Thursday, December 10, 2009

Through the Gloaming under Watchful Eyes

So the plan was to run at 11:30, right after a morning meeting. But, an errand popped up that needed to be done. What errand? Well, ok, I had run out of coke and needed to buy a 12 pack. Or three. Yes, yes, I know, I was giving it up, but I fell off that wagon. Now I’m striving for one a day.
Don’t ask me how that’s going.

So I postponed my run until 2, reasoning that I could eat lunch with a coke, work, then take a break.

It was one of those afternoons. All of a sudden, I realize it’s 3. And I have to start an experiment. Arrgh. I finally stepped out the back door at 3:55. The sun is shining, but I know that 10 miles starting at 3:55 means I’ll be finishing in near dark.

I have a nice hilly 10 mile route at work that goes up into the four hills area all on jeep road. For most of it, selective perception lets me believe I am in an almost remote area, the best kind of running. These jeep roads are seldom traveled. Undisturbed snow from two nights ago lies hidden in the shadows of the juniper that cross the road. I run through it and wonder if the jeep patrols will see my tracks. The hillside glows softly yellow as the sun starts to set. My shadow, running in front of me as I head east, has grown extra long legs.

Ahead I see a golden shape move across the road. A coyote, I think. It’s about 150 yds in front of me, but I hope that I’ll see it again, that it will pause off the jeep road so I can get a good look. I try to run softly, though I don’t really know if I am trying to sneak up on it. I keep my head straight forward, while trying to scan the right side of the road for the coyote. “Maybe,” I think, “if I pretend not to see it, it won’t get nervous and run off.”

Scanning.

Scanning.

Scan… ooo movement!

There he is, a good sized coyote in full view not more than 15yds from me.

And he has a friend.

And another… oh my.

Six coyotes within 30 yds, some sitting, some standing, all are looking at me. One takes a few steps to turn towards me, but they all seem calm. Well, this I didn’t expect. I see as I come abreast of them that they stand on a little trail heading south. I watch them openly now, knowing that the pack is not about to be skittish of one little human. They are gorgeous, all golden in the setting sunlight, with gray markings.

I run on – and they don’t move. I hit the meat of the route – the “Thacker hills” we call them. Several steep up (and even a few down) slopes. As I hit the midpoint of the run, the sunset starts in earnest. I am running in the shade of a foothill and I notice that nightfall has a sharp chill bite in these December days. The facets of the buildings downtown reflect the setting sun, glittering in the bright light. The mountains behind me turn pink. I turn downhill, still feeling fine. Contrasted against the deep blue sky, a few slips of clouds hang over the San Mateo mountains in the west and catch the sunlight, turning them brilliant yellow on one edge, and fading to pink on the opposite edge. Sunbeams that poke through the clouds make rays of yellow against the blue sky, and the blue deepens, deepens, as the sunset lasts.

Just as I am idly wondering if the coyotes might still be in the same spot, I see them. I only see five as I run by. They are motionless as before, settling in, perhaps. Their heads turn to watch me as I run by, just enjoying the show. In the shade of the slope, they are but gray forms, without definition. The world slowly loses its color. The clouds now stand out in flame orange, matched only by the color on the rim of the horizon. Mount Talyor, backlit in the west, stands gray sentry over the landscape. However brilliant the sunset, the path now appears dark and barely readable. The last mile I know well, so I run unconcernedly, smiling and replaying the encounters and the vistas of the last 1:40.

Friday, December 4, 2009

Goal Setting

It’s a fun distraction. I’m thinking more about trying to get in my workouts and my miles again – distilled thankfully down to one sport –running. “What’s next?” is a familiar and comfortable conversation starter while out on the trails. With the discussion of the upcoming races though, comes the urge to figure out how I think I might do. And with the next two races, my longest yet – 38.5 mi Ghost Town, and Old Pueblo 50, this urge to figure out how I might do is a bit compulsive.

Ghost town, I don’t know. The trails look really technical. When they actually resemble trails. There will be lots of rock scrambling. I’m not sure this will be so very runnable. The distance would suggest to me maybe 7.5 hours if it was flat trail – I’m basing this on Palo Duro 50K (31 miles) in 6:04. An additional 7.5 miles run at 12 min/mi pace is 1.5 hours. But… with the hills and scrambling… I've seen pictures of the trail in places, and let's just say the trail looks like a suggestion, rather than a guide. This photo doesn't do it justice. In this terrain, the forecast becomes more a sort of fortelling. My gut says it won’t be harder than the Jemez mountain 50K.

Mo’s bundle of intestines guesses: 8:30

Looking at previous results may be a more sure route to an accurate estimate. I generally make it in time to finish in the top half of the field, both men and women. At Palo Duro, I was 41st out of 121. But at Jemez Mountain 50K, I was 44th out of 96. So, very nicely, the wonderfully verbose RD of the GT 38.5 has stats listed on her website. Analysis girl, having found a kindred spirit in this one respect, might make her some cookies. Half the field finished in 8:35 in 2007, 8:40 in 2008, and 8:04 in 2009. The 2010 course will be a 2007 course redux.

Analysis girl votes: 8:35

But I feel I can maybe go faster.
Mo’s shy but confident heart bets: 8:10



Old Pueblo 50 M
Predictions for Old Pueblo 50 miler involve more data from previous results, but also more guessing in that is it MUCH farther than I have run before. It’s hilly, on technical-ish trail. Might be hot. But it is at lower altitude. And I am training on hills, some.


Mo's Gut’s hard goal: 11:15

Mo's Gut’s medium goal: 12:00


If we say I’ll be in the top half, I’ll finish around 11:30. If we look at just women and use my palo duro placing as a guide, I’ll finish in 11:30. Ok, then.

Analysis girl votes: 11:30

But I really just want to be under 12 hours. It’s an unknown distance. Under 12 hours sounds good. That’s how fast I want to do the first 50 in Leadville, though that course is much tougher. Still, 12 hours is a good place to start.

Mo’s calculating, careful mind: 12:00

Right now, having given a little thought to the races, I just want to go run. I’m coming off of two weeks of making 100% of my workouts (with a little rescheduling of 5 miles for the snow yesterday), and it feels like a really good place to be. It’s nice to have the urge to get out there, to go see the trails and visit the soft quiet places.
Off I go!