Found Another Race

I am thinking about doing this race in August: North Fork Mountain Trail Run. Since I now know I can set up camp by myself, and run in hot weather, this looks like a good experience for me on some mountains (eep!!).

Tagged

Angie tagged me! I’ve never done one of these blogger type thing…

4 jobs I've had:
hostess
hotel van driver
hotel front desk clerk
pharmacist

4 movies I watch over and over:
Only you
Last of the Mohicans
Titanic
From Dusk til Dawn

4 Places I have lived:

Cincinnati Ohio
Toledo Ohio
Cuyahoga Falls Ohio
Peoli Oho

4 TV shows I watch:
What Not to Wear
Bones
The Simpsons
Star Trek: TNG

4 Places I've been on Vacation:
Washington DC
Grenada
New Bedford Mass
Las Vegas

4 Websites I visit everyday:

Throughth3wall
Runningforums
Yahoo
Weather.com

4 Favorite Foods:

Pretzels
Wine (it's a food isn't it...grapes?
Cheese
Apples

4 Favorite Bands/Singers:

Warren Zevon
Loreena McKennitt
Kid Rock
Motley Crue
Aerosmith

Western States

I'm assuming everyone is subscribed to the Ultra Running Listserv? Wow, what a discussion Western States has created.
We have both Olga and Rick both kind of dissatisfied with their finish. The horrendous heat,the amount of drops, and of course, the DQ of Brian Morrison at the finish line.
The ListServ has been fascinating. I really have no opinion of any of the principles, except that I am glad Brian has rebounded. That was quite a bit of drama. Similiar to the Julie Moss IronMan Incident. I wonder if we will get more folks interested in Ultrarunning because of this. Probaly not, since there doesn't appear to be a video of it.

So what sparked your interest in ultra running? Mine was more the trail running, and most trail runs are ultras..and since I like being out there in nature for extended periods of time it just seemed to click. I'm also a very focused individual; that seems to help with the mental part of running ultras. I believe running ultras is more a mental game than physical. Other runners understand that; it's the lay public that can't really comprehend it's not just all physical to finish a 50 or a 100 miler.
Congratulations to all who started Western States 2006, whether you finished or not. What a trip.

Hill Repeats

I composed a big long blog entry on paper during an all day management meeting but of course, I didn't bring that paper home with me. Then my boss emailed me in response to my email, so I put my phone to voice mail real quick because I knew he would call me as I was trying to slink out the door to go run!!!

The running gods were smiling on me. I parked about a 1/2 mile from my hill, which goes up for 1/2 mile, ran over to the hill, and went up and over it twice, for a total of 4 miles. The thunderstorm was moving in, so I was moving rather quickly on the last uphill, and saw my pace on the last downhill was under a 9 minute mile!! The rain struck as I got into my vehicle. (I was just happy to be away from the lightning...)

I wore my trail gaiters, first time, as an experiment. I knew the road I was running was loose gravel and rocks. They seemed to keep the pebbles out of my shoes. I think I got them on correctly. They felt a little heavy and strange at first, but then I was concentrating on running uphill so really didn't pay them too much attention. I saw alot of runners at Mohican who had cool Dirty Girl Gaiters on so I think I want a pair of those!!

Maybe I will remember the rest of my post from work later. Most of it involved things I want to buy for running. Maybe I can finish composing that at work tomorrow!

4 miles today

Whew it felt good to be running again! I was going to weight train, but then thought about a run. So I left from the gym. Someone had told me about a road which would make a complete loop from the gym right back to town, so that would be a new route for me.
Good 1 mile hill up! Then about 1 mile down, then only about 2 miles back to town-so that's a nice new little route I have. Nice and hot on the asphalt at 430pm here, good heat training.

I feel great. I have a slight strain of my left quad-I fell, slipped actually, trying to push my riding lawn mower off the garden hose that I ran over on Tuesday yes, one of those stupid tricks you hope no one was watching. But it's just a slight pain, should subsist soon.

Tomorrow is hill repeats for me-the start of training for the Mountain Masochist (and it will only help for the Buckeye Trail 50K!)

Lost the Toenail

No, no pics of it either. This was my big left toe that I stubbed at Mo. It had blisters under the nail, which dried up during the week. Then the podiatrist just removed the whole nail today-I did get faint and had to have a cold washcloth on my forehead-I just don't like the poking and prodding at my toenails!

You do know we're all pretty weird...I just typed a whole paragraph about toenail removal and you all read it...

