Mohican Run

We're wearing orange cuz we're running the orange loop.

Well, actually it was the last day of muzzle loader season, and we didn't want to get shot..

After the dog run yesterday, I just wasn't in the mood to drive over to Laurel Highlands. I decided to join Nick and Rob for a run on the orange loop at Mohican.
Mark, a several time Mo finisher (I think he said 7!) and Luc, a new trail runner joined us.

We started down the "new way" which is starting on the Mountain Bike Trail, to the right side of the river. Mark, who's run Mohican before, commented that he liked the new route too. This "new part" of the orange loop has as much, if not more climb and descent. All on very nice runnable single track!

Mark, Rob, and Luc pulled away as I stopped to put my gloves on again for the 8th time after the water stop at Hickory Ridge. I think I'm going to get those mitten clips so I can just take my gloves off and let them hang!

Nick was having a rough go of it, as he mentions on his blog. After reading Nick's blog, I had a much tamer run than he did! Nick and I figured out that if he headed downhill on a jeep trail, it probably would dump him at the start of the Hemlock Gorge Trail..which it did. This is good to know, for the future, in case someone wants a shorter run.

My run? Went fine. My leg started to bother me about mile 5. After Nick left, I concentrated on running harder on it, if that makes sense-instead of trying to favor it. Or maybe the Advil kicked it, because it didn't really bother me the rest of the run.

I replenished water at Campground A and drank most of a can of energy drink that I had stashed there...and kind of caught a bit of a buzz off it as I started down the trail by the river! Too funny. That wore off soon. I saw no sign of the bull Mastiffs and only encountered a few hikers back to the Covered Bridge.

Back at the CB, I was thinking of stopping. No good reason, just felt done. Then I realized if I did that, Bob would yell at me. And since Bob reads my blog, I decided I better get my hiney back on the trail.
I downed a can of cold Chicken Noodle soup, ate the rest of the S&V Pringles from last week's run, and found two dry shirts and dry hat to change into. This ten minutes at the car really chilled me, but I let "relentess forward motion" draw me away from the vehicle, and down to the mountain bike trail again. But this time, I started on the "red loop" section of the mountain bike trail. I wasn't into running; I was grembling to myself about being cold, my hands were cold, blah blah blah...yet I continued walking up the hill. I do complain, alot! To myself, in my head. I told myself I could just go two miles, and then go back to the car. So I continued up.

Eventually I stopped listening to the complainer inside of me just continued on!

Near the spot where you cross the road to the Bridle Staging Area, I noticed the mountain bike trail and hopped over on it. I followed it over to the trailhead, then wandered back over and picked up the Mohican 100 trail course. So I cut probably a mile off the run ( so 19.5 miles for those of you counting) , but it was kind of fun to see where the mountain bike trail went.

I got a big sub at the gas station(they have the best subs!) right on the outskirts of Loudonville, and after eating it on the drive home have been pleasantly sleepy! Of course, once home, I got to take my three dogs out for a hike, so that was a good stretch of the legs. (Yes, the dogs were loose, on their 40 acre property, being supervised!)

Tomorrow will be some errand running, and a nice session at the gym with some stair climbing and stretching!

They are not my Dogs!

I've finally calmed down enough to write a post. I started out this morning, with the intention of an 11 mile run to town, stop at my gym and refill water bottles, and then take a new route home, about 11 miles too, to get a good 22 mile run in.

The yellow lab and Malamute looking dog jumped out of their yard and followed me around mile 5. I kept yelling at them to go home. They stayed with me. They walked up the 1/2 mile hill with me. I turned onto the road toward town, still with my running companions. Ok, now what to do? The dogs were now about 2 miles from home, and I've now turned onto a new road.I want to stay on my original route, but I know these dogs will follow me, into town, into traffic. I've already gotten glares from people in cars as these two dogs cavort across the road They're not my dogs people!

