Twilight Trail Run - Recap (and a very short book review)

Last night was the 13th annual Twilight Trail Run.  I've run this race the last 4 years.  2010 and 2011 I ran the 3.6 mile loop  (48.19 and 47.26 respectively) I've seen improvement on this time over the last 4 years of running that trail.  My best time is 34:14 (on 3/9/12).  2012 and 2013 I bumped up the game to the 7.4 (1:16:22 and 1:16:09) nothing stellar, DLF for my sex/age group this year and 12 out of 16 last year (none of the same women ran last year, if that means anything).  I felt like crap all day, and even leading up to the race.  Fortunately there were friends there to keep me laughing.  Amy with her pointy elbows, cheery cheerful too freaking cute Ro, and Don always positive offering to pull me off the course (after he finishes, of course).

Sure, I could have opted for the 3.6 mile loop, but really didn't want to have to deal with what ever I would need to deal with.  It was 7.4 miles on trails I love, suck it up butter cup.

The start is it's usual glom of people, the heard thins out about 1/2 a mile in.  I'm learning how these things work.  I pushed up the hills to secure some ground over people, smart?  dumb?  who knows.  I just know that I have always pushed myself to run those hills and the coast the down hills is my treat.  Then the cut off for the 7.4 mile and the 3.6 mile race.  Going down to single track, the woman ahead of me and I chatted back and forth about that last long slow climbing up hill.  We figured we were in the back of the pack, really someone has to be last, right?  (there were a few people behind us) When we got to the section that is all ledge and looking out over the water on the right we both gasped and said this is my favorite part.  Truly it is beautiful, any time of year.

OK so this is from 3/12... not yesterday...

I kept up with her until we got back on the two track, I stopped for water (oh yes I did) and never let her out of my sights but I just wasn't pushing to keep up.   Once out by the RR tracks it was time to see the front runners, lots of familiar faces.  You go guys and gals!!  Over to Haley Farm on more single track then two track and back towards Bluff Point (where apparently I am 2nd fastest Haley Farm to the Bluff - one more thing to figure out about Strava - so Yeah Me!)

I had a little gas in the tank for a strong finish!!  Love that crazy legs feeling at the end of a race. I've no idea where that extra little oopmh comes from, and it isn't always there.  Happy when it is!

After catching up with Don and Ro, I found Amy to dig those pointy elbows into my tight muscles.  I really think she enjoys people screaming in pain. (You do Amy, admit it. And I do enjoy it after it is over.)  On the way home, Hubb called to find out where I was and could I pick him up a Blizzard if I was planning on coming home soon.  Sure thing hon, I'm just coming home from a race.  Does that man not pay attention when I talk?  He said, oh yeah, I thought you mentioned something about that.  Thanks pal...  I had him text me his concoction, my brain was not going to remember anything, and said I would be along shortly. 

Dumb dumb dumb.  I was hungry, standing in the never moving line, hoping I didn't pass out.  The two drunk men, father and son, flirting with me was a nice way to pass the time.  Obviously they could not smell me was what Hubb had to say about the whole thing. Yes, he did appreciate his Blizzard and that was probably not an appropriate dinner for me?

My plan was to sleep like the dead, the stuffed up nose, sore throat, and bed spins (non-alcohol induced, thank you very much) didn't really allot time for that.  Well shit, just what I need a summer cold.

Missed Mike's race and spent the day sleeping and reading "The Impossible Cool" by Eric Orton.  Very good book. It is a training plan book, yes, and it is more.  It is a conversation with Eric Orton on what are your true goals and what is holding you back.  His plan is about what YOU want to accomplish and how much effort YOU want to put into YOUR goals.  Eric gives you the pieces of the plan, you just have to do it.  Very similar to "Run Faster Run Less" by Bill Pierce, Scott Murr, and Ray Moss.

Due to traffic problems a few weeks ago I wasn't able to hear Eric speak about his book at R.J. Julia Booksellers in Madison, CT.  But I did get an autographed copy and hopefully will get to see him speak at a future time.

I enjoy reading books about running.  Personally, I think we know what works for us and what doesn't, it is interesting to hear what works for others as well as the science behind it.  How about you?

Sincerely,
Beth, feeling less spacey, and really needs to learn to listen when her body says rest.

Thursday...

Missed Wordless Wednesday...  I was looking for an old picture of me in HS from track...  My mom gave me a bunch of old pictures, that one wasn't in there.  I'll have to hunt it up next time I'm visiting my parents.  My whole one track season in High School, or was it two...  oh what I should have learned when I was  young and not injury prone.

Wednesday I didn't run at work.  Weird for me.  But then I wasn't in NYC on Tuesday so there you have it.

