80 < 100, 80 miles < 100 miles and 80 miles in 3 days < 100 miles in 24hrs

All of you math people get where I am going with this.  I was pretty psyched to hit 80 miles in 3 days this week and then I read a comment that said it was great and I thought: is it?  I mean I am excited about a distance that is insanely shorter than what I plan to do in just three weeks now.  I want to run 100 miles all in one day.  That is a ton more than 80 miles spread out over 3 days.  I guess that doesn't make my accomplishment any less but lets just say it does give me a few prerace jitters.  I know in my heart of hearts that I can do this, I can run 100 miles but, dang somehow it seems so much bigger than anything I have ever done before.  Maybe that is attration.  Doing something that is so much bigger than anything I have ever tried to do?  Maybe it is for the runners high I will be on for like a week after?  Maybe it is for the challenge?  Maybe it is for the cool belt buckle (don't really think that is it)?  Maybe it is just because I love to run? Anyway not sure but, sort of think it is funny in an not ha ha way that I was psyched to run a distance over 3 days that doesn't even equal the distance I want to run in 1 day.  Now it is time for the tapering to begin. 

G's and Food

The G's arrived yesterday (new running shoes).  I know, what sort of nutcase names/labels their shoes but, you can see below there is a method to my madness.  This morning I took them out and broke them in Tara style, yep figured anything under 20 miles wouldn't do :).  Their first run was a nice 21.2 miles.  Yay! They felt great.  Just love the first run in a new pair of shoes.  Hopefully by the end of tomorrow I can report that I hit 80 miles in 3 days.  This is the last week of hard core training before Rocky and I am really trying to put a hurt on my legs, so far I can report I am doing a good job.  I am finding that my toe socks keep the blisters (and missing skin area) from last week from rubbing each other so that is definately tolerable.  I also think I have figured out my race nutrition issues.  I am going to use Chews:

Then after 2hrs I am going to add in some Ensure.

And then for fun I will mix in some GF Pretzels and I think Peanut Butter with them but not sure on that yet.

Ok, so that is what I am bringing with me and then from the aid stations I will pick up potatoes chips, m&m's, flat coke and bananas.  That should round up my food intake for the race.  Please keep your fingers crossed that I don't get a wonky stomach.  Everything I read says to expect some puking during the 100 miles but dang I really don't want to throw up so home this plan works.  200 calories an hour.  Pleanty of water and fingers crossed. 

Rambling

Since I know no one wants to see a picture of my messed up toes I am inserting a picture of my sweet Chloe drinking water out of my running water bottle. I guess if a toddler can use it so can any grown person while running. Hey maybe that should be the new selling point for this bottle. Not much to post after my long runs this week. I have one toe that is missing skin on the side that rubs with the next toe so it is annoying. Not sure what I am going to do about that on my long run on Tuesday, think I can just gut it up on my 10 milers today and tomorrow but not sure about 20-30 miles. My runs have been off since Wednesday, Doug had surgery on his knee and that kept me chained to the house on Thursday and Friday Chloe decided not to nap and well today Dylan decided to nap while Chloe was napping so, should get to run once I get Chloe down tonight. Last night I tried to run but dang if my hamstring didn't feel funky and there is no way I am risking an injury at this point in the game. I know I am rambling sorry. Super cool thing happened twice this week: I influenced someone to run further than they had previously thought of doing. The first is my running buddy Bethany, she has now decided to give an ultra a go, yippee, I am so excited about that. She wrote an awesome post about it on her blog. As you will see if you go there, she is a really good writer. The second person is a teacher of Chloe's who hadn't been working out last year when I met her and we got to talking about running one day and well today she told me she did 10 miles last week and thought of me and was so proud. She was bubbling when she told me and dang if that didn't really make me feel good. She also lost 45 lbs in the process. So now I am beginning to think I need to find a way to reach out and encourage others to run and get healthy. I will keep thinking on this and see what I come up with. Have an awesome weekend. Happy Running All!

Duct Tape - Is it really good for anything/everything?