I decide to take a side road, which will just cut a few miles out of my run, make a loop, and take me back by the dog's house.
They are good dogs; the yellow lab is young, and I can see she's getting tired, because she's now staying almost on my heels.
We finally get back to their house. I bang on the door. No answer. However, I can see someone in blaze orange, up on the hill behind the house. I try to leave, and the dogs follow. I start hollering at them to stay home. I go about fifteen feet down the road, and finally hear someone yelling for the dogs at the house!
I run back to the house with the two dogs. A woman is coming out of the woods with her muzzleoader. I tell her the dogs have been with me for at least 8 mile run around the block. She apologizes, and says the yellow lab is her son's. She says she will hold onto the dogs as I leave.

Well did she think I was Jesse Owens or someone? I probably get about fifty feet down the road and I hear the yellow lab catching up to me again. I keep walking away, thinking that certainly they're going to come down the road, any minute now, since they know the dog is following me.

Nothing. I get about 1/4 mile down the road. I'm getting good and pissed now. On this route, I will go under a highway bridge and start up a hill, the dog will probably be in unfamiliar territory. I don't need to adopt another dog.

I do the only thing that will keep this dog from following me. I get the cell phone out and call for extraction. If I hop into a car and drive away, the dog can't follow. I call my husband, tell him where I am, and start walking back to the owner's house. I figure I will just hang out there until he shows up, so the dog is where she's supposed to be. And probably become hypothermic, because I'm sweaty and it's cold. I figure I can pace in a rage back and forth in front of their house.

It's not the dog's fault. She was a very nice little lab.

As I fume back up the road, a man on a 4 wheeler finally approaches. I ask him if this is his dog and says yes, and I let him have it. I haven't snarled like this at someone in a long time. His eyes just pop open as I wheel around and stomp down the road. I really wanted to hit him with a 2X4, I was that pissed. I just happen to be such a dog lover, that I wanted to make sure this nice dog got off the road before getting hit or dognapped. Or maybe he didn't care. I had 1/2 a mind to continue on home with this young dog and add it to my pack.

As I stomp/run down the road, a dog at a different house comes out. I ignore it altogether. I'm so pissed off at dog owners that don't care or are too STUPID to keep track of their dog, well, this dog is on its own. Heck, it could probably get hit and no one would even notice.

Even though I am now alone, my husband is still on his way to get me, so my run was over. I hate it when a run ends on a sour note, although I'm almost done being pissed...

Good things about my run: I got my Perpeteum out and filled a bottle with it. Although I don't know how far I ran today, it was time on my feet for about 3 hours. The only nutrition was the Perpeteum and it really worked well.
I took an Aleve before I ran, and only my hamstring and piriformis hurt. I may try and get a massage on my legs and rear next week. No groin issue, my stride was okay.
It was still time on my feet, and I went down a new side road that would be good to run out. No hostile dogs, because me and my running companions already encountered all the loose dogs in the neighborhood. (A rottweiler joined my two on the run, and his owner came down the road in a vehicle to get him! At least they noticed their dog was missing!)

Planning for your Race

Rocky Raccoon is 1 month away. I took stock of my assorted running gear and supplies, and I found I was pretty empty in some categories.

Clif Blok Shots-I prefer these over the gels. I am completely out of these.



Clothing-should not be a problem, wide variety of tops and bottoms. I will be wearing my Injinji socks, with spares in the drop bags. One word of caution that I have received from several Rocky veterans is the temperature drop when the sun goes down. We'll be running around a lake, and with the wind, humidity, and cold, you can go hyperthermic if you are not prepared. I will make sure to bring spare hats and gloves, my windshirt.

Shoes-I have looked over my shoes, and I have two pair of Saucony that I should be fine with. I do need to affix velcro to the back of one pair, so I can wear my .Dirty Girl Gaiters with either pair. I love my Dirty Girls!


Lights-Rocky Raccoon will be run more in the dark than the light. I have a Myo Petzl light which I have used and is fine. I am also bringing another light, to have in a drop bag, in case something happens to Light # 1. I will also have a 1 or 2 small hand flashlights, just in case, in drop bags. Plus. of course, spare batteries. Of course, watch your lithium batteries! It seems like the AA and AAA will be fine.


SO why am I concerned about checking food, lights, socks this far in advance? Can't I just over to the closest REI and pick these items up? Uh, no. I live here: Although we do have electricity, some dubious phone lines, and a tenous satellite internet connection (it goes out when it rains) there are no running stores within a 70 miles. Or a sporting goods store with what I need. So to shop online, I got to do it early to make sure it will show up on time.

