Emotional

Like many I’m sure, I’m feeling emotional as the one anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing approaches.  I was nowhere near the danger and, gratefully welcomed Scott home after his completion of last year's race.  I can’t even imagine if I had been at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon.  I also can’t imagine if Scott had been injured or worse.  But even though I wasn’t directly impacted, I feel so very much affected.

I’ve been hypnotized by the news recently and some well-done specials that portrayed a number of bombing victims’ experiences over the past year.  I’ve read articles and have been brought to tears by all that they have lost and all that they are fighting to get back.  And then I remember that we’ve all lost something.  Security.  Safety.  An expectation that supporting runners at a race will not leave you struggling to survive or mourning a loved one’s tragic and senseless passing. 

I’ve had moments where I can’t help but visualize what that feeling was like that day.  At 2:48 pm, all was right in the world and runners from all walks of life were meeting their goal of running Boston.  And then at 2:49 pm, lives, limbs, and innocence were lost.  This was in our backyard; our race; our tradition.  Just like that, it was all changed.

Although I did qualify for Boston this year and was proud of that feat, I didn’t make the final “cut” (that crazy 18 seconds).  Of course I felt the initial disappointment.  But as the year has unfolded and has lead up to this anniversary and the first running of the marathon since the bombing, I’m actually really OK with not running and frankly, with not being there.  Not this year anyway.  I will take the day off and spend it with Scott.  We’ll probably grab a run together, watch the race from home, and I know I will hold him tighter, thankful again that he escaped physically unscathed.

I’m so impressed with the resilience of the bombing victims and their families and for all those returning this year.  I don’t think I’m afraid per se, but it just doesn’t feel like a place I want to be just yet.  Like everyone, I want to see the 2014 Boston Marathon go off without a hitch and I want to see 2013’s bombing coverage replaced with 2014’s coverage filled with running, endurance, cheering, strength, and life.  

Those lost and injured will never be forgotten, but the human race will continue to move forward and take the memories of this tragedy and introduce memories of life, promise, and peace in its place.  I wish that for us all – and for our race called Boston Marathon.

Epic Mileage Week (aka flirting with threshold)

Last week, I had an epic mileage week.  Normally a low mileage runner, completing a 53 mile training week made me very happy.  And I was amazed at how, once again, my body has more to give than I originally thought.  Back in 2012 at StoneCat, I ran my first 50 miler.  Just as my first marathon back in 2002, I didn’t know what my body would do. Would it seize up?  Would it break?  Would it implode?  None of the above.  So heading into this past weekend, I was entering unchartered training territory.

Saturday

I had 18 miles on my calendar, so headed out with Bella to run 2.5 of that on trails.  That little warm up is such a great way to ease into my run at the same time as providing Bella some great off-lead running.  Totally a win/win.  I dropped her at home and continued onward to complete what would turn out to be 18.5.

My nutrition strategy continues to be a challenge, but it’s mostly the nutrition post-long run.  Usually, I wait too long to eat anything, get dizzy/foggy, and then force something like Eggo waffles down my throat to tame the beast.  By then, it’s too little, too late.  That ritual sets the tone for the day/night and I end up feeling pretty ‘blah’.  After my 18.5, I had some leftover BBQ pulled chicken and salad at the ready.  Even though I tend not to have an appetite post-long run, I’ve been forcing it more immediately after and voila, finding myself feeling less ‘blah’.  Later that day, I even caught a quick catnap with Bella.  Ah, the deliciousness of a nap!

Good thing too, because I wasn’t finished running….

Michelle from Average Girl Doing Average Things and I “met” virtually via blog and realized awhile back that I live very close to some of her family.  She mentioned to me that she’d be down my way this past weekend and that maybe we could finally meet face-to-face and grab a run.  Cool!   Although I already had my official run done for the day, I couldn’t say no!  I was looking forward to meeting her and figured I could run a few more, right?

