Barkley, Here I Come!

"Barkley."  It's a word that strikes a fear in many ultrarunners. The Barkley Marathons (100+ mile trail ultra) is the toughest race in the world. Some of the best athletes in the world come to Tennessee every April and almost all of them fail to even finish the race. I've been entranced by this race since I learned about it over 15 years ago. I even dreamed of running, or more appropriately, participating in the race. I never had delusions of finishing the event, or even completing the 60 mile "fun run" (3 loops). I figured I might, if in the best shape of my life, just barely stick with a veteran and drag my ass to a 20-mile (one loop) finish. Hey, I can dream.

While I dreamed of challenging the famed Barkley course, I knew it would never happen. You need to apply (secretly) to even enter the race. Then you need to be picked. Then train like crazy. And remain injury free. My path to the starting line had too many obstacles. It wasn't going to happen. I was still infatuated, but I had no real chance to participate.

Then, in 2014, came the Barkley Fall Classic 50K. It's a shorter, and slightly taimed down, version of the beast. It shares much of the regular Barkley course, but it actually has some course markings and aid stations. Still plenty of hills and briars. It's actually doable. A finish is possible. A slow finish, but still a finish. That 2014 race filled up in about 48 hours. I missed my chance.

Enter 2015. The Barkley Fall Classic registration opened up on February 26. I entered on February 26. I'm in. This is real. I'll chronicle my training as I get ready for the September 19 race date. Here's a look at what I'm getting myself into. The first is a short 2-minute trailer for a fantastic documentary about Barkley 100. The second is a 22-minute video from Vimeo. Both are pretty interesting and insightful. I should probably start training. Now.



Barkley 100 from Zefyr on Vimeo.

Poor Man's Hoka = Skechers Ultra

Hokas are the latest craze in running--especially for ultrarunners. Every ultra I run seems to have about 50% Hoka users. I've worn the Hoka Stinson Evos and they helped me finish the Umstead 100 miler, but I still found them big and clunky--plus they have a narrow toebox. The Hoka line has expanded to include many more options, including the lightweight Hoka Clifton. I tried the Cliftons, but had to return them due to a narrow toebox. Once Hoka develops a shoe with a more natural and wide forefoot, I may give them another try.  Reduced prices would help too. Hokas are expensive ($130-$170.)

So, what's a runner to do if you want the extra cushioning, but not the high price? Go with the "poor man's Hoka"--the Skechers GoRun Ultra. They are the premier cushioned shoe in the Skechers Performance running line. I regularly find them for about $55-$60 on sale (regular retail price is $80 for v1 and $90 for the new v2). The Skechers Ultra have tons of soft cushioning, are lightweight, and remain flexible. Plus, my toes have room in the forefoot. Traction is good, but they are not the best for "real" trails. The higher heel-to-toe drop (8mm) makes them feel a bit unstable on technical terrain (if you remove the insole, they become 4mm drop shoes). They are awesome on groomed trails and streets. Probably my favorite shoe for 50-100 mile ultras. Fine for 50Ks too. For shorter races, I typically use either the Skechers GoRun or GoRun Ride.

If you are intrigued by the "maximalist" cushioning trend in shoes, but don't want to commit to an expensive Hoka, try the Skechers GoRun Ultra. Skechers really are producing high quality running shoes.

Running: Good Time vs Fast Time

I think there are a few potential posts here on this topic. Good vs Fast vs Fun. We all have many reasons to run: enjoyment, fun, socializing, health, time goals, personal records, trophies, prize money.  Some of these goals go together well, others not-so-much.

Fast times are often, but not always, our goals as runners. We want to run well, fast, and set personal records.  If not a PR, maybe an age group award. That's fine.  I fall into this camp fairly often. Why race if not to test yourself? But the pressure of performing can reduce the fun. It can turn a good time into a bad time. I might run fast, set a PR, but get injured. That's not fun or good. Or I might avoid interacting with other runners (socializing is fun, right?) in my sole pursuit of a PR. Or, heaven forbid, I try for a PR and miss it. Sad...and not fun. Of course, running fast has its own rewards and can certainly be fun. Even aiming high and falling short can be gratifying. I'm not telling anyone to avoid setting goals or trying to run fast. Just don't let it overshadow the real reason we run--to have a good time and enjoy the experience. We get to define what "good" is for ourselves. Don't be pressured by others to define "good" in very simple terms like "fast" or "first." We cannot all finish in first place, but we can all have a good time.

