TwentySixPointWhat?

Serious training for Iron Mountain kicked off this last weekend when summer temps graced us w/ their presence.  I've abandoned the idea of training in the mountains (a momma bear w/ two cubs is enough to deter me running solo w/ Ori - for now) and am focusing on mileage and time on my feet coupled w/ strength exercises and plenty of resistance on the trainer. Last week I upped mileage and time on my feet during weekday morning runs - see even a reduction of work hours has it's silver lining- and then slogged through some 'long' runs in the heat over the weekend. Both Saturday and Sunday afternoons I found myself on the couch and even napped for a couple of hours on Sunday.  Ori and I are feeling the burn this Monday morning and so 'rest' days will be incorporated into my routine once again. Add kayaking to the mix every couple of nights and this summer is looking to be just what I need before classes pick up again in the fall.

This race was a doozy. Coming off from another aggressive ultra season (LUS - I'm coming for you in 2017) my body had had enough but hey, give me the chance to run something over a 1/2 marathon and I'm in.  The challenge came in the requirement to complete the first 5 miles in under 45 minutes.  My younger self would have looked at this requirement and not blinked an eye. . my older self knew this was going to test me. It followed that I signed up for the Devil Dog Double - run the Semper Five in

I've been terrible about keeping up this blog w/ race reports and training logs but it's my hope to get better. Yesterday was the 25th Bull Run Run 50; it was my second running of it. The race is put on by the Virginia Happy Trails Running Club (VHTRC) - this is there premiere event - it's a good one, too. I'm pretty sure you can find my race report from last year somewhere on this site, maybe I should go back and read it sometime. First of all, going into this run I didn't feel like I was actually going to run 50 miles. My world has been shaken up so much lately that writing Bull Run Run on my weekly to-do white board didn't seem like anything other than another assignment, a box to check off for the week. Friday I had hoped to have a relaxing day - you know, get shit done so that it was done for when I got home on Saturday night but the universe, aka, the JOB, had other plans. I got sucked into helping out on a deliverable that was FUBR w/ conflicting directi...

I'm not gonna lie.. . I'm terribly under-trained for the 2017 running of the Bull Run Run. If all the races last year were a personal affront given the foul weather (rain, sleet, snow and thunder in 2016) the weather for 2017 events are swinging too far in the 'nice' category to make up for it. . . i.e., ~65 degrees at the finish of Holiday Lake 50k AND Terrapin 50k. So far the weather looks to be holding at 38/65 and clear. If I keep a solid pace I'll do just fine.  For both Holiday Lake and Terrapin I came in just about 30 minutes over my time from last year - if the same holds true for Bull Run Run I'm looking to finish in ~11:50.  I'd be okay with that.

Around August 2016 the Garmin Vivofit I'd worn everyday since around Thanksgiving 2014 up and died.  After a few weeks I replaced the battery but the watch didn't resuscitate. I found my old Timex Ironman for Iron Mountain and managed to break even more of the band during the run which is to say that since around September 2016 I've been without a watch for the most part because most of the time I have difficulty wearing the fancy dress watch my ex- bought for me one year for Christmas. I ran MMTR blind (without a watch) and after my Timex died at Holiday Lake 50k_++ 2017 I decided it was high time to invest in a quality watch (the hefty tax return that comes with being both a student and a home owner helped influence that decision). After conducting an informal poll on Facebook and reading comments on the VHTRC group discussion board I decide on the Suunto Ambit3 Peak Sapphire (it was $20 extra an I'm accident prone). I wore the watch for the first time this morning an...

Where to start?  The beginning is as good a place as any - oh Iron Mountain. . .I'd first heard of the Iron Mountain race during the pre-race brief for Promise Land back in April.  Horton mentioned that if you were running Mountain Masochist in November that Iron Mountain would be a good gauge for where you are for MMTR - Naturally, I took the bait.

I had a rough night last night - my mind was racing and I couldn't sleep.  Something deeply personal is negatively affecting me and I ain't got time or the energy for that shit.  Fortunately, M was available and talked me through it. After sleeping in- yes, 0645 is sleeping in when you're awake from 0200 - 0400 - after sleeping in I got out for a quick 5-miler. . the temperatures are greatly improved from the last several days, 57 degrees with much lower humidity.  My glutes, quads and traps are sore from the non-running strength training that I've incorporated into my training. . squats, lifting and lunges.. . .come September it'll all be worth it.

This is actually a post from yesterday that I never go around to finishing. The weather's changed - we've transitioned from cool, misty March-like mornings to full on summer conditions.  I've been surprised how well my body has adjusted and handled this transition.  After a mediocre run yesterday (due to my thinking I had more time than I actually did and worrying about making it back in time to get showered and where I needed to be ), and missing my wake-up to make it to the mountains this morning, I slept a good 12 hours.  I must have needed the sleep.  After putzing around for a while I finally got out for my run around 1130 - Running at 1130 is not an optimal time to be running during the summer. I was surprised to find that it wasn't that bad of a run - sure it was 75 degrees and 100% humidity but hell, it wasn't that bad once I started running and kept and even pace.  At the end of the day I logged right about 10 miles.  Didn't get to the mountains ...

Today I opted to get out and hike some serious mountain trails - It was a great day!

I'm getting a new kayak today - that said, I only had time for a quick run; and it's hot and muggy so a short run is all I was good for anyway. I'd have hopped on the trainer if it weren't for the beast. I considered some hill work or a targeted workout but opted to go for the shorter run.  Summer has arrived (with a vengeance) Never again will I complain about cool, damp, misty mornings. . .

