Conquest Drink No Longer Available

As I prepare for the Howl at the Moon 8-Hour run (and other upcoming ultras) I forgot to plan for one important aspect of the race---my sports drink. My favorite drink has been Conquest and they are no longer in business! I started using this stuff several years ago after Buffalo Duane ("Wonder Calves") recommended it. I loved the slight lemonade-like flavor. It was just a basic sports drink with no simple sugars and no extras besides electrolytes (no protein or fats). And it was fairly cheap too. I've tried quite a few other sports drinks---Heed, Gatorade, Powerade, Amino, Succeed, Clip, Accelerade, Ultima--and none of them tasted as good, or worked as well, for me. Except for Conquest, Succeed is the only one that hasn't bother my stomach in long ultras. (Succeed is a sponsor of the Clinton Lake ultra and I do think it's a good product--it just wasn't as good as Conquest for me.)

What to do? As I paced around the house and cursed my fortunes, Sharon said "Why don't you make your own?" "Because that's insane!" was my first thought. Who makes their own sports drink? Then I recalled several posts to the ULTRA listserv about people making their own drinks. I logged on and found those posts and decided to give it a go! I just ordered 7 pounds of pure maltodextrin (glucose polymer). If I mix that with a sugar free flavored drink (lemonade, tea, Kool-aid, etc) I should be able to create a tasty, effective, and inexpensive drink. I can add salt if needed for a bit of flavor and electrolyte replacement (although I prefer to take S-Caps anyway). I should be able to experiment for about 7-10 days before Howl arrives. Wish me well. If this works, I'll feel like one of those old-time ultra runners that did tons of "experiment of one" trials with foods, drinks, training runs, shoes, clothes, glycogen depletion, etc. Kinda cool. I hope this works!

PS: Speaking of ultra runners that experimented...one of my favorite books about ultra running, written by an ultra runner, is Bernd Heinrich's "Racing the Antelope: What Animals Can Teach Us About Running and Life." It's since been republished under the title "Why We Run: A Natural History." This is a great book investigating animal physiology as it relates to speed and endurance--all wrapped up in his attempt to break the 100K road record. Bernd is a great writer and an excellent ultra runner. I still can't get the image of an antelope on a treadmill out of my mind! BTW, antelope have a huge VO2 max.

I'm Howling

If you hear some howling coming from a bit west of Champaign, IL, that's just me training for the Howl at the Moon 8-Hour run happening on August 9. The picture to the right is me "running" it last year (photo from Tom Marriage)--I'm going fairly slow after about 40 miles. It's only a couple weeks away and I'm starting to feel fit. Not super-fit, just better than a few weeks ago. I know there isn't time to get in any more real training, but I'm feeling recovered from the 7-day race and finally getting into a good rhythm of daily running. I haven't done any long runs since the 303 miles at the 7 day stage race in June. Hope those daily extra long runs count for something! The weather has been odd this year so maybe we'll have cool and dry weather for Howl. I really want 50 miles in 8 hours. I don't see that happening unless we have reasonable temps on race day.

This race is special to me since it was my very first ultra back in 2000 (I ran 37+ miles). I've never gotten less than 40+ miles in subsequent races. One thing that keeps me training for the race is tracking my total and average miles at Howl over the years (TC up in Michigan got me started on this--I may catch him one of these years!). Here is where I stand after the 2007 event (7 total races):

Low: 37.81 (2000)
High: 47.06 (2006)
Total Miles: 304.14
Average Miles: 43.45

Goal for 2008: 50 miles! I need to AT LEAST get above my average of 43.45 miles. I'm pretty pleased with an average of almost 44 miles each time. Anyone that breaks 40 miles is doing well at this event. As much as I love this race, if I can reach my darn goal of 50 miles, I think I'll try a different summer race in 2009...maybe the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon (you gotta do both!). I've had my eye on Pikes Peak for some time, but it is always around the same time as Howl. I'm not tough enough to do Howl one weekend and then Pikes Peak the next!

