It took monumental efforts in training, focus, trust, and racing to achieve this high. Their devotion to each other and the connection with their coaches is evident. Our #8 runner this year is faster than our #2 runner from a year ago. Congrats to seniors Courtney, Martha, Kelsey, and Jessica. Congrats to the freshmen Payton, Zoe, Caroline, and Lydia. Congrats to Coach Schmaltz, Coach Lee, and Coach Block. Over the past 2 meets, our top 7 runners have posted the fastest and second fastest combined team times in school history. With one race to go, I am excited to see how much more they will raise the bar.
As for me, my Boston training plan will officially begin in mid-December. I will be following and commenting on Pete Pfitzinger’s 18/85 plan. So followers of the blog specifically looking for that content will have to wait. Much of what I’ll do between now and then is consistently maintaining 60-70 mile weeks, while throwing in some fun races, crazy trail running, and insane track workouts to keep life interesting.
Otherwise, though, this week has been a lot of short mileage stuff. Monday was a 5-mile day with about two miles of speed work on the track. Tuesday was an easy 4.5 miles. Wednesday was a simple pre-meet shakeout run with the XC team of 2.5 miles. Today, was 7.5 miles at the cross country meet between warm-ups, cool down, and chasing the racers around the course. I think of that last part as a fartlek.
Fartlek is a Swedish word for “speed play.” The basic premise is that a runner varies their speed between easy jogs and fast sprinting. I told you it was not nearly as bad as it sounds. The benefit of a fartlek is multi-fold. Primarily, the sprint periods work fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are related to a person’s speed and power. Unfortunately, those muscles fatigue very quickly. Doing speed play allows them to recover so they can be strained multiple times in a workout all while maintaining an aerobic effort as well. Chasing the race pack at a cross country meet to cheer from various points are my bread and butter fartlek workouts every fall.
I ended my last blog stating that if I ran 26 miles on Mon-Fri, I would end up with a 100-mile week. I guess that leaves 6.5 miles for tomorrow in addition to a 7-hour drive for my race. I think I just as well do it. It will break up the long drive and keep me from getting car seat butt and leg cramps.
Finally, my big 50-mile race is Saturday. Have I done everything right this week? Unfortunately, I have not even come close. My sleep has been sporadic. I’m too excited to go to bed early, too anxious for the XC meet to sleep through the night, and my two kids have gotten up two nights in a row. My appetite has been humongous. For example, I ate two plates of pasta, multiple breadsticks, a plateful of apples/carrots, a candy bar, and two scotcheroos at Wednesday’s team spaghetti dinner. Then, I came home, had a bowl of cereal and made a sandwich. I have to be carrying a few extra pounds. And, of course, the mileage on Sunday was a bit much. Still, I am excited.
So, why is it also a night to forget? Shortly after getting home from celebrating the cross country team’s berth to state, I received a final e-mail from the race director stating that over 100 additional entries came in this week for the race. So, I checked to see how many were 50-milers versus marathon or half-marathon runners. There are now 64 people going for the full 50 miles. 357 more are doing the other 2 races. Today, though, the untouchable Zach Gingerich signed up. He has ran over 100 miles under 14 hours, has won more than 20 ultra races in the past four years, including the Badwater Ultra (135 miles through Death Valley and up a mountain), as well as this race last year in a Team USA qualifying time of 5:35 (6:42 pace). So, basically I am running against an Olympian if they had such an event. Do I let it change my race and try to run with him (I think I can hang on past halfway) or do I stick to the plan to hit my original goal?
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