I have been running some serious uphill and downhill efforts to be better prepared for the USA race. It is going to be super competitive and I hope to have another solid finish. Heat has been a factor here in NY and I might be prepared to race with a 10oz bottle for hydration. This will ensure that I am properly cooled and hydrated for the 12k which is not anything long but being on exposed ski slope in Summer means that it will be hot regardless unless we get graced with a cloudy day. The race is going to be FAST, so I have to run smart and get pulled along from all the top guys out there. I have 2 more weeks and it should be a great time Racing Acidotic and spending time with my fellow friends in New Hampshire!
Virgil Crest---
I am still debating about running the 50 miles or the 50k. If RD Ian Golden proposes a potential 500 dollar prize purse for the top 10 finish at Cayuga Trails and a win at Virgil, then I am running the 50 miler. If not, the 50k will be a distance I can run hard and still have the three weeks to recover for the Can-Lake 50 mile record attempt of 6:19:08. That pace averages 7:34 a mile which is a quick pace and I hope that I can run at least 7:33 a mile come race day! Virgil is a race I wanted to do last year but my Race across New Hampshire had me too lagged to run the race. This year, I look to make a statement at my "home" course since I train on the trails this race is run on every weekend and is only 7 miles from where I currently live. THis course is rugged and that is how I like it. With my awesome sponsors by my side, I know that I will be able to feel comfortable and be able to perform at the highest level. A sub 8 hour finish for the 50 and a 3 hour 30- 3:50 hour finish for the 50k would be my goals for the course which would be scintillating. It is official, Ian gave me the go-ahead and I am running the 50 miler for Virgil. The course is tough and rugged and with training on the trails, a 50 miler sounds like the only way to go. I hope I can run close to a record without totally destroying myself before the Can-Lake 50 but with 3.5 weeks to recover after the race, I should be alright.
Can-Lake 50----A road 50 miler??? Not what most of us expect but I am excited about the design of the course and the fact that this has the potential of being my fastest 50 miler. Bopple Hill excites me and the thought that running some sweet hills is a fun challenge and running around the whole perimeter of a Finger Lake is a great thought too.
After these races, I do not have much in terms of a full structure for my racing schedule. Come December, begins snowshoe season though I would like to get in a Rock/Creek Series Race either the Upchuck 50k or the Lookout Mountain 50 miler at the end of November and December. I would like to have the chance to race a little more across the country and hopefully with some solid performances, I can work to get the chance to race at other great race locations. Idaho, is one of my goal locations to check out. I also would like to have a crack at placing top 3 at Bandera. It would give me a chance to head to Oklahoma territory and a chance to mix it up with the best!
Training has been coming along great! With the semi-heat and definite humidity here in Upstate NY, I have been running in the 7-8 am range for my training and have been able to run comfortably with a hand-held bottle and do pretty well. I have been running a ton of uphill and downhill training and have really honed in on some solid technique. Just yesterday, I ran up to Blodgett Mills and ran the illustrious 28% grade road. How do I know the grade???? The sign at the midway point tells all. I climbed up that bad boy all the way through a solid pace without walking/power hiking once let alone a shuffle. It was awesome. The 2 mile stretch took me 14:48 which to many may not seem fast but up that grade it is a trick. I finished the run flying downhill from the run and felt great. Another solid training run in the books.
This is what my running has been lately. I step out the door 7-8am, take to the roads or the trails and get in solid 12-15 mile efforts. When it comes to running well with technical trail running, running as much unique terrain and paces and distances is a must. I have calculated my weekly mileage since Cayuga Trails and Vestal XX and I have been running approximately 87 miles a week for the past month. Some weeks I am closer to the low side of 80 while others have been in mid to low 90's. In other words, I have been out there running tough in the summer heat. I try to run fairly early to ensure I can beat some of the heat before it alters your running performance. I am really excited about my fitness as I always shoot for optimism as living life positively often allows for positive effects to follow. So far so good I would say. Just a matter of time before I have the chance for my races to showcase my fitness.
One of my recent projects at work has been to organize a trail running group for Binghamton, NY. I now am equipped with a Garmin to hopefully map some of these hidden trail sections of the city. It is a really exciting endeavor and I am happy to make it happen. For one of New York State's prime cities or metropolitan areas, Binghamton has from what I have heard great trail systems. It is just a matter of finding out where the trails are and of course where they go. Hopefully come Fall, we will have a group and all these trails mapped.
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