A few more lead to 7.5 miles.  But they were such fun miles!  We chatted the whole way, got to know each other in a way only runners can, and did a lot of laughing.  It was such a great way to finally meet and it was such a perfect end to my day.  So, I essentially ended up running an informal marathon that day.  I honestly felt really good, but now I was a wee bit nervous about my 10 mile run date with Sue the next morning.  How would my legs behave?

Sunday

After a night fueled by approximately two hours of sleep, I dressed again to run and headed to the beach to meet Sue and Kellie.  They knew of my mileage shenanigans the day before and were totally accepting of my potentially slower pace.  We headed out and I was thrilled that my legs cooperated!  We chatted the whole way (shocking, I know) and before we knew it, 10 miles was covered.  I got home and realized “wow I’m tired!”.  Oh, and ravenous.

I took Monday as my normal rest day and was grateful for it.  On Tuesday, I ran my planned 4 miles around the lake at lunch and was once again thrilled that my legs had some spunk!  The moral of this story is that I seem to be redefining and shifting my threshold and it’s pretty exciting.  I have 6 weeks until my 50K and 28 weeks until Ghost Train, so although some of my friends have recently dubbed me “a machine”, I have a long way to go to strengthen and leverage this “machine” to get me to the start AND finish of my biggest race thus far.

Are you a high or low mileage runner?

Now I know where I get it….

…my sense of humor and my strength. 

This week, I got that dreaded text from Mom telling me she fell at work.  Oh no…my heart stopped.   Fortunately, she’s OK and didn’t hit her head, but she did break her left shoulder and badly bruised her right knee.  The other fortunate thing is that she is an RN, so when she fell, she was in a hospital setting already.  I packed up my laptop, let me peeps know I was leaving, and headed to Mom’s.

One of the first things Mom did was jump on Facebook to post this picture and funny status –

Followed by an explanation “I was on my way to take my patient to the ER and I fell.  I got a room before she did!”

The next thing she did was curse the doctors for giving her a cane to assist her with walking (the knee was BAD).  She said, “That cane makes me look old!”.  So we decided she would mosaic tile it when she was done with it.  She lit up!  I advised her to keep the cane in pristine condition so the tile would stick.  Take that stupid cane!

One after another, we cracked jokes about the circumstance she was now in.  Not that it was in anyway funny that she hurt herself, but the fact is, the damage was done.  Isn’t it how we handle the hard/bad stuff that happens that tells the true story of our strength?  Pain and injury are tough to process and muddle through, but it happens.  Mom’s already walking better and has probably already started her “stupid cane” mosaic project by now…She certainly is not feeling sorry for herself.  Thanks for the “strength” and “sense of humor” genes Mom!

Walking/Running the Talk

My ultra training has begun and that means no more shenanigans.  Shenanigans?  Me?  Yes, as in "well, I'll just skip my run today because...." or "another rest day isn't so bad..."  I've always struggled with the Monday-to-Friday runs.  Always.  Work gets the best of me and often bleeds into my lunch time when I might run, then I get home to find Bella ready and rearing to play, and lastly, all the household stuff like cooking dinner, picking up, fixing the roof, retiling the bathroom, building an addition, etc seem to take over.  Before I know it, the opportunity to run has passed and my weekly mileage plummets.

No more!!!

The last two weeks have been an exercise in commitment and discipline for me.  I haven't been a high mileage runner (even when I ran StoneCat 50!), often excusing a mid-week run day here and there from my training calendar.  But these last two weeks, I've kept EVERY important running date I made with myself.  Today was a bit more challenging because today's run called for 6 miles.  So, I coordinated my schedule to best fit a 6 mile run at lunch with time to shower and emerge back to my desk looking relatively put together. 

I had a fantastic run!  I ran around the lake and, at the 3 mile mark, turned around and headed INTO the wind to return to work.  Although the wind added some resistance, it also gave me a different perspective since I rarely run that direction around the lake.  I wondered if I'd have any kind of kick in me after running 6.5 miles yesterday at a decent clip.  And I did!!

When I returned, a girl I met recently (and ran the lake with once) stopped me in the foyer and struck up a conversation:

Girl:    "Hey good run?"

