Training Log Archive: Wyatt

Event: Ugly Mudder, 7 mile trail run
 

Before/after the Ugly Mudder. Some pre-race announcments: "Trail running always carries an extra element of risk. I think we have reach the pinnacle..." "While I hope you all make it through this race unharmed, I am not naive..."

I didn't see any really severe injuries, but there were lots of bruises and large abrasions from falls onto the snow. I only fell once, and that was mostly under control to slide past someone, and a managed to hit a rock with my foot, stand up, and keep running at the bottom of the fall, which made it look more controlled that it was... :)

Near the end there was one long downhill where a pack of about 7 of us where pushing hard down, and then in front of me, people kept slipping off the the side, or almost falling and then going more cautiously. I was even a little off balance at times, but spiked O' shoes did pretty well. Most of that pack was quite close at the bottom, but then when we went back uphilll there were a couple of sections (following streamers through light-medium green) where the ice was slippery even in spikes. At one point, Vadim stopped me from sliding back and I managed to regain momentum by really watching my footing and trying to step just uphill of where the bush stems were coming out of the snow. Apparently that section was the nemesis of most of the pack behind us, as they lost many more seconds on us there. Only one stayed in sight behind us by 5 minutes later, and then one more long uphill slowed him enough that Vadim & I were free of that pack and pursuing one more guy in front.

The ground was such hard icy snow, that you'd be hard pressed to say which trail 630 people had just run on, and which trail no one had just run on. Footprints from a single hiker a few days ago when it was slushy were _way_ more visible.

Vadim took off in the lead pack, me in 50th, and I slowly moved my way up. I kept Vadim in sight most of the time - probably he was a max. of ~75 meters ahead. About mile 2, Vadim was hurting, and managed to pass him. I thought he was going to continue to hurt, but he apparently kept right on me, as when I was getting passed by folks at mile 4, I turned around and saw him right there. We pushed hard, and on the down/up hill section we broke away from most of the tougher pack. I managed to hold ahead of Vadim for 5 miles, but never very far ahead - he seemed to be willing to push himself to run my pace, but no harder. At the base of Mt. Mud, Vadim managed to climb faster than I, and pulled 6 seconds ahead at the finish. I thought we were about 20th place, but apparently we managed 7th and 8th of 630.

HR was highest in 2nd 10 minute period, averaging about 178. Perhaps a little too high as I had a really hard time pushing as hard after that. Last 10 minutes averaged about 171. Either that or just had motivational difficulties. Although I don't think so. I was a bit naseuated on parts of the last mile, which I think means I wasn't being _too_ wimpy...

O'training on snow/ice - took it easy due to race tomorrrow. Very nice of Sandy to set up some real O' training. Plan to focus on a) reading the control descriptions (and #'s) and b) using my compass, next weekend.

Crusty snow. Shoe-check for Sunday. Reglued Integrator spikes had great traction on the snow/ice, but the left shoe was pushing too hard on the big to so I swapped that for a purple shoe. I may end up with that purple shoe plus the right VJ integrator as a new "pair".

Angelica has a cold, bad enough she could run at all yesterady. She may recover in time for the Ugly Mudder, but will I get sick?

C • Take more Vitamin-C (like 2-3g... 4

2 * mile, alone, on streets, distance by GPS. Max HR sucks - I'm not pushing well alone.

Track was mixture of wet, slushy, and crusty snow, so did intervals on roads instead.

Target was 90 minutes, but did a bit more. Pace was pretty slow on last 2/3rds. With Angelica. Slushy conditions caused some slippage.

2x10 minute surges

Mostly paved roads - loop from home. Hard to paint many more streets in a ~30 minute run. Thus starts a 'rest' week with 6-hr. of training planned.