So I went to the gym and did the elliptical trainer. I was going to run, but the toe felt a little sore so it was easier on the elliptical. 4.1 miles in 40 minutes.
I'm feeling like such a slacker. I haven't run in a week now. Maybe tomorrow. Everything is feeling good on my body right now.

Race Planning

I’m trying to work on a training schedule. These are shaping up to be my next races:

Buckeye Trail 50K July 29. This is in the Cuyahoga Valley Park System. Although it will be good and humid at the end of July in Ohio, I just ran twice that distance in the same weather, so there is no excuses! Besides, all the local ultrarunners, many of whom I met at Mohican will be out for this. I'm sending in registration for this tomorrow, as it is limited to 150 runners, and is already 1/2 full.

Groundhog 50K September 9in Punxsutawney Pa (yes, home of the famous groundhog)

Hocking Hills Indian Runin the Hocking Hills of South-Central Ohio. This is a 20K, 40K or 60K race. This would be on some challenging trails and hills in Ohio

Akron Marathon Sept 30
I am running a portion of the relay. I also have a long run scheduled for this day, so I plan on running my portion of the relay (it will only be a 5k 10K ) and then running the rest of the course in, so hopefully I can get in a good long supported training run.

Oct 8 The Towpath Marathon-I have been thinking about running this. This is also in the Cuyahoga Valley Park System. It's on a totally flat towpath. My question is, though, I am training for a hilly race in Virginia. Will this be a good idea to run the marathon, as a training run, even though it's totally flat? It would be good as "time on my feet" and I know by then I will be bored silly with running routes around here. Or would I be better just doing my own thing out on the trails? (I will be running the trails anyway.)

TGIF

Yahoo, I get to sleep in tomorrow.Which, at my house, means maybe 7 am.

The treadmill was finally delivered today, so I can clean my room where the tread is going. The leg is broke on it, so we'll have to wait for that to show up before it can be used.

I'm going to the gym today, walk on the treadmill there, and do some upper arm weight training. Talk about my race to whoever will listen.

Good luck with the weekend races Jack and Olga and have fun!!

Favorite Pic from the Race

This is my favorite pic from the Mo Race. I was so happy to see my friends, and Regis seems delighted to see me too. This is what running is all about-friends.

Playing Catch up

Thanks for all your comments! I'm trying to get caught up, and not doing so great!
The big inspection I was dreading last week? Well, they showed up Monday at 11, and will be here all week long. (I was too tired on Monday at work to even get stressed about it.) I had my inspection and interview yesterday and it went well.I am hoping they won't be around my department again.

My quads feel a bit better today. Despite the ice bath on late Sunday, my quads were still stiff and sore. Getting up and down from a chair has been interesting.

I went to see my podiatrist on Monday about my big toe. It wasn't as bad as I thought, but then my doctor cut away lots of loose nail! So much for my pedicure I scheduled in July, I'm cancelling. Why have them paint 7 or 8 nails instead of 10?

Maybe today I can work on getting this house cleaned up after work before it gets completely out of control.

I'm going to work harder on my diet. I have alot of confidence in my runner ability right now, this race really helped that. Now, while I am riding high, I will get a few of these pounds off my body.

Kim & Regis Shivers Grist Mill Mile 36.6

Pre Race Jim and Kim

Kim's Excellent Adventure

Very long, very rambling...

I had the most excellent, wonderful weekend.
Short version: I completed my goal of running 52 miles at the Mohican 100 Trail Run.
I also reached goal # 2, which was to run a bit further than 52—I finished up at 61 miles.
So I have run my first 50 miler this weekend, and my first 100 K!!

The weather just got hotter and hotter for June 17. We had a predicted high of 90 degrees for Saturday.

