It's my birthday and I will run if I want to

run if I want to
you would run to
if you were you know who ...

(you should be singing the above to the tune of  "It's my Birthday and I will cry if I want to")

This is what happens when your ipod dies 15 miles into a 25 mile run.  You make up songs and think of crazy things you can do. 

Today really is my Birthday.  I am 38.  I should be running 38 miles (like any good ultra runner would do) but I only have 25 in and no idea if I am going for 13 more tonight.  Only time will tell.  The run this AM felt great as in GREAT!!!!!!!  Oh man the legs are starting to feel like my legs again.  The ankle is great as long as I don't tweak it too much...that may be an issue on my 50 mile trail race in less than two weeks, hummmmm...  Now onto the two amazing women I met this week.

On Saturday I had headed out on an Emergency Easter Bunny run.  What is that you ask?  Well Chloe had sent a letter to the Easter Bunny asking for a bulldozer, her father (my husband, who is amazing) forgot to tell me about this letter.  As Chloe and I were driving back from VT she tells me that the Easter Bunny is going to bring her a bulldozer, she is sure of it because she sent a letter with a picture.  SHIT! Ok so Saturday I head out for my run/mission.  It is pouring rain.  I run all the way to town and find a bulldozer at the back of the shelf at the grocery store, GREAT! Now I have to get the thing home.  I tie it to my camel bak.  Now there is a site for you.  In super uppity Ridgefield a runner running in the pouring rain with a bulldozer tied to her pack, bahahahahaha.  I am rounding the corner to out neck of the woods (quite literally) and I see the lady who lives across the lake running the other way.  U TURN.  I track her down and crash her run.  What?? I need a running buddy.  I am desperate.  I hijack her run and we run 3 miles or so together me with the bulldozer now under my arm (the bag broke).  I am not sure that was the best first impression to make but it sure was fun to run with someone.  Any bets on if she will run with me again? 

The next day, Sunday.  We are all done with our egg hunt and are sitting outside with the neighbors and Chloe is playing with her bulldozer (she loves it btw) and Taren (Karen with a T) runs by.  She says Hi! And then says "I didn't know you run ultras, Jeff (her neighbor, word gets around quick up here in our lake community) told me."  "Anyway you want to do a 2.5hr run with me."  Well HELL YES!! Doug gives me a thumbs up and I scurry inside to change as quick as lightning.  Did I forget to say I have seen Taren running by, she is super fast and was therefore sort of avoiding her.  But, desperate times call for desperate measures and long runs even everything out, right???? OMG she was fast.  Turns out she runs 3hr marathons give or take 5 minutes.  And her idea of an easy run is my marathon race pace.  If you think she slowed going up hill you are wrong, we ran up hill and down hill all at a sub 9mm pace.  It was tough but it was awesome.  She is an awesome lady and so inspirational.  I can't wait to run with her again.  I was kind of laughing about the whole situation, how many people run up to a neighbor and say, hey you want to run 2.5hrs and the nut job says yes?  You just don't find that everyday.  Love it. 

All in all I had an awesome week last week.  Love finding running buddies.  Wooot wooot!!

Happy Running All!

Happy Running

I have begun a post three times now.  I am all over the place with my thoughts and as you all know writing is not my strong suit.  I sometimes find it so hard to write a post and, other times I just write exactly what I am thinking (that usually means it is a garbled mess).  When I was a kid I used to dream of being a writer.  I joined writing clubs at school, stayed after school just to write, wrote papers for other kids (oh it was a trade I would write two papers and my buddy would edit both).  I have somehow drifted so far away from that, that now I can't even string a few thoughts together, hummmmm, when did that happen?  Well, lets get to this post...I am warning you now I might be all over the place.

