Running Chick

Journeys HM Recap

nospam@example.com (Running Chick) — Sun, 13 May 2012 16:06:00 -0400

The first race of the season is over. It was a lot warmer & hillier than I remembered, but I ended up with a new (and unexpected) PR, so I’m happy.

The course starts in Conover, WI and meanders it’s way down several country roads which probably don’t see much traffic other than fishermen and the few local residents who live out in the boonies.

Josh and I and around 400 other half-marathoners were bussed to the starting line, which was literally a line spray painted on the road. The road wasn’t closed to traffic, so every time a car had to go through, somebody would yell Car! and people would move to either side of the road to make a path through. I’m pretty sure the parting of the Red Sea happened the same way. Surprisingly, for that many people milling about, we never had to wait more than a few minutes for a porta-potty. I think we have the trees to thank for that.

The course is pretty quiet and desolate.

The county was doing some ditch work, so that just added to the post-apocalyptic vibe.

This turkey was also out doing some course checks.

The very small Eagle River, WI airport had some activity when we drove by, but it was quiet on race day.

We got to do some off-roading on the final stretch to the finish line.

The finish line at Riverside Park.

Race day weather was sunny and warm. The course didn’t have much shade so by the mid-way point, I was feeling pretty toasty and eventually ended up with a zorched nose & shoulders.

Even though this was my third time doing this event, I’d completely forgotten how hilly it was. There’s a couple of larger extended hills around miles 7-9, but the rest of the course is full of rollers that didn’t seem like much of a bother, until I hit mile 10 and wondered why my quads felt so trashed. However, I will proudly admit that all the hill training I did this winter paid off because while most people where walking up those larger hills, I was zipping up them without any problems. I guess I’ll just have to remind myself of this achievement during this summer’s hill sessions when I’m doubled over at the top, gasping for breath and feeling like I’m about to toss my cookies.

The last mile is through a residential area and lots of people were out offering encouraging advice, which was nice, but I swear, if I heard You’re almost done! Keep going! The finish is just around the corner! one more time I was going to have to kill someone. One lady told me that I had a quarter mile to the corner, then a few more corners and I was done. It’s really funny now, but then? Not so much. Anyway, I finished feeling pretty wasted, and I had absolutely no clue what my time was. Of the twelve different fields I have on my gps watch, I didn’t think to set one of them to elapsed time. Pretty smart. Fortunately, my watch does have a history and I was shocked to find that it read 2:17:45. That’s a completely unexpected 2 minute PR for me, so I was very pleased.

I slammed a couple cups of Gatorade, crammed a few bananas into my mouth then headed back up course to find Josh. He had about three-quarters of a mile to go when I found him. I didn’t want to confuse the finish volunteers by coming through a second time, so I stayed with him as long as I could, then ran ahead and met him at the finish line. It was pretty awesome to see him cross. He put a lot of work into his training and has improved quite a bit in the short time he’s been at it. He laments about how slow he thinks he is, but I predict that before long it’ll be me struggling to keep up with him. Good job, Josh!

Looking forward, I’m planning on taking a short running break for the next week, maybe two, to tackle some projects around the house and possibly spend some quality time with my road bike. We’re registered for the Fox Cities Half Marathon in Appleton, WI in mid-September and are contemplating doing the Canal Run in mid-July, but that’s about it. I’m glad to be done with training!

Final Countdown

nospam@example.com (Running Chick) — Sat, 05 May 2012 21:02:18 -0400

Remember the song “The Final Countdown” from way back in 1980-something by Europe? They were a hair band from Sweden and pretty typical of all the other hair bands in the 80’s – big, teased blonde hair & tight leather pants. I never really liked the band or the song, but I heard it on the radio the other day and it’s been annoyingly rolling around in my head ever since. However, it’s conveniently apropos, so here’s hoping that using it as the inspiration for my title will purge it from my brain. Or, at least pass it into yours. Ha!

