Ready to Go

The bags are in the vehicle. I have the hotel room info, the maps printed. I got out of work about 230 pm today; I freaked a few people out today about the race. "Oh you are running a 100...100k right? 100 MILES???" they were really stunned, which of course made me MORE nervous...I just took comfort in the fact that I was not the only freaky person doing this, there are LOTS of US that think this is sane AND FUN all at the same time. "How long will this take you? How long to recover? How will you feel afterward?" All questions today. I answered them all truthfully. I do not know. I've never run a 100 miles before. But I am going to do it on Saturday.

I really like Chris' post from Cool Running,and I am going to keep it in mind all weekend...no dropping before you walk for a 1/2 hour..and no dropping before you sit for a 1/2 hour....

If I can keep my positive attitude throughout the race, I will be in good shape. I am actually looking forward to the new experience for me, the night time hours of the run, something I haven't done before. Having a pacer is also a new experience. Especially since I have never met Steve. That should be good for a 10 or 20 mile chat along.
We leave at 6 am Friday, so I doubt I will be back online. On Sunday, we are going to drive to about the WV line and stop for the night, so I won't be back til Monday to give you my race synopsis.

Thank you all so much for the support as I venture into unknown territory. I will be *thinking* about you-all this race (I will have plenty of time to do so!!!)

Mystery Watch

Okay, I got a package in the mail today, at work. It is a watch! It looks like the country of origin is China. WTF????? No name on who sent it! Very strange.
It's a Rolex. LOL.

The only people I currently know in China (or I think he's still there) is Jim, from running with at Mohican, and his wife. So Jim, if you sent me this watch, thanks!

I'm still way puzzled by this one!!

Getting There

I'm Bib 219. I have the drop bags packed. I have now itemized the drop bag contents. I will have my little card with my drop bag contents on me, so when I come into an aid station, I know what I will have at my fingertips. Other than clothing items, the drop bags mirror each other with food and first aid stuff and socks and shoes.
On my drop bag list I also have some comments on there:

**Getting Dark at 7pm-have light and clothes
*Espresso Beans with Food in each bag

to be delighted that I have the health,
ability, drive, determination to do this;

Relax and enjoy the adventure.
Walk EVERY hill
No stopping- always keep moving forward.
No turning back- always keep moving forward.

Forward relentess motion.

Set small goals and move towards each one.
Then do it again.

Unstoppable. Unstoppable. Unstoppable.
Keep your great attitude, keep moving and don't waste time and all should be well

Kim
Have a safe trip and a good run. Take good care of your feet!
Happy Loops!
Roy

Keep your great attitude, keep moving and don't waste time and all should be well.

I also typed in "Regis Shivers". I think that will help me out tremendously.


Camping supplies are ready. The husband has some sort of socializing plans made for the weekend--I listened, but don't really care what he is doing (hey this race is about ME!!) I did mention I would like him to return to Umstead on Sunday with a cold beer in the cooler...heck I would probaly take a warm one, if I could even get a beer down at that point.

Other thoughts. I feel good. I haven't run in a week. That's fine, it's not going to kill me. I will get lots of miles in on Saturday. I have a very good mental attitude. Some writings and mantras from other runners have and will help come this weekend. One, from Chris, from the
Cool Running Ultra/Trail Forum really helped me out:

Merigayle and all Umstead runners- GOOD LUCK!
here is a cut and paste of my plan for Umstead last year. It worked very well for me and maybe will have some nuggets of value to you.
Relax and enjoy the adventure.
Walk EVERY hill
No stopping- always keep moving forward.
No turning back- always keep moving forward.
Hydration is key- drink one bottle of Accelerade per loop
make sure to urinate frequently.
No wasting time at the aid stations. In and out quickly.
Only sit down if there is a foot problem.
No discussion of not finishing.
Set small goals and move towards each one. Then do it again.
Eat food along the course. See attached list.
Take one salt tablet each loop.
Pacer to do my thinking for me.
Keep ahead of issues/problems.

