So, last weekend while running the Fat Ass 50K, I met up with: Bob, the other Bob, Rob, and Sara. The main organizer of this informal group is Bob Gaylord. He is apparently notorious for gathering stray runners and collecting them into an ad hoc trail running group on Saturday. He made me (and Toni) memorize his email address at the race so we could be added to his email list for Saturday morning runs.
True to his word, he send out a message on Thursday saying that he would like to meet up at the Hemlock Overlook at about 7:30 on Saturday for a 18-20 mile run. I answered the email that I would be there (not thinking at the time that the PERF Christmas party would in any way hinder my enjoyment of the run). On Saturday morning, it was a crisp 25 degrees and 7 of us showed up for this run. There was Bob (fast old guy- leader of the group), Sara (fun, fast runner from last week), Rob (Lightening- slowed down for us mortals), Casey (young pup Airforce Lieutenant), Denise (super sweet- I would-never-leave-you-behind-runner), Toni (the other "new" addition who will say anything!) and me. If I had not participated in the "open bar" at the Christmas party the night before, I think that I would have enjoyed myself a lot more. That said, I had a great time considering my physical state was less than optimal. We did a 18 mile out and back along the course of the Run Bull Run 50 that is held in the spring. It was COLD at the beginning, but I eventually warmed up (though the temperature was not above freezing for the whole run.)
Sara, Bob, and Rob would run ahead and wait for the rest of us to catch up. We would catch up, have some GU, enjoy some interesting conversation, and head out for another 5 miles or so. There was still about 1 1/2 inches of snow on the trail- so that added some resistance for fun. I have to say that the run was absolutely gorgeous. The woods, the hills, the snow, the river and the good conversation really helped the time pass. Running in Virginia is quite a treat and I am happy that I am getting the opportunity to do it again.
So, we made it through the run, no one died, got left behind, fell in the river, puked,or otherwise suffered permanent injury. Toni and I have been officially welcomed to join other runs. We are all going our separate ways for the holidays, but will be getting together again after the first of the year. I am so glad that I ran into these people, it was really enjoyable and I look forward to doing it again. Toni is hilarious and thanks to her- I will never think of plain GU in the same way again!
PS- I remember Bob telling me that he retired from the Army after 37 years, and I thought that he was probably pretty high in rank. It turns out that he was....he was a brigadier general! Pretty impressive, and for a guy in his 60s-- he is smoking fast.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
The Dreadmill
I was going to try to go all winter with no "dreadmill running." That officially ended last night. It was in the 20s with wind gusts of 25-30 mph. No outside running!!! It was a lot better than the last time that I ran on the treadmill- but it was still threadmill running. I may have to continue this trend for a while until the weather clears up here. It is supposed to snow Thursday- that could make the run more interesting......
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Western States 100 Conversation
Here is a quick text to movie that I made about the WS 100 lottery. I can see this will be a fun thing to play around with in the future, hopefully I will get better...... enjoy!
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/8074127
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/8074127
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Magnus Gluteus Maximus 50K 12-11-10
Yesterday was my first "Fat Ass" event - so I was not sure what to expect. For those of you who may not know, Fat Ass runs are held all over the country, they are somewhat "unofficial" events with no timing, no entry fee, no awards, and sometimes no aid. Really it is just a bunch of people getting together for a really long training run.
The weather was COLD for a Texas girl. It was 25 at the start and "warmed" up to the 40s. I did not take off any of my gear for the whole day.
The Virginia Happy Trails Running Club puts on this event every year. "It is just like a large Christmas party for type A personalities," quoted the RD at the beginning "briefing." We went out into the cold for the start picture and then he said "go." I was surprised to hear that there would be a couple of aid stations that we would pass twice- I was not expecting aid stations. They were self serve but fully stocked with water, Gatorade, and multiple snack options. Oh yeah, there was also a bottle of Bourbon at the turnaround aid station, for anyone who wanted a swig.
As usual, the trail running crowd is a friendly bunch and within the first 20 minutes I was chatting with a group of runners. Bob and the other Bob were the most vocal, but they were all chatting and laughing at the start. Bob #1 had recruited Karen at a marathon to try trail running, so he was accompanying her for 20 miles (another benefit of Fat Ass runs- you only do as much mileage as you feel like)- so they were turning back early. Sara was in this group and was disappointed to learn that they were not going the whole distance. Bob pointed out that I was doing the full 50K and that Sara and I could run together. This was a great suggestion.