My first tapering week has come to a close. Thanks to a bout of food poisoning (thanks a lot Pilgrim River Steakhouse), I was only able to complete two of my runs – Monday & today. Oh well, I suppose the extra tapering can’t hurt.

So, weekly recap: Monday, @ 10:08; Saturday, 5 @ 11:08. Monday’s run finalized the month of April where I logged 77 miles. That’s my highest monthly running mileage ever, which is pretty major milestone for me. Usually at this point in my training, I’m usually injured and looking at the upcoming race with a “fingers-crossed I hope this works out” mentality. But today, I’m healthy and injury-free. Oh, and looking for some wood to knock on. Or, as Josh mentioned, a bubble to walk around in.

Next week, we have two very short 2 mile runs and that’s all until race day. Feels good to be (almost) done!

Random, we used to have a dog that slept with his legs straight out behind him, but I’ve never seen a cat do it until Pippen.

He also chews on sticks, plays fetch and makes “barooo” noises like a hound. Maybe he really is part dog?

Snot Rocket Express*

nospam@example.com (Running Chick) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 18:31:43 -0400

I can now officially say that I ran from Calumet to Houghton.

Josh and I were doing our final long run together and we picked up the railroad grade, which is actually the old Mineral Range Railroad, in Swedetown around 9:30 Saturday morning. It was sunny, but windy and cold. My poor nose didn't stop running until the half-way point.

The trail is also known as Trail #17 - Jack Stevens Trail to the snowmobilers.

The trail was in good running condition, being mostly hard-packed gravel/stamp sand. There were a few sections around Boston Pond that were full of golf ball sized rocks, which made things a bit unpleasant, but still manageable.

Just outside of Swedetown, we came across a quarry (gavel pit?) run by Moyle Construction. There were a few folks poking around with metal detectors, I think they were surprised to see us.

There were points where I was certain I could see all the way to South Range. It was neat & depressing all rolled into one.

I believe there were three bridge crossings along the route, which surprised me. And also made me realize that it would probably be fairly miserable in mosquito season.

Clearly we were heading in the wrong direction.

This is where things got interesting. We knew that the Sisu Shuffle was happening on Saturday morning, but neither of us knew when it started or where the route was until we came around a corner and found their turn-around point. Good grief what a quagmire of strollers, wheelchairs, dogs, people walking 6 abreast and kids running amok. I think we added an extra mile to our run weaving and bobbing through that mess. I was so glad to leave them behind at the fairgrounds.

I told Josh to stand by this sign & I’d take his picture (his long run was 12 miles), but he was running on fumes and he had all he could to do keep his feet moving. I believe he responded with a grunt and that was that. Photo opportunity gone.

After 11 miles on gravel, I was so happy to see pavement.

Josh’s run ended at 12 miles and I continued on, finishing up at the bridge with 14 miles. Since we didn’t have the foresight to leave a car at our end point, we had to hoof it across the bridge and up the hill to get home. Let me just say, oof.

And with that, the bulk of my training is over and now I get to taper into race day. I ended this week with a couple of milestones: highest weekly mileage ever (24) and highest run mileage (14). Whew!

My goals for the next two weeks are to eat healthy (which includes cutting our beer GASP!) and remain injury-free. Fingers crossed!

* Myles, Joshua. Long Run. Mile 4, Jack Stevens Calumet-Hancock Rail Trail. 28 Apr 2012.

Will run for fries

nospam@example.com (Running Chick) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 16:28:31 -0400

I headed into the week dreading my 12.5 mile long run on Saturday. My last long run was 11 miles and I was completely wrecked afterward and a little bit into the next day, so I was more than a little nervous heading out Saturday morning. But, I tweaked a few things with my nutrition and hydration and experienced success! angel choir

Previous years, I’ve relied on Gatorade and gels to get me through long runs. They worked well but now they just tear up my stomach something awful, so I switched to Fig Newtons. They do pose a bit of a transportation issue (Fig Newton crumbs smashed into my new phone – not cool) and they tend to crumble apart before they hit my mouth (precious calories on the ground), but they worked great and best of all, no tummy troubles.

