Not Too Cool (A Non-Race Report) + Training, March 4 - 10

Not Too Cool Fifty Zero K

Well I was supposed to run the Way Too Cool 50k race on Saturday out in California, but that didn't happen.  I was feeling recovered enough from my effort at the previous week's Napa Valley Marathon, but I came down with a nasty stomach virus the night before the race.  I was fine all the way through a morning run with Chris Vargo (eventual second-place finisher!), a coffee with Rich Hanna and Vargo, and packet pickup mid-afternoon.  But by 5 p.m. I was clutching porcelain and losing all of my calories for the day.  I spent the next 8 hours or so this way, kept trying to get down a little bit of water or electrolytes, but couldn't hold anything.  I nearly passed out a couple times just trying to make it to the bathroom as I was getting super dehydrated and weak.  So I eventually went to the hospital and got 2 liters of fluid via an IV and some meds.

Not a fun way to spend the night, and I was disappointed to miss the fun the next day.  The pace was hot, but from what I hear, since the course change a couple years ago (with no more two-way traffic), the course was faster and due for a record-breaking run in good conditions.  I'm by no means 100%, but it would have been fun to mix it up out there.  I got to run on the trails a bit on Wednesday afternoon and they were gorgeous.  I had a blast pushing the pace a bit on the descents and just running some rolling single-track.  I also got to take out my new Suunto Ambit for its first proper trail run (if you can call 7 miles proper).  

I'm finally feeling close to normal today (Monday, 3/11), hoping to get back to running tomorrow.  I've got another 50k coming up this weekend—the Paleozoic 50k in the Palos-area forest preserves.  I'm going to take it pretty easy until then, and 50k might be a bit of a stretch, but I really need the training stimulus with the American River 50 mile less than four weeks away.  If I feel too beat, I'll just drop out.

Training, March 4 - 10

Monday: 2 PM - 8 miles easy/moderate.

Found a great little state forest called Las Posadas at the head of the Napa Valley, which had some beautiful forested trails.  Got a little lost and ran a few miles farther than intended, but it was good to flush the legs out from yesterday's race.  

Tuesday: Off - Not really planned, but I was traveling up the coast with my dad, the weather got crappy, and I didn't get it in while we were sightseeing.  

Wednesday: 8 AM - 8 miles moderate.

Ran in Santa Rosa from the hotel where I was staying.  Got a fair bit of elevation and also got stuck in a little morning hail storm.

3 PM - 7 miles moderate (trails).

Ran on the trails just north of the Way Too Cool course, north of the river, off of Foresthill Road.  Great being out on trails, which I just so rarely get to run.  I posted a few pics from that run below (I was running with my Salomon S-LAB 5 hydration pack, so I had my phone on me).  Couldn't resist opening up a bit on the trails.

Thursday: 4 PM - 6 miles easy w/ a few strides.

Ran the bike path in Roseville where I was staying for the Way Too Cool race.

Friday: 8 AM - 4 miles easy.

Ran with Vargo and some of his former coworkers from Fleet Feet Sacramento.  Tagged along with Vargo for coffee with Rich Hanna afterward.  Very nice guy, and a heck of a runner.

Saturday: Off - sick.

Sunday: Off - sick.

Summary: 33 miles

Week was thrown off a bit when I got sick, but not a big deal in the end; it was a recovery week anyway.  Just frustrating (a) to miss the race, and (b) to have yet another setback.  It seems like I just can't get things rolling on all cylinders here.  But nothing much to do but keep plugging away.