Turkey Trot (and catch up)

Spending a week away from my adult home, in my childhood home was nice.  The down side is it does cause one to get behind on things like eMail and blogging, oh yeah, and current home chores.  I left with a critical yard clean up weekend on the horizon.  Apparently, I was missed, Hubb took care of his own laundry and did one hell of a job with the fall clean up of the yard.   Meanwhile, as I was busy not being home, I did keep up on my running, and even ran a race while I was in SE MI!  As to eMail, I was behind before I went away I may never catch up, oh well...  Kinda like when I was in Grad School and just starting out after graduation, if the bill came in an envelope with red lettering, it meant last possible chance to pay this before what ever was shut off, those got paid first. I'll follow the same protocol and look for the notes with the red flags!

Just cause it is flat, doesn't make it any less pretty!!

Southeastern Michigan is flat, it really is.  A whopping 71 feet of elevation gain on the dirt roads by my parent's farm and 88 feet of elevation gain for the Ann Arbor 5K Turkey Trot.  In comparison the Mew's Beer & Gear 5K course had 152 feet of elevation gain.  A hill is a hill, right?

Cute Shirt!  Love the look on the turkey's face!!

I ran with Cyndi and her Daughter.  Well Cyndi and I ran together her daughter took off with a goal to beat her last years time, and she did!  She bettered her time by nearly a minute!  Cyndi is just getting into running and we ran walked the course.  Studying the pace elevation charts for the RI and the MI race,  the pacing with Cyndi seemed was much more consistent while we were running, but then there was a HUGE hill in the beginning of the RI race.   (you can click on the images to see them full size)

MI race - Ann Arbor Turkey Trot 5K Pace Elevation

RI race - Mew's Tavern Beers n' Gear 5K Pace Elevation

So who knows how to make a comparison between the two?  Or if there even should be a comparison made?  Both races were run with different goals.  I ran the RI race with an expectation of using the last hill to gain some progress on my 5K PR.  I ran the MI race to spend time with my friend and to encourage her.  At one point she said "Beth, say something encouraging."  I said "Your lapping everyone on the couch."  "Just think this was Rod's first 5K in 2009."  That helped, I think.  The suggestion to count backwards from 100 going up the last hill, which was a pretty steep hill, wasn't too helpful.  I meant for just me to count out loud and she joined me, making the hill worse...  alas, communication, I think I recall a previous race with a little bit of miss-communication in it!  Two data points don't make a trend so don't go jumping to conclusions on my ability (or inability to communicate), okay?

Tomorrow I have 19 on the schedule, wowza.  It is 8 weeks out from the AZ Rock n' Roll Marathon.  What exactly was I thinking signing up for another marathon so quickly, and then being 99% committed to one on April 27th in KY?  I may need to be committed, that is if I don't end up injured. Feh, I think I am slow enough to not get injured, it is speed no distance, right?  Shhhhh.... just let me believe it is speed, my mother will assure you no one can convince me there isn't a Santa Claus and to just let me live blissfully in my own happy place.

Saw a beautiful sunset on my drive through NY, along the Southern Tier expressway.

Chautauqua Lake, New York --  November 19, 2012

Sincerely,
Beth, in her happy place, plotting the 19 miles for tomorrow!

Focus, Focus, Focus

Quick catch up on Friday, Yoga Detox!  I was scattered and bumbling into Yoga, muttering 'focus focus focus' to myself when Heidi said "Hey, Beth we are having a session on balancing the overactive mind next Saturday, think that might help?"  My reply: "focus focus focus, huh? oh yeah, yeah, I think so!"  At this present moment I can't think of what was going on other than realizing that I had to be up at 4:30 a.m. to get myself together to volunteer for a local breast cancer walk.  This is year number seven of the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation Walk Across SE CT TBBC Foundation for more information on this wonderful foundation.  They give 100%  of donations received to research!  I've been volunteering for the Traffic and Safety committee for now the third year.   The Traffic and Safety people are so important to keeping the participants safe in any walk or run.  I appreciate the volunteers at the races I run, this is the least I can do.

