McNotAgain 2011 Race Report

I ran the McNotAgain 30-Mile Race this past weekend.  It was my fourth time running the event.  Kind of strange since this is only the 3rd year!  True enough, but back in 2008, Mike Siltman did a test-run fat ass style event to see if anyone would be interested.  I ran that informal "race" too.  So this was my fourth "McNotAgain" trail run.  I'll bet I'm the only person to have run all four events. Enough history. How did this year go?

I had three goals for this year's race:

1. Finish the full 30 miles and remain uninjured
2. Break 6:00
3. Beat Kevin Cox (my informal ultra running arch rival)

Well, 2 out of 3 goals ain't bad.  I finished in 5:57:59 and had no injuries.  Kevin finished in 5:57:20. Thirty tough trail miles and he beats me by 39 seconds!  What have I done to betray the running gods and deserve such smiting?  Oh well, at least I beat "Fast Eddy" who was with me for 25 straight miles until I pulled away at the last aid station and beat him by 3 minutes. Eddy should be my new nemesis.

This is a GREAT small-town, laid-back, fun race on a tough 10-mile loop course. Mike Siltman started it and directed the first two years.  This year Paul and Kirby took over. Who knows who'll direct next year...but I'll be there running the 4th version of this race in 2012. McNaughton Park in the fall is really nice. Thirty miles in the cool fall weather on dry trails is a nice treat just before Halloween.  This year was ideal. We had temperatures in the mid-30s at 8am...slowly rising to the mid-50s at the finish. Full sun with a slight breeze made the entire day perfect for trail running. We've had little rain in central Illinois lately, so the trails and creek crossings were dry. Everything was set-up for a fast race.

I intentionally held back on my first 10-mile loop. My mantra was, "Don't pass, don't be passed."  I wanted to take it easy and go with the flow of middle of the pack runners. At times it felt too slow, and I passed a couple of runners in the first 2 miles, but then settled in and took it easy. In an ultra, there's always time to pick it up and push the pace. My lap time was 1:57.  I wanted sub-2:00 each loop so this split time felt good.

On the second loop, I wanted to push just a bit, but still keep it under control.  I listened to my iPod, passed a few runners, and noticed the same guy running my pace (Eddy).  He was with me on the first loop too. Occasionally he'd pass me, then I'd pass him back, then we'd meet at the mid-course aid station.  As we checked-in and grabbed snacks, we'd nod at each other, comment on how we were pushing each other, and head back on the course. We finished the second loop within a few seconds of each other. My split time for this loop was 2:04. I was disappointed in the slower time. Now a sub-6:00 finish seemed unlikely.  I was getting tired and my feet were getting sore so I swapped shoes (Mizuno Revolver racing flats replaced my NB Trail Minimus).

As I headed down the first hill on loop three, I saw "Fast Eddy" about 100 feet ahead of me.  Damn...he got out of the aid station before me!  I cranked my iPod and committed to catching Eddy. The song "Jailbreak" from Thin Lizzy played, I picked up the pace, and easily passed Eddy...of course, he was taking a pee break at the moment so it wasn't the greatest accomplishment. After 20+ miles, I'll take whatever advantage that comes my way. Long story short, Eddy was within sight, just behind me, until mile 26. After leaving the Heaven's Gate small loop, I kicked it up a notch to try and finish in under 6 hours. The last 4 miles I pushed hard...it felt like 6 minute miles, but was probably around 9:00 pace. Still pretty good for miles 26-30 of a hilly trail ultra!  I didn't see another runner until I finished. Eddy finished 3 minutes later. The winner, David Timmsen, finished in 4:58. I'll be back next year and I'll be in better shape. My goal is 5:29. Can my old nemesis Kevin match that time? How about my new rival Eddy?  Only time will tell.  Until then, I have my new training partner...Thin Lizzy...



The basic statistics (from my Garmin 305 GPS/HR watch):
Distance: 28.26 miles (race was actually 30 miles)
Time: 5:57:59
Finish Place: 11/31 finishers
Elevation Gain: 2,574 feet
HR Average: 150
HR Peak: 170
Calories: 3,519
Weather: 34 => 56, sunny with a slight breeze

Altra Instincts on the Way

A few weeks ago I ordered the Altra Instinct shoes in size 13.  They were too small. At the time they didn't have 14s...plus I thought they would be too big for me. Now 14s are available and the company wrote me back when I asked about 13 vs 14 sizing.  I'm confident that the 14s will be OK...maybe even perfect.  And for winter, even if they are slightly large, I can wear thicker socks. So, I placed my order a few minutes ago.  My Altra Instincts should be on their way soon!  I'm excited. Of course, I have only 2 days until my next ultramarathon--the McNotAgain 30 mile trail run in Pekin, IL this Saturday.  I'll probably go with my NB Trail Minimus this weekend. I'll have a race report this weekend...and a shoe review within a week or two.

