In awe

Tag: planning

  • Day463 burning the midnight oil & BRR TR2

    This week was unproductive. There was a bit on my plate and I was worried over stuff at work. A few years ago, I wouldn’t believe I would have panic attacks because I was usually carefree happy go lucky. But now many little things would bother me and it is hard to focus at times and give me jump scares. I am upset with a bunch of stuff. Anyway, I didn’t get my runs in on the days I wanted this week. I just was not able to will myself.

    Countinuing where my blog left off, my last weekend started with the BRR training run #2. I arrived like an hour late and so I ran by myself. BRR – Bull Run Run 50 Mile is an ultra in my local area. When I first started running, BRR was scary for me. Ever since, I never signed up for the race. Besides they always sold out before I knew about it. This year was no difference. I missed the sign up. However, I have been going to their training runs, mostly for motivation and meeting local runners. They are the same people who put on the MMT 100 that I will be running coming May, so in my opinion, I should get to know them ahead of time. I think I might need a pacer and hopefully, I could find from these local runners someone who would fit my style. Usually anyone would do, but it would be nice to find someone who has a similar personality/pace – who clicks.

    I have trained on the Bull Run Trail on my own in the past and I was familiar with the portion closer to my house. I had a bad opinion of the trail because of the mud and that it is mostly flat.

    Little did I know on the other end (Fountainhead or really the start point) is unlike the part near where I live. I have never been to the Fountainhead side. It is not at all swampy and it is also super hilly. I had a blast on my run.

    At first, my intent was to run 20-30 miles for the training. By noon I was worn. I only did about 10-12 miles. It was alright. I called it a day. I got back to my car while other people were still out and about. Though I was late, I ran into many runners on the trail. I was shy so I didn’t meet up with them after the run. Pretty much for the rest of the day after I got home, I slept. This set up the pattern for the rest of the week — small runs and a lot of sleeping.

    Sunday: I had a 5K run. It was a good run. It was my first 5K in a long time. I was happy to finish under 30 minutes. I think my time was 28 or 29 minutes. It was slow in term that I had run a 5K between 24-25 minutes, but I felt this was the fastest I could muster in my current state. I started slow without a warm up. It was a cold Sunday, maybe at 30 F (it was snowing, and I thought the race would be canceled). Halfway through, I started hitting my pace, but I was unable to push harder – I felt I hit a limit.

    I stayed with the pace, then a guy caught up to me – he said I have been following you for a while and finally caught up. I was happy for him and cheered him on, though I know he was breathing kind of hard. I was not breathing heavily, moving at a leisure pace. We chatted. He said he hasn’t done any racing for two years. He did the Marine Corps and I said I did too. We came to a hill, and I was able to push a bit harder and he felt behind. We came to two more hills and before long I got to the finish. He came in about 10 seconds later. Not bad. He is maybe 10 years older than me, so that was really good for him. I didn’t tell him that I used to run even faster, and maybe he could also say the same thing too. Nothing to brag about but good to meet a light hearted fellow.

    I know I need to work on my speed this year. I really want to get my marathon time down to 4 hours and with an eye, hoping that one day to get it down to three hours. It is a far goal to BQ (Boston Marathon Qualified). Yes it is one of my impossible and secret goals, I don’t know if I could ever reach.

    Monday to Wednesday. I did not run. The weather was cold and I came home each night tired. I usually fell asleep by 9 pm. Normally 9 pm is when I go for my runs. My sleep pattern has changed this week. By sleeping early I usually became awake a few hours later. Now I am active in the early morning like from 3-5 am. And I sleep again once the sun is about to be up. Maybe I have to switch my run to the early morning instead.

    This coming weekend – I have a training run. This one is actually for my own race the MMT 100 in May. It is out in the middle of nowhere. Supposedly I should drive down on Friday night, camp out, and then run on Saturday, and maybe camp out again on Saturday night before coming home. I want to, but I haven’t had time to plan it properly. What likely will happen is I’ll wake up super early and do the drive out. The run is at 8 am. The drive is about two hours maybe three. Probably I need to wake around 3 am. Leave by 4 and I think I will make it.

