Trexler Wins Again

I knew when I embarked on heading to Trexler every week, it wouldn't be easy to conquer the hilly course.  I expected it to take time.  Still, I couldn't have imagined that progress would be this slow nearly 4 months later.

There are two big hills in the back that I never expected to run, but by this point in time, I figured that I would be able to run all of the rest of the course.  I can do that by running each half, but that is really all that I can muster when I try to put it all together.  It is very frustrating.

There are few times when I really get pissed off after a workout.  I am usually positive.  Even when things don't go well, I usually try to learn from them and move on.  Today, I headed to the car, really bothered by how poorly I was doing.  I thought by now that I would be working on my speed on the course, instead, I'm still working on endurance.

After running 50 miles in 6 straight days (and biking over 20 more), I decided to force myself to rest yesterday.  I have a half marathon in two weeks and at this point, I'm more than ready.  I could use another solid speedwork session, but I certainly have plenty of endurance built up.  A 13 mile run on a beat up body would not have accomplished much.

Taking a day off left me hungry.  I decided that since I'll be busy on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, I should run Trexler today.  I headed out there after work.  I had no lunch.  Just a Powerbar and some Gatorade.

I still haven't run the entire loop there on my own.  That was my goal for today, even if I had to run/walk it.  I wanted to run the actual Quadzilla course, so I headed to starting area near the zoo.

My right quad is still a little sore, so I took it very easy on the downhill early on.  I got on the main trail shortly and it was a climb uphill.  I'd really love to practice running this beginning section fast at some point.  Going up, I could tell this wasn't going to be a great day.  I thought after a day of rest, I'd feel strong.  I wasn't feeling terrible, but I certainly wasn't strong either.

The weather also wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either.  It was in the 70s and humid.  The big problem is that a lot of this course doesn't have shade.  Plenty of it is open and where there are trees, a lot of them are still developing leaves.  The weather wouldn't be so bad if we gradually made our way into the 70s, but it seems like we went from the low 40s almost right into the 70s.  I still haven't adjusted.  All the pollen on the trees isn't helping much either.

I went up and down in the first mile.  The time was a nice 9:12.  It was pretty solid for an easy pace over this terrain. I'm finally starting to get to know this opening section much better.  After the road crossing, there is long uphill that is slightly challenging.  It isn't killer, but it does get the lungs and legs working.

I cruised along.  I knew the tough hill was coming.  Eventually, after heading over the bridge above the creek, I was to the bottom of the hill.  This hill is just so deceptive.  A lot of the hills here are kind of out in the open and you can really see them and you know how monstrous they are.  This one, is close to a quarter mile long.  It is fairly steep too and hidden amongst the trees, so you can't see the top.

I focused on getting to the curve.  Once I did that, I knew I was close to the summit.  There still is a bit of a hill after that, but it is much more gradual.  At the end of the steep section, I was really sputtering.  I tripped over a root near the top and that hurt my foot.  I actually have a bruise on my foot.  As I am writing this, I just now realized why.  I got up the hill for only 2nd time, but it sure took a lot of work.

I was then out of the woods and on to the maintenance road.  This goes uphill right away, before coming back down.  It runs near KidsPeace.  I was then on to the rolling hill section.  Even with the tough hill and the rolling hills, miles 2 and 3 were 9:30 and 9:27 respectively.  I scared some deer and they ran alongside the trail up ahead of me for a short while.

I was happy to make it to the hill before the Environmental Center again without any walking.  That is the 2nd time I did that recently.  This time, I wanted to get up that hill though and over the bigger hill after it.  I couldn't do either of those things last time.  Not only were my calves sore, but my right foot has been bothering me too on trail uphill sections lately.  I think it hurts because I push off with my toes.

Again, I made it up the tough part of the hill to the Environmental Center.  It is short, but steep and you can see the top.  At least you think so.  After that, it gradually continues on.  I made it to top of the steep part, but was so exhausted from that that I had to walk again on the gradual part.  I was hoping this walking could save me though and I could run much more of the route.

I made it to the Environmental Center and then cruised down some hills.  I made it to the big hill after the Environmental Center.  This hill isn't too bad when I start in this area, but after almost 4 miles of hills, it is a killer.  The sun was blazing down on me too and that didn't help.  Still, I tried to climb.  Sadly, I only made it about halfway up.  I didn't even make it 2/3 of the way, like I thought I could.  I started walking.  I figured that I could at least continue on and finish the loop.

I was exhausted even with walking at this point.  I'm sure some water could've helped.  I then thought about the rest of the course.  I knew once I got to the top of this hill, I might be able to run for several miles, before I'd have to quit at the two biggest hills.  What really did me in was realizing that I would have to walk up those hills and how near impossible that would be in my exhausted state.

Again, I quit short of my goal.  I made no progress at all from the last time I ran this way.  That is what had me so frustrated.  Even when I wasn't doing much running here during the winter, at least I saw some progress, even if it was slow.

I just feel that if I could get up these two hills on each side of the Environmental Center, I could run most of the course without walking.  That would be a big plus.  Sometimes, knowing the course and what is up ahead is mentally challenging.  I really do just need to focus on what is right ahead.  Maybe next time I'm there, I can take the mentality that I need to run to these Environmental Center hills and then over them as well.  If I can run after that, more power to me.  That would be some progress.

I headed back down the hill after quitting.  I kept running and hit 11:16 for this pathetic 4th mile.  I cut across the trail and then back down on to the road.  I headed to the Covered Bridge Trail and ran a short portion of that on an out and back, to make it a 5 mile run.  That final mile was run at 9:14.

I guess I shouldn't get so down on myself, because I can run this course faster than most people and I also can run more of the hills than most.  A lot of people walk them too.  It is just that I hate to walk and with all the time I've committed there, I feel like I should be able to run more.  I'll just keep fighting though and one day I'll make it over the whole course or most of it anyway.  I do only have 2 months until the Quadzilla race, so that day may not come until after that event.

Tomorrow, I might try a tempo run if I can get up in the morning.  I'll be busy most of the afternoon at the LVC league track meet.  A day off wouldn't hurt, but then I'd have to run on Wednesday.  The problem with that is that it is supposed to rain and they are having the 2nd day of the meet too.

5 miles - 48:39 (9:44 pace)