Well that sucked.... a lot. The temperature was 61 degrees so I wore shorts and a tank top, the first 3 miles went pretty good but after that things just felt blah. By mile 5, Rocky and I stopped at the Tahoe and I dropped off my headlamp and my tank top. I was sweating, I would like to say 61 degrees felt amazing and it did, but my body had just about acclimated to the 10-35 degree weather over the last 2-3 weeks... so I was getting my ass kicked.
I had gone to the bathroom before leaving the house, but ended up going 3 times while out on the trails (it was very aggravating). This was also probably my very slowest 10 miles in a long freaking time, and I was constantly stopping. It was just a very tough run, inside and out.... the trails were muddy and sloggy but beautiful, the weather was amazing but today was just an off day.
Rocky and I suffered through 10 miles in 1:49:08 with an average pace of 10:54 min/mile.... blah
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:31
Mile 2 - 10:54
Mile 3 - 10:41
Mile 4 - 11:08
Mile 5 - 10:43
Mile 6 - 10:57
Mile 7 - 11:02
Mile 8 - 11:29
Mile 9 - 10:32
Mile 10 - 10:09
This is proving to be a challenge, much more challenging that my first marathon training cycle... I seem to be stuck in some sort of funk and I can get myself out of it. I'm just going to keep chugging along, maybe I'll chug my way out of this funk.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Week Two of LBL Training
So Sunday isn't finished yet, but I figure what the hell. I survived Thanksgiving and the 2nd week of Land Between the Lakes Marathon training, so far it's going well.
Tuesday Rocky and I ran an easy 5.2 miles on the road, I was concerned that it might be too muddy on the trails. We ran the 5.2 in 52:45 with an average pace of 10:09/min/mile, my quads were bugging me still but not awful... It was 36 degrees with a feels like 30.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:53
Mile 2 - 10:34
Mile 3 - 9:07
Mile 4 - 10:17
Mile 5 - 9:56
.2 - 9:55
Wednesday morning was colder, and we went ahead and hit the trails this time. I think I might have under-dressed...... anyways it was pretty damn cold, but Rocky and I enjoyed it. We ran 8.1 miles in 1:27:07 with an average pace of 10:38 min/mile. It was around 25 degrees, though I would swear it was colder damn it.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:31
Mile 2 - 10:28
Mile 3 - 10:16
Mile 4 - 10:59
Mile 5 - 10:30
Mile 6 - 10:25
Mile 7 - 10:49
Mile 8 - 10:11
.1 - 9:49
Thursday was windy, the temperature was 30 degrees but it felt like 22 thanks to 9 mph N winds. Rocky and I hit the trails again, running 5 miles in 55:16 with an average pace of 11:03 min/mile, slow and muddy and icy. The blah feeling is finally going away, for the past 2 weeks I have been in some sort of funk and not really excited about training or running. Maybe my body is trying to adapt to the cold or I need a much longer break after the marathon.
Friday Rocky and I hit the roads this time for 6.1 miles, it was 27 degrees with no wind (thankfully). My quads are getting less annoying now, the soreness from hitting Audubon park a week ago is finally going away (FINALLY). We ran 6.1 miles in 1:01:56 with an average pace of 10:09 min/mile.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:03
Mile 2 - 10:25
Mile 3 - 10:28
Mile 4 - 10:19
Mile 5 - 10:10
Mile 6 - 9:37
.1 - 8:38
This morning was slower, 3 miles in 33:16 on the muddy trails. Tomorrow I am hoping for 10 muddy miles on the trails but we'll just see how the night goes and stuff, it's going to be in the high 50's around 5 AM so that is good news.
Tuesday Rocky and I ran an easy 5.2 miles on the road, I was concerned that it might be too muddy on the trails. We ran the 5.2 in 52:45 with an average pace of 10:09/min/mile, my quads were bugging me still but not awful... It was 36 degrees with a feels like 30.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:53
Mile 2 - 10:34
Mile 3 - 9:07
Mile 4 - 10:17
Mile 5 - 9:56
.2 - 9:55
Wednesday morning was colder, and we went ahead and hit the trails this time. I think I might have under-dressed...... anyways it was pretty damn cold, but Rocky and I enjoyed it. We ran 8.1 miles in 1:27:07 with an average pace of 10:38 min/mile. It was around 25 degrees, though I would swear it was colder damn it.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:31
Mile 2 - 10:28
Mile 3 - 10:16
Mile 4 - 10:59
Mile 5 - 10:30
Mile 6 - 10:25
Mile 7 - 10:49
Mile 8 - 10:11
.1 - 9:49
Thursday was windy, the temperature was 30 degrees but it felt like 22 thanks to 9 mph N winds. Rocky and I hit the trails again, running 5 miles in 55:16 with an average pace of 11:03 min/mile, slow and muddy and icy. The blah feeling is finally going away, for the past 2 weeks I have been in some sort of funk and not really excited about training or running. Maybe my body is trying to adapt to the cold or I need a much longer break after the marathon.
Friday Rocky and I hit the roads this time for 6.1 miles, it was 27 degrees with no wind (thankfully). My quads are getting less annoying now, the soreness from hitting Audubon park a week ago is finally going away (FINALLY). We ran 6.1 miles in 1:01:56 with an average pace of 10:09 min/mile.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:03
Mile 2 - 10:25
Mile 3 - 10:28
Mile 4 - 10:19
Mile 5 - 10:10
Mile 6 - 9:37
.1 - 8:38
This morning was slower, 3 miles in 33:16 on the muddy trails. Tomorrow I am hoping for 10 muddy miles on the trails but we'll just see how the night goes and stuff, it's going to be in the high 50's around 5 AM so that is good news.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Friday, Saturday, Sunday - Training Has Begun
It's official, my training cycle for the LBL marathon has begun as of this week.. which I've finished up :D
Friday I hit John James Audubon State Park's trails, looking for a butt whoopin' on the hilly trails.... and boy did I get what I came for. Sadly my garmin says the elevation gain was only 690 feet with a loss of 709 feet... last time I ran these trails it said around 900 feet, I really liked thinking it was closer to 900 feet.
