My, What Big Wind You Have

I am back in Nebraska for yet another annual pilgrimmage to my husband's small home town of Columbus for the rockin alumni basketball tourney. (Let me say, yes, this basketball thing was hot when all the boys were in their 20's and could cruise up and down the court like shirtless, be-abbed, sweaty-but-tough ninja-gazelles, quite possible still drunk from the previous night's beerfest at Glur's...now that they are in their 30's with desk-job-abs, hairy chests--where does the hair come from all of a sudden???--and kids? A little like Eastbound & Down, only with self-glorified high school basketball players. But they love it and it's an immutable annual tradition....one I now find myself taking PTO days from work to participate in. Who knew Nebraska could be considered vacation? Well, I mean besides folks from South Dakota?)

And on the schedule for this weekend's long run: 20-miler. Now, this is a small town and one that I strugled to find 10 miles to run in last year. How the heck was I going to make 20 miles?! Answer: laps. Yes, 3 miles over to the other side of town...3 laps around the 2.5-mile Wagner's Lake loop, a couple out-and-back laps on that rails-to-trails thing on the Platte River levee that I think I am not supposed to be on but that I didn't notice the sign for until I was coming off of it, 3 miles back to the inlaws' donut-shaped lake, and 2 laps around the 1.5-mile loop there. Whew! I did it! And it was the most completely, gloriously, hideously FLAT 20 miles I have ever seen. Who knew flat could get old?! I was actually longing for my Colorado hills at a couple point, just do I could shake up my legs (and get a little downhill action). Luckily, the wind provided all the exciting challenge that I normally get from hills. What, 40-mile per hour winds don't excite you? Yeah, me neither; welcome back to Nebraska.

And in an unrelated-yet-related note, they finally posted the race results from the Downtown Runaround 5 mile race I did here back in July. I pretty much knew my time, but had no idea how I did overall, as they didn't use timing chips and weren't quite as hi-tech as I am used to with the CO races. Well, turns out I finished 8 in my age group, which I think is my best finish to-date (hubs also finished 8 in his AG; we're Identical Age Group Twins, yay!). It wasn't a very big race, but was definitely skewed to younger, speedier runners, so I am happy with that finish (the top 100 finishers out of only 254 runners were all under 8:00 pace). One of these days I'll get an AG award...though I may have to stage my own race to get it.

Runner, with a capital R

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Longest long run

This weekend was a long run of 16 miles on the schedule. After a crazy and hectic week and weekend, I wasn't sure I was going to make it at all....but then I somehow stole a pocket of time this afternoon. (My mom is out visiting this weekend, and she took the shorties to go do Gramma-type things like eat ice cream and listen to story time at the library.) So hubs agreed to come with me on my long run this afternoon. Yahoo!

Now, it's important to note that usually I try to do all my long runs on relatively flat dirt or gravel trail-type locations....because I'm kind of a sandbagger like that. But today we decided to just run from the house and take to the sidewalks and streets around Highlands Ranch. In case I never mentioned (yeah right), it is friggin hilly around my house. That 16-miler ended up at 15. And it was a long and tough 15 at that. There was light-headedness and near pass out at mile 9. So then there was walking at mile 10 until we could hit King Soopers to score some water, which I believed was the problem. (Also could have been after-affects from the martinis and french fries at dinner last night, but I won't split hairs.) Re-hydrated, we picked up to run again, as it progressively got colder and colder out, with the snow that was scheduled to roll in....and the last 5 miles all uphill (Wildcat Reserve Parkway, I hate you!). Dang.

Well, we finished that hilly be-yotch of a run and really the only good part of it was that 1) it was over and 2) I got quality couple-chat time with the hubs (he was a great sport, though he probably won't ever do a long run with me again...). Here's to getting that bad one over, and making room for the good ones!

Home is Where the, uh, Dump Is

Friday I took the day off and spent it skiing up in Keystone with the hubs. It was a great day--new snow, not crowded, not too cold--and I finally got to break in the new skis I got for Christmas. I felt like Lindsey Vonn racing down the hill in 'em--suckers are FAST!

So after a day of downhill and somewhat tired quads, I wasn't sure what to expect for Saturday's long run. The HRRC group was meeting to run over at the Platte River trail, which I like very much. It is very flat, and runs along the gurgling river the whole way; I could literally follow the trail all the way to downtown Denver. What it lacks in beutificous mountain vistas, it makes up for in flatness and cute little wood pedestrian bridges. And geese (which also means geese poop). The thing is covered with geese. Which is ok, as long as they don't park their feathery assess on the trail and just glare at you when you approach, refusing to move out of your way. (If you yell and curse at them, it usually does the trick and they will slowly waddle just out of the way enough for you to pass; hoping that one day they don't decide to take a peck out of my leg just for spite, though I'm sure it's imminent.)