    I am proud of myself to have finally nailed down my flight and hotel for the Grandma’s Marathon. The flight was about $50 cheaper than when I first searched for them two weeks ago. It is a direct flight takes 2 hours. I think it is pretty good. It is about maybe $100 more than last year, but I am willing to take it. As for the hotel, there are a lot of choices. There were none available at Duluth, but I am willing to take hotels in Minneapolis and make that long drive out and back (2.5 – 3 hrs drive). I think I have a decent hotel for $106 per night. I could stay in a motel for around $60-70, but usually the quality for those ones are bad. I would only take a motel if I have no choice. I prefer to stay in a bit at higher tier accommodation. I am happy with this choice too because I think I saved another $50, compared to when I last checked. It is near the airport. Usually I avoid hotels near the airport having had bad experiences before — bad services, but I am willing to gamble again. They say you pay for what you get and airport hotels are usually that.

    The race will be on Saturday. I will be flying in early Friday morning, run on Saturday and fly home on Sunday. This is for the race in June.

    Couple more weeks until my first marathon at Newport.

    There is not much to this report. I had a hard time coming up with what to write. My training has been bad but I also did a few decent runs. My sleep time is bad but I had enough I think, so I am not tired in the morning. I got a few race related stuff done, am happy to get them out of the way. All that is left is training. (While writing this up, I came across a race, hint I am interested – Pinhoti 100). And of course, did this all in the middle of the night. Another week has passed, looking toward a better week next week.

    TL;DR I slept a lot at odd hours and did not run. I was able to settle some of pre-race tasks

    meta: after writing this entry, I realized that my new weird sleeping hours and fatigue and anxiety could be due to the side effect of he vaccine booster shot taken last week. oh and the vivid dreams too, it all makes sense now.

  • Day462 up ahead – some decisions

    I was debating at the beginning of the week if I should sign up for some local races.

    The answer should have been a “quick, sign me up!” I don’t know any more. I am not what I once was. I am less incline to rush into a race even if it is free. By the way, BRR training #2 is scheduled to again. I did BRR#1 two weeks ago. Sign up (for the free training) opened this week, and I am on the fence. It is a race in April I didn’t sign up (and won’t-its full) except for its training runs.

    Back in October, I committed myself to a few bigger races already: One City Marathon, Salisbury Marathon, and Grandma’s Marathon. My other races this year will fall into places accordingly. After locking them, it has been a waiting game and training.

    I’m halfway through on my training for the first race, One City. Time passed surprising fast, the race day approaches, with couple weeks left. I wish I have 12 weeks instead of 8. I didn’t anticipate being injured after Devil Dog Ultra, and that set me back for about 8 weeks. I am not worry. I think I did some decent runs and more or less ready. My body finally recovered after the Devil Dog. I am not in tip top shape but I am sure I can pull off a marathon. My left knee is still acting weird from time to time (I lose balance every so often, like it just drops out on me – might be some ligament issue) but my left forefoot no longer hurts (initially I thought I had a fracture, because I pounded too hard in the race). Basically I can train harder and will be ready by race day, if not the first race, by the second race. There is just so much I want to write when I’m restricting once a week post. I figure I need to focus more on my training now such as working on specific skills – like having a plan and a way to chart my progress. Maybe more on this in a future post, hopefully by the 2nd race.

    This week I also signed up a 10K and a 5K. Yes, by the time the blog is posted, both would have already taken place or will be shortly. Since, I signed up late, the price increased to $60. I paid something around $67 after all the fees added on. Yep. It bothered me to have missed out on the early bird pricing. 5K and 10K races usually have been my bread and butter and they are exactly why I love about running before the pandemic – fast and hard running. Now, I have left so many of them slipped by. I think this will be my 2nd and 3rd local race since the beginning of the pandemic. They no longer attract me like they once did. I prefer now more longer and slower runs and running by myself in some remote places than racing.

    This week I also signed up a 50K in March, The Seneca Greenway. This is one of my favorite since the pandemic and I have been running it last two years in a row. This time would be my third year. It will be held the weekend after the One City Marathon. It will be a rough schedule to run two big races back to back with a week apart. I won’t recover in time but I know I can handle it.

    One City is less than a month away (first weekend of March). I am excited! I have been waiting for it at least for 3 years. Last two years were canceled due to the pandamic. This year is for real. We are doing it. I will write about it more the race arrives. I booked my hotel this week.