to monitor-
-chaffing
-blisters, treat immediately!
-swelling of fingers/toes. Electrolyte imbalance.
-changing to dry shoes/socks.
-dry shirt.
-for aches try Trameel 1st, then Tylenol
Miles 66-69 are supposed to be most difficult mentally.
Never ask how I am feeling. We know how I’ll be feeling, now let’s think positive!
Keep me on pace. Do the math and be honest as to where we are.
Make sure pacer takes care of himself too.
Tylenol only. No Aleve.
Relax and enjoy the adventure.
Take lots of photos.
Change clothing for night run ahead of time as required.
Decide when we will need to take the flash lights.
Use espresso beans for a quick jolt in the middle of the night.
Absolutely NO quitting until we
Walk for ½ hour
Stop and sit for ½ hour
Discuss this and are in agreement that it’s impossible.
Looks like nice weather this year- Enjoy the adventure!

Can Do Attitude

I get the reminder from Active.com this morning (actually they reminded me 4 times enough already guys):
Dear KIM:

Your event is coming up and we want to be sure you're event day ready. Please take a moment to review your race registration information below:

Print and bring along to your event
Confirmation #: 4893975-111006161706
Name: Kim Love-Ottobre
Event Name: Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run
Date: 03/31/07
Location: Wm B Umstead State Park
Event Web Site:
http://www.umstead100.org


Sunglasses
Hat
Sunscreen
Safety ID Tag, Like Road ID
Post Event Snack
Plenty of Can-Do Attitude


Heh. Don't forget that extra helping of Can-Do Attitude!
Post event snack. Check. I may be a little hungry afterwards.

Getting There

Ok, drop bags packed. Ridiculous amount of stuff...oh well! Post run clothes packed, run clothes packed. Just need to get the camping stuff out-I am bunking at the park instead of staying at the hotel. That way I don't have to worry about "getting there". Besides, this was my original plan anyways, to stay at the park. I just need my sleeping bag and a few amenities.
I reminded my husband we are leaving bright and early Friday morning, the vehicle will be packed and ready on Thursday night.
What's left? Just a few items. Need to get maps out and all the race instruction stuff. It's around here somewhere!

Tuesday

Ok, I have some of my drop bags packed. I just have two, since Umstead is a loop course. It seems like a ridiculous amount of stuff. I don't recall having this much stuff for Mohican, but I only planned a 50 miler portion of Mo last year. And I was wishing for tape at mile 52, and baby wipes, and a clean towel.
I will get the spare clothing packed into the bags today. Everything goes into a plastic bag, because you don't know if your bag will be out in the elements and it may be raining. The forecast for now calls for highs around 72 and lows in the 50's with a chance of rain Saturday night.
I need to go for a run today as I am feeling like I could jump out of my skin right now. Not so much nerves, it's just I haven't run in five days, I have some energy to release. Just a little run!!

Payday Bar Embargo??

I've now visited two stores and no snack sized PayDay Bars. I luv these things, one of my favorite ultra snack. So I need some for Umstead and the supply seems to be dried up! Oh well, I will have to try another store when I am out and about tomorrow.

I started thinking way too hard today (especially since I was at work and should have been thinking about work things.) Then I found some nice quotes from Kevin Sayer's Web Site:

From Karl King:

Blake Wood wrote:

"I guess I'm in the minority. I don't get nervous before races anymore."

It's good to see that I'm not alone in this. Any race is not a life and death matter. At the end, we'll go home and think about what to run next.

Before the race I've planned, trained, and gathered information from those who have been successful on the course. The logistics have been run through and the equipment put in place. The only thing left to do is execute and enjoy. Even if the outcome is not what I had in mind, my ego is strong enough to accept it, learn from it, and do better next time.

So, I stand on the starting line with the child's sense of discovery and joy. This is what I chose to do, and I'm delighted. No place for nervousness to enter.

