2008: Week 30 Recap

Week 1, Phase 2 of the Moose Mountain Marathon training program.

Mon. 7/21:

REST DAY.

Tue. 7/22:

Took another day off to work on a TOP SECRET PROJECT.

Wed. 7/23:
In preparation for the "Twin Cities Ultra Festival 50K" I decided to forego fitting daily runs in, which I believe would have just been aggravating, and take a page out of Helen's training log and do 3 runs this week, which accomodates working on TOP SECRET PROJECTS as well.

I packed my Camelbak full of unnecessary weight (why run with 3 lbs. on your back when you can run with 10?) and commuted to work on my own two feet this morning, all pavement, just like Lake Calhoun will be. It was a nice little run, but I won't be wearing the Nike DRI FIT shirt again. The Camelbak backpack I wear with it rubs the skin on my lower back just raw. Ouchie!

13.49 mi. in two runs AM/PM. Approximately 6.75 miles each way, not counting .25 mile warm-up and cool down.

Thu. 7/24:
I just discovered I hate not running every day. But this TOP SECRET PROJECT is way more important at the moment.

Fri. 7/25:
Overcame mild case of morning malaise after a night in the salt mines to put the backpack on a very sore back and neck and commute in to work on my own two feet again. I'm always glad when I decide not to take the easy way out. But it is getting kinda hot...

The run back was grueling. Not a hint of shade and it was around 86 degrees and humid. Ugh. I bonked hard despite drinking a ton of water, wound up walking the last quarter mile and even took a walk break in the middle of the run. When I got home, my backpack was all salty and felt like it was about to spontaneously combust from the sun beating on it. I hope The Ultra Festival isn't this hot. If it is, I'll swim it.

13.34 mi.

Sat. 7/26:
8.06 mi.

Purposefully set out too fast on this one. Knew I was going into it on tired legs and body, needed to get a run in where I was spent for the majority of it and force myself to keep a steady, decent pace.

Mission accomplished!

Sun. 7/27:

Hoo boy are my legs shot. I'm one tired pup today and this was an "easy" week. That'll show ya what a few days of pounding pavement will do to you.

RUN TOTALS:
MILEAGE: 34.89 mi.

Quote Of The Week:
"Running is the classical road to self-consciousness, self-awareness and self-reliance. Independence is the outstanding characteristic of a runner. (S)he learns the harsh reality of his physical and spiritual limitations when (s)he runs. (S)he learns that personal commitment, sacrifice and determination are her/his only means to betterment. Runners get promoted only through self-conquest."
~Noël Coward

Fastest Kid Alive...

This is how I felt when Marissa Yovetich (16 years old!) passed me on the singletrack out at the Afton 25K (I would have been the vomiting cop, by the way). If you don't like vomiting cops or the F-word, don't watch it!



I have been thinking of that scene every time I overdo it (or get passed by someone after overdoing it) and then I laugh, which makes my suffering all the more painful.

Kind of like today, when I decided to try and catch this really fast older guy and I passed him for a little while, but just couldn't quite sustain the 7:10 pace he was running at on my tired-ass legs and dehydrated body...He was the Fastest Man Alive!!

The Big Business of Races

Wynn and Larry know all too well the hard work that goes into putting on ultra trail races, but have you ever imagined the headaches of putting on a town's local 5k?

Running and Rambling has a knee-slapper parody of a city council meeting about putting on a 5k that I'm not so sure is that much parody.

My favorite part:

Mrs. Brooks: “We expect the Pancake Flats 5K to have all the usual amenities of other races. The course needs to be USATF certified ($1,800) and sanctioned ($300). We want long sleeve technical-fabric shirts for all participants ($4,500), and finishers medals for everyone ($1100). Awards 5 deep in each 5 year age group for both men and women from under 15 to 85 and over ($3,000) are standard. We need large, highly visible mile markers ($1,000). Rock bands at each mile and at the finish area ($2,500) would be great. We also need chip timing and timing mats at each mile so we can see our splits on the Internet the next day. ($10,000). That’s about it.”

via: Running and Rambling by Mike and Donald

Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll at 190 BPM

I read an interesting study about Blondie's drummer, Clem Burke. Apparently they've studied this chap a while and have concluded he and other drummers are among 'top athletes' in terms of stamina.

Que Wilco's 'Heavy Metal Drummer."



