A core component of any training program for long races is to practice running long. Really? Although obvious, it can be very disappointing to anyone who dreams of running a marathon and was hoping to find a training program where the longest run is only 1 kilometer. After a few decades, I got tired of telling people that the long run is the key component of ultra training and central to remaining healthy after finishing a long race. I now encourage ultra neophytes to run short, but to string a bunch of them together. This is similar to the 9 in 1 method (I think you run 9 minutes, then walk 1 minute), but instead, you run a short distance, then you run the same short distance again.
The beauty of this method is that you can decide how far you want to run! The formula then dictates how many times you run the short distance. Let's take 100 meters as an example. Bob (the name of a fictitious runner, not the name of some race along a canal in New York) wants to make 100 meters his long run, but wants to train for a 50K. Simple! I tell Bob that he can choose any day of the week (Bob chose Saturday) and he can go run 100 meters on that day. Bob is stoked! He can train on the high school track near his house. I then tell Bob that he needs to run 100 meters, 350 times on Saturday. This sounds like a lot of runs for one day, but at least Bob never has to run more than 100 meters. Simple!
Bob no longer speaks to me.
Lee Anne and I are training for the Pick Your Poison race. We are both registered for the 50K. Yesterday, we set out on my long run. It is also Lee Anne's long run, although she added 14K and runs long again, today. Please stop reminding me that I married her. We ran a very hilly 36K course, which includes a 6K hill. Yes, 6 kilometers long. Strange things happen to your legs when you run uphill for 40 minutes. After reaching the top, it takes a few minutes for your legs to adjust to running flat terrain; they feel ungainly. No kidding! Fortunately, we didn't have that problem, as the top of the hill is also the top of the Niagara Escarpment. With -8C temperature, 50 kph winds and intermittent white-outs, we couldn't feel our legs, saving us from experiencing the strange feeling normally encountered at the top of the hill. So nice!
What kept me going in such insane elements was imagining what other runners / ultra friends would think, had we asked them along for the run. The imaginary consensus was that Lee Anne and I were trying to kill them.
My running is improving, beyond a doubt. I recently ran 30K on the indoor track at Base Borden. I am running better than I have in years. But, running 36K, including some major hills, in an inhospitable climate? What was I thinking! I know what I thought before yesterday's 36K training run started. I think the word is hubris. I ran 30K on an indoor track. How much harder would a 36K hill run be, outside? Ask my quads this morning. They are not talking to me either.
As a humorous note, after the run I mentioned to Lee Anne that it would be 2 weeks before I recovered fully. Her reply? "Oh, you'll be back to normal after 2 days".
Yeah, right!
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Sunday, March 15, 2015
The Ides of March
Not Julius Caesar's favourite day, but he has a month and a salad named after him, so I'm not overly empathetic. Just imagine having the temerity to name a month after yourself? Not only that, but stick it in the summer, so that people "like" your month, on the Roman equivalent of Facebook no doubt. To make matters worse, his nephew does the same thing. Not very original and certainly not an august occasion. And neither even bother to fix the remaining months, so that the seventh month (September) is actually the ninth month. I would have stabbed him myself.
Sorry.
While perusing the maple forum, it became apparent that many are experiencing low sugar yields from sap ( http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?25142-Horrible-sugar-content ). I am wondering if the extremely cold weather in February is the culprit. Sure enough, my sap registered 2 Brix (2% sugar, on the Brix scale), so I was a little leery about predicting when I could draw off my first batch of maple syrup from the evaporator. All evaporators are different and obviously the bigger the evaporator, the more sap you need to boil before the first batch of syrup is ready. My rule of thumb is that I need to boil 600 litres of sap before I get the first batch, about 8 - 10 litres of syrup. After the first batch (baseline the evaporator) I normally need to boil 400 litres of sap to make 10 litres of syrup (40:1 ratio). I had run a test boil on Friday afternoon, to check for leaks (found one) and make sure I had all the tools / equipment needed to run the evaporator. On Sunday I got serious and had a fine boil going by 10:30. The fine boil kept going and going. The sap kept pouring in (about 100 litres per hour) and since there are no leaks, the solution in the pans continued to concentrate. I tested the pans with a refractometer and the rate of concentration was incredibly slow. After 2 hours of boiling on Friday and 6.5 hours on Saturday, I had added 1100 litres of sap (8.5 hours X 100 litres + 150 litres to initially fill the evaporator) and the finishing pan was only halfway to syrup! It is a little dispiriting to boil mainly water...
So, I shut down the evaporator and went home. I will start the boil again tomorrow (Monday) in the hopes of having higher sugar content sap and finally making some maple syrup.
Running.
Running continues to improve and I can once again focus on maintaining long runs. "Long runs" are now 25K - 30K and are the bread and butter of ultra running. You can cheat on speed (skip them altogether), hills and trails, but you are in for serious pain if you cheat on the long stuff. Time on your feet.
I am starting to get tired of constantly running roads. Yes, there is the treadmill and indoor track, but running roads can be unsavoury. Today, the wind was quite strong and I felt cold, so I thought "how bad can the trails be this time of year?". Only one way to find out! So I ran a 7.5K trail run. It includes a 2.5K section of road, which probably saved my life. The snow is about a foot deeper than is healthy, for running. So I post-holed up to my knees for about 3K of the run. I think my heart rate hit about 300.
I am now in the tricky time of year, where I need to continue increasing my mileage, yet save time and energy for making maple syrup. I have this bad feeling that even though I am no longer working, it will not be as easy as I envisioned. I signed up for Sulphur Springs 50K, which will probably sell out soon. Lee Anne is still debating whether to run the 50M or the 100M. I need to sign up for Pick Your Poison 50K soon. This will force me to start running longer, as PYP is 6 weeks away.
Cheers!
Sorry.
