Well, my race also had its bummer moments!! My brother and his GF arrived early afternoon on Friday, we ate lunch around 2 pm at my home before leaving for Phoenix. I wanted to find the regional park where the race was going to take place so we drove straight there to avoid any problems on race morning. DH called on Wed. to see if I made any hotel arrangements which I was going to do on Thursday but he surprised me by making hotel registration for us ....I love this guy! . Before going to sleep, I felt hungry but didn't feel like eating. Got up around 6 am, left at 7 am. Brother's GF registered for the 4 miler, her first trail race and longest training run was around 6 miles, perfect. My 20k was calculated for 12.4 miles. The event included a 100 miler which begin at 7 am, a 52 miler, a 52K, 20 miler, 20K, and a 4 miler. My race started at 8:45 am, Brother's GF race at 9 am. Looking back at it now, I wish they started a little earlier due to the temp. Anyway, I had a bagel, cup of coffee, powerade, OJ and water since getting up. First mistake: did not eat enough prior to race. I was more concerned about running out of water (like the OCT race) and getting dehydrated so I carried a hand water bottle and wore my waist hydration bottle bag with two gels. I could not find my knee support!! Well, can't do anything about that now. I wore long sleeve tech shirt since I burn easily (and it hurts), shorts and my ankle support. Drank a cup of Gatorade before the start, and forgot to start my garmin till after 1/4 mile!! Started out well, slow and towards the back, telling myself to just 'run your run','do your best', and I knew I can finish. By mile 1, I had a side ache. 2nd mistake: instead of slowing down I kept pacing a runner for almost 3 miles, my side ache didn't go away but I kept taking deep breaths which kept it to a dull ache, till we reached flatter terrain and finally took 1 minute walk break, and half of gel, couple sips of water. At the first aid station (4.5 mile), took couple of salt tabs, cup of mtn dew, and had to use the bathroom. 3rd mistake: didn't eat anything. Probably lost about 5 minutes but I was okay with that. After this, most of the miles became more rocky, single track, around the mtn and uphill!! I can't believe I didn't stop till I reached a plateau after each 'hill'. At the top of the highest hill, there were 3 other female runners resting and we all high-fived each other, and did a Rocky stance before heading down. It was getting so HOT, and I started to feel weird, I must have taken a sip of my water every 50 yrds. I realized that I needed food, I was losing energy and feeling more lightheaded. I must have taken more walk breaks between mile 7 and 8 (highest point) till I got to the 2nd aid station (same one) about 9 miles. I stood in line for the porta-potty, a couple of more salt tabs, 2 cups of mtn dew, COLD ice water, pretzels, stretch, more pretzels, gatorade. Lost about 10 minutes here. Only 3.4 more miles I told myself!! I poured cold water on my head before taking off again. Refilled BOTH of my water bottles! The last 'shorter' hill is/was the toughest on tired legs but I ran and walked and took gel, ran and walked and took gel till I reached the top and could finally see the tents/ramadas at the finish. I thought of Ray's post, "just do the best you can and enjoy the race" and then I'm adding, "embrace the $*%# heat" . I ran the last 1.5 miles thinking about what I'm going to eat to celebrate this event, and what red wine would go with my meal, . My poor knee took a beating on the downhills for sure. I was overly cautious ........being light headed thus concentrating more on lifting my knee higher to avoid dragging my feet and tripping/hitting dirt/rocks!! yikes!! I made it to the finish and forgot to turn off my garmin while I walked around. Brother and GF cheered me on the last few yards and GF got some ice for my knee. She was tending to me with drinks and food. I was so thankful for her. She did well and is looking forward to another trail race!! yippee!! My brother better hang on to this one!! Knee swollen but felt better after icing it and I was okay after some post race goodies, love those peanut butter filled pretzels!! Official time: 2:35:47 ........I'm satisfied with that ...considering. It was a great event overall, challenging, tough hills and energetic crowd. As the motto goes, "go steep and run high." Love it!! Felt good yesterday, had massage and rested today again.
Sorry about the long RR.
Ray: CONGRATS on the 2nd AG finish!! Incredible finish time too!! First place guy wouldn't have had a chance if you didn't struggle with your calf . I love reading your RR especially when DW and other family run in the same event! Lucky you! How did DW do? Your advice helped me on my trail race! You did GREAT on the 10k!! Hope your calf heals quickly.
