Nike LunarTempo

After only 39 miles, the shoe on the right isn't looking so vertical.

No obvious signs of collapse along the medial edge though.  Hmmm....

Washington DC Spring Run

Washington DC snow run

DC Winter Running - Tidal Basin

Japan Trail Running Pictures

On the last day of 2014, I went running in the mountains of Tanzawa-Oyama Quasi-National Park.  The first bus to Okura arrived at 7:00 AM, just after dawn.   From there, a 4-mile trail ascended 3,800+ feet to the summit of Mt. Tonodake. Next, it was out and back to the higher summit of Mt. Tanzawa.  This stretch of trail provided the most amazing views of the day.  After lunch in the hut at Tonodake, the next destination was Mt. Sannoto to the east.  While the elevation changes along the ridge line were less intense, the trail was filled with shoe sucking mud, broken up by technical rocky sections.  After descending to Yabitsu Pass, there was just enough sunlight left to make the summit of Mt. Oyama, and then down the mountain to the lower shrine of Afuri Jinja.  Strava records the run as being 15.4 miles with 8,356 feet of elevation gain.  Pictures below.

Race Report: 2014 Stone Mill 50

Since finishing my first hundred miler, running has been all about just enjoying myself: no weekly schedules, no training program, no goals, only one run longer than 25 miles.  But as the Stone Mill 50 got closer, I decided to test what I had in me.  It's a great event, almost entirely on rolling single track, at the best time of the year for a day in the woods.

This year, the race was led by new race directors, and they decided to start and end the race at a local elementary high school, instead of the high school that had traditionally been used.   Brilliant! This provided more restrooms, as well as a warm place for runners to check-in, to store bags for after the race, to see old friends, and to make new ones.  (It also meant a little bit of pavement running to get to and from the trailhead, but that was no big deal.)

Saturday was the kind of day when just about everything went right.

It was 26 degrees at the beginning of the race.  I settled in toward the back of the pack, saving my energy until the train of runners spread out.  My plan was to keep things at an easy pace that I could sustain all day long, walking up hills and running the rest.  For the first 25 miles, I averaged about an 11:00 minute / mile pace.  I then sped things up a little for the three mile stretch along the towpath, knowing that my drop bag would be at the next aid station and I could take a breather while I got ready for the rest of the race.  The final 24 or so miles, went by at about 12:30 minute / mile pace.

With aid stations every five miles, I figured I could carry a single water bottle.  I love the Amphipod Hydraform.  It's a no-frills 20 ounce bottle that is comfortable to carry all day long.  I also wore an Ultraspire Quantum belt, perfect for carrying six gels and several small miscellaneous items.

While I mainly relied on gels for energy, the aid stations were a welcome respite, offering grilled cheese sandwiches, hot chicken broth, PB&Js, and other goodies.  The volunteers at Stone Mill were amazing, even by ultra-volunteer standards, and I really am thankful for their coming out on a cold day to support us runners.  Strava suggests I had about 25 minutes of stopped time, versus 31 minutes last year, so I'm getting better and getting in and out quickly.

I chose to wear North Face Ultra Guides over Drymax Maximum Protection socks.   Blisters have been my nemesis in the past, but I didn't get a single one, notwithstanding having had to submerge my feet in several (cold!) streams.  I did score a few black toenails from kicking rocks and roots, but that's OK.   The Ultra Guides (now discontinued) don't have much of a toe bumper, and I prefer that.  With a heavy bumper, I am more likely to catch my foot and end up on all fours.  The Ultra Guides have a traditional running shoe toe, and I can quickly lift my foot off of the obstacle and keep going.

North Face Isotherm pants and shirt provided the perfect mix of warmth and breathability.  Temperatures increased to 39 degrees over the course of the day, and I was never too warm or too cool.  I find a Buff is better than a traditional hat for keeping my head comfortable.

I recorded my track with a Suunto Ambit, which gave me 52.8 miles and 5,006 feet of elevation.  My final time was 10:27:20, a PR by about 30 minutes.

Hoka Clifton - Durability Update

This morning, I reached 150 miles on my Hoka Cliftons.  The miles accumulated far more quickly than I expected, as these are the shoes I reach for whenever I want a fast run with quick leg turnover and without having to think about my feet. 

Conversely, the Cliftons have not worked out quite so well as a shoe for long runs.  At a slower pace, my heel sinks too deep into the cushion, and starting at around mile 10 I develop blisters at the front of my arch that I've never gotten with any other shoe.  I've not been able to solve this problem with better lacing, and others have experienced the same problem: see here.  Nevertheless, it's a fantastic shoe for the right purposes.  (Here's Sage Canaday running 3 miles in 15:30 in his Cliftons).

