Chuck Norris Challenge (Part 2)

So on came week 2 of the Chuck Norris Challenge!

If you missed the event description and the write up of week 1, see my previous post: Chuck Norris Challenge (Part 1).

A big part of why I did this event was the pure challenge of it. I've run further in one day. In fact, I've run longer distances regularly in the past two months or so. I've run multi-day, stage race style events. But never had I raced for so many days straight at the kind of speed that would be required. The challenge intrigued me.

Despite the intrigue of the challenge, I was also nervous about injury. The distances didn't phase me, but the stress from the intensity was something my body wouldn't be used to. How would my body react to the stress on my muscles, tendons, joints, bones? I certainly didn't want to get injured. But as week 1 turned into week 2, the fatigue mounted, and these concerns started to feature more prominently in my thoughts.

It is from this backdrop that I began week 2.

THE COMPETITION (Week 2)

Day 8 - 35K (23 Competitors)

Day 8 was a struggle. A major struggle.

In my Strava feed for the day, I wrote, "The Saga Continues," and a saga is exactly what this was feeling like. I really don't know if I was more mentally exhausted or physically exhausted.

The mileage was manageable, as I mentioned in the previous post, though the intensity was much higher than I'm accustomed to. Mentally, though, it started to get difficult dialing in every morning. Knowing that day in and day out that, though I wouldn't be running at full effort, it would be close enough to require focus. And that kind of focus, was draining me.

The actual run, was just okay. I seriously considered giving up after 17.5 km when I was passing on the outside edge of my subdivision. My pace had been sub-par all morning, and I was starting to cough more. Somehow I just kept going, and my wheels came back with 11-12 km left, so I was able to finish up pretty well. My typical negative split.

NOTE: I had trouble stopping my watch at the end, so Strava time reports a bit high. My time is based on the kilometer splits on my watch.

Total Time: 2:40:58
Daily place/points: 2
Total Points: 23

DNC: 1

Day 9 - 30K (22 Competitors)

I was about eight minutes slower than when I ran the 30K on day 6, but given the circumstances, it wasn't a bad performance.

My breathing issues really began in earnest on day 9. I think this was the morning that I started and thought I was hearing a bird following me, which obviously would be really odd. Turned out it was a "whistle" of sorts coming form my lungs as I was exhaling. That put a damper on the run to start.

I had to take a bathroom break during mile two, which was annoying, knowing that extra time would impact my total time. But the coughing....

I kept feeling like my breath was getting restricted on my inhales. I was coughing a lot, partially because I had to and partially trying to clear my throat, especially during the second half of the run. Every time I did, it obviously hindered breathing, and I felt it in my core. There wasn't much to do, however, but press on and try to make up the time lost in the "bathroom" (i.e. the woods). I don't think I made up that time, but I still got my typical negative split.

Total Time: 2:16:34
Daily place/points: 2
Total points: 25

DNC: 2

Day 10 - 25K (20 Competitors)

Face, meet palm.

This 25 K was both a great run (which you can't tell from the official time) and a great run.

And I was angry about it all day.

I was fighting for this run. Every minute, every step, fighting. My real running pace was approximately 4:18 min/km (6:56 min/mile). So if that was what I was running, why does my pace not reflect that?

In short, stomach problems. I had to stop. TWICE! After the first time, I knew I had to step it up. After the second pit stop, I knew I had to work much harder than I wanted to over those last kilometers. It was so frustrating to have realistically run so well and yet have my overall time completely fail to reflect that. I was angry about that and about my body for a lot of the day. It's not as if this competition mattered, and It was not as if I was going to win, but I wanted to show up. Today, my body kinda didn't.

That said, this is the day I also became more reflective. Was I running as fast as week one? Not at all. But I was still running. And hard. Typically I don't train a lot for speed. I do speed workouts now and again, but mostly I train for distance. I train to run far. I train to maintain comfortable speed. I don't train to race fast. But here I was after 10 days, still running. and still running fast. I was shocked, and honestly quite amazing at what my body was doing. I had never considered it possible to run like this. I was learning a lot.

Total Time: 1:52:01
Daily place/points: 3
Total points: 28

DNC: 1

Day 11 - 20K (19 Competitors)

During week one, the 20K was my rest day. Now with just four days left and distances becoming shorter, there would be no more rest.