Deb: YAY!! great finish time despite the toe issue, etc. ouch!! What a wonderful son you have, his offer to relieve you due to your toe injury says a lot about his character and upbringing, loved reading your RR about a marathon relay inside on a track!! wow!! WTG to you both!! What did you do while 'waiting' for your turn? Did all the 'teams' wait inside the track? Just curious on how the setup was for such an event.
justrundan
Art- sounds like a great time with the grandkids; you never regret those times!
AZ- you ran a great race considering all the stomach problems. and your first in quite a while at that altitude. Glad you enjoyed.
Debra- Wow, you are a tough cookie. Pounding out all those laps with a throbbing toe! Yikes. I'll PM you too.
Fletch- good luck with the weather; we're not having it up here, so you might as well.
I think most schools in the state were closed today or plan to tomorrow. No running outside for me! Walking the 1/2 block to the hospital is chilly enough. Quick (relatively speaking) 3.3 on TM before I headed home to some hot soup and cornbread DW had made! YUM!
Hang in there mid-westerners, it has to change sometime soon.
Dan
6.5 miles running on the indoor track @ the Y followed by a .5 mile cool down 'wog" (walking jog?) ... decided to just run on the track even if it meant going in a seemingly endless circle!
AZ - nice race report ... way to hang in there & finish despite the stomach issues and the heat.
Chantilly - I'll agree with you on more people at the track making it more tolerable. Kinda of like a tv and the TM.
Art - Spring training is getting closer! Nice to get the run in too. See below for what the pond normally looks like...
Fletch - Running with the dogs (ok walking) can be fun. Our male lab is the only one that can really keep up these days and it's such a struggle at the start (he's too fast).
Rich - Can you get back at him by taking him running? Hopefully...
Dan - Moving up the age class worked against me 1st in 50-54 was 49:31, 1st for 45-49 was 47:59. The 59 year old guy finished 6th overall at 43:43!
Debra - Sorry about the toe. I'm glad you were able to run and hope the toe is improving. It's hard to know how health issues will affect us. Son sounds like a good kid. You did well, congrats!
Az - Way to persevere! I'm really glad your brother was there and that his GF ran too. I think running with friends and family is better. Wife did ok all things considered. Her plan was to do a run/walk to save her hamstring, but it didn't work. I caught up with here around mile 2.5 and shortly after she decided that it hurt as much to walk as to jog slowly so she jogged slowly the rest of the way. Her time was 2:35. She did keep her streak alive (4+ years of at least a 1/2 marathon every month).
So, after the race I limped over to the massage booth and got a deep tissue massage. When I got off the table I almost collapsed when I put weight on the right leg. But, the leg felt a lot better. I went and cheered on the other runners while I waited. When DW finished she headed to the med station and I signed her up for a massage. She was walking much better after her massage. DW had signed us up for a night hike in one of our local open spaces, so we headed home to get ready for that. We figure the night hike would be good 5.5 hours and 3 miles later we were very tired, but walking slowly and standing kept those tired muscles loose.
Sunday turned into a rest day as we prepared for our book club meeting. Lot of clearing up and food prep. Not too much moving, so legs got a little tight. 4 mile walk at lunch today. Calf is feeling better, but still tight. Think it is a mild strain. Figure to walk tomorrow and slow jog with workmates on Wednesday.
Here's a picture of the pond at Coyote Hills from a couple of years ago...
Ray
justrundan cornbread +1 Yum
adkkev nice run on the track
rmcj001 your wife has quite the streak going..The night hike sounds interesting. Like to look at the stars.
chopped some ice and swept snow away this morning. 7 miles on the track. Only the usual seniors there walking, plus an aerobics class.
"dancing on the path and singing, now you got away,
you can reach the goals you set from now on, every day"
Sonata Arctica
Tuesday, 1/28... 2 mile treadmill run followed by 6 miles of xc skate skiing. The group that gets together Tuesdays was at it again today, but it was a mixed bag of runners and skiers who headed down the railtrail, 2 of each. The guy with the modifed stroller was there, along with another runner, plus the guy I skiid with yesterday. I'd gotten a call earlier that the groomer had gone through this morning, so we figured the skiing would be good and it was. Anyway, I hopped on the treadmill for 2 quick miles before joining the group on the railtrail. A good day!
az... I enjoyed your race report. I know your training had been spotty dealing with Minnesota's weather, but you hung tough under some pretty tough conditions. Good for you, that's the kind of run that makes you stronger!
dan... your maintenance runs on the treadmill will pay dividends down the road.
adkkev... 7 on the track, nicely done!
ray... easy does it with that calf muscle, think "Active Recovery."
