End of Year Recap

This seems to be the popular bloggy thing to do...top 5 races, PB, PR's etc of 2006.

Mine are pretty easy. I started 2006 with an injury. Due to overtraining, I strained my IT Band. It hurt to even walk on it, so there was no question of ignoring the doctor's orders. That, with some non-running health issues, led me to have more doctor appointments in January 06 than I have had in five years!

I worked very hard the first quarter of 2006 to stay motivated. I weight trained, after my pool workouts, since I could not do the elliptical or the bike. I was very concerned about gaining weight without all my cardio. I read books on training, started reading blogs about training, and listening to podcasts. This was all just to keep me going.
The doctor cleared me in late February to run. I think that first mile jog on the treadmill, at the gym, was just as rewarding as that first mile I ran a few years ago!
Then came the slogging. I had no endurance. I was whipped after 3 or 4 mile runs. So disheartening!! I remembered the "good old days" where I would blithely respond to the question, "oh I'm going to go run 10 or 14 or 16 or so miles.."

But you just keep at it. You keep building. Even with being dead tired after 4 miles, at least I was out there running!! The injury and the time off were still very much in my head. In fact, they still are. I had just, in December 2005, ran my first 50K. I had discovered trail running and how much I loved it. I had a passion for something and then found I could not do it!! To this day it makes me appreciate my health. No matter how bad a run is, at least I am out there doing the run, and having the abilitiy to run.

Mohican Run

I decided late on Friday to head over to Mohican since the weather was going to be nice. Since I started my run at 8 am, it was still in the 20's at this time! By the end of my run, it had warmed up quite a bit. Well, I was fine, as usual, once I ran a 1/2 mile and warmed up.
I ran the portion of the course which is a big tourist attraction in the area, Lyons Fall. It's an easy mile hike to the first waterfall, then a bit of a climb to the second. This is a 4 mile loop during the Mohican 100; I played tourist today and only ran 1/2 of it and took some pictures.
I returned to my vehicle, refilled the water bottle, and started out on the "orange loop" of the course. This starts out by going up a huge steep hill. Yep, hill just as steep as I remember it.
The mountain bikers have been extending their trails in the area. I followed a new trail that they have cleared on one portion of the trail. Then the Mo course totally is on the mountain bike trail for about 8 or 9 miles. I was wearing a blaze orange vest, due to it still being gun season for deer here in Ohio, and I was keeping an eye out for the bikers, since I had passed a bunch of them at their trailhead.
It was a great run, as usual. I had long conversations with myself, wrote total blog entries, made 'to do' list, and marvelled at the contours of the countryside. The orange loop seemed a little strange to me, even as much as I have run it; the different season made it seem like a different trail. It was fun to actually see ridgelines and roads that normally are masked by the lush greenness.
I didn't encounter any bikers until about three miles from the trailhead, then there were 10 or 12 out. I kept wondering if there were any female mountain bikers out there, and the last biker I saw was female! We were all courteous to each other, I stepped off the trail for them, reasoning it was easier for me to stop then them.
After the mountain bike trail, it's another 2.5 miles back to the covered bridge. I had aid stashed here at the biker trailhead. I drank my first Redbull- it was NASTY!!!!! I only drank half of it. I did not like the sweetness or the flavor. But hey, this is what training runs are for, to try new things out and see how they work. I'm glad I only bought one! I'll be trying a different energy drink on another long run.

I encountered this female and three others about a ½ mile into the section. I started snapping pictures. The deer weren’t moving, and I just moved closer and closer. I kept advancing closer to them. Finally, I went on with my run-the deer still weren’t moving!
About 100 feet down trail I encountered another three leaping spectacularly across downed logs-the mountain bikers were on a trail above me on the ridge and scared the deer.
This section of the run takes you right down to the water’s edge of the Clear Fork River. This was an area hard hit by the storms of July. When we had run this in August, we had to climb over 12 or so trees.The wonderful park works and the volunteer Mohican Trail Club had been hard at work down here. There was only a few trees that I had to climb over, and I could see chainsaw marks in these.

