Monday, October 27, 2014

The Knowledge Flows at Cactus Rose




I posted earlier on Facebook:
"this was my first time at cactus rose...even though i only did the 50, it was my first 50 miler. thank you for having this event. i learned soooo much from friends old and new and from having to do stuff on my own. i look forward to doing the 100 next year."

The Philosophical Rant:
Doing this 50 mile event (I don't call it a race because I didn't race it, I accomplished it), I learned much more than I thought I would learn. First, I learned that I have to overcome my lack of belief in myself. For example, I fully expected to complete the mileage, but I didn't expect to have this strange dual assessment that I both succeeded and failed simultaneously. I felt I succeeded at getting through the 50 miles relatively unscathed and not crawling or hallucinating towards the finish. I didn't even cuss out there (that much). So finishing fairly strongly was my success. My sense of failure was two-fold: 1. Why didn't I push harder to get a better time? and 2. Why didn't I just go for the 100 Mile distance? The whole night and morning of the race I felt relatively diminutive amongst giants and confident ultra runners all around me, both seasoned and unseasoned all going for the 100. It may not seem much, but to a competitive person like me, it really bothered me that I didn't sign up for the 100…but I knew I had to stick to my plan. I did. Today, I don't regret my decision to stay at 50 Miles.

But wait…there's more:

I learned to trust my training and what that level of training would allow me to accomplish. I stayed on the same effort level as my training, and I was able to finish stronger than I thought I would.

I learned that when you run countless miles during training and ultras, to keep drinking lots of water in between events. Kidney stones hurt. (That's what happened to me two weeks ago or waaay before, just didn't realize what it was).

I learned that hokas work. They absorb a lot of punishment and give you confidence to run on rocky parts of the trail. Thank you "pinche" Ben for introducing us to the joys of Hokas…Sami, chop him just once!!!

I learned that short quick steps thru the tough rocks is better than trying to carefully navigate around them. I actually increased my speed and saved some impact on my hips and knees. 

I learned that ice cold watermelon chunks are manna from heaven. Thank you Bill Ewton.

I learned just now that clipping toenails right after an ultra is not a great idea…toenails fall off nice and easy…and gross out your spouse.

I learned that I have not been drinking enough water during training. I forced myself to really drink a LOT of water and was able to survive the heat better. (2 liters of water every 5 miles out there).

I learned that nothing can really prepare you for the hills out at Bandera except the hills of Bandera. However, I think I have a great training idea that we flatlanders can use to mimic them.

I learned that the state natural area gets really spooky at night…best to have a pacer or other runners with you in the deep darkness.

I learned that ultra runners are cool people. I made new trail buddies out there who were willing to share knowledge and food.

I learned to just get out there and run.

I learned that deep tissue massage really works wonders. Thank you Kefah Keraro.

Finally I learned that in the complexity of it all, the training, the "racing", the planning, the dropbox loading, the preparations and executions, that the support of my kick-ass wife Kathy makes all this possible. I am an ultra runner because of her. Thanks, my love for letting me play (or as she puts it with a giggle, my midlife crisis).


Monday, April 21, 2014

Forced Against Running Temporarily

What's next? I think a nice break from ultras until summertime. Then it's time to prepare for the next big adventure: Cactus Rose 50 mile run in October. For now, Kefah has made for me a running plan to increase my speed. Let's see how it goes.


I find it interesting that I concluded with this in my last post "A Tale of Two Loops" a little over a month ago…I am now injured and not running at all. Forced to wait and see what happens next for me.
The injury? Unconfirmed pulled adductor muscles and abdominal muscles. This started waaay back in November at Wild Hare 25K trail race. I had tripped on a stump, but as I tripped, I tensed up my abs and adductors to prevent myself from face planting. This sudden contraction of muscles started the injury. I kept on training and running races including the McAllen marathon and Bandera 50K trail race. It was at Bandera that I tripped again. I tightened up my muscles again to prevent the face plant. I really felt the discomfort. I kept training for Nueces, and It was during the hillwork and speedwork that I started to feel the pains during the training and overnight as I slept. I ran Nueces without any major pain, but felt it after the race.

