I wanted to repost this becuase it is truely an epic race and should be shared!  But mostly because it was written by Joe Grant who is not only an amazing Ultra Runner but a very talented Writer.

Original Post: http://www.irunfar.com/2012/02/what-a-drag-joe-grants-susitna-100-experi...

The night is perfectly still. The wind is only perceptible in the dance of the silvery fairy dust in the beam of my headlamp. The Northern Lights mix greens and shimmery blues into the dark sky. In the far distance, I can see the bright light of a snow machine. I wonder for a moment, if he would see me collapse? How long would I lie here before being found? Would I sink into the snow and dissolve into this sea of silence, cold and ice? This is my second time crossing this five-mile stretch of choppy, frozen gunge referred to as the Dismal Swamp. Eighty miles deep into the race and I can barely keep myself standing up. I am zigzagging left and right, lightheaded from low blood sugar, struggling to keep my eyelids open. My lower leg tendons are on fire, screaming at me from the extended use of my snowshoes. Shooting pains run through my right IT band and lower back. Hunched over, I stagger forward, hands on hips trying to prop up my flailing core. I step to one side and punch through the snow to mid-calf. Before I can stabilize myself, Fatty, my sled, gives me a customary shove in the lumbar area bringing me to my knees. Somehow, I get back up again. There is no bravado in my move, no heroic triumph of pushing through a low point, rather an overwhelming feeling of despair, knowing that forward is the only way this will end.

This is my first time in Alaska, my first time dragging a sled and my first time running on snow and ice for a hundred miles. So much for never trying something new on race day. The Susitna 100, like several other long distance winter races in Alaska, gives racers the option of choosing between traveling on foot, bike or ski. Bikes are by far the most popular option with a vast majority of people sitting atop their fat tires with gear neatly strapped around their frame, saddle and handle bars. Skis appear to be the next best choice, offering individuals the possibility to carry the required gear in a pack instead of towing it in a sled. Then comes foot travel, my mode of transport for the day, which is by far the slowest, least efficient and arguably hardest (definitely dumbest) method of covering endless miles on snow and ice. Adding to that fact the dragging of a 25-pound sled (15 pounds of required gear, plus food, water and sled weight) and there is an absolute guarantee of a tough slog.

Susitna 100 start. Photo: Joe Grant

My sled tips over, within a few hundred yards of the start, on the first turn of the race. Thomas Burton, last year’s winner, kindly flips it back over for me. I am somewhat surprised that it tips so easily, but figure it is probably just due to the sharp turn on a crowded trail. Over the next couple miles, it flips several other times, a trend that increases in frequency as I progress onto the ski moguls that line most of the trail for the twenty miles leading to Flat Horn Lake- the first check point. Beside the flipping, my real issue lies in the ineffective harness system that straps Fatty to my waist. For every two steps forward, I take one step back. The harness loosens constantly and has too much play around my mid-section causing perpetual jarring on my lower-back. I find a temporary solution, unstrapping the belt and pulling it along with my arms down by my side. This eliminates the jarring and tipping, but is taxing and inefficient. I am working way too hard this early struggling with this system. When I reach the lake, Dave Johnston passes me with a cheerful greeting and inquires about my harness issues. He tells me the trail now flattens out for quite a while which should help, then pushes on with a smooth, powerful stride. He wears a three foot long braided pony tail and an Elmer Fudd hat, so he definitely has extra style points on me. He also lives in the area and spends countless hours dragging his sled around, making it apparent that he is very much in his element. It will take a mighty effort on my part to keep up with this burly Alaskan man.

Trail paralleling Ayrshire Road. The first and last 3 miles of the course. Photo: Joe Grant

My transition through the first checkpoint is efficient and I stop only to refill my water. Back on Flat Horn Lake, the snow is punchy. Anticipating further sloppy conditions, I slip on my snowshoes but, soon realize that they are more of a hindrance than a help, so I take them off again. Small adjustments such as these waste precious time and let Dave gradually pull further and further ahead. I am still running mostly, switching only occasionally to a walk when the snow gets too soft. The temperatures are surprisingly warm, hovering somewhere in the mid-20s to low-30s. I make my first crossing of the Dismal Swamp, which lives up to its name and with my back now acting up, I feel about as good as the swamp. Despite wearing just a long sleeve and a windbreaker, I am working up a sweat and am pretty much soaked through by the time I reach the Susitna River. With the wind kicking up, I soon get chilled. Enough areas of my body are in pain that I have plenty to focus on for this interminable stretch to Luce’s Lodge – the next checkpoint at mile 41.

