Danny and I arrived in Boston last night after a what-seemed-like-forever flight. We cabbed it to the house we're renting (with Amy, Chad, and Megan, who got in early this morning), then we hit the neighborhood Mexican restaurant for some food. I told the waiter that I wanted a marg, but couldn't have one. Then I remembered that it was only Friday, and the race isn't until Monday, so I indulged a little. Yeah, it was good.
After almost 10 hours of sleep last night (!), I had a nice and lazy morning. Eventually, Danny and I decided it was time to head to the Expo, but we also wanted to get in a 5ish mile run. So we ran to the Expo. We went in the convention center, got our numbers, and headed over to pick up our goody bags and shirts. As I was about to leave the shirt pick-up area, I noticed a volunteer looking at me, kinda like he knew me. Then, "Hey, you're Sean Meissner". "Yeah...and you?" It was Sherpa John from NH. It's always fun to see fellow ultrarunners at marathons.
Then it was in to the mammoth Expo. It was a bit overwhelming, so I decided my first stop needed to be at the nuun booth. Hart had set it up for me to hang out there for a while and help talk about the electrolyte drink that I love! Eric and Julianne were super-nice and stoked to have me there. I immediately started talking to hundreds of marathoners and their friends about nuun...all about nuun...even the sorbitol part of nuun. Yes, sorbitol. Yes, it's a natural laxative. Yes, it's also commonly found in most fruits. Yes, when taken in HUGE quantities, it will do the same thing to you as eating a whole bunch of prunes. Yes, it's tastes super-yummy and really is a great electrolyte drink; it's very natural and it just makes you want to drink. I'm actually even planning to start with a bottle of kona kola nuun on Monday.
After a short while at the nuun booth, a Japanese man came up to me, handed me his bib number and a sharpie, and said (I kid you not) "You're Sean Meissner...you can run, but you can't hide". Huh?! It was pretty crazy, but also kinda cool. I saw Pam Reed's signature already on there, so I figured he definitely knew some ultrarunners. So yeah, I signed it, and even posed for a picture with him. It was my 2 minutes of slight fame. I saw a few other friends go by as I hung out with nuun, including fast-and-nice guy Brad Mitchell from ID. I except to see him a few times on Monday, too.
I hung out at the booth for a little over an hour, then decided to brave the Expo. I saw lots of people and lots of things - some cool, some kinda weird, and lots and lots of logo merchandise being purchased. Legends were there autographing posters...Boston Billy, Dick Beardsley, Peter Reed (who couldn't stop praising nuun when he saw mine and Eric's visors!), Tim DeBoom, Bart Yasso, etc. I thought it would be cool to get a poster with all of their autographs for the store, but decided I didn't really want to wait in all of those lines. Maybe if Rod had paid for my trip... Michael Hayden spotted me through the crowd and we chatted for a bit. He's fresh off the Mad City 50k last weekend, where he set a new national age group record of 3:45...smokin', Michael!
I saw quite a few industry people that I knew or recognized, and even stopped by Superfeet, Balega, and a few others to give them the early scoop on the new shop (and yes, I'm charging Rod for all of that time).
After hitting the booths, I headed back to nuun for another 1/2 hour with Julianne and Eric. We were rocking, blasting 80s music, dancing, handing out samples, selling lots, and explaining the benefits of nuun to hundreds of thirsty runners. I got caught up in it all, and before I knew it, the 1/2 hour turned into an hour and a half. I was having a blast, but also getting tired. Although I knew that Julianne and Eric were obviously doing just fine without me, I felt bad for leaving while it was still busy. But they're cool, encouraged me to take off, and even sent me away with a new, clean visor (that will complement my skanked-out one nicely), and a few tubes of the new orange ginger nuun. Thanks, Eric and Julianne - I enjoyed the afternoon with you two.