I went to the Doc this week, I am cleared to run on even surfaces (ok he said I was only allowed to run on a track but ummmmmmm no one can do that for 14 miles, I am not crazy, you know ;)).  The day after he cleared me to run I hit the roads for 14.5 (what? I am sure when he said take it easy he meant anything under 20)  blissfully sweet miles.  OMG!!! That run felt awesome.  I ran a short run today and tomorrow I plan to take the legs out for a 20+ miler.  I realize I am no where near in shape for this race.  I actually find myself a bit panicked about going to the race alone, to race up and down a mountain on a busted ankle and in poor physical condition.  But, somehow I can't drop out, I really want to do this, I want to spend all day at a race chugging along, I miss it.  I keep telling myself I am ok with the goal of just finishing.  I hope that isn't a lie.  I hope that I will be totally fine with just getting this one done.  I really really hope the ankle holds up, I would say there is a 50/50 chance of that.  I am nervous.  That is it, I am nervous and for the first time I am not sure if I can really even finish a race much less do well. 

And now onto a totally different subject:

Picture from my Novice year on the rowing team.

I am happy!  I love my life!  I am a positive person, not much gets me down.  I am annoyingly optimistic.  I wasn't always like this.  I was always a fighter, always determined, always a hard worker but not happy.  I didn't find happiness until my 30's.  I received an email this week from a friend whom I admire more than she will ever know.  She was reminiscing about our college days and here is the thing:  I am totally embarrassed of the person I was during college.  I just didn't like myself and I think it showed in so many ways.  But then I can't really regret it too much because I am here now.  My journey no matter how ridiculous it has been got me here and I like HERE.  But sometimes I wish I could go back and be the person I am now, the friend I am now to those amazing ladies I met back in college.  I met the most amazing women during my days as a rower in college.  They sort of drug me through college and from there I went into the Navy where I met another group of amazing people.  I guess what I am saying is I have been blessed in my life.  When I was lost in the forest I had amazing folks to help show me the way.  Every person has their journey, we can't change our pasts but we can change how we do things now, we can always work on being better.  I am thankful to those who helped me get to this place of HAPPY because it ROCKS!

I wish I could write exactly what I am trying to say the way I hear it when I am running.  hummmmm

Back to running, I think after tomorrow I better get going on a taper.  Even with no training I think it is better to not have sore legs going into the race than to try and squeeze one more week of running in.  OMG...this is nuts.  I am beginning to think this 50 miler is the craziest thing I have done to date.  Fingers crossed. I am going in on a wing and a prayer.

Happy Spring Break everyone.  Chloe and I are headed to VT for some much needed sister/cousin time.  Have I said lately how much I love living so close to my sister.  Wahooooooo. 

Busted and WOD

So I busted my ankle.  By busted I mean sprained.  Did it weeks ago on the trails.  Took me almost a week to head to the doc.. He was a good guy, gave me a brace, said not to run for a few more weeks and that I could walk as much as I wanted.  Hummmmm... by walk as much as I wanted did he mean continue training?  I am sure that is what he meant.  And so I have hit the Treadmill with force.  I have 40 miles in this week (done in 3 days) and plan to snag some more miles tonight.  The Doc and the PT said I could go for the race but, that I would have to wear the brace, I am guessing that is going to hurt just about as much as my quads do after no running for a month and then treking up and down a mountain.  Oh well, it is all in the name of sanity.  At this point I just want to finish the race.  Wait...race??? Oh yes I forgot after my last post I signed up for a race, a 50 miler, first week of April, went out for my first "training run" and busted my ankle.  Dang I am good.  So there you have it.  I am now determined to do a race that I didn't even know about a few weeks ago.  I am really hoping that I am in good enough shape to pull off a 50 mile race but, I don't know.  I am guessing 50 with this little of training is going to feel like 100 with a ton of training, and well...that later hurts like the dickens (I was going to curse here but didn't want Mama Cathy on my case). 