I felt pretty energetic on this last two miles, and wondered how well the cookies I ate at my aid stash were working. Then I remembered the RedBull!! Well, I have to say it does work.
The tourists were out in full force at the Covered Bridge, many of them heading off for a hike to Lyons Fall. I got many strange looks as I started to disrobe at my vehicle. Hey, I actually did sit inside it when I changed my tights and shirt.
I thought about an ice bath in the river, but the water was high and moving, and I thought I would skip that again.
So, another great Mo Run. I realized I won’t be back in the area probably till February with my weekends being booked. I will miss the trails there!

Weather

Gorgeous weather here today!! High in the fifties. I ran on the local trail this afternoon. I tossed off the long sleeved shirt, ran in my capris and a tank top, it was that warm out! This was a good run today, I had no issues going on. It just felt good to feel the sun on my cheekbones.
I'm checking the weather channel right now, there may be a long trail run over at Mohican if this weather is going to continue. I can't believe it's the end of December and so mild. I have to take advantage of it now!

Last Day of Work for the Year

It was a stressful day at work, so I was glad to run on my new trail right in town. I could feel the stress leak away somewhat, I kept trying to get my mind off work and into the woods. I feel very fulfilled and relaxed when I am out in the woods; I have always loved being outdoors, being in nature. It worked somewhat; I was still a bit hyped up when I stopped. I almost ran the loop in reverse, but it was starting to get dark, and there was shooting going on in the area. (It's gun season here for another 3-4 days.)
I did wear my beloved Leona Divides, and I believe I know the source of some of my toe problems: I think the LD's are too small. Or rather my toe is pretty close to the end of these. The LD's were my original trail shoes, and after wearing my other two pairs (Brooks ASR and New Balance 872's) I think the LD's could have been part of the blister and missing toenail problems. While I still love the LD's and wish they were still made, I think the other two shoes will be my major trail shoes this season.

I've been reading some interesting books lately. One is courtesy of chatter on the ultra list:Deep Survival which has been very interesting. This discussion on the ultra list also started because of the Mount Hood Climbers.
Another book I have started reading is Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. I am only into the second chapter, so I can't comment on this yet.

So I have a four day weekend. What to do, what to do? I still haven't decided. I need to check the weather forecast and the local hunting regs and see where I can get a trail run in!!

Hi ho hi ho

Well one inventory counted at work, the major one is on Thursday. I did weights at the gym today, so that means tomorrow is a run--trail run! On my new trail I found last week!! I'm so thrilled about this trail. I can leave right from work and get a 3 mile trail run in. And, depending on the weather, I will do an out and back and make this a 6 mile run in.

So answer a few questions for me:
Why, on my "bloglines" does it never quite update correctly? I thought the point of bloglines was I would not have to specifically surf everyone's web blog, it would point out new posts. It doesn't seem to do that for me.
Why, on blogger, when I ask for it to "remember me" it never does??

Back to Work

This round of holidays is over for me. I have two inventories to count this week, and I can start getting all the end of year paperwork started.
I think I am going to weight train today at the gym, I haven't looked at my schedule yet, but it's been a few days, so it's time to get back to work!

Injini Socks

I wore the Injini socks on the run yesterday-no blisters!!!! AND my feet were wet and muddy for almost the whole run. I'm pleased! I will be buying some more Injini socks!

Mohican Trail Run

We had a gorgeous day for a run yesterday on the Mohican 100 Trail Course. Four others joined me, Rob, Jeff, Tom, and Dave. Dave drove up from Cincinnati, and Tom came over from Erie PA! for the run! Great weather, in the 40's. The wind kicked up a few times, making it a bit cold when we would crest a ridge, or when we stopped for a quick break, but otherwise just fine.
This is a 21 mile section, which we finished in just under 5 hours. Jeff continued to run to make it an even 5 hours, with the rest of us content with 4.56!
There are also 4 water crossings on this route. Actually there were five, a tiny creek that usually isn't even a trickle had considerable water in it. As we came to the first water crossing, it was evident that there was no way to keep the feet dry.