Happy sled pulling early on. Photo: Joe Grant

Laboring this hard this early, the prospects of a successful run at my first frozen hundred are not looking too good. Before long, several bikers have made it past me voicing encouragements along with another runner, John Logar. He looks strong and has a dialed albeit heavy looking setup. It is nice to chat with him for a bit and I learn that he did Arrowhead 135 the previous year, so he is familiar with this type of idiocy. He soon pulls ahead though. I try to lock into his rhythm from a distance, which gives me good incentive to keep pushing. My back pain is worsening, my hip flexors tightening, my feet are too crammed in my shoes with the Goretex vapor barriers. The course is chewing me up physically and mentally. Dropping out of the race is not an option as there is a $250 evacuation fee to be airlifted off the course. I am too cheap for that and am thankful that there are not any other alternatives as I would easily be tempted to succumb to my weaknesses.

Classic Alaskan ice beard. Photo: Joe Grant

I take more time transitioning through Luce’s as I change my top and jacket, fill up my water and buy a coke and a couple of snickers. The added comfort of the warm, dry clothes along with some sweet calories help my morale. I pad my harness by tying a thick shirt around my lower back. This seems to improve the pulling on smooth surfaces, but the damage to my back is already done with the agony never letting up. To my surprise, I rapidly catch John who is taking a twelve-mile “walk break” from Luce’s to the turn around at Alexander Lake. The trail offers some rare variation, climbing off the Yentna River up a 10-foot wide trail through the trees. I pretend for a moment that the organizers of the race came to their senses and decided that we would go up Mt. Susitna after all instead of skirting the beauty. Soon enough though I am back out on the wide open nearly featureless expanse of frozen land aiming for some cabin out there ahead, with nothing more than a friendly smile and a bowl of hot soup awaiting me. The night has brought welcome changes to the race dynamic. There is something warming, reassuring to feel like I exist only in the globe of my headlamp light. It is easier to focus on breath and forget about the mind numbing vastness of the terrain that surrounds me. Seeing other racers’ lights flash ahead gives me small objectives to work toward and breaks up the monotony.

John and I are both together through Alexander Lake and neither of us lingers too long in the warm haven. I had crossed paths with Dave on this out and back section and estimated that his lead had now increased to about an hour and a half. He seemed to be having a fine time looking unshakable with cheer still in his voice. He was also wearing his snowshoes, which prompts me to follow suit. Aided by a string of seven double espresso gels in a row, I find a good surge of energy alternating a ferocious forced march and jog-slog return to Luce’s. When I arrive, I have cut thirty-five minutes off his lead. Trying to refill my water bladder, I fumble with my drink mix and spill some powder on the carpet of the lodge. The owner comes over to me, informs me that there is a vacuum cleaner in the back and asks me to take care of my mess. So, here I am at 1 a.m. in hot pursuit of Dave, suddenly stunted in my efforts by having to vacuum a bit of spilled drink mix powder. Thankfully, a volunteer kindly offers to help and sets me on my way.

Junction of the Su100 and the Little Su 50K. Photo: Joe Grant

In my hasty departure, I take a short wrong turn on the Susitna River straight out of the lodge, losing another 15 minutes. Urgh! Fatty feels fatter, the course, as one biker later commented, “Feels straighter than ever before” and my surge resulted in nothing but another huge waist of energy. Now, more of the same: bad back, bad IT band, slogging on snow and ice (what’s new?) and yes, my feet hurt. At three to four miles per hour, forward progress is absurdly slow. I do eventually get back across the Dismal Swamp and to Flat Horn where some steaming jambalaya, corn bread, brownies and coffee save the day. I would never eat this way in a normal race but I am going so slow that nothing really matters anymore.

View of Mt. Susitna from the Dismal Swamp. Photo: Joe Grant

With sixteen miles to go, I have at best four more hours of misery left. Realistically though, it will be closer to five or six. Five or six hours!? I simply block this fact completely out of my mind. This last stretch across the Susitna Flats are referred to as the fault line, which is essentially the frozen version of Death Valley. The path ahead stretches interminably to the horizon. I see phantom sled dogs running across the trail. For a moment, I think I see Dave fixing his sled up ahead. As I near the spot my eyes are fixed upon, his image fades into small trees and bushes rustling in the wind. My mind is slowly being taken over by delirium.