Next, to sit down and think about drop bags and aid stations at Rocky!

It's Cold when the Sun goes Down

I got out for an 8 mile run after work. Temperatures were mild, so it was the pink running skirt and long sleeved red YUT-C shirt. Very comfortable until the last loop in the park, where the sun sank behind the hills. The walkers in the park, bundled in their hats, mittens, heavy coats, and pants, just kind of stared at my bare legs.

My hands thawed out eventually in the hot shower!

I may be looking at a run in Laurel Highlands over the holiday weekend. I'm just not prepared enough (from a dog-sitting point of view) to line up a dog sitter for two days away. Especially around NY Eve. Because 18 year-olds have social lives!

Merry Christmas!

I got a 2.5 mile treadmill walk in this morning, at 8% incline. I'm still working on it!

I am also throwing around the idea of a trip to Massanutten over next weekend, since it's a 4 day holiday for me.

Reindeer Run December 23 Mohican

(L to R: Regis, Brad, Kimba, Don, Steve, Rob, Mitch-Nick in front)

8 hardy (and foolish) ultra runners showed up for a Reindeer Run at Mohican on Sunday December 23. This actually was all Steve's idea; he was up from North Carolina visiting relatives nearby and wanted to run on some of the Mo course, since he's going to run the Mohican 100 in June! We assured Steve that our weather did indeed suck, but to just wait, because it would probably stop raining and start snowing any moment. (Hey, the sun even blinked on for a minute!)

It was raining as we started. We ran the mountain bike trail right out of the Covered Bridge. This trail is on the opposite side of the river as the Blue (Purple) Loop; there is a sign for the Pleasant Hill Dam. You start down that trail, and almost turn off to the right and follow the mountain bike trail, which is well marked with white plastic pipe and mile markers.

This is a change to the official race course; there's been much chatter on this. The Trail Goddess gives this new section two thumbs up!
For the folks who love the steep big hill that starts the orange loop, no worries. You will get lots of ups and downs on this new section; probably more cimb total than that big initial climb. No more road; the mountain bike section links up at mile 8, where the "old Mo orange loop" has been traditionally linking up with the mountain bike trail. It's single track, up and down, on a very nice trail.
What is nice, if someone is not real familiar with the Mo Course, you can now come down to Mohican and run the orange loop and probably not get lost.

Speaking of lost, Mitch came back up the trail as we stopped to munch Pringles and refill water bottles at Hickory Ridge..he had somehow lost Rob, who was running in front of him, but he knew we were behind him, so Mitch ran with Steve, Nick and myself and we had some nice conversations. Of course, the rain was pouring down at this time. When we hit the ridgeline, and the wind gusts hit, it made you run a little faster to get back down into the hollows and out of the wind!

About three miles to the Campground, Nick disapeared on us. His wheaties must have kicked in, because he sped up and we didn't see him again until the Covered Bridge!

Raccoons 2, Kimba 0

At Campground A I had water, Pringles,and cookies stashed. We found the water and chips, and I finally spotted the cookie wrapped in the parking lot. Somehow I don't think the guys ripped into it with their teeth. Sigh. All cookies were gone. At least the raccoons had a nice Christmas present. Next time, I shall place the cookies in a plastic tight container! I will have cookies at an cache again! Note: I've stashed unopened Pringles containers on the trail and not accessed them until two weeks later..it was still unopened!
When I started down the Hemlock Gorge Trail, my right leg again started to act up. I had been taking Advil for it, because it had been hurting on my run the day before. When it hurts, it affects my running stride, where I start to kind of limp along. I'm still not sure exactly what is hurting; it's a hard area to pinpoint. I dropped a bit back after this, and actually this section isn't exactly easy to run through.

I stopped after this loop, and didn't run any farther. Regis was already done, lounging in my vehicle reading old Trailrunner magazines. I knew with my gimp that it would be a long slow 4 miles, so I stopped too, and got home from a trail run at a decent time.