It was a bit cool and had snowed a tad Friday night, but the trail was plowed pretty clean and the light flakes that fell actually felt kind of nice on my face, especially once we got going. I ran the first 4 miles with the HRRC running group. They stopped to turn around and head back at 4 miles, and I opted to keep going a little further before heading back, knowing I had to get in at least 14 miles.

Overall it was a great run, I kept a good pace (faster than my plan requested of me but not blazing fast, all praise the Running Gods) and enjoyed it. I think my favorite part of the trail is the bit that goes right by the Waste Management transfer station and dump. Though I've never noticed before, today I noticed the apartment complex that sits LITERALLY right next door to WM. And they have the balls to put up this banner....

Please enjoy my panoramic photos skillz, above.

Ah, trail or no, I think I'm happy that's not home for me.

PS: the only thing worse than goose poop all over the trail, is goose diarrhea all over the trail.

I love a Good Run

Well, I didn't do one of the Valentines' 5k races in town this weekend. However, I did have a GREAT 12-miler (12.4 to be precise) Saturday. I ran on one of my new all-time favorite trails: Waterton Canyon.

I don't think these pictures really need explanation, but as for the trail's greatness I will say this: it is a very gentle incline up as far as you want to go, which means a heavenly downhill on the way back. Personally, I felt the incline was almost unnoticable, but I did feel the decline on the way back down. I managed a negative split, except for the last mile when I had a couple of walking patches as I was again V.E.R.Y. thirsty. (Contrary to my previous beliefs, it seems I actually DO need to bring water with me on the double-digit runs, even when it is cold out. Duly noted, Running Gods, duly noted.)

Waterton Canyon trail on the right (flat, wide, and dirt);

picturesque mountain stream on the left.

A frozen waterfall in the stream next to the trail.

The Downhill Whore Lives

I know I have said it before, but on Saturday's run I re-discovered that I am indeed, still a downhill whore. The group run took the fun trek up to Daniel's Park. Depending on how far you go (all the way up to the Park, vs. stopping short at some point along the way; being the whore I am, you know I like to go. all. the. way.) it is 2-4 miles of uphill.

elevation profile the run up to Daniel's Park

I started the morning by running from my house to the rec center where we all met--1.3 miles. The air was cold and I have been trying not to use my inhaler anymore, so when we set out my lungs were feeling those hills a little. I set off at a slow pace as we started climbing. I had a few patches of run/walk (yeah, did you notice the 5% grade patches in that little map above?), but I always picked it back up to run. Why? Because I knew what was coming after the turnaround of the out-and-back, and I needed my legs and body to be warm for the hardcore downhill boning I planned on doing. I refused to stop and quite frankly, I would have clawed, crawled or even done the Snake up that hill if it meant I could run back down it. Indeed, a tried-and-true Downhill Whore.

Run totals: 8.53 miles, 1:35
To illustrate the downhill whoriness of it all, my splits:
Mile 1 - 11:08 (big uphill at the start, took it slow warming up)
Mile 2 - 9:40, best pace of 6:19 (oh crap, I better hurry up or I'll be late...followed by, oh crap maybe I shouldn't have sprinted)
Mile 3 - 12:04 (fu%k that's a big hill)
Mile 4 - 10:55 (fu%kedy fu%ck this hill SUX)
Mile 5 - 9:48 , best pace 7:50 (almost there...turning arond...and now...GIVE IT TO ME BABY)
Mile 6 - 8:33, best pace 7:10 (wheeeeeee!)
Mile 7 - 8:50, best 7:32 (oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah, I love the downhill)

**hourlong break while we meet/eat/listen to Muscle Max presentation**

Mile 8 - 15:33 (walking back home, carrying newly-acquired Muscle Max papers and water bottle)
Mile .53 - 8:30 (damn these papers are a pain, I could be home already if I didn't have to carry these stupid things; curse you Muscle Max!)


On another note, now that I've got myself calmed back down from my Downhill daydreams, Lam had a great post about resolutions--for those of you that set them this time of year and those of you that don't, I suggest reading his take on the power and reason for resolutions. Whether you set them in January or continuously throughout the year, here's to getting going...especially if it's downhill.

