WIND!

I think today was the windiest day that I have ever gone for a run!  I was woken up this morning by horrible winds, and my first thought, was how am I going to be able to run in this today?  I knew I needed to at least get 4 miles in, but preferred to run at least 6 miles.  There is supposed to be snow later on this week, so want to get in my training miles for the Horsetooth Half. 

While cleaning horse stalls, I realized that this was definitely not going to be much fun, but I had two choices:  1) not go, and sit at home wishing I had gone anyway 2) go and deal with the wind sufferfest.  So, I got ready to go, and off we went.  The wind was horrible!  I really didn't even think that I was going to make it up the first hill, but I did.  The worst wind started when just going across that first Dam.  It was knock you over windy.  When trying to run, it would blow the up foot so hard, that it moved it over, and actually tried to trip yourself.  We moved onto the east side of the dam, because the wind wasn't as bad; but I had to stop and grab the guardrail as the dirt and wind pelleted me as we were just getting off the dam and starting the climb up the Monster Hill.  The hill climb was brutal, and finally I gave into a walk.  The wind was blowing us into the road.  When we got to the end of the guardrail at the top, we were able to run some until the last hill climb to the very top where we always take a picture.  We got the picture done, while I was bracing against the wind, and Tom was sitting down.  The wind was super strong at that point.

We were so glad to start heading back to the truck.  The wind was just as strong going back, as we were then running into it.  We got 4 miles in, and on a day like today, that was as good as it got.  I am so glad that we made the decision to run, even though it was tough.  Like I always say "you can't pick the weather on your race day", so you need to be prepared for anything. 

My skirt was flying in the wind at the top!

Horsetooth Half Training

This past weekend contained more Horsetooth Half training.  Saturday was there was a 4 mile run scheduled, and Sunday there was a 9 mile run group training run scheduled.  I really appreciate the training program that the Fort Collins Running Club, Running U provides for their members to train for this race.  It also makes a great kick-off race to get ready for the rest of the races this year.  Working up to the Half Marathon distance, and then doing the Half Marathon gets me ready for the rest of the race season. I can then maintain and increase my endurance for the other races we have scheduled.  I am not exactly sure of the race season schedule this year, but will plan on doing  four other Half Marathons this year (SkirtSports - June 4; Firsco; Black Squirrel; BackCountry), and two longer races (Dizzy Goat 12 hour, and Cunningham Lake).  The last couple of years we have done the Rocky Mountain National Park Vacation Races Half Marathon, but we will not be doing it this year, as it conflicts with our ERS race schedule.  Anyway, getting ready for the Horsetooth Half really prepares us for the rest of the year.

Saturday we decided to do a nice easy trail run in Lory State Park.  We usually don't go on the trails on the weekends, especially on good weather days - just too crowded.  Saturday was a beautiful day, and the trails were finally dry, so we couldn't resist.  We ran a slow 4 miles from Eltuck Bay to the south parking lot and back.  It felt so good to get on the trails.  The trails in the valley are so soft and rock free; just love to trail run.  I also ran into a friend of mine, Mary Lafferty from the VTH.  She was riding her horse, so good to see her. Riley enjoyed it as well, it was just what we needed.

South parking lot at Lory State Park

Sunday was a 9 mile training run from New Belgium to the bridge just before Overland trail (4.5 miles) and back.  Tom and I got started about 20 minutes early since I feel like I am so slow.  I didn't know how I would feel in the morning as far as my legs, hips and piriformis issues that have been going on.  I was a bit worried about this run, since we haven't run this distance since last November.  As it turned out, there was nothing to worry about.  I just went slow and steady (11:16/mile), stopping when Riley had to pee and poop, and it went well.  The worst part of this part of the Horsetooth Half course is between Overland Trail and Taft, it is 1.5 miles of just nothing; and we would have to run it twice.  This also went well, as the other runners caught up to us right after the turn around point, and there were plenty of people to say hello too (and of course pass us), so it kept my mind busy.  I didn't particularly feel fatigued or tired when we got done with the distance, so that was encouraging.  I also didn't feel too sore, again encouraging.  AND it was Riley's distance PR!  So proud of him, he loves running. I would really like to get him up to a Half Marathon distance this year.  I am sure he can do it.

