This year has been a little messed up -- in many ways and for many people. But since you're here, let me tell you the sad-sack series of unfortunate AMT race debacles so far.
March 2017: had been training (sort of) for 30km ATB race. Went to my parents house for the weekend, tried to get mind in game. Set alarm for 7am. At 3am, we got the phone call that my grandmother had died... Er, so. No race for me. [Only silver lining is that I was at least with my family to help that day.] I had already attached the timing chip to my running shoes, so I kept it on that shoe for the rest of spring, thinking about that week and the passage of time.
May 2017: went to Vancouver to teach for 6 weeks. Registered for 8km race the day after I arrived. Flew in, got excited, got to my temporary home, got everything relevant unpacked, re-checked registration email... and discovered there was race day package pickup. ... Um. Ok, nevermind. [I ran a lot in my time out west, mostly up improbable hills, but no races.]
July 2017: went to Lexington KY to teach for a week. Registered for a 10km Fourth of July race the day after I arrived (I am a woman of patterns.) On my last training race, I felt something go awry on the outside of my right foot... but I shook it off, figured it would calm down, got home. So! Got to Lexington, got my friends' house, felt optimistic. Race day morning: 1 mile in, I knew this was a Bad Idea. But I was in an unfamiliar place, and I'd come all the way here to race, and my friends were waiting... ugh. So, I ran/limped the remaining 5 miles. NOT SMART.
Upshot: I had to take a whole month off of running. Doctors and x-rays said no stress fracture (thank fuck) but there was no running for an entire 30 days. I swam and stuff but it sucked big time.
So I've been running again since August, about 7 weeks now. My motto has been very start slow and taper, and it's been uncomfortable. I can run, but pushing faster than what should be a comfortable jog (e.g. 9:30/mile) makes my foot twingey; but running that speed also feels like i'm in between gears, like either I'm walking too fast or running too slow, and I have to think hard to keep my stride from devolving into some wobbly wonky thing. I'm not really sure if I'm even getting any stronger? A few miles into every run I feel like I'm not sure what I'm doing there.
Sept 2017: Today! Today I was signed up for an 8k race around a local lake, which I registered for once running had returned. It's a nice race and I was hesistantly happy about it. Given my track record above, I expected to forget my bib, or drive into a tree on the way, or lose a leg to sudden onset leprosy, or something.
TL; DR: It Went Fine!
About halfway through the race, I came across a little girl running on her own (she turned out to be 11) and she seemed to be struggling a bit so I asked if she wanted a running buddy and I ran/walked with her for a couple minutes. I told her she was amazing and she smiled big time, and then we parted ways and I ran to the finish. Despite that little break I ran 8k in 47 mins, so my overall pace was probably around 9:20, and that's pretty slow but I DID IT and I didn't walk and I didn't quit and nobody died and my foot hurts a medium amount (much less now that I've iced it) and that is gonna be my comeback.
I feel strong, and I'm taking that talisman running chip off my running shoe now. I had a good race. Onwards.
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Two weeks away; just some legit freaking out
When I'm running, and when I'm not running but thinking about running, I'm always thinking about things I want to blog about here.
And then when I get here, I think: what the fuck did I think I wanted to talk about?
So.
Two weeks ago I got freaked enough about my upcoming 30k race that I decided to run the distance... So, I ran 10k every day for 3 days. That went fine. I was more tired on day 3 than day 1 but not especially so.
Last weekend, I ran for 9 somewhat hilly miles by the Pacific Ocean. That was also pretty fine. (I got big time rained on and saw a lot of dogs. Victoria BC is a sweet damp town.) Earlier that week, I ran for two slow but happy hungover hours in the snowy sunshine (Edmonton AB, also a sweet town. But a dry cold.)
This morning, I ran a 5k in biting wind in 27 mins, plus I'm sure I did enough weaving to make my actual 5k time something faster, so that's not bad. I'm now trying not to eat every last food ever once an hour, which is what my body thinks we should do when I run hard early in the day.
HOWEVER: the grand problem is distance. Yesterday I ran for 75 minutes, which was all fine, and I kept up the pace (see biting wind) -- but! 75 minutes is way too little running! I need to run 3 hours in two weeks? HOW??? Right now I feel as though 10 miles is a great distance. But who tacked on these other 8 miles? ... Maybe this is why I'm not blogging, because if I do then I will freak out about I'm going to die in a ditch at kilometer 24 in Burlington.