Another crazy thing I am doing is: Mobility WOD.  Doug read about this nut job in Competitor Magazine.  This PT (Physical Thereapist) who does Cross Fit and other stuff and positively insane about his stretching.  As most of you know I pretty much don't do it, don't stretch, don't like it, don't do it but, Doug sold me on the fact some ultra runners had said after they saw this PT they had zero injuries and were bounding out of bed in the morning like they were teenagers.  They no longer did the ultrarunner shuffle, hummm...... So Doug proceeds to sell me on KStar (the PT nut job who does Mobility WOD) and shows me the first workout/stretch/whatever...The guy wants you to do one insane stretch for 10 minutes each day and slowly get yourself back in alignment.  I think he is on like day 214 or something, he is commited to putting up a video with a stretch, everyday for a year.  You start at day one and then go all the way to 365.  So for 10 minutes each day Doug and I have been torturing ourselves with this stretching but it is AMAZING!  Oh man am I loosening up.  My hips have never been this loose and while I thought I might pop a quad the other day they too now feel awesome.  So if you are interested in stretching check out this guy.  Oh and his site is free and he is hysterical.  Now go find your goat and stay out of the pain cave! I should say Day 1 lulled me into thinking this might be easy but Day 2 kicked my you know what. 

I NEED a race!

Ok, where to begin...we moved this winter.  That move has really messed up my running time.  There has a been a ton of work to get done on the house and there still is a ton of work to do on the house and Chloe's school schedule is different.  I have just had a tough time getting into a training groove.  Last week I was able to grab 60 miles and this week I just haven't felt like it or found the time.  I know you can always find time for a run and trust me I could have. 

Here is my delima: If I sign up for a race I have a goal and will therefore not just take a week off here and there but, if I sign up for a race I will have a goal and that will meen a training plan and a highly irritated Tara if she can't fit her runs in.  So do I sign up for a race and get going on a goal or do I just run when I feel like it and toss this running season out?  There are some great races around here.  Maybe I should just go for it, if I can run 60 mile weeks then surely I could bust out a 50 mile race.   Last week I felt like me again with all the running but this week my house feels more like home because of all the painting.  What to do what to do?????

Here is another component to this question: I need to run a 50 miler under 10hrs (I think) or complete a 100 miler to enter the WS100 lottery again this year.  This year I would get two entries because last year I didn't get in.  For those of you who don't know the WS100 is like the Boston Marathon of ultras in the US.  So, one day I would really like to do it.  The year I get in I plan to make a play for the Grand Slam of ultras, which is 4 of the best 100 milers in the US back to back to back to back all summer long.  So maybe I should bust out a couple of 50 milers to get my ticket punched for the lottery. 

I know this isn't really a delima in the grand scheme of things but I probably should figure it out soon.  Ok I really think I need to race.  I haven't run a race since December and even that wasn't my race.  I haven't really run a race since November, Oh MAN....what did I just type?  Has it really been that long?  Ok that is it I am signing up for something.  No frick'in wonder I am lost and confused, I clearly need to race.  Will post later what race I find and sign up for. 

Happy Running All!

Happy St. Patty's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!! We are having a group competition that involves dressing up and running a 5k in my Running Moms Group hence the awesome attire.  Yes, poor Doug had to go running with me to take the photo.  Got to wonder what a husband thinks when his wife not only begs him to go running but then shows up in this outfit for the run, poor guy, lol!!!

I have to say that my Running Mom Group has made a huge difference in my running/life.  It is an online group that I found when Chloe was 4mnths old.  I was searching for an answer on how old a  baby had to be to go in a jogging stroller and how long you could leave them in there.  I stumbled upon this awesome group of ladies who not only answered my questions but pushed me onwards.  They have been the back bone of my running ever since. 

I had a dream...

When I was in Junior HS and living in Colorado I read about this crazy race called the Leadville 100.  People ran 100 miles, through the night, delirious, focused on one goal...I was in love but, I never thought I would do it.  I don't know why I didn't think I would run 100 miles, I am definitely a super driven person.  I completely believe that any person can achieve any goal with hard work, determination and perseverance.  But, it just never really occured to me to do something this crazy myself. Throughout the years I forgot about the race and then I met my Running Mamas.  Someone was asking about ultra marathons, I looked up what an ultra marathon was and BANG!!!!! I was sold hook line and sinker.  Signed up for a 50 miler and ran that just over a year after Chloe was born.  That race was so dang hard.  Yowsa!!!! Toenails came off, legs hurt for well over a week, and I had blisters all over my feet, basically I was trashed.  I didn't run for over a month afterwards.  I slowly began running again and then of course the Running Moms struck again, I blame this entirely on Cathy (MC to the troops), she brought up Rocky Raccoon one night, it was a 100 miler in Texas (not far from where I lived).  I signed up the next day.  This time I sent out a message to my Running Mamas and asked if anyone could come help me through my first 100 mile race.  I was floored when multiple Mamas signed up to come help me out.  They had never met me except online and still 4 of them came together to pull me through the race.  They have done the same for all of my ultras to date.  I guess the whole point of this post is to say: THANK YOU!!! To the wonderful ladies that make up Running Moms.  You ladies are just amazing. 