Chantilly... nice run. I wonder what the seniors think when they see the "Iron Lady" running by...
Fletch...
4.5 miles on the indoor track plus another .5 mile cool down. There were actually people using the track to do laps tonight, a first in my short experience @ the Y.
I've been receiving texts from my sister who lives in Marietta, GA, a suburb of Atlanta ... she lives about 15+ miles from her workplace, and her last text said that she was sitting on I75 and nothing was moving. She'd been on the road for nearly six hours. SIX HOURS. That's simply crazy.
Ray: nice pic of the Coyote Hills run!! And that night hike sounded great.
adkkev - My youngest is at Georgia Tech - texted early this morning that it was snowing there...
Chantilly - night hike was to listen for owls. We heard a couple of Great Horned owls. The docents kept trying to provoke a Western Screech Owl, but if they were there they were keeping silent. We did see a Golden eagle and Peregrine falcon.
Rich - Nice double work out! I'm doing my best to be good about recovering...
4 mile walk in 54:15 today. It has been a bit overcast and they're predicting some rain starting tomorrow night. We'll have to keep our fingers crossed and our toes...
Tomorrow should be a work group run, so should be ok to go with them (they aren't fast). Figure that will work well with active recovery. Time to go home and roll the calves out and maybe sauna.
Crazy Diamond
Rich-Nice run/ski workout. Sounds like you have a good group on Tuesdays.
Chantilly- Awesome miles and good upper body work out with chopping and snow brushing.
Dan-Remember the winter we didn't have in 2012? Some how it all averages out.
adkkev-Super track workouts. "wog" - hehehe!
Ray-Calf feeling better? Hope the rain falls, slow & steady.
AZ-Great RR! Oh, so sorry about the stomach issues, but you hung in there and found your strength. Lovely to spend the day with your brother and GF, always makes races much more fun. Hope you can get in a few more trail runs before you have to be back to MN! Re: relay - the teams stayed in the area surrounding the track and the lobby of the ice center. Waiting for my turn, I walked around or sat/stretched on foam mats we brought from home. Quite a few folks from the winter race series and running club were there to chat with, too.
Ran very easy 3.5 tonight at the indoor track. Used an older pair of Brooks Defyance, not as flexible and didn't aggravate the toe. Continue to soak it a couple times a day. Less pain which is good.
Run strong friends!
Quo Vadis?
Fletch
Art – Sounds like a great day with the grandkids.
Debra – Great race report. Sorry about the toe, but glad it’s doing better now. Sounds like DS1 is a great running partner…and a great son! And AC/DC…there’s another blast from the past. Like me, I assume your AC/DC days came along somewhat AFTER the Romper Room/Captain Kangaroo days we talked about. I don’t remember hearing “Back in Black” (my AC/DC favorite) on either one of those shows.
Az – Thanks for the report. Sounds like it was a good day with the brother and GF, despite the stomach issues. Hope you enjoyed a good celebratory meal (and red wine!).
Dan – Nice work on the treadmill. Hot soup and cornbread…I could eat it almost every day in the winter! DW has a great white chicken chili recipe that is perfect on a cold day?
Adkkev – Nice runs on the track. Saw the video of the traffic problems in Georgia. Not surprised. I used to live in Atlanta…they’re just not prepared to handle snow at all. Sorry your sister got stuck in it.
Ray – Glad the calf is feeling a little better. We enjoy the walks with the dogs. There’s a nice off-leash park here, maintained by the city Parks and Rec. Dept. It’s about 50 acres of woods, with trails all around and through. Has a nice creek at one end. I haven’t actually tried running the trails there, but may do that soon. The dogs love exploring the woods there, but usually stay pretty close to the trail. And, thumbs up to your youngest…I’m a “Ramblin’ Wreck” myself!
Chantilly – Nice work on the track. And with the cross training/snow and ice clearing! Sounds like the frigid temps have hit hard in your area again?
Rich – Run and ski…now that’s a good workout day!