I Got Schooled by a Flying Frenchman

I ran on Saturday with 3 guys. The plan was that three of us were doing a 13 mile loop on the trails, and the fourth guy was just doing an out-and-back 6 miles. After taking Thursday/Friday off for my back pain last week (hoping it would magically disappear), by Saturday it wasn't really better but wasn't really any worse, either...I was stretching a lot and I figured I would try the run; it would either make it better or worse. I wasn't sure which.

The four of us had agreed to run a 9:30 pace for the run. But though probably in his 60's, the Flying Frenchman (not to be confused with a Flying Dutchman , of any variety...) is a pretty fast runner (like a ridiculous 3-hour marathoner) and as soon as we started, after we chatted about what our goals for RMHM are next week, and what we ran on our 1-mile time trials, he determined that we should be running faster. I knew this was probably a bad idea for me but I succombed to peer pressure because I felt fine, back was ok, and I could keep up (plus I was NOT going to be the pu$$y-ass girl that couldn't hang with the guys).

That lasted for the first 9 miles. It was preetty warm by then and the remainder of the run was uphill...not impossible, but I started getting tired...my form went to crap...and the back started aching. I finally threw in the towel to walk with about a mile and half left, when the pain nearly forced tears. One guy ran ahead and since I knew my way back to the start, I figured the Flying Frenchman would go with him. Not so.

Instead, as we walked, I was treated to a leeeeennnnnggggtttthhhyyyyyyy discourse on All Things Running. Now, I am not new to running and most of it I already knew...but since he is a fairly nice man who probably meant well, and I don't know him that well (and quite frankly his sexay French accent was entrancing), I just let him blab and feel like he was educating me.

As for the back, I now fear it is actually piriformis strain....and I am still in serious pain. So I guess I am off to the doctor tomorrow to determine if I can be fit to run a half marathon by Sunday. Yay.

A Run Without Gizmo is No Run At All

I did a nice 8 miles this morning with the running club folks; technically it wasn't exactly a group run, cause well, I was too tired to stay up with the folks I normally run with, so I was really running on my own.....a few hundred yards behind them. It was kind of a new route--I'd run the first half of it before but not the second--and though it was a little tough, I enjoyed it. We ran uphill for about 4 miles, then turned around and had the sweet downhill back. It was a beautiful morning and everything is so green and lush right now, I really wish I'd brought my camera. Must remember to do that on runs.

Though it was a nice day, my run simply didn't feel complete because unfortunately, gizmo is still ill. I had no way to keep track of my run--I had him alive temporarily, thanks to Lam and Jawsome's great tips on resetting him--as two miles in, he crashed again. So, I guess I have to call in backup support at the garmin tech center. Luckily, he is only a few months old, so I think the warranty will cover the deductible to get him shipshape again. Or maybe provide for gizmo^2.

The rest of the day held a picnic at Wash Park with a friend and her daughter plus my Shorties. It was a perfect day for it and we all had fun. And if my luck holds, they will crash hard for an early bedtime tonight...one can only hope.

Strength = Holding Your Peep for 11 Miles

First off, let me say that I am sick. Like, I probably should be in bed not out communicating with the world...but thanks to Mucinex and Extra Strenght Tylenol, here I sit at my desk. The allergy/sinus/cold/flu/whatever that I've had going on for the past couple weeks is now genuinely illness, and not just allergy bother. Anyway, I feel like roadkill, so I'll keep it short today. Since my half marathon race is this Sunday(!), I will be doing everything in my power this week to be well by then...hmmm, perhaps I should be at home in bed afterall...well anyway.

Saturday - 12 miles in 1:52
Sunday - OFF due to sickness

Had a great 12-mile long run with 3 others from the running group Saturday morning. We were at my favorite place, the High Line Canal Trail, and I had gotten up with plenty of time for breakfast, hydration, a sinus rinse, and 15 minutes of the weekend Today Show (and wow, I am not missing anything by not watching it normally, that is one fluffy waste of the very-loosely-used-term "news anchor"). I even had time for the hydration to go through me, and got TWO pre-run potty breaks in (I am just talking #1 here, or as Shortie2 calls it, "peep"). So I figured with two preparatory peep breaks, I should be fine for the run, as there are no bathroom stops on the trail.

Unfortunately, just a mile in, I was again hit with the very strong urge to pee. And, as previously mentioned, I was with a group (2 of them men) so it was clear there would be no sneaking off into the bushes for a quick leak. And let me tell you, I have now decided that the true definition of strength is not staying up all night with a sick child, or giving birth without drugs, but is the ability to hold your peep on an 11-mile trail run (did I mention the entire trail runs next to a bubbling, gurgling, water-filled CANAL?), while making pleasant conversation all the while. At least I know my kegels are strong.

