Hike with the Dogs

Leap Day! An Extra Day! What will you Do?

An extra day of February! What will you do different today?

I slept in for the first time in six days. Heavenly! (I'm working second shift today.)

I recommitted to the Weight Watchers Program today. It's worked for me in the past, and it will work for me again. Most of the WW philosphy is healthy eating and portion control. I've kind of let portion control get away from me. And, trite as it sounds "If you fail to plan you plan to fail" is still true. Planning most of my meals out, according to WW points, does work for me.

A weighty issue resolved

Since I already felt like crap last night (I'm in the throes of a bad cold) I decided to step on the scale and see what the damages were from little workouts and not the greatest eating.

To my surprise (and joy!) I'm up about three pounds...not the 10 or 15 that I thought I had gained. I'll take the three pounds, thank you!

And I still have that full sized bag of dog food weight to get off my waist area. But at least I haven't sabotaged myself too badly. The cold seems to be waning a bit; who knows, I might get some walking in on the dreadmill this evening!

Yax Trax Post

I wore my Yax Trax for the first time the other day, for my trail run. The conditions were single track trail, mostly frozen surfaces. This meant the mud was mainly frozen, and I wasn't getting my feet wet when I broke through ice. The trails also were snow and leaf covered.


The Yax Trax really were not working for me in these conditions. I kept getting big gobs of snow stuck under my arch on the left foot, kind of like mud building up on the shoes. I had to keep stopping to scrape it off. I also got brances stuck under the Yax Trax.

I will have to say the screwed shoes would be a better choice than the YT in these condtions. Maybe the YT would be better on icy roads, or snow covered roads, than trails. Anyone have an opinion?

Back from Louisville

I feel I've been gone forever. We left at 5am Thursday, drove to Louisville for husband's business with guests, did some shopping, ate at a wonderful Ethiopian Resturant that we always visit while there. Dennis and I were the hosts of 13 for dinner each night, and the designated driver, so, it really wasn't that much of a fun trip for me. I was too busy organizing people and waiting on people. We drove back today, and tomorrow I have an 11 hour work day. Well, it will give me time to catch up on all my work from being off for six working days.

It's not been much of a vacation, if any, for me. Yes, I wasn't at work. But I was in charge of feeding and organizing activities for my house guests. Did I have to do it? Well, I guess not. I could have let my husband do it all. (These folks are mainly business associates of his). But that wouldn't have been...nice. BTW, my husband does now understand that he OWES me BIGTIME and I'll be collecting on it.

Training wise, I feel everything has gone to hell. At this moment in time, I'm looking at Umstead for the 50 mile option. I'm pretty sure I'm trained up enough for that. That would still leave enough time for the Mohican Run in June. (I did get 40 minutes workouts in, each day in Louisville though!) I'm feeling and looking fat and sluggish.

Oh well. I'm going to go find some cheese for my whine!

Trail Run!!

What day is it?

Oh yeah, Wednesday. Another day of sleeping in. Another cold snowy day in Ohio.

Monday I got a short run in, 3 miles. "There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropiate clothing" I don't remember who quoted it; but as I got out the door on Monday at 3pm, optimistically armed with a water bottle, Clifblok Shots, and the Zune, I realized a 1/2 mile down the road I needed more clothing or better weather. I was wearing tights, one long sleeved shirt and no gloves. The snow started coming down and sticking, and the wind kicked up. So I did a quick out and back and called it a day.

Tuesday we drove to Cleveland and while everyone else went to the Rock Hall, I went next door to the Great Lakes Science Center. It's one of those science museums that is very hands on to kids, and very interesting! I had a nice day there. Being a Tuesday, it was virtually empty. I did managed to crash the SPace Shuttle every time I tried to land it (sorry Mike. NO pilot skills!)

I also watched the Imax Movie "Everest". I've become kind of a casual Everest junkie. Do you know, I don't remember hearing about the 1996 deaths on Everest? I must have been really wrapped up in my own little world. I read "Into Thin Air" a few years ago, and then have read a few more books on Everest, including Ed Viesturs "No Shortcuts to the Top". I didn't realize he was leading the Imax summit attempt team when all the problems happened on Everest.

What really got the reaction from me though, was the walking across crevasses on tied together aluminium ladders-f*ck that idea! No way!! I was uncomfortable even watching them do that! LOL!

AS I type, it's snowing outside. I am optimistically thinking of a long run again today, since there's nothing on the agenda for me except the six houseguests!