The sun was already low at this point, but I just wanted 5 miles on these trails. Mileage didn't seem off, so that was good. That last 2 miles were really dark, luckily my eyes were adjusting until the last mile but a lot of that was on road so I wasn't too worried. This was probably the SLOWEST 5 miles I have ever ran before, I had to slow down on downhills due to slick ice and hike some uphills, strangely I was already winded. I ran 5 miles in 1:02:41 with an average pace of 12:31 min/mile. Dude, it was 43 degrees and I was sweating!
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:33
Mile 2 - 12:54
Mile 3 - 14:19
Mile 4 - 12:39
Mile 5 - 11:14
I am just glad I managed 5 miles on those trails, not sure how often I'll be able to do this as it's hard to find someone to babysit before dark. I'd like to do it at least once a week but who knows, winter is more difficult due to lack of daylight.
Saturday was supposed to be a rest day but I apparently forgot, and didn't realize that until I got home and went to log the run... Whoops, Rocky and I ran 3 miles in 33:49 with an average pace of 11:15 min/mile.... and my quads started hurting by the evening. I was feeling Friday's run on the trails dang it, and boy were my legs sore last night.
Dorian was having either growing pains in his legs or restless leg syndrome and had me up a lot of the night, so by 4:30 AM I really wanted to sleep and didn't want to get up and run. The plan was 9 miles but my quads were still sore as hell and I was exhausted, Rocky and I ran the roads this time because I knew the trails would be muddy and I didn't feel like driving all the way to the trails.
It was tough, and exhausting but I managed 7.5 miles at least... Rocky and I did. We ran 7.5 miles in 1:16:43 with an average pace 10:14 min/mile, and elevation gain of 155 feet with a loss of 156 feet.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:57
Mile 2 - 10:42
Mile 3 - 10:18
Mile 4 - 9:55
Mile 5 - 9:57
Mile 6 - 10:09
Mile 7 - 9:55
.5 - 9:45
Still freaking sore, and I am pretty relieved that tomorrow is a rest day. Did I mention that it was warm enough for shorts? Oh yeah, and I was sweating.
Friday I hit John James Audubon State Park's trails, looking for a butt whoopin' on the hilly trails.... and boy did I get what I came for. Sadly my garmin says the elevation gain was only 690 feet with a loss of 709 feet... last time I ran these trails it said around 900 feet, I really liked thinking it was closer to 900 feet.
The sun was already low at this point, but I just wanted 5 miles on these trails. Mileage didn't seem off, so that was good. That last 2 miles were really dark, luckily my eyes were adjusting until the last mile but a lot of that was on road so I wasn't too worried. This was probably the SLOWEST 5 miles I have ever ran before, I had to slow down on downhills due to slick ice and hike some uphills, strangely I was already winded. I ran 5 miles in 1:02:41 with an average pace of 12:31 min/mile. Dude, it was 43 degrees and I was sweating!
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:33
Mile 2 - 12:54
Mile 3 - 14:19
Mile 4 - 12:39
Mile 5 - 11:14
I am just glad I managed 5 miles on those trails, not sure how often I'll be able to do this as it's hard to find someone to babysit before dark. I'd like to do it at least once a week but who knows, winter is more difficult due to lack of daylight.
Saturday was supposed to be a rest day but I apparently forgot, and didn't realize that until I got home and went to log the run... Whoops, Rocky and I ran 3 miles in 33:49 with an average pace of 11:15 min/mile.... and my quads started hurting by the evening. I was feeling Friday's run on the trails dang it, and boy were my legs sore last night.
Dorian was having either growing pains in his legs or restless leg syndrome and had me up a lot of the night, so by 4:30 AM I really wanted to sleep and didn't want to get up and run. The plan was 9 miles but my quads were still sore as hell and I was exhausted, Rocky and I ran the roads this time because I knew the trails would be muddy and I didn't feel like driving all the way to the trails.
It was tough, and exhausting but I managed 7.5 miles at least... Rocky and I did. We ran 7.5 miles in 1:16:43 with an average pace 10:14 min/mile, and elevation gain of 155 feet with a loss of 156 feet.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:57
Mile 2 - 10:42
Mile 3 - 10:18
Mile 4 - 9:55
Mile 5 - 9:57
Mile 6 - 10:09
Mile 7 - 9:55
.5 - 9:45
Still freaking sore, and I am pretty relieved that tomorrow is a rest day. Did I mention that it was warm enough for shorts? Oh yeah, and I was sweating.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and this Morning
I am slowly getting back into my groove, though my adorable little boy can make things tough to get out of bed in the morning. I honestly can't wait until he is at the age where he is sleeping in his own bed, or I don't have to worry if he wakes up while I am out for a run. And then, I really can't wait until he is at the age where he can go on runs with me, my shorter runs that is, maybe even extra runs in the afternoon just for him.
Until those days, I am at the mercy of the 3 foot beastie if he wakes up between 2 AM and 5 AM.
Sunday, I went out for a 3 miler with Rocky on the trails. I was hoping that it would start snowing but nope, no snow at that point. I was definitely a tad jello-leg like after Saturday's race, but it went well even with my Garmin 220 screwing up on distance (I updated it later that day and since then it has been back to working properly). Rocky and I ran 3.2 miles in 33:56, it was 34 degrees and no wind.
