I get to go to the gym and run and lift after work!!! I can hardly wait.
QOTD: What sort of things do you take for granted as a trail runner and what makes you assess the things you take for granted?
I take it for granted that everyone who runs trail races runs trails all the time, among other things I take for granted. But this is on my mind right now. And I came to that conclusion while watching/working/hanging out at Cajun Coyote this past weekend. I just noticed some folks in the 20 miler that are pretty quick road runners not doing very well. In fact, there were some people who would absolutely leave me on the road that would have been pretty far behind me on the trail, and I am not a particularly fast trail runner. I think people underestimate the difference between road and trail.
LB2
Occasional Runner
I ran through the wilds of New Orleans this morning, dodging the homeless asleep on the streets and jumping over pools of vomit. A lot of wildlife sightings, as well.
QOTD: I take for granted that I find myself in a lot of incredible places that most people will never see first hand. Sometimes, I pause during my run and think about how fortunate I am.
No run for me yesterday or today but I cut split and stacked wood for 4 hours yesterday and got another 3 hours or so of fire wood duty left to do today. I'm going to call it cross training cause my back has been talking to me all morning.
QOTD: Not really trail running related but I take for granted the effect running has on other aspects of my life. If I'm out with friends canoeing, biking, hiking, cutting firewood or any physical activity after awhile I'll notice they look like a hot mess and always wanting to take a break and I haven't even broke a sweat yet
Ended up with almost 6 miles yesterday on the lovely, slick and muddy trail yesterday. It's now raining again, so I am promised more mud later. I will get in about 4 miles today at lunch and get to yoga. I'm trying to up my yoga to twice a week for the winter.
qotd: The effect it has on my mood and personality. The more I run, the calmer and nicer I am (it's relative). And the more on trails, the better the effect.
Tim
Ran on some patchy iced-over roads this morning. I consider it a core workout as well as a run! Only a few more days of deer rifle season, and I can get back to the woods.
QOTD: I've had runs where I was going to stay on a logging road the whole time only to turn off onto a trail without really planning to do that. It's my mind saying "go ahead, you know you're happier running over the rocks and roots". I take for granted that I just prefer the fun of a single track trail over the mileage of a planned run.
Being out of the woods during hunting season helps remind me how much I miss them.
“Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway!
Refurbished Hip
No word from NorthernHarrier yet, eh? I was fully expecting to log in and see some racy photos. Maybe he's still recovering.
My foot still hurts, so I'm being smart and not running. No need to hop from one injury to the next. I can exercise more patience.
QOTD: As a trail runner opposed to a road runner? I guess I agree with your answer, LB. People who could smoke me on the road don't necessarily do so on the trails. Once I was running with a male friend of mine who can easily BQ, but he doesn't run trails...at all. He told me, "Wow, you're faster than me on the downhills." Well, only because I know how to let myself go and let gravity do its thing instead of worrying about falling and picking my way down.
Running is dumb.
I am on the Texas coast for a meeting and got in a good 4 miles on the road. I love coming to sea level and feeling fast again ( pulled between 7-8 min/miles).
QOTD: I get to work in some amazing places and try to take time to sit back and soak it all in but I do sometimes have to remind myself to slow down and appreciate my job and where it takes me.
Sue
Woke up late and then a bear was hanging trying to decide whether it wanted to attack or not; it didn't so I got a late start but I ran! Once on the trail Earl was in a mood, a sniffing mood that is. So I spent a lot of time untangling him from the trees. We got 4 miles in at any rate.
My lunch run yesterday was a good 5. It was cool and I didn't have my watch so I just had a nice run and wasn't that sweaty when I was finished.
QOTD: My physical well being. Really I am rarely sick. The worst injuries I have had was tendonitis and ITB issues which really aren't that big of a deal. You can treat yourself and I was able to run through most of it. I attribute this to running and trail running. As DC said the way it effects your mood, if your in a good place your health is good too.
05/13/23 Traverse City Trail Festival 25K
08/19/23 Marquette 50 dns 🙄
Alone with the boys more or less until the weekend (bride is headed East for my mother-in-law's surgery), so running/biking may be quite limited -- still hoping for something later today
QOTD: It used to be my health. I would cut my heel or sprain an ankle but would bounce back quickly and my first couple years of trail running were a fairly steady progression (lost weight, better conditioning, more confidence/aptitude running trails). Now I am really wondering whether I can be healthy enough to train to meet my Feb/March goals or even beyond ....