Also:

"A race is not so much a race, but a celebration of all the hard work that you have done."

The best advice I've ever heard, and I wish I could recall who said it, was "Don't forget to enjoy yourself."



I plan to enjoy myself. This is what I have chosen to do for myself, to test myself, to have fun in the great outdoors, to be delighted that I have the health, ability, drive, determination to do this; that I get so much pleasure out of being in the great outdoors and just revel in it.

Okay. Time to go start packing some drop bags.

4 Days

Till we leave for Raleigh. 5 days till race day.
Not that I am worried or anything.

Running Lists

Drop Bag Contents
First Aid
moleskin
lambswool (not sure, didn't help last run)
tape
scissors
duct tape
drugs (ibuprofen, tums, imodium, Pepcid)
Biofreeze
ginger
Succeed caps


Food
Payday bars (candy size)
Boost
PB & Ritz crackers
Clif Shot Blocks
Adrenaline Drink
Espresso Beans
Perpeteum


Clothing/Comfort Items

Jacket
ball cap
shirt
spare bra
tights
spare shortS?
long sleeve shirt
socks
shoes
Baby wipes
suntan lotion
Lotion
hand sanitizer
iPod
phone
small towel
Bodyglide
Vaseline

Weekend Recap

It was a good weekend together with the hubby. We attended the The Cinti Wine Festival on both Friday and Saturday nights. The Friday night was a bit less crowded than Saturday, although Brian and Tammy drove down from NEO for the tastings also, and we sampled and mingled with them on Saturday!
No workouts! Saturday we went to breakfast, then went to Jungle Jim's. Think of a Trader Joe's or a Whole Foods type story-except 10X as large. JJ has a great selection of international foods-and when you live in a very rural area like we do, you stock up on your curry pastes and rices and exotic ethinic fare. It is a great market, and just keeps expanding. We spent alot of money there this weekend-but we only hit it up once a year, so it's worth the stockpile!
We returned home early afternoon and got chores down and the dogs out for a good long time. Condie has now learned to swim out in the pond after sticks. I think the dogs will be having fun in the pond this summer!

Weekend OFF

Not that I need it or anything...lol....ohmygod I need to get out of town. My office is a mess, I have been triaging most urgents to 'deal with next week'. I got back to my office at 3.55pm..my sec'y is "call so-so if you are back before 4..." D'oh!!! Do I bail or just make the call. I make the call and it's just a small request that I immediately foisted onto sec'y.....oh they will be glad that I am OFF tomorrow!!

Training Weekend Plans


Friday and Saturday night plans Why yes, it does appear to be the annual Cincinnati Grand Tasting Weekend. We will be in Cinti for the wine tastings both Friday and Saturday. Brian one of my team mates from NEO Trail Club and his wife might travel down for the wine tastings too. Brian and I discussed wine for a long time out on the YUT-C trail a few weeks ago.

I might get a couple miles on the treadmill at the gym on Saturday, I was able to last year. I don't like running in downtown Cinti outside by myself for safety reasons. This is a nice weekend my husband and I really enjoy as together time.
Besides, it is good distratction from Umstead.

I have started my lists now. I have the "camping list" the "running list" and the "drop bag" list so far.

Spring!!

Seventy Degrees here today!!! What a fitting tribute to the first day of spring!!!

I finally made it outside after a long trying day at work. Almost talked myself out of running, but convinced myself that everything would be better once I got on the trail. And it was. It was nice to see all the ice has finally melted.

I had a nice moment of doubt during my all day long meeting, where your attention could freely wander away from the meeting. I was looking at my schedule for Mohican. I don't have that much time after March 31 til June 16. I have no idea how long recovery will take from Umstead. I have no idea how quickly I can get back into long runs. I have no schedule made for Mohican yet. Should I still target Umstead as a 100 mile race? Or just concentrate on getting 50????

