Table of Marathons

11 MCM (not for time) 11 Wineglass (950/1442)
10 MCM (not for time) 09 MCM (348/1076)
09 Washington's Birthday Marathon (22/44) 08 MC Historic Half (51/210)
07 Frederick Marathon (32/60) 06 MCM (394/1076)
05 MCM (547/1047)

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Relentless Forward Progress

Every two to three weeks we cut back our weekly miles to let our minds and bodies recuperate from pushing up the total weekly distance. This week, we're trying something different: a hike to test the limits of the time we can spend on our feet. I have been reading some articles and books on ultra running, the practice of racing distances greater a marathon. A key to achieving this is simply increasing time on your feet. Our goal is to be able to  hike and run in our trail running shoes for eight hours comfortably.

I have not moved on from my marathon ambitions. I see the hiking and ultra running as a complement to the marathon. The marathon still about covering 26.2 in as little time as possible. Ultra running is about being in scenic places relating with one's surrounds through the act of physical exertion.

Today is our first effort. We will cover four hours of hilly terrain as a test of the state of our ability to go longer. Its chilly and the wind chills are already in the low 30's. We'll pack snacks and go off to practice some relentless forward progress.

We came back with several lessons learned from the experience. I list them below.

1. You can cover technical terrain much more quickly in hiking boots. This was particularly true at Pig's Run, a steep, rocky, descent from the ridge line to the Patuxent River. The act of coming down the side of the hill while the trail surface was composed of uneven, occasionally loose, rocks was truly ankle-defying. The solidity of the in-sole, coupled with ankle support, would make the experience much easier. That said, see lesson 2.

2. We experienced noticeable DOMS in the next 2-4 days after the hike. Denise felt it mostly in her ankles and upper feet. I was sore from the knees down. The immediate conclusion to be drawn here would seem to be that we should have worn hiking boots. However, the DOMS is an indication of unused muscles being pushed beyond their current state of fitness. When the hiker is a runner looking to cross train and address weaknesses, the DOMS is the advantageous response to training. In our case, the aggressive hike we made in trail shoes stressed various supportive muscles in Denise's feet, both our shin muscles, also known as the tibialis anterior, and also hit my calves quite effectively.These increases in strength should translate into lower risk of injury, greater running efficiency, possibly even greater speed.

3. about stream crossings.... if it looks too far to jump from one slippery rock to the next, it probably is.  "Just keep moving" doesn't always work and sometimes you will land sideways in the water on a big rock with wet feet/clothes and a huge, deep bruise to contend with for the next miles....

4. Trekking poles are a good idea. The would probably help avoid stream tumbles and make negotiating really rough trails safer, particularly descents.

5. Then there's the no-brainer: dry shoes and socks. Changing wet socks for dry ones can be a blister-saver while running. While I seem to be able to run in wet socks, for some, this leads to certain blistering. It goes almost without saying, cotton is the enemy here. Wool and technical fabrics are mandatory for anything that gets wet or sweaty while running. A change into dry socks and shoes can feel wonderful after a long slog on muddy trails.

6. That SLR around your neck will start to be very heavy after hours of hiking. Plan a safe place where it can be hung or stowed, but can be accessed when that photo op suddenly crops up.