Product Review: ShowerPill Athletic Body Wipe

  Don't lie to me. We have all done it. Runners, gym rats, trainers, cyclists. In our increasingly fast paced world we tend to prioritize. We are more likely to skip a shower than a workout. Well there is good news: The ShowerPill Athletic Body Wipe.

This refreshing 9"x8" wipe is alcohol free and contains Aloe Vera and Vitamin E. It has a great scent, and best of all, it does not leave any residue and dries quickly!

I used ShowerPill after teaching my 75 minute spin class last Tuesday and was impressed with how quick and easy it was to use. Best of all, it did not bother my skin at all!

  The next test was using after my 11 mile trail run on Thursday. Since there was no facilities available after the run, I wiped down with the ShowerPill and felt much better about myself, especially since I stopped in to the local Moe's for a post run refueling!

  This past weekend I ran the Crooked Road 24 Hour Ultra Run. I ended up running for about 20 hours straight, topping out at 68 miles. Needless to say, one can get quite "funky" during these types of events, but I  stopped and freshened up with ShowerPill around mile 40, which brought me back to life!

  I would definitely recommend ShowerPill for folks who live on the go, whether they be athletes or not. It is easy to carry and use, and provides you with refreshing, effective results when a shower is not available.

The Folks over at ShowerPill have a special "Buy two, Get one free" Black Friday sale on Amazon.com! Customers must place 3 boxes in the shopping cart and enter code: SPFRIDAY to receive the 3rd box free. Offer is valid 11/23 - 11/25

Check out the ShowerPill website!  www.showerpill.com

Mountain Massacre: Mountain Masochist Trail Race Report

 It's Friday, the day before the 30th running of the Mountain Masochist 50 + mile trail run. I am driving up highway 501 with Mo and Jenn, on our way to Lynchburg, Va. Jenn's phone rings. We hear her talking to someone, going "are you kidding me?' etc. Jenn hangs up the phone and explains to us that there is 4+ inches of snow on the "loop" section of the course and that there are also waist deep drifts of snow as well. Awesome. We had received several emails from Clark, the race director, during the week advising that there would be snow on sections of the course, but with clear weather the past several days, we had thought most of the snow would have melted. The loop section of the course was the introduction to the second half of the race, after the climb up Long Mountain to the halfway point at 26 miles or so. (Horton math). Some of us would get to see the snow, some not.



  6:30am, race day. Standing at the start, shivering, temp about 37 degrees. Race gear: Race Ready shorts, Nike base layer, cycling jersey. I opted for the cycling jersey over the hydration pack from a comfort standpoint, due to the length of the race. I had my ultimate Direction hand held and my Montrail Rouge Fly. I had the Hokas packed in my drop bag at mile 26, just in case.

  Off we went, into the darkness along a paved road. My trusty Fenix headlamp, affectionately known as "The Mothership" due to it's amazing brightness, was appearing somewhat dim. It was then I remembered not having replaced the batteries after the Hinson Lake 24 hour ultra. Thankfully, other folks lights provided me enough vision, and an hour into the race, it was beginning to get light.

  Photo by M. Percy

We ran on the road for a mile or so, then onto some double track. Mile two was marked by a creek crossing, then a watery tunnel. Since there was no way around the water, you just had to embrace it and slog through it. Despite the cold, my feet felt okay. The Rouges dried out rather quickly as well.

  I was feeling okay at this point. I was trying to keep a steady pace, being somewhat conservative but staying ahead of the cut offs. It was going to be a long day, regardless.  I went through Peavine Gap Aid stations #1&2, then on through Dancing Creek and Parkway Gate AS at Mile 15. I was staying hydrated and had taken a gel and ate a Cliff Bar up to this point. It was also around this point I noticed I was not feeling particularly strong on the hills. I was power walking them, but still was feeling somewhat tired. Not a good sign.

  I fought my way from  Parkway Gate up to Robinson Gap, then enjoyed a nice downhill into Irish Creek AS at mile 19. Two miles later, I went through The Reservoir AS, three minutes ahead of the cut off. I grabbed some food, refilled my hand held and headed out for the climb up Long Mountain.

  The climb up Long Mountain felt endless. It was 5 miles of climbing to get to the Long Mountain AS, the halfway point. I felt myself slowing down. There was no "pop" in the legs, and I found myself trudging up the mountain. I was now getting very fatigued. I was trying to do cutoff math in my head, to no avail.  My form was really suffering, and I began to feel like a marionette with all it's strings tangled up. It seemed like an eternity had passed when I finally crested the climb and hit the flat stretch that led to the Long Mountain Aid Station. Upon reaching the aid station, I was greeted by a rather sheepish young man who informed me I had just missed the cut off and was being pulled from the course.  I told him I understood, and he actually thanked me for not freaking out on him. (apparently the woman who came in right in front of me was pulled too, and was not too happy about it!)  