5 Races in 5 Months

I was just looking at my race calendar (my races are listed on the left side bar on this blog). I only have 5 more races left for the year...one per month from August to December. And only three of them are ultras! That's an easy schedule. Too easy. Maybe I should add another race? Buffalo Tom says he's not doing any triathlons (or any other races?) this year...I should kick it up a notch to compensate. As much as I hate that darn Tecumseh Marathon, it is fairly close by (Bloomington, IN area) and I should be in good shape by December 6. I might have a good run there. It probably won't interfere too much with my Deer Run 8K the next weekend. If not Tecumseh, then maybe Owen-Putnam 50K (also in central Indiana) on November 1. I've always liked that race--it hearkens back to the classic ultras...small, low-key events, run on great trails with little publicity. Or maybe I should do the Mahomet Half Marathon on August 23 in my home town? I'll be recovered from Howl at the Moon...or at least enough to run a short 13.1 miles! Hmmm...

Heck, why not add all three races to my schedule? I'll see how I feel on August 10 after Howl at the Moon. If I feel good, maybe I'll sign up for the Mahomet half marathon...or the 5K race that accompanies the half marathon. Then I'll wade through Rock Cut Hobo 50K and Farmdale 33 Miler and see if I'm injury free. If so, I should add either Owen-Putnam or Tecumseh to my race schedule.

IL State Parks in Jeopardy?

I was just reading a story in today's Daily Illini about the Illinois state budget problems affecting the state parks. About $14 million has been cut from the Department of Natural Resources budget and the results could be staff lay-offs and reduced park hours. DNR has had it tough since 2001. Some parks may actually close if this new budget stays in its current form. I sure hope they restore the money to DNR and find other areas to cut (hopefully not higher education!). I need Clinton Lake State Recreation Area to remain open for my own selfish reasons...I love to run that north fork trail! And the Clinton Lake ultra is dependent on the trail being open and maintained. Speaking of the trail, the park has cleared just over half the trail and may be done this week in clearing the entire trail. There have been some thick briars, itch weed, and tall grass on many sections. I plan to run the north fork trail this weekend to see how it looks. If it is runnable, then us local trail folks should run it regularly and also trim it back when needed. It's a LOT easier to maintain the trail when it's in good shape rather than hacking through it when it is left to become wild and overgrown.

Cross those fingers and hope that the governor and legislature restores the money to DNR. It wouldn't hurt to make some calls or send some e-mails to your local representative and the governor's office too.

Rock Cut Hobo Registration is Open

The third race in the Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam is now open for entries! You can get more information, and register for the race, at the Rockford Road Runner web site calendar (scroll down to Sept 28). The 50K event is on Sunday, September 28 at 8am. The 25K is the day before (Saturday). There are a series of training runs and races leading up to the big Hobo 50K. Details on the RRR web site.

Maffetone Heart Rate Training

I've decided to try some heart rate training this summer. I get in these phases of following a training schedule, using a HR monitor, timing every run...and then reverting back to Luddite ideas of no stop watch, minimalist shoes, and "just run as you feel." We'll see how long this HR training phase lasts. I have promised myself to make it through Farmdale 33 miler in October using the Maffetone training ideas. Here is a short article ("Want Speed? Slow Down!") describing the Phil Maffetone method. This article is just a start--I encourage you to get one of the books I list below if you really want to pursue heart rate based training.

Unlike many other HR plans, Maffetone uses a very simple method for determining heart rate zones. He has three main zones (I am combining Maffetone with Stu Mittleman advice). For the main MEP zone ("Most Efficient Pace"), you start with 180-age and make slight adjustments based on past injuries, illness, and conditioning. I'm allowed to add 5 heart beats to my calculation since I have remained fairly injury and illness free for quite some time (and I have been doing fairly heavy aerobic exercise). If you are new to aerobic exercise, have been injured, have frequent illnesses (colds, flus, sore throats, etc) then you will need to subtract from the base calculation. For me, I have 180-42+5=143 as the top of my MEP zone. This limit keeps me working efficiently, but still almost all aerobic. I subtract 10 to create an MEP target zone (133-143). Once you have the MEP figured out, you develop two new target zones by adding & subtracting 20 from your MEP. That gives me three zones:

