23 weeks to go

Week 23 begins today. I ran very little last week but am trying to regain my motivation. A couple night runs and a run commute to work, as seen in the following photos. My back is mildly sore but I can run. I'm hesitant to do my calisthenics though. 

Today I hit the Wyre Forest with the Chariot. It was sunny out and refreshing to get away. The little guy woke at 440am today and was up late last night, I'm assuming his final two molars are pushing through. He slept easily and well in the buggy. I did  7 all out 1 minute hill repeats pushing him which were difficult. Then continued on easy for a nice 10 miler. 

This time of the year is hard for me. Social media shows people absolutely stoked for winter. Ski areas begin to open, smiles abound. The backcountry folks poke about looking for fresh turns without a rocky bottom exploring new terrain and old favorites. The excitement and anticipation is infectious but I die a quick death here. I haven't felt the stoke for a long time. 

The holiday season is always fun with my family, yet again though I'll miss out. New exciting foods to try, fun conversation, silly gifts. I guess it's my job to instill those qualities with my kids' Christmas but it's tough on your own. All I can hope for is a swift winter, spring ushering itself in, pushing the dark clouds away. This is the time running is most important, clearing my mind of the filth that creeps in.

On we go. The sleep specialist comes Wednesday to discuss the little guy's early waking pattern. Hopefully we can get done answers.

I believe Saturday is the Western States 100 lottery. It's broadcast live. If I remember I'll post a link. Oh, and the Strava widget on the side of my blog hasn't been updating because I'm too lazy to "unlock" the runs for public viewing! Maybe once I get some more positivity going I'll get after that! 

After my motivational boost of "24 weeks until TP100" I was psyched to start a focused training plan. Tuesday would've been day 1 however I woke with a muscle spasm in my lower back which forced a day off. Today is Wednesday and it has yet to subside. In other positive running news the little guy still refuses to shift his sleep pattern. No matter what he gets up between 5 and 6 am, usually closer to 5. Honestly waking early doesn't bother me, but what does is he wakes angry, and in turn wakes the entire house! So everyone is grumpy all the time here due to lack of sleep. Me due to lack of running!

Perpetual November has begun. It's gray and raining, temperatures between 40 and 50. This will last until spring. What a miserable place to live. 

Fingers crossed my back gets better today so maybe I can get away from everyone tonight. 

On a positive note in the morning when the little guy fries his brain on his iPad watching cartoons I've been not only doing calisthenics and JKD but I've begun meditating again. It's been a fun challenge focusing with background distractions while meditating. I used to meditate daily for ten minutes, in silence, before I went running early in the morning. I definitely feel it helps in everything, even such a short span. Lately I'll get 10-20 minutes in which is great but I'm trying not to brood over the numbers, I'll be happy with what I get. This is the same with running, I can race on the minimums, would prefer more, but need to focus on taking what I get! 

WS100 odds

Hmmm, well 2.5% is better than nothing! Besides, I mentioned I'd almost rather NOT be chosen yet but I need to start the process of adding tickets since I qualify! 

Today marks 24 weeks until the Thames Path 100. Time to consider training. 

I'm slowly accepting the fact that high miles isn't necessary now. I get hung up on the numbers which isn't a worry. As mentioned, work on my weaknesses now, strength later. Speed work, hills, fartlek, intervals. This is going to be my focus. 

Right now I'm focusing on Thames Path 100, flat. If I get in to Western States I'll shift my plans and training accordingly. Elevation, heat, 17,000 vert of climbing, and I think 20,000 of descending. Minor research, the altitude won't be a concern. The big thing is the descending. But, for now I'm not worrying about it. Thames Path is the current goal. 

Hmmmmm

I think my tired-anger is subsiding. I'm thinking more positive now. Time is on my side. Thames Path 100 is the end of April. WS100 is mid June if I get in. I have time. 

Maybe it's time for me to focus on raising my VO2 max, focusing on speed work with less emphasis on long distances now. Harder work but significantly less time is needed. I can run long. It's a strength. I haven't been fast for a while, a weakness.

 I'll ponder trying to get faster now, increase my high gears. Then apply that to longer distances in a month or two when hopefully I have more time available. Researching training methods this is an effective strategy. Train weaknesses now, strengths later. 

Have to be able to adapt. Life's crazy. And I won't stop. 

Well last week went to shit. I didn't get out last night. Went to bed at 7:50pm. Awakened today at 6am, well actually 5am, but up at 6 with the little guy. I disappointingly look at a 26 mile week last week. This week will possibly be the same. I had some solid consistency, now it's started to go up and down. I may run on nights I have JKD. I don't like to but I don't care anymore. The wife will not like it but too bad. This is the time I have and I'll use it as long as the sleep factor doesn't knock me down. 

