Stress

As most of us that exercise in order to improve health or to compete know, the training is a combination or balance of applying a stress and the body's adaptation to that stress through recovery.  My training of late has been geared towards preparing me for a 50 mile race in South Dakota in June.  As I've begun to make enough progress to consider entering (I'm lucky that this event is not one that limits entries yet nor fills to capacity in a short time), my coach (wife) wanted to be sure I had an informational discussion with the cardiologist that worked with me when I was hospitalized with atrial fibrillation in 2007 a few days after the Pikes Peak Marathon.

The visit went well and the doc didn't see a reason that I couldn't continue to train and run at the Black Hills.  But he still thought it prudent for me to run a treadmill stress test to see how the ticker is currently working under more of a load.  So that's how I began my workout today...a trip to the hospital for the "mill".

Things went well and I was impressed with the quality and ability of the GE Treadmill used for the test.  It can run up to a 25% slope! My knees found it easier to perform at slope rather than flat (or as I've learned in the field, they really complain on downhills).  I went through 6 levels before reaching the calculated max heart rate based on my age of 168...that meant I was going 5.5 MPH at a 20%slope before we pulled the plug at 15 minutes.  I could have continued but the technicians said they had all the info they needed and if I continued it would only be for my personal challenge.  Nothing glaring showed up and they said I did excellent but I still need to wait for the final analysis by the cardiologist.

I followed up with a 10 mile run at Lime Creek and additional hiking mid-afternoon for another 14 mile total.

Venti

I've had the intent to get in a 20 mile run before now in my build towards the Black Hills 50.  I did claim a 20 mile day last week but that was due to the additional recovery outing later that evening.  Today I was finally able to put together a time slot and an effort that snagged me my 20!  Although I was certainly tiring by the end, I was pleased with the effort and the fact that it was a majority of running with only a few hiking segments.

It was foggy and a bit chilly when I started at dawn but rather comfortable within a couple hours and the sun was beginning to burn through the fog before my finish.  The heart rate monitor would simply not function properly so I removed the new battery from the receiver and tossed the rest of the damn thing in the trash. 

I'm planning a short recovery hike yet later tonight.

20 in the AM and 3 in the PM for a 76 mile week.

Diablo

Turns out that Cathy and I needed to be in Clear Lake at the time I've become accustomed to running so I put it off until after lunch.  I was amazed to see a young puppy who, with his owner had walked to the trail head...that reminded me a lot of Buck, my son's dog that died unexpectedly last month.  This dog's name was Diablo and is also a boxer/pit bull mix.

This afternoon's weather was very nice and the later start seems to have worked to my advantage as I was able to run comfortably for most of the distance.  The lower water level in the quarry ponds has resulted in small patches of exposed rock that someone has built rock cairns similar to what I've tried to maintain at certain points along the trails.  Today a Canada Goose was trying to be inconspicuous by imitating a cairn.

Good steady run at the limit of my calculated MAF heart rate. I covered 12 miles faster than I have yet this year.

Ancestors

During one of my runs last week, I realized another reason I feel an affinity to the Lime Creek trails.  In the woods beyond the Badlands loop are the foundations of the greenhouses and home of my Great-Grandfather Carl. I've heard many stories from my Dad about growing up working and playing at this location.  The second house was built around 1919 and that is the foundation that is slowly becoming hidden in the woods.

Notice the short set of steps leading from the house to the garage level.

Those steps are in the center of this shot!

The greenhouse foundations are lined up just north of the house. Today these are becoming less and less distinguishable as they fill with underbrush and fallen limbs. There is also a rather distinctive root cellar (photos added) still visible in the hillside NW of the site.

circa 1920's

 Before Dad died, I had a chance to use the balloon tired, trail wheel-chair from the nature center to get him back out to see the ruins.

My Dad, Eugene, with cousin Ernie, a dog, and sisters Dorothy and Gretchen  sitting on the curb.

Can you see that curb today?

Here I am with my father at the home foundation site.

Looking into the root cellar.  Apparently now used as a party-room.

