We went out today after a fresh snow had fallen and went running...if you could call it running. Mostly it was hopping quickly in and out of the snow. The snow was up to my knees and so it was a major strength workout for my legs. When I got done my entire body from the waist down was...OW OW OW. It was seriously beautiful out though. Fresh snow on everything....a lot of it still untouched until we came through.
We saw Scott Breeden out there...the guy who WON Tecumseh with a time of 3:05. Insanely good runner! Of course he and his friend sailed through and we never saw them again until we were getting ready to pull out of the parking lot down by the boathouse.
I spent a lot of time pretty far behind Chris and Alicia. They are better runners than me and seemed to be able to keep up a quick pace regardless of the depth of the snow. I was majorly impressed! But they were nice enough to wait up for me at the trail crossings so I didn't get lost out in the snow. It was easy to lose the trails out there as everything was so white and pristine.
Here was Lake Griffy down by the boathouse parking lot. My camera didn't capture it adequately but the hills were amazing looking. All white with such tall, pretty trees. I am happy I got to get out there and get some pictures and have some fun with my friends.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Snowy Solo Run...breaking in the new yak tracks
I looked outside tonight....snow falling, wind blowing and decided this would be a perfect time for a nice run. I had bought these yak tracks back in September and had waited and waited to be able to take a first run in them.
This was the night! So what if it was partially wine fueled.....it was going to be an awesome wintry run! Without further ado I donned my winter gear--capris, warm running hoody, hat, safety light, headlamp and my trail shoes properly "tracked".
I ran out into the night. The wind was blowing, the snow was flying and I was having a marvelous time. There were lights all over the houses, Christmas trees in the windows and besides that just me and the winter weather. The yak tracks were the best investment next to my hydration pack. I didn't slip or slide even once! It was like running on a road that was dry as a bone. It made me happy and looking forward to further snowy runs....like in Wisconsin where I will be very soon! Merry Christmas, Blessed Solstice, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah........silent night to one and all.
This was the night! So what if it was partially wine fueled.....it was going to be an awesome wintry run! Without further ado I donned my winter gear--capris, warm running hoody, hat, safety light, headlamp and my trail shoes properly "tracked".
I ran out into the night. The wind was blowing, the snow was flying and I was having a marvelous time. There were lights all over the houses, Christmas trees in the windows and besides that just me and the winter weather. The yak tracks were the best investment next to my hydration pack. I didn't slip or slide even once! It was like running on a road that was dry as a bone. It made me happy and looking forward to further snowy runs....like in Wisconsin where I will be very soon! Merry Christmas, Blessed Solstice, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah........silent night to one and all.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Touch the Clouds (Taste the Ground) by Good Old War (lyrics)
Here is a video for my good friend Evan Mickey on his 50 mile race this weekend. I like this song a lot and listened to it while I was running Tecumseh. I wish Evan the best of luck! He has been working very hard and I will be cheering him on. It is so cool to think of him running 50 miles. WOW!
Have fun Evan! I can't wait to hear about it all when you come back.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
rest...shmest *AKA I tried!*
I had the best of intentions to rest all month.......total rest for a week then some easy jogs and cross-train classes at Vibe. No big races coming up. Pack up the running shoes for a bit. Who was I kidding?? Did I really think after finding something that makes me SO happy that I could give it up for a week? A month? yeah right. Once you get used to that endorphin rush of a great run; listening to your friends talk about what is going on and making you laugh.....it is hard to just hang out at home and sit. I have found since I started running back in 2011 that I have a hard time during recovery periods. I miss the feel of a long run. And though the trainer in me knows the importance of rest and that if you don't adequately rest your muscles will not rebuild and replenish. But KNOWING something and DOING it are two very different things.
You know you are a real runner when you see someone running and are jealous of them. Heyyyy wait for me!! But I am going to try very hard to do the right thing. Tomorrow I go to a vibe class. I think Hot Fusion since the heat and stretching should feel good on my muscles. And they still do need TLC. I won't be doing long runs still for awhile. AT least that is what I say now. But you and I know sometimes I shift. And I am already getting excited about races coming up next year. The trails are calling to me. My yac tracs I bought for my shoes need a maiden voyage.