    About hotels and flights, things are so much more expensive this year! I tried to find a flight to MSP for the Grandma’s Marathon too and I was surprised by the prices! Hotels and everything are twice from what I paid a year ago granted this time is in high season, summer. The sticker shock is holding me back from booking them at this time. I know it will only get more expensive later but now I’m considering if there a way to reduce the cost. I might have to sleep on the side of the road! About the hotels, there are none left at Duluth, the race city! Apparently I didn’t receive the memo to book the hotel immediately after signing up the race as the race website advises (and by calling in). Now my plan is I would have to wake up in the middle of the night to make the drive from St Paul /Minn. I’m so tempted to go without a hotel and sleep in the car and then fly out as soon as after the race is done and will be a bit stinky as usual after a race.

    Can you believe, I haven’t run a single marathon this year and yet I am planning for next year? What brought this up was I want to travel to Toronto. And the best reason to travel is racing!

    I am thinking of going to Toronto (for either a marathon or ultra) for next year – as long as Covid is under control. I actually want to go this year but Covid means a lot hassle gerting tested to cross the border. This year, Toronto will have an in-person race, but I think it might be very strict crossing the border and back. If by flying, I will need to take the Covid PCR test and take another test to fly back. Hopefully by next year it would be less strict. Already heard on the news about protests and people are tired of covid measures. We Virginians already threw out the mask mandate (a change in the political climate here).

    I am eyeing one of three races in Toronto. I like to do the one in May, but it seems the organization is kind of weak compares to the one in October. The October one is a big downtown marathon with a lot of festivity. I know I will have a lot of crowd support. This used to be what I like, but now a day, I prefer more low key races and less fanfare. The third I am thinking of is at the Niagara Falls (around May or June) and it is an ultra. It is definitely my jam. I think it is on trail. They have various diatances. I don’t mind if it is even 100K. I am up for it. Here is the kicker, I want to do all three but from financial standpoint, I should choose one, so I am now unable to make up my mind. It is still early. It is for next year. I will sleep on it for now.

    I am excited to do an international debut! Ideally it should be a marathon. Hopefully, by next year things will become clearer.

    Also this week I am eyeing to sign up for Ann Arbor Marathon. It will be in October. I could do it this year, but I might be experiencing burn-out like last year by October. It might be wise to move it to 2023. If I do it this year, I would knock out two marathons. Ann Arbor would be my 10th marathon (10th state of 50). I’m still undecided on this race since airfares and hotels are so expensive.

    For the rest of the year, I am waiting for the registration for Iron Mountain Ultra to open. The Devil Dog Ultra also is on my target. I got to redeem myself for the DNF I received last year. I haven’t made up my mind to go for the 100k or go full blown and do the 100 mile. I failed at the 100k last year, so trying the 100k is a safer option. 100 mile is so much more tougher.

    Two other races opened up this past week, the Lake Ridge Ultra and Eastern Divide Ultta (EDU). Lake Ridge, I am like 99% will do. They have 6 hrs, 12 and 24 hours and last year was the first time I ran it. It is interesting to do a race based on time (ends when the time runs out) rather than distance.

    As for the EDU, this was my initiation to trail running and I always want to go back to give it a go a second time, but scheduling has been tough. This year is no different. The race date conflicts with two other races: Richmond Marathon and Stone Mill. I am undecided which one of three will win out.

    Indecision. I have a deferral ticket for the Richmond Marathon, but ultras have a bigger draw. Stone Mill Ultra and EDU conflict with it. Stone Mill is 50 mile. I run Stone Mill every year and would like to do it again. EDU is 50k ish. Stone Mill also costs less and is longer, 50 mi. EDU is not that much more either (maybe around $100 by the time if I decide to sign up).

    Non-race. The Marine Corps Marathon is open for sign up. I have a deferral ticket from last year. After thinking over it, I don’t feel ready to tackle it this year. It is just a 50k but it is a fast 50k. I ran it last time in 6 hours, just barely before their cut. I think I can repeat this but I am nervous too of what if I can’t. I realized I have gotten slower, way slower these last two years. Maybe training for all those ultras slowed me down. I want to say is city racing is no longer a draw to me. I plan to defer it to next year.

    Lastly, I set my eyes on two events for next year. One is Blackbeard 100 mile at Outer Banks and the other is trekking in Annapurna. Next year is the year to do one of my trekking trips. I am hyped for both of these. I have been working for years to do either of them.

    I rambled off about 10 or so races and likely lost all my audience. Racing and going to places is exciting. I don’t like doing the planning/details but they had to be done. This week, I had to plan for these races at least have them on my calendar. I put them on here so as to reinforce the dates into my head. I wrote them down in couple places. As for readers, don’t worry, I will write about them as they come.