I ended up having four Fig Newtons in total (two at miles four and eight), ate Swedish Fish in the middle and drank Nuun every two miles. By the time twelve miles rolled around I was feeling great. My legs were a bit sore from a hilly course, but that’s about it. I could have continued on, and thought about it, but I was out of fuel and the sooner I quit, the sooner these babies would find their way into my mouth.

An Oberon and a salad also found their way into my mouth, but the french fries were the pinnacle of my post-run food binge. It sure felt good to wrap up the week on a good note. I’m a little less worried about that 14 miles I’m doing the week after next (or maybe not).

Speaking of wrapping up, this week I logged just a little over 21 miles @ 10:51 - Tuesday 5.4 @ 11:43 (joined Josh on his run), Thursday 3.25 @ 9:26 (tempo), Saturday 12.5 @ 10:50.

Random junk.

Cholula Hot Sauce on popcorn is awesome.

Posted on the wall at the Suomi Restaurant. I am apparently breaking rule #3 by allowing ~~my servant~~ Josh to answer the phone. Uh oh.

My cat likes to play with his toy mouse while inside his toy tube. Yeah, he’s still a weirdo.

This is so Scout.

Hey, head over to Josh’s blog for his 10 miler recap. It’s a hoot.

OMG Zombies

nospam@example.com (Running Chick) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 18:37:45 -0400

First, Happy Zombie Jesus Day! The Easter Bunny didn’t bring me anything, I wonder if that means he thinks I’m fat? Loser.

Second, I think there is something wrong with my cat: he’s a big weirdo.

Third, I sort of blew by my weekly mileage to join Josh on his runs. We ran 18 miles this week (4.5 on Tuesday & Thursday, 9 on Saturday) and I was only supposed to do 12. Oops. My legs are sore and achy. Maybe it’s time to schedule a trip to the masseur.

Fourth, here’s some random shit from this week.

A picture outside the bathroom of the Forestry Building. I’ve only ever been in the lobby/atrium area, I had no idea they had all sorts of dead animals down the corridors. We had to make an unscheduled stop less than a mile into our long run on Saturday because somebody ahem forgot to take care of business before we left the house. Have you ever tried to pull spandex back on when you’ve been sweating in it? Impossible. I spent the next three miles trying to align/adjust/readjust my shorts back into position.

Chassell trail. Naked for now.

We finished up our long run and headed to the DT for beer & food. I swear, sometimes the thought of eating french fries is the only thing that gets me through those last miles. We headed over to the KBC afterwards and we were talking about our next long runs (Josh has 10 and me 12.5) thinking that we were all hot stuff, when the lady sitting next to me starts telling her friend that she’s training for a trail ultra and she ran 27 miles that morning. Let’s just shut up and drink our beer, shall we? I was totally jealous of her. And I bet she was jealous of me wearing my sexy slippers to the bar because I got a blister on my big toe and every shoe I had hurt to wear. Even-steven.

Weekly recap: Tuesday, 4.5 @ 11:47; Thursday, 4.5 @ 11:21; Saturday 9.0 @ 11:53. Next week, have 4.5, 4.0 and an at the moment sounds really long 12.5. I’m not looking forward to it, I don’t know why. French fries, french fries, french fries.

Eleven

nospam@example.com (Running Chick) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:48:38 -0400

I can’t remember how long it’s been since I’ve felt like I either got run over by a truck or have the worst hangover ever after a long run, but from this point out, it will be known as yesterday.

My eleven mile run was pretty okay. I struggled with leg fatigue in the last few miles (same old, same old) and ended up walking a bit more more than I wanted, but I forced myself to do the last three miles in negative splits, so take that quads. I walked home, drank some chocolate milk (supposedly an awesome recovery drink so I force myself to choke it down, but yuck), stretched, showered and crashed hard. I didn’t leave the couch until I went to bed at 9:30. Okay, slight exaggeration, I did leave the couch to accompany Josh on a McDonald’s run, but that’s about it. I don’t usually like to turn into a giant lump after a long run, moving around always makes me feel better, no matter how much it hurts, but Josh was at work doing the Big Email Migration and left to my own devices, I do … nothing.

