Me, the Barbie version
Leslie, tell me how I can help. Like I said, I will be out there for two weeks, so I can take photos or video of portions of the course and send them to you, if you like. I am willing to bet that my sis/BIL will take me out on the bike again (I have to borrow one when I am out there). Considering the time of year, you should be safe from rattlesnakes at Rattlesnake Bar (and other locations along the path), but it is so named for a reason. If it is warm when you run it, keep an eye out all along the route. The area is heavily used all year long, so the snakes are not as shy as you might expect. My sister told me once about seeing four or five during one of her rides with the hubby, right along the trail.
The sections along Folsom Lake are pretty and mostly flat. Those "hills" at the end are brutal, very steep. You will definitely want to consider using your hill techniques that you mentioned in another thread. If you have access to stairs someplace, you might try throwing in some sets of stairs to improve your climbing muscles. I go to the high school near my house from time to time and do sets at the practice football stadium. Gah! What am I thinking! You have plenty of real hills near you to help you practice.
Perhaps you could use another crew member? I might like having an excuse to go to CA and see the family again in April.
This is too much fun. I am usually the ignorant one here. I actually have knowledge and resources on this topic.
Kitrin - I appreciate your offer to take pics, etc. If you do get out there, especially on the actual trail part, then yes, I would greatly appreciate you sending me any pics you take. But please don't feel like you absolutely have to. If it doesn't happen, no big deal. My email address is fatozzig at yahoo dot com. First and foremost - Enjoy your time with your family. Re crewing - you are the second person on this site to offer to crew if I need it. That's what I like about RA - everyone is so dang supportive. But if my DH is able to crew, he and my pacer will be together for the first 30 miles (which should be interesting), and he would only be by himself for the last 20 miles. During those miles, there will be 2 stations he won't be able to get to.
We did 19 of our scheduled 20 miles. Poor Charlie Dog, almost all of his water spots have dried up. We're gonna have to really think our runs out there with him to ensure we get by the couple of spots left. My legs are pooped, too. Last week and this week I came to the realization that one of our big problems is we don't fuel ourselves on these training runs like we do during a race, and it's killing us. During a race, you're coming to an aid station every 4-6 miles. When we train, we're terrible about waiting until we're 1 to 1.5 hour into a run before we start eating. Not good. Also, I tried my Inov-8 Roclites again - I don't like them. Period. My feet and ankles are killing me. They're definitely not as stable as my Mizunos, so I'm sticking with what works. Even my road shoes are Mizunos. Karen, who has and loves last year's Inov style, is gonna try them out and see if they work for her (they're 1/2 a size larger than what she wears). If so, she'll buy them from me.
Hope everyone's weekend is going well.
Leslie Living and Running Behind the Redwood Curtain -------------
Trail Runner Nation
Sally McCrae-Choose Strong
Bare Performance
Leslie, I will do what I can. You are so WAY COOL that I want to help in any way possible.
We had heavy rain all day today (it started shortly after my run yesterday) and will get more tomorrow. We are very happy to have it, but it kept me off the trails today. I went to the high school and did a couple sets of stairs. I know, I am not MUCH of a trail runner if I do not run in the rain. Maybe I will get to that someday.
Aw shucks, Kitrin. Go on. No, I mean go on and on and on . . . kidding!
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Explore-running is cool.
Trey
San Francisco - 7/29/12
Warrior Dash Ohio II - 8/26/12
Chicago - 10/7/12
Happy
Also, I tried my Inov-8 Roclites again - I don't like them. Period. My feet and ankles are killing me. They're definitely not as stable as my Mizunos, so I'm sticking with what works. Even my road shoes are Mizunos. Karen, who has and loves last year's Inov style, is gonna try them out and see if they work for her (they're 1/2 a size larger than what she wears). If so, she'll buy them from me. Hope everyone's weekend is going well.
Also, I tried my Inov-8 Roclites again - I don't like them. Period. My feet and ankles are killing me. They're definitely not as stable as my Mizunos, so I'm sticking with what works. Even my road shoes are Mizunos. Karen, who has and loves last year's Inov style, is gonna try them out and see if they work for her (they're 1/2 a size larger than what she wears). If so, she'll buy them from me.
