“Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently.” (Maya Angelou)
Howdy Do, folks -
Hopefully life slows down this coming week and I'll be able to get back in here and chat with you all. By the time I got home the last couple of weeks, the last thing I wanted to do was get on the computer.
Still been running, though, and managed 19.15 miles on the Elk River Trail at Headwaters yesterday. El Garmino says over 4600 feet of elevation gain. I know that climbing the hill alone gets me almost 3000 feet, and I did that twice. Did much better than I thought I would, and now that I know the gain, am quite pleased with how I did. Rodeo Valley 50k coming up on March 16 has about 6000 feet of elevation gain. So if I can 4600 in 19 miles without dying, I'm feeling better about Rodeo Valley.
Okay - Here's to a better week this week. I just gotta find my desk tomorrow. The last time I saw it, it looked like a hurricane had hit it. And since my boss likes to sit at our desks and work when we're gone, who knows.
Leslie Living and Running Behind the Redwood Curtain -------------
Trail Runner Nation
Sally McCrae-Choose Strong
Bare Performance
Queen of 3rd Place
Leslie - wow that's a lot of elevation gain! About the achilles, I did a lot of self-massage and ran gently. Don't think it was too serious to begin with. Running Headlands? HAHAHAHA! Don't think 100 is in the future for me, I just don't do well sleep-deprived.
ev - OK, finally something we can agree on weather-wise! I also like running in the drizzle. As long as it's not too cold.
Spent the weekend in Vegas, was able to head out to Red Rock Canyon just a little west of town. There's a 13 mile scenic drive out there (their is a local HM and marathon held there in March. Did the first six miles up and then rolled back down. Just a little over 1000ft of gain and topping out at 4800ft, I think, guess it would be child's play for Leslie but was really tough for me! Too much time on airplanes + playing + catching up with work on either end to do anything Friday or Sunday, but back at it today with some fartlekking around.
Ex runner
Arla - It's just a little ole 50 miler! You've done one before. Don't be chicken. . . . although I will probably feel like an overdone chicken after the race.
4 slow and EZ after work tonight, trying to clear my head as the day ended with me crying after a phone call with my boss and the attorney on the other side. It's just that after two incidents on Friday while finishing up the lottery, I knew what was coming, and it's nothing more than one of the other sisters trying to stick to our client as much as possible and I was absolutely livid at the outright lies the other attorney's client has been telling him about the actions of our client. But it's our word against hers, right?
This has been a very trying case for me. I'm honored my boss has had so much faith in me and the other paralegal to work things out as we go along, but hope I never have to deal with something like this again. It just plain ole sucks.
Okay - I'm done boring you guys with my petty work problems. Off to take a shower and (hopefully) get a good night's sleep.
Later ~
Leslie - oh, no...sorry.(((hug))) Work should never make you cry, unless you get laid off. I'm sure your boss has advised you to make a record of everything and then hang on. Those people you run into who are evil incarnate...eh, forget it, it's just work. Collect those little rectangular pieces of green paper and go home.
That's what Shorty says, but it's a little harder this time 'cause our client is also a friend of mine. Ugh! Hopefully, today we get some good news. Otherwise, we may tell them to stick it in their ear and take us to court. We'll see.
Okay - 'Nuf of that. It's 4:45 and I need to get dressed and get out there for some miles, then back for strength training before I tackle the day.
March on, Friends ~
MTA:
So after I told Shorty last night that I didn't think I had had a good day at work in almost 3 weeks, I did a lot of praying this morning while on my run. Then, when I was getting dressed for work, Shorty came in, gave me a hug, and said, "I sent a message to the Man upstairs and asked that you'd have a good day."
Guess what? I had a good day today! Just goes to show - God does indeed answers prayers.
I also had a good 4-mile average paced run, plus about 45 minutes of core and upper body strength training.
All in all - a good 16 hours, which included Shorty make dinner for me. Now it's time to hit the hay.
flatland mountaineer
Quick fly by, so happens Palm Springs half immediately preceded our annual Ag Outlook conference. So Lyndie and I got a half in. Lynda also did a 10 mile bike ride day before the race at the annual Tour de Palm Springs with 10,000 of her closest friends. Fly home tomorrow. More later....
