I'm Going to Boston!

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

This has been a huge couple of weeks!

I'm incredibly grateful to have received an invitational entry to the 2018 Boston Marathon via my club, the Somerville Road Runners. I and 9 others (Liza included) will have the honor of representing our club at this year's race.  I am incredibly proud to represent such a great community of runners.  Getting the chance to run my hometown marathon is a dream come true.  Thank you, SRR!  




Oh and we got into the Berlin Marathon too!!!  2018 will be the biggest adventure yet.   Praise God for all. Let's go Boston!  Let's go Berlin!  Let the winter training begin.  <3 See you out there!



What about you
Have you ever run Boston?
What big races have you gotten into for 2018?

Ultra Weekend is Here!

Friday, September 29, 2017

My ultra marathon is this weekend!!  I [and 41 other Trail Animals] will be attempting to run 50 miles through trails and fire roads of Carlisle, Ma at the TARC FAll Classic 50 miler.  This is the moment every run this year has been aiming towards.  I can't wait to see how it goes!



Where: DCR Great Brook Farm in Carlisle, MA

The race starts at 6am and I will be running until about 6:30pm (give or take LOL).

Course: The course is a 10 mile loop which will be nice.  My crew will have a chance to see me 4 times at the start/finish area.  Here's a pdf of the map:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxKo5FsSCWeyNDEzQ0dIY01DNGc/view

Goals:
My goals are simple for this one.

------ Goal:  Run 50 miles...no matter how long it takes.

------ Reach goal:  Finish in under cutoff - 12 hours, 30 minutes


Michael and Liza will be out with me all day serving as my race crew.  Thanks guys!


I am really excited for Saturday.  The celebration has somewhat already begun.  Michael gifted me these beauties after my last training run on Wednesday :)  I'm looking forward to what the day brings. 

Celebratory flowers after my last training run <3

Thank you to all you who have been following along this year.  It has been a long time coming, this 50 miler.  See you after the finish line!

Run and Smile

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

My day started out rough today.

I was angrily shouted at by a guy on a crowded train this morning.  When another man intervened, the two almost came to blows right there on the T.  I was shocked.  Then, as I got out onto the street a few blocks from my workplace, I witnessed a woman angrily yelling at a construction worker who seemed stunned by the situation and was sheepishly trying to get away.  Her friends were able to get her away.  Still reeling from my encounter on the train only a few minutes earlier, I thought to myself (and probably out loud).  WHAT IS HAPPENING?

I hadn't even made it into work and everybody is going nuts.  Everybody's angry.  Everybody's on edge.  Everybody is flipping out...at strangers...on the street!  Is it a byproduct of the crazy racist events of this week?  People are having a meltdown!

It was a chore to focus once I finally made it to work.  I mulled over the crazy events of the morning and I craved a quiet space for my evening run.  Today I was scheduled to do a run-commute (about 6.5 miles) and was planning to do the same old, same old.  After this morning, however, it was hard for me to want to run through crowded Back Bay, Mass Ave, and Kendall Square.  People are nuts today and I didn't want to be around them.



I was tempted to retreat to the forest again, where I would only be bothered by a mountain-biker or two, maybe a scurrying chipmunk, and the one thousand-some-odd gnats floating around below the trees.

I was tempted but made a different plan.  Instead, I decided to stick with the city run but to explore streets just off of my normal commute-- neighborhood streets where I would see real people; tired people in need of a smile.  And, I resolved to smile at them-- any of them who looked me in the eye.  I was in a bad mood but this is what i needed to do; run and use the joy I feel that God has given me (regardless of circumstance) to bring joy to others.  So I ran and smiled and said hello.  And people smiled back and said hello.  It was hot today and the sweat was burning my eyes but the angriness of the morning felt far away.  I extend my run to 10 miles.

Harriet Tubman memorial (South End Boston).


You cannot love God and hate people.

A Quiet Wog Through the Forest

Saturday, August 5, 2017

My current mood.



Here I am, a moss covered bolder making myself comfortable in the middle of the trail.  I have no place to go, nowhere to be-- just enjoying my current chill in the quiet of the forest.

