I just want to let everyone know I only made 30.4 miles of the 100 at Mohican. It was tougher than I expected, and I know when to quit. It is sometime after I begin to laugh hysterically (just kidding) as I had to begin the next climb. I was fairly warned, but I had to go and see it for myself. Relentless hills.
So, thanks to everyone for all the encouragement, and if I had to get a DNF in my first 100 mile attempt, I am really happy it had nothing to do with my conditioning... I was just defeated by how steep the climbs were. After I got back to the campground, I ate lunch then waited for a ride back to the busy aid station at the Covered Bridge and worked with the volunteers, helping those who did finish until about 1am. I caught a ride back to the start, slept for a few hours, and saw lots of folks who were faltering during the night make it to the finish.
Thanks again, everyone.
Maryann(who is not finished with the idea of 100 miles yet. hmm, how about Rocky Raccoon in February next year???)
I will compose a proper race report this weekend, with a little more detail, but right now, I just got home from Ohio and I have to get ready to go back to work tomorrow. ;-(
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Saturday, June 13
I don't usually have to work on weekends, but here I go to Rosenberg again.
Only 7 more days until Mohican.
Only 7 more days until Mohican.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
drum roll.............
So, I printed the last of my race instructions and pace chart last night after re-calculating my expected time out at each aid station due to the change made on the course. Everything is looking good so far. My mom and I are flying to Cleveland June 16 and will be staying with family. (thanks Uncle Bill and Aunt Shelly, Love you!)
The training is done, I only have an 8 miler to walk later today, then I will do one last hurrah on the hills in Bellville this weekend. All my walks will be short ones next week.
The only thing left to obsess over is packing. I am going to make sure all my race stuff is in the carry on. Street clothes will go in mom's checked bag as I am only bringing a few things. Remember I said red trail shoes go with everything? I ordered two pair of my favorite trail shoes and had them shipped to the uncle's house. I will wear them from the time I arrive until race day so they won't be brand new on the trail.
Oh, and I forgot... I don't have a laptop to take along. So sad... how will I exist without Internet access until I get home on the 24th??? I just don't know. I told close friends I will send a group text at the finish to let everyone know how the race went, and I will try to take mental notes for a decent race report when I return to Texas.
9
So, I printed the last of my race instructions and pace chart last night after re-calculating my expected time out at each aid station due to the change made on the course. Everything is looking good so far. My mom and I are flying to Cleveland June 16 and will be staying with family. (thanks Uncle Bill and Aunt Shelly, Love you!)
The training is done, I only have an 8 miler to walk later today, then I will do one last hurrah on the hills in Bellville this weekend. All my walks will be short ones next week.
The only thing left to obsess over is packing. I am going to make sure all my race stuff is in the carry on. Street clothes will go in mom's checked bag as I am only bringing a few things. Remember I said red trail shoes go with everything? I ordered two pair of my favorite trail shoes and had them shipped to the uncle's house. I will wear them from the time I arrive until race day so they won't be brand new on the trail.
Oh, and I forgot... I don't have a laptop to take along. So sad... how will I exist without Internet access until I get home on the 24th??? I just don't know. I told close friends I will send a group text at the finish to let everyone know how the race went, and I will try to take mental notes for a decent race report when I return to Texas.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
I don't know if things can get any crazier during taper madness... please don't hold me responsible for anything I say or do the next several days... my online capabilities will cease at the end of day Monday the 15th, so there will be no outlet for my insanity. What will I do without a computer??? I just don't know. There may be lots of UGA's (unnecessary gear acquisitions) going on. I was shopping for socks at Sierra trading post yesterday.
One interesting thing after my walk last night. Raymond (dh) was talking about the race I am doing with a couple of his friends and he said something that actually made sense. He still does not think I will finish, and the reason he feels that way actually made sense to me. He said that there are very FEW people who could even think about walking or running 100 miles; and he is right. It seems that the percentage of the population who have done a marathon is growing. The people who do 100 mile races are a tiny sub-group of the marathoners.
He feels like these '100 mile' runners/walkers are people who sacrifice their family life to get the training done. I don't have a good answer for that statement, except for the fact that he spends a lot of time with his friends, and my children are grown and have their own lives. Walking long distance is my free time and I choose to spend my free time walking long distance.