I arrived at the campground around noon on Friday, immediately met up with Sherry Meador from Alabama, got my tent set up. I gave Sherry a driving tour of course loops then we went back to pick up registration materials and talk with everyone. This was my first real socializing with other ultra-runners-what a friendly, nice group of people. How obsessive-compulsive we all are. I saw people with computer spreadsheets, handwritten pace charts of various times, course maps redrawn—all wonderful fodder for us runners. We even got into the “what’s in your drop bag” conversation. I heard about lots of other races (I heard enough about Massanutten to not really want to ever run it!!!) and got lots of advice. (I don’t know if it was good advice or not, but advice.) I felt good because I felt like I gave people not from the area good intel about the race course, having ran it before.
Even though we all were hyped to stay up and keep chatting, most of us were to bed early. My 330 am wakeup was the only cool part of the day. I kept thinking, ‘this is the only time you would be cold today’.
Race started right on time at 5am. It was already a bit humid at this point. The course was on the road at this point, country dirt roads, all ups and downs. We’d already been warned again and again of the temperatures, and all of us were walking the uphills.
We finally hit trail, which is the ‘green loop’ and were pretty much off on the adventure!
I had a good time. I felt strong, and kept drinking. I monitored myself, making sure I was sweating and peeing at least hourly. I was taking Suceed Capsules every hour. Probably most importantly, I was hungry at every aid station. I was eating with no problems.
I got through the first portion to the Covered Bridge. (Actually I’m still trying to figure out time splits, but they’re not very important.) Then we go out a short 4-mile loop, which includes a hand over hand climb up roots to a waterfall, a bit of an uphill road march, down to another waterfall, and back to the covered bridge. It was fun encountering tourists out for the day and politely asking them to step aside. I encountered some hikers asking how far we were racing. When I replied “100 miler” they said, “You’re crazy!” Well, yeah!!!
I grabbed two sandwiches (still hungry!) for the big hill that starts the orange loop. This loop is 17 miles long, and at one point, 7.5 miles between aid stations. This, on the hottest day of the year so far, probably did a lot of runners in.
I hit the aid station on this loop, load up with food and water, and start on this long 7.5 mile stretch between aid stations. This is where I am glad I know the course. I know how long it will take me to get down to the road section, and keep eating all my food I have brought with me. There was also a breeze blowing through the woods, and although it was hot, the wind was keeping some of the humidity away.
So I finally hit the road section about 2 pm. It’s very hot. It has to be 90+, and we’re hitting about a ½ or ¾ mile of pavement. I take the bandana from around my neck and place it over my head and plop the ball cap over it. I feel like I’m getting ready to run Badwater.
It’s very hot. I walk some, and then run as I am closer to the Gristmill, which is the next aid station. I turn into the driveway, and I see people coming out to see me! It’s Regis Shivers, his wife Diana, Wendi Babcock, who is crewing for her husband, Rich, in the race, my running buddy from Erie, Tom Jennings, who is waiting to pace Jim Fitch later that evening! Wow! How nice! It was totally unexpected! I knew I would see Regis and Diana out there somewhere, but really hadn’t been thinking about it. That was a great boost to my spirits at this time. They bandaged up my elbow better (I fell once, a great face plant, cut by arm up, got it bandaged at an aid station, then fell later and reinjured the same spot). I had a short ¾ mile loop up the side of a mountain and reunited with my friends for the short spot of hell on the highway. I had wet my bandana to put over my head this time. So I ran back toward the woods, energized after seeing my friends. By the time I was about at the woods, though, I started getting chills, which is the start of heat exhaustion (or heat stroke, I don’t remember.) I immediately slowed into a walk, and keep drinking. I knew I would be beside the river shortly, and I could always refill my water bottles there if I needed to.
This short section starts with a steep hill, then levels off, then has another steep hill. I started calling it suck*ss hill as I went up it. I heard a noise behind me, and I turned, expecting to see another runner. But it was a deer. Who didn’t want me to call it’s home that name. So I relented, took a pic of the deer, and thought more kindly about the hill.
In no time I’m down to the river section which is two miles. This has dried out greatly since we ran it two weekends ago. Another reason I’m glad I’m familiar with the course, I know landmarks, I am not just running on and on. It seems like no time when I’m back to the Covered Bridge. This time we cross the river, and this is wonderful! Because I’m wading through the water. It’s nice and cold and refreshing. Since I’m already soaked with sweat, I crouch down and get my entire body in the water waist deep. It feels great. I wade the rest of the way across and ask “can I stay here in the water for awhile?”
The workers say I am the only one who has asked that!! They plop me into a chair, bring me my drop bag where my dry shoes are, and ask me what I want to eat! The aid works are great! I ask for two turkey and cheese sandwiches-I am still eating and drinking just fine. I’ve also discovered V-8 juice is tasting wonderfully to me (which is good, with its high sodium content). Regis and Diana have also popped up here at the Covered Bridge to see me, which is so great to see!
