Belochka (Squirrel )Marathon 16-07-2011

I don't even know where to begin with this one. Today, a long run was on the menu-40km. Coach and I figured well I could do it at home in the woods at 6AM(not so hot) or run the marathon (42k) because it's more fun w/ company. I chose the latter option. Belochka was my first Russian marathon back in 98 when I first won it when I was just beginning grad studies at Moscow State in the summer. I have done Belochka 5 times and won 3 of them and been 3rd the other two times. I have been on hiatus from this marathon since 2006 for one reason or another. So, today, 13 days off the 50K, I decided to go out and do it as my long run.

                                                         finish

Well.....
The weather- 32-33C in the SHADE( that's lo mid 90s for the Farenheit minded)!! Of course only in Russia do they start a hotass hell race at 11:30AM! Jeez, I should consider doing Badwater sometime....NOT. Heat and I have never gotten along. Ok whatever I was planning an easy run anyways . I was allowed to have an I Don't Care Race today.

Ok- all was fine until about 8k into the race. I was running with a group of guys as the course was very poorly marked and in key spots on some of the trails there were NO MARKINGS. Well we got to a turn where a guy was telling ppl where to go. I haverun this course 5 times and remember you always follow the little yellow arrows on the paved parts and the trail portions are marked and some markings are on the trees. So turn comes and we see the little yellow arrows are pointing to the R I G H T and after we asked to make sure the guy told us no, we had to turn L E F T. Ok if you ask the dude directing traffic at the turn he SHOULD KNOW WHERE TO SEND PPL. 15 minutes later we end up back in the same spot! OH FECK! We have just added 3+k. Nice and now instead of being in the lead group, the frontrunners(all of which were misdirected including little ol' me, are now running behind the grannies who run some 5 hrs   and slower runners. BLOODY HELL! The course is not rocket science -first loop just under 4k then 3x almost 13k. I often get stuck running alone in the final loops as ppl drop back and have never ever messed up because things were always well marked. it's one thing to get lost on your own if it's your fault, but when the ORGANIZERS AND PPL MANNING THE TURNS TELL EVERYONE TO GO THE WRONG WAY, IT'S SHEER INCOMPETENCE! At this point I was just mad as hell as were all of the other frontrunners.!@#$%%&*&*$%#&&*^#$@#@!@!^&&**(()^&$@#@#

 I knew that meant at least 45-6k today. Who the hell knew if we'd get DQed (nice dq ed for an eff upb y the ppl what were supposed to know their sh!t!). Coach was waiting for me at the end of each loop to hand off 1 half liter  bottle to drink as I entered the stadium each time and then as I left the stadium he handed off another to carry with me.Major thanks to him as he came out after being on 24 hr shift to crew for me. There was VERY LITTLE WATER as usual and only 3 stations with itty bitty half full cups. Slower runners said by the time they were on the last loop that the water had run out! NICE:-( If not for having my crew and own bottles I would have likely had to drop out from dehydration. Leonid(coach) was wondering what the hell had happened as to why it took so long for me to finish loop 2 so I told him that all of the frontrunners and a few midpackers got sent on a 3+k wild goose chase!

Loop 3- at the same turn where everyone got sent the wrong way the guy was standing there asking evveryone if they had run the extra loop or not and then sent those who had on a shorter loop and the rest on the standard loop. Everyone was on the honor system here as to who had run extra and who hadn't. So the guys I had been running w/ and I took the short loop to compensate. Ok that was fine and dandy but just after 25k they started to drop back. Damn, guys PLEASE don't do this I will be on my own and likely eff up AGAIN! It was clear they wouldn't be able to stay with me so I just followed the little yellow arrows I remembered the best I could from years past and was ok.

Going into the final loop I was totally alone. So I told Leonid if I wasn't back at the finish in about and hour that something bad had happened AGAIN (hell, send a search team). Gads, when I was still running w/ the guys we asked bypassers in the park along the way if they had seen any runners ahead and if the answer was yes, we breathed a sigh of relief. Now, I was left to do this for the next several km! Better to ask after I make a turn then to go way the hell the wrong way and have to backtrack. So that's what I did. At about 34k I started picking ppl off who had gone out too fast and this also was relief mentally as I knew I wasn't lost. I continued picking people off all the way until nearly the finish and each time I picked one off I could see the next not far ahead. It's so unerving to have to run under duress like that not knowing if you are going the right way because things were not well marked and it was really easy to miss a turn.Plus, to have to deal with that crap in extreme heat was no picnic either. Those little yellow arrows were old and worn because this course has not been used since 07. In 08 they had to reroute, in 09 things were officially cancelled, and last yr they had to run the reroute they did in 08. My Garmin clocked 43 k and change. I ended up 2nd overall. I ran with a cold wet sponge in my top I replaced at each aid station and took another cold sponge to wet my arm sleeves to keep my arms cool. The only saving grace was that most of the course was in the shade, otherwise I would have just died. The sunny spots were just killer! Top 3 women are all 100k and or 24 hour runners. First and 3rd woman are on the Russian Team in the 100k and 24hr. Seems like it was a day for ultrarunners to go on a long training run?! Lena Simutina-top woman today and I have taken turns beating each other at Belochka and other marathons we have done for training runs over the yrs. She is really nice too. Irina Koval was 3rd and she is an awesome 24 and 48 hr runner. She is on the other side of 50 too! If only I could have a figure like hers when I'm 50! She so does not look her age!