Well, I have (Almost) gotten over those negative-panic thoughts. I'm going to give Umstead my best shot. The plan is run a 100 miles. I will worry about the recovery when I am in the recovery phase. I'm not going to think past March 31 for right now. I need to start really thinking about March 31 and what I need to pack for this race!

4 Mile Run

A sluggish 4 miler, although it was in abundant sunshine. It wasn't that I felt tired overall, the legs just seemed a bit heavy. I did an abbreviated core workout at the gym, enough to get my abdominal muscles stretching again.

Abundant Sunshine

That's a nice weather forecast. I have 4 miles scheduled today, so that can be a nice around the block at the gym, then go in and get a core workout done.
I've started thinking about lists and drop bags for the race. I haven't written any out yet, but the master list is brewing

Weather Check!

Weather Checking





I have gone and started it. Typed in Raleigh NC to check out the weather. OHmygod, it’s in the 70’s and even 80’s!! It’s still SNOWING here!!

It must warm up here soon. I need to acclimate!!! end panic weather rant.

Me and Mike at the Covered Bridge on Sunday. He's a tall guy!



I feel good after my long run yesterday, it’s more my stomach muscles from my lack of core workouts! It hurts when I cough! Got to get working on that now. Got to get some stretching in. The husband returns from his business trip today, so I think I will take the whole day off from working out and hang out with him.

Gorgeous Run Day!!!

What a nice day to run Mohican. We had a crowd out there today! 13 runners!!! Woohoo! After running with one person or nobody, it was quite fun when we were all together at the start-rather loud in the woods!!
And as, runs go, folks started to separate. I moved toward the back to run with the last runner, who had a headache going. As he had not run Mohican before, I didn't want him to get separated-and we don't leave folks behind on these training runs.
Mike surprised me by coming out, as I thought he was still in Texas. That was cool, because he's my pacer for this thing!
Roy was late showing up, and we were getting ready to leave without him, since he knows *every place* and could easily catch us. As we all chatted and hopped up and down to stay warm, I noticed another group of folks getting adz's and shovels out. Thinking it was the Mohican Trail Clubs out for more trail maintenance, I wandered over to say hi. As I walked over, I recognized Ryan O'Dell the race director of the Mohican 100 Trail Run and the Mohican MTB 100. The bikers were getting ready to finish up the last section of their new bike trail.
We timed this run perfectly. This is mainly a bridle trail, and has large sections of mud in season. The mud was there, but mainly frozen. It's going to be a few weeks of dry weather before this is runnable again with all that mud!
I felt really good on this run. This probaly will be my longest run before Umstead. Nothing hurt, not my hamstring or even my ITB. I drank a Boost at mile 3, where I had it stashed. Not that I needed it then, but I wanted to see how it sat on my stomach. It was fine. I think this is something I can add to my drop bags for Umstead, as nutrition along the way.
I did have another blister on my arch-left foot as opposed to right foot of last weekend. I applied a piece of lambswool to it, but the blister was already there. I wore different socks, so I don't know whether it's the shoes (same shoes as last weekend) or the fact that my feet were wet for about the whole run today.
What a great run. I had my usual post race endorphins going. It was so nice to be out with Mo runners. I'm glad Regis (Jr.) came over with me, we had great chats on the drive over. It's nice to start knowing him better. Roy gave me some advice for the impending Umstead run, cautioning me the loops got longer as the race went on...good to know!!