Sara was a great running partner. We soon left the other group and started out on our journey. Thank God I had Sara to show me the route. This is an area that she runs frequently, so she knows the trails- I would have been lost for sure. The route is "blazed" and I am pretty good at following trails, but there are some wild turns in this route. We talked about everything under the sun, kept our pace steady, spent way too much time at aid stations and generally had a pleasant day of running. We finished in 6:57, my slowest 50K time, but the course was difficult and it was not a real "race"- we were just having fun.
We get back to the lodge (this is where we started too- warm with a lovely fireplace) and everyone was waiting for the second round of pizza to be delivered. I took a quick shower, dropped in for a couple of slices of pizza before heading out for a evening filled with errands. They also were fully stocked with beer at the end- but I was unable to partake- darn city car to drive. I have to admit, I like this crowd. Laid back, friendly and not afraid to toss a couple back at the end. Feels like home. :-)
Bruce was running the Texas Trail 50K in Huntsville at the same time. (It was like we were running a 50K together- but not really). He had totally different weather and terrain, but he finished in 7:54. I know that running in the heat is not his thing, so I know that it was difficult- it was in the mid 70s in the afternoon. Allen and Denise were also out in Huntsville battling the old "Sunmart" trails. It sounds like they all had a great time too and I am sorry that I missed it- but I was with them in spirit!
The weather was COLD for a Texas girl. It was 25 at the start and "warmed" up to the 40s. I did not take off any of my gear for the whole day.
The Virginia Happy Trails Running Club puts on this event every year. "It is just like a large Christmas party for type A personalities," quoted the RD at the beginning "briefing." We went out into the cold for the start picture and then he said "go." I was surprised to hear that there would be a couple of aid stations that we would pass twice- I was not expecting aid stations. They were self serve but fully stocked with water, Gatorade, and multiple snack options. Oh yeah, there was also a bottle of Bourbon at the turnaround aid station, for anyone who wanted a swig.
As usual, the trail running crowd is a friendly bunch and within the first 20 minutes I was chatting with a group of runners. Bob and the other Bob were the most vocal, but they were all chatting and laughing at the start. Bob #1 had recruited Karen at a marathon to try trail running, so he was accompanying her for 20 miles (another benefit of Fat Ass runs- you only do as much mileage as you feel like)- so they were turning back early. Sara was in this group and was disappointed to learn that they were not going the whole distance. Bob pointed out that I was doing the full 50K and that Sara and I could run together. This was a great suggestion.
Sara was a great running partner. We soon left the other group and started out on our journey. Thank God I had Sara to show me the route. This is an area that she runs frequently, so she knows the trails- I would have been lost for sure. The route is "blazed" and I am pretty good at following trails, but there are some wild turns in this route. We talked about everything under the sun, kept our pace steady, spent way too much time at aid stations and generally had a pleasant day of running. We finished in 6:57, my slowest 50K time, but the course was difficult and it was not a real "race"- we were just having fun.
We get back to the lodge (this is where we started too- warm with a lovely fireplace) and everyone was waiting for the second round of pizza to be delivered. I took a quick shower, dropped in for a couple of slices of pizza before heading out for a evening filled with errands. They also were fully stocked with beer at the end- but I was unable to partake- darn city car to drive. I have to admit, I like this crowd. Laid back, friendly and not afraid to toss a couple back at the end. Feels like home. :-)
Bruce was running the Texas Trail 50K in Huntsville at the same time. (It was like we were running a 50K together- but not really). He had totally different weather and terrain, but he finished in 7:54. I know that running in the heat is not his thing, so I know that it was difficult- it was in the mid 70s in the afternoon. Allen and Denise were also out in Huntsville battling the old "Sunmart" trails. It sounds like they all had a great time too and I am sorry that I missed it- but I was with them in spirit!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Interesting training runs
There are a few things that I learned about this area.
1. There are awesome trails around- but you have a bit of a drive to get to them.
2. What is considered a "flat" course is not really flat- it is just not mountainous.
3. People here call paved bike paths "trails"--- these are not trails in my book.
4. It gets dark so unbelievably early (before 5 pm).
5. Some of the best runs are when you have no idea where you are going or where you will end up.
My daily runs are usually less than interesting. I run on the streets in a busy (Midtown-ish) area of Arlington. There was a great bike path only 1/2 mile away, but now it is dark too early to use it. Morning running? Fugget-abowt-it! Too freaking cold (and dark).
