Days 41, 42, 43 - 851', 851', 4,790'

Another tough run today, did the same run as I did last Sunday, day 37, with a little extra added on the end. Felt a little better than I did last week, but still a run that's out of my league. I plan to keep running this until I belong in this route's league.

The staple weekly run, 851', is a 2.7 mile climb broken up in 3 sections, a 1 mile 450' climb, .7 mile 76' climb and a 1 mile 325' climb, turn around and head down.

Was nice to get a little ahead of the game. For the next 7 days I'll be looking at alot of vertical, but my schedule won't allow me to get a whole lot in. I'll be lucky to reach day 50 with 75,000' finished.

Here area few shots of todays run.

Day's 39&40 - 1,290', 851'

Although I've done alot of climbing the past 40 days I have not really been training. For example, if I'm out on a run and a steep climb comes and I feel like walking, I walk. This has been great, but doesn't really fit my personality. I'd rather bury myself for an hour 3 times per week than do the solid base training needed for long distance running. Last weekend I went out and did a run that I wasn't really fit enough to do, but in the end I got through it and was glad to feel a little pain. So, yesterday I thought I'd go out and do 6 intense uphill reps on a 12% grade road that covered 215' in a third of a mile with an easy jog back down. My goal was to max out by effort at the top of each rep and I did with more hurt than I cared to experience. In fact, reps 3,4 and 5 were spent battleing in my head if I'd stop after 5. Funny how I was still battleing myself on the way back down from the 5th rep and just turned around and went up for the 6th rep. I guess that's a good thing. But I did see that I had gotten too soft with all the "easy" effort I've been doing masked by some nice vertical numbers. For the first time in this 100 day effort I feel tired and sore, but that's good. After the recovery I hope to add a little more of this intensity to my runs.
Day 39 - 1,290' by way of 6 x 215'.
Day 40 - 851' very easy up then down.
40% of the days are finished and 41.41% of the vertical is finished.
I have averaged 1.553.1'/day so far, 2,124' ahead of schedule, that's only 1.4 days ahead of schedule and in my book will be called right on schedule. I will have a couple opportunities soon to try and get ahead, and will take full advantage of it.

Breakin' Webs

During the winter after an overnight snowfall it's nice to be out early breakin' trail. It's very easy to know that you're the first one out. In the summer, however, there are no footprints in the snow to validate this simple pleasure. Instead there's the breaking of spider webs across the trail anywhere from the kneee to the face that validates that I'm the first one out in the mornings. I prefer to be second out this time of year. Nice easy rolling recovery run this morning.
Day 38 - 538'.

Days 35,36,37 - 1,345', 0', 4,461'.

Saturday was a day off of running and a great day on with the family getting haircuts, going trail running, getting an icecream and then a rare special day at the toy store.

However, today, OUCH! The assult on Mt. Pisgah I intended to do turned into an early morning self burial. I was ok for the first 2,500', but then suffered dearly on the last 2,000'. I can confidently say this epic run is a little out of my league right now. I merely survived something that I'm not quite fit for yet. It's sort of like getting into the ring with Mike Tyson, it'd be quick and brutal. But if he came into my home wanting to do harm and survival was at stake - well he might leave with one less ear and singing in the castratti section of an Italian choir.

I made the 30 minute drive up to the Mt. Pisgah parking lot at 5,000' where I did a series of out&backs from the 3 trails at the parking area. The 1st trail is 4 miles and starts with a .5 mile, 300' ascent, then goes down 2,000' in 3.5 miles - turn around and come back up for a total of 2,300' of vertical. The 2nd trail is the last 2 miles of the Shut-In Ridge Trail Race. This also starts with a .3 mile 300' climb, then goes down 1,150' in 1.7 miles, turn around and come back up, which is how the 17.8 mile race actually ends, for a total of 1,450'. It was coming up this brutal climb where I had decided to call it quits and not do the 3rd out/back. But, after a Coke and a banana I felt a little better, not really, but the sugar rush gave me a false sense of strength and I headed out for the 3rd and final climb that summits Mt. Pisgah. This is a 1.5 mile trail, the first .5 mile is flat and then it's a 1 mile, 750' climb to the top. I hiked all of this final mile. The descent was worse! If I were racing I would have felt a little like this guy...

This was a 15 mile run/hike with 4,500' of up and down and an average ascent of 11.36%. This would be like running up and down Mt. Washington except this route has 5 different ascent portions instead of 1 like Mt. W. I expect that I would have an easier time going up/down Mt. W than the run I did today. Well, I'll get to see in mid August when I'll be spending a week in the White Mountains!

59,445' up and 90,555 to go.