Core Workout Part 2

Saturday was the big domestic day here. Put three loads of laundry away. I think I washed another ten loads (mainly blankets and seatcover type stuff.) Cleaned the bathroom. Took the dogs for a romp. Went to town to buy goodies for the Mo run, and buy a new plastic bucket. (Condie the GS pup kind of ate the last one.) Spent a little bit of time at the Shivers. Jr is going with me for the training run, and he's definitely running Mohican and Di is going to crew for him. Di is not coming over tomorrow, but she said she would on future training runs, be our travelling aid station, as she has done in the past. I know her first trip (or at least it would be hard for me) back to Mohican will be difficult, I don't want her to be by herself.
I expect tomorrow's run will be both sad and happy because of the association of Regis with Mohican. I know I had that feeling when I ran the orange loop shortly after he passed, and shed a few tears on the run. It's just nice to be able to be out with other runners, in the beautiful forests, to remember Reg, and know he'd be wanting us all to be running, and to complete the Mohican 100 in June.

I did go to the gym too! today. I did anothe core workout, I was sore, as expected. Kenny, the gym owner, made a crack as I moved 50 lb weights off the leg machine: "Don't drop that on your toe". I'm moving into the paranoid existence before the big race!! Don't get hurt or sick. LOL. I guess I am officially in the taper zone.

Core Workout

I got back to my core workout today, boy I could tell I had neglected it over the last two weeks. My next core workout should be a good sore one. It felt weird to be at the gym later in the evening, but alot less stressful, knowing I didn't have to rush home to feed the dogs, or have dinner with the husband..

Tom scared me with the reminder that it's only three months til Mohican, and I haven't even formulated a training plan yet!

But I do have this race called Umstead to get through...I've been trying to drive the thought of it out of my head LOL...it's already skeering me. I'm about as trained as I am going to be for Umstead. Now I will focus on maintaining and NOT getting hurt in the next *gulp* 14 days. I don't think it's going to hurt me to get back into my core workouts, these really aren't strenous enough to affect me.
I do hope the weather gets warmer here soon (it's currently 30 and snowing!) so I can acclimate before hitting warmer temps in NC.

Quads of Stone

The temp was 72 degrees. I couldn't wait to get out of work. Should I run longer than my planned 4 miler? Since the weather was so nice? I decided to stick with the original plan, and just run my normal 4 mile "round the block" from t he gym backward. This means the 1/2 mile hill is in the first 1/4 mile, but I walked around for awhile so my shins wouldn't complain.
The hill workout was the best part of the run! My quads were cooked. They were stiff, complaining about running downhill. They weren't too fun of the flats either. (The uphills they were fine with.) With the weather being so freakishly warm, it was kind of a tough run. Going from 40's and 50's to the 70's is just weird!!
I did get back to the gym and got a good stretching session in. At first I couldn't even lower myself to the floor, After 15 minutes of good stretching, I felt almost back to my own flexible self.

Dog Gauntlet

The weather was great today, about fifty and overcast. I went out for my longer 'around the block' on the back country roads. Beautiful day. I like this course, I'm running on somewhat dirt/gravel roads. I am almost done with my run, running up the last hill, when the chocolate lab comes snarling out at me. I haven't seen him in a while...luckily he listens to his owner and stays on his property while I shuffle by..meanwhile, next house, about ten feet away, on my left this time, the husky German Shepherd bounds over the slope at me. I coo "hi handsome" to him, and his owner was also outside, and this dog ran back to him.I've encountered the Shepherd before and had no problem. The lab has bared his teeth at me before...I thought all labs were friendly. Still a very nice run. My quads are hammered though! This loop is very much up and down and I was finding the downhills a bit painful toward the end.

Endurance Planet
I have been a fan of Enduranceplanet.com. They do interviews with endurance athletes, all sorts, ultrarunners, cyclists, triathletes. It's always been a personal interview. Now USA Triathlon has bought them out, and are presenting little five minute sound-byte interviews. Not really even an interview, just a person talking with responses from the interviewee cut in. I don't like it. They have probably turned me off this podcast. Does anyone have any recommendations for podcasts??

Slip Sliding Away

This was from the FA 50K yesterday, on the YUT-C 50K course at Mill Park in Youngstown. The picture tells much of the story. Along the river(s) where the trail was in the shade and the getting the run-off the hills, it was still under ice. Hurray for screwed shoes! Without them, I would have been toast.