Skunk on the Trail!

Running in the early morning, before the sun comes up, has its advantages.  You slap your headlamp on and hit the road and trail all by yourself. Few other humans around...but lots of animals.  I see deer and rabbits almost every single morning. Today I ran into a skunk. He was right on the trail and didn't seem like he was moving. Just a slow waddle along the grass trail. I waited about 30 seconds and then turned around and found another path. If I shouted or threw something at the skunk, he probably would have scampered into the prairie. But why bother him?  It's his "home" I'm running through. I don't want him and his skunk friends coming to my house harassing me!  Live and let live. I feel lucky seeing so much wildlife on my daily runs--deer, rabbits, birds, coyote, fox, and even mysterious squirrels!  They're all good.

On the running route posted here, you'll see a section that seems to "dead end" in the middle of nowhere--that's where my skunk friend greeted me and I turned around. No harm, no foul. I wonder what would have happened if I didn't have my light and I just stumbled upon him without seeing him?  Mr. Skunk probably would have run off the trail and into the safety of the prairie...or maybe stood his ground and sprayed me! I'll keep my headlamp, thank you very much.

Best Runner of All Time

So who's the best runner of all time? Hard question to answer, eh? Not for me. My "best" runner is still going strong to this day. He currently holds 13 world records. Have any guesses? He's Canadian and runs distances from 1500 meters to the marathon...winning at all distances!

He's my running idol...even though he doesn't want to inspire anyone.  He doesn't even enjoy running...but he trains everyday.  Nice and easy.  No sprints, no tempo runs, no VO2 max runs. No track work.  No hills. Just easy long runs. Yet he races very well!  And he enjoys racing. Who is this runner?  Last weekend he ran a 3:15 marathon at the age of 80.

Here are a few of his track records...

Distance	Age Group	Time
1500m	Men 80-84	5:48.93	pending
Mile:	Men 75-79	5:41.80
3000m	Men 75-79	11:10.43
3000m	Men 80-84	12:13.56	pending
5000m	Men 70-74	18:33.38	Better mark by Ron Robertson pending
5000m	Men 75-79	19:07.02
5000m	Men 80-84	20:58.12	pending
10000m	Men 70-74	38:04.13
10000m	Men 75-79	39:25.16
10000m	Men 80-84	42:39.95	pending

Check out these age group records on the roads...

Distance	Age Group	Time
10K	Men 70-74	37:33
10K	Men 75-79	40:10
15K	Men 65-69	55:04
15K	Men 70-74	58:19
15K	Men 75-79	1:00:19
Half Marathon	Men 70-74	1:22:23
Half Marathon	Men 75-79	1:29:26
Marathon	Men 70-74	2:54:48
Marathon	Men 75-79	3:04:54
Marathon	Men 80-84	3:15:54

My "best" runner of all time is Ed Whitlock. He's my running hero. My idol.

Ed Whitlock's Still Going at 80 (June 28, 2011 National Post news story)

Ed Whitlock and the Age of Simplicity (Running Times article from March 2010)

Daily 3-hour slow runs around a cemetery? Classic.

Ed Whitlock's training, and excellent race performances, reinforce the notion that tons of long, aerobic training will prepare you for fast racing.  I'm with you Ed! You inspire me. My goal over the next 12-18 months is to beat your race times that you ran after you turned 75. OK, you are over 30 years my senior...but let's keep that between you and me. I intend to beat your 75-79 age group PRs...and it ain't going to be easy!

Here are my new goals (based on Ed's age group records for a 75-79 year old):

5K = 19:07
10K = 39:25
Half Marathon = 1:29:26
Marathon = 3:04:54

How the hell did he run these fast times when he was in his late 70s? Can I run these in my mid-40s? Looks like I need to kick my training into high gear...not necessarily fast training, just lots of running.