Sunday night started snowing, and it looked a bit like a winter wonderland by Monday morning... sadly Monday is my rest day :(
Tuesday - Holy freaking polar vortex, woke up this morning to 12 degrees.... wow, I layered up the best I could, couldn't find my ski mask so my face numbed up. Rocky and I did 5 miles in 55:03 with an average pace of 11 min/mile, things were actually going really good up to mile 1 until mile 2 I found that a lot of smaller trees close to the trail were weighed down by snow and ice.... yeah that slowed me down and took some maneuvering.
The Laps looked like this:
Mile 1 - 10:47 (great first mile pace for roots and trails)
Mile 2 - 11:38 (Damn you low hanging trees!!!)
Mile 3 - 11:04 (somewhat better)
Mile 4 - 10:52
Mile 5 - 10:38 (so much better)
Overall it was a great run,the snow wasn't very deep on the trails - maybe 2 inches and a bit frozen.
Wednesday - My son woke up at 3:30 and stayed just awake enough to keep me there until 4:50 which I was screwed at that point. I wanted to get a 7-8 miler in but that wasn't going to happen, and my mom couldn't watch him for too long later that evening so I had to put in the 4.1 I had planned for Thursday. Rocky and I hit the greenway for that, the only mistake I made was having a grape soda just before our run... my stomach is in knots during the run. BUT, I noticed how easy it was to keep a relatively quick pace, paces that used to be considered my fast/est pace. It's sometimes nice to get off the trails and hit the road to see what kind of condition you are in. Rocky and I ran 4.1 miles in 37:52 with an average pace of 9:14 min/mile.
Laps/splits:
Mile 1 - 9:37
Mile 2 - 9:31
Mile 3 - 8:54
Mile 4 - 8:58
.1 - 8:49
Overall, other than stomach pains due to a stupid soft drink, the run was great.
This morning (Thursday) - I woke to my alarm at 3:15 AM, little man was still asleep but I needed sleep dang it so I waited until it got closer to 4 and then he started stirring so I got up and laid down on the couch until my 4 AM alarm went off. Yesterday's high was 45 so 90% of the snow had melted, but luckily last night's freezing temps froze the ground and any puddles so it wasn't muddy. It was 23 degrees, not bad.
I was so freaking tired, I really wanted back in bed but I wanted to get 7 miles in dang it. Rocky and I ended up with 7.3 miles in 1:18:37 with an average pace of 10:46 min/mile. Not bad for being tired.
Laps/split were:
Mile 1 - 10:46
Mile 2 - 11:01
Mile 3 - 10:32
Mile 4 - 11:09
Mile 5 - 10:30
Mile 6 - 10:41
Mile 7 - 10:56
.3 - 10:05
Until those days, I am at the mercy of the 3 foot beastie if he wakes up between 2 AM and 5 AM.
Sunday, I went out for a 3 miler with Rocky on the trails. I was hoping that it would start snowing but nope, no snow at that point. I was definitely a tad jello-leg like after Saturday's race, but it went well even with my Garmin 220 screwing up on distance (I updated it later that day and since then it has been back to working properly). Rocky and I ran 3.2 miles in 33:56, it was 34 degrees and no wind.
Sunday night started snowing, and it looked a bit like a winter wonderland by Monday morning... sadly Monday is my rest day :(
Tuesday - Holy freaking polar vortex, woke up this morning to 12 degrees.... wow, I layered up the best I could, couldn't find my ski mask so my face numbed up. Rocky and I did 5 miles in 55:03 with an average pace of 11 min/mile, things were actually going really good up to mile 1 until mile 2 I found that a lot of smaller trees close to the trail were weighed down by snow and ice.... yeah that slowed me down and took some maneuvering.
The Laps looked like this:
Mile 1 - 10:47 (great first mile pace for roots and trails)
Mile 2 - 11:38 (Damn you low hanging trees!!!)
Mile 3 - 11:04 (somewhat better)
Mile 4 - 10:52
Mile 5 - 10:38 (so much better)
Overall it was a great run,the snow wasn't very deep on the trails - maybe 2 inches and a bit frozen.
Wednesday - My son woke up at 3:30 and stayed just awake enough to keep me there until 4:50 which I was screwed at that point. I wanted to get a 7-8 miler in but that wasn't going to happen, and my mom couldn't watch him for too long later that evening so I had to put in the 4.1 I had planned for Thursday. Rocky and I hit the greenway for that, the only mistake I made was having a grape soda just before our run... my stomach is in knots during the run. BUT, I noticed how easy it was to keep a relatively quick pace, paces that used to be considered my fast/est pace. It's sometimes nice to get off the trails and hit the road to see what kind of condition you are in. Rocky and I ran 4.1 miles in 37:52 with an average pace of 9:14 min/mile.
Laps/splits:
Mile 1 - 9:37
Mile 2 - 9:31
Mile 3 - 8:54
Mile 4 - 8:58
.1 - 8:49
Overall, other than stomach pains due to a stupid soft drink, the run was great.
This morning (Thursday) - I woke to my alarm at 3:15 AM, little man was still asleep but I needed sleep dang it so I waited until it got closer to 4 and then he started stirring so I got up and laid down on the couch until my 4 AM alarm went off. Yesterday's high was 45 so 90% of the snow had melted, but luckily last night's freezing temps froze the ground and any puddles so it wasn't muddy. It was 23 degrees, not bad.
I was so freaking tired, I really wanted back in bed but I wanted to get 7 miles in dang it. Rocky and I ended up with 7.3 miles in 1:18:37 with an average pace of 10:46 min/mile. Not bad for being tired.
Laps/split were:
Mile 1 - 10:46
Mile 2 - 11:01
Mile 3 - 10:32
Mile 4 - 11:09
Mile 5 - 10:30
Mile 6 - 10:41
Mile 7 - 10:56
.3 - 10:05
Saturday, November 15, 2014
This Week and a Race
Still taking it pretty easy this week, not sticking to any schedule... well not freaking out if I don't get a run in. That is going to change next week though, I am going to start getting down to business beginning Tuesday.