After the feet were wet for the first time, I didn't see any reason to not avoid the mud. It had rained quite a bit the last few days, and there had been many horses out on the trail. So most of us just started running straight through the mud rather than try and pick our way around it. Nobody lost a shoe to the shoe sucking mud although it was reaching for my shoes a few times!
It was good to have some other runners who was familiar with the course.Jeff had finished the 100 in 2006, and Rob was very familiar with the area, since he runs there alot. Still, we managed to cut off a corner of the course, one that involved a very steep hill. I kept waiting for us to come upon it, and then before I knew it, we were at the fire tower. (Not complaining about missing the big hill!) But we're still trying to figure out how we bypassed it.
Nothing hurt on this run!! What a great feeling! I'm a little stiff today, Christmas Eve, butI think our group pace was a bit fast for me which is good!and I think I pushed myself a bit; that's what I need to do!

Weights today

I got out of work a little early. I stopped to say hi to a fellow ultra runner, Regis, who had been in the hospital for 21 days. He had pneumonia, on top of battling his cancer. So it was good to see him and his wife Di back at home again!
I went to the gym and did my weight routine. The bench press gave me a little bit of trouble. I don't understand why my arm hurts more on some days than other days.
I need to get my trail stuff together, we have the run at Mohican tomorrow!1

Trail Run! Trail Run!

I ran 6 miles today. I started in the local park, on the bike asphalt trail. I decided I would try out the trail which runs around the golf course. I had been thinking about this trail for awhile, then a minor landslide had closed the trail. Now the sign was gone, so I thought I would see what this path was about. So I started up the trail. I don't think it was actually open, since there was a little ravine where the hill had slid away, but hey I'm an ultrarunner I just climbed down, then climbed back out on the other side.
This was a nice little trail, totally leaf-covered, so I was kicking up plenty of rocks and roots. I enjoyed it, then the trail ended and a sign pointed to another trail, stating it was 1.5 miles long.
Woohoo!! So I started up this new trail!!! Lots of ups and down, I was running just below the crest of the hill. There were rocks, and roots, and it reminded me of Mohican. Now this was the trail that my ultra friend Rich and Wendy had told me about!
The trail stopped at the side of a golf course. I looked around for more trail signs, then I remembered Rich talking about the trail, about how you had to run over part of the golf course to pick up the trail again. So I did, and managed to find the trail. The trail was even better on this side, no leaves, single track, up and down-wow, I was having so much fun.
I ended back on the asphalt trail for another two miles, to make it a nice 6 mile workout.
So I have found about a 3 mile section of trail to run, right from work practically.
So I can actually run 6 miles on this! Instead of running on the staid little asphalt bike path, I can run trails!! My endorphins were pretty high as I ran this and thought about all the possibilities. I could run this into the dark-in fact, this would be good training for me to run into the twilight, and into the dark, and try out my lights!
Can you tell I am stoked about the new trail running opportunitiy?

Weights Today

A good weight workout.
I need to increase the pec-deck flye to 40 lbs, 30 lbs is too easy.
I need ton increase my lat pull down to 70 lbs, 60 is too easy.
I'm enjoying the squats. I can see more definition in my leg muscles.

4 Mile Non-Trail Run Today

I got out of work late today, due to a late afternoon meeting, due to my own fault, of asking too many questions and (GASP!!!) wanting people to do their jobs. That's all I want. I do my job, you do your job. Oh yes, I guess I need to add, do your job competently. /End of job rant.
I was planning a run on our little rails-to-trail bike path, which is just kind of dirt and cinders at this point, hence, I only brought trail shoes to work. But I knew I would end up in the dark, without a light, so I went for the quick 4 mile run on the local bike trail, which is asphalt. The Brooks ASR trail shoes were just fine for this run. I still want to get to the trails!!

Injini Socks

I ran wearing the Injini socks yesterday. I put them on with no Bodyglide or any lubriant. They seemed to work realy well. My right big toe hurt a bit, and I think there might have been some fabric bunched around it. I am washing them and will wear them on my trail run December 23. I have read on the internet that some people will wear these, with another pair of socks over them-what is the purpose of the second pair of socks? To help preserve the life span of the Injini?

