Riddle Run Recovery

My 28 miles at Riddle Run on Saturday felt pretty good. I took it very easy until the last 8 miles and even then I didn't push the pace too hard. I was very happy with a finish time of 5:21. That's more than 2 hours better than last year! I guess not taking a shower and nap helps reduce your finish time. Last year I had severe stomach problems after 24 miles. This year I only drank Propel and didn't eat anything except a few almonds after each loop (saved the cupcakes for the finish). I think the lack of carbs helped me burn more fat and keep going at an easy pace without much effort. After I got home I was HUNGRY. I ate a huge lunch and 2 dinners followed by 3 breakfasts the next morning! My Sunday noon run at Clinton trail with Jack and Shanin went well. Shanin's knee hurt so she turned back early, but Jack and I managed to slowly loosen up and finish the whole 10-mile loop feeling pretty good. My left knee hurt a bit during and after the run--that's an old, nagging running injury so I'm not too worried. At least my calf is back to normal. I'm ready for another 28 mile Fat Ass this Saturday at Lake Mingo followed by an easy Sunday run at Clinton Lake.

Riddle Run is Done

The 9th Riddle Run is done. What a great day. There were 13 finishers of the full 28 miles (over 100 were "registered" for the run). Two new champions were crowned (Matt & Ellen)...who each set RR course records! Matt ran a 3:39 and Ellen a 4:18. I ran a few easy loops with Gregg, then most of a loop with Wes. Wes and I got separated via potty breaks and I started to pick up the pace. I finished strong with two "sorta fast" last loops (quickest of my day)...and a final time of 5:21. Feel good now and plan on one loop at Clinton Lake tomorrow.

And it all repeats next Saturday at the KRR Fat Ass on the Lake Mingo trail! Which should be followed by another nice cool-down run on Sunday at Clinton Lake. It's hard to beat 28 fat ass miles followed by a loop of Clinton the next day to stretch those legs.

Rumors are surfacing that the overall champions of the Riddle Run are guaranteed a spot at Clinton Lake 30-Mile Trail Run. Hmmmm...I don't remember that rule, but it does sound like a nice incentive for runners that get shut out of the Clinton race. Run hard at Riddle Run and you'll have a spot at Clinton Lake. I think they need to win Riddle Run and finish the Kennekuk Fat Ass to be considered. That shows dedication. I'll sleep on it.

Congratulations to all Riddle Run participants that finished all 7 loops (28 miles). And a "pat on the back" to all the others that did at least one loop. Hopefully the race director will be back on the trails himself next year.

Gotta Love Fat Ass Runs

This Saturday we have the "Riddle Run" 28 mile fat ass run in Mahomet, IL. Next weekend we have the Kennekuk 28 mile fat ass run at Lake Mingo. No fees, no complaining, no awards, and no official aid. Both events usually have a great spread of food and drink provided by the runners themselves. Actually, for the Lake Mingo Fat Ass, KRR provides a ton of support, food, and drinks (including beer)--it's a member-only event so the club kicks in a lot of extras.

A nice history and summary of "Fat Ass" runs can be found at an Australian fat ass site. Joe Oakes from California is given credit for "founding" the fat ass concept. Essentially "Fat Ass" is the name given to any low key ultra run that is characterized by the philosophy "No Fees, No Awards, No Aid, No Wimps". Free events put on by passionate runners! That's certainly true of the Riddle Run and KRR Fat Asses. Good people hitting the trails because they love to run. No paperwork. No bureaucracy. No winners. No losers. No rules. You gotta love that!

Moon Run #95

Looks like people have lost interest in the full moon runs. Two months ago there were 2 people and a dog (plus 2 late arrivers), last month 2 people, and last night 1 person (the Moon Master).

July 16, 2000 seems like a long time ago. That was the first full moon run. Ground zero! It was a great night with 66 degree temps and a plethora of fire flies. I can still see the prairie with fog settling into the low spots and those lightning bugs guiding the way through the dark tree lined sections of trail. Last night was 9 degrees and quiet. Snow blanketed the entire trail and enhanced the rays of the full moon...it was the brightest moon run I've experienced. I've only made it to 92 of 95 runs so maybe I missed a brighter one. I doubt it.