Historically, my approach to making long distances seem sane has been to read obsessively about people running much longer distances, so that in comparison my goal seems less deranged. Currently I'm focused on this ultra that just makes zero sense: The Speed Project, in which relay teams run the 340 miles from the Santa Monica pier in LA to the Welcome to Las Vegas sign. ... There's no official route. It's just like: go there. This is it's third year, and the first year an all women's team is running. I feel it is important to remind oneself that such humans exist. (I mean "humans". Presumably they are timelords with extra lungs and legs and so on.) There is a little movie about it too, that I can't vouch for but I'm probably going to watch this afternoon on the couch under a blanket?
Meanwhile, back among the mortals: tomorrow I teach at the gym, and then Monday I'm gonna run long. 20k. Maybe longer, maybe not, but at least 20.01km. And then we will let me 'taper' even though that's a hilarious concept at this point. ... Still: I will at least aim to go in well-rested and strong. And then we can see what sheer bloodymindedness and the winds of the North Shore can do to get me to the finish line.
TL; DR: if you've been following my running for a while, and you're the praying sort, you might want to get to work on the votive candles and offerings. Thanks in advance.
And then when I get here, I think: what the fuck did I think I wanted to talk about?
So.
Two weeks ago I got freaked enough about my upcoming 30k race that I decided to run the distance... So, I ran 10k every day for 3 days. That went fine. I was more tired on day 3 than day 1 but not especially so.
Last weekend, I ran for 9 somewhat hilly miles by the Pacific Ocean. That was also pretty fine. (I got big time rained on and saw a lot of dogs. Victoria BC is a sweet damp town.) Earlier that week, I ran for two slow but happy hungover hours in the snowy sunshine (Edmonton AB, also a sweet town. But a dry cold.)
This morning, I ran a 5k in biting wind in 27 mins, plus I'm sure I did enough weaving to make my actual 5k time something faster, so that's not bad. I'm now trying not to eat every last food ever once an hour, which is what my body thinks we should do when I run hard early in the day.
HOWEVER: the grand problem is distance. Yesterday I ran for 75 minutes, which was all fine, and I kept up the pace (see biting wind) -- but! 75 minutes is way too little running! I need to run 3 hours in two weeks? HOW??? Right now I feel as though 10 miles is a great distance. But who tacked on these other 8 miles? ... Maybe this is why I'm not blogging, because if I do then I will freak out about I'm going to die in a ditch at kilometer 24 in Burlington.
Historically, my approach to making long distances seem sane has been to read obsessively about people running much longer distances, so that in comparison my goal seems less deranged. Currently I'm focused on this ultra that just makes zero sense: The Speed Project, in which relay teams run the 340 miles from the Santa Monica pier in LA to the Welcome to Las Vegas sign. ... There's no official route. It's just like: go there. This is it's third year, and the first year an all women's team is running. I feel it is important to remind oneself that such humans exist. (I mean "humans". Presumably they are timelords with extra lungs and legs and so on.) There is a little movie about it too, that I can't vouch for but I'm probably going to watch this afternoon on the couch under a blanket?
Meanwhile, back among the mortals: tomorrow I teach at the gym, and then Monday I'm gonna run long. 20k. Maybe longer, maybe not, but at least 20.01km. And then we will let me 'taper' even though that's a hilarious concept at this point. ... Still: I will at least aim to go in well-rested and strong. And then we can see what sheer bloodymindedness and the winds of the North Shore can do to get me to the finish line.
TL; DR: if you've been following my running for a while, and you're the praying sort, you might want to get to work on the votive candles and offerings. Thanks in advance.
Friday, January 27, 2017
only news: brightest shoes ever
i have nothing useful to report. i run. the other day i ran 9.5 miles. i didn't die. so, that's good.
often when i run, the place on the ball of my left foot where my toes meet the rest of my foot aches. ... like i'm growing an extra bone there, is how i describe it. let's assume i'm not growing a new bone. however: it hurts. also, it hurts when i don't run. actually it often hurts less when i run than when i don't. this ... seems wrong.
my approach has been to never wear heels, and to buy new running shoes with some more padding, and to ignore it. the new shoes just happened yesterday so i will try running in them tomorrow for the first time. maybe it will help? i'm kind of convinced it's just that the messed up angle of my toe/ankle/everything on my left side (caused initially from wrenching my ankle at gymnastics when i was like 14) is catching up with me in my dotage (yeah kidding i'm 37) and anyway it's just going to be like this forever. ... i realize as i say that that it's hopefully not true? anyway: i'm gonna assume the new shoes will fix it.
