run, rest, eat, bitch, buy things, cross-train, blog, repeat.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Strategies and Goals

I know. Strategy is not a word you ever associate with me. But, for my own sanity I've come up with some strategies and some mini-goals for the Swampstomper 50k on Sunday.

Strategies:
1. Try not to die.
2. Start out at an 11:00/11:30 pace.
3. Try to maintain the 11:00/11:30 pace for as much of the time as possible.
4. Walk up the hills. Run straightaways and downhills.
5. EAT along the course of the race. I'm taking a cliff bar, a snickers bar, shot blox, dried cherries (lord willing that I actually locate a store in the Memphis area that actually carries them, since Nashville seems to be all out). Also, stock up on food at the aid stations. When my concentration wanes, my legs get tired and I'm more apt to fall.
6. DRINK along the course. I'm either going to buy a handheld bottle this weekend or just wear my fuel belt. I havent decided yet. I like wearing the fuel belt cause of the extra storage, so I might opt for that.
7. Have fun. Enjoy the nature and the solititude and all that other shit.
8. DON'T daydream too much. Daydreaming=Falling.
9. Even though the weather doesn't warrant it, I'm going to wear some leggings for protection (my hole-filled ones, with duct tape. Thanks for the tape suggestion, John! This way... if I tear more holes, no biggie. Plus, maybe it will make me look more hardcore at the start. Actually... it will probably just make me look poor).

Goals:
1. To finish.
2. To not even SEE the sweeper.
3. To finish under 7 hours*.

See ya on Monday!

* So, here's how I came up with 7 hours. First of all, let me note that the male and female winning times for this race last year were 4:42 and 4:50, respectively. (Yes, that sounds slow to me, which FREAKED me out, but I'm hoping that maybe it's just not a competitive race... please, don't let it because cause its super freaking hard). My time for the Monkey Marathon was just shy of 5 hours and I walked like the last 10 miles of that freaking thing. I ran the Madison Marathon in 5:20ish and I walked a good portion of that race, too. So, taking the trail factor into account, I think I should be able to finish under 7 hours.

Elevation Profile for the 25k race. The 50k is two loops. Why do people always say that Memphis is flat? Liars.

5 comments:

Vandy-Montana said...

I would start out slower if I were you. like 12:30-13:00...

just my .02. Have fun though. I'll be thinking of you as I'm officiating high school basketball and running 15 miles on treadmill tomorrow.

Melanie said...

I think this sounds like a GREAT strategy! I'll be thinking about you on Sunday morning for sure. A little motivation... if you finish under 7 hours like you hope, I'll buy you a beer. (We've got to go out for happy hour sometime soon anyways!) Keep on keeping on and know that you can take a little break when you finish. Frostbite is still weeks away!

LAPT said...

GOOD LUCK!!!!!

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Unknown said...

Good luck!!