The next moon run is supposed to be on Wednesday, February 20 at 6:30pm. Due to lack of interest, this moon run has been canceled. Even though I'll be there, everyone else should stay away. Reverse psychology? Stealth advertising? Maybe. Whatever.

Grand Slam

A lot of people have been asking about the Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam. The web site (including the Slam participants for 2008) is now up on the Clinton Lake race site. The idea behind the slam is simple--complete all four trail ultramarathons and you get an award! We'll track finish place at each ultra and name an overall male and female champion too. The two champions will get the regular finisher award plus an extra prize. The four race directors are still discussing the awards so let me know if you have suggestions. There are no extra fees or application forms to compete in the Grand Slam. You just register for each race and then complete all four to become a Slammer! Is that cool or what?

The Grand Slam starts with Clinton Lake 30 Miler in March and ends with Farmdale 33 Miler in October. In between you'll need to do McNaughton Park 50/100/150 and Rock Cut Hobo 50K. Why have an Illinois Grand Slam? I thought it would be fun and encourage more people to run ultras in Illinois. The four trail ultras already existed and I spoke with the other RDs--they were all supportive. I hope the Slam increases the number of participants at each race and I also hope it creates an impression of Illinois as a state with great trails and ultra races. Why these four races? You need four events to have a grand slam and these are the only four TRAIL ultras in the state. I like Howl at the Moon and I'm sure the Chicago Lakefront 50 is a great race, but they are not trail races. I love trails and want to encourage people to get off the roads and onto trails. Maybe the Grand Slam will help with that effort.

Ultrarunning Documentary "Indulgence"

There's a new ultrarunning documentary that follows the training of Anton Krupicka (recent Leadville 100 winner). It's called "Indulgence." Here is a YouTube trailer. A little more information about the movie is available on their web site "Negative Split." I don't own the DVD, but I plan on borrowing it from Jeff!

NOTE: Don't forget the marathon movie "Spirit of the Marathon" in theaters for one night only: Thursday, January 24.

Riddle Run

Only one week to the famous "Riddle Run." The 28-mile fun run starts at 8:06am on Saturday, January 26. Location is Lake of the Woods trails in Mahomet, IL. We run 4-mile loops. No entry fee, no whining. Bring your own aid (and maybe a little extra to share with everyone else). This is a great opportunity to simply run with other people in a low-key event. I am not the "race director" of this fine event. For race director questions, comments, concerns, or lawsuits, you need to see Jeff.

Hotels for Race?

There is no official race hotel. I haven't stayed at any hotels in the area, but one that seems to be close to the race start (or training run start) and looks OK is the Days Inn at Farmer City. It is about 15 minutes from the race course (either the real start/finish at the boat access site or the training run starts at the canoe access site). There is a nice cafe across the street and a gas station/convenience store right next door. As you get off I-74 at the Farmer City exit, you just stay on the road and the Days Inn is just a few blocks south of the interstate. That road is the same one that you take toward the race site (officially Hwy 54, but I think it's called "Clinton Ave" in town). When I looked online for the night of March 28, a single room is about $50 with taxes. Not too bad.

In Clinton, IL there is the Sunset Inn & Suites on the edge of town. They have regular rooms and suites plus fantasy rooms! What better way to get ready for the race than staying in a fantasy themed suite? What counts as an ultrarunning fantasy?

Clinton & Farmer City are about the same distance from the race start (at the north fork boat access site). If people stay at a hotel in either area, let me know if it was a good value. I might contact them for next year and have them be the official race hotel and we could get a discounted rate.

Hood to Coast Substitute?

I was on a Hood to Coast relay team last year. HTC is the oldest and largest relay in the country. Twelve member teams race from Mt Hood to the Pacific Ocean (about 200 miles). Each person does three legs of about 5-7 miles each. I had a grand time (this was my first relay ever!) and thought about joining the group again. My brother and nephew were on the team and it would be neat to see if we could each improve our times. Unfortunately, we didn't get in for 2008.