also the new shoes are VERY BRIGHT. and they were VERY ON SALE, so that's cool. but seriously: they are called RUNPOPS. their shade of lime green is not subtle. ... at least i will not get confused with a deer.
my 30k race is in 2 months (minus 2 days). ... when i write it like that it is alarming. anyway, i told my calendar my long run distances for the next 8 weeks, remembering that there is a week of travel in a month, and trying to go into the race on not-tired legs. so! my calendar says i should run 15k tomorrow. so, i will do that. ... that's only halfway? good god. what was i thinking.
the point is: goodnight.
often when i run, the place on the ball of my left foot where my toes meet the rest of my foot aches. ... like i'm growing an extra bone there, is how i describe it. let's assume i'm not growing a new bone. however: it hurts. also, it hurts when i don't run. actually it often hurts less when i run than when i don't. this ... seems wrong.
my approach has been to never wear heels, and to buy new running shoes with some more padding, and to ignore it. the new shoes just happened yesterday so i will try running in them tomorrow for the first time. maybe it will help? i'm kind of convinced it's just that the messed up angle of my toe/ankle/everything on my left side (caused initially from wrenching my ankle at gymnastics when i was like 14) is catching up with me in my dotage (yeah kidding i'm 37) and anyway it's just going to be like this forever. ... i realize as i say that that it's hopefully not true? anyway: i'm gonna assume the new shoes will fix it.
also the new shoes are VERY BRIGHT. and they were VERY ON SALE, so that's cool. but seriously: they are called RUNPOPS. their shade of lime green is not subtle. ... at least i will not get confused with a deer.
my 30k race is in 2 months (minus 2 days). ... when i write it like that it is alarming. anyway, i told my calendar my long run distances for the next 8 weeks, remembering that there is a week of travel in a month, and trying to go into the race on not-tired legs. so! my calendar says i should run 15k tomorrow. so, i will do that. ... that's only halfway? good god. what was i thinking.
the point is: goodnight.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
up and down
in the new year so far, i have run a fair bit, although not as long as i ever want to. but i have also been including HILLS... today i did 2.5 murderous miles of hill training on a treadmill and basically died. i am now dead. after that, i taught a strength class, but mostly was dead.
this weekend i'm going to new york (we're getting one of the gangs back together) and i aim to run in a park (with any luck both central and prospect parks) and also have a raucous good time. so, running might be a little slow some mornings.
... aaand, so what am i training for? in a cruel twist of fate, i was literally on the website signing up for my planned february 25k night trail race when the race site updated to say they had SOLD OUT! horrid! rage!
... so i responded of course by rashly signing up for the 30k race in march. ... and the second half of that race has HILLS... which brings us back to where we started.
after next week, i will have a little more time to breathe, and with my deep breaths i will get some more long runs in. i've done a couple 9-10 milers since boxing day but there will need to be more double digits to survive ATB with some modicum of dignity.
onwards!
this weekend i'm going to new york (we're getting one of the gangs back together) and i aim to run in a park (with any luck both central and prospect parks) and also have a raucous good time. so, running might be a little slow some mornings.
... aaand, so what am i training for? in a cruel twist of fate, i was literally on the website signing up for my planned february 25k night trail race when the race site updated to say they had SOLD OUT! horrid! rage!
... so i responded of course by rashly signing up for the 30k race in march. ... and the second half of that race has HILLS... which brings us back to where we started.
after next week, i will have a little more time to breathe, and with my deep breaths i will get some more long runs in. i've done a couple 9-10 milers since boxing day but there will need to be more double digits to survive ATB with some modicum of dignity.
onwards!
