I’m running again! Thank goodness because it’s been rough. Probably more rough for my poor family. Last year this time I was running 120 and 130 mile weeks. This week I will top out around 55. I’m still only running every other day, but I’m ramping up the mileage so every run is a long run. Huge thanks to Charlie at Cadence Physical Therapy for putting up with me and getting me running again! Time for a trip to iRun again because I actually need running shoes again! (I am also considering buying a pack so if you have suggestions let me know!)
I’m planning to run the Black Canyon 100K in February. I am not a big fan of announcing my goals, but of course I want a Western States spot. Last Sunday Aravaipa held their first training run on the course. I was a little nervous about the 18 mile run, but I wanted to see the course. The night before I decided to make Norm come along and act as my personal support vehicle in case I needed it. Unfortunately, there are no pictures because Norm totally fell down on the job and didn't take any. (I don't care my phone because I fall down a lot and would surely smash my phone to bits.) In his defense, he just informed me it is a full time job taking care of me. Ha!
Jamil alerted us that it would be below freezing at the start so I packed one of everything! We met at the finish, loaded people into cars and headed to the start. I go to ride to the start sitting on the console between the driver and passenger so we could cram enough people into cars. Poor people who chose our car had no idea that the beater off road expedition we use for camping and trail access has no heat! But all the hot breath in the car warmed things up no problem.
The race starts at the high school in Mayer, AZ. I think the town was still asleep! I reluctantly took a map with me. “I’ll take it, but if I get lost I will just be lost with a map, “ I announced. I opted to wear my pull over and was super happy when less than a mile away all the cars stopped and I was able to give Norm my jacket. It wasn’t very cold, but it was super windy. I was over dressed for sure. I ran up front with Amir who recently graduated, but previously ran cross-country for UC Irvine. My plan had been to stick with Jamil so that I wouldn’t get lost, but we were only a few miles in and looking back to ask Jamil which way to go. I was a little nervous. At this point everyone caught up with each other and we were running as a group when there was another wrong turn made. At this point I stopped to take my buff off my head and realized I had lost the buff on my wrist. My favorite buff! No time to worry about it because I needed to take off. I had wasted too much time and got stuck in the dreaded conga line on single track. Since it was just a training run and there was really no place for people to go I tried to just relax and not think about pace. I didn’t want to be the asshole trying to get past people on a training run. But I was pretty happy when there was finally space for me to get around people.
I was happily running along the trail when out of nowhere a baby cow comes hauling ass off to my right. I actually had to slow down so it could pass in front of me. It was hysterical. When I got to the first aid station I was so happy. The trail is totally runnable. And so far I had experienced zero pain in my knee or hamstring! I refilled my bottle, found a bush (they were all very tiny) and downed a handful of peanut M&M’s before the lead guys were off and I followed. My hope was that staying with them would keep me from getting lost. Somehow I ended up with cactus spikes in the top of my shoe and had to pull off my shoes and get them out. I was originally following gray shirt, but he pulled off the trail and I was on my own. Until I saw blue shirt. I could never catch him, but sighted him often enough to know I was going the right way. The trail twists and turns in a way that makes you think you are gaining on someone when you really are not. Second aid station was where I needed to make a decision about ending my run or continuing on to the finish. I felt good and I knew I only had about 6 miles left. I started following blue shirt, but after three miles I started feeling tired and my back was hurting a bit so I slowed the pace. I could still see him every now and then so I was feeling okay. Also the trail was well marked here so no real worry about getting lost. I just didn’t want to miss the turn to the cars.
I knew I was looking for a turn onto the fire road so when I came to place where the trail crossed what looked like fire road I wasn’t sure what to do. I pulled out the map and it actually made sense! I stayed on the trail and kept going until I saw my watch read 18.8. I thought this was an 18 mile run? I started to panic. I’m lost! In retrospect this was totally stupid because there were reference points so I knew exactly where I needed to go, even if it meant I had to go off trail. But I was tired and my brain was being stupid. I pulled out the map and realized I still needed to go a little further before I made the turn for the jeep road. When I turned off the trail to go to the jeep road I saw one of the lead guys trying to make arrows in the dirt to help the others know where to go. I stopped my watch and walked to the cars with him. 19.5 miles. By the time we walked to the cars I think it was 20 miles. Good grief! We hung out for a bit, eating chips and chatting with others. But I had to rush back to shower and talk to girl scouts about sportsmanship and psyching yourself up.
19.5 miles! I ran 19.5 miles!!! I was so happy and other than being a little tired at the end I felt great! It was amazing to be on the trail again. Running on the road can be nice and has some benefits, but the feeling of running on the trail is magical.