M to fix stooopid auto-correct.
http://www.backprint.com/view_user_event.asp?PID=bp%18%7EA&EVENTID=112682&BIB=1159&S=230&PWD=
The whole world said I shoulda used red but it looked good to Charlene in John Deere Green!!
Support Ethanol, drink the best, burn the rest.
Run for fun? What the hell kind of recreation is that? quote from Back to the Fut III
Hey folks.
Leslie....answered prayers....yes indeed. Enjoy them all.
Arla.......you won't like my Tues run report.......
Jim and Lynda.....sounds like a half M on the spur of the moment......that's nice! That's the way to balance the business/pleasure.
Arla approved of my run in the shdrizzle.....but on Tues. I got a 3miler in the snow. A nice beautiful wet snow. Temps just around freezing, no sticky on the roads but a beautiful 4-5 inches on the grass and trees.
Enjoy the day!
oh the joy!
Nice pic, Ev.
I'm still plugging along. Got in 9 miles yesterday morning, including four climbs I always try to talk myself out of doing, but end up doing anyways. Plus, at about the 7 mile mark at an intersection, I and another runner lady I've never seen out there before almost literally ran into each other. We both ended up going the same way, and my very stupid, slightly competitive side, took over and refused to let her pass me. This meant I ended up running harder than I was suppose to about half a mile or more. I sure was happy when she finally turned a corner and went in a different direction!
This morning I dropped my scheduled 5 down to 3 very slow miles, plus about 40 min of core/strength training. This is the first week in a very long time that I ran 4 days in a row, and my legs are feeling it. Tomorrow is a rest day, and I am looking forward to sleeping in, if the cats let me (yeah, fat chance).
Leslie - that hub of yours is a keeper! And I totally get your little competitive thing there. When I do that, I log the run as a fartlek run. Hope you got to sleep in a little.
ev - wet snow temps around freezing, yeah right up there with my other favorite, "wintry mix"
r2 - have done that event, it's a nice one, really liked seeing the interesting homes in the area.
First race of the season tomorrow! I have not raced in 2 years, when I look at my 5K PR (22:30), I think to myself "no way". Then hopefully catch up with friends Mark & Shirley for a 12 mi trail run, fortunately it's a net downhill with only one moderate and one big climb, the rest of it is rolling and runnable, following the San Joaquin River gorge, quite lovely this time of year.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
farm........my bad....I read Lynda not Lyndie....sorry, who's Lyndie? But Lynda got the 10 spot bike ride with all her "close friends." Nice!
Leslie.....hope the rest day went well for you. Evryone always compliments the run/workout days.......Way to go on the rest day! It is part of the training regimen is it not? And just as important.
Arla...no wintry mix today...just beautiful blue skies (well, reall only one sky) no Kansas hills and perfect running temps of 45 F. MTA...good luck on the 5K!
a beautiful 5 spot this early aftrnoon. Followed by a visit to the local antique mall for some browsing. I love antique malls....but seldom go to one. I've nevr been to the one here in my hometown. Don't know why. I guess I just don't find "hometown" as interesting as othr places. Deep down I know I'm wrong about that. Nowhr bettr than "hometown."
I found plates that I used to eat from as very young boy. I haven't evn thought about those plates for 45 years or more, but at first glance it took me right back to the kitchen table where Mom would have breakfast ready. Dad smoking a cigarette and drinking coffee. I always wanted to be a coffee drinker, but somehow, nevr a cigarette smoker. I swear could smell bacon and eggs cooking (ok...that parts a lie, but it has a good ring to it). Tin plates with a cowboy motif. Cattle brands along the perimeter of the plate. $18-$60 per plate depending on the condition. I bet she still has them somewhere.
Hey Joe, stumpy, OM... I miss Carol, Mtnchck and Jewels.
Enjoy it all!
