Training for Javelina, my first 100 miler

I have decided to write about my experience running Javelina Jundred in segments. 

The first is my training.  

I’ve been running marathons and higher since 2005. My first marathon was in 2005, first 50K was in 2008, and my first 50 miler was in 2010. My most difficult distance to conquer as far as making the decision to run it was the 50 mile distance. However, training for my first 50 and running it is when I fully fell in love with running. Making the decision to run a 100 came so much easier. It was a natural progression.

However, I started the year off with a stress fracture in my leg. I sadly hung up my running shoes on January 16.  I took 6 weeks off for recovery, I just swam. I became a very strong swimmer, having swum 3.75 miles as my highest mileage. Finally, it was time to begin running and I followed a 6 weeks recovery plan beginning on February 19^th.  Each day was scary, I was scared the fracture would come back and I would not be able to run Javelina.

Here is my recovery plan, R is running, W is walking:
Week 1 2/19 w10 r5 w5 r5 w 5// w5 r5 w5 r5 w5 r5//w3 r7 w3 r 7 w 3 r7-mon=7.62 +4.12w only//11.74

Week 2 2/26 W2 r8 w2 r8 w2 r8-wed//r10 w2 r10 w2 r10-Fri//r12 w2 r12 w 2 r 10-sun=8.95+4.16W//13.11 10%increase

Week 3            3/4 R15,w2, r15–tues//R20,w2,r10-thurs//r25-Sat///r30-M=11.08+4.12w//15.2014% increase

Week 4            3/11 R 25-weds//r30-thurs//r25-sat//r35-sun=11.52+2=13.52 4% increase

Week 5            swim weds 3/18 R30-tues//r35-weds//r 35-Fri//r30-sat//Run 40-sun=18.22 26%

Week 6            3/25 r 30-tues//r30-Weds//r45-thurs//r45-sat//r30-sun//r50-mon=23.83 24% 

Mt. Hood 50

Siskiyou Out Back 50K

But, I made it through just fine. After the recovery schedule, I simply began my schedule that I made up to accommodate the three races that I wanted to do and to accommodate my fracture. The plan was to run the Sunriver marathon 6/23, 3 weeks later the Siskiyou Out Back 50K 7/14, then finally the Mt. Hood 50 miler on 7/28. All these runs were at altitude. Sunriver, was about 4000 feet, Siskiyou went to 7000 feet and the Mt. Hood was about 4500. Still, terrified the fracture would come back, I just proceeded. I had a lot of hope and faith that everything would be alright. I reside at the beach in Northern California, so for training, I ran a very hilly trail. It would go from 360 feet in elevation to just over 2000 feet in 2.80 miles, and then would gradually increase to about 3200 feet to the 8 mile mark. It was here that I encountered "Alvin, the bear" Instead of running away from me, he started walking towards me. I had no cell phone reception, there was not a soul insight, I did have pepper spray. He didn’t care about the 130 db body alarm that I pulled, he didn’t care that I was yelling and waving my arms, he just kept walking towards me. My only thought was to enter the woods, where there was no trail and go around him. It worked, he ran.  In addition to my running, I also was continuing with my swimming, practicing holding my breath for longer, not breathing every stroke.

Photos from my favorite mountain trail:

My favorite mountain trail had a lot of large pine cones

When I first saw this, I thought the 2 sticks looked like a cross, so every time I ran by it, it became a focal point, I would even put the sticks back in place if needed

Right in front of this log, was a tree stump, good for sitting. The arrow was pointing in the direction that I needed to go

The trail had great views

I made it through those races and had a lot of fun. After those races, I really was just in maintenance mode. I began following the training guide in the book Relentless Forward Progress by Bryon Powell. This was a book that I consider the bible for ultrarunning. I used the schedule more as a guide, altering the cookie cutter program as needed to make it my own and adjust it to my needs.  I ran 4 days a week, 2 on the trail, 2 on the road. I added a walk day about 5 weeks prior to Javelina, since I would be walking a lot in the race and walking uses different muscles than running. I walked for 5 miles, 1 day a week. My training got up to 70 miles a week, 5 of those were walking. I also was running about 44 miles on the weekend, 24 Saturday, 20 Sunday. It was easier than I thought it would be.

I was invited to run through the night at a popular 100 in Oregon, Pine to Palm. I was going to run a 50K beginning at midnight, headed for the finish line. The race director told me that he didn’t mind. But as bad luck would have it, I got injured the week that this 100 was scheduled. I injured my right calf muscle running on soft sand at the beach on 9/11 and then my back 2 days later because of a Crossfit move. I had to cancel the run. I was in recovery for about 2 weeks, not running much, but headed back to the pool and then I walked when I could. Luckily, the leg injury wasn’t serious. The leg got better because I took many days off, no running, just swimming for 7 days. My back hurt for 2 weeks, it was what made life difficult, it hurt to vacuum. It was after these two injuries that I decided to cut out Crossfit. I was too close to running Javelina and didn’t want to risk any more injuries.

5 weeks prior to Javelina, I started heat training with clothes. It was not as uncomfortable as you would think. I wore either capris or long pants and 2 running shirts and at times a running coat. 2 weeks prior to Javelina, I headed for the sauna to further my heat training. The goal was to stay in for 45 minutes. The first few times that I was in it, my heart would race. I’d get out and sit on the pool deck and the room would spin. Oh fun. About a week into sauna training is when I felt as if I was getting used to it, 160 degrees didn’t feel horrible anymore and I was staying in the sauna for 1 hour. I really think that I will miss my sauna experience.  I did sauna training for a total of 10 times.

Throughout all my training, I have been given a lot of advice from others and it has been very helpful.  The most interesting advice was that I should not change my socks, because you really just don’t want to look at your feet.

But, training for anything really only takes you so far. I’m showing up at the starting line with a strong will to succeed and a no quit attitude.

Javelina Jundred 101.40 miles 10/27-28/20012.
The start of many adventures to come.