Hubb called when I was nearly home and asked if I was serious about going for a ride, I said I was and would be home in 5 minutes or so.  He loaded my bike in the truck and when I got home I scrambled around  getting my things in order.  After the whole sunglasses debacle I'm getting better about putting things where they belong.

Oh the sunglasses, after running, I usually take off my watch, sunglasses, and iPod if I wore it and leave it in a specific spot.  Well I didn't do this for some reason and spent the better part of three days looking in the same spots for my sunglasses. Isn't that the definition of insanity?  Everything was all over the house, watch on the dining room table, iPod was on the coffee table, shoes in the kitchen (what?!).  I noticed a quilt had fallen on the floor and picked it up. Out of the quilt fell my sunglasses.  Huh.  I must have set them on top of the quilt precariously balanced on the radiator and well you can fill in the blanks.

We did the Sanctuary Outer Trail together; once in the camp ground he took off to do the Vin Gormley and the Sammy C leaving me to have an hour to just ride around.  I decided I just wanted to explore the camp ground and get a little more used to the bike, practice 'jumping' logs and laying off the breaks going down hill.  On the trail I took a nice tumble off the bike because my weight was too far forward and then side swiped a tree as I'm not quite one with the bike.  Watching him it is like the bike is an extension of him.  Even when we used to ride wayyy back in the olden days the bike was an extension of him, although now it seems more so.

I had fun riding around the camp ground and going fast, I really really liked going fast.  Found where one camp trail hitches in to the North South Trail and a way around one of the hills I really dislike, but then that means I'd miss a down hill I'm sort of getting the hang of.  Decisions decisions.



My legs were pretty spent, from Tuesday and I was just tired. I felt much more comfortable on the bike after my little solo tour. It was time to head back to the truck.  Caught up on WWF and Scrabble just as Hubb appeared. So that worked out well..

I really like the speed I can get on the roads and enjoy the challenge of the trail.  Hubb has two bikes, the mountain bike and a fat tire bike.  I may think about a road bike.  Suggestions?

Today was a rest day.  I'm tired.  Tomorrow is the Twilight Trail Race at Bluff Point, this will be my fourth year running that race.  The first two years I ran the short loop.  Last year the long and the long again this year. Looking forward to seeing some familiar faces out there and a familiar trail!

Sincerely,
Beth, glad to just take it easy today

Day of the Dog

Arriving home tonight I was greeted by three very chatty and animated boxer boyz.  Something about dinner was an hour late and I smelled of another dog.  Dogs and their schedules, ours certainly are very schedule oriented, they don't like it when things are out of the ordinary.

On my non NYC days I wake up before my alarm to this guy, Gus,

sitting down, intently staring at me, wagging his nub of a tail so fiercely his whole body vibrates, waiting for me to open my eyes.  He either wants me to get up so he can have my spot or for me to scootch over so he can snuggle.  This morning that was the 'I want your spot' face.

I got up, he crawled in my spot, rested his head on the pillow and was o.u.t. out.  Didn't even come in to check on me or stare at his reflection in the mirror or guard the doorway while I did my PT.

Tonight was the kick off for the Stonington Village Fun Runs.  Starting and ending at the Dog Watch Cafe in the beautiful and quaint Stonington Bourough, hosted by Steve and Heather.  They are a fun run, so you are really only competitive with yourself.  We were warned to go out slow as this is the first race, didn't we want to see improvement.  Fair point.

I ran 5.5 for lunch today.  I really just wanted to get some miles on my ancy legs.  The 5K was for fun and lets see how my legs would do.  I did pretty good --> 28:47, and my legs didn't feel tired or heavy.  Chatted with another runner for a few blocks, he passed me but I kept him in my sights!



After the race we were given a popsicle stick to cash in for a beer (if we were over 21), sorta disappointing that I didn't get carded (HA HA).  Cashed in my popcicle stick for a Blue Moon and spent some time getting to know Hemi Metzger (the dog in question) and his guardians a little better.  Sweet little rescue boy, quite the sad story, as most are.  Found nearly dead by the side of the road, very beat up (think bait dog sort of wounds) several operations and months of a vet tech nursing him back to health, he was good to go to a forever home.  Really enjoys people, other dogs, not so much.  I can  understand that, considering the suspicion about what he experienced his first year of life.  Gus generally doesn't do well with other dogs, people, well they are his cup of tea!  Totally get the special needs of rescue dogs, they all have their stories.

Lots of chit chat, one interesting tid bit to share --> one of the guys was given some great advice by his 26 year old son.  Don't spend too much time looking backwards, look forward, enjoy life.  We all doubted we were that wise at 26 and it is very good advice!

Sincerely,
Beth, looking forward to these weekly runs and getting to know other local runners (oh yeah and hanging out with Hemi)