• MAP (Mostly Aerobic Pace) = 113-133 <= very easy pace
• MEP (Most Efficient Pace) = 133-143 <= moderate pace
• SAP (Speedy Anaerobic Pace) = 143-163 <= speed & tempo runs

The paces in each of these zones may seem too slow. Give it time. Stu Mittleman provides great examples of what each zone should feel like and encourages runners to adjust the HR limits based on several kinesthetic indicators. Once you begin using the zones, you will find yourself running faster with the same heart rate. That's the point! The same energy exertion is now moving you faster (but not over-training you because you are still using the heart rate zones to limit your overall efforts). You are becoming fitter! Most workouts should be done in the MAP and MEP zones with just a bit of the SAP thrown in after developing a solid aerobic base. Even in peak training, the MAP & MEP zones should be predominant. A reasonable number of runs per week in each zone would be 3 MAP-2 MEP-1 SAP. If you want to break them up based on time or miles, then 75% MAP, 20% MEP, and 5% SAP are good approximations. Compare this to what you have done in the past--you were probably running too fast, too often! One of the coolest running tests for judging progress and fitness is called the MAF test (Maximum Aerobic Function). Maffetone has you warm up and then run 5 miles at close to your maximum MEP heart rate (for me, about 143). Don't exceed that limit during the test, but keep close to that number. Easiest to do this inside on a track or treadmill so you'll have consistent conditions to monitor changes. Take splits at each mile. Your splits should go up slightly as you become a bit fatigued during the 5-mile test. Over time (test every 3-4 weeks) you should see your overall time and splits coming down. He gives some nice examples in his books. Also, Maffetone has a table comparing your average MAF test pace with predicted 5K race times. By tracking your MAF test progress (or plateaus & declines) you can alter your training and racing plans. Here are three books I recommend regarding heart rate training (from the Maffetone perspective):

1. Training for Endurance (Maffetone, 2000)
2. High Performance Heart (Maffetone, 1996)
3. Slow Burn (Mittleman, 2001)

And a great general book about training at easier paces (kind of Lydiard-style): Van Aaken Method (Van Aaken, 1976).

I'll try to give a few updates on my Maffetone style training over the next few weeks. I have three good test races coming up in August, September, and October: Howl at the Moon 8-Hour, Rock Cut Hobo 50K, and Farmdale 33 Miler. If my new heart rate monitor gets me across the finish lines of those races in good shape, I may just stick with it. My running buddy and "coach" Jeff has been using a modified Maffetone and Mittleman approach for quite some time...don't hold that against Maffetone or Mittleman! Jeff's slow times have more to do with injuries and weight than training regime. ;-)

UltraMarathon Man the Movie

Well, Dean Karnazes has done it again...he now has a movie based on his 50 marathons in 50 days achievement. He also has a book coming out on the same topic. I'm not the biggest Karno fan, but he does do some cool things and he certainly knows how to market himself...and extreme running. The movie premiers (and in most places is one-night only) on July 31, 2008. It's called "UltraMarathon Man." In central Illinois, it seems the only place showing the movie is in Bloomington-Normal. I'll probably go up there to see it. The movie has some promise since it's done by the same group (Journeyfilm) that did the David Horton documentary on the PCT called "The Runner." The Runner is an awesome documentary.

Karno's newest book, "50/50: Secrets I Learned in Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days," is due out in August. I'll probably end up buying that too...I can't pass up new running books!

Dean is running the Badwater Ultramarathon right now...currently in 4th place overall and should finish this afternoon. Pam Reed is the lead woman (3rd overall) and Jorge Pacheco is the lead man. They each have some tough competition so the climb from Lone Pine to the Mt Whitney portal finish should be exciting.

Update: Jorge Pacheco won with a time of 23:20 (beating Akos Konya by about 30 minutes). Jamie Donaldson was the first woman finisher (3rd overall) in a time of 26:51 (new course record!). She beat Pam Reed by about 50 minutes. Dean Karnazes finished 4th overall in 27:11.