While perusing the maple forum, it became apparent that many are experiencing low sugar yields from sap ( http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?25142-Horrible-sugar-content ). I am wondering if the extremely cold weather in February is the culprit. Sure enough, my sap registered 2 Brix (2% sugar, on the Brix scale), so I was a little leery about predicting when I could draw off my first batch of maple syrup from the evaporator. All evaporators are different and obviously the bigger the evaporator, the more sap you need to boil before the first batch of syrup is ready. My rule of thumb is that I need to boil 600 litres of sap before I get the first batch, about 8 - 10 litres of syrup. After the first batch (baseline the evaporator) I normally need to boil 400 litres of sap to make 10 litres of syrup (40:1 ratio). I had run a test boil on Friday afternoon, to check for leaks (found one) and make sure I had all the tools / equipment needed to run the evaporator. On Sunday I got serious and had a fine boil going by 10:30. The fine boil kept going and going. The sap kept pouring in (about 100 litres per hour) and since there are no leaks, the solution in the pans continued to concentrate. I tested the pans with a refractometer and the rate of concentration was incredibly slow. After 2 hours of boiling on Friday and 6.5 hours on Saturday, I had added 1100 litres of sap (8.5 hours X 100 litres + 150 litres to initially fill the evaporator) and the finishing pan was only halfway to syrup! It is a little dispiriting to boil mainly water...
So, I shut down the evaporator and went home. I will start the boil again tomorrow (Monday) in the hopes of having higher sugar content sap and finally making some maple syrup.
Running.
Running continues to improve and I can once again focus on maintaining long runs. "Long runs" are now 25K - 30K and are the bread and butter of ultra running. You can cheat on speed (skip them altogether), hills and trails, but you are in for serious pain if you cheat on the long stuff. Time on your feet.
I am starting to get tired of constantly running roads. Yes, there is the treadmill and indoor track, but running roads can be unsavoury. Today, the wind was quite strong and I felt cold, so I thought "how bad can the trails be this time of year?". Only one way to find out! So I ran a 7.5K trail run. It includes a 2.5K section of road, which probably saved my life. The snow is about a foot deeper than is healthy, for running. So I post-holed up to my knees for about 3K of the run. I think my heart rate hit about 300.
I am now in the tricky time of year, where I need to continue increasing my mileage, yet save time and energy for making maple syrup. I have this bad feeling that even though I am no longer working, it will not be as easy as I envisioned. I signed up for Sulphur Springs 50K, which will probably sell out soon. Lee Anne is still debating whether to run the 50M or the 100M. I need to sign up for Pick Your Poison 50K soon. This will force me to start running longer, as PYP is 6 weeks away.
Cheers!
Friday, March 6, 2015
Nothing to Report
It was -22C (-7F) this morning. Yes, I know it is March 6 and Spring is a mere 2 weeks away. Don't talk to me, lambaste Mother Nature...
So, Lee Anne and I ran on the indoor track at Base Borden. The outside lane is 237 meters, so by my calculation, it is 106 laps to complete 25K. I don't attempt to count laps (recall my memory challenges) so I maintain a +/- of seconds between the actual time and 90 second laps. I only have to remember a "buffer" (seconds +/-) and a "lap bank" (accumulate over or under 40 laps per hour). Example: I started at 8:57 and ran 2 laps before 09:00. I "reset" the counter to zero at the top of each hour, so at 09:00 I had zero laps for the hour, with a bank of 2 laps. At 9:03, I was 14 seconds ahead (14 second buffer - i.e. it was 09:02:46 at the end of my second lap for the hour). When the buffer reaches 90 seconds, I add one to the lap bank and reset the buffer to zero. I know this sounds inordinately complicated, but with my math background and a complete lack of memory, it is surprisingly straightforward.
Lee Anne runs by time (granted - a much simpler method). She ran for 5 hours today and will probably run the same tomorrow, as Friday / Saturday is her normal back-to-back schedule. I ran 25K in 2:39, which was much tougher than expected. I hauled the evaporator to the sugar shack on Tuesday which involves putting a 2' X 4' sap pan (5" drop flues), a 2' X 2' finishing pan and all the hardware onto a sled I built custom made for the evaporator. Did I mention that the snow is like sand? I was ploughing so much snow, that on the uphills, I was afraid the 1/4" nylon ropes might break!
I have one more load of maple syrup jugs to haul in and I am ready to tap. Guess what I plan to do Sunday? You got it! I have invited son-in-law Daryl up to help with the tapping. I am not sure if he can make it, but tapping is much easier with two. It appears that the sap will run on Tuesday and/or Wednesday hence the tapping on Sunday / Monday. The forecast for Wednesday is sunny and +4... I know, say nothing.
According to the running log, my mileage has slipped this week, probably due to heightened activity at the sugar shack. Snow shoeing in the woods is very taxing. There is only about 3 feet of snow, but with such cold temperatures since January, the snow is like 2 feet of sand. Snowshoes sink deep and are reluctant to come back out. Tapping will probably result in another low-mileage week.
That's it for now. Embrace the warm weather!
So, Lee Anne and I ran on the indoor track at Base Borden. The outside lane is 237 meters, so by my calculation, it is 106 laps to complete 25K. I don't attempt to count laps (recall my memory challenges) so I maintain a +/- of seconds between the actual time and 90 second laps. I only have to remember a "buffer" (seconds +/-) and a "lap bank" (accumulate over or under 40 laps per hour). Example: I started at 8:57 and ran 2 laps before 09:00. I "reset" the counter to zero at the top of each hour, so at 09:00 I had zero laps for the hour, with a bank of 2 laps. At 9:03, I was 14 seconds ahead (14 second buffer - i.e. it was 09:02:46 at the end of my second lap for the hour). When the buffer reaches 90 seconds, I add one to the lap bank and reset the buffer to zero. I know this sounds inordinately complicated, but with my math background and a complete lack of memory, it is surprisingly straightforward.
