Monday, August 16, 2010

Monday Leadville race plan.

  I woke up to 40 degree temps outside and it was just cold enough to make me want Summer to be over. I'm kind of tired of ten minute sunscreen sessions every day with two kids and myself. Luckily though I haven't had to gut out hot temps a single day, only the days I want to. My legs feel awesome but I am on an 'every other day' run schedule, so no run.
 Today is the first day I am really looking at logistics for Leadville. I won't have a crew for much of the first half which makes it more simple. With an expected 700+ starters I expect 3-4 hundred cars trying to get to the first few aid stations very quickly regardless of where their runner is (and I am sure there will be a couple hundred crews wasting space in the first few aid stations for runners who will not even make it to Winfield). The roads aren't designed for this many cars so I would expect MANY crews to never even see their runner. I haven't read too many positive opinions on the race organization so this makes it even more expected that they will not be able to handle this many runners. I over thought Jemez and the drop bags and it got me no where, so this time I'm going to be a little more laid back. My official plan is to come through Winfield in 10th-15th position and holding back as much as I can. After Winfield I hope to catch a few guys who are more exploded than me. Sort of a much weaker and slower Geoff Roes strategy. I am thinking 9 hours for the first half will bring me through in ~10th or so...  and then 10:20-11:00 home. A 1:20-2:00 positive split is pretty much the average. 19:20-19:59 which on an average year will put me top ten.
Nutrition: Take in as much as my stomach can handle.
Hydration: Same.  
HR: Capped at 135 for the first 20 miles, then 145 for the next 20 miles. Then I'll take it off. This should force me to walk most of the big climbs in the first half.
Gear: Ultimate Direction waist pack with a horizontal bottle holder. Plus one hand-held. Nike Lunar Trainers (1st generation). I have several brand new pairs still in the box but I will opt for a very broken down in pair for the first 60, then a new pair with ~100 miles on them for the last.
 The over-all strategy though will be to move my left foot forward and then my right foot. Then repeat this sequence until I'm done.
 That's it. The master plan of a complete novice.

15 comments:

Brad Poppele said...

Tim Good Luck this weekend! I'll be running up and down a mountain known as Pikes Peak. Can't wait to hear how your race went should be interesting for sure.

Lucho said...

Thanks. My first 100 should be interesting (for me) for sure. I just want to have fun.
Have a great race at Pikes!

trudginalong said...

Mostly a lurker here, go get those dead men walking on the way home...

J.P. Patrick said...

I like that this blog entry is the "Monday Leadville Plan." I can't wait to read the Tuesday Plan. By Saturday... "I'm gonna run how I feel. It's on!"

Claus Bech said...

Nice plan and a good idea to deliberately walk whenever it's possible - not only to save energy, but to reset the muscles, but it's probably a lot easier to have it as a strategy, than actually execute when it seems everyone else is still running. Energy conservation and preventing/slowing down structural breakdown is probably the key. Paaatience... Gotta admit that it's pretty exciting to follow Your race, I hope You'll keep a relaxed attitude and have a great race. Will Your family be there to watch You?
Have fun!!!

skatona said...

I think there's quite a few people very anxious to see how you do, myself included. I don't think you *can't* have fun running up there, barring a Yeti attack which might still be entertaining.

Enjoy it & best of luck!

Lucho said...

JP- That is one of the more honest assessments of how I am. Well done. My wife has a saying about my moods and plans similar to the Colorado saying about the weather... if you don't like it, wait 5 minutes and it will change. But seriously, I am coming in to this 100% humble. All of my 'fast' workouts and all of my PR's on the road don't mean shit. I will be psyched if I can get top 10! And my strategy for that is not to run on the front but to be patient and EAT EAT EAT. I think nutrition is an ace up my sleeve. Both in knowledge, execution, and the fact that I can eat elk shit and dirt and my stomach is solid.

Patrick- Next time you run White Ranch let me know! Maybe we'll meet at Leadville.

Claus- My wife and sister are my crew. It should be fun! Thanks man!

Shaun- I don't know... I would have to disagree. I think my biggest challenge will be mental. Things could go downhill quickly for me. This is all a love/hate thing for me.

Ironboom said...

Best of luck Lucho. I'm excited for you. Kick some ass!

Lucho said...

Thanks Ironboom! Haven't heard from you in a while- hope you're well.

Wassdoc said...

Good luck!

J.P. Patrick said...

I'll be out there rootin' for you and everyone! It's gonna be a fun day (and some night!)

Don't forget to look up and take in some of that view..... except that nasty-ass short road section from FH to Treeline! Then you have permission to crank some tunes, run as fast as you can and stare at your feet!!!

Anonymous said...

Just a lurker here... but as a complete endurance noob 2 years ago, your blog helped me *self* train for my first marathon and Ironman (2008 and 2009). And with that, I can't wait to see how this all goes for you. Have a good one! (Saw some old reports on you in Kona... mental challenge? pffffft. Go kick some ass in Leadville!)
- Kevin

beth said...

sounds like a solid, yet not overly anal plan- which is good.
like ironman, shit will hit the fan if you plan too much and get too meticulous and rely on the plan going smoothly.
so just go with it.
put one foot in front of the other. adapt. problem solve. best problem solver wins. (but must also be really damn fit).

Lucho said...

Thanks Mike!

JP- I have only seen (at most) 15 miles of the course so I am excited to run on a whole new and unfamiliar course. I am hoping the course will keep me interested.

Thanks Kevin! Much appreciated. I'm glad I could help with your Ironmans.

Beth- No doubt! I tell athletes to hope for the best and plan for the worst. Thanks!

n8 said...

Lucho,
thought you might like this quote from Sebastian Junger's new book 'War'...

"I still remembered how to negotiate the long, horrible process of physical collapse. It starts with pain, of course, but the pain is at the edge of what I thought of as a deep, dark valley. At the bottom of the valley is true incapacitation, but it might take hours to get down there, working your way through strata of misery and dissociation until your muscles simply stop obeying and your mind can't even be trusted to give commands that make sense. The most valuable thing I knew from my running experience was that when you start hurting you're not even close to the bottom of the valley, and that if you don't panic at the first agonies there's much, much more of yourself to give."

best of luck man. right - left - repeat.