Thursday, November 5, 2015

The Friday Five - Favorite Race Signs


One of the really fun things about any race is the signs...most of them make me laugh, some are kind of weird and others are some of them are just plain heart felt.  Over the years I've seen a few!  So here are some of my favorites.

#1

Because , cats.

Because, cats, guns & unicorns.

source: Pinterest

#2

These lovely ladies were out at the 2011 Twin Cities Marathon.  




#3

Ryan Gosling.  No explanation required.  Thanks Alicia!  I still have this one up in my office.

2013 New Years Eve Marathon

#4

My personal mantra.

2011 NYC Marathon


#5

The best.  Always. 

2014 NYC Marathon


Thanks again to the ladies in DC for the Friday Five Linkup!  Check out more awesome race signage at Courtney at Eat, Pray, Run DC, Mar at Mar on the Run and Cynthia at You Signed Up For What?!

What has been your favorite sign during a race?








Friday, October 23, 2015

The Friday Five - Five Things I'm Loving


It's a nice, rainy (monsoonish) day where I am...one of those days where it'd be great to 
just nap and watch Lifetime movies all day!


I liked up with the DC trifecta again for the Friday Five - the things I'm loving right now (besides the givens: my family, pets and friends!).

1.  Ultramarathoning/Trail Running

Having come from Minnesota, where my outdoor quality of life was pretty much a 10 out of 10, Texas always seemed very low in that area.  Having discovered that there are some really amazing trails, hidden gems really, has increased my outdoor quality of life in Texas quotient A LOT.

One of my favorite trails, pretty much right outside my door!

This is in Texas!
I can't seem to get enough of trail running/races right now.  I've spent the last two months dreaming about all of the trail races I'd like to do someday.  The Rough Creek race gave me the added confidence boost I needed to consider some significantly more challenging races.  I can't wait to see what pans out.

Someday!
2. Fridays Off (for now)


I magically worked out a schedule with UHC that allows me to work 10 hour days, 4 days a week.  I kept that schedule this summer (except with no days off really), but was fortunate enough to continue it so I could catch up on some things before I start my clinical rotation again in December.  It's a day off to do all of the things that I won't have time to do for the next 9 months.

3. 34 days until Thanksgiving

ok...maybe not quite yet, but SOON!
I adore the fall holidays, but the one that takes that cake (or turkey!) is Thanksgiving. I love me some Christmas, but I love that Thanksgiving is, for the most part, stress free.  There are no presents, no elf on the shelf antics, no over the top lights to put on the tree (guilty)...just really amazing food and family.  It's no secret in my circle that I LOVE cooking Thanksgiving dinner.  It's the best meal I make all year and I am very proud of that.  My mom taught me how to make my turkey extra tasty and I can give Martha Stewart a run for her money with my pie making skills.

Pumpkin Pie - for reals.

4. Audio Books and Podcast

Once someone who only listened to music while I was working out/running, I have become a big fan of someone else doing the talking.  I've been listening to audio books during my ultras and I love that I can actually finish the entire book at one time.  So far my favorites have been A Walk in the Woods (Bill Bryson - I wanted to "read" the book before I saw the movie) and Mindy Kaling's Why Not Me.  I LOVE 'Another Mother Runner' podcast.


At this point, I have listened to them ALL and have to wait each week for the new one to come out.  I feel like I'm having a chat with my girlfriends.  There is a lot of random laughing!

5. Cats

I guess the cat (pun intended) is pretty much getting out of the bag.  We are officially crazy cat people.  What started out as getting a pal for Khleo (our girl cat) led to the tragedy this summer, then to us collecting cats.  Apparently, it took many cats to fill Tyrion's place.  We started with Batman (aka Fatman, Bear) who we got after we got back from Mexico this summer and added Charlie Brown to the mix in early September.  Historically a "dog" person, I never thought I could be swayed to have cats.  Especially a small herd of them, but here we are!  Four cats later...

Kitties in a basket!

Charlie to the left, Batman to the right.  These two are rarely far from each other.

What are you loving right now?

Thanks to Courtney @Eat, Pray, Run DC, Mar @ Mar on the Run and Cynthia @You Signed Up For What? for the Friday Five Link-Up!