Hi folks, No, no great stories, no hangovers, just a group of old guys acting stupid around all that eye candy. Really don't need much beer for me to do that. I have never been shy... But thanks for the B-day wishes. The only problem last night was the Packers let them make it a game so we had to stay up late for the ending. So I ended up sleeping in a tad and did an elliptical workout, I did bring in my running gear w/headlamp and plan a hilly run at Lodi on the icy trails in the dark...so if I don't check in tomorrow you will know where to start the search.
Mandy, I do envy the way you fly the downhills. I used to just fly on those prior to my hip injuries. Now I pick my way down like a noob.
QOTD--hmmm...can't really say I take anything for granted to be honest. Put in a lot of work to get here and have enjoyed the journey. Still appreciate the entire deal.
Weather sucks ass here today and due to an appointment I missed my lunchtime run. I could go to the gym and run on the treadmill but don't think that will happen. I will try to force myself out on the roads of the neighborhood after work for some loops.
QOTD: A lot of times I will be out in the woods during a rainstorm, snow shower, fog/mist, and think wow I am lucky to see the woods and the world under so many different conditions. I'd miss a lot if I wasn't a trail runner. Plus the bond I've created with my dog is pretty incredible. I take it for granted, but sometimes it's like we are extensions of each other out there, tethered together by a long invisible string.
LB2 - Ha. I was a marathon road runner for many years who also ran trails and I guarantee you I could keep up with the trail folks back then. In fact, it still shocks me to look back at some of the times I ran in trail training runs back then. I can barely race those times now.
GatorEye - Agree with your fitness gauge. I can start a yard project and go for hours without a break (other than sips of water).
In dog beers, I've only had one.
Went to the gym today for the first time this fall. I pretty much only go when it's cold out. Planning on trying to get there once a week for some targeted training. Today my plan was to run 30 minutes on the treadmill then do 110-120 floors on the StairMaster Then finish up with another run. They got a new treadmill that I tried out. Stupid me put in my age and around the 22 minute mark the HR monitor light started blinking at me because I had exceeded the maximum (170) the stupid machine decided I should be at. I was feeling good and decided to let it rip. When my HR got to 174-175 it shut off on me . Needless to say the air was blue after I got done saying what I thought about the machine. Overall though I did get in a decent workout and ended up with almost 7 miles running and 111 floors of climbing.
QOTD: Several things come to mind. First is being able to be out in nature. Second is my overall fitness compared to most people. Another big thing I take for granted is the light traffic I have when out on the road bike. There aren't many bicyclists in this area compared to nearer to Harrisburg. I don't know how some of them stand to ride around all the traffic.
Plus the bond I've created with my dog is pretty incredible. I take it for granted, but sometimes it's like we are extensions of each other out there, tethered together by a long invisible string.
I miss out on this with Bella being on a leash, but I know what you mean. When my best friend's dog was younger, I used to take her trail runner (she's a pointer mix) and running with her was so much fun. She always knew where I was and didn't want me to be too far away, but at the same time did her own thing. I loved not seeing her for a few minutes and then reaching the top of a hill and finding her waiting there for me. Once she knew I was coming, she would take off again.
running under the BigSky
got a nice 6 miles in; I started a new shift at work, got off a 4:30 vs 5:15- so my evening run I only needed the headlamp for the last 15 minutes had to use the microspikes the entire run, I don't foresee this ice/packed snow going away anytime soon-save a big dump of snow
qotd: I try and not take things for granted; sometimes I forget how lucky I am to have miles and miles of great trails to run so close by
2023 goal 2023 miles √
2022 goal- 2022 miles √
2021 goal- 2021 miles √
6.2 in the dark with my Bella, she's a Doby and loves to be outside with me, unless it's freaking summer time. Then she let's me know when she's ready to come back to the AC.
QOTD; I used to take for granted my health. I always thought I was fairly fit, until I started running. Then had a bomb dropped on me back in Aug 2012. You see, I have Crohns Disease, and have been having routine a colonoscopy every 2 year since 1989. After the Aug 2012 check up, a tumor was found, and it was cancer. Talk about an eye opener! I never take my health for granted now, and I strongly encourage others to stay on top of their health. Being a runner, helped me bounce back from that surgery, and just 6 months post op, I run my fastest half marathon to date.