Lee Anne runs by time (granted - a much simpler method). She ran for 5 hours today and will probably run the same tomorrow, as Friday / Saturday is her normal back-to-back schedule. I ran 25K in 2:39, which was much tougher than expected. I hauled the evaporator to the sugar shack on Tuesday which involves putting a 2' X 4' sap pan (5" drop flues), a 2' X 2' finishing pan and all the hardware onto a sled I built custom made for the evaporator. Did I mention that the snow is like sand? I was ploughing so much snow, that on the uphills, I was afraid the 1/4" nylon ropes might break!
I have one more load of maple syrup jugs to haul in and I am ready to tap. Guess what I plan to do Sunday? You got it! I have invited son-in-law Daryl up to help with the tapping. I am not sure if he can make it, but tapping is much easier with two. It appears that the sap will run on Tuesday and/or Wednesday hence the tapping on Sunday / Monday. The forecast for Wednesday is sunny and +4... I know, say nothing.
According to the running log, my mileage has slipped this week, probably due to heightened activity at the sugar shack. Snow shoeing in the woods is very taxing. There is only about 3 feet of snow, but with such cold temperatures since January, the snow is like 2 feet of sand. Snowshoes sink deep and are reluctant to come back out. Tapping will probably result in another low-mileage week.
That's it for now. Embrace the warm weather!
Thursday, February 26, 2015
We Get the Point
Thank you very much for all the incredibly cold weather during February - it has spawned countless humorous stories about life in the big chill, big storm, big snow. I'm the first to head out in -20C (-4F) weather for a run. It's great to be outside, alone (you don't see many people reading a newspaper on their front porch), pitting yourself against the elements. The slurred speech, losing all feeling in the toes, frozen water bottles. Great fun!
I avidly track ice coverage on the Great Lakes. This year is poised to be a record breaker! Lake Erie went from zero ice at the beginning of January to 96% coverage in mid-February. Ice coverage is well ahead of last year's figures, which hit a "recent" record.
Hypothetically, I also enjoy the first few days in late February / early March that rise above freezing and I can stretch out the legs on wet or dry pavement, without donning arctic running gear. I say hypothetically, because when the temperature heads north of zero, I'm at the sugar shack, getting ready for the syrup season. Otherwise, I would be out there, enjoying the first few frost free frolics. What's the term for when you use too many words, all starting with the same letter? Annoying?
This February is a little different than other years and I am starting to lose patience. Yes, we all know how Mother Nature is queen, that the arctic air mass trumps the great lake's moderating influence on weather, we get the point. Using the weather network's 14 day trend for Creemore, it will be mid-March before temperatures rise above freezing. This is not funny. For those of you who have not followed this blog, I make maple syrup. I need +5C (41F) temperatures or the trees will remain dormant. I went to Atkinson Maple Syrup Supplies today, in a bit of a panic. I needed to purchase some jugs (early-bird perquisite for the Creemore Vertical Challenge race) and filters. I woke up this morning and realized that it will be March this weekend! I have to get ready now, in case the forecast changes (I realise this never happens...). The season typically ends in early April. This means that if the season doesn't start until late March, it will likely be a short season. All the effort of preparing the sugar shack and tapping 325 trees, for a short season?
It has literally been too cold to work in the woods and prepare for maple syrup season! -22C (cold F) this morning, the forecast calls for -26C (-15F) tomorrow morning. I have to snowshoe 1 kilometer from the road to the sugar shack (and back) and I need unfrozen water (the best type!) to clean stuff. I need to shovel the roof and check all the lines. With 325 taps, this usually takes 4 days. Once the cleaning is done, all supplies are brought in (including jugs and jars for about 300 litres of syrup - I hope!) I then need to haul in the evaporator pans and build the evaporator. Much easier to perform when the weather is mild (sunny and -3 is perfect) than in -25C weather...
This has been an incredibly long rant on the weather, but it is -15C (5F) outside, so I can do nothing else...
Running is going well. One bright spot is that both Lee Anne and I are tired of donning arctic running gear for a survivalist fight to complete a 12K training run. Stepping on the treadmill is becoming anathema to a pleasurable run. What to do? Base Borden's Buell Gym has a 237 meter indoor track. Rubberised surface, slightly below room temperature, it is a welcome change to running outside or on the dreadmill. The first time we made use of the indoor track, I had forgotten how effortless it is to run in short and a T-shirt. Running at 10 KPH felt like a warm-up. Running outside with 14 layers of clothes on 3 inches of snow, dodging cars, it is difficult to maintain a 6 minute kilometer pace. The indoor track was simply wonderful! We intend to abuse this form of cheating the elements in years to come.
I will use the above as a spasmodic segue into a humorous episode that nearly cost me my life. Our main parking lot can easily hold 3 cars abreast during the summer. In the winter, I plow the parking area so that the tractor (Kubota with 6 foot snowblower) and 2 cars can fit abreast, but there is not much room between vehicles. I keep asking Lee Anne to park close to the tractor, or on the far side of the parking lot, so that I can also park my car. Without fail, Lee Anne parks straddling the 2 narrow parking spots. This is usually not an issue, as I can also park in 2 other areas. However, yesterday, I needed to blow the laneway, which might require boosting the tractor with battery cables, from my car. So I parked between Lee Anne's car and the tractor. This left about 2.6 inches between Lee Anne's and my car. No problem, as I was going to change into snowblowing clothes (read arctic survival gear), quickly blow the laneway, then move my car.
Problem: I did not realise Lee Anne was in her car. For those in sunny California or other weather-exotic locals, it is not always possible to see through glass at -20C (-4F) as they are covered in snow, ice, frost, etc. and remain so, even after driving your car. I have had frost on my rear window (yes, I have and use a rear window defroster) for 4 weeks. I have never had the nerve to ask Lee Anne what she does in a parked car, for so long. Let's quickly move on. While changing into boots, snow pants. parka, etc., the phone rang. I thought Lee Anne was in the pottery studio, and I have learned better than to answer the phone, as it usually entails stopping what I am doing and starting a task I have been allocated by Lee Anne. I was almost dressed when I heard Lee Anne leave a message. The message, without swear words was this: " ".