Tuesday, October 20, 2015

The Tale of the Trail That Almost Beat Me - Rough Creek 40 miler

Rough Creek was the 4th installment of the "High Five" challenge series from Endurance Buzz Adventures.  To say this was a challenge would be something short of a lie.  It was a feat.


Up until this point, somewhere around 35-36 miles had been my longest run (because I got lost at a 56k-my first ultra).  While four extra miles doesn't seem like much, it was.  Had it been flat, it'd probably have been no problem, but damn.  The hills.  Hills, small mountains, inclines, what have you.  There was about over 4k of elevation gain total that day.

this.
My friend Aimee and I set off for Glen Rose, the small town near the race was held, Friday night.   When we pulled into town we did a little carb loading at the very first drive through pizza parlor we'd ever been to!  We stayed at the highly acclaimed Glen Rose Inn (please don't ever, ever, ever stay there) with the promise of an "upgraded" room!  We can laugh about this now, but we may or may not have all been a little nervous.

We prepared our wardrobes for the next day...I had 4.  Over prepare much?

5:30am came fast and we were up and ready to hit the road a little after 6.  We dropped our bags, got our numbers, slathered up with sunscreen and prepared for the task at hand after some pre-race instructions.


I'm not even sure I had time to let the fact that I was running forty miles sink in.  I waited a minute or two and let the rest of the 40 milers and marathoners to head out so I could have some space and off I went.  Dave, the race director, who is an amazingly outstanding at what he does, ran me out with some detailed instructions about which way NOT to go.  I seriously appreciated that!  Thanks Dave!

The first few miles of the trail were nice.  I kept up a nice 11-12 min/mile pace, knowing that I needed to knock out a really good first loop in order to keep time and avoid the cut offs later in the day.  The sun had started to rise by now, but it stayed fairly cool for the first hour or so.


It was a *really* beautiful sunrise!
I hit the first aide station just before mile 3, rested for just a minute or two, and set back out, knowing "fun" was just around the corner.

The Rusty Crown, as it was aptly coined, is a series of about 18 steep climbs and descents.  Usually you can almost count on making up time on downhills on the trails, except here.  The descents were nearly as dicey as the inclines and the Rusty Crown portion of the race started with a terrifying downhill slide.

This. Way, Terrifying.
The first set of hills passed quickly.  I was onto the "Bowl" portion.  The Bowl was a relatively flatish area of trail between the jewels of the rusty crown.  It was another nice opportunity to make up time.  I hit the second aide station at the half way point of the first loop (around 6.5), wasted no time and kept forging, having no idea of what was next.  The climbs started again.  One after the other, some were two parters and the others just one straight shot up.  And then there was this.


I used to compare every hill to the ones I ran in San Francisco a few years ago.  Now I will compare them to this.  A seemingly vertical wall of doom lovingly coined "the soul crusher", "bend over and take it" and a few other nice words.  It was beastly.  Towards the top, the only way to make progress was to literally climb using your hands.  It seemed to take forever.  Not only was this not the last hill of the back end of the rusty crown, it was the middle, with several more tedious climbs and descents that followed.  Finally, hope was in sight.  The aide station that was just a little under than 3 miles from the staging area.  I took a little extra time there this time, knowing I was right on my schedule that I had set for myself.  I ate a little, chatted and felt refreshed.

Some pretty trail on the way back to the staging area.
Back to the start.  I kept good time on the return and easily made my goal of 3:30 for the first loop (about 13.4 miles).

Before I started the day, I thought about what I wanted my goals to be for the day.

I knew that I didn't want to miss the time cut-off.  I didn't want to fall.  I only wanted to finish.

I knew I'd make time if I spent 3.5 hours on the first loop, 4.5 on the second and 5.5 on the last.  The course closed after 13.5 hours.  This had been a goal race of mine for over a year and this would be the last year that this would be part of the EBA adventures. It would be my only chance at it.

I changed my shoes and socks before I started my second loop.  Chatted with my trail angel/friend Aimee, who helped me get my things in order.  She had completed her 10k portion strong.  I was so proud of her.  She has been at all of the EBA races as well this year and will collect her bell in December too!