Don't over-indulge in seeking only fast times. We need to remember that "good times" can be fast, but they can also be slow. Good running times are often the best when they are care-free and unaccompanied by goals. Don't miss out on having fun (a "good time") just because you want a fast finish time. Fast and fun are not the same. Neither are fast and good. The two goals are not mutually exclusive, but they do tend to interfere with each other. Find the right time and place for each. Happy running!  I wish you many good runs.

Yasso 800s

If you've trained for a marathon, you've probably heard of the speed workout called "Yasso 800s."  It was "developed" by Bart Yasso of Runners World fame as a simple speed session targeted at a specific paced marathon. You run a series of 800m repeats in the minutes:seconds equal to the hours:minutes of your planned marathon finish. Thinking about a 3:30 marathon?  Then run your 800m repeats in 3 minutes, 30 seconds. Recovery interval jog for about the same period of time (3 minutes, 30 seconds).  Faster marathon, then faster 800m repeats and less time for recovery.  I am currently shooting for a 3:25 marathon so I should run my 800m repeats in 3 minutes, 25 seconds. Start with about 4 repeats, then add one more per week until reaching 10 x 800m repeats. Last session should be about 2-3 weeks before the marathon. Simple, eh?

I like this workout. It pushes me just enough to feel like I'm working hard, but it's not too taxing. When I hit the 800m mark, I'm ready for the recovery jog. After the jog interval, I'm ready for more speed!  While I like this speed session, I'm not sure it's really the best for marathon training. Seems like longer repeats (1 mile or longer) might be more approriate for marathon training. Or just simple tempo runs of 3-5 miles at lactate threshold pace. (See this Runners Connect article arguing against Yasso 800s). The advantage of the Yasso 800s?  They are simple and fun. If things are simple, you'll likely try them. If they are fun, you'll keep doing them.  Even if not perfect, I figure it's still a good speed session and it shoudln't hurt my marathon chances. The key is long runs plus some speed work. For now, I'm sticking with my easy Yasso 800s. I'll let you know how everything goes after the Illinois Marathon on April 25.

Marathon Training So Far

So far, I'm pretty darn pleased with my training for the April Illinois Marathon. As usual, I haven't put all my eggs in one basket. I don't seem capable of going "all in" to train for one single race. I'm always "training" for my next ultramarathon so any other races are side shows. But, the Illinois Marathon has drawn more of my attention than is typical. After all, it is my Boston qualifying attempt. I've restrained myself in the few ultras I've completed in the past 3 months. Here's a quick recap of the my running, racing, and training in the past 3 months.

November
I ran a total of 138 miles last November. My big event was the Tunnel Hill 50 mile trail race in southern Illinois. It went very well--a new personal record for this distance. I struggled a bit during the later stages of the race, but I was satisfied with my pesisitence and grit. You can read my full Tunnel Hill race report here. This was a great month heading into winter. Good miles and an extra long race.

December
I completed 121 miles last December. Not great, but not too shabby either. Winter was mellow and I managed some reasonable training. It included the "Winter Solstice" 30 mile fun run with my buffalo brothers. If I can complete an ultra during the winter, it's a win. I was one of only two finishers of the full 30-mile fun run. In addition to the long trail runs, I managed a few speed workouts--mostly progression runs and marathon pace efforts. Good month.

January
I did 171 miles in January. My best ever for any January! Following a good November and December, this month went incredibly well and provided a great foundation for my ever-building aerobic base. Lots of long trail runs and one fat ass ultra. To top off the aerobic training, I threw in regular speed sessions--Yasso 800s, progression tempo runs, and marathon pace efforts. Another successful month.