Just Maryann
oh, and ................... 10
One interesting thing after my walk last night. Raymond (dh) was talking about the race I am doing with a couple of his friends and he said something that actually made sense. He still does not think I will finish, and the reason he feels that way actually made sense to me. He said that there are very FEW people who could even think about walking or running 100 miles; and he is right. It seems that the percentage of the population who have done a marathon is growing. The people who do 100 mile races are a tiny sub-group of the marathoners.
He feels like these '100 mile' runners/walkers are people who sacrifice their family life to get the training done. I don't have a good answer for that statement, except for the fact that he spends a lot of time with his friends, and my children are grown and have their own lives. Walking long distance is my free time and I choose to spend my free time walking long distance.
Just Maryann
oh, and ................... 10
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
June 9, 2009
this is a little strange, but I think it is becoming a pattern. I get exhausted by the amount of training I am doing leading up to a big race. So, I take a week off. I don't know how smart it is to take a whole 7 days off during the taper for a 100 mile race... but I am trying to do the right thing and listen to the old bod'.
Hopefully it works as well as it did in January before Phoenix and last fall before the Bass Pro marathon and Sunmart. Just to let you all know I will be reporting a walk this evening after work. I don't know how far I will walk, or how fast I will go, but I will be back out there today. BTW......... 11
I do feel a lot better after my walk this evening. I went back to the park pond excavation site. Most of my walk tonight was on grass, except for 1.4 miles of dozer tracks and huge clay clumps. Oh, joy, I found an extension to the excavation site. When I uploaded the walk to Google Earth, the place I walked still looks heavily wooded on the satellite image, but all the trees are no more now. Kind of sad, but a great place to test out the knee and ankle strength. So far, so good.
6.28 miles; 1:26:38, average pace 13:47; average HR 73%, max HR 84%. The funny thing is that I walked the fastest two miles of the evening out there at the excavation site.
"It's better to be crazy than lazy!"
Maryann
ps. stayed up late last night working on drop bag and packing lists for the trip to Ohio. This is the first time I have flown to a race. I am going nuts over the tiniest detail. I have decided to bring only absolute essentials and pick up personal hygiene products when I get there.
One other thing, I got an email from the race message boards saying that the order of trail loops is changed this year (only one small change). Ok, after I printed out my pace chart and stuff last night. As I mentioned, I was up until midnight working on all this, now I have to redo part of it. I have to have my pace chart with exact times out of each aid station with me, and a copy in each drop bag just in case.
Hopefully it works as well as it did in January before Phoenix and last fall before the Bass Pro marathon and Sunmart. Just to let you all know I will be reporting a walk this evening after work. I don't know how far I will walk, or how fast I will go, but I will be back out there today. BTW......... 11
I do feel a lot better after my walk this evening. I went back to the park pond excavation site. Most of my walk tonight was on grass, except for 1.4 miles of dozer tracks and huge clay clumps. Oh, joy, I found an extension to the excavation site. When I uploaded the walk to Google Earth, the place I walked still looks heavily wooded on the satellite image, but all the trees are no more now. Kind of sad, but a great place to test out the knee and ankle strength. So far, so good.
6.28 miles; 1:26:38, average pace 13:47; average HR 73%, max HR 84%. The funny thing is that I walked the fastest two miles of the evening out there at the excavation site.
"It's better to be crazy than lazy!"
Maryann
ps. stayed up late last night working on drop bag and packing lists for the trip to Ohio. This is the first time I have flown to a race. I am going nuts over the tiniest detail. I have decided to bring only absolute essentials and pick up personal hygiene products when I get there.
One other thing, I got an email from the race message boards saying that the order of trail loops is changed this year (only one small change). Ok, after I printed out my pace chart and stuff last night. As I mentioned, I was up until midnight working on all this, now I have to redo part of it. I have to have my pace chart with exact times out of each aid station with me, and a copy in each drop bag just in case.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Something to Ponder...
I think I have stumbled upon the inspiration I need in order to complete the 100 miles at Mohican. There have been several requests for pacers on the race message board. I made my need for a pacer known in the group at least a couple of months ago. I have talked to a couple of people and the timing just wasn't right for them. So, last week, I got another email from a potential pacer. We sent a few emails back and forth, and with (I am now certain) some divine intervention, his wife is going to have knee replacement surgery the week after Mohican, so he will be my pacer. He is 75 years old and an accomplished ultrarunner with several 100's under his belt who has gotten back into running after recovering from cancer (I'm not sure what type of cancer).