From the article:

...found that during a performance, his heart averaged between 140 and 150 beats a minute, peaking at 190, levels comparable to other top athletes (sounds familiar, even if I'm not a top athlete).

However, Dr Smith said that while top footballers (of course the English compare every outstanding physical performance to 'footballers') were expected to perform once or twice a week, drummers on tour would be doing it every night at a different venue.

The scientists find this so interesting, they're opening an entire "Drumming Laboratory" in Gloucester. I find it to be kind of a gimme. Seriously. Drummers are always coated in sweat and look to be working the hardest in a show. It is pretty much common sense to assume they're probably also getting a great workout during the show (not to mention probably after, in between sets and before the show BA-DUM-CHING!).

via: BBC Health

2008: Week 29 Recap

Week 6 of the Moose Mountain Marathon training program.

Mon. 7/14:
5 mi.

Gym was so crowded I cut short my core workout by a set of back extensions and a set of pull-ups and dips. Some girl on the dip bars would do a dip, then talk to the boy on the lat-pull machine for a few minutes, then do a dip, then talk to the boy on the lat-pull machine. My ears were starting to bleed.

Tue. 7/15:
9.75 mi. 1/2 in grass next to parkway, 1/2 in riverbottoms. Tried to find one of the 'unofficial' trails (way more rugged than what the park and wreck have carved out of the area) that would go from Franklin Ave. to Ford Parkway, but only found an unscalable limestone wall about a mile away from Ford Parkway. Doubled back and then scrambled the near vertical hill up to the 'real' trail near the top of the ravine.

Wed. 7/16:
5.00 mi.

Thu. 7/17:
5.46 mi.

45 minute tempo run. Didn't feel springy at all.

Time Dist. S.D. S.P.
08:45 1.00 1.00 8:45
16:37 2.01 1.00 7:49
23:55 3.00 1.00 7:20
31:35 4.00 1.00 7:41
40:27 5.01 1.00 8:49
44:15 5.46 0.46 8:20


Fri. 7/18:
Took my day off to go see Willie Nelson at the Grand Casino Hinckley Amphitheatre. Sure was something seeing a living legend play all your favorite songs.

Sat. 7/19:
After getting home late and sleeping for a few hours I took off for Afton. Had a grueling run today. Just no zip, tight all over and a side stitch that was with me for most of my run. Haven't had a stitch since high school. Argh. Just put my head down and got through it.

Saw Jason, Jeffrey and Alicia on the long, flat section of road by the river (although by this point in my run I was locked in my own head and completely discouraged by my poor showing and turtle-slow pace - managed a meek "Hi, guys..."); but never saw any of the "All-Night-Runners" that did a long fat-ass run that started at midnight on Friday!

I started the run on the snowshoe loop, did the racecourse backwards until I got to 10.75 miles and then turned around. Didn't fall once on the "Out" section, but completely donnybrooked it on the "Back" section in the snowshoe loop about 3 times. I always know it's a tough spill when after I hit the ground I just want to curl up into the fetal position and go to sleep.

21.5 mi., then attended a 50th birthday party for a friend. They are such a fun couple and like family to S.M. and I (I just don't quite have the party stamina they have - especially after a long run and then having to wake early the next day to go tear it up at Wirth Park with Colin)...I left shortly after the naughty nurse came by with birthday songs. Ate 4 chili nacho cheese dogs, lots of potato salad, pasta salad and coke.

Sun. 7/20:
After a rough day on Saturday I had no idea how I would rally to run with Colin on the ski trails and singletrack at Wirth Park. I figured I'd let him lead and determine the pace. I guess instead of health food the night before a run I'll start eating chili nacho cheese dogs, because it was a great run!

The combination of a new trail to explore and great conversation with a really super nice dude made the miles fly by pretty fast. I don't know how I rallied honestly, because Saturday night I felt like a pile of hurting dung. Colin is in pretty awesome and fast shape. He wasn't even breathing hard going up the hills we were climbing. I couldn't even talk in complete sentences...He also has some pretty sick downhill skills. Tough act to follow, that guy. First class all the way.

My Garmin didn't have a lock when we started so I am going to guess it was about a 10 mile run.

Spent a lazy day with S.M. after the run enjoying the sunshine and eating nice things.

RUN TOTALS:
MILEAGE: 56.71 mi.

