The title seems like a very reasonable idea, doesn't it?
The work we put into something is reflective of what we're going to get out of it. If we study hard, we'll likely do well on a test. If we train consistently, we can conquer a race. If we listen to our doctor's advice on recovery from surgery, we can come back stronger than before.
Then why do so many people believe there's a "magic" solution? Why do we try to take shortcuts for quicker gratification? Why do we lament when it seems another person is thinner or more physically gifted than us rather than realizing that maybe they work hard to look or perform the way that they do? And that maybe, just maybe, if we put our all into it, we can achieve something similar?
My family and I visited a church today and the message rang out loud and clear. The main message was that what we put into ourselves is what we'll get out of it, whether it be faith and devotion to God, a healthy diet, exercise, proper guidance to our kids so they grow up to be productive adults, devotion to our marriage so it thrives...the list goes on and on. It's not "magic" because magic doesn't truly exist. Hard, consistent work is what produces real results.
See where I'm going with this? Of course I'm going to apply the concept to a healthy, fit lifestyle.
Do you wish you had a body like her? Do you wish you could finish a marathon like he can? Do you wish you had her strength? Do you wish you could be healthy enough to stop taking all your medications?
How do you think fit people get to where they are? Because they put a lot of hard work into their bodies.
That's the "magic." Every single day, every single week, every single month, all year long, they are working hard. The more consistent they become, the easier that hard work becomes. It becomes their norm, their lifestyle. They aren't trying to find a shortcut or an easy way to find the results. They are putting in the necessary work.
Does this automatically mean they are fanatical about the work? Not at all. You know that becoming obsessive about anything will lead to negative results, and exercise is no exception. I'm sure a lot of people probably think I run everyday, or workout in the gym everyday, for hours upon hours per week. That's not at all the case. I run/bike 3-4 times per week, strength train 2-3 times per week, teach core classes twice per week, and am really trying to get in a swim workout every week. That translates to probably 8 hours per week just depending on what my run/bike mileage is. That's roughly 4-5% of the 168 hours we have in one week.
Puts it into perspective, doesn't it? Hard work for 8 hours per week to be a healthy person. It's working, because I'm happy with my fitness level. So what I'm putting into it is giving me what I want in return. Add in healthy choices in the kitchen and the results are even better.
Whenever I discuss exercise I always have to discuss the importance of REST. What does our body give us if we completely fatigue it over and over again without proper recovery and rest time? It's going to rebel. It will give us what we've put into it, but in a negative way. So part of the hard work is allowing ourselves to rest. I build rest days into every single week. If I didn't, all my hard work would have negative return over time. I never strength or circuit train two days in a row, as my muscles need time to rebuild. I run easy, swim or rest between hard run workouts. You will never find me working out 7 days per week. I'm giving my body rest, so it's giving me strength for my next workout in return.
Hard work also means knowing that you must be consistent. I think this is probably one of the biggest things people struggle with. It's easy to take a week or two off. Or to take a break during travel or vacation. Pretty soon that week will turn into a month, and then we need to start over. I'll allow myself an "easy" week here and there if I've been training especially hard for a race, or I'm sick. But when my body is ready, I get right back into the hard work.
Just remember...even though there is no "magic" involved, that there are no shortcuts, doesn't mean it all has to be overwhelming. Schedule in a few hours per week to focus on your health, every single week, including rest. Over time it will become a habit, the hard work will become the norm, and your body will respond by giving back the fitness level you've always wanted.
Monday, July 8, 2013
Thursday, June 20, 2013
A little race catch up
I can't believe it's been 6 weeks since I last blogged. Life does tend to get in the way of free time, and I've let my blog slip. My family and I have been very busy with the end of the school year, my work, and traveling. Now that school is out and I have a couple quiet work weeks ahead, it's time to get back on the computer.
Running continues to go well for me, although my mileage has certainly slipped the last few weeks. I don't even think I hit 10 miles last week, which is very unusual for me. Rather than feel guilty about it, I'm just going to chalk it up to a step back/recovery week and march forward with more miles starting today (as a matter of fact, I ran 5 this morning, when I don't typically run at all on Mondays). Now that the heat is here for the next few months, I expect my pace to drop slightly, but I will continue to push myself and improve my fitness overall.
On April 28 I ran a 5K (IM OK 5K, benefitting the Epilepsy Foundation) that in past years has beaten me up. Two years ago I had an asthma attack during the race, leading me to an exercise and allergy-induced asthma diagnosis. I still ran fairly well, but I missed out on a PR because of the attack. Last year, several runners went off course, including me, and then I was redirected in such a way as to add over a half mile to my race, resulting in a good 6K time....but not so much for a 5K. This year I vowed to do my very best and I hoped to medal in my age group (which was actually 30-39 for this race).
It really was an awesome race. The course is slightly short, and although my 22:40 time is probably not really applicable to a true 5K PR, I'll take it anyway. I went into the race incredibly sore and fatigued from strength training the week before, and actually surprised myself for holding a steady, fast pace for the entire race despite every step hurting. I'd still like to think of the 22:40 as a good reflection of my ability and my time to beat in my next 5K. I managed to get 3rd in my age group, as well, behind two very talented Boston Marathon runners. It was a great feeling and a big confidence booster!
