The Hennepin Hundred - Fifty Miler

Yes, I'm still blogging.... I'm just too busy running to post!

I signed up to run the Hennepin Hundred Fifty on Thanksgiving weekend 2014.  The price was right and I was excited to tackle a new distance.  I had almost a year to train.  50 miles, I could do this!   Now, there’s just a hair over a month left until the gun, or horn, or bell or whatever goes off and the run commences.  Am I ready?  Am I excited?  Can I do it?  No, yes and hell yes!

A 10 Mile Loop at Waterfall Glen

Trying to figure out the right training plan for a 50 miler is an experience in itself.  Unlike marathon training which has been fine-tuned over the years, everyone has different advice about how to approach running 50 miles.  Additionally, very few training plans also are designed for the over 55 runner (that’s because most people, by the time they’re my age, have more sense.)   Some people swear by super long training runs, some people swear a 30 mile training run prior to the event is sufficient, some people like to do back to back long runs, some people say that will wear you out – you get the idea.  My training plan was based on a Runners World plan that didn’t emphasize distance so much as time on your feet.  The last training run is supposed to be a seven hour affair.  I’m a bit behind but did complete a 4 hour, 18 mile, super slow training run this past Monday.    Next weekend, I will do a 5 hour run and the following weekend, I plan to do a 20 mile run Friday

My Running Buddy.  We Can Do IT!

morning, 10 miles on Saturday morning and another 13 miles on Saturday night.  If I’m still alive at the end of all of that, I’m going to take it easy for a week and then do one last six or seven hour run.   Of course, I’m also doing shorter runs, some hill work and trying to incorporate weight training.

To be honest, I will only run less than half that distance.  I will be walking the rest.  My goal is to complete the 50 miles in the allotted time.  That’s it, end of story, that’s my goal.  In order to do that, I plan to use a run/walk interval strategy that will probably have me running 30 seconds/walking 45 seconds for most of the event.  Depending on how I feel, I will run or walk more as need be.  I am going to have my Gymboss timer along and behave like Pavlov’s dog, beep – I run, beep – I walk.  Still 50 miles is 50 miles and when you’re on the cusp of 58 years old, frankly 50 miles is 1,000 miles but that’s another blogpost. 

One of my friends from my running club is joining me on this adventure.  I’m sure we will have a blast for a good portion of the run just as I am sure we will have to motivate each other during other portions of the run.

The beauty of the midwest 

In these final weeks before the The Hennepin Hundred – 50 miler, I’m focused on getting my training done and figuring out just which shoes I’m going to wear, and how to prevent blisters.  If I can accomplish that, I can do it!