Crunch Time Training

   Well I just wanted to give a little update on the training and general mindset. Originally I was signed up to run the Indiana Trail 50 mile but I found out recently that is the same weekend as Tarryn's graduation walk at school. So, instead I'm signed up for Mad City 100k which is also the USATF 100k road national championship. I'm pretty excited to get in a road ultra and see what I can do on fast terrain. Given that my last two races were winter races I'm not sure of my overall speed. I won both races and felt good during both races. Overall I feel my fitness level is decent considering the relatively low mileage that I've been able to put in so far this winter. Mad City is on April 12th,  enough time to get some quality but I'd be happier if I had another month to train.
   I've been working 50 hour weeks, which happens to be a manual labor factory job. I do believe that being on my feet 12 hours a day and getting in "strength training" while doing so is benefiting me. I've ran my best races on lower, high intensity mileage, while working manual labor jobs. The plan is to get in marathon specific speed work during the week and solid long runs on the weekends. I'll use the next two weeks for an example, the key workouts:
-Tue(yesterday) 8 miles 3mi warm up 5 mile progression run starting with 6:10 down to 5:38
-Thur 10 miles 3mi warm up 1/2mi at 5:30 pace, 1/2mi at 6:40 pace x 6, cool down
-Sun 20 miles at 6:20 pace, apx. 12mi at 6:30 pace, 8 miles around 6:10-15 pace
Next week
-Tue 9 miles 3 miles at 5:50 pace, 1mi easy, 3 miles 5:50 pace
-Thur 8 miles 3 x 1mi at 5:30 pace
-Sat 14 miles easy
-Sun 31 miles (I turn 31 on the 26th so its a good B-Day run)
I believe that these are the best style of workouts I can get in with my work and family obligations. I have about two months (so not setting a time goal yet) and a taper so I need to make the most of it. I feel strong and confident about my training and running in general at the moment. I'm grateful for my sponsors UltrAspire and Wolfhound Racing, check them out on Facebook! They have both been very supportive and great people to be involved with. I'm also very grateful for Tarryn and Dylan(mostly Tarryn) for putting up with my 4:30am-3pm work days and strange passion for running that I have :) Thanks for reading, and hit me up on Facebook, I'll chat about anything running related!

A New Year

Well…hello again. Its been quite awhile since I've posted any type of blog so time for a little catch up. First a little review of 2013. In '13 I had big plans of really breaking into the Ultra world and seeing what I could really do. For the first half of the year I had the freedom to put in any kind of mileage that I wanted which turned out to be a curse. I did find out that I can handle 100+ mile weeks but I don't perform very well with them. I found it just leaves me feeling run down even on race day. I did have some real strong racing in '13 and it was when my mileage was lower and the race distance was no longer than 50k. Another thing that changed halfway through the year was starting a new job. It is a very labor intensive job and I work 4:30am-3pm most weeks. On top of that I gained sole custody of my son along with being a loving Fiancé my "free time" has changed a bit. Looking back at my training for the last couple of years I've noticed the higher intensity training regardless of overall mileage does well for me. I decided at the end of '13 that I would focus this year on being in the best marathon/50k shape I could possible be in for road and trail with a few key 50 milers in the mix. I started the year with Yankee Springs Winter Challenge 50k on Jan 4th. I really wanted to go after the course record this year but mother nature had other plans with a thick blanket of snow on the course, oh yeah Michigan in January. I won by 28 minutes and felt good the whole race. Next on the schedule is the Groundhog Marathon in Grand Rapids Feb. 2nd, tomorrow. Once again we are supposed to have snow dumped on us so "time" will not be a goal of mine just out there to finish as high as a can. I may run the Kal-Haven 50k+ on April 5th as a last long training effort for my goal race this spring, Indiana Trail 50 mile April 26th. I really want to go for the win and beat my PR of 6:24 for 50 miles. The rest of the year will include a lot of half marathon to 50k races leading up to the USATF 50 mile road championship on Oct. 26th. I am fortunate to have this passion and a little success with it. I am very proud and excited to say that I have two sponsors for 2014. I am once again part of the UltrAspire Elite Immortal program. I do believe that they make the best hydration equipment on the market and they are a great bunch of people. I also am happy to be a part of the Wolfhound Racing Team. They offer many great products for runners, cyclist, and crossfit folks. I have links for both of my sponsors on my blog, check them out. Looking forward to a stellar 2014, hope to see you out there running!