Winter Blues

OK, so winter isn't my favorite time of year for running. I don't like running on ice or in sub-zero temps, and the hamster wheel drives me stone. cold. insane. I've chosen to do more short runs on an indoor track while upping my barefoot miles, strength training, and I keep meaning to get to a yoga class but haven't pulled it off yet. I've also been working on getting my shoulders fixed up (tendinitis on both sides from teaching 6 theraband classes per week at a nursing home). That's finally healing up, and I just started more aggressive upper body strength exercises this past week :)

Speaking of the nursing home, one of my 98 year old exercise participants told me last week what he wants engraved on his headstone when his last day finally arrives:

"The pills didn't work."

The more I think about that one, the funnier it gets.

Still unsure of my 2010 race plans - there will probably be more "seat of the pants" last minute decisions and/or fat ass runs this year, mainly because of financial concerns and my current lack of training miles (haven't done a double digit mile run since Surf the Murph).

This weekend I will attend either the MDRA annual meeting to score some free pizza, or the NSCA Winter Strength & Conditioning Clinic to get some CEU's for one of my certifications.

Hope to get out on the trails soon!

June Ramblings

Once I got past my 2 spring 50K races, I decided that I needed to include a few more tempo runs into my schedule to try to maintain at least a little bit of speed (remember, speed is relative). I've got a few shorter races on my schedule and it would be nice to get through them without completely embarrassing myself. However, once I plunked down my race fee for the Lean Horse Half Hundred, I began rethinking how to plan my training.

One of the things that many ultra runners consistently mention after they finish a breakthrough race/distance is that they wish they'd done more walking in their training. Brisk walking. The kind that keeps you moving forward at a pace that is still meaningful but allows some degree of recovery (or at least slows down the onset of an impending implosion). Basically, I need to travel slow enough so that I'm relying primarily on fat metabolism rather than burning through glycogen. So, I've been getting on a treadmill once a week and walking hills at 4.0 mph for an hour. True, I'm not crazy about the treadmill, but it forces me to maintain a certain pace, and right now my short little legs find it difficult to keep up walking 15 minute miles on 9 or 12 degree inclines. I've discovered after only 2 treadmill walking sessions that 4 mph is starting to feel a little more comfortable, so I plan on continuing with this activity. This is more a neuromuscular exercise than conditioning since I'm only doing it for an hour.

Another area that needs some work before Lean Horse is getting acclimated to heat. Last weekend, I ended up pulling the plug early at Afton after only 11 miles (goal was 20) because I was feeling so overheated (it was low 80's and high humidity - not exactly brutal). It takes a good 2 weeks of hot weather to get acclimated to heat, and the current forecast isn't cooperating in that regard (although I love our current weather).

Finally, I've gotta start getting some long runs in (or at least time on my feet moving forward). Managed to get about 19 miles in at Hyland Lake yesterday - beautiful, relatively cool, breezy-enough-that-there-were-no-bugs kinda day :) The arthritis in my right foot was starting to act up, or I would have pushed it a little further. I figure that there's no sense pushing to the point that I don't have time to recover for my next races (aka supported training runs), which are Afton 25K this weekend, Grand Island Marathon 3 weeks later, and possibly a 10K the weekend prior to Lean Horse.

I figure I need to maintain a 13 min/mile pace at Grand Island to make the AS cut offs, and about 14 min/mile at Lean Horse if I allow 20 minutes total for AS stops, bio breaks, foot care, etc. On paper it looks easy - doing it will be another matter.

Hope to see many of you at Afton this weekend!

