2014 Hellgate 100K

My first run of the Hellgate 100K++ is over and done. Or as Dr. Horton called it, due to the mild temperature and lack of rain or snow: Sissygate. It was an amazing experience. I'll try a give a decent run down of my race experience. Unfortunately I'm one of those where so many details seem to blur together, but I'll do my best. My prediction going into the race was to run 12-13 hour. My GOAL was try for under 12 hrs. And my super-secret goal was a top 10 finish, something I had yet to do in any of the Lynchburg ultras.

Friday night was a all around good time. I showed up about an hour before pick-up, introduced myself to Dr. Horton. Dr. Horton is founder and race director for Hellgate as well as other ultras around the Lynchburg area. From his quirky charisma, you know he cares for every runner out there. The first to acknowledge your success, but he won't budge an inch until you've earned it. That night we had a wonderful dinner by the staff at Camp Bethel, along with an informative and entertaining briefing. For a few hours we waited, prepped, maybe tried to sleep before heading off the start.

Hellgate starts at the Glenwood Horse Trail, near the Big Hellgate Creek and the Little Hellgate Creek, thus the name. A few minutes before Saturday (this is all starting in the middle of the night, near midnight), we gather to sing the national anthem, and pray. Once Saturday comes at midnight we are allowed to cross in front of the trailhead's gate. And at 12:01 am we are gone!

Start to AS1. This was a lot of rolling trails. The pace seemed a tad faster that I probably would've normally attempted. OK, a bit faster. But I felt compelled to keep that lead pack in my sight. The trail had some rocks and roots, but nothing un-runnable. I had a vague idea of how many were ahead of me, but nothing solid at this point. AS1 had only water, and with my pack pretty full, I just continued on through, determined to keep in sight.

AS1-AS2. This section was completely unmarked, but it's just one road that you follow up, up, up, and up. This is four miles all up hill. It's early enough in the race, many of us aren't running with our heads. So many times, I'm telling myself how much smarter it would be to start walking, but I can't seem to let myself. There's so many spots where you think you're almost to the end, only to see the road switch back and up again. I counted out that I'm somewhere around 12th. I'm a few dozen yards of the lead pack, with a handful of others in between. I resolved not to try and catch anyone yet, and just maintain where I am.

AS2-AS3. Many people see their crews here, and as people start stopping for various lengths, I pretty much lose visual on the pecking order. I grab a few pieces of food, a quarter of PB&J and head out. This next section has a lot of variability in terrain. Just past the aid station, we turn off onto some single track that mainly heads downhill. I've got a few people in sight, but 1 or 2 people might as well be free falling, they're going so fast. Horton calls the next mile or so a road, I think of it more of an ATV trail/double track. We're hear for just a little ways before ducking back on to trails for a lot of decent climbs and descents. I tend to lose people on the downs, but can make it back up on the climbs. I eat a gel or whatever in here, but I'm anxious to get to the aid station.

AS3-AS4. I get some real food in, and then start heading out. I'm feeling really good. One runner I could never reel in and who escapes on the initial downhill, I overtake on the climbs easily. It's back in forth for a bit, but I eventually lose him. What could it have been? MOUNTAIN DEW. I've experienced it's magic before, and I can definitely tell a difference. Reluctantly, I know it's going be a staple fuel throughout the rest of the race. I should also say, at this point, I'm no longer running the whole time. I get some good sections, but I'm a little more conservative and want to make sure I don't lose ground.

AS4-AS5. Even reading the course details, all I remember now is a lot of variability. Some ups. Some downs. Some gravel roads. Some grassy ATV trails. Some single track. I remember briefly being concerned about which section I'm on. I was pretty sure I went through AS4, but since I decided not to go to my drop bag, and thus never saw it, I slightly doubt it was there. I run a little bit with a guy from the Blacksburg area, who's a 8th-year veteran. We're never together continuously, but we talk some and he helps with some pretty accurate info on what's coming up. At some point through several of these sections, I some times think I see an aid station way off in the distance. Then a slight turn and I no longer see it, not really sure if it was even there. The trails are OK, but I'm becoming increasing frustrated with all the BRIARS! I don't know the actual name, but I just called them briar stalks. Just the tall stalks, and you run through them because you can't avoid them, and suddenly I'm a pincushion.