Here are some races I am now contemplating for next year:
Still want to do the January 26th nighttime trail race at Eagle Creek
February 9th Lovin the Hills sounds cool
March 2nd Hoosier Half
March 9th first DINO at Eagle Creek
March 30th DINO at Mounds
April 6th Carmel Marathon
April 27th DINO town run trail
May 11th DWD...probably full not 50K ( i know difference of 5 miles but...)
June 1st DINO Brown County
August 24th DINO Southwestway Park
September 28th FLATROCK 50K
October DINO France Park
November Monumental
December Tecumseh again
I also like the sound of Run with the Foxes; Bound the Mound
HOWEVER....Flatrock is going to be stupid hard. Awesome.Intense.Bucket List stuff. But hard enough I have to remember to leave enough for it. Training for me for general spring racing starts in February. Until then I don't have to really train at all. I can just hang out and run and workout. But even though I want to run, run races I have to make sure that once I start training for Flatrock in June/July I don't spend too much energy on other stuff. I am a new athlete. In fact I am still not even comfortable calling myself that yet. Learning about periodization, rest, recovery, training, tapering...these are all new things. I will learn. I am learning.
Just make sure I have all I need to do this. |
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
10 winter health myths exposed
10 winter health myths exposed
Here are some points for the runners I know including me. The one about frostbite was surprising. So was the bit about allergies.
Here are some points for the runners I know including me. The one about frostbite was surprising. So was the bit about allergies.
Monday, December 3, 2012
post-Tecumseh
Tecumseh is DONE. IN the BAG! And I am really, really proud of myself, surprised at myself, and kind of this feeling of detachment from myself. I know that sounds weird but it's like I am a different person for having done that. As my friend Erin says I have "earned my S". I have now done Marathon-s. And plan on doing more and even a couple of Ultras.
Why I think long distances are actually BETTER for me? I tend to be creaky at first when I am running and it takes me awhile to warm up. Actually takes me sometimes more than 3 miles to warm up. That's why if you look at my race/running history my fastest splits are always at the end of the run. At Monumental I was doing mid-9s but after 11 miles my fastest times were mile 12 at 7:45 and I sailed into the finish line at 7:44 because that was finally when I was hitting my stride. And then I feel no pain, I am happy and enjoying myself. During Tecumseh I actually felt at the finish line I could do a few more miles. Maybe walking them but still....COULD. I am glad I didn't because I am still in some pain from it. But HEY for running 2 marathons in 6 months plus 5 half marathons, an entire trail running series and several shorter races (18 in all since September 2011) I am holding up well.
I don't mean to harp on my age either as I see many people older than me kicking butt at the races I go to but I guess it is just in comparison with how I was at 30, even at mid-20's..I was not in good shape. And now I am older but have a good VO2Max (and thanks to AFAA know what that means), can run for miles, lift pretty heavy weights and not suffer too badly. It used to hurt taking out the trash. My body fat was off the charts. I had the diseases of a 70 year old, heavy smoker, sleep apnea, always sick with a cold, flu, bronchitis. I had to be hospitalized for four days once for Pneumonia. I had a lump removed from my vocal chords..cancer scare...at 34. I had ulcers on my esophagus from being sick so much. I got diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at 38 and it scared me straight! Like an alcoholic with an epiphany from a bad bender I woke up. I said DAMN I am not going to die like this. Screw this!
To see in 5 years what has changed which is everything I can not see this as me yet. It is like looking in the mirror and saying "really? seriously?ok when am i gonna wake up?" To be able to help others to wake up as well is the best thing in the world. To have a client look at me and say "You made me like exercising. I didn't think anyone could do that." it is inconceivable to me to be a role model for these young women and to think that they may look back on "heather the trainer" someday and think of how I helped them. But here I am and it feels amazing.
