Alfred at the top of 900 foot high mountain on Wednesday. Race is Saturday. Oh, he worked out at the gym for 90 minutes before this too - cycling, stair climbing, and weights.

There is a race on Saturday up a small mountain – Hang Nak – also called Hang Norn or Ngorn Nak. It’s part of the Koh Phi Phi National Parks in Krabi. It is a 500 meter high vertical elevation climb, over 3.7 KM in horizontal distance. Assuming someone rolled out the distance – not sure someone did!

I ran up the other day in 46 minutes. It was a good time, not sure if it was great or not. It took all the energy I had for sure. I paced it – so I didn’t stop too much to catch my breath. Rather than go in bursts and be stopping to get air more often, I wanted to see if I could just pace as fast as I was likely to go – and see what happened. So that’s what I did. That was the practice.

I’ve been up that mountain many times – scores. I don’t usually go that fast, or, if I do – I don’t time it. I don’t know what I usually do the climb in – but about an hour I’d guess (to top).

If this race is a race from bottom to top and back to the bottom, I’ll have to forego the second part. I have no interest in running down that mountain path… even walking down I’ve gone asshole over elbows numerous times as I hit a root going fast down. There are unseen hazards all over the paths – running up is dangerous enough – but there’s not far to fall running up, so I can risk it.

My ankles tend to be for shite too. I mean – weak as anything on the side to side movements. Stair climbing really works for me because there is no side to side motion at all, and I’m climbing hills. Bike riding would work too (again), and if there were any decent races in Thailand I’d consider getting back into that. As it is – climbing stairs is probably “my thing” for now.

Training…

Two days ago I did a slowish climb up the mountain at about 14 minutes. At the top I turned around immediately and went down to the bottom, and climbed up again. On 2nd climb I added some 2 step fast stepping and even a couple 1-step sprints. I wasn’t feeling well at all – and never recovered. At the top I was mush. I think too soon after the very hard running up the mountain effort. That really zapped me, so I know I was pushing 100% to get 46 minutes. Don’t expect that number to change for the actual race except that I won’t be carrying up a liter of water this time and will have a watch. Watches tend to make me go faster.

So yesterday was to be a exercise-free day. That changed when I was over at the temple anyway, and Alfred called me to tell me he was there already. Damn him! He’s exercising on the Wednesday before the Saturday race. Sure he said he probably won’t go, but if you know Alfred – he WILL go and he’ll rub it in that he exercised on Wed while I stopped Tuesday. So, I climbed the mountain after him at a  good pace – 13 minutes approximately… felt great and saw him at the top. I got some great video of him talking about exercise – and we headed down slowly.

I think no more exercise today (Thu) and tomorrow. Will see if that’s enough rest for the race Sat. I fully expect them to tell me the race is up and down the hill – so I won’t be too bummed when that happens. I’ll just use it as a training session to run up – and not pay them $10 because I’m not even in the race. lol.

Researched compression socks and caffeine intake last night at 4am. Just couldn’t sleep.

Diet

Breakfast yesterday and day before – soy milk with meusli. Lunch – an apple, and dragon fruit, and banana for both days. Dinner – soup once and yesterday some stir fried veggies with about 3/4 cup rice.

Breakfast this am – 2 bananas, 1 large apple. Probably another banana before lunch.

Lunch – will get some fish – I wonder if my iron is getting low.

Dinner tonight – not sure, I’m thinking corn on the cob. That is an amazing filler – and with a beer on top – completes dinner.

Friday – will eat regularly.

Saturday will have coffee, bananas, berocca, and red bull x 2 before race.