Thursday, December 29, 2016
running for the holidays
i am always pretty good at keeping running when i go home for christmas, and this year felt quite solid. the highlight (i mean the running highlight, excluding all the company and the food and the skating and laughing and so on) was a ten mile race on boxing day.
i was ... a bit hesistant going in. was i getting sick? would it freezing rain? should i drop down to 4 miles? but nope. i did the damn thing, and it felt good! i honestly think i got sick at mile 6 and my body said "well, this really seems like the wrong time" and just fought it off by mile 9. (please nobody tell me that isnt a thing; xmas running miracle.)
there was also the incident in which we ran past a lake-side beaver, a HUGE guy, at mile 3, and when we came back past at mile 7, he was still there, being huge, and as i ran past i also saw there was a man dressed in a full-body xmas tree costume, running the race (beating me, in fact)... and that was a memorable enough moment, running between a stoic beaver and a racing tree, but if youve been here since the beginning and you remember the penguin who ran near me through the canadian border at the detroit marathon? ... yeah turns out its the same guy.
of course.
the race was on paper a success also -- 9:20 miles, nothing to write home about but not embarrassing to me, and my final time was nearly exactly double my 5 mile time so i felt smart. i ran without my garmin and without music -- just ticking along and not getting too stuck in my head, and i never walked (except during gatorade) and the two biggish hills were not a problem, and i think this was all excellent news.
... news that means i am signing up for the 25k on night trails in early february right???
close to saying yes.
a couple more long runs will clinch that. i will try one on saturday.
onward.
i was ... a bit hesistant going in. was i getting sick? would it freezing rain? should i drop down to 4 miles? but nope. i did the damn thing, and it felt good! i honestly think i got sick at mile 6 and my body said "well, this really seems like the wrong time" and just fought it off by mile 9. (please nobody tell me that isnt a thing; xmas running miracle.)
there was also the incident in which we ran past a lake-side beaver, a HUGE guy, at mile 3, and when we came back past at mile 7, he was still there, being huge, and as i ran past i also saw there was a man dressed in a full-body xmas tree costume, running the race (beating me, in fact)... and that was a memorable enough moment, running between a stoic beaver and a racing tree, but if youve been here since the beginning and you remember the penguin who ran near me through the canadian border at the detroit marathon? ... yeah turns out its the same guy.
of course.
the race was on paper a success also -- 9:20 miles, nothing to write home about but not embarrassing to me, and my final time was nearly exactly double my 5 mile time so i felt smart. i ran without my garmin and without music -- just ticking along and not getting too stuck in my head, and i never walked (except during gatorade) and the two biggish hills were not a problem, and i think this was all excellent news.
... news that means i am signing up for the 25k on night trails in early february right???
close to saying yes.
a couple more long runs will clinch that. i will try one on saturday.
onward.
Sunday, December 11, 2016
habits!
yesterday it was snowing and i was in a hurry but i found time for 75 minutes on river trail paths, and i even discovered the all season bathrooms, so i think everyone can agree it was a success.
laying down the baseline of 60+ min runs is going well! maybe next weekend i will push up to 90 mins. or at least 9 miles. mind you, we got like 10 inches of snow today... well. onwards.
laying down the baseline of 60+ min runs is going well! maybe next weekend i will push up to 90 mins. or at least 9 miles. mind you, we got like 10 inches of snow today... well. onwards.
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
monday afternoon obstacles
here is an incomplete list of things that cropped up attempting to prevent me from going for a long run on monday:
- my other half has a deadly cold which caused him to cough or sneeze violently at least once an hour on saturday and sunday nights; assume this was as restful as it sounds,,,
- the dog is usually happy to hang out in the car if i drive her to the start of my run route, but as soon as we got there she helpfully vomited on the backseat, requiring us to return home, clean the backseat, regroup...
- it got cold. and rainy. and windy. and dark.
BUT I DONE IT ANYWAY. i left the cleaned up soothed dog at home, i got more warmly dressed, i drove back out to campus where it's well enough lit to run at night without shock or injury, and i ran for a full 70 minutes straight. BOOM. one more in the bank.
i'm going to count that as the first of this week's runs. thursday morning i will do tempo, and saturday i will do speed. go team.
- my other half has a deadly cold which caused him to cough or sneeze violently at least once an hour on saturday and sunday nights; assume this was as restful as it sounds,,,
- the dog is usually happy to hang out in the car if i drive her to the start of my run route, but as soon as we got there she helpfully vomited on the backseat, requiring us to return home, clean the backseat, regroup...
- it got cold. and rainy. and windy. and dark.
BUT I DONE IT ANYWAY. i left the cleaned up soothed dog at home, i got more warmly dressed, i drove back out to campus where it's well enough lit to run at night without shock or injury, and i ran for a full 70 minutes straight. BOOM. one more in the bank.
i'm going to count that as the first of this week's runs. thursday morning i will do tempo, and saturday i will do speed. go team.
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