In no time, they send me on the red loop, which I now remember why I have conveniently blocked the memory of it! It kind of stinks. It seems like relentless uphills. I get to a stream crossing, where I can’t cross without getting my feet wet. I really make my first mistake of the day. I’m thinking of taking off my shoes and socks, and another runner advises against it. So I splash across the stream and continue on.
I catch up to two runners, who are locals from Ohio too, and I actually slow down to their walk to chat with them. They are also only running the 52 miles, so I tease them and try to get them to run farther-because, by this time, everyone has told me I need to go farther than 52 and I’ve agreed I will go as far as I can!
This red loop seems never ending, even though I remember some of the landmarks. We finally hit the road to Rockport, which is the 52 mile point, my official “50 miler” spot, and I see my peeps-Diana, Regis and Wendi, just walking up the hill in front of me!
I get the official “Welcome to Rockpoint” bellow and get nice pics taken at my first 50 miler!! I also sit down to change shoes and socks. I’ve developed blisters from the wet socks and shoes and really don’t have anything to treat it with. So I change socks and shoes and decide to just gut it out to the Covered Bridge where there is podiatrist help.
I thank Wendi and Diana and Regis for being there at the 52 miler spot for me, and then talk to Regis for a final second, and tell him “I gotta go, I’m going to cry” and run out of the aid station (where I had to ask if I was going the right way). So I run down the trail, have a short little happy cry of celebration and set off into unknown mileage territory for me. I’m pretty good for a short while, the little celebration euphoria is still with me. But then it seems like I’m doing a bit more walking that running, and I’m feeling pretty fatigued now. I’m still ahead of the cut off times, but it seems like forever before I hit the next aid station. I don’t stay too long, and keep going to the fire tower. I know I have a really steep ravine to go down and then up, and I’m tired. My quads are pretty tired, and now my attitude is “I’m not so cheerful now”.
Let me explain. I’ve been happy since I started exploring the idea of running Mo. I was happy and cheerful on Friday, and so pumped and ready Saturday morning. I really felt good for the whole run. I kept meeting other runners who commented on how good and strong I looked-and that’s really how I felt! So actually, I was still happy to be out there, but just not quite so happy. It looked like the ultimate fantasy goal of running 100 probably wasn’t going to happen which was also okay. I wasn’t set up for a night run, I had never done a night run; I had flashlights, but they weren’t good ones and not tested, so I really would be out there in inexperience. So I decided out on the trail to drop at the Fire Tower, which was 7 miles further than 52, to put me at 61 miles, which I was wonderfully happy with! I walked the rest of the way in, just enjoying my time alone in nature. I saw a fawn, still with spots, just standing and looking at me. It probably had never seen a human before and had no fear.
I get to the Fire Tower and Regis and Diana are there again!!! I officially drop, Diana and Regis congratulate me, Tom is there also, Wendi is there waiting for Rich, so we have another celebration! Then Tom surprises me and says Jim, his runner is there. Jim ended up dropping at RockPoint behind me. We take some pics and chat about next years run-I’m sure Tom will be doing the whole 100 by then! And maybe we can scare up a pacer or develop some strategies by then.
Regis and Diana offer to take me back to the campgrounds, but first we have to get Rich through the aid station and beyond. He’s tired and not wanting to go on. Regis offers to walk down to the Covered Bridge with him (2.5 miles) and Diana and I drive over. As we are walking to the Covered Bridge, I cover my race number so they don’t think I’m still in the race-in fact they recognize me, but I reassure them I am out so they don’t need to get excited. I get some more soup here and we sit and chat with others while we wait for Reg and Rich to emerge from the woods.
We get Rich shoo’d out of the aid station for his second trip up the orange loop, and Reg and Diana deliver me back to the campgrounds for a wonderful shower. I have a really bad looking big toe, having smacked it good on a rock back at mile 18, but I figure there’s nothing that can be done at midnight, so I crash in my tent. I think about a beer or a glass of wine, but decide against it. Which was good, because I got nauseous about a ½ hour later, got outside my tent, threw up, of basically nothing, then felt better and went back to bed.
Sunday morning I was over at race headquarters with the rest of the walking zombies-I swear that’s what ultra runners look like post race. As bad as some of look during the race, we could do our own movie! It was a really nice morning of race reminiscing, cheering in the folks still out on the race course, finishing up!!! There is also a nice award for the “Last of the Mohicans” who came in at 29 hours 45 minutes.
I left for home shortly thereafter with some great memories and a great race experience.
I learned a lot of lessons too:
1. Although I don’t blister a lot, I need to learn how to tape my feet and have the products available to treat blisters.
2. Mental attitude is everything! I ran this race with my longest run of 2006 being 23 miles-here at Mohican. I knew I could do the 50 miles, though, because I knew the course and was confident.
3. More attitude-I was happy to be here-and it showed! I had a positive attitude all day long. It was something everyone kept commenting on, how good I looked. I felt good. I wasn’t going to let myself feel bad. I was still happy after I dropped. I was happy the next morning!
4. Make sure you hydrate and deal with the conditions. There were people out in the hot road section with no head covering.