                                                           finish

                                                                   Irina Koval

One thing I do like about this race is the medals for top 3 are cute. They always have a cute little friendly squirrel on them. In 98, when I won, one of the prizes I got was a stuffed toy squirrel. I still have it but it's at my brother's house now with my stuff.
Big thanks again to Vitargo Russia for keeping me supplied. I was drinking it like a fish today and it really does make a difference. Despite all the mess, I was still able to hold an even pace today and even pick up in the 2nd half.

IAU WORLD CUP 50K DAUGAVPILS, LATVIA 03-07-2011

Be realists, demand the impossible.
Che Guevara

One of the things on my Bucket List this year in the running department was to attack my 50K PR from when I won the Chicago Lakefront 50K in April of 08. I felt my 4:15 was pretty weak sauce although I was dealing with the Sinus Infection From Hell at the time that I had picked up 2 weeks before flying to the US for the race. I had never had a sinus infection in my life before that and I chalk it up to the pollutants and crap in the air that got clogged in my sinuses after a cold that did me in. So, when Andris, the manager for the Latvian 100k and 24 hour teams told me he got the OK from the IAU to put on a World Cup 50K in Daugavpils this yr, the race was immediately added to my plans. First off, I needed it as good speedwork for my 100K prep. Secondly, I wanted to attack my PR.

On Thursday, I took the overnight train to Rezekne(first stop past the border) and from there it's about a 90 min ride on the bus to Daugavpils. I got to Daugavpils just after 9am and Andris met me and we walked to the dorm he had reserved for the runners. Now, I thought dorm- ok it's probably going to be a dive but as long as I have my own room and access to a kitchen I don't care. Dive it was not- the rooms were nice and clean and had their own bathrooms! Each floor had a BIG kitchen with dishes and everything you need! Most important, it was QUIET and I slept like a rock! SCORE- I can cook for myself before the race- best option. Seriously, the place was super nice and at only 10 lats (about 20 bucks) a day, it was a super deal. It was only about 500m from the start/finish too boot and 500m to the grocery store. So I did a grocery run, made some lunch and crashed for 3+ hours in the afternoon. I don't get to sleep much on the train when I get off at Rezekne( it's a 13 hr ride from Moscow-Riga is 16) because we hit the border out of Russia at 5AM, cross into Latvia about 20 min later, and once we clear the Latvian side, I have 50 min left til I have to get off the train at 7AM-I'm always flippin' tired when I have to get off here whereas it's still another 3 hours the rest of the way up to Riga and I usually go back to sleep right after said border crossing and sleep much better when I go all the way to Riga. It was still 30+C on Friday and I did not want to go out during the heat of the day and drain my energy. I got up and went for a walk early evening.

By Saturday, it had cooled down:) Andris was hanging out in the dorm most of the day Saturday and after I came in and made myself dinner- heaping pile of cheese tortellini and pasta, I went downstairs to get my number from him. 8PM -he informed me I will likely have company tomorrow- last minute entry from a Lithuanian woman-2:48 marathoner. DRAT that's the kind of company I doubt I can keep up with. I knew the women's side would be close between me and Sada Buksniene. Sada recently won the 100K in Nida(Lithuania) at the end of May which was also their NCs. She cut 45 min from her time from last year in the process. She also kicked everyone's butt and won in Nida last yr too.  Sada also used to be a world class race walker on the Lithuanian Team and competed in several World championships finishing as high as 9th. She was definitely one to be respected. So, as Andris said-top3 were going to be close in the 50k.


Race morning I was up at 6 for breakfast. I go for oatmeal and Vitargo Professional w/ caff to get me moving. I eat a good 3.5-4 hours pre race to have plenty of time to address any tummy and potty issues. Race was at 10. I also downed a bottle of Vitargo Carboloader for extra calories. I use it to help load a few days before and use it after the race as part of my Arsenal for Recovery. Calories are your friend if you run ultras-you need them before, during, and after the race. 500ml of Sponser lactate buffer 90 min pre race and my l- arginine  lactate buffer caps and I was ready:)

I delivered my bottles to Inara Fedorova who would be crewing for us today and manning our table. She was our 3rd woman last yr on the 100k team and a really nice person. We roomed together in Gibraltar. She did a great job crewing. It was so nice to see her again. Course was 1 2k lap then 12x4k laps-same as the marathon course from last year +2more laps. Each lap has a nice hill you get treated to every time in order to get onto the loop. There was also water at the far aid station 2kup the road at the turnaround. This race was well organized!

                                                         Inara in action!