I headed out for my second loop a little more conservatively than my first.  It helped knowing where all of the difficult parts were, but at the same time, I knew where all of the difficult parts were.  By this time, a couple of tiny little blisters that I had gotten from an unfortunate shoe choice the day before were starting to cause some problems on my left foot.  The band-aide I had applied to my little toe just wasn't cutting it.  I spent a little more time than I wanted at the first aide station on the course tending to my foot.  New band-aides, a little nutrition, and a little rest felt good.

My feet really hurt, but at least I was still smiling. 
I left the aide station and realized that now it was starting to get hot.  The sun was much higher and hotter than it was during the first loop, but there were some looming clouds in the distance that promised some rain.  The second go round of the rusty crown proved much more difficult than the first.  I think it was at some point on the soul crusher during this lap I decided this would be it.  I didn't want to see this hill ever again.  I was going to call it.  By the time I had gotten to the aide station where I'd stopped for my band-aids (the one closest to the start), I had kind of sealed the deal in my head.  I told my volunteer friends of my plans and they told me I couldn't do it.  Meaning, I couldn't throw in the towel now...that I'd be back.  I told them I wasn't sure and set back out.  Somewhere between there and the staging area where I was headed back to, the bottoms of my feet had started to burn like nothing else I'd even experienced.  I had no idea what was going on down there and part of me didn't want to know.  My socks and shoes had been soaked most of the race so far, from ice I'd had down my shirt and sweat (ew!).  Blisters.  I knew I had a fresh pair of shoes and socks (and clothes, because four changes of outfits) to put on back at the start and I was looking forward to that. But wait, wasn't I quitting?

At the top of a random hill. One of a seemingly 100 hills.
Somewhere between the aide station and the last three miles to the start/finish area, I had decided that I didn't come out here to quit.  I came out to finish.  I'd worked really hard over the last month and a half to do this.  I don't quit.  My friend Royce (who ran the marathon distance - 2 loops) told me a few days prior to the race that finishing out here was winning.  I wanted to win.

This was a sign.  A tiny purple pineapple. 
Aimee greeted me again and proved herself a forever worthy friend.  She took care of my sad looking feet.  I had dry clothes again and it felt good.  I made my time again on this loop (4:20 on this one) and tried to spend as little time at the staging area as I needed to.  Getting my feet straight took a long time, but it was worth it.

Just as I headed out on my last, and final, lap.  That promising rain?  It came.  It started out as a drizzle and picked up quickly.  What looked good earlier, was now becoming a pain in the a$$.  It was creating a mud pit of a course and I was back in the same place where I had ended the last loop, with wet shoes and socks.  By now, the bottoms of my feet were on fire.  All I kept thinking was, just keep moving forward.  I walked most of the last loop, but I did it quickly.  In the flattish parts, I was walking probably faster than I would have been running, around 14:30-15min/miles, with the exception of the steep climbs.  I got to the first aide station, the one where I'd told them I was quitting, and they all laughed and told me they knew I'd be back.  I only stayed a couple of minutes, but wanted to stay longer to get out of the rain, because I knew I had to keep pressing on in order to not get cut off.  Somewhere before the second aide station, I was greeted by the sweeper.  I was a little confused at first, worried that I hadn't made time and was getting cut off.  Instead, it was a sweeper who made sure that the last runner would make it in safely.  Relieved.

We chatted for awhile, but honestly, all I wanted to do was stay in my own head.  Sometimes having someone to talk to is helpful, it takes your mind off the task at hand, but this was kind of the opposite.  I needed to stay present and get this thing done.  The conversation became kind of strange, so I quickly started my audible book that I had been listening to, 'A Walk in the Woods' (appropriate, right?) and tried to immerse myself into that.  By the time I got to the second aide station, I wanted to rip off my feet, they hurt so badly.  Luckily, they had some athletic tape that I wrapped my feet in, which helped. What should be the EBA volunteer of the year, the race director of another local trail race, Cross Timbers, mentioned that she had an extra pair of socks in her truck and insisted that I take them (they were clean, btw).  This woman had no idea how she saved my day.  Those socks felt like heaven.  I had a little extra spring in my step now and was hell bent on getting to the finish line.  I changed my book to music and forged on.  I knew I had a mile or two of semi-flatness, the second half of the rusty crown, unfortunately the most difficult part, and then 2.8 miles into the finish.  My all of my calculations at this point, I had about 45 minutes of cushion to get to the finish, although the sweeper kept reminding me otherwise (incorrectly).  The sweeper had lots of energy because he had only run about 9 miles up until this point.  I had run 36.  Our exertion levels were a little different.  While this was starting to play with my mind, I knew I had to stay positive.

