Monday, November 27, 2006

 

179 Days

That's right, in 179 days it's time to tackle the 100km of the Blackfoot ultra marathon again. I've started training a bit earlier this year for two reasons. One, because I need the focus right now, and two, because I have a better idea of what I'm getting into, and want to be more prepared and fitter than I was last time.

"Training for an ultra is like training to be hit by a truck" - can't recall the source, but that's how it feels some days. Since moving into a high-rise building this summer I've always meant to do some stair running as part of my training. Well, last night I did it for the first time. Starting at the 23rd floor (the top where we live) I ran a 2 down, 1 up pattern to the ground floor. Then I turned around and attempted to sprint to the top. At about the 15th floor, that's when the above mentioned truck hit me. Ouch. At that point my legs felt like small fires were burning throughout, not to mention my lungs and heart pounding. I slowed a bit and kept going; the dizziness of going around and around was a bit much. Getting to the top was a small victory. I decided at that point to take the elevator down, then run back up, this time going up 2 flights, down one - partly to hold off the dizziness, partly to make the agony last. It was a tough workout, possibly due in part to the heavy dinner I had only a few hours prior.

It was a good training weekend, a decent fast finish long run on Saturday on the first really cold day of the year combined with this stair climb. Surprisingly I was able to do some decent leg work at the gym this morning after the stair thrashing.

179 days seems so far away, but yet so close.

D.

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