Sunday, September 28, 2014

Grindstone 100 D-5 Days

I never feel trained enough for a race, and it's no different here.  I am injury free, though, which is always a good thing.  I'd rather be a little under-trained than a little over-trained for a race.  We can always gut it out the last few/30 miles, but it's much harder to do that with lingering injuries and unnecessarily tired muscles from a taper-less week leading up to a race. 

It looks like Grindstone will have live tracking of the runners throughout the race.  How often it will be updated from the mountains will little signal/service is unknown to even the race director.  Nonetheless, here is the link to that site:  http://www.eco-xsports.com/  

My trusted weather app tells me there is a 70% chance of rain on Saturday, and who doesn't like running in the rain?  I hope the temperature drops into the 40's Friday night - I love being miserable.  It makes these adventures much more memorable and adds dramatic effect to the stories.  The food afterwards always tastes better too.

Good luck to all at Grindstone.

Monday, September 22, 2014

08-21 Sep

08 SEP -- 1:07:58 -- 6.25 miles -- 190 elevation gain
08 SEP -- 42:00 -- 5.12 miles -- 578 elevation gain
09 SEP -- 44:19 -- 6.01 miles -- 395 elevation gain
10 SEP -- 28:01 -- 3.02 miles -- 630 elevation gain
10 SEP -- 45:35 -- 5.76 miles -- 459 elevation gain
11 SEP -- off -- upper body weightlifting -- stationary bike 7 miles
12 SEP -- off -- stationary bike 15 miles
13 SEP -- off -- visited family in PA
14 SEP -- Dam Half Marathon -- 1:54:38 -- 13.10 miles -- 2500 elevation gain (7th Overall)

TOTAL -- 5:42:31 -- 39.26 miles -- 4752 elevation gain

A few shorter runs early in the week, followed by a few days of rest afterwards, prepared me for the race on Sunday.  Kari and I joined Tristin and Molly for the race and after party, then we headed back to VA in the afternoon. 



15 SEP -- 48:38 -- 6.38 miles -- 599 elevation gain
15 SEP -- stationary bike 7 miles -- upper body weightlifting
16 SEP -- 46:28 -- 4.71 miles -- 791 elevation gain
16 SEP -- 31:12 -- 3.59 miles -- 453 elevation gain
17 SEP -- 45:39 -- 4.76 miles -- 704 elevation gain
17 SEP -- 1:00:00 -- 3.00 miles -- 147 elevation gain (mowing the lawn)
18 SEP -- 31:55 -- 4.03 miles -- 326 elevation gain
19 SEP -- 26:55 -- 3.04 miles -- 61 elevation gain
19 SEP -- stationary bike 7 miles
20 SEP -- 1:18:08 -- 8.71 miles -- 681 elevation gain
20 SEP -- 1:29:44 -- 6.86 miles -- 527 elevation gain
21 SEP -- off

TOTAL -- 7:38:39 -- 45.08 miles -- 4289 elevation gain

Another week full of numerous shorter runs due to time constraints at work, but at least I spent 7+ hours on my feet in the woods (or walking in squares in my back yard...).  I'll continue running through next week but taper off come Saturday/Sunday.  Next week I'll wear my fat pants and sit around as much as possible.


Friday, September 12, 2014

25 Aug-7 Sep

25 AUG -- 1:23:27 -- 9.31 miles -- 1395 elevation gain
25 AUG -- 42:53 -- 5.23 miles -- 426 elevation gain
26 AUG -- 45:01 -- 4.63 miles -- 775 elevation gain
27 AUG -- 1:01:19 -- 7.16 miles -- 693 elevation gain
28 AUG -- off -- upper body weightlifting
29 AUG -- 2:24:00 -- 14.50 miles -- 1100 elevation gain
30 AUG -- 1:50:14 -- 12.28 miles -- 1451 elevation gain
31 AUG -- 1:28:51 -- 12.56 miles -- 417 elevation gain

TOTAL -- 9:35:45 -- 65.67 miles -- 6257 elevation gain

Solid week.  Had a few good runs later in the week with some running pals. 


01 SEP -- 48:03 -- 6.46 miles -- 290 elevation gain
02 SEP -- 55:23 -- 4.74 miles -- 761 elevation gain (rolled my ankle...)
03 SEP -- off -- upper body weightlifting -- babying my ankle...
04 SEP -- 26:43 -- 3.92 miles -- 181 elevation gain (ankle felt better)
04 SEP -- stationary bike for 15 miles
05 SEP -- 52:03 -- 6.20 miles -- 518 elevation gain (ankle pain gone)
05 SEP -- 1:16:29 -- 7.97 miles -- 691 elevation gain
06 SEP -- 4:37:30 -- 18.50 miles -- 4759 elevation gain (Beer & Bacon Festival afterwards)
07 SEP -- off -- rest

TOTAL -- 8:56:11 -- 47.79 miles -- 7200 elevation gain

Rolled my ankle Tuesday morning which slowed me down for a bit.  The swelling and purple coloring went away quick with RICE (rest, ice, compress, elevate), and I was back out on the trail after only a day off.  I've got a trail half marathon with Tristin next Sunday which I'm looking forward to.  Only a few weeks left until Grindstone.