Training Overview #12 – Week of Aug 26 thru Sept 1, 2019 – Sore Foot but Longest Ride Ever at 150 Miles

Overview:

150 Miler Route - Did repeat the last part of the course

Well this was a week that went as planned in some ways and not in others.  With regards to how it went as planned I had looked to run around 30+ miles and while I did not reach that goal I was close.  I had also planned to ride 150 this past Saturday and I was able to do that along with one other ride of 30 miles.

As far as how it did not go as planned well my right foot and in specific the area of my Accessory Navicular bone has been sore since the two trail races on the previous Saturday.  I think part of the issue is the nature of the Pulaski County Park trails is that  there are lots undulations where my footing was such that I think I  had some hyper-dorsiflexion on my right foot.  The dorsiflexion made the front of my ankle sore and also where the posterior tibial tendon cross/attaches to the navicular bone is quite irritated.  I did find that through the week I was able to get in 3 longish runs as the ankle area felt better as it loosened up.  Just have to keep working at stretching and gaining mobility in this area and work to get it better for October and the R2R2R.

As far as running I ran just under 30 miles in 3 runs with the run on Friday feeling fairly easy but being at a good tempo pace.  Mostly my runs have been based on “Perceived Effort” (PE) so not sure on heart Rate but pretty sure it is not too high.  Even the more tempo based run Friday felt relaxed and at a talking pace..  Since right now speed is not needed for October my goal in running is to get my foot more used to the pounding it will see at the Grand Canyon.

(Photo by Eddie Bruner)

As far as riding, while I realize the Dirty Kanza 200 is not for quite some time I still want to get in some extended rides just to ready my body for being on the bike for an extended period of time.  Also, since I am not sure I want to risk extended runs for now being on the bike for a long period will at the least work on the aerobic side of extended exertion.  Thus the reason for this weeks 150 mile ride.  There is also the mental side of riding, or for that matter doing anything, for extended times and this was also accomplished this past Saturday.  I rode the first 100 of the ride on the Green River Century course and since I was not stopping at the first aid station I rode from about mile 26 to 150 on my own.  While I would have much more liked to ride with others this solo ride was probably much more like what I will see in Kansas.  After finishing the 100 I went back out to ride the last 25 miles, the hilliest section, again.  Due to some water issues I rode out about 20 miles then came back towards the start so I could get some water then went back out for another 10 miles before finishing with 150 miles which is the longest distance I have ever ridden.  Add to this over 9000FT of climbing it all made for a good effort.

All in all I was really happy with the 150 miles as while tired I did feel pretty good throughout and when done.  My heart rate averaged 126 with a high of 150 on an early hill but when looking at the 5 mile lap splits was in the 126 - 133 range mostly.  On a hot day with as much climbing as there was it was nice to see the heart rate that low and still keeping a fair pace.   As usual the early parts of the ride, knowing how far still to go, played on my mind - an issue I have even running ultras.  Getting to 50 miles of the Century and then still thinking to myself "Oh I have a Century to go" was strange.  But, hey, at Dirty Kanza I will get to a Century and still have another Century left to do.  For long events, running or riding, so much of it is a mind game and these long training rides help to mitigate the issues.  It does not get rid of them but helps me to work through them.  Also, as I felt tired but good after this ride so physically and mentally I think another 50 would have been a chore but totally doable - so this may have been one the best part of the ride.  Well other than getting done and having some friends offer pizza and beer.  OK I know I am LCHF but after a ride like today I could set that aside and it sure tased good - thanks Belle, Sherri and Chance.

Relive 'Green River Century + Extra 50 Miles'

While riding in general does not aggravate my right  foot this ride did aggravate it some just due to the effort and also I think my bike shoes did not help as they are being retired but I did not want to ride with new shoes on such a long ride.  Not sure when I will ride this long again due to work schedule and fall and winter approaching but will get in another one or two of them when I can.  I also want to work on some extended gravel rides.

Diet Notes:
See below for the ride nutrition on Saturday and my night before meal.  I would add that I ate later than normal on Friday, around 7PM, as I usually eat earlier, around 4PM, to allow for more digestion.  I also took in a few extra carbs on Friday lunch just to make sure I had my carbs topped off since I ran a good paced 10 miler Friday.  See below  for more on fueling for the ride

Night before ride meal:

• 12oz Ribeye, Backed potato (w/Butter) and asparagus

Pre-Ride - Morning of Ride:

• Modified Bullet  Proof Coffee  (MBPC) – Coffee, Butter, Coconut Oil, Collagen, Raw Egg, Heavy Cream and Chocolate Primal Fuel
• 1 Small cup of Oatmeal with butter, heavy cream and blueberries
• One 20oz bottle of water with 3 Scoops UCAN and 2 scoops SFuels Training Formula (1 Hour before ride)

Ride Fueling:

• 5 – 24oz Bottles of water with package of SFuels Race formula
• 3 – 24oz Bottles  of just water
• 2 – Mauten Gel 100’s – 1 at 75 miles before long climb and one at125 miles
• 1 – GU Roctane Gel at 90 miles
• 1 – UCAN Coffee bar that I nibbled on for entire 150 miles
• ½ - 20oz Bottle of 2 scoops of UCAN and 2 Scoops of SFuels Train formula – took after finishing 100 miles before going out for last 50 miles

Overview of Weeks Runs and Rides:

• Monday: Run –  10.25 miles 
• Tuesday: Run –  8.26 Miles 
• Wednesday: –  Rest
• Thursday: Ride – 30.6 Miles
• Friday: Run –  10.25 Miles 
• Saturday: Ride –  150.22 Miles 
• Sunday: Run –  Rest 

Weekly Totals:

• Running Miles –  28..76 Miles
• Riding Miles – 180.7 Miles
• Total Time – 14:27 Hours

Month End Totals

• Running Miles –  93.7 Miles
• Riding Miles – 488.2 Miles
• Total Time – 41:57 Hours

Conclusions and the Week Ahead:
If not for a sore foot this week would have been just as planned.  But being able to get in three good runs as well as a couple rides including one quote long one made for a better than average week.

Lessons learned from the ride.  Reapply chamois cream at least after 100 miles – had planned to on this ride as came back to the car after 100 and before going back out but then forgot and paid the price – an uncomfortable price.  If it is hot I may even change my shorts for Dirty Kanza.  I also need to figure out/refine hydration as felt thirsty but was also feeling  a little bloated and with my pee a little on the brighter yellow side maybe I was not absorbing all the water as I would like.  The nutrition for the ride seemed to work but may want something else other than, or along with, UCAN bar as they taste OK but not really fulfilling eating wise.  I will also make sure to have a UCAN/SFuels bottle on had for Dirty Kanza. To take at somewhere near half way.

Another observation is that when I compared this month to last I found that I ran and rode the same amount of time.  But in this same time I ran about 4.5 miles further but even more noticeable was that I rode about 30 miles farther.  So I went farther in the same time and thus ran and rode faster with what felt like the same effort to me.

As I head back out to CA this coming week may not ride as much with things to get done before leaving but that will be OK.  If my foot is feeling up to it I want to get in around 35-40 miles running and maybe 40 miles riding.  Once in CA I will have to set out a plan to get ready for the R2R2R which is only 45 day away as while wanting to be in the best shape I can be in I also want to make sure my foot is as healed as it can be.

As always if you have questions let me know in the comments below.


Last Week's Overview #11