Onward & Upward to Vermont
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Mike MacLellan
ounce
Alex Kubacki
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Onward & Upward to Vermont
JFK last fall was supposed to be my first 50 but an Achillies injury took care of that. After running Boston and Buffalo I planned on a 50 in August, but a conflict will keep me from that one. So I am now signed up for the Vermont 50 at the end of September.
Vermont is basically running up and down mountains that people ski on. It's about 9000' of verticle and another coming back down. For just about the whole thing you're either going up or down. They also have a mountain bike race that goes on at the same time. One good thing is it's not overly technical.
My only goal here is to finish this. Both the distance and elevation are a new world. My training is geared more towards hours than mileage. I have no trails near me so the place I've been driving out to has the elevation I need but the trails are far more technical than VT will be and some of it is not even runable.
We'll see how this goes.
Vermont is basically running up and down mountains that people ski on. It's about 9000' of verticle and another coming back down. For just about the whole thing you're either going up or down. They also have a mountain bike race that goes on at the same time. One good thing is it's not overly technical.
My only goal here is to finish this. Both the distance and elevation are a new world. My training is geared more towards hours than mileage. I have no trails near me so the place I've been driving out to has the elevation I need but the trails are far more technical than VT will be and some of it is not even runable.
We'll see how this goes.
Alex Kubacki- Explaining To Spouse
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Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Last week's training.
Monday - 6.5M very easy. Normally this would be a longer day with speed day but due to work I had done a 10 & 8 with speed on Sunday. My legs were trashed for this.
Tuesday - 5M. Early morning at a pace between easy and regular.
Wednesday - 11M. The middle 60min I ran up and down the one semi big hill we have in my town. It was pretty hot and humid. Got it done just before a big TStorm hit. Did some leg strength after.
Thursday - 4M easy. Hot and humid again.
Friday - 3.25 Hours with 2,752' of verticle and them immediately went to a friends and did an hour of pool running. Later went for a 1 hour walk. I was fairly bonked after the trail run as I took in no calories since the night before. The climbs definitely sap the energy.
Saturday - 90min easy. Legs were a little tired.
Sunday am - 11.5M with 5 x 5min at 7:00 pace. Just getting the body adjusted to running faster again. Did some leg strength after.
Sunday pm - 45min easy. Actually felt decent considering.
Monday - 6.5M very easy. Normally this would be a longer day with speed day but due to work I had done a 10 & 8 with speed on Sunday. My legs were trashed for this.
Tuesday - 5M. Early morning at a pace between easy and regular.
Wednesday - 11M. The middle 60min I ran up and down the one semi big hill we have in my town. It was pretty hot and humid. Got it done just before a big TStorm hit. Did some leg strength after.
Thursday - 4M easy. Hot and humid again.
Friday - 3.25 Hours with 2,752' of verticle and them immediately went to a friends and did an hour of pool running. Later went for a 1 hour walk. I was fairly bonked after the trail run as I took in no calories since the night before. The climbs definitely sap the energy.
Saturday - 90min easy. Legs were a little tired.
Sunday am - 11.5M with 5 x 5min at 7:00 pace. Just getting the body adjusted to running faster again. Did some leg strength after.
Sunday pm - 45min easy. Actually felt decent considering.
Alex Kubacki- Explaining To Spouse
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Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Alex, this should be interesting. I'm a flatlander, so I have no frame of reference other than the tallest mountain in Texas is only 6,300 feet. I imagine this should test your achilles a fair bit. Good luck with the journey.
ounce- Needs A Life
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Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Mountains have a way of tearing you down only to toughen you up. There's a lot more muscular damage going on with the constant elevation change, but I actually think the trails should be good to your joints, given the softer surface (rocks aside). By the way, where specifically are you located? I'll be on the lookout for good mountains when I get to DC this fall...
Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Good start, Alex. I'll be interested in following this journey. I ran a half marathon up/down a ski hill here in western NY back in 2012. It was only a 2400' vertical climb and then a run across the top/around the trails above the ski area and then back down. It was tough and that isn't even a third of the distance you will cover. Wow - sounds a bit crazy and scary to me!
Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
ounce wrote:Alex, this should be interesting. I'm a flatlander, so I have no frame of reference other than the tallest mountain in Texas is only 6,300 feet. I imagine this should test your achilles a fair bit. Good luck with the journey.
Thanks. I can already tell it'll test the achillies especially when I'm on the roads.
Mike MacLellan wrote:Mountains have a way of tearing you down only to toughen you up. There's a lot more muscular damage going on with the constant elevation change, but I actually think the trails should be good to your joints, given the softer surface (rocks aside). By the way, where specifically are you located? I'll be on the lookout for good mountains when I get to DC this fall...
I live in the western MA area near CT. The trail runs I've been doing I'm either going up or down mostly. Just trying to simulate as best I can.
Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Good start, Alex. I'll be interested in following this journey. I ran a half marathon up/down a ski hill here in western NY back in 2012. It was only a 2400' vertical climb and then a run across the top/around the trails above the ski area and then back down. It was tough and that isn't even a third of the distance you will cover. Wow - sounds a bit crazy and scary to me!
Thanks Michele. I still really can't get my head wrapped around this. I'm just going to keep going at it.
Alex Kubacki- Explaining To Spouse
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Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Good luck with this adventure, Alex! Regarding the trails, a guy who used to work with me ran a lot with a big trail running group up right along the CT/MA border. Sounded beautiful, but relatively rugged.
Michael Enright- Explaining To Spouse
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Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
I used to do some running in and around Mt. Monadnock and at Northfield/Mt. Herman when I lived in southern NH. It has been over 25 yrs, but you might check out the areas.
Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Michael, I've run in those. Nice area.
Michele, I've been to Mt Manadnock before. Good place.
Monday - 7M easy. Because of the holiday I had moved everything up a day. So Sunday I had done a longer run with some speed. Legs were a bit tired from the weekend.
Tuesday - 4M easy. Early morning.
Wednesday - 11M with 8 x 90sec hard up Hill followed by 8 x 25sec pickups to get some turnover. Legs were trashed after.
Thursday - No running just core. Been a month since my last non-running day. Legs needed it.
Friday - 7M GA. Early Morning. Probably pushed this a little too hard.
Saturday - 3hr 53min Trails. 3,052' of verticle. 1Hr pool running. I do these as bonk runs as I don't take anything since prior night. Something was off right away. I had no energy and was bonking only about 45min in. I kept going though. I did a lot of power walking though. I wasn't in real trouble or I would have taken something. Figure I'm going to be experiencing the gamut of both physical and emotional feelings so the more I can experience the better. Did an hour walk later in afternoon.
Sunday am - 2 hours easy. Water became a bit of an issue as it was warm and humid out.
Sunday pm - 50min easy. Did this on the treadmill as I wanted to save on the pounding.
Michele, I've been to Mt Manadnock before. Good place.
Monday - 7M easy. Because of the holiday I had moved everything up a day. So Sunday I had done a longer run with some speed. Legs were a bit tired from the weekend.
Tuesday - 4M easy. Early morning.
Wednesday - 11M with 8 x 90sec hard up Hill followed by 8 x 25sec pickups to get some turnover. Legs were trashed after.
Thursday - No running just core. Been a month since my last non-running day. Legs needed it.
Friday - 7M GA. Early Morning. Probably pushed this a little too hard.
Saturday - 3hr 53min Trails. 3,052' of verticle. 1Hr pool running. I do these as bonk runs as I don't take anything since prior night. Something was off right away. I had no energy and was bonking only about 45min in. I kept going though. I did a lot of power walking though. I wasn't in real trouble or I would have taken something. Figure I'm going to be experiencing the gamut of both physical and emotional feelings so the more I can experience the better. Did an hour walk later in afternoon.
Sunday am - 2 hours easy. Water became a bit of an issue as it was warm and humid out.
Sunday pm - 50min easy. Did this on the treadmill as I wanted to save on the pounding.
Alex Kubacki- Explaining To Spouse
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Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Nice week!
Jim Lentz- Explaining To Spouse
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Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
I'm excited to follow your 50M training! Exciting! Two of my friends ran a 50 miler this spring in KS and they are very glad they did it even if Jen hallucinated a coyote toward the end.
Julie- Explaining To Spouse
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Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Thanks Jim and Julie. I know the both of you are going extra long and look forward to how you both do.
Monday - 10M with middle 60min up and down our one town hill. I had absolutely no legs for this. After trashing myself the previous two days my overall pace was 9. Way below the norm.
Tuesday - 4M really really easy. Contemplated bagging the day but I knew the weekend I was going to be stuck working day and night and wouldn't be running.
Wednesday - 12M with 4M at 7:10. The first three of the tempo were fine then I dropped way off. Overall was pretty good. Legs felt minimally better.
Thursday - 3.5M. Easy. Legs back to being dead again.
Friday - 14M. This was early morning. Tried to get something a little longer in knowing I wasn't going to be able to run over the weekend. Picked up the pace the last 3M to around 7:45. Threw in some pretty good hills.
Saturday & Sunday - No running but did some quick core work. My legs needed the break.
Monday - 10M with middle 60min up and down our one town hill. I had absolutely no legs for this. After trashing myself the previous two days my overall pace was 9. Way below the norm.
Tuesday - 4M really really easy. Contemplated bagging the day but I knew the weekend I was going to be stuck working day and night and wouldn't be running.