However, when Bruce has been in town, we have headed into DC for some really great runs. (I admit it-he did all of the route planning.) We ran the National Mall one night- around the Capital, Washington Monument, WWII Monument, and Lincoln Memorial. Running along and seeing our national monuments lighted and running to the top of the stairs at the Lincoln to pay your respects.....priceless. It was about 5.25 miles and it was great!
For our next running adventure, Bruce found a set of stairs in Georgetown that was used in the movie "The Exorcist." It was the scene where the priest fell out a window and down a huge staircase to "get the demon out of him." All I remember about that movie is that is scared the crap out of me and I wanted to forget everything in it. We ran there, made it to the top, and back down- conquered "the demon." Then we got a little lost, I almost got run over by a truck (my fault), crossed a highway, went over a grassy hill and ended up at the Lincoln Memorial. We ran along the National Mall again to the Metro and boarded a train for home. Total 5.72 miles @ a 9:30 average pace- not too shabby.
When Bruce is here on the weekends, we head down to Prince William Forest for our long runs. We did a few 10 or-so- mile runs there. It is an awesome park and we have the trail system down pat- almost. We usually run, change our clothes and go grab a bite in Stafford before heading back. It is amazing that you can run 10+ miles, change out of wet clothes - do some minor "clean up" and go out and not be offensive smelling. The temps and lack of humidity are nice!
I have also run along the aforementioned bike path, to the Potomac and past the Memorials on the Arlington side of the river. It was an incredibly nice day when I did this run, the sun was out and it was in the 40s - 50s, with low humidity. It was so nice and beautiful that I was originally going for 8, then 10, and finally 11 miles. Thank God there was construction or who knows how far I would have gone. I was just so pretty to look out over the river and see the monuments in the distance.
1. There are awesome trails around- but you have a bit of a drive to get to them.
2. What is considered a "flat" course is not really flat- it is just not mountainous.
3. People here call paved bike paths "trails"--- these are not trails in my book.
4. It gets dark so unbelievably early (before 5 pm).
5. Some of the best runs are when you have no idea where you are going or where you will end up.
My daily runs are usually less than interesting. I run on the streets in a busy (Midtown-ish) area of Arlington. There was a great bike path only 1/2 mile away, but now it is dark too early to use it. Morning running? Fugget-abowt-it! Too freaking cold (and dark).
However, when Bruce has been in town, we have headed into DC for some really great runs. (I admit it-he did all of the route planning.) We ran the National Mall one night- around the Capital, Washington Monument, WWII Monument, and Lincoln Memorial. Running along and seeing our national monuments lighted and running to the top of the stairs at the Lincoln to pay your respects.....priceless. It was about 5.25 miles and it was great!
For our next running adventure, Bruce found a set of stairs in Georgetown that was used in the movie "The Exorcist." It was the scene where the priest fell out a window and down a huge staircase to "get the demon out of him." All I remember about that movie is that is scared the crap out of me and I wanted to forget everything in it. We ran there, made it to the top, and back down- conquered "the demon." Then we got a little lost, I almost got run over by a truck (my fault), crossed a highway, went over a grassy hill and ended up at the Lincoln Memorial. We ran along the National Mall again to the Metro and boarded a train for home. Total 5.72 miles @ a 9:30 average pace- not too shabby.
When Bruce is here on the weekends, we head down to Prince William Forest for our long runs. We did a few 10 or-so- mile runs there. It is an awesome park and we have the trail system down pat- almost. We usually run, change our clothes and go grab a bite in Stafford before heading back. It is amazing that you can run 10+ miles, change out of wet clothes - do some minor "clean up" and go out and not be offensive smelling. The temps and lack of humidity are nice!
I have also run along the aforementioned bike path, to the Potomac and past the Memorials on the Arlington side of the river. It was an incredibly nice day when I did this run, the sun was out and it was in the 40s - 50s, with low humidity. It was so nice and beautiful that I was originally going for 8, then 10, and finally 11 miles. Thank God there was construction or who knows how far I would have gone. I was just so pretty to look out over the river and see the monuments in the distance.
