Dear Diary,
For a very long time I labored under the misconception that there was really no point in doing a training run unless it was a quality workout. And so, I would wake up, feel like I didn't have a good run in me, and then do nothing at all.
But what I've learned is that since I apparently not getting offers for sponsors anytime soon (anyone? Anyone? Buhler?) I should focus on making myself comfortable. So on weekends, I do long hikes with lots of hills. On weekdays, I was doing run 3 or 4 miles in the dark, but now I've switched to afternoons, to try to hurry and get heat acclimated for Puerto Rico.
I figure this will result in two outcomes: 1) I'll enjoy the race more, even in last place, and 2) I'll stay injury-free long enough to outlast most of my competition.
Sweet Baboo shared with me one of his 'tricks' for training for trail runs. What he does is this: he divides the total elevation gain for a race by the number of miles, to get total elevation gain per mile. He then makes sure that his long runs have the same elevation gain per mile.
So, let's look at my upcoming races:
MARCH
Sierra Vista 50k (31 mi) 2255 ft, 72 ft/mile
Puerto Rico Mary (26 mi) 361 ft, 14ft /mile
APRIL
Cedro Peak 45K (28. mi) - 3727 ft, 133 ft/mi
Pa/va marathon double
April 10, 500 ft elevation gain VA
April 9, 686 ft elevation gain PA
MAY
Quicksilver 50K (31 mi) - 6050 ft, 195 ft/mi
OR
Jemez 6600 feet/31 miles = 213 feet per mile
JUNE
NUT 50K (31 mi) - 5700 ft, 182 ft/mi
Tahoe Rim Trail 55K (34 mi) - 6042 ft,178 per mile [A-RACE]
OCTOBER
Cloud Splitter 50K (32 mi) - 8983 ft, 282 ft/mi (oct) oook!!
So far, I've only rin 176 miles in 2016. However, I've climbed over 30,000 feet. Much of this has been up into the Sandia Mountains. Today Sweet Baboo took me and DreadPirate on a hike over 7ish mikes and over 2200 feet of climbing. I'm extremely blesseed to live right on the edge of Albuquerque and have easy access to the foothills trails. Yesterday I headed out and climbed 2200 feet up the Embudo Trail into the Sandias, and felt pretty great about that--i had about a 240-degree view from up there.
Today, my knees hurt. Cause I'm oooooold.
And I want side of beef. Now.
Tuesday March starts, and I start throwing in some distance.