Our team leader from last year suggested we try for a different relay--the RAGNAR relay run from the Canadian/Washington state border to Seattle (Whidbey Island). Almost 190 miles with a twelve member team. Sounds similar to HTC...and we finish in Seattle (which is "home" since my brother lives there). Only potential conflict is that it occurs just a week or so after the Badwater 135 race in Death Valley. I'm not running Badwater, but I'd crew again if one of my buffalo friends got accepted. A week in the lush, temperate Northwest or a week in desolate, dry, and hot Death Valley? Time will tell. I think Badwater sends its race acceptances in February. I sure would like to scale Mt Whitney again! Badwater and Mt Whitney photos on my Flickr site.

Sand Creek Trails

Gene from Decatur ran with me at the first Clinton training run this past weekend. He told me about a local trail he regularly runs. I think a buffalo road trip to Decatur is in order! The trails are at Sand Creek Conservation District on the south side of Decatur. He kindly provided Google map directions from I-72 to the trails. I guess it would be about an hour drive from either Champaign or Mahomet. Gene said he'd show us the trails and even a couple food and beer spots afterwards.

Spirit of the Marathon

A new running documentary, Spirit of the Marathon, is showing around the country on one select day: January 24, 2008. Check the movie web site to see if it's playing in your area. If we have it in tiny Savoy, IL you may have it in your home town too. It's not very often we get to see a full-blown production about marathon running.

18 Trainees

We had a good group of 18 runners on the trail today for the first official race training run. The trail was in OK shape, just a short section of ice cold water and mud in the first 100 yards. It sure woke you up! It took about 20 minutes before I could feel my toes again. The rest of the trail was actually in pretty good condition. At the end, the bridge you cross to get back to the parking lot was closed. I guess flood waters & debris knocked the bridge out. It was missing a section of boards in the middle (and other parts were warped). It was easy to hop over the missing bridge section--but the water below sure looked high and cold.

The next training run in the series is on January 26 at Lake of the Woods in Mahomet, IL. It's the "Riddle Run" 28 mile fun run. Do as many, or as few, 4-mile trail loops as you like. Finish at least one to get a tasty cupcake. Do all 7 loops to be a Riddle Run finisher! Directions, and a map of the trails, can be found on the trail guide section of the Second Wind Running Club.

Conditions for Training Run

We received more rain Thursday afternoon and evening. I haven't been on the Clinton Lake trail for a few days, but I think it's going to be a little slippery on Saturday morning. Friday night low is forecast as 26 degrees--I guess that will freeze the muck for most of our run. The forecast high for Saturday is 44. Whatever...it should be a fun run. Bring a change of clothes for breakfast. Only 1 day to the first training run and 78 days to the race!

List of Runners

The race is full and here is a list of the Clinton Lake 30-Mile Trail Run participants (via the Second Wind Running Club web site). There is no waiting list. If you see an error, please let me know.

Local Trails are Muddy

All the local trails got heavy rains over the last 36 hours. They are wet and muddy. The temperatures are staying fairly warm so we could have a sloppy trail on Saturday morning for the training run. Looks like the low for Friday night will be in the high 20s so we might have frozen and firm ground for the start of the run. The Clinton Lake trail drains pretty well, but I'd be ready for water, mud, or even a little ice on Saturday morning. Be careful on the wooden bridges--they can be very slick. Should be fun!

Training Runs Start

The official training runs for the race start this weekend (Saturday, January 12). There will be a series of runs organized by Second Wind Running Club. Check out their web site for the details. They will be run on trails around central Illinois and three are on the actual race course (starting at the north fork canoe access parking lot instead of the actual race start/finish at the boat access lot). With warm temperatures and rain predicted over the next couple of days, this weekend's run could be muddy. Saturday morning might be cold enough to keep the ground solid.

Clinton Lake Race Closed

The Clinton Lake 30-Mile Trail Run is now full. Registration is closed as we have reached our limit. A big "thank you" to all the runners who signed-up. I'll try to make the event special. I think it's a very runner-friendly race. I'm an ultra runner so I know what people expect, and want, at ultra races. This picture was taken on the race course yesterday. I'll see you on March 29--with hopefully warmer weather. Only 83 days (plus a few hours) to go!

NOTE: There is no waiting list for this race.