  It was my first DNF. I was okay with it. I was just not feeling it. I would have been pulled either going in or coming out of the loop section later in the race anyhow. My drop bag was here, and I could catch a bus to the finish line and watch everyone finish. As I walked toward the bus I heard a knocking on one of the bus windows. It was my friend Jenn, who had made the cut off but had been struggling with a cold/sinus issue all week and decided to drop, knowing that she would not have enough to finish the second half.  I asked her about our friends Tim and Mo, and she said they were both looking good and heading up Buck Mountain towards the loop.The buses then headed out, bringing us to the finish line.

   Jenn and I set up shop at the Country Store across the street from the finish. We sat on the porch, drank coffee and watched the finishers come in. Many of the folks that crossed the line looked pretty beat up, as conditions on the loop were rough. The 12 hour finish time was extended by a half an hour due to the challenges along the loop. Jenn and I waited anxiously for Mo and Tim to come in, standing in the dark at the finish line. As the last bus was about to pull out, We got on it. There was no cell service, so we had to wait about a half hour into the bus ride before we could reach Mo, only to find out she was already back at the hotel! Mo had made it to mile 41 before missing the cut off. Our friend Tim was pulled at mile 38.

Mo at Mile 41

293 people started, 236 finished. There were also 49 people that did not start. This is one that will go back on the calendar for 2013. Next year I will not run a 50K two weeks before this race. I will train more on hills. I will be back.............

"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds." - Edward Abbey

Wordless Wednesday: Stay Thirsty My friends!

Product Review: Saucony Guide 6

Recently the good folks at Saucony sent me a pair of their new "Guide 6" running shoes to test out. They are scheduled to come out on November 1st.

They felt comfortable right out of the box. This is not a shoe that will require any "break in" time. The size 11 I tested had ample room in the toe box area. I do not have a particularly wide foot, but other brands I have run in tended to feel a bit narrower in that size.
  The drop on these is 8mm, which felt fine even though I generally run in a 4mm drop shoe.

  The first test was a four mile run on asphalt. The Guide 6 felt good, a nice mix of both support and stability.They have a very light feel to them. I was running with a friend who had recently had a child, so I even got to put the Guide 6 through 2 miles of "stroller" testing!

  The second run was on the treadmill at the gym. I find the treadmill not to be as easy on the joints as people think, but here again the 6's did well. I took them through some "strides" at a good hard pace and did not feel any discomfort even with the hammer down.

  Yesterday's test run included some hill work. I had to bring my car into the shop for brakes, and being the runner that I am, ran home from the repair shop! The shop sits at the bottom of a hill, so up we went! The shoe felt good on the climb, still supported well even when the foot strike became more pronounced on the forefoot. They returned the energy nicely back to the legs. On the subsequent downhill, the foot stayed stable, not sliding up towards the front of the shoe at all.
  I would highly recommend this shoe for anyone looking for a light, supportive, everyday training shoe. The Guide 6 is also a great shoe for anyone who has been running in a higher drop shoe and wants to experience a more minimalist feel but still have plenty of guidance and support.
 A nice job by the folks at Saucony!

http://www.saucony.com

Wordless Wednesday 11/17: Rollin' by the River!

Photo by J. William

New River Trail 50K Race Report

  After a long, hot summer of racing, I found myself at the start of the New River 50K Trail Run last Saturday rocking the Smartwool beanie, gloves and a long sleeve base layer! Temps at the start were hovering around 40 degrees and fog had settled in around the banks of the New River. As usual, I was joined by my "5am" compatriots Lauren and Mo, plus our friend Bill had joined us on the ride up and would be running the 50K along with us.

                                                        The 3 Amigos!          Photo courtesy of L. Wilkins                  

Lauren had run the race last year in 5:47, her 50K PR, and had her sights set on beating that time this year. Mo had just been told she had Bronchitis the day before, and was primarily focused on finishing.  Me, I was coming off 86 miles at Hinson Lake 24 Hour Run two weeks prior. "The course is flat" they said. "You will get a PR" they said. I was trying not to get too caught up in the "flat/fast" hoopla. I knew if I did, I would go out too hard and probably blow up. Waking up race day morning with a slight sore throat and stuffy nose was also a cause for concern, but being a true Irishman, I kept those feeling to myself and soldiered on.

  So off we went into the cool Virginia morning. The first several miles were great, and soon Lauren had separated from me and Mo and was up ahead and looking strong. I felt good, although I kept looking at the 9:30 miles we were ticking off and realized I was sipping freely from the "PR Koolaid"

                                            Me and Mo, on the go!               Photo by L. Wilkins

I knew I had better ease off a bit, not quite knowing what my stamina might be at the end of the race. It was about this time our friend Bill came gliding past us. A cagey cycling veteran, Bill likes to start from the back, let the herd thin out, and then motor his way through the pack. He is also blessed with a long stride, so my choppy little ultra pace was no match for him.

