Lupine and Sunshine!

Amazing what a little sunshine and wildflowers can do to change your life! I have been logging consistent mileage through March, April, and May. I mean super consistent.

Monday = 6 miles.

Tuesday = 8 miles

Wednesday = 6 miles

Thursday = 4 miles

Friday = off

Weekend runs = 8-12

Week after week after week.

The time it took to run each run was within a minute of the week before. Pace was the same. Routes were the same (except weekends, I could mix it up). 

With that said, I was in a rut.  I would think about writing in my blog, but I there was nothing to say.

Then earlier this month, I ran 12 miles on the Deer Creek trail.

 

 

The Deer Creek run filled my soul. The trail was in prime condition, the flowers were blooming, and it was crazy green due to all the rain and snow we had in May.  Running became an adventure again not a duty. The miles clicked by. I have run the trail as an out and back the last few summers, but it was the first time in years that I had run it point to point. Challenging hills and views the entire way!

 

I am revitalized! Last year, I set the goal of running new trails mixed in with my old favorites. I am making the list and excited to start crossing out the different trails that I will run this year!

How do you revitalize your routine?

Inspiration

Where do you find you inspiration--externally or internally?

My motivation and inspiration comes from both places. Lately, I have had to rely on external influences to get me out the door or run longer than usual.

• blogs
• articles
• race reports
• race websites
• other runners

All of these things have motivated me to run a bit longer or harder or to get out the door. I am back on track with my training. As I look ahead to my week of family and work commitments, I plan my run. Will it be in the early morning or can I run in the daylight after school?

Looking ahead to my season of races gets me fired up. It also holds me accountable to my training. Despite my competitive intentions, I love my daily run. It balances me. Keeps everything in perspective and brings me joy.

Batter Up!!

If runners had stats like baseball players, my batting average would be horrific due to the “slump” I have been in the past few weeks. 

Runs have been slow.

Uninspired.

Low weekly mileage.

After this week, I am working my way up the rankings. I had a great tempo run on Friday and consistent mileage throughout the week even though it was parent/teacher conferences.

Most important, I am zeroing in on my racing season. A few favorites were taken off my list due to conflicts. So I couldn’t commit to what I wanted my season to look like.  I wanted to choose a brand new race and I think I may have found it in California!

I read somewhere that many authors can’t write their story until they know the ending. I decided to start with my ending(s).

August—Pike’s Peak Ascent

I have some unfinished business on that mountain. My last 2 miles were hard last year. So I want another crack at it.

 September—Lead King Loop 25k

Love, love, love it. The scenery & atmosphere of the race. Low key, challenging, and overall incredible!

November—Project Athena Moab Trail ½

Last year, I did the marathon which was challenging coming off of High School CC season.  It was another incredible event for an amazing cause. I am excited to take a right at 10 miles towards the finish instead of left to head out for another 16 miles!

The beginning of my story will consist of a lot of great training races scattered through May, June and July!

 

I can't wait to sketch out my training. I just finished planning my friend Stevie's training. She will competing in the International Skyrunning series plus many incredible trail races around the world. It was challenging and inspiring to create a plan for a World Champion.

 

Here's to longer days and melting trails!

Tearing Down Roadblocks

During my run today, I came to terms with roadblocks that I have been allowing to stop me in my tracks or diverting my energy elsewhere.

Identifying the roadblocks is the first step.

Tearing them down will be the next step.

The roadblocks are present in my running, professional life, and personal. They are tricky. They are disguised as potholes, large barriers, and small detours.

I am creating a list of my immediate roadblocks and creating a plan to take them down (or make them smaller so maybe I could hurdle over them).

Dr. Seuss's birthday is in a week. So in honor of the good doctor...I have chosen a mantra for the week!

So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 1/4 percent guaranteed.)
     KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
                                           --Oh, The Places You'll Go


Maybe not mountains, but at least I'll move a roadblock or two.

Turn that Frown Upside Down

I decided not to run my winter goal race due to family conflicts. I could have juggled and juggled and juggled to make it happen, but it felt to contrived. So I am not racing.

This is one of my first DNS in recent history. I allowed myself a pity party for a day, because my training was pretty much on track with last year's training. I felt confident that my race would go well.

Now I have been surfing race website after race website to find a trail race...this is not easy as it seems during winter in the mountains. I have a few options, but now I need to commit.

As my "race" is about to start, I look at the positives to my training this past winter.

• My January mileage was consistent even though the temperatures dipped below zero (a lot)!
• My 18 miler was a mental challenge. 3 times up and down a steep dirt road. I ended up loving it because I would climb the road in an average 11 minute mile and zoom down in close to a 7:30 mile! The variety of pace was fun.
• Each week, I ran 1-2 quality workouts.

Once I made my decision not to race, I took 3 days off! It helped me shake the lingering cough. I am ready to ramp up the mileage as I look at a March race.

As the Moab race is going on, I will be mapping out my 2013 races trying not to think of the amazing red rocks of the Utah desert.

Taper Time

"Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan."  Tom Landry

Taper time. I have been looking forward to these weeks for awhile. Training during the school year can be tiring. The weather (the topic or subtopic of many of my posts this past month) has been difficult. But I am wiping that slate clean & focusing on my taper.

Some runners hate the taper.

I embrace it.

I have learned to trust it.

The mental aspect of a taper is as important as the physical. Last week, I squeezed in my 18 miler before my son’s hockey game and I ran 10 miles the day before once my youngest son was finished with his Nordic race.  It was as mentally taxing to plan my runs around my family’s schedule. This weekend worked well and the balance of runner & mother was achieved.

I enter this weekend with an open slate and only have 2 runs to fit in with the longest is 90 minutes. Whew!

Physically, the taper allows my body to absorb the miles and my hard work. I love race day when I feel fresh, no tweaks, and anxious to run.  The initial days of a taper, I will feel flat. Last Tuesday was that day. It took a lot of mental will power to stay present in my intervals and push through each one.

Most runners will stick to their training plan and mess up the taper. Stick with your plan. Decrease volume & maintain intensity. A mistake that is commonly made is “jogging” through your taper. Intensity needs to be maintained with tempo and intervals.

One week to race day. Can’t wait!

Getting It Done

Some days, I need to be creative to fit in my training. Sunday was one of those days. Fortunately, I was able to run my 16 miler on Saturday so all I had to do on Sunday was a 6-7 mile shakeout run. My original plan was to wake up early to run before we traveled to Telluride for my son's hockey game. I woke up to 9 inches of wet snow and the roads were yet to be plowed. So plan B.

The snow was a lot heavier than usual!

 

Living in the mountains, balancing work, and family commitments, it is important to have a plan B and a plan C and sometimes a D!

I dressed in my running clothes, and we drove to Telluride. I had my husband let me out of the car before we hit town so the dog and I ran 4 miles to the rink, I dropped Jackson off at the car, and I tagged on an extra 3 miles towards Bridal Veil Falls. Luckily, I have run in Telluride frequently (usually between youth hockey games), so I knew where I needed to go. Once I was done, I could focus on my family and enjoy the games.

Here was my view as I ran towards the rink and during my extra bit.
 

To use the Brooks motto, I run happy in Telluride. The box canyon is dramatic and I have such fond memories of racing the Imogene Pass Run a few years back. IPR is a bucket list race. I run mountains all the time, but the San Juan Range is one of the most fantastic areas to run in Colorado.
http://imogenerun.com/course.htm

Planning my week of training, I usually look for any roadblocks that may come my way, and tentatively have another plan. Having a back-up plan has allowed me to be more consistent in my weekly mileage.