First Week of March

...went so-so, but not as good as I would have liked on the running front. I am really behind in my base building and am starting to panic a little about Chippewa. Only got 20+ miles in this week, and that has actually been one of my better weeks this winter :(

Mon: cross training on bike and elliptical, strength training upper body
Tues: 5 miles on the hamster wheel with a couple tempo run miles and a couple hill miles at a brisk walk
Wed: strength training legs
Thurs: man my legs are sore after yesterday's 5 set squat pyramid. Nada.
Fri: legs still sore, strength training upper body
Sat: 13.5 miles around the Lakes. Was kinda wishful thinking for 16, but my last "long" run was only 13 and that was a month ago before I got sick for 2 weeks. Thirteen felt harder than it should have, and my feet were killing me. Reminded me why I run trails instead of pounding the asphalt. On an up note, I finally found the perfect combination for carrying water on a long run!
Sun: strength training upper body and a short 2 mile tempo run on the treadmill. Heel bursitis is holding up pretty well - about 99% healed. I was pleased to be able to run today without any problems after a relatively longish run yesterday that left my heel a little sore.

I'm really looking forward to spring so that I don't have to choose between treadmill vs ice! And I really, really need to get out on trails to start some serious hill training (up AND down) in addition to ramping up the mileage.

This 'n That

Got in another build up run yesterday... 13+ miles around Lakes Calhoun (twice), Harriet, and Lake of the Isles. Great weather 2 weekends in a row! For such a low key run, my legs felt more tired than they should have :( Makes me a little nervous with Chippewa only 2 and a half months away. The heel is doing "OK" with the longer runs, but still doesn't like hills.

I've also been doing some short barefoot runs on an indoor track 1-2 times/week, which doesn't do much for increasing my running base (at least in terms of miles), but does help strengthen the intrinsic muscles in the feet and lower legs. Since I haven't been running on trails, this is a great benefit! And it feels great to run without the weight of shoes!

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Even though I'm feeling a little panic about getting ready for Chippewa, I found myself poking around the internet this weekend looking at 50 mile races. Not for this year, but within the next 2, possibly next year depending on how things go this summer.

Things to consider:
*Time of year (I don't like winter running, so putting in high mileage during those months probably wouldn't go well).
*Location (closer to home is cheaper and easier than having to fly somewhere, but not a deal breaker).
*Cut off times (I'm slow. And have NO experience pacing myself at this distance. Generous cut-offs would be an advantage; however, courses with generous cut-offs usually have them for a reason: they are much more demanding).
*Altitude - we don't have any here ;)
*Total elevation (hillier courses are harder and take longer).
*Trail type (singletrack is my favorite by a large margin. Not interested in a road run - or dirt road run).
*Course type (I prefer point to point or out and back rather than loops).

Of the races I'm aware of, my impression is that Voyageur and Superior are pretty darn tough for a slow first timer. Ice Age, Glacial, and Mohican are probably in the moderate category. Lean Horse sounds like one of the easier runs, but also sounds like it's more on dirt roads rather than trails? Bighorn is intriguing - I'll have to get more info from runners who've done it since we can't really prepare for high altitude or extended downhills/uphills in these parts. Rocky Raccoon has very generous cut-offs for the 50 and looks to be non-technical singletrack, but would require more travel and winter running than I really want.

So, any suggestions for a first time 50?

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I'm wondering how Carl did on his 100 miler at Rocky Raccoon this weekend?

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I rediscovered some music that I've had for ages and forgot I had: Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. It's like getting new stuff without having to buy it :)

Hope you are having a great weekend!

January Training

I really don't enjoy winter running or the hamster wheel, so January and February are mentally tough for me to get miles in. That being said, I finally had a relatively decent week of training! Keep in mind that I am a low mileage runner ;)

I credit my good week mostly to deciding upon my "flagship" races for the year and beginning to plan my running schedule. Also, the retrocalcaneal bursitis in my heel has been almost completely resolved, so I've been able to start building up a little mileage. The key will be to not try to catch up too fast and end up flaring things up again. Setbacks suck!

This past week:
Mon - off
Tues - 6 miles
Weds - strength training + 1 mile run (all in Vibram Five Fingers)
Thurs - off
Fri - strength training
Sat - 8 miles (longest since Surf the Murph on Nov 1)
Sun - strength training + 4 quarter mile repeats (all in Vibram Five Fingers). First "speed" workout in months - it felt harder than it should have for the pace I ran. Deconditioning is a bitch!

