Trying to find my place again

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A lost ultra runner

I am slowly finding my love to run again. Returning with a positive outlook and a well over rested over weight body. I am starting to build my endurance up after a few months from running, it’s harder than I thought it would be. The choice of sitting on the couch and bailing out of my daily run is still way to easy and happens way to often. I committed to my first run in over a half year, Run for Regis 50k.
I started my training around a month and a half ago. My first few runs where on the road and to say the least, it sucked. Although I managed to run 3.75 miles the first time out, it was at a snails pace but I got it done. A few weeks into my training I decided to keep it in the trails except for my lunch time group run. Not being able to keep up or run the distances my other trail friends run I have been keeping it solo except for a few group runs. Every time out I do feel better and it gets a tad bit easier. Keeping my distances low hoping that it will all come back.
Last week I joined up with the crazies at Bills Bad Ass 50k. It was a 5 mile loop with a huge ass climb at the end to give you the distance of 50k. My plan was to join up for a loop with a few friends after there first loop then maybe hit one more later in the run. The first loop was pretty tuff on me, I tried my best to keep up. I told them I wasn’t racing and it i wasn’t my race so don’t let me hold you back. Dropping back a few hundred yards and settling into an easy pace, I felt a lot better. Even tho my legs just plane ached until I hit around 3-4 miles. Something I have to figure out why and work on. When I finished the first loop they were ready to head out again. I stayed back thinking that I would catch them on the next time around. A few minutes went by when I saw a few other runners I knew that run an easy pace that I would enjoy. So I headed out with them for my second loop. That time out was much enjoyable, no pushing hard and walk brakes were ever welcome. When I came in I called it a day and was going to hang out a bit to chat. That’s when the first group I ran with came in and con one of the bills to harass me with a bull horn to get back out there and run one more loop. He grabbed my cell phone from me and pushed me out. I was all ready at 10 miles and one more would put me at 15 total. I know a lot of my ultra friends wouldn’t even blink an eye at 15 miles, 15 miles was huge for me. I haven’t ran over 10 miles sense then end of June on my last BR100 training run where I hit 17 miles and everything came crashing down. I have always been a sucker for more mileage so a little taunting was all it took. Running with the first group I went out with I knew I was in for a push. The first mile was a warm welcome of a few walking brakes, but soon I was dropped again. A lot of runners can’t stand getting dropped, today tho I really didn’t care as long as I was moving forward and still running I was happy. When I came in to the check in point I passes my old BFF Kirsten who was just heading out other second loop. She asked if I wanted to join in one more loop. Laughing under my breath I declined and called it a day, thankful for the 15 miles.

I really don’t have any big race plans for 2013 or even if I will run any. I am just great full to run.

Green Jewel 50k and Mill Creek Classic Half Marathon Race Review

Tags

health, healthy-living, running, sports, travel, vacation

The Green Jewel 50k was the only road ultra planned for this years schedule, actually it was the only road race planned for the whole year. Until a week ago when I remembered that the Mill Creek half was coming up and I really wanted to run it again for the third year in a row. MCDC was the very first half marathon I ever ran. I was the first time I ran over 13 miles. It was also the first time I was tortured to death by the 20 some hills that are on the course. The only issue was that it was the day after the Green Jewel 50k. Well I guess it wasn’t that much of an issue, I jumped right on line and signed up for day two of road madness.

Green Jewel 50k

My morning started with a 4:00am wake up call. After grabbing the rest on my gear and making sure I didn’t for get my running shoes I headed out the door. The GJ is a point to point race on the Cleveland area Metro Multi propose paths. I drove to the finish line, then they bused us all to the starting line. The buses were really nice! not your old broken down school buses that I thought they would be. By the time we reached the start I mad a few new friends and met some people that I have seen before but never talked. There was also talk of this crazy Tri that was last year with 5-6 waves and the swim was the worst ever. I looked over and ask if it was the GCT in mentor, they replied yup thats the one. Its funny how to perfect strangers can become instant friends by sharing or relating to a sweaty event. When we arrived I had time for one more bathroom break and everyone started to line up.