After the run there was a presentation about Vertical and Horizontal running styles, how to run downhill, and some exercises for preventing injury.  A good program.  I also ate half of a donut as well. I usually don't eat donuts, but this year I have had the most I have eaten in about 10 years. Two and a half, so far.  I need to cut back, but it was really the only thing they had to eat, and I was hungry.  It was good to see Crissiann, and Stacey; who are also SkirtSport Ambassadors.  It's just so nice to meet such nice people, and I really appreciate the running community. 

It as a good weekend of running.  My body is sore in the hip area, but I continue to do the isometrics that Shara is having me do twice a day, and I think I am seeing some results.  I think this healing process is just going to be slow.  It is frustrating, but hoping I can get through it.  Only time will tell. In the meantime, I will continue to move forward with my life, and with my running adventures.

9 mile turn around point

Inside New Belgium with Riley

Monster Hill and Zombies

Yesterday was another scheduled run up the Monster Hill for more Horsetooth Half training. Usually Tom and I run this hill on Tuesday's, but because my body was tired from playing hockey we didn't run it, and replanned it for Thursday.  However, you might recall that we accidently ran up Towers Road instead.  I really wasn't looking forward to it, mostly because the day before we ran a short 3 miles in the evening, and it didn't go well.  We had our gym class the day before, and I also had MAT, which apparently left me really sore. I had walked quite a bit in our 3 mile run.  I was hopeful the next morning as I got up, stretched and did my isometrics and got ready to go.  I didn't really feel that bad, so things were looking up.

I was fairly surprised, as the run really didn't go too badly!  My body was a little sore, but generally I felt good.  About .5 miles into the run, once again, here comes another runner, and passes me like I was just standing there looking over Pine Ridge Reservoir.  Of course I say hello, and she smiles and easily passes me.  I have all kinds of excuses like:  "she's half my age" "she's so much taller than me", but regardless, it doesn't matter.  She passed me like I was  standing still.  Which brings me to the zombies.  I love the movie WARM BODIES, and at the beginning "R" says "why do I move so slow?"  That's really what I am thinking.  Like R, there is no one to answer.  I have no idea.  I push myself up the first hill as fast as I could possibly go, which is slow - but I am doing it.  Like a Zombie, like "R".  After getting up the next hill, I see Super Girl standing on the middle of the dam, taking pictures?  I have no idea, but then she just turned and ran, full stride up the Monster Hill like it wasn't even a hill.  Starting up the hill, I once again get passed by another Super Woman, and possibly her Father (he was clearly having issues with the hill), and eventually they walked.  I decided to use them as my target, and at the very top I finally passed them!  Nice. 

When we got to the top, we took the usual picture, and continued our run to the 4 mile point, at which we turned around and headed back the way we came.  The 4 mile point is just after the guardrail ends on the other side of the second dam that we run across.  Going back is the hard part, as from that point, it is pretty much a long up hill battle to the top of the Monster Hill, before you finally get to go down - which is so steep that it hurts.  I have to admit that I had to walk in a few places on the uphill, and I was really OK with it.  I wanted to do a body check and see how it was feeling.  Do my hips or my back hurt? How's the IT band, etc.  Everything seemed well, except I was still a Zombie, running along Centennial drive. 

Julie, "R's" girlfriend in the movie said to him "R, you can dream if you want too", so that's what I do while I am running.  Dream of some day running up the Monster Hill in full stride, just like Super Girl.  She also said "you can be whatever you want".  I may not be able to really be Super Girl, but what I want to be is a runner.  And I am. Maybe I am still slow, like a Zombie, but I am a runner.

My favorite part of this training course is the last .5 miles, where you can see the parking lot where my truck is, and you know from there, it's all down hill.  I am pretty happy at this point and feeling good about my 8 mile accomplishment, and right then, who should appear? Super Girl.  I say hello again, and point out to her that this was the exact same point she passed me going the other way.  She laughed and said I was correct, and "what a beautiful day for a run".  I had to agree, it's February, and its 61 degrees with a slight breeze.  You really can't beat that.  But Super Girl just continued to fly past me on her Super Legs - I don't even think she was sweating. . . . .Maybe she's the Zombie, I don't think they sweat.

After the run, we went to McDonald's for a coke, and headed back home.  I did take note that I really didn't feel bad at all, and realized that I could have even run somewhat further.  I did my stretching and isometrics after I showered and had lunch.  Later that afternoon I headed down to Boulder with a friend of mine, Crissiann, who is also a runner and a SkirtSport Ambassador.  We were going to the monthly presentation at the SkirtSport Store, Women Run The World.  Enjoyed most of it, and was thrilled to meet 3 other Ambassadors that I had met on FB.  What a great group of women.  I am so grateful for this Ambassadorship, as well as the other two that I have (I will talk about that later on another day).  I may be a Zombie, but I have friends.  And that's what WARM BODIES is all about, heart, soul, and love.  Those things along with determination get us where we are.  And if we have all those things, we can't be Zombie's.

