Well it has been two week since I posted last. I will catch you all up on what went on. I went to training the Monday after the race and was able to participate. I was really surprised. I mostly did a lot of stretching and some sprints that were more like a light jog.
I went to training all three days the week after the race. I was able to do some weight training to second session and Friday got back up to doing actual sprints and feeling like I was able to give full effort. I chose not to do any training runs that week.
Last week I guess you can say I resumed a regular training schedule with both running and personal training. This week I had a different mind set when I was doing my training runs. I was not doing them because I knew I had to, I was doing them because I wanted to and was glad I had the ability to run, it felt really great.
Marquis is going to put me on some four day a week training sessions in the next couple of weeks to better prepare me for my next race weekend. It is 3 days of Syallmo which is a 50k on Friday and 50 mile on Saturday and a 20k on Sunday. There is going to be a ton of climbing in this race, so we are going to be doing a lot of resistance training to strengthen the legs.
Hear was my training schedule:
Monday- Training
Thursday- Training
Friday- Training
Monday- Training
Tuesday- 6 miles
Wednesday- 10 miles
Thursday- Training/8 miles
Friday- Training
Sunday- 10 miles
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Rocky Raccoon 100 Race Report
I did not do any training runs the week before the race, because my trainer had me doing wind sprints both Sunday and Monday. My hamstrings were very sore. So the best thing I thought I could do was rest the whole week.
We left for Huntsville (Hunstville is an hour this side of Houston) on Thursday evening at 5:00 and arrived at 12:40. Had to wind down, so I didn't get to sleep till around 2:00. Got up Friday morning and remembered I saw a sign for a Prison Museum, so we got some breakfast and went to the museum.
It was very interesting and sad at the same time. Saw a lot of terrible things there. Every thing from guard uniforms over the years to a memorial wall of the employees that had died at the hands of inmates or in accidents transporting inmates, etc. to the actual electric chair that was used before they stopped executing prisoners in that manner. They call the chair "Ol' Sparky".
They had displays of items confiscated from the inmates over the years which included:
Prison monolopy. When it was confiscated the prisoner asked if he could send the game home to his mom. He was told he could if he made a second game for the museum.
An actual cell. The size and with the furniture and accessories that prisoners get. It was a little creepy.
I was pretty tired, so I wanted to go back to the hotel and chill for a while. Patsy saw a salon that had just opened and it even had a grand opening 20% off all services. So she went and treated herself to a pedi/manicure. While she was gone I started to get hungry, so I asked her to bring back some Popeyes. We ate well on this trip. Mcd's, IHOP, Popeyes, Schlotzskys Braum's...
It was then time to head down to race headquarters and pick up my packet and then the race briefing.
I got to see Coleen, Indika, Deb, Hannah and some other famillar faces. Hung out and caught up and then headed back to the hotel.
Got to thinking when I was laying out my things for in the morning that I did not want to wear my Nathan vest after all. It was going to be way too warm during the day for me to wear it. I go shirtless as a lot of you already know.
I didn't bring my waist belts to put things in, because I did bring the vest. So we ventured out to find a sporting goods store or running store at 6:00 in the evening to get a waist belt. Come to find out there is no such store in Huntsville.
There was a Marshall's and it has been known to have accessories for running. While we were there we decided to to do some shopping for ourselves also. They did have a waist belt that did the trick. Very thankful for that. It really did come in handy.
We then went to Schlotzskys to get so dinner before heading back to the hotel for the night. I had plans of crashing around 9:00 and I layed there and could not go to sleep. So I watched a little more TV and was able to get to sleep sometime after 10:30. I slept really well. This is very unusual for me the night before a race. I was not as nervous as I have been before past races.
The alarm went off at 4:15 and I got around and prepared for the adventure ahead. Made a stop at McDonald's on the way and picked up a bowl of oatmeal and drank a Monster. It was in the mid 40's Saturday morning. Being in shorts was a little chilly.
I was told this was an easy course, and the fastest 100 mile course and I didn't give it the respect it deserved. It was more difficult than I expected. The tree roots were pretty rough on me. I was a little worried about 5 loops but that didn't bother me at all. I didn't see this sign, it might've concerned me if I had. Patsy was a little make that A LOT freaked out by it. Alligators.
Hannah, Indika and I all found each other at the startline and chatted while we waited for the race to begin. My intention was to stay with them as long as I could. Was looking forward to the company through the race.
Hannah (fellow Wichitan ultra-marathoner) and I at the starting line.
Not sure when it happened, but I was going along and looked back and they were no where to be found. I thought about waiting for them, but I decided to just keeep pressing on. The "DREAM" was to attempt to get that sub 24 hour buckle. I knew it was a clear long shot just coming back from surgery, but why not dream big?
