30 November 2010
Posted by Ultra Kraut in Endurance Running, Running, Trail Running, Training Logs, Ultra Running
Posted by Ultra Kraut in Endurance Running, Running, Trail Running, Training Logs, Ultra Running
25 November 2010
It was a rather large field and I just lined up in the second row of the starting line. When the horn blew, I was off. There is one advantange to not having slower runners lined up before you...you will not loose any time due to having to get around them. However, the biggest caveat is the fact that, more likely, you will now be chasing the really fast guys, which will mean blowout before even reaching the halfway mark. Obviously, that's exactly what happened...and with that, my PR was out the window (or off into the road ditch).
However, a much better overall finish and a bunch of friends I got to see along the way and before and after that race still made this a very fun event. A perfect way to get yourself ready for the chores of the day...eating Thanksgiving turkey until you pass out that is.
The PR goal still stands...break 20 minutes before 2011, and there are only a couple of races left to do that. We shall see if I will have to wait another year. However, it will not be for a lack of trying...training maybe....but not trying;-)
Posted by Ultra Kraut in 2010 HELPline Turkey Trot 5K, Endurance Running, Race Reports, Running, Ultra Running
23 November 2010
A few questions came to mind during today's training run. Is it too late to duck once you hear a gunshot? How fast are alligators? And do they eat German meat? While I won't be answering these questions, my training log will explain why I am asking them;-)
First of all, a big thank you to Mike Giacobbe, the manager at the local running shop Runner's Depot in Sunrise, Florida. He was kind enough to point out a great spot for a run after I unsuccessfully scoured the internet for a decent trail run while on business in Sunrise. Proof again that local running shops are a great resource for local running information and not just the latest gear.
Mike recommended a fire trail (dam) along the edge of the Everglades Wildlife Management Area accessible through the Markham Park in Sunrise. The section of trail that I ran on started at Everglades Parkway, also known as Alligator Alley. That name was the reason for my concern related to alligators, especially when a rather large animal scurried away from the trail very quickly and back towards the swamp. While I couldn't tell exactly what this creature was, it was moving lots of branches and groundcover suggezsting it was rather large. It was doing this at a speed much...much faster than I was running which was the basis for my concern. Whatever it was, I wasnt going to outrun it. Reminder to self, do NOT do pickups early in a training run, especially when there is a chance you have to outrun a large animal late in your run;-)
While Mike didn't mention alligators, he did say that I should not be alarmed when hearing gunshots during my run. Aparently, Markham Park also is the site of an open air shooting range. So when I did hear gunfire, I did not drop and crawl as my eight years of military service had taught me. Instead, my mind started wandering...wondering if a stray bullet could somehow find its way through the thick forest separating the trail I was on from the shooting range. The mind is a funny things, especially when you are out on a run by yourself with nothing else to do except enjoy the scenery and the occassional mind game.
About 3 miles into my run, I realized that the sun was slowly going down and that while there probably weren't any alligators anywhere near the trail I was on, I didn't really want to find out for sure in the dark in an area unfamiliar to me. So I opted to turn around for an even 6 miles for the day. During the return leg of this nice out & back run, I noticed how quickly the sun went down. By the time I reached the end of the fire trail about half a mile from my car, the sun was gone. That's what I call perfect timing;-)
The scenery on this run was quite beautiful, the swamp of the Everglades on one side and a water canal on the other side of the fire dam I was running on. While I was trying to keep my tempo up just a little more than in recent runs, I did take the time to take some nice pictures of my surroundings. Hopefully, they will convey some of the beauty swamps can provide. I enjoyed the silence around me...aside from the occasional gunshot...or the scream inside my head when I thought I was about to make the acquaintance of an alligator.
Pictures to follow...