Trying not to laugh too hard, I went out to the driveway, just in time to see Lee Anne move from the driver's seat to the passenger seat in order to exit her car. The humorous aspect of this episode was based on the assumption Lee Anne made, that I KNEW she was in her car when I parked so close. It took some explaining to convince her that I did not see her in the car. I would include the dialogue, but it lacks cohesion without the expletives. My wounds should be 85% healed before March...
So, we are now ready to start signing up for some races. Lee Anne is helping with marketing for OUSer (Ontario Trail and Ultra Series races), so she has free entry into the Niagara and Dirty Girls races. I have signed up for the Limberlost and Horror Trail races. Eventually, we will both be signed up for the same races!
According to my running log, I am starting to up my mileage. I ran 169.5K in January and I am currently at 194.5K for February. As I hope to run long tomorrow (Friday) and possibly squeak in a run on Saturday (February 28), I should have a healthy total for such a short month. I still hope to run during the OUS Spring Warm-up on Saturday April 11, but I might also be making maple syrup. For those who would like to know more about the SW:
http://www.ouser.org/spring_warmup_2015.pdf
The SW is a fun run with reduced numbers (compared to the races) and is a great venue for chatting with other runners who frequent the OTS and OUS races. As purely an academic note, in some years, there have been more spot prizes (maple syrup, pottery, grand prize) than participants. Not that a jug of maple syrup should be the deciding factor in spending $35 for a fun run...
Cheers!
I avidly track ice coverage on the Great Lakes. This year is poised to be a record breaker! Lake Erie went from zero ice at the beginning of January to 96% coverage in mid-February. Ice coverage is well ahead of last year's figures, which hit a "recent" record.
Hypothetically, I also enjoy the first few days in late February / early March that rise above freezing and I can stretch out the legs on wet or dry pavement, without donning arctic running gear. I say hypothetically, because when the temperature heads north of zero, I'm at the sugar shack, getting ready for the syrup season. Otherwise, I would be out there, enjoying the first few frost free frolics. What's the term for when you use too many words, all starting with the same letter? Annoying?
This February is a little different than other years and I am starting to lose patience. Yes, we all know how Mother Nature is queen, that the arctic air mass trumps the great lake's moderating influence on weather, we get the point. Using the weather network's 14 day trend for Creemore, it will be mid-March before temperatures rise above freezing. This is not funny. For those of you who have not followed this blog, I make maple syrup. I need +5C (41F) temperatures or the trees will remain dormant. I went to Atkinson Maple Syrup Supplies today, in a bit of a panic. I needed to purchase some jugs (early-bird perquisite for the Creemore Vertical Challenge race) and filters. I woke up this morning and realized that it will be March this weekend! I have to get ready now, in case the forecast changes (I realise this never happens...). The season typically ends in early April. This means that if the season doesn't start until late March, it will likely be a short season. All the effort of preparing the sugar shack and tapping 325 trees, for a short season?
It has literally been too cold to work in the woods and prepare for maple syrup season! -22C (cold F) this morning, the forecast calls for -26C (-15F) tomorrow morning. I have to snowshoe 1 kilometer from the road to the sugar shack (and back) and I need unfrozen water (the best type!) to clean stuff. I need to shovel the roof and check all the lines. With 325 taps, this usually takes 4 days. Once the cleaning is done, all supplies are brought in (including jugs and jars for about 300 litres of syrup - I hope!) I then need to haul in the evaporator pans and build the evaporator. Much easier to perform when the weather is mild (sunny and -3 is perfect) than in -25C weather...
This has been an incredibly long rant on the weather, but it is -15C (5F) outside, so I can do nothing else...
Running is going well. One bright spot is that both Lee Anne and I are tired of donning arctic running gear for a survivalist fight to complete a 12K training run. Stepping on the treadmill is becoming anathema to a pleasurable run. What to do? Base Borden's Buell Gym has a 237 meter indoor track. Rubberised surface, slightly below room temperature, it is a welcome change to running outside or on the dreadmill. The first time we made use of the indoor track, I had forgotten how effortless it is to run in short and a T-shirt. Running at 10 KPH felt like a warm-up. Running outside with 14 layers of clothes on 3 inches of snow, dodging cars, it is difficult to maintain a 6 minute kilometer pace. The indoor track was simply wonderful! We intend to abuse this form of cheating the elements in years to come.
I will use the above as a spasmodic segue into a humorous episode that nearly cost me my life. Our main parking lot can easily hold 3 cars abreast during the summer. In the winter, I plow the parking area so that the tractor (Kubota with 6 foot snowblower) and 2 cars can fit abreast, but there is not much room between vehicles. I keep asking Lee Anne to park close to the tractor, or on the far side of the parking lot, so that I can also park my car. Without fail, Lee Anne parks straddling the 2 narrow parking spots. This is usually not an issue, as I can also park in 2 other areas. However, yesterday, I needed to blow the laneway, which might require boosting the tractor with battery cables, from my car. So I parked between Lee Anne's car and the tractor. This left about 2.6 inches between Lee Anne's and my car. No problem, as I was going to change into snowblowing clothes (read arctic survival gear), quickly blow the laneway, then move my car.
Problem: I did not realise Lee Anne was in her car. For those in sunny California or other weather-exotic locals, it is not always possible to see through glass at -20C (-4F) as they are covered in snow, ice, frost, etc. and remain so, even after driving your car. I have had frost on my rear window (yes, I have and use a rear window defroster) for 4 weeks. I have never had the nerve to ask Lee Anne what she does in a parked car, for so long. Let's quickly move on. While changing into boots, snow pants. parka, etc., the phone rang. I thought Lee Anne was in the pottery studio, and I have learned better than to answer the phone, as it usually entails stopping what I am doing and starting a task I have been allocated by Lee Anne. I was almost dressed when I heard Lee Anne leave a message. The message, without swear words was this: " ".