Quote Of The Week:
"Don't work towards freedom; let the work be the freedom."
~Dogen Roshi, philosopher

Schedule Changes and Pleasant Surprises

I was planning on running 50K out at Afton for my birthday on August 2nd (actual b-day is Aug. 6, for everyone wanting to $end money and gift$) but then I got this email:

FROM: Patrick Russell

Hey all,

In a last ditch effort to qualify for the US 100k team I have worked with Kurt Decker and Wynn Davis to set up an attempt August 2 at Lake Calhoun. We have certified 50k (10 laps) and 100k (20 laps) distances. I need at least two other starters to make it official for record keeping purposes, so I would like to invite anyone else that wants to get a long run in that weekend or a certified performance for 50k or 100k to come out. We'll have aid once per lap at the start/finish, but there is also a bathroom/water fountain on the other side of the lake as well. The registration form is here:

http://www.4shared.com/dir/8246983/ecd0dcce/sharing.html

Lake Calhoun ain't no trail, but the "Twin Cities Ultra Festival" will be a good way to support Patrick, who is world class(y), and deserves a spot on the US 100K team.

If you have the day available and want to come out to beautiful Lake Calhoun while a bunch of crazy ultrarunners wrest control of it for nine or so hours you know what to do!!

2008: Week 28 Recap

Week 5 of the Moose Mountain Marathon training program, will spend at least Monday recovering from Afton because everything is still just a tad sore.

Mon. 7/7:
See Above. I went for a leisurely stroll and called it good.

Tue. 7/8:
4.5 miles and a core workout

Wed. 7/9:
9.3 miles in the riverbottoms and a little vertical scramble to the top of a bluff. I surprised three sight seers taking in the views of the lush canopy as I broke through the vegetation, climbed the fence, dusted myself off and took off again. The look on their faces was priceless.

Thu. 7/10:
6.0 miles at the Lock and Dam #1 Hill. Down from Ford Parkway to the bottom, then back up. Not quite a trail run. I think I need someone to throw large rocks and logs at my toes while I run on the parkway to simulate the Superior Hiking Trail.

Fri. 7/11:
6.0 miles at the runway flat trail on the river just off Hwy 13. Today was 95 degrees and humid. This run had the four 'H's.' Heat, Humidity, Horseflies and lots of Hoofprints. Saw a surprising number of deer in the woods and near the river. Fun! But not so fun afterward when I felt like puking. Anxiety about my job on top of a long week at same and then a run in the full-on afternoon heat was a brutal combo.

Sat. 7/12:
Was going to try and meet Matt Patten at Afton to run the 'Alps,' but when I got there at 7:30, he was on his way out after already running for two hours! I guess his idea of 'early' and my idea of 'early' are not the same.

I decided to try the 25K racecourse loop at an even pace to see what would happen. See the results here.

15.62 mi.

Sun. 7/13:
A good day for a "get things done" day. I cleaned up in the morning, then started to organize my studio and other things. Had an indulgent lunch with S.M., followed by cake and coffee at the Liffey. I love the diet days off!

RUN TOTALS:
MILEAGE: 41.42 mi.

Quote Of The Week:
"rapid motion through space elates one."
~James Joyce

The Pace Experiment

Last Saturday, I ran 25 kilometers out at Afton State Park. This morning, I decided to run at as even of a pace as I could manage, and see what happened.

I omitted the mileage past mile 15 to make it more consistent.

July 5, 2008
7:32 AM
Mean Temp: 74.8 F
Dewpoint: 54.7 F
Equipment: New Balance 790's, Smart Wool socks, Race Ready shorts, Nathan Hand Held (20oz.), cap.
Nutrition: 1 Clif Bar, Cytomax (20 oz.), water (35 oz.), 2 GU packets, 1 Power Bar Gel packet, 4 S! caps.

(S.D. = split distance / S.P. = split pace)

July 12, 2008
7:40 AM
Mean Temp: 70.5 F
Dewpoint: 52 F
Equipment: Vibram FiveFingers KSO, Injinji Coolmax socks, Race Ready shorts, Nathan Hand Held (20oz.), Under Armour shirt, cap.
Nutrition: 1 Clif Bar, HEED (20 oz.), water (20 oz.), 1 GU packets, 1 Power Bar Gel packet, 1 S! cap.


Basically, one week after my Afton race, on a very similar day as the Afton race, simply by averaging out my pace I was able to run the first 15 miles of the course to within five minutes of my Afton race time, at considerably less effort.