This run took some patience but I had nothing else do to this afternoon so I stuck it out.  I got to the trails just as a downpour started.  I decided to wait it out in my car and ended up napping for 45 min while it rained and rained and rained.  I woke up, ate half the peanut butter and honey sandwich I packed for the run, and waited another 20 min for the showers to pass before heading out unto the trail.  It had been four weeks since I last ran on trails and with the slick footing I took this really slow (a walk/jog pace or a "wog" as my buddy E-Rob calls it).

Even though the rain delayed things, I'm glad I got out there when I did.  I really needed a quiet space today.  The rain virtually made it so that only true nature lovers or those training for ultra marathons were out on the trails.  I saw 3 runners and a bunch of folks at Sheepfold (because there are always a bunch of folks at Sheepfold).  It was nice.  And, after-the-rain leaves everything so green!  In addition to 3's company, I saw a little garter snake which was moving slowly down the trail but too fast for me to get my phone out and take a picture (I doubled up on zip-lock bags today.  My phone is still recovering from the deluge of two Tuesdays ago), the fluffiest squirrel I ever did see, and about 2,000 gnats.  I was swatting and swatting and swatting-- really working my arms as much as my legs on this one.  K ridiculo.

My running calendar called for a cutback week this week and I decided to run no more than 30 miles total.  This would keep me with my personal goal of not running less than 30 miles per week during this training and is a 12 mile step back from what I did last week.  I ended up running 8 for 32 miles.  Things are going really well so far.  I'm behind but managing to get out there and keep training.  Two more months!

Vermont 100 - Volunteer Experience #2

Sunday, July 16, 2017

The Vermont 100 weekend is a weekend to look forward to in my summer.  This is my second time volunteering for the event with last year (2016) being my first and I can easily see it becoming a tradition. Visit the race website for more info on the race.

My friend Liza and I went up together this year and had a blast.  Vermont and the Vermont 100 did not disappoint.  From amazing volunteers, enthusiastic runners and spastic weather, there was always something to see and be inspired by.  Flexibility was key for the weekend...e.g. sleeping in the car to avoid camping in the wet fields with looming clouds above.  Adventure!   We volunteered first at the Friday night runner dinner and then Saturday at Camp 10 Bear aid station from 6am-2pm.  I recognized a lot of people from last year and made some new connections.  I am tired but oh so inspired.

Here are my pictures from the weekend.

Liza and I starting out on the trip up.
photo cred: Liza


Friday was dreary and wet up in the valley


Runner briefing before dinner on Friday


the Vermont 100 also has a horse race. Horse use the same route as the runners

"car camping!"
View from the car


4am start for the 100 mile runners


Camp 10 Bear aid station

Runners approaching 10 Bear


Runner drop bags at Camp 10 Bear



First Week of Ultra-training, Check!

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

I love talking running with other runners.  It warms me up; like a wax warmer sending heat and a beautiful fragrance to my soul.

With the first official week of ultra training under my belt, I am feeling motivated and energized.  This is partially thanks to the extra half week of rest due to my sprained ankle and partly to some encouraging conversations from really tough everyday runners.

For me, running is definitely not a solo sport.  It is way more fun to run with others and to share stories and experiences with people who "get it" and have "been there". I am constantly amazed by the people in my clubs; both the road runners and the trail runners.  These are people who hold it down with work and family like everyone else and still find ways to train 40, 50, 80 miles a week with thousands of feet of elevation gain to boot (I'm thinking maybe I'll resuscitate theRunnersRun Interviews sometime soon...there are some awesome stories).  It blows my mind but also makes it accessible.  Like...if they can do it, why can't I?  God made our bodies to do amazing things.  It's just a matter of focusing and finding the motivation to persevere.   With a bit of training and dedication almost anything is possible.

Increasing Mileage

This first week of ultra training was a 30 mile week.  I am training for the TARC Fall Classic 50 mile Ultramarathon on September 30th.  It is about 13 weeks away.  This first week was a fun week which spanned vacation on the Cape and lots and lots of fireworks.  It felt pretty easy to get the miles in.




I hope to run at least 30 miles a week for the duration of the training and to get a few (at least two) 50 mile weeks.  This is a lot of running for me but necessary.  The goal of this training regiment is to RUN MORE.  50 miles in one day is a long way and I will not be prepared if I cannot get at least two 50 miles weeks in training.  Check how I'm doing here.