Help Me Find an "Ultra" Shoe

I have a problem.  I like running barefoot. I like running in minimalist shoes. This isn't the problem.  The problem lies in the intersection of the minimalism of the shoes and the "maximalism" of ultra running.  I don't seem to be able to run more than 31 miles in these minimal shoes.  Maybe I just need tougher feet and extra time refining my running style to be more gentle and flowing.  Whatever the problem is, I need a solution.  My Vibram FiveFinger shoes (KSO, Bikila, and TrekSport) do not offer enough protection for 30+ miles on trails. Likewise, my Merrell Trail Gloves don't have the protection or cushioning I need in longer ultras.  My New Balance Trail Minimus do better, but similarly come up short. I can finish a 50K ultra with them, but I suffer.  I wouldn't be able to complete a 50 mile, 100K, or 100 mile race in these shoes.  I need a little more protection and cushioning for these longer ultra distances.

Can you help me find an "ultra" shoe?  

Here are the basics of what I'm looking for in an ultra shoe:

• Lightweight (less than 10 ounces)
• Wide toebox (let my toes spread out)
• Fairly flexible (let my foot act naturally)
• Close to zero drop (max 4mm heel to toe drop)
• Some cushioning and protection (rockplate, thicker midsole, etc)

If it has trail traction/tread, that would be a plus, but not a necessity.  The trails I run tend not to have too many extreme ups/downs or slippery sections. Road shoes often work fine on them. In fact, racing flats have worked fairly well--but lack the extra bit of cushioning/protection I need for a 30+ mile race.

Here are a couple of contenders for my next ultra shoe:

Altra Instinct (US13 was too short, 14 might be too big, no 13.5 available)
NB MT110 (comes out in early 2012)
Saucony Kinvara (road shoe, but might work)
Inov-8 (tend to run narrow in forefoot)
NB M700 cross country spikeless racer

Any thoughts on these shoes?  Others I should consider? Maybe I should simply become a tougher runner and suck it up--my NB Trail Minimus might be all I need?  Help me!

UPDATE: I have ordered the Saucony Kinvara shoe. It's a road shoe with a 4mm heel to toe drop (but with more midsole than my other minimalist shoes).  Lightweight with reasonable tread, airy mesh, and a medium to wide forefoot. No rockplate, but I'm hoping the thicker midsole will provide protection and a bit more cushioning for the longer ultras.

UPDATE #2: The Kinvaras are too narrow/tight and they have a slight arch support that bothers me.  I'm sending them back. Damn. This minimalist stuff is tough--I want a little more protection, but I don't want to lose the ability of my foot to act naturally and still sense the ground. I hear Merrel is coming out with a new trail shoe in 2012 designed to provide a bit more protection than the Trail Glove (called the Bare Access). And there's the New Balance MT110 in early 2012. Guess I wait? Or just get tougher and forget all this shoe stuff?  Or maybe I should't run beyond 20 miles...almost any shoe can get me to 20 miles.

UPDATE #3 (Oct 27): Ordered the Altra Instinct in size 14. After blog comments, I'm also considering the NB M700 XC racer (spikeless version in 2E width).

I Won!

Hey folks, I won!  

No, I didn't win any race...just a random prize give-away from Running and Rambling blog. Here's the winner announcement:

http://www.runningandrambling.com/2011/10/orbana-energy-drink-winners-random.html

Pretty cool.  I'm looking forward to trying the new sports drink (Orbana) and writing a review.  Recently I commented in my Farmdale Trail race report that I needed more calories during ultras. Got some good tips from comment posts (Honey Stinger Waffles and Clif Shot Bloks) and now I can try a new sports drink too. I have a 30 mile trail race on October 29 (McNotAgain) so this is perfect timing!

Never heard of "Orbana"?  Me either.  Here's is the original review from Donald's blog:

http://www.runningandrambling.com/2011/10/orbana-energy-drink-review-and-giveaway.html

Soon I'll have my own review of Orbana!

Farmdale 2011 Race Report

I'm still pretty tired after yesterday's Farmdale 33+ mile trail race. I finished in 7:28:29. One of my slower ultra races. I don't feel like writing a real report. Instead of a full narrative race report, here are bits and pieces that hopefully sum up the race and my performance...

The basic statistics (from my Garmin GPS watch):
Distance: 33.7 miles  <= I'm sure it's actually 34-35 miles
Time: 7:29 (took me a minute to hit the stop button)
Finish Place: 11/35 finishers (plus 14 DNFs!)
Elevation Gain: 2,719 feet
HR Average: 142
HR Peak: 165
Calories: 4,124
Weather: 61=>82, sunny all day!

