Motivation

...or lack there of.

Not being much of a winter runner or a fan of the treadmill, I was really hoping that registering early for an April 50K would motivate me to do more regular running over the last few months. Didn't work. Now that spring is on the doorstep, I'm finally getting excited to get out and hit the trails again. Probably too little too late for Chippewa, which will most likely be a power walk rather than a run, but I'm going to toe the line anyway.

Anyhoo, I decided to visit Stan Jensen's ultra site for some motivation, and found a bunch of fun quotes that might describe my upcoming experience:

"Those of us who finish near the back make the rest of you look good."
- Submitted by Tom Kaisersatt

"You'll be wistful for the "wall" of the marathon,
when you hit the "death grip" of the ultra."
- Bob Glover

"If you under-train, you may not finish, but if you over-train, you may not start."
- Tom DuBos credits Stan Jensen with this one

"Any idiot can run a marathon. It takes a special kind of idiot to run an ultramarathon."
- Alan Cabelly

"Last is just the slowest winner."
- C. Hunter Boyd

"Anybody running beats anybody walking, and anybody walking beats anybody sitting."
- Tom Bunk

"Your body will argue that there is no justifiable reason to continue.
Your only recourse is to call on your spirit, which fortunately functions independently of logic."
- Tim Noakes

"... slowed my pace to the point that I could have been rear-ended by a sleepy snail."
- Dave Olney

"I want to thank the rest of you for making me look normal."
- Gordon Ainsleigh

"Don't worry - you're supposed to walk the uphills."
- Shelley Black

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep."
- Robert Frost

"If you can't fly, then run.
If you can't run, then walk.
If you can't walk, then crawl.
But whatever you do, keep moving."
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

"You hear about how runnin' ultras is all mental; well, I sure wish it'd hurry up and get mental, 'cause it's feelin' awfully physical right now."
- Ken Loveless

"It's very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit."
- George Sheehan

"Start slow, then taper off".
- Walt Stack
(fellow 2008 shoot the moon runner Jim uses this one too, so it must work).

Hoping to get a good run in on the trails tomorrow - probably at Afton.

Dissin' Winter

Still having a hard time getting motivated to run outside in sub zero temps or inside on the treadmill. Been another week of more cross training:

Mon - elliptical + strength training circuit
Tues - 4 miles on the treadmill
Thurs - stationary biking
Fri - gotta get a run in somehow.... then see how My Girls do in the Big Ten Tourny.

We are supposed to have another sub-zero night tonight, which means I'll probably try to get a 10 miler in outside on Sunday afternoon. Saturday will probably be strength training + cross training, or perhaps indoor climbing.

In a feeble attempt to "protest" winter, last night I made Caribbean Chicken Stew with Lime Rice, cranked up the heat, burned some "ocean air" incense, and put on some Marley tunes. Had a nice cold beer to go with it. Here's the recipe:

Caribbean Chicken Stew

1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans, rinsed
1.5 cups chicken broth
1 large zucchini squash, cut into bite size chunks
1.5 lbs chicken, cut into bite size chunks

Put everything into the slow cooker and simmer on low heat for a few hours.

Serve over brown rice with juice from lime wedges.

Buh Bye February

After averaging 10 miles per week for the month of February (ouch), it's time for new beginnings. February wasn't all that bad, considering I did get some things accomplished (not all related to running or fitness). Once I emerged from computer hell, I decided to spend more time doing cross training and weight lifting instead of forcing myself to run on a treadmill or outside in sub-zero temps. Running is supposed to be FUN, and for awhile, it just....wasn't. The last few days have seen warmer temps, sunshine, and it doesn't get dark until ohhhhhhh, about 6:30 ish. I'm starting to get excited about running again, which is good since the Trail Mix 25K is only a month and a half away. Yikes!

Training for the past week:
Mon: elliptical for 20 min, strength training, easy 3 miles on the hamster wheel.
Wed: barefoot kettlebell circuit, stationary bike 25 min.
Thurs: strength training, easy 3.
Fri: made campsite reservations at Temperance River for Superior spring races.
Sat: easy 8 miles 'n change at Bredesen park.

Temperance River

Other recent developments: sent in registration forms for Superior 25K and Runnin' in the Ruff 10K. Afton starts accepting regs in mid March. Also joined the Upper Midwest Trail Runners and signed up for the 2008 MN Trail Race Series. You should too ;)

Tough Week

Had a tough week this week - more of a mental funk than anything. Reading everyone else's blogs, it seems that I'm not alone! I think I'm just sick of the treadmill, sick of sub-zero weather, sick of it being dark when I leave for work and dark again by the time I get home. I guess I'm sick of winter!

Last Sat: Three trips around Lake Calhoun for 9.65 miles. There was some kind of kite skiing event going on, where folks would hang onto the cord from a huge kite and ski across the lake - kind of like the ice version of wind surfing. Cool.

Sun: off

Mon: busy work day, nada. Coulda shoulda run outside in 40+ degree temps, but didn't. Shame.

Tues: was supposed to do a 7 mile tempo run - ended up doing 3 because I just. didn't. feel. like doing more. Shame.

Weds: busy work day, planned day off.

Thurs: strength training, but not much else. Coulda shoulda added some hill repeats, but didn't. Shame.

Fri: nada. Shame.

Sat: 10+ miles at Bredesen park. Saw lots of cardinals and a few woodpeckers! Now I've really got spring fever!

I've noticed another interesting trend the last couple of months running outside in cold weather: my heart rate actually goes down after about 5-6 miles or so, even at the same pace. Typically my heart rate goes up by that time, usually from getting overheated and/or dehydrated. I thought that maybe it had something to do with getting acclimated to slippery conditions: everything is tense at first, then becomes more relaxed after getting used to running on snow. Today the path was clear, so that theory didn't pan out. Things that make you go, "Hmmmmmmmmm."

Less than 3 months 'til Trail Mix!