He made it known to the message group that he will be pacing a woman for her first attempt at 100 miles, and if said woman doesn't finish for any reason, he will pick up another runner. Well, the comments from the others on the race message board were very inspiring! Everyone that commented said well, if you can recover from cancer, she can finish a 100 mile race! I am thinking now that barring severe injury, I would feel like I was letting this wonderful man down if I didn't finish.
There is my gift to ponder for the next 15 days until we meet. Maryann
He made it known to the message group that he will be pacing a woman for her first attempt at 100 miles, and if said woman doesn't finish for any reason, he will pick up another runner. Well, the comments from the others on the race message board were very inspiring! Everyone that commented said well, if you can recover from cancer, she can finish a 100 mile race! I am thinking now that barring severe injury, I would feel like I was letting this wonderful man down if I didn't finish.
There is my gift to ponder for the next 15 days until we meet. Maryann
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
June 2, 2009
I was planning to do 8 x 400 at the track tonight after warming up, stretching and doing my drills, but things don't always work out as planned. I am trying to wear different workout clothes to see if I am going to have any problem areas at Mohican. Wore a skirt tonight, didn't bodyglide the thighs and lo and behold, no chafing. Even wore a sleeveless top, (no chance I would forget to bodyglide the pits) and no chafing there either! I must really be firming up from all the walking I have been doing. Cardio burns body fat!
1 mile walk to the track - 13:22 (mile 1)
1 mile quick racewalk to warm up completely - 11:48 (mile 2)
stopped timer to stretch fully and do flexibility drills. was able to stretch hamstring and shins properly due to self massage last night. going to do it again after I stretch post workout.
4 x 400m w/400m rests for the next +/- 2 miles - 11:42 & 12:02 (miles 3 & 4)
(could not use center lane on the track because the slow pokes were 3 and 4 across, just strolling along, some pushing strollers; so I had to use the outer lanes of the track.)
400m slow, 1mile racewalk at an ez pace, then walk home.12:44 & 14:23 (miles 5 & 6),
then .17 miles in 2:32 (pace 15:02)
total 6.17 miles average pace 12:44, average HR 77% Overall a great workout and glad I was able to get my HR up to 88% during the intervals.
1 mile walk to the track - 13:22 (mile 1)
1 mile quick racewalk to warm up completely - 11:48 (mile 2)
stopped timer to stretch fully and do flexibility drills. was able to stretch hamstring and shins properly due to self massage last night. going to do it again after I stretch post workout.
4 x 400m w/400m rests for the next +/- 2 miles - 11:42 & 12:02 (miles 3 & 4)
(could not use center lane on the track because the slow pokes were 3 and 4 across, just strolling along, some pushing strollers; so I had to use the outer lanes of the track.)
400m slow, 1mile racewalk at an ez pace, then walk home.12:44 & 14:23 (miles 5 & 6),
then .17 miles in 2:32 (pace 15:02)
total 6.17 miles average pace 12:44, average HR 77% Overall a great workout and glad I was able to get my HR up to 88% during the intervals.
June 2, 2009
Countdown
18
(please bear with me through the madness of taper)
"It's better to be crazy than lazy!"
Maryann
18
(please bear with me through the madness of taper)
"It's better to be crazy than lazy!"
Maryann
Monday, June 1, 2009
June 1, 2009
Obsessively logging the mileage.
4.27 miles in 59:57 for an average pace of 14:02; and mile #4 was done in 12:36, so I guess I will call it a short acceleration. Max HR of 80% was achieved at the end of mile 4, but the average for the whole walk was 70%. I walked 1 mile to the park, a little over 2 miles at the park pond excavation site and around the outer edges of the soccer field, then last mile or so home.
Again I chose to go out and walk immediately after eating supper. So far, no sick!
BTW 19 LOL
4.27 miles in 59:57 for an average pace of 14:02; and mile #4 was done in 12:36, so I guess I will call it a short acceleration. Max HR of 80% was achieved at the end of mile 4, but the average for the whole walk was 70%. I walked 1 mile to the park, a little over 2 miles at the park pond excavation site and around the outer edges of the soccer field, then last mile or so home.
Again I chose to go out and walk immediately after eating supper. So far, no sick!
BTW 19 LOL
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