If you think people look at you funny when you run in Vibram Five Fingers, wait 'til you show up at the squat rack wearing them :)

A Little Progress

While my running goals aren't quite where I'd like them to be right now, I have made some minor progress. Today was my longest run since Surf the Murph 25K on Nov 1 - a whopping 6 miles on the hamster wheel. My heel was a little sore for the first mile, but then settled down. With Chippewa looming just a few months away, I'd like my mileage to be double what it is right now, but I really want to get this bursitis put to bed before the trail running season hits full swing.

Strength training continues to go well!

I paid my annual dues for membership in the Upper Midwest Trail Runners and signed up for both the MN Trail Run Series and the Fab Five Fifties Ultra Series. It seemed like a good idea at the time ;)

Steve has posted the 2009 Fab Five Fifties races (I believe the dates on his blog are correct unlike the dates on the UMTR website), and some of us will be meeting next weekend to choose the races for the 2009 MN Trail Run Series. Instead of the same races year after year, there will be a few new games in town this year! Stay tuned!

Off Season Plans

Now that the trail racing season has wrapped up, it's time to start thinking about next year. I have some preliminary races in my head that I want to do for sure: Chippewa, Superior, Afton, Moose Mountain, and Wild Duluth. I'm sure others will fill in, such as Runnin' in the Ruff, Chester Woods, and In Yan Teopa. Before that, however, I need to decide on my goals for the off season, and how they will play into next season's races.

So, from now until mid-January:

R & R - but just for a week or two.
It's been a long, wonderful trail running season and I hope to still get out for an occasional fat ass run. But right now my left heel is still sore (self diagnosis = retrocalcaneal bursitis), so I need to let that heal up. I think I'll also need some new trail shoes, as I suspect that may be most of the culprit for this particular issue. And I need a mental break, so active rest (basically just doing activities for FUN rather than a specific purpose) is on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

Lose 5-10 lbs of fat.
This is actually more vague than it should be: 5 lbs is more realistic, but since I'm not overweight (I just weigh more than I ever have - thank you perimenopause), I will still be at a healthy weight whether I lose 0, 5, or 10 lbs. I will accomplish this by:

a) limiting caloric intake to 1600 +/- 100 calories per day, 5 days per week.
b) engaging in more high intensity cardio intervals (anaerobic 1x/week as well as aerobic 1x/week) to increase exercise post oxygen consumption (EPOC).
c) maintaining strength training 2-3x per week. I may combine some of this with the anerobic intervals.
d) still doing some moderate intensity aerobic exercise including cross training (running, snow shoeing, rowing, biking, stair stepping) 2-3x/week.
e) dropping the bicep curls with Summit Extra Pale Ale from my routine.

Improve flexibility.
I am about as flexible as a redwood. As trees go, redwoods are pretty pliable, but.... I am not a tree. I will accomplish this by:

a) Self myofascial release using a biofoam roller. I have 2 of them, so I can do it in my living room every day if I choose to. No excuses!
b) Yoga sounds more interesting to me than static stretching, but I don't really want to drive to the gym in the evening to get into a class (and the class schedules change frequently). I see myself sticking to this more successfully if I do it in my living room in the evening as a relaxation thing immediately following the self myofascial release. In reality, it will probably be static stretching (or the PNF stretches that I can do myself without a partner) rather than yoga most of the time, but I've gotta start doing something. Preferrably most days of the week.

Correct muscle imbalances.
We've all got 'em and I am no exception. I'll accomlish this by:

a) doing a musculoskeletal assessment on myself to dial things in more precisely and monitor how what I've been doing has been working. Good thing I do this for a living, so I know exactly what I need to do.
b) Now I just have to do it more regularly ;)

Maintain a running base.
...even if it's minimal, so that I can jump in to my planned run training schedule beginning in mid-January in preparation for the Chippewa Moraine 50K in April. Up until then, most of my running will be at an easy pace and probably under 10 miles/run depending on how the heel and knees are feeling. I have a vague idea of what my Chippewa training schedule will be once we get to mid-Jan, but will not solidify it until assessments tell me what my strengths/weaknesses are at that time. Since I am historically weakest with strength endurance, I feel pretty confident that there will be lots of hills in my future.