AS5-AS6-AS7. There's just a lot of running. There's also a God awful amount of leaf coverage. No exaggeration: up to my calf. Some sections I don't just because I don't feel safe doing so. The trail is also so narrow next to the side of the mountain; you're worried about falling on your face as much as falling down the mountain. At some point during this time the sun comes up. I'm so excited to turn off my headlamp. If you ever wonder about running throughout the night, my experience is that it's not the sleep deprivation: it's the hours on hours of darkness with only this tiny window of light. One of these sections is longer than Dr Horton claims, and I'm becoming frustrated. I just can't wait to see that next aid station, which is where my drop bag will be.

AS7-AS8. With the sun up, at AS7, I change a bit to get out of some cold weather clothes, to be more prepared of the warmth. Dr Horton happily greets and lets me know that I'M IN SIXTH PLACE. I think I had that kinda worked out before, but to here it from the man himself was great. I've switched to handhelds, and have filled them with Gu for the extra fuel, though, as I've been since AS3, I pound down about 3 cups of Mtn Dew. I grab a Fluffnutter slider (Yes, it is amazing) and head out. Just as I leave, I see another runner come in, and I suddenly feel a huge pressure to defend my position. This next section I actually enjoy for the most part. Initially there is some hard climbing. But eventually there's section of "PIOs;" pointless in and outs. They are certainly not pancake flat, but since I'm feel good, I find most of it runnable, and I enjoy the zig-zagging. By the end, I'm fading a little bit, but the aid station is near.

AS8-AS9. This is my absolute lowest point of the race. At the aid station I fill up my bottles, down my Mtn Dew, grab a few tater tots. This is the "lunch" aid station for most people, but it's still about 9:30-10ish for me. Then I get the worst tidbit. The AS worker tells me the next section is down hills for a ways then flat. I know this has been called "the FOREVER" section, but down hill and flat? I can deal with that. It is true that there was a fair amount of down hill for a while. But once we cut into the woods, it because very clear that it is not flat. While maybe not the steepest, this is some of the worst climbing of the entire day. That leaf coverage is back, and by now I've resolved to run on it where I can, some places I just CAN'T. I have so many false hopes throughout this section, I wanted to cry. And I was PISSED! Down hill and FLAT?! I'm sure I low of calories, but I'm livid. Every time there's a slight down, I think "this is it" and it NEVER WAS. And I swear I hear the people at the next station, but honestly, that started about 45 minutes before I actually got there.

AS9-Finish. This is IT. I grip a little bit to the AS workers, but I try to only speak positively. Negativity just breeds negativity. There's 6 miles left. Two miles up, four miles down. I head out, run a few hundred yards in and take a bathroom break. And... I felt resolved just to walk. At this point, the line between runnable and un-runnable was blurred. I think twice I ran a few hundred feet. But I kind of had no guilt about walking. It felt like a long two miles. When I got to the top, I felt very stiff. But I worked it out crossing the road, and head down. At this point, it was unmemorable, besides just the elation of getting to the end. My quads were on fire, but I'm so close I just abuse them some more. I'm still paranoid about 7th place right behind me. But I see that 1 mile mark and try to get another gear. I turn into Camp Bethel and try to reach one more. I cross the finish line in 12:37:00. And I get my sixth place.

In the end I think I had a great race. I think I'll always wonder if I went out too hard for those first 7 ish miles through AS2. Could I have closed even better if I had left more in the tank earlier? Perhaps. But what I did did get me to where I needed to be to get sixth, and for that I don't regret it.

Hellgate 100K+

Race weekend is upon us. The past month has been relatively busy. On top of work, there has been Thanksgiving, lab practicals, and finals. But yesterday I had my A&P final just in time to be bored out of my mind these few days before Hellgate.

Tapering down has gone well. Nothing new acting up, and it's been a anxious balancing act with Crossfit. Crossfit is definitely a brand new experience for me leading up to a race, though I usually always had some cross-training exercise I've done leading up to a race. But the higher intensity and strength portions are finicky to work, and this week we were programmed to max out on some power lifts. I think I've done a decent job easing up, by skipping deadlift and squat PR attempts, and scaling and/or modifying the conditioning portions. I just can never tell if my legs feel tired/sluggish/strange from running less.

I'm just getting excited. I'll try and have a race report up afterwards. I'll leave around noon tomorrow to get there in the early afternoon. Race starts 12:01am Saturday morning!