My next race was the Dam Mile in Georgetown on May 15. One excruciating mile across the Georgetown Dam. At 6pm, in May, which means warm temps for sure. Add the 20 mph head- and sidewinds and it was probably going to be a bit of a challenge. But I'd been running well and thought I had a pretty good shot to beat last year's 6:38 time. I was also hoping to place well in the race, although this year there were no medals. Greg was out of town, but the kids came with me to the race and looked forward to also running. I made sure they had good instructions on which heat they would be running in, paired them up with some friends of mine who planned to run in the same heats, and then I was off in my own heat. I tried to settle into that uncomfortable, fast pace right from the beginning, but not too fast. I never looked at my watch and rather just went by what I thought a 6:20-6:30 pace felt like. I was very much hoping I could break 6:30, but the wind was a bit difficult to race against. At the halfway mark I glanced at my watch and saw 3:11. If I could hold that pace I would run a 6:22, much faster than last year.
I didn't quite hold the pace, and definitely felt myself slowing in the last quarter mile. My friends Tony and Chad were right in front of me for most of the race, and as I tried to inch around Tony within that last quarter mile, he put on the afterburners and pretty much left me in the dust. I should've known there was no way he was going to let me beat him. Chad also continued to speed up and I couldn't quite hang with him, either. I crossed the finish line in 6:32, six seconds faster than last year. It wasn't quite the sub-6:30 I was looking for, but considering how windy it was, I was thrilled. A PR is a PR! I ended up as the 10th woman overall out of 46, 43rd out of 120 people overall, and if there had been age group awards, I would've won. I'd call that successful!
My most recent race didn't quite go as planned. I was both excited about and dreading my 30K trail race at Reveille Peak Ranch. Last year, this was my very first trail race and it was pretty incredible....and difficult....and crazy...and of course I signed up again. (Race report here) This time I convinced my friend Tony to sign up as well, and I knew a few other friends would be there, too...Rain, Red, Charles, Emily...lots of friendly faces. Tony had been injured so this race would really test his leg out, but he planned to stick with me so it would definitely be a lot of fun. Well, until I got bitchy. Then it wouldn't be so fun for him. In all honesty I really thought he'd sign up for the 10k, so it was a nice surprise when he pulled the trigger on the big distance.
Just like last year, the course was going to be long, but supposedly not quite as long. I clocked 20.6 miles last year, or about 33K. This year they estimated 19.5 miles total. The temps, however, were going to be much better. Last year loop 3 topped out at 90 degrees. This year, it wouldn't even hit 80 before we finished. Still warm, and there's no shade out on the granite domes, but I'll take 80 over 90 any day of the week. We even got some drizzle before we started. I was excited!
Loop 1 could have certainly gone better. Somehow, while following a couple guys across the granite dome in the middle of the 6.5 mile loop, we managed to double back and repeat about a mile of it. When things started looking familiar, we knew we'd screwed up. We also watched a poor lady break her wrist in a fall. That course will seriously eat you alive. By the time we crossed the timing mat at the end of Loop 1, we had hit 7.5 miles. Our 19.5 mile journey was now going to take us well over 20 miles.
Well...not so fast for me. As we were running on the dirt path leading up the timing mat, I stepped wrong on a rock and rolled my ankle badly. It instantly hurt and was difficult to run on. Not broken, I knew that...but very very sore. I sucked it up for a couple minutes, crossed the timing mat (1 hour, 34 minutes), said three or four swear words under my breath, and decided to run to the first aid station. As we headed off up the hill at the start of Loop 2, I told Tony I had hurt myself and was unsure of my status. My ankle had no range of motion from side to side, but it was okay when we were on dirt. Unfortunately, most of the loop is granite and rocky and requires the ability to move your ankle from side to side.
By the time we got into the first aid station (at 9.3 miles) I called it a day. Tony was fine, so he reluctantly continued on. I felt terrible since I was the one who convinced him to sign up and he had at least 11 more miles to run solo. The medical staff drove me back to the finish area, gave me ice for my very sore ankle, and I tried not to be too pissed off.
The ankle ended up being just fine after a few days. My guess is that I sprained my tibialis anterior muscle. But I was still smart to stop running when I did. Who knows what kind of damage I could've done had I continued on? Red and Emily both got DNF's, so I wasn't alone in my misery while we waited for friends to finish (Tony did great...4:35 and 2nd in his "old man" age group).
I will run out at Reveille Peak Ranch one more time this year, for a night trail race in August. I do plan to conquer that place one day! Until then, I think I'm taking a bit of a racing break. August will be when I start officially marathon training for my sub-4 hour attempt at Houston. Until then, I'll continue to work on speed, will run my weekly long runs, and will hit the gym for strength training at least twice a week. I also teach core strength twice a week at work. My bike needs some attention and I finally started venturing into the lakes for open water swimming. There may just be a triathlon in there sometime before the end of summer.
So what have I committed to in the coming months?