I had company. This one spent the entire day with me on the couch,

while this one spent the entire afternoon with her feet sticking straight up in the air. So weird.

I feel much better today (thank you, Advil). I had two four milers earlier in the week. Tuesday, I returned to doing hills after a few weeks off. They didn’t get any easier, phooey. Thursday I did a tempo and ran the last mile in 8:35. I felt a bit out of control running that fast, and I’m pretty sure I looked like Phoebe.

Weekly recap: 19 @ 10:33. Tuesday, 4 @ 11:24; Thursday, 4 @ 10:00 and Saturday, 11 @ 10:28. Yesterday’s run wrapped up March, where I completed all 14 scheduled runs and logged 75 miles (@ 10:45), which is my biggest mileage month ever. Yet another milestone, for the first time ever, I am injury-free.

Yay!

Slow week

nospam@example.com (Running Chick) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 18:31:33 -0400

The weather has been so weird. 80’s last weekend, then back down in the 40’s this week. Tuesday, I was running in shorts, Thursday in capris and Sunday I was in back in tights. Oh well, summer was nice while it was here.

I had a pretty laid-back week. I was supposed to do one hill session and one tempo session but I just wasn’t feeling them, so I tagged along with Josh on his runs this week.

Weekly recap: Tuesday, 4 @ 11:12; Thursday, 3.5 @ 11:03 and Sunday 7 @ 11:42. I only had four on my weekend schedule, but missed my turn-around point and ended up sticking with Josh for the entire seven. Doh.

Next week it’s two fours and an eleven.

I am feeling uncreative and uninspired so here are some purdy pictures to make up for my weak post. I snapped them on Tuesday morning with my phone.

Miles this week: 14.5 @ 11:42

Miles this month: 56 @ 10:49

Miles this year: 130 @ 10:50

Double-up Sunday

nospam@example.com (Running Chick) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 20:26:08 -0400

It's a rare double-post weekend! I usually don’t bother with posting more then once/week, heck sometimes I can barely keep up with that, but this was too good to not share.

Oh, an some tidbits since the last post:

1. I forgot that I accidentally stopped my watch for a short period of time while I was running, so my Garmin registered 10 but I really ran 10.75. Had I known that, I would have went for the extra .25 to hit 11. OCD FAIL.

2. Josh and I are both officially registered for Journey’s half marathon on Saturday, May 12. Here’s to the next 54 days being injury-free!

3. Question: is it too early to turn on my air conditioner?

4. I did not get any green beer on St. Patrick’s Day and I was in bed by 9:30. I am a such a grandma.

Ten and a blister

nospam@example.com (Running Chick) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 17:31:52 -0400

Another week in the bag. This one’s my longest so far, 18 miles total.

This morning was my long run of 10 miles. I got up at the wee hours of 0600, got my crap together to head out only to discover that my Garmin wouldn’t turn on. It’s been giving me sporadic problems over the last few weeks, and I’ve been forced to do hard resets on it to bring it back to life. This time, when I did a hard reset, I also found that the battery was drained, which was impossible since I had it on the charger all night. Uh oh. I put it on the charger and sat around twiddling my thumbs for the 45 minutes it took to get two hours worth of run time on it and then I took off. I love my 305 and I’m sad to think about replacing it, but I suppose it’s time. According to my logs, it has 250 hours of use on it, and that’s only the stuff I’ve tracked. I’m sure it’s higher. If only the Garmin 610’s weren’t so dang expensive right now. Meh.

Back to those 10 miles. They were just okay. I’m finding that I’m struggling with the longer distances. It’s not my endurance that gives out, it’s my legs. They start hurting around mile five and they get progressively tighter and more sore the longer I go. There’s only so long that I can ignore quads that feel like they’re on fire before I have to stop and walk and stretch. I don’t really know what to do about it either. Add some weight training? Add more hills? Run more? Run my long runs slower? Seriously, no clue. Maybe I need a coach.