I made it through the first loop in 4:00 and felt great. I did not waste anytime at the aid-stations and was moving, as expected really well. The second loop I slowed to around 4:45 loop. Patsy was at the 3 mile and the 15 mile aid-stations, because they were the least busy of all the crew points. So each time I came in to the start/finish, I just turned around and left for another lap, because I was going to see Patsy in 8 more miles and I had plenty of fluilds.
Nature Center Aid Station, three miles from start/finish
This worked out great for me and her. I had two crew stops that I spent more time in than I wanted to. One with stomach issues and the other I was preparing to go out before it turned dark. All the others I was in and out in just a few minutes. This is something I really wanted to improve on and I feel I am really close to being where I want to be. It is just going to take a little tweeking on preparation. The stomach issues are always going to be there in a race. Will just have to do my best to deal with them.
The third loop was around 30 minutes slower than the second loop and the fourth loop I came in about 20:04. That was a 5:00 a loop average. I was really happy with that. The body was not feeling as fresh as it had earlier in the race. The last loop I did quite a bit of power walking. Ranging from a 13:30 to a 19:00 minute mile pace. This was a lot better on my feet than trying to run which would have been at a much slower pace than what wanted to run and would've been harder on my body.
I use Infinit Nutrition product which eliminates the need for a sports drink, gu or salt tablets. It is a great deal for me. I was happy I did not need to use any gu the whole race. I mainly eat fruit at the aid stations and my crew stops. I did have a few cheese quesadillas and p,b & j's, but mostly fruit. I brought applesauce and mandarin oranges that come in individual cups that I had at crew stops and ate banana's at the other aid-stations. I also brought gummies and jolly rancher hard candies that I like to suck on while I am running.
It's a well run and well staffed race. I most likely won't run it again, but that has nothing to do with the course or the race itself, it's just there are so many ultra's, and so little time and I want to experience as many in different places, courses, climates and terrains as I possibly can.
I want to give my wife Patsy the best thank you for all her love and support getting back into where I am today. She has sacraficed a lot of time away from me while I do my training runs and was my sole crew member at the race. She did her best to get in as many cat naps as she could. After the race was over and getting very little sleep, she drove 8 hours to get us home. Kudos to her and may God reward her greatly!!!!
I also want to thank our trainer Marquis.
He did an outstanding job getting me mentally and physically prepared for this race and just being a real good friend. He did a great job strengthening my back and pushing me to places I didn't want to go (or wouldn't have gone) on my own. Looking forward to where he is going to take me in the future. I was able to sprint full out the last 150 yards at a sub seven minute pace with sore muscles, hurting feet and a tired body solely from the sprints, hill work, dashes and sled work he's done with me. (If you are in the Wichita and want a great speed, agility, and strength trainer, look him up. You won't be sorry).
Finish line...you would not believe how good a finish line looks after 100 miles, 26:31:42
Lastly I want to thank all my family and friends for the overwhelming love and support you show. I love that there is group of people that come together and rally around you and help you. It's a huge boost to know there are people that care for you and want you to succeed, without competing against you. We all feel like we are in it together, not against each other.
We left for Huntsville (Hunstville is an hour this side of Houston) on Thursday evening at 5:00 and arrived at 12:40. Had to wind down, so I didn't get to sleep till around 2:00. Got up Friday morning and remembered I saw a sign for a Prison Museum, so we got some breakfast and went to the museum.
It was very interesting and sad at the same time. Saw a lot of terrible things there. Every thing from guard uniforms over the years to a memorial wall of the employees that had died at the hands of inmates or in accidents transporting inmates, etc. to the actual electric chair that was used before they stopped executing prisoners in that manner. They call the chair "Ol' Sparky".
They had displays of items confiscated from the inmates over the years which included:
home made Converse from prison clothes and soles of their prison issued shoes
I was pretty tired, so I wanted to go back to the hotel and chill for a while. Patsy saw a salon that had just opened and it even had a grand opening 20% off all services. So she went and treated herself to a pedi/manicure. While she was gone I started to get hungry, so I asked her to bring back some Popeyes. We ate well on this trip. Mcd's, IHOP, Popeyes, Schlotzskys Braum's...
It was then time to head down to race headquarters and pick up my packet and then the race briefing.
I got to see Coleen, Indika, Deb, Hannah and some other famillar faces. Hung out and caught up and then headed back to the hotel.
Got to thinking when I was laying out my things for in the morning that I did not want to wear my Nathan vest after all. It was going to be way too warm during the day for me to wear it. I go shirtless as a lot of you already know.