Here is the link to the video Jamil made of the training run.
http://youtu.be/-7TzgkehpUU
You should totally sign up for this race, unless you think you can beat me. Just joking, sort of…
I’m planning to run the Black Canyon 100K in February. I am not a big fan of announcing my goals, but of course I want a Western States spot. Last Sunday Aravaipa held their first training run on the course. I was a little nervous about the 18 mile run, but I wanted to see the course. The night before I decided to make Norm come along and act as my personal support vehicle in case I needed it. Unfortunately, there are no pictures because Norm totally fell down on the job and didn't take any. (I don't care my phone because I fall down a lot and would surely smash my phone to bits.) In his defense, he just informed me it is a full time job taking care of me. Ha!
Jamil alerted us that it would be below freezing at the start so I packed one of everything! We met at the finish, loaded people into cars and headed to the start. I go to ride to the start sitting on the console between the driver and passenger so we could cram enough people into cars. Poor people who chose our car had no idea that the beater off road expedition we use for camping and trail access has no heat! But all the hot breath in the car warmed things up no problem.
The race starts at the high school in Mayer, AZ. I think the town was still asleep! I reluctantly took a map with me. “I’ll take it, but if I get lost I will just be lost with a map, “ I announced. I opted to wear my pull over and was super happy when less than a mile away all the cars stopped and I was able to give Norm my jacket. It wasn’t very cold, but it was super windy. I was over dressed for sure. I ran up front with Amir who recently graduated, but previously ran cross-country for UC Irvine. My plan had been to stick with Jamil so that I wouldn’t get lost, but we were only a few miles in and looking back to ask Jamil which way to go. I was a little nervous. At this point everyone caught up with each other and we were running as a group when there was another wrong turn made. At this point I stopped to take my buff off my head and realized I had lost the buff on my wrist. My favorite buff! No time to worry about it because I needed to take off. I had wasted too much time and got stuck in the dreaded conga line on single track. Since it was just a training run and there was really no place for people to go I tried to just relax and not think about pace. I didn’t want to be the asshole trying to get past people on a training run. But I was pretty happy when there was finally space for me to get around people.
I was happily running along the trail when out of nowhere a baby cow comes hauling ass off to my right. I actually had to slow down so it could pass in front of me. It was hysterical. When I got to the first aid station I was so happy. The trail is totally runnable. And so far I had experienced zero pain in my knee or hamstring! I refilled my bottle, found a bush (they were all very tiny) and downed a handful of peanut M&M’s before the lead guys were off and I followed. My hope was that staying with them would keep me from getting lost. Somehow I ended up with cactus spikes in the top of my shoe and had to pull off my shoes and get them out. I was originally following gray shirt, but he pulled off the trail and I was on my own. Until I saw blue shirt. I could never catch him, but sighted him often enough to know I was going the right way. The trail twists and turns in a way that makes you think you are gaining on someone when you really are not. Second aid station was where I needed to make a decision about ending my run or continuing on to the finish. I felt good and I knew I only had about 6 miles left. I started following blue shirt, but after three miles I started feeling tired and my back was hurting a bit so I slowed the pace. I could still see him every now and then so I was feeling okay. Also the trail was well marked here so no real worry about getting lost. I just didn’t want to miss the turn to the cars.
I knew I was looking for a turn onto the fire road so when I came to place where the trail crossed what looked like fire road I wasn’t sure what to do. I pulled out the map and it actually made sense! I stayed on the trail and kept going until I saw my watch read 18.8. I thought this was an 18 mile run? I started to panic. I’m lost! In retrospect this was totally stupid because there were reference points so I knew exactly where I needed to go, even if it meant I had to go off trail. But I was tired and my brain was being stupid. I pulled out the map and realized I still needed to go a little further before I made the turn for the jeep road. When I turned off the trail to go to the jeep road I saw one of the lead guys trying to make arrows in the dirt to help the others know where to go. I stopped my watch and walked to the cars with him. 19.5 miles. By the time we walked to the cars I think it was 20 miles. Good grief! We hung out for a bit, eating chips and chatting with others. But I had to rush back to shower and talk to girl scouts about sportsmanship and psyching yourself up.
19.5 miles! I ran 19.5 miles!!! I was so happy and other than being a little tired at the end I felt great! It was amazing to be on the trail again. Running on the road can be nice and has some benefits, but the feeling of running on the trail is magical.
Here is the link to the video Jamil made of the training run.
http://youtu.be/-7TzgkehpUU
You should totally sign up for this race, unless you think you can beat me. Just joking, sort of…