Badwater Ultramarathon Next Week

The annual Badwater Ultramarathon begins next week (July 14-16). The runners will depart in waves (6am, 8am, 10am) from Badwater, CA in Death Valley (-282 feet) and travel 135 miles across the desert and up to the Mount Whitney portal (8,360 feet). Some competitors go an extra few miles and actually summit Mt Whitney at 14,505 feet (not part of the official race).

The weather actually looks good for this year's race--Furnace Creek has forecast highs of 92, 94, and 103 (M, T, W). That is really cool weather for Death Valley in July! Last year, we had highs around 120. I miss the desert and crewing for Brian last summer. It was a great experience that I hope to repeat again soon. That's our team from 2007 in the photo.

The race organizers will have a live webcast beginning Monday morning. Check it often to see all the fun! Good luck to all the racers and their crews.

Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam Working?

Is the first year of the Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam (iTUGS) working? I'm not sure what I expected for the first year. All I wanted to do was get four Illinois ultra races to join forces and produce a "Grand Slam" that would hopefully encourage runners to do all four events. Maybe the number of registered runners would go up for each race. And maybe Illinois would develop a reputation as a good ultramarathon state. We have completed the first two races (McNaughton Park & Clinton Lake) and currently have 24 "survivors" (list here) that are still eligible for the Slam. I suppose that's a good first year start. If we have 10 complete the whole Grand Slam I would be happy.

My real concern isn't the total number of Slam finishers, but the "buzz" and commitment that each of the individul races has toward the Trail Ultra Grand Slam. All agreed to be part of it and the only real requirement was to give me the race results and be willing to throw in some money for Slam prizes. I'd like each race to advertise the Slam on their registration forms, web sites, and at the start/finish of their events. That hasn't happened as much as I had hoped...yet. With two more races to go, I hope Rock Cut Hobo and Farmdale push the Grand Slam. As an RD myself, I understand all the pulls on an RD...and one extra "Grand Slam" thing to include just pulls you away from your specific race tasks. Maybe with time it'll be second nature to say "Yeah, my race is part of the Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam!" I always believe that three years is a good test to see if a race or idea catches on...guess that means I still have 2.5 years to go with this Slam idea.

Let me know if you have suggestions to improve the iTUGS. Advertising? Prizes? Different races? These are the current 4 Grand Slam races:

• Clinton Lake 30-Mile Trail Run
• McNaughton Park 50/100/150 Milers
• Rock Cut Hobo 50K
• Farmdale 33-Mile Trail Run

Other possible Illinois ultra races include Howl at the Moon 8-Hour, Riddle Run 28 Miler, McNabb Fat Ass 50K, DeTonty Iron Fist 50K, and Buffalo Trace 7-Day Stage Race. Others?

Clinton Lake 2009 Race Date

We have tentative approval from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to hold the Clinton Lake ultra race on Saturday, March 28, 2009. I'll submit the official activity permit this week and should have formal approval within 6 weeks or so. After we have the official OK, I'll move fairly quickly to get the race registration forms (online and paper) open. I always try to have everything ready to go before the Farmdale race (October), but I think we can have it all open by the Rock Cut Hobo race (Sept 28). I'd like to bring race flyers to that run. I'll send advance notice to those who ran the race this year. I'd love to have everyone back again. Race limit will be the same...about 125 runners.

Review of Shoes

I used 7 different pairs of shoes during the Buffalo Trace 7-Day Stage Race. When you compare total mileage, I really only used the first 4 pairs (they accounted for 272 of 303 miles). Two pairs were almost brand new...the actual shoes themselves and the brand/model. Here's a report on how my shoes worked for the 303 miles I ran during the race (fairly tame grass & dirt trails with few rocks and roots):

Nike Air Zoom Trail S = 110 miles
Strengths: Cushioning, rock guard under foot
Weaknesses: Slightly heavy, fairly high heel, low toe protection
Even though I hadn't tried this shoe before (total of about 15 miles before the race), it ended up being my "go to" shoe for the week. I think the extra cushioning helped when I was tired. I was very pleased at how they worked right out of the box.