A t-ride back home, a quick stop by the local market, and pasta primavera was served. Now it's just been a nice, relaxing evening at the house with the gang, watching the Red Sox game and talking geeky runner-talk. Danny and I are excited to join some fast guys from Eugene to watch the fast women tomorrow morning, while Amy, Chad, and Megan are headed to Cambridge to check out Harvard.
I'm loving it here!
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Great Week!
Whew, this week really was great! It started off on Monday with still no voice and hacking up a lung every 30 seconds. I had taken Sunday off from running to recover after Hagg, so I wanted to get out for a little run on Monday. I wanted this to be a solid week of training so I could take it easy this coming week with Way Too Cool on the 8th. However, after whispering to Rod (he was hoping it was sweet-nothings, but really it was because I couldn't talk), he convinced me I should take another day off. So I did and I had a great nappy.
Tuesday I was in Bend for some vehicle repairs, so I decided to pound some pavement there. I started off slowly grinding up Pilot Butte and finding the road to be completely clear of snow and ice! Although Tuesday is my normal butte-repeats day, I was feeling pretty pathetic so I decided to forego the repeats. So instead, I ran over to Awbrey Butte and slogged my way up that baby, feeling better with each step (but still hacking up a lung or two). On the way down, I pushed the pace so I could join-up with the FootZone noon run. I got there with 12 miles for the day, and that run added another 6, for a solid 18 for the day. That's really all I wanted - decent mileage without pushing it.
On Wednesday, Sascha and I went on a 14 miler to check-out trail conditions for most of the 30k loop of the Rumble. After her typical sandbagging on the pavement, once we hit the dirt, Sascha kicked butt! She set the pace and I definitely ran the last 9 miles faster than the plan. But we were having a blast. I usually like to push the last 2 miles of this loop and Sascha knows that. She accelerated perfectly and we tempoed the last 2 at sub-6 pace. Yeah, she can still bring it! For her efforts, she was rewarded with a tasty pig's ear. Mmmm, pig's ear...
Thursday was track day. Sascha usually joins me on my warm-up and cool-down, then she lays down in the infield and watches, but I could tell she needed a day off after yesterday's run. It was a gorgeous day, so I decided to do a combo track/tempo workout. I ran a modified Yasso workout of 6 x 800, averaging 2:49 - 3 sec. per 800 slower than in NC, but not too worried with the crud still in me. I jogged easy for a couple miles, then tempoed about 6 hilly miles. I was tired and happy when I got home. Thursday was a great day!
Friday I ran an out-and-back 16 miler on the McKenzie Highway. Gradual uphill for 8, then gradual down for 8. I cruised the out portion in 59, then just let the legs open up a bit on the way back in 51. 16 miles, 1:50, at a very comfortable 6:53 pace. Again, I was happy. It was just the kind of Boston training run I needed.
Later that day I met up with Rod, Rob, and our Superfeet rep. for some Superfeet training. This guy was definitely knowledgable about all sorts of biomechanical things. It was actually a really imformative little session. And he hooked us all up with some new Superfeet! As we finished up, new Fleet Feet decals were being put on the new store's doors and windows. Very, very nice! Since I had the night off, I even enjoyed a nice movie at the cool little Sisters Movie House.
My friend Darin Swanson was spending the weekend at Black Butte Ranch with his family and he wanted to get in a long run on Saturday (he is also Boston-bound). This was March 1, and I was slighty bummed to have gotten a little snow overnight, and thus, colder temps. February was such awesome weather everywhere I was that I only wore tights once, and now, on March 1, I was wearing tights. Poor me. Anyway, Darin and I met bright and early (for me) at my house and set off with Sascha for a tour of most of the 2nd 60k loop of the Rumble, again checking snow conditions. After a couple miles, we came across some animal prints in the fresh snow. Three sets of animal prints. One large and 2 smaller. Most likely of the feline variety. Although I've seen their prints before in this area, I've never actually seen a cat. I think Sascha scares them away. That Sascha, she's a good dog. So the rest of the run turned out pretty good, running through the little bit of new snow with the occasional sun break, showing-off the Rumble course to Darin, and getting good Boston tips from the vet. After Darin recovered from his little bonk (those Clif Bloks sure helped), I think he enjoyed the little 15 mile tour of my training grounds. He even talked about Trisha (his wife) running the 60k at the Rumble, while he and the kids might help out at an aid station! Sascha also ran well and was definitely done for the day.