I’m really really pleased with my performance. Hey, with some actual training and maybe a bit cooler conditions, I’m feeling really positive about doing the whole 100 next year!!!

I did it!!!!!

I ran 52 miles at the Mohican Trail 100 Run...+7...I ran 9 more miles to finish up at 61 milers, so I can call it my first 50 miler..and my first 100K!!!

More to follow. I just had the most excellent, fun weekend! I had a blast!!!

Everything is complete!

Background: I have vivid dreams. I remember lots of them. And I have some bizarre running dreams, which are really funny. It seems like I always have some race anxieties manifest during these dreams, so I'm relieved that I had one before this race! Everything is complete now!
See you all maybe late Sunday...


Ok, so I'm starting this ultra race, and it's all women (so I must have been thinking about the Sugar and Spice Ultra in Kentucky.) The trail is real narrow and there are these two annoying women who don't know how to run and they're giggling and just veering back and forth across the trail.
I get mad and decide to let them get ahead of me. I see my vehicle is parked nearby, so I drive home, then feel bad for letting them get the best of me. Then I drive back to where I stopped at the race, and now can't remember the course. And the course has now changed to an area of Cleveland. So I kind of run the way I think I remember the course, but of course I have now shaved hours and miles off the course.I finally see some runners, who are also carrying signs that say "will work for food" and I'm not sure they are in the race. I finally see a female with a race number and follow her in. We meet the other runners in a conference room and I realize I only ran about 10 miles while they did whatever length the race was, and I feel bad.
So I leave, determined to get my miles in. And I have somehow managed to lose my shoes. So I have no shoes, no money to get home. But I start walking toward home, which is miles away. I find some money in the street to use a payphone, but you know what? Payphones barely exist anymore!
Somehow I end up in a car, which is running, and then I realize I don't need a payphone, since I now have a car to use.

And that was it!
I have had my traditional running dream before the race, so everything is set

Final Countdown

My bags are packed. The separate bag with my race clothes has a reminder on it “Take meds. Bodyglide. Sunscreen. Camera” just so I won’t forgot those important last second items. Everything is in the vehicle, ready to go. I just will need to grab the bugspray, sunscreen, glasses and contacts in the morning.
It’s going to be 90 on Saturday. And mind you, it is still only in the 70’s today. WTF? Oh well, it is what it is. I will make sure I stay hydrated. I will take ice at the aid stations and put into my bandana around my neck. I will pour water over my head. There should be some streams along the way where I can splash some water on myself too.
My goals: run the 52 miles. Have fun. Take pictures. Chat. Make new friends.
Next goal: would be to run to the next aid station down the trail, which would be about 2.5 miles more.
Ultimate fantasy goal? Run the full hundred. Hey, why not. At least throw it out there.Or, to put it another way, run as far as I can within the time cutoffs.

Race Background: The Mohican 100 Trail Run is in its 17th year. It is mainly trail, 83 miles I believe. It is run in both the Mohican State Park and Mohican State Forest. The race route consists of about four different loops, kind of a cockeyed cloverleaf, with the main aid station, a covered bridge being the intersecting point.
You run from the starting line, which is at a campground, over roads for about the first 10 miles. Then you hit the ‘green loop’ which is the only part I haven’t run much on. I’ve run the last 2.5 miles, which is a nice downhill into the gorge, which takes you out to the Covered Bridge. You’ll be about 21 miles at this time.
Next is an awesome small loop, named the blue loop, which takes you to two waterfalls. You also have to do some climbing, ascending the roots to the top of Little Lyons fall.
The loop takes you back to the Covered Bridge, where the orange loop begins, and is about 17 miles long. This section is all trail, up and down hills, mainly (95%) shaded. You run through a great pine section where you are running on pine needles. This section also runs on the mountain bike trail, but I’ve not had any issues with bikers. Although we ultra runners are usually out before the bikers are awake. This trail section is great. You have it all, soft mud, dirt, rocks, roots, up and downhills.
You pop out of the woods at a campground, and then have to run about 1 mile down the road to the GristMill, which is exactly that, a restored old gristmill. There is a really sucky ¾ mile loop here. It is just up the side of a hill, very steep, and back down. Then back down the road to the campground and take another trail for two miles which spills you back to the Covered Bridge. This section is pretty interesting, because you are right beside the river, and have to pay attention or you may fall in.
Then back to the Covered Bridge, and the Red Loop begins. As another runner pointed out where the start of the red loop was “look for the wet soggy part of the hill and walk up it, that’s the trail” which is correct. You walk up a steeeeep hill to start this loop. I’ve run this section but not remembered all that much about it.
Then basically you run the red until it meets up with the green again and you repeat it.