August 24: Captain Karl's Night Trail 30K at Reveille Peak Ranch
October 6: IBM Uptown Classic 10K
October 25-26: Ragnar Tennessee Relay
December 8: Bryan/College Station Half Marathon
January 19: Houston Marathon
February 16: Austin Half Marathon
April 27: San Luis Obispo Marathon
Just reading all that puts a smile on my face.
Running continues to go well for me, although my mileage has certainly slipped the last few weeks. I don't even think I hit 10 miles last week, which is very unusual for me. Rather than feel guilty about it, I'm just going to chalk it up to a step back/recovery week and march forward with more miles starting today (as a matter of fact, I ran 5 this morning, when I don't typically run at all on Mondays). Now that the heat is here for the next few months, I expect my pace to drop slightly, but I will continue to push myself and improve my fitness overall.
On April 28 I ran a 5K (IM OK 5K, benefitting the Epilepsy Foundation) that in past years has beaten me up. Two years ago I had an asthma attack during the race, leading me to an exercise and allergy-induced asthma diagnosis. I still ran fairly well, but I missed out on a PR because of the attack. Last year, several runners went off course, including me, and then I was redirected in such a way as to add over a half mile to my race, resulting in a good 6K time....but not so much for a 5K. This year I vowed to do my very best and I hoped to medal in my age group (which was actually 30-39 for this race).
It really was an awesome race. The course is slightly short, and although my 22:40 time is probably not really applicable to a true 5K PR, I'll take it anyway. I went into the race incredibly sore and fatigued from strength training the week before, and actually surprised myself for holding a steady, fast pace for the entire race despite every step hurting. I'd still like to think of the 22:40 as a good reflection of my ability and my time to beat in my next 5K. I managed to get 3rd in my age group, as well, behind two very talented Boston Marathon runners. It was a great feeling and a big confidence booster!
My next race was the Dam Mile in Georgetown on May 15. One excruciating mile across the Georgetown Dam. At 6pm, in May, which means warm temps for sure. Add the 20 mph head- and sidewinds and it was probably going to be a bit of a challenge. But I'd been running well and thought I had a pretty good shot to beat last year's 6:38 time. I was also hoping to place well in the race, although this year there were no medals. Greg was out of town, but the kids came with me to the race and looked forward to also running. I made sure they had good instructions on which heat they would be running in, paired them up with some friends of mine who planned to run in the same heats, and then I was off in my own heat. I tried to settle into that uncomfortable, fast pace right from the beginning, but not too fast. I never looked at my watch and rather just went by what I thought a 6:20-6:30 pace felt like. I was very much hoping I could break 6:30, but the wind was a bit difficult to race against. At the halfway mark I glanced at my watch and saw 3:11. If I could hold that pace I would run a 6:22, much faster than last year.
I didn't quite hold the pace, and definitely felt myself slowing in the last quarter mile. My friends Tony and Chad were right in front of me for most of the race, and as I tried to inch around Tony within that last quarter mile, he put on the afterburners and pretty much left me in the dust. I should've known there was no way he was going to let me beat him. Chad also continued to speed up and I couldn't quite hang with him, either. I crossed the finish line in 6:32, six seconds faster than last year. It wasn't quite the sub-6:30 I was looking for, but considering how windy it was, I was thrilled. A PR is a PR! I ended up as the 10th woman overall out of 46, 43rd out of 120 people overall, and if there had been age group awards, I would've won. I'd call that successful!
My most recent race didn't quite go as planned. I was both excited about and dreading my 30K trail race at Reveille Peak Ranch. Last year, this was my very first trail race and it was pretty incredible....and difficult....and crazy...and of course I signed up again. (Race report here) This time I convinced my friend Tony to sign up as well, and I knew a few other friends would be there, too...Rain, Red, Charles, Emily...lots of friendly faces. Tony had been injured so this race would really test his leg out, but he planned to stick with me so it would definitely be a lot of fun. Well, until I got bitchy. Then it wouldn't be so fun for him. In all honesty I really thought he'd sign up for the 10k, so it was a nice surprise when he pulled the trigger on the big distance.
Just like last year, the course was going to be long, but supposedly not quite as long. I clocked 20.6 miles last year, or about 33K. This year they estimated 19.5 miles total. The temps, however, were going to be much better. Last year loop 3 topped out at 90 degrees. This year, it wouldn't even hit 80 before we finished. Still warm, and there's no shade out on the granite domes, but I'll take 80 over 90 any day of the week. We even got some drizzle before we started. I was excited!
Loop 1 could have certainly gone better. Somehow, while following a couple guys across the granite dome in the middle of the 6.5 mile loop, we managed to double back and repeat about a mile of it. When things started looking familiar, we knew we'd screwed up. We also watched a poor lady break her wrist in a fall. That course will seriously eat you alive. By the time we crossed the timing mat at the end of Loop 1, we had hit 7.5 miles. Our 19.5 mile journey was now going to take us well over 20 miles.
Well...not so fast for me. As we were running on the dirt path leading up the timing mat, I stepped wrong on a rock and rolled my ankle badly. It instantly hurt and was difficult to run on. Not broken, I knew that...but very very sore. I sucked it up for a couple minutes, crossed the timing mat (1 hour, 34 minutes), said three or four swear words under my breath, and decided to run to the first aid station. As we headed off up the hill at the start of Loop 2, I told Tony I had hurt myself and was unsure of my status. My ankle had no range of motion from side to side, but it was okay when we were on dirt. Unfortunately, most of the loop is granite and rocky and requires the ability to move your ankle from side to side.