I feel good now but the real test will be after 9 or 10 weeks of training when the cumulative fatigue starts to hit.  Like I told a friend from my club this evening who I ran into on my run, I'm taking it one training run at a time.  If I look out at future weeks in the schedule, I get overwhelmed :)

Training Plan

I plan to use the below plan as a guide for weekend long runs.  I found it using a random Google search that lead me to the Santa Clarita Runners Ultramarathon Training Schedule Generator.   I'm already a little behind the schedule because of the sprain set-back but I'm okay with adjusting.  The long run schedule seems logical and I will plan to follow the progression.  I plan to do my own thing for the weekday runs. Run-commuting to work (6 miles one way) is a standard weekly run for me and I'm hoping to incorporate a couple of back to back runs per week involving the commute.  Long runs will mostly be done on the trails to mimic race conditions.


Stay tuned for summer running fun!

How about you?
Do you think of running as a solo sport of more of a community sport?
Do you follow a plan when training for a race?

I Fought Mountain and the Mountain Won: The North Face Endurance Challenge Wachusett Race Recap

Monday, June 12, 2017

Yesterday was The North Face Endurance challenge half marathon and 10k (the 50 miler, 50k, marathon and marathon relay were the day before).

This was my first mountain race and my third half marathon attempt.  My friend Liza and I signed up for it together when we found out that it would be the inaugural North Face Endurance Challenge event in MA.   What fun to be a part of the first event!  Except, I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into.



Liza and I went to preview the course 2 weeks ago.  The preview served only to sober my thinking on the whole endeavor [and strike some fear deep in my bones].  I'm getting more comfortable with trail running but I don't have regular access to a mountain (nor the desire to run up a mountain) which made training for this race hard.  After previewing the course, I considered dropping out of the event entirely but pressed on to do the half solely for the experience and threw all race goals (except to not get hurt) out of the window.  I knew it would be a difficult day.  Liza had decided earlier on in the year to drop down in distance to the 10k because of her rehab.

Race Day
We left Boston at 5:30 am and after a brief stop at Dunkins, arrived at the mountain at 6:45 am.  Liza and I spent some time eating in the parking lot and getting our stuff together and taking pictures with some of our other friends who were running the races.   The half marathon started at 8 and the 10k started at 9.  I was the only one of the group attempting the half marathon that morning so at 5 to 8 I hugged everyone goodbye and trotted over to join the wave 3 group at the start line.

After all the anticipation built up from the course preview, the course on race day didn't seem that bad.  I think Liza and I may have only previewed the toughest trails!  It took me a while to get my legs to wake up but once I did, the rhythm was good.  The first two miles were on a lot of dirt roads.  We had some long inclines which I walked most of but it still I was managing to keep the pace okay.  Things started to fall apart for me early, however, when I twisted my ankle at a really technical part around 2.5 miles.

I felt and heard the twist and immediately had to sit down on the trail.  I sat for only about a minute assessing the injury and my options.  I was actually enjoying the race and I didn't think the twist was that bad so turning back was barely a thought.  It was only 2 miles to the first aid station so continue on obviously... you can do anthying for 2 miles!  When I got to the aid station at 4.6 miles on the course, however, the EMTs were just leaving to respond to another injury.  I sat there a bit while the aid station volunteers tried to find something to wrap my ankle with but then ultimately couldn't find anything.  I decided to carry on until the summit aid station (mile 7.1) which had a bit more support.  What's another 2.5 miles?  I still didn't want to stop at that point but little did I know the push to the summit would be way harder than anything Liza and I previewed a couple weeks ago.

This picture shows the first section of the big climb up to the summit.  That look, dear friends, is exhaustion, disbelief, and a little bit of runners high maybe.  I had covered about 6 miles at that point, my ankle was bothering me, and it was a full hands and feet experience to get up that thing.  The picture just doesn't do it justice.

Unfortunately, that push was going to be my last.  My ankle was starting slow me down [especially on the downhill] and I started to feel dizzy on the second big steep climb and stopped a couple of times to sit on/lean against the trail and catch myself.  It was hard and I was tempted to take the paved summit road up to the top but I stuck with the official course.