    I am still struggling with motivation. Thinking about racing helps a bit. I actually don’t feel like posting this blog because it seems like a lot of speculations and nothing concrete, but ot has been what on my mind these two weeks.

    TL;DR Toronto is on my sight as well as Outer Banks and Annapurna for next year and maybe a couple more races for this year.

  • Day339 fifth day

    I think I am getting a hang of it now after five days of running. Might be sixth? Who is counting? I started some time last week. I know I want that finish of 500 miles by end of August. I know how many miles to run each day and I am very much behind. So I started running.

    In the beginning, I was only able to put out about 5 miles and then upped a bit to 8 and then 11. Friday I didn’t run. Saturday and Sunday I added a bit more 13, then 14 and today 15.

    I do wish to push out 20-30 miles a day in order to reach that 500 miles. Right now I have 450 miles left. Which mean 250 miles this week and 250 next week.

    Today while running, I had a plan. Run 150 miles during week and 100 miles during the weekend. Each day I try to do 15 miles during the evening run. 5 miles during the morning run. See I can do it. 20×5 = 100.

    I’m still short 75 miles. I will see how I fit that in. I might have to take Monday, August 31 off to fit that in. It will be very hard.

    My body has hurt less than before. I run a bit better now. I could do 6 miles without stopping and I got my half marathon time (13.1 miles) down from 3 hours to 2:50. There is still much to go. Hopefully I can get back to running 13 or even 20 miles without stopping.

  • Day312 The Crunch

    I am feeling the crunch, but things are happening. Wheels started spinning as I am in the final preparation. Final? No, more like finally getting my crap together. Things are taking shape.

    I had the maps printed out. 20+ pages of them. These are in addition to the paper map I brought. I have been so spoiled with water proofed maps , ones I used for my hiking (from National Geographic), but my street map for Atlanta is the newspaper quality and really poor stuff, really not for outdoor. I hate using it, especial I know there is a chance of rain. It will just melt when it becomes wet. I plan to go to FedEx tomorrow have it laminated, but then it will make it hard to fold. How I miss the National Geo ones. Those were the best. Will got to do what I have. I am thinking after laminating it to cut out portion I don’t need. Really am out of time for an art work project now and why did I not do it two weeks ago? Shooting my foot here.

    I got my map and have looked over it several times. I am at maybe 60-70 percent familiarized with it. There are some pitfalls and I noted those. I still wish to have the whole map memorized. I am out of time so more like will wing it. I do wish use Google map too (street view) to see some of the turns. But no time for that because that will take at least 5-6 hours. I don’t have that much time.

    To do: I need to circle out some spots where I can get food/ and bathroom breaks. Google map would help here.

    decision. Do I pack my food or do I buy them in Atlanta. What snacks am I taking along? Snacks will be my main source.

    to do: I need a list of food I will be eating

    To do: I supposed to be packed by now, but not yet.

    to do. making a packing list. Two lists, one for the run, and one for the trip. some important things are anti chafe cream and balm – you know certain areas are going to hurt really bad after rubbing it for 50+ miles. We are doing a 100 here. The worse thing is no way to swap gear at mid run. It is a do or die mission.

    accomplished. I got my final set of maps and have been going over couple of times. Felt very accomplished when I weeded out half the maps, I think I could do without.

    accomplished. I got the map traced out.

    accomplished. I got my turned direction printed out in two sided on to sheets of paper. To do need to laminate them because they are the most important thing to get me from start to finish.

    accomplished. set a start time for my run. After reading the facebook page of runners comments, I got a good idea of when I should start. Originally I was planning 5:30-6:30 start but people were advising an earlier one. I am moving at a start at 4:30 start. There should be just enough light.

    to do: talking about light! I need batteries for my flashlight and headlamp. Need to check all gear. plus spare. I never ran that long in the dark – we are talking from 9 pm to 4 am, good 7-8 hours of darkness.

    accomplished. researched the start location and the constraint. There are two main mountains: Kennesaw (the start) and Stone Mountain (the middle/finish at 63 mile). I need to get to Stone mountain before the gate closes. It closes at sundown so 8:30 ish. It takes me about 15.5-16 hrs to run that distance, granted I took a 2 hour lunch break on a previous 63 mile attempt. So looking at 14-15 hours, with no lunch break, I should start no later than 6 am to get to Stone Mountain by 8 pm.