Sleep deprivation training begins.

Diglis Bridge at night, Worcester

Well the little guy keeps getting up between 5am and 6am with no nap. Still struggling with the night running. Knocked out 13 miles the other night, it wasn't fun but I managed to get some good photos. Couldn't run at work Saturday as it was only myself and my boss. I did sneak in a total of 4 miles commuting to and from my car though!

building reflected on the canal, Kidderminster

It's Sunday and I'm at about 27 miles for the week. I want 40. I'm exhausted as we were out late last night for a guy's birthday. Of course the little dude was up at 6am. I did sneak in an OK hour long nap which helped but I'm on the coffee at 3pm with hopes of 13 miles tonight. 

Canal tunnel and lock under road, Kidderminster

If I can get out after the kids go to sleep, about 7-730pm, I can be in bed by 930pm and hopefully get 8 hours of sleep tonight. This next week will be a push too. Jeet Kune Do two nights and the wife is gone overnight one other so options are slim. I am able to get out after JKD but prefer not to. Work on Saturday I should be able to get four miles commuting and then 5-7 on my lunch break. Once again I can motivate to get the miles but the lack of sleep eventually crushes me. Here we go! 

Holy shit I hate running at night. Last time I was banished to the night run I could at least squeeze out a few buggy runs. Now with that opportunity gone I'm stuck at night. I hit up 10 rainy miserable miles last night but today I'm exhausted and just going to go to bed at 8pm probably. The little guy slept until 7am today but is falling asleep on the couch before his usual 7pm bedtime. He probably still needs that nap during day. 

I think this week of miles is screwed. I'm going to try not to get disappointed as it's probably not a big deal but I want consistency! I haven't had a consistent running season since I ran Superior 100. I've just been racing on bare bones training. Whatever 100 I do in 2017 I'd like to do well.

I don't think it helps I've had some shit ass virus since September 26 either! Fingers crossed I get one shit week of nights then the little guy gets consistent sleeping in until 7am! 

WS100, we're in the hat!

Buggy runnin' terrain

I did it. Last night. I put my name in the hat for the 2017 Western States 100 ultra marathon. The race is on June 24, 2017 and starts in Squaw Valley, California at 5am, finishing at the high school track in Auburn. Squaw is just up the road from Tahoe City where I used to live on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe. The race I believe is the longest running and most competitive ultra in the world. It began as a horse race, but when a competitor's horse went lame he decided to finish anyway running it;  a new running race was born. I've wanted to do this race since I was in high school, well before these races became popular.

WS100 lottery confirmation

I believe it's something like 3.7% chance of being chosen but I've got to start somewhere if I want to do it. If you aren't chosen each consecutive year you enter you have n^2 entries in the hat to improve your chances. "n" being the addition of how many entries you've previously attempted. The lottery is held December 3, 2016 at Auburn High School and is broadcast live.

Honestly I'm hoping I don't get chosen as I'd prefer my wife and kids to be there. Currently it's just too expensive and my son too little to justify bringing them. Also, my daughter would need to be taken out of school.  I'd be really disappointed not having my daughter there, but, there are some equivelant European races, Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc or Tor des Geants in particular, that carry the same emotional importance. Besides, I'd guess my family would attempt to attend WS100 if I got in which is equally important as my daughter. 

Until I find out about WS100 the Thames Path 100, which is the end of April, is my big goal. It's here in England and follows the Thames Path/ River from London to Oxford. It's also a WS100 qualifier.

Wyre Forest 

The running and training is going well but changes are happening and I need to adapt. The little guy normally naps in the Chariot as I run with him. I've been getting excellent miles and not sacrificing sleep pushing him on the Wyre Forest. The wife and I have become tired of him getting up at 5am every day and waking his sister. I could care less about waking early, his sister needs the sleep though. Anyway, as of this past weekend we've axed the little guy's nap trying to get him to sleep in. So, far he's waking around 6am. A minor improvement but these changes take time. The only positive for running is the hope of me running in the morning again. This hasn't happened for two years and I'm not holding my breath. I won't go unless he's consistently waking after 630am. So, I'm relegated to night running again which I absolutely hate. Time to make friends with it again I guess, it does have its positives, and I'll take what I can get!

runcommute into work in Worcester

This past weekend I had my Phase 8 Jeet Kune Do grading (out of 10 phases). It went fantastically well. This was one of the first of these I felt really good about. My training partner and I were stoked. Both of us agree it's all starting to actually make sense. Things are flowing together. Openings for strikes are more obvious. It's becoming natural and it's a really really cool feeling. We both felt like we could drop all our other hobbies and just focus on JKD!

*a side note, I've updated the captions on my most recent photo post

Russ presenting me with my Phase 8 grey shirt