Soundtrack:
"I am a Stone" by Demon Hunter
"The Songwriter" by Staple

High of 75

T-minus 6 weeks until Hellgate. Getting excited. It's been a fun few weeks of training, both for Hellgate, and generally for Crossfit.

Running:
Last week was a recovery week, so weekdays I was doing eights, fifteen on Saturday, and two hours on Sunday. Overall I felt pretty well and on point. For my fifteen on Saturday, I finally felt like I was getting back in the groove. I wouldn't say my long runs have been struggling, but I haven't really been at the pace I've been in the past. The past few recovery cycles, my fifteens have been well over 2h10m, getting near 2:20. Pretty close to my pace for the longer runs, but not typical for me. This past week I was feeling strong and had a good time getting out around 2:05. This week hasn't been too much of a slog-fest, and this morning I did 10 miles at sub-7 pace. Not a HUGE deal - I normally have two or three of these in a training cycle - but exciting to see those numbers. I have two more build weeks, another recovery week, and then a few weeks of tapering.

Crossfit:
I'm still riding the wave of the Triangle Invitational competition I saw two weeks ago. Morrisville placed third, and my brother competed with his box as well. I was amazed to see how far he's come since the last time I saw him compete. Then this past weekend, our own box celebrated its one year anniversary. There was a lot of very cool demonstrations: Super Skippers (nationally-ranked jump rope squad), martial arts, and gymnastics. We had a food drive that collected over 2000 lbs of food, and watched the local Strongman trainers attempt to deadlift 2900 pounds. With the Super skippers, I got some pointers and completed my first double under (two turns of the jump rope per jump); a major goal. This week during workouts I feel like I've made some turning points with handstand pushups which are another major goal. Not quite "prescribed" but I found a way to make some positive progress.

Only negative is I have some nagging in my left leg. Where it is, I can't tell if it's my glutes or my hamstring originates, but hopefully it'll work itself out. Given the running has been going ok, I'm not worried at the moment, but I have my eye on it and I'm being proactive with some foam rolling.

Soundtrack: Though I feel like I haven't found any good NEW music lately
"New City" by The Fold
"High of 75" by Relient K

The Spy Hunter

Such a glutton for pain. As hard as it is to move, that feeling of soreness is incomparable.

I am official registered for the Hellgate 100K[+]. This race is 66.6 miles through the mountains outside of Lynchburg, VA, starting at 12:01 Saturday morning, in the middle of December. I was a little nerve-wracked/apprehensive for a  few days before I received confirmation of my registration. With a limit of 140 or so runners, it is not meant for inexperienced runners, so there is a little bit of "resume" review.

That will take place the 2nd weekend of December. I asked a few days off from work for the race, but also added on a few extra days the following week for some R&R. I kind of wanted to do -to GO - SOMETHING but couldn't really think of something worthwhile. Going hiking or the like would be my idea of fun. But we're talking about the few days after a 100K race, and also in the middle of December. Ultimately, I booked a trip to Boston. I've been there a few times, mainly for regattas with the crew team. A coworker and I were talking about neat cities, and with Boston coming up, I got a little nostalgic. I sort of wanted to visit somewhere new; I had considered some of the Canadian metros (Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa) because it'd be neat to go out of country. But the Boston tickets were pretty cheap, and I KNOW I'll enjoy the city, just to relax. I don't have too much of a game plan just yet. I did notice that Concord is only about 45 minutes away, and I would really enjoying going to Walden Pond, where Henry David Thoreau wrote his book, one of my favorites.

Training has been kicking my butt. In a that good way where you know you're getting something great out of it. MCCF had a great clinic on toes-to-bars (T2B). It was a movement I could do, but badly, and this clinic really helped something click. Yesterday was a brutal leg workout (300 single under jump ropes, death by back squat, and glute-ham raises) which is what's leaving me with so much residual leg sorenes/stiffness. This morning was a good workout, with some handstands, cleans, and rowing. Good times all around. It's been a little empty. Several MCCFers are getting ready for a big local competition, the Triangle Invitational on Saturday and Sunday. I'll probably be able to go cheer on the Rx team on Sunday.

Uh-oh though. David is doing it too, for Crossfit Brave. Who do I support? Bros before box?