It took a long time, but I finally reached the summit and immediately sat down to get my ankle taped.  It was confirmed.  I had sprained it.  The aid station workers were terrific and took care of me well.  I had pretty much been running on adrenaline on a sprained ankle for almost 5 miles...up and down a mountain.  Once I sat down and had some time to think while being helped, I knew it wasn't going to be wise to continue the race.  I had reached that aid station at about 2 hours and 15 minutes and only had about 1 hour 45 minutes to complete the rest of the course, I knew that if I continued on I would have to do that climb up to the summit again which took a ton of time on the first go, and I didn't think I could handle the descents well enough to make up for the time I was losing on the climbs.  Descending is my strength and the sprained ankle made moving fast out of the question.  Also, once I stood up from having my ankle taped it was really hard to put pressure on the foot.  The adrenaline that got me to the top of that mountain was beginning to wear off.  

I reported to the aid station captain that I was dropping and opted to take the ski lift down outta there.

My first ski lift ride. Sad to drop but excited by the fun experience.
So salty!

Ski lift ride down. Thanks for the ride, Wachusett!
Everyone has at least one drop some time in their lives right?

I was a little disappointed to have to drop out of the race but I think it was the right choice.  My goal race is the TARC Spring Classic 50 miler in the fall so I don't want to do anything stupid that could potentially take me out for a long time and affect my training for that race.  Even with the DNF (did not finish) I had a better time at this mountain race than I thought I would.  Don't get me wrong, I am pretty sure I will never sign up for another one again ever in my life...it's just not my cup o' tea...BUT I didn't hate it.  :)  More power to you mountain runners out there.  It is tough.  You are tough.  I will stick to hiking and/or running the flat trails.  <3

Icing my ankle at the finish line aid station while waiting for Liza and friends to finish

Thanks to the North Face race organizers and volunteers for putting on a good event.  I felt safe and well taken care of out there!  

Also, I'm super proud of Liza.  She's been dealing with injury recovery all spring.  Though she hasn't been running much, she was able to complete the 10k course well under cutoff.  Great job, friend!



What about you?
Have you ever attempted a race that was out of your comfort zone?
Have you ever dropped from a race?

Leave a comment below.  I'd love to hear from you!

TARC Spring Classic Marathon 2017 Race Recap

Monday, May 1, 2017

My favorite part was peeling my contacts off my dehydrated eyes after showering.  Good times.


Race Goals: TARC Spring Classic Marathon 2017

Friday, April 21, 2017

Tomorrow I will toe the line at the TARC Spring Classic marathon.  This will be my 4th attempt at the marathon distance, my first on trails, and only my second attempt after a completing a full training schedule.  I am excited.


My goals for this race?

Go a little quicker than last month's 6hr race! :)  At last month's To Hale and Back 6hr race, I completed 21 miles in about 6 hours 13 minutes which comes up to about an average of 17:51 mins per mile.  Anything quicker than that would be a win.

It's really hard to tell though.  This will be my first trail marathon and I have never seen the course.  Word on the street is that the course is FAST and FLAT -- somehow I doubt that I will agree.  So, I guess the ultimate goal is just to finish.  Because, anything I do will be a PR anyway.  Right? :)  I will say that I am feeling much more rested than I did for last month's race and I'm feeling in way better shape than I was for my last two marathons.  It's going to be a good day.

Stay tuned for the recap after the race!


Finally Spring?

Sunday, April 9, 2017

This view never gets old.



I went up to the Fells today for a quick 3 miles on the trails.  The trails were bustling with people; even at 4pm.  I had forgotten that the Reservation get like that.  I have largely had the place all to myself this winter.  But, I guess springtime does that.  It infuses life and vitality where before there was only cold and lethargy.  It was a gorgeous day today and actually good to see so many people out.  I'll just have to get out earlier or remember to brace for more obstacles on my runs from now on :)

This weekend... I ran 21 miles yesterday around town with a few friends and 3 miles today on the trails.  If you can remember, I ran 21 at the 6 hr trail race a couple weeks ago (which took almost 1 hour and 45 mins longer than yesterday's run) AND I was seriously sore for a few days after.