Yoga was good, once I got focused on the task at hand.  We did a lot of hip opening poses, which was nice prep for this Sunday's 20 miler!  Of course the Friday Night Yoga Chickens were up to their usual antics.  At one point Heidi instructed us into Child's Pose and to put our hands on our butts.  Debbie named this the Ass Asana.  Yeah, it as funnier at the time.  We closed Yoga with a nice Oooooommmmm all feeling much more centered than when we ventured into class.

The walk on Saturday was great.  The weather could not have been more perfect.  It was a long day, so very worth it.

Today was my second 20 mile run.  I had a stretch of 23 miles.  I ran 20.5 partly because I was running, ha, into logistical issues with parade goers in our little town, streets being blocked off and parade watchers putting up chairs.  Instead of fighting through that frustration I took the hill to home.  I ran up the hill at nearly a steady pace!  I think all the people lining up to watch the parade were a bit of an encouragement?

When I got home and guzzled down my chocolate coconut water while walking up and down the block something on the back of my right shoe caught my eye.  Blood?  Wha?   New shoes attack again (dress, not running), I had a little blister thing I put a bandage on and well the rubbing on the sock and the back of the shoe, wow, there was a lot of blood, I'll spare you those details.

Of course this needed to be documented!  While I was taking the picture a neighbor came up and said "Hey, Beth I hear you are a marathoner!  Congratulations!"   I corrected him and said in three weeks, hey, lets not count our chickens before they hatch, right?  He said it was rather impressive and wished me luck!   Sweet guy.

Well that is gross.

The run was good, really good.  20.5 miles in 3:56!

I kept pretty consistent through the run it was tiring and parts frustrating, all in all I got out of my own head about running while I was running and let my thoughts take over on other matters.  I haven't figured a solution for world peace, yet, but there is always hope, right?

On my run back into RI from CT one of the bikers who hang out on the bridge was grinning ear to ear and said "You go girl" and held out his hand to give me a fist bump.  Rock on dude, thank you!  That was a good lift nearing mile 14! Never underestimate the power of giving someone encouragement, even someone you don't know.

It was a beautiful cool, sunny, fall day, perfect for a run.  A few walkers out, a couple other runners and the usual bikers.  Really nothing much to report about the run.  I think I am fairly tired.  But it goes to show you what a little focus does for a person.  My last 20 miler was 4:16 with a pace of 12:47 pace.  Think how much better my 1/2 at Newport will be Sunday after a Saturday Meditation session?

Stats:

Summary

Route

Splits - Mile 17 - 19 were a little tough the rest pretty consistent!

Pace / Elevation.  Kinda explains mile 17 - 19, eh?  HILL!

Sincerely,
Beth, satisfied with today's run.

Hills!

Another hill session tonight.  A couple friends suggested a hill in a neighboring town.  It was a about a 1.5 mile run TO said hill.  Not bad, good warm up.  I wasn't quite feeling like running tonight, but I begged off taking all four dogs to the beach to run hills.  I better run hills, damn it.

Isn't he a beauty? 70 feet in elevation over 0.2 miles.  Puffy heart!

Hill!

Arriving home I found a package waiting for me!  Woot!  A Nathan water belt, the new one with the zippered pocket and all four bottle with race caps.  Hubb said, "You need two of these belt things?"  I said "Yes, like you need an entire room filled with RC plane kits."

Half of the room

I washed out the bottle for the new Nathan (it is pink, so cute) and filled them with water.  Changed over the iPhone holder.  The iPhone fits in the zipper part but I wasn't sure how well a pack of GU chomps would work.  Doubted I needed them I wasn't going to run more than 5 or 6 miles I figured.  But always good to test stuff out.  The belt is a little bouncier than my fuel belt, I think this is because the belt is more meshy and lighter and doesn't fit as snugly.  I should have gone down one size.  It sat nice on my hips and a mile or so in I wasn't even really aware of it.  Just like my Fuel Belt.  I know I wasn't going out on a long run, why bring that much water?  Well, I was running hills and I did want to see how my new toy worked and frankly I'm over feeling like a big geek wearing the thing.