By the time we got into the first aid station (at 9.3 miles) I called it a day. Tony was fine, so he reluctantly continued on. I felt terrible since I was the one who convinced him to sign up and he had at least 11 more miles to run solo. The medical staff drove me back to the finish area, gave me ice for my very sore ankle, and I tried not to be too pissed off.
The ankle ended up being just fine after a few days. My guess is that I sprained my tibialis anterior muscle. But I was still smart to stop running when I did. Who knows what kind of damage I could've done had I continued on? Red and Emily both got DNF's, so I wasn't alone in my misery while we waited for friends to finish (Tony did great...4:35 and 2nd in his "old man" age group).
I will run out at Reveille Peak Ranch one more time this year, for a night trail race in August. I do plan to conquer that place one day! Until then, I think I'm taking a bit of a racing break. August will be when I start officially marathon training for my sub-4 hour attempt at Houston. Until then, I'll continue to work on speed, will run my weekly long runs, and will hit the gym for strength training at least twice a week. I also teach core strength twice a week at work. My bike needs some attention and I finally started venturing into the lakes for open water swimming. There may just be a triathlon in there sometime before the end of summer.
So what have I committed to in the coming months?
August 24: Captain Karl's Night Trail 30K at Reveille Peak Ranch
October 6: IBM Uptown Classic 10K
October 25-26: Ragnar Tennessee Relay
December 8: Bryan/College Station Half Marathon
January 19: Houston Marathon
February 16: Austin Half Marathon
April 27: San Luis Obispo Marathon
Just reading all that puts a smile on my face.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Not so fast
This will be a quick blog post. I'll just get to the point.
I'm not doing the Lake Pflugerville Triathlon next month.
I have no excuse other than I am not ready, I haven't put the time into my weaker disciplines, I haven't wanted to spend time on them lately, I've let other life events and stresses get in the way, and I would rather wait to do my first triathlon when I'm actually ready than disrespecting the sport with a mediocre attempt.
I will do a triathlon. It just won't be next month.
I'll probably go into a bit more detail later, but for now this will have to do.
In the meantime, I'm enjoying my other sport...running...with trail races and shorter road races throughout the spring and summer. I'll get on my bike more, I'll swim more, and when the time is better I will register for another triathlon.
To all my friends still competing, I'll be out there rooting for you as always.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
What Birthday? I really don't care
I haven't celebrated a birthday since I turned 35.
I don't care if I ever celebrate a birthday again.
No, really...I don't care about my birthday.
Okay, so maybe I care A LITTLE. I like the fact that I'm turning 40 and I actually really wish it was happening sooner rather than 258 days from now. I am looking forward to being in the Masters age group, to being the best version of myself I've ever been DESPITE being 40, and to finally getting past that stupid "Over the Hill" milestone.
But I'm not celebrating. No matter how many times my friends tell me I am celebrating, I'm not. It isn't about them. It's about me and respecting that decision. They might not agree with my reasons but I don't care. You hear that, dear buddies of mine?
I'm not celebrating.
If there is a surprise party for me, I will retreat.
If there are gifts, I will feel uncomfortable.
If I'm told I should WANT to celebrate, I will roll my eyes.
My sister lived to be 37. My celebratory mood towards birthdays ceased at this time. I'm not stuck in my grief, as one might imagine, but I do not want to celebrate regardless.
When I turned 38, I struggled with it. Coincidentally, the Houston Marathon was that very same day and I could think of no better way to "celebrate" that birthday than by running my ass off in a marathon, by focusing only on myself and what I could accomplish rather than giving in to someone else's idea of how I should mark the occasion. I was in complete control of that day and it was the best decision I could have made. I ran my strongest marathon to date that day and I feel like I honored my sister and myself by doing so.
For my 40th birthday, I will have dinner with my family, I will enjoy cake as I always do, and I will travel to Houston again to run my ninth marathon, in a new age group, with a new goal, and with my thoughts on my sister.
That truly is the only way I want to celebrate.
I don't care if I ever celebrate a birthday again.
No, really...I don't care about my birthday.
Okay, so maybe I care A LITTLE. I like the fact that I'm turning 40 and I actually really wish it was happening sooner rather than 258 days from now. I am looking forward to being in the Masters age group, to being the best version of myself I've ever been DESPITE being 40, and to finally getting past that stupid "Over the Hill" milestone.
But I'm not celebrating. No matter how many times my friends tell me I am celebrating, I'm not. It isn't about them. It's about me and respecting that decision. They might not agree with my reasons but I don't care. You hear that, dear buddies of mine?
I'm not celebrating.
If there is a surprise party for me, I will retreat.
If there are gifts, I will feel uncomfortable.
If I'm told I should WANT to celebrate, I will roll my eyes.
My sister lived to be 37. My celebratory mood towards birthdays ceased at this time. I'm not stuck in my grief, as one might imagine, but I do not want to celebrate regardless.