So this week I got it into my head that I wanted to do more miles than my training plan called for and then, on top of that I decided to hit some trails yesterday. Those trails were frozen solid and apparently every mountain bike rider in Carrollton had hit those trails while they were muddy. You know where I am going with this. The trails frozen into peaks and dang were they tough to navigate. My feet took a beating. I finished up my 20+ miles and got in another 7+ last night but by this morning my blisters hurt. If I were even partially sane this might have made me skip my 30 mile run today but alas it only made me think: Yippee perfect opportunity to try out duct tape on the toes. So I popped the few blisters I could. For some reason the ones under big callouses were too hard to get to. Any who, I popped the ones I could and then put some goop on the blisters and duct taped the toes. Now I think this would have worked great but, somehow with the goop on the duct tape didn't stick well so, next time going to use bigger pieces and make sure duct tape is overlapping duct tape on the top of the toe. Right now my toes don't feel so hot but ehhhhh who cares, got 58 miles in the last 48hrs so I am happy as a clam. Going to take tomorrow off. Happy Running all. I am actually beginning to like this cold weather running.

What Up "G"

If you have read my other posts you know I have a crazy way to track my shoes. Since I never change up the brand and so far haven't changed models I label them with permanent marker. The other day I began tracking my miles on a website called the DailyMile (supposedly there is a widget or something I can put on my blog from that site but after 30 min of trying to make it work I gave up) and as I was entering my shoes and their miles I realized I have two pairs nearing 400 miles and one that is well over 600 so it is time for...G. I was going to live on the edge and get the Wave Rider 13's, the updated version of my old trusty Wave Rider 12's but then I read some comments that made me think better of it. So I went in search of places still selling the 12's and thank goodness found a few and found a good deal. I know eventually I will have to move onto the 13 or another shoe all together but, think I should put that off until after Rocky. For now I am happy to know the G's are on their way. Oh and in case you are wondering yes, this means I am on my 7th pair of running shoes in just under 2yrs.

Babysitter = 30min Run

Today was the end of my rest week and well I only had $4 in my wallet so that meant I could do a 30 minute run. What, you don't decide your run based on what you have in your wallet? I think it is the way to go. I pay our babysitter $8/hr and well I only use her for running. I know it is sad. Someone had posted on another site that you know you’re a runner when you hire a babysitter so you can run. Hey, I resemble that remark. Guess that means I am a runner. I don't think I have had the babysitter come over for anything but running for over a year. Oh my, has it been that long since Doug and I went out on a date sans Chloe. Oh no, promise to rectify that ASAP. Sorry Doug.




So as I headed out the door today I suddenly got it in my head to run a 5K and hey why not? So I picked up the pace hoping that somehow I could break that darn 21 minute mark that seems to elude me. But, dang if that hill at the end isn't always there. Hummmmm just occurred to me maybe I should change to a route without a monster hill at the end. So long story short: finished in 21:29, so close and yet so far. Think I can run a bit faster but you know what: Running fast hurts much better to run for hours on end. I can't wait for next week and my nice 30 milers :). Oh yes, I am quite aware that I am sick in the head. But, at least one of you out there is shaking your head in agreement. 30 miles nice and easy sounds a ton better than 3.1 miles as fast as you can go, right?

2010: Day 1

Oh don't fret I am not going to post each day, just lacked any creativity for a title today. The year has officially begun and it began for me with an awesome brunch at a neighbor’s house where I got to gorge myself on tons of gluten free food followed by a spectacular run. Why was the run so spectacular you ask? Because this is my short week, the week where miles don't matter, nested in between sets of 3 long weeks I have this one week where I get to run short and fast everyday and I love it. Today I ran 5.3 miles in 39 minutes and while I know that isn't super fast for most of you for me it felt like heaven. Most of my training runs are 20+ miles and my pace is therefore somewhere between 9:30 and 11 minute miles. You can imagine how great it feels to hit the street with only a water bottle, no nutrition, and just run fast without worrying if I will bonk later. Ahhhh love it. Alas, at the end of these weeks I am always tired of running fast and want to get back to my favorite type of running: Long and Slow. I think I just like to break it up a bit.




Yesterday I registered for the Lone Ranger 24, that is right, after posting that I wanted to run a 24hr race this year I decided to bite the bullet and register so, if you are in Phili on the July 17th weekend and have nothing better to do at 2am please come run a few miles with me. I would love the company.



So the year has begun with a bang and Rocky is only 35 days away. I am so dang excited.