before. There was pasta, roast beef, cole slaw, homemade bread, salad and peach and blueberry cobbler.

Home bound one of very few that got to sleep in his own bed to wake up early for the 5 am check in. Even there everyone seeing were the other came from. Where I met a person from twitter and 2 bloggers that I've read. That was very different to see people that you have always read about right there.Race start I found a couple that were doing the 50 mile and from Wichita, Ks and hung back not to go out to fast. During the way met the director for the plains 100 and talked a bit. It was a good easy 5 mile an hr pace. Though the pack was getting spread out as time went on, but keeping distracted with a little commiserating the time and miles flew. Day break came and you couldn't get a better view. Passing the unmanned aide station and going to the manned one you had banana's potato's M&M's salt cheeseit's sports drink water goo's enduralight caplets cookies pretzel's PB&J and or just ask it might be there.

It was clear to see that if nature called there was respect given at anytime because it may be you later. Little after the 2nd aide station fill up of the camel back the first of 4 one shirt had to go. I was warming up getting warmer up to 80. My running weather but not others. I was doing quite well on the last leg to the turnaround feeling the wind picked up and would hit us for a good while coming back on that part I trained for that too. At the turnaround I left the running partner for a faster lonelier pace, against the wind was great and was still strong. I was pretty much alone out there couldn't see anyone then a red speck. So I went to a nice easy pace and never stopped to catch whoever it was. It was a little under 20 mile left when I got him. Stayed for a couple of miles till I figured I could possibly make it under 10 hours.At the unmanned stop I grabbed a glass or 2 of water and he said don't let me hold you up. I told him running off not to worry I wouldn't let him pass me.

13 to go an then the quick fill at the last full service aide station. 8.6 to go it was like 2 laps around the lake that's all I had to do. Just 2 training laps and it was done. A good short quick pace no stopping but it was getting tough out of water and salt the legs were going. Down the home stretch paved road to the finish where the wife was and daughter ringing the cow bell with others as we slowly came in. It was a finish of 9:38:20 for my first 50 miler. It was sweet so sweet and now seemed so easy. My mind can now be at ease from long ago and my reason is done, but I've found another! Find that reason!Looking now for that close 100k or 100 miler and yes I like to over do it!

I have a confirmed entry

My entry has been confirmed and I'm just waiting for the site to update. But just on there web packet was a couple of paragraphs that just make you think.

We at Kansas Ultrarunners’ Society (KUS) want to make this race a memorable and rewarding experience for each of you. Our goal is to help each of you to the finish line. The Heartland 50 is uniquely different from other 50 miles races. The openness of the course will present challenges you may not have faced in other races. William Least Heat-Moon in his book Prairy Erth may best describe the run you are about to undertake:

“There are several ways not to walk in the prairie, and one of them is with your eye on a far goal, because you then begin to believe you’re not closing the distance any more than you would with a mirage. My woodland sense of scale and time didn’t fit this country, and I started wondering whether I could reach the summit before dark. On the prairie, distance and the miles of air turn movement to stasis and openness to a wall, a thing as difficult to penetrate as dense forest. I was hiking in a chamber of absences where the near was the same as the far, and it seemed every
time I raised a step the earth rotated under me so that my foot fell just where it had lifted from. Limits and markers make travel possible for people: circumscribe our lines of sight and we can really get somewhere. Before me lay the Kansas of popular conception from Coronado on – that place you have to get through, that purgatory of mileage. Hiking in the woods allows a traveler to imagine comforting enclosures, one leading to the next, and the walker can possess those little encompassed spaces, but the prairie and plains permit no such possession. Whatever else prairie is – grass, sky, wind – it is most of all a paradigm of infinity, a clearing full of many things except boundaries, and its power comes from its apparent limitlessness; there is no such thing as a small prairie any more
than there is a little ocean, and the consequence of both is this challenge: try to take yourself seriously out here, you bipedal plodder, you complacent cartoon.”

Becca's Simply Stu World-wide Triathlon

From earlier in the year Becca wanted to Tri it.

It was to just to be a fun Tri. The Simply Stu World Wide Triathlon. She did very well better than I thought she would do. She thought not but do we ever any of us think we have don as well as we could have. But you know they never believe dad. I've tried to get her see iron wil, lisa, jesse and melanie as a role to motivate without pushing her into it. While showing you don't have to be big and burly. She just wants to run for herself not for school, just to be out there. The way it should be!!!!!

We had no pool to use so we substituted a 1/2 mile run instead for T1.


(3/25/07)
The T1 1/2 mile she had the determined look she was going to beat her time. As we went with a friend on 3/24/07 and she wanted more distance and a better time. We start going up a hill 2 1/2 blocks and levels out then back. Already worried about time I told her we'd make it up in the bike. Sprinting the last half block to the bikes.

The T2 10K Bike We go up the same hill then 2 more going north to the lake. We then went around the lake and were going pretty good we really hadn't worked on shifting and cadence. Then on the way back we got hit by the south winds on the back half of the lake. She I know was tired she seen the ironman 25 video on (quiting) no one will care, but you will always know will and that kept her going She wanted to shorten the mile at the end but she didn't want to cheat. As we got 4 blocks from home at the end of the bike she picked it up. In the yard and dumped the bikes.

T3 she really didn't want to do the 1 mile and I know she hurt she kept wanting time counts. As we still go up that same dreaded hill for the 3rd time. At the end time was 55:02 better than the 59:30 with 4 less miles on the bike Saturday. She had the dedication, and she had to see some results from other races and found she would have been in the top 10. Someone told her it was not a real Tri so she's not a triathlete yet. What do ya think??

She was tired but proud and excited. Not to say the least I was to. That was her first Tri and had a hope that it got the spark going.

The hope was good today on 3/26 when she said she was at school at lunch time and wanted to and wandered when she could do her next one.