Saturday Run

I had a really nice Saturday run, 12 miles in 2.24.
There was an extra weekend of gun deer season in Ohio, so I was out before day break, hunting deer. I saw a mouse. That was it.
So I got out for my long run about 1 pm, and wore my blaze orange vest over my running clothes.
This was a six mile out and back on my local country roads here. The roads were a bit busy today, with all the hunting folks out on them. My hamstring started acting up again about mile 10 or so. Then my piriformis started to hurt. I think I really need to get some good stretching in, and maybe work on trigger points too.
My husband came after me, about mile 11, in the car. He stopped and asked me if I was alright. I just kind of stared at him and said, yes, I was fine. So he went home and I finished my run. I then found out why he had come after me-I had been gone for two hours, and when I had told him I was leaving for the run, all he heard was "six miles" he stopped listening at that point and didn't hear the "out and back". That's what happens when you don't listen!

Friday Workout

My workout today was partly due to the podcast I was listening to. I had pulled into my doctor's parking lot, hoping to get my B-12 shot, but they were keeping "holiday" hours this week and had closed at noon. (Side note: how do you make money if you keep "holiday" hours all week long?) Well, this stop in my errands gave time for that evil thought to pop into my head: " I'm tired. It's Friday. I want to go home and drink wine. I'm just doing weights today anyways."
I had Phedippidations playing on my car radio, via the iPod, and I don't even remember what Steve was saying, but it was the right words, and I turned the vehicle in the direction of the gym. AND had a good workout, increased the weight on a few excercises, and extended the reps on a few others.
I forgot about a new excercise I had meant to try. I was listening to a podcast from Endurance Planet on my way to work this morning. This podcast interview was with Gary Lavin from the Institue of Human Performance. This was a very interesting interview, because what the IHP are doing is kind of what I am trying to do myself, functional weight training for ultra running.

Run today!

This was the run I was looking forward to all day. I got out of work a little early and rushed outside. Hey, where was the 60 degree weather? It was cool and overcast. Well, maybe it was 58 or so, either way, I would take it.
This was my 'around the block' run from the gym, it's actually 9.4 miles. Out on country roads, up one ridge, down the ridge, and then you climb the same ridgeline on the next road over. Two cars passed me in my 1.51 hour run. Yes, it's that deserted, I love it!

I had a bunch of aches and pains on this run. My right hamstring, my chronic condition, started to hurt around mile 3 as I attempted to run briskly uphill. Then the same dull pain in the right leg that I had at the FA on Saturday started-I finally realized it was my groin. It hurt enough that my running seemed a bit off.

Despite my aches and pains, I kept up a good pace for the run. I just wish I could figure out my new Garmin 205 to get it to record mile laps.
I got back to the gym and did my stretching, but it was not as productive as it usually is. The temperature was dropping as it became dark on my run, and it was quite windy. I still felt pretty stiff after stretching, and the hamstring was really tight.


You have to check out this Race Director Report for the Tecumseh Trail Marathon. Wow! Talk about troubles, and still managing to pull off a successful race! I've heard this is a very good trail run.


I got an email back from UnderArmour Customer Service. They want me to call them. So I did, and sat on hold for five minutes, then gave up. I'll try them from work tomorrow and put it on speakerphone so I can continue to work while I hold.
I started buying UnderArmour compression shorts in May, right before my Mohican Run. I've pretty much worn them all summer, fall and now winter long. (I have three pair of the same shorts.) Well, the seams split on the original pair on the inner thighs. Yes, my legs rub together there, but I think shorts should last longer than 6 months. Especially when they cost 27.99. In contrast, I have a pair of Adidas shorts that are 5 years old and look pretty brand new. So I emailed UnderArmour, telling them I do love their products (I do, I wear alot of UA) but shorts need to last longer.
So it seems they might do something for me. (I want a new pair of shorts.) If I can just get through on the phone. Sounds like another endurance event to me.
But hey, I'm an ultra runner, I can be an ultra 'holder on the phone' too!!

Weight Training notes

Squats-40 lbs (plus the bar) this is a good weight for me at the moment. I'm not giving it my all, I know I can squat heavier, but this is good for 3 sets right now.
Bench press-20 lbs (plus bar) doing good for 2 sets of 8. Today my left shoulder nagged a bit. Maybe I should do some weight training just on this arm.
Pec Deck Flye-30 lbs was pretty easy. Need to bump this up.
I had a good workout. The only thing I skipped were crunches on the incline, and any ab work on the floor.Back extensions didn't bother me at all.
The nice weather is supposed to hold for another day, so I'm looking forward to a 8 mile run after work tomorrow!