My tried and tested feeding plan was simple but it works:
-From 6k on-250-300ml of Vitargo as needed on each loop(12 bottles so every 4k) I usually drink every 4-5k as needed.
-Starting at 45 min then every 45 min thereafter a GU Roctane gel
-1 Endurolyte capsule pre race then 1-2 every hour as needed starting after 60 minutes into the race
-Last hour of the race-switch from Vitargo Electrolyte to Vitargo Professional with caffeine


My legs never really got nasty lactic buildup thanks to proper nutrition on the course.I firmly believe as does my coach that nurtition during the race is just as important as the training and preparation itself. This is exactly why it's impossible to put down respectable marathon performances at Russian marathons-crew can't cover you every 5 k along the course and aid stations are far and few and at best have itty bitty cups of water and maybe a few breadcrumbs, and sometimes the occasional banana. Only in Solnechnogorsk was the organizer nice enough to deliver bottles to the tables at aid stations for runners who wanted to do this -thank you Leonid Burikin for understanding this is a necessity not a luxury.

So, back to the 50k. Just before the start, the announcer called us all out to the starting line one by one introducing us and listing our top running accomplishments. This  was the first time an IAU World Cup 50 was held in E.Europe. My plan was to go out at 4 hour pace in the first 25k and gradually pick it up from there. Modesta- the 2:48 marathoner went out at 4.20km pace-hell. I let her go there is no way I'm going out at marathon pace -that's suicide. A 50k is run just below marathon pace.

I prefer to be tactical and knowing Sada would be an even pacer, went out with her right at 4.50/km pace (4.48 is 4 hour pace). 4.50 was really really slow for me but I'd rather be in control early on and save energy since the first half of any ultra is just a formality and the race begins somewhere in the last 10-20k or so. 4.50 was just too damn easy though (like 7.45 mile pace)and I decided to settle in at 4.45ish /km(about 7.40miles) for a while. I was comfortable. Sada dropped back a little and I was going to be alone...well no I just caught up to a  guy who also wanted to try for a sub 4 so we decided to help each other out. I would run with him until about 45k. It was breezy too and he was taller than me so at times I tucked in behind him:).15k-1:11 and change(I feel like I'm out on a Sunday jog but slow is the key here early on) First half marathon-just under 1:40. 25k just under 1:59-oh dear I am really going to have to stick to plan and work the 2nd half for a sub 4. This pace really was easy and I was still hardly working yet. 30k-2:19 as we both gradually began to go to work. Modesta was a good 4+min yes a good km ahead of me but between 25 and 30 I noticed the gap was down to 2 min. Still too early to move so I just sat. Nice thing about ultras is that you  have lots of time to pick people off along the way which is exactly what started happening from 30K on. My pacer and I were down to 4.30/km now and it became a game for me to count how many guys I could chick along the way.

                                                          My  company most of the race:)

35k- Modesta is in plain view- gap less than a minute now. It's like the carrot in front of me at this point.Naaaah still early to bust ass and move. 40k -She's now less than 200m ahead and I had 2 options-stick with my pacer -that would mean we will pass her or simply catch up and sit on her rear  til closer to the finish then go like a bat out of hell. Either way I'd  have a windblock;) I took the passing option. This would lead to a dogfight all the way to the finish. My mistake was not going with the second option and saving the last of my ass busting reserve for the last 3-5k. Marathon- 3:14 (remember I run my 50s slower than marathon pace) -at this point my pacer and I are hauling ass into Negative Split Land.I really wanted to save the 4.30km and faster pace (sub 7.20 miles) til after the marathon and closer to the finish but this is whatwe were running. My legs were still holding up but Modesta and I were now pushing each other pretty much the rest of the way. I ended up finishing second in a dogfight in the final lap-drat! I was first in the Latvian National Championship but honestly can't complain because I cut TWENTY ONE MINUTES from my 50K PR!! OK, I can check that one off the Bucket List this yr.

Honestly, I'm 36 and have been running competitively since high school and seriously since college. Given my age and experience, I did not even know it was still physically possible to improve like that. This was only EIGHT days after running a half maraton at 4.15 pace as my final workout. I had serious doubts I was going to be fresh enough for this 50 because I sat on 100+ mile weeks until the week of the half and only dropped down to 8-10km a day ez runs after the half to rest my legs. I can't afford to ditch the volume too long because I need it for the 100k. Surprisingly, my legs felt good- no nasty lactic buildup in the 50k and I  could work effectively in the 2nd half closing in on about a 4 min neg split. The weather gods blessed us though- it was 15-17C at the start 88%humidity/sunny/muggy in the first hour then, thankfully the clouds rolled in. As I got closer to the end, I just felt I had to do this - now or never. How often do I get a decent weather day for a long race where it's not hotass hell? I'm not getting any younger, tomorrow is promised to no one and If I wanted to try for a 3:50 I needed to just dig in and get the job done.

Irina Stula- our top 100k runner from last yr sat out the 50 because she is directing a half marathon next weekend. Inita Bistrova finished 5th in the 50k and will be our 3rd woman this yr. If Irina and I have good races and Inita does well too, we could have a pretty good women's team this yr.

