Ultra-marathon #3

[bgl]

As I mentioned in the Big Island thread a few days ago, it was time for the annual Hilo to Volcano 50K (31.1 mile) Ultra-Marathon, yesterday, Saturday Jan. 26th. An Ultra-Marathon, by definition, is anything longer than a "standard" 26.2 mile (42,195 metre) Marathon, but in order to receive some respect the distance really needs to be at least 50K/31.1 miles. But Hilo to Volcano is not your average run-of-the-mill 50K - it goes from sealevel in Hilo to an elevation of about 4,000 ft in the village of Volcano. At least 3,500 ft of that climb is between the 7 and 26 mile markers with many long hills.

The race began in the parking lot of Moku Ola (also known as Coconut Island), next to Hilo Hawaiian Hotel Saturday morning at 6 a.m. It was a record turnout with 31 participants! (Last year, 21 were signed up, but only 19 showed up - and finished). The initial three quarters of a mile is on Banyan Drive, and then the next 26 miles is on Highway 11, from Kamehameha Avenue in Hilo to Wright Road in Volcano village. There are official mile markers all along Hwy 11 so it's easy to keep track of one's pace.

I've been running all my life (since I was 21), and just started to get into speed-walking about 6 years ago, initially as a warm-up prior to my runs. I realized quickly that speed-walking is fun (and less stressful on the body) so I began to do longer and longer distances and speed-walked my first Marathon in March 2005. I decided to attempt the Hilo to Volcano 50K in Jan. 2006, and then again in Jan. 2007, so yesterday was the third in a row. I am however the ONLY one doing these races as a speed-walk. Everybody else is running these races.

All other races (that I know of) have refreshment stations every few miles, with water and gatorade etc. This one is different - you're on your OWN. Most participants have a "support team" and my wife has always been my support team. However, she had an important meeting in Honolulu yesterday and could not be there for me. Luckily for me, a neighbor (husband and wife) amazingly offered to be my support team, despite having to leave home at 5 a.m., and then being there for almost six hours giving me water, bananas, tangerines or gatorade every few miles. Plus write down my mile splits every mile.... So, they were too busy to take any photos (sorry!). Plus it was raining for most of the race!

At the beginning everybody leaves me in the dust - after all they are running, and I'm walking! I'm pretty much on my own, even though I can see some of the runners in the distance ahead of me. My pace in the beginning on the fairly flat first 6 miles or so is right around a 10 min. 30 second mile pace, and once I get to the long hills it drops to about 11 min., or just above, depending on the length of the hill. I'm very good at pacing myself, whether I run or speed-walk, and by the time I got to mile marker 21 on Hwy 11 (which actually equates to a total distance of 21.75 mile since the first .75 mile is not on the highway), I was at 3 hr. 57 min. 30 sec. A year ago, when I reached the same mile marker I was at 3:57:30 as well! The big difference was that a year ago I was beginning to slow down a little bit after that. Yesterday I knew I was strong enough to push the pace the whole way, and I had a very strong finish with a total time of 5:49:07. In 2006 it was 5:54:49 and in 2007 5:57:36. In other words, yesterday I was more than five and a half minutes faster than two years ago. Considering that I am (of course!) getting older (I'll be 64 tomorrow), getting faster is always satisfying!

Initially, about halfway thru the race I typically begin to catch up with the runners, and pass quite a few of them. Right after mile marker 23 (with a VERY long hill) I passed a whole group of them. I don't know yet how I placed yesterday (it'll probably be in the newspaper tomorrow), but a year ago I finished as #11 out of 19 finishers.

So, anyone else doing fun stuff like this!  ???

[realarch]

Bo, totally impressed. I've driven that hill up to Volcano may times and that is one long uphill stretch.

Since running on pavement or concrete is out of the question for me, (the old knees hurt like hell), you

might have some company one of these days walking up that hill. I can run forever on a treadmill because of the

'give', just not on hard surfaces. Good for you that you placed and even better that you did it.