Back on Track

Note to self: the coffee will brew quicker if you turn on the coffee maker first.

I had been a little worried about my Umstead Race. Although it is a 100 mile race, I am planning (and training) to run it as a 50 mile race. Sometime, a week or so ago, I changed my mind and decided I should give it everything I had, and train for it as a 100 mile race.
This promptly drove me batty. I started looking at the next three months-actually a little less than three months if you throw in a two-three week taper. And I live in Ohio! Our weather sucks in the winter! How would I get 20+ mile runs in? On the treadmill?
Monday I thought things over again. I went back to my original plan of training for Umstead as a 50 miler. My schedule makes sense again. And the March 31 50 mile race is good training for the "A" race, the Mohican 100 Trail Race.
Today is weight training at the gym. I may not do any ab work that involves me laying on the floor, my back is still bruised and a bit tender.

Old City Bar

I've been a fan of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra since they started their rockin' Christmas shows. I've seen them in 03 and 04. they are awesome to see and hear. But the song that always tears me up is this:

OLD CITY BAR
In an old city bar
That is never too far
From the places that gather
The dreams that have been

In the safety of night
With its old neon light
It beckons to strangers
And they always come in

And the snow it was falling
The neon was calling
The music was low
And the night
Christmas Eve

And here was the danger
That even with strangers
Inside of this night
It's easier to believe

Then the door opened wide
And a child came inside
That no one in the bar
Had seen there before

And he asked did we know
That outside in the snow
That someone was lost
Standing outside our door

Then the bartender gazed
Through the smoke and the haze

Through the window and ice
To a corner streetlight

Where standing alone
By a broken pay phone
Was a girl the child said
Could no longer get home

And the snow it was falling
The neon was calling
The bartender turned
And said , not that I care
But how would you know this?
The child said I've noticed
If one could be home
They'd be all ready there

Then the bartender came out from behind the bar
And in all of his life he was never that far
And he did something else that he thought no one saw
When he took all the cash from the register draw

Then he followed the child to the girl cross the street
And we watched from the bar as they started to speak
Then he called for a cab and he said J.F.K.
Put the girl in the cab and the cab drove away
And we saw in his hand
That the cash was all gone
From the light that she had
wished upon

If you want to arrange it
This world you can change it
If we could somehow make this
Christmas thing last

By helping a neighbor
Or even a stranger

And to know who needs help
You need only just ask

Then he looked for the child
But the child wasn't there
Just the wind and the snow
Waltzing dreams through the air

So he walked back inside
Somehow different I think
For the rest of the night
No one paid for a drink

And the cynics will say
That some neighborhood kid
Wandered in on some bums
In the world where they hid

But they weren't there
So they couldn't see
By an old neon star
On that, night, Christmas Eve

When the snow it was falling
The neon was calling
And in case you should wonder
In case you should care

Why we're on our own
Never went home
On that night of all nights
We were already there

Then all at once inside that night
He saw it all so clear
The answer that he sought so long
Had always been so near

It's every gift that someone gives
Expecting nothing back
It's every kindness that we do
Each simple little act



I just love this song. I love this line: "The bartender turned
And said , not that I care
But how would you know this?
The child said I've noticed
If one could be home
They'd be all ready there"




It's raining here now, which I was fretting about all day, whether I would get to run or not. It seems uninportant now.

Running in a SKIRT

I don't know whether the exempted Village of Newcomerstown was ready for a skirt..it seemed like I got more than my usual goggles as I was out running today. I got out of work a bit later than I planned so I only ran 4 miles "around the block" as I call it, from my gym. It was a caveman-oh sorry, cavewoman run, I forgot my watch and other gadgets. I did have my iPod and my backup earbuds, so I cranked up the tunes and ran. It was a nice run too, temp in the fifties, and a really effortless run for me. I got back to the gym and did some good stretching out also.
Ok, back to the skirt...I really liked running in it. My skirt is from Skirtsports. I wear a 10/12 on the bottom and this skirt was a Large. I probaly would be a bit more comfortable in a XL (unless I lose a little weight.) It's very comfortable. I used the pocket to stash my iPod in. I did have my normal inner-thigh chafing, but not so much in these colder weather. I was a bit hesitant about wearing it out today, then I thought, why not, I'm not showing any more leg than I have before.
I felt very girlie in this skirt- girlie in a good way. Like yes, I am a female, and I have some hawt legs, even being 40 years old, and my quads look way better than your quads, and oh yeah, see you at the finish line! I also had a pink visor on, from Headsweats and I left all my silver jewelery on. AND I had painted my nails on Sunday, so this was about the most girlie run I have done--ever! I felt so girlie in my skirt, I left my running clothes on when I had to hit the grocery store after the workout!