It’s a great area to run. It’s very hilly.. We are not in any altitude here in Ohio but the hills are everywhere. I hope to be able to snap some pics and show you how pretty “my woods” are.

Rodan

This is my little dog that I've been fretting over. He's still here!
Rodan, or Danny as we call him, was one of our original two dogs. He had a sister, Godzilla (Zilla) who died about two years ago. Get it? Godzilla and Rodan? There was also a turtle for a short while, named Gidra, but Godzilla ate it...

Run today

Yes, another guest/snake in our house!!


Thanks everybody, I did go for a three mile run today and I think it did help dispel some nervous energy!
My dog, Danny, hasn't been eating again. I tried turkey; dogfood; raw egg; cooked egg; milk; he turned his nose up at all this. Dennis gave him some lamb and he ate that. So if we have to cook lamb for this dog every day for the rest of his existence, so be it. When Dennis called me at work earlier, and said Danny didn't eat anything, I thought, well, the end is coming soon. Danny is an old dog; he's 14; he is failing and it really may be this month sometime. If it happens this weekend while I am gone, Dennis is going to have to deal with it. That may sound harsh, but I won't be available by cell phone til at least mid day on Sunday, there is just no cell phone coverage in Mohican.

JUST one more work day to get through, and to stay hyrdated in. And try not to check the weather channel too much!!

Tapering Sucks

To start off with though, there is a fox in this picture!(That's if the picture somehow shows up on blogger...) The little red fox was out again...and then, up toward the top of the hill, through the binoculars, we saw another one! So we think these are pups. Our neighbor has done some logging in his woods, so perhaps the foxes have been displaced a bit. Still neat to see in your front yard. We own 40 acres, some on either side of the road. Which is nice, because we can't see any houses from ours. Everything we look at, we own. Quite a nice thought, that no one can put a house, or a trailer, on anything I have to look at.

Okay, back to the taper sucks thread...

I'm far more antsy this time than last December, before my Las Vegas marathon and then the Huff 50K. Maybe because I was so busy with work, and a convention in Vegas that followed the marathon, I don't know. I guess some of it was I was extremely well prepared (and over-trained) for the Vegas thon. I mean, I had run 26.5 miles in prep for the Huff 50K...so Vegas was merely a training run for the Huff.

I'm looking forward to seeing some people I have run with before on training runs at Mohican...so they can say "..thought you weren't ready for this!" I am looking forward to meeting some of the folks who also think Mohican is a beautiful place to run. That's part of my whole attraction with Mo, it's just so darn pretty to run on. You want a surface to run on? Soft pine needles? soft dirt? Rocks? Roots? Mud? Water? Tall Grass? Mo has that all.

While I enjoy running solo, I do like the company on the Mo trail. Even if I know they are far ahead, I know someone is out there. We're going to share the same experiences. The race winner is going to share the same thoughts that I did when we run through the beautiful ferns right before we get to Campground A. I hope the race winner looks at those gorgeous lacy plants and appreciates them as much as I do. I hope the winner looks at the symmetrey of the pine forest that was planted and marvel at the straight lines of the trees and stops to take a picture like I did...

Wait, this was supposed to be a bitching thread, I haven't gotten to that yet!!
Okay, every time I check the weather on weather.com, the temp goes up a degree or two in Loudonville. Maybe I should stop checking it.
I'm going to try to sleep in a 1/2 hour or so the next two mornings. If I can. I normally wake up around 430 am, then watch the clock click over to 515 am, my normal wake up time. So if I can sleep to 545, that would be great. I need to catch a few extra zzz'sss....
I guess I don't really have anything to bitch up. I want to go run!! I am planning on a 2 or 4 mile run tomorrow but then I think to myself, why bother? It might help with some excessive energy, but that's about it.

I just really want race day to get here!

Wild Kingdom

Lots of wildlife around here lately.Yesterday in this field, which is ours, I spotted a red fox wandering around. We usually see a good deal of deer in this field. There is a horse trough at the bottom of the valley which is fed by a spring, so there is always water there.
I had three deer run across the road in front of me this morning, that's pretty typical. Once I see one deer at the side of the road (or, as it happens, standing smack dab in the middle of the road) you slow to a crawl, because usually there is another deer or two or three ready to scamper out also.
My dog Tino killed his first woodchuck today. Of course, he then didn't know what to do with it. He carried it around proudly for awhile, then lost interest. We buried it later.

I did a core workout at the gym, I'm done with that for the week. I've been checking the Yahoo! Mohican group every hour or so to see if anyone has posted anything new. I got a bit nervous with clothing; so I added a long-sleeve shirt to both drop bags, and a pair of capri running tights in case I want to change if I am having chafing issues. The weather, currently, for Loudonville is a high of about 84, with chances of thunderstorms, about 40%. Rain doesn't bother me, but it could lead to chafing.