When I turned 38, I struggled with it. Coincidentally, the Houston Marathon was that very same day and I could think of no better way to "celebrate" that birthday than by running my ass off in a marathon, by focusing only on myself and what I could accomplish rather than giving in to someone else's idea of how I should mark the occasion. I was in complete control of that day and it was the best decision I could have made. I ran my strongest marathon to date that day and I feel like I honored my sister and myself by doing so.
For my 40th birthday, I will have dinner with my family, I will enjoy cake as I always do, and I will travel to Houston again to run my ninth marathon, in a new age group, with a new goal, and with my thoughts on my sister.
That truly is the only way I want to celebrate.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Am I Unlucky?
I'm going to venture away from my usual posts about fitness and running and delve into something more emotional and personal. So bear with me.
On April 29, 2003, my husband and I lost a very good friend of ours. His name was Dan. He was 30 years old, had been married less than one year, and had an aggressive and deadly form of cancer called Ewing's Sarcoma. Diagnosed at age 28, he lived for less than 2 more years. We struggled with him as he would get good news, and then bad news, as he hurriedly married his sweetheart for fear he would die before they had a chance to be husband and wife, and then we got the phone call from him that he would probably die within the week. We prayed, we cried, we yelled about the unfairness of it all. We traveled to his hospital in Southern California (we lived in Northern California at the time), hoping we'd make it in time to give him one last hug. We did, and it was incredibly difficult to leave his hospital room knowing we'd never see him again.
I think about him all the time. I miss his goofy laugh and his funny stories. I miss his bear hugs (he was 6 foot 5). I miss his friendship and his beautiful heart. I miss being pissed off at him when he drank too much and turned into a teenager again. There aren't a lot of people that come into your life who you know will be there into old age, and when those people are taken so soon it's gut wrenching.
But he's not the only person I've lost in my life. As I look back, it seems like every year, or close to it, someone who I love dies. Sometimes it's expected and a part of the circle of life, like when my grandparents passed away, but sometimes it's sudden and painful and the worst thing in the world, like when my sister suddenly died.
And in all honesty, I think I've had more than my fair share of loss. In my life, I lost a childhood friend at age 6 (to cancer, and I remember it VIVIDLY), a high school friend our senior year (car accident), 3 grandparents (my other grandparent died before I was born), my great grandma, my friend Dan, several uncles, neighbors, and Greg has lost 2 of his grandparents and a teenage cousin since I met him. Our neighborhood has suffered terrible loss as well, with 2 children and young mom dying in recent years. Like I said, we can't go much longer than a year without another loss happening.
I'm just SAD.
Is this more than the normal person? I'm only 39 years old. There will be a lot more loss in the coming years. I'm probably crazy for dwelling on it, but on a day like today it's very difficult to get out of that rut.
On April 29, 2003, my husband and I lost a very good friend of ours. His name was Dan. He was 30 years old, had been married less than one year, and had an aggressive and deadly form of cancer called Ewing's Sarcoma. Diagnosed at age 28, he lived for less than 2 more years. We struggled with him as he would get good news, and then bad news, as he hurriedly married his sweetheart for fear he would die before they had a chance to be husband and wife, and then we got the phone call from him that he would probably die within the week. We prayed, we cried, we yelled about the unfairness of it all. We traveled to his hospital in Southern California (we lived in Northern California at the time), hoping we'd make it in time to give him one last hug. We did, and it was incredibly difficult to leave his hospital room knowing we'd never see him again.
 |
| Dan on his wedding day -May 3, 2002 |
I think about him all the time. I miss his goofy laugh and his funny stories. I miss his bear hugs (he was 6 foot 5). I miss his friendship and his beautiful heart. I miss being pissed off at him when he drank too much and turned into a teenager again. There aren't a lot of people that come into your life who you know will be there into old age, and when those people are taken so soon it's gut wrenching.
But he's not the only person I've lost in my life. As I look back, it seems like every year, or close to it, someone who I love dies. Sometimes it's expected and a part of the circle of life, like when my grandparents passed away, but sometimes it's sudden and painful and the worst thing in the world, like when my sister suddenly died.
And in all honesty, I think I've had more than my fair share of loss. In my life, I lost a childhood friend at age 6 (to cancer, and I remember it VIVIDLY), a high school friend our senior year (car accident), 3 grandparents (my other grandparent died before I was born), my great grandma, my friend Dan, several uncles, neighbors, and Greg has lost 2 of his grandparents and a teenage cousin since I met him. Our neighborhood has suffered terrible loss as well, with 2 children and young mom dying in recent years. Like I said, we can't go much longer than a year without another loss happening.
I'm just SAD.
Is this more than the normal person? I'm only 39 years old. There will be a lot more loss in the coming years. I'm probably crazy for dwelling on it, but on a day like today it's very difficult to get out of that rut.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Finally...another trail race!
Trail racing is not anything like road racing, at least not to me.
I don't go into the race in a competitive mood.
I don't care much about my pace.
I do it to enjoy the outdoors and find solitude...if I spend 10 miles of the race completely alone, that's okay.
Negative splits? Nope, not going to happen, and I don't care.
Walking is perfectly acceptable.