This has been my mantra throughout all of this. And it has held true that yeah I have spent a lot of time in the last few years being sore, hurting here and there, wishing i did not have to do these *%^&* burpees anymore. I would look forward to my classes at the same time as i kind of dreaded them but then my muscles got stronger, i could do more, i could run instead of walk, i could do higher intensity without dying during or afterwards and so it continued. I was doing classes with good instructors who taught me a lot. I know i would not know as much about fitness without listening to them. So I was cross-training a lot which was good.
Lately though running has pretty much been my training. I have been on a good heavy weight program now for a few months courtesy of a great strength trainer at my work but no yoga, swimming, zumba.....nothing else really but running and riding my commuter bike.
Here I am ow-ow-ow from Tecumseh marathon and do you know what I think? Besides it being so major hard even for very seasoned runners? Looking on my training the last 6 months or more I realized I need to incorporate some other movements into my regimen. If I really want to avoid injury I need to work my body in different ways. Running uses the same muscles over and over and so my legs are getting strong, my arms are getting stronger from the weights but there are muscle groups that are not getting utilized. If I were training me with what I know now I would say honey you need some low-impact workouts that stretch, strengthen and lengthen your muscles otherwise they are going to get tighter and more rigid and you are going to have problems.
I have been asking around about good yoga classes and I think it is time I get back into that. When I was doing a yoga class at the Y for awhile it really helped me in my other higher impact classes. It was like I would do kickboxing or boot camp but then i had the yoga to lengthen those muscles out and give me some time every week to hold these poses which strengthened me without as much soreness. I loved them too! Cross-training. I am going class hunting starting this week.
Then i can continue to run the distance races I love! Without so much ouchy! Win, win!
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Crazy Tecumseh Fun!
Tecumseh........how shall I say this? Was amazing, awesome, beautiful, very difficult and unlike anything I have ever been a part of. I had been pretty nervous about this race. Only my second marathon ever and a hard one. I had finished the Eagle Creek Marathon in 6:30 so my big goal was to finish this in less than 6:30. And I succeeded at that. I finished in 5:46:38. 18th in my age group.
There was a pretty big group of us from BARA running it too! And some surprise additions to our party as well! :-) Then there were all the supporters out there. Everywhere I went there was someone cheering me on, giving me junk food, water, gatorade...there were two beer checks. My first time actually being part of that tradition and I have to say it's pretty nice. At the top of Indian Hill which is the biggest mo-fo hill (i don't usually swear but......whoa) there was Chris Banal with a camera and a great big smile and cheer for me. Made my day to see him! I had decided the way to deal with Indian Hill was to make it a jelly bean fest all the way up. Distract me with sugar...works every time.
I had some interesting conversations on the course too. Just talked about racing mostly...where we had raced and run, things we were thinking of doing. I talked about my last marathon at Eagle Creek and how this was way different. I told them about doing Dances with Dirt in May and Flatrock in September. They told me about all their races. I met the bartender of the Upstairs Pub, met two ladies from Minnesota, talked to a guy from LA who was doing this for the first time, in fact his first trail race EVER. I got to hear how LA is which apparently the closer to the water the nicer people are and the further inland they get meaner and crazier. Good to know.
Here was some pictures that Chris Banal took of us. These photos were taken at the top of Indian Hill. The previously mentioned OH-MY-GOD hill?
I look surprisingly chipper. It was because I was seeing a friend and it made me happy to see him! He gave me a boost then. In fact it seemed like every time I felt kind of draggy there would be another friend! I felt like they were little shining lights along the way that led me towards the finish line.
I don't know how I would have gotten through this without my friends. S'Truth!
Here are the tired, but happy, campers after the big day. So glad I have taken up this sport. It is so unlike anything I have ever done. It is like getting a family along with a lifestyle.I have had some lonely times in my life and it makes me grateful for people who want to spend time with me just for being ME. Nothing can ever take the place of these experiences.
2nd Trail Marathon DOWN. Now to look ahead to Dances with Dirt 50K and then Flatrock 50K with my friend Christy Victor. Can't wait to have more amazing times.
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