                                         Inita she was 2nd in the Daugavpils Marathon last yr where I won

                                                top3
Important side note- I would really like to send a BIG THANKS to the folks at Vitargo Russia for coming through  for me in the 11th hour. I have known since January that they were planning to hit the market and kept checking their site for updates. I had contacted them a few times, but they were still setting up for the retail market. TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE 50, I'm getting desperate. I do  not have enough left to get through this race nor do I have enough for the 100k Worlds in 2 months as I could not haul enough from the US last time I was there plus, they were sold out everywhere I went  and I was only able to find a little and haul it back in October of  last yr. I have tried lots of different stuff over the years but this drink WORKS. It hits my system fast and does not upset my tummy. It's really the best option for long endurance events when you need calories fast and continuously. So I called the distributor and so far they were just selling product to the hockey team, basketball team, etc in bulk. Then they emailed me back after the call and asked me to fill out an athlete profile application  and asked what I needed. So, I sent the app and a list back and made arrangements to pick up the goods 3 days before I was to leave for the 50k. These guys met me with the goods  and came through for me when I really needed it-major great job here :-)

I'm doing easy running this week and may do the Belochka (squirrel) trail marathon on the 16th strictly as a long training run. I have not done Belochka in 5 years -have won it 3 times and 2wice been 3rd each time just doing it as a fun training run. Coach then said we may throw in a 60k slow ez -work on the slow twitch muscles  training run at the end of the month about 6 weeks out from the 100k. We will play this by ear because being on high volume training is a delicate balance between pushing the envelope and recovering properly. The former is needed to get a good 100k  but the latter is needed just as much as part of the process.

Luzhniki Half-25 -06

21C 100%humidity and cloudy

It's been a while since I have posted. Recovery was quick and relatively painless after the marathon. I had a decent 5k 6 days later (got some nice New Balance swag for my efforts).

                                                                            5k awards

                                                                       5k

All was going well. By week 2 we were turning up the volume heading into 90-100mile week territory to set me up for my 50 and 100k races. On June 5th I was planning a relatively decent time in the Zelenograd Half. Well that's when the sh!t hit the fan. The race was Sunday and on Thursday I got back after a 25k run and made myself a mountain of pasta...with Heinz meatless sauce. It was a new jar I had just opened. In the morning I had oatmeal before my run-that was all else I ate that day. Well, by late evening I was paying homage to the Great White Porcleain Goddess. I pretty much spent the night in the toilet vomiting and with diarrhea-major major suck. Friday- I was holed up in bed all day ditto for Saturday. Saturday evening I attempted to get some solid food down and all I could get in was 8 little potato and cheese varenniki. I was already down nearly 5kg- not good I don't have the extra weight to ditch like that. Sunday, I foolishly attempted the half and came up with a career worst. My stomach would not finally settle until Tuesday-5 days after the food posioning. This whole incident really pisses me off. One of the reasons I cook at home as much as possible esp before races is to prevent this crap from happening. The problem is simple:1. The grocery stores as of late have been hiring filthy migrant workers who have no clue about hygeine-yeah they stick their filthy paws we all know where and then shelve our food. This has even been in the news and reported-filthy b@stards. 2. We have problems with b@stards faking expiration dates which is what I suspect happened with the spaghetti sauce. So,no ,you can't even trust what you buy in the bloody store! I would personally like to beat both categories of filthy b@stards to a bloody pulp. So 5kg gone and some sh!tty training to follow.
A week later I did have a very good mile at the Kremlin Mile-sdespite the 100mile week. I started getting my strength back and last week topped out at 168km and Coach and I had agreed I run the Luzhniki Half as a final tempo run before the 50K World Cup 8 days later. I was tasked with running 50Kpace( assuming I get good weather at said 50) which meant about a 1:40 half but I was NOT to run faster than 1;35. it was supposed to be my I Don't Care Race. I screwed that up by a good 10 min and ended up 4th in the half. I ran even splits the whole way just picked it up about 40sec in the second half but ran about 85%effort. I seriously hope I did NOT screw myself for next weekend. This is what really needs to count. I get to drop the mileage and go really really easy all week. ice baths,horse doses of glutamine, amino acids, actovegin, massage,sleep, stretching....are all on the menu now. There is a tough lady from Lithuania running next week and I need to be fresh to even have a chance so REST is the goal now.

Luzhniki Marathon- Moscow 22-05

video-
http://www.vesti-moscow.ru/rnews.html?id=117334

yes I stuffed a cold sponge in my top not to make it look like I have boobies but to cool off!LOL

Well for starters, I thought I'd be reporting on my run in Riga. After a crappy half 2 weeks ago, things were not looking good. After about a week though, things picked up again and I could feel my legs were good. Workouts were good and the weather forecase for Riga was ideal- cool 8.30 start and not supposed to be above 15C that day. At bare bones minimum I was prepared to run no worse than I did in 09 and right about 3 hours. I pretty much know when I have good legs and when I don't and as I was heading into a long needed in coming taper, I could feel the strength coming up in my legs. A week before the marathon, I really wanted to run the Moscow Intnl Half. It was cold, wet, and about +5-7C- PERFECT! After looking at the results I was depressed-really depressed-winning time was a paltry 1:31 and change in awesome conditions( I'm a polar bear I thrive in the C O L D always have always will ). Yeah I could have won the thing and the prize package for top3 was good too-bloody hell I sat out to be fresh for Riga. Well, just before that half, I got a call from a long time friend of mine -Tamara. She asked me to consider running Luzhniki this year. I knew she needed a woman so our club would win in team scoring. 2 men and 1 woman score and we had lots of boys but one of the women who usually runs this was a no go.

