Who knew there was a "Beer Pace"?

Wow, who knew that having a few too many IPA's on a Friday night would effect your Saturday run? I jest of course, but that is just what happened this morning. At some points I could actually feel my liver doing its' processing. Now, don't get me wrong, the run couldn't have gone much better and I had a smile on my face most of the way. But each glance down at the Garmin showed a pace that was a little bit embarrassing.

This was my first "official" 50K training run. Although my 20 week training plan does not really begin until Tuesday I could not give up the chance to get started on this beautiful breezy and cool morning. So with my wife at my side, handheld attached, and heart-rate monitor strapped, we headed out the front door to the rolling reclaimed road behind our house.

Let's talk real quick about the heart-rate monitor, or as I like to call it, my Biofeedback device (shmancy huh?). I have decided that because I am looking to start endurance running, I will be taking the advice of Dr. Phil Maffetone. No, not THAT Dr. Phil. His thoughts are that your training should always be in the aerobic zone. If your heart-rate is above a certain point (for me it is 140 bpm), you will suffer consequences to your endurance and having listened to him speak and being a Biology major... I agree! So with the Biofeedback device leading the way, we pushed at the blistering speed of 13:30 minute miles! Wow, it is really hard to run that slow. But, it was a very comfortable pace and 10 miles seemed like much less. And after a few weeks of doing this, I should be seeing pretty dramatic drops in that number.

Ok, so looking at that pace again, let's talk about the IPA's. I had tested out this aerobic threshold idea a few days ago and was able to maintain a 10:45 pace at 140 bpm. That's a significant difference huh? So we will just have to see if my next run, hopefully not after another beer fest, goes back to that lower pace.

All in all, we're off I guess. Hittin' the ground running and ready to see my endurance gain speed and power. Now, off to the Halloween party... ah crap

Here we go...

Here we go!
Paradise, absolute paradise! This is how I usually have to explain my awesome little mountain town. With almost 300 days of sunshine, four somewhat distinct seasons, mountain views and a humidity destroying high desert climate, I tell you again... paradise! It also doesn't hurt to have a 12,000 ft mountain out my front door, 4500 ft elevation slick-rock less than an hour South and Grand Canyon just over an hour North.
Whatever your outdoor pleasure, be it hiking through the forest, gliding down the slopes, hopping rocks on an MTB or testing your fortitude against craggy basaltic cliffs, this area never quits; oh, but don't come here cause as I always say, "everybody wants to be the last immigrant to paradise."

So in my adventures here on top of the Colorado Plateau I have come to do quite the flip flop. I used to call runners idiots. Who would want to run for fun? Sure, I used to do quite a bit of running for soccer. Sprints, hills, long distance, I did it all. But for fun? Hmmm, somethings wrong with these people. Well, now there is something wrong with me. I caught the bug up here and I have very little doubt that it was a double whammy of beautiful trails and some of the greatest people in the world.

I started the way I usually start things... full throttle and zero practice. My first trail race was a half marathon at 8200 feet with PLENTY of ups and downs! Next, I saw a post that a team was looking for a Ragnar relay partner...I'm in. But my next task, the real inspiration for this digital account of happenings, will probably need some practice if I hope to cross a few chalk lines. I have caught the bug of the Ultra.

Goal #1 - 50K     ... here we go...  

+TheCanyon.com

*I am hoping to complete the Mesquite Canyon 50K on the next Spring Equinox