There were nine of us out there for the run-myself, Brian, Bob, Jim H, Jim, Tim, Jerry, Lloyd and Dave. I arrived at 7am and saw that Bob and Jim were already out there, so I thought I would get an early start on the day, since rain was forecast.

I like the YUT-C course, it has a little bit of everything. The ice was the real story though, the monkey trails were harder going down that going up. It was very slow going on the ice sections. For awhile I fretted about how long it was going to take me, then remembered this was a 'time on my feet' run for me befor Umstead.
I ran the "long loop" for my first round, and caught up with Brian, Tim and Jim at the covered bridge. Tim and Jim did not have screwed shoes and had some slow going. For some reason, maybe the scew placement, I wasn't sliding all over the place. I stopped to chat with Bob and Jim who were going in the opposite direction, and they told me they were all running the shorter loops! Hey, I didn't get that memo...

Starting on the second loop, probaly within a mile, I felt a blister forming on my arch-probaly due to wet socks and the sock bunching up. Hmm.I had no tape with me. Since it was lightly sprinking rain, I decided to run the short loop so I could tape my foot up. I thought this was actually a good thing to happen, that I could experience taping blisters on the fly. Back at the car I made sure I wiped my feet totally off, dried them, then get my Elastikon tape out. hmm, I should have brought scissors or a knife. Biting off this tape is not easy!! I tape it as well as I can. It's actually not a big blister at all, but it certainly was hurting like a big blister!
I am getting ready to leave for my last loop, another long one, when Tim and Brian appear. Tim has had enough, he's done for the day. Brian decides to go back out with me. He's tired and says he's cooked. In fact, he's kind of wavering on the 3rd loop, to go long or short, but I tell him he'll be done if he goes for the long loop with me!
Peer pressure goes a long way with ultra running, and Brian keeps going. He feels much better when we hit the turnaround point on the loop. In fact,he keeps talking about doing a few more miles! I'm getting pretty tired by the time we hit the covered bridge, but it's good knowing the course a little, I know we just have a few more miles to go.

But we still have the ice down by the river, and the monkey trails to go!
Brian suggests we go "off-piste" and avoid the ice trail by the river, so we head directly uphill (or more like up ravine.) This works well for short distance, until the hillside kind of turns into a cliff. We then climb to the road above, since Brian designed the course and knows where we are.
But the adventure is not over yet! A man walking stops us and tells us the road is closed ahead, there is heavy equipment tearing up the road for a sewage line break. We run ahead anyways, and are denied!
Okay, so we go off-piste again, since the trail is directly down the steep slope below. It's kind of a slide from tree to tree, then a nice slide down through the snow. You kind of had to turn your feet into skis and do that sideway stop.
So we hop back on the trail again, hit the monkey trails for the last and final muddly slick time. The last little slope is about the most treacherous. I get stuck to a tree and can't stop laughing because I can't figure out how to safely slide to the next tree without conking my head open. I finally just let go of the tree and actually just slide slowly, through the mud, to the bottom of the hill.

It took me about nine hours, one hour longer than I was hoping for, but due to the ice, there just was no going faster. It was good for me, good time on my feet. Thanks for running the last lap with me Brian, that was fun!

At the Rents

I'm at my parent's house tonight, that gives me less of a drive over to Youngstown.
A low of 40 degrees tonight, tomorrow high of 49 with rain forecast-I will take it!!!

Feeling Better

I actually started to feel better-or not so sick-about noon today. What a relief.
I did skip my workout today, figuring I would be better for a 50K on two days of rest than one.
I screwed my shoes. I bought more sheet-metal screws, but they were round not hexagonal, so I just used the ones I had available. I am driving north to my parent's ( the rents) and will see if Dad has any 'proper' screws around. He's a dad, he has to have this in his workshop. If not, one of the prepared guys for the NEO Trails FA 50K will be able to help me out.