Trying not to laugh too hard, I went out to the driveway, just in time to see Lee Anne move from the driver's seat to the passenger seat in order to exit her car. The humorous aspect of this episode was based on the assumption Lee Anne made, that I KNEW she was in her car when I parked so close. It took some explaining to convince her that I did not see her in the car. I would include the dialogue, but it lacks cohesion without the expletives. My wounds should be 85% healed before March...
So, we are now ready to start signing up for some races. Lee Anne is helping with marketing for OUSer (Ontario Trail and Ultra Series races), so she has free entry into the Niagara and Dirty Girls races. I have signed up for the Limberlost and Horror Trail races. Eventually, we will both be signed up for the same races!
According to my running log, I am starting to up my mileage. I ran 169.5K in January and I am currently at 194.5K for February. As I hope to run long tomorrow (Friday) and possibly squeak in a run on Saturday (February 28), I should have a healthy total for such a short month. I still hope to run during the OUS Spring Warm-up on Saturday April 11, but I might also be making maple syrup. For those who would like to know more about the SW:
http://www.ouser.org/spring_warmup_2015.pdf
The SW is a fun run with reduced numbers (compared to the races) and is a great venue for chatting with other runners who frequent the OTS and OUS races. As purely an academic note, in some years, there have been more spot prizes (maple syrup, pottery, grand prize) than participants. Not that a jug of maple syrup should be the deciding factor in spending $35 for a fun run...
Cheers!
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Trail Running in February
I have a litmus test for successful winter running. This personal gauge is to see if I can run trails at least once in each month of the winter. For southern Ontario, the key date is early February. There is usually a thaw in late December or early January which provides access to the trails at the beginning of the year. By late March, the normal weather patterns reduce snow in the bush to either hard pack (run on top of the snow) or a foot of slush. Either condition allows for easy and fun running along the trails! For those of you who have run in a foot of slush and are currently yelling at me, please speak to the hand.
A brief explanation on the above term "Southern Ontario". I am using the definition that refers to the area that includes the snow belt. People in Toronto (sigh) commonly use the descriptor NO89 (North of 89) to define the snow belt, but the proper definition is Southern Ontario. Toronto is typically defined as "South of Southern Ontario", which includes places that don't get any real snow (less than 4 feet per year, if you can imagine that!). SOSO includes Toronto, Miami and LA. You get the picture.
A brief note on the explanation: 89 refers to highway 89, an east-west road approximately 1 hour drive north of Toronto. What Torontonians are thinking when they say NO89 is "wild wild country with crazy weather and unstable inbred farmers that cannot differentiate between rednecks and latte toting accountants". I will spare you what we (NO89'ers) think of those SOSO dweebs...
Success is attainable this year, as I have been able to run a 7.5K loop that I run frequently, on both February 2 and 3 (today). Yesterday's run was tough, as we received about 8 inches of snow overnight, it was -16C (3F) and a strong north wind. Today's run was balmy (-4C or 25F) with a gentle southwest wind and only a few spots had drifted over.
Well, I broke down and started a running log. I realised to be serious about training this year, I would need to track my progress. It is humorous how a log forces you to get out and run. Can't have any gaps on run days now, can we? Broken leg? Cut your run down to a 15K. So, my weekly totals have now edged over 50K, with my long runs finally crossing the 25K threshold. The total for January hit 169.5K, which makes me happy, even though Lee Anne would see it as a heavy week...
There is usually a February challenge, but I have not heard about this year's version. I had to chuckle about last year. My running was not great at this point last year, but Lee Anne was churning out some impressively wild numbers. She heard about the challenge on February 2 or so, but her posting on the 3rd was a lie. She had run 40K on the first, 50K on the second and 30K on the third (yes, 120K in 3 days!) but she posted less K's because she didn't want people to think she was a freak!
Challenge or not, enjoy running out there; it will give you something to remember during the hot runs.
Cheers!
A brief explanation on the above term "Southern Ontario". I am using the definition that refers to the area that includes the snow belt. People in Toronto (sigh) commonly use the descriptor NO89 (North of 89) to define the snow belt, but the proper definition is Southern Ontario. Toronto is typically defined as "South of Southern Ontario", which includes places that don't get any real snow (less than 4 feet per year, if you can imagine that!). SOSO includes Toronto, Miami and LA. You get the picture.
A brief note on the explanation: 89 refers to highway 89, an east-west road approximately 1 hour drive north of Toronto. What Torontonians are thinking when they say NO89 is "wild wild country with crazy weather and unstable inbred farmers that cannot differentiate between rednecks and latte toting accountants". I will spare you what we (NO89'ers) think of those SOSO dweebs...
Success is attainable this year, as I have been able to run a 7.5K loop that I run frequently, on both February 2 and 3 (today). Yesterday's run was tough, as we received about 8 inches of snow overnight, it was -16C (3F) and a strong north wind. Today's run was balmy (-4C or 25F) with a gentle southwest wind and only a few spots had drifted over.
Well, I broke down and started a running log. I realised to be serious about training this year, I would need to track my progress. It is humorous how a log forces you to get out and run. Can't have any gaps on run days now, can we? Broken leg? Cut your run down to a 15K. So, my weekly totals have now edged over 50K, with my long runs finally crossing the 25K threshold. The total for January hit 169.5K, which makes me happy, even though Lee Anne would see it as a heavy week...
There is usually a February challenge, but I have not heard about this year's version. I had to chuckle about last year. My running was not great at this point last year, but Lee Anne was churning out some impressively wild numbers. She heard about the challenge on February 2 or so, but her posting on the 3rd was a lie. She had run 40K on the first, 50K on the second and 30K on the third (yes, 120K in 3 days!) but she posted less K's because she didn't want people to think she was a freak!
Challenge or not, enjoy running out there; it will give you something to remember during the hot runs.