Had my first session with the Physical Therapist yesterday. He is a triathlete, and is certified in ART (Active Release Technique). He worked on my Achilles and calf, and then did a gait analysis. He suggested a minor adjustment in my stride, intended to keep me from re-aggravating the Achilles tendon. Tried to really focus on the change during a 3.5 mile treadmill run yesterday. It felt much better, and I’m looking forward to the next outdoor run. Not sure when that will be…we got about 4 inches of snow last night. And we’re not real good at clearing the roads and sidewalks…don’t get enough practice. Low tonight is about 8 degrees, but it should warm up to highs in the 50-60’s for the weekend.
NH Runner nice cross training with the skis and the TM
I see the same people on the track every winter, so we know each other's routines and wave or say 'Hi" These seniors all have their own little groups, they walk for an hour or an hour and a half, then go for coffee. There are a couple of men aged 70+ who run for 20-40 minutes, but no ladies older than me run. A few of the seniors walk in the local HM.
adkkev you'll be able to keep your speed up, running on the track. Your sister was delayed by snow? That's brutal waiting..
rmcj001 that's pretty fast walking. Have a good workout with the group.
gito57 glad your toe is feeling better. Good idea to change up shoes.
Fletch_NC Sounds like you have a good PT!
Once the snow hits here, it is mostly always cold, snowy, icy until March. The sun had come out and melted snow on the roof, which drips into a frozen puddle at the garage door, so have to chop the ice away in order for the door to close properly.
Hope your snow melts quickly and doesn't cause too many problems.
+2 for "Back in Black"
8 miles.
Wednesday, 1/29... I started out today with the idea of running the highway, but I just can't bring myself to run in the open when it's cold and the wind's blowing... Sooo... I ran the railtrail 5 miles instead. Most of it's shielded from the wind by trees and it's a nice alternative to running out in the open. Kind of a "testy" run in the soft footing, but everything went fine. Pace was low 10:00's.
adkkev... I watched on the news the traffic jam caused by yesterday's storm in Atlanta. Awful glad we don't deal with that stuff after a storm.
Ray... that's a pretty brisk pace for walking...lol Good luck with the incoming rain AND your calf!
gito... hanging in there, good for you!
Fletch... sounds like you've found the right PT, I've always admired triathletes for the training they do. Good luck with the form change and snow.
Chantilly... you have to admire the seniors for staying active. And 8 miles is another good day for you.
az2mntrail sorry, I just noticed that my reply to your RR didn't post! Congratulations! Sounds like it was hot. Maybe a drink and something to eat at 6 AM would have been helpful. Very nice RR. Hope you recover quickly.
Thanks Chantilly and everyone else RE: Sat. trail race. It was more of a 'HUNGER' issue than "stomach" issue. I don't seem to have 'stomach' or G.I. problems but every now and then, I get hungry on my long, hard training runs even though I think I had enough to eat. I carry dried apricots and trail mix but I didn't think I needed it for my Sat. race .............and if I did, I would eat at the aid stations which have them stocked with all kinds of food for the runners who are racing longer. I just didn't eat enough prior to the race and didn't eat at the first aid station which drained my energy by mile 7. I knew better than that but didn't pay attention. Even experienced runners make mistakes. Oh well, I finished and it was GREAT to run a trail race before hitting the flat terrain of MN again ........in the brutal frigid sub temps, yikes!!
Northern AZ has not had any moisture for 38 days and has tied the record from 1917 (or some year WAAAYY back then). It doesn't look like we are getting any for tomorrow so we may have a new record!!
All of a sudden, friends/colleagues are calling me for lunch/happy hour/dinner get-together before I leave on Sat. so I have been 'resting' since my race on Sat. But I am planning on a short run, 4-6 miles, on Thurs and Fri.
I always miss the Sedona FM/HM event which, can you believe it?, is this Saturday!?!&!$! I have been wanting to run this race every year but something always comes up. I had my 'high' from my trail race on Sat. and by 4 pm, I was already 'crashing' and wishing I had another trail race before Sat. return flight. So I was lamenting about it to DH when he calmly says on the phone,"Honey, you need to come home now." HAHAHA!! Like a neighbor's kid who overstayed his/her welcome, HAHAHA!! Thought that was hilarious .......classic.
http://www.aravaiparunning.com/coldwater-rumble/
check out the site and the elevation profile from my Saturday trail race. Crazy and hot but it was FUN!