ADK Running Camp

Since 2004, my annual pilgrimage up to the family cabin in the Adirondacks has been turned into my own personal running boot-camp.

The landscape is a deep forest chalk full of rolling hills, mountains, dirt roads, trails, lakes, and rivers... my typical 16 mile loop has 2400 feet of elevation change... all perfect for beating the hell out of my body. I've always been hyper-active up here, but in each of the past 5 years I've pushed the limits.

Since I started running more aggressively, I typically try to hit my peak or near peak mileage in the Adirondacks in preparation for a fall marathon. I then ice over the running with water skiing, swimming, bridge jumping, cliff diving, rock climbing, four wheeling, hiking, tree clearing, log splitting, building, and busting my ass with countless other chores around the cabin. ....And in each of the past few years, I've wound up breaking those limits in one sense or another. I've often gone home with some sort of aggravated injury, or chalk full of difficult to cure knots.

This year was different (aside from rolling the four wheeler and almost killing myself)....

It's a great testament to the "base" mileage that I've put together in the last 8 months, and 5 years... This is bigger than my recent two months of basing. My hip injury from the Boston training has forced me to improve my stride and clean up some of my weaknesses, namely in the glutes and my core. For the first time since Boston, I can say that the injury has actually helped me to be a stronger runner. ADK proved that.

My ADK milestones this year: From 8/17-9/3, I streaked for 18 days. A total of 225 miles. I peaked with 97 miles over a 7 day period.... the most I've ever put in a week. 225 miles over 3 weeks isn't anything new to me, but it was steady build that included days off at the beginning and end of the 3 weeks; and all of those miles were on the hills. It used to be that if I touched 80, I'd cry like a baby. That's now a thing of the past. 97 miles and not one double... and it left me chomping at the bit for more.

Since then, I've taken 2 days off. Then turned around and ran 2 doubles, 2 days in a row. I'm often afraid to say this, but I'm feeling good. Aside from some occasional side stitch/psoas problems, I'm rolling. Coming back to the flat lands of Chicago seem like a joke after climbing thousands of feet.

My first post camp test comes this weekend: the Chicago 1/2 Marathon. It should be a flat and fast course (I believe only 1 hair-pin turn). Weather can be a bit dicey in September - hot, humid, raining, windy... whatever. There's no telling. This is my first 1/2 since Cary. My favorite distance. I'm going into it as a training / long tempo run. But if I feel good, I'll roll.

Next week will be my peak week. I'll give it another go for 100 miles.