Cheers!
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Creemore Snow Run
The Creemore Snow Run is one of those ideas that looks great on paper, can be inspiring in reality, but some years, makes slushies out of the most determined runners. The course starts with 2K on the Ganaraska Trail, followed by 3K on roads for recovery, then finally a 2.5K section on a moderately technical trail. Sounds easy, right?
What is not described in the brief course description above is that there are cliffs, ravine crossings and beaver dams. On a summer day it is a tough, energy draining 7.5K loop. Now add some snow. Yesterday's conditions were close to ideal, with a packed trail and never more than 6 inches of snow to trample down. In some years there has been 2 feet of snow. Trying to run up a steep hill in 2 feet of snow is known as "near-death-running", something only runners lacking the "prudent" gene (most trail and ultra runners) would attempt.
Make no mistake - running up and down hills in 6 inches of snow is no sight-seeing jog. Although the weather was good, hovering near the freezing mark, it was difficult to take in the scenery along the Mad river and while running the residual moraine, as your attention was focused on your footing. Looking up generally resulted in one of those seventies dance moves that is a cross between artistic license and spastic release. Let's move on.
Numbers were down slightly, perhaps because the forecast was calling for freezing drizzle during the night before the snow run. Those who braved the drive were rewarded with a fine day for running, on a course that was both pleasant and tough. Lee Anne and Sharon opted to run roads. Lee Anne would be considered a sane runner in one sense - that running in snow on treacherous trails would never be misconstrued as her preference. I am guessing that Sharon ran roads because the turn-around point is at the Giffens store, where they sell the world's best butter tarts...
Those that elected to run the official CSR route (FYI: it is the first 6K and last 1.5K of the Creemore Vertical Challenge) expended considerable energy during the day. I was the only "short" runner, completing 3 of the 7.5K loops. Steve and Adi extended their 3 loop run by including a side trail. The trail girls (Kinga and Dawn) showed all of us up by running 3 consecutive 1:04 loops, then tacking on a spur, for intimidation purposes, no doubt! Stephen, Stephan and Dawn completed a fourth loop.
After satiating our desire for trail running in the midst of winter, we then sat about in the house, talked of the upcoming season and snacked on cheese, crackers, wine and beer. We experienced a pleasant surprise when Gerry and Cheryl showed up during the afternoon. I knew that Gerry would not be running, as reports indicated he was injured. I thought it might have been a flare-up of his leg problem, but it turns out Gerry had been involved in a serious accident in late November and was still convalescing. He is badly banged up, but is already talking of starting to train soon. Gerry: Listen carefully. Heal first, train later. Do as I say, not as I do...
Yesterday's 22.5K run was my longest this year. I felt tired, after running in snow for over 3 hours, but not overly stiff and sore. This bodes well for my planned ramp-up. Just need to continue spending time on my feet and worry about the speed later.
On the maple syrup front, I was at the sugar shack recently and shovelled the roof. It was a pleasant surprise at how much snow there is in the bush, as it has been a lean year, precipitation-wise, so far this winter. It is hard to grasp that I will start preparing for the syrup season in earnest, in as little as one month! As always, I am hoping for a good season.
For future consideration, I marked a trail through the swamp from the sugar shack to an area of the property that includes about 25 acres of mature maple trees. In order to expand significantly beyond 400 taps, I will need to install a pumping line across the swamp. Although the cost of setting up the pump line is considerable, it would allow for expansion to upwards of 2,000 taps. Whether I want the added effort is debatable, but the evaporator is rated for up to 500 taps. It would be nice to obtain full value out of the evaporator. And of course secretly, I have dreams of buying a bigger evaporator and actually making some money out of this hobby.
Well, I wonder if there will be a February challenge this year? The challenge is to run as often as possible during February. I hope to be comfortable running 25K - 30K as my long run by then.
Enjoy the cold weather. It is wonderful to get out for a run, ski or snowshoe at this time of year. Make sure you are ready for the Spring Warm-up on April 11, which is a short 9 weeks away.
Cheers!
What is not described in the brief course description above is that there are cliffs, ravine crossings and beaver dams. On a summer day it is a tough, energy draining 7.5K loop. Now add some snow. Yesterday's conditions were close to ideal, with a packed trail and never more than 6 inches of snow to trample down. In some years there has been 2 feet of snow. Trying to run up a steep hill in 2 feet of snow is known as "near-death-running", something only runners lacking the "prudent" gene (most trail and ultra runners) would attempt.
Make no mistake - running up and down hills in 6 inches of snow is no sight-seeing jog. Although the weather was good, hovering near the freezing mark, it was difficult to take in the scenery along the Mad river and while running the residual moraine, as your attention was focused on your footing. Looking up generally resulted in one of those seventies dance moves that is a cross between artistic license and spastic release. Let's move on.
Numbers were down slightly, perhaps because the forecast was calling for freezing drizzle during the night before the snow run. Those who braved the drive were rewarded with a fine day for running, on a course that was both pleasant and tough. Lee Anne and Sharon opted to run roads. Lee Anne would be considered a sane runner in one sense - that running in snow on treacherous trails would never be misconstrued as her preference. I am guessing that Sharon ran roads because the turn-around point is at the Giffens store, where they sell the world's best butter tarts...
Those that elected to run the official CSR route (FYI: it is the first 6K and last 1.5K of the Creemore Vertical Challenge) expended considerable energy during the day. I was the only "short" runner, completing 3 of the 7.5K loops. Steve and Adi extended their 3 loop run by including a side trail. The trail girls (Kinga and Dawn) showed all of us up by running 3 consecutive 1:04 loops, then tacking on a spur, for intimidation purposes, no doubt! Stephen, Stephan and Dawn completed a fourth loop.
