Summer 2011 Update

It's been a while since I've posted to my blog.  It's been a busy few months at work, at home, and on the trails.  Updating my blog just hasn't been a priority.

The big news thus far is that I finished the Mohican Trail 100 for a third time (3 for 3!) on what turned out to be the most difficult Mohican on record.  There is really little else to report.  It was about as easy of a 100 as I expect I'll ever have.  It was very stressfull leading in with all the volunteer work and an injury scare, but on race day my body answered the call. 

As for Mohican statistically being the most difficult ever I only have myself to blame for that, as I laid out the 2011 course.  Perhaps I was just mentally prepared for it, since I knew the course so well.  I knew the elevation would be greater than in past years but I really believed eliminating the miles on road, in the sun, and on hard pavement, would "save our legs" in the later miles.  I'm not sure that was the case...  The extended 32hr cut-off didn't do much to increase the finish rate.  There will be changes in 2012 (for my sake I hope minor) that should address some of the challenges the 2011 course presented, and hopefully get that finish rate in the 55-65% range.  Unfortunately we can't do anything about the Ohio June humity, which in my view plays into many of the DNFs.

Other news...  I purchased a fancy new MTB last weekend.  I went out to the Dennison Bio Reserve and had a real eye opening experience.  I don't quite understand it but I manage to run the trails faster than I bike them.  On a route with constant techincal uphills and downhills a bike is NOT faster...it only makes getting up and down hills more difficult.  Fred Davis was joking with me last week that he managed to run a few races faster than he biked the same route. ...Well I think I'm in the same boat.  It was a lot of fun to change up the pace a bit and I look forward to adding MTB to my training regiment.

One final bit of news.  I've signed up for Burning River for a 2nd straight year.  I'll be entering the USATF Championship this year.  I have a realistic but at the same time aggressive goal.  I know that I'm capable of running a faster time than I've produced to date.  I also know that my biggest barrier is either stomach or mental.  My legs have never failed me.  I got through Mohican without a single stomach or mental issue...but I went into that race just setting my goal in finishing under 32hrs.  I felt great all day and figured I might as well finish up a little earlier if I was feeling well.  I never shy away from verbally laying out what my goal is.  It's just a little extra motivation for me to stick to it.  The important thing is that I (capital and in big bold letters) believe I'm capable of running this time, and in a 100 that's all that matters.  With that being said my goal is to finish on Saturday - meaning anything 18:59 or under will do.  Ideally I'd like to run sub-18 but that will require a very strong 2nd half, as I won't be going out any faster than a 8:30 50 mile split.  If I can acheive my time goal perhaps I'd be able to place in my USATF age group...which would be pretty damn cool.