I did some research on the ultra list and internet last night, trying to pinpoint my leg problem. I still don't know. It's become a concern because I have Rocky Raccoon fast approaching, and I don't want to struggle through the race with this. I'm going to incorporate more stretching of the legs in hopes of getting this to diminish.

New Road to Run on

I ventured out this morning to explore the side road next to the road I live on. I wasn't quite sure how long it was, but it makes a horseshoe (hence the name of the road, Horseshoe Bend Road) back to the main road, so a loop course.

What a great training road! Up and down hills, quiet quiet quiet..one car passed me. This road, mainly Amish families live on, so I got quite a few heads peeking out to see the English* chick in the pink running skirt going by.

The only drawback is, the loop is only about 3.5 miles long, so my run only ended up being 5 miles long. So much for the idea of a 20, when I returned to the house it was time to feed the nephews.

Tomorrow is a run at Mohican, it looks like a windy, wet day-lots of fun!

*Amish call all non-Amish people "the English".

Episode Nine of Trails and Tribulations is Available!

Okay, when it rains, it pours. After a 1 1/2 month of no output, Andrew and I managed two podcasts in one week!

This is an interivew with Lynn David Newton about the "Across the Years" race. Lynn is very informative and this is a good interview. I've learned alot about timed races, having never done one myself. Andrew and I are really hoping to get back to a regular schedule of podcasting. It's something we both enjoy doing, and we're happy to hear that the running community that is listening seems to think so also!

Mikey emailed me to enquire about my training this week, no worries, I have been getting workouts in, just not blogging about them so much.

My quads really have been bricks until today. I did workouts every day except Wednesday, that was my day off. Today, I left work early, and enjoyed the mild temperatures and ran in the local park system, on the bike trail. It was a nice mindless 8 mile run with the Zune and podcasts. My shins felt tight originally, but that was probably due to the running terrain.
My normal hinky right leg, though, acted up. It actually started hurting around noon (before running!!_) I took some Advil, and at least I didn't ruin my form while running. But while the groin pain subsided, it moved to my hamstring, and then invaded up my butt cheek. Where is the massage therapist for the piriformis when you need him/her?

We've lucked into a bit of mild weather here in Ohio. It should be in the 50's Saturday, so I am hoping to get a 20 mile run in, and then run about 20 miles for my Reindeer Run at Mohican on Sunday. That would be a good back to back run for me. Then maybe, one or two more long runs (hopefully at least a 50K) before I taper down for Rocky!

New Trails and Tribulations Podcast is Out!

Andrew and I are happy to announce we are back in the podcast business. Episode 8 is now available. This is a show where Andrew talks about his experience at Sunmart, and we also discuss the quickly approaching Rocky Raccoon 100 Trail Race, which a large part is run on the same trails as Sunmart.

We also recorded our next interview last night with Lynn David Newton, the Webmaster and participant in the upcoming Across the Years race. We should have that episode up and available soon for your listening pleasure.

The Doctor Appointment

All went well. Which means, my doctor concurred with my diagnosis and only had one recommendation to add to my drug therapy.

I do have excerised induced asthma. Symptoms during or following exercise include the following:


Chest tightness or pain
Cough
Shortness of breath
Wheezing
Underperformance or poor performance on the field of play
Fatigue
Prolonged recovery time
Gastrointestinal (GI) discomfort


I seem to have what is termed, the "late response". This phase occurs 3-9 hours after the initial exercise challenge, and unlike the refractory phase, the late phase manifests as an increase in symptoms, with cough, wheezing, or shortness of breath.

I have used the albuterol inhaler, but during the Slim Pickins run in November, I was not getting any relief with just the albuterol.

So I am going to try Singulair, an oral medication, which will help with the inflammatory response, and Advair, which has two components, which helps with the inflammatory response and also the bronchodilation.

I have to like my doctor. After her initial headshaking about my running, she mentioned me getting the Advair in a MDI form (inhaler) instead of the diskus, because I might want to carry it during my next 100...because it is dosed twice a day, and I will probably need doses 2 and 3 during Rocky!

I am also not going to take these drugs daily. I'm going to take them a few days before a planned long run, and continue a few days afterwards, and see if that helps. So my first long "test" run will be this Sunday.