Sunday I ran my first trail race of the year. It was beautiful and perfect and difficult and exhausting and I'm so glad I did it, even as I sit here, two mornings later, stiff and sore and cranky. As a matter of fact, I'm signed up for my next one already.
Rogue Running's Trail Series has been going on for 10 years now. There are three races in the series. Last year I only did the last one (and it was my very first trail race), but this year I wanted to do as many as I could. I had a conflict for the first race, but the last two I'd be able to do. Sunday's race was at Emma Long Park in South Austin. I'd never been down there but heard good things about it. It's a tough course, but there are good stretches of dirt path and it's mostly shaded.
I picked out some Boston Blue and Yellow for the race.
I rode down to the race with my friend, Rain, who was signed up for the 10K but was totally cool with waiting for me to finish the 30K. She's a lot like me in that she loves to spectate and was looking forward to a peaceful morning of race watching and cheering after she was done with her race (which, by the way, she totally rocked! She's one fast and talented lady). I was so happy to be able to hang out with someone I knew as many of the friends who I hoped would be out there were not able to be. I wasn't sure if I'd know anyone! I did end up running into a buddy from Round Rock Fit, and that was a nice surprise.
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As with all of Rogue's trail races, the course was three 10K loops. Emma Long is very rocky, with lots of elevation gain, lots of twisting and turning, but with dirt paths between the tough parts. I got my bearings on the first loop and was around a lot of the other runners for the first few miles. After the first aid station 3 miles in, we all started spreading out more and before I knew it I was pretty much alone out there. It didn't bother me. The course was well marked and I was enjoying the solitude. I didn't even realize I didn't have my iPod turned on. I focused on where my feet were landing and how the course was marked so I wouldn't get off track. One thing I noticed right away was that there was going to be a lot of shade, even after the sun fully came up. A big difference from Reveille Peak last year, where the sun got brutal on those granite domes. Before I was done with my first loop I was passed by the top 10K runners, who had started 30 minutes after us. Those guys are just insanely fast. I think the winner did it in something like 41 minutes! And he was sweet enough to actually say he was sorry for me having to stop to let him by - seriously, dude, you're WINNING! Go go go!! No apologies. It was cute, though.
That first loop was uneventful and I completed it in 1 hour, 13 minutes. My Garmin showed it a bit short of a 10K and it looked like the race would be about 18 miles even. I was good with that! Reveille Peak was actually 20.6 miles long...I was much happier with a slightly short course than one that was 2 miles off in distance.
I slowed a bit during Loop 2, as I had to stop at the aid station to refill and eat a bit, and I didn't want to crash during the third loop. I hadn't run more than 10 miles at a time in over 2 months, and with the slower pace of a trail run, doing 18 miles out here was going to take me longer than 23 miles on the road....a big difference from just 10. Loop 2 was only 3 minutes longer than Loop 1 and I came through the checkpoint at 2 hours, 29 minutes. I was seriously thrilled with this. If I didn't lose too much pace on Loop 3, I would be done in well under 4 hours. I started out assuming it would longer than 4 hours to complete the race. I got a glimpse of Rain as I went through the checkpoint and threw her my gloves (thanks, Rain!!)...yes, it was cool enough at the start to warrant gloves for a few miles!
I was in such a great mood as I started the third loop. I wasn't dreading it at all and I felt pretty good. Tired, but good. Not a lot of soreness in my legs yet, I hadn't fallen, and I was making good time. My plan for Loop 3 was to keep my current pace (12-13 minutes) until the midpoint aid station and then take a bit of a rest, get something to eat and drink, and head back out for the final 5K push to the end. I still wasn't seeing other runners, except for a two or three I passed up a couple miles into the loop, and that was okay. The solitude gave me time to reflect on why I was out there. I thought of the Boston victims and said some prayers for them, I thought about how lucky I was that I was out there with two strong legs when there were so many people who lost their legs. I just about cried thinking about the Richard family and how much pain they were in as they grieved for their son and helped their little girl recover from amputation, and the mom recover from a brain injury. I thought of the victims in the West plant explosion and how long it would take for that tiny town to recover. Any pain I was feeling was so totally minor and insignificant compared to what all the families were going through after last week's horrendous events. I didn't care how bad I was going to start feeling before I finished...at least I was out there and could do something like this.
The aid station was awesome, and I got to chat a bit with the folks running it and another runner taking a break. And damn, that Coke tasted so good! At 15 miles in, my body was certainly getting tired and sore. But heck, only a 5K left! Piece of cake!!
The last 3.1 miles went by in a breeze, even though miles 14 and 15 were my two slowest of the entire race. When I hit 16 miles I forced myself to pick up my pace on the dirt stretches just a bit more. I wanted to finish strong and do as little walking as I could at this point, although I still took it easy on the rocky ascents. Some of those ascents were pretty steep and required a lot of muscle recruitment...and my quads were definitely getting a bit frustrated.
With one mile to go, I began passing people. I admit it was a bit of a boost to pass guys at this point. I certainly wasn't a fast trail runner but I was running steady and wasn't crashing out during this race, and I'm really thrilled about that. To pass a couple guys in the last mile was a boost. As I was nearing the last quarter mile I had my sights on catching one more guy, but couldn't quite reach him before the finish and I think he beat me by about 6 seconds. Overall, I ran that 30K in 3 hours, 47 minutes. Loop 3 was in 1:18, only 2 minutes slower than Loop 2.