It was a warm morning - Ori had me up at 0550 and we were out the door for daycare by 0700 but not before he ran through the house multiple times dropping his ball at my feet.  He absolutely loves his ball.  After dropping him at daycare I got excited. . it's been a week since I've run at the quarry but it's been a long time since I've run there by myself. I saw many turtles and red efts out . . .and I even saw a 3ft long black snake. The run itself was uneventful - well, except for seeing the local residents. Good to get in a good run and be done.

If you've been reading these posts (hmmmm?) or when I go back to read this log, I'll remember the it's been raining for weeks on end [not like we're counting anymore. . we stopped counting at 16 days in a row and that was over a week ago].  This morning was the first morning in a long time where I woke up and the sun was shining. . but let's back up a bit.  Last night I settled in and started reading a new book, the Son, it's the latest in the Giver series and I was enthralled.  I got to bed at a decent hour but Ori was scooting around at 0245. I tried to ignore him but then I broke out in a nasty sweat where I was nauseous and just plain miserable.  I got up, tried to let him out (the little stinker never got out of bed), peed and chugged a glass of water.  I spent the next hour looking at the weather, FAcebook, etc. because, hey, that's what you do when you can't sleep.  I didn't want to wake up when the beast started stirring again just before 06...

I've started to embrace these wet, cool, misty mornings - What's the saying? If you can't beat 'em, join 'em - I set out this morning w/ Ori mostly to get him out and burn off some energy. We set out just as the church crowd was making their way to the church for Sunday services. I opted to head up the hill instead of out through the neighborhood - time to test the legs with some hill work. We had to dodge some cars but it was worth it. Heading out of the neighborhood we were stopped by Kristy and then again by Dave and Boris. It felt like our run was never going to get going but at the same time it was nice to catch up w/ friends. It started to get misty and the rain started to pick up so I made our goodbyes and we continued on our way.  Something happened when I stepped onto the trail - for the most part the standing water had drained and I felt really good.  Ori was off romping around and exploring all the new smells. Everything was fresh and green - there's...

Yesterday's run was a good one; this morning when I woke up I hurt in places I've not hurt in a long time.  I'm going to attribute that to the intense gardening session.  But hey, I gorged on some chocolate chip, apple sauce, greek yogurt banana bread I made last night so I felt obligated to run, even if it was in the rain. B- said yesterday that, " we only have room in our yesterdays for sore muscles ". . I'll take that another step further. . . " If it doesn't bring me alive it's too small for me. " Today's run in the rain brought me alive - Ori loved running through the puddles and I loved dodging the low hanging branches, wet from the rain.  5 miles on the wet, puddle-filled trails. . . love it!

For whatever reason I agreed to meet up w/ B- at 0700 this morning - It was a good run. It kicked my butt but it was good to catch up and we had a lot to catch up on.  Nothing fancy, just slow and steady - out Gratitude and back the Ridge. My muscles hurt.  My body hurts. I planted 400 gladiolus bulbs bulbs last night-  go. go. go.  I'll rest when I can't move.  " We only have room for sore muscles in our yesterdays, Captain!" ~ B.

For the first time this week I woke up and my quads didn't hurt - it was sign to get moving again - by moving again I mean that it was a sign to get running again .  Last night I promised Ori that he could go to daycare today and I'd be mistaken if that dog doesn't have the brain of a child and at 4:30 he was wiggling and squiggling around in the bed - fortunately it was just a bathroom break and then at 6:15 I awoke to a 90lb lab kerplunking down in my lap.  " Mom, wake up! Wake up, now. . I want to wake up."   I thought he needed another potty break.  Yeah, no - after getting up and walking him to the outside door he stood there looking at me like I was crazy.  I asked him if he wanted his breakfast at which point he turned around and went to the closet where I store his dog food.  He is too smart. . . sigh.  So, because I'm a good mom, he got his breakfast, I made my coffee, got myself cleaned up and off to daycare we went.  He was so happy....

Marine Corps Historic Half 2016 was my 8th time running this race - It hurt. I knew it was going to hurt and my extracurricular activities leading up to the race made it hurt worse than it should have.  For each of the ultras I've run these past few months I exercised discipline by going to bed early, doing my best to eat well, hydrate and limit my alcohol intake.  In the days leading up to the half I was very stupid.  Starting on Thursday night I stayed up until 2 am talking with Matthew in Kuwait. Ori had me up at 6:30.  Instead of going back to sleep I stayed up, worked (work from home on Fridays), ran and called it a day about 3 pm.  Friday night was fun - I drank way, way too much - more than I should have and that's all I'm going to say about that. I came home and stayed up talking w/ M again until about 4:30 - dumb, dumb, dumb.  I don't know what was going through my head; clearly I wasn't thinking about my health or needs heading into a big race....

This morning was a clusterf*ck.  Something about the weather I just couldn't wrap my head around what I needed to do - It shouldn't be difficult but it was.  Started working from the get go and then took Ori to daycare because well, he deserves a break from our normal routine and he hasn't been for a day of play, without spending the night, for a very long time [I can't wait to pick him up tonight after work!!]  Normally I'd run at the quarry on daycare days but those trails are so waterlogged and I just pulled out new shoes. . I'm not ready for that kind of mess in these shoes, yet.  After getting home I had some work to do and had to wonder if I was even going to run today.  Stupid question. . .I was only going to get out for 3 but that never happens - knowing I had a day of sitting at my desk for hours on end I rationalized that an extra 20 minutes on the trail was legit.  sigh.  It was a good run.  I'm running really well these last few days -...