Tim

[metalfan]

Bo, I will never do a marathon probably (unless science comes up with an Achilles Tendon transplant, LOL) much less an ultramarathon! I am very impressed with you! We have a friend who has done some Ultras out in California, fifty-milers and above. I have no idea how they do it.

We did a 15K last weekend, its an annual race locally called Newnan's Lake 15K that goes around a (very alligator infested) lake close by. 15K=9.3 miles. I did it in my fastest time ever running a distance over 5 miles: an average 8:55 minute per mile pace. I haven't been that fast for, well, YEARS and YEARS. It was cold, drizzly, foggy and gross last weekend.

Today we went out for our routine long Sunday runs to keep training for the Gainesville half marathon (for me and my husband, in February) and Boston Marathon (for my husband, in April). It was cold (about 50 when I started) breezy and sunny. He did 18 miles, I ran 12 miles at a 9:35 per mile pace. For the entire first 6 miles, I was running better than a 9 minute mile, but when I reached the turning point, I went back into a 10+ mph cold headwind from the North, and the course for the 6 miles return is all uphill. I couldn't believe how much that headwind robbed me of speed.

I think powerwalking is great, but for me, the draw is ultimately calorie burn. Powerwalking just doesn't match up to running in total calorie expenditure, mile for mile. At my current weight, I burned over 1200 calories this morning running that pace, and I couldn't achieve the same with powerwalking. I greatly admire you, though!

[bgl]

Tim and Gina,

Thanks a lot for your comments! And Gina, the half marathon is a great distance (was my favorite when I was heavily into running races), and your husband must be excited about the Boston Marathon!

I have never been concerned about calorie burn, and I wouldn't know how to measure it. I know my likely calorie burn when I run is right around 100 calories per mile. I check my pulse rate after every single run or walk, and I can actually get my heart rate up to about the same level whether I run OR walk. I would think there's a direct connection between heart rate = effort = calorie burn. The difference in effort for me now, at my age, is that I can go out and run a reasonably easy 5-6 miles at an 8 minute pace OR speedwalk the same distance with an all-out effort (at a 9:30 pace) and end up with about the same heartrate.

The max. heart rate, as you probably know, is supposed to be around 220 and then you deduct your age and end up with what is supposed to be your individual max. heart rate. And then approx. 80% of that is what you're typically supposed to aim for in a work-out. For me that's 220 - 64 (my age tomorrow) = 156. And 80% of 156 = 125. However, I routinely go up to 140 or even 150 in a hard work-out. And I can get to that whether I run OR walk. It just takes MUCH more effort when I walk. What's very interesting is that I can push the pace at very close to 100% when I speed-walk (but that takes a LOT of concentration), and I can do that day in and day out, and recover completely by the next day. If I were to push the pace to 100% in a run it would take me several days to recover.

Most people obviously know how to walk a brisk pace, but I believe in order to get your heart rate up to a level equivalent to what it would be after an average run you have to push the pace to a level that very few people are comfortable with. But it's important to start out with very short distances (a quarter mile or so), and then gradually build it up.

Bo-Göran

[JakeK]

Bo, you are one bad dude! Happy Birthday too!

I ran the Flying Pig 1/2 marathon last year. It was the first time I had ran more than 8 miles. I doubt I'll run 13.1 miles ever again. I was really glad I finished the race in under the time I wanted, 2.25 hours, but once was enough. 3-7 miles per run is just right for me.

[spockvr6]

Bo-

Have you heard of that guy (Dean something is his name I think), that ran something like 50 marathons in 50 days?  And, he many times runs miles and miles to each marathon.  I believe he ran 65 miles to the Boston Marathon, then ran the marathion itself!  How the heck can someone do that?!?!?!  I dont know how their body could handle it!

[CuriousPalm]

Absolutely AWESOME! What a great personal accomplishment!

[metalfan]

Larry, its called "being a METH ADDICT", lol. Or, he might be a pain junkie. I know a couple of pain junkies. They operate on a different earthly plane than you and me.

