The Week in Review
Number 1: I need to stop drinking so much coffee. This never happened in Bartonville, at least near the end. It's almost 11 and I am still cranking. For those of you who know me, really know me, you know this is nearly impossible. The last 2 days I haven't needed my afternoon cup of joe, habits are hard to break, I've had it anyways. I am such a 'rule breaker'. It's going to hurt me unless, I just say, "adios" or switch to green tea or decaf. Coffee is 2 things to
It felt so good to go fast again!
I haven't ridden my bike since my farewell to Northshore: That was a sad day. I have been so busy, relocating, packing, running
Run 3 hours and 30 minutes:
Saturday was my longest training run for the Leadville Marathon: 3 hours and 30 minutes. I ran in the foothills at the top of Montgomery. I ran 1 hour and 30 minutes on the Mountain Bike Trails. Then, I ran 1 hour UP: Straight UP, UP, UP, UP I went. This became so steep, and I was scrambling across rock. I haven't told you about my new shoes: New Balance Minumus: I love these shoes. They have a Vibram soles. I bought the men's version, it had a little more room in the toe
Leadville Marathon; Here I come
Well, that was a near miss, and sworn by my secrecy, I will not be able to tell you the story of how I trained for and almost didn't get to run the Leadville Marathon. What I will say is, "Thank you very, very, very much." An 18 mile run is an 18 mile run, is an 18 mile run. And not to put that 18 mile run to test would have been, well a bummer. So my 18 mile run, done in town at ABQ. I did one lap around the Academy. I did one lap straight up to Tramway, down Spain and back home, and then 2 x 30 minute laps around the park, for a total of 3 hours and 4 minutes. I did my first Tempo run at altitude. That was interesting. Kind of sucked actually. It was 4 minutes faster than my Academy lap on my long run, but not saying much, about a 10 minute mile. And I have a lot of work to do!! I want to swim so bad, there's .25 open swim tonight at one of the highschools. With a 3.5 hour run I may prioritize it. It's tonight, and I would not have enough recovery to hit that run with gusto. I wanted to talk a little bit more about my run. My 16 mile run was so painful the last 2 miles, I ended up walking some of it to the parking lot. My 18 mile run I picked up the tempo the last 3 miles and I had no pain! NO PAIN! Running mechanics is so important! Just goes to show you when you run with a faster cadence, pain goes away. I think, next week we will have a trip to Santa Fe. A day trip, I guess with the dogs, will have to figure out something on that. First, I need to get through the 21 miler. That's 210 minutes. That would be 3 hours and 30 minutes. OUCH! Winning time last year for the marathon was 5 hours in some change. I would really, really like to run a 10 minute mile. For my 50k I ran faster per minute mile than the winning time at Leadville. I know it will not be easy. I know the air will be thick and I will need a lot of water, espresso, and figure out what to do with my food. They have aid stations every3 miles, if I can get my magic potion to the aid stations, that would be fabulous. Today we meet our very first friends in Texas in ABQ. I made a gluten free pasta salad. I still need to saute the chicken. I want/need a track, and some trips to 10,000 feet with some intervals. I need to make sure the smoke stays clear for my long run. I am scheduling a babysitter right now.
Time Keeps on Slipping, Slipping, Slipping…
Into the future. Why is Texas the state that has 5 of the Top 10 fatest cities in America? I will tell you my observations: All cities cited in research are heavily produced, industrial cities. The air quality is awful, and recreational exercise and commuting are deemed dangerous. Through lack of education, and lack of cities to provide sidewalks and recreational lanes for exercisers and commuters. Big Gas and Oil should fund some of that! Or perhaps, this is part of the reason that in suburb areas there are no connecting sidewalks. It's not necessarily
Denver: The Mile High City
I wonder why they call it Mile High. I know why they do, but ABQ is pretty much at the same altitude, and then, you know in town's like this you're either up or down. Well, actually, Denver is more flat. I have been learning a lot and taking lots of naps. I guess, that's what I needed. So right now I am cooking my eggs. Yes, when I travel I bring a hot plate. I can not stand not knowing where my food comes from, or eating out all the time.
First long run at altitude
In New Mexico with my sister, love my sister, but no match for my husband and girls
I would do anything to turn back to clocks
And have it the way it was before all this happened
Living on Nettles, Oil of Oregano and Espresso
Hummed to the Grateful Dead song, "Truckin" I had a skin reaction to anti histamines, not the greatest when dealing with allergies so I found this little thing called 'nettles'. An herb that grows like crazy along the river beds in Minnesota. Whisping through the singletrack of Cherry Hill the nettles would brush us. Most people they would itch, and bleed, me, they would just bug me a little bit. We are stronger than the itch. Thank God, too, because most days, I feel like I have rolled in poison ivy. I leave
One Box at a Time
Yesterday it was 3. The marathon of a lifetime, and the hardest run, with the most hurdles, ever. I had a nice 38 minute bike ride at Horseshoe. One lap. Slow, TIRED, not powering over ANYthing. Then, headed up FloMo Bikes Plus. My wheels are in. Not on, I am having difficulty with a rear tire decision. Should take 1 pound off. I had Thursday off, Wednesday I ran 2 hours and 4 minutes. I am on schedule for Leadville Marathon. Rey Vera races Rocky Hill tomorrow. Oh, big news, Kyle ultra-marathon runner in San Antonio area