Training Update - Apr. 14

The training has been going reasonably well. It has been a careful balance of managing family time with training time. I have been getting in the two critical workouts to my training schedule: the long run and the speed workout. The long runs have now peaked at 38k last weekend, and I have been kicking some ass in the Harriers TNW speed sessions. The other runs in the week have been somewhat lacklustre and I have struggled to find the time to get in the frequency. However, the long runs have been going very well, and I know I am capable of banging off a decent 50k race. I know that my mileage is nowhere where it should be for someone who is serious at these distances. I have barely cracked the 60k mark in my weekly training, which shocks everyone when I tell them. I know it should be basically double what I am putting in. However, with my knee still coming back off the injury and with the timing of everything, I am sure that things are where they should be...for now.
The ultimate question that remains is simply can I put it together on race day? I know I have the endurance, I know I have decent speed, I know I have enough ultra experience and knowledge about nutrition, but it can be quite a task to put all these things together when the time comes. However, I know I can do it....it certainly has been done before.
So now I start to think about estimated time. I have done a 48/48/48 at Elk/Beaver Lake recently. I can seem to maintain a 48 min./10 km pace, and that it with my Nathan Hydropack on my back. I am hoping that I may be even slightly faster than this on race day, and that should set me up for a 4 hour finish. Who really knows though? I am really just going to attempt to run a patient and efficient race. I am still haunted now and again of my last ultra at the Great Lake Walk where the last 1/3 of the race was nothing short of a disaster.
Provided race day goes well, I will then begin to consider some of the other ideas of running events for me this year. Fast downhills still pose some concern (my knee is still at 90%), but I am hoping that eventually this concern will disappear.
The next post I will make here will be after my race on May 2nd.