Oh yeah. I told my mother about the race. She asked how my knee was doing, and I said, Oh, it's been okay, in fact I'm doing a race this weekend. How far? She asked. "Fifty Miles" was the reply. "Fifteen?" She asked. "No, fifty!" "Oh, okay! So I guess your leg is feeling alot better". That was all she said. I'm glad she didn't nag me or tell me I'm nuts.

Tomorrow I will run about 4 miles, then Wednesday maybe 4, or maybe I will just rest. I've been eating very clean and complete the last few days, and making sure I am not getting dehydrated. I just want this to get underway!

Busy

I’ve been busy. I’ve got my drop bags packed and labeled, I got my gear ready for the race, I have my camping gear ready. I have everything planned out so come Friday, I can just grab my stuff and go.

My husband has been camping with two of our nephews all weekend so it’s been me and my dogs. My oldest dog, Rodan, is not doing well. I wore him out yesterday on a ½ mile hike, and he is really suffering today. I shouldn’t have let him accompany me and the other two dogs. He’s barely eating; a food I can get him to eat yesterday he’s refusing today. He has been drinking though, and he seems to like the turkey breast I’ve fed him today. I’m just afraid his end is very near and may be this week. And I have already gone through this with my last dog, Godzilla. I had to make the decision to have her put to sleep two days before my first marathon, alone, and then I had to dig her grave by myself (my husband was out of town.) I’ve already told Dennis if he has to make that decision on Friday, after I have left town, not to call me and tell me about it. My memories of my first marathon are always both happy and sad because I will always associate my dog’s death with it. At least Dennis and I are both here all week long; if we need to come to a decision we both get to make it.

I came across this from the ultra runners list, Gordon Ainsleigh’s accounting of his 1974 Western Endurance Race (you know, that little race that Olga’s getting ready for…) and I really liked this part:

“….So what should I do? Quit? "No!" my mind screamed. "I can't quit!" The very thought of quitting was a horror gnawing within me. So I posed the next question: What can I do? And the answer came back from the hollow desperation deep inside my soul: I can still put one foot in front of the other, can't I? For once the answer came back--"Yes!"

This was the defining moment, with everything that had gone before building toward it, and everything afterward forever changed by it. And, as such things so often are, it was so simple. The decision formed in my mind, and I made a commitment to it: I would keep putting one foot in front of the other until I could no longer put one foot in front of the other. It didn't take a genius. All it took was complete and total commitment. “

Hill Run

I decided I needed to stretch my legs a bit, so I did a hill run from the gym. This goes about 1 mile uphill and then levels out. So I ran 2 miles out then doubled back. 25 minutes uphill, 20 minutes downhill. Then a good stretching session at the gym.

I stopped and bought whatever junk food I might want for next week's race. I will spend this weekend getting all my stuff together--I might be working 12-14 hours at work, if a 'surprise' inspection happens, which we're anticipating. So I will have greater peace of mind come Friday knowing I have all my stuff together and ready to drive north to Mohican.

Snakes (NUC)

It's spring in Ohio, and that seems to bring the black snakes out. Specifically, to my house. To mate. Inside my old farmhouse. The picture is my husband Dennis (the bald one) holding up a little black snake, only 3.5 feet long.
He removed this snake on Sunday, taking it to our closest barn, which evidently was not far enough, because it returned Monday. He then removed two more black snakes from the basement Monday.
Today, Tuesday, he removed two mating black snakes from the basement!!
Oh my. It's going to be a long spring here. I'm trying to pysche myself up to pick up one of these snakes (non-poisonous) so I can get a picture.

Other random remarks: I didn't run today. My quads ached just a bit, and I told my husband I was just going to have dinner instead. He told me "you have a 50 miler next month you better go out and train". I rolled my eyes and told him that was actually NEXT WEEKEND and I was tapering...I wonder if he would have noticed when I was gone all weekend long?

I got an email saying my treadmill has shipped. Now I have some incentive to clean the room downstairs where it will go. I hope the snakes stay out of that room.



Matt
ran his first trail marathon this Sunday, a nice strong race, and posted a great race report on his blog, check it out!!

Monday Morning Musings

I’m hungry. There might be second breakfast coming up after first breakfast today.
I did the ice bath after I got home, and just a little stiffness in the quads! Ice bath rocks!

Race reports are trickling in finally! I’ve been waiting to hear how everyone’s races went. It sounds like Olga had a great run, and Julie kicked butt at the FANS race!