New Balance 790 = 76.5 miles
Strengths: Wide forefoot, lightweight, low to ground, airy
Weaknesses: Little cushioning, little toe guard
I used this shoe every morning when there was a lot of wet grass because of dew. With totally soaked shoes and socks, they still felt lightweight. And in the early part of the day when I was still fresh, the lack of cushioning was OK. This is fast becoming one of my favorite trail shoes.

Brooks Cascadia = 45 miles
Strengths: Wide toebox, cushioned, rock guard underfoot
Weaknesses: Slightly heavy
This was the bulkiest shoe of the week. Good cushioning, but a bit too heavy for tons of mileage. Feet did feel protected and well-cushioned. Nice walking shoe.

Teva X-1 Racer = 41 miles
Strengths: Lightweight, cushioned, well ventilated
Weaknesses: Slightly high off ground, a bit narrow forefoot
Except for being a tad bit narrow, this was an excellent overall shoe. The tongue seemed to rub my ankle and lower shin a little so I didn't use this shoe after I started to get ankle and shin splint problems. I think with a little more "breaking in" (I had less than 20 miles on them before race day) they may a great ultra shoe--especially for hot and wet conditions.

Adidas Adizero XT = 14 miles
Strengths: Cushioned, good traction
Weaknesses: Narrow forefoot
I only used this shoe on the first day. While it was lightweight and well cushioned, it was just too narrow in the forefoot and toebox to be useful for later in the week when my feet were swollen.

Nike Free = 10 miles
Strengths: Lightweight, low to ground, form fitting upper
Weaknesses: Little protection (underfoot or toe)
These are super lightweight and very form-fitting. Not much protection so I only used them for a change of pace during the week.

Mizuno Revolver = 7 miles
Strengths: Lightweight, wide forefoot, low to ground
Weaknesses: Slight cushioning, little protection (toe or underfoot)
Not sure why I didn't use them more. They are lightweight and have a wide fit. Not the greatest cushioning or protection, but they are usually one of my favorite shoes. I always had them in my trunk if I needed a trusty old shoe, but never really called on them for much mileage.

Mile Marker Friends

During the 7 days of running at Lake of the Woods trail, I came to understand the nuances of the trail. You knew the warm sun would greet you rising over the prairie on the first early morning loop. And after 300 miles, you start to realize there are lots of inclines (not quite hills) on this course! You memorize the rocks and roots, mile markers, muddy spots, and low hanging limbs. You see the grass getting longer each day. The same deer seem to be up and around at 5:15am each morning. Runners, walkers, and joggers become familiar faces after just 7 days of waiving at them about the same time each day. But more than anything, I looked forward to seeing the next mile marker. Relentless forward progress might be made one step at a time, but mentally you need to "count those miles" to feel like you are achieving something real. I counted a lot of miles. One at a time. Here are my five favorite friends from that 7-day adventure just two weeks ago...

Mile 1. That first mile was always a welcoming one---an easy downhill from the parking lot with lots of shade. Even when you weren't feeling well, it made time go by quickly and you felt kinda speedy. During the heat of the day, that first mile marker was usually still shady and cool. A welcome respite from the heat, sun, & humidity of the late afternoon miles run in the open fields.

Mile 2. This mile marker was located in a shady area known as coyote lane. You knew you had a gradual downhill from here all the way to the main intersection. That was some good, easy running. A couple good hills were waiting between markers 2 and 3, but thoughts of hills were far from my mind when I came to mile marker 2. This was a nice secluded place to empty the bladder too. Good to know you are still hydrated.

Mile 3. Once you hit the third mile marker, you already had 2 hills recently behind you and one more to come right after the right turn. But this marker came toward the end of a long downhill so you felt pretty good reaching it. Unfortunately, it was often in the direct sun. I was glad to have my adventure hat and ice bandanna to keep me cool.

