I had a good friend who is no longer with us once tell me to remember and enjoy all your firsts, because sooner or later you're gonna run out of firsts. Well I'm sure that she thought I'd run out of firsts well before I have, but alas, I think I found another first.
When I signed up for the PLAIN 100 I didn't really worry about anything other than the logistics of such a run. How much water should I carry for the 4,000ft climb in 6 miles. How will I carry 20 hours worth of food. How will I know which trail to take?
Now that I'm slowly growing more confident in those aspects of the race I've realized something else. That I'm going to be the first Texan to hopefully finish Plain. I'm not sure if another Texan has attempted, but I can't find a DNF list anywhere. Being a flatlander has it's disadvantages, but I'm pulled towards the rugged, beautiful mountains of the world like a fish to water. Unfortunately I like to learn my lessons the hard way and I'm sure PLAIN will put on a clinic for this flatlander.
Fortunately I'm headed to Hardrock in July for a week of "frolicking" in the San Juans, followed by pacing a friend at Cascade Crest two weeks before Plain. (Just a short hop, skip, and a jump from the Plain course!)
I'm also planning on heading back up to Arkansas to run on the Athens Big Fork Trail and the Eagle Rock Loop Trail as much as possible. The Athens Big Fork Trail has a few 1,000ft climbs that I can just do repeats on to hopefully tear myself down pretty good. (Then run it a few more times)
(This is one of the videos I took of my run on the Eagle Rock Loop a month or two ago)
My Plain planning/preparation is going well. I've received the pack I'm going to use. (The Nathan HPL 020) That thing is awesome. I was pretty anti-packs for running until I tried that thing on. It's funny, I've always been on the more minimal side of ultra running in terms of gear. I love to carry handhelds cause I hate something bouncing around on my back. I rarely run with a shirt, cause I feel like I cool off faster without one (a no brainer in Texas!) and I hate wearing any kind of waist belt.
I'm slowly getting better at running with some weight on and have recently started a pretty strenuous core/strength exercise 4X a week to help with my overall strength. Cause we all know I'm gonna need if I'm gonna be on my feet for 35 hours with a pack on my back. I think for a race like Plain, overall body strength will play a huge role in finishing or not, but that's a post for another day.
I'm still struggling with the fact that I'm not racing as much this year, but I know that I'll be way happier spending a week in the San Juans and doing Plain that I would be doing a bunch of smaller local races.
Let's just hope it all pays off in Plain, Washington.
PS- There's still plenty of time to register if you want to "race" me to the line to be the first Texan.... :)
_Jacob_
Wow, that's pretty awesome. You should ask the race directors to confirm if you're the first to attempt as well. I bet they wouldn't mind checking!
ReplyDeleteIf you never wear a waste pack, then where do you put your "waste"? Seriously, I think you are right on with the core strength stuff and I always felt like I ran better, especially the long stuff, when I felt strong in my core. Make us Texans proud!
ReplyDeleteLynn, I don't see anything about a "waste" pack... are you talking about the "waist" pack I mentioned?? ;)
DeleteBreakfast soon!
I can loan you the Insanity program. Some great core in there. You can just pull from it or use it as one of your days. Let me know and I can bring it tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteKeith
I think I'm good for now Keith. I'm gonna keep trying what I have and if I think I need more I'll let you know! Thanks!!
DeleteSo I'm not a TOTAL stranger. I know you through the WMTR group on FB but work never allowed me to make it for a morning trail run. Your race reports and posts are entertaining/inspiring to read while I'm at work. While I certainly wouldn't/couldn't race you to be the first Texan at Plain 100 I would definitely be interested in doing a run up in athens with you sometime if you ever want company.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how fast I am on trails but I'm a lower 1:20s half-marathon and lower 3:20s marathon on roads. I also lived in Provo, Utah for a few years and right next to arbor creek nature preserve so trail running isn't completely foreign. I'm Spenccer Herschel-Peacock on FB. I'll have to remember to add you sometime soon.
Hey Spencer! Let me know if you ever want to get together. Check out the WMTR group, cause we're also doing some hill repeats on Friday. Hope to see you at a run sometime!
DeleteI wore the HPL-020 for the Lost Soul Ultra. It served me well. I packed some handhelds and a camelbak waist pack, thinking I'd need to switch out partway through the race, but I kept in on for the entire 30+ hours (except when refilling at aid stations). It's a great pack.
ReplyDelete