Got in a 2.7 mile run during lunch plus some weights. Now back to work.

 Hello from Minnesota!!

Arrived today ....... it's 74 degrees!! WHAT?!?  Predicted to be the same for Saturday's trail race!! YIPPEE!! It's chilly in the mornings but sunny days on my drive from northern NM.  Some snow on the mesas, plateaus and mountain peaks through northern NM but SUNNY from there to MN, WOW!!

After my 8 miler with the trail divas last Thurs, I took Friday off. Drove down to Phx to pick up DH at airport and was in total DOWNPOUR about 30 miles from PHX....... continuing through the city as I had an oil change, recalibration of my car's alert system due to a new windshield, and overall check for my trip to MN. It was really scary at times but after car check, made it safely to DD's place. Obviously, did not run.

Sunday:  picked up DH in the morning.  I was too tired to get up early to run ......should have, oh well.  We drove back, didn't stop anywhere else. Was thinking that I could get in a 3 or 4 miler near the house but ........ I got lazy and it got cold and windy. Finished packing.

Monday:  drove to Albq. Stayed/visited with DS & DIL. It was actually cold and breezy ......didn't feel like being out in that  so bailed again.

Tuesday:  made it to southern Nebraska, central time zone so it's getting late and dark sooner, stayed at the usual hotel. Made myself run 6 miles on the hotel dreadmill .....ugh!! But I did it.

Wed:  made it to SD, stayed with DH's aunt, had dinner.  Was nice and could have gotten in a 3 or 4 miler but knee was complaining.  Had to stop often to walk and stretch.

Thurs (today): I'm near the cities.  Staying/visiting with RB. Got in a 3 miler, YAY!!

Rich:  Glad you got some miles in and also your biking. And, injury is doing well.

Art:    It's hit or miss sometimes with the weather down there but running in the rain can be energizing .....just be sure to dress for it. Any upcoming races in the winter ......trail series in the valley are pretty awesome!

Altair:  busy bee!! Sometimes it's so inconvenient, LOL!! I admire your tenacity to train for Boston.  You'll get in, I know!!

Ray:  OMgosh!! I know you and DW will rock Boston!! So exciting ...... fingers crossed for good weather.

Dan:  how are you doing?

Saturday morning did 3.6 miles before going to granddaughter's baseball game. After that got home, grab a quick bite and then went to daughter's house to put down some tile and a few other things. They had the wrong mastic so had to go get the right stuff. They had for up to 8"x8" but the tile they had was 20"x20". So lost some time there, Started to move a ceiling fixture but the wire ran straight down between 2 joists and must be anchored somewhere because I couldn't move it. So have to figure something out there. So started cleaning the floor for the wood flooring. Got that done and then laid down the vapor barrier/cushioning and figured out the pattern and what cuts had to be made. Called it a day.

Sunday morning did 4 miles, made breakfast, and did a couple of quick things around the yard and then back to daughter's house. Once there grouted the tile, wiped it down and then started laying down the wood flooring. Saw blade for the miter saw getting worn and wasn't making clean cuts. So they had to go get a new one. While waiting for that, changed out a couple of single receptacles to duplex. Then took do the shelving in the laundry room so cabinets can go there. Oh goody, another job. Returned with the new saw blade and then went back to the wood flooring. Got that finished and then figured out the tile that will go around the fireplace and cut the tile for that. It will be good to get back to regular work so I can rest a little. Hope to be finishing up installing a server and computers at a new client. It's a bakery and it sure smells good in there.

Rich - I have a few shirts like that and will have to get them out soon. Weather has been back to normal for now so it's good. My hands get cold also. So I usually wear gloves when it's that cold. I can always take them off if I need to.

AZ - Good road trip for you to be able to visit family on the way. No races yet but I have looked. It's getting time to decide what I want to do. Can't make up my mind what I want .

Another 3.6 miles this morning. Nice out and partly cloudy. Needed this run to work out the kinks from the weekend.

Rich - The weather is pretty nice out right now. Though I think everybody would like the temps when they are 60 to 85 degrees. When it gets real cold here I don't have much desire to get out and run. Though I do dress for it and get out there most of the time. It's just getting started that takes a while.

 Hello from MN!

RR, Saturday, Oct. 20th, Surph the Murph trail race, 50 mile, 50K, marathon, 25K.

RB and I ran the marathon distance. Friday was a beautiful, sunny day and we had our fingers crossed that Saturday would be a duplicate ......

We could HEAR the wind throughout the day and it got worse through the night!!  About 35 degrees when we woke up at 5 am to get ready, IT IS STILL WINDY!! Had coffee and English muffins with peanut butter/jam, and banana on the way to the park. The 50 milers started at 6 am. IT'S COLD and we waited in the car after we picked up our race bib, and since it's their 10th anniversary, our race shirt was a really nice cotton hoodie, very comfortable for lounging around, plus a buff which both of us wore. I wore long tights, 2 long sleeved tech shirts w a light windbreaker, buff to cover my ears and my neck, light gloves, and waist belt w small bag to hold my collapsible water bottles (one w water only, the other mixed w tailwind). 7 am, the 50K take off.  They have fires going to keep warm while waiting for our start.

There should be more runners for our marathon but we were surprised that not all showed up. Some said 30 registered but website had less than 25 but only 22 showed up and ran. And this desert bunny was one of them!! LOL!!  After RD explained our course, 1 complete loop of the 25K and the location where we make a turn to add the extra miles, we take off.