After a nice, fat breakfast at the Ski Inn (mmm, eggs over-easy, hashbrowns, sourdough toast, and, of course, bacon!), I went back home to veg out on the couch with the stove blazing and watch the classic Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Well, I remembered the first couple minutes, then woke up 2 hours later, all nice and cozy. Wow, I felt good! Two naps in the same week...does it get much better than that?
So through Saturday, I was at 77 miles for the week with one day off. One day to go, so I thought a nice, round 90 for the week sounded very reasonable. Yesterday's snow was gone, and today was beautiful. I wanted to run a short tempo run today. First Sascha and I did a 6.5 mile warm-up, I dropped her off back home, and decided to run a 4 miler at a cut-down tempo effort; out-and-back, the first 2 miles gradual uphill, the last 2 downhill. The first 2 miles at 6:20 and 6:10 made me think that uphill was more than I had given it credit for. The 3rd mile at 5:47 confirmed this, and the 4 at 5:40 solidified it. Not bad negative splits and I was happy with the effort. And after my cool-down, I was done with my 90 mile week. Even better, my legs felt good, my chest and lungs felt good (after almost 3 weeks, I think the crud is pretty much out), and I was just happy with life.
Oh, on a little side-note of personal records...when Bien and I ran Pilot Butte repeats a couple weeks ago (my favorite workout), I decided to run hard on the last downhill. It loses 480' in a mile with a sharp 160 degree left hand turn thrown in there. Anyway, so I wanted to run around 5:30. Bien was too scared to join in the fun. I went out hard and was immediately in oxygen debt. Hitting the 1/2 in 2:27 and with the big turn still to come, I thought I could be pretty close to 5-flat. I slowed for the turn, accelerated coming out of it, weaved through a few hikers, and sprinted hard to the finish. 4:51. All-time personal record, baby. I had only broken 5 twice before, both were 4:59 and each was only a 1600 - 9 meters short of a mile. So sure, this was a screaming downhill, but I'll take it.
For a really cool race report of the Susitna 100 miler, check out my friend Shawn's blog. She's a stud!
Tuesday I was in Bend for some vehicle repairs, so I decided to pound some pavement there. I started off slowly grinding up Pilot Butte and finding the road to be completely clear of snow and ice! Although Tuesday is my normal butte-repeats day, I was feeling pretty pathetic so I decided to forego the repeats. So instead, I ran over to Awbrey Butte and slogged my way up that baby, feeling better with each step (but still hacking up a lung or two). On the way down, I pushed the pace so I could join-up with the FootZone noon run. I got there with 12 miles for the day, and that run added another 6, for a solid 18 for the day. That's really all I wanted - decent mileage without pushing it.
On Wednesday, Sascha and I went on a 14 miler to check-out trail conditions for most of the 30k loop of the Rumble. After her typical sandbagging on the pavement, once we hit the dirt, Sascha kicked butt! She set the pace and I definitely ran the last 9 miles faster than the plan. But we were having a blast. I usually like to push the last 2 miles of this loop and Sascha knows that. She accelerated perfectly and we tempoed the last 2 at sub-6 pace. Yeah, she can still bring it! For her efforts, she was rewarded with a tasty pig's ear. Mmmm, pig's ear...
Thursday was track day. Sascha usually joins me on my warm-up and cool-down, then she lays down in the infield and watches, but I could tell she needed a day off after yesterday's run. It was a gorgeous day, so I decided to do a combo track/tempo workout. I ran a modified Yasso workout of 6 x 800, averaging 2:49 - 3 sec. per 800 slower than in NC, but not too worried with the crud still in me. I jogged easy for a couple miles, then tempoed about 6 hilly miles. I was tired and happy when I got home. Thursday was a great day!
