Chilly and Hilly

I meant to take pics all along my running route today...

A church about 5 miles into the run. I stashed a Starbucks Double Espresso something or other here, and as I sipped it, I noticed the cannon.

Cannons in the middle of Ohio? Other than some Indian skirmishes, this part of Ohio wasn't involved in any wars using canons..

When I read the plaque I thought it was kind of neat. It looks like it says "The Boys in Blue"

dedicated way back in 1902, so the Civil War must have still been a prescence in people's lives 30+ years later. I wonder if the area had many Civil War veterans. I wouldn't think so, because not many people live down this way! This is still remote farmlands, it must have been far more remote in 1902.

I like this shot. The zombies won't make it far over the hill with this cannon defending the hilltop!

Next little town, if you can call it that, is Gilmore. It's really just a road intersection. I took pics of the abandoned houses falling down here, but didn't post them because it was sad.

This church is sad though. Church for sale. Anyone need a little church?

I continued on my way, and got to my Aid Station about mile 8:

I found these little Amp Shots at the local grocery store. I can't say I really saw any difference in using these, so probably won't try them again.

This was the last pic I got, I was starting on a big uphill. For some reason, probably my stop at the AS, my hands were freezing in my running gloves. I had to keep taking my fingers out and ball up my hands inside the glove for warmth. Consequently, I dropped my camera. And then it froze up on me!!

This was when I started doing a little whining to myself. I was very cold, my hands were red and very cold, maybe I should just call the husband for a bailout. But then, I started up a very big hill. This helped warm me up again, and I switched podcasts that I was listening to. Then I had a big downhill, and I think I was over the half-way point of the run.

I got down by the Tuscarawas river, the lowest elevation, and the sun broke through the clouds, and it actually warmed up a bit! I scared up two different groups of deer, 7 in the first group and six in the second, from their comfortable bedding spots.

I then had one of my last big climbs, from around 789 feet to 1200 feet (this is a hilly route, check out my climbs and drops) and knew I wasn't calling for a bailout. I did get kind of tired in the last few miles, and my hip flexors are a bit sore, but I just need to stretch better.

I'm glad I did this run today. Although I wanted to go to Mohican, my time was better spent getting some good road miles in, since my upcoming 100 miler is more like a road than trail. (It's like a bike path, no single track). I ended up with 24 miles in 5.38 around a 14.35 pace.

Although no smile pictures, I did have the nice post endorphin high, and now I'm very pleasantly tired, as you should be after a good effort!

Feb 28 Run

A nice hilly cold run. Check out my elevation people, I run some hills out this way! Longer report to follow, with some pics.

Trail Run

Well deserved trail run after work. Actually ran into a fellow runner! Trevor out on my trail. Nice to see someone else enjoying. Neat to see the dirt after all the snow. Many new trees down, some cleared off trail, others you had to go off-piste to get around. I need to find out who is charge of clearing this park trail, I would like to volunteer my services to help.

Treadmill Run

91 minutes on the treadmill.

20 Miles

So I took my old fat self to the high school track. 20 miles in 4.07.25 12.35 pace

Dumped

This has really bothered me..to the point of tears. I'm not sure if it's just my disappointment, or just my whole shit sandwich of a week I've had.

An email I recieved:

"Hey Kimba,Attached is a note Carolyn asked me to forward to you. Can you find another crazy to take on this 120 adventure? I think it is good to have a partner you know a bit and of comparable pace.The Pub Run has fun last Saturday, how was your trainer?Dan


I am pleased to tell you that my friend Jill wants to run the Appalachian crossing with me. She will be contacting you shortly, but I told her I would let you know for sign up. I think it would be best if Kim gets another partner, as Jill is fast these days and we will be doing our training together. I lost my old emails as my computer went down, so will you contact Kim and let her know? When do you need money? Thanks for all of your help! Carolyn "

This is about the Appalachian Crossing.