Tuesday ended up being a rest day, and then Wednesday morning Rocky and I went out for an easy run on the trails, ending up with 6.2 miles in 1:08:06 with an average pace of 10:59 min/mile. Temperature was 36 degrees, feeling like 30 with a 7 mph N wind, but not awful. I wore my capris and a long sleeve shirt and my earband thingy, and gloves. I am much slower on the trails than road, especially at night when I really have to watch my footing, but that is good thing right now as I am still supposed to be taking it easy.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:24
Mile 2 - 11:08
Mile 3 - 10:30
Mile 4 - 11:18
Mile 5 - 10:51
Mile 6 - 10:49
.2 - 10:21
My garmin has started getting off track GPS wise, I know pretty well where the first mile is on this route and it doesn't lap until about .1-.2 miles after that mile. It really got screwed up this morning, but first lets talk about Thursday.
Thursday morning Rocky and I went out on the trails, I made a poor choice on clothing this time... it was freaking cold. Temperature was 28 degrees with a feels like 21 degrees and 7 mph NW winds, which felt just freaking awful running at the edge of a field for the first mile. I almost turned around and headed back for the Tahoe, but decided to suck it up and tough it out.
Rocky and I ran 4.2 miles easy, in 46:01 with an average pace of 10:58 min/mile.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:08
Mile 2 - 11:33
Mile 3 - 10:30
Mile 4 - 10:46
.2 - 10:26
Let's just say it was so freaking cold, and felt so much more windier that my eyeballs had just about gone numb by mile 2 (is that even possible????) and I was having a hard time seeing roots which slowed me down.... but better to have slowed down than bust my face open.... right?
The 2014 Get Dirty Fall Trail (15k)
I love trails, so I didn't hesitate registering for this race the week after the marathon, when most first time marathoners are questioning their sanity and saying never again, and possible no more races. They had their usual 3 distances - 5k (1 loop), 10k (2 loops), and 15k (3 loops); new this year was the 13.1 distance but as much as I wanted that one, I knew my body wasn't ready for it AND I decided that I won't do any half marathons unless they have a finisher's medal and a t-shirt (damn it). The Get Dirty races don't have t-shirts but they do have little medals, sometimes finisher medals for everyone but I think today's race was just for the top 3 finishers. They did have pint glasses for every finisher though, so that's cool... :)
Tuesday ended up being a rest day, and then Wednesday morning Rocky and I went out for an easy run on the trails, ending up with 6.2 miles in 1:08:06 with an average pace of 10:59 min/mile. Temperature was 36 degrees, feeling like 30 with a 7 mph N wind, but not awful. I wore my capris and a long sleeve shirt and my earband thingy, and gloves. I am much slower on the trails than road, especially at night when I really have to watch my footing, but that is good thing right now as I am still supposed to be taking it easy.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:24
Mile 2 - 11:08
Mile 3 - 10:30
Mile 4 - 11:18
Mile 5 - 10:51
Mile 6 - 10:49
.2 - 10:21
My garmin has started getting off track GPS wise, I know pretty well where the first mile is on this route and it doesn't lap until about .1-.2 miles after that mile. It really got screwed up this morning, but first lets talk about Thursday.
Thursday morning Rocky and I went out on the trails, I made a poor choice on clothing this time... it was freaking cold. Temperature was 28 degrees with a feels like 21 degrees and 7 mph NW winds, which felt just freaking awful running at the edge of a field for the first mile. I almost turned around and headed back for the Tahoe, but decided to suck it up and tough it out.
Rocky and I ran 4.2 miles easy, in 46:01 with an average pace of 10:58 min/mile.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:08
Mile 2 - 11:33
Mile 3 - 10:30
Mile 4 - 10:46
.2 - 10:26
Let's just say it was so freaking cold, and felt so much more windier that my eyeballs had just about gone numb by mile 2 (is that even possible????) and I was having a hard time seeing roots which slowed me down.... but better to have slowed down than bust my face open.... right?
The 2014 Get Dirty Fall Trail (15k)
I love trails, so I didn't hesitate registering for this race the week after the marathon, when most first time marathoners are questioning their sanity and saying never again, and possible no more races. They had their usual 3 distances - 5k (1 loop), 10k (2 loops), and 15k (3 loops); new this year was the 13.1 distance but as much as I wanted that one, I knew my body wasn't ready for it AND I decided that I won't do any half marathons unless they have a finisher's medal and a t-shirt (damn it). The Get Dirty races don't have t-shirts but they do have little medals, sometimes finisher medals for everyone but I think today's race was just for the top 3 finishers. They did have pint glasses for every finisher though, so that's cool... :)
Yep, that's right. I got 2nd place female in the 15k distance.... out of 2 female runners...... the first place female finished 1:13:08 and also finished 2nd overall out of 10 finishers in the 15k distance.... I want to scream cheater but that would just be a sore loser lol. The female finisher in the half marathon finished in 2:13:34.... maybe I should have gone with the half distance but I was feeling kind of sick again.
Mainly I know it is because my body is still recovering from the marathon two weeks ago so I am not fussing, I still PR'd in the 15k distance by about 30 seconds so that ain't bad for feeling like crap and taking a 30 second walk during lap 3.
I won't even mention my splits because of how screwed up my GPS was compared to the course map and mat, first mile was about .2 off but by the end of the first loop it was at 2.5 when we went over the mat then by the end of lap 2 it was at 5.4 and even further off at the finish. Instead of 9.3 miles, it was at 8.47....... almost a mile off and I am not sure why but I am going with their time and course.