OK how to say NO without offending was the next task. I just said I'd already long since signed up for Riga, tickets were bought, and I've gone there to run for the last 3 yrs. Prior to making Riga my annual spring marathon, I had done Luzhniki here in 06 and in 07. In 06 lightning srtuck and it was a semi overcast cool day-I put down a 3:05- best performance I've ever had inside Russia and finished 6th. A year later- i was in my infamous Hole that lastet about 18 months where all I could do was put down sh!tty  perforamce after sh!tty perforamce and nearly retired from the depression that ensued as a result. I returned to run Luzhniki again only this time it was HELL and I DO MEAN PURE HELLFIRE AND BRIMSTONE! Temps soared to record highs above 30C that day (not a cloud in the sky and this course runs along the river entirely in the S U N). My girlfriend Olga was crewing for me crossing the bridge in the middle of the course to give me my drinks 8 times. Despite all that help, I still nearly passed out in the final 3km. I to this day remember Sasha Elkonin standing out there in the heat w/ about 2k to go helping out. My head was spinning by then and my task was not to pass out because all I had to do was get my ass to the finish for the win. I crawled in posting one of my all time career worst performances. I never thought I could run a marathon in worse conditions...well then I went to CHICAGO that fall (the year they shut the course because of the heat some 4 hours or so into the race) and ran slightly worse than I did at Luzhniki- un effing believable! That was it- never running this $%$#^&*(*( marathon again even with crew it's a bitch on a hot day because they only have FIVE  aid stations on the ENTIRE COURSE  and the pickings are slim- a LITTLE  bit of water, maybe bread and salt and sometimes but don't count on it -tea. That was it- I started going out in the spring once to Chicago for the 50k (which I won) then in May for Riga. Spring and fall marathons needed to be done outside Russia where I could perform in  normal civilized conditions. I've run many marathons in Russia and abroad and even when I'm peaked and in good shape, I run AT LEAST 10-20 minutes WORSE in Russia than outside.

Why does one do better outside Russia? There are loads of factors. Let's start with the stuff the organizers can't control:
Moscow is an ecological disaster-the air sucks
The asphalt- can be good, bad. sh!tty, and everything in between
The weather- I have done Russian marathons in the May-later August range=hotass hell almost every time
Did I mention the air sucks?

Now the stuff organizers could theoretically control-
ADD MORE WATER STATIONS  this is an issue at pretty much every marathon here so not fair to single out just one or 2 it's an across the board issue-some do better than others but they all fail on the principle of not putting water out til 10k into the race
Water stations need to start from 5K and be positioned at minimum every 5K thereafter none of the typical crap of first station somewhere at 10k
Sports drinks  gels etc- it's YOUR problem and strictly BYO here I have never ever seen or heard of a marathon here that offers what we take for granted in the US and Europe.

This is not a pretty picture-in Russia forget about running a PR. For my own personal performance discrepancy to be 10-20 min on average that speaks volumes. Summers here I'd run marathons for fun but never faster than about 3:15-25 ish. A couple few weeks later I'd show up in Anchorage or Chicago and suddenly 20 minutes- GONE! No I didn't mysteriously get fitter overnight, I don't have to worry about lack of  basics on the course and I have air to breathe.

Soo back to Luzhniki-again Tamara and now Coach are suggesting I should just run here. Oh for FU$K'S sake what the hell did I spend the winter training for???? Weather forecast for Riga-perfect Moscow- HOTASS HELL after days of nice cool temps. Tamara said I'd not be sorry and the prize package was good. Ummm yeah whatever that I could believe when I see. OTOH, in the summer series also put on by Luzhniki, prizes have always been good and if you place top 3 in the series at the end of the summer -the package is nice so can't say I could complain there. On a more serious note- Coach and I were looking at the  lineup for Riga this yr and it was stacked. Going top 3 was unlikely and eeking top 10 even on a good performance would be a project. Riga pays just top 3 now and, no I'm not in the position to just go up there for the hell of it and come home empty handed. I have to lose work time, pay for train tickets so if I can't break even and have some left thereafter then, no it's not worth it. Marathon tourism is for the rich brats. When I go somewhere it's to perform and finish in the prize category.