And of course that means I had to do a running dance for you...I was singing: I am a Leprechaun and I don't care, I will run in my underwear.... But I think only a blip of that came out and I almost bit it landing in a slippery spot of mud, bahahahaha.  Love you ladies.  Have a good laugh!

Happy Running.

P.S. The video is sideways but thought asking Doug to redo the video was pushing my luck (and I am not Irish, lol).

Pine Mountain

I have been horrible about keeping up my blog lately but, as all of you know we have just moved and, as most of you know our basement flooded and we haven't been able to get the water to stop coming in.  Total bummer but, could be worse and we are figuring it out and I am once again finding time to run.  WOOOT WOOOT!

My runs have been awesome, no better than that, they have been those type of runs that make you feel alive, the kinds that feed your soul and give you wings.  I come home each day with my shoes almost black from mud, my legs throbbing from the hills and my hands messed up from falling.  I LOVE IT...what?  You think that is sick...no way...you are runners too so I know you get it.  I am starting to get used to running up Pine Mtn.  The transition from running in Texas where it is mostly flat and paved to this has been tough endurance wise, meaning I haven't been able to get in 20 milers because it takes me forever to get up and down the mountain but it is so much fun. It takes me all of 2 minutes to get to the trail head, makes the sinking house totally worth it, lol. 

I have no idea what my racing plans are this year.  I want to race so bad.  I want to pick and ultra and go for it but, I just haven't got into my groove here and figured out how to get in the mileage I need.  It will happen but for now I am in race limbo, AHHHHH!!!!!!! I am sure it will work out.  I do have a ton of ideas I am kicking around just no plan yet.

So here are some movies from toady's run.  I will get you some more soon.  

I'm Still Alive

I know what you are thinking?  What the heck happened to Tara?  Over a month and no post...Well you see we up and moved from Texas to Conneticut.  Now that is one heck of a move and whats more is the house we bought needed/needs a ton of work.  Doug and I are pretty dang handy so, we can do a ton of it ourselves but, it is eating up my time.  However....LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION!  Enough said. This house ROCKS!!! We live right on a lake.  We spent last week playing on the ice and I imagine we will spend the summer swimming in the lake.  I haven't got a ton of running in but I have had some serious speed work.  In the above picture you can see me pulling my neice Bridget and Chloe.  I would run as hard as I could and ramp them over little mounds of snow we made.  Then Joe (my nephew seen skating by me in this picture) would jump on the pile and I would pull all three.  My legs were screaming after two days of giving rides but, I figure it had to be a good workout.  Oh and the squeals of delight made my day. 

I have gotten out for a few runs and I love the neighborhood.  The roads are pretty narrow so not ideal for running but, the neighbors tend to drive slow so at least no one should mow me down. I have tried to run the trails a few times but, dang the ice storms really messed up the snow around here.  It is so icy that it takes off skin when you run into it so, I need to figure out how other runners do this winter snow running when the snow is iced over on top.  I haven't seen anyone running the trails so I am guessing they are just too messed up right now to run but, if any of you have ideas let me know.  I am new to this snow trail running. 

So just a quick post to let you know I am still here.  I am running again but, only short distances for now.  No idea what races I will do this year.  There is so much to do it is hard to sort it all out at the moment. 

We do have a guest room all set up.  We have already had two sets of guests.  So if you are in the neighborhood please let us know and stop by.