4 Mile Run today

It was raining on me when I started, but it was still in the 40's. This was just an around the block run; I was too dehyrdated and a bit hungover to attempt anything longer. Physically wasn't a great run; not even a good one. Just mediocre. Body is just kind of stiff and cranky, it needs more excercise!
But mentally very good. I needed some alone time away from my house full of guests.

I need a long run. I really need a 10 mile or longer run just to get rid of the creekiness in my body. We're going to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum on Tuesday, in Cleveland. I am thinking of not going to the museum and running instead. Does anyone know of a good running route down by the Rock Hall? Of course, this also depends on the weather.

Guess What? I ran today!

Finally!
We got home from the airport at 430 am...slept til 830am, then took another nap from 11 to 12. I went out for a nice run around the block, either 4 or almost 6 miles, I don't remember. It was almost like a 'trail' run because of all the ice on the side road. I could've used my screwed shoes!

And the sun! That's the first time I've been in the sun since Texas. Boy that felt good. I needed my Vitamin D supply.

I felt a bit stiff running, kind of like the Tin Man-or Tin Woman. But it sure felt good to be running again!

I'm here! Really!

Not much in the way of posting lately. Not much in the way of working out either, unless you count house cleaning. Yes, the whole house. We have company arriving, about midnight, from New Zealand and Australia. They will be here for about two weeks. Hence the cleaning and reorganizing.
My foot swelling disappeared around Saturday. I became antsy for a run Sunday. I was hoping to get outside for a run yesterday, but the six degree weather put me off.

I'm very glad I withdrew from MMT. With my work situation, I come back from my vacation and work nine days straight. Yeah, can you tell I'm thrilled to be going on vacation? Right now I'm fretting about keeping some sort of endurance for Umstead in early April. I'm very glad it looks like I can fit in the 50K FA over in Mill Creek in March, as it could turn out to be my only long run between now and Umstead!

I know I'm probably overreacting a bit, but work has stressed me, and running has always been my outlet! I know the weather will improve and I'll get back outside for runs.

Can you tell I need a run already today?

Episode 14 of Trails and Tribulations is Up!!!

The next episode of Trails and Tribulationsis up!!! Andrew and I talk to studly

finisher Rob Powell. A pretty long podcast, as it was just the three of us, Andrew and I making excuses, and Rob gives us his version! Check it out!

Rocky Raccon Race Report

The start of the Rocky Raccoon Trail 100 was a nice cool, even chilly start. This would be the only cold time of the day! We were off promptly at 6 am and headed down the trail in the dark. It was pretty crowded, so I was just enjoying chatting with everyone around me.
While I was enjoying myself and the trail, I wasn’t having a good first loop (each loop=20 miles.) My leg problem, the one which hurts in the groin area but inside my leg somewhere, flared up around mile 5. I slowed down and took an Aleve and hoped it would get better soon. This is the leg problem that affects my stride.
I was also sweating profusely. I went from 10 degrees and no humidity to race condition that were steadily climbing from the nice original 40’s to the mid 70’s. Still, it was just sweat and I was drinking and eating on schedule.

Andrew pulled away from me, since I had slowed. He was only about 11 minutes ahead of me starting the second loop-there are out and backs where you see other runners, which is great!


The second loop was the mid-day loop and it was tough. I just kept drinking and eating and putzing along. I felt a hot spot on the bottom of my foot, and stopped to tape it. Then, of course, two miles down the trail, I felt a hot spot develop on the other foot, so I taped that at the next aid station. I hadn’t had any major blisters for months! But I also had not been running in any hot weather since September. The leg still hurt, I was doing far too much walking. Still, I was in a good mood.


On the third loop I picked up my headlight because it would be getting dark sometime soon. Darkness fell on me after the Dam Road Aid Station, which meant around 56 miles. With the sun going down, the temperature dropped (although it seemed the humidity increased). Since I couldn’t see too many runners to give shout outs to, I turned on the Zune for the first time that day. I really had a good time on that third loop, in the dark! I think I ran more on the third loop than the second. The drugs had kicked in, and my leg was feeling much better. I did notice my fingers were starting to swell. I had been monitoring them all day, as I seem to have a problem with swelling.