Don't Trust a Rum Runner

Ran the Siberian Express race today. All I have to say is "Don't trust a rum runner." (Sounds like something your mom might say.) They supposedly drink and run slowly, but I went with them and they were way too fast. I finished in 2:13:56 (17:58 pace)...and they were well ahead of me. Lots of mud made the course fun. I ended up in 417th place...out of 417 finishers. That counts as DFL. But I beat a lot of DNFers!

Solo in the Snow

Ran the Clinton Lake trail solo today. Cuz Don had some pulled muscle issues so he didn't join me. The trail was covered with light snow--about half inch in most places, but up to 4 inches on sections of the east side. I took lots of pictures. Those can be found on my Picasa photo site. We are supposed to have warmer weather with a chance of rain this weekend. The snow will be gone by Monday. My guess is we'll have more snow before the winter is over.

NOTE: We have our first Clinton race training run on Saturday, January 12 at 8am. We start at the north fork canoe access parking lot for the training run--that's where I'm at in the picture. Not the actual race start/finish area.

Goals for the Year

If you asked me about a month ago what my running goals would be for 2008, you'd hear me say something like "I want to set new PRs for all distances from 5K to 100 miles!" And I was serious. Running was going well and I felt optimistic about the new year. I was mixing up speed intervals, tempo runs, and long trail excursions with great results. I was following a training plan found in the book "Run Less, Run Faster" which emphasizes all quality workouts, but only 3 runs per week (speed, tempo, & long). Add 2 days of cross-training and 2 days off and that's the full plan. And it worked. Unfortunately, one of my speed days saw me on a treadmill without an adequate warm-up and...the next day my left calf was really sore. I was limping. Walking hurt...running was out of the question. It was strained, torn, or pulled...all I knew is it hurt. That was about 2 weeks ago, and things are starting to heal.

So I now enter the new year with a healing calf and refreshed optimism. Refreshed, but not arrogant. My goals are not new PRs, but rather "enjoyable running and no DNFs." Instead of "Run Less, Run Faster," I'm now re-reading Stu Mittleman's book "Slow Burn." It's full of great philosophy, psychology, and training advice. It boils down to eat right and exercise daily--at an easy, fat burning, pace. Reminds me a lot of Phil Maffetone's training advice. And Arthur Lydiard. And Ernst Van Aaken. So my 2008 training and goals have evolved. The first 6 months (Jan-June) I want to simply enjoy running, enter a few races, but not compete. It's time to build a nice aerobic base and socialize. If all goes well, then the second half of the year can be focused on a few new PRs. The first half of the year will still present 2 big challenges: McNaughton Park 100 and the 7-Day Buffalo Trace Trail Run. I have three DNFs at the McNaughton 100 miler. And I've never attempted a multi-day race. Good luck to me.

101 Runners

We now have 101 runners registered for the race! I got a dozen over the last week--must be new year's resolutions. Deadline for early registration (save $10) is January 31. No registrations after March 1 (or when race is full at 125). I may limit the race to 124 so I can save a spot for a very special runner...me. It's nice being the king...or RD. I really want to do the Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam (and that means doing all 4 races--no special exceptions for RDs). More details about the Grand Slam in about a week.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all the Clinton Lake ultra runners! And all the other runners too. It's cold in central Illinois...light snow flurries, 18 degrees, 30 mph winds, and a -6 wind chill. NOTE: I added a weather feed to the blog yesterday. I am skipping Clinton trail for today. The weather will warm up this weekend and I'll go out Sunday to do Clinton (Saturday is Siberian Express race).

I did the 3-mile Body n' Sole new year's eve fun run last night. I've done every one of them (I think it's 8 or 9 so far). It was nice road running with people I don't see too often--Bruce, Bonnie, Stan, etc. I figure if the bowlegged "Iron Bison" (Bruce) can run a few miles with a bad back, bad knees, bad everything, I can do them too with a simple sore calf. I got a few free goodies (Cliff bar, Luna bar, Wright socks, Propel drink mix, and Polar water bottle) and caught up on the Across the Years gossip (Brian and Tracy both had given up the 400m loop for beer--good decision for injured runners). Tracy ended up with 175 miles and Brian got 150 miles. Not a bad way to end the year...and start the new one! Congratulations to them both.