Soundtrack: Digging out some HS favorites
"The Spy Hunter" by Project 86
"Alive" by POD

OMG

Maybe it's because I just got done about 45 minutes ago, but I am freakin' wasted. I feel so crazily strung out from running/whatever. It was an intense week with some pretty strong runs. 3 10/11 mile runs at under 7:15/mile pace. A 5:38 1600m at Crossfit on Thursday. Topped it off with 25 miles this morning at Umstead. Oh boy: and tomorrow I get to round it out with another 2 1/2 hours.

That is all.

I'm just tired. Can't think of anything else. Oh. Should be able to register for Hellgate (100K+) this coming week.

Soundtrack:
Dear Agony - Breaking Benjamin
Telescope Eyes - Eisley

I think we have an emergency

As with everyone, life ebbs and flows. I'm excited that it's finally getting to be fall time. On one hand I'm glad to be settling into a weekly routine, but on the other, I get that feeling of being in a rut.

Oh CrossFit AND running. Such a bittersweet relationship. Over the two months or so since I've join CrossFit, I've had three different... issues. First was my foot, which with a few days off from running, resolved. Then, while deadlifting, my back started hurting pretty bad. A couple of days off started the healing process, but it was several weeks before it stopped aching. Now the past week and a half, my right quad has been smarting. This started as just an ache up near the hip. Over time though, it's kind of migrated down near the knee. I can feel it whenever I pivot/stand on the one leg, during first several strides of a run (before it just dully aches for a while), or when tightening up for a lift.

I've taken Tuesday and today off from both running and lifting, and I hope that resolves this problem and I can get on with my routine. But like the other problems, it makes me apprehensive about continuing CrossFit. The biggest questions everyone ask me is if CrossFit has helped my running. I always reply that I won't know until I race. But if I can't run and can't train to then race, then obviously it hasn't. The problem is I'm starting to form some good connections with the other people at the gym; it's hard to leave that kind of environment. And it feels good to get stronger.

I am up for Umstead again!!! I'm officially registered. I was kind of hoping to run casually: not worry about time or placement or anything. After this past race, I realized this is that ONE I want to repeat, for years to come, and that I don't have to race every year. However, I'm entered again as a competitive entry. That qualification is the capacity to run under 17:00, which I thought was doable anyways. But something about claiming to be competitive, I now feel the determination to once again go for broke, and see what I can really do.

Soundtrack:
"Emergency" by Paramore
"Circles" by Flyleaf

Time

Already another post? What is this?

I first got serious about running while I was in college. At the time, I was also not serious about wearing a watch: any timepiece I wore usual got lost or broken within a few weeks. So usually when I went for a run, I would pretty much catch the time on the microwave before stepping out and catch it again when I come back in. I didn't care about mileage or time or any of that stuff. I think it was one summer, when working at the Y as a Duty Officer, when keeping the pool schedule going was critical, I bought a watch and wore it all the time. And this was great for running, because now I could keep track of my running time and compare it.

The thing is, I didn't want to bother with that DURING the run. I just wanted to run by feel, and then after the fact, see how I had done. I began keeping a spreadsheet with my times. So how would I keep track of time, but not do on-the-run analysis? Basically, I got into the habit of starting my watch's stopwatch, and immediately switching to the time of day display, but not looking at it. This way, midway through the run I could see what time it was, but without knowing when I started, I was clueless as to how long I had been running. Since, you know, it's so hard to press that little MODE button to switch to the stopwatch (actually, I did often have to resist the temptation). Nowadays, my mentality of running is so different - meditative, cathartic, whatever - I keep the time display open all the time because I just DON'T get anxious about it.

Why am I writing that history? Well, because now I've gone and purchased a Garmin GPS watch. And now I'm face with a similar problem. The watch is great because now I have more precise measurement of my runs and my pace, and a lot of other cool data. The thing is I still just want to run by effort, and not constantly fret about about some pace. So I'm taking a similar approach. I set the watch so that I'm not looking at the "pace screen." All I see is the stopwatch/time of day. As long as I resist changing to the pace setting, I just see all that data afterwards (which, is very cool). And at some point, maybe I'll get the point where I can look at that data without a care.



I've just been having a good couple of days. My foot problem has resolved fairly well. After another week with reduced-mileage, I'm hitting the road and trail pretty well. I've modified my pace on the days when I run right after going to Crossfit, and I think it's been helping not to be overzealous. The Crossfit is fun and there's a nice community around the gym.

Soundtrack:
Shadow by Red
Earthquake by Family Force 5