John Logar up ahead on the Susitna River before Luce's Lodge. Photo: Joe Grant

Even the stunning rise of the sun on the Alaska Range ahead does little to perk me up. I have never hurt this badly. I have never felt such an intense, overwhelming feeling of abject misery. The trail continues on and on and on and on. Crippling my body so early on has made this endeavour far more soul-wrenching than I had ever imagined. Finally, I reach Ayrshire Road, which we had paralleled at the start of the race some ninety-seven miles ago. I am nearly there. Nearly, is relative as it takes me a full fifty minutes to cover the last 3 miles. When I turn the final corner the only person there is Veronica, a race official. In classic ultra fashion, she gives me a pat on the back and tells me well done. And, that is it. I do not feel a sense of accomplishment or finality, just relief. Relief that it is over and that I will not have to drag that wretched sled a single step further.

Mid-morning sun just before the finish. Photo: Joe Grant

The hardship I went through on my run contrasts with how great the event actually is. The kindness and helpfulness of the volunteers, as well as the other participants, the views and Alaska in general all make for a truly unique and worthwhile experience. While I firmly declared at the end of the race never again, I have already been plotting a return to this wild land. I may not drag a sled again but, certainly, I will be back, to run and most likely up a mountain next time.

By Matt Russ:

Often, one of the hardest concepts for triathletes to understand and implement is the notion of base training. The idea of running slowly to boost performance later in the season can seem counterintuitive. It is also difficult to hold oneself back, but if you have the discipline to train aerobically this winter when everyone else is hammering away, it will pay dividends down the road.

Physiology of Base Training

There are two basic energy systems you use when training: anaerobic and aerobic. Unfortunately, you cannot simultaneously maximize both your aerobic and anaerobic systems. The idea behind base training is to train your aerobic energy system specifically. Why is this important? The more work you perform aerobically the more efficient this system will become.

Prolonged aerobic training produces muscular adaptations that improve oxygen transport to the muscles, reduces the rate of lactate formation, improves the rate of lactate removal, and increases energy production and utilization.

Fat is a primary fuel source for the aerobic energy system. Over the course of a base-training period, your body learns to readily break down and utilize fat as an energy source. The fat we currently have stored in our bodies could provide enough energy to perform many marathons back to back, whereas muscle glycogen depletion can occur in as little as one hour.

Other physiological adaptations of aerobic training include increased stroke volume of the heart, capillary density and mitochondrial density. Stroke-volume increase simply means your heart pumps more blood per beat. Mitochondria are structures within muscle cells that produce energy from fat and carbohydrate oxidation. Think of them as tiny batteries for muscle contractions. Regular endurance training can double number of these structures¹.

By increasing capillary density, we can effectively transport more blood to working muscles. The process of building capillaries occurs gradually. Because high-stress, high-impact running breaks down capillaries, base training is best to promote the slow growth of capillaries.

Base Progression

Over the course of the 12- to 16-week base phase, training should gradually progress from the low end (i.e. 71 percent of lactate threshold (LT), or around 61 percent of max heart rate) of the aerobic energy system to the high end (i.e. 90 percent of LT and 80 percent of max heart rate).

I also incorporate specific strength training at an aerobic level. This entails slow hill running or even walking. These workouts increase in duration throughout the base phase.

Base training is an excellent time to work on form and economy as well, since, as intensities increase later in the season, it becomes harder for an athlete to concentrate on form. Toward the end of the base phase I start power work but use brief durations and full recovery between efforts.

How Does This Transfer Into Performance Gain?

Let me give you a hypothetical example. Suppose Sam runs a seven-minute mile at lactate threshold (85 to 90 percent of max heart rate). His fastest aerobic pace, or aerobic threshold (around 65 percent of max heart rate), is an eight-minute mile. We start off Sam's base training at the low-end aerobic zones, at which he runs nine-minute miles. At the end of his 12-week base phase, Sam is able to run 7:30 miles aerobically. This is the base for Sam to build on for the rest of his season.

The hard part of base training is having the discipline to train at these low intensities, because even spending short amounts of time above your aerobic zone spoils the workout. The area between the top of the aerobic threshold and the anaerobic threshold is somewhat of a no-man's-land of fitness since such intensities do not train the aerobic or anaerobic energy systems effectively. Unfortunately, however, this area is where I find a lot of athletes spending the majority of their seasons.

The bottom line is you have to let your anaerobic system atrophy during the base phase. This means you will lose some of your anaerobic endurance, so expect to surrender some top-end speed coming out of your base phase, but take comfort in knowing this is what you are going to spend the rest of your season working on.

It often takes several seasons to see the results of sound base training if you are a novice athlete. Be patient; it is a slow process that cannot be rushed, but the sooner you get started the faster you will be.