The sun setting was pretty too!
I got to the rusty crown and just stood there for a minute or two, took some deep breaths and took off on, what felt like, my death march.  At this point, everything hurt, but I had to ignore the pain.  I would take 30 steps up and rest for 30 seconds, 30 steps, 30 seconds.  It was the best way I could think of to get it done.  By the time I got to the soul crusher, I thought it would pretty much kill me, but I did it.  Once again, the hills never ended.  Because it had been so hot, and I did a very poor job of maintaining my nutrition and hydration for the past 11 hours, I became very ill on the soul crusher.  I had to stop and vomit several times.  Lucky for me, one of my favorite running mantras is:


I got through the steep climbs, I got through the aide station (which I almost burst into tears when I saw it).  I was on my way in.  I picked up my pace as much as I could without actually running and with a big ol' smile on my face crossed the finish line of the Rough Creek 40 miler.  My time?
12:44:46.  45 minutes to spare.


I was amazed at the number of people who had stuck around to see the last person (me) cross the finish.  I was cheered in just like the first place finished probably was (except maybe a few less people).

One of my goals that I made for myself was to never be last.  I was last.  Yet I didn't look at it that way.  In a field of 38 runners, 11  were pulled from the course because of time cut offs or because they didn't/couldn't continue.  I was not one of those people.

Interestingly enough, this was a race where you are rewarded for being last.  I was honored. I won.



I quickly changed my clothes and Aimee and I headed home.  It was a long ride (probably longer for her) as I got sick several times on the way home.  I was sunburned, dehydrated, sore and just plain tired.  I rested my eyes for a bit and that really helped.

What was recovery like?  Surprisingly not bad at all!  I felt pretty good the next day with the exception of my feet.  They were a hot mess.  I had a really sore toenail, which I will probably end up losing and blisters all over the bottoms of my feet (I've never gotten blisters in all of the years I have been running). I went out running 2 days later and was back to piling on the miles by the end of the week.

Where did I go wrong with my nutrition and hydration?  Easy.  Not enough.  I didn't take in nearly the calories I'd needed for 12+ hours of pretty strenuous activity, despite that fact that the aide stations are like carb/salt buffets.  I took in a few chips and sometimes a cookie at the aide station and always a glass or two of coke (which is what I think made me sick).  I took Endurolytes at every aide station, plenty of water and then salt stick tabs every couple of hours, but because of the heat, it just wasn't enough.  I need to work on this for my next race.  It's scaring me.

I am almost relieved that this was the last year of the Rough Creek adventure.  It was really cool and such an amazing race, but I'd be so tempted to go back and try to get revenge on that course if I had the opportunity.

Ultra #3, a distance PR, was in the books.


Next up....Palo Duro Canyon 50k!

Friday, September 25, 2015

The Friday Five - Favorite Fall Things

It's no question, this is my absolute favorite time of year.  I love everything about the last third of the year, but here are a few of my most favorite things!


Cool Weather

I looooove the fall weather.  Even though it was a balmy 83 degrees when I went out for my evening run, by all measure, that is a major cool down in Texas.  Beautiful mornings with low humidity and comfortable, if not a little chilly evenings are on their way.  I don't even mind when the days get shorter.  In fact, I kind of like it!

Pumpkins!

I am not a fan of pumpkin spice everything, but I do love me some pumpkins.



I usually have a big display near my front door in October and November and Louis and I tend to hit up as many pumpkin patches as possible.  We will make our tenth visit to one of them this year! Even though (sadly) the Big Orange Pumpkin Patch changed locations, it still appears to be the same premise and you can bet we will be there.