Then, I got my new speedwork/marathon training plan from Kefah. It includes lots of speedwork and tempo stuff that I never done before. After week two, the pain was too much. I stopped the plan and rested about 4 days. The weekend was too tempting and ran 12 miles for  the Relay for the Cure event. Immediately the next day, I ran at SC with the gang, but I was done. I couldn't do much with the adductor pain hurting me.

I finally went to the doctor's office last Monday, and set up an ultrasound for this week. Hopefully it is nothing major. This past week of not running has been torturous. The afternoons have been great weather for running. Today, I went walking. WALKING. With the Boston marathon happening today and the nice cloudy weather, it was very hard for me NOT to go running. My body felt like it never ran before and it's driving me crazy to read my friends posting their workouts.

It will be interesting to see what happens next for me...

Nueces 2014 - A Tale of Two Loops

So…Nueces 2014. The place where I ran my first trail race last year. Last year I ran 25K , so one of my two goals was to beat that time (3:40ish) on my first loop this year. My second goal was to beat Bandera's time of 7:12. So this is a tale of two loops.

Loop 1

I started out with my buddy Kyle and we managed to stay up towards to front of the group because last year we were in the back of the pack and it took a lot of energy to get around people.  We were doing fine and then I felt like we should push the pace a little more, so I said let's go! Kyle, Judy, and I went for it. We were really moving fast over rocks, up the hills, and so forth. Then again, like last year, I waited for Kyle at the Wall aid station, and as soon as Kyle got the chance, he booked it on me! But that was ok, I did my job of pushing him. I think he finished 10 minutes in front of me. He was doing the 25K. I made it in 2:52ish…waaaaaaaay ahead of my goal, so I relubed my toes, rested a bit, ate, and proceeded to loop 2 right at the 3 hour mark. Kyle went with me the first 100 yards. I told him I could finish in 6:30ish. And then…

Loop 2

It hit me! As soon as I ascended the first section of hill, my quads totally deflated and ached. Oh no! Should I just turn around and call it quits? The sun was out and bearing down already, so I knew the next 14 miles would be tough. I decided to keep on going, but I walked a lot. After about 2 miles, I got back into a jog. Took forever to get to the first aid station, but now I had my bucket hat on, so I dumped ice water in it and on my head to keep cool. This worked at the other two aid stations, too. But the heat of the sun got to me and I was getting really fatigued out there after the big incline. As I approached the last aid station, about 1/4 a mile from it, Kyle showed up and helped me run in the last 1 1/2 mile to the finish. I stopped and walked quite a bit, but noticed that I just might beat my Bandera time, so I kept pushing as much as I could…Got it! just under 7 hours at 6:59:50. But this loop was a tough run in the heat and sun. Almost 4 hours.

Nueces was great this year. Ran my second 50K and got to enjoy it with many of our RGV trail running friends including our newest members, Che and Lorri.

What's next? I think a nice break from ultras until summertime. Then it's time to prepare for the next big adventure: Cactus Rose 50 mile run in October. For now, Kefah has made for me a running plan to increase my speed. Let's see how it goes.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Big, Bad, Bandera

Big, Bad Bandera

First of all, to this South Texas boy, those are not hills-they are mountains….and I’m supposed to run up and down those? And run through arms of razor sharp, toothy cactus leaves? And bound through loose rocks? And then run over exploded, sharp rock fragments? For 31 miles? Oh hell no!

Not more than two months ago, the thought of running a 50k at Bandera was definitely not in my plans. I thought I should choose an easier course for my first 50K, but after completing my second marathon in December without being sore, I changed my mind. I decided to do Bandera 50K.

I knew from all the horror stories that this would be the toughest trail I would run.
Would I be able to conquer the sotol, the rocks, the steep climbs, slippery descents….and the unpredictable weather?


