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September 25, 2005
Vermont 50k Update
Wednesday's Official Day Off
On Wednesday my legs were feeling heavy and I had a ton of work to do after school. I coached the middle level team and set up a fun scavenger hunt for them. I then decided to take the remainder of the day off. It felt nice to do nothing and not worry about it.
Thursday's 3 miler and 6 mile evening run with friends
On Thursday I ran three miles with the girls team. We ran the Copley loop very easy. I then met up with my friend Jenn and Sarah and did the usual Thursday night 6 mile loop. I actually felt pretty good and attributed it to the day off on Wednesday.
Friday's easy 6 mile Fitzgerald Loop
On Friday I took it easy and ran 6 miles easy with my friend Sarah. I ran during my lunch break which was so nice. I felt pretty good and ran nice and easy. When we finished we did a little bit of core body and called it a day. In the evening we went to Johnson State College and met with an execise physiologist. The entire girls and boys team went and had a chance to have their form analyzed. It was really educational. Mark then had a VO2 max test done with everyone watching. I felt badly for him. It was brutal. He had to start at 6 minute pace and every minute they increased the grade 1%. He made it to a 10% grade and finished with a V02 max score of 75.6 which is an the ball court for an elite runner, they are usually between 70-90 for men. He was pretty beat following that activity.
Saturday's Day off and Trip to the Manchester Invitational
On Saturday we took two of our top runners to the Manchester Invitational. They were both scheduled to be in the same race and took off together in the elite race. At the 1/2 mile mark only one runner appeared. It turns out that one of the runners stepped on her team mates shoe and she did not have enough time to put it on and get back into her position. She was really upset but since she had only run 400 meters we were able to enter her in the next large school race as an individual. The runner who finished the race ran 19:29 and finished 3rd. When the second runner finished her race she came in third as well and ran 19:25. We wondered how they would have done had they both had each other to push in the same race. I took the day off from running myself and made an effort not to run around too much during the day. After the meet Mark and I drove to the Ascutney Mountain Lodge to get my race number. We then met our friend Judy at the hotel and got some dinner in Woodstock, which is a very cute touristy Vermont town.
Sunday's 50k
We had to be at the start of the 50k at 5:45 a.m. for a pre-race meeting and our race actually began at 6:35 a.m. The mountain bikers racing the 50 mile race who were riding one speeds started at 6:15 and other mountain bikers started at 6:25. The 50k and 50 mile racers started together. The first four miles of the race are relatively flat and fast. They are on dirt roads and flat for the first three miles. I knew I was running too fast a half mile into the race because my quad was already tight and cramping up. I looked down and realized my shoe was tied very loosely and I was waiting until the pace settled to stop and tie it more tightly. I was running with a pack of four runners. One of the runners, Deb Livingston is a runner from CT who I know who is very talented and was entered in the 50 mile. She reminded me of myself when I am feeling fit and confident. She was talking a mile a minute and it seemed like a piece of cake for her. Another runner was running her first ultra race and seemed to be very comfortable. And the third runner was a Montrail girl who I did not know. I figured I was in good company.
At this point the pace seemed fast and I doubted I would maintain that pace. My quads felt heavy and I did not feel very fresh. I actually considered turning around and calling it a day after four miles. But I knew I could not do that. I decided no matter what I had to finish this race even if it took me six hours. I needed the practice of time on feet and I needed to remember how to run an ultra.
The conditions were perfect. It was very cool, about 55 to 60 degrees, overcast and the smell of fall leaves was abundant. After four miles we entered trails that were single tracks at time and wider at other points. From this point on the race was never flat, we were always rolling up or down. I ended up worrying too much about the difficulty of the grades in terms of length. For some reason I thought the climbs would be extremely long. None of them were too long but there were constant short climbs or long gradual climbs that were deceptive because we were weaving in and out of trees and making lots of turns.
After eight miles the 50k runners went one way and the 50 mile runners another. The girl who was new to ultra running was the only girl ahead of me. She remained about two minutes ahead of me for the first 20 miles. I decided to run very relaxed for the first 2 hours and fifteen minutes and then assess how I feel and decide if I wanted to chase her and be competitive. I realized that I felt good on the flats and the downhills but the up hills I felt dead and wondered if I was still feeling fatigued from the marathon and 30k.
After two and a half hours I lost sight of the girl in front. I was very comfortable at the pace I was currently running. I was hoping the new "ultra" runner would fade since it was her first race and she was not carrying a water bottle. I decided this would be my passive aggressive race plan. I also thought I was running about a 4 hour and 30 minute pace which I would have been quite happy with for the day.