Races and Places
So, since moving to the DC area, I have run a couple of races and of course some awesome training runs. I will start with the races:
On October 31, 2010, I ran the Marine Corps Marathon for a PR of 4:03. I really really wanted to break 4 hours, but that (4:03) was the absolute best that I could do that day. Bruce flew in for the weekend and was along the course as I ran. What a nice bonus! The weather was super- overall a wonderful race. Many thanks to Sandra and Mike, as they helped me get into a race that was officially "closed." Also, an unexpected bonus was that because there was some crazed sniper up here taking shots at Marine facilities in the days leading up to the marathon, so there was a ton of extra security. There were helicopters (police and military) constantly buzzing the route. It was a nice diversion especially since as I thought at one point (around mile 20), that I may possibly die from this effort. :-)
On November 20, 2010, I ran the inaugural Stone Mill 50 mile in Damascus, MD. This course did not seem to have any flat sections - constant rolling hills. Not huge hills, but for a flat-lander it was quite a challenge. Of course there were low temps at the start and a little (ankle deep) water crossing at mile 4 and 47-the usual ultra-running stuff. They also decided that a 50 mile race was so blase' they would have a 51 mile race (with a 56 mile option). Crazy ultra trail running people. Gotta love em. I finished in 10:47, which is one of my slowest 50 mile times, but the terrain was reasonably hard and I was semi-ready.
I have semi-officially notified the Virginia Happy Trails Running club that I will also be running the Magnus Gluteus Maximus 50 km this weekend. It is on the same course as a popular 50 miler (Run Bull Run). I will let you know how that one goes. I am not looking forward to the cold this weekend, but at least there will be about 180 other crazies out there with me!
On October 31, 2010, I ran the Marine Corps Marathon for a PR of 4:03. I really really wanted to break 4 hours, but that (4:03) was the absolute best that I could do that day. Bruce flew in for the weekend and was along the course as I ran. What a nice bonus! The weather was super- overall a wonderful race. Many thanks to Sandra and Mike, as they helped me get into a race that was officially "closed." Also, an unexpected bonus was that because there was some crazed sniper up here taking shots at Marine facilities in the days leading up to the marathon, so there was a ton of extra security. There were helicopters (police and military) constantly buzzing the route. It was a nice diversion especially since as I thought at one point (around mile 20), that I may possibly die from this effort. :-)
On November 20, 2010, I ran the inaugural Stone Mill 50 mile in Damascus, MD. This course did not seem to have any flat sections - constant rolling hills. Not huge hills, but for a flat-lander it was quite a challenge. Of course there were low temps at the start and a little (ankle deep) water crossing at mile 4 and 47-the usual ultra-running stuff. They also decided that a 50 mile race was so blase' they would have a 51 mile race (with a 56 mile option). Crazy ultra trail running people. Gotta love em. I finished in 10:47, which is one of my slowest 50 mile times, but the terrain was reasonably hard and I was semi-ready.
I have semi-officially notified the Virginia Happy Trails Running club that I will also be running the Magnus Gluteus Maximus 50 km this weekend. It is on the same course as a popular 50 miler (Run Bull Run). I will let you know how that one goes. I am not looking forward to the cold this weekend, but at least there will be about 180 other crazies out there with me!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Sorry for the lack of attention
Ok, so since I have moved to the DC area, I have been errant in my blog posting. Many apologies. I have been doing a little racing and I will post the race reports soon. I just wanted to start posting to my blog again as something EXCITING happened today.....
I entered the Western States 100 with no real expectation of being selected, so imagine my surprise this morning as I checked the website to learn that I was selected!!! I will be ramping up my training to get ready for this premier event. I am so excited! I already have 2 excellent pacers that I know I can count on to help me through. The race in June 25-26, 2011, so I have some time to prepare.
I will keep you posted....
Until then, if you are interested in learning about the Western States 100, here is the link:
http://www.ws100.com/
I entered the Western States 100 with no real expectation of being selected, so imagine my surprise this morning as I checked the website to learn that I was selected!!! I will be ramping up my training to get ready for this premier event. I am so excited! I already have 2 excellent pacers that I know I can count on to help me through. The race in June 25-26, 2011, so I have some time to prepare.
I will keep you posted....
Until then, if you are interested in learning about the Western States 100, here is the link:
http://www.ws100.com/
Monday, September 27, 2010
First Adventure Race! 09-25-10
Bruce and I teamed up to be the "Houston Heat" again. We completed our first ever adventure race this past weekend at Rocky Hill Ranch. We learned a valuable lesson, "Adventure racing is tough!" The course started with a 3.10 mile trail run, which was pretty tough to begin with......then you got to mountain bike for 9 miles! If you have ever run or biked at RHR- you know that it is a pretty technical course with a LOT of hills. Add it a little brutal heat and humidity and you got yourself one tough race. Oh yeah- they also throw in some "mystery events" to make it more interesting.
