2019 Loopy Bunny 6-Hour

A Run in the Heat

What could possibly go wrong after having great running weather for most of June with below average temperatures? A 90F day when you're running a 6 hour race with no significant heat acclimation. That describes the Loopy Bunny race well. I had decided this would be a good race as a supported long run in my training for North Coast 24. It was described as a 4.5ish mile loop with "bunny" hills totaling 415 feet of gain per lap. I'll agree with the 'ish' of the 4.5 miles, but I was caught off balance with the hills. While not steep, the first half mile of the course was a long gradual rise which only presaged the big hill 1.2 miles into the loop. My Garmin course elevation graph indicates this one hill had about a 200 ft gain, not exactly what I had in mind when I read bunny hills. After running, or rather walking, that the first time, coupled with the heat, I quickly revised my estimate of what I planned for the day. Originally I had expected to run 5 loops for 22.5 miles, an average of 1:12 per lap. With temperatures climbing and facing that hill every 4.5 miles or so, that now seemed out of reach and it wasn't worth the effort and a potential disaster to even attempt to stretch for that. Besides I promised my doctor I wouldn't push so hard and end up in the ER again.

After a short segment in the woods, the course turned up a power line swath before turning back into the woods. We stayed on undulating single track before turning up the big hill. The course seemed to alternate from there between a wide crushed stone path and more single track, some of it along a creek side. While mostly shaded we did have a few short segments open to the sun, enough that I stopped after the first lap to grab my hat for sun protection. The first lap passed in 1:07:00, another strong indication that I should limit my goal to four laps maximum.

Not being in any real hurry, I spent almost 4 minutes at the aid station. I wanted to be sure I got enough to eat and drink, and replenish my water bottles since it would be about 75 minutes before I had another opportunity - quite different from D3 where I passed the aid station every quarter mile. As it turned out the second lap took me until 2:23:15. Given when I started that lap the actual run time was about 1:12:30. I had another long break including a trip to the pit toilets (they aren't as bad as that sounds) that lasted about 6 minutes. By the time I finished climbing the big hill on the third lap I was definitely feeling the effects of both the mileage and the heat. I walked a great deal of the rest of the lap. It was 3:53:31 when I finished it, so about 1:24:15 running from the time I began the lap after the aid station break. While at the aid station I talked with a couple of my friends who were also running and they advised me that if I was having doubts about whether to run another lap, I probably shouldn't. I decided that was good advice, so I continued to eat and drink, and even found a place where I could sit for a while.

After relaxing for about 20 minutes or so I was feeling a lot better and was reconsidering running another lap. The main factor preventing me from starting was that I had run out of water well before the end of the last lap and finished the last mile plus with nothing to drink. So I had the bright idea to ask if the aid station had any empty small soda bottles I could use. They were able to find one for me which added an additional 16 ounces of water I could carry. I thought that was enough to get me through another lap and I had more than enough time, 1:46 left before the end of 6 hours, so I took off. I was really amazed at how much I had recovered and revived during my break. I was able to get in some good running downhill and on the flatter parts of the trail. I was assuming that my pace would get me to the finish at about 5:35, but as I neared landmarks indicating I was close to finishing I realized I had a chance to end the lap under 5:30. All it took was a quick run down the short wooded trail at the end. Official results had me completing my fourth lap at 5:29:58 or about 1:16 from the start of the lap.

The heat took its toll on a lot of the runners. I was surprised when official results were posted that my 18 miles earned me 44th of 71 runners in the 6 hour race. I was also the oldest in the race by 9 years. Overall it was a great success. I felt I managed the heat well and was sensible in my efforts. Given that North Coast 24 can be hot, I've scheduled two more 6 hour races and a 50K in the next two months to help with getting in the long runs and getting more experience coping with the heat under race conditions.

 2019 Eagle Up 24

A 24 Hour Fun Run

 

Eagle Up 24 is only four weeks after Dawn to Dusk to Dawn 50K and just a week after my IHM 5K Nun Run. I'm going into the race without being fully recovered and with low or no expectations. I do want to run a minimum of six laps which would give me 30 miles so I can count it as an ultra, and hopefully run as many as 50 miles before I stop. If I decide to stop after 6 full laps, I will do the extra out and back for a full 50K.