RB is already gone with a guy who shoots off from the start, WOW!! Sun is slowly peeking from the clouds, it's cold, my hands are cold but rest of body is feeling fine after about a mile. It's a hilly course, most of it is non-technical, but a few areas of single track, I run up about half way on the steep hills then walk, the aid stations have amazing volunteers!!

I know I'm up front with most of the runners behind me, and thinking they will catch up sooner or later but no......they didn't. Those who started ahead of me stayed ahead of me. I stopped at the second A.S., the 5.5 mile A.S., I eat some small boiled potatoes (they have no salt on hand, which is usually a standard at ultra races ) and take some chips, then take off again.  There's about 1/2 mile of pavement along the highway we have to run on, it's out in the open so the wind is whipping me around, and the pavement hurts!!  Relieved that we don't have to run this on the second loop  Then we come upon a meadow, no protection from the wind here either for about a couple of miles......my nose is literally running, and I have used up all my tissues.  My knee and ears are complaining about the cold.

At the 12.5 mile A.S. (which is shared w the 5.5 mile A.S.), I eat another couple of small boiled potatoes, and refill my tailwind hydration bottle ......I'm beginning to feel a large hot spot on the forefoot of right foot.  WHAT?!? I put that discomfort to the back of my head and focus on completing the first loop, which is the start/finish A.S. where I stop long enough to eat a small PB/J sandwich, and drank a small cup of coke. I think my time was around 3 hr, 15 mins....... I take off again, the wind is not letting down but there are areas where the sun shines and it feels good.

Second loop, I'm feeling fine. About a mile in, I could feel a huge blister forming on my right big toe area, and it's beginning to hurt .......I slow down, and kept wiggling my toes for some comfort spot.  I'm favoring the outside part of my foot to avoid rubbing my blistered toe on my shoe ........and on a downhill, I 'kinda' turned my ankle ....... I stood there for awhile and then started jogging again ......made it to the next A.S. ......took off my shoe/socks and had a band aid put on it, and a large one on the forefoot as well.  About 1/2 mile later, there is a creek crossing but a wooden plank is placed there .......which only covers half of the crossing .........I went through this on the first loop and managed to avoid getting my feet/shoes wet .......but this time around, I missed those areas and ended up soaking both my shoes/socks ......it was COLD!!  My feet are shivering! And I could feel the band aids come loose. I have less than 4 miles, didn't want to stop ..........what could I do about it anyway?  I don't have any extra band aids or dry socks. "suck it up, buttercup"

"Just get over the hills," I'm still able to run to about halfway then walked.

Finally, about a mile out .....sped up and made a strong finish. I never did warm up so I'm shivering .....probably from the cold sweat, hands are cold too.  RB met me. No results till Mon or Tues they tell us.  I know RB is either 2nd or 3rd overall.  I told her I didn't notice anyone else in the marathon group passing me.

Anyway, the results may have some changes but for now ......I see that RB finish 2nd OV!! First Female too!!  She's a much stronger and faster runner, and younger than I. So not a surprise there.

My first goal was not to get hurt  Trails were pretty dry with some muddy areas around where the creeks overflowed but there were wooden planks to cross on.  Lots of hills which I expected.  My time goal was to finish between 5.0 -5.5 hrs if all went well.  I missed that by about 12 mins but I'm ok with it.

5:42 finish time.  I finished 7th out of 22 runners OV.  2nd/5 AG.  4th out of 13 female runners.

It was a great race overall despite the cold and wind. I gotta do something about those blisters!! Not the first time ......have tried wearing different socks on training runs .......don't think it's the shoes....... I mostly wear the same trail shoes in my races.  Recovery is going well. Ankle is a bit swollen but not painful. But I got windburned around my nose and upper lip area, felt achy on Sun and Mon .....so didn't get a recovery run in.  Just rested.  It's colder now but sunny with a slight breeze these last couple of days.

Not sure when, where my next race will be.  I'm looking for a 50K.............

Wednesday, 10/24... I've been running quicker miles on the trail lately mixed in with alternating slower miles and my left Achilles doesn't seem to like it much, probably due in part to the soft footing in places.    Not a steady pain, but if I land just right the left Achilles gets a dull pain.   I noticed it in Sunday's run, rode the tryke Monday and noticed it again Tuesday when I alternated between fast and slow miles again.

Today, I decided to run at an easy pace to see how it felt.   Same thing, a minor pain in my left Achilles if I land just right, so at the mile mark I turned back and finished with 2 miles total.   I can take the pressure off that Achilles by running in a shoe with more heel lift, so that's what I'll try next.  And I won't run tomorrow, but will ride the tryke if the weather's good.   Anyone who's dealt with a torn Achilles knows it's not an injury to mess with, so I'm going to have to be careful.   Right now, if I roll my foot down so my toes point towards the floor, it causes pain in that tendon.

az...so you ran a trail marathon, eh?  And finished high OV and in your age group.  26.2 trail miles in the wind and cold with blisters on your feet.   You do some amazing stuff az, congrats. on finishing another difficult race!   Really enjoyed your race report.

Art... so you took yesterday off from running but not from work, eh? lol  Some days you just can't win...lol

Friday, 10/26.. 3 mile Nordic walk on the trail