Spillway Trail Race

Here are some pics from the trail race that I did Sunday, a week and a half ago.

Post Race Shower in the two fire hoses. Ladies should rethink the white bra tops for this race...

The start of the second largest trail run in the nation. Some race in Iowa is the "largest", but their race is run in some cornfields, not a real trail. This race is run through the swamp and some mountain bike trails in the woods, not some cornfield "trail". We all know who's the biggest...1,400 racers this year.

Bonking isn't fun

Had my first ever Bonk this past weekend. The wife was working on Saturday and I needed to get in a 50 mile ride for the weekend. So, I figured I'd drop her off at work and then ride to my parents house with the kids. That way I could get a ride in on a Saturday instead of trying to do the long ride and run on the same day. Got to my parents around 8:45 and instead of immediately hitting the road, I hung out for a bit, first big mistake!

Got on the bike around 9:30 and headed off to the north. The route out was all "uphill", 300' over about 25 miles. So I planned on heading out for an 1:20 and then cutting 10 minutes off on the way back for a 2:30 ride. I had 2 24oz water bottles. A little on the light side, but I thought I could stop at the church at the main intersection I was passing on the way back in and fill up again, second big mistake.

The ride out was eventful. Got about 16 miles out and hit LA Hwy 63. For the next 8-9 miles, a state trooper and I played leapfrog. I would pass him while he had someone pulled over and then he would pass me back when he was finished writing their ticket. That happened about 6 times during that 8-9 mile section on the way out and on the way back. Then after I passed him the first time, I saw two dogs up ahead in the road. At this point, I knew my water was getting precious, so I took my empty bottle out and got ready to whack one in the nose if they got too close. I passed them and one started to give chase. I was so focused on the dog that I ran off the freakin' road. Somehow, thank you Lord, I saved it and got back on the road without falling or going in the ditch. Got to the turnaround and ate a bar and got ready for the "downhill" back with only 12 oz of fluid left at this point and the heat index somewhere around 102 at 10:50 am.

Got to the church at the turn off of Hwy 63 and pulled over, since I now had no water. Found the faucets and wouldn't you freakin' know it...They have the handles taken off so that you have to have a wrench to open them. I was now ticked off and quickly realizing that it was going to be a long trip home. There were no stores until about mile 44 and I was at mile 32. Not good when it feels like 103 by this point. Got back on my bike and headed on in. It only got worse from there. I could feel myself dehydrating and I had slowed to a crawl, bonk. After what felt like an eternity, I finally made it to another church at mile 43 that had faucets that worked. Water never tasted so good. Filled both bottles up and limped in. 1:40 for the way back in, not as I had planned. My 2:30 ride had become a 2:50 ride and I was on fire. Jumped in the kids plastic pool and let them run cold water from the hose over me for like 5 minutes. They got a kick out of it. Got some food in me and started to feel somewhat better. Remind me please never to leave home without enough water...

After being out of water for 10 miles, I wasn't too happy.

My shady route had turned downright scorching at high noon.

After I recovered from that experience, I went for a 9 mile run on Sunday morning. Ended up only going 8.1 @ 9:36 pace, but it was too hot even at 6:00 am in the morning after still feeling the effects from the day before.

Monday I swam at lunch, Tuesday I ran at lunch, Wednesday I biked in the morning for 18 miles before work, Thursday I swam 2750 and this morning I put in 8.7 miles @ 9:32 before work. The new rearranged schedule to separate my long bike and run seems like it is going to work better. Only have hit it for one week, but once I work the kinks out, I think it will be fine.

The wife has been at a church conference for yesterday afternoon, all day today and has to work tomorrow, so I have been playing Mr. Mom. Dropping the kids off at my parents tomorrow afternoon to get some fishing in and so the wife and I can do the Spillway Classic Trail Race on Sunday morning. I love to play in the mud. I'll post a race report after the race.

Back to Running

Only hit 4 miles last week after skipping Tuesday's, Friday's and Sunday's run. This week has been different. Hit 3 on Tuesday, the full 5 on Thursday and planning on 3 or 4 tomorrow after I ride 50 miles. Then hope to get in a 9 miler on Sunday a.m. Swam twice this week for a total of 4300 yds, but have not done any biking. Thinking of buying some lights so I can ride some mornings before work.

Nothing exciting this week (like there ever is), just a typical week. Work, home and some training.

First Pack Ride

Still wondering where you people find the time to post everyday or even every other day or even every third day! Not going to go back through the weeks, don't have time. Let's just say I have been training consistently getting ready to start my 12 week plan starting tomorrow for my "A" race for the year, HOLY Toledo.

Baton Rouge Tri group had a group ride scheduled for today, so Word, Reba and I all rode up together. Got to the starhill fire station in St. Francisville at 7:00 am, and there were about 35-40 bikers, roadies and tri peeps, getting ready to roll. It was supposed to be about a 3-3.5 hour ride. Never having ridden with more than 3 people, I was a bit nervous, but ready to hit it hard. We got ready quickly since everyone was ready to roll.

Started out slow (17-18) for about the first 20 minutes. Then they got down to business. With that many people, there were two "pacelines" and some stragglers moving around. Ended up dropping around 8-10 people after about the first 15 minutes of picking it up (20-22). Reba wasn't feeling the group thing, so Ed hung back with her, while I went ahead with the front group. I hung with them until about the 1 hour point at which time we hit the first big hill of the day. They had been taking it "easy" by staying around 20-24 on the flats, coasting the downhills and only climbing at around 17-18. Well, we got to the first big hill and they decide to hammer it up the sucker at around 19-20. I couldn't hang and dropped off the back. Was feeling kind of lethargic, so I hit a gel. Should have done that earlier. Rode the next 30 minutes by myself.

It was an out and back, so I caught up to the pack at the turnaround. Had a short 5 minute break and it was off again. By this time, I had taken a second gel and was feeling pretty good. The first 5 mile section after the turnaround was pretty much all downhill with some slight rollers thrown in. It was a blast. We stayed in the groove and rode 25-27 through most of that five mile section. Ended up hangign with them for about the next 40 minutes until we got to the Bluffs on Thompson Creek. I was fourth or fifth back in a group of about 15-20 at this point. The three lead guys just take off on this slightly downhill piece of the road. I decide to see if I can hang. We are going about 30-32 on a slight downhill and I hung for about 1.5 minutes. Having basically blown it out, I can't hang on and fall off the back. Two of the tri guys slow down to take a side paved trail off of the road. They talk me into it, actually it was either that or ride alone, and it was awesome. It was this little 5k asphalt paved trail with these huge steep drops. It was about 8-10 feet wide through the woods with these quick little turns and drops. The first mile was climbing and then you got to the fun part. Was only hitting 22-24 on the downhills, but since it was so closed in, it felt like 30.

After that, it was only about 3-4 miles back to the car. Ended up right at 50 miles in 2:30. 20 mph pace is not too shabby in all of those hills for 50 miles. Even though most of it was pack riding, it still felt good. I really enjoyed the pack ride. I have a road bike with aero bars so that is maybe why I felt so comfortable, but I was never worried once the ride started. I also formerly raced motocross, so riding in close proximity to other people isn't that new to me. Matter of fact, it made the ride go by that much faster being so focused on what everyone was doing around you. Definitely going to do it again as soon as I get a chance.

Swimming and weights for tomorrow. Skipping my long run tonight.