We have done a few Muddy Buddys and we anticipated that this race would be a little harder. It was unbelieveably harder! We were exhausted and had to stop on the side of the trail a few times to catch our breath before resuming our race. Luckily we were not the only ones doing that. We had a few goals for this race:
We managed to accomplish all of those goals. We were 3rd place out of 5 teams in the Masters Co-Ed division. Not a bad showing for our first effort. We had a good time and I think that we will be looking to do a few of these races in the future.
We have done a few Muddy Buddys and we anticipated that this race would be a little harder. It was unbelieveably harder! We were exhausted and had to stop on the side of the trail a few times to catch our breath before resuming our race. Luckily we were not the only ones doing that. We had a few goals for this race:
- Not to die
- Not to finish dead last
- To finish
We managed to accomplish all of those goals. We were 3rd place out of 5 teams in the Masters Co-Ed division. Not a bad showing for our first effort. We had a good time and I think that we will be looking to do a few of these races in the future.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Weekend Fun in Austin 9-18-10
We started the weekend with a quick little 11 miler from the condo to Town Lake and back. Nothing like a solid two miles of uphill at the end of a run to let you know that you need to do more hill work. We started at about 5:30, and it was pretty warm by the time that we finished. We cleaned up and headed out for breakfast.
We also wanted to mountain bike at Rocky Hill Ranch on Saturday (so we could have margaritas on Saturday night--priorities you know). We decided that we would have some breakfast, relax, shop a little, then head out to RHR for some mountain biking. We are signed up for an adventure race (our first) next weekend. The race is at RHR and we wanted to pre-ride the course to have an idea about the difficulty of the terrain. We have both run a race at RHR but we did not really remember that much about the course.
When we arrived, it looked very dark and ominous to the south. We geared up and headed out anyway. OH MY GOD- that is all that was going through my head for the first 1/2 mile. Then I switched to, "I am going to die out here." We encountered another couple (while panting on the side of the trail), who were out pre-riding the course before they do the 24 hours at RHR next weekend. They are competing as a relay team, they will switch out every lap- for 24 hours. Almost as crazy as runners!
When the rain started, all of the rocks in the trail (believe me- there are plenty, hence the name ROCKY Hill Ranch), started getting slippery. Oh boy, I was worried that I would not fall all day. It was a LOT harder than I anticipated. WHAT was I thinking? My thought process changed to, "I just want to survive." We managed 7 miles (Bruce was "managing" considerably better than I was)- I was exhausted at the end. It was raining off and on, the trail was wet and slippery and my mountain biking skills have atrophied immensely. When we finished, we showered off and headed home. Just enough time for a shower before heading across the street to Matt's for a couple of Z-Margaritas. Ahhhh, now that made it all worthwhile.
We also wanted to mountain bike at Rocky Hill Ranch on Saturday (so we could have margaritas on Saturday night--priorities you know). We decided that we would have some breakfast, relax, shop a little, then head out to RHR for some mountain biking. We are signed up for an adventure race (our first) next weekend. The race is at RHR and we wanted to pre-ride the course to have an idea about the difficulty of the terrain. We have both run a race at RHR but we did not really remember that much about the course.
When we arrived, it looked very dark and ominous to the south. We geared up and headed out anyway. OH MY GOD- that is all that was going through my head for the first 1/2 mile. Then I switched to, "I am going to die out here." We encountered another couple (while panting on the side of the trail), who were out pre-riding the course before they do the 24 hours at RHR next weekend. They are competing as a relay team, they will switch out every lap- for 24 hours. Almost as crazy as runners!
When the rain started, all of the rocks in the trail (believe me- there are plenty, hence the name ROCKY Hill Ranch), started getting slippery. Oh boy, I was worried that I would not fall all day. It was a LOT harder than I anticipated. WHAT was I thinking? My thought process changed to, "I just want to survive." We managed 7 miles (Bruce was "managing" considerably better than I was)- I was exhausted at the end. It was raining off and on, the trail was wet and slippery and my mountain biking skills have atrophied immensely. When we finished, we showered off and headed home. Just enough time for a shower before heading across the street to Matt's for a couple of Z-Margaritas. Ahhhh, now that made it all worthwhile.
***** Change of Plans ******
In the words of John Lennon, "Life is what happens to you while you were busy making other plans." I HAD a great race schedule all lined up for this season. I had planned a good training base with a hard effort at the end to try for a PR 100 miler at Rocky Raccoon in February.