                       Bill in full "Stealth" mode!    Photo by L. Wilkins 

                           

Mo and I were still holding sub 10 min/miles as we came through the first aid station around mile 6. Curiously, Mo was not showing any weakness for someone as sick as she was. Sure, there was the lung scraping coughing jags, but her strength and stamina appeared to be unaffected. I, on the other hand, really started feeling like crap! I had not drank much, and was in need of some fuel. I downed a gel, hoping that would provide a spark, and focused on drinking more often from my hand held. It was not long after this that my pace slowed and I watched as Mo slipped out of sight ahead of me on the trail.

  The allure of a flat course can be a double edge sword. Yes, you can run faster. There are no oxygen sucking climbs and quad screaming descents. You are, however, using the same core group of muscles the entire time. I found it to be quite a grind, both physically and mentally. Looking back on my Garmin stats, we only gained 921 feet of elevation over 31 miles. Flat indeed.

  I was now running by myself, churning out the miles, head down. The scenery was beautiful, but my mind was focused on getting my ass to the next aid station for some more fuel and to top off the water bottle. The mental battle was now on. The first victory was hitting 10 miles. The second was hitting the half way point at mile 15, and the aid station at mile 15.94, where I saw the the familiar faces of  Barefoot Josh and his wife Iris. (you can check out Josh's excellent blog at: http://www.barefootjosh.com/)  Josh filled up my water bottle, I downed a gel and off I went. The next little victory would be reaching the Cliffview Turnaround at mile 17.

Josh and Iris at the AS

 Not long after the aid station, I was starting to have to suppress  thoughts of dropping at the turnaround. I had a drop (no pun intended) bag there with dry clothes. The leaders were already flying by in the opposite direction, looking strong. I knew before long I would be seeing Lauren, Bill and Mo.

 Bill came by first, cruising along with his earphones in. Not long after I saw Lauren, still running well. I remember telling her I was "dyin'" and she told me the turnaround was not much further. I had still not reached the turnaround when I saw Mo, strong and steady coming my way. I believe I asked her "where the $#@^ is the turnaround?"

  Finally. The Cliffview turnaround. I didn't even look for my drop bag. I handed someone my bottle to refill, grabbed a quick snack and headed back out. I rationalized that if I just kept going after the turnaround, I would eventually grind my way to the finish. It was a split second moment of clarity.

  Now I was passing folks on their way to the turnaround. I took slight comfort in the fact that I could now see that others were toiling as well. I continued to rumble down the trail.

  "Welcome to mile 20!" was the greeting bestowed on me from Josh as I doubled back through his aid station. More fluid and gels. Back on my way.  The next several miles was a series of ups and downs for me. I would run at a nice pace, thinking I had gotten my groove back, only to slow to a walk. It was sort of like a low self esteem Galloway method. 

 It was right around mile 22 I started to catch some folks. This did perk me up a little, and I wound up passing 5 people between mile 22 and 26. Then came the marathon split, which I came through in 4:53:59. WTF? I could still PR for 50K! (Previous best was 6:08 at Derby 50K) Energized, I took off running from the marathon split. That lasted about 1/4 mile. The New River Trail was not done with me yet.

The remaining miles were a mix of ultra shuffle and walking. I did suffer a minor bout of trail tourrete's along the last two miles as I shuffled and muttered. Where is the GD #$%!!** finish!?!?! Then, one last foot bridge and the finish line beckoned! I was done. 5:53:03 a New PR!

That one hurt!

Crossing the line!              Photo by L. Wilkins         

I am also happy to report that Lauren, Mo and Bill had PR's too!

Lauren: 5:05:16

Mo: 5:37:58

Bill: 4:58:00 

A big thanks to Annette Bednosky (RD) and all the volunteers and crew!

For more info on the race: http://www.ncnr.org/nrt50k.html

  

Book Review: The Longest Race by Ed Ayres

  

Ed Ayres, one of the pioneers in ultrarunning, has just released a new book, The Longest Race, chronicling his running of the 2011 JFK 50 mile Endurance Run. If you are thinking this is just another book about running, you will be pleasantly surprised to discover that it IS that, but so much more!

  The chapters cover the race from start to finish, with vivid descriptions of the course that make you feel that you are running along side Mr. Ayres the whole way. What sets this book apart is the way Mr. Ayres artfully and seamlessly mixes in thoughts on history, anthropology, evolution, the human race and a host of other topics while keeping the reader engaged the whole time. The more serious issues are not presented in a didactic way at all, but rather laid out in front of the reader to ponder, perhaps on a long trail run!

On the running side, one of my favorite Chapters from the book is  "Taylor's Landing" Negotiating with Fatigue-and Turning Long Hours into Moments. A must read for all runners. You will no doubt smile as you read this chapter, as we have all been in this predicament before, battling with fatigue and all the mental challenges that come along with it!

So with the arrival of Fall, I would strongly encourage you to pick up a copy of the book, prop your feet up, (After your run of course) and settle in for some enjoyable reading. You will learn about running, but will also learn more about yourself and the world around you.

Find the Book here:  http://www.amazon.com/The-Longest-Race-Ultramarathon-Endurance/dp/1615190635  

Learn more about Ed Ayres:  http://www.ed-ayres.com/