Happy company on Sat's 21 miler
Today, I wasn't so sore (well not sore enough not to do another run) and the 3 miles served to stretch out my legs a little.  I guess these two runs coming so close together helped to clearly illustrate what I already knew in my head.  Trail running is soooo much harder than road running.  I have to really remember that as I prepare for this upcoming marathon (2 weeks away!).  After last week's race, I was really tempted to think, "what kind of shape am I in if I can't run 21 miles in under 6hrs?"  But that's not a great way to look at things.  Trail running is different.  I still need some practice, sure, but I'm having fun figuring it out and even though it might be harder than running on the road, it has its own rewards.

In other news, the Boston Marathon is only 8 days away! I will be volunteering and spectating again this year.  Can't wait!

What about you?
Do you have any upcoming springtime races?
Have you ever struggled with racing on different terrains?

I'd love to hear from you!  Leave a comment in the section below.  Happy spring and happy running!


To Hale and Back 2017 Race Recap

Monday, March 27, 2017

Group pic with the folks in our carpool
On Saturday, I completed the TARC To Hale and Back 6hr trail race.  While I have volunteered with TARC in the past, this is my first time actually running in a race.  It was a blast!

A snow storm a couple weeks ago made it so that no one really know what the course conditions would be like.As I wrote in my race goals post, my main goal for the day was to have fun and maintain a positive attitude.






Race Goals: To Hale and Back 6hr

Friday, March 24, 2017

Tomorrow is the start of 2017 TARC To Hale and Back 6 hour race and my first trail race ever!

It's strange to think it's my first trail race...I talk about it enough.  But, truly I've never done one before.  I'm excited.  I signed up for this event as a tune up race for the TARC Spring Classic marathon next month and as a base-building exercise for this year's ultimate 50 miler goal.  It is an ambitious goal for the year and breaking it down to bite size pieces is the core of my attack plan. 

My year is laid out like this:  6 hour tomorrow...  Marathon in a month...  A mountain half marathon in June... and then a long summer of solid Ultra-specific training (more to come on what that might look like later).

Gear all laid out and ready to go. All the layers!

So tomorrow's race is the first in the regiment and looking mighty precarious.  The idea behind a 6 hour race is that participants are trying to see who can cover the most miles in 6 hours.  The course is a 3.2 mile loop and you have to complete a whole loop in order for it to count.  I have been working out race day goals in my head for the past month or so and I had to rework my thinking a lot last week after a Nor'easter dropped 8 more inches on the trails.

My race goals can now be characterized two ways:

the "before Tuesday's storm" goals and 
the "after Tuesday's storm" goals.


The before Tuesday's storm goals:

  • A goal - run at least 6 laps for 19+ miles
  • B goal- run at least 5 hours on the course.  
Since this is still technically part of marathon training, I don't feel the need to go over 20 miles and risk putting to much stress on my body as I'm still building up.  Also, if I'm having a rough time out there and not able to get close to 20, 5 hours seems like a decent long run and good cutoff point.

The after Tuesday's storm goal:

  • Have a good time

The revised goal has me going out and maintaining a good attitude for as long as I can endure the sloppy trails.  After all, mental toughness is a skill that needs to be practice.  It's going to be a mess on the trails and possibly raining tomorrow.  I'm not looking forward to that part of it so staying positive is something I'm going to work at.

Stay tuned for the race report!





Trails after the Storm

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Here are some pictures from yesterday's snow trail run.  Tuesday's snow storm left about 6 inches or so on the trails which made for some interesting running.  I was able to try out my new Yaktrax (review to come soon).  I didn't fall so I call it a win.

6 days to go til the TARC to Hale and Back 6 hour race!






Hope everyone is enjoying the last few weeks of spring marathon training!  I personally can't wait for spring :)

Winter Trails, Busyness, and Awesome Sunsets

Sunday, February 19, 2017

I just completed week 9 of marathon training; officially the halfway point! 

Where did the time go?

Long runs from now on will become really real.  Next Saturday calls for a 15.  I haven’t run 15 miles since that time my friend Liza and I got horribly lost on the Reservoir trail last summer; an unplanned and painful 15...

Pick Up Yo' Feet! Trail Hazards

Saturday, February 4, 2017

I fell hard on the trail today.