Wednesday - 12M with 4M at 7:10. The first three of the tempo were fine then I dropped way off. Overall was pretty good. Legs felt minimally better.
Thursday - 3.5M. Easy. Legs back to being dead again.
Friday - 14M. This was early morning. Tried to get something a little longer in knowing I wasn't going to be able to run over the weekend. Picked up the pace the last 3M to around 7:45. Threw in some pretty good hills.
Saturday & Sunday - No running but did some quick core work. My legs needed the break.
Alex Kubacki- Explaining To Spouse
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Join date : 2011-06-23
Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
I'm surprised you live in New England but only have one hill in your town!
If I could, I would send you some...
If I could, I would send you some...
Michael Enright- Explaining To Spouse
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Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Michael Enright wrote:I'm surprised you live in New England but only have one hill in your town!
I can get to them in other towns on my long runs but the regular ones I've got the one. There's a couple of other small ones but nothing to work on.
Alex Kubacki- Explaining To Spouse
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Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Must be the zoning laws.Alex Kubacki wrote:Michael Enright wrote:I'm surprised you live in New England but only have one hill in your town!
I can get to them in other towns on my long runs but the regular ones I've got the one. There's a couple of other small ones but nothing to work on.
Continued endurance to you, sir.
ounce- Needs A Life
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Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Sounding a little bit like a stepback week may be in order. Lots of trashed legs/nearly missed workouts.
Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
I hope you're feeling completely injury free and well this week.
Julie- Explaining To Spouse
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Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Thanks everyone. Mike the two forced non-running days helped.
Monday - 7M with 6 @ 6:56. This was intended to be 12, but I got out of work late and it was getting dark. Though I enjoy running later the problem is I really don't sleep.
Tuesday - 5M easy. Usually this is early morning, but did it after work.
Wednesday - 12M. Temps were in the 90s and a lot of humidity. Even though I had water I still ran out. Pace slowed the last 3 or so.
Thursday - 4M easy. Humidity broke so not bad.
Friday - 7M. Early morning. I have a habit of running this one too hard and for 50 training I need the legs for the weekend. Did open it up a little the last mile.
Saturday - 5 hr 8 min trails. About 3600' of verticle. Got lost. Glad I was carrying extra water. Spent most of last hour hiking it as the trails were really technical. Did an hour walk in the afternoon. Other than lunch and driving I was probably on my feet for about 11 hours when I sat down for dinner.
Sunday am - 2 hr 34 min. This was tough as mentally I was not there. And then the last hour it was complete downpour. Very humid out there. But got it done.
Sunday pm - 40min easy.
Monday - 7M with 6 @ 6:56. This was intended to be 12, but I got out of work late and it was getting dark. Though I enjoy running later the problem is I really don't sleep.
Tuesday - 5M easy. Usually this is early morning, but did it after work.
Wednesday - 12M. Temps were in the 90s and a lot of humidity. Even though I had water I still ran out. Pace slowed the last 3 or so.
Thursday - 4M easy. Humidity broke so not bad.
Friday - 7M. Early morning. I have a habit of running this one too hard and for 50 training I need the legs for the weekend. Did open it up a little the last mile.
Saturday - 5 hr 8 min trails. About 3600' of verticle. Got lost. Glad I was carrying extra water. Spent most of last hour hiking it as the trails were really technical. Did an hour walk in the afternoon. Other than lunch and driving I was probably on my feet for about 11 hours when I sat down for dinner.
Sunday am - 2 hr 34 min. This was tough as mentally I was not there. And then the last hour it was complete downpour. Very humid out there. But got it done.
Sunday pm - 40min easy.
Alex Kubacki- Explaining To Spouse
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Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Nice weekend long runs!
Jim Lentz- Explaining To Spouse
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Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Well, it's hard for me to relate to runs of this distance and/or duration in a non-race environment.
I guess the only thing I could say is to tie a string to a tree before you start running. Then if you get lost again, you can just use the string to find your way back.
I guess the only thing I could say is to tie a string to a tree before you start running. Then if you get lost again, you can just use the string to find your way back.
ounce- Needs A Life
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Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Nope can't imagine doing too much for 5 straight hrs. Keep up the good work!
Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Thanks everyone.
Monday - 10M with middle 60min up and down. Actually did this on the treadmill. Figured it'd be more of a mental challenge plus save some pounding. I just kept switching the elevation from 5% incline to -2 decline. I left the pace the same.
Tuesday - 4M. Easy. Early morning.
Wednesday - 12M with a ladder of 1min, 2',3',4',5',4',3',2',1'. Paces were 6-6:45. Definitely feeling it on the way back down. Legs aren't exactly fresh during this period.
Thursday - 4M. Easy. Nothing special just getting it done.
Friday - 7M. Early morning. Picked it up in the last mile.