Reasons I am pissed: 1) Not being contacted directly. My address is on the WV Yahoo Group, if you had any web savvy you would have found it.
2) Being dumped because I am slow-I typed a whole bunch of expletives here, then decided I was better person and deleted it.
3) Not being able to run the Appalchian Crossing-I don't know anyone who is old, fat and slow as me, that would want to run a multi stage day race across West Virginia. And is slow. Did I mention I was slow?

This was just an inopportune time to receive this. I've had chaos at home, with skunked dogs and little sleep; dispointments at work and have had to internalize (as usual) great stress since it's things I can't talk about; little energy to get quality workouts in.

I emailed Dan and told him I was out for the Crossing. Give my space to some young, fit fast runner who has all sorts of people to run with at their speed. Yes, I am bitchy, whining, and complaining.

Phew!

Guess who stopped by for a visit late last night? Guess which two dogs couldn't resist interacting with Mssr Pew?

Guess who got 3 hour of sleep?

Dogs do not smell too bad, after a bath of shampoo, baking soda and vinegar. Our bedroom is uninhabitable; that's where the GS dog jumped into to let us know she'd been tagged. The living room carpet needs cleaned, where they rolled around on, spreading their joyous scent.

Oh well. At least I'm going to work and leaving this for my work-at-home husband.

On three hours sleep!

Mohican Run Valentine's Day

Joe climbing up at Little Lyons Falls
Rob climbing up Little Lyons Falls
Wendy in the lead on the Purple Loop
Group photo: Mike, Wendy,Debbie, Regis,Joe, Michelle, Rob, Kimba

Luc was late!

Mike, Michelle and Luc, on the "Forget the PR" section
Debbie, our special guest runner from Phoenix!
Debbie climbing up Little Lyons Falls

Luc at the waterfall at Big Lyons Falls

Luc coming off the trail at Pleasant Dam
Mike climbing up at Little Lyons Falls


Okay, pics all out of order, but that's okay!

Race report: We all got to Covered Bridge right on time, except for Luc, who was late and missed the group photo. We started down the traditional purple loop, with the understanding that we would add the extra mileage and head out to view the "Forget the PR" loop. (but we didn't give Debbie this memo!)

We had the little stream crossing right as we started down the trail toward Little Lyons Fall. I went through the water, up to my ankles, as everyone else detoured a bit to hop across on some rocks. Ha! I knew my feet would be wet soon, so why postpone something that's going to happen in three-four minutes?

We climbed up the falls, and I managed to get some pics of some of the runners. Debbie and I ran down to Pleasant Dam together. As we started on the road section, we heard a "hey! how do I get down there?"

Debbie and I look up, and Luc! is on the short cliff above us. Running in front of us, he somewhere lost the pack and got separated. I direct him over to a safer area (like the actual trail) and we continue down Goon Road together.

We take the "Forget the PR" section, which takes us out to the lodge. As we get there, we meet up with Mike, Michelle, Luc and Rob, and they all take the small loop around the lodge again with us. This is a nice section of trail for the "Forget the PR" course; what's cool is it goes right by the Lodge. You could have family rent on the rooms on this side and they could sit on the little balconies and cheer you on as you go by!

Debbie and Luc both admire BigLyons Falls, and I tell Luc this is a nice short hike for the family.

Debbie decides she is done for the day after her nine mile loop, and we wish her well and were glad to meet her out on the course!

Luc and I head out on the orange loop together. It's in real good shape, but I almost plow directly in a downed tree on the mountain bike trail-good thing I'm looking a few feet ahead!

As we head into the pine trees, I become pretty aware that my breathing is not the greatest. My dumb ass did not use the albuterol inhaler before we started. Nor did I wear my little face mask to help warm up my air before I breathe it in. So now, about three hours or so, I'm not sucking so much air into my lungs, and I'm doing my annoying cough about every four breaths.

Luc waits up for me, so he won't take the wrong turn, and asks how I am doing. I tell him about my breathing, and tell him I'm going to cut some miles off the run. I tell him he can go on ahead, as he's run this section before, but he opts to stay with me. (maybe he regretted that!)

