A2A—49-mile race 2021/10/24

_goal

As of August 2021: 

(A) Skate 37 miles with Jessica.  Try to be the first of the pack to reach Dacula.

(B) Start with 49-mile racers.  

(C) Skate final miles with Luke and Nicolas.

The 38-mile race was canceled; Athens city disallowed the race.  The big dogs wouldn’t show  due to pandemic.  I was unlikely to keep up with Sonic and Kent, I aimed to skate with Jessica through Check Point 5.  I reduced training accordingly.  I needed to stay within the boundaries for Houston Marathon training. 

Race director Anna Zuver was 5 when I skated my first A2A in 1999.

_main event

The skate was great.  Weather was nice.  Pavement improved.  Minimal Wind.  

I achieved my goal of skating w/ Jessica Wright before the course turns relatively flat.

No racers from Thailand, South America, and Canada.  No Francisco.  Kent and Sonic tied for 2nd place.

Nicolas achieved his time goal.  He made a wrong turn and complained Silver Hill to be insufficiently scary.

_#

GPS: 48.7 mi@15.7 mph

2694 ft ascent

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/7709998544

_after

Bantam Pub had the comically clueless waiter on his 2nd day.  I had the slowest restaurant service in memory.  Oswald’s can of cider took only an hour.

Air traveling was unpleasant, but all worked out in the end.

It was nice to see old friends.  

Hotter n Hell 50-mile skate 2021/8/28

50-mile skate was easier than expected: much of the chip n seal surface was improved.

People seemed even more encouraging this year.

Good visit w/ Ann and Wesley.

first 13 and last 16 miles had decent surface. 

The middle 20 miles were half skateable.

The dreaded 5 miles of Hwy 44 is mostly repaved with smooth stuff.  Headwind was brutal, but it felt good exceeding the expectations of cyclists who were unqualified to judge my performance.  I was vain.

A steady cyclist picked me up with 8 miles to go.  We were the fastest thing in sight against south wind to finish--it was glorious.

I skipped first and last of the 5 water stations.  20-oz bike bottle was enough for me. 

It was a great weekend in Wichita Falls. 

_GPS data

Distance: 48.93 mi

Time: 3:12:40

Avg Speed: 15.2 mph

Elev Gain: 768 ft

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/7385386569

Hachie 50k 2021/05/01; Waxahachie, Texas—Pandemic Fitness

_goal

9:00/mile pace for 50k.  Similar to my PR set at 2017 Hachie 50 when I traded my run fitness for a different lifestyle.

_COVID-19

I struggled when the US shut down.  Mentally too weak to bike solo at needed intensity, weekly skate and daily run saved my fitness and sanity.  

Working from home gave me extra 5 hours a week + schedule flexibility.  I discovered morning runs helped w/ dinner and sleep.  

_preparation

I prepared for the 50k using Stryd’s 18-week marathon training program, which estimated 8:00 pace for 42k.  

I sought advice from Logan Sherman, who won 2015 Dallas Marathon.  

10 weeks into the 18-week training, I ran 55 miles/week.  Body protested as I replaced an easy 70-minute run by the Plano Pacer 15k race.  Next day, my fatigued ankle failed to clear a curb and crashed.  I started skipped/shortening sessions.  Knee pain started.  I integrated massage into routine.

Week 13.  My weekly volume was reduced to 49 miles.  Knee was less of a concern.

Week 16.  45 miles.  Long run at 2-hour.  Body back to equilibrium.  Felt the load was low but still hopeful for 9:00 pace goal, which would be enough to win the undercard race in the past but not this year.  Each distance was sold out.

I acquired Fenix 5 Plus to replace the FR 635 that always lost satellite signals during lap 3 at Hachie.

_feel-old trip

At check-in, multiple volunteers commented on how good I looked for my age.  (~ you're tall for a midget)

I barely trained for the race in 2017.  4 years later, I worked my butt off, and ended up marginally faster.

_pre race

I missed the highway exit driving to pick up bib as I talked to Voon about lymphoma.  Casey had big plans for long races just a month ago.  Now pumping poison into body was the priority.

I was the only one wearing a mask at packet pick up.  

Start time confusion in 2018 was a unique memory as I faced a small apology queue.  2021 I watched Director Paul Box going through a micro-panic over another time change due to weather. 

Marriott did not have their shit together.  I followed the emailed info to use the phone app.  The physical hotel staff did not follow the chain’s protocols.  I went with it, very glad being fully vaccinated.  

_start

I asked the intimidating guy at the very front: 

“how fast are u going?”

“6:30 pace.”

I ran with an overweight guy planning on 8:30 pace.  

By mile 3 there were 9 racers in front.  Half of them seemed incapable of holding their pace.

IRC Meghan wasn’t there due to sciatica.

[slippery road (photo off FB)]

Stretches of mud sections were fun: I raise the cadence and tiptoed through them, leaving my pack behind.  Relatively low crash risk as long as no one was immediately in front.

_20k

Calves lost their bounce as expected.  Something didn’t change.  Mud felt slicker at normal cadence.  I was mostly alone by this time.  I ignored pace, focusing on holding 190~200 watts.

_mile 20

Weakening started but not intensely.  I reduced wattage by 5, fearing bonk.  Quads felt stiff but were cranking out reasonable pace. 

The 6:30 guy no longer ran like a god for his final lap; his limping was still faster than my marathon pace.  I laughed.  I felt blessed for the event to utilize my modest talent.  Everyone was positive.

Alex’s legs also lost their bounce but was holding steady for his 50-miler.

[couldn't believe Alex chose Alphaflies (photo off FB)]

[another dude ran 50 miles without carbon inserts (photo off FB)]

_mile 25

I was stoked to feel equally weak as mile 20.  I experiment w/ little surges, no disaster.  I pushed above 200w.  Electronics working.  Legs held.  Relieved.  Happy.  

[sprint finish]

_result confusion

The timer told me I got second.  That couldn’t be right.  James joined the argument; he also disagreed 2 of us got the top 2 prizes.  

[settled for 3rd and 4th (photo off FB)]

[few days later, this came in the mail]

I hung out with friends from WRCC and IRC afterward.  Pizza, beer, mud, sweat, sunshine.  Life was good.

_#

Garmin Fenix 5+
Distance: 30.72 mi
Time: 4:34:40
Pace: 8:56 min/mile
HR: 157/177 bpm (unreliable optical sensor)
Cadence: 181/232 avg/max spm
Stride length: 1.00 m
Power: 199w (Stryd)
Ground contact time: 252 ms

Official
Distance: 50k; 31.07 mi
Time: 4:34:40.22
Pace:  8:50 min/mile
Place: 7th overall.  6th male.