Pineland Farms Trail Festival 25K Race Report

The Grove, 17K into the race. Feeling very, very good at this point. But that didn't last long.

Erik and Ian have outdone themselves. The PFTF was biggerer and betterer than ever. Day one was the short races: 5K, 10K, 5K barefoot, and 5K canicross. The 5K and 10K had good size fields for a cross-country race, especially given that each race was competing for runners with the other races in the festival. The 5K canicross was wild with all the jumping, pulling, and general chaos. Had these dogs been kept in a kennel for a month with no outside play? The barefoot was great fun and the most competitive of the shorter races. I was happy to see that the top three were in the barefoot division and not the shod (mostly VFF) division, only because I don't see a difference between a VFF and a racing flat. The weather was stunning and the atmosphere was absolutely festive. I missed the afternoon seminars because I wanted to see my son Will run the 1600 at the WMC championships (woohoo, he got his PR of 5:22). Sam was unable to run because of his big Mt. Bike bruise.

25K race report.

I was very stressed about this race because of my sidestitch last year and my generally poor results at the longer (>5K) trail races. My time goal was 1:54 - 1:55, which I thought was very doable given that I'm in better shape than last year at this time and that was the time of the guys that I was running with before I collapsed with the SS.

Weather was a little warm - hot in the fields but reasonably pleasant in the woods. Winds were light to moderate. My strategy was to run by (1) feel and (2) HR. Prior to last year, I thought I'd be able to handle an average HR of 163-164 (92-93% of Max HR). This obviously didn't work. So my goal this year was to stay in the high 150s for HR. I was surprised at how fast my pace was this year at this HR. I typically hammer climbs during races but I decided to ratchet it down a little this year; this greatly helped keep my instantaneous HR at a more reasonable value. At the top of the big climb into The Grove (start/finish), which is about 10 miles into the race, I was feeling very strong and totally in control. I thought I would be able to pick up the pace a little in Oak Hill and finish somewhere around 1:50-1:51.

Unfortunately, I started to feel the exhaustion very soon after entering Oak Hill. I had been passed by a runner at the start of the big climb, when I slowed at the Pony Club aid station to take a gel and drink water (I forgot to take the gel coming into the station). This runner turned out to be Steve Wolfe of Acidotic Racing, which is the team that we had been had been having some fun trash talk with over the past two weeks. I didn't know who he was at the time and starting in Oak Hill (17K point), he and Dave Roberts slowly drifted away from me. With about 2.5 miles left, another runner passed me and he turned out to be Re Fahnestock, another Acidotic racer. I didn't recognize that either, until after the race. Crap, the two people who passed me were both AR runners. Re fairly quickly dropped me. I wasn't really slowing down, I just couldn't pick up the pace which is what Dave, Steve, and Re seemed to be doing. I'm not a good kicker but I gave it my best over the last 1/2 mile and finished in 1:52:40. A 25K roller coaster Pineland race is too long of a distance for my level of training (I've had two 12.5 mile training runs since the end of ski season) and this showed over the final 5K but, nevertheless, I am very happy with my time.

Clearly keeping my HR to 158-159 worked. At Mt. Washington last year, I ran with a sustained 163-164 HR. Why the difference? I think it is, ironically the hills at Pineland. If I'm averaging 163 at Pineland (last year), then my max HR on the hills must be really spiking, which is a signal to the brain to slow things down. Interesting.

Trail Monster Running was schooled by Acidotic Racing and two other teams. Unfortunately, Don Medd (1:55 last year) was a DNS because of bad stomach flu timing. With him I think we would have been more competitive. Congratulations to Chris, Steve, Re, and all you other AR runners.

