Harvest Time '08

"Harvest time is finally here,
it's time to open some beer
Color green is all around you"

-"Harvest Time" by Nuisance.

Big rain in September means late harvest in October. It's late this year, but the bean cutting and corn harvest is finally on. For me as a runner, this means a couple of extra weeks of golden bean fields glinting in the morning sun. We all love the mountains and the forests, but, I tell you, if you don't run early into the midwestern countryside on an October morning, you aren't fully living.

Yesterday morning's sunrise came on like a tide, rolling in on a hot pink wave, washing over the browned point on the field laden horizon, pausing in all its electric glory for an all-too-brief few minutes, then dissipating in the surf of morning clouds. I was there doing my miles, witnessing.

These are just words, get out there and feel it. Yeah, the crops are coming out, in a few weeks, it will be colder, I'll need a stocking cap. The fields will be earthen bare and a little bit grayer. But today they aren't yet completely. Today is harvest time.

50k Epilogue: You know for me these races are just something to do to use an excuse to put in the training time. It's just hella fun to get out there every now and then in an official race and run with like minds. Recovery is still going well, running every other day, maybe 4-7 miles at a time. Semi long this weekend, then run a bit @ Farmdale after working my customary Devil's Cliff post in the a.m. After that, a fall and winter of periodic, hopefully healthy, long runs. Can't wait for the snow.

There are some pics on the RR website from Rock Cut. Damn, sometimes I don't realize how little I resemble a "real" runner. Ah well.

Hobo Recovery

Recovery has been stellar so far. Went for a short walk on Monday night, took the kid out for a 45 minute walk on Tuesday morning, and ran three easy miles this morning. Minimal soreness. No injuries. The usual small aches, but I fully anticipate to be back doing long runs within a couple of weeks.

I forgot to mention ultra friends Adam and Mike in the earlier post. Adam ran a 5:24, great time, and Mike, fitting in a 50k between two 100 milers, went under 6:00 and gave me a New Belgian Dark Ale at the finish. I owe for that one.

Books. Tapering is a good time to get some reading in. I read "Moneyball" for the first time. If you're at all a baseball fan and have yet to read this book (maybe I'm the only one?), do it now. One hell of a fascinating read. I've since ordered a couple Bill James books. You will think about the game differently.

"God's Middle Finger" by Richard Grant is another fun read. The author travels through the "lawless" Sierra Madre and into the drunken anarchy that he claims is Central Mexico. I have to wonder how much is hyperbole, but a worthwhile book even if much of it is, just for the great historical background and crazy anecdotes.

Rock Cut Hobo Run 50k

Ran this race on Sunday up in Rockford, IL. I had a decent summer of training with what was fairly high volume for me, although I pretty much didn't have any substantive long runs for four weeks before the race, a potential area of concern.

We went up Saturday and messed around a bit, swam, etc. Sunday morning at race start skies were cloudy temps cool but pleasant--50's. Basically, pretty much perfect running weather. I started off conservatively but with steady running, around 11:00/mile pace I would guess.

My first 15.5 mile loop clocked at 3:03. Goal time had been 3:15-3:30. Went to the Ipod for loop two primarily because the race was fairly strung out and there wasn't much conversation to be had. I had a few mental low spots on loop two, right around 20 miles in particular, but overall kept a good pace and ran within my limits. At about 24 miles I picked the pace up a bit thinking maybe sub-6 was a possibility. It wasn't at that stage, but was a good motivating factor to run harder. Several folks were hurting worse than I was and I passed them in the late miles while not being passed once in the last 12 miles.

Finish time was 6:14. Positive splits of 3:03/3:11, averaging out to 12:01 per mile and good for 48th out of 70 overall. My goal going in was sub 7 hours, so I'm happy with this time.

This trail is very nice, but not overly difficult. There are lots of flat double track sections that are very runnable with a nice mix of some moderately hilly single track in wooded areas. I'd recommend it.

Perpetual Taper?

The Rock Cut Hobo Run 50k is next weekend. My last offical long run will have come four weeks out. I decided to run IVS instead of a long run that weekend, then got rained out by Ike's remnants last weekend.

I do, however, feel prepared as my running this summer was higher volume than usual in my world, particularly in terms of weekly mileage. The slow pace I take for these things also helps. There are no time pressures or fixed time goals, but I do have the nebulous goal beyond just finishing of going under 7 1/2 hours. Ah, screw it, time is basically irrelevant, I just hope it's a nice day and a good, fun run.

Beyond Rock Cut is volunteering at the Farmdale Trail Run on 10/18, one of the most fun days of the year. Devil's Cliff is the aid station, and yeah, it's a blast watching everyone come through, even if most only stay for a few seconds. My affinity is particularly strong for the hardy back-of-the-pack folks such as myself that do spend a bit more time grazing and telling quick tales of the trail.

After that, God and the universe know. I try to be irie, but chaos has her way. Maybe a trail 50k early next year...maybe 50...heck, maybe a 100 at some point. What is it to run without dreams??

Ipod tunes from last night's 7 miler: Jets to Brazil "Orange Rhyming Dictionary"

Summer Running

Some running, not much blog junk. This summer has been road runs and long runs, mostly at Farmdale, every other weekend. Trail runs of anywhere between 3-5 hours in preparation for the Rock Cut 50k in a few weeks. This past Sunday was the IVS 1/2 marathon in Peoria with some Eureka friends. Ran what is a respectable time for me on a fairly hilly road course-- 1:53, so I'm in decent form for the 50k.

Other running plans are up in the air. I was hoping for the Spirit of the Osage 50k in Oct., but that may not happen, especially considering October's weekends are full.

It's been cooler the last few days. This morning's six miler was in 48 degrees. Early September is still too early to think about fall completely, but the chill is seeping into morning, my beers are getting darker, and the corn is just barely starting to turn.

Been using the Ipod for weekday runs, just loaded up a good fall mix in anticipation:

Punk mix: Jawbreaker/Avail/Young Pioneers/Fifteen

Fall country road mix: Nuisance/Jayhawks/Chamberlain/Court and Spark/Uncle Tupelo