We run past the Hickory Ridge AS turn, and I think we should be seeing the old jeep trail down to the road. We start down a faint trail, but it turns out not to be the jeep trail (that was a little further down) but a little deer trail. I go down it, as the idea is to go down toward the river, right?

So we're off piste! Heading down a ravine toward a cree. The last ten feet were a bit steep; Luc reminded me not to break a bone. I said I wasn't planning on it!

So we get to the creek. Luc wants to know whether we're crossing it and traversing on the other side, and I say, nope, we're following the creek down to the river!

So we're climbing over logjams and walking through the water, and generally staying in the creek as we go downhill. I know this will spill us into the river, and sure enough, we see the river and the trail we need! We're then heading upriver, back toward the Covered Bridge. We finally hit the pavement, at the back of the campground, and I start a fast walk. Luc commented on my fast walk! And I was gratified, as I glanced at my Garmin, that we were at a 14.00 minute pace-whoo hoo the treadmill workout is paying off!

Luc takes off back at the CB, and I chat with Michelle as she returns after her heavy mileage day. I was just getting ready to leave when I get into a conversation with a nice hiking couple from Akron-the lady was a runner herself, and so blown away by our running 100 mile races. They may come out and cheer on the Burning River runners in August!

Conclusion: Two weekends in a row I didn't meet my mileage totals at Mohican. But, it is what it is.I accept it and move on. I will remember my inhaler-use my old trick, and put it in the shoes that I change into on the start of a run, so I can't forget it.

I did get to meet a few new friends on this run-Joe, Mike, and Debbie, and got to spend more nice time chatting with Luc on the trails, so another great run at Mohican!

You Know What Day it Is!

Group Run at Mohican tomorrow, 8 am Covered Bridge start!

Sweating it out

I managed to get out of work 15 minutes early (sounds small but was a major miracle..) and headed to the park. It was an unbelievable 60 F here today. Too bad it had clouded over, I could have used the extra Vitamin D.

As I started down the bike trail I could just feel myself releasing and relaxing. This has been a crazy busy week in the hospital, and I am wound extremely tight as I dispense, manage work situations, track orders that need clarified..this morning I went in early to get ahead on some of the routine. As I walked into ICU, the "Code Blue ICU" page started. Sigh. So much for that!

I put my sunglasses on too. When I wear these, on the bike trail, it (to me) is my sign of me hiding. I do not want to be sociable when I am incognito. Man, don't bother me, let me get my run in.

And I ran. It was warm out. I cranked one of my running music lists way high, and punched out the miles. The long sleeve shirt came over, and I was running in a singlet and skirt. Sweating all over the place. Feeling the stress funk leaving my body.

About seven miles. Other than the Zunie, it was a cavewoman run. Forgot the Garmin.

The running gods did smile on me. As I got back to the vehicle, it began to rain again.

Race Alert! New Trail Marathon in Ohio!

Check out Bob Cat Trail Marathon. It is located in Burr Oak State Park, which is around Glouster Ohio. For those of you who still have no clue where Glouster is (me neither) it's somewhat near Athens. No easy way to get there, but hey! A new trail race!

I believe I will be running in it, I don't believe there is anything going on that weekend in November. It's on Sunday, November 8.

Beautiful Women

Olga posted this on Facebook, and I backtracked to the original website of
Jon Glisan:




If I were feeling a little more lawless, I’d gather all the copies of Cosmo and Seventeen, douse them in kerosene, and strike a match. I’d throw in reams of print ads from Calvin Klein and watch with delight as Kate Moss’ stick-thin image was reduced to carbon. I’d add copies of Shape and Runner’s World until the flames reached toward the heavens, and then I’d crank call the editorial desk at Muscle and Fitness until they stopped publishing pictures of women on steroids.

I’d get the master tapes of America’s Next Top Model and dub over them with “Nasty Girls”, broadcasting the results on every television station in America. I’d skywrite “CrossFit.com” across the Boston skyline, and gently admonish the hoards of long distance runners trotting along the Charles River—with a bullhorn.

