New 50K PR!

So I need to update a few weeks here! The week before the 50K, I tapered well. I ran 4, 4, 4, and then an 8 miler.  The week of the race, I ran 3 Mon and 3 on Tues and no running until race day Saturday morning - 31 miles!

Deep muddy sections from mile 4-6

The start of the race was much cooler than last year - about 60 degrees and low humidity! The first 4 miles we gained about 1000 feet elevation and it was nothing but up! I remembered it well from last year. When I stopped to take a pic of the beautiful waterfall at mile 2, the girl I met there and ran with for part of the race said Hi and asked if I remembered her! We ran together until mile 14 when she dropped out. She wasn't feeling well and it wasn't her day.

A beautiful view around mile 11

Overall the race was much better this year for me. Even though I didn't get to train hard, I shaved off 38 minutes from last years time! I ran hard from mile 14 to mile 22 to make the cut off. We had to reach this aid station at mile 22 by 6 hours. I made it with 7 minutes to spare! It really warmed up by this point.

I saw two of these garter snakes this year!

I used 6 gels, 3 salt tabs, ate some pb&j squares, and m&m's! I must have had 80-100oz of water. I felt so much better this time when I finished than last year. The only thing that really hurt were blisters on my heels. There are no medals in this race. But the race director gave me this hand carved "trophy" that the top 3 male and female finshers received (he had an extra one) for shaving off so much time this year! He knew how excited I was to have accomplished that. :)

My left quad was sore and tight for two days after as well as my back (probably from the Camelback) but overall I recovered quickly and was able to get some running done the week after the race - 2, 3, 4 and 4 mile runs - even while on vacation.

A happy finish!

25 miles - DONE! Taper Time!

saturday - 8 miles on the greeway. maybe it was too much considering i just ran 23 two days prior - but i felt stresssssed, and i was hoping to run an easy 5 ... but it turned into a fantastic stress relieving run in the warm sun!

monday  - 5 miles on the streets - feels good to hit the street but my legs were definitely tired today.

tuesday - 4 trail miles before dinner with my 12 year old :) it's just fun to watch her run - she just glides!

thursday - 25 trail miles. warm (88), humid (72% the entire run), and boring (i repeated a loop about 15 times!). i was soaked with sweat by mile 5. at mile 11 i wanted to quit. and then i talked myself into going to 15. from there i decided to take it mile by mile. i just felt tired and my legs would hurt off and on. i didn't want to go to the edge of training and end up injured. so i talked myself to aim for mile 18. at that point i said go to 20. and then i kept saying just a few more. what's a few more?! i took a few walk breaks. my adductors were sore. and then before i knew it, i was done. my camelback felt so heavy this time.i didn't want to drink my water as much as last time. i longed for powerade. so i had my son bring me some more when he got off work.

i fueled every 4 miles with: 1 quarter of a pb&j, a cliff bar (two halves), and 4 gels (2 powerbar and 2 roctane). i didn't feel like eating or drinking water so i forced the gels and powerade and that pushed me through. some runs are harder than others.

i decided to take the plunge after much reading and feedback on the Hoka One One trail shoes. last year when i ran the 50k, the balls of my feet (forefoot area) hurt SO SO bad. the rocks just killed them. i have always worn brook's cascadia's for trail running. i love the way they feel and fit. but there really is no cushion and anything over 13 miles with rocks just hurts. the hoka's were amazing. they're very soft and plush. the heel drop is only 6mm and my foot is used to that now from the saucony triumphs. i can't wait to see how they feel this time on the 50k!

now, i'm SO READY TO TAPER!!!!

23 miler... done

i'm kind of on a weird running schedule since i have not been able to run long on the weekends.

thursday - 6 miles on greenway. felt so rusty. maybe it was too much after the 20 miler on tuesday.

sunday - 4 miles on the mountain. i thought a couple days rest would be better after feeling so rusty thursday. it did me good.my little man came on the trail with me and he kept up the whole time. he actually enjoyed it which makes me happy!

monday - a short 3 miler

tuesday -23 miles at a mountain trail near my house. it was hot, quite technical, very hilly, very rocky and it felt like it took me forever just to finish. it was rough. i could say it was the hardest training run i've done yet. but i got it done. i went through 70 oz of water in my camelback, and extra 10 from a water bottle i brought, and 22 oz of GU brew. i alternated powerbar gels and a quarter pb&j sandwich with 8 peanut m&m's every 4 miles. i've seen these items at most trail races and they seem to work great for me. i hope to not take as long next week when i try to run 25 or 26 on a trail. it will be my last long run before a sharp 15 days taper before the 50k. not my ideal training schedule this go around, but i had to go with it what time i did have to train and so far it seems like i can at least try to run the 50k.

20 miler done

saw these cuties on today's long run :)

last tues - 5 trail miles

last thurs - 6 fast pace road miles

monday - 4 trail miles

tuesday - 20 trail miles

my son graduated last friday so it's been busy last week getting things ready for family in town and the big day! i was thinking i'd run 20 miles last thursday but with not time to get it done, i decided to wait through the weekend. i ended up with 10 days in between the last 18 miler run. i recovered fast from that surprisingly, given the technical trail.



today's long run was the first real long run in the heat. it was 87 degrees, with the real feel of 94 due to the humidity. i finally got the drenching sweat i love. but wow, it was a tough hot, humid, hilly trail run. and i had to take walk breaks throughout as i am no where near heat acclimated yet. it's been such a cool, rainy spring and now we are finally getting warm days. once i am acclimated to the heat, it won't be so bad. i did pay close attention to my hydration and fuel today and felt good in that area.