Calorie burn is important to me because I have another 10 or so pounds to lose. I know I don't know the ***exact*** calories I burn with every exercise endeavor, but I need to know the ballpark to be certain I am "eating under" it regularly.

I don't wear a heart rate monitor or count my heart rate at all, ever, during or after exercise, because the online calculators I use don't factor that in. The only problem with online calculators is that very thing... #1 they don't factor the heart rate (they use instead the basic "pace rate" in a weight to time/pace calculation) and #2 they can't factor in the terrain you're on...hilly vs flat vs downhill. And they can't know about that vicous headwind I had to run against today.

The difference between what I did today calorie wise with running the time and pace I did at my weight and racewalking it would have been a difference of 1200+ vs only 700+ or so. That's a big difference when you are trying to tailor your eating plan to your calorie burn.

I know I am in shape, though, because I have a really low resting heart rate. My resting rate is between 40-45. My blood pressure runs about 90/50. I had some dysrhythmias when I was pregnant and they wanted to rule out mitral valve prolapse so they made me wear one of those halter monitors for 3 days and 3 nights. My heart rate when I sleep drops to 30 bpm.

I know I can't sustain the level of activity I do now forever. Something will give out...a knee, a hamstring, or this bedeviling Achilles. But I intend to go as hard as I can for as long as I can! I am finally starting to place in my age group in some of these races! That's exciting!

[bgl]

Jake, Larry and April - thanks a lot for your comments!

Jake,

Flying Pig 1/2 Marathon - what a great name! Love it!!!

Larry,

Well, I think there are two VERY important aspects that come into play. We have no control over the first one, but the second one is completely under our control:

1) genetics. Some people are just built in a way that makes it possible for them to do things that most other people would not get away with (especially as we get older). Typically, the older we get, knees and hips are problem areas, and some people are just fortunate in that respect.

2) pace. As the expressions goes "speed kills", and that's certainly true. Most people who run races make the mistake of going out way too fast and then fading at the end. Running a negative split (=running the second half faster than the first) is not easy, but you feel MUCH better when you can do that. Both physically and mentally. And if you pace yourself properly (assuming you have the proper training behind you) it's possible to do amazing things. You just have to adjust the pace accordingly (and have a well designed body! ). I call it my "forever pace". When I start out on something like the 50K race yesterday I want to begin at a pace that I feel I can keep up "forever" (or at least for the rest of the day). But, no matter what, to do 26 miles every day for any length of time is an amazing accomplishment!

Bo-Göran

Edit - Gina, you posted while I was typing the above. I don't wear a heart monitor. I do it the old fashioned way - I manually check my pulse the moment I stop. I check it first for 10 seconds, then I wait 20 seconds and then I check it again for 30 seconds. This also gives me my recovery rate, which is useful info. If it's 140 when I stop running/walking, it'll typically drop to about 110 thirty seconds after I stop.

And 40-45 is an excellent resting rate. I would almost be concerned about 30 if that's what it drops to when you sleep! Mine has been right around 40 for many years.

[Kim]

Congratulations on your personal record time for the race Bo!  And Happy Birthday to you.   Even in your 60's we can't call you a geezer, because most of us younger folks got nothin' on you, that's for sure.

I was thinking about you and your race today, wondering how it went for you as I slogged through the most uncomfortable hike I've done in the last 2 months.  It wasn't the terrain -- I've done this 8.5 miler with about 1000 ft of elevation gain many times.  (The elevation gain is misleading because you go up and down 3 grades in the process, so it's almost like doing the 1000 ft 3 times.)  I don't know what my problem was, but my knee was bugging me 1/2 way through and also my heel had a bruised feeling on the bottom of my heel for the 3rd ascent and final descent.  We hiked this in the rain on purpose to test our foul-weather gear, the result being I was too hot, then too cold, then too hot, then too wet, then too hot again.  Annoying, all of it.  I much prefer to hike in shorts and a wicking tee.