To me, the starting line of an ultra is the coolest place, the runners are just hanging out chatting away with no care in the world. Unlike city marathons or even half marathons where the air is so thick of stress, your heart rate is in zone 4 before you even start. So after a few short words and final directions we were off. My plan for the race was to use it as time on my feet. Training towards the bigger goal. I wasn’t really planning on running at a certain pace. I just wanted to fall into my own grove and see how long it could stay there until I started to feel tried. As the pack spread out over the first few miles I fell into a nice steady grove around the mid 9′s. I was happy with this pace, thinking I would run about 25 minutes here then walk 5 minutes and repeat until down. Well when 25 minutes came by I just kept running, I thought I would just run to each aid station then walk my 5-10 minutes. When I came up on the first station I grabbed some water and started walk. That lasted about 10 seconds and I started to run again. I thought to myself, I’ll start that run/walk at mile 10. When Mile 10 came up I was at around 1:30. Feeling really strong still I decided to push it out to the third aid station and start my walking there. Of course when mile 15ish came along and I new I was at the half way point at 2:20-2:30 I thought to my self, hey if I keep up this pace I could hit the 5:00 hour mark. When I hit mile 19 I knew it was time to back off and start my run/walk. My trail legs started to feel the hardness of the paved roads. I hit up the four aid station for some Heed and potato soup and was off for the last 11 miles. Even tho I was run/walking I was still keeping a 11-12 minute pace. Coming up to the marathon distance I hit 4:40. Even tho its not a marathon thats an PR from last years Cleveland Marathon mess. The last five miles really didn’t seem like much. Keeping my run/walk pace steady until the last mile. In the last mile i started to run again, I met up with another runner (sorry totally forgot your name) and as were talking out pace was increasing, my the pace on my Garmin we were running around 8:30 for the last mile. That is just crazy! after running 30 miles the last one I pushed out the fastest avg pace for a mile? After crossing the finish line and grabbing the coolest race shirt and medal ever, I pounded down a few pieces of cheese pizza and hit the road home.

Mill Creek Classic Half Marathon

What can I say about MCCHM. Oh ya, if you like hills this is where you need to be! Don’t let the downhill start fool you, you will be running up that hill 13 miles later to the finish. The night before I was chatting with Mike about what was my goal time for this race. I joked and told him if i get under 3:00 I’ll be happy. The first time I ran MC i think I ran it in 2:35ish? The second time 2:25ish? Over the summer I met my half marathon goal of sub 2:00 so I had nothing to prove to myself on this run. I just wanted to run this race to remind myself how far I have come over the last four years. When I lined up at the start I looked around at the other runners and I soaked up all their energy, knowing that today I was running to remember, I was running to forget and most of all I was running for me. It was really easy to fall into my LSR pace in the beginning of the race. I ran up the first hill and even pushed it down the first. Soon as the second hill came up the ultra runner in me told me to run up it until you feel like I was pushing it, then walk. Ten feet from the top I picked it up again and ran the down and flats. I kept up this pace for almost the whole race. It was almost comical seeing the looks on other runners killing themselves on the up hills passing me, only to be passed on the downs and flats. Up until mile 8 I was feeling really for for running a 50k the day before. When mile 8 hit I started to have a small shooting pain in my right shin on the down hills. As soon as I would turn the corner and head up a hill the pain would magically disappear, only to return on the downhills. Walking didn’t help much so I just limped out the downs and flats and pushed harder on the up hills. I really didn’t want to think about what it could be I just wanted it to be over with. I crossed the finish at 2:20. After grabbing a few apples and a cup of coffee I hit the road for the long ride home.

I decided that I would give the legs a rest the next day and runs small recovery run on tuesday on some small trails to see how the leg was doing, if I felt any pain I would stop and call the doctor. I was really nervous about the run and I was afraid that the first steps running wound start to feel that shooting pain again. After the first mile I knew that I was in the clear. Yes my legs felt tried and tight still, but no shooting pain. This week I am going to back off a little on the training milage then start to build back up for the Fools 50k on April 1st.

I think I learned a lot from this weekends back to back races. I learned once again fueling plays a huge part in running ultras and in recovery. I learned that I am starting to have a mental grip on the high milage. Were before anything over a ten mile run I would feel uneasy, now I feel like I can run without worries on how much farther I have to go. Sometimes you have to just let it all go, you have to put it all out there and see what you can do.