The trip down went smoothly though I was very close to an empty gas tank when I arrived in Canal Fulton and found a gas station to fill up. After picking up my packet, I texted my friend Susan to let her know I was there. After we connected, we waited for another friend, Laura, to arrive for dinner together. We took advantage of the pre-race pasta dinner at the restaurant next to packet pickup which simplified the plans. After dinner it was back to the hotel and a restless night's sleep. It's a good thing I was waking up every hour or so and finally decided to get up and get ready at 4:15 AM, because I never got my 4:30 AM wake up call. That's too early for breakfast at the hotel, but fortunately the same place where I got gas on Friday is apparently open all night because I was able to get a pastry and coffee there in the morning. By the time I got to the race tent city (camping was allowed Friday night as well as Saturday night), Susan and Todd were up and getting ready. Todd would hold down the fort while Susan and I ran.

After pre-race announcements and singing the national anthem, the start was a low key event. I think many of us must have been half asleep with the 6:00 AM start. With around 500 runners between solo runners and relay teams, it took 35 seconds to get across the starting mat. Susan and I were planning very different paces so I made no attempt to run the first lap with her. Hopefully we'd be able to run or walk a lap together later when we've both slowed down from our initial paces. I started at run 2:00, walk 1:00, more conservatively than my usual run 3:00, walk 1:00, but this was more about staying on the course as long as possible. I held that through 4 laps or 20 miles before switching to run 2:00, walk 2:00, then run 1:00, walk 1:00 on lap 5. While not official splits, my Garmin splits should adequately reflect that I was keeping a reasonably consistent pace: Lap 1 - 1:07:39 Lap 2 - 1:08:01 Lap 3 - 1:10:37 Lap 4 - 1:11:52 Some of the slowdown on laps 2 and 3 were due to the time I needed at the aid station to find what I wanted, then walking while I ate and drank. Lap 5 - 1:20:58 Lap 6 - 1:32:20 I should have taken a break after lap 4 or 5, but I wanted to push through 6 laps to have the minimum distance to call this an ultra. I walked the entire 6th lap and my legs were really tired even before the end. I had no real choice about taking a long break then.

I had just finished my 6th lap when I saw Susan and Laura near the aid station. Laura had recently arrived and was getting ready to walk a lap with Susan. Unfortunately there was no way I could accompany them, so I missed walking with Laura. She was up for only one 5 mile lap. I took a long break then while they walked, then joined Susan for a lap while Laura called it a day. In the time it had taken Susan and Laura to walk a lap, I made a good recovery. Susan said we were walking sub-16:00 miles and I didn't feel like I was pushing the pace at all. Susan wanted to make some changes after that lap, so I continued on my own at a slightly slower pace, taking Susan's advice to heart. I finished that making sure to cross the mat so the lap would be recorded, then took another break. Lap 7 - 3:17:27 which includes the time I was resting Lap 8 - 1:26:08 When you look at lap 8 versus lap 6, you can understand why I think I should have taken my first break earlier. This time I got out my sleeping bag and stretched out for a long nap. I didn't really get any sleep, the the rest was needed. When I finally got up from my nap, I was stiff and a little sore. Walking over to the men's rest room, then over to the aid station didn't help at all, so I decided that was enough.

Even after getting something to eat, I didn't feel great so I stopped at the first aid tent to get an assessment. Everything was within reason given I had run 40 miles, but of course they picked up on some of the cardiac issues I've had, so they called the EMTs to evaluate me. They didn't find anything I wasn't already aware of and had been cleared by my cardiologists, so I signed a form that I had refused transportation to the ER. By this time I was finally feeling find. Of course this was where Susan and Todd found me since I wasn't at the campsite. Susan was about finished also and had only the out and back to complete 100K. Once that was done Todd insisted we sit and rest while he broke camp.

Since we finished early I was in bed by midnight and got a good night's sleep. While stiff and sore the next morning, I could still walk up and down stairs, so it wasn't too bad. I had the day to relax since I wasn't driving home until Monday. On reflection I realized that I should have taken my first break after 25 miles, or even after 20 miles, trusting that I wouldn't tighten up too much. There was no reason for me to tighten up at that point because I was still moving well. I think a half hour break, then another lap, maybe two, then another break, and I could go a lot farther following that pattern. Also I think I had a good handle on hydration and eating. Once again I had no problems with my hands getting stiff, swelling and getting puffy, all indications of improper hydration and electrolyte imbalance. The Sun and heat were not factors, so Endless Summer 6-Hour and Lean Horse 30M will be good testing grounds for how well acclimated to heat I am and whether I can make the necessary adaptations under those conditions. I am gaining confidence that I can finally put together a good race at North Coast 24.

