So it has been over four years since my first post. I am more focused on my running this year than ever before so I am trying the blog out again. I need another place to fill my desire to talk about running to spare my wife even a little of that load.
2012 was easily the best year of my life. On December 26 2011 my son was born and raising him into a little boy has been amazing. I will not focus on my son in this blog since I already talk to everybody about him and to follow his life just become friends with my wife on Facebook. Phone calls never start with "How is your training going?". They usually start with "How is Carson?". I am not complaining, just explaining my focus of these posts.
2012 was also an great year for my running even though my results are not overwhelming. My main focus of the year was Ironman Wisconsin. I accomplished my goal of sub 12 hours in just how I expected. I had a poor swim, a mediocre bike, and a good run. The real highlight for my running last year however were some of the places that I ran. I had done a couple of mountain runs in the past but this year I took that to a new level and my desire for mountain running has multiplied. I ran Griffith Peak, Mount Charleston, Mummy Mountain, Mount Mitchell, and Mont Chetif last year.
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| Mount Charleston |
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| Mont Chetif in the Italian Alps |
I have been running ultramarathons since 2008. I have completed 7 of them ranging from a 50k to 100 miles. I always had a goal to work up to doing one of the large mountain 100 mile runs out west and I have decided that this is the year to go for it. On January 1st I signed up for the Leadville 100 mile run in Leadville, CO. This is one of the most well known and prestigious ultramarathons. Check out the elevation profile. Notice the how insignificant Heartbreak Hill is in the Boston Marathon.
Finishing this race would be incredible, but I have set a goal to do it in under 25 hours in order to bring home the big buckle that is awarded to all racers that come in under that time. Just imagine having one of these to wear around with your jeans.
My training plan is simple. Early morning runs Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday followed by a long run on Saturday. I have found this to work best with my family and work schedule and I also prefer a heavy emphasis on long Saturday run. That weekly long run should exceed 40 miles by July. As much of my training as possible will be on hilly trails.
Other races for the year include the Clinton Lake 30 miles trail run on March 23 and the Ice Age Trail 50 miles trail run on May 11. I look forward to running with some fellow Michigan State Triathlon alum, Joel and Alex, in the Ice Age Trail runs.
Everything has been on track so far in the first few weeks of the year. I completed my first 20 miler of the year yesterday which is ahead of schedule. Additionally I have made significant changes to my diet. Instead of eating cereal 3 times a day I am actually getting at least 80% of my calories from fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. I am focusing on eating these foods when my body needs them in relation to my workouts. I am giving it a try to see if I can notice a difference, particularly in recovery time between runs.