During the race, my average HR was 92% and my max HR was...close to my max HR overall. During my even pace run, my average HR was 80% and my max was around 94%.

I also finished the even pace run feeling pretty fresh and was able to go and do a core workout right after the run. I wasn't ravenous afterward. I didn't feel like I was as "all out" as I was during the race, and I ran very conservatively on the downhills, which meant I was able to run up all but one hill (Meat Grinder). I wore my preferred training shoe - the Vibram FiveFingers KSO and had zero foot or toe issues, and actually enjoyed picking my line on trails and dancing on rocks and roots quite a bit more than I did tromping on the earth in the 790's.

During the race, I welcomed the hills as a respite to walk up them, felt absolutely spent and dehydrated at the end of it and went home to sleep immediately after the race. I wore the New Balance 790's during the race and while I was able to "bomb" the downhills, my big toes were both bruised and sore due to the narrow fit of them, and the bottoms of my feet were also quite sore due to the increased amount of 'pounding' I thought I could do in them due to the perceived underfoot cushioning.

I enjoyed the even pace run more, even stopping several times to watch deer and turkeys or examine how my blackberry patch is coming along. I had no cramps whatsoever, whereas during the race I was only focused on the three feet in front of me and cramped like a bastard every time I pushed the pace more than I was, and only stopped to try and pee.

I suppose some of the result could have been because of lack of sleep before the race, hydration issues, the fact that it was a race and I was excited, etc., but I would much rather run and enjoy it than push myself like I did if it only means a few minutes. I think I've decided to pretty much just race myself and continue to enjoy running, especially in the Vibram FiveFingers.

Regardless, it was an interesting experiment.

Just Say NO

Just read an article about how kids as young as 8 should go on cholestorol lowering drugs.

Here's why I can barely speak for the apoplexy that is consuming me.

One: The only viable reason I can think of to put 8 YEAR OLDS on cholestorol medication is that it's good business for the $$drug-maker$$. Call me cynical, but that seems to be the way we work now. Can't sleep? Take a pill. Got the blues? Take a pill. Too heavy? Take a pill. Bad genes? Take a pill...

That isn't to say there aren't conditions that are vastly improved or eliminated by certain medications, but have you seen the PROFIT MARGIN on most of these medications? People can barely afford them...well, at least the right people can barely afford them. Yes, the health care 'industry' in this country is f*@ked beyond repair...but that's another story.

(Perhaps I'm just jaded because I'm in the wrong industry and I'm not taking my doctor out to lunch and selling her on the newest wonder pill and getting six-figures to do it)

Some lobbyist/sales person from Big Pharma got into someone's pants at the American Academy of Pediatrics and said that their "studies" showed that given the rise in obesity in America, we should probably protect our kids by putting them on these cholestorol lowering drugs ASAP.

More than likely a few members of the AAoP board were greased with fancy dinners and gifts from the company making the drugs in order to sway their opinion and then make media headlines with the panicked press release that if you don't put your 8 YEAR OLD on these drugs they will surely have a massive heart attack and die.

On that news, millions of soccer moms across the country are putting their kids in mini-vans at this very moment to get a full blood scan done on their precious snowflakes and are sure to be leaving the doctor's office with prescriptions for any number of the big cholestorol fighting drugs. Score: 1 for Big Pharma 0 for children's true well-being.

Which brings me to my second point.

8 YEAR OLD KIDS won't need cholestorol lowering drugs, GI band surgery or liposuction if THEY PLAY OUTSIDE instead of sitting on the couch eating Chee-Toes and playing video games! Or perhaps we should not cut out PE programs in our schools and start looking at the crap we feed our kids nine months out of the year in school cafeterias. Anything but stick them on a pill to prevent something that is perfectly preventable in young people by "EATING LESS AND MOVING MORE." See below.

Could it possibly be true that we are perfectly willing to lead sedentary lifestyles and take pills to make up for basically neglecting our bodies need to be active?

Just say NO to cholestorol drugs for kids. Just say YES to GOING OUTSIDE TO PLAY!

2008: Week 27 Recap

Week 4 of the Moose Mountain Marathon training program, also a 'development race' out at Afton on Saturday. I'm going to be out there working the Minnesota Trail Running Series booth before the race starts, which means I'll have to get up at 3:30 to get out there and be set up by 5...Sheesh. I hope I can grab 20 winks before the race starts at 7:30!