I got back to the Lodge at 10 pm. Opening my drop bag, I was surprised to see my car keys. Andrew and I had put all the car keys in his drop bag so we would know where they were after the race. I wondered if he had dropped. As I thought this, a volunteer came up to me and asked if I was with Andrew, and she said he was in the medical tent.
Agh!! That woke me up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Andrew was up and around, actually getting ready to leave. He was pulled for medical reasons from the race-his blood pressure was 70/50. He spent 1.5 hours in the tent trying to get his BP back up.
So here I am, trying to assimilate this, he’s trying to reassure me that he’s fine, a volunteer is bugging me to get back out on the course, so I do pretty much what any female would do-burst into tears.
The volunteer was very helpful, I never got her name. She reassured me (along with Andrew) several times, that he was okay, and I needed to get back to my race. She walked me back out on the course, and I set off on Loop 4.
I was a bit upset. Actually I was a lot upset. I can be a bit (okay a lot) emotional at times. Andrew is a very dear friend of mine, and I was very concerned about him driving back to the hotel.
One thing I am good at is focusing. I turned the tunes back on, and just focused on getting to the Highway Site AS. If I just kept thinking about the song and the AS I wasn’t thinking about Andrew.


I was starting to get tired after this-well, more tired, I was already tired. I had not gotten any food at the Lodge, so I snacked out of my waist pack. When I got to the Highway AS, I had a cup of soup, but it didn’t seem to help much. I wasn’t drinking too much water, and I was not peeing much at all. It seemed like all the water was going in me, and not coming out anywhere. I was noticing my arms and fingers swelling more.
I got to the Dam Road AS and started down to the Far Side AS. On the fourth loop is when they pick up the AS and move it at least a ½ mile down the trail. I was getting concerned about my bloating. I thought about trying to throw up and see if that helped.
I was finally losing my good mood out there on the trail. WHERE was that AS??
I finally got to the AS. I didn’t spend any time there, as I didn’t want to eat and my water bottle was still full. I decided to try and throw up. So I stopped, stuck my finger down my throat-several times-before getting the gag reflex to kick in.
I threw up nothing! Hell, so much for that idea. I continued up the trail. All that bending over had done was now make me dizzy and lightheaded. Or maybe that was sleep deprivation. I trudged along, very slowly. I was having a huge pity party for myself. I even tried to snap myself out of it, telling myself I was just in a low spot.
I got back to Dam Road. I got a cold paper towel for myself. The three chairs were occupied and nobody was paying any attention to me. I wanted to drop there but decided to walk back to the Lodge.
As I left Dam Road, my Zune died, and the tiny MP3 player Andrew loaned me? I didn’t know how to turn it on. I was left with my negative thoughts out on the trail. I was dizzy, tired, bloated. I now had more blisters-my blisters grew under the area I had taped, so I gave up on stopping and taping more.
There is an area at RR where you are on boardwalks
through a swamp. On the third lap, I was pretty creeped out and made sure I stayed in the middle (to keep away from any frenzied alligators that might want to eat me.) On the fourth loop? I was hoping an alligator would chomp on me and end my race.
By the time I reached the Lodge, I had decided to drop. I did the 4th loop in 7 hours. I had 6 hours-or more like 6.45 to do the fifth loop. I did not see how I could finish the fifth loop faster than the 4th. Joe tried his best to get me back out there.

In Hindsight, I should have gone on. I regret it now. But it was a valuable learning experience for me. I now know what it feels like to drop voluntarily; I hope I will hold onto that feeling and remember it for the next time I am thinking about dropping!

I also need to get my foot/blister issues under control. I got two months until Umstead. As Olga says “it’s only a race”.!

I really enjoyed the experience at Rocky. It was a first class affair. Great food, excellent volunteers-every aid station was staffed by very friendly, positive, supportive people-THANK YOU volunteers!

Power Outage

Well, not me personally, I was happily typing away at my race report when the power went last night here. And stayed off. So I will have my race report up later today!



Yeah. Still have that blister problem. Sigh.

Just a short post

The short story, is Andrew and I both DNF'd Rocky, one of the "easiest" 100 miles races around. We're both kind of disgruntled right now. Beer is helping.

Probably the biggest factor of the day was weather. It got up to a high of 78 degrees with about corresponding humidity. Add a big Texas sun-this cold weather Trail Goddess was not acclimated to sudden temperature changes like that.
I made it to mile 80. I had run the 4th loop in 7 hours. I bonked around mile 74. The blisters, heat, and sleep deprivation got to me. I couldn't see how I could complete the last 20 miles in 6 hours.
More to come later.