I finished in 1:23:31 with an average pace of 8:59 min/mile, beating my old PR by almost 30 seconds.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Post-Monumental Recovery Week
I rested all of Sunday, and Monday was kind of a rest day unless you count chasing my future marathoner around the shop throughout the day... my quads were pretty sore. Tuesday was the same as Monday, along with Wednesday - no running except for fast walking and occasional jogs to keep up with Dorian through the shop. By Wednesday I wasn't feeling any soreness or aches, and I was itching to go for a run (especially out on the trails).
Thursday morning Rocky and I headed out on the trails for 3.3 miles, it was supposed to be 3 but eh.. we finished 3.3 in 37:18 with an average pace of 11:18 min/mile which is what I do like about the rooty trails right now - they slow me down. On the road I would probably be having an average pace of 10 minutes or less, but on the trails before dawn I am forced to slow down and watch for roots (these trails are becoming more roots than dirt now). So that is why I've been sticking to the trails even though I hate going so slow and running them before dawn.
Friday we were not able to get up in the morning and run thanks to Dorian screwing up his sleep schedule, so Rocky and I hit the trails later that afternoon when the sun was still up. We ran 4.1 miles in 44:57 with an average pace of 10:57 min/mile, finishing just as it was getting dark.
Saturday I took as a rest day, and took Rocky and Dorian for a hike.
This morning Rocky and I headed out for the trails just before dawn so we ran them more in daylight. My plan was 6 miles, nearing 4 miles we ran into another runner and said good morning. Ran into him again just before mile 5 (he's apparently faster). The deer are quite active right now as we're coming into the rut, yesterday during our hike I saw THIS BEAST
As a runner AND a photographer (passion/hobby) this was like crossing the finish line of a half marathon (full marathon would be a beautiful sunset or sunrise and the buck standing tall and proud lol). I mean I can't even begin to describe how excited I was to see him, in over a decade I have searched for a beast like this with and without my camera so I was so overwhelmed with joy to have my camera with me. Of course in the span of 45 minutes of snapping photos, my son was almost a quarter of a mile down the trail..... yeah..... that was fun chasing after him.
Anyways, back to the run this morning. We saw lots of deer, 3 bucks but they weren't near as big as that big boy was, these other 3 were probably 6-8 pointers. We also saw a large flock of turkey(ies?)
We ended up running 6.4 miles in 1:08:16 with an average pace of 10:40 min/mile so definitely a bit faster than Friday or Thursday, but it was still an easy pace.
Oh and I should probably mention that Wednesday I signed up for 2 other races this month - November 15's Get Dirty Trail Run (the 15k distance though I am debating on changing it to the 13.1 distance) and the Turkey Dash 5k on Thanksgiving Day.... yep... lol
Thursday morning Rocky and I headed out on the trails for 3.3 miles, it was supposed to be 3 but eh.. we finished 3.3 in 37:18 with an average pace of 11:18 min/mile which is what I do like about the rooty trails right now - they slow me down. On the road I would probably be having an average pace of 10 minutes or less, but on the trails before dawn I am forced to slow down and watch for roots (these trails are becoming more roots than dirt now). So that is why I've been sticking to the trails even though I hate going so slow and running them before dawn.
Friday we were not able to get up in the morning and run thanks to Dorian screwing up his sleep schedule, so Rocky and I hit the trails later that afternoon when the sun was still up. We ran 4.1 miles in 44:57 with an average pace of 10:57 min/mile, finishing just as it was getting dark.
Saturday I took as a rest day, and took Rocky and Dorian for a hike.
This morning Rocky and I headed out for the trails just before dawn so we ran them more in daylight. My plan was 6 miles, nearing 4 miles we ran into another runner and said good morning. Ran into him again just before mile 5 (he's apparently faster). The deer are quite active right now as we're coming into the rut, yesterday during our hike I saw THIS BEAST
As a runner AND a photographer (passion/hobby) this was like crossing the finish line of a half marathon (full marathon would be a beautiful sunset or sunrise and the buck standing tall and proud lol). I mean I can't even begin to describe how excited I was to see him, in over a decade I have searched for a beast like this with and without my camera so I was so overwhelmed with joy to have my camera with me. Of course in the span of 45 minutes of snapping photos, my son was almost a quarter of a mile down the trail..... yeah..... that was fun chasing after him.
Anyways, back to the run this morning. We saw lots of deer, 3 bucks but they weren't near as big as that big boy was, these other 3 were probably 6-8 pointers. We also saw a large flock of turkey(ies?)
We ended up running 6.4 miles in 1:08:16 with an average pace of 10:40 min/mile so definitely a bit faster than Friday or Thursday, but it was still an easy pace.
Oh and I should probably mention that Wednesday I signed up for 2 other races this month - November 15's Get Dirty Trail Run (the 15k distance though I am debating on changing it to the 13.1 distance) and the Turkey Dash 5k on Thanksgiving Day.... yep... lol
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Sights Set on you Land Between the Lakes Marathon
So the Monumental marathon didn't go completely as planned, due to stomach issues way out of my control but other than that it was amazing and awesome and I am so ready for the next chapter.
And so my sights are soon to be on the Land Between the Lakes Marathon which is March 14, 2015. I'm still debating on whether to do a 14 week plan or another 19 week plan, I am definitely considering the 14 week plan so that the training can start on December 2 which gives me all of November to take it easy and build my mileage back up. Still working on the plan though, can't decide if I want my long runs on Sunday or Saturday.... but I have a month before I start that chapter. Figuring up your own plan is always the most difficult part of training (in my opinion), and even more so for me with trail running as I learned near the final weeks of my last training cycle that leg fatigue is serious business just as much as falling flat on your face is (lol). As my long runs pick up beyond 16 miles I'll just figure them being on roads.
Some might think it's weird or crazy that I am already thinking about the next marathon, and I've already decided that I want to take another crack at the Monumental next year... though there will be a tiny dilemma - the Rock/Creek Stumpjump 50k in October... I really, really, REALLY want to go after it next year but logic tells me to take on a few marathons before going further. I've learned that logic is the better way to go, when pushing the body beyond it's limits, taking baby steps rather than diving all the way in.