Enjoy the offseason!

Buzzard Magnet

After much deliberation, I decided to stick around town and do some hill work out at Afton today. Got out there a little late (10:00 am) and started out with the usual - the 25K race loop in the forward direction. The plan was to get 16-18 miles total with some added emphasis on hills.

Be careful what you wish for.

I decided that the Africa Loop and the Back 40 would be a nice 10K warm up before attempting multiple repeats of Nigel's & Campground Hills. Part of the logic for this was to delay having to do too many repeats of Nigel's & Campground, there is a solar powered water pump at the top of the Campground so I could carry a hand held rather than the Camelback, and I really wanted to check the blackberry patch on the top of Africa. Alrighty then!

Temps were in the mid-70's, approaching 80, and I calculated that I should probably consume at least 2 bottles of Heed during the Africa/Back 40 loop. Not happening with a single hand held, but I figured I'd be able to make up for it as soon as I got up to the Campground. Was sweating like a pig! Felt reasonably good, and was taking 1 S cap/hour as well as 1 Clif Shot.

Africa started out pretty uneventful. So was the Back 40. Got back up to the Africa Loop right near the big blackberry patch. There were a couple of people deep into the patch, but all of the bushes I could see had nothing more than green berries. A few just starting to turn pink - nothing even remotely ripe. (The smaller patch in the campground had a few ripe ones - next weekend should be prime)!

It was at this point that I think I had my highest heart rate reading of the day - at a time that I was barely moving. Focusing all of my attention on the berry patch, I wasn't paying attention to the ground. Just as I was in mid-stride to start running further down the trail, I heard an odd vibrating sound. Looked down just in time to see that I was about to step on a large brown snake that was coiled and rattling it's tail. Crikey! I was able to jump over the snake and run several feet down the trail. After swallowing to get my heart out of my throat and back into my chest, I just had to come back and take a closer look. Turned out to be a fox snake pretending to be a big kahuna. Cheeky little bugger - he was still coiled and rattling even when I went back. With his tail in the dry grass, it sounded like it could have been a rattle snake.

By the time I got down to the river, my water bottle was bone dry. Decided to head up Campground Hill in the reverse direction to get to the water pump and tank up. Down the other side, then back up Campground Hill in the forward direction. Did 2 more loops of Nigel's Hill & Campground Hill, then headed for the barn. I hardly ran at all my last loop, and was really dragging up that last repeat to the campground.

Totals for the day:
17+ miles with Africa Loop x 1, Back 40 x 1, Campground Hill x 4, Nigel's Hill x 2, and a pathetic climb back up to the visitor's center. Total elevation according to Garmin was 14,400 vertical feet total, but I don't buy it. I'm guessing it was closer to half that.

Perceived effort:
Afton handed me my ass today. After only 17-18 miles. Since the Superior Hiking Trail is more difficult, Moose Mountain Marathon is shaping up to be a death march. Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks so: as I got back to my car in the parking lot I looked up to see about a half dozen buzzards circling. Again.

Weekend Plans

Decisions, decisions - what to do for a training run this weekend. I'd like to get in something in the 16-18 mile range on trails to prepare for you know what.

Here are the options that I'm currently considering:

Matt is planning on another overnight 100K fat ass at Afton Friday night. I've never tried night running, don't need to in order to prepare for my upcoming races, but it sounds like it'd be fun! It's also relatively close by and running at night would avoid the mid-90 temps, high humidity, and poor air quality that is being predicted for the Twin Towns this weekend. I would also be able to check on the blackberry patch, which is probably coming in to nice form ;)

Do a day trip up to Jay Cooke and run around on the trails there. Or part of the Duluth section of the Superior Hiking Trail. Anyone know if those trails are similar to the Moose Mountain course (ie steep, rocky, and rooty)? It would probably be a little cooler near Duluth than here in town, and it would be fun to run on new trails (new for me anyway). I really need to think about doing Voyageur one of these years...