Article by Kara Robinson

You know why I posted this?  I am guilty of a few of these habits and i bet a few of you are as well..  lets do ourselves a favor and break those habits for 2012!

In 2001, Melisa Christian was a 3:30 marathoner plagued by stomach cramps and frequent porta-potty stops. But she never sought a doctor's help. "I thought it was either a normal part of training or race-day anxiety," says the 31-year-old Dallas dentist. Three years later, Christian was diagnosed with food intolerances. After she eliminated wheat and dairy from her diet, her symptoms vanished. In November, she ran a 2:41:57 personal best in New York City. "I no longer have the mindset that because I'm a runner I can't benefit from a checkup," she says.

Running makes us fit, not invincible. When we neglect our bodies' basic needs, we can't go as far or, as Christian discovered, as fast. Breaking your bad habits with these easy fixes will make you a better runner, not to mention a happier, healthier person.

BAD HABIT:
You Are Your Own Medic
We runners are often hyperaware of our bodies, and when something's "off," we're quick to self-diagnose and treat. We'll ice a tight hamstring, pop ibuprofen, and hobble through lingering pain. Big mistake, says Lewis G. Maharam, M.D., medical director of the New York Road Runners and Team in Training. "Minor injuries could turn into serious issues like muscle tears or stress fractures."

BREAK IT :
When you have a nagging ache or pain, the sooner you see a doctor—preferably a sports-medicine specialist—the faster you'll be back on track. An expert who recognizes that you're an overpronator, for example, could offer better insights on treating your iliotibial band syndrome. If you've been sluggish on runs, schedule a checkup. Asthma, a heart murmur, high blood pressure, or anemia can sap energy levels. Ask your doc to test your blood's iron stores. "Serum ferritin, a protein responsible for iron storage, can become depleted, which is associated with slower recovery and declining performances," says Dr. Maharam.

BAD HABIT:
You Never Stretch
It's hard to squeeze in runs some days, never mind stretching. But tight muscles can contribute to shinsplints, plantar fasciitis, and muscle pulls, which could sideline you for weeks. Improved flexibility also shortens recovery time; looser muscles are more receptive to glycogen replacement, which accelerates healing, says Skip Stolley, director of VS Athletics Track Club in Santa Monica, California.

BREAK IT:
Your muscles get the most benefit from stretching postrun. Ideally, you'd tack on a 15-minute flexibility routine to your workout. No time? Drop a six-miler to a five-miler and use those leftover minutes to hit your calves, quads, hamstrings, and glutes. "You're not hurting your workout—you're enhancing it," says Stolley. "The benefits of stretching will do your body more good than could be done by running that mile."

BAD HABIT:
You're a Night Owl
Runners who shortchange sleep compromise recovery, immunity, and mental sharpness, which can turn an easy workout into a grueling one. "Sleep enhances the restoration of cells that are damaged from running," says Ralph Downey, Ph.D., chief of sleep medicine at California's Loma Linda University Medical Center. Getting enough shut-eye can also ward off "effort headaches." A 1999 study found that distance runners experienced twice the number of headaches as nonrunners. Downey says this is most likely due to the dilation of blood vessels and sinuses that occurs during exercise. The good news: The headaches occurred less often when the runners got more sleep.

BREAK IT:
Some people are fine with five hours, others require 10. Runners who put greater demands on their bodies tend to benefit from the higher end of that range, says Downey. Note how many hours you get each night in your training log. Review it and look for patterns. Once you figure out your target number, try to hit it each night, particularly during the week leading up to a race.

BAD HABIT:
You Forgo Sunscreen
In 2007, the Archives of Dermatology reported that runners are at a higher risk of developing skin cancer than nonrunners. Researchers found that the occurrence of skin abnormalities increased with mileage, not only because of increased sun exposure, but perhaps because training can suppress immune function, making the body more susceptible to the sun's ill effects. Another study named sweat as a contributor to UV-related skin damage; perspiration increases the photosensitivity of skin, which makes it more prone to burning. "The sun is definitely a job hazard for distance runners," says Deena Kastor, 2004 Olympic Marathon medalist, who was diagnosed with squamous-cell carcinoma and melanoma in 2001.

BREAK IT:
Before every run, put on a water- or sweat-proof SPF 15 lotion that shields against UVA and UVB rays, says Rodney Basler, M.D., past chairman of the American Academy of Dermatology's Task Force on Sports Medicine. If you have fair skin or a family history of melanoma, follow Kastor's example: She slathers on sunscreen, wears sun-protective clothing, and avoids midday runs.

