View from hotel room in Feldkirch, Austria–there was a gravel path to the right of the highway

From my hotel I crossed the river and onto what seemed like a jeep road trail. I followed this for just a short while and it quickly dumped me out into an open are where a guy was playing fetch with his dog. I continued on a head along the now gravel road until I saw a dirt trail heading up into the woods.

River running through Feldkirch, Austria

The incline here was just enough to get my leg muscles pumping and I was feeling good. Though it was near dusk, I didn’t figure I’d be out long or have trouble finding my way, plus I didn’t pack my headlamp for the trip anyway. Soon I found the trail winding back on itself and I was nearing the top of a bluff where I found a collection of coins arranged in a star pattern (about 4 feet in diameter) and a few empty beer bottles on a bench. Odd, but I kept going. On the downhill, I noticed that my road shoes were severely lacking traction on the soft ground. I started to slip when I noticed I was quickly sliding towards what I thought was a tree. As I got closer (it was somewhat dark in the wooded area), I realized it was actually a large cross with the Christ figure on it! I regrouped and spotted a steep path that would take me back out of these woods since the trail didn’t seem to be going anywhere. However, I was about to be going somewhere fast … I slipped and lunged forward and had to take some huge downhill strides to keep from falling.

At this point I decided it was best to just stick to a known route. I wandered along a bike path that dumped me into a construction site and then through it out onto the main road. I headed towards Liechtenstein and out of Feldkirch at this point.

Along the way I passed several shopkeepers and restaurant owners closing up for the night. Traffic was pretty light and I was running on the sidewalk going into traffic. The speed limit was usually around 30mph so cars weren’t going that fast anyway. The road was always a gentle uphill or downhill, with more seeming like up on my way out.

As I got further out of town, I realized that I was getting close to the Liechtenstein border but I wasn’t ready to turn around yet. I noticed that a couple of bikes were simply crossing so I figured it wouldn’t be an issue for a runner to go across. I continued on my jog without being stopped or yelled at so I assumed things were okay. I must have kept going for about 10 more minutes before deciding it was getting late and that I’d probably logged at least 2.5 miles and could turn back and get in a good 5-6 mile run.

On my way back, I turned off the main road and went up a big inclined road I’d spotted to add a few extra “hills”. They weren’t really that substantial but surely better than all flat. Just behind all this, though, there are some seriously steep cliffs on the mountains–completely impossible to run!

Mountains near Schaan, Liechtenstein

The return journey was very quiet and peaceful with even less traffic than before. I passed a few people on the sidewalk who were out for an evening walk. I made sure I was holding a good pace going back up the gentle inclines of the road. As I got closer into Feldkirch, I decided to run back to the hotel on a little different route and avoid the construction site and the woods on the other side of the river. With dim lighting, though, I had to be careful of cracks in the sidewalk and places where it dropped off to the ground to be sure I didn’t trip and fall.

Houses and shops in Feldkirch, Austria

This was a really nice evening run with a ton of scenery. Though it was more of a road run, I still enjoyed the route and definitely liked the much cooler temperatures.

I hadn’t yet run on this dandy little trail but today I discovered my new favorite route along the Midland Valley Trail. I started at the #2 light post and wound my way up and crossed at 25th Street, 21st Street, again at Cincinnati to enter Maple Park, and then at 15th Street. There is a trail closure currently just north of 15th Street but I wanted to see why. Shortly thereafter on the hill the trail asphalt is out and in need of repair. I continued on and crossed the BA on Peoria and then 13th Street to enter Tracy Park. After crossing 11th Street I continued north up to Central Park and made an almost complete counterclockwise loop before picking the trail back up all the way to 3rd Street. It is here that I couldn’t find the trail anymore and I was to my halfway goal time so I headed back and completed the entire route in reverse.

I was digging the weather and started really pumping up the hills and holding a very strong pace. I never really felt fatigued and was having a great run. It was very encouraging that things were going so much better compared to my last few really hot runs. After turning in a negative split, I actually think I felt like I finished with more in the gas tank than when I started. It was a good run.

Along my route I saw a bunny, a male cardinal (who was waiting on the same branch on my way back) a female cardinal, lots of robins, and a number of other birds out enjoying the recent rainwater that had collected on the ground. The trail had some standing water in spots but nothing that I couldn’t manage. It was fun splashing through the puddles and I didn’t mind since I wasn’t planning more than 6 miles.

What a great route! I look forward to more of it again soon.

Today I hit the trail during the heat of the day, hoping to go for a couple hours. But by the 4-mile mark I had a lot of nausea and thought it best to haul it in rather than get myself feeling really bad. At least I was able to keep my usual slow ~10:45/mile pace. I was also experimenting with nuun, the electrolyte replacement. I had a glass of the kona cola flavor with my late lunch and it tasted pretty good. Then I took the tri-berry with me on the run. Between the two, I prefer the kona cola because it’s not quite as strong. I picked the nuun up at Tom’s Bicycles at 6861 South Peoria and the help there was really friendly.