Me:    "Yes, and so nice out finally!  No mittens!!" 

Girl:    "Hm, I should get out there...it is still officially lunch hour afterall" 

Me:    "Oh you totally should!"

We said our "see ya's" and I hit the shower.

On my way back to my desk, I saw her again, but this time she was headed to the bathroom/shower carrying HER gym bag and, with a big smile, said "I'm getting out there!" 

Nothing like walking/running the talk and then realizing your walk/run inspired someone else.  Good feeling!

Wet and Wild

Here is a view into what my run looked and felt like this morning – WET and WILD!

And it was, well, FUN too!

I chose an out and back route for the 10 miles I planned for today.  I conquered some crazy hills on my 16 miler yesterday, so I wasn’t looking for hills today.  With most out and backs however, one is likely to feel the wind.  In one’s face.  At some point.

My windinmyface moments were captured during my first 5 miles out.  With that wind also came driving rain; fortunately it was driving more sideways than directly into my face.  Small win.  The wind was harsh and made my now soaked mittens feel like a freezer, keeping the cold nice and close to my hands.  Some of the puddles started on one side of the street and flowed directly across.  I wasn’t afraid of getting any more wet than I already was, but let’s face it, I also wasn’t looking for the “cold water oozing into shoes” feeling.  I took my favorite Salted Caramel GU along with me and devoured it just before my mile 5 turnaround.  Caramel always perks me up and almost made me forget the weather elements.

The return home was less harsh, so other than tired legs (the goal of back-to-back long runs is to run on tired legs), I steadily motored home with far less weather drama than I experienced on my way out.  Upon my arrival, Scott offered words of encouragement/praise (what’s better than hearing “I’m proud of you” from your loved ones?), but also had brought me home a little reward.  God he knows me so well…

I always say that it’s easier to run in these kind of elements when it happens while you’re already on your run.  Knowingly leaving a warm house to head out into driving rain takes some commitment and guts.  Although I do have my treadmill and used it quite frequently this winter, I realize there is great value in training not only my legs and my mind, but my guts too.

Who else had a rainy/snowy/windy run today?

And so it begins...

Yes, I’m talking about Spring.  And I’m talking about some of the changes that come with Spring…

• Temperatures warming
• Snow melting
• Mud accumulating
• Birds singing

Twilight trail run this week - bye bye snow & ice!

I’m also talking about…

             Race registering

                     BIG race registering

                         EPIC race registering

I registered for a little ‘ole race called Ghost Train.  If you’ve followed long enough (and have hung on through my writing droughts!), you may remember I ran Ghost Train 15 miler last October.  My goal was to scope this course out to see if I could mentally stand running a lot longer on it.  Like, 85 miles longer to be specific.

For someone who is so dangerously directionally challenged, I have no choice but to consider the lost-ability factor when choosing an off-road course.  When I ran StoneCat 50 back in 2012, Scott helped me train and ran the whole race alongside of me.  Turns out, StoneCat is very well marked, but for this trail newbie at the time, having my run chaperoned by someone with an internal compass was not a desire, but a necessity.  Ghost Train is a 2 part race:  the ultra starts on Saturday morning at 9am and lasts for 30 hours; the 15 miler starts the next morning at 9am and consists of one out-and-back of the 7.5 mile course.

When Sue and I ran the 15 miler last year, we ran alongside some of the ultra runners who were somewhere in the later stages of the ultra.  Many times, we’d look at each and just marvel at the craziness dedication these 100 milers were demonstrating.  Most were walking at this point and we were honored to be in their company.

Sue and I running 2013 Ghost Train 15 miler

This year, I want to be one of those walking 100 milers.  I want to be passed when I’m at mile 90 by some fresh, spring-in-their-step 15 milers.  I want to finish 100 miles.  I want to reach that new level of craziness dedication.  I want to finish SMILING.

So 2014 looks to be the year of some wonderfully crazy training and a promising life altering 100 mile race.

Bring it on.  Bring.It.On!

Hola Mexico!

A peek into our recent vacation to Mexico, courtesy of my creative hubby!