Odds and Ends

Blogger Header

Ok troops, here's how I put the picture above the title.
Ok, hope you can follow this. I pretty much followed this link:
instructions on making a picutre header on blogger


First, make your picture about 200 X 800 pixels. Then upload that to wherever you store pics. It will stretch your picture, but I haven't figured out what to do about that yet.

Then go to the link I typed above and follow the instructions in the middle where it says "adding a page element widget". All you have to do is change the widget to "4" and then "yes" and follow the rest of the instructions. The new "page element" you can click and grab and move to above your header.
I can't figure out how to make the "title" area smaller yet. I'm not real good at this blogger stuff, I just don't have the time and patience to spend on it. Hope this helps.
Workout

45 minutes on the elliptical. I still have bad cold.

To do List
-Find more sheet metal screws for trail shoes for Saturday run at YUT-C. It will be icy. I do have YaxTrax, but from reading race reports and notes from people, I think I will be better off with screwed shoes than the YaxTrax.
-Get over cold. This is sapping my energy.

Good luck to all running Land Between the Lakes Race this Saturday!! That would be

Tom
Josh
Rob along with Mohican runners Tanya, Roy, and Jeff. Can't wait to hear the race reports!

Feelin Like a Celebrity

You have to check out Mike's column about me. That made me feel so special. Especially since this week has sucked so far!! I've had work stress and I had a head cold. So Mike's post made me feel mucho better. Thanks, pal!!
Mike and I are going to drag each other through 100 miles of running. Through stories, lies, whatever it takes, we're going to get each other there. I'm looking forward to both experiences!

Despite the bad head cold I managed 40 minutes on the elliptical, 10 minutes on the stair master. Unless the weather turns nice (yeah right) it looks like a treadmill run tomorrow.

Classic Monday

So I wake up at 5.05 am. Normal time. Feel like crap. Reset alarm for 5.30. Still feel bad. Decide I need to go to work, since it's payweek, and I need to process time cards. Decide to bail after 11.30 meeting.
You know where this is going, right?
8.05 am. Phone call. Inspectors in the hospital. Stand by for inspection.
No bailing out of work early today. In fact, a late day. Glad I had already decided on no workout.
Tomorrow, inspectors back again. So I will stick with original workout schedule of 4 miles, either tread or elliptical--at least 4 miles is easy to get in.

On a brighter, workout note, more summer plans had solidified. I am working the aid station that the NEO Trails Club has sponsored, at mile 65 on the BR Course. This is also where the first pacers are allowed, so this is where Mike will fall into my capable hands, and I will pace him to victory in the Burning River Race~~!!

Mike is also going to pace me at Mohican this year. We'll have some talking to do, to get both plans together. I think this will work out well, despite the fact that we are both newbies to this whole 100 mile race concept. One, we're both very positive; Two, we already like and get along together; Three, we both have good sense of humor; 4: back to items one, two and three. To me, attitude is so important. At Mohican last year, whenever someone asked how I was, my reply was "Great. I feel good!" And that helps. I think when you replying about how this and that hurts, the more you focus on it. Reg and Di have a plaque that I have always liked, it says "Attitude is everything". That is so true. You do truly "bring your own weather with you". It's funny, since I have started trail running, I don't have many negative runs, not like when I ran on roads. I just like being out in the woods so much, time on the trails is not so important, it's the experiences I soak up while out on the trails.

Treadmill Today

I woke up with a sore throat, I think I am catching the cold from the husband. I had a nice morning of breakfast, then I went and napped on the coach til 10am, which was the time I had set for myself to get on the treadmill. Eighty minutes on the tread, thank goodness for DVD's. This week I need to get in a 4,12,8 mile runs, then the 50K this Saturday. Anymore I take whatever mileage on whichever day I can do it on.

