Various race parameters fall in place

Heart rate to be kept below 161 under any circumstances; no more than one hour between 157 and 161; bulk of the race at 155.

Descents no faster than 8 minute miles to keep left knee in working order and to give heart a rest (recovery zone 1, as I can run 8:30 minute flat miles in zone 2)

The patella does not have blood irrigation - blood circulation has to be stimulated through motion and massage. During the run, I will remember to bend my knees full motion every 10 minutes.

Time target? Difficult to tell with an unknown course that doesn't have one flat spot... 10 hours in the best of circumstances; 13 hours in the worst. Never *walked* more than 8 hours. :-) (BTW, walking the course would take close to 16 hours).

Another marathon distance bites the dust

After shifting the metatarsal pad slightly to the right, all blister threats disappeared. At this point it's difficult for me to tell whether the pad is helping or hindering.

But the bottom line is that I ran 26.2 miles with a relatively flat 3000ft up and down in 4h15. If only I had signed up for a flat 50 miler! :-) Kidneys worked until I lost all my electrolyte capules at mile 20. Note to self: don't do that!

New problem is a left knee that gets a bit angry after only 26.2 miles. It's never clear sailing...

53 miles in 5 days ain't bad after a debilitating injury. It's tapering time, though, so we'll have to trust that we've got what it takes.

Nothing comes quite for free

Early this morning Simone lovingly massaged my metatarsals after some ultrasound treatment, then applied corticoids through cataphoresis again. By the time all this was done it was already 8:30am - not enough time left to run a marathon.

And it might as well have been late because even the gel pads are tempting blisters to show up... I stopped after 16 comfortable miles and 4000 feet of elevation gain and loss (3 hours). Nutrition went like clockwork but was still on the light side: 800 calories and 12 Endurolytes; 2 liters of water. Happy kidneys, happy stomach. Heart still a bit too fast. And a hot spot on the right foot, where a blister threatens.

Bottom line: will have to play with the placement of the pad, and learn how to deal with blisters during the race. Another variable to manage!

Will we go for 26.2 miles on Monday? Stay posted...

Hope is Alive

Miracle: Metatarsal pads. I am running again.

5.3 miles and 2700 feet up and down on gel pads, and 5.2 on fabric pads. It does look like I was building a blister in the last couple miles. Will go with gel. Discomfort is manageable as long as the terrain is not too technical. Takes more concentration to avoid any rock on the metatarsal area, and requires slower descents on technical terrain. Additional mental pressure. Seem to have lost a couple of bpm of cardio during the stoppage...

Will try a long run on Saturday. Hope is alive.

Go or No Go?

The situation is serious - foot still hurts - we are approaching the point where my cardiovascular will start to decline - we are only three weeks before the race, technically close to taper time. So is it over?

Suddenly my PT seems to be taking the situation seriously. She was late and I made her feel embarrassed about it; and she decided I had to run the race when I let her know the race snaked throught the giant redwoods (sources of motivation are often personal and unexpected).

This morning Simone pursued two courses of action: corticoids delivered via cataphoresis; and metatarsal pads to see if I can isolate the injured area while running.

We have 40-knot winds this morning, but I am about to go run a few miles with two different pads and see what happens.

Expect a go/no go decision on Saturday...

What I have learned

Ultras are all about managing inputs and outputs. Stomach has to absorb as much as it can to minimize the loss of nutrients; kidneys must continue their filtering job; energy output has to minimize muscle fatigue - legs and heart.

For me, Succeed caps (340mg of sodium) don't work; Endurolytes (40mg) do. Yet 100-mile race finishers consume 700mg of sodium per hour. I can't absorb that much sodium that fast today. I take 4 Endurolytes per hour and end up with a salt-crusted face.

Water without additives is essential to a good race; all the power drinks quickly get sickening if not washed out with water. My power drink is Perpetuem - 1 scoop/20 ounces of water/hour. Plus .75 quarts of water per hour.

Bread squares supply 90 calories each, but as the running goes on the ability to produce enough saliva to breakdown starches into sugars is compromised.

Along the way, a few Vitamin Cs, Es, ibuprofens, and Tums might come in handy.

Not only did the metatarsal resent my fall; my left knee got stylishly decorated.