New goal to focus on

So here we go. Signed up for my second hundred mile run. Pretty exciting. Very nice to have a goal now to focus my training on. 

Looking at the list if registered racers there are a handful of top ten guys returning for what I would assume is a chance at the win so I think it won't be easy. Either way the main goal as always is to be safe and then finish.

Still quite a long ways off until July 25th (26th?) so no need to get too crazy with the training. Tough not to though! Looking at my training from last year I'm way ahead mileage wise starting out this year. This may seem like a bad thing but considering the accumulation of base miles over the past few years I'm right where I should be. 

Lately with the wife's new job I've been clocking a lot of treadmill miles which hasn't been too bad. Watching movies and also starting to go through Lakeland 100 YouTube videos passes the time rather quickly. Besides, it's been soaking wet outside so when I do get outside to run I've been sticking to the roads. It has been a nice change of scenery.

The few injury issues I'd been complaining about have gone away which is nice. I've been keeping my heart rate low and adjusting my pace as necessary. I'm at the point now that I need to do some speed work to get my cadence and turnover quicker. My heart rate is just too low for my turnover, it needs to be higher. So the heart rate focused training has worked as it should have over the past few months!

Nothing spectacular training wise going on. Trying to stick to 40 mile weeks through January and then I'll assess what's next. I need to begin a long run once a week on the weekend so that will become the first main change. 

Otherwise I need to consider the navigation and self supported aspect of the race. Sure was nice seeing family at pretty much every aid station during Superior! Familiar foods at the aid stations too! This time there are only I believe 5 areas for spectators and no outside support is allowed other than a drop bag around half way. No big deal really just need to plan ahead with the gear. 

Navigation is my main concern as I most likely will not be able to pre run any of the course. Thankfully some guy went through the entire course with a camera and filmed the junctions! Pretty cool of him! Also in talking with a race veteran it isn't too difficult. So I'm not too worried but may try to get my hands on a GPS watch that can upload the route just to be safe.

More on all these aspects I need to consider later on.

Refused.

Looks like Lakeland 100 is the current goal. Yeah. I'm disappointed. If I sign up for next year I get my name in the hat more than once so I guess that's a bonus. So until I mull it over, Lakeland 100, I'm coming to get ya!

Lakeland 100 as a back up?

I've been holding off until tomorrow to post since it's the big day that I find out if I get into UTMB. But, I had to get it out that I acquired a place in the Lakeland 100 in the Lake District here in the UK. I needed a back up big race in case UTMB didn't happen and well this is now it. Some say the premier ultra in the UK. 103 miles, around 20,000 feet of vertical, no outside support, and you need to navigate. I'll get more into the details if needed but until tomorrow at 10am Paris time, fingers are crossed.

Comfortably hitting 40 mile weeks still, piriformis still aches but never causes problems. So, looking good for now. Been pretty tired though. Not too sure if it's the bump in mileage or not but need to keep tabs on it.

2013

Well it's 2014. Pretty cool I guess, not sure why though. Anyway I accomplished my run everyday in December. I was a little worried about Christmas time but I made it happen. I just needed to be flexible in my scheduling. This was most likely the biggest thing I learned. Be flexible. Run when I can, in any weather, and I have no excuses to miss a workout. 

So as mentioned before I was running a minimum of 3 miles or 25 minutes, which for me ends up being 3 miles normally since it's faster than 25 minutes! 

Anyway, here's my Garmin calendar for the month:

Kind of fun to look at it and be all filled in! I thought about continuing on but figured it best to just be able to have the option to relax. The fairly easy running I'd been doing is really easy on the body for the most part but once the mileage increases or the speed the possibility of injury grows and then having a day off or two available can be nice.

For January I'm still keeping the heart rate down for now and shooting for 40 to 50 mile weeks. I may add in some speed work soon though and try out a road half marathon in March. We shall see.

Totals for 2013 were also pretty cool to see. My hand written diary I started on January 17, 2013 has been retired. In it I tracked all my calisthenics and endurance training. I'm not going to add up the calisthenics, which would be fun, just too time consuming. Anyway, below should be the year totals for endurance:

Every black hash is a bike ride or run. Mainly running. Totals on the bottom.

I'm increasing my focus on calisthenics this week too. I'd been keeping it fairly easy and had leveled out in progress so for some exercises I've taken a step back and am focusing on technique on the easier progressions. So the routine includes pull ups, close pull ups, head bridges, push ups, close push ups, hanging bent leg raises, hanging straight leg raises, handstands, hand stand push ups. I've stopped with squats for now and as my racing goals are more defined I'll incorporate them as needed.

So that's about it for now. My ankle achilles issue is gone. I think the running gait change I made (heel strike to midfoot) has been fully adapted to. My piriformis acts up every once in a while. Mostly after I do bridges in the calisthenics, but has yet to slow my training. On we go!