Rain immediately greeted me and I was happy to see her! Happy to be done and ready to rest. My friend Charles had finished about 20 minutes before me and was laying on the grass, looking like he wasn't going to be moving anytime soon. The course had really kicked his butt, but he ran well. Rain obliterated the course, running the 10K in 55 minutes! She's very talented and I was very impressed. I'm glad she's not in my age group for road races!
A breakfast taco, a Pepsi, a little rest, a change of clothes, and some peace post-race, and then we were ready to head back home.
Seriously a great day! So glad I decided to get out there and just do it!
I don't go into the race in a competitive mood.
I don't care much about my pace.
I do it to enjoy the outdoors and find solitude...if I spend 10 miles of the race completely alone, that's okay.
Negative splits? Nope, not going to happen, and I don't care.
Walking is perfectly acceptable.
Sunday I ran my first trail race of the year. It was beautiful and perfect and difficult and exhausting and I'm so glad I did it, even as I sit here, two mornings later, stiff and sore and cranky. As a matter of fact, I'm signed up for my next one already.
Rogue Running's Trail Series has been going on for 10 years now. There are three races in the series. Last year I only did the last one (and it was my very first trail race), but this year I wanted to do as many as I could. I had a conflict for the first race, but the last two I'd be able to do. Sunday's race was at Emma Long Park in South Austin. I'd never been down there but heard good things about it. It's a tough course, but there are good stretches of dirt path and it's mostly shaded.
I picked out some Boston Blue and Yellow for the race.
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| www.anothermotherrunner.com |
I rode down to the race with my friend, Rain, who was signed up for the 10K but was totally cool with waiting for me to finish the 30K. She's a lot like me in that she loves to spectate and was looking forward to a peaceful morning of race watching and cheering after she was done with her race (which, by the way, she totally rocked! She's one fast and talented lady). I was so happy to be able to hang out with someone I knew as many of the friends who I hoped would be out there were not able to be. I wasn't sure if I'd know anyone! I did end up running into a buddy from Round Rock Fit, and that was a nice surprise.
 |
| Courtesy AzulOx Photography |
.jpg)
As with all of Rogue's trail races, the course was three 10K loops. Emma Long is very rocky, with lots of elevation gain, lots of twisting and turning, but with dirt paths between the tough parts. I got my bearings on the first loop and was around a lot of the other runners for the first few miles. After the first aid station 3 miles in, we all started spreading out more and before I knew it I was pretty much alone out there. It didn't bother me. The course was well marked and I was enjoying the solitude. I didn't even realize I didn't have my iPod turned on. I focused on where my feet were landing and how the course was marked so I wouldn't get off track. One thing I noticed right away was that there was going to be a lot of shade, even after the sun fully came up. A big difference from Reveille Peak last year, where the sun got brutal on those granite domes. Before I was done with my first loop I was passed by the top 10K runners, who had started 30 minutes after us. Those guys are just insanely fast. I think the winner did it in something like 41 minutes! And he was sweet enough to actually say he was sorry for me having to stop to let him by - seriously, dude, you're WINNING! Go go go!! No apologies. It was cute, though.
That first loop was uneventful and I completed it in 1 hour, 13 minutes. My Garmin showed it a bit short of a 10K and it looked like the race would be about 18 miles even. I was good with that! Reveille Peak was actually 20.6 miles long...I was much happier with a slightly short course than one that was 2 miles off in distance.
 |
| These photos from AzulOx Photography are from Loop 1 |
I slowed a bit during Loop 2, as I had to stop at the aid station to refill and eat a bit, and I didn't want to crash during the third loop. I hadn't run more than 10 miles at a time in over 2 months, and with the slower pace of a trail run, doing 18 miles out here was going to take me longer than 23 miles on the road....a big difference from just 10. Loop 2 was only 3 minutes longer than Loop 1 and I came through the checkpoint at 2 hours, 29 minutes. I was seriously thrilled with this. If I didn't lose too much pace on Loop 3, I would be done in well under 4 hours. I started out assuming it would longer than 4 hours to complete the race. I got a glimpse of Rain as I went through the checkpoint and threw her my gloves (thanks, Rain!!)...yes, it was cool enough at the start to warrant gloves for a few miles!
 |
| About to throw my gloves to Rain at the end of Loop 2 |
I was in such a great mood as I started the third loop. I wasn't dreading it at all and I felt pretty good. Tired, but good. Not a lot of soreness in my legs yet, I hadn't fallen, and I was making good time. My plan for Loop 3 was to keep my current pace (12-13 minutes) until the midpoint aid station and then take a bit of a rest, get something to eat and drink, and head back out for the final 5K push to the end. I still wasn't seeing other runners, except for a two or three I passed up a couple miles into the loop, and that was okay. The solitude gave me time to reflect on why I was out there. I thought of the Boston victims and said some prayers for them, I thought about how lucky I was that I was out there with two strong legs when there were so many people who lost their legs. I just about cried thinking about the Richard family and how much pain they were in as they grieved for their son and helped their little girl recover from amputation, and the mom recover from a brain injury. I thought of the victims in the West plant explosion and how long it would take for that tiny town to recover. Any pain I was feeling was so totally minor and insignificant compared to what all the families were going through after last week's horrendous events. I didn't care how bad I was going to start feeling before I finished...at least I was out there and could do something like this.