I decided I needed family support, so I dragged Kathy, Daniel, and Zara with me…to be honest, I brought them just in case I didn’t finish, or got really hurt out there..i didn’t want to be alone…plus I could maybe get Zara to run again cuz it would be “a fun, REAL trail for her.” She was third place and first girl. I overheard her tonight talking about cross country!



The Race
I decided to take the first 10 miles easy…and to stop at all aid stations for a few minutes to eat and drink and to simply just rest. That worked perfecty. I was able to follow a couple who had done this race 3 times before, so I just did what they did, slowed when they slowed, picked up pace when they did, walked when they walked. To be honest though, I was chomping at the bit to go faster. I finally went ahead of them and didn’t stray too far ahead for a mile…but soon, I heard them no more.


I didn’t anticipate so much flat areas of Texas hardpan trail, though, and the Solomon fellraisers felt like football cleats on those sections…a bit tough on the feet. But I didn’t complain because those shoes were awesome on the rocky and hilly sections. Oh and after ice cream hill, I thought I got lost in the sotol canyon cuz I didn’t see any tags anywhere…but I finally ran up on someone and it was cool.

Miles 10-15 I sped up too much (if 9:30 pace is too fast, lol) because I would feel it in the 22-26 mile loop up and down the 3 sisters.

 I don’t remember miles 15-20 except for the exploded rock section that I had to walk…too dangerous for my taste to twist or roll an ankle. Oh, now I remember…this was near the border of the park where I went off trail for half a mile. Oh, and it was getting hot. The sun was stinging now.


Miles 21-26, the small loop from crossroads back to itself, was tough. Those 3 sisters, or 3 whores as I call them, were motherflippers. Tough climbs and tough descents, but all I could say to myself was that when I reach the crossroads, I will have completed a marathon in this tough terrain. I got to crossroads, and super glad to see Ben, Laura, and Judy. I ran with them a little while, but felt like a third wheel, so I just pressed onward ahead of them.

Miles 26-31 were my “bonus” miles in my mind. I just coasted through them for a while, but then I heard some watosas coming up behind me talking about shopping and crap. (This brought a bad memory of Nueces last year when a couple of those gueras passed my ass pretty easily while chit-chatting about shopping and crap.) UGH. So I decided I better pick this pace up, sucka! I did. And dusted them for a while.

Then I remembered, oh crap…Lucky Peak is coming up! And I reached it…it seemed halfway up as I was laughing to myself, that I was not gaining any ground, lol! Until I heard those chicks behind me again…at the base of the climb. I am NOT getting’ chicked on this damn mountain! I rushed up the last part and moved as quickly down the other side as fast as I could.

I reached the last half mile and there was David. Chingg…telling me to hurry up. I yelled at him that this is all I’ve got. True, I was tired, and I couldn’t run faster. I saw Kyle around the corner and he said “you got this”…I sprinted to the last stretch where my son Daniel and Zara awaited. Oh crap, I’m choking up with tears. They ran with me through the finish! Best finish ever!


I have to admit feeling strong going into Bandera having done two marathons, wild hare, and a couple of shorter races ( a 10k and 5K) mixed in…plus serious training this time with more hill repeats and tempo/pace running gave me confidence that I would not bonk at mile 20ish. I got tired, but I didn’t bonk. I ate a gel every hour, took my S-cap every hour, kept sipping on water, ate pbj ‘s and bananas at every aid station, rested 3-4 minutes and kept on going.



The scenery was magnificent and I made myself stop and take a look around...i really wasn’t in a hurry until the latter miles when I wanted to finish under 8 hours. Bandera is a gorgeous place and tough terrain but well worth the effort. Please run this race next year! I am glad a lot of us went!!

My next step is to do only 50K and up at these races (ayy, muy chingon, que no?)…travel cost is expensive and I need to make these “runcations” worth the expense.
Bandera Profile


Nueces 50K race is next.