Friday I ran an out-and-back 16 miler on the McKenzie Highway. Gradual uphill for 8, then gradual down for 8. I cruised the out portion in 59, then just let the legs open up a bit on the way back in 51. 16 miles, 1:50, at a very comfortable 6:53 pace. Again, I was happy. It was just the kind of Boston training run I needed.
Later that day I met up with Rod, Rob, and our Superfeet rep. for some Superfeet training. This guy was definitely knowledgable about all sorts of biomechanical things. It was actually a really imformative little session. And he hooked us all up with some new Superfeet! As we finished up, new Fleet Feet decals were being put on the new store's doors and windows. Very, very nice! Since I had the night off, I even enjoyed a nice movie at the cool little Sisters Movie House.
My friend Darin Swanson was spending the weekend at Black Butte Ranch with his family and he wanted to get in a long run on Saturday (he is also Boston-bound). This was March 1, and I was slighty bummed to have gotten a little snow overnight, and thus, colder temps. February was such awesome weather everywhere I was that I only wore tights once, and now, on March 1, I was wearing tights. Poor me. Anyway, Darin and I met bright and early (for me) at my house and set off with Sascha for a tour of most of the 2nd 60k loop of the Rumble, again checking snow conditions. After a couple miles, we came across some animal prints in the fresh snow. Three sets of animal prints. One large and 2 smaller. Most likely of the feline variety. Although I've seen their prints before in this area, I've never actually seen a cat. I think Sascha scares them away. That Sascha, she's a good dog. So the rest of the run turned out pretty good, running through the little bit of new snow with the occasional sun break, showing-off the Rumble course to Darin, and getting good Boston tips from the vet. After Darin recovered from his little bonk (those Clif Bloks sure helped), I think he enjoyed the little 15 mile tour of my training grounds. He even talked about Trisha (his wife) running the 60k at the Rumble, while he and the kids might help out at an aid station! Sascha also ran well and was definitely done for the day.
After a nice, fat breakfast at the Ski Inn (mmm, eggs over-easy, hashbrowns, sourdough toast, and, of course, bacon!), I went back home to veg out on the couch with the stove blazing and watch the classic Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Well, I remembered the first couple minutes, then woke up 2 hours later, all nice and cozy. Wow, I felt good! Two naps in the same week...does it get much better than that?
So through Saturday, I was at 77 miles for the week with one day off. One day to go, so I thought a nice, round 90 for the week sounded very reasonable. Yesterday's snow was gone, and today was beautiful. I wanted to run a short tempo run today. First Sascha and I did a 6.5 mile warm-up, I dropped her off back home, and decided to run a 4 miler at a cut-down tempo effort; out-and-back, the first 2 miles gradual uphill, the last 2 downhill. The first 2 miles at 6:20 and 6:10 made me think that uphill was more than I had given it credit for. The 3rd mile at 5:47 confirmed this, and the 4 at 5:40 solidified it. Not bad negative splits and I was happy with the effort. And after my cool-down, I was done with my 90 mile week. Even better, my legs felt good, my chest and lungs felt good (after almost 3 weeks, I think the crud is pretty much out), and I was just happy with life.
Oh, on a little side-note of personal records...when Bien and I ran Pilot Butte repeats a couple weeks ago (my favorite workout), I decided to run hard on the last downhill. It loses 480' in a mile with a sharp 160 degree left hand turn thrown in there. Anyway, so I wanted to run around 5:30. Bien was too scared to join in the fun. I went out hard and was immediately in oxygen debt. Hitting the 1/2 in 2:27 and with the big turn still to come, I thought I could be pretty close to 5-flat. I slowed for the turn, accelerated coming out of it, weaved through a few hikers, and sprinted hard to the finish. 4:51. All-time personal record, baby. I had only broken 5 twice before, both were 4:59 and each was only a 1600 - 9 meters short of a mile. So sure, this was a screaming downhill, but I'll take it.