Running Arithmetic

1. Cement x (Long Run + Hills) = Very Sore Body

2. (Massive Snow Remnants + Long Run)/Minimal Sunscreen = Huge Sunburn

3. Long Run - Ability to Selfishly Lay Around All Day Afterward = Crabby Mommy

4. (Dislike of Pain x Fear of Distance) + 26.2 = Probability I May End Up Like Dire Tune at the Boston Finish Line

Yesterday's 12 mile run was pretty good. Because of the snow leftovers, I wasn't able to run on the nice soft, flat, gravel trails I prefer for my long runs...and I was relegated to the mean streets and hills. It wasn't actually too bad; I had to consciously slow myself down throughout the first half because I was feeling good and going faster than I wanted (trying to stay around 9:45 splits but kept finding myself at 9:00 pace) and I think running in the bike lane next to the traffic (next to, not in like some other morons I know) may have been to blame. It was hilly, but for some reason they weren't bothering me yesterday...well, for the first 9 miles, anyway. I even took the mile 2 zig-zaggy hill from the St. Patties 5K last month at about mile 7, and you know what? It didn't seem that big and definitly wasn't very hard. Didn't even get me winded! So either I have made a lot of progress in the last month, or the Venti Starbucks I had yesterday morning was laced with crack. (About a 50/50 call on that.)

Mile 9 I started to lose a little steam, so I had half the bag of Sharkies I brought with me. They did help, but then I finished off my water shortly thereafter and wished I'd brought more, seeing as the last 3 miles of the run was primarily uphill to get back home, and the sun was hot. But I pressed on, took a couple of 20-second walkbreaks, and made it. My legs were definitely more tired and sore than with the trail runs...and I really, really wished I could just lay on the couch for the rest of the evening. However, the kids needed to be fed, and hubs also did a long 14 mile run, so he was in no shape to be of much help. It was an early bedtime night for all of us.




And, finally, I would like to say that today Dire Tune basically solidified my every fear and excuse for not attempting a marathon before, with her astounding finish at Boston...followed by utter collapse. The thought that this is the way I might finish off any marathon I attempted is what kept me from doing it for so long, so it was not at ALL reassuring to see it happen to her. (Course, I think she probably has more justification, running that super-fast pace, as opposed to me at what will probably be about 10-minute miles. But anyway...)

It was an exciting race to watch and I was really, really wishing Kara G. would pull it out and get that win. She was still fun to watch race, though. Congrats to all of the Boston runners: can't wait to read your race reports!

The Facts of [Running] Life

"You take the good,
you take the bad,
you take them both
and there you have
the facts of [running] life,
the facts of [running] life..."
Holy bejezus, that Mindy Cohn could act.

BOO
A humbling pursuit sometimes, the running. Saturday was my 10k race. It was cold, it was wet, it was windy. But dammit I paid for that race, I practiced that hill, and I was not going to surrender. The first half of the race was decent, I started out strong and a fair pace on the big hill. I slowed in spots on the ensuing trail hills......picked it back up.......and then crashed on the last big uphill. I was just tired, cold, and by this point we were running up a large hill in what felt like a 40 mph headwind and spitting rain. I jogged some sections, but I mostly walked. And this, this is what caused me to come in about 10 minutes slower than what I had anticipated I would do. Or perhaps just what I had hoped I would do. Anyway, when I was running, I did fairly well for me, staying between an 8:00 and a 9:00 minute mile, depending on the terrain/wind. Unfortunately, the walking killed my time. Hey, at least it will be easy to beat that time next year....

YAY
And then, in answer to my resounding defeat on Saturday, I did my long run yesterday at one of my favorite spots, the Highline Canal Trail, and completed my longest run to-date: 12 miles. It was still cold and damp, and rainy for part of it, but somehow, it felt great out and seeing all the other crazy people out there running, too, justifed me doing it. I think that is one of the things I love most about Colorado--no matter what the weather, you'll see some loon out running in it. And probably in shorts. Anyway, I managed to keep a very consistent pace of 9:30-9:45 and then picked it up the last two miles to 8:45-9:00. No walking, finished strong, felt great, and am not too sore today.

So, I'll take that bad race on Saturday because it meant I got a superb 12 miles on Sunday. And that's just the facts of [running] life. Now, finishing my taxes today is another story...

