March 10 - 16 Training

March 10th - PM1 = 55 min run, 9 Miles, 162 BPM HR
PM2 = Climb 30 min at CSS rock wall

March 11th - PM1 = 9 Miles, 1 hour, 151 BPM HR

March 12th - AM = 2 Miles BE1
PM1 = 1:25 run, 12 miles, 152 BPM HR
PM2 = Climb for 30 min

March 13th - AM 3 miles BE1
PM1 = 1 hour, 9 miles
PM2 = Climb 45 min
PM3 = Bike 55 min, 132 BPM HR

March 14 - AM 3 miles BE1
PM = 57 min, 9 miles on skyline, felt really good

March 15th - AM 6 miles BE2

March 16th - AM 2 miles BE1
PM = 10 miles, 1:03, BE2, 158 BPM HR

72 Miles Run
10:00 Hours

This week was my last base building week in my current training cycle. I again got a good variety of base miles, strength work, and overall higher training volume. This week I also started to add stretching into my training at least one a day, mostly after my morning run. This helps not only keep my flexible, but also helps me recover from the previous day's workout and prep me for the coming day's training. Starting next week I will begin to add once a week longer ANT runs and once a week shorter repeat sessions. I am excited to get into the next phase of my current running cycle.

Year Totals:
458 Miles Run
116:00 Hours

Training Log March 3-9

March 3 – March 9: This week was spring break for me, so my big focus was base building mileage and strength – and my strength of course came through climbing. I won’t go through my day to day workout because there is really nothing of note here other than big miles – including a morning run every day and at least 9 miles most afternoons. Most of these miles were on trails and so the running was good for body and mind.

Week Total:
71 Miles Run
11:00 Hours Trained

Year Total:
386 Miles Run
106 Hours Trained

My February Training

Most of February was a transition month for me. The month saw the end of the ski racing season with the NCAA regional meet and the Birkie, and the beginning of the track season. My running mileage increased as the track season started, and most of my training – especially in the last hast half of the month – was base building. Here is what the month looked like:

February 4 – February 10: The main workouts this week came on Tuesday and Saturday with 4x3 minutes reps. at race pace on Tuesday and a 15k low key race on Saturday. The rest of the week was base building and strength (rock climbing)
46 Miles Run
10:30 Hours Trained

February 11- February 17: My only hard workout this week was the NCAA regional ski meet that took place on Saturday and Sunday. I had a good race on Saturday in the skate race. The other interesting thing this week was the fact that I tapered very little for this meet, and I think that maintaining my base rather than tapering helped me performance.
38 Miles Run
9:30 Hours Trained

February 18 – February 24: This week was a big transition from skiing to running. I did four runs of an hour or more this week. No speed this week as my fitness is very good, but I am trying to get my running muscles back into form. This Saturday was also the Birkie at which I did really well qualifying for the elite wave next year!
40 Miles Run
9:30 Hours Trained

February 25 – March 2: More base this week and my first track meet – the UMAC indoor conference meet. I decided to run the meet primarily on my skiing fitness because I am in great aerobic shape, and the base running mileage increase I did was just enough to get me ready. I did 5x800m at race pace on Tuesday of this week all in around 2:25 and felt good. I also did the mile and the 5000m at the UMCA meet this week and won the 5000m for the second year in a row. This performance is a good sign that I am strong coming into spring running.
56 Miles Run
8:00 Hours Trained

Year totals:
315 Miles Run
95:00 Hours Trained

Running and Rock Climbing in Kentucky

Over spring break, from March 1st through March 8th, I traveled with the CSS Rock Climbing Club to the Red River Gorge in Kentucky for a little running, climbing, and relaxation. I was a little apprehensive about going on this trip, as I have only been climbing seriously for about six months, but even with those few months of work I was able to keep up with most of the others on the trip.

For the eight of us on the trip, we started with a straight shot drive to Kentucky. We arrived after about 15 hours of driving and set up camp in the Daniel Boon National Forest just outside of Campton, KY. Sunday was just a ‘chill’ day for us to recover from the drive.

Monday morning was our first climbing day – and the weather was great for it too! It reached about 55 degrees and the sun was shining all day. We went to a great wall in the Muir Valley – a privately owned preserve that allows climbing and trail use for free. The wall we visited, Practice wall, was a good warm with many 5.7’s to 5.9’s.

The weather held for most of our trip with rain one afternoon, but the rain came just as we were finishing our day’s climbing. Wednesday was also a bit on the cold side, with highs in the mid 30’s, but other than that the weather was good. I got in a lot of strength training from all of the climbing and I did a morning and afternoon run every day racking in over 70 miles from Monday to Saturday.

The food was great, and the company was even better! This trip was a great opportunity for me to get some base miles in for running, but it also really got me hooked on climbing. Though running is still my favorite activity hobby, climbing is my new number two. It is quickly becoming my only strength training.

Bellow are some photos from the trip:

Belated Birkie Brief

I am fully aware that the 2008 Birkie has been history for a few weeks now, and still I have not posted my race report. With spring break coming up so quick after the Birkie I did fail to post before I left. But now, without further delay, here is my race report.
The morning of the Birkie came far too early as usual with me getting up at about 5:30 so I could be out the door at 6:00 AM. My breakfast – generously prepared once again this year by my mother – was one of the traditional pre-Birkie pancakes. My hunger satisfied, I was on the road to Telemark and the start of the 51K journey. After a 45 minute-ish drive I was at Como field where my family parked with the hundreds of other anxious skiers. A short bus ride later I was deposited at Telemark lodge for the start of the 35th annual American Birkie.
The temperature at the starting line was a little under 10 degrees, but still within the range of my wax, Fastwax Teal. I knew it would warm up quick, but I was planning to be done long before the temperature got to warm for my wax. As soon as the elite wave left the first wave skiers – my self among them – sprinted to the starting for a coveted front row spot. This year I was again lucky in getting a front row spot in the first wave. As the clock ticked down I handed my warm-ups over to my parents to deposit for me in the waiting drop bag trucks.
As the starting gun went off we shot off the line. In the first 300m double polling was mandatory, and as my head came up to begin looking for a good place to slide into the pack I realized that I was at the front of the lead group! In fact I was among the top 10 wave one skiers, and most of those ahead of me were Korte skiers too. If I could keep this up I would have a great race.
As the race progressed I fell into a pack with three Michigan Tec. Skiers and two Green Bay skiers. It was a big boost of confidence for me to be skiing with these guys as they are normally out ahead of me in shorter distance races. One of the big changes in my racing this year was the absence of me carrying and of my own liquid, so I slowed briefly at ‘OO’, and the two aid stations directly after for a cup of Accerlerade before continuing on.


Me just after leaving 'OO'

Coming through the halfway point at ‘OO’ I was at 1:05, and what’s even better was that I was still right with my pack and feeling really good. This should have come as no surprise as I do get better as the race distances get longer. Shortly after ‘OO’ our pack began to break as one Green Bay skier and the two Michigan Tec. Skiers fell off the pack. Crossing highway 77 with only a few hills and Hayward Lake standing between me and the finish line I knew that I was in the midst of having a break through race.


Just after Highway 77


Sprinting down Main Street in Hayward

I finished in 2:25:39 (a good 10 minutes faster than I was shooting for), was the 5th skier from wave one, and 97th overall. This excellent finish time and place secured my first elite wave starting spot for next year’s Birkie! This years’ Birkie was a great race. Thanks to all the volunteers and workers who have put in hundreds of hours to put on this great event. I am really looking forward to coming back next year and racing in the elite wave!