After satiating our desire for trail running in the midst of winter, we then sat about in the house, talked of the upcoming season and snacked on cheese, crackers, wine and beer. We experienced a pleasant surprise when Gerry and Cheryl showed up during the afternoon. I knew that Gerry would not be running, as reports indicated he was injured. I thought it might have been a flare-up of his leg problem, but it turns out Gerry had been involved in a serious accident in late November and was still convalescing. He is badly banged up, but is already talking of starting to train soon. Gerry: Listen carefully. Heal first, train later. Do as I say, not as I do...
Yesterday's 22.5K run was my longest this year. I felt tired, after running in snow for over 3 hours, but not overly stiff and sore. This bodes well for my planned ramp-up. Just need to continue spending time on my feet and worry about the speed later.
On the maple syrup front, I was at the sugar shack recently and shovelled the roof. It was a pleasant surprise at how much snow there is in the bush, as it has been a lean year, precipitation-wise, so far this winter. It is hard to grasp that I will start preparing for the syrup season in earnest, in as little as one month! As always, I am hoping for a good season.
For future consideration, I marked a trail through the swamp from the sugar shack to an area of the property that includes about 25 acres of mature maple trees. In order to expand significantly beyond 400 taps, I will need to install a pumping line across the swamp. Although the cost of setting up the pump line is considerable, it would allow for expansion to upwards of 2,000 taps. Whether I want the added effort is debatable, but the evaporator is rated for up to 500 taps. It would be nice to obtain full value out of the evaporator. And of course secretly, I have dreams of buying a bigger evaporator and actually making some money out of this hobby.
Well, I wonder if there will be a February challenge this year? The challenge is to run as often as possible during February. I hope to be comfortable running 25K - 30K as my long run by then.
Enjoy the cold weather. It is wonderful to get out for a run, ski or snowshoe at this time of year. Make sure you are ready for the Spring Warm-up on April 11, which is a short 9 weeks away.
Cheers!
Sunday, January 11, 2015
2015: I'm going to need shades
For those of you who don't quite get the subject line, it is not a reference to the future being so bright I'm going to need sunglasses. I built a sunroom and I'm going to need to install shades soon.
Sorry. I had to chuckle at the above!
I am truly hoping that 2015 marks my return to tangible ultra running. I'm not exactly sure what I mean by "tangible", but it would be a step above what I did in 2013 and 2014, where the ultra races I entered where a study in survival. Hopelessly under-trained, focused entirely on triage (get to the next aid station, get to the next aid station, get to the net aid station,...); the only realistic goal being to finish.
In 2015, I want to develop a sound ultra running base. I.e. 80K - 100K per week. No time off, no distractions. Sculpture the body until it is a lean mean ultra machine. I am retired and I have run out of excuses. Without the annoyance of having to work, I can set up some impressive weekly tallies, even during maple syrup season. This is all theory, but I will no longer allow reality to encroach on the Running Dream...
I am retired, but live in a very strange financial landscape. I stopped working at Honda on May 1, 2014, but my first pension cheque arrives on February 1, 2015. How did I do this? Mainly smoke and mirrors, but also some esoteric portfolio manipulations. I would provide more details and insight, but I'm not altogether certain I understand what transpired... Suffice it to say that for 2014 and this year, I will be focused on races that are within biking distance of home. Please ignore the races and holidays that Lee Anne and I did last year in New York, Florida, Pennsylvania and Florida. Those were momentary lapses of reason, for the most part.
Focus Item 2015: Run more OUS races.
Until recently, not many people realized that Ontario has become a hotbed of ultra running. With a 14 race schedule, there is little in northeast North America to match it. I say "until recently", because some of the bigger names in running have started to plunk down races in our back yard. North Face and Red Bull to name two. I expect more to come. At first, this filled me with a modicum of trepidation, but now my stance is "bring it on"! OUS (Ontario Ultra Series) has grown the Ontarian ultra base from circa 25 people, to north of 800, over the last 20 years. Doug Barber recalls races in the '80's where 7 people showed up. In 2014, two of the bigger races (Sulphur Springs and Run for the Toad) combined, had 400 people in their ultra events! The ultra segment of Trail Runner's Trophy Series is chronically sprinkled with Ontario runners. If the big names come into our neighbourhood, I expect even more people will be trying trail and ultra races. This will inevitably help us little guys!
Lee Anne has signed up for a very strange race (this is news?) in Tennessee. It is called "A Race For the Ages" and is tailored to older ultra runners. The race ends at 6:00 PM on Monday, September 4, 2015. Runners are given one hour for each year they have lived! Lee Anne (61 years old) starts at 5:00 AM on Saturday morning and has 61 hours to tally as many miles as she can, before the race ends at 6:00 PM on Labour Day.
OUS will have 14 ultra races. My 2015 aspirations are twofold:
1. Run a 50 miler. I'm tired of being labelled a baby ultra runner, regardless of how good my reasons might be (surgery on both knees, back problems, broken neck, being only semi-rational... Okay, the last point is an advantage).
2. Run more of the ultras. Yes, this will stress the knees, but I can't help but think that running a 50K on little training is a bigger stressor. My skewed logic states that simply running more ultras will get me ready for the next race. Please don't reply and burst my bubble!
2015 Race Schedule:
2015-04-11: Spring Warm-up. Hopefully I can get in a run (maple syrup season)
2015-04-25: 50K at Pick Your Poison.
2015-05-23: 50K at Sulphur Springs
2015-06-06: 6H at Kingston
2015-06-20: 50K at Niagara Ultra
2015-07-04: 50K at Laura Secord
2015-07-11: 28K at Limberlost (nope, I can't do B2B ultras yet)
2015-07-25: 12H at Dirty Girls (yup, longest ultra yet. Might run the night option)
2015-08-08: RD at Creemore
2015-09-04: Crew at Race for the Ages
2015-09-12: 50M at Haliburton. Training: Please make this happen
2015-10-03: 50K at Run for the Toad
2015-10-31: 6H at Horror Trail
Horror Hill was a toss-up between 6 hour and 50K. I would prefer the 6H (secret plans of running more than 50K) but I plan to enter a lot of 50K series races. Realistically, I have no chance of doing well in the 50K series, so let's focus on the ultra series specifically and sign up for the 6H.