My FatAss Report

Should be subtitled:

Snow??!!! or

Every part of my body hurts!!




I only ran two loops, which was 16.6 miles. We got started pretty much at 5am, about twenty runners. Although it was dark out, there was 4 inches of snow, and a partial moon, so it was really bright out. I had a headlight on my hat, which I had to keep adjusting, but it was plenty enough to see with. It was 23 degrees at the start, and didn't warm up much more from that for my 5 hours on the trail.
The Mill Park YUT-C course is a great course to run on. Of course it's a bit less dangerous without all the ice! The Monkey Trail was a good example. The trail kind of goes straight uphill, levels off for a bit, then straight downhill. This downhill is carefully runnable in the fall, but part of it was pure ice. I slipped and slid down a bit on my butt. A tree collided with my thigh, stopping my descent and I thought " that'll leave a mark" and sighed. I had a bruise in the same spot from the last Mo run...
I finished the first loop in 2.20 and then started back the same way I had come in. I had the opportunity to talk to Bruce, another Mohican runner, before he got ahead of me after the ball park.
On this section of the trail, there is a log which you have to cross over a small stream. On the first loop, I slipped on this and gave myself quite a scare. On the second loop, I got smarter and just climbed down into the stream and bypassed the log.
My IT Band was letting me know I had not stretched properly in the past few weeks. I could feel my hip hurting, and my knee hurting whenever I ran. I knew I was getting slower (even more so than my normal slow speed) so that was discouraging. To distract myself from the leg, I tried enjoying the scenery. It was really beautiful in the park with the white covering of snow (it was daylight by now.) I wished for my camera to take some pics, especially of the icicles hanging off all the rock inclines. The portion by the Grist Mill of icicles was really spectacular.
This is where Jim met me again-he was already halfway through his third loop when I was just working on halfway through the second! I crossed the Covered Bridge and headed back toward the Lilly Pond.
On this section, I hit a patch of ice, slipped, got a foot on solid dirt, then the other foot came down on more ice, and WHAM!!! I slipped, legs in the air, landing on my back. My water bottle,which was in the small of my back, kind of melded into my body, which was pretty painful. I stayed there for a couple of seconds, pretty stunned and hurting. Then I rolled over to my knees—anything broke? No. Well, maybe my right middle finger, but if that was all, that was okay. Everything seemed to be working. I got up to my feet and slumped over a big rock, I was pretty shaky. Wasn’t able to move from there for a bit. Some hikers walked past me and I snapped out of it. Okay, forward motion and see how you feel. My head felt a bit funny and I felt my eyesight seemed weird-did I hit my head when I went down? I couldn’t remember. I took my hat off to see if there was dirt on the back of it. No, no dirt, maybe I was just shook up.
I walked for quite a bit, and pretty slowly. I wasn’t feeling all that great. My back, with its imprint from the water bottle was not happy. I wasn’t feeling like running either. But I was getting colder, and I knew I needed to run to keep from getting colder. The Advil that I had at the vehicle, that I was going to take for my IT Band, was looking better and better!!
I got back into a run, and got by the hikers, but still wasn’t feeling the greatest. I was worried a bit about my back. I knew it would hurt more later. I decided it would be best to stop after this lap with my leg and back issues. So I finished up at 4.51. Jim was coming in to start his fourth lap!! Back at the vehicles, so I chatted a bit with him, told him I was dropping, so everyone would know what had happened to me.

My back stiffened up overnight, but it doesn’t feel too bad, except the whole bruised lower section. But it doesn’t feel like I twisted or wrenched anything, just bruised up. I was disappointed in my bruise, I was hoping for a perfect outline of my water bottle in my back.