Anyway, around mile 8, I met up with Josh who was doing his long run of 6 miles and we ran the last two together, finishing up in the waterfront park. Oh, and I ended up with a blister the size of Texas on the ball of my left foot. I hardly ever get blisters and I was wearing my extra good socks. Hrmph.

Weekly wrap-up comin’ at ya. Tuesday 4.03 @ 9:53 (gah, the wind!); Thursday 4.11 @ 9:57; Saturday 10.07 @ 10:49, for a total of 18.21 miles @ 10:25. Next week is 3 @ 4, but I’m contemplating joining Josh for his 7 miler on Saturday.

I would like to officially thank Miz Scout for warming up my heart rate monitor strap this morning.

Size check. Scout & Pippen are now the same weight – 10 lbs. He’s all muscle. She’s … not.

Hey, Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Our post-long run tradition is to hit up the DT for lunch and beers and since it was so nice outside (70s!) we walked down to the KBC for some additional post-run fuel.

I couldn’t bear to have them put green dye in my beloved Scotch Ale, so I kept it as-is. Maybe we will resume our quest for green beer later tonight.

Spring!

nospam@example.com (Running Chick) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 17:41:27 -0400

Finally, Spring has arrived. It was warm, sunny & lovely this morning and the rest of the week is supposed to be the same. The forecast ways it will be 65 on Wednesday! That’s bike ridin’ weather, so I think I’ll unleash my road bike from the trainer and take it out for a spin.

This was a cut-back week, so I topped out at eleven miles. Nothing exciting to report except that I saw a decent speed increase during my first two runs. Maybe those hill sessions are starting to pay off? Tuesday, 3.5 @ 9:44; Thursday, 3.5 @ 9:54 and Sunday, 4 @ 11:25.

Oh, and good news, I got my running partner back! We did our long run together this morning, it was fun to have someone to chat with again.

Here’s a photo of us running. Josh says hi with his special finger. Rotten.

Here we are with our ~~obnoxious~~ fancy new shoes. Brooks Cascadia’s all around. Can’t beat ‘em for snow, ice and general Spring slop.

My old Cascadia’s are about 75 miles from being dead, so I thought I’d throw these new ones into the rotation. Running Warehouse had a liquidation sale and thanks to a coupon I found, I got them for less than $60. Rock. Anyway, these are the Cascadia 6’s and I’m too lazy to look up the specific the improvements over my old 5’s, but upon first inspection I noticed that Brooks relocated the lace eyelets so the tongue doesn’t shift around (apparently a complaint about the 5’s, but I never had an issue) and they changed the treat significantly. I’m a little bit skeptical about the new tread pattern as it doesn’t seem as aggressive as the 5’s, but it did just great on pavement.

The first thing I noticed when I started running was how stiff they were on pavement, way more stiff than my 5’s were. I did some reading and found that Brooks added an extra layer of cushion in the midsole to prevent you from feeling sharp rocks and whatever other pointy objects you may encounter (porcupine?) on the trail. So, the stiffness is probably due to that. They’re not uncomfortable or anything, but I’m hoping that that’ll settle down a bit after I get them broken in. Overall, though, I really like them. Go Brooks.

Next week is a biggie: four milers on Tuesday and Thursday and a 10 miler on Saturday. I can’t figure out where to do my long run. I was thinking about running out to Chassell and having my chauffeur pick me up, but eh, I’m not really feeling that so I don’t know.

Remember that brewing post that I did a few weeks ago when Josh bottled his first batch of American brown ale? Well, it’s conditioning period was over and we cracked into them yesterday. Guess what the verdict was?

Good! Even my picky beer palate liked it. We bottled the second beer, an American pale ale, yesterday and now we’re currently brewing an orange golden ale. Watch out, Keweenaw Brewing Company.

Finally, I’d like to state for the record, that I hate this time change. Kitties do, too.