I didn't bring my waist belts to put things in, because I did bring the vest. So we ventured out to find a sporting goods store or running store at 6:00 in the evening to get a waist belt. Come to find out there is no such store in Huntsville.
There was a Marshall's and it has been known to have accessories for running. While we were there we decided to to do some shopping for ourselves also. They did have a waist belt that did the trick. Very thankful for that. It really did come in handy.
We then went to Schlotzskys to get so dinner before heading back to the hotel for the night. I had plans of crashing around 9:00 and I layed there and could not go to sleep. So I watched a little more TV and was able to get to sleep sometime after 10:30. I slept really well. This is very unusual for me the night before a race. I was not as nervous as I have been before past races.
The alarm went off at 4:15 and I got around and prepared for the adventure ahead. Made a stop at McDonald's on the way and picked up a bowl of oatmeal and drank a Monster. It was in the mid 40's Saturday morning. Being in shorts was a little chilly.
I was told this was an easy course, and the fastest 100 mile course and I didn't give it the respect it deserved. It was more difficult than I expected. The tree roots were pretty rough on me. I was a little worried about 5 loops but that didn't bother me at all. I didn't see this sign, it might've concerned me if I had. Patsy was a little make that A LOT freaked out by it. Alligators.
Hannah, Indika and I all found each other at the startline and chatted while we waited for the race to begin. My intention was to stay with them as long as I could. Was looking forward to the company through the race.
Not sure when it happened, but I was going along and looked back and they were no where to be found. I thought about waiting for them, but I decided to just keeep pressing on. The "DREAM" was to attempt to get that sub 24 hour buckle. I knew it was a clear long shot just coming back from surgery, but why not dream big?
I made it through the first loop in 4:00 and felt great. I did not waste anytime at the aid-stations and was moving, as expected really well. The second loop I slowed to around 4:45 loop. Patsy was at the 3 mile and the 15 mile aid-stations, because they were the least busy of all the crew points. So each time I came in to the start/finish, I just turned around and left for another lap, because I was going to see Patsy in 8 more miles and I had plenty of fluilds.
This worked out great for me and her. I had two crew stops that I spent more time in than I wanted to. One with stomach issues and the other I was preparing to go out before it turned dark. All the others I was in and out in just a few minutes. This is something I really wanted to improve on and I feel I am really close to being where I want to be. It is just going to take a little tweeking on preparation. The stomach issues are always going to be there in a race. Will just have to do my best to deal with them.
The third loop was around 30 minutes slower than the second loop and the fourth loop I came in about 20:04. That was a 5:00 a loop average. I was really happy with that. The body was not feeling as fresh as it had earlier in the race. The last loop I did quite a bit of power walking. Ranging from a 13:30 to a 19:00 minute mile pace. This was a lot better on my feet than trying to run which would have been at a much slower pace than what wanted to run and would've been harder on my body.
I use Infinit Nutrition product which eliminates the need for a sports drink, gu or salt tablets. It is a great deal for me. I was happy I did not need to use any gu the whole race. I mainly eat fruit at the aid stations and my crew stops. I did have a few cheese quesadillas and p,b & j's, but mostly fruit. I brought applesauce and mandarin oranges that come in individual cups that I had at crew stops and ate banana's at the other aid-stations. I also brought gummies and jolly rancher hard candies that I like to suck on while I am running.
It's a well run and well staffed race. I most likely won't run it again, but that has nothing to do with the course or the race itself, it's just there are so many ultra's, and so little time and I want to experience as many in different places, courses, climates and terrains as I possibly can.
I want to give my wife Patsy the best thank you for all her love and support getting back into where I am today. She has sacraficed a lot of time away from me while I do my training runs and was my sole crew member at the race. She did her best to get in as many cat naps as she could. After the race was over and getting very little sleep, she drove 8 hours to get us home. Kudos to her and may God reward her greatly!!!!
I also want to thank our trainer Marquis.
He did an outstanding job getting me mentally and physically prepared for this race and just being a real good friend. He did a great job strengthening my back and pushing me to places I didn't want to go (or wouldn't have gone) on my own. Looking forward to where he is going to take me in the future. I was able to sprint full out the last 150 yards at a sub seven minute pace with sore muscles, hurting feet and a tired body solely from the sprints, hill work, dashes and sled work he's done with me. (If you are in the Wichita and want a great speed, agility, and strength trainer, look him up. You won't be sorry).
Lastly I want to thank all my family and friends for the overwhelming love and support you show. I love that there is group of people that come together and rally around you and help you. It's a huge boost to know there are people that care for you and want you to succeed, without competing against you. We all feel like we are in it together, not against each other.
I got some cool swag, a great jacket, but most importantly, I got another buckle for my collection.
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