Race Week v3.0!

Marquette Trail 50k is this Saturday.  After a miserable Ice Age, and a very challenging Devil's Lake, I'm really excited about this one.  Training has been good.  I wish I had more trail hill repeats in me, but I did the training that I could handle for the most part.  At the end of last week I had ambitions for more miles, to get to 50 for the week, but a nagging tendonitis in my right knee had gotten to the point that walking down stairs was hurting.  I decided to cut way back on mileage (33 miles on the week instead of 50), and after today's run, it feels great.  I ran over lunch hour and averaged 6:48 miles for 5 miles.  This was especially surprising, as I didn't wear a watch--my Garmin 110 finally gave up the ghost--so I had no idea on my pace.  Awesome.

I'm hoping for a 4:30 at Marquette. I've set up some splits to hopefully make that happen.  I'll take what the day gives me, of course, but it looks like the weather should be much more forgiving than last year.  I'm also about FIFTEEN pounds lighter than I was at Ice Age.  Again, a product of much better and consistent training. 

One name I recognized on the start list was Erik Johnson, who has run several Alaskan races and is fast.  Then, there's a bunch of LPTR names on the list as well.  It'll be good to see them and chat a bit.

Until Saturday...happy trails!

3 August - 10 August

33 miles

1,101 elevation

6:41 Fastest Mile

Marquette - 5 days
Lapham Peak - 26 days
North Face WI - 33 days
Glacial Trail - 62 days

On Tuesday morning I set up an Aid Station for Dan and Tony, who were doing an "NK100k" in the Northern Kettles.  All 31.6 miles of the IAT, twice.  They rolled through my neck of the woods at about 6:00 AM, and I had all the fixins waiting for them:

Big Hits:  Pizza, Chicken Broth, Water

My Version of the Greenbush Color Run.  All 4 loops total about 11 miles.

We spent the weekend at a friend's cottage.  7 kids, 6 adults, 3 bedroom cottage.  Still, cruising around in a Pontoon is a good way to heal up that knee!

Follow the leader at Road America on Thursday.  I love those kids so much!