VERY DIFFICULT DECISION-

Riga-
Good weather
Will put down a solid performance (barring last minute illness like last yr)
Will not have to run in hotass spartan conditions
BUT will come home empty handed
16 hour train ride which also does take some of it out of me as I usually arrive 2 days before the race to sleep the train ride off

Moscow-
I can sleep in my own bed and prepare my own food at home before the race
Less than an hour ride to the start from home as opposed to 16
Realistic chance to go top 3
BUT- will run through hellfire and brimstone and sh!tty air
Weather forecast- hideous
Will likely put down a terrible time that will pe published on an international site-not good

So here I stand I'm 36(also not good) and have good legs( also smthg I don't always get). This may be one of the last chances I get to think about a PR and there will likely be no possibility of running a marathon for time til 2nd half of next season at best because of my ultra racing committments. What the hell do I do. I mulled it over for several days. Late Monday I called tamara to give her the OK to add me to the list and hold me a number. On Tuesday, 2 days before I was supposed to leave for Riga, I very sadly moseyed down to the station and sold my tickets back(you can do that here for near full face value til 8 hours prior to departure) and then just rebought tickets to Daugavpils for the 50K in July. I walked out of the station just wanting to cry. I'm 36, not getting any younger, run every season anymore like it's my last and had just sold my spring marathon, and perhaps MY LAST OPPORTUNITY to run a respectable marathon, downriver, literally. I could live with this if I were 26 and I knew there'd be lots of more fast marathons but getting old sucks there is nothing glamourous or sexy or attractive about it and I dread the old fart slow down. Americans like to purpotrate that propaganda of growing old gracefully. Well guess what, in Russia we are frank and say things how they are- that propaganda is pure bullocks! I hope to be able to hold on til I'm 40 performance wise but who knows.

So, race day, I'm up at 6 for my oatmeal and caffeine. I was out the door about 7:45 and at the start about 50 min later. The thermometer already read 21C in the shade at just before 9am-not good:-( I found Tamara and got my number and lots of familiar faces were surprised to see me. Most knew I was heading for Riga again. Many thought I was just going to run the 10K. Actually, a lot of people who had planned on the marathon ran the 10 because of the heat. Plus, after running Solnechnogorsk in 09 Coach had pretty much put a moratorium on my running Russian marathons for the reasons mentioned above.

10AM start -why on Earth don't they move the start to 8am it wouldn't be so bad at all then because many would finish beofre the heat of the day??? I'd rather drag my ass up in the morning despite being a night owl than run in the heat of the day! I decided to sleeve-white Moeben sleeve and then just wet them along the way to provide air conditioning for the arms and the white would help keep that damn sun off. White hat was also obligatory. There was ot a cloud in the sky  and the temps just kept climbing and it was just baking in the sun along the course. At one point near the Kremlin wall, they had just put doen new tar and asphalt -it was still sticky and boy did it just R E E K! Awesome black asphalt on a hot day! All the while I'm  running  and remembeing that when I checked just before I left the house I  saw it was 6C in Riga at 7am yet I was running in this God  forsaken sauna! Oh for F%CK's sake! I parked out at no faster than 4.30/km pace on purpose-that was even ambitious in this heat (3:10). In Riga I'd have gone out at 4.20-22 and just parked that was the plan but no way was I  attempting that in these conditions. One girl passed me at 6k and I thought -ambitious she's going to try for 3 hr pace. I sat back and just played my cards as wisely as possible. Ok Coach was under the bridge in the strategic spots at planned to feed and water me 8 times along the way. This allowed me to maintain even pace. I had the gels and salt tabs he had the drinks. All was fine til I hit the dreaded Dead Zone. This would mean not much for fluids from roughly 17ktil 27k because of the positioning of the aid stations and my lack of a person to cover this critical spot. ! The organizers did have a table just past 20k, but     I just spotted water and sponges-there were reported banana sightings here but I missed them though I spotted bread and salt at another station. Had gel and salt tabs but very little to wash it down w/ at this spot. I was still holding pace and further up I see that 2nd woman who had blown past me at 6k inching closer and closer. I picked it up to pass her and leave a gap so as to hopefully prevent her from getting me back later- she was done. I never saw her again after that. 26K my mouth is dry and I'm friggin' parched. I'm beginning to really fell like sh!t. Coach was just a bit further up but by the time I got to him it was really too late- I was already mega thirsty(not good) and despite drinking like a fish, couldn't make up for the loss in the Dead Zone. By the time I hit 37k my pace was pathetic- down to 4.50/km and I figured it was probably hot enough to fry an egg on that smelly new tar spot I had to cover 4 times over the 2 loop course. I just gutted it out to the end and finished 2nd-no one wins this twice! Lots of folks ran 1 loop and dropped out from the heat.  26 in the shade according to Tamara by finish time and I was home just after 3pm and saw 28 in the shade. TOO DAMN HOT! For the Fareinheit minded that's low 80s but way hotter in the sun.

Now I can't imagine how anyone runs this w/o crew.   Putting a couple more tables on the loop would make a big difference. It's just dangerous to be out there running w/ so little water! There were just 3 tables on the loop the one on the 20k turnaround you hit just once.

I finished and proceeded to drink like a fish. They had cola and oranges at the finish. The cola went down really nice I was so damn thirsty! Off to shower as I had time before the awards.