I have been offered the opportunity to do a fellowship with a national organization in Washington D.C. for the next (7) months. This is a tremendous opportunity that only comes along once in a lifetime. Thank goodness I have the most understanding husband when it comes to career opportunities! Bruce is behind me 100% and I have accepted the position. Needless to say, my racing plans are going to be different. I will not be running the races that I planned, but will have to shift to some races that are closer to DC rather than in Texas.
I have been offered the opportunity to do a fellowship with a national organization in Washington D.C. for the next (7) months. This is a tremendous opportunity that only comes along once in a lifetime. Thank goodness I have the most understanding husband when it comes to career opportunities! Bruce is behind me 100% and I have accepted the position. Needless to say, my racing plans are going to be different. I will not be running the races that I planned, but will have to shift to some races that are closer to DC rather than in Texas.
Monday, September 13, 2010
23 miles- a "short" run weekend
I intended to do a few less miles than 20 this weekend, but with the Galloway group doing 23 miles, well....I just could not resist. We started at 4:00 AM (Holy Cow that is early!) and we finished before it became too hot. The Houston humidity did not disappoint. It was a scorcher. As usual, the group was pushing me to run and not pay attention to how far we had already gone.
We started at a good pace (thanks Donna) and we stayed pretty steady throughout the run. Michelle- you are amazing this year. It was uneventful for me, although a few people had heat related issues. This summer has been just brutal- you just never know when it is going to zap you. Bruce did 10 and looked very strong at the end. I think that his comeback is going great. This coming weekend I have a 35 - 40 mile run scheduled. I am not looking forward to that many hours alone. Thankfully, once I run Cactus Rose, I will be using each race as a long run for the next race-- so no more loooong runs alone. Looking forward to that!
We started at a good pace (thanks Donna) and we stayed pretty steady throughout the run. Michelle- you are amazing this year. It was uneventful for me, although a few people had heat related issues. This summer has been just brutal- you just never know when it is going to zap you. Bruce did 10 and looked very strong at the end. I think that his comeback is going great. This coming weekend I have a 35 - 40 mile run scheduled. I am not looking forward to that many hours alone. Thankfully, once I run Cactus Rose, I will be using each race as a long run for the next race-- so no more loooong runs alone. Looking forward to that!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
30 Mile Training Run- Huntsville State Park
What could be better than 30 miles in the beautiful forest of Huntsville State Park? Along the way I saw 5 deer, 2 armadillos, numerous butterflies, and "smelled" a nearby skunk (who would have been given right-of-way if I actually saw him). The weather was nice at the start and Bruce ran the first 8 miles with me (Primarily in the dark-which is great considering I am a big chicken when it comes to running in the woods in the dark.) We started around 5:30 am and it was cooler, but still a bit humid.
The humidity lightened once the sun came up- but the cooler temps stayed around. We ran the first loop (8 miles) together, then I headed out for a 10.5 mile loop alone (without music- stupid ipod stopped working). I spent a lot of time on that loop focusing on my new Garmin GPS watch. I was driving myself crazy focusing on time/distance/speed- as I was a little bored. As the morning wore on, there were more people on the trails- runners, bikers, and hikers. I would amuse myself by making small talk with people who passed me or people that I passed on the trails.
I determined that there was no way that I was ever going to be able to run 100 miles, because I was sooooo tired and my right hip was killing me- this was about 14 miles into the run. I was thinking "I am not even at 20 miles- which is only 1/5 of 100 miles! I may actually die attempting this." I noticed that I was "favoring" the sore hip and adding more weight on my left side. I made a conscious effort to run with an even gait and stop favoring the right side. It hurt more initially to do this, but then the pain seemed to subside. Amazingly- my hip stopped hurting at some point (or went numb) and I was able to finish that lap. It was close to 10 o'clock when I headed out for the last 10.5 mile loop.
The temps were still pretty nice and I was no longer in pain. I was also MUCH happier since Bruce loaned me his ipod. HEAVENLY. Instead of focusing on how far I had already run- I just focused on how much was left. I even found myself with an unexplainable burst of energy about 3 miles from the finish. I may have been happy that I was near the end. As I completed the run, I decided that I MIGHT be able to do 100 miles, but it was going to be a challenge.