This link shows photos of the hike, I am too tired to post my own photos.  The starting point is the lower right-hand corner of the first panoramic photo; we then go left, around, and up the middle peak; down into a valley behind, then up again to the saddle between the middle and right peak -- where I usually get a burst of energy -- but not today;  then walk up the right peak, and back down to the starting point.  It's less than 4-hour stroll on a normal day:  http://www.mountainbikebill.com/IronMountain.htm

Maybe it was the 25-lb. pack I've been carrying for the last 3 weeks of hikes to enhance the training, I don't know (5 liters of water, camera and extra lens, food, extra jackets and gear).  Anyway, now I must rest my joints and feet for at least a week, and this is just before leaving for Tanzania to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro, bad time for injuries, however minor.

How I wish I had your genetically gifted skeleton and muscles for my Kilimanjaro hike, it would  be much easier that way!  I admire anyone who runs at ALL  (like Gina, Jake [flying pig, that's cute], and anyone else, my joints just can't take the pounding.   (I hear you Tim!)

Hot bath, here I come!

[bgl]

Kim,

Thanks a lot! And if it's any consolation, I've found that when I have a bad experience (a long run or speed-walk in my case, or hike in your case, that doesn't work out quite the way I hoped for), then the next one is usually a good one. The necessary rest may be exactly what you need, and whether you feel you're ready or not, my guess is that you ARE. When are you leaving on your trip?

Incidentally, the link doesn't work for me. I also tried typing it in manually, still doesn't work ("The page cannot be found").

Bo-Göran

[Kim]

Oh, that's bad.   I usually check the links.  Trying again:

http://www.mountainbikebill.com/IronMountain.htm

I am leaving 2/14, hope you are right about being ready.  The good part was after the hike we went to visit Gary Levine's place nearby, it's cool even after the fire.  He's worked really hard to make it that way, though...

Happy birthday again, Bo, you are an inspiration in many ways.

[bgl]

Thank you Kim! And the link is working now. Lots of interesting info there, especially as we used to live in Poway. I never hiked up Iron Mountain but I actually ran up Mount Woodson on a few occasions. Starting out from Lake Poway. That was a tough one to run - I remember having to stop once, about halfway up, to catch my breath for about 15-20 seconds. Have never had to do that one any other run!

And even though I don't know exactly what your training has involved (as far as longer hikes) I remember you mentioned this in detail some time ago, and based on that I'm certain you're as ready as you will ever be! Just keep in mind - at this point there is absolutely nothing you can do to improve your conditioning in time for your Kilimanjaro hike. But you could mess it up if you head out on another hike, so just enjoy the rest between now and mid Feb!

Bo-Göran

[metalfan]

I'm not worried about the 30 bpm at all, neither was my cardiologist. Its just a sign of a very strong heart.

Kim, I admire you greatly also. We did a 13 mile hike once in Hawaii on the Kaanapali Trail. I had never backpacked before, and we rented all of our equipment. You had to take everything (tent, sleeping rolls, food, water...) and the terrain went from the beach through the rainforest area (where it rained on us constantly the entire time) to a trail hugging sheer drop cliffs to an arid allmost desert area before coming back out on the beach (all in 13 miles!) but it took us 2 days to hike it. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. We had to ford streams, climb embankments by pulling ourselves up by tree roots, and the mosquitoes in the rainforest area were fierce.

I thought I was gonna die. I am NOT cut out for hiking!!!! Its intense exercise and totally different from running or cycling!

Bo, I guess you and I are the only ones racing at the moment! Maybe in Spring when half the country thaws out there will be more runners around. You are so very right about pace. With my injury, it takes me almost a full mile, sometimes a little more, to get it warmed up and stretched out enough to enter into a "normal" stride. So I am slow for the first mile or so, and lots of folks pass me up while I limp along. But after I get going and get into the groove, I pass a lot of them up again later on, after they've pooped out from a fast start.

There are basically 2 types of runners: Frontrunners, who set a rabid hard pace and can sustain it all the way through (my husband is one of those...he starts at a 7:30 pace and almost never falls below about a 7:50 pace if he's really applying himself) and Burners, who start off slow and let everyone get in front, the slowly speed up til at the end they pour on a lot of speed and just blow by everyone else. I am a burner but very small potato burner. I only blow by the folks who are newbies, LOL.