February
February was terrible last year. I only had 58 miles all month. Intense cold and snow, plus I got a nasty cold that had me posting many zero run days. This February has seen milder temps and a healthy and injury free self. So far, things are going well leading up to the Illinois Marathon. Let's hope this streak of good weather and solid training continues. I have two ultras in March: Last Man Standing/Springing (March 1) and Clinton Lake 30 (March 28). If I'm uninjured on April 1, I'll have a lot of confidence tapering for the marathon on April 25. No jokes, no fools. April 1st will likely predict my marathon success or failure.

I'm gaining serious confidence as I march toward the Illinois Marathon and my date with fate. I need to throttle back some of my training so I don't get injured or sick. With more pure aerobic running, balanced with a touch of speed, and I'll be set for the next two ultras. If those go well, a nice taper, with a slightly increased focus on speed, should get me to the marathon starting line healthy, injury-free, and full of enthusiasm.

2015 RIDDLE Run Report

Me (a few minutes after finishing). Photo by Tom Rice.

The race that wouldn't die. That's the Riddle Run. Jeff Riddle started this race back in 2000 as a traditional fat ass event. I ran that first race through giant snow drifts with eleven other hardy runners. Jeff won that inaugural event and thus started a long-standing tradition among the local buffalo trail runners. Every year, independent of nasty winter weather, we hit the tails on the last Saturday in January to try and run seven 4-mile loops at a local park. Until he stopped oganizing it in 2011! That year we recruited his son, Jason, to "direct" the run. It happened. Then Jeff came out of RD retirement and led the 2012 and 2013 events. He called it quits after January 2013 (maybe it was the early midnight start for the 50 milers that did him in?). So, I pseudo-directed these past two years and the fine event continues in the standard fat ass tradition (no fees, no whining, no awards).

This year we were not sure what to call the darn thing. It's still the "Riddle Run," but sorta different too. We have settled on R.I.D.D.L.E. as the title. What does that stand for?  Hell if I know. As with any ultra, especially a fat ass, it's what you make of it. As you compete, you create your own race and write your own title. A few examples were tossed around:

Running In Double Digits Looks Easy
Run, Imbide Drinks During Laps, Eat
Run In Deep Drifts, Let's Eat
Running In Different Directions, Long, Easy
Running Insanely Drastic Distances Looks Easy
Run Imbibe Drink Discuss Linger Eat

We'll keep tossing names around as we plan for next year's R.I.D.D.L.E. event.

This year we were greeted with nice temperatues, starting at 27 degrees and ending at 40F. Some sun, some clouds, with a light breeze. The trail was frozen hard in most places with about 10% ice pack. One runner took a terrible fall in the first 1/4 mile and needed 5 stitches on his nose. Like a true buffalo, John came back to drink and socialize. No whining.

Steve. Another champion enshrined on TP.
Photo by Tom Rice

My plan for this run was to get in a solid 28 mile long run. If something started to hurt, I'd call it quits. Additionally, I wanted to test out a fueling strategy. One gel per loop, plus Tailwind sports drink. It worked! I never felt tired and never had stomach issues. I just kept plodding along the trail, avoiding the icy sections, and racked up the full 28 miles in a time of 4:48. Felt great. When done, I grabbed a beer and a few cookies for replenishment. It was nice hanging around the post-run fire discussing the day with the other finishers. Actually, there were only three "true finishers" of the full RIDDLE fat ass ultra: Steve (male winner in 4:41), Andrea (female winner in 6:14), and me. The other 30+ runners were all DNFs. Full results are still being compiled, but here are the current results.


Over the last 16 years, I've accumulated a shit load of RIDDLE fat ass miles. After this 2015 event I now have 403 miles at this fat ass. That's an average of 25.2 miles every year. It's safe to say I have more Riddle Run miles than anyone in the world. Tom Rice and I are still the only two runners to participate in all 16 years of this event. Looking forward to 2016. Tom, you better be there!

I'm now at 97 ultra/marathons. I'll easily break 100 this year. It's about time.