When initially reviewing the Clifton, several reviewers, including myself, queried how durable they would be, given their insanely light weight.  So, let's take a look:

Overall, the uppers have held up very well, although frame is starting to delaminate from the mesh in some places. 

Turning the shoe over, the rubber overlays are holding up great.  However, the exposed foam near the front of the shoe has worn down significantly, and is starting to wear down elsewhere as well.

My biggest concern, however, is with the midsole.  On the medial (inner) side of the insole, the foam is showing numerous compression lines.  

However, on the lateral side it looks as good as new.

As a result, the shoes are starting to lean inward, and I can feel it when I run.  I worry that pretty soon, they'll be putting me at risk for injury.

 

But to be fair, the midsoles may last longer for lighter runners (I am 190 lbs), or those with different running form.

While I love the Cliftons, at $130 I'm not likely to pick up another pair for use as a frequent trainer.  However, I can't wait for them to go on sale. 
 

Utah Trail Running Pictures

 

 

 

Marathon Nutrition Strategy

One of the challenging aspects about the marathon is how to take in energy as you're running. This is important, because as Sara Latta's article details, most runners only have ~2,000 calories worth of glycogen stored in the muscles and liver, enough to get you to about mile 20. Once you deplete your glycogen reserves, you hit the Wall, where your body moves from burning glucose to burning fat, a much less efficient energy source. Latta writes:

"...burning fatty acids requires plentiful oxygen, so as fatty acid metabolism increases, your heart must work harder to pump more oxygen-carrying blood to the muscles. It may be difficult or impossible to maintain your pace, especially if you've lost enough water through sweat to become even slightly dehydrated (this causes your blood to become thicker and therefore harder to pump). ”

Sounds unpleasant! And it is - I've been there. Your limbs feel heavy and the mind becomes stagnant as the body focuses its energy elsewhere. So the trick is to take in enough glucose during the run to prevent or delay this turnover as long as possible. As someone that has a tricky stomach, this has been a challenge for me. How to best replenish my reserves as I run without sparking GI?

I've tried a few things over the years. These include:

1. Acceleraide. Typically, I've drank the Orange flavor in my hand-held, but have also used other other sports drinks like Gatorade, etc. This appears to be effective, but I've encountered two issues with these sports drinks:  
• Sweet. After a while, the thought of drinking more flavored drink is just nauseating – I just want water! Wish there was a way to carry just a shot or two with me.
• Sour stomach. All of the carbs in the liquid doesn't always sit well.
2. Gels. These are the most efficient method for immediate energy that I know of. I've used a number of different flavors and styles, but have mainly stuck with GUs. My issues with them are:
• Flavor. These can range from horrible (Salted Watermelon!) to excellent (Salted Caramel!)
• Caffeine. While at times it’s nice to have this added energy, caffeine can upset my stomach, especially on a relatively empty stomach on early morning runs. 
• Too quick? At times, the energy hits me so quickly I sometimes feel shaky or jittery.
3. Chews. My favorite. I find that the chews are a good balance of energy and slower digestion. My only issue here is that they’re very sticky and bulky, so not always easy to carry around. 

My tactic will be to rely mainly on chews and water. While I’m going to carry a GU or two with me, in case I need big boost of glucose for the later stages of the race, i'm going to avoid it if I can.

What do you think? What worked for you? Send along any advice you have in the comments.

Related Posts:
Don't Drive the Boat: My Nutrition Strategy for TNF 50 DC
To Supplement or Not to Supplement

LLS and the Empire State

In three short weeks - October 19th - I'll be running in the Empire State Marathon. I've decided to do so as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Team in Training program in order to help find cures and ensure access to treatments for blood cancer patients. So I've set up a little widget in the right corner of this blog - anything you can spare would be appreciated. (Mobile users might need to view the standard webpage.)

Some history: my wife was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Lymphoma last year. While she has since eradicated the disease (after undergoing an unpleasant chemotherapy program), the whole experience was extremely scary. The LLS website was one of the few calm, objective sources of information that helped us get our minds around what we were dealing with in the initial dark days after the diagnosis.

Since the recovery, I strive to continually be grateful for my family's health, and recognize how lucky I am to spend absurd amounts of time running outside. So it only seems right that I spend some of that time trying to help those that aren't as lucky. The LLS does excellent work funding treatments that save lives every day; like immnuotherapies that use a person’s own immune system to kill cancer. I was beyond impressed how the oncologist was able to customize a chemo "cocktail" to address my wife's specific form of lymphoma. LLS helps give doctors these tools.

So if you can, send along what you can to help us get closer to a world without blood cancers. Any money I raise will be matched by my company - so anything you give will be doubled! If you don't have any money to spare, no worries - I get it. Thanks for your attention, and i'll be sure to let you know how the run goes!

Manassas Battlefield Park