Climbing to the lookout at Rotary Park

At the top

Looking south from the top

Towers Road

Took a little break from The Blog for a bit because I spent a three day weekend up in Red Feather Lakes, Colorado at the Beaver Meadows Resort playing pond hockey.  The Wiifi wasn't the best up there, and I was enjoying the time away from technology.  I will write about that a bit later.  I want to catch up starting with yesterday's run. . . . .

Towers Road.  Everyone in Fort Collins that runs, bikes, or hikes in the area, particularly Horsetooth Mountain park or Soderberg Open Space is familiar with Towers Road, and most likely has a love/hate relationship with it.  Towers Road is a four wheel drive road that that starts about a half a mile in from the Soderberg Open Space Trail head, and heads west.  The road just seems to go up and up until you reach the top of it, at which there are Radio and communication towers.  These towers send cell signals to the area (except for my house, because the actual Horsetooth rock stands in-between the towers and my house).  The elevation gain is approximately 2,000 feet from the bottom to the very end of the road, in about 3.75 miles.  The road is very steep in some places.  When you run or bike it enough, you know where every single hill is, and how much you don't like it.  You might even rate each hill section, like "this is the worst short hill", and this is the "worst long hill", and the hill right before the first tower section is "long and painful", and "wow, down hill section, but going to hurt going up it on the way back".  And if you think getting to the top is awful, going down is not much fun either.  It's just so steep either way that it's hard on the body.

However, when you do get to the top, especially if you can "run" (I have seen some super humans that can actually really run up it at a really good pace, but I will never be one of them) the whole way up - it is such a beautiful view, and the feeling is of such great accomplishment, you just want to do it again!  A couple of summers ago, Tom and I made it a point to run up this road at least once a week; but since then, we haven't run up it much.

Yesterday I decided that it was time to do some trail running.  The weather had been bad the last couple of weeks, but over the last 4 -5 days the snow had melted, and the social media on FB said the trails at Soderberg and Horsetooth were mostly open and dry.  We hadn't been on the trails for few week, and the weather was good, so why not take a much needed break from street running (The Monster Hill on Centennial Drive), and the paved "trails" in town.  We were going to run the nice valley trail from Soderberg to Nomad to Sawmill, then on the Valley Trail to the south parking lot in Lory State Park and back.  It's a little over 6 miles, and rolling hills.  Fun, challenging, but the trail is very nice and I love running it.  You have to take Towers Road up about .25 miles to get onto Nomad.  When we reached the Nomad trail, it was CLOSED!  So disappointing.  If you know me, after running up a hill, and just hate going down, just to run up another.  I call that being lazy.  So, why not just keep running up Towers Road, "for a little while".  Except, well, I guess time erased all the painful memories from "running up" Towers Road.  But, they all quickly came back as we ventured up the hill.

I was having a particularly frustrating time (hip and piriformis pain), and Tom was just getting over the stomach flu.  I know, not the best time to make a quick decision to tackle Towers, but that is just how it happened.  Then it became even more frustrating when I think about all the time I spend in the gym, my thighs are getting bigger and bigger, and I still just couldn't "run" up this hill.  I had to walk in about 3 - 4 places.  I didn't call it giving up, just needed a break.  It was more frustrating to get passed by a younger girl and her dog, but I cheerfully said "hello", and she commented on how hard it was; but she passed me.  Sometimes when I am running, I just want to start crying out of frustration, like this particular instance, but it's too hard to cry and get up this hill - so forget it.  When we finally made it about 2 miles up, guess who we saw?  The young girl and her dog, they had stopped, we "ran" passed her, and we never saw her again.  I was proud of myself for keeping going, when she obviously turned around and went back down (but still kudos to her for going up Towers Road).  We went up to where the Westridge Trail comes out onto Towers Road (about 3.25 miles up), and turned around. 