BAD HABIT:
You Never Rest
Overtraining can cause persistent soreness, suppressed immunity, injuries, moodiness, and loss of motivation. "Rest isn't the absence of training, it's an important component of it," Stolley says. "During recovery periods, your cardiovascular and muscular systems are restored and rebuilt to a higher level—that's where all performance gains are made."

BREAK IT:
Every training program should have a rest day in addition to two or three easy days (shorter, less-intense runs following harder efforts) each week. If you didn't have a strenuous week, it's okay to cross-train—go for a hike or swim, take a yoga class, or treat your dog to a long walk. But if you're coming off a high-mileage week, reward yourself with a day of total rest. Schedule a massage or breakfast with a friend so you'll feel like the time off was well spent.

Ok so I am easily inspired!  That being said I just watched this video and can't wait to get outside and tear up the trails...  Yes we do have snow and ice on the ground but that is why we have MICRO-spikes.

I hope this video inspires you to dream BIG in 2012!

As 2011 comes to a close, it’s time to take stock of the year that was. Did my 50M time improve? Is it time for me to step up and aim for a 100 Miler? Did I rack up mileage enough for me to tackle multiple BIG ultra events next year? Did I race or run too much and got injured?

Looking back at the running year that was is important, otherwise we miss out on the training and racing technique/ program that worked for us this year or repeat the same training and racing mistake over and over.

In her article in the January 2012 issue of Runnersworld (US edition) “Year In Review” Meghan Loftus writes that the runner’s daily running, training and racing log—which records information on time, distance, course terrain, effort, heart rate, nutrition and race time vis a vis distance—is the single most important tool that will help the runner look back on what worked and what didn’t in order to prepare for a faster, fitter and better running year in 2012.

The bad news is that only a small percentage of runners regularly review a training log, while an even smaller portion does not keep a log at all. This is according to a poll done by RW’s website runnersworld.com.

So keeping an honest and detailed training/racing log should be on top of every runner’s list of resolutions for 2012. For those who already have the habit of jotting down details of their training, whether in an old school diary or online website, excerpts from the Loftus article in Runnersworld magazine with tips from doctors and training and exercise experts tells us how:

LOOK BACK: AVERAGE MILEAGE

Compare your average mileage in 2011 to your average mileage in 2010, and how successful you were in each year relative to your goals. Did you run consistently throughout the year? Race well? Stay injury-free? Achieve what you wanted?

PLAN AHEAD

If you increased your mileage in 2011 and your performance dwindled, scale back in 2012. If you increased mileage in 2011 and had a successful year, you can continue at the same level or build on it. Lower-mileage runners can increase their yearly average by a greater percentage than higher-mileage runners.

LOOK BACK: RACE PERFORMANCE

To evaluate your performance in a race, look not only at how well you nailed (or missed) your time goals but also at the key workouts (speedwork, tempo runs, and long runs) you did during the six weeks leading up to the event. Variables like sleep, life stress, and nutrition also affect success.

PLAN AHEAD

If you hit your 2011 goal times in key events, repeat the workouts that led you to success. If you failed to meet your goals, look closely at key workouts.

LOOK BACK: MILEAGE HIGHS AND LOWS

If you raced in 2011, your log should reveal strategically placed high-and low-mileage weeks indicating a proper race build-up and recovery period relative to the events you competed in. Marathoners and half-marathoners should have built up as their target event drew near, while 5-K runners may have done their highest mileage in the base-building phase. Fitness runners, however, might not see any peaks and valleys.

PLAN AHEAD

If you’re new to running or running simply to maintain fitness, it’s fine to hit the same totals week after week. Marathoners and Ultra Runners should build mileage over 10 to 20 weeks to their target event. Injury-prone runners should schedule a step-back week every two to four weeks. All runners should dial down for two to six weeks between key events.

Maybe this year??

LOOK BACK: TIME OFF FOR RECOVERY

Look back eight to 10 weeks before the injury struck, and focus on changes in your training volume and intensity … ramping up mileage too quickly or not allowing enough time to recover from hard workouts.

PLAN AHEAD

Avoid reinjury by scheduling a step-back week every three to six weeks in which you decrease mileage by 10 to 20 percent.

RUN better: When you’re bumping up your mileage, think frequency. Add a new run to your routine instead of tacking on distance to your long runs.

I am really looking forward to an exciting 2012 in the wake of a fairly successful 2011....  100 miler here I come!