To get to that hill there was a little hill at the bottom of the street and a rail road crossing. The evening train was coming so I ran up the hill to the crossing, back down and by the time I got back up the train had passed so now it was on to the 'real' hill.  He is a beauty.  Slow slope in the beginning and then a whoop up to the top.  It was fun.  I felt more power each time I went up.  All 5 times.  It was starting to get late and my PF foot was squawking a little.  I do have a 20 mile run this weekend, so I need to not injure myself prior to it or DURING it.

I walked back down the hill.  I wanted the more extensive recovery and to save my knees a little bit.

Stats:

Aren't the little hills cute?

My pacing was decent.

Sincerely,
Beth who ran hills and is happier for it

Just a Quickie

I haven't run since Wednesday!  Yikes.  I must be sick or something?  I had a 3 miler this a.m. and I feel better for it.  Tomorrow is my 4th 1/2 marathon.  Picked up my race bib, shirt, and gear bag this afternoon.

I'm short 3.1 toes!!!

Hubb called to find out if he should pick up some corn for dinner, sure, that would be fine, but I'm really craving bread.  He said "mmm bread"  sort of Homer Simpson like, weird.  We don't eat many breads / pastas anymore.  He picked up a nice Italian bakery loaf and suggested garlic bread to go with our usual salad.  Oh boy, perfect, I wanted something crunchy!  We ate damn near that whole loaf of bread!  Oh, there wasn't any corn at our usual place, it is getting late in the season... salad and bread, nice dinner!

So my run. Weather absolutely perfect, cool (mid 60's), breezy, could have probably pulled off a long sleeved running shirt, but didn't.  I walked to the end of the street, and took off running down the hill.  Waited through what must have been three light changes, to get to my traditional loop in the park.  I saw someone I had not seen in about a year.  This guy, all bundled up like it is below zero outside, scampering along on his walk, hat on and gloves on. So cute.  I waved and gave him a "Glad to see you again" grin and he looked at me like I might not be quite right in the head.  Guess you'll have that on occasion.

Loop around the park, beautiful this time of year, more leaves are turning and falling.  Run through town up and around the railroad station and up Oak Street.  It is a hill, a serious hill.  I remember the first time I successfully ran up it without stopping.  A year ago October, all in preparation for the Pell-Newport Bridge run last November (I am signed up for this year too, that was so amazing).  I was reminded yesterday that I really haven't been at this running thing for very long and to cut myself some slack and be very very proud of what I have accomplished.  That single minded focus of mine to accomplish something does come in handy on occasion!

It was a nice glide back down the hill to home.  Hubb was still home!  Yeah!   Usually he is gone by 10 or so on Saturday a.m. well it still was before 10, after all this was just a quickie.  He was upstairs tinkering with a glider plane.  He yelled down "Your back already?"  I trotted up stairs and said, "Yeah, it was just a quickie I'm a wet mess!"  He just looked at me and said "You take everything to the lowest level, don't you?"  Well, yeah...

Stats:

Overall Stats

Yeah, don't ask me what I was thinking with lap 5 and 6 

Pace / Elevation

Sincerely,
Beth who has her super cute race outfit picked out for tomorrow!

Thursday = Hills!

Thursdays are Hill Day!  Hubb goes off to fly his RC Planes in the evening.  I've generally had a long and productive day at work, haven't had the opportunity to sneak out for a mid day run, stopped at the grocery store to restock on lettuce, spent some quiet time with the pups, and then off for an evening run, and now it starts with hills!  I do love hills, they seem to get easier the more I go up them.  Nothing tweaked tonight, woot!

Cute elevation profile, eh?

Sincerely,
Beth who is a little tired and doesn't have much to say tonight

Hills, Hills, and More Hills!

Per my schedule hill work was to start two weeks ago.  Well it didn't, it started today.  And technically all of my runs contain hills so I thought BFD.  The problem was finding the right 0.4 mile hill.  There is one a few steps from my door, that will do I figured.  Not a lot of traffic so my 5 laps wouldn't prompt too many strange looks from the neighbors.  Seriously how much weirder can they think we are, we did have an orange tractor in the front yard, which turned into the front garden for about 5 years.

By the time it was removed the flower garden had pretty well grown in around it and now it is a lovely wild flower herb garden.  Although I wonder what ever did happen to those purple tulips. I don't recall them coming up this year, hmm.