Yep, I had already registered for this marathon like 2 months ago and though I am concerned about the weather (as usual), I am not fretting about it at all. This time I have no time goal, or expectations with this marathon but to have fun with it.
Taken from the website: The course starts on the shore of beautiful Kentucky Lake. Turn off Hwy 453 at the entrance to Lighthouse Landing, and proceed past the sailboats to the shoreline starting area. From the start, take a right onto 453 and proceed south for 1.5 miles, utilizing the canal bridge. If we have a clear morning you should see the sun rising over Lake Barkley. Turn right onto Kentucky Lake Scenic Drive, and head up and over the hill to the trail head, which is just before the road takes a sharp turn to the left. Note that you take the trail to the right, and will run in a clockwise direction. This initial 1.9 mile road section should allow for separation of participants before entering the trail.
The Canal Loop trail (designated by blue markers on trees), is a scenic, well groomed 11.3 mile loop on mostly single-track between Kentucky and Barkley Lakes; offering many breathtaking views of the lakes, and several short challenging hills.
The Marathon course - Start at Lighthouse Landing, run Canal Loop 2 times, head back to finish at Grand Rivers Welcome Center. Make certain an official records your name/number before starting your 2nd loop.
Trying to figure up calculations, I think this will be a little over 26.2 miles but that is okay with me. The only thing I have to remember is to make sure an official records my name/number before starting my 2nd loop... that would suck major balls if I forget to do that lol. Maybe at some point during January I might see about heading to the lakes and running the loop... but I won't get my hopes up as that is a 2 hour drive from me.
And so my sights are soon to be on the Land Between the Lakes Marathon which is March 14, 2015. I'm still debating on whether to do a 14 week plan or another 19 week plan, I am definitely considering the 14 week plan so that the training can start on December 2 which gives me all of November to take it easy and build my mileage back up. Still working on the plan though, can't decide if I want my long runs on Sunday or Saturday.... but I have a month before I start that chapter. Figuring up your own plan is always the most difficult part of training (in my opinion), and even more so for me with trail running as I learned near the final weeks of my last training cycle that leg fatigue is serious business just as much as falling flat on your face is (lol). As my long runs pick up beyond 16 miles I'll just figure them being on roads.
Some might think it's weird or crazy that I am already thinking about the next marathon, and I've already decided that I want to take another crack at the Monumental next year... though there will be a tiny dilemma - the Rock/Creek Stumpjump 50k in October... I really, really, REALLY want to go after it next year but logic tells me to take on a few marathons before going further. I've learned that logic is the better way to go, when pushing the body beyond it's limits, taking baby steps rather than diving all the way in.
Yep, I had already registered for this marathon like 2 months ago and though I am concerned about the weather (as usual), I am not fretting about it at all. This time I have no time goal, or expectations with this marathon but to have fun with it.
Taken from the website: The course starts on the shore of beautiful Kentucky Lake. Turn off Hwy 453 at the entrance to Lighthouse Landing, and proceed past the sailboats to the shoreline starting area. From the start, take a right onto 453 and proceed south for 1.5 miles, utilizing the canal bridge. If we have a clear morning you should see the sun rising over Lake Barkley. Turn right onto Kentucky Lake Scenic Drive, and head up and over the hill to the trail head, which is just before the road takes a sharp turn to the left. Note that you take the trail to the right, and will run in a clockwise direction. This initial 1.9 mile road section should allow for separation of participants before entering the trail.
The Canal Loop trail (designated by blue markers on trees), is a scenic, well groomed 11.3 mile loop on mostly single-track between Kentucky and Barkley Lakes; offering many breathtaking views of the lakes, and several short challenging hills.
The Marathon course - Start at Lighthouse Landing, run Canal Loop 2 times, head back to finish at Grand Rivers Welcome Center. Make certain an official records your name/number before starting your 2nd loop.
Trying to figure up calculations, I think this will be a little over 26.2 miles but that is okay with me. The only thing I have to remember is to make sure an official records my name/number before starting my 2nd loop... that would suck major balls if I forget to do that lol. Maybe at some point during January I might see about heading to the lakes and running the loop... but I won't get my hopes up as that is a 2 hour drive from me.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
2014 Indianapolis Monumental Marathon RR
As everyone pretty much knows, this was my debut marathon, my very first 26.2 mile race. This past week my mind was literally blocking any detailed thought about the race, and what made me more anxious was looking at the weather.
We got to Indy at 3 PM Friday afternoon, got into the hotel room and slowly unpacked, our room at Springhill Suites was kinda, really tight. Only 4 drawers while the shower was in it's separate room (with a sink, no tub :'( ) and the door to it and the toilet room were sliding doors to help with the tight space. But it is cozy, and I am not complaining. Cameron and I drove to a spot I thought was just after mile 20 but ended up being around 21.5 miles where he would be to see me and also hand me my grape gatorade (which by that point I didn't want anything in my stomach).
It was a sleepless night, but I felt rested. Dorian decided to get up with me at 4 AM while I ate a Cinnamon Raisin English Muffin with some peanut butter, a chocolate fudge pop tart and half a banana. Then we laid back down, though Dorian was pretty much awake. Got up at 6:15 AM, with a little monkey at my feet the whole time lol. Cameron, Preston and Nicole walked down to the start with me while Ethan stayed in the hotel with Dorian. I was freaking nervous, I noticed in the hotel that I was feeling sick to my stomach but that has happened to me before so I didn't think much of it.
I got to my corral area, took my sweat pants off and handed them to Cameron. I kept the throw away sweatshirt over my dri-fit Tee with the Under Armor long sleeves and my gloves. I decided on wearing my capris and warmer socks.