This day, however, would be an odd one. I was still wary of the previous day's debacle, and I didn't know what to expect today. I was.... cautious.

So I woke up in the morning, warmed up, and got ready to run. But, less than 1 km into the run, I could tell that my body was not in sync, so I stopped, deciding to try again in the afternoon.

The second attempt in the afternoon went much better. In fact, it was again a negative split, and I set a 20K PR.

As surprised as I was yesterday, I was even more surprised today. After running 180 km over the previous 6 days (this making a 200 km week), and not slowly, I was shocked at how much power my legs were still generating. I was also pleasantly surprised at how well my mind bounced back after the aborted attempt in the morning. Though I never got to race Prairie Spirit 100, this run made me believe that all the work I had done for that event, and the stamina I built, would have paid off. But I'll never really know.

Total time: 1:22:20 (PR)

Daily place/points: 2
Total points: 30

Day 12 - 15K (19 Competitors)

Day 12 was not a good day. I made a lot of mistakes.

For one, I was not hydrated well.

Second, in the sun, it was quite hot.

Third, I went out way too fast.

Lastly, I didn't correct my pace until it was too late.

I could feel myself fading for much of this run, and by the end, I felt like I was just trying to stay upright. I definitely weaved a bit, and I relished every moment in the shady. I even took a few short walking breaks (specifically during shady sections). Maybe because I ran so well the previous day, or maybe because it wqass getting close to the end, and I wanted was looing forward to finishing. But whatever the case,  today I overestimated myself.

Total Time: 1:02:44
Daily place/points: 4
Total points: 34

DNC: 1

Day 13 - 10K (18 Competitors)

Amidst the competition, I had started a grad program at the University of Arkansas. During this entire second week I was still working and doing my grad work. I definitely appreciated the shorter distances and finishing earlier. So rather than a post-run photo, on this second-to-last day, I went with a studying picture.

Just one day left, and I couldn't wait.

The run itself went well. As fast as last week? No. But it was a solid run at a solid pace. I ran in the morning so as not to repeat yesterday's mistakes. I also controlled my pace much better, so I ended up with a more typical negative split. I intentionally found the flattest route I could, which meant I ended up running almost two miles to get home.

Mentally I was done. I didn't hate running, but I was absolutely tired of running fast. I can't tell you how much I was looking forward to day 14. 

Total time: 39:56

Daily place/points: 3
Total points: 37

Day 15 - 5K (18 Competitors)

The last day.

As fast as day 1? No.

Did I need to be? No.

As far as overall place for the day is concerned, this was one of my worst, but I'd built up a good cushion between myself and the others, and the first place runner... well, he'd gotten first place on every day but one, so there was literally no catching him.

I took this one in the morning, 10:45, warm but still somewhat cool. My kids were outside playing, alternately cheering an ignoring me. They knew I was running pretty fast though. In the end, I wasn't able to break 6 min pace for this one. Also, most days I wouldn't say I went all out. On this day, I don't think I could have run much (if any) faster. My body was so absolutely ready for a rest. So was this the best 5K I've run? Nope. But given the circumstances and my ridiculously heavy coughing, I was completely satisfied with my effort.

Total time: 18:44

Daily place/points: 4
Total points: 41

FINAL THOUGHTS

I ended up in second place for the competition, and I consider myself lucky. Shane came on strong during week two, as he gained strength. When he's at full strength, I can't beat him. This just happened to a case of being in the right place in the right competition at the right time. Aside from that pesky cough...

As I explained to a friend yesterday, my overall takeaway from this competition was that my body was capable of so much more than I expected. I kept generating speed and power long after I thought I'd be able to. Long after I wanted to. And that really got me thinking.

The greats of ultrarunning--presently runners like Walmsley, Dauwalter, Hazen, Herron, Bitter, and others--obviously they have unique blends of genetics, hard work, proper training, etc. But how much of their success is simply... facing the pain? Staring down the pain and saying, "No." How much more might I (and you) be capable of just by saying no to the pain and pressing on?

So I'm thinking about what's next. Financially, I can't afford much right now. But when will I have another chance to be well-trained and stare down demons. Traveller 2021? Bandera 2022? Cocodona 2022?

I'm thinking. You?