I posted my asthma plight on the Ultra List, and have gotten some insightful (and scary!) tales of others who have the same situation. I'm not alone out there!

Firm Those Thighs

Yes I did get a workout in today, after my doctor's appointment..mainly core work,stayed away from my legs.
I was walking on the treadmill, at the gym (my warm up) and reading some article about "firming up your thighs." Funny, I haven't thought about them as my thighs, forever now. I recognize them as their separate muscle groups, and, I am happy to brag, I was admiring the cuts in my quads as I worked out today!
Huh. Firm up your thighs. Go run 20 miles on some hills. At least once a week. That will firm those thighs!

Reindeer Run Mohican Sunday December 23rd

Come one, come all. We're running at Mohican this Sunday, December 23. We'll meet at the usual meeting spot, The Covered Bridge

We're planning on running the "Orange Loop" of the Mohican Trail 100 Course. One of the course changes for 2008 was to follow the Mountain Bike Trail right out of the Covered Bridge, instead of going up the "Big Hill" and down the road, where the Mo Course meets up with the Bike Trail, and you then follow the Mtn Bike Trail.

Meet at the Covered Bridge. We'll leave promptly (more or less) at 8 am. If you show up late, and you know where we're going-catch up!
The Mountain Bike Trail is on the right side of the river, opposite side of where the Lyons Trails are (opposite side of river from where Blue Loop is run). I've never picked up the trail starting here, but it will be marked with the white PVC Pipe like the rest of the Mountain Bike Trail.

Running the Orange Loop will keep your feet dry..until the Hemlock Gorge Trail, which is the last two miles back to the Covered Bridge. With the rains we've had lately, I expect some of the trail to look like this:

Yes, this is the trail, last winter. But no worries, I didn't freeze my feet, so neither should you!

The Orange Loop is about 17 miles. We are excluding the little jaunt down to the Gristmill. I will drop water and cookies at Campground A, which is Mile 14, and also by the road around mile 4. If anyone wants to drive the long road up to where the Hickory Ridge Aid Station is, that would be cool, that would be about 10 miles in.

Then I'm planning on the Blue Loop---which has just recently been renamed the Purple Loop in honor of Colleen Theusch, our historian and biggest Mohican Supporter. The waterfalls should be very pretty on the loop right now!

Workout Today

5 miles walking on the dreadmill, elevated to 7%. Then I did the extra 152 day bonus, another mile on 10%!!

UREINO FA Report

I didn't make the 50 miler, but did do the 50K, at Gombu's insistence..more on that later..

This was the annual December FA of the NEO Trails Club. Since a winter storm was predicted for the day, and I wasn't sure about ice conditions at Mill Park, I decided to screw my shoes. (This is a pic from the March 2007 FA, to show you the ice there!)

We had about 13 runners out for the FA-I will know more when Mike posts his pics. We took a quick pic at the start and got out on the course. Bob, Joe, and Dan ran with me for the first mile or so, and gave me lots of pointers about Massanutten. Most of it boiled down to losing weight and running more. It's a pretty simple plan!! And get down to Virginia and run on the actual course, so I need to start looking at 2008 weekend plans.

My leg started to feel really bad just a few miles into the run. I popped some Advil, hoping it would take effect quickly. It was really hurting to run, and I was changing my stride to try and compensate. Faceplant caught up to me and Mike on the Monkey Trails, and as he is another multiple Massanutten finisher, he got me some advice and talk about MMT before he pulled away from us.

Mike and I started the second loop and I still felt like crap. In fact, I was thinking of re-evaluating how I felt after the second loop to see if I was going to run a third. But, then a miracle occurred, into the third lap. I actually started to feel good. The Advil must have kicked in and the food helped, because I really felt like my normal running self. (This is now about 18 miles in.) It's a good thing Mike was running with me, because I probably could have made enough whiny excuses to myself to stop after two loops, and I wouldn't have known I would feel better later! See, another ultra epiphany. Hang in there. The low may go away. Eventually. Mine did!