Thanks, Ev! The rest day went well, except is was Bookkeeping Friday. And I was at least two weeks behind on Bookkeeping Friday. So Bookkeeping Friday was a very long day. And your memories with the plates are wonderful!
Good luck in the race, Arla. You're gonna smoke the competition.
Hope Arla's race went well.
21 miles of climbing today. My legs are very tired. My Garmin lost the satellite connection at Mile 2.12, so I have no idea of the total elevation gain, but I did three climbs up this:
Wow, that picture's big! Anyway, I tried to talk myself out of going up it three times but I couldn't face running the 3-mile out and back more than necessary. Didn't time my first round trip up/down, but the 2nd one took me 1:20 total, and the third one 1:25. Six hours later, I finally got back to the car. Glad tomorrow is a rest day.
Leslie - wow, now those are some serious hill repeats!! I think Lydiard writes about hill repeats taking a minute, a little different game being a trail runner! Enjoy your well-deserved rest day.
ev - you're right, there are some people we don't hear from too much, even Mtn.... OM has a solid facebook presence with her "Women who run the world" group. 45 is still too cold, btw.
Definitely rusty in the racing department, did 23:11 on my 5K, although I held back a little knowing that I had a tough trail run, good for #4 in my AG (the 50+ gals are faster than the 40 - 49 crowd, what's up with that?). Beautiful trail run on my free Hoka One One shoes (woman at the running store got a free pair but didn't like them), with temps warming to 70F*. A nice reward of pesto pizza and cherry coke afterwards sitting out in the sunshine. Probably just will do a short recovery jog today.
Hi to r2 and joe.
Have a great rest of your weekend, everyone.
*yes, 70, just about right thank you very much!
Trails are hard!
Leslie--yeah, what Arla said. Holy carp!!
Nice racing, Arla. I would love a 23 minute 5K. Not sure I'll ever see it. It would probably involve doing acutal speed work.
I went out in slightly less than optimal conditions this morning, hoping for at least 2 laps around the lake (6+ miles). Snow, 20°, and 20+mph breezes. Since the town has departed from their ususal high standards and not plowed the sidewalks around the lake, it was all in the road. And the snow was coming down fast enough that the drifts were getting farther and farther out from the curb and I was getting closer and closer to the snow covered travel lanes. Discretion bacame the better part of valor and I ended with just one lap.
I like being the "Did you see the idiot out running this morning" but not the "Did you hear about the idiot that got hit by a snowplow". Dissappointing, as I had the clothing just right and was pretty comfortable, even with the single digit wind chill.
Now a lazy day inside listening to the wind howl and watching the snow devils across the street. REALLY looking forward to getting out to shovel enough to get out for work tomorrow.
Nice spur of the moment half, Jim. Nice to have the fitness in hand to do one and not suffer too much.
Ev--45° sounds perfect. Hoping for a little of that myself. I guess it's a sign of aging when stuff from your youth is now collectables and antiques. I've seen a bucnh of my toys and memorablia at various stores and on eBay.
Hi to everyone else.
Need a fast half for late fall. Then I need to actually train for it.
Stumpy - Thanks for the laugh!
Arla - I'm with Stumpy. I'll never see a 5k that slow. Of course, I'd have to actually practice for a 5k, wouldn't I? Hmmm. Coach told me to run something last week at 10k pace. What? Mmm - pesto pizza and cherry Coke. Mmmmmm! And do you like the Hokas??
Some news I'm excited about. The RD who puts on Mt. Hood 50 (which I ran last year and am running again this year) is putting on a 100-miler on the same 50-mile course this year in September. I've been talking to my coach about doing a 100 miler next year, and for logistical reasons, I was leaning toward Headlands Hundred. However, if Todd does a 100-miler at Mt. Hood, I'd do that over Headlands in a heart beat. Reasons? Half the elevation gain: Headlands-Over 20,000 feet of gain; Mt. Hood-A little over 11,000 feet, and half my crew is already up there in Oregon within two hours or less of where the race would be held. So keeping my fingers crossed.