Mon. 6/30:
Ran in the 790's this evening in the dirt alongside the Parkway. Started out easy and did the last mile at what I hope will be my race pace on Saturday. They feel ok for the most part. I don't like the insoles at all. The soles on the 790's are thick enough that you don't really have the same range of foot motion or proprioreception as you do in the VFF's. However, the insoles in the 790's are about as thick as paper and have no arch support. I think they need a little bit, because since you don't have the same gait in them as you do barefoot, I get achy ankles right above my arches. Hopefully this won't be an issue if I decide to wear them Saturday.

There's the long-winded explanation of why the 790's will be a good race shoe, but not a good training shoe.

4.27 mi.
+session of core work.

Tue. 7/1:
8.26 mi.

Parkway/Riverbottom run. Temps in the upper 80's. Felt better towards the end of the run, but also didn't hold back like I told myself I was going to. May not be the best strategy with Afton coming right up, but tonight running slow hurt more than running faster. Taper, shmaper.

Wed. 7/2:
3.97 mi.

Thu. 7/3:
Let's call it a mini taper.

Fri. 7/4:
2nd day of taper.

Sat. 7/5:
Afton 25K. 15.65 mi., according to the 305, but I didn't shut it down right after the race, so there's probably around .10 mi. of me walking around in a post-race daze on there.

Sun. 7/6:
A little sunshine, a little breakfast and a little relaxing does a body good!

RUN TOTALS:
MILEAGE: 32.16 mi.

Quote Of The Week:
"Let me say I could not believe how many guys took off like it was a 10k race."
~Kurt Decker on Afton from Dances With Dirt

When He Was Fast, He Went Pretty Fast, But When He Was Slow...

...He was awful!!

I am still very grateful for my time, but also realize that I am still very new to this sport. It's a good thing to realize where I can improve, and where I did OK. A little honest criticism can go a long way...

What needs improvement:

I let the terrain dictate how I would run the race, also went out too fast (first mile: 7:23 - last mile: 12:02). It seems like if I have a few people to weave through in the beginning of a race it keeps me a little bit nailed down in terms of pace. I think this will be the last time I go out to see how long I can keep the leaders in sight (not very long).

I also know now that the kinds of hills I have to train for are the brutally steep ones as well as the long grinders. I wound up trying to be conservative on the hills, but then wrecked my quads trying to make up the time on the downhills, which left nothing for the easy stretches. For example...after rocketing down Campground Hill I absolutely redlined the whole way down the flat stretch of gravel to the Meat Grinder, and then was demolished in the Snowshoe loop by the little rises and gullies and the not drinking right.

My quads hurt today like they never do after my training runs out at Afton. Of course, I'm never on my tippy toes dancing downhill at a sub-five minute pace during my training runs, either.

During the race, I watched Lisa Trainor running (past me) and I remarked to myself - "she wasn't with me at the start of this, and I'm not really slowing down. She's just very consistent. I'll catch her on the next downhill." Well, let's just say I never did and she went on to place very well.

I figure if I could do the whole thing more consistently and with a little less fluctuation (-6:00/ mi. downhill & 20:00+/mi. uphill) I would knock another fifteen minutes off my time.

(It all looks pretty good on paper...but try thinking that when the cramps start and people are passing you...)

What went right:

Improving my Afton time by almost two minutes a mile over last year. This I attribute to increasing the volume of mileage I run weekly by around 10% over last year, and not letting my broken toe completely sideline me over the winter. I've also been trying to run mostly on trails and get a little hill work in and establish as large a base as possible. I've been fairly religious about the core strength sessions as well as a bi-weekly weight session.

This year, Tim Larson didn't pass me until midway through the snowshoe loop. Last year he passed me within the first two miles of the race. Better watch out next year, Tim! BTW - Tim's son is shipping out for Iraq soon. Please keep him in your prayers.

Managing cramps. I had some cramping early in the race, but I'm happy to say that isn't what slowed me down. Rather, it was the dehydration that slowed me the most. I've been reading that some folks sip water every 2 to 3 minutes as opposed to my big gulp every 10 minutes. I'll be trying that in the near future...but I have a feeling I'm going to need a bigger jug.