Too much ballet at the Ballet

We saw the Nutcracker last night: my mother, sister, nephew and I. My 15-year-old nephew hated it; my sister and I enjoyed it; my mom didn't like it. "Too much ballet". We tried to explain it was a ballet and that's why they did so much um, ballet dancing during the whole thing.
Weights workout today, a bit tired after the 4 hour round trip drive and ballet. My injured shoulder hurt a bit, so I ignored it and lifted through the pain.
No workout tomorrow, will be driving to PA to spend night at SIL's and then run FatAss Saturday morning. 5 am start! I wonder what our weather will be like?

Weight Training Today

Today I was able to spend some time productively in a meeting and planned out my weight training schedule. I decided I need to focus on 1) upper arm strength 2) core.
My arms get sore after long runs, so I figure I will get them in shape. Core workouts should be self explanatory to everyone these days. Work on abs, lower back, glutes, keep the core strong.
I got a nice 50 minute or so weight workout at the gym, I will post what I am doing soon. I think a twice a week or maybe one session more will be good for the weight training.
I was fretting about not running so much lately, and then I actually looked at what I am doing in December. This weekend, a 50 mile Fatass in Youngstown. Then, likely a 20-some mile run at Mohican December 23. Then, a 50 mile fatass in Cleveland January 6. So I guess I'm getting plenty of long runs in at the moment!
Food bought for the ultra this weekend: Whole grain Ritz crackers, jelly beans, Lays Salt & Vinegar chips. I am also taking advantage of the cold weather and bringing some thin sliced turkey to go with the crackers. I also found some Coke Blak to try. I wanted to buy some of those energy drinks but we boycott RedBull for political reasons, and the others were in big cans--I couldn't see chugging a big can like that at an aid station, I just don't drink that fast. I will also have my Perpeteum and Ensure to try. I think this will be a good training run, with the multiple loops, to try out different foods at the aid station (my vehicle.)

Where did the weekend go?

What a quick one. We left about 11am this morning to drive to Cleveland to attend the 82nd Airborne Division Association annual Christmas party. A good time was had by all. One of the oldest members was there, he is 91!! A WWII veteran, he was a gliderman. My husband and I, in our early 40's are very "young" members of this group.
I got an hour in on the treadmill before we left, and glad I did it early beause now I'm a bit tired (it's four hours roundtrip) after the party and drive.
I realized on the drive too, that I need to get stuff organized for my FA this next weekend. I'm going to see the Nutcracker in Cleveland Wednesday, spend the night there, and then Friday drive over to the Youngstown area for the race. So that doesn't leave me much time to get things organized for the FA.
I might try a few new things for this run. I have a big vat of Perpeteum, and have only tried it once before. I might try it for some of the loops ( I believe we will be doing 8 mile loops).
Running on the trails in the dark will also be new for me. I have several lights, so I need to test them out, see if they need batteries, and what hat I can use for the light that goes around my head. I've got some work to do!

8 Mile Treadmill Run

I'm glad to have gotten this workout in. I have been a bit anxious about running, and future races for the last couple of days-I'm not sure why, I'm sure some of it is my lack of running at the moment, the change of weather and loss of daylight time, my inability to lose weight, and trepidation about doing some long runs in the winter here in the cold weather. I was going to go to the gym and do a weight workout, but when I found myself sitting down in front of the TV, I thought, you might as well go run on the treadmill if you are going to watch TV. So I thought I would run for two hours, since I was watching trash TV for two episodes (What Not to Wear-hey it could be worse.)
It took me about 4 miles to kind of settle into a groove, then I thought I would just run for 8 miles OR two hours whatever came first.
So I felt a bit better about running, getting an actual wokout in. I wanted to run outside, but I couldn't force myself outside into the 36 degree weather and wind. It's just the first time of the year for the cold. In a few weeks I'll just don my clothes and go out and run in the same temps, it's just hard getting used to the first couple of days. I did find my running tights and was surprised to find I own three pair!! Now to gather up the long sleeved shirts, gloves, and hats and get the winter clothes organized. Winter is here.
Oh, and twenty-three days til Christmas!