...on that rock right there.  See it?  Neither did I :\




Today's lesson:  Pick up yo' feet.

It wasn't a hard fall. Just a surprise.  Breaking into trail running is hard.  I'm still getting used to the rocks and roots and having to watch out every second of every run.  Hazards you don't really have on the road.  Thankfully the spot where I fell was pretty clear with just some loose rocks, dirt and snow.  No stumps sticking up or twigs which could puncture.  The snow help to break some of the friction as I slid to a stop and though my knees got a little banged up, I was able to get up, dust off, and keep on running.  From then on, I was hyper aware, tripped a couple of other times, but did not fall again.  Win!

There were also these weird frozen dirt pods in the ground that kept startling me.  By the end of the run I learned to look out for them.  I'm sure there's a name for them but I don't know what it is.  It looks like maybe the dirt got wet and then froze but some of the dirt underneath got washed away.  At first glance it just looks like you're stepping on frozen ground but then your feet break through the froze dirt facade and you sink/trip a little.  Weird, right?  Yah. Weird.

Today's lesson (updated): Pick up yo' feet.  And, also watch where you put them down.

I've fallen before on the trails but today's fall came while I was already feeling "off".  Or, maybe it happened because I was "off".  I don't know.  Perhaps I woke up tired or something but today's 12 miler felt 10x harder than the 10 a couple weeks ago.

  • I wasn't prepared for it to be so sunny.  The sun was blinding the whole way.  I normally LOVE the sun but today it was bugging me.
  • That and the sun and the cold were making my eyes water.  I found it really hard to keep my eyes on the trail while they're welling up and because I wear glasses and I was wearing my big winter gloves, I couldn't just easily wipe my eyes.  I had to lift the glasses with one hand and wipe my eyes with the other.  I tried this once while still running which you could imagine was not a good idea.  So I had to keep stopping to take care of this weird issue I've never had to deal with before...
  • I developed a headache midway through the run. Probably because of the cold and the sun.
  • And, I just felt like the whole thing was a slog.

So I guess Today's lesson (updatedx2):  Pick up yo' feet and watch where you put them down and wear sunglasses if it's sunny?

K, enough complaining.  

It's the end of marathon training week 7!

Today's 12 miler was one step closer to my goal of training for the TARC Spring Classic marathon.  The course is a 10k (6.2 miles) loop of mostly single track trails in Weston, MA.  It's all trails [all the time!] so it's my mission to get better at trail running before April 22.

I'm following the Hal Higdon Novice 1 training plan.  Back in 2012 I followed the Novice 2 program for my first marathon and it really helped me prepare well for it.  This time around I chose the more beginner program for its conservative build up.  Coming off of a lighter running year last year and surgery this fall I really wanted to make sure I'm being careful in training.

So far, I have found myself super motivated to complete workouts and to take rest days.  Rest days. Rest days. Rest days!  This plan only calls for a 4 day running week with 2 rest days and a cross training day.  This week I took all 3 days as rest days but normally, I would use the cross training day to bike.

I am really trying to stick to the plan and not give in to that beckoning 5th running day.  Being fully recovered especially for the weekend long run is going to be the key as the higher mileage weeks come along.   I'm looking forward to it. 

Today was hard and I admit I was a little discouraged that the trail and "circumstances" kicked my butt.  I'm not giving up though.  As long runs get longer, I'm giong to try hard to find running partners to run with.  I think that will really help.




What about you?
Have you ever had an "off" day on the trail?
Do you run with others or mostly by yourself?


Thanks for reading!  I would love to hear from you so leave a comment below.

Fartlek Self-Talk

Saturday, January 28, 2017

Me: Okay now at that tree you're going to pick it up until that light.
Me:  Which tree?  That tree?
Me:  Well, okay maybe the one after the driveway but you're definitely not slowing til the light.

...

Nothing induces self dialogue like a fartlek workout. :)


Street sculpture. Foto taken on my run.

Until about a couple weeks ago, I had been getting my weekly speed fix at my running club's weekly Tuesday night track workout.  Since I started doing those workouts I feel stronger and more consistent.  I have really gotten used to this fast workout with friends as a part of my routine.  Due to lame circumstances, however, we no longer have use of the indoor track so until mid-late March I'm on my own trying to figure out speed workouts.  In reading around, I was reminded that track isn't the only way to add speed to your runs.