 2019 IHM Nun Run 5K

It Was Supposed To Be A Tempo Run

Three weeks after my exhausting Dawn to Dusk to Dawn 50K, I do not yet feel fully recovered, and with a week until my next 24 hour race, Eagle Up 24, I need to treat this as a training run. I should be in taper mode, not racing. The plan is to run at a good tempo pace and not push for time - except in the unlikely case of bettering my time from two years ago.

Saturday morning started normally for a race day and with the race practically next door, I had plenty of time to eat breakfast, drink my coffee, and drive over to pick up my packet. Jogging over to the registration table I met one of the women from the Immaculata cross country team and her parents. I had wondered if I would see them this year since Michelle had graduated. I was more surprised to see two other women from the track team that I knew. I chatted briefly before picking up my packet and heading off for my warm up.

The warm up seemed comfortable, then I checked the time and pace. It was fast for me, so I consciously slowed down and added some walk breaks to be sure I kept the effort easy. A few strides to finish and I was done. It was a shorter than I'd planned, only 1.6 miles, but it was getting close to race time. In the prerace announcement I was dismayed to hear that they would not be stopping traffic as we crossed King Road, rather they would ask the runners to stop until there was a break in traffic. This happened two years ago as well and seriously broke my rhythm as we reach King Road at the bottom of a long hill where we can build up some momentum for a push over the last 600m.

The start is always a bit strange. Most of the field just stands around with very few actually up at the starting line ready to race. The race doesn't attract the normal racing crowd as indicated by only 5 finishers under 21:20 this year and a winning time of 18:12. It's mostly family and friends with ties to Immaculata University and Villa Maria Middle School where the race is held. There are also no age group awards. Being chipped timed none of this was a particular concern for me. Despite the small field of 227 including walkers, it still took me 11 seconds to reach the starting line, but being a chip timed race this was of no concern to me. I settled into pace approximately mid-pack as we follwed the drive around the school and headed down to King Road. After we crossed the road we tackled the first of eight hills on the course heading up to the university campus. The nuns had placed inspirational signs all along the course to help us up the hills. They also place signs at the mile markers. Mile one was near the bottom of the second hill on the course and both that and my Garmin agreed on a 10:28 split for the first mile. Despite most of my training being run the downhill and flats and walk the hills, I had no problems keeping my effort up the hills with only a nominal slowing of pace as expected. Mile 2 took us behind the library and onto Grotto Road, finally exiting that and turning up past Camilla Hall Nursing Home where the resident nuns were out in force cheering. That also took us up 2 more long hills and a couple short ones. The 2 mile mark is after a right turn past Camilla Hall. There was a slight discrepancy between running time at the split (20:54) and my Garmin which recorded the 2 mile split as 21:16. After a long straight and a couple turns I powered up the penultimate hill past Villa Maria Hall, the main building, and complete the campus loop bringing me back to the first hill which we now run down building up momentum for the final push after recrossing King Road. I could only hope I could time my run so I would not have to stop and lose all that momentum at the bottom of the hill. As I looked ahead I didn't see any group forming at the bottom of the hill, but I didn't heave a sign of relief until I was actually crossing the road. Now up the final hill on the drive approaching the 3 mile sign. This sign has to be misplaced since it's almost 400m from there to the finish and the total distance seems about right. I also don't think I ran a 10 minute mile even if I was beginning to push the pace. Rounding the final curve on the drive I could hear footsteps behind me, so I upped my effort a little bit more to not be passed in the final 50m. The clock time was 32:18 and the chip time 32:07. I was quite surprised as I had expected to run between 34 and 35 minutes. This was almost a full minute faster than two years ago, and I had not been running any dedicated speed work to prepare for a 5K. I also placed 112 of 227, but much to my surprise I was not the oldest finisher.

While I didn't think I had expended that much energy as I was running well within myself, or so it seemed, the first couple miles, I crashed hard in the afternoon. This next week has to be strongly focused on recovery to be reasonably fresh for Eagle Up 24. My goal there is to run at least 50 miles, but with the proviso that I get some nighttime running in the early hours of Sunday and not stop after 14-16 hours. After that I still have three more races in preparing for my goal race, North Coast 24.