The humidity lightened once the sun came up- but the cooler temps stayed around. We ran the first loop (8 miles) together, then I headed out for a 10.5 mile loop alone (without music- stupid ipod stopped working). I spent a lot of time on that loop focusing on my new Garmin GPS watch. I was driving myself crazy focusing on time/distance/speed- as I was a little bored. As the morning wore on, there were more people on the trails- runners, bikers, and hikers. I would amuse myself by making small talk with people who passed me or people that I passed on the trails.
I determined that there was no way that I was ever going to be able to run 100 miles, because I was sooooo tired and my right hip was killing me- this was about 14 miles into the run. I was thinking "I am not even at 20 miles- which is only 1/5 of 100 miles! I may actually die attempting this." I noticed that I was "favoring" the sore hip and adding more weight on my left side. I made a conscious effort to run with an even gait and stop favoring the right side. It hurt more initially to do this, but then the pain seemed to subside. Amazingly- my hip stopped hurting at some point (or went numb) and I was able to finish that lap. It was close to 10 o'clock when I headed out for the last 10.5 mile loop.
The temps were still pretty nice and I was no longer in pain. I was also MUCH happier since Bruce loaned me his ipod. HEAVENLY. Instead of focusing on how far I had already run- I just focused on how much was left. I even found myself with an unexplainable burst of energy about 3 miles from the finish. I may have been happy that I was near the end. As I completed the run, I decided that I MIGHT be able to do 100 miles, but it was going to be a challenge.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Hotter N Hell 100- Wichita Falls, Texas 08/28/10
This weekend we headed to Wichita Falls to ride and run. Bruce and Allen rode the 100K on Saturday. They both did really great- there were a TON of other bikes, it was hot and very windy. There was even some very serious accidents (one that required Life Flight)- thank goodness they were not involved in any. They finished in time to shower and go get some lunch! Denise and I met them at (2) rest stops (the only 2 that they stopped for). It was a great day, but I was really glad that I was not riding.
On Sunday, Allen and I ran the 1/2 Marathon trail run. Bruce, Denise, and Paul ran the 10K trail run. The weather is MUCH nicer in Wichita Falls in the morning than in Houston. It was in the high 60s with very low humidity at the start. I told Allen the night before that my plan was the run the entire race (no walk-breaks) as it was only a 1/2 marathon and I would walk at rest stops, and steep uphills. Let me just say that Allen thought that was a CRAZY idea. I convinced him that it was a good idea and we both used that race plan for the day. I ended up running a little faster, but he did ride 62 miles the day before and I did nothing. Paul won 3rd place in his age group- which was great considering they grouped all of the 60+ runners together and he is a bit older than 60. Big Congrats Paul! Bruce and Denise both had good runs and enjoyed the course. I am impressed that anyone can run a trail race the day after riding 62 miles. I finished in 2:07- not bad for a pretty tough course. Good enough for 2nd place in my age group.
There were several people there doing the "triple threat"- that is an 11 mile Mountain bike race on Friday, riding the 100 mile on Saturday, and running the 1/2 marathon on Sunday. NUTS! Bruce is now convinced that we need to do the triple threat next year. I do not know what is wrong with him. But maybe... At these biking events, you never know who you will run into along the way.......
On Sunday, Allen and I ran the 1/2 Marathon trail run. Bruce, Denise, and Paul ran the 10K trail run. The weather is MUCH nicer in Wichita Falls in the morning than in Houston. It was in the high 60s with very low humidity at the start. I told Allen the night before that my plan was the run the entire race (no walk-breaks) as it was only a 1/2 marathon and I would walk at rest stops, and steep uphills. Let me just say that Allen thought that was a CRAZY idea. I convinced him that it was a good idea and we both used that race plan for the day. I ended up running a little faster, but he did ride 62 miles the day before and I did nothing. Paul won 3rd place in his age group- which was great considering they grouped all of the 60+ runners together and he is a bit older than 60. Big Congrats Paul! Bruce and Denise both had good runs and enjoyed the course. I am impressed that anyone can run a trail race the day after riding 62 miles. I finished in 2:07- not bad for a pretty tough course. Good enough for 2nd place in my age group.
There were several people there doing the "triple threat"- that is an 11 mile Mountain bike race on Friday, riding the 100 mile on Saturday, and running the 1/2 marathon on Sunday. NUTS! Bruce is now convinced that we need to do the triple threat next year. I do not know what is wrong with him. But maybe... At these biking events, you never know who you will run into along the way.......
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Woo Hoo!