If you think going up this road is not so much fun, going down is just as bad.  It is so steep, that it's pretty hard on your body to go down as well.  After about a mile my back started hurting, I could tell my toes weren't happy (I hadn't taped them like I normally would to run this road, so I was hoping I wasn't going to lose my new nails on my toes - gross, I know), and I couldn't see the road well in the shade because I hadn't switched the dark lenses out of my sunglass to lighter lenses.  Along with that, I was sort of just having a bad day, feeling down because I feel like I am really not very good at a long of things that I do, including running.  I have gained some weight ( muscle? fat?), and I would like to get some of it off again; I wish I was a faster runner, I wish I wasn't in so much pain all the time, and lastly, it was Valentines Day.  For some reason I really don't like many holidays anymore, and because Tom was feeling sick, we wouldn't be doing anything special.  Sometimes a girl just wants to feel special.  So, I was feeling down. 

In the end, I was glad that we had run Towers Road, and decided that maybe, just maybe I would be better at it if I "ran" it more than I have the last couple of years.  Later that evening, while I was basically making leftovers for a Valentines dinner, my body got very sore.  I did a lot of stretching and isometrics given to me by Shara, the MAT therapist; and rolled my legs.  I was feeling sore this morning, but nothing the regular stretching and exercises didn't take care of.

I think about a lot of things while I am running, since I don't listen to music (for safety reasons, and the fact that I want to enjoy the natural sounds around me), so I do a lot of thinking while I am running.  What else is there to do?  I was thinking how running hills is like life.  When we are running up a slow miserable hill, it's like the times we are in low times in our life.  They are painful, and the time seems to go by so slowly.  When we are at the point where the trail is flat, or down hill on a nice decline; that's like when life is great, and we are loving it.  Why do the down times seem to last forever, and the good times just go by so quickly?  Maybe it's a reminder that when we are having those good times, it's still OK to stop and look around.  When we are having the bad times, you have time to stop and look around at the good things.  Just like running.  When you are having trouble and it's hard, its OK to walk, and stop and look at the view.  Just the same as the fun parts of the trail.  Just stop and enjoy it. Life is like that.  And in the end, a run, no matter how hard or easy; just makes everything so much better.

Towers Road - one of the hills

View of Horsetooth Reservoir from approximately mile 2

Riley and I at approximately mile 2, unfortunately I wasn't smiling here in the picture. But I was happy I made it to this point, but the hill was certainly not my favorite.  Wearing my new MySoxyFeet jacket for the first time, and my compression leggings (thankfully).

Running, Working Out and Life Can Be A Pain

Pain.  I sometimes think that working out, running, and pain should always be used in the same sentence.  Especially right now.  This morning, like every other morning for the last 4 months, I spend the first couple of hours each day in pain.  After stretching, and moving around is slowly goes away.  Every Day. Pain.  I need it to go away.

Most of last year I was running pain free, it was great!  The class I am taking at the gym (Joey's Chaos Class of Fitness/was TC24 before we moved to Ironside Athletics) had helped all my IT Band go away.  I felt great. I felt strong. It was awesome. Then in October, on a 16 mile run, at mile 10, it hit me.  Knee pain, which means IT Band pain.  That was about 10 days before I was headed to run the Cunningham 30k in Omaha, Nebraska.  I spent the next 10 days trying to do everything I could to help it settle down.  Went to Omaha anyway, and I had a great time. Frustrated, yes, but I really love the race director and the other people we have met there.  The first 10.5 miles was awesome, but I walked most of the next 10.5 mile loop.  At mile 21, I made the decision to stop.  I knew I could walk the next 10.5 mile loop, but that's not how I imagined my first Ultra Marathon to be.  The race Director, Scott was super nice, and he kept me from crying by taking me over to the Sports Massage therapist they had at the race.  Yes, that's how nice they are.  Then I waited for Tom to finish the last loop and become an Ultra Marathoner.  I was sad about it, but I made a good decision.  No regrets.

I searched for answers for my IT Band pain, and I ended up finding a set of exercises (that I still do every other day) that seemed to help me slowly get better.  IT Band pain usually means that you have weak glutes, which is odd because of all the squats I do at the gym, not to mention everything else I do.  I was signed up to run the Back Country Trail Half Marathon in a few weeks, so I decided to go to my PT, Ron Adams and see what he thought about my injury.  He said it looked like I was doing great, and told me to keep doing what I as doing, take some Ibuprofen and Tylenol, and do it.  The Half went great, and it was even a PR.  I kept healing.

Then I started to get piriformis pain.  It was awful, and one day when I sat sown on the toilet, my piriformis started to spasm.  It was horrible.  I went back to the PT, and he did some  deep tissue needling, which seemed to help.  I went for the next couple of months, about every 10 days.  He needled my piriformis as well as my lower back.  It was extremely painful, but it helped. 