I'm not really sure if it's a good thing or not, but my average heart rate was around 92% of max. That seems high to me, but if I can manage it for the whole 25K race and not blow-up, why not? Consistency in pace may actually drive this down some. Perhaps I will try some runs focusing on pace as opposed to HR or time in the near future at Afton, now that I have a good baseline established.

So readers - please feel free to share your successes (and setbacks) at Afton this year! What worked, what didn't?

THE ONLY CURE FOR AFTON FEVER...

Is to go run either 25 or 50 kilometers on the beautiful, rugged course at Afton! Suffice to say my 25 Kilometer Afton Fever has been cured. At least for the week.

I am now home, having soaked everything from the waist down in ice water and reflected on the day.

For some reason, this was a really brutal (albeit fun) race. I wound up getting really dehydrated at around mile 12, completely unable to urinate despite the urgent need to do so. I thought I was attending to my hydration needs. Apparently not quite well enough.

Just past mile 12 on the snowshoe loop, my bladder and I played hide and seek. I'd wander off of the trail and try to go, watching the seconds tick, tick, tick by and then give up, only to have the urgent urge a few hundred yards later. By the time I finally did go (when I got home, after about 128 oz. of fluid plus whatever was in my other handheld) I was just glad it was mostly clear and not bloody or that dark "threat level" trickle of orange.

Enough about urine.

I did indeed have a nice, big smile on my face all day. Starting from working the MN Trail Running Series table in the morning, to watching the 50K'ers start their saga, to my own adventure on the trails.

I am glad I got to meet so many of you from blog-land, as well as seeing many of the Afton Crew. John, you get a big fist pound for this run! Fantastically well planned out, well staffed and good eats afterward. But the course and the gorgeous weather was the star of the show.

I don't have my exact time, but it was the fastest I've ever run the course and it was around a half an hour faster than I ran the race last year (not fast by many standards, but I'll take it and be quite grateful for it).

A huge thank-you to all the volunteers who made this run and the aid stations very smooth and efficient despite handling what I am almost positive will turn out to be a record number of runners. I also hope I thanked all of the volunteers well enough in person. Especially at the 12 Mile Aid Station, where the dehydration was beginning to kick in. I felt confused about the simple task of getting H2O into my water bottle. Sorry I must have looked deranged; with my salty red bandanna around my neck and my soaking, dripping cap pulled down tight over my eyes, imploringly, hopelessly weighing the options of "cup" vs. "gallon jug."

I wore the New Balance 790's, which I will not be wearing again for a race longer than a 10K. My big, bunion toe is one giant bruise at the moment. A little ice will take care of that, but WHY DO THEY MAKE RACING FLATS SO NARROW?? Are you listening, New Balance? Even your "wide" shoes are too narrow! Argh.

I will say, however, that being able to bomb down the rocky downhills due to some form of protection on the soles of my feet was a good thing. Because getting up some of those hills was somewhat more of a slow challenge. I hope I just find the right equipment to be able to do so some more by Moose Mountain. It might just be putting some insoles into the KSO's...Stay tuned. Picky McShoe Shopper needs a new pair of...something.

Also need to get hydration, electrolytes, etc. dialed in...Any suggestions? Is there a formula I should look into? I used S-Caps and took one every half hour. I was trying to take a large sip of water around every ten minutes or so, more than that and I got a bad stitch and some really bad chest cramps.

There were some really great performances in both races, but the 25K was an absolute track meet. There were some fast ones out there, I tell ya! And after the race, every finisher got a nice, heavy medal hand-made by John and his band of assistants. The finishers who happened to place well in the race got some sweet artwork for their efforts. I really wanted one of the prints, but while I did ok by my standards, I sure didn't come remotely close to the standards set by the men in my age group!

Oh, well. I got my kick ass Afton tee shirt and medal, so that works for me!

Now it's time for some sloppy joes, sweet corn, tater salad and Bolthouse Farms' Green Goodness juice. And a nap.

You can find the results HERE.

2:50 A.M.

I raced the alarm to wake up this morning. Looks like I won, having set it for 3:45 but then being fully alert and awake at 2:50.

Just another symptom of AFTON FEVER!!

I've got my "caffeine song" (thanks to Adam for coining the term) playlist RAWKIN' (warning: before you play it all loud and give yourself the devil horns and bang your head in your kitchen like I am - some offensive language).