RR Dirty Love

Dirty Love was the second race in the Dirty series, it was also my second 10k trail race. The First one was in the fall on a a raining  day. Yesterday, 24 and snow. Showing up around 15 minutes before the race would usually throw me into a race crazy worry. I was a little more out of it and not really in the racing mode, well until I met up with my FB/CIG/overall good peeps running friends. I think the words ‘we going to play up front today’ might of came out of my mouth. Seeing that today I really wanted to get in 20 miles on the trails and starting with 6 in the love race I told myself self just to run it for fun. So in true Dumbassain style I line up at the front of the race and was ready to throw down. The race started with a few hundred yard run threw a snowy field then into the trails and right into a small water crossing with a climb out. I think I was the third or fourth guy around the corner and jumping into the water. I remember seeing Marcus in front of me kicking some major tail. I stayed with the main group until the first major up hill. I ran up the whole hill and continued on until about the first mile when I realized that in no way should I be running this hard right now. I slowed down to a 9:30ish pace and tried to regroup my thought on the goal of the day ’20 miles’. A few miles when by when a huge group paced me by lead by Doug and a few other friends. I totally wanted to jump in that group and have them pace me in to the finish. It just wasn’t going to happen, I was having the thoughts of you gave up wimp just run it in. By mile 4-5 I was running around 10:30 thou the trails just going mind numb from the asshole father be hide me telling his kid to stop crying and it will stop hurting. Poor girl, someone should have a talk with that guy about POSITIVE reinforcement. So needless to say the next guy that passed me I jump on his tail and told my self to hang here until the end. Not to brag but I got some crazy mad down hill no fear skills, every time I hit them I end up passing a few runners. Towards the end of the race the guy I was running on was behind me. I told him this was the last hill and after that its all down hill! When I started running down the hill I heard him try to get up on me so i pushed it more so he didn’t pass. When we came out of the woods he started to sprint on me and I thought I would join in, running my ass off hard towards the finish I lost my traction and totally bit it sliding across the ice. SideNote: I fall a lot trail running. Picking myself up and running the last 20 feet to the end.

After the race the only thing I really wanted to do was change and head out to get the 14 in. After running to the car, changing, running back I just wanted to get going. I didn’t hang around for the post race fun, said my small laters and might of tried to get some company and headed out. Running across the field back to the trails. When I got to the start I stopped and really thought hard for a minute of bailing on this run and heading back to the car. It was a really hard week and I was just not feeling it again. I told myself to start running and just see what i felt like a mile into the run. The first mile went by and a few more, that when I realized I was enjoying myself again. Running along at my pace, running fast when I wanted to, slowing down when ever and walking the hills. By the time I hit the Buckeye Trial I was worry free once again. Even thou i didn’t get my 20 in yesterday, it was a huge lesson in where I should be.

Back to the Road

Tags

back door, newtons, road killers, running shoes, saucony, trail shoes

I wish I could just walk out my back door and start running on the trails. Even tho I have some really kick a$$ parks and miles of trails close by, not every run can be ran on the trials. With my next 50k (on pavement) just around the corner it was time to turn in my way over milage Newtons and find my next road killers.

Today on my search I bring home yet another pair so running shoes. The Saucony Mirage.

Green Emerald 50k Killers

They have a low drop just like my NB MT110 trail shoes, but with more cushioning for the road. I hope that they will treat me well while out on the man made paved trails.

Ready for some Dirty Love?

The North Chagrin Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks will be host to the First Annual Dirty Love 10K on February 12. The Dirty Love replaces the Run with your Heart Trail Challenge 8K and 15K which was held in the same location in 2010 and 2011.

The Best thing about this run is it is on my normal training grounds! I run this or part of this loop several times a week. Even tho its a race, I am in Ultra training and I have a 50k coming up in less then a month. So I don’t want to go out and break my 10k trail pr, then again its not a Sunday hike in the woods. I think Ill end up running by feel,run as fast as I can while having fun.

 

Doing the Dirty

Running in the winter and the snow is always a challenge.  Let’s see how good you are at predicting your time for this four mile route.  You will run three great trails – Pine Grove, Ledges, and Haskell Run trails.  Will you be one of the runners that maintains a steady, predictable pace and enjoy the great winter scenery at the Ledges?  Maybe you’re better at knowing how fast you race and can predict your time better by just going all out.  Either way, we look forward to seeing you at the Octagon Shelter on January 28^th!    We will take your predictions at bib pickup.  The runner with the closest actual run time to their own predicted time will be the winner. NO WATCHES ALLOWED!!!

 Tomorrow morning will be the first in a series of Dirty Trial Races that I have signed up for. Hoping also to get in some good mileage with the CIG and OutRun peeps.