I’d take every woman with mass media-induced ideals of beauty, and I’d show them what it really means to be beautiful.

Beautiful women are strong and powerful. They are athletes, capable of every feat under the sun. They have muscles, borne of hard work and sweat. They gauge their self-worth through accomplishments, not by the numbers on the bathroom scale. They understand that muscle weighs more than fat, and they love the fact that designer jeans don’t fit over their well-developed quads.

They know that high repetitions using light weights is a path to mediocrity, and “toning” is a complete and utter myth. They refuse to succumb to the marketers that prey on insecurity, leaving the pre-packaged diet dinners and fat-burning pills on the shelf to pass their expiration date.

Beautiful women train with intensity. The derive self-image from the quality of their work and their ability to excel. They don’t wear makeup to the gym, and they wouldn’t be caught dead with a vinyl pink dumbbell. They move iron, they do pull-ups, they jump, sprint, punch, and kick, and they use the elliptical machine—as a place to hang their jump rope.

They spend their weekends in sport, climbing walls, winning races, and running rivers. They laugh as they sprint circles around the unschooled, turning the image-obsessed into benchwarmers. Beautiful women don’t care if they’re soaked in sweat and covered in dirt, if their nails are chipped or their hair out of place. They care only about quality of life.

Beautiful women are happy, healthy, and strong, and they’re right there beside me, tossing conventional beauty on the ever-growing flames of what used to be.

Be beautiful.

Mohican Hiking Day

The Fresno Running Club (me, Reg, Gabe, Wendy) showed up to run Mohican this morning. Joining us were Mike. The two other runners were Rob Powell and Don Baun. When asked if they were going to run the Red-Green section with us, they smiled knowingly and said they would run along the river.

We all got into a fight as we walked to the trail head...about who would break trail. Wendy took point as I stomped into snow and postholed about up to my thigh and actually fell before we hit the trail..

The snow was deep. About one foot deep. It was tough going up the hill. When we got up the hill, a snowmobile had come through and packed down the trail, which made it okay to run on the trail.



Mikey and I stopped at Bridle Staging, where we could use the facilities. Mikey took longer than me, which led to my advantage in picture taking:





The snowmobiler abandoned us on this section of trail, and now our run had become just a hike in the woods. The snow was deep enough where every footstep brought you down 4-5 inches into the snow. Mikey and I truncated our run after the first water crossing (which was frozen BTW, the driest I have ever come through this section!)

Having cut off this about 3 mile loop section on the red, we were now AHEAD of Regis, Wendy, and Gabe. We knew this because there were no footsteps in the snow and now I was breaking trail!!

In fact, we stopped for our food at AS Rock Point and kept waiting for the trio. So we kept going, in the complete walking mode-or actually the stomping through snow mode.

On our way to the water crossing past Rock Point, I got impatient with the snow which was now about half-way up my calves. Mike agreed with me when I said "let's go off piste, cross the river, and pick up the trail on the other side". Heck, we'd already cut the course, what was a little more? We followed a deer path down the rather steep hillside. At one point it was easier to sit and slide down the hill.
As we got to the bottom, we heard Reg talking (natch) and they spotted us in the hollow below. They continued on the trail as we walked through a deer bedding spot where they were bedding spots for at least 15 deer. We got back on the trail right past this, and headed up hill.

Reg
Wendy

and Gabe (his quads look much better in the group photo!) finally caught up with us here. We stayed together for a bit as we marched uphill. The snow was still deep.

The trio got away from us again. As we passed South Park, and rehyrdated,Mike mentioned taking the Forest road instead of the trail. I heartily agreed, as the snow was wearing on me. So we trotted (and walked) the road back to the Fire Tower, and then back down to the Covered Bridge. We ran into Rob, running UP the hill, just doing some hill repeats for his mileage.