My motivational music philosophy is I want loud, fast, primitive, unintelligible lyrics with power chords and a nasty groove. I don't want to decipher anything or think too hard about it...it's just gotta ROCK MY FACE OFF! If it gives me that "hair on the back of my neck standing up" feeling, it's a good caffeine song.

I don't think I've ever banged my head and given myself the devil horns after WAKING UP at 2:50 am...That usually happened after being up UNTIL 2:50 am. HA!

AFTON FEVER!! CATCH IT!

If you are an Upper Midwest Trail Runner who has just happened to have been living under a rock...

The Afton Trail Runs are this Saturday, July 5th. Details are on the website. I've been asking everyone lately if they "HAVE AFTON FEVER?!"

With race distances of either 25 or 50 kilometers on some pretty challenging terrain, Afton is a really fun race. Having trained there quite a bit, it's become one of my favorite places in the whole state to run.

If you've joined the Upper Midwest Trail Runners Club and want to meet some people with the same interests in mind, Afton is a great place to show up. This year is going to have a record turnout for both distances and I hear some absolutely knockout food at the finish.

So show up if you can!

As if you didn't need another reason to run Afton...the Upper Midwest Trail Runners have designated the Afton Trail Run 50K as the inaugural Upper Midwest Ultra Championship race. Holy Cats! Win this sum' bitch and you get bragging rights for a WHOLE YEAR.

I'm starting to get the pre-race jitters about it, though. That's always nice, although it doesn't happen because I'm going to be elbow to elbow with any of the lead pack.

I suppose my jitters are a result of anticipation of the unknown, wondering if I'll meet the goals I have in my head for the race, visualizing running the singletrack downhill to the first aid station, visualizing where I can surge and where it might be a better idea to hold back a little...thinking about my strategy for the aid stations, wondering just how much I can push on the backstretch to have something left for the Meat Grinder, Snowshoe Loop and the finish, etc.

Goals and all of that notwithstanding, I hope to be the one wearing the biggest smile before, during and after the race (and I hope someone beats me at that, too!).

See you there! I'm off to run and then have myself a mini-taper before Saturday. CATCH AFTON FEVER!!

UPDATE! Early Bird Gets The Worm! The Afton Trail Runs are nearly SOLD OUT! Check the website on the morning of the fourth to see if there will be any race-day entries available and I would suggest if there are, and you want to run...BE DOWN THERE WELL BEFORE 5 AM ON THE FIFTH OF JOO-LYE!!

Recipe Corner!

Last night I made what I like to refer to as "Power Gruel."

It was supposed to be a simple red curry, but I wound up adding a lot more stuff. I froze a bunch for lunches, and have dinner/lunch for the next three days, to give you an idea of just how much it makes.

What you need:

2 packages chicken breast tenderloins (about 1 lb. ea.)
A few red potatoes
Basil (load up on this, it is wonderful)
Spinach - as much as you care to add (I add about a large salad's worth)
2 small yellow onions, sliced and halved
Bean sprouts
Green onions chopped into 1" sections
Mushrooms (your pref. or canned ones from the asian food section)
Bamboo Shoots (a container's worth)
Garlic (as much as you can handle)
Coconut Milk (about 28 oz. will do)
Red curry paste (or make your own)
Extra hot spices or peppers
2 Tablespoons brown or palm sugar
A glug of fish sauce
Frozen Peas
Frozen sliced carrots

2 cups brown rice

How you make the Power Gruel:

Cook brown rice. Set aside when done.
Boil red potatoes until somewhat soft.
Simmer coconut milk, curry paste and garlic for about 5 min over med/hi heat in A LARGE WOK.
Add brown sugar and glug glug glug the fish sauce in to taste.
Add chicken and basil and cook until chicken is somewhat done.
Add prepped vegetables and potatoes (except frozen vegetables and spinach) and simmer all of it together for 20-30 min.
Add frozen vegetables and spinach at the very end of cooking.

Mix in brown rice and enjoy!

I would have posted pictures, but it really isn't a very pretty dish and you won't be inspired to try it. It is, however, excellent race-week fuel and an easy way to have a lot of meals on hand.

I also discovered that I grocery shop on the PERIMETER of the store (the fresh vegetables, meats and frozen fresh sections). I almost never go down the baked/preserved aisles unless it's for oatmeal, pasta, rice or oil. I like the stuff that rots, or the frozen vegetables, I guess.