Mike and I also started chatting about the rest of the run. Most runners were stopping at the 50K mark. I looked at my watch, and told Mike I was going to stop after the third loop, about 24 miles. Mike tried to talk me into running at least a few more miles, to get a marathon in, but I said I was good with the 7-8 hours of running. Mike said he would do another loop, alone, to get his ultra in.

We get back to the parking lot, where Bob has hot soup for us. I tell Bob I am stopping, and he wants to know why. I really don't have a good excuse. Bob then starts on me, telling me I am weak, I need to get these miles in for Massanutten, I'll never finish if I don't get back out there, every time I run 5 miles I should run two more...

"Fine! I'll go run another loop with Mike!"

Bob got us more soup, telling us to shut up and get back out there, as he continued to talk. The snow started to fall, lightly, then more heavily. Mike and I got back out there....



Gombu and Jillian Michaels, fraternal twins separated at birth???


The Fourth Loop....

Was beautiful! The snow was falling, fast and heavy. It made the Monkey Trails very challenging. I fell five times on the last Monkey Loop, giving me a total of 7 falls for the day. I have a nice bruise on my arm-there must have been a good sized rock under the snow and leaves.



I really didn't have breathing issues until the last loop. I noticed I was wheezing quite a bit (my doctor's appt is Monday-yes made one month ago!) but knowing I was almost done I wasn't too concerned-or actually, there was nothing to do about it. I'm going to try and do some research on endurance athletes and asthma-this really doesn't seem to begin until hours into a run.

Mike and I finished up, at 535 pm, so a very long 50K time, 33 miles in 10.35 hours.


Thanks Bob and Mike for making me get out there on the last loop!

Glad I ignored the weather forecast

Beautiful afternoon, cold but no rain. I did my short trail loop around the golf course. Scared up two deer. Didn't get as muddy as I thought I would!

Today's weather forecast

"Becoming partly cloudy after some morning rain. High 41F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch."Well, I'm bringing the outside running gear anyways. We'll see.

In other running related news, Andrew and I recorded a podcast last night! We talked about his race at Sunmart, and a little about Rocky Raccoon, which is on the same course as Sunmart.

Mild Weather!!!!

$%^$@#$$!!! I walk out of work-it's warm!!!! It had to be fifty degrees!!! And no rain!!

And did I have proper running gear? Nooooooo. (That means I had everything but the proper running bra. And if you are missing that, forget it.) The workout plan for the day was core workout and weight training, so I brought that clothing.

Workout was good. I know I am getting back into the core workouts it when I can do the chair thing-but I do it with my legs straight out in front of me-when I can do 2 sets of 10 in a row.
I'm slowly working back up to three sets.
I had gone onto the next machine when another woman hopped onto the captain's chair. She did some work on it, then went to the Roman chair beside me. She then remarked "you must have been doing that for awhile!" I told her it wasn't easy. I guess I don't realize how much I am watched at the gym (since I really don't care.) I had another woman comment on my time on the elliptical, she told me she could only last a few minutes. That woman didn't of course, know about my endurance. Some of the gym goers know what I do, in a kind of fuzzy way. They pretty much shake their head when someone (not me) tells them what I do for fun.

Oh okay, back to workout, just core, and weights. My arms did feel a bit like jelly when done, so that is a good thing!

Good workout!

5 miles on the elliptical trainer, I cranked the resistance up on it. Then I walked a 1/2 mile on the treadmill while I waited for a girlie to finish playing on the stairclimber-you're not working out at the gym wearing jeans and sandals. She lasted about three minutes on it.
The strike was settled in about 3 hours yesterday, the nurses ratified their contract. Glad to be back to doing my normal stuff again. And going to the NEO Trails FA this weekend!

The Trail Goddess needs some trails!!!

I've been cooped up inside all week. Today it was 40 degrees out, but I had to go to work for awhile, and that sucked all my energy away. Maybe tomorrow. I will pack the trail clothes, and steal away for an hour on my hidden trail below the golf course...and if not that, the bike path...and if not, hit the gym for the elliptical and stair climber!!

But I do miss my woods. At least, when I get home early enough, I get to take the dogs out for the hike around the property. They had a grand time this morning, the snow was nice and slushy, perfect for throwing snowballs! They were really enjoying jumping and catching them!