Back from the Viewing

I went to Regis' viewing tonight. Waited over one hour in the receiving line...so happy to see so many people turn out to honor Reg. This was non-stop. I would put a guess that there had to have been 800 to 1000 people through that receiving line. One of the runners there made a comment: "The whole town must be here." Yes, they probaly were there. I ran with Reg and Jr. in late 2005 in West Lafayette, I don't know how many times we stopped to chat with people in cars...it was a pretty relaxed run lol...
Di is a trooper. I hope she can hold up a few more days. I'm very glad Reg Jr is here in town, and Shannon is here too.

Mohican Run Today

I ran the orange loop at Mohican today-I even included the dreaded Grist Mill section. It was a winter run for sure! I thought there would be far more ice and snow melted. I could have used my screwed shoes or newly purchased Yaktrax, but did I have them with me? No! I wasn't expecting the ice. Pretty much every switchback on the side of a hill was ice covered. Footing was treacherous in many spots. I had to look for snow or leaves to tromp down in.
Two good falls. One was on a nice section of plain dirt track. I tripped on a twig. I fell down to my knees, and managed to bang my shin on the only rock on the trail for twenty feet. That'll leave a bruise. The next trip was even better, I slipped on ice, then tripped on a tree root, somehow fell on my quads and hands, and ended up with my nose about one inch from a very large rock. I could've ended up with a nose bruise on that one!
The picture above is the trail down by the river. With large amounts of rainfall, the trail becomes a stream. I knew this was going to happen but didn't worry about it and splashed in. However, about one mile further, the river is high enough where the trail is now in the river. My options were to climb the nearly vertical slope, or just follow the trail, now in the river for the five feet or so. I chose to jump in the river (okay, I didn't jump in the river, I carefully followed the trail, holding onto sturdy branches in case I slipped on the mud.) I made it through much quicker than trying to climb the hill.
I only ran the orange, since time was getting away from me and I had things to take care of at home. It's funny how a trail run helps me. By the time I was into the run for about 2 miles, when I enter the pine woods, I realized I was relaxed. A couple of hours later, when I splashed through water and laughed, I realized I was happy, the happiest I had been in days.

Wind

It was very windy here today. I got outside for a 4 mile run. Since I was dressed appropiately the run went rather well. I actually wore a singlet and a windshirt on top, and that was just enough clothes. Usually I have too much under windshirts and sweat up a storm. Then I stretched for a good 15 minutes and called it a day.

I'm going to Mohican tomorrow. I'm going to run...a bunch. I'm going to run the orange loop, reconnect at my vehicle, and then probaly about five more starting up the red loop but then running down the road to the FireTower over to the green section back to the Covered Bridge. ( This is all covert race trail talk of course.) It's funny, when I was out with the Mo Hiking Group, they all use the "official" trail names and I have trouble translating what trail they are talking about.

I was supposed to run Sunday at Mo, but we're going to start at 10am. Being a slow runner, I can't count on running the 13 or so miles and then make it back to home/close enough for Reg' funeral. Now, while Reg wouldn't care if I was late to his funeral due to a run, I think it would be bad form to show up late. So I am going to run around closer to home on Sunday.

Batty

I'm going batty because I'm disorganized. I haven't had the proper clothes for whatever workout I have planned (and the clothes for the alternate workout too..)
Like yesterday. I was going to run 12 miles. Well, I didn't even get out of work til 5pm. So much for the two hour outside run. Then my alternate clothing was 'inappropiate' for a long run at the gym. Grrr.
Then today, I had shorts and a singlet for a gym workout. It turns out I could have gotten a good workout outside if I had a long sleeved shirt to throw over the singlet. Poor planning! Again!
Part of this has stemmed from our out of town guest. Most of my running clothes is stashed in the guest bedroom, where the guest has been. I didn't realize I would not be able to get to alternate stashes of clothing while our guest was here.
I did twenty minutes on the stairmaster, then twenty minutes on the elliptical. Ugh! I should have switched them, it would have been easier the other way!