The top of the root cellar built into the hillside.

The cement plant purchased the property from Great-Grandma Elsa in 1949.  The original Krieger's 20 acres were essentially donated to the Cerro Gordo County Conservation board by North-Western States and Lehigh cement plants in 1976 as part of a 260 acre acquisition. My Grandfather's brother George had moved the greenhouse operations downriver to south-east Mason City.  The easily recognizable sign has been there for years and the greenhouses just closed this past year.

 My run today was another encouraging one.  I wore the heart rate monitor and learned a lot about my perceived exertion at different rates.  The overnight rains had soaked in for the most part and left the trails very runnable...quiet and soft. Great to hear the chorus frogs on this first day of spring.

13 miles total included walking the pavement 3/4 mile to and from the trails.

Supplements

I took to the trails again today wearing the heart rate monitor.  But, again, there was some sort of hitch in that every time I started to run, the receiver would stay locked at the rate whence I began to run. Not until the final 3 miles did I finally get everything situated that the rate would reflect my effort whether hiking or running!

A lot of the podcasts that I listen to from Ben Greenfield end up discussing supplements of one kind or another.  I certainly don't have the money to spend chasing down all the stuff this guy seems to take or at least condone taking.  But his explanations and discussions of the science behind the supplements are quite logical and interesting.

How do wild animals get their supplements?  In some cases, by gnawing on weathered bone that lay on the forest floor.

8 miles of run and hike interspersed.

St. Paddy's Day

Busy day and night.  So it's after midnight as I sit to write today's post.  Cathy and I had a great time over at Charles City with NIACC coach, Curtis Vais and his wife.  There was a St Patrick's Day parade, then we had some supper and drinks before heading out on the traditional bar crawl (or bar brawl, as my wife once described it) complete with the travelling bagpipers and green beer!

The day started slow as I got some odd jobs out of the way but I had plenty of time to head to Lime Creek for another long run.  I struggled a while to get the transmitter of the heart rate monitor to send properly...at one point it recorded my heart rate at 212 and I was merely walking and in no distress!  But eventually all was well (after I started completely from scratch to re-situate the chest strap).  I ran for the most part after reaching the trail and only walked if the rate exceeded 140.  So the entire workout consisted of a steady but seemingly slow run. I still feel very comfortable when the rate is between 135 and 145, but tried to keep it closer to 120 -125 based on the Maffetone "180 formula".

I thought about staying out for around 18 or 20 miles but decided it was still prudent to hold it to 15 because I had already been out for 15 as recently as Tuesday.

I had also decided to write some about another reason I enjoy running at Lime Creek but its too damn late and I need to go to bed. I'll save that story, with pictures, for another day.

At the Heart of the Issue

The only time I remember checking my heart rate during training was when a coach of mine in the late 1960's had the cross country team check their pulses between intervals on the track.  As I continued to run through the 70's and 80's, I would check and record my morning pulse before getting out of bed each morning (I still have the log books!).  But training for me back then was, and has continued to be, by feel.

Oh, I read about heart rate monitors and training zones but never took the expense nor initiative to determine or use this equipment.  A couple years ago, a basic Polar  Beat was given to me.  I used it briefly to see how it worked but then put it in a drawer. Since last year, I've been reading Lucho's blog and his discussions in comments  with other readers and recently listening to his podcasts on Endurance Planet.  I have become most curious about what's going on with my heart rate and how accurate my perceived exertion has been.

While taking care of errands this morning, I had the battery replaced in my Polar and took to the trails as soon as I got home.  What an interesting run....I walked, then ran, then slowed down, then forced the pace, then slowed down, then walked...all the while paying close attention to what happened to my pulse rate and how I felt.  I hadn't had this much fun while running for quite some time and nearly forgot about any pain in my knees. 

I'm surprised how fast the pulse drops back below 100 when I switch from run to hike.  I was also encouraged by how relaxed it felt when holding the rate between 135 - 140.  I guess I should get out and use the monitor in a test situation to help determine my specific zones.  A good project for this weekend!

10 miles