I’m going to definitely have to keep eating on race day. It seems like I expend a lot of energy out there. I would have really bonked if I hadn’t had those cookies. I need to pack a few more gels with me, and carry a baggie to stash aid station food in to eat on the run.
Maybe I can add that as a goal for the race-eat from aid station to aid station!
Goals-I haven’t even thought about them for this race, other than to finish 52 miles and to have fun!
My knee is sore, just a bit, right where the IT Band hits the knee. It was actually pretty sore for a lot of the run yesterday-until I slipped in the mud and banged my kneecap! Somehow, that made the IT ache go away. It came back again with more downhill running. I did some ok stretching yesterday, and will do a much better session of stretching that leg today.
Today is off day from running, core workout at the gym AND a stretching session.
Pretty light running week too, I was thinking of 4 miles Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, in the heat of the afternoon to work on heat acclimation, and then a core workout on Friday, long run of 10 miles or so on Saturday. Then the next week’s workouts consist of hovering over www.weather.com, checking it for updates every hour of so!

Me on the Orange Loop Today

5 Hour Trail Run Today!

I ran the orange loop with Tom and Jim from Pa today. About 19.6 miles, 5 hours total.
Actually we started out at the fire tower, ran the green loop to the Covered Bridge, then ran the orange loop. (Mohican speak for the loops.)
The green loop was nice, muddy and rocky, leading down to the river and the Covered Bridge.
Then the orange loop is great; it's so varied. Many ups and downs. A great section through the pine forest, nice soft needles to run on. The ground is soft and muddy in places, but not too muddy.
I got my feet wet almost immediately, and they stayed that way the whole run. I have some blisters in weird spots (I think due to the wet feet). They are on the outside of my feet, near the heels. Maybe my sock got bunched up there.
I could have used a bit more food on this loop, and I will have to think about that for the race. I had 2 CliffBlocks (left over from the last run) one gel, and a few Jelly Belly Beans (that I never did finish.) So no wonder I was hungry. We stopped about mile 18 at the campground, where I had stashed water and cookies, and I think those SoftBatch cookies got me through the rest of the run!! (There will also be two aid stations with food on this section too.)
The part of the trail by the river was kind of underwater due to all the rain we've been getting. It was also raining on us there. There was no way to keep your feet dry; so there's definitely a shoe change at this next aid station!
We also have a river crossing here, which will be mile 32 into the race. Which will be interesting; right now the river is WAY up; like flood stage level due to all our rain. I don't think, if this continues, that this would be a safe crossing. And if we do still have the river crossing, I will need a complete change of clothing, not just shoes and socks. I can't see running in wet shorts and bra. So I think I will plan on that also.
Also, I am going to take my camera on my little journey, and I would definitely be double bagging it for a river crossing!
So way good intel for the upcoming race,,and good last minute long run before taper officially beginning now!!

Podcasts

Does anyone listen to podcasts?
Homemade free audio programs out there on the web?
I first downloaded "Get your Geek On" in January, which is an IronWil Big Kahuna production. This is a triathelete podcast, but hey, training is training. Motivation and perseverance is the same whether you pursue one sport or three. They are up to twenty podcasts and they are really entertaining, passionate, funny, and motivating. They really helped me maintain focus and drive when I wasn't running back in January and February.
My second favorite is Brett's Zen and the Art of Triathalon which is also a tri podcast.
Some others I listen to are Endurance Radio which are usually about fifteen minute long interviews with a variety of atheletes.
Phedippidations is another all running podcast.

I bought a little converter for the iPod. You plug this in, and tune into certan FM radio frequencies. That way, I can play my iPod in my vehicle, and listen to music, and podcasts, that I want to hear, not what is being broadcast. I really enjoy this. I know alot less of what is going on in the world, which I usually consider a plus, and I get more motivated for training listening to other atheletes.
You can check this out on iTunes, or Podcast Alley, or even on Yahoo.

Taper Time

I guess. Tom from Erie emailed, he and his runner, Jim, are going to be at Mohican Sunday morning, and run the green loop from the fire tower, and then the orange loop. I've decided to join them. That will be about 20 miles, and my last long run before the race. I have never ran any of the green loop, so that will be good to do.
Taper time sucks. After tomorrow, there is really nothing else I can do to prepare for the race, training wise. I want to start working on my biceps with weights, because I think they are looking a bit flabby, but I don't want to spend the extra energy on that pre-race.
I've told my staff about the race and they have really decided I have gone around the bend. I also forgot how chatty they can be, and it appears half the hospital knows what I am doing.