Posted by Ultra Kraut in Endurance Running, Running, Trail Running, Training Logs, Ultra Running
21 November 2010
Posted by Ultra Kraut in Endurance Running, Running, Trail Running, Training Logs, Ultra Running
20 November 2010
Posted by Ultra Kraut in 2010 Dizzy Fifties 50K, Dizzy Fifties, Endurance Running, Race Reports, Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running
19 November 2010
The run literally had a little bit of everything, roads, trails, climbs, stairs, tunnels, and a magnificent bridge section, of course. I managed to get some great shots of the different San Francisco landmarks along the way. Running through Fort Mason National Park (see below), the different marinas, the Presidio, and Fort Point (by accident) was a lot of fun and gave me a lot of different views of the city and its sights.
Aparently, it helps to pay attention so you dont miss a turn. As a result, we ended up at Fort Point, where a nice police officer informed us to turn around to get to the trailhead leading up to the Golden Gate Bridge. Otherwise, we would be arrested for trespassing a secured area and who wants that, right? Anyway, after this little half mile detour, we finally found the trailhead leading up to the bridge. At this point, Mike decided he had had enough "fun" for the day and turned around to head back to the hotel. I proceeded up some wooden stairs, which induced a brief Laurel Valley flashback, followed by some nice uphill trail that snaked its way up the hillside. At one point, I actually had to duck to run through a short tunnel before arriving at the South end of the bridge (see below).
After taking in the sight for a moment (see below, Fort Point is in the bottom left corner of the picture), I proceeded to run across the bridge for a 3.5 mile out and back section that was both breathtaking and a little scary at the same time.
Half way across the bridge, Gerry was crossing my paths as he was on his way back to the South end. He had opted not to trust the hotel concierge and instead hailed a cab that took him to the bridge, allowing him to have all the fun with half the effort;-) Just kidding, well done Gerry. Around this time, I also noticed a plaque with an interesting inscription describing the history and people involved in building this magnificent bridge (see below).
While I am not really scared of heights, running along the edge of the bridge with the water hundreds of feet below was imposing to say the least. I kept thinking about the engineering effort it took to build this bridge and the maintenance required to keep it safe. I'm gonna have to do some reading on Wikipedia to brush up on my GG Bridge history.
On the way back, I decided to really put it in cruise control and just take a break when needed to take pictures (The image below shows one of the beautiful ships docked at one of the marinas in San Francisco. Alcatraz is in the pictured in the background).
While pictures are a great way to remember the sights you've seen and to share this with others, they don't replace the actual opportunity to be there and take it in first hand. If you ever get to do this run, I strongly suggest you bring your camera. Otherwise, you"ll have to copy my pictures and what fun is that;-)
Posted by Ultra Kraut in Beach Running, Endurance Running, Running, Trail Running, Training Logs, Ultra Running
18 November 2010
Because I was getting to the park late in the day, the time I could spend at the park was limited as they would close the gates at 6PM. In addition, my calculations of the trail distances were way off, so it only added up to a 5K loop. On a positive note, I didn't have to venture out on my own, as a friend and colleague of mine from Ireland, Mike joined me on my run. Checking out the park map prior to arriving, I expected it to be a flat course running through the marsh. Instead, the trail was nestled at the base of rolling hills, leading us along the bayfront at about 50 feet above the waterline. The views were fantastic, with the sun slowly disappearing and the moon rising behind the hills. This was just the right type of run to test my knee and thankfully, it held up just fine. As soon as the sun went down, the temperatures went down as well. Hopefully, I can get another fun training run in while in California.
Posted by Ultra Kraut in Endurance Running, Running, Trail Running, Training Logs, Ultra Running
15 November 2010
Posted by Ultra Kraut in Endurance Running, Running, Training Logs, Ultra Running
11 November 2010
Posted by Ultra Kraut in 2010 Pinhoti 100 Mile Endurance Run, Endurance Running, Pinhoti 100 Mile, Race Reports, Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running
05 November 2010
Posted by Ultra Kraut in Endurance Running, Running, Trail Running, Training Logs, Ultra Running
02 November 2010
Posted by Ultra Kraut in Endurance Running, Running, Trail Running, Training Logs, Ultra Running