Grab the tent, head up the North Shore, and plunk down an out and back from Cramer Rd to Temperance and back. That would cover the first section of the actual marathon course - a section I've never done before. Not sure I want to spend that much time driving (and buying gas) this weekend though.

Any suggestions?

Busy Week

It's been a very busy week work wise - had some trouble getting running in on many days. The good thing that came out of this is that my foot is about 95% back to normal! The bad thing is that Moose Mountain is looming large, and I don't feel even remotely prepared.

Sun - a very short 40 minutes at Hyland, but managed to fit the goat track up the back side of the ski hill in. That's my favorite part of Hyland - the rest is kinda blah.
Mon - strength training
Tues - loooooonnggg work day - no training
Weds - 2 mile tempo run
Thur - strength training
Fri - bike
Sat - 6+ miles at Bredesen

Hoping to get a longer trail run in tomorrow - trying to decide between Afton and RTA. Definately need some hill work and time on my feet to get ready for Superior. My longest run so far this year has only been 25K a few times, so I really need to start cranking up the miles and hoping my foot doesn't retaliate. Yikes!

Training Week

My foot feels much better than it did 2 weeks ago when I was limping and it hurt to even stand on it, but it's still not completely healed. I've been sticking mainly to the treadmill the past week and a half, but finally ventured out for 2 laps around Bredesen over the weekend. Was really hoping to meet up with the gang at Afton on Sunday, but any uneven terrain at all right now is really getting the foot riled up. Even 4 miles on asphalt at Bredesen got it pretty sore again (longest run I've done since the tendonitis started).

I'm a little worried about Chester Woods 10 mile this weekend - I haven't run on trails at all since Superior and am still going backwards after even short runs. This may turn out to be a power hike rather than a run.

I'm much more worried about Sour Grapes half marathon next weekend - I've heard that it's a pretty "bumpy" course where it's easy to roll your ankles (a few ankle eversions at Superior is how this all started). And I feel ridiculously out of shape at this point.

5/28 - 2 miles on the treadmill + strength training. Foot so-so afterwards. Ice.
5/30 - 3 miles on the treadmill + strength training. Foot ok afterwards, iced anyway.
5/31 - 4 miles at Bredesen - foot got kinda sore afterwards. Ice.
6/1 - 2+ miles near home - foot got sore enough that I pulled the plug early (was planning on 5) and walked the last 3. More ice.
6/2 - backwards squat intervals on the Ellipse + upper body strength training.
6/3 - 3 miles on the treadmill. Advil.

At least I'm able to do a little, albeit very little, running at this point. The toughest part is trying to find the patience to let this heal so it doesn't become chronic.

Goofy Week

I was hoping to get more hills and long runs in after Runnin' in the Ruff to prepare for Superior this coming Saturday, but no joy. A goofy work schedule left me squeezing short workouts in here and there.

Sun: strength training + hike
Mon: 2 mile barefoot run at Bredesen
Wed: strength training
Fri: 4 miles steady pace at Bredesen
Sat: strength training
Sun: indoor biking and emergency shopping for a TV after my 3 year old flat screen LCD unexpectedly went belly up.
Mon: 6 miles at Bredesen. Planned on 8, but kept getting foot cramps and pulled the plug. For a short, slow run, this one felt harder than it should have. Perhaps because I didn't sleep well, and my training has sucked.

Found an easy new recipe that is pretty good: Baked pollock (or any mild, white fish) with Red Grape Salsa.

1 cup seedless red grapes
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped sweet bell pepper
1 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette
1 lb fish fillets, cut into 4 oz pieces
1 Tbsp Greek vinaigrette (I use the Kraft salad dressing, which is basically olive oil + seasoning)
Lemon Pepper to taste.

