Dry long run

-
Finally!! The timing worked out and I got to finish a workout without getting rained on. This was my long weekend - long ride, long run. Yesterday we gotpoured on. Today, I headed up to Rampart Resevoir for my long run. Left later then I wanted, naturally. I was actually helping with registration for a trail race in Stratton. Soon as the men started, I bolted up north. There were clouds all over in Colorado Springs and I was really worried that I would get rained on again. But up at Rampart it was just perfect. A little cool at the start, but no clouds. The sun was shining and it looked like it would warm up pretty quickly. I was planning on running around the res twice for about 26 miles. Based on that plan, I had one water bottle, with a second in the car. I would refill when I started my second lap. It was so quiet up there, especially for a Sunday. I only saw five cyclists and three hikers. I guess everyone thought that it was gonna rain! So I almost had the trail to myself. I was able to settle into a relaxed pace for the first lap. I forgot how rolling Rampart was - it was really good practice for maintaining speed and momentum on the hills and to recover without slowing down. That was hard. I'm pretty bad about really easing off the pace both on and after the hills. About halfway through the first lap, I decided that I didn't feel like running across the dam. I didn't need to run that far today. So I turned around at the dam. The only problem with that plan was that I would not get my second waterbottle. I didn't think that would be too much of an issue. I also decided to try to negative split the run. I was hitting a good pace and felt really comfortable with the miles. But it was starting to really warm up. Not a problem - I need the heat training for Long Course. But I was also running low on water. I knew that I would run out before the end of the run. And clouds looked like they were trying to build. I almost managed to get the negative split - even splits without really having enought water is good. Minutes after I got back to car, it started to rain. Not heavy at first, then the downpour started. If I had actually done the whole workout, I would have gotten soaked, again. That made up for running out of water and it was a great workout.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A long way on foot - Sheep Mountain Endurance Run

-
Image
Fifty miles is a long way - regardless of how you travel. As I was training and preparing for Sheep Mountain Endurance Run, I knew that it would be a long day - I knew that there would be ups and downs, that the plan would have to be fluid and goals adjusted mid-race. That is the nature of endurance sports and the people who achieve are the ones who can go with the flow and find the ability to turn things around if they do go south. Obviously, for my first 50, I was hoping for nothing but smooth sailing - with no dark spots, no demons and smiling the whole way. A girl can always hope, right? Runners assembled for the start Photo - Human Potential Running The sun was just starting to brighten the clouds as we walked to the starting line with nearly 100 other runners. The race director went through a few things, noting that there had already been some DNS's due to the elevation and to be smart. Smart... Most people would say smart would mean not doing something like a 50 mile ...
the full story...

Mortality

-
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well preserved body; but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming 'Wow! What a ride!'” - Hunter S. Thompson It seems such a trite quote, but true at the same time. Life is about the journey - the adventures along the way, the failures and successes. A life well lived is a person with stories to tell, taking the chances along the way that will provide fulfillment. You don't realize how close we are teatering to the edge until something happens that affirms our mortality.  In eleven years of practicing physical therapy in a nursing home setting, I've had my share of experiences with death. Never close though - far enough removed to be touched by the passing but not affected. Sometimes it's expected and everyone says "it's for the best. They are happier now." Other times, it's not and we are all shocked...
the full story...

Regaining my mojo

-
Image
I'll be honest. The two months between the middle of July and middle of September just about crushed me. Tired all the time, unable to muster more then a slug pace for most rides, and shuffling my way through my runs. It was the worst two month I've had - made worse by my continuing to try to push through the fatigue. So after Vapor I made sure that I would listen to my body and not pressure myself into training until I felt ready. No matter how long it would take, I would take the recovery I needed. Two weeks of minimal activity - short swims that were mostly just paddling around, very short runs where I didn't look at my watch at all and the easiest of rides imaginable. After those two weeks, I was still tired, but feeling better. Getting more like myself again, with a little more energy. That meant I needed at least another week of easy recovery! It was not the time to succumb to FOMO and start up with the big rides and hard runs again. So I behaved even more, knowing ev...
the full story...

Friends with the Monsters..

-
And the voices inside of my head.  As Saturday approaches, the voices - the demons - have begun talking to me. Sometimes a whisper, sometimes a scream. 54 miles. It's the distance from Colorado Springs to Lake Pueblo State Park. Or the top of Wilkerson Pass... A long bloody way to cover on two wheels, let along two feet! Yet that is my goal. Traverse the trails and roads west and east of Fairplay, covering more then the distance of two marathons. Theoretically, it should be nothing. After all, I've run back to back marathons many times - once getting both under 3:10. Fifty two miles, in just shy of 24 hours at a pace much faster then I'm planning. But in this ventures, I had time to recover between races and took the recovery seriously. Here, nothing but continuous forward movement. One step in front of the other, no breaks between efforts and the the clock doesn't stop ticking.  As Saturday approaches, those voices are getting louder. Ever doubting, ever questioning - ...
the full story...