It took about 18 minutes to get to the starting mats, and then we were off. I kept it slow and easy, not focusing on passing or zigzagging around people. The first two miles were right on a good pace, but the first 5-6 miles were a little hectic with constantly running into walkers and stuff... little frustrating but I wasn't focused on speed. It was 30 degrees with a windchill of 16 degrees, with 15 mph winds.
Mile 1 - 10:13
Mile 2 - 10:22
Mile 3 - 9:01 (I was already fucking starving!!??? WTF man!!!)
Mile 4 - 9:46 (I carefully took my throw away sweatshirt off at this point)
Mile 5 - 10:10 (Around this time I was noticing a kind of headache you get from severe cold weather, it was sucking a little.)
I was a little pissed off that I was already hungry, freaking out a little thinking I was going to bonk or hit the wall. Around mile 4's aid station I drank gatorade, I had absolutely no problem slowing to a walk for this, I wanted to cherish and drink every drop from it.
Mile 6 - 9:38
Mile 7 - 9:19 (Between mile 7 and 8 I had my first gu, I was hungry and it was pissing me off damn it, I walked for this and had water to chase it down)
Mile 8 - 10:09
Mile 9 9:34 (gatorade somewhere around here)
Mile 10 - 9:50
Mile 11 - 9:27 (between mile 11 and 12 I had my second gu, with water)
Mile 12 - 10:12
Things were going great, even though the hunger pains were bugging me, my body felt great and I was going at a good easy pace and staying ahead of 4:30 pacer group.
Mile 13 - 9:26
Mile 14 - 9:42 (at this point I started noticing a sick, really sick feeling in my stomach, almost as if it were the stomach bug... wtf)
Mile 15 - 10:49 (I had to walk, the jostling of my stomach from running was making me feel even worse in my stomach)
Mile 16 - 12:09 (I stopped at a bathroom hoping it would help, it didn't)
Mile 17 - 11:46
Mile 18 - 12:17 (I just wanted to get to mile 20, that was my goal marker because I knew I would only have 6.2 miles... even though my garmin was off)
I was freaking pissed off at this point, around this point the 4:30 group had caught up to me, I tried to stay ahead of them while running but when I would walk they would eventually catch up. This stomach issue was draining me emotionally, mentally and physically. My legs felt good, no issues whatsoever, they felt strong but I just could shake the issue with my stomach.
Mile 19 - 10:16
Mile 20 - 10:43 (FINALLY, only 6.2 miles and I didn't are if I had to walk them I just wanted to finish :( Here the port-a-potties were out of toilet paper so I was even more upset )
My original goal had been to finish under 4:30:00, but by this point I just wanted to finish under 5 hours. I was sad, I was pissed and just demoralized. Out of all worst case scenarios, I was not expecting to be taken down by what felt like the 24 hour stomach bug.
Mile 21 - 13:42 (I was walking a lot at this point, just wiped out and upset. I saw Cameron around 21.5 and told him what I was dealing with, he asked if I wanted to stop and I said FUCK NO, I'll finish this if I have to walk most of the rest of the way and finish after 5 hours, but I'll be damned if I give up.
Mile 22 - 15:00 (I was taking a lot of walk breaks, and I was beginning to feel some pain in my groin area... more closely to the female organs but I won't go there)
Mile 23 - 10:44 (I hated it, I had went on forums and stuff stating my hopes of finishing under 4:20:00 and here I was ... lucky if I finished under 5 hours)
Mile 24 - 15:01 (I freaking walked a lot here, and stopped at another bathroom, one last time)
At this point I was repeating to myself only 2.2 miles, not much further and I'd be done. My legs were also beginning to feel heavy as lead, my ankles, feet, knees and quads were hurting. My hands had been numb since the first gu, I can't tell you how scared I was that I would drop them. By the third gu I was saying fuck it, I didn't want to try and drink or eat gu, but I drank as much grape gatorade as I could. I kept trying to run, my garmin was way off at this point, which made thing suck more.
Mile 25 - 12:21
Mile 26 - 12:53
.4 - 9:24
I just knew I had to keep running when I had the last .5 miles, I wanted to finish and I wanted to finish strong and be done with it. I also knew I had finally accomplished this goal, I was almost there and pretty soon I would be able to call myself a marathoner. I knew how many people were keeping track of me on facebook, texts and RA and even though I really wanted to finish under 4:20:00, I knew one's first marathon always usually goes unexpectedly and anything can happen.
I finished my first marathon in 4:48:10 with an average pace of 10:59 min/mile, I got my medal, a weird parka thingy, a sock hat and two bottles of chocolate milk (you damn right). I got my pic taken and made sure to raise both hands during any photog moment and at the finish. I might have finished slower than plan, but I started out smart, keeping a steady easy pace and fueling smart (all while trying to keep my tummy's early hunger calm) and was ALMOST taken out by some nasty bug or whatever. My training paid off, it worked for me and had made me so much stronger mentally than I was starting out and I am so thankful for that. It was an awesome, challenging experience and I am happy with the results and how I handled things.
I am also giving my body many days of rests, at least until the trails begin to call to me because I CANNOT WAIT to get back out on the trails... but I don't want to talk about another marathon for a few days or weeks lol!
We got to Indy at 3 PM Friday afternoon, got into the hotel room and slowly unpacked, our room at Springhill Suites was kinda, really tight. Only 4 drawers while the shower was in it's separate room (with a sink, no tub :'( ) and the door to it and the toilet room were sliding doors to help with the tight space. But it is cozy, and I am not complaining. Cameron and I drove to a spot I thought was just after mile 20 but ended up being around 21.5 miles where he would be to see me and also hand me my grape gatorade (which by that point I didn't want anything in my stomach).