Fall Holidays

It's no secret that Halloween and Thanksgiving are my number one holidays!  I love that they are stress free...no worries about gifts or extravagant decor (although I do decorate one crazy lit Christmas tree!).  They are all about the good things.  Family.  Friends.  Food.  There is always so much to be thankful for.



So much turkey....and well, because stuffing.

I love Thanksgiving Eve...cooking up a storm in my kitchen.  Making homemade pumpkin and apple pie.  Roasting a delish turkey.

It's just my favorite.

The Fall Colors

While the fall colors in Texas are by no means even close to what they are in Minnesota, we still get some color here.

Ok...this is not Texas, but that is one cute kid!
More Free Time!

While there is often too little of it, I took a quarter off from grad school and have more than I have had in the last 3 years.  It makes me excited to be done with school next fall.  I am enjoying some extra time to paint the garage full of furniture I have accumulated (there will be no graphic to show this hot mess) and do some organization around my house (although little of that has been done).  I've had so much more time to run and that gets high praise in my book! Most of all, I love the extra time I've had with family.

What do you love about fall?

Big thanks as always to Courtney @Eat, Pray, Run DC, Mar @ Mar on the Run and Cynthia @You Signed Up For What? for the Friday Five Link-Up!


Friday, September 11, 2015

The Friday Five - Five Fall Races

Isn't it hard to believe it has been 14 years since 9/11/2002?  In my mind it seems like last year or just a few months ago, yet years have passed and it still remains so fresh in our minds.  Most of us remember the exact time and place we were when the planes hit the WTC, the moment they fell.  I've had the honor of visiting the WTC site several times and it still seems so raw.  It relieves me that my son never had to witness such horror, hopefully none of us will have to again. Somewhere I came across this amazing blogging project; one I hope to contribute to over the coming year.  I highly recommend taking a few minutes just to read about some of these amazing people who lost their lives that day.  They are just a name in granite to some, but to others, they were fantastic human beings.

A photo I took on a trip in 2012.  I've always found the rainbow kind of comforting and eerie all at the same time.
Not meaning to make this post so somber, but wanting to remember the day.



On to the...


I got a little mixed up on the Friday Five themes, apparently last week was "Fall Races".  So this week?

My Five Fall Races

It may be pumpkin spice everything season for everyone else, but for me, it is not only my favorite time of year (Thanksgiving is getting so close!), it is my most favorite time of the year to run races!


The cool(ish), crisp weather makes me so happy!  I can't wait until Saturday morning.  It will be 67 degrees when I plan to start my last longish run before race season!



#1

40 miles.  In 9 days.  It's happening.


In my mind, I've already ran 36 (a 34 miler with a really wrong turn), so what's 4 more?! (I need to keep telling myself next Saturday around mile 30).



This is part of the Endurance Buzz Adventure's 5 series challenge.  It will likely be the most difficult I've done.  The pictures are terrifying, yet I can't wait to get out there!  I think this will be my biggest challenge yet.  I feel ready, yet I still worry about finishing within the allotted time. Being a very technical trail with some pretty massive climbs, I know it is going to be slow going with a great deal of sun exposure.  The time cut off is what scares me the most, but it is what will push me the hardest.

Apparently there are some hills or something like that.  Rusty crown?  You mean, tiara?  Sign me up!

photo cred: EBA
#2

Palo Duro 50k

Can you believe this is in Texas?!
This race takes place in October and is in a part of Texas I've never really been to. The geography looks *amazing*.  I have a lot of friends who are also doing this race and I know it will be so fun!!

#3

Big Cedar Endurance Run
This is on a gorgeous trail in the heart of Dallas/Ft. Worth.  I ran a timed, 3 hour,  race in the dark here earlier this summer, but have yet to actually see it in the day time.  This was supposed to have been my first ultra last year, but it was rainy and gross.  I wasn't a very experienced trail runner last year (I still have a lot to learn, really!) and I just didn't feel comfortable going on and running on a slick, technical trail in the ran.  I was really disappointed that this didn't happen and it was the second time I had signed up for an ultra where things didn't line up for one reason or another.  Distance is still an unknown (with the exception of the fact that I will NOT be doing the 100 miler).  The 50 mile (which I really want to do!) starts at 3:30 in the morning, which is no bueno for someone who goes to be around midnight.  I am torn.  This race is still a *tentative* on my schedule.

