Today my trailing plan called for a 3 mile run and then some strength training. I am not at the point yet where I am adding in the strength training, but will get to that in the near future. For now, I am just focusing on the running. I left from the MADD shelter (see pic below) on the Northshore Trail and headed north to the 1.5 mile turnaround. However, when I arrived I felt so good that I decided to keep going. I added another half mile and then turned around, making the total run about four miles.
I use a program called AllSport GPS on my Blackberry. It tracks my runs and mountain bike rides and automatically uploads the data to a website. It's a great application--strongly recommended if you run with your phone (like the Crackberry addict that I am!). As a side note, I wouldn't recommend subscribing to the service from the Trimble Outdoors site. They charge an ongoing monthly fee for the service. Instead, download and purchase it from another source like Blackberry App World for a one time fee of $19.95. The AllSport GPS application works on many devices, not just the Blackberry.
Anyway, here's a map generated by AllSport GPS showing my run for today.
Following are a few pics from my run, followed by today's L-Three Update (which will become an L-Four update from here out).
The MADD Shelter (Near Little Pete's)
1.5 Miles from MADD Shelter, Stake at Top of Hill
2 Miles from MADD Shelter. Look for log on side of trail.
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| A view of the lake from the Northshore Trail. |
L-Four Update
As I mentioned previously, I am keeping track of my limbs (arms/legs/feet, etc.), lungs (cardio), and laughs (mental state), to help me better document my journey from fat to fit. On my run today I decided to add another L: my forth L is Learning! As I continue to research ultrarunning and spend time experimenting with different approaches on the trail, I will learn what works for me and what doesn't. So here we go with the L-Four Update.
Limbs--I am still struggling with my left calf muscle. About 30 minutes before my run today I rubbed some Myoflex cream on the sore area of my calf. That really seemed to help. My calf felt sorta stiff while running, but I didn't experience any pain. Otherwise, my legs felt strong and well rested today. I had no issues doing the four miles.
Lungs--I mentioned last time that I am still coughing when I run. My doctor said that might continue for more than a year after a person quits smoking. I will say today didn't seem as bad as some previous runs. I can also say I felt like I was able to run longer without breaks or without feeling like I was out of breath. I know I ran a little slower pace today, so that probably helped as well.
Laughs--On the mental side, I woke up feeling rested and excited about my run today. Today was the first time since I started running again that I didn't spend the entire time thinking about my running. I can remember when I trained in the past that I would get into a mental zone where the miles would just pass by and I would totally lose track of time. Think about your drive home from work or to somewhere that you frequent--sometimes you make the entire trip without really realizing it. I experienced that again today. Although dangerous while driving, it's a beautiful thing on the trail!
Learning--I've decided that I am going to try to treat all my runs like an actual ultramarathon event. In other words, I want to use each run as an opportunity to learn about what works and what doesn't for me. For example, I need to learn about hydration and fuel replacement. The best place to do that learning is during my training runs, not while actually participating in a race. If I do it right, the race will feel just like another Sunday morning jog in the woods, just with a few other sick-o's along for the adventure! So my learning focus initially will be about hydration and fuel replacement (how much to drink and eat while running). I am going to focus on the hydration first and work on the fuel replacement topic next.
Tomorrow is a rest day (from running), so I plan to go mountain biking with a friend.
That's it for today. If you have any tips on learning how to properly hydrate during a run, please post a comment!
Hey Thomas! I actually stumbled upon your site via Twitter and I'm so glad I did. I'm also a beginning runner and although I'm primarily sticking to pavement for the time being, I can't wait to try my hand at trail running in the near future.
ReplyDeleteI am by no means an expert on the topic of hydration, but from the research I've done thus far, I believe your best bet is to adequately hydrate yourself through the course of the day by getting your recommended eight glasses. Downing water immediately before your run isn't as effective since it weighs you down and it doesn't give your body enough time to transport nutrients and waste products.
Anyhow, you've just gained another subscriber and loyal reader. Keep up the great work!
Hey Jimmy. Thanks for the comment. I read an interesting article at http://www.ultrarunning.com that indicated for hydration you should shoot to maintain your same weight from start to finish during a run. If you end your run and you weight less, you haven't hydrated enough. But if you weight more, you are overhydrating (or not peeing enough!). I'd be interested to hear from others if that is a reality during the long runs?
ReplyDeleteGreat post. On the hydration, getting it down to exact science where you weight more or less or the same is very hard to do. The variables change. I use a camelbak, and on a 13 miler, I can go through the whole 1.5 liters in the heat with out a problem. You should not drink in excess right before a run, but rather hydrate through out the day, every day, even on your rest day, etc.. 2 liters is a good start. Note it takes one week to properly hydrate for a marathon. In other words, you can NOT just hydrate for one the night before, or even start 2 days before. Make hydrating a daily task. Also, you will find that you lose more weight.
ReplyDeleteHi there, chosing an ultramarathon as your goal so soon in the game is pretty impressive. I've been trail running for 2 years (road running before that a few more years) and am headed for my first ultra in 22 days. It's really freaking me out because I know the mental battle that awaits. Know that the mind battle is the one you really have to win. I'm glad to see you have other races lined up to prep you. You will need that. Congrats on quitting smoking (I too quit about 12 years ago) and I too struggle w/ my weight. Thanks for following on twitter. Good Luck! You can do it with lots of hard, hard work. And don't worry about the bad days, and the really bad days, because they too make you stronger : )
ReplyDeleteps. on those long runs, you really need to replace those electrolytes -- plain ole water won't do it.
Hello!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment... I am not sure why but I've had troubles publishing it.
As far as hydration goes, it is best to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, everyday (and extra during your runs).
A good way to hydrate on the run is to have a drink at every mile mark (easier to remember when to drink also). Don't chug it, and don't take in too much, as it could cause some gastric distress (cramping or side stitch).
Also, If you're doing runs that last longer than 1 hour, you should be taking in some form of electrolytes and nutrition. Finding a personal balance between water, electrolytes, and nutrition is difficult.
There is a lot of trial and error that goes into it. Don't ever be discouraged.... it's the mishaps and rough patches that makes us stronger.
Keep up the good work!
Gotta run,
Stacey