Mikey and I chilled (or rather heated) in his van as we waited for the Dynamic Trio to finish (since they had the key to my SUV). It took the Tough Trio 5.40 hours for a run where they would normally finish in 3 hours. It usually takes me 5 hours for this 21-22 section, so Mike and I were smart to take our short cuts! We were out on the trails around 5 hours, for about 14 miles. We *actually ran* about 3 miles out of 14.

Good time on our feet. A splendid day on the trails-weather in the 40's for our hike. Wonderful time spent with Mikey~!

Mohican Run this Saturday Feb 7

My plans for the Rogaine on Saturday got cancelled (cuz Mikey forgot to register us in time) so we said screw it, let's go run at Mohican.

8am at the Covered Bridge, old school Red-Green loop. 21 miles. Water at the cemetery and South Park. Be there or be square.

Me!!

I have high cholesterol! Me!! I'm appalled! And rather annoyed also!!

My numbers:

Overall: 210
HDL (the good stuff) 85 (good number here)
LDL (the bad stuff) 115

Overal should be under 200.
HDL should be 40-59
LDL should be 0-99

Unhealthy levels of cholesterol are almost always linked to a poor diet, physical inactivity, obesity/being overweight, drinking alcohol excessively, smoking, stress, age, heredity and other causes:

Poor Diet: Ok. What do I have left? I eat, for the most part, and I mean 98% of the time, very well. I eat fat-free cottage cheese for pete's sake! What else can I do?
Well, this week I have already been cutting out the processed carbs. My husband and I have a weakness for cheese, but we've already started the cheese embargo. Eggs? Maybe I eat too many of them, sometimes 4-5 eggs a week.
Physical inactivity: HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAHA. Nuff said there.
Obsesity: Well, okay, you got me on this one. I've been trying to get back to just "overweight" on the BMI for two years now.
Drinking alcohol: I can definitely cut down on this one. But you know what? My triglycerices are just perfect. 48. Range is 0-149. On many people who drink, they have high triglycerides.
Stress: Yep, I got this. Big time.
Smoking: Nope. Haven't in years.
Age: I'm only 43!
Heredity: ?? Well,yes, my 70 year parents have just borderline high cholesterol now.

Action Plan: Lose weight. Limit alcohol. Watch freaking diet even more closely. Excercise MORE!!!!!! Get a massage.

Excercise this evening consisted of 1 hour of running on the treadmill.
Dinner was roasted vegetables, green beans, butternut squash, and 3.3 oz (yes I measured it!!!!) of grilled lamb.

Aaarrrgh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Groundhog Day!

Welcome to Punxsatawney Pennsylvania, Weather Capital of the World!


Me and Phil and the handler guy



Will Phil see shadow today?
Will we have six more weeks of winter?

Safe Run

I arrived at the high school track around 10am. Track is pristine. Nobody has been on it. I figure my first mile will be pretty slow, since I need to break a trail for myself. Temp is already around 32 degrees-sweet!!

So why did I decide to run on a track in these beautiful temps?

This was a training run. I needed to get some miles in. And a track is a safe bet, rather than dodging cars on the road, or having a very slow trail run, I opted for the track. And with a Garmin logging the miles, I amused myself with my Zune and podcasts.



What did I listen to? Well, the wrap up show of "Two Gomers Run a 1/2 marathon" until it started to get buggy on me. Then I switched to BBC Farm Report and learned alot about the pork industry. Then, onto KCRW's "Good Foods" and then over to Geek Farm Life's podcast. I guess I was chilling with the upcoming growing season.

As the day grew warmer, my little track path deteriorated. After about six miles, I switched out of my road shoes to my trail shoes with screws. I noticed an immediate increase in traction on the track. This worked rather well, til around mile 13 or so. I had to kind of abandom my original path, as it was getting too slick for much traction, and widen the path on the track.


I checked my watch and was so surprised to see it was 1.40pm. I had given myself a time limit for the run, and decided to wrap things up at 15 miles. It was a nice training run. Ankles were a bit sore, after the running in the snow and then slush, but a GREAT run in the sunshine. A great bit of Vitamin D absorption happened (rare here in Ohio in the winter!)