After a couple of months I felt like I needed something else. So, yesterday I had an appointment with Shara at the gym.  She does MAT.  What is MAT? Muscle Activation Therapy, which is a technique of manipulations that helps to restore the muscles ability to work more efficiently. MAT believes that the lack of range of motion is due to the muscles inability to shorten into a motion.  I went to her for an assessment to see if she could help me.  The session was good, and she thought she could definitely help me. After some of the soreness of the session worked its way out during gym class, I felt good.  I still felt good in the evening.  But this morning I had a lot of pain.  Definitely sore from class, and sore from the manipulations, and of course the usual soreness.  Shara told me I would be sore, so as usual, I worked through it.

I worked through it enough to get going to run up the Monster Hill again today, more Horsetooth Half training.  The weather turned out to be hotter then I planned, so shedded my jacket after a mile, and wished I had shorts on or a running skirt.  Its always a good day when you can go on a run.  My pain is always better when I work through it.  I am thankful that I can still run, work out, and live.

I've been through a lot of pain in my life.  I was diagnosed with endometriosis in 1996, which was extremely painful. I had two laparoscopies, and two abdominal surgeries done in order to diagnose and remove my uterus and ovaries to take away the disease and the pain.  I also had five surgeries on my hands to relieve the Carpal Tunnel pain in my hands. On top of that, I had my gallbladder removed so that it wasn't painful to eat normal food.  I have also had a lot of emotional pain during my life, and some days feel really down and depressed.  There are lots of different kinds of pain.  Emotional pain and physical pain.  I found in both instances that exercise helps take the pain away.  It's important to keep moving forward.  One step at a time.  You'll get there.  I know that the pain I am having now will eventually go away.  I just have to keep searching for the solution that will take it away, just like all the pains we encounter in life.  We were never promised an easy life, or any life at all.  However, I do know that I will keep my faith, and keep moving forward.

Top of the Monster Hill today

The Tortoise and the Hare

Part of the Horsetooth Half training through the Running U group is a race series called The Tortoise and the Hare.  The theory behind this, is that it is a social run, and after the race everyone that would like  to meets for bagels and coffee at a set location afterwards.  How it works is that running club will assign you a starting time based on your miles/minute.  If you haven't run with them before, you give them your best guess at of your pace; and if you have run with the club before, they calculate your running time by previous running times.  The slower runners start first, then the next slowest, all the way up to the fastest.  You are assigned to a group number and a start time, so that everyone should end at approximately the same time.  It's a great concept, and everyone feels equal, and runners are not strung out all over the course.  They also give points out for participation and placings; and have year end winners, which is not based upon how fast you run.  The run distances are incorporated with the Horsetooth Half training, so as the Half gets closer, the distances get longer.  It's fun because you get to see most everyone at the end.

Today's race started out cold at 31 degrees. I started with the group 18B, which had a time predicted of 31 minutes.  My group just took off, and were running an 8:50 pace, which I knew that I couldn't keep.  First, I have been sick, second I was still tired, and third I don't run that pace - it was way to fast.  So, I slowed my pace to a slower, but slightly uncomfortably fast pace for me.  I want to push myself during races, running just a little faster pace then my usual pace.  I always tell others that are starting to race for the first time that they should "run your pace".  Everyone is excited, and usually starts off too quick, which will quickly wear you down, because you are funning faster than you normally run.  I usually check my watch, and look at my pace after about a quarter of mile and adjust accordingly.  Everything went fine during the 5k, it was the normal 5k sufferfest for me.  They are the hardest distance for me, because basically, I am not a fast runner, and runners usually run the shorter distances faster.  My ending time was 31:02 minutes, so I was perfectly predicted.

At the end of the race, I was able to talk with two other Skirt Sport Ambassadors!  One, Crissianne is starting her third year of being  an Ambassador for Skirt Sports, and Stacey is a new Ambassador this year, like me.  It was cool because Crissianne was one of the runners that I paced up the first long hill (5 miles long) at the Black Squirrel Trail Half Marathon.  She had thanked me afterwards, and said she would have never made it up the hill at that pace if I hadn't been pacing her.  It was so exciting that she and I already had a connection.  Neither of us knew Stacey, but now we do .  This was Stacey's first run with the Running U group. It was so special to be with these too, my new Skirt Sport Sisters!  I am really excited about being an ambassador for this company, I have already met and made contact with some amazing women.   I will talk more about my Ambassadorships later.

