being bad...

Sometimes you just have to be bad...

Well, I wasn't bad all day last Sunday. Did get out for runs this last weekend. Saturday was difficult for me. We won't go into why, just was hard to run. Sunday was better. Got a glimpse of what is in store for us in the NW. Rain, rain and more rain. I have to admit, it was hard to get going but once the feet started moving running on the trail was quite enjoyable.

Got to love kicking up some mud and getting dirty. I mean you can love it because it is not cold yet. Thank goodness it wasn't cold. The inner city trail was quiet. Not near the amount of folks like on a normal Sunday. Quite pieceful actually. Just had to enjoy the day even though it rained the whole time.

I was bad after the run... Made fried food! Yes, fried food cooked in oil. But man did it taste good! Fried Catfish and onion rings! A friend turned me on to it a week back or so. But that was from a fast food place. Sunday I was going to cook it on my own. I didn't know how long to cook it but I just gave it a go. Boy was it yummy. After coating it with egg and a flour mixture I just slowly set it in the pot of oil and let it cook away while having a cold one. Life couldn't get any better I thought.

Sometimes you just have to do something bad to feel good.

things have to change

Well, for me to do a 100 I have to do high milage. I know that isn't what everybody does but that is what I need to do. Many can complete 100's on just 40-50 miles a week but that is not for me.

I have taken a good break and it is time to start getting after it again. Last year my goal was to do 12 weeks of 100+ miles a week mixed in with 70 mile weeks every third week for a break. Didn't quite get that with tearing the vastus medialis early on so I only got 10 weeks of 100+. But I was able to get three of 90+ added in there so I was fine with that.

Last year I was able to run six miles during lunch and then another 6-8 after work. After eating my daily peanut butter and jelly sandwich, yes, 113 of them in six months. But this year I cannot depend on being able to get out every day Monday through Friday duing lunch because of patient load.

So, I am going to run before work for one my runs for the day. Then if I get the chance to run during lunch great. If not, I will still have time after work. That is the plan.

When do start this? I'm thinking the first week of December. Then when I pick a 100 that I want to "race" I will count backwards and set up a 20 week training program and have 15 of those weeks 100+ a week.

So, there it is... I made it public.

There are many other goals within the plan but I won't bore you with that just yet.

So, I am not waiting for the New Year to come around to make changes. I figure this will be starting the year off right.

blah, blah, blah

Well,
I decided to take this week off. After all, I did run 40 miles on @#$%*&# hard pavement last weekend. Don't think I will reach my goal of 3000 miles for this year. Would have if I would have stayed after it. But that isn't going to happen. I will be close but not quite.

My goals for next year... have fun, keep the toenails coming in, don't fall too many times, and quit getting lost in races. Funny, a friend gave me a nickname last year, "gator", short for Navigator. Man that is an oxymoron if there ever was one.

Why did I get that name? Well, it was my job to keep track of what elevation we were at when we ran around Mt. Hood. I was not the leader that day. Heck, I didn't know the trails. I was just the "dumb" runner. I'm good at that you see. I take orders well, but I can't make a decision to save my life.

So, you see gator is just humerous in a way. I get lost almost every race I do. I try to pay attention, really I do. But for some reason I always take a wrong turn or two. And my decision making process is for the birds. If there's two choices, I always make the wrong one. Hence, taking a wrong trail.

So, I broke out all my winter running stuff. Yup, been using it now even though it hasn't been cold yet. Sorry, I'm a wimp.

What 100's am I going to do next year???? I can't make up my mind. There it goes again.... Can't make a darn decision.

Good to see friends on Wildwood this last weekend. Sorry Sarah, didn't recognize you right off. I did know it was you after you said "hi". Thanks. Saw the party girls and Michael McCarthy and Susan Kokesh. Yup, all put in for States.

Now there is even less spots left for States. Now that Montrail is a major sponsor the winner of the Montrail Series Races gets in. That is like 12 more spaces. Bummer. I wear some Montrails, maybe I shouldn't. I haven't liked their antics in the past. Just bias on how they handled a few things that is all. But anyway it will be even tougher to get in next year. Maybe I will just have to wait three years like brother. Less than a month will tell.

have fun, tom

ps Did you all see the comment on CCC on the list-serve? Also, did anybody see the wedding dresses hanging in the trees between mile 7 1/2 and 7 3/4? Two of them off the trail about 25 yards hanging in the trees. Creepy looking!

I can count to 10 now!!!

My last race of the year happened just last weeked. Autumn Leaves is more or less a road race really. After all, there is only about 1.3 miles of trail on each five mile loop. Man do I look forward to that section each time around!!! It is 10 loops of five miles each.

Why do I do this 50 miler? Three years ago it was because I used it as a qualifier for States. But now I just run it because it is only about 10 miles from where I live and it is another way to see friends for the last time at the end of the racing season.

Weather for the day was predicted as rain all day. It would not hold true. Thank goodness, I ran in the stuff from start to finish the year before.

Race... Well, the plan was to run 9:00 minute miles in the begining. That went down the toliet right away as I ran with Mark and Brad running 8:30's. I knew that was a bad thing but did I fall back? Heck no, I am not smart enough to do that. Did I pay for it? Heck yea, terribly. I set up an aid station on the back of my tailgate of my pickup in the morning as I would pass it 10 times during the race, hopefully. 10 handhelds, 20 GU's, two bottles beans would do.

At mile 20 I could feel my stupidity. I was feeling the effect out going out too fast. I slowed terribly. I looked at my split chart that a friend made for me and I was ahead of schedule, not where I really wanted to be mind you. I would get to the second aid station and Sarah introduced herself to me. Very nice. I decided to use the GU they had and would do this throughout the race. One of mine, two of their's.

At mile 30 I felt like a slug. Time to change plans. I grabbed my i-pod just like 90% of the other runners. I liked this. Listening to nothing but Techno from here. I felt like it helped me go faster but I am sure that was an illusion.

Everybody would exchange a wave or grunt of encouragement the next 20 miles as the race continuted. Gotta love the grunts at 40+ miles. At 41 miles I would loose my lunch for the first of four times. Status Quo I figure.

I stopped looking at my watch long ago. At mile 40 I did catch a glimpse of the start/finish clock and it said 6:56! Crap, that means an 8:30 for the day. I was bummed. I knew I had slowed but that slow? I just kept going, eating and drinking. I have to admit, I was ready to be done. That darn pavement is hard. I got to the aid station and I see Sid but no Sarah. Maybe she called it a day? That is fine, she was out there a long time. It was good to have her help.

I take a picture with Olga. Heck I don't mind stopping. I already through the race in the toilet the first 20 miles.

I come around the last lap and a 50k runner passes me the last 100 yards. He is happy. Sorry dude, doing the 50 miler. I finish. I am glad. My feet hurt.

Low and behold Olga says the clock was for the early starters. Cool. I finish in 7:34. My 7th PR of the year. I ran this in 7:59 last year.

The race... Was a struggle for me. But it was nice to finish and be vertical.

And the best thing... I didn't loose count like the year before!

I have learned to count to 10!