For a really cool race report of the Susitna 100 miler, check out my friend Shawn's blog. She's a stud!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Running With The Boys
Last Friday, I had the chance to run with my two good buddies Rod and Jeff, at the same time! It's kinda crazy - we all live in central Oregon, are all ultrarunners, and are good friends, yet we hardly ever run together, whether it's 2 or all 3 of us. Schedules often conflict. So I planned a 3 hour tour at Smith Rock State Park on Friday and invited both guys, hoping at least one would join in the fun. To my pleasant surprise, both said yes.
Now let me step back 5 1/2 years to when I moved to Oregon. Rod and Jeff had both been running ultras for a few years, while I had been for just one year. But I solidly whooped both of 'em, all the time, on pretty much any terrain. I ran with them on my easier runs. I enjoyed their friendship, so had no problem slowing for them. Within 2 years, I had even paced both Rod and Jeff to solid finishes in 100s. Things were good.
Then a few years ago, something happened. These guys started getting faster. And faster. And faster. So now I wasn't waiting for my buddies on training runs. We all would push each other. I pushed them on the ups. Jeff pushed the downs. Rod liked going fast on flats. Things were good.
Then a year later, they both got really fast. Running with them wasn't quite so fun anymore - in fact, it kinda hurt. But I had my Ace in the hole - they still couldn't touch me going up. I was always king of the hill. Always. This was good.
Last year, Rod was running fast all the time. Every run was fast - ups, downs, technical, smooth, road, trail - it didn't matter. If Rod was running it, it was fast. I could still usually at least keep pace with him on the ups. Also last year, Jeff started training with Steve Larsen. Steve is really super fast, and consequently, Jeff's leg speed greatly improved. He was smoking fast (the rat even beat me by 35 seconds at the Dirty 1/2, a distance where I used to always easily whoop him) and, as he told me, in the best shape of his life.
In the midst of these past few fast years, not surprisingly, they've both raced really well, too. Three 100-miler victories and course records, Rumble victory and c.r., 19 hour WS, 33 hour HR, marathon p.r.s (both finally sub-3), 1st male / 2nd overall Waldo, 8:43 4th place Miwok...the list goes on. These guys are both well-known on the national ultra curcuit. And they're my friends.
Anyway, back to last Friday at Smith. It was going to be a good, tough run, 16 miles with 4,200' vertical. The weather was sunny and in the 50s. I was there with Sascha and my two buds for a sweet run. Fun times ahead!
Until we got to the first hill, Burma. Not surprisingly, Rod blasted up ahead...and Jeff followed! Crap, what's that about? I was left licking my wounds as I crawled to the top. Oh well, it always takes me a long time to warm up. In about 25 minutes we'll be at Grey Butte and I'll show 'em. Soon we were at the base of the 2+ mile climb with about 1,500' vertical. And soon enough, those jerks were gone again. We hit snow and I thought I might be able to reel them in a bit. Nope, they kept right on walking away from me. I was so far behind them when they reached the top that they even came down a few minutes to wait for me so they wouldn't get cold on top. On the way down, I was able to stay with them for a little while on the snow, but once the snow stopped and we were running on rocks...uh, bye-bye guys. Wait for me at the bottom.
The next few miles were mellow downhill and the three of us were actually running together, with Sascha right there. Then we got to the base of the backside of Burma, started going up, and, although I felt okay, it sure looked like I was going backwards. The last 2 hills, Monkey Face and the Parking Lot, are both short so I didn't get quite as whooped. The boys...they're tough. And fast.
One of my very favorite ultrarunning things since moving to Oregon has been seeing Jeff and Rod evolve as ultrarunners. When I met them, they were solid mid-packers and loving every minute of it. Now, they're fast. And they're still my friends.
And I still have a faster marathon p.r. than both of them.
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