Farmdale is a great race.  I've run it every year (this was the 6th event) and the race directors (first Dave, now Mike and Adam) do an awesome job. The actual trail course changes just a bit every year.  Keeps things interesting!  You can always count on a well-supported race, with a well-marked course and volunteers that take care of the runners. Many of the vols are ultra runners themselves.  It was great seeing Dexter at the mid-way aid station---he had just finished the Arkansas Traveller 100 miler the week before! Farmdale is a wonderful fall race (usually with great weather) that let's me connect with running friends from around the Midwest. Too bad more Champaign, IL area runners don't do it.

Ran in my New Balance Trail Minimus shoes. They needed just a bit more protection on this course. The trail was hard and dry, plus it was covered with roots and acorns that were then covered with leaves.  Stepped on a  lot of "debris" that ended up causing some pretty sore feet.

When we started the race it was around 60 degrees and the sun was peaking out through the trees. By the end it was 82 degrees and the sun was fully beating down on us.  I was dehydrated for much of the day. One 20oz water bottle wasn't enough to make it to each aid station (a little over 4 miles apart).  The heat did me in.

My lack of training also did me in--I had run 6 times in 21 days prior to the race. That's a little TOO minimal.   My longest run in that 3 week period was 4 miles. Most of the down time was due to a cold. Nasty little common cold virus!  Knocked me out for about 12 days.

Stress at work has drained me of any emotional and psychological reserve.  I felt like giving up several times during the race. At some point I just decided to finish by slow jogging and walking. At least I finished.  I was on the precipice of a DNF several times. If I had entered the 50 miler, I would have dropped. I need to find a way to minimize stress at work and just do more running.

I need to experiment with running gels. If I can tolerate them (they've caused me problems in the past), I think they'd give me that extra energy to keep going strong. During this race I only drank water (no sports drink), and dabbled with sold food at each aid station (chips, pretzels, cookies). This worked well at the Howl at the Moon 8-Hour ultra, but they had aid every 1.5 miles. If nothing else, I need to drink Gatorade or another sports drink for the calories.

Thank goodness for Succeed S-caps.  I took quite a few of these electrolyte pills and they helped me survive and recover. If I had more fluids, in addition to the pills, I would have performed much better. At any future warm/hot races, I'll need to have more than 20oz per 4-5 miles.

No matter how bad I felt, there were other runners that felt worse.  When I was at a low point, I saw a stumbling and struggling runner ahead of me.  I thought to myself, "Geez, at least I'm doing better than that sad fella."  I caught up to him and it turned out to be Joshua, a runner from Iowa that I know from many previous ultras. We keep in tough via this blog and on DailyMile. We walked for a while and chatted about the day's current struggles, recent racing and training, and where we might meet up at a future race.  The talk with Joshua helped me regain focus and continue onward.  He DNF'd in the 50 miler...but still put in more miles than me (42+ compared to my 33+)!  Well done mister.  And my hat is off to anyone that finished the 50 miler.

My performance sucked yesterday, but I did finish.  I'm sore today, but uninjured.  I'm blaming my slowness on lack of training and the heat. I'll recover quickly and be back for McNotAgain 30 miler on October 29th. It better be cooler. If you are a runner in central Illinois, you should sign up for this 30 miler (they have a 10 miler too). And you should do the Farmdale race next year! Two great races in the Peoria, IL area (Farmdale is in East Peoria and McNotAgain is in Pekin).

24 Hours Until Next Ultramarathon

I have 24 hours until I start the Farmdale 33 mile trail race!  I'm both excited and relieved. I have not run much (or well) the last three weeks...and that makes me nervous.  I'm not ready for another ultra. Of course, since I'm not feeling prepared, the pressure is off to perform.  I won't get a personal record and it won't be pretty out there after 4-5 hours on the trail. Forecast high temperature is 83 degrees with lots of sun. I'll be a middle of the pack runner...maybe slower.  Time to relax and enjoy.  So, I'm a little relieved.

I hope to post a full 33 miles on my DailyMile page Saturday afternoon.  Hope it's not a DNF.

Running Free...and Bare

I did a short barefoot run this afternoon. It felt good to "run free"--just me and my feet. No shoes. No watch. No race. No pressure. The trail and my two feet. Need to do that more often. Too bad winter will be closing in on Illinois soon. I hope to get in more barefoot runs this fall before the freezing temperatures hit my area.

After the run, I found this video in a post on the google minimalist listserv.  It's a good reminder about barefoot running and how simple it is...and how it's natural, good for you, and fun. Check out the "Mustache Man" and his YouTube video about barefoot running:



The background music is from Iron Maiden, it's a song called "Running Free."  Great band, great song.