22 April 2009

Can't wait to run! Revenge of The Stick

  • I'll be going from running on trail terrain like this and this to terrain like this. Don't get me wrong--it's still trail, and it's still the Ice Age Trail, and last year they got 6" of snow on race day. I'm simply saying that my confidence is a bit higher than it would normally be because of the rugged Ice Age Trail that I've trained on around here. Steve, Helen, Wynn (all have run the Glacial Trail 50 and the Chippewa 50K) have actually been on both segments, so I guess they can totally destroy my confidence with a well-placed comment. Thanks in advance, Helen :)
  • This run was fantastic. This week of running, with Thursday and Saturday big trail days, were great. I'm hoping that Saturday run, where I covered about 24 in 4:30 was a sign of things to come. I felt great, even when done running, and could have done another loop quite easily. There was one point about 3.5 hours into that run where I felt a bonk coming on, but the SCaps worked great and I kept going. As I mentioned in the post, the varying terrain of the trails really helps preserve legs!
  • Aside from the shoe snafu reported on here (sidenote: SteveQ, your comment was hilarious), my last really hard run was awesome. I ran hard the entire time and felt great doing it. An 8:02 pace (with stops for water/gels/removal of sticks from extremities) for over 15 miles on that terrain is the kind of run I'll come back to in the future to gauge my fitness. Then again, the above-mentioned Wynn ran 8:45 pace on that terrain for 50 MILES. Show-off. (sidenote #2: the course record for that race is an 8:37 pace. Unbelievable)
  • I'm really hoping to run a negative split on the course, and that's about it for strategy. I've always joked that if I beat all the women, it's been a good race. Unfortunately for me, this race looks pretty stacked, so I'll just stick to my "run-the-first-half-at-a-pace-that-you-think-you-can-finish-with-a-negative-split" strategy, and we'll see. Afterwards...let the Leinies flow!
  • All of the above was written Tuesday night. This morning I ran a 5K at what I wanted to be a decent clip. Result: 18:40. Throbbing heel. Really fatigued feeling. Scratch all that talk before about "negative split." Ellie picked a splinter out of it yesterday, but it's still sore. No offense to Ellie, but it may be time for some professional evaluation and scalpel work. No matter what, I'm going to Chippewa though!

9 comments:

Glaven Q. Heisenberg said...

I'm really hoping to run a negative split on the course, and that's about it for strategy. I've always joked that if I beat all the women, it's been a good race. ... this race looks pretty stacked ...

"Pretty stacked"? Man, that's so sexist! How would you like it if the skirts started judging YOU by ... the size of the stick in your heel?

Let him have it, ladies!

By the way, is that a stick in your heel, or are your SNEAKERS just happy to see me?

SteveQ said...

Actually, I haven't run the Glacial 50 - I did the Ice Age 50 and worked an aid station at Glacial. The Chippewa course is not difficult, excepting climbing the barbed wire fence, where I expect you'll impale anatomy that'll make you forget your foot.

Jess said...

I so hope you get "chicked"!

nwgdc said...

@Galvin: If I have in fact offended any 'skirts,' I'll point them in your blog's direction for some writing by a true intellectual.
@ SteveQ: Actually, I knew that. Instead of being factual, though, I just kept writing that you had run Glacial. Thanks for the tip on the barb wire fence. Should be great.
@ Jess: It's not a matter of getting chicked...just how many times it'll happen. Thanks for the vote of confidence, though!

Glaven Q. Heisenberg said...

A post exhorting foax to tag Teh Marcy's blog with slogans like "Viva La N*ts@ck" qualifies as the work of a "true intellectual" to you?

Just how many times were you dropped on your head as a kid, Noctor Dic?

Marcy said...

I like how you're all crafty and type "picked out a splinter" instead of "picked out some wood" You disappoint me Dr Nic :P

Kel said...

I'm hoping for a negative split at Chippewa too: walk the first half, then walk the second half faster.

Bill Carter said...

Hi Nic

First off, thanks for being so kind on my blog. I've re-read that post a couple times and my disappointment sounds a little whiny....

BTW, you are a crazy nut! And I mean it in the nicest possible way.
I can't wait to read your post race report on what sounds like some amazingly tough terrain.
Get that negative split, don't get chicked, and do us proud!

Helen said...

Your friend Bill doesn't want you to get chicked either... are you feeling the pressure??!!!

BTW - WON Chippewa and Glacial to be precise :)

I should really shut up now given how not-ready-to-run-a-fast-50K I am... BUT regardless it will be a blast. Looking forward to putting a face to the... face... all those pics I feel like I know you!