The awards- this was not what I expected and was actually shocked. Top 6 got something;  top 3 got a REALLY NICE PACKAGE. Tamara had said Adidas was going to give shoes and gear and then I figured just small things if anything else. Coach had watched this marathon the past few years while I was up in Riga and said prizes were not crazy great. Hell, they used to give cars to the winners but that was long ago! So, as they rounded the 6 of us up, I saw a bunch of stuff by the podium and figured probably some for us some for the age groupers -no way that was all for us. I kind have run many a race here and got some nice things, but they usually don't give piles.

                                               Top 3 in red

They did! In addition to the package from Adidas-shoes and a backpack top 3 got
A NEW GARMIN
a juicer- not the cheap kind but the nice quaity ones
a monster sized basket of assotred teas and the dishes,cups, and teapot to boot(I'm quite the fan of green tea esp when it's hot)
massage oils, recovery oils, and warming ones for tired muscles
fresh kolbaski-they always have that at the summer series too-YUM!

Ok the kit was nothing to sneeze at and absolutely nothing to complain about. This would be very good by Western standards and you would be hard pressed to find a race in the US that would offer a package that good.  In fact, it was worth more than I got for my 3rd place finish in Riga in 09 when I busted my ass and just missed a PR!I think the only other marathons I can think of in Russia that even come close to giving that good a package are Moscow International in the fall and  Siberian International in Omsk. White Nights in St. Pete I've heard good some yrs ok in others. Back in February, they were advertising that Luzhniki this yr would offer one of the best prize packages in Russia and were supposed to announce prize money or whatever in April. My thoughts were like-whatever- in Russia -yeah right because not following through happens here. Plus, I was not even considering coming back to this race after a 4 yr hiatus. In Riga, I'd have likely finished 7th at best. So, I guess despite having to run through hellfire and brimstone, I may have made the right decision.

After Coach helped me haul the load home, I treated him to pizza. We were both starving and he deserved it for crewing all day. he was red as a beet too from the sun! Despite drinking like a fish- I still lost 3.5kg too- not good!

If anyone is interested, this is the course that will be used for the 2013 World Championships.

The Day the Raven Just Couldn't Fly

Spring Half Marathon-Moscow 7-05

This one is held on the island in the middle of the river surrounded by the rowing channel. This is where the rowing team plays. Course is simple-5x4+k loops flat and fast. There was one potential issue: AngryNesting Ravens. One of our guys was actually attacked by said Angry Nesting Ravens here a couple yrs ago. He ran on the island a few days ago and had reported no Angry Nesting Ravens this time. So, for good measure, I figured I'd let our feathered friends know that I come in peace. So, in addition to my Skinny Raven socks I usually wear,  I dug out my singlet and raven warm up shirt for the occasion. That was Thursday.

Friday morning I got up about 9 and saw I had a messge from my friend Eva. Eva and I went to Beloit together and ran track and xc and have remained good friends since. The dreaded message was to call Kim's dad. Oh, sh--! I just got an awful feeling and knew it wasn't good. Kim's parents did not know how to reach me here in Moscow. Kim is our close friend out in Boston. Kim graduated Beloit in 94 and we first met when I was a freshman in 92. How time flies! Kim was also one of my best friends. After Beloit I visited Kim  when I ran Boston and later when I was in grad school at Middlebury. Lately, we had been skyping  a lot. Kim was probably one of the most accepting, unselfish, and open minded people I'll ever meet. So 9AM I decided to call.Cell off- I tried a few more times but given it was after 1AM there I decided best to call when it's morning there. So after my lesson (met my student from 10-1), when it was already mid afternoon here, I went home to call. I got Kim's mom and knew it was NOT good.
She told me how Kim's foot had finally started feeling better (she had fallen a couple weeks before and messed up her toe and foot-bad bruise too). and decided to go for a walk. She suddenly collapsed and 2 plumbers who had been working on the house up the street immediately came to help. They offered to call 911 but Kim came to enough to call her mom to take her home. Mom rushed out and took Kim to the hospital where she had the second heart attack and suddenly passed. This was all too difficult to process. Kim was fairly young and in decent health and I'd just skyped w/ her recently. I never EVER could have imagined that would be the last time I'd ever see or talk to her again. Her mom said dotors found clots in her lungs and suspect the initial clot may have formed in her injured foot. She had no symptoms of anything being wrong-no pain no shortness of breath prior to the incident. I was at a loss for words and just devastated. She had a good family; wonderful parents.
So I got online w/ Eva after I talked w/ Kim's mom and Eva and her husband were signed up to run a half tomorrow and would be back Sunday. I said I was supposed to run a half tomorrow too and for time, but I just did NOT want to go anywhere and be around people. Hell, when my mother passed I didn't answer the house phone for close to a month, selectively answered my mobile for business only, and did nothing social for over 2 months when a Dutch friend of mine finally got my arse out the door. I just went to work and back during those 2 months and even that was a project. I ran on my own and that was the year that went to hell in a handbasket too. Eva said she was going to run the half. I figured I'd run too-Kim probably would not have wanted us to sit home and be depressed but it's pretty darn hard not to. Forget trying to put down a decent time after this mess.

