The results have finally been posted on the Ohlone 50k site. I look up my name and I start laughing. That's just crazy!!!
This year I retooled my training program. I crashed bad last year. I was doing a lot of high volume stuff. Not a lot of races but a lot of long, long runs. In August I did the Cascade Crest Classic 100-miler, then a Half-Ironman two weeks after that mid September, the weekend after I attempted a 40-mile training run. I crashed 25 miles into it. After that day I wasn't the same person. I managed to finish off the two remaining items in my calendar but they were hard and painful. I don't regret doing them, especially the Grand Canyon Rim2Rim2Rim, but I don't ever want to suffer like that again. I was cooked by October and I was overdone by November after Quad Dipsea. On the Dipsea course I experienced suffering on a new level.
So this year I vowed to redo the whole program. I threw in more cross training and interval type workouts. I signed up for track and spin classes. I got re-acquainted with my heart rate monitor - bought a year and a half before but seldom used. Tempered my hard days with recovery and active recovery days. I got myself a new running book and studied the "over-training" section. I also got a ton of help from a fellow ultra geek - Olga. She helped me a lot with the run training stuff. Back in February when I busted a 36 mile training run after only a few weeks of training (I take Decembers off), she jumped right in and threw down some sense.
Well so far so good. At Miwok I hit a time that I only dreamed of. At Ohlone, it was my first time so I had nothing to gauge my efforts on, I see my name at a place on the results list that just blows me away. It's just crazy! I'm not that fast. But it isn't just the races, I feel great on my workouts. I hit my miles on my long runs, hit my numbers on track and achieve my heart rate targets in spin. As of two weeks ago I started swimming and even that isn't as bad as I remembered it to be.
I guess what I'm saying is that I'm doing great in my training. I'm loving this season. No more over-training! no more burning out!
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Couldn't find results - can you email the link?
ReplyDeleteDoesn't it feel great to have sense in training? Last year I raced at least twice a week, and was burned out after WS. I hope I can continue on this year. You're doing awesome! Track workouts and spin classes will help tremendously! Man, I'd be damned if something happens at WS, you should nail it, be smart, stay strong, pace wisely!
Sorry, twice a month:) That would be impossible - 2xweek.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, 16th place, man! With only 2 girls beating you! What's next, top 10?
Top 10, wouldn't that be something. Maybe I'll enter a race with more slower folks:) I'm quite happy now. I just love that feeling of being able to do what I want to do with strength and energy and not dragging around like I did late last year.
ReplyDeleteBesides, the conditions were perfect for me. Cool weather, long fire road downhills. Had it been warmer, the East Bay runners would have had a better day. They like their heat. I think I passed a couple who were shivering:)
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