Greetings Winter Runners; Week 2
Thanks to Coach Lara for taking the lead for this past Saturdays cold run. The conditions were about 30 degrees with a brisk breeze, making a Wind Chill Factor of about 23 degrees. I understand there were different distances run since some of you were in final tapering for North Central Trails Marathon this coming weekend and others are just getting back to runs after your marathon. That’s great! The idea is to give you some motivation to get out and do some training over the winter – you will appreciate it next summer and fall.
Most of you are “veterans” so much of what you learn will be refresher; but that is good. I am still learning to “do as I say, not as I do”. I expect you ‘newbies’ to make sure I do not short change you on the information – ask questions. You also have a great source of information from the other runners in the group.
I was two hours into the JFK 50 when you started your run. I thought a little recap might give you some tidbits to file away for your future runs. You will hear it all again J
The temperature on the Boonsboro Bank said 19 degrees for the 5 am Start. The wind was blowing pretty heavily, taking the WCF (wind chill factor) to about 9 degrees. We ran with flashlights or headlamps for the first hour in the dark along the Appalachian Trail. Running was mostly single file but sustainable. By the time I was ready to take some water from my Camelback, I discovered it was frozen – with 8 more miles to the Support Stop; AND my Gels were too cold to get out of the container – no nutrition for 8 miles. I did have a good trail run, coming down the switchbacks at 16 miles in about 3:45 hrs; a PR for that section for about 6 years. My elite race Crew of Rene Cover, Cris Eck, and Gaye Bugenhagen helped me change from trail shoes to road shoes just like a NASCAR tire change. Rene ran with me to the 27 mile Support Stop (I think – it was getting fuzzy by then) keeping me company and graciously plodding along beside me. I was doing well, under 11 min/mile up to that point but the “wheels came off” after that and I slowed to “DSL speed” as the turtle commercial says.
The idea was for Cris and Rene to Crew to give them a sense of what the towpath and JFK in general is like; in preparation for a future attempt at it. I think both will agree that the 27 miles of the C&O Towpath are $#&^* boring!! Even recognizing that I was behind in nutrition and hydration, I still fell into a low-blood sugar ‘funk’ about 34 miles (of the 42 on the Towpath; last 8 on asphalt back roads). Gaye came to my rescue (literally) by pointing me toward the potato chips, which I ate with both hands. That was followed by a large piece of chocolate cake (GREAT Aid Stations!!), a handful of M&M’s, a can of Ensure, a can of V-8, more potato chips, a boiled potato with salt (and sugar – don’t ask; I was in a daze). I was also shivering a lot, wasting MORE energy so Gaye helped me change two layers of technical shirts and I was ready to go.
That picked me up enough to get off the Towpath maintaining my 8 and 2 (run and walk) with a LOT of help from Cris chatter. On the road, Cris ( or was it Rene, by that time I was getting my blondes mixed up) was reminding me of the motivational encouragements I use on our Moore’s Marines Program participants during one of their long runs – this is where the “do as I say, not as I do” comes in. I did summon enough energy to have Rene and Cris cross the Finish Line with me – for my 19th JFK.
Wednesday Track Session - Tomorrow, Wednesday, I will be there but probably just do some jogging.
Saturday Run – 7 am. The discussion topic will be winter running attire and a shoe check.
“"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat." Theodore Roosevelt
Stay Healthy;
Ron
Ron Bowman
BLUEPOINTTIMING.com
410-573-1929
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