24-miler- first experiment with run/walk strategy

It was cold and kind of windy today, the sun periodically popping out to warm me, but mostly a normal winter run.  It was 30 degrees, with a windchill of about 20.  The roads were nice and dry and I wasn't wet, so I can't complain too much even though we are about 10 degrees below average for this time of year.

I set out today with one main goal, and that was to experiment with a run/walk strategy.  After discussions on a forum, I decided to walk for three minutes after every three miles.  Not having run/walked in any of my marathons, I know that this is going to take some practice to teach myself to get used to beginning to run again after a short walk.  The first few times wasn't too bad, and it was nice to be able to fuel and hydrate while walking instead of running.  And it gave me a good opportunity to rotate my right shoulder without almost losing my balance, which I try to do every three miles on my run.  And I have to say, my shoulder feels pretty good tonight. 

After the 18th mile as I started up again after my walk, I noticed what felt like a blister, or a hot spot under a callus on my right big toe.  I know there's a callus there, and it felt like there was a blister forming under it or a lump in my sock or a rock stuck on the bottom of my shoe, or something.  After running for a few yards, the pain of it went away, but it was still something that at this point in my race, would worry me, as I wouldn't even be halfway done with the race yet and I can be pretty sure it would just get worse.  After walking the final time, the pain was worse, and so this is something I have to keep an eye on.  It's possible that I may need to change shoes or socks halfway through the race.  That may create different pressure points on my feet.  When I took my sock off and looked at it tonight when I got home, I couldn't see anything, so if there is a blister it's under the callus.  So I need to pumice away those calluses as quickly as possible now during my showers.  I know blisters tend to form under calluses and it is good to keep them worn down.  Previously I haven't had to worry about it, but with my runs getting longer and longer, now I'm going to have to be proactive about it. 

My last walk break was actually 21-1/2 miles into the run, not 21.  I hit the 21 mile mark just before the beginning of a long shallow descent, so I waited another half mile until the descent became an ascent and took my walk break then. 

I have to say, I think I held up pretty well considering this is my longest training run to date (for any event I've done).  In the last mile, I may have tried to push a little bit more than I should have.  I now have some pain in my right glute.  I haven't had pain here before.  I was expecting pain in my groin and hip/flexor area, because that's where it normally hurts the most after a long run.  There was some, and part of me was hoping there wouldn't be any using this run/walk strategy.  But its not too bad, and actually my glute pain is the worst pain right now, two hours later.  Hopefully I didn't pull something and it'll go away.  I might need a good massage tonight to work out the soreness.  ;)

My fueling plan was to consume a more calories, especially on a run this long.  I was going to fuel every six miles.  Good opportunity while walking.  At my six-mile walk break I took a Hammer Gel.  At my 12-mile walk break I took half a Clif bar.  I couldn't eat the whole thing in three minutes and while I could have finished it while running, I chose not to.  Well my stomach was rumbling a mile or two later and I decided to finish my Clif bar at my next walk break, after mile 15.  So I did, I couldn't finish it in three minutes, so I finished it while running.  My stomach was still feeling empty and rumbling a little bit so I decided to continue on my planned fueling strategy and consume more calories three miles later at mile 18.  I had a Lava gel.  The gels go down quicker than chewing a bar.  I may have to consider buying some more.  I don't feel like I hit a wall or anything, so my fueling worked.  I did feel a little cramping in my belly towards the end of the run, but that could have been a hydration issue.  I drank every three miles, and sometimes in between.  When it's cold I don't feel thirsty, but I should plan on drinking more as it warms up.  I also had puffy fingers, which again could be contributed to hydration, and also some head pressure when I sniffed.  All can be attributed to hydration.  I may need to drink more.  I know I'll need to drink more during the race, and as it warms up and I sweat more.

All in all, this was a successful experiment for run/walking.  I am going to continue to run/walk the remainder of my long runs, as I believe it will lead to quicker recovery.  One thing I noticed was that my walking only added about a minute to my average mile pace.  Not bad at all.  And once I get on the trails, and my running pace is slower, I think it will add even less to my average.  That's a good sign.  For the recovery benefits it will give me, I'll take a minute slower. 

Okay, well, I'm showered and re-fuelled and now it's time get the kids in bed and get my glute massaged and get to bed myself.  I have five miles tomorrow.  (By the way, I ran a hilly 5K race yesterday, so if it did affect this run I couldn't tell.  If I hadn't run that race today may have gone even better.)

Fog!

Yesterday's 14-miler was a rainy, foggy one.  It was like running through pea soup, as the saying goes.  I couldn't see more than 30 feet in any direction, which made crossing busy Hwy 11 interesting.  I had to use my ears more than my eyes on this run.

The whole run started out kind of crappy.  I ran at my mom and dad's house after church, so I had to bring my running stuff with me.  I forgot my sports bra, Garmin and mp3 player.  So I couldn't listen to my book, but that's happened before and wasn't that big a deal.  My sports bra, well luckily there's not much there to support, but my underarmor is compression wear, and that helped, so it was only a minor inconvenience.  The watch, though, I almost went home and got it but then decided that I knew my route, and having every second of my run electronically uploaded to Garmin Connect is nice, but not necessary.  The important thing is logging the miles.  So I did.  And it was probably a good thing, because it allowed me to hear the traffic around me long before I was able to see it.

There were two spots on my run where there was standing water all the way accross the road.  The first time, I tried to dicely run my way through it, but I got pretty wet.  The second time, I walked through it and got less wet, but not much more less.  It was only a half mile from home, so I just dealt with it.  I really don't like running in the rain.  The difference between this run and the 20-miler I did in the rain a few weeks ago was that it wasn't as windy, so it wasn't as cold.  My first two or three miles were fine, it was just wet out, and I started thinking it wouldn't be too bad if it would just stay like that.  But then it started raining and rained pretty much the whole rest of the way.

It was only 14 miles, but I like knowing where my pace is at and when I should be drinking and eating and rotating my right shoulder (I get a pinched nerve or something after long runs in my right shoulder-I find rotating it periodically througout the run helps).  I wish I could have had my watch.

On another note, I am starting to get worried about the trail.  I haven't been on a trail yet and this race is in two months.  There's so much snow this winter.  I'm getting a little worried about the trail conditions, but more worried that I won't get to train adequately on the trails.  There are two training runs in April organized by the race director and I'm going to do them both.  I'm going to pick every brain I can and get advice and nuggets of wisdom from experienced trail/ultra runners. 

I've been thinking about my run/walk strategy and I'm starting to wonder if I really need to do a set 20/5 or whatever.  I'm starting to think I should just run when I feel good and walk when I don't.  But I can't help but think walking a little bit early on will pay dividends later in the race.  I want to talk to some people! 

I also started watching some Youtube videos of this race.  Oh I'm getting so excited to do this!  One guy had a camera on his person that he took video of while he was running.  I looked into what kind of camera he might have been using and I believe it was a GoPro Hero 3.  I want one!  Really bad!  But they are really expensive, even on eBay, so I'm going to look into if there are any cheaper ones out there that would do the same thing.  GoPro is designed specifically for sports, it's water-proof and there was surprisingly little bouncing.  I really want to document this race.  I'm going to take a camera and I want to video along the way too.  I'm even thinking of taking a voice recorder so I can record some of my thoughts along the way to put into my race report afterwards.  So I don't forget things I want to say.  Sigh.  I suppose I could spring for it.  I can afford it, I just don't want to pay that kind of money. 

Okay, off to work, 10 miles today, should be slow after yesterday, but hopefully it doesn't rain on my again.