In any event between the orange tractor and the metal chicken in a different garden our neighbors can't possibly think we are normal.  Oh let us not even mention the four boxers...  okay...

The elevation chart from the hills and then the run afterwards.  Oh yes, tonight was an 8 mile run, so of course I needed to log as damn close to 8 miles running as I could.  I'm just that much of a masochist.

Isn't he just the cutest elevation chart?  I did my 5 hills and then went on to apparently tackle a bigger hill.  I have to review the player to see where that monster is and how I can better incorporate that into my Marine Corps Marathon training.  Although that hill at the end is leading up TO my house so there is that gem. 

So my splits weren't brilliant but here they are anyhow:

Frankly I'm mostly thrilled I finally learned how to use the "lap" button on the Garmin.  I can segment out parts of my run I want to pay more attention to.  Like that last 0.5 miles heading to home!

All in all I feel like a million bucks.  My left foot hurts a bit when I walk on it, good nights stretch in the boot will doctor that right up.  Heck a good nights sleep does wonders for just about everything.  I'm feeling like I'll sleep the sleep of the dead tonight because I'm tired and I feel like I accomplished something.

Sincerely, 

Beth, Queen of her world tonight

Today...

I'm feeling rather uninspired to write tonight.  So we shall see where this takes us.  Buckle up.

The three miles on the road was great, a little slow, a little humid, great.  I love to be soaked in my own sweat and stink, it feels like such an accomplishment.  I've been walking the first two minutes, setting that as a lap and then running the miles.  I feel better when I do that, gets everything moving.  I have a desk job, I sit, I stare at a computer, I edit documents, I talk on the phone, the bulk of my activity is getting up to go print something or going to the cafe for lunch!  All the printers in the building were down today so there was just the walk to the gym in the a.m. to sign up for a chair massage, a walk to the cafe for lunch, and another walk to the gym to change and run.  I probably logged the sum total of 3/4 mile walking on campus.  Someday I should figure that out, today was not that day.

The run was great because I tried a new route this one had about a mile of hills, not giant hills but spaced out just right so that when you got a breather from going up and a little down then you got to go up again.  Hill training starts next week, I am excited and apprehensive about it.  I love hills, I really really do.  Getting to the top is awesome and the reward is the speed on the way down.  One could consider the up hill the foreplay and the down hill the big event?

Of course my timing was off and I didn't get as cooled down as I needed to before my shower and then back to work.  The back of my shirt was wet with sweat, post shower sweat.  The boys said I didn't smell but I was glowing.  I believe them that if I smelled they would be the first to offer an opinion on the matter.  Additionally, I manged to tweak my knee on the way down the stairs.  It only lasts for a few steps but I hobble and not one, not two, but three people happened to witness this.  It isn't that I feel weak it is just that I feel a little embarrassed to hobble.  So, yeah, maybe I do feel weak.  I need to cut myself a little slack, I ran 14 yesterday and an easy 3 today.  Tomorrow is a rest day and I'll be back at 3 on Wednesday and then  7 for Thursday and a 10 mile race on Friday. Oh wait, should I run that long before a race?  Maybe I should back Thursday down to a walk so I don't over do it?  Friday is usually my rest/yoga day.

TRX was cancelled for tonight, kinda bummed, however it did give me an opportunity to clean up the mess someone made of a project at work and I could leave feeling satisfied about both work and running. Plus I was able to roll my foot over the bottle of ice for a while longer and it is feeling A-OK, plus rolling both my feet over the ball with all the barbs on it in the a.m.  My tootsies seem to be sort of happy with me, yeah!

Saturday I got a little pressie in the mail from a friend.  Dirty Girl Gaiters for my trail runs.  Hmm I may have a solution for my now mounting problems.  I am dying to use these, and with the Friday race and jiggering around my miles, plus a long run of 14 on Sunday.  Wednesday I can run the trail after work, oh wait, I've got solo dog duty... hmmm...  well damn.  I'll fit in a trail run on Wednesday, by gum! The dogs won't have been alone too long, although they will be freaking stir crazy.

Not exactly a one of your finer pieces of work there Beth...