After the race was done, Tom and I went back out, and ran the race course again.  As you might remember from yesterday, we were supposed to run 6 miles.  We had only ran 3.4 miles, so we needed to run 6 miles today.  The second time was at a much slower pace, and I even walked twice.  I still have a tired body.  I couldn't fall asleep last night, and laid awake until 12:15am.  I was so hungry that my stomach hurt, so finally had to get up and take some Casein protein. I believe I had gotten behind on my nutrition and protein from all the physical activity in the last couple of days. I fell right to sleep after that.  We met four other people along the course doing the same thing!  They all said they were making up for miles from yesterday, and that their second time was much slower. Now I didn't feel so bad.  I am such a Tortoise.

I am a tortoise.  I am a slow runner.  Is this so bad?  Sometimes it is, sometimes I care, sometimes I don't.  However, I may be slow, but I always get there, and I can do the distance.  In fact, some Tortoises can do longer distances then the Hare.  Hares run their heart out for short distances, they don't seem to enjoy the run, they don't look around, they don't stop and smell the roses.  Us Torti, we enjoy our run, we would rather enjoy it longer.  We would like to run forever, and we stop and smell the roses.  We take pictures. We stop and look at the wild flowers, and wild turkey flocks,  and the scenery.  We take our time, but believe me, we have stamina.  We are there for the long-haul.  My advise:  Don't mess with us.  We have a hard shell.

Are you a Tortoise or a Hare in your life?  Do you stop and smell the roses?  Do you look around, enjoy  your life, and all it has to offer?  Do you go to work, put your heart into it while you are there, and leave it at the door when you walk out?  Or are you a Hare and let the world pass you by while you are engrossed in work and the business of life?  I used to be a Hare while I was working.  I was always working, even at home I was working.  Answering e-mails late at night for work, thinking about the next day at work in the evening, and doing the same in the morning while cleaning horse stalls.  I did my best to not work at home, but my job became very mind consuming, as well as physically consuming.  Even though I was only at 80% the last 3 years I was working, I always worked more than 40 hours every week.  When I made the decision to retire after 31 years, I was so afraid to let go of my busy life, I was afraid to retire.  What would I do?  I made a list of things I wanted to do because I was so afraid I would be lost.  I was afraid that the Hare was going to get caught in a trap, and lay there and die.  You know what I found out?  Well, the Hare didn't get caught in a trap and die, the Hare learned to be a Tortoise.  The Hare found a life outside of work, she learned to sleep a little longer, to take more time to watch the sunrise and sunset, to have more time on the trail, to go to movies, to shop, to make more time to workout, to eat better, and play better.  I love being a Tortoise.  I am glad and grateful for the years as a Hare, it's made me appreciate the Tortoise years.  Are you are Tortoise or a Hare?  I am a Tortoise.


              Stacey, Crissianne and I at the Tortoise and Hare today, Skirt Sport Ambassadors

Run Smart - Know When to Quit

If you know me, you know that I play ice hockey on an all women's competitive team, The Hot Flashes.  This is the second year that I have played with this team, and I am so grateful that I am playing with this awesome group of women.  I had taken about a 10 year break from ice hockey, mostly because of work - I think that is another story for another day. Anyway, last night we had a Hot Flash game at the APEX Center in Denver at 9pm.  Yep, that late, and a 1.5 hour drive to get there and back.  I left my house at 6:30pm, and arrived back home about 12:30am this morning.  Not complaining, even though we lost (1-3), I still enjoyed it.  I actually even had 3 shots on goal, and I mean, the goalie actually had to save them! 

My point about the first part of this story, is that, well, I usually am in bed by 10pm and some nights I am in bed even before that.  Working out every other day, and running the other days of the week make a body tired, and it needs sleep.  Being out until 12:30am, and then not falling to sleep after 1:30am is kind of late for me.  When I got home, I had to lay out my equipment, spray with a deodorizer, then make my way into bed. A lot of times it takes me a bit to just settle my body and mind down after playing hockey.

My alarm went off at 7am, and although it woke me up, and I got up and fed Squirrel (my cat); I went back to bed.  I don't think I actually got out of bed until 8:30am, which is late for me.  My body was just TIRED, but I had things to do today.  Clean the horse stalls and feed them, feed the barn cats and let them out, let out and feed Lacy (my blind chicken), stretch, eat breakfast, put the brisket in the crockpot for Sunday's BBQ beef sandwiches, and get ready to go running. We also had a CSU Women's Basketball game to attend at 2pm.