Things That Happened on my Friday Run

Yesterday was a weird run day. The weather was a little weird--I kept expecting it to rain as it was forecast to do and slightly ominous looking clouds kept rolling past, but then it would get blue and sunny again. So I set out, not sure how long I would go. Thought perhaps 5 or 6 miles but considered going longer in case it snowed today (which it did) and I couldn't get outside for my scheduled long run. I ended up winding around in loops and circles and going for 9.84 miles (apparently, I calculated my 10 miles badly). ANYWAY. The "highlights" of my run:

1- After joking about it yesterday, I actually saw a coyote ahead of me on the trail today. I froze and racked my brain trying to remember what the display at our neighborhood rec center said to do if you came across a coyote on the trails....and...blank. Nothing. Complete brain fart. In lieu of doing whatever the "right" thing is, I just froze and waited. He did eventually skulk away and in retrospect, I am just really glad it wasn't a mountain lion instead. Perhaps I should stop joking about that...and read the helpful signs posted on the trail about what to do when you encounter wildlife.

2 - A bug flew into my mouth. As soon as I saw it near my head, I thought "wouldn't that be so gross if it actually flew into my mouth?" and then it did. And I tried to spit is right back out, But I am fairly confident it got lodged in my gum in the process and I felt a crunch when I chewed. So then I had to spit my gum out. And I hate running without gum.

3 - I sort of ran the race course (the non-muddy parts) of the upcoming HRCA Heritage 10K. I discovered there are some mean-ass beyotch uphills on this course. What I want to know is who is in charge of making these HRCA race courses, and haven't you ever heard of running downhill?? I am not sure what kind of expectation to have for my time now, since hills are always the great unknown in my running performance...

4 - My garmin told me I burned 1200 calories. This seems like a lot....I was wearing my heart rate monitor and I do have it programmed for my age/gender/weight. I am still not sure I believe it, though. 1200 seems excessive...maybe it was all those effing uphills??? Or the coyote scare? Does fear make you burn more calories?

Today I may do a mile or two to loosen/warm up before my weights/core work. Or I may not...haven't decided yet. The snow and blustery cold (it's APRIL for fu(k's sake!) have made me sluggish.

Nebraska: May the Wind Always Be At Your Back.

So today was slightly warmer and not really any less windy, but the sun was out, the sky was blue, and I simplly had to get out and run. I did my 9.6 (plus .4 walking at the end) miles and still had plenty of energy left. It's the days like this that make me realize that I really can do a marathon, if I just keep up the training. I definitely felt that the half-marathon in 6 weeks will be achieveable and probably highly enjoyable...and I may even be able to keep a faster pace than I thought when I started training. I kept about an 8:45/mile pace on this run, and picked it up a little the last two miles or so, probably closer to 8:00/mile. It didn't feel difficult at all to maintain that pace, so it seems the speedwork really is helping and I am making progress. Course, it could have also been the fact that the route I picked strategically kept the wind at my back about 60% of the time...but it makes me feel scootches better to believe the speedwork is paying off.

Hills + Calves = Ouch

Yeah, the calves are definitely mooing today.

Since the weather was fabulously nice yesterday and predicted to be cold and possibly snowy today, I tinkered with the running schedule (again) yesterday and managed to eke out another 8-miler so I could take today off. Instead of the trail running I have been doing on my long runs, I did hubs' 8-mile street loop instead. Actually it's 8.2...but I am pretty sure I walked the .2 at one point on one of the hills. It's a ridiculously hilly loop and my calves were (and still are) feeling it. But, I got it done and can now be lazy today. And yet, all I want to do is go for a run this afternoon...curse you irony!

Making time for the long & steady

My conundrum: tomorrow I am doing a nice little 5K in my neighborhood. However, I usually do my long run on Saturday morning, followed by rest on Sunday. Do I a) do the long run today instead and risk tired legs for the race tomorrow b) do a shorter 4-miler today, run the race tomorrow, and then run the course+some afterward to get my long run in?

It is important to note that I don't really race to win, or even necessarily place--I do it for fun, comeraderie, to see how I do and keep myself motivated on the road to the big M. And of course, like duh, for the shirt. I have been stewing over how to work in this long run plus the race all week...hubb-o's advice? "Just run. Don't worry about it." Ummmmmm, yeeeaaah thanks.

It's warm out today and so I think I'll do a long, easy trail run today and just the race tomorrow. I think that is my official decision. Unless I change my mind.

Update: I did a little over 8 miles in about 77 minutes...ish. I think. The tricky part was that I left my watch at the hotel on a trip last week and while I am waiting for it to arrive home safe and sound to me in the mail, I am forced to use my blackberry to keep track of time. NOT ideal. I don't recommend it.