Local favorites Matt Novakovitch and Eric Stabel at Bird Ridge photo: Cole DealMount Marathon Race is one week away. I’ve prepared as methodically as I ever have. I’ve raced two events and hit target performances with PRs on both. The performance data from my Suunto Ambit 2 indicates that I’m spot on with both fitness and rest. I just finished my de-load week with only a couple of 1 hour bike rides and a short run. This was preceded by a good week of training, about 12 hours worth.
I’ve managed to complete the threshold work each week, varying efforts from 20 minutes to 1 minute with every variation in between. The length of the intervals got gradually shorter as the race drew closer. My favorite workout turned out to be what I call crescendo efforts, 3 minutes each, with 140, 150 and 160 bpm as target zones for each one, 2 minutes rest.
Me learning to run downhill without snapping my ankles. Yikes!The biggest improvement I’ve seen and the biggest obstacle in my way is the downhill. Running full speed down 38 degree scree that’s peppered with big chunks of talus and surprise sections of firm ground is a skill best honed over years of racing MMR. 
Karol Fink floating the second half of the scree.Last year’s winner, Eric Strabel, set the record for the downhill portion on his way to a new course record. He won the junior event some 15 years ago. He’s had lots of practice. It took him 10 minutes flat to cover the distance. Astonishing, really. 
Trying to flyIf I make it somewhere around 13 minutes I’ll be thrilled. But I really have no idea what’ll happen. All I know is that when you go 0 to 60 from the top and you’re at threshold as you drop over the edge, the legs get wobbly. It simply kicks my ass every time. I’m nervous as hell but super excited to find out if I can pull it off without embarrassing myself. Stay tuned.
Karol negotiating one of several drops in the creek near the bottom of the descent
Kal's Knoya Ridge Run
The first event on the calendar was also my first mountain race in Alaska two years ago. This year was a chance to check my preparation and race again on familiar terrain. Although I went about 1:10 faster than last year it wasn’t as big of an improvement as I was expecting. Still, it’s really a runner’s course with lots of gentle rolling climbs before the stair master stuff starts near the end. Looking at my Suunto data, I performed well. Until I really improve my running efficiency, courses like this are always going to be a challenge.
An interesting comparison is looking at the GPS data and my power output. Now, I knew this intuitively but I’ve never seen it demonstrated so elegantly in print. So, the course is rolling, nearly always uphill and it gradually gets steeper near the end. There is a short downhill followed by the final push to the finish. All this is demonstrated by the Garmin data from Karol’s watch. My Suunto Ambit was not working so I used the T6, which lacks the GPS function. Anyway, compare this to my time vs. altitude gain graph.
Knoya Ridge GPS profile
HR and vertical over timeSince my metabolic output is consistent as demonstrated by a fairly level HR, any variations in the slope of the line would indicate changes in rate of ascent. But as you can see, the slope is nearly linear. The implication is that I climb at a very consistent rate, regardless of pitch. When the slope eased, I sped up. When it got steeper, I slowed but the vertical feet per minute didn’t change much at all. The geek in me found this interesting. This sort of thing is easy to see on a bike with a watt meter but runners lack such a device. A steady HR is the best we can do.
Robert Spurr Memorial Hill Climb - Bird Ridge
This race was a big goal of mine this year. The race is named after the first guy to run a time less than his age. There’s always been a special recognition given to competitors who equal this feat. Two years ago, the last time I raced, I missed it by 12 seconds. This year I planned to make it. I also wanted to go significantly faster to gain confidence leading into MMR.
Once again, the race went pretty well. I seemed rested enough to see the kind of HR response at the beginning of the event that leads to a fairly consistent and satisfying race. I also had a couple of familiar competitors around me that I battle with some regularity in these races. This made for hard racing.
The weather was perfect with not-too-hot temps and nearly no wind at the top. The lack of snow this year allowed us to use a part of the course that allowed about 25 seconds faster results for most people. I managed 49:58 which was 1:14 faster than my 2012 time. I was secretly hoping for something around 48:00 but I’m not sure where I’d find the additional speed or fitness. Perhaps a longer lead up with more volume behind me would gain me the extra minute or two. Either way, I was satisfied enough and happy with the preparation for MMR, 3 weeks away.
But now I'm only 5 days away. The hard work is done. The de-load week is complete and Karol and I did some threshold efforts today on the way up Mount Marathon in order to start bringing the engine back on line. Many athletes feel that a taper the week of a key event leads to some flat sensations on race day. On the recommendations of Matthew at Restwise, we tapered two weeks before and now will ramp up the intensity with a few days to go in order to have everything feeling normal, or so we hope. It'll be a careful balance in the next few days with some bike riding and easy course recon two days before. A few short efforts the day before should complete the process. Here we go!