Competition in the 25K race exploded this year. My Garmin clocked the course as slightly longer (.25K) this year (there was a small course change) than last but the number of good times was an all-time high. Here is how 1:52:40 would do this year and in 2008-2009

2010 25th overall, 12th Master

2009 12th overall, 3rd Master

2008 12th overall, 4th Master

Splits

Distance	Lap Time	Cum Time	Lap Pace	Cum Pace	Avg HR	Max HR
1	06:39.9	0:06:40	6:40	06:39.9	151	157
2	06:49.4	0:13:29	6:50	06:44.7	157	161
3	07:01.4	0:20:31	7:02	06:50.2	158	162
4	07:28.1	0:27:59	7:29	06:59.7	159	162
5	07:21.3	0:35:20	7:22	07:04.0	160	164
6	07:35.9	0:42:56	7:36	07:09.3	158	163
7	07:07.6	0:50:04	7:08	07:09.1	158	162
8	07:24.7	0:57:28	7:25	07:11.1	159	162
9	07:36.3	1:05:05	7:37	07:13.9	158	161
10	08:01.4	1:13:06	8:02	07:18.6	158	163
11	07:32.4	1:20:39	7:33	07:19.9	158	162
12	06:55.8	1:27:34	6:56	07:17.9	159	163
13	07:42.1	1:35:16	7:43	07:19.7	158	163
14	07:26.0	1:42:42	7:26	07:20.2	161	164
15	07:24.1	1:50:06	7:25	07:20.4	161	163
15.36	02:34.0	1:52:40	07:08	07:20.1	164	167

MT100 at Libby Hill

Review of: New Balance MT100 and Libby Hill Trails.

I've avoided the New Balance MT100 because I've preferred a more flexible shoe. The MT100 is stiffened by, among other things, a plastic rock plate in the fore/mid foot. But 3.5 weeks ago I bruised the ball of my foot by landing on a rock during an interval recovery of my Blackstrap Hell repeats. First time for everything. I was wearing the New Balance MR790, which is what the MT100 replaced. The initial contact with the rock was noticed, but I didn't really give it a second thought as I continued my Hell repeats. But continued running on trails in thin soled shoes has continued to aggravate the bruise (or whatever it is - there is no bruise that I can see). Even the groomed ski trails like Pineland and Twin Brook have enough rock sections that re-aggravation was guaranteed.

So I took advantage of the New Balance outlet in Oxford and purchased the MT100 in burnt orange. I also didn't get very far before running with them. I pulled over in Gray and ran the outer loop of the Libby Hill ski trails, first counterclockwise then clockwise. The trail head is near the parking lot of the Gray Middle School. I skied these trails for the first time this winter and fell in love at first sight. They are good running too. They are wide, like Pineland or Twin Brook but not quite as built up. The trails have a little more natural rock in spots and on my return lap my ability to avoid rocks was a little less sharp. But the MT100s performed beautifully at distributing the pressure, indeed better than my Inov8 295 or Inov8 315, which are much burlier shoes. Very sweet. These are now my goto shoes for Bradbury and Blackstrap Hell. I'll continue to use the 790s at Pineland and Twin Brook

The outer loop at Libby Hill is 3.5 miles and is classic John Morton design (who also did Pineland and Twin Brook). There is some nice looking single track as well but with the exception of my initial climb from the parking area, I stuck to the ski trails to avoid tempting fate with sharp rocks/roots. There is also at least one sno-mo trail that cuts across too. All told, you could probably get in a 6-7 mile run in without too many do-overs. Finally, there is a sweet looking pond at the bottom of the trail system that would be nice for soaking the feet after a long run. It's only about 1/4 mile back to the parking area from the pond so it's in the perfect spot.

Taper

Out and back, East Boothbay to Ocean Point; a real roller coaster

Mon - planned rest

Tues - 5.9 mile fartlek at Twin Brook

Wed - 4X1 mile hard tempo intervals at Back Cove, couldn't maintain goal pace

Thur - 3 mile easy tempo on treadmill @ 11.5% grade. Felt good

Fri - easy 7.5 at Back Cove

Sat - easy 8.5 at Pineland - last run there before the race

Sun - 8.5 mi tempo on roller coaster road to Ocean Point, S. of East Boothbay (see pic)

highlights

1) schooled by James doing 200-800m "sprints" at TNR

2) aggravated left butt/hamstring. See #1

3) again did intense threepeat Tu-Wed-Thur. I've got to plan better

Total Miles: 40

This was my taper week. I dislike tapering. I'd rather just run baby.