As it turns out I was running much slower. When I thought I only had one mile to go it turned out I had three miles to go. I was devasted. The last three miles were very hard. We had to climb up half way on the ski slope on some single track trails. By this point the mountain bikers were roaring on in. With about eight miles to go the fastest bikers began to pass me. It was frustrating because I felt like I was being clobbered and passed by runners but obviously they were mountain bikers. It was also frustrating because if they passed me on a downhill I'd re-catch them on an uphill and then have to deal with them passing me again. On a wider trail it didn't matter because we could share the trail but on the single track trail I had to jump over to the side. I was also very anxious because I had to keep looking behind me to see if a biker was going to pass me. They would shout on your left or on your right and usually I'd already be there. I didn't have to look back but because of their speed if I heard them I wanted to know how much time I had before I had to move. It didn't bother me too much until the last three miles. Partly because I really wanted to be done. I realized my time was going to be my second slowest 50k ever and was depressed about that and I found that section of the trail to be the most difficult. We had at least a half mile of running on the side of a ski slope which was impossible to run and feel good because I was running on the sides of my feet and dealing with bikers whizzing by. The bikers would get really mad when they came screaming down a hill and then could not make it up a quick steep uphill. They'd spend some time swearing and then decide to get off and walk up the hill. It was stressful to witness this aspect and ruined my own time to wallow in my self pity. Ha ha! Just kidding. I wasn't that sad at that point.
I realized at this point in the race that the longer I was on my feet the more I'd be prepared for the 50 mile race in three weeks. I was disappointed that I had no desire to be competitive. I think it was lack of recent experience, confidence, and some over training effects. Yet, I was proud of myself for staying in the race even though I did not feel terrific and even though it was going to be one of my worst races. I wanted to make an impression in my first New England ultra but I sort of just slide by, which is fine because it leaves room for improvement.
I finished 2nd for women and maybe in the top ten overall, not exactly sure yet. My finishing time was 4:52:41. As I said the course is usually won in 4:30 so I was shooting for that, next year that will be my serious goal. The first women was Sarah Logan and she finished first in her first ultra ever (reminds me of my younger days in my 20's) in 4:39. She felt great except that her quads and IT were very sore in the last 10 miles or so. I got a chance to talk to her and she is a medical student at UVM. Her sister is a professional mountain bike rider and she trained for this race by doing training runs while her sister rode. Her sister would do three hour training rides on trails and Sarah would follow her and go ahead on the uphills. I thought that was perfect training for this race. We are going to meet up to do some of our long runs so I am very excited about that opportunity.
I have three weeks to go before the 50 mile race. I can't say that I am blasted after this race. I can walk around fine and am not limping. I don't feel tired, well I feel sleepy tired. My quads are sore, especially my bad quad. My bad quad was stiff and numb on every up hill. I felt like I was dragging it. I think it is worse when I am over tired and over trained. My plan for the 50 mile race is to take about 3 days easy until I feel up to doing an hour run. I will then train hard for 7 days and then really back off for the next 10 days before the race. I will have no excuse not to race the 50 mile and be competitive. I do not want to go all the way to VI and just finish. Even if I don't finish in the top three I'd like to finish and say I worked the entire time and made an effort to be competitive.
In the future I'll revamp my training schedule and most likely not do the Stowe marathon two weeks before the VT 50k. I think a marathon a month before would be a better plan. For now I am still learning and I'll chalk it all up for experience.
Now I need to go grade some papers, make some pizza, and hit the sack.
Posted by mary at September 25, 2005 6:42 PM
Comments
You are so tough!! Way to go for finishing, even though you weren't feeling too good about the race. Your plan sounds pretty good...it must be hard to run a marathon, 30K, and then try to race a 50K on consecutive weekends. Most people wouldn't even try that combination. Good luck in getting ready for your 50 mile race!
Blondie
Posted by: Blondie at September 25, 2005 7:38 PM
Mary, you are truly amazing. I can't imagine wanting to call it quits at 4 miles and then running another 33 miles. You're definitely an inspiration. Get some rest, and you'll be feeling awesome in no time.
Posted by: Caitlin at September 25, 2005 7:50 PM
Just a hunch, but I'm guessing the women's race winner didn't race a marathon two weeks ago and a 30K last week. I would be impressed with anyone running a 50K on hilly trails, but it's all the more impressive that you did it on so little rest and you were so competitive in the field. That's great that you're planning to train with Sarah.
You're still the same runner you were in your 20s (after all, you've only been in your 30s for less than two months!), you're just a tired version of that runner. You showed amazing mental and physical toughness today. Congratulations!!
Posted by: Alison at September 25, 2005 8:16 PM
Mar
Great update! You are very very tough. I can't get over it!
Liz
Posted by: Liz at September 25, 2005 11:10 PM
I'm amazed YET AGAIN with your guttiness! I really can't imagine thinking about dropping at 4 miles and finishing the 50K anyway!! Congrats on another awesome run. Rest up for the 50 miler! :)
Posted by: Beth at September 26, 2005 6:47 PM
HOLY SMOKES! I had no idea how many races you have been churning out lately! I am finally catching up on everyone's blog and I am especially blown away by yours - WOW. You are seriously my running guru and inspiration! I think I am going to trade in marathoning for some ultras next year . . .
Awesome job in the 50K . . . it's unbelievable that you can finish that fast after having run a marathon and a 30K. If you take it easy for the 10 days leading up to your 50 miler, you will totally rock the field.
Posted by: bridget at September 30, 2005 7:08 PM
Sarah beat everyone in that Ironman Florida Feb 2008 50mile run! Awesome
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