Learning to Fly - Training for a 100 Mile Trail Run (while enjoying Pink Floyd)

Successfully completing a 100 mile trail run has been a goal since 1998. Each year I have attempted to run one and have fallen short. As an experiment of one, I'm recording my training and hoping that it will eventually document the successful completion of a 100 mile trailrace.

Sunday, March 30, 2008


Great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. It's beginning to feel like spring.

Activity
Route:--Elev. Avg:1334 ft
Location:Meadville, PAElev. Gain:-4 ft
Date:03/30/08Up/Downhill: [+980/-984]
Time:03:03 PMDifficulty:3.9 / 5.0
 
Weather:Mostly Cloudy
 50 F temp; 25% humidity
 50 F heat index; winds SE 10 G 20
Performance

Distance: 12.50 miles
Time:2:26:19
Speed:5.1 mph
Pace:11' 42 /miHeart Rate:143 bpm (Avg)
Calories:1500163 bpm (Peak)
Notes
Nice afternoon. Sunny at the start with a light breeze. Set out walking 3 min alternating with 5 min of running. Good run!
Map
 
Elevation (ft)
 
Pace (min/mile)
 
Heart Rate (bpm)
 
Heart Rate Zones
ZoneRange
(bpm)
Time
In Zone
Distance
In Zone
Zone 5165 - 1830h 00m0% 0.00 mi
Zone 4146 - 1651h 21m55% 7.62 mi
Zone 3128 - 1460h 51m35% 4.18 mi
Zone 2110 - 1280h 19m13% 1.32 mi
Zone 192 - 1100h 02m1% 0.11 mi
(none)out of range0h 00m0% 0.02 mi
Splits
MilePace (min/mile)Speed (mph)Heart
Rate
Elev
Gain
actual+/- avgactual+/- avg
112' 30+0' 484.8-0.3131+128 ft
210' 40-1' 025.6+0.5143-42 ft
311' 04-0' 385.4+0.3138-102 ft
411' 15-0' 275.3+0.2139-164 ft
512' 37+0' 554.8-0.4140+98 ft
612' 19+0' 374.9-0.3142-59 ft
712' 10+0' 284.9-0.2142+33 ft
812' 30+0' 484.8-0.3143+72 ft
910' 37-1' 055.7+0.51520 ft
1011' 33-0' 095.2+0.1154+151 ft
1111' 48+0' 065.1-0.0149+98 ft
1211' 24-0' 185.3+0.1145-82 ft
end9' 45-1' 576.2+1.0154-135 ft
Versus average of 11' 42 min/mile

Saturday, March 15, 2008


I took our dog, Abbey, and headed for the Justus Trail thinking that there'd be less snow than here in Meadville. We found the trail covered with 6+ inches of snow broken only by one pair of footprints heading out and back for one mile.

Abbey loved it for the first four miles, tolerated miles four to six-point-five, and showed displeasure the last mile plus. I urged her on, praising her running continually for that last stretch. When I bent to pat her head she pulled away before I could pet her. She was mad. Slept in the car all the way back to Meadville and the next day.

I hadn't realized how much it took out of me. Became ill later that night and slept until nearly five the following afternoon. Didn't run again until Tuesday, Feb. 26th

Activity
Route:--Elev. Avg:969 ft
Location:Franklin, PAElev. Gain:+10 ft
Date:02/23/08Up/Downhill: [+1256/-1246]
Time:02:52 PMDifficulty:3.7 / 5.0
Performance

Distance: 7.69 miles
Time:2:40:29
Speed:2.9 mph
Pace:20' 52 /miHeart Rate:122 bpm (Avg)
Calories:706146 bpm (Peak)
Notes
This run wiped me out. I got sick later this night and didn't run the following two days.

Deep snow!
Map
 
Elevation (ft)
 
Pace (min/mile)
 
Heart Rate (bpm)
 
Heart Rate Zones
ZoneRange
(bpm)
Time
In Zone
Distance
In Zone
Zone 5165 - 1830h 00m0% 0.00 mi
Zone 4146 - 1650h 00m0% 0.01 mi
Zone 3128 - 1460h 42m26% 2.26 mi
Zone 2110 - 1281h 47m67% 5.28 mi
Zone 192 - 1100h 14m8% 0.57 mi
(none)out of range0h 02m1% 0.03 mi
Splits
MilePace (min/mile)Speed (mph)Heart
Rate
Elev
Gain
actual+/- avgactual+/- avg
120' 54+0' 022.9-0.0112+20 ft
220' 20-0' 323.0+0.11160 ft
320' 50-0' 022.9+0.0119+6 ft
420' 20-0' 323.0+0.1118+13 ft
522' 03+1' 112.7-0.2118-26 ft
619' 32-1' 203.1+0.2127+36 ft
719' 36-1' 163.1+0.2130-33 ft
end19' 21-1' 313.1+0.2137-7 ft
Versus average of 20' 52 min/mile