Hope your friend will buy the Inov-8s from you - sorry, they don't work for your feet; sticking with what works is a good idea. I am a big fan of not fixing things that ain't broke - especially when it comes to running. I have had a couple of pairs of Mizunos - they are wonderfully light and snug on the feet. However, I have not had good luck with the stability features in th Inspire - have been injured while running in that shoe - bad Karma. I am encouraged to hear that you do well in the MIzuno Trail shoe (is it the Ascend?).
I am encouraged to hear that you do well in the MIzuno Trail shoe (is it the Ascend?).
I'm not sure. I'll have to look. I've had for a couple of years. I was wearing Vasque, but once I ran through those, I went back to the Mizunos.
Nice to see you here on the monthly.
PS - I've got the Mizuno Ascend - I find it to be a good hybrid shoe but my feet would have taken some serious punishment at Lunch's Woods if I had run in them - I'm glad I did it in the Salomon XT Wings.
What the hell? It looks like y'all have a cool little community going here. Mind if I jump in?
Looks like I may finally have my ankle issues under control. I've done some real easy running, just 2 hours a week over three runs, but no pain. I had to wear my dreaded high heeled trail shoes to ease the stretch on the tendons in the ankle, but it seems to have done the trick, that and stepping into heeled shoes getting out of bed. My aerobic system is shot so the next year is focused on just building volume at low heart rates, then adding hills and maybe some tempo stuff later next summer or fall. Then, maybe, some 50's next late fall. We'll see. I'm just stoked to be pain free and running again.
Kelly, I'm pulling for you in your hundred. And you in your 50 Leslie.
Chris, your 14er adventure sounds real cool. I'm jealous. Sorry you weren't feeling well.
Everybody else, keep running. Later.
"Run slowly, run daily, drink in moderation, and don't eat like a pig" Dr. Ernst Van Aaken. Sorry ultrasteve.
Another crappy weekend here. Still fighting this virus/cold/whatever the hell it is. Did an easy 4 miles on Sat and 5 absolutely miserable miles on Sunday. On the upside, today's 4 miler felt pretty good... even threw down a 6:45 mile in the middle to test the legs. Maybe I'm over the hump.
I sure hope so, because the Bear 100 is in 11 days .
Greg!! So happy to hear your ankle is feeling better. Slow and easy will get you all the way there.
{{{Healing vibes to Chris!}}}
I wish you both a speedy recovery. Sounds like you will be ready for the 100 right when it counts!!
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OK, so I have broken one more of my rules - I am not supposed to run two days in a row because of how the rest helps me stay injury free. I ran again today, Was supposed to be 30min recovery and then some strength training. I was on the treadmill at the gym and that machine just loves it when I run fast..............
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I warmed up gradually by upping the mph by .1 every minute until I had reached 7.0 mph - this coincided nicely with approx 20 min of warming up. I continued to run at that pace (8:34?) for 1.5 miles. Then took a walking/drinking break in order to get my HR down and gather myself for another 1.5 miles at 8:34 pace. I ran a total of 3 miles at this tempo pace and a total of 6 miles today - all in under 1 hour. That's the first time in a year or more that I have run 6 miles in less than an hour. I am getting my fitness back - slowly but surely.
Tomorrow, I better stay out of the gym and AWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYY from the treadmill, that speed devil
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I felt very good today and actually, the above kind of workout is my all time favorite - I love it!
Leslie, I ran it in my Mizuno Inspires. At then end of the run I noticed how the toes on my right foot do not have enough room to spread out properly - this may be the reason I have had injury problems primarily on the right foot - the Mizunos were my shoe of choice when the injuries started. I think it is too short -the shoe - I might do better if I get a bigger shoe nxt time.
9 days and a wake up. Go Chris.
That's the first time in a year or more that I have run 6 miles in less than an hour. I am getting my fitness back - slowly but surely.
I'm gonna go out on a limb and suggest that the miles and hills at Lynch's did a lot for you to accomplish this. I've gotten considerably faster myself after trail training on them thar hills.