One Hour Trainer Workout

Tags

aerobic capacity, gluts, leg strength, leg training, minute interval, time budget

 

Winter time just plainly sucks for riding. I just can’t bring myself to suit up and try to get in a bike workout when there is snow and ice on the roads. So for now I am stuck indoors on Mondays and Fridays for my bike workouts. I have been searching around the internet for a couple different trainer workouts and found two that I like. Here was tonights workout. You can checkout the Garmin data under the My Weekly Training link up top.

One-Hour Trainer Workout 

Workout Basics	This one-hour workout is ideal for those with a limited time budget. The different segments of this workout are designed to develop and maintain strength (power), aerobic capacity (endurance), and coordination (spin). Gear selections are examples only. Fitness level, trainer set-up and other variables make it impossible to determine exactly.
Warm-up	The first 10 minutes of the workout are for warming-up. Start with your easiest gear, and pedal at a cadence of 60 RPM. Each minute increase by 5 RPM until you are spinning about 120. Some of you will have to practice more to be able to spin this fast.
Individual Leg Training	One of the best ways to develop leg strength, coordination, and spin is one leg at a time. An easy gear will force you to concentrate on smoothness and the pulling up and over motion. A hard gear will strengthen your quads and gluts.
Progressive Intervals	This is a classic workout for cyclist. Pick a moderate gear and pedal a steady 80-RPM for 3 minutes. At the end of these 3 minutes you should be at 75% of max – breathing pretty heavy. Then shift up to the next harder gear, and keep the same cadence. At the end of 3 minutes you should be working *very* hard. Next shift up to yet another harder gear. At the end of this 3-minute interval you should be gasping and legs should feel heavy. If you feel that you can go on another minute, then you should be using a harder gear selection. If you can’t make it to the end of the last 3 minutes, then you need to start with an easier gear selection.
Short Intervals	This is simple, pedal as hard (and fast) as you can in a moderately hard gear at 100-160 RPM for 30 seconds. Rest for 90 seconds, then go again.
Cool-down	Almost as important as the warm-up and the workout, is the cool-down. Spin up to 100 RPM in your easiest gear, hold for about 4 or 5 minutes, and gradually spin down. When you get off the bike you should be breathing normally and not sweating.

Strength Training, I need to do it.

Tags

abdominal exercise, balance ball, body portion, brendan brazier, endurance athletes, leg strength

Thank you very much for Brendan Brazier and his badass blog and the Vega Community Site.  The other day I got an Email from Brendan’s blog ‘Strength Training for the Endurance Athletes’ This reminded me of what a slacker I am when it comes to strength training. So to Keep it short, I am going to add this to my training program. I am also working on getting some spin workouts together for the cross training/rest/easy days.

 

 

Strength Training Workout Specifics:
Perform lower body exercises two times per week, immediately following your hard runs. The upper body portion can be preformed two to three times per week, on alternate days. Rest 90 seconds in between lower body exercises and 60 second in between upper body ones. You may choose to do abdominal exercise in between upper body sets.

 

Lower Body

Lunges: 3 sets of 15 reps
A good all round exercise that helps develop the stabilizer muscles. Particularly important if you periodically run on uneven ground. Also serves as a good warm-up.

 

Ball Squat: 3 sets of 12 reps
This is an ideal exercise to quickly increase over-all leg strength while also building stabilizer muscles along with shoulders.

Strength Ball Lifts on Balance Ball: 4 sets of 15 reps
Builds lower back strength; helps prevent back injury. Boosts core strength and efficacy.

Double Crunch with Strength Ball: 3 sets of 15 reps
Strengthens core, and in so doing helps improve posture, form and breathing.

 

Upper Body
Bent Over Lat Rows: 3 sets of 15 reps
Reduces oxygen usage of the upper body while running, thereby lowering heart rate and improving endurance. Also helps to maintain proper, efficient form, even once fatigue has set in.

Alternating Hand Ball Push-Up: 3 sets of 15 reps

Upright Rows: 3 sets of 15 reps

Shoulder Press with Push-Up Stands: 3 sets of 15 reps

2012 Winter Run for Regis 50K

This was my second running of the RFR50k. Last year, untrained for the trails and blistering cold weather brought my ultra dreams to an end at 13.1 miles. Everyone needs an out right? As soon as I left the race
last year I wanted to sign up for it again right away. I would have to wait until October first to rejoin the group of 250 runners. Towards the end of 2011 my direction of run started to lean more into the trails and off the roads. With 95% of all my races in 2012 on the trails it was time to start building that base. Plus lets face it trail runners just kick more ass.