Today's scheduled run is 6 miles, which is usually not a problem, except when your body is tired.  But, I enthusiastically put on my new Skirt Sports GGU skirt #skirtsports, my Endurance Race shirt #ersevents, and my Shark Bite SoxyFeet socks #mysoxyfeet  I got Riley ready to go with me, Tom got Belle ready, and out the door we went.  I decided to go the Cathy Fromme Prairie Natural Area since it's close, and we were getting a little pressed for time since I slept in longer than normal to rest.  We parked at the Taft Trailhead, and headed out.  What a beautiful day!  It was 51 degrees, a little windy; but the sun was out and it wasn't cold!  It was above freezing, and it felt great.  If anyone has walked, ran or biked this section of 'trail" (it is a cement path), you know it's not easy.  It's a lot of rolling hills, and seems to all be uphill, no matter which way you go on it.  You know, uphill, both ways. Not my choice for today, but it is one of the closest trails by my house that wouldn't be super muddy and sloppy from the melting snow and ice.  Most of the dirt trails were closed because of mud by that time anyway.

So, off we go, so excited to run on this beautiful day.  But, my body was telling me "hey, slow down, I am TIRED".  The first 1.5 miles went by well, but at the turn around point, well now the trail is really uphill almost all the way back.  The plan was to do this section, then pass the parking lot the truck was at and run west another mile, and turn back.  This would be 5 miles.  About mile 2.5 my body was sending me a clear message that it was TIRED.  I started to think that maybe, just maybe running 5 -6 miles just wasn't what I should be doing today.  Tomorrow is Sunday, and a scheduled 3 mile run; maybe it would be smart to switch the days.  Of course I always want to just keep going no matter what, just push through it.  About that time Tom said his hip was suddenly really bothering him, and he was starting to think that we needed to stop at the truck.  However, he was fine if I wanted to keep running.  This is the point when you need to learn to run smart.  My body is tired, Tom's hip is bothering him, and we can run todays scheduled mileage tomorrow and tomorrow's today.  We agreed to stop at 3.4 miles, and do 6 tomorrow.  Why did we quit?  Because we have both learned that the best thing to do is to listen to what our bodies are telling us.  It's not worth pushing through some days, just to be worse off for doing it.  Sure, there are times to push through and not quit, but that doesn't mean it's worth it all the time.  We were happy with our distance, and our pace, and felt good about stopping, so we did. It was pointless to fight what my body was telling me.  Sometimes you have to Run Smart.

Sometimes, in other aspects of your life you have to Run Smart as well, and to quit.  I had a time in my life where I had to make a decision to quit.  I will go into the situation later, it's just too late to start into that part of my life right now.  The point is, there are things that just aren't going to change, no matter what you do. EVER. Things that are pointless to fight.  It's just not going to change.  For 7 years I fought a situation, struggled with it, and cried over it.  It was a situation in my marriage that in the end had nothing to do with me, even though for a while I thought it had everything to do with me, and I tried so hard to change it.  The thing was, is that I was afraid to ask to know the truth.  I didn't want to know the truth, I just wanted to keep on running - wouldn't that be easier? Easier?  With all the pain and crying?  I sought advice from a close friend, he told me:  "Just ask, and find out the truth".  So, I took his advice and did. After I found out the truth, I realized that my fight was done, the fight was pointless.  From that point on, I just quit.  No more trying to fix something I couldn't, no more crying.  It was time to move forward from that point.  Run Smart, Know When to Quit.  You'll be glad you did.

   Riley and I at Cathy Fromme Prairie today (check out my cute running skirt from Skirt Sports)

Michelle Lewis - Run Run Run (Official Music Video)

I love this song.  Listen to the words.  Just Run

Running on Thin Ice

Woke up this morning to everything covered ice, and a 3 -5 mile run on the schedule for the Horsetooth Half training from the Running U Club.  This club is designed to help with training for the Horsetooth Half for all the members of the Fort Collins Running Club; and I am a member of both.  The training they provide is amazing, and is organized by the Gnar Runners, who manage  the Horsetooth Half, which is put on by the Fort Collins Running Club.

At 4pm, the temperature had finally reached 21 degrees, and also felt like 21 degrees. We ran over by the Horsetooth Reservoir South Bay campground, which is across the street from where I live.  The dirt road over there was basically covered in snow and ice, but we got our 3 miles run.  My dog, Riley also went with us.  Believe me, you don't want to leave him home when you go running, or he will let you know he is mad.  He also has an unbelievable pout.  I won't take him if I am running on a road, therefore he gets left home in the winter more than we wants to be.   Riley runs about 1/3 of the miles that I do.  If you want to check out his mileage, as well as mine, check out the tab at the top of my blog for Monthly mile totals.

