Trail running = hard

Afton State Park evened the score this weekend. It is Tuesday, nearly 48 hours after my ~12 mile trail run up and down the park's hills, and my quads were bothered this evening by a slow 5.25 mile jog.

I now understand the phenomenon of "Dead Quad," where one's quadriceps muscles are so shot from running down hill that forward progress is a monumental task. The outsides of my legs ached; when my feet hit the pavement, it felt like my bones were solid rods incapable of absorbing shock. So I ran no further. Tomorrow is another day. Now home, I pumped fluids and took some Vitamin I.

The 50K is just over three weeks out. I do not plan to do any substantial taper, just run 45-50 miles/week for these final three weeks. I'll hit somewhere between 60 and 70 miles this week, and that will be the max for this race. And then the post-race recovery.

My parents are playing crew for me over this race. Their love and support got me through the 2008 Twin Cities Marathon, and their presence is a powerful stimulant.

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While you're here, please take a look at Brad Hefta-Gaub's blog, Sweat 365. Brad just completed his first 50K, which you can read about here. He is also on Twitter.