What does it say about the unbearable Houston climate that I am super-excited about 71 degrees? I was super pumped this morning- the humidity was also lower. This combination resulted in about a 8.5 minute pace for my five miler. Heavenly.
I am headed to Wichita Falls this weekend to run a 1/2 marathon trail run. I am going there to support Bruce and Chief Chia who are riding a crazy 100K (62) miles on bikes on Saturday, and running on Sunday. Nut Jobs the both of them. I will be (wisely) hanging with Denise on Saturday-- saving myself for the run on Sunday. I am hoping for lower tempertures and humidity.....
I am headed to Wichita Falls this weekend to run a 1/2 marathon trail run. I am going there to support Bruce and Chief Chia who are riding a crazy 100K (62) miles on bikes on Saturday, and running on Sunday. Nut Jobs the both of them. I will be (wisely) hanging with Denise on Saturday-- saving myself for the run on Sunday. I am hoping for lower tempertures and humidity.....
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
I'M BACK!!
I am so happy to report that: I AM BACK BABY!
I was able to run this morning at Memorial Park, and (more importantly) was able to keep my usual pace. I ran my ususal five and did not feel that I was going to die. I think that I have finally kicked the cold out of my body. I am looking forward to this weekend-- I have a half-marathon in Whicita Falls that Allen promises is challenging. BRING IT ON. :-)
I was able to run this morning at Memorial Park, and (more importantly) was able to keep my usual pace. I ran my ususal five and did not feel that I was going to die. I think that I have finally kicked the cold out of my body. I am looking forward to this weekend-- I have a half-marathon in Whicita Falls that Allen promises is challenging. BRING IT ON. :-)
Monday, August 23, 2010
Saturday, August 21 - 20 miles of training fun
So what could be more fun than running your 20 mile training run with a head cold?? I felt the cold coming on around Tuesday and skipped my normal Thursday run in order to get additional rest. I knew that I had a long run this weekend and I really wanted to do it. However, when I showed up at 4:00 A.M (yes, that is correct, 4 AM) for our 20 mile training run on Saturday, I was not really anticipating a good time. Anytime that you are running your long runs in the summer in Houston Texas, you are running in the heat. Most likely if you are running long in August, you are running during a heat advisory (last Saturday was no exception.)
So, I show up, looking like death (and not feeling a lot better) to see my friends all dreading the long, hot, sticky run. We took off and were determined to keep our pace slow (we actually did)- thanks Michelle. :-) We made it through the first 10 miles with no real issues. I could not believe how good I felt. It was amazing. No symptoms at all! I joked that the virus decided to find a less active and less crazy host! The next seven went by pretty quickly and we all realized that we would be finishing the full 20 today. Allen was doing his usual stand-up routine to keep us entertained (Denise is a saint.) We ran into Bruce as we were headed out for our final three and he turned around with us. Allen and Bruce hung back a little and Michelle and I ran ahead. It sure felt great finishing that run!
I am constantly amazed at the wonderful people that I have as running partners. I would never have been able to wrap my mind around that run without my buddies there to distract me. Thanks guys!
I did remain in bed for the rest of the weekend. Head cold is trying to hang on......
So, I show up, looking like death (and not feeling a lot better) to see my friends all dreading the long, hot, sticky run. We took off and were determined to keep our pace slow (we actually did)- thanks Michelle. :-) We made it through the first 10 miles with no real issues. I could not believe how good I felt. It was amazing. No symptoms at all! I joked that the virus decided to find a less active and less crazy host! The next seven went by pretty quickly and we all realized that we would be finishing the full 20 today. Allen was doing his usual stand-up routine to keep us entertained (Denise is a saint.) We ran into Bruce as we were headed out for our final three and he turned around with us. Allen and Bruce hung back a little and Michelle and I ran ahead. It sure felt great finishing that run!
I am constantly amazed at the wonderful people that I have as running partners. I would never have been able to wrap my mind around that run without my buddies there to distract me. Thanks guys!
I did remain in bed for the rest of the weekend. Head cold is trying to hang on......
Race Calendar 2010-2011
So I spent the better part of my day deciding my race calendar for this season. Here it is:
Who else is in? I know that I have a few crazy friends who may be up for some of these races....
- Cactus Rose 100 Mile October 30, 2010
- Wild Hare 50M / 50K November 20, 2010
- Texas Trail 50K* December 11, 2010
- Bandera 100K January 8, 2011
- Rocky Raccoon 100M* February 5, 2011
Who else is in? I know that I have a few crazy friends who may be up for some of these races....
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