The last half marathon we did in November, I was at mile 12+, almost to the finish, and no one had passed me for a good 5-6 minutes so I thought I was coming in alone. Then suddenly, about 1/4 mile or less from the finish line, a dude that had to be at LEAST 70 literally SPRINTED by me and finished in front of me. And I ran that 13 miles at a 9:13 pace...I thought I was hauling a$$, that's a personal fast pace for little old me! But he was hauling a little faster than me! That means he finished in less than a 9 minute pace. Impressive to say the least for somoene that age!

[spockvr6]

(metalfan @ Jan. 28 2008,07:08)

QUOTE

Then suddenly, about 1/4 mile or less from the finish line, a dude that had to be at LEAST 70 literally SPRINTED by me and finished in front of me.

I have only run in one formal race in my life, and that was a small 5K here in Tarpon Springs called the "Beach to Bayou".

In that race, I also noticed a 75 year old beat my time of 24 minutes!  As did quite a few 10-12 year olds too  I think the guy who won it did it in 15 or 16 minutes.  Thats pretty much a sprint the whole way isnt it?  

None-the-less, running in this race was alot of fun!  I havent done one again in awhile, but might do it again this year.  It would be nice to at least finish ahead of the elementary schoolers  

[JakeK]

(metalfan @ Jan. 28 2008,07:08)

QUOTE

Kim, I admire you greatly also. We did a 13 mile hike once in Hawaii on the Kaanapali Trail. I had never backpacked before, and we rented all of our equipment. You had to take everything (tent, sleeping rolls, food, water...) and the terrain went from the beach through the rainforest area (where it rained on us constantly the entire time) to a trail hugging sheer drop cliffs to an arid allmost desert area before coming back out on the beach (all in 13 miles!) but it took us 2 days to hike it. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. We had to ford streams, climb embankments by pulling ourselves up by tree roots, and the mosquitoes in the rainforest area were fierce.

I thought I was gonna die. I am NOT cut out for hiking!!!! Its intense exercise and totally different from running or cycling!

Gina,

You are definitely correct that hiking is completely different than cycling or jogging/running.

Hiking is my favorite outdoor activity and I've done some pretty hellish hikes before. When visiting the Bernese Oberland, I did a hike that started at 2,200', peaked at 11,100' and finished at 3,400' all in one day. Total mileage wasn't that much since it was very vertical in nature. My guess was that it was around 10-12 miles total. That'll work out the lungs and the heart.

My longest hike in one day was done in the North Yorkshire Moors, where my cousin and I hiked 23 miles. The weather conditions weren't the best either.

[bgl]

Well, one of the great things about living in Hawaii is that you can exercise (run, walk, bike or whatever) in pleasant conditions all year round. The same is of course pretty much true in CA and FL and some other places. When it's below 32F you have to be determined to head out that door...!  (And I know - I started running when I lived in Sweden!).

The next race for me will be Big Island International Marathon on March 16th. That's a standard marathon, 26.2 miles. Begins in Pepe'ekeo about 10 miles north of Hilo, heads through various parts of Hilo and the finish line is right by Hilo Bay. Will be speedwalking that one as well, and in all likelihood I'll be the only one doing that.

Results for the 50K Hilo to Volcano race were in the newspaper this morning. 32 participants crossed the finish line and I came in #19 of the 32. I'm happy with that!

[metalfan]

That's a wonderful finish! As the only walker you blew by a lot of runners! I want to hear your finish on your next event. My next is Feb 24th, the 5 Points of Life half marathon here in Gainesville. Hopefully the weather will be better than last year, it was cloudy, rainy and cold. They had to pass out thermal blankets at the finish. I plan an 8 mile for 2/3, a 10 mile for 2/10, probably just a regular 6 miler for the Sunday before the race, then the 13.2 miles at the race. Its my husband's opinion you shouldn't do ANYTHING the Sunday before a race but I always stick to my "regular" running schedule for that week...6 miles on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.