    I don’t like taking risk, so I am thinking to start at 4:30. My Hotel is 45 mins away from Kennesaw. So It means waking up at 3 am, with 30 mins prep. I need to leave the hotel by 3:30 latest. Oh be the way, when I get to Kennesaw, I need to climb 1-2 miles up. Race starts at the summit.

    If the stars aligned, I hope to finish the next day early in the morning. I never done a 100 mile before…so all the calculation is useless.

    On Stone Mountain, I hope to back summit and down before sunset. say 8:30 or 9 pm. Then the next six hours, I hope to run back to the city, hopefully, get to mile 80-85 ish. I hope to see sunrise on my last stetch as I arrive back in downtown Atlanta. That will be the best case scenario. The expected scenerio is I will see sunrise at mile 85/87 on Peach St. I will run/walk the next 15 miles during daylight and arrive downtown at around noon. Got to finish no later 2:30 pm or will be disqualified.

    If I can’t reach Stone Mnt before Sunset, the race will be over and the run will be in vain.

    Also predicting finishing time is really up in the air. I was thinking of a midnight start, but I wouldn’t want to finish in downtown Atlanta at 2-4 am in the morning. 4-4:30 am starts is only appropriate.

    Kennesaw and Stone Mountain is really the two high points for this run.

    Tomorrow is really the last day to get all the things together. Thursday will be mostly execution: flying to Atlanta, get to the Hotel, make a pit stop to get supplies. Hit the bed as early as possible. Like 8 pm. Up by 3 am. Then show time.

    Decision. I might have to get all that I need at the airport after landing even though it is ridiculously expensive – water, sodas, candies, jerky, bread/sandwiches, and batteries. Then everything else will be picked up at a gas station/store along the run.

  • game on

    Day 181

    Though I don’t have much to say, this weekend instead of running the High Bridge Ultra (50k) I will be heading south and west for a backpacking trip. I will probably the last one until Patagonia.

    I will be packing tonight once I get home. I have a bit of running to do beforehand. The weather has turned cooler now, and we might face near freezing temperature up on the mountain. I will have to dig through my stuff to pull out the winter/fall gear for the trip. Also the food situation is not good. My mountain house dehydrated food packs won’t arrive until Friday. I am thinking I might have to run to Walmart tonight to get some food otherwise I might be hanged high and dry.

    I hiked the the McAffee, Tinker Cliff, and Dragon Tooth loop previously but that time I was a completely noobie. This time around I should know what to pack and have a little bit more sense of direction.

    For the trip, we are leaving from Arlington around 6:30pm. I think it is a 4 hour drive. We have to hike couple of miles into camp, so we probably won’t arrive until midnight.

    The next day, I heard we are planning to do 18-20 miles, to the other side (North Mountain). On the last day we might skip Dragon Tooth, but still there will be something close to 15 miles before we are out of the woods. It will be 30+ miles total.

    I am ready.

  • How I pick races

    Day 168

    There is a famous math/computer problem in which a salesman is trying to visit every city on the itinerary, going through each city only once and doing it in the most efficient way (in a shortest path/time). There is probably a solution to this optimization problem.

    Well I thought my attempt to run in all fifty states is a traveling salesman problem and I stayed up many nights trying to come up a best way to do all fifty states in some logical order, until I spoke with my good buddy – a wise woman, but it shows how foolish I was. She immediately pointed out, that after each race I always come back home each time instead of traveling directly to the next state and this makes my problem really simple.

    It doesn’t matter the order of states I choose to visit because the overall cost of visiting every state will be the same.

    So because of her word, I would continue to pick any state to run each year as long as it is not one I have been to!

    ###

    I did a short 3.5 miles run yesterday. Legs are still sored. I felt my body is recovering fine. It is after all from running a marathon. I felt all those things about tapering and reverse tapering do not really apply this time. Got to get back into training.

    I have been searching online about how to run a faster marathon… don’t we all? It is kind of boil down to of how many miles ran during training.

  • Change of plan 

    Day 82

    I might have mentioned before that my friend who I go hiking with many times is planning a backpacking trip in Chile at the end of this year and I am tagging along.  (more…)

  • I never did [get to it]

    I read a post from a very wise person. It reminded me if I want to do something, I got to do it immediately or else never. This weekend was basically a waste from a running stand point. I was going to run on Friday afternoon, that got push back to Friday night and that got push to Saturday and Sunday and now Monday. I am kind of disappointed in myself of things I didn’t do.  (more…)