Happy Valentine’s Day!
Getting excited, we’re getting close to Bataan 2011!
Weather has been a real issue for training for a while now. We’ve once again had heavy snow this season here in Eastern PA with the added impact of a couple of ice storms. This has meant that the Perkiomen Trail, our favorite training environment, has been off-limits for about 2 months now. Not good for training. In substitute I’ve been doubling down in the gym, focusing hard on the strength and conditioning based personal training, and the weights. This overall means a slightly moderated expectation of what I’ll do at Bataan this year…I’m pretty certain I won’t be able to run the entire distance, but that’s okay. I originally wasn’t supposed to do that until next year anyway so what I do do will be gravy.
I did end up learning the hard way that a treadmill is not the right place to try to do distance work, especially with the pack. I took last Tuesday off of work, grabbed my stuff and hit High Voltage figuring on a 16 miler and hoping for 18. I figured that the around 65 degree temps in the gym would at least be good for some temperature acclimation. I ended up fizzling at under 12 miles with real pain in the ankles and knees. After a talk with Morgan, it seems that the treadmill is simply too much repetition of the exact same footfalls in the exact same places…plus the treadmill (non-intuitively) replicates pavement especially with the extra 40 lbs. on my back. Out on the trail (and at White Sands), footfalls simply won’t be as repetitive. There’s significant back and forth, moving aside to pass others, moving aside to make room for someone to pass me, things to step around, etc. This engages the secondary muscles much more, spreads the wealth some.
In the next week or so, I will begin requesting donations/sponsorships for The Trappe Fire and Ambulance Company. As I’ve mentioned before I am dedicating my run this year to my local fire department for new and or upgraded gear. Hopefully I’ll be able to make some minor impact there.
I feel good about the conditioning work I’ve done over the past year. I expect to be able to outright run at least 18 miles in heavy division here in 2011, whereas last year when we started with the pack runs I could do no more than three. It has been a significant amount of hard work, and there’s a lot more to come to continue down this road. Barring injury I’m excited about it and determined to see it through for at least another year.
Ultimately I want to place in the top three in my age bracket for heavy division.
My primary goals have progressed quite well. Shoulder, back and leg strength is way up. Secondary and support muscle strength (reserves and anti-injury) is way up. Excess weight is way down. Endurance is better than it ever has been (I couldn’t run 16 miles with forty lbs. on my back in my Marine days). I’ve figured out my body’s cues to needing water and energy over an extended period. I’ve got gear composition down pat, knowing exactly what I need and how to pack it and have really drilled down on exactly what works and what doesn’t (if you’re just coming across the blog now and are interested in the gear angle, go back and check out earlier posts).
Basically, I’m ready to do what it is I’ve set out to do, now it’s a matter of going and doing it.