Saturday - 4hr 26min. Trails. Stuck to mostly non-technical as I wanted to run all of this. Very humid. Blew through about 70oz of water. Took one good spill as I hit a rock going down a hill that was very slippery. As always these are bonk runs as I take no calories since prior evening. Went for hour walk in the afternoon.
Sunday - 2hr 30min. This run is always more mental than physical. I mean the legs are already tired to begin with but it's just about keeping it going. Went for a walk in the afternoon. Usually double but the legs were dead. Just had two of my highest mile weeks ever back to back.
Doing a 50K in two weeks as a training run. Figured it'd be a good chance to test everything out in racing conditions.
Monday - 10M with middle 60min up and down. Actually did this on the treadmill. Figured it'd be more of a mental challenge plus save some pounding. I just kept switching the elevation from 5% incline to -2 decline. I left the pace the same.
Tuesday - 4M. Easy. Early morning.
Wednesday - 12M with a ladder of 1min, 2',3',4',5',4',3',2',1'. Paces were 6-6:45. Definitely feeling it on the way back down. Legs aren't exactly fresh during this period.
Thursday - 4M. Easy. Nothing special just getting it done.
Friday - 7M. Early morning. Picked it up in the last mile.
Saturday - 4hr 26min. Trails. Stuck to mostly non-technical as I wanted to run all of this. Very humid. Blew through about 70oz of water. Took one good spill as I hit a rock going down a hill that was very slippery. As always these are bonk runs as I take no calories since prior evening. Went for hour walk in the afternoon.
Sunday - 2hr 30min. This run is always more mental than physical. I mean the legs are already tired to begin with but it's just about keeping it going. Went for a walk in the afternoon. Usually double but the legs were dead. Just had two of my highest mile weeks ever back to back.
Doing a 50K in two weeks as a training run. Figured it'd be a good chance to test everything out in racing conditions.
Alex Kubacki- Explaining To Spouse
- Posts : 1252
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Join date : 2011-06-23
Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Good luck with the 50K training run.
Jim Lentz- Explaining To Spouse
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Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
Thanks Jim.
Monday - 5M. Set out to do 10 but my legs were rubber. I was even walking some of this. After two weeks of all time highs my legs were done.
Tuesday - No running. Did some resistance training but took the day from running. Legs needed the break pretty bad.
Wednesday - 12M with 5 @ 7:15. Legs bounced back decently. Just wanted to get some faster running in.
Thursday - 4M easy. Felt pretty good.
Friday - 7M. Early morning. This run is now being back to completely in the dark as we have been moving to shorter days since June. Sad.
Saturday - 2.5 hours. Trail. Step back weekend. Problem though was that I went to a new trail set. Unfortunately hardly any of it was runnable. It was all boulders and jagged edge rocks. A hiking trail. Now I did get 2200' of verticle so it wasn't for nothing, but most of this was power hiking. I'm not worried. I've got the 50K Saturday. Somehow got poison ivy on my stomach though I had a shirt on. Went for an hour walk in the afternoon per usual.
Sunday am - 90min. With my legs not being trashed on Saturday I ran this about 8 flat. Got faster at the end.
Sunday pm - 40min easy.
Looking forward to Saturday and seeing how this test goes.
Monday - 5M. Set out to do 10 but my legs were rubber. I was even walking some of this. After two weeks of all time highs my legs were done.
Tuesday - No running. Did some resistance training but took the day from running. Legs needed the break pretty bad.
Wednesday - 12M with 5 @ 7:15. Legs bounced back decently. Just wanted to get some faster running in.
Thursday - 4M easy. Felt pretty good.
Friday - 7M. Early morning. This run is now being back to completely in the dark as we have been moving to shorter days since June. Sad.
Saturday - 2.5 hours. Trail. Step back weekend. Problem though was that I went to a new trail set. Unfortunately hardly any of it was runnable. It was all boulders and jagged edge rocks. A hiking trail. Now I did get 2200' of verticle so it wasn't for nothing, but most of this was power hiking. I'm not worried. I've got the 50K Saturday. Somehow got poison ivy on my stomach though I had a shirt on. Went for an hour walk in the afternoon per usual.
Sunday am - 90min. With my legs not being trashed on Saturday I ran this about 8 flat. Got faster at the end.
Sunday pm - 40min easy.
Looking forward to Saturday and seeing how this test goes.
Alex Kubacki- Explaining To Spouse
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Re: Onward & Upward to Vermont
I rarely run in the daylight, however my path is always lit by street lights.
How do you determine how much of a run is on inclines/declines, that is if you have a choice to run sorta flat versus not flat?
Good luck on Saturday with the training run.
How do you determine how much of a run is on inclines/declines, that is if you have a choice to run sorta flat versus not flat?
Good luck on Saturday with the training run.
ounce- Needs A Life
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