To add insult to injury- Sunday is Mother's Day. Mother's Day is hard for me but I can't imagine how painful it's got to be for Kim's mom to have to bury her daughter at this time. No parent should ever have to endure that.

Saturday-
I get to the island-ravenless. Sadly, this raven's wings just weren't going to fly. It's sort of hard when you carry a rock like that in your heart. At about 10k in I just felt like complete crap warmed over. Stomach was nauseous and after lap 3 I seriously thought it would probably be better to just drop out and let this one go. Instead of my usual picking up and flying in the 2nd half,  I just felt worse. 2nd woman was a long way back but inside I just didn't care- I was pretty much numb and indifferent most of the day anyways. I decided to just run through it and just win the darn thing for Kim's sake then sneak off and go home. I finished and then did a quick disappearing act. I had to go and deal w/ this nauseous stomach and go somewhere discreet to "erase the blackboard" as we say in ultrarunning. Blackboard erased, I felt a little better. I ate my usual oatmeal breakfast too so why my stomach revolted is a fine mystery. I just went on a quiet cooldown off  toward the opposite end of the island. Reporters and the news crews were there and that's one of the reasons I disappeared after the finish. I just did not want to be approached-I thought, "Interview Slava (men's winner), he's an elite and top masters stud, please just leave me in peace."

After I finished a cooldown lap, Misha-the race director (nice guy) came up to me apologising that it appeared some little brat had stolen the women's first place medal. Awesome I thought to myself, "I'm already having an incredibly sh!tty (pardon my French) day what more insult can we add to injury?" No hard feelings against Misha it was totally not his fault it was the fault of ignorant  parents who have no clue as to how to watch and discipline their brats. I'd have had my butt whooped if I had pulled a stunt like that as a kid! So he gave me some cash instead. He then took me over to the shirt pile to go and get my shirt. I had totally forgotten to get it after the race. He had nice tech shirts too.

My time was pitiful and in 15 days I doubt things are going to pick up to where they were before this race. So, I need to draw nasty conclusions here and make a decision.too.  I'm probably going to return my tickets to Riga in 2 weeks and not waste my time and $ on a trip that will yield no results. I go abroad to race for 2 reasons: A. earn smthg.  be that top 3 or top 6 depending on the race B.to run a decent time. I can live w/o A if I'm up to B but if I'm not up to either then it's not worth the trip. Marathon tourism is not my business.That's for the filthy rich who could care less how they do-not me at all. I may run the one here on the 22nd because I promised the guys on my club team one marathon this yr and and a team captain  would feel like a jackass to bail on them. So- no fast marathon this yr and probably never again.  I was going to try for another Elite Development start at Chicago and go back in 2012 since I can't run there this yr 4 weeks after the Worlds. That would be incredibly  D U M B on my part. I'm 36 next yr 37 and by then I'm sure my chances of a PR will be equivalent to that of there being a blizzard in Hell.

23-04 1000m

This is what I call the ultrarunner's DESPERATE attempt to get some legspeed pre marathon next month. I won this race last yr and used it as a glorified speed workout- ditto this yr. The plan was to run a hard 1000(women run the 1000 men the 2000) then jump in and runthe 2000 with the boys as a speed workout (medium fast in 7:30 which is what I did) and see how many I can chick while I'm at it.  I only get about a minute or 2 between the 1000 finish and the guy's 2000. The next day I had a 35k long run w/ a 6-7k pickup at the end so took the 2k like a workout not an all out.

Anna Smolina was there again and this yr she had a strong indoor season. She's a former sprinter w/ the 200, 400,and 800 being her events. She runs the miles in the winter too and we tend to take turns beating each other there. I have a hard time running well on the steeply banked tracks we have at all our indoor facilities. So, knowing that prizes were good at this race and therefore wanting to win, I decided that I'd not focus so much on my time but run tactical. Anna can have a monster kick at the end so, if I am going to have a chance I'm going to have to go in the midsection and try and open up a gap she won't be able to close in the last 100. 50 meters is not enough w/ this girl, I'd need to open it significantly more-yes she can kick. Pitting a sprinter/middle distance runner against an ultrarunner in a 1000m event is sort of a joke- sprinter has theupper hand.
So off we were. Anna went out ahead w/ another woman and I just sat on both of them and let them do the work. After 400m, the other woman dropped off and I was just sitting behind Anna. The pace seemed too easy, but I needed reserve for the 2nd half. 500m turnaround and I see 1:46! EEK- that is slow! After the turnaround, I tested the waters and moved. Anna responded but couldn't match that's when i made the assault-it was now or never and I figured i could hold on for 400. It was a risk but waiting til the final 150 would be suicide. I went-2:07 at the 600m and from there I just picked up to close the final 400 in 79 for a 3:26 finish( converts to about a 5:30 mile when I run sub 3:30). Anna was kicking at the end but I had opened  up a big gap at the 600 and she finished 6 seconds back.  I'm sure she will get me back next winter again esp post ultra season:) She will probably be waiting for me at the Kremlin Mile too if I run that in June.

opening the gap

getting the job done

 2000m chicking  some guys

coolin' down