#4

Brazos Bend

With a variety of distances (again, NOT doing the 100) and in the heart of Texas gator country, this one should be interesting and a lot of fun!

seems legit!

#5

Isle du Bois


The last of the EBA high five series, this one is still up in the air as well.  Not due to my decision making, but due to the fact that the park where it happens was underwater for so long this spring and summer from all of the rain we received in Texas this year.  Repairs are starting to be made to the trail and the park has opened up a few routes, so hopefully it'll happen!  What I'm really looking forward to is getting my bell!  Because isn't that a good enough reason to run 130+ miles over 5 events for?  Makes perfect sense to me!



So these are the races that I'm looking forward to this fall, what's on tap for you?

Big thanks to Courtney @Eat, Pray, Run DC, Mar @ Mar on the Run and Cynthia @You Signed Up For What? for the Friday Five Link-Up!



Friday, September 4, 2015

The Friday Five - Healthy Snacks For Runners

I'm getting back on track with the Friday Five!

This week I am teaming up with Nuts.com to take a look at some super healthy snacks that are not only good, but good for you.

Since I've started knocking out 50+ mile weeks, snacks throughout the day, as well as those before and after I work out have become essential.  I find myself so hungry throughout the day and so frequently reach for the sweet stuff first, that I've found it much easier to stock my pantry with a larger variety of things that will benefit me both health and fitness wise.  

The dietitian at nuts.com suggest this rule of thumb for snacks...ideally a snack should be 160 calories of less, provide fiber and protein and contain less than 2 grams of saturated fat. 

Here are some of my faves:

#1

Chia Seeds


Chia seeds are considered a super food.  They are also really great at keeping us hydrated (super important for runners - especially in the Texas heat).  They are also loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber as well as omega-3 fatty acids.  I like to throw chia seeds in my morning smoothies and often take a flavored chia packet along with me on long runs instead of using gels.  You can also add them into baked goods - they add a really nice crunch!  I really like using them in my pumpkin muffins.

#2

Quinoa Puffs


Another superfood that can easily be added to yogurt or baked deliciousness.  You can even make quinoa krispies (similar to rice krispies!) with these.  Add in some peanut butter and honey - and YUM!  A healthy alternative to rice krispies without all of the sugar and that packs a punch protein wise.



#3

I've carried dried apricots in my fuel belt/vest during marathons for years. They are sweet and chewy and taste heavenly in comparison to gels and sports chews, which are commonly used by long distance runners to help maintain energy during the run.


Dried apricots provide a healthy amount of potassium and magnesium, electrolytes commonly lost during endurance running.  They also have a fair share of fiber and iron per serving, making them great every day snacks.

#4

Dark Chocolate - yes, I said chocolate!


In a recent study, small amounts of dark chocolate were found to increase leg strength and cardiovascular endurance.  The key here is small amounts (such as one small square a day).  I often keep a dark chocolate bar (similar to this) in my gym bag and have a square before a run.  The higher the percentage of cacao, the better it is for you.  One serving of dark chocolate (such as a Godiva square), also boast 10% of your daily iron needs.

#5

Pumpkin Seeds

Since fall is upon us, one of my favorite snacks of the season is pumpkin seeds.  I've never actually seen them in the grocery stores that I shop in, so I was happy to find that they sold them on Nuts.com (mostly because I don't necessarily want to carve more pumpkins than I have to).  I LOVE them roasted.  (You can also purchase them already roasted, salted/unsalted or spiced for you).  Pumpkin seeds provide 10g of protein per serving and 15% of daily iron requirements.


When making my own, I typically wash or boil them to get all of the stringy stuff off of the seeds and let them air dry over night.  Prior to roasting, we put them in a bag with a very small amount of EVOO and salt and shake them up (you can add more salt/seasoning after you get them on the pan) . Then we pop them in the oven on a piece of parchment paper for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees. You can really top them with any seasoning you like for a variety.

What are you favorite healthy snacks?

Big thanks to Courtney @Eat, Pray, Run DC, Mar @ Mar on the Run and Cynthia @You Signed Up For What? for the Friday Five Link-Up!