For Red Grape Salsa, mix grapes, onion, bell pepper, and balsamic vinaigrette. Chill until ready to serve.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, spray olive oil Pam onto baking pan. Place fish fillets in pan and drizzle with Greek vinaigrette and lemon pepper. Bake for about 10 minutes (depending on thickness of fillets).

To serve, spoon red grape salsa over fish.

Had it with asparagus spears, brown rice, and a frosty Summit Extra Pale Ale.

In Search of Hills

RT Anderson overlook

The exercises that most people dislike the most are typically the ones they need the most. They're also the exercises that folks avoid doing, because, well, they don't like them. As a result, weaknesses develop, which makes us dislike them even more. So we avoid them even more. Vicious cycle that can turn into disaster. Unfortunately, I am no exception, even though I know better given what I do for a living.

So after a long winter of dismal, unfocused, spotty training, I realized I need to haul my carcass up and down some hills to get ready for the Superior and Afton races (among others). Not just gentle measly bumps ala Hyland (most of which I still ended up walking at Trail Mix), but steep, serious hills.

Since Trail Mix, I've been doing more strength training, tempo runs, and hill repeats on the treadmill during crappy weather days. Today, I went out to RT Anderson for the first time since the November Fat Ass run. Had the place to myself. Sunshine. Light wind. Trail in pretty good condition (a few short slippery spots that should dry up in no time). Fresh turkey tracks. Nice single track. Felt kinda gassed after only 2 loops (4.5 miles according to Garmin). Nice hills!

I definately need to spend more time on the hills.

Chain of Lakes

With all of the soggy, frozen, muddy, etc trail conditions being reported, I opted to do a 13 miler around the Mpls chain of lakes today. Game plan: park near Calhoun, head to Harriet, come back to Calhoun, take the Lake of the Isles detour, and do another lap around Calhoun. Almost exactly 13 miles.

Here's what really happened:
Slept like crap - woke up around 2:30 am and tossed and turned until it started getting light out. Finally crashed and got up around 10 am. By the time I ate breakfast, got dressed, yadayadayada, it was almost noon before I got to Lake Calhoun. Beautiful spring weather, with the temps already mid-50's. Realize that I am waaaaaaayyyyyy over dressed (shorts and t-shirt would have been ideal; I was in running tights and Under Armor winter gear mock T-neck). Being one of the first warm days of the year - and on a Saturday no less - at least half of the population of Mpls was also out enjoying the still frozen lakes.

Started out along the west side of Calhoun as planned. The dirt track next to the asphalt is in great shape - past the muddy stage. Took the detour over to Harriet - pretty crowded there too. More strollers - probably because it's the lake with the Elf Tree. BTW, the Elf Tree's door is pretty dinged up. Poor little fella...he's probably still at the winter cabin. Still some spotty snow pack on the path at the south end of the lake in the Elf neighborhood. Back over to Calhoun, north along the east side and the detour to Isles. Finally, an uncrowded path. A brand spankin' new path, with deep mud surrounding the path on all sides. They did a bunch of path reconstruction over the past few years, and grass has still not been replanted. Went back to Calhoun figuring that by now the crowds have probably thinned and I'll do one more lap. Wrong. Even more people have come! Picture Get in Gear where half of the people bring their dog. By the time I got back to my car, I couldn't stand the crowds anymore and pulled the plug. Only did 9.9 miles, but I felt a little gassed, overheated, and my knees were sore. Also starving, since I never ate lunch.

Knees have been pretty achy this week - especially after a 9 mile run on the treadmill this past Tuesday - and they are still buggin' me even now. I don't know why, but the treadmill really gets to my knees. Hopefully I can do a longer run outside on Tuesday since 10 miles is the longest I've managed so far this year and my first 25K is in 2 weeks. Yikes!

Sounds like we will be getting an all day rain tomorrow, which should melt a lot of the stubborn snow that's been hanging around. Actually, I think we are supposed to get rain every other day all next week.

Only 2 weeks 'til Trail Mix - I may need to bring a snorkel ;)

After 6 months of winter, I can't wait to get back in the dirt and see my trail running buddies!