The aid station was awesome, and I got to chat a bit with the folks running it and another runner taking a break. And damn, that Coke tasted so good! At 15 miles in, my body was certainly getting tired and sore. But heck, only a 5K left! Piece of cake!!
The last 3.1 miles went by in a breeze, even though miles 14 and 15 were my two slowest of the entire race. When I hit 16 miles I forced myself to pick up my pace on the dirt stretches just a bit more. I wanted to finish strong and do as little walking as I could at this point, although I still took it easy on the rocky ascents. Some of those ascents were pretty steep and required a lot of muscle recruitment...and my quads were definitely getting a bit frustrated.
.jpg) |
| Looking back at one of the easier inclines |
With one mile to go, I began passing people. I admit it was a bit of a boost to pass guys at this point. I certainly wasn't a fast trail runner but I was running steady and wasn't crashing out during this race, and I'm really thrilled about that. To pass a couple guys in the last mile was a boost. As I was nearing the last quarter mile I had my sights on catching one more guy, but couldn't quite reach him before the finish and I think he beat me by about 6 seconds. Overall, I ran that 30K in 3 hours, 47 minutes. Loop 3 was in 1:18, only 2 minutes slower than Loop 2.
Rain immediately greeted me and I was happy to see her! Happy to be done and ready to rest. My friend Charles had finished about 20 minutes before me and was laying on the grass, looking like he wasn't going to be moving anytime soon. The course had really kicked his butt, but he ran well. Rain obliterated the course, running the 10K in 55 minutes! She's very talented and I was very impressed. I'm glad she's not in my age group for road races!
A breakfast taco, a Pepsi, a little rest, a change of clothes, and some peace post-race, and then we were ready to head back home.
.jpg) |
| No blood...maybe next time! |
Seriously a great day! So glad I decided to get out there and just do it!
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Chocolate Cake
I have a huge weakness.
No, it's not necessarily chocolate cake as the title of this blog post might indicate. It's dessert in general, which I refer to collectively as "chocolate cake."
What can I say? I am an endurance runner. I burn a lot of calories on a consistent basis. And dammit, I need that cake sometimes. I don't always feel too guilty about it, which isn't a good thing. I don't eat dessert everyday, which IS a good thing. But I'm thinking it's too much.
I've worked really hard in the last year to change my body composition. I know where I'm at today and I'm pretty happy with it....except for what I refer to as my "chocolate cake layer." In the gym and out on the trails I'm doing everything I can do build lean muscle and keep my fitness level where I want it. I have that part of my regimen down.
But you can't have it all unless you fix the problem in the kitchen.
I told my core class recently, after we ironically talked about dessert before class, that I can help them improve their core muscles and the intensity of some of our workouts is aiding in fat burn, but they are in charge of the final step, which is getting rid of that final layer covering up those increasingly strong muscles. I admitted I have a weakness just like them.
That damn chocolate cake.
One of my favorite fitness quotes is that you can't exercise away a bad diet. If you are still consistently eating too many solid fats, added sugars, processed foods, and fried foods, you must make changes in the kitchen. Making small changes in how you grocery shop, how you cook, and how you eat out, will have huge benefits in the long run. But unless you make those changes, those 6 pack abs just won't be what they could be.
I'm learning like everyone else how to be a better eater. I fail constantly, but I pick myself back up and get back into it.
No, it's not necessarily chocolate cake as the title of this blog post might indicate. It's dessert in general, which I refer to collectively as "chocolate cake."
What can I say? I am an endurance runner. I burn a lot of calories on a consistent basis. And dammit, I need that cake sometimes. I don't always feel too guilty about it, which isn't a good thing. I don't eat dessert everyday, which IS a good thing. But I'm thinking it's too much.
I've worked really hard in the last year to change my body composition. I know where I'm at today and I'm pretty happy with it....except for what I refer to as my "chocolate cake layer." In the gym and out on the trails I'm doing everything I can do build lean muscle and keep my fitness level where I want it. I have that part of my regimen down.
But you can't have it all unless you fix the problem in the kitchen.
I told my core class recently, after we ironically talked about dessert before class, that I can help them improve their core muscles and the intensity of some of our workouts is aiding in fat burn, but they are in charge of the final step, which is getting rid of that final layer covering up those increasingly strong muscles. I admitted I have a weakness just like them.
That damn chocolate cake.
One of my favorite fitness quotes is that you can't exercise away a bad diet. If you are still consistently eating too many solid fats, added sugars, processed foods, and fried foods, you must make changes in the kitchen. Making small changes in how you grocery shop, how you cook, and how you eat out, will have huge benefits in the long run. But unless you make those changes, those 6 pack abs just won't be what they could be.
I'm learning like everyone else how to be a better eater. I fail constantly, but I pick myself back up and get back into it.
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