Friday, October 13, 2006

Running in circles, Part 5

This week's track workout (Wed):
8 miles total
2.5mi warm-up
2.5mi @ I-pace (5x800m Intervals; with 2:40 rests)
3mi cool-down

800m splits: 2:55/2:58/2:58/2:56/2:56
~~

As I chased Andrew around the track, I thought about what I'm getting myself into. See that thingy up there in the upper right-hand corner? "Dreaming of running further than ever before. Next attempt: Presque Isle 12 hour run."

Well...its crunch time.

The Presque Isle Personal Endurance Run is now 8 days away. And I have no earthly idea on how I'll do. Yesterday, I sent in my $5.00 entry fee (I can't remember the last time I wrote a five dollar check) and now it seems a lot more real.

So what is the furthest I've ever run? Seventy-and-a-half miles at the Laurel Highlands Ultra. I'd like to go further. 12 hours is 720 minutes. Seventy-two miles at 10-minute mile pace sounds somewhat doable. Hmmm. Someone broke it down to me like this: think 3 four-hour marathons. I did the quick math...3x26=78. This doesn't sound as doable, but at least it sounds possible. Well, distance isn't everything. Good thing there are secondary goals as well. If I can run for over 10 hours, it will be a great last long training run for the season ending JFK in four weeks.

Why I am concerned with the 12 hour run?

- flat loops, no hills.

- it is not considered a race, but rather a Personal Endurance Run. No winner or places. No finish line. Just everyone with their own personal endurance goal and running for the sake of running. In circles.

- my car will be parked there. I have a chance to pack it up and drive away about every 9-10 minutes.

- my weekly milage is down. Way down. Coolrunning has a nifty online running log. In the last 11 weeks since the BT50K, I've averaged barely 40mpw. In contrast to my past seasons of marathon training at 55-65 mpw, its interesting to note that I'm running less miles. While I'm a bit concerned about the lack of volume, I've never hesitated to take an extra day off this season. I've needed it to recoup from the longer training runs.

How do you train for a 12 hour run on a 1 mile loop?

I dunno either.

The best I could figure out is that you make it up while you go along. Its now 8 days away. I do have some run-day strategies to work out. (I've had a hard time not calling it a race.) There's no telling how long, or how far, I will be running in circles on that given day. But having my little goal is giving me something to shoot for. We'll wait and see. I'll make sure to taper well and get my strategy and food together so I can keep on the move. I'm sure the weather may be the determining factor, but we'll see.

One thing is for sure, at the end I will pledge allegiance to the trails. :)

2 Comments:

Blogger Papa Louie said...

I can't even imagine a 12 hour run but it does sound like fun. I wouldn't even know how to train for such an adventure. I'm sure you have the mental capacity to overcome that time.
The trail sounds intriguing. I think it's calling me.

10:47 AM  
Blogger E-Speed said...

You are going to do great at the 12 hour run! Just enjoy every minute of it, if you aren't having fun then just remember you could be working, personally I'd rather run ;)

9:45 PM  

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