Is 13 races sufficient to keep me out of trouble in 2015? Stop! You're killing me! Ah, but seriously, along with our plans for travel and renovations, I should avoid long stretches with idle hands...
Will the schedule change? Count on it. I'm sure commitments such as vacations will crop up that will preclude running some of the races. I'm fervently hoping that the "commitment" is not of the surgery flavour...
Very long term (2016+) plans are to align vacations with goal races. I don't ever see myself being able to run a 100 mile race. My knees and back are nodding their heads in agreement. Races such as the West Highland Way are most likely out. But there are still many 50K - 80K races around the world than pique my curiosity. Even shorter races, such as the Fell runs in GB would be a blast. As a tantalizing tidbit, check out Scotland's Ultra website
http://www.scottishultramarathonseries.org
Cheers!
Sorry. I had to chuckle at the above!
I am truly hoping that 2015 marks my return to tangible ultra running. I'm not exactly sure what I mean by "tangible", but it would be a step above what I did in 2013 and 2014, where the ultra races I entered where a study in survival. Hopelessly under-trained, focused entirely on triage (get to the next aid station, get to the next aid station, get to the net aid station,...); the only realistic goal being to finish.
In 2015, I want to develop a sound ultra running base. I.e. 80K - 100K per week. No time off, no distractions. Sculpture the body until it is a lean mean ultra machine. I am retired and I have run out of excuses. Without the annoyance of having to work, I can set up some impressive weekly tallies, even during maple syrup season. This is all theory, but I will no longer allow reality to encroach on the Running Dream...
I am retired, but live in a very strange financial landscape. I stopped working at Honda on May 1, 2014, but my first pension cheque arrives on February 1, 2015. How did I do this? Mainly smoke and mirrors, but also some esoteric portfolio manipulations. I would provide more details and insight, but I'm not altogether certain I understand what transpired... Suffice it to say that for 2014 and this year, I will be focused on races that are within biking distance of home. Please ignore the races and holidays that Lee Anne and I did last year in New York, Florida, Pennsylvania and Florida. Those were momentary lapses of reason, for the most part.
Focus Item 2015: Run more OUS races.
Until recently, not many people realized that Ontario has become a hotbed of ultra running. With a 14 race schedule, there is little in northeast North America to match it. I say "until recently", because some of the bigger names in running have started to plunk down races in our back yard. North Face and Red Bull to name two. I expect more to come. At first, this filled me with a modicum of trepidation, but now my stance is "bring it on"! OUS (Ontario Ultra Series) has grown the Ontarian ultra base from circa 25 people, to north of 800, over the last 20 years. Doug Barber recalls races in the '80's where 7 people showed up. In 2014, two of the bigger races (Sulphur Springs and Run for the Toad) combined, had 400 people in their ultra events! The ultra segment of Trail Runner's Trophy Series is chronically sprinkled with Ontario runners. If the big names come into our neighbourhood, I expect even more people will be trying trail and ultra races. This will inevitably help us little guys!
Lee Anne has signed up for a very strange race (this is news?) in Tennessee. It is called "A Race For the Ages" and is tailored to older ultra runners. The race ends at 6:00 PM on Monday, September 4, 2015. Runners are given one hour for each year they have lived! Lee Anne (61 years old) starts at 5:00 AM on Saturday morning and has 61 hours to tally as many miles as she can, before the race ends at 6:00 PM on Labour Day.
OUS will have 14 ultra races. My 2015 aspirations are twofold:
1. Run a 50 miler. I'm tired of being labelled a baby ultra runner, regardless of how good my reasons might be (surgery on both knees, back problems, broken neck, being only semi-rational... Okay, the last point is an advantage).
2. Run more of the ultras. Yes, this will stress the knees, but I can't help but think that running a 50K on little training is a bigger stressor. My skewed logic states that simply running more ultras will get me ready for the next race. Please don't reply and burst my bubble!
2015 Race Schedule:
2015-04-11: Spring Warm-up. Hopefully I can get in a run (maple syrup season)
2015-04-25: 50K at Pick Your Poison.
2015-05-23: 50K at Sulphur Springs
2015-06-06: 6H at Kingston
2015-06-20: 50K at Niagara Ultra
2015-07-04: 50K at Laura Secord
2015-07-11: 28K at Limberlost (nope, I can't do B2B ultras yet)
2015-07-25: 12H at Dirty Girls (yup, longest ultra yet. Might run the night option)
2015-08-08: RD at Creemore
2015-09-04: Crew at Race for the Ages
2015-09-12: 50M at Haliburton. Training: Please make this happen
2015-10-03: 50K at Run for the Toad
2015-10-31: 6H at Horror Trail
Horror Hill was a toss-up between 6 hour and 50K. I would prefer the 6H (secret plans of running more than 50K) but I plan to enter a lot of 50K series races. Realistically, I have no chance of doing well in the 50K series, so let's focus on the ultra series specifically and sign up for the 6H.
Is 13 races sufficient to keep me out of trouble in 2015? Stop! You're killing me! Ah, but seriously, along with our plans for travel and renovations, I should avoid long stretches with idle hands...
Will the schedule change? Count on it. I'm sure commitments such as vacations will crop up that will preclude running some of the races. I'm fervently hoping that the "commitment" is not of the surgery flavour...
Very long term (2016+) plans are to align vacations with goal races. I don't ever see myself being able to run a 100 mile race. My knees and back are nodding their heads in agreement. Races such as the West Highland Way are most likely out. But there are still many 50K - 80K races around the world than pique my curiosity. Even shorter races, such as the Fell runs in GB would be a blast. As a tantalizing tidbit, check out Scotland's Ultra website
http://www.scottishultramarathonseries.org
Cheers!
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