It was a sleepless night, but I felt rested. Dorian decided to get up with me at 4 AM while I ate a Cinnamon Raisin English Muffin with some peanut butter, a chocolate fudge pop tart and half a banana. Then we laid back down, though Dorian was pretty much awake. Got up at 6:15 AM, with a little monkey at my feet the whole time lol. Cameron, Preston and Nicole walked down to the start with me while Ethan stayed in the hotel with Dorian. I was freaking nervous, I noticed in the hotel that I was feeling sick to my stomach but that has happened to me before so I didn't think much of it.
I got to my corral area, took my sweat pants off and handed them to Cameron. I kept the throw away sweatshirt over my dri-fit Tee with the Under Armor long sleeves and my gloves. I decided on wearing my capris and warmer socks.
It took about 18 minutes to get to the starting mats, and then we were off. I kept it slow and easy, not focusing on passing or zigzagging around people. The first two miles were right on a good pace, but the first 5-6 miles were a little hectic with constantly running into walkers and stuff... little frustrating but I wasn't focused on speed. It was 30 degrees with a windchill of 16 degrees, with 15 mph winds.
Mile 1 - 10:13
Mile 2 - 10:22
Mile 3 - 9:01 (I was already fucking starving!!??? WTF man!!!)
Mile 4 - 9:46 (I carefully took my throw away sweatshirt off at this point)
Mile 5 - 10:10 (Around this time I was noticing a kind of headache you get from severe cold weather, it was sucking a little.)
I was a little pissed off that I was already hungry, freaking out a little thinking I was going to bonk or hit the wall. Around mile 4's aid station I drank gatorade, I had absolutely no problem slowing to a walk for this, I wanted to cherish and drink every drop from it.
Mile 6 - 9:38
Mile 7 - 9:19 (Between mile 7 and 8 I had my first gu, I was hungry and it was pissing me off damn it, I walked for this and had water to chase it down)
Mile 8 - 10:09
Mile 9 9:34 (gatorade somewhere around here)
Mile 10 - 9:50
Mile 11 - 9:27 (between mile 11 and 12 I had my second gu, with water)
Mile 12 - 10:12
Things were going great, even though the hunger pains were bugging me, my body felt great and I was going at a good easy pace and staying ahead of 4:30 pacer group.
Mile 13 - 9:26
Mile 14 - 9:42 (at this point I started noticing a sick, really sick feeling in my stomach, almost as if it were the stomach bug... wtf)
Mile 15 - 10:49 (I had to walk, the jostling of my stomach from running was making me feel even worse in my stomach)
Mile 16 - 12:09 (I stopped at a bathroom hoping it would help, it didn't)
Mile 17 - 11:46
Mile 18 - 12:17 (I just wanted to get to mile 20, that was my goal marker because I knew I would only have 6.2 miles... even though my garmin was off)
I was freaking pissed off at this point, around this point the 4:30 group had caught up to me, I tried to stay ahead of them while running but when I would walk they would eventually catch up. This stomach issue was draining me emotionally, mentally and physically. My legs felt good, no issues whatsoever, they felt strong but I just could shake the issue with my stomach.
Mile 19 - 10:16
Mile 20 - 10:43 (FINALLY, only 6.2 miles and I didn't are if I had to walk them I just wanted to finish :( Here the port-a-potties were out of toilet paper so I was even more upset )
My original goal had been to finish under 4:30:00, but by this point I just wanted to finish under 5 hours. I was sad, I was pissed and just demoralized. Out of all worst case scenarios, I was not expecting to be taken down by what felt like the 24 hour stomach bug.
Mile 21 - 13:42 (I was walking a lot at this point, just wiped out and upset. I saw Cameron around 21.5 and told him what I was dealing with, he asked if I wanted to stop and I said FUCK NO, I'll finish this if I have to walk most of the rest of the way and finish after 5 hours, but I'll be damned if I give up.
Mile 22 - 15:00 (I was taking a lot of walk breaks, and I was beginning to feel some pain in my groin area... more closely to the female organs but I won't go there)
Mile 23 - 10:44 (I hated it, I had went on forums and stuff stating my hopes of finishing under 4:20:00 and here I was ... lucky if I finished under 5 hours)
Mile 24 - 15:01 (I freaking walked a lot here, and stopped at another bathroom, one last time)
At this point I was repeating to myself only 2.2 miles, not much further and I'd be done. My legs were also beginning to feel heavy as lead, my ankles, feet, knees and quads were hurting. My hands had been numb since the first gu, I can't tell you how scared I was that I would drop them. By the third gu I was saying fuck it, I didn't want to try and drink or eat gu, but I drank as much grape gatorade as I could. I kept trying to run, my garmin was way off at this point, which made thing suck more.
Mile 25 - 12:21
Mile 26 - 12:53
.4 - 9:24
I just knew I had to keep running when I had the last .5 miles, I wanted to finish and I wanted to finish strong and be done with it. I also knew I had finally accomplished this goal, I was almost there and pretty soon I would be able to call myself a marathoner. I knew how many people were keeping track of me on facebook, texts and RA and even though I really wanted to finish under 4:20:00, I knew one's first marathon always usually goes unexpectedly and anything can happen.
I finished my first marathon in 4:48:10 with an average pace of 10:59 min/mile, I got my medal, a weird parka thingy, a sock hat and two bottles of chocolate milk (you damn right). I got my pic taken and made sure to raise both hands during any photog moment and at the finish. I might have finished slower than plan, but I started out smart, keeping a steady easy pace and fueling smart (all while trying to keep my tummy's early hunger calm) and was ALMOST taken out by some nasty bug or whatever. My training paid off, it worked for me and had made me so much stronger mentally than I was starting out and I am so thankful for that. It was an awesome, challenging experience and I am happy with the results and how I handled things.
I am also giving my body many days of rests, at least until the trails begin to call to me because I CANNOT WAIT to get back out on the trails... but I don't want to talk about another marathon for a few days or weeks lol!
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