Life Interferes

From the Coshocton Tribune:
"Talks fail; nurses' strike begins Sunday
By VALERIE GRACE
Staff Writer

COSHOCTON — Ten hours of talks Friday between Coshocton County Memorial Hospital and its registered nurses failed to yield a contract agreement. The union will strike Sunday."

I am not a nurse, and really can't/won't/don't want to comment on the nurses' strike, I will say I will be busy at the hospital until this is resolved. I hope to be able to get some workouts in and keep eating healthy. In a very selfish aside, I hope to still make my FA 50 miler next weekend.

Happy holidays!

Good news

My dog Tino did not need or have surgery today!

Winter has arrived

Actually it arrived on Tuesday here...we've got about six inches of snow, more to come tonight and into the weekend. Of course I did not buy new ski poles for my cross country skis--who thinks about skiing when the spring mud is thawing?







I got home a bit earlier than normal, to make sure I got the dogs out for a long romp. Tino, as seen here, is having surgery tomorrow. We are hoping all will go well and we get a good outcome. Nothing to worry about until the doctor tells us anything, so I am trying not to worry too much.

Bring it!!

I checked the Massanutten Web site at 530am, when I got up-nope , nothing there. Checked again at work, and then idly again, about 10 am while I was waiting to go to a meeting-APP was there! I start to fill it out. And stop. Should I do this? Can I do this? I sit there for another minute, head in hands. Well, maybe the website will crash. If my app doesn’t go through, it wasn’t meant to be. Keep filling out app-get to Paypal site. By this time, there was no stopping me! I hit the “Pay” button, and then flipped over to see my name on the Entrants list-where my stomach immediately started to do flip flops.

At first, there was only Moose and Adam that I knew on the entrants list. As more entrants came in, before I left for my meeting, I saw the NEO Trails posse come through, except Slim-whew! Friends (experienced MMT! Friends) for the race.
Holy smokes the race filled in 45 minutes the ultra list said. Wow.
Well, that was serendipity. I happened to be planted in the right office chair at the right time.


Workout today: 4 miles on the elliptical, 1.47 miles on the stairclimber.

This race registration came at a good time for me. Work may be getting really interesting in the next 6 days, all I can say now, so having a goal race for 2008 is really cool. As I was on the stair climber, doing some fast stepping, I just looked out to the outside and thought "bring it!" It's all good.

What WAS I thinking?

I'm in!!!

Workout

45 minutes on the ellpitical, followed by 18 minutes on the stair climber.

Rain

I woke up about 5 am, heard rain on the metal porch roof, and immediately turned off my alarm. No way I was going deer hunting in the cold rain..running in the cold rain, sure, but sitting in one spot for hours? Nah.

Well, it seems from every blog I read, Massanutten seems to be alot of runner's second choice! Entry for this race opens December 4. I wonder if the website will crash. I guess it will be fate whether I get in or not, because I have a noon meeting on December 4th, I don't think I am get excused to go hover over my work computer to register!

I was going to go to town and run in the local bike path (safe from hunters) but I think with this torrential downpour it's either the tread at home or the elllpitcal and stair climber at the gym.

Loser!

I was not selected in the WSER 2008 Lottery. A few friends were though, Mohican winner TJ Hawk is going, Dan Lehman from WV to represent, and Meredith from the www.coolrunning.com forum! It will be fun to have some people's progrss to follow.

I went to the gym and did my core/weight training, then only managed 10 minutes on the stair climber. December 1 is the date of the beginning of my official training-still not sure about what race it is. I have now flipflopped back to seriously considering Massanutten again!

Weekend!

No sleeping in this am...up early (actually my normal time) and went deer hunting this morning. We heard some in the ravine on our property, but they must have went the other way, none of them crossed my path. Cold sitting out there! I'm used to moving around in the cold weather.
Today I will go to town and get my core workout in; and maybe some time on the elliptical. I'm going a little stir crazy with only running on the treadmill using the ellpitical. I just realized I could safely run on the bike trail in the local park system-I might get over there tomorrow and see about an 8 mile run in. I need the outdoors!