My first conscious attempt at shaking things up was this week's Fartlek. 

A Fartlek (swedish for “speed play”) workout involves sprinting and jogging off and on during a run (The Runner's Resource).  It's like playing...you run fast for a bit, then slow, then fast again for a longer bit (maybe) then slow again...it can be structured or unstructured. 

Wednesday's run was the first time I tried one of these workouts and I'd say it worked out pretty well.  My scheduled called for me to complete 5 miles total so I decided that I would use the first and the last mile as warm up and cool down and I would run the 3 miles in between with 2 minute pickups of 30-50 seconds per mile faster than my base pace.

I was roughly planning to run a base pace of 12 min/mile and pick it up to about 11:30-11:10 pace and hold that for 2 minutes.

The paces were all over the place but in the end, I think I got the result I wanted.  I was able to run hard enough to "feel it" but not too hard that I couldn't keep running when I returned back to my base pace.  5 miles was probably a long distance (for me) to start with-- I ended up walking a some of the last mile-- but I will definitely be doing this again.  At least, until outdoor track starts up in March. 


Also: 

I did a solid 10 miles (last Saturday).  My longest run since last summer.  Felt good!  I taped my arch for this run because I new I needed the extra support on the trails.  Such a good idea.  My foot did well on the run and has been great all week.




New shoes!  I bought them on a Christmas sale at the New Balance outlet but I'm only now breaking them out.  My Mizunos have over 380 miles on them but I like them so I'll probably keep them around for short stuff.  I got a good deal on these NB's and depending on how they do, the pink and blacks will be come my main pair. The black and gray pair are for trails.





Still figuring out the action cam.  I've been having trouble with it freezing on me. No good.  Also looking at anti-shake options.  Hopefully I'll figure it out.


Here's a short little video I did to test out the new camera.





How about you?

Do you incorporate any speed training into your workout?
How long do you keep a pair of shoes before retiring them?

2017 Goals: Flexible Dreaming and Action Camming

Saturday, January 14, 2017

The year is off to an interesting start. I was sidelined for a few days with my second cold in 4 weeks. It's been freezing, and warm, then freezing again. Typical NE winter shinanigans. I'm back running this week and was able to complete 9 miles this morning to close out my 4th week of marathon training.  I am feeling super excited and motivated. 

Thursday's runch...in shorts!

Today's run. So cold that my sweat froze the tassels of my beanie.


A few thoughts for the year 
Every December/January the creative and adventurous juices start flowing and all my daydreams are focused on the year ahead and all the personal records to break and cool events to be a part of. I had ambitious goals for 2016--some of which went unrealized (run my first ultra, total mileage goals, etc.) --and those disappointments taught me some valuable lessons that I want to use to help shape my goals for 2017.

First, I want to continue to dream. I noticed toward the end of last year a reluctance on my part in goal setting and telling people about ideas in case I had to bail.  But, I want to be excited and let myself be motivated by big goals and have fun with it. I have adopted the phrase "going for it" for this year.  After all, running is an adventure and getting excited helps keep that spirit. I just signed up for my first ultra, the TARC Fall Classic 50 miler! I have no idea if I can run 50 miles but I'm going for it and seeing what happens.


Second, I want to be flexible and not focus so much on the "stats" and hitting strict numbers...or whatever.  Things happen and flexibility helped me turn those "lemons into lemonade". I didn't get to do an ultra last year...I didn't even get a marathon both of which are a part of the plan for this year. I did, however have a ton of fun at other events especially at some really cool volunteer opportunities. If for whatever reason an ultra doesn't pan out this year, I want my life and outlook to be flexible enough to adjust and deal with it joyfully. 

Lastly, and this is super random, I want to learn how to use my new action camera really well. :)  I just got it last weekend and I can already tell I'm going to spend a lot of time at it. It's fun and running-related but in a different way.


My new action cam, the Akaso ek7000 (review to come)

The Akaso ek7000 without the waterproof casing. It's so tiny!


19 different mounts came with the camera





What about you?
What goals have you set this year?
Do you have any fun new toys or gear?