next week, my goal will be a 22 or 23 miler. and then i'll re-evaluate how i feel and how it goes and go from there. i'm taking it week by week for the 50k. my training has been nothing like last year for it due to the move, getting a basement finished, and just the busyness it's all created. but maybe my body will do fine with it. we'll see

catching up

week of april 21st -27th - 5, 4, 5, 13 

wanted to make the long run an 18 miler since i'm trying to train for a 50k but with basketball tournaments and life just being very busy, i ran a faster paced 13 miler. it's all i had time for. i totally felt it the next day!

week of april 28th - may 4th - 5, 8 

i hurt my back monday morning putting laundry away. it hurt reallllly bad. not sure what i did but it took 4 days to calm down. by thursday i felt ok enough to try a 5 mile run. of course, i went out too fast and had to take it easy the last two miles. but my back never hurt. saturday i ran 8 in the pouring cold windy rain. the weather this spring just stinks.

this week - 4, 18, 4, 4 

so after 11 days of missing a good long run, i got it done on thursday - on a challenging trail. i was by myself, on a challenging trail, with no music and nothing but my thoughts. i told myself (and my man) that if i couldn't run 18 on this trail and feel ok, then i wasn't going to run the 50k. i ran it ... was fine ... finished with no pain. so i guess i'm still on track. i followed up the next two days with 4 mile runs (one on the roads and one on a trail) and felt just fine. so next week, my goal is to run 20 on a trail that i trained on last year when preparing for this same 50k. i'll see how it goes.. taking it run by run at this point.

what a hard week...

not for running (well the 16 mile run felt hard towards the end!) but just in terms of tragic events.

i reallllly enjoy "watching" the boston marathon online or on twitter. it's so much fun to see the progress of the elite runners and their amazing gift of speed and endurance. they run the marathon distance in half the time i run it! that is just amazing!

after the elite winners were announced, i went about my business at home. shortly after, my husband came bursting out of his office to tell me there was an explosion at the boston marathon finish line. i got online and twitter was the fastest for reporting what was occurring. my heart sank low as soon as the news of a second blast happened. i knew right then and there it was not an accident.

the news that unfolded the next several days was just infuriating. and it still is.

tuesday - i ran 8 miles in honor and remembrance of 8 year old Martin Richard, praying for his family. it just tears at my heart to think of how his life was snatched. when i run a marathon, one of the thoughts at the front of my mind is how i cannot wait to see my family at the finish line. they saturate my mind during those last 6 miles especially.

thursday - i took my kids to the greenway early to get some fresh air and bike while i ran 6 miles. we needed it. i ran in honor and remembrance of Lu Lingzi, praying for her family.

saturday - two of my kids came on their bikes as i ran 16 miles. mid afternoon running can be hard since that's when i get tired sometimes. and i was tired! the last 3 miles were tough. they made me second guess why i am even running far! i ran in honor and remembrance of  Krystle Campbell, praying for her family.

so i defeated that thought by signing up for two ultras. :) the 50k at the end of june and an 8 hour race in august. i'm totally motivated (and committed!) now!

pray for boston. pray for justice. pray for peace. pray for protection. pray for America.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Romans 8:26

training isn't supposed to be easy!

last week - (4/1-4/6) 

i ran twice. :/ busy, busy, busy. :/  i ran 8 miles on tuesday - too fast-  and felt it the next day! and then saturday i ran 14 on a challenging trail and felt it for the next two days! i have not been on a trail long run in 5.5 months!! what was i thinking?! my back was sore from the camelback. i really need to ease back into this over the next 11 weeks in order to be prepared for the 50k!

this week -

monday - i ran 5 miles. legs felt somewhat heavy still. i am assuming that is from the long run on the hilly, rocky, rooty trail.

tuesday - 3 quick miles before dinner.

wednesday - 6 miles on the greenway with the kids. 2 biked and one ran with me! took advantage of a beautiful warm 82 degree sunny spring day!

friday - 4 miles - 1 mile of it was hill repeats. not easy.

saturday - 12 miles on the greenway. perfect temps and weather! i ran average 10 min pace and finished in great time. have not done that in forever! it felt great! and now i am wiped!

50K training!

tuesday - 6 H-I-L-L-Y miles! it was 32 degrees, *snowing* (flurries but lots of them and non stop) and so windy! with the hilly routes where i live, today i seriously felt like i was running in boulder, colorado and not in the suburbs of atlanta! it's been way below average here for so quite some time. but i just know it'll be warm soon - i just know it! (and i can NOT wait!)

wednesday -6 miles with hill repeats. i did 5 hill repeats of almost .1 of a mile. on the 5th repeat, i made it up about 80%! i felt like i was going to barf the rest of the run but it really felt so good to almost reach the top. it's a tough hill. i really want to find out it's degree/incline grade. you can hear cars really downshifting as they drive up!

friday - 14 miles with my youngest biking by me again! he's great company ♥! i felt really sick to my stomach the night before and just a little that morning. i figured i would just run what i could, maybe toss my tummy, and see what i can get done. instead that sick feeling went away and i ran with a headache the whole way! oh well. it wasn't a great run or a terrible run. it warmed up half enough by mile 10 that i was able to peel down to a short sleeve shirt!! i have not done that since november! i looked for the sunny side everywhere i could and before i knew it, i was done. :)

i want to run the 50K i did last year, but wasn't sure if i had enough time to really prepare. so i found a 16 week plan, and would you know i finished the first 2 weeks already, almost as it called for! so i'm jumped in on week 3. i am really excited and hope i'm able to train well. it's been so hectic the past 3 months with selling, buying and moving! but it's over now and things are settling down and i'm finding time to run. it's been great! i'm really hoping i can make this happen. my kids are so excited about going back to that place. they loved it there! (that makes me very happy!)