Fast forward one week before Regis, I wanted to make sure I was in the ultra mindset and headed out for my sunday long run. Knowing that the distance wasn’t an issue and the body was recovering quickly I felt that next week end RFR50k was going to be a blast.

That morning I picked up my BFF running pal Kirsten and headed over there sisters house to meet Mike and Kelly. Kelly offered to drive, she was doing the half and knew we would be toast afterwards. The course is set up in two loops, Loop A Green 5.1 miles and Loop B Orange 8.1 miles. The start/finish checkin point was located in the middle of the loops. You would run out and do either loop A or B come back in to check in. Half Marathon would be one of each, Marathon two of each and the 50k would be two loop B and three loops of A. To breakup the traffic on the trails the Half and Marathoners would head out on Loop B for the start and the 50k headed out on loop A. Kelly was going to run with us even tho she was doing the half. Kirsten being Blogger of the year met up with Kali from Finishing Firsts. She was planning on running the 50k also. So we all grouped up and headed out on Loop A.

First Loop A: Super fun easy pace just trying to see how the new shoes felt on the trails. A lot of times I would run out front and push tad just to see how I felt. Thankfully I had my group behind to keep me grounded. Towards the end of the loop I headed out I front to release some hear me roar man testosterone. Plus I had to pee really bad.

First Loop B: After filling up on Heed and junk food we headed out. I think that this was the best feeling loop. Great pace great conversation, even tho someone ousted me on my goto power push song. Never telling you unmanly things again young lady. coming into the check point we where at the half marathon distance and time to congratulate Kelly her badass job of running her first trail half!

Second Loop A: I really don’t remember much from this loop, just that I knew I had to run it one more time. I really do hate loop A, even tho its shorter it always kicks my ass. I just wanted to push threw it a start on final round in loop B. Mike pushed a head  and met up with us at the aid station.

Second Loop B: Knowing that finishing this loop means we will be at the marathon distance helped the drive. I think within the first mile  Mike pushed off again and Kali took a small spill and hit her knee pretty hard. I didn’t really catch the whole story, but when in pain you just want to stop. She told us that after this last eight miles she was done. I think we where all starting to feel the distance creep up  on us. I am not sure if there is a marathon type wall in ultras, or you just get to a point were you just push threw the pain and pain just becomes the norm. I paced us for the first few miles then Kali took the front and  rocked out a few for us! She was pushing it hard, good stuff. Coming out of the last aid station on loop B we all grabbed some crazy food. I even had some Ramen noodles. Maybe even conned super healthy eating Kirsten to a cup!

Third Loop A: Then there was two, ok maybe three. As we headed back out for our final loop I ran into a slightly confused Facebook friend/runner Brooke. She was running her last loop for the marathon and got a little lost. I told her to jump in with us and we will get to the end. I think this is where Kirsten dug badass deep and lead me for about 3 miles. I think thats the best part of us running together. I push then she pushes, I talk then she talks and we both know when to shut up. Then we hit the last up hill and aid station of loop A, all that was left was a mile run back to the finish. When we can into the finish Mike and Kelly was there cheering us in! Mike rocked out a 7:20 finish! We finished in 7:40.

Rock on my badass friends.

Garmin Data

I just got to know you, rest in peace NB101

Tags

bridal paths, new best friends, new shoes, outer material, trail runners, trail shoes

Sad to say I destroyed another pair of trail shoes. My new best friends were laid to rest tonight. I only got around 150 miles out of them.

How in the world can other trail runners brag about getting 500-1000 miles out of there shoes? Are they running bridal paths the whole time? Do they never run in mud up to there asses and then walk threw rivers? Who knows? So once again I took a trip out to the not so local running store to return them and search for the next pair. My hopefully new best friends are the new updated MT101′s the MT110′s. I think the only thing that is the same is the rock plate. The orange soles are a lot more aggressive.

Note the KEEP UP in the tread

The outer material is more plastic looking then the clothe of the 101′s. Hoping that means stronger. Buying new shoes two days before my 50k might be a bad idea , but then what was it going to do? Run 50k of trails in my Newtons? I think not. I snuck in a very short one mile run when I got home tonight just to give them a small test. They felt really good, light and good traction in the snow. Hoping we get to know each other in a good way this weekend.