Local Peak

This was my peak week before Pineland. It was also not a well-planned week, as I did hard runs 3 days in a row, and 5 out of 7 days (including the race on Sunday, which I consider last week)

Monday - unplanned rest day. My legs were tired.

Tuesday - 8.3 miles at Twin Brook. Mostly easy, last 2 miles at fast tempo pace

Wednesday - 7.2 miles at Back Cove including Back Cove 5K at a fast tempo pace

Thursday - AM: 2.5 X 1 mile repeats on Treadmill @ 11.5% grade; PM: 6.3 mile hilly road

hilly road. Easy pace.

Friday - 5.7 mile hilly road instead of planned rest day (see Monday). Easy pace.

Saturday - 12.7 miles at Pineland, middle 6 at a little less than 25K race pace

Sunday - 8.1 miles, Piscataqua trail, more-or-less. Easy pace.

Total: 52 miles.

Saturday's pace was tough given that it was the end of a hard week at the end of a hard month (42, 48, 49, 52) miles. Today's run felt great. Time to drop the volume but maintain intensity!

How a wannabe mountain runner trains

Monday - 4 X .8 mile hell repeats, 7mi total

Tuesday - AM: HR max run (2.5 mile), PM: TMR TNR @TB, 5 Mi

Wednesday - 7.2 mi Back Cove, high HR, slow pace

Thursday - 4.3 mi Back cove + 2.75 treadmill @ 11.5% grade, race pace (10:46/mi)

Friday - cross training - 9 holes of golf at Riverside

Saturday - 8.2 miles at Pineland, easy, + 0.8 mi barefoot strides

Sunday - AM- Mother's Day 5K Time trial, 17:58, PM - 6 mile very easy recovery run

Total 48.5Miles, 6H:48M

Short "long" run Saturday to "taper" for 5K. Not ideal 3 weeks before Pineland but 5K now updates my training paces to match fitness level. 5K felt awesome. I coasted in over the last 50 meters which cost me three places and nearly the sub 18.

5K splits: 5:53, 5:52, 5:31. 3rd mile long gentle downhill but against stiff wind (2oMPH).

Place: 20/803 Men (21/2501 total)

Age Place: 6/95

How a mountain runner trains

A "typical" training week for Jonathan Wyatt (from flotrack). Where can I find a 12-15% hill close to home?

(From flotrack)

Sunday: RACE (usually in the mornings).

Monday: Travel Day, easy run 1hr.

Tuesday: am. Workout: 8x3min on 12-15% hill (unless the race was a long one in which case I make adjustments with Tuesday an easy run of 1hr30).

pm. Gym.

Wednesday: am. Easy 1hr45-2hr30.

Thursday: am. Steady long up hill run to finish on a pass 2hr OR 1hr30 flat run which includes 20-30min steady state.

pm. Easy road bike 2hr.

Friday: am. Easy undulating 1hr 30.

pm. Walk / jog with the dog / whatever I feel like doing.

Saturday: am. Travel Day, easy 1hr + 8x relaxed leg speed strideouts.

(from Trail Runner)

A Week in the Life of Jonathan Wyatt

Sunday: Race - Training Effect 5 (TE 5)
Monday: Easy run, 70 minutes (plus travel from race) – TE 1-2
Tuesday: Medium/easy with small hill, 90 minutes – TE 2-3
Wednesday: Hill workout, 5 or 6 reps x 3 minutes with 2-minute recovery – TE 3
Thursday: Long climb, 105 minutes including 45-minute steady climb – TE 3-4
Friday: Easy run, 60 minutes – TE 1-2
Saturday: Very easy run, 50 minutes plus 4 x very easy stride outs – TE 1-2
Sunday: Race – TE 5

Boob run

Apparently I did hill repeats on a big boob tonight.