Mile 4. Speaking of my hat (aka "Marshall"), the north section of trail in the open fields and prairie, really required a hat and sunglasses. You were exposed to sun and wind for the entire mile stretch. It got hot out there! The marker itself is on fairly flat terrain, but the "climb" to get there is rather lengthy and the mile to follow is an almost steady incline to the parking lot finish. This was a great place to be in the early morning and evening, but nasty during the direct sun of mid-day.

Mile 5. The sight of this mile marker always brought a smile to my face. Just a few feet later and you were back in the parking lot and your car (aid station). What's not to like about that? I saw this marker over 60 times during the week...and I loved it each time! The marker is slightly off trail and buried in grass, but I always knew exactly where it was...and how far I had to go to reach it.

Those are my five trail friends. They patiently waited for me to arrive and quietly cheered me on as I passed. Say "hi" next time you are running by them. It's way too easy to click your watch on your mile splits and miss these fine characters. Each of them has a half-mile brother, but they aren't as fun...unless you are running 800m repeats. And why would any self-respecting ultramarathoner run 800m repeats?

LetsRun.Com

For those that don't know, I'd like to introduce the single best running site on the web...LetsRun.com. It's not a running store, but rather a synthesis of running information, commentary, discussion boards, news, photos, & videos. It is updated daily with the latest running news and commentary (their discussion board is lively, entertaining, and brutal). If you are looking for information about competitive running, this should be your first bookmarked site. And if there are major events coming, this is the site to keep an eye on...Olympics, World Championships, major track meets & marathons...they stay up-to-date with results, summaries, and critiques.

I wish ultramarathons got more attention on the site, but they aren't completely ignored either. In addition to LetsRun, here are a few other running web sites I check out fairly often:

• UltraRunning Online Calendar
• Zombie Runner
• Chasing Kimbia (and Kimbia.Net)
• Running Barefoot
• PoseTech
• ChiRunning
• LogYourRun
  

And my three running clubs:

• SLUGS
• Second Wind Running Club
• Kennekuk Road Runners

New Race Date for Rock Cut Hobo 50K

The third race in the Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam has changed its race date from Sept 21 to Sept 28. The Rock Cut Hobo 50 will now be on Sunday, September 28, 2008. The 25K race will be held the day before. Registration is still not open, but you can keep an eye on the race by visiting the Rockford Road Runner web site. I'll post an announcement on this blog too. I have mixed feelings about breaking up the 25K and 50K events. It was nice in the past to bring friends that would run the 25k while I did the full 50K. That won't work now. On the positive side, it should allow for greater parking and fuller support of each race. At times, the Hobo run has been criticized for inadequate aid stations. With less overall runners on each day it could be a great opportunity to provide comprehensive and tailored support. I hope Larry can find volunteers for both days! The course is a nice 15 mile loop across a variety of terrain and the race has the potential to be one of the best in the Midwest.

Note that this race date is now the same as the Kennekuk Wild Wilderness trail run. I was planning on running both races since they each have their own "Grand Slam." My big goal this year was to run both Grand Slams:

TUGS: McNaughton Park, Clinton Lake, Rock Cut Hobo, Farmdale
KRR Slam: Siberian Express, Mountain Goat, Lake Mingo, Wild Wilderness

What do I do now? I "organize" the Trail Ultra Grand Slam (and my dear Clinton Lake race is one of the events). This is probably the only year I could complete the TUGS--I even ran my own race this year! But I've run every KRR event this year...including two ROAD races (Mountain Goat and Memorial Day)...do I give that slam up? Hmmmm....

Howl at the Moon is Next

My next race is the 8-hour Howl at the Moon on August 9. That gives me all of July to relax (train?). I'm still recovering from the 7 day event--I have some lingering ankle pain, but things are progressing well. I know I can go for 8 hours, even in the sun and heat. Now I need to work on a little speed so I can increase my steady run pace to something that will get me close to 50 miles in 8 hours at Howl. The 9:36 pace per mile seems easy, but that includes breaks for food, drink, change of shoes, socks, etc. Figuring in breaks, the actual running pace is substantially faster. And 8 hours in the August heat, humidity, and sun of central Illinois breaks you down. Whatever my training encompasses, I only have 39 days until race day. Better get going.