Days 31-34 - 1483', 2966', 0', 851'

Well, the Germans were NOT joking about the steep road next to their offices in Bavaria in the foothills of the German Alps. I was able to get some quick vertical in that did not make for much conversation with the folks I was running with. Well 2 guys were chatting it up quite easily, but they tried to pretend this was a hard run for them. Good amount of steep road that picked up a trail near the end and the trail took the rest of the climb to the top of a big hill.

Monday - 1,483' - with a great group from Invia.

Tuesday - 2,966' - doubled Monday's for an early morning run.

Wednesday - too many hours of travelling today.

Thursday - 851' - A very tough/tired/jet legged run, had no energy.

After 34 days 53,639' up, 96,361' to go.

An average of 1,577'/day, just a little ahead of schedule here, 77' per day to be exact.

Days 24-30 = 7,000'

I've been in Germany for the past week and there are only some very small hills here. But there is a road outside of my hotel that goes up 200' in about a half a mile so I've been doing 5 reps per morning on this hill just so I don't fall too far behind in this 100 day effort. I'll be heading to the German Alps this afternoon and should be able to get a few runs in with some more vertical. I was told by the person I am seeing there that there is a really steep road that goes a long way. It's so steep, in fact, that he said there are stair for people to walk up. I hope this is true!
48,339' up, 101,661 to go.
I should have no problem hitting the 50,000' mark on the 33rd day but that will only put me right on schedule, not ahead like I wanted. I knew travel was going to make it a little difficult, but that's another challenge in itself that I welcome.

TDF / WC

OK, I'm am far more happy with the TDF than the WC today. I think the WC Final would have been a better match if Germany and Uraguay would have met. Oh well, Spain was the better team, but I had more fun e-mailing with Matt throughout the match than the match itself.

Schleck was a bad ass emenefer today! Ran on the treadmill at 12% watching this for a climb of 3,798' on day 23. 41,339' up, 108,661 to go.

Day 22 - 2,460'

.59 miles with 492' of climbing x 5.
Did some reps up a steep trail this morning. Nothing crazy, just kept a controlled solid effort and was very close to the same times on all 5 reps.
37,541' up, 112,459 to go.
Big day tomorrow - a stage in the TDF where we might see an attack by Contador. I'm sure Schleck will follow and we'll see who else can hang.
Then, out for the World Cup Final! My boys in Oranje have made it, but Spain will be very tough to beat.

Day 21 - 1,404'

Have you ever seen the bumper sticker that goes something like this? "A bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at work." As I was finishing my run this afternoon this saying popped out of my brain. I was testing some products on my run today so I was technically working. About 30 minutes into this 90 degrees in the afternoon run I BONKED! After finishing the ascent portion of the run I miserably jogged back down. With about a mile to go I realised that a hard bonk at 90 degrees when I'm being paid to run and test some cool stuff is better than a great day in the chair.

Days 18,19,20 - 1,404', 1,404', 2,532'

Did my staple lunch run 2 days in a row, then hit the treadmill this morning at 12% for some quick vertical.
33,677' up, 116,323' to go.
20% of the days and 22.45% of the vertical are finished.
Have averaged 1,684' per day.

Days 15,16,17 - Nil, like Argentina.

Got in some really fun, flat running on the beach, but no vertical that I know of. No watch just a camera. Kids should lead all Fartleks and recovery fruit plates!

28,337' up, 121,663 to go.

The Morning Beach Run

I think it's the corners of my mouth that will be getting all the vertical this weekend!

Klose is Close

Jumped out of my seat at least 4 times this morning, but did not have my watch on to give the accumuated vertical. Wouldn't mind seeing a Dutch / German final next weekend!

Day 14 - 4,574'.

By far the best treadmill run I've ever had. Uphill fartlek all at 12%. 2 x 45 minutes with a 15 minute break between. A total of 7.22 miles in 90 minutes. All I did was increase the speed whenever I'd get excited with the match, then slow it down when I was about to fall off the back. The math works out to be a climb of 4,574'. I was fully prepared and almost anxious to go the extra 30 minutes, but my boys in Orange knocked in a header to secure a spot in the semi's!
Glad to get this vertical in today as I'll be spending the next 3 days on the beach. It will be difficult to get in any vertical there, but I might find a hotel with an outdoor stairwell. Hoping for 10 stories and 10 trips up. If I can get in 2,000' this weekend I'll be happy, we'll see though.
28,337' up, 121,663' to go.
If these number don't change through Monday, day 17, I'll still be well above my 1,500'/day average.

Day 13 - 2,359'.

Did a quick trail run this morning with 1,092' of vertical and then in the afternoon 2 miles @ 12% on the treadmill for another 1,267'.
23,763' up, 126,237' to go.