Midweek Report

Training has been a little more consistent this past week:

Fri - 10 miles

Sat- barefoot strength training circuit

Sun - easy 3

Mon- hike 3-4

Tues- 4 tempo

Weds - strength training & watch space shuttle Endeavor land after a marathon mission at the International Space Station.

This Saturday will be very busy:

Morning - I will be bringing my massage table and a biofoam roll to the MDRA 7 Mile to offer free PNF stretching and teach self myofascial release to the runners who participate. I've been doing this for several years as a way of giving back to the club, so stop over and say "Hi" and get stretched out before or after the race if you feel like it. The race is free for MDRA members!

Afternoon - Time for the annual orienteering skills clinic at Hyland Lake park in Bloomington from noon 'til 3 pm! Opportunities will be available for all abilities, including learning how to use a compass and read a topo map, pace counting, a few different courses of varying lengths and difficulties, adventure racing skills, etc. If you think running on trails is fun and dirty, here's your chance to try "cunning running" off trail! You'll also get a topo map of Hyland Lake park, like the one that I drew last years Trail Mix course on:

2007 Trail Mix course

MNOC also sells topo maps of other popular trail running spots, such as Afton, Murphy-Hanrehan, Lebanon Hills, Nerstrand, Jay Cooke, Wirth Park, Telemark, etc.

Enough Already!

I'm ready to be done with the black and white landscape (although a bright red cardinal perched on a snowy branch is quite striking). Yes, the snow is pretty, but so are flowers and I'm ready for some of those.

Here's what my usual running path at Bredesen park looks like right now:

I'm ready to be done with screw shoes for awhile too!

Four weeks until Trail Mix - and I'm not even close to being prepared. Longest run so far this week was only 6 miles, with a few other shorter runs. Need to get a longer one (at least 10 miles) in this weekend. Also need to start running on trails instead of the hamster wheel or pavement!

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 ;)

Time to Regroup

Well, my training this month has basically imploded. I've only run 100 miles for the entire year so far, with a couple of 10 mile weeks in a row to start off the month. One of the downsides of being self employed in a company of 1 means that I have to deal with any problem that arises without having the luxury of getting assistance from someone else. I've been spending most of my time in the "IT department" the last few weeks - not my strongest area of expertise!

I won't go into the entire story, but suffice to say that being unable to communicate with one's customers does not bode well for business. This resulted in having to find a new web host, transfer domain, build a new web site, etc. Found a new host about 10 days ago, and have been trying to learn CSS ever since. The domain transfer finally took place this past Fri-Sat, which left me spending 11 hours on Sat with tech support trouble shooting a variety of glitches, and another 5 today working out a few minor website bugs. Hopefully the worst is over and I can start running more regularly again. Whew!

BUT....

I basically need to go back to base building miles instead of hills and speedwork. Back to square 1. Maybe a few short tempos every now and then. My last long run was a 10 miler 2 weeks ago, and 4 is the longest I've been able to squeeze in since then.

Running for Feb:
2/2 - 10+ miles
2/5 - easy 3
2/8 - easy 3
2/10 - easy 3
2/12 - tempo 4
2/14 - screw shoe test - steady 2
2/17 - steady 4

About 2 months to go until Trail Mix. Yikes!

Checking In

Hi Gang! It's been a crazy couple of weeks - and I'm still in computer hell :(

I'm in the process of switching web hosts, transferring domain registration, rebuilding website from scratch, troubleshooting all of the above, etc etc etc. I have only managed a few very short runs this past week - which hasn't done much for my training, but probably has saved me from pulling out all of my hair.

Here's my lame week:
Mon - computer hell
Tues - computer hell + easy 3.0
Weds - very busy workday (12 hours non-stop)
Thurs - computer hell + shuttle launch + more computer hell
Fri - computer hell + strength training + easy 3.0
Sat - computer hell
Sun - computer hell + easy 3.0

I don't know how IT folks can stand it.....