I hope to get a long run in tomorrow morning so I can see where I’m at without all the heat. I’ve been managing 6-milers pretty easily but I need a good 25+ miler to be better prepared for Tahoe. If the 50-mile distance doesn’t get me, the altitude surely will. Otherwise, my only hope to make it across the finish line will be riding in a baby jogger pushed by one of my NTTR friends :-)

2. What is your best and worst run/race experience?
My best run was probably a 20K road race where I held a 7:20/mile pace but felt really good at the end. It was a cool, rainy morning, which suits me just fine. I tend to not like warm race days and this was just great all around. My worst run was my first marathon. I had been aiming to run a 3:30 and was on pace through 18 miles. Leading up to the race, I’d overtrained (something about 6x/wk and 13 miles at a time) and I knew my knee was iffy going into race day. But around the 18 mile mark, my right knee was totally shot and it was incredibly painful to even walk. I had to gimp along for a couple miles and eventually just decided to jog very slowly. But by mile 22, I was cramping in my calves and thighs so much I had to stop and let the cramps subside. Though I did cross the finish line, I wasn’t happy with my 4:15 finish time and it was a complete mental let down. I did go back the next year and busted the 4-hour mark :-)

3. Why do you run?
Initially it was a way to spend a significant amount of time outside and away from my job as a software programmer. These days, it’s more a way to relax, enjoy the outdoors, see my trail friends at races, and keep challenging myself on distance. I also enjoy traveling to new places in coordination with the races I enter.

4. What is the best or worst piece of advice you’ve been given about running?
The best advice as probably to try salt tabs. For many years I could never get past 18 miles without severe cramping. The Grasslands marathon in March of 2006 was really the first time I didn’t have to deal with cramps. “Eat something, you’ll feel better” has also been sage advice that’s turned many races around for me.

5. Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.
In high school, I was part of a percussion ensemble which received the highest performance rating at the state level. The surprising part was that I was playing the glockenspiel. True story.

I finished the first loop and decided not to stop and just keep going. It was smooth cruising the rest of the way and I wasn’t feeling tired at all. I didn’t expect the run to go near as well since I had some minor pain in the top of my right foot for about 15 minutes. It eventually went away but had me worried.

Of course today was also the first day I didn’t take my watch with me. Not that I really care about setting speed records, but it would have been good to know what pace I was actually holding. It was probably slower than I think but at least the run felt great.

With the crowds, though, come the road runners. Nothing against them, but it’s just you’re more likely to run into the ones who are hell-bent on getting in their workouts and will not let slower runners get in there way.

On Tuesday of this week, I had my first notable encounter. I had not even gone a quarter-mile when I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming of being in Spain. At first I thought it might be the running of the bulls but then I realized it was just someone trodding very heavily. Not only that, but as he went around me, I wasn’t sure whether to 1) get out of the way, 2) offer him directions to the nearest Catholic church, or 3) point him in the direction of the St. Francis Hospital emergency room. Common sense said just move, but with the amount of “Oh God” I was hearing, I really expected to see him carrying a set of rosary beads. Then again, with the labored breathing and flailing of the arms, I thought he might actually need help. As he stepped over into the parking lot and quickly calmed down, I was comforted in the fact that he was actually just adding a little extra drama to his routine.

The following day, another encounter almost topped the first. I was approaching the section on the north side near where the trail curves back to go behind a baseball field when I heard an interesting mix between a cough, a raspy voice whispering “Help!”, and an asthmatic wheeze (no offense to those with asthma). I quickly realized that this was yet again another runner who was more interested in hitting some goal time than avoiding steamrolling other walkers and joggers in his path. I mean, seriously…on a path barely wide enough for 2 runners to pass comfortably, don’t expect me to utilize the eyes in the back of my head that don’t exist to first notice your dominance of the sport and then to sacrifice myself against a tall chain link fence just so you can get around. Seriously.

Anyhow, I actually enjoyed two great comfortable runs. The course does have a few uphill sections that get the blood pumping. With an abundance of parking and easy accessibility from I-44, I will likely start making this my more frequent route for short distances.

I definitely sped up over the second half of the run but didn’t quite hit the pace target of 10:00/m I wanted. I’m guessing that I went slightly long on the mileage. No worries though, as I came in just a few seconds per mile off pace.

The new shoes are working well but I wonder what the cushioning will feel like after 15+ miles. They feel stiff on my feet and I have decided against this model in the past. So far so good though so I’ll be evaluating them closely this coming weekend.

I didn’t carry my hand bottle with me but the water fountains along the Riverpark trail were mostly turned on. They are mostly spaced well, particularly down closer to Jenks, so I might rely on them until it gets really hot.

My lower back is still giving me problems. Just above my waist and to the right I get an isolated pain that comes and goes but is usually just barely there. It never really got unbearable so I didn’t worry about it. If it gets worse, I’ll have to look into it.

It was nice to see more people out on the trail walking, running, and riding bikes. I also saw about a dozen small planes, many of them old war style and even one bi-plane, coming in for landing at Riverside airport.

So the week of treadmill training I had planned turned into nothing at all. Work consumed many more hours than I expected and the hotel gym was not open during the hours I needed. I did manage to salvage the week with a 4-mile run this past Sunday. I managed a decent and consistent pace, which surprised me a bit, but I’m going to have to increase the distance if I want my upcoming races to be at all enjoyable.