The run today was cold, icy, with a little wind.  Had to wear a jacket, and my gloves that I use in the barn, and MySoxyFeet knee high running socks; it wasn't so bad once I started running.  I also wore my new Brooks Adrenaline GTX, they are a little stiff, but good on the ice.  The reservoir was quiet, and beautiful with everything still covered in a layer of ice.

How many times in your life have you run on thin ice?  I am not talking about running here, just in life, waiting for the ice to crack as you run across it.  I know I spent several years doing this, and when the ice finally cracked, and I felt through, my life really began.  I thought I might not be able to swim in the water, I thought maybe I wouldn't be able to come back up to the surface.  But I did, I got back up to the surface, pulled my self up, and started to run. 

It's always a good day when you can go for a run.

First Blog PEost - Where Do I Begin?

I have been thinking about Blogging for some time, and  I should have started some time ago, but I didn’t. Today is cold, snowy, and icy out, it seemed like a good thing to do.

The question is, where to begin?  Do I go backwards, and fill in from where I started or just move forward from today.

Maybe I should start from the day that I actually started running, or the day I was told to start running; then I will fast forward from there.  How or why did I start running?  Well, just under 5 years ago – the year I turned 50, I was leaving my gym and a new trainer stopped me and asked me if I wanted to know my BMI.  I didn’t know what it was, so he measured me. I though I thought was fairly fit and doing well, my BMI told me otherwise. Basically at 118lbs, 5′ I was obese.  Really?  So, I signed up for a few personal training session.  My first trainer was Michael Numan.  The first time I worked out with him he sat down and wrote me a workout plan – which by the way, I still have.  I believe he called it “the Stairway to Heaven”  I will have to find it, and post it in the future.  He also included running in my plan on the days I didn't workout at the gym.  What?  I don’t run, but it was in the plan.  Mike also told me that he wanted me to run a 5k by the end of the summer.  First of all is was the beginning of April, so I figured I had time, and second – just how far is a 5k?  3.1 miles?! Seriously?  No way I could run that far, but I went ahead and started.  The first time I ran, I couldn’t even get down to the end of the street before I walked, but I kept going.  I would walk and run, walk and run.  I don’t remember how long it took me to finally run a whole mile without stopping, but eventually I was able to do it.

I ran my first 5k on May 5, 2012, the CSU Cinco Cinco race.  I actually didn’t run the whole way, but I took three short walking breaks.  But I did it. Wow, I couldn’t believe it.  I was pretty darn happy about that.  But, this wasn’t the “race” that Mike had wanted me to do.  I snuck it in because I was so worried about doing the one he wanted.  On May 21st, I ran the Pink Boa Race, benefiting breast cancer survivors, and  I actually ran the whole race that time!  Wow, I was thrilled.  I actually ran 3.1 miles without stopping!  I was so encouraged, and I kept at it.

When I told Mike that I had successfully run my first 5k, and it wasn’t technically even SUMMER yet, he then told me I was to run a 10k by the end of the summer.  10k?  How far is that?  Twice a 5k, right?  6.2 miles?  Is that even possible?  How could anyone just run 6.2 miles because they wanted too?  So, I started training and looking for that perfect race.

The perfect race turned out to be my first Endurance Race Series Race in Denver at Cherry Creek Reservoir.  It was a trail race, and it didn't have much elevation gain.  I much preferred to run on trails, and with little elevation gain, this seemed like a place to start.  When I ran the race, I had never even run 6.2 miles, but I did it.  And that's where it really began . . . .

I never thought I could even run one mile, but what I discovered is that if you put one foot in front of the other, you never know  how far you can go. There are other reasons I started running, look at my future post Running for Therapy.  How many times during your life have you wanted to run away? For me, it's been several.  But my home, animals, and work have always kept me from doing that.  You can't run away unless you practice, unless you start you journey towards that day when you do run away.  And now that I am almost there, I think I will stay.  I had to invent my life over, I had to deal with things that happened, and most importantly, I had to find me again.  Join me on my journey.  Come run with me.

                                                First 5k: CSU Cinco Cinco, May 5, 2012

                          First 10K, Endurance Race Series; Cherry Creek, Denver, Colorado