track fan

1:46:54.  SO grateful for this run!  After a week of waiting for rain, it rained (about 3/4 of the way through the run, but that is totally ok ...).   Anyway, I have to work today - I have a paper to finish up that my collaborators are chomping at the bit to get submitted tomorrow.  So, I decided that instead of driving to my favorite long run site (Campbell Mesa) I would just run from the cabin.  About 1.5 miles from the house on trails to Buffalo park (up a very steep rocky trail).  Then I ran 4.5 2 mile loops for 9 miles.   Time for each loop was: 18:07, 17:20 (too fast), 17:27, 17:38 (water stop) - I was very happy with this time, not only was it nearly 4 miles longer than I have run for the past 3 months, but it was at altitude (which is not easy) - and had a little elevation change!  Yippee!  Nothing like not being able to do it for a while to make you enjoy training again.  I am so very lucky.   

Off to work.  I hope you are all doing well!!  Happy Sunday! 

AM: (9.5 miles, 1:26:27).  Drove down to "the Y" and ran towards the Schultz Creek trail and then to the Fort Valley Trail  - I took a "wrong" turn from the road to the Schultz Creek trailhead and ended up with a 20 min, very slow, slog up the side of the mountain -- very rocky.  Barely running.   Nice day -- started out in the 80s and then it sprinkled most of the run!

Got a very late start today because we were woken up at 2:30 AM (I was woken up and in turn woke Dean up) by A BAT in our bedroom!! Seriously!  I did not know what it was until after I made Dean open up the door leading from our room to the porch -- and even then Dean was laying there trying to go back to sleep (what????) and I said, "I can't stay in here with that thing flying over my head!!".  I went upstairs to one of the guest rooms to try to sleep -- about 1/2 hour later Dean came out of the room and said that he thought it was gone!  Too funny ... I did not get back to sleep until about 4 or 5AM!!

So, yesterday I met with Ultra marathoner, and ultra coach Ian Torrence to discuss strategies for my upcoming 50th birthday celebration:  A little 50K run in Chattanooga TN, aptly named Stump Jump.   I bought Ian breakfast, and he divulged some of his nutrition secrets and we came up with a very loosely sketched out training plan ... which primarily consists of my usual marathon training plan with the primary change to include two 4 hour hilly runs on a Saturday followed by 2 hour fast finish runs the next day.   Saturday's run will be geared toward staying on my feet for 4 hours, and playing with nutrition, while learning how to run really slowly during that run so I can come back the next day and run a faster run.  Should be fun.  I won't be able to practice the hard terrain runs of the Southeast (because our trails are rocky rather than  overgrown with roots -- and, it is too dangerous on the hills here right now, with the snakes).  But, Ian thinks that the "time on feet", nutrition, and hills, will be the most important -- especially since my primary goal for this race will be to finish - and have fun!  If all goes well, I will come off of the 50K training/race ready to get ready for a Spring marathon -- my first in the 50 year old age group.

I hope you are all doing well!! 

1:06:23.  Easy run before heading down to Phoenix to see John (ART healer).  I have none, I repeat no, hip rotation.  He told me to touch my toes and I couldn't even make a 90 angle ... whoops.  So, now I have bruises all over both hips (from the shockwave machine and John's thumb), and huge bruises up and down my thighs from the Graston "tool".  ahhh ... but it feels so much better!

Best part was that he also worked on my shoulder ... one of the worst side effects (for me) about breast surgery was the horrible shoulder freeze I got from it.  The radiation made it much worse.  I actually have better arm flexibility now than I have had in over 4 months!  YEA!

John is on his way to London today - to work on Andrew Wheating!!  The life of a famous therapist! 

Happiest of weeks to you all! 

AM: (9 miles, 1:20:23).  Ran on the Wing Mountain loop (FRS 222) again -- 41:03 out and 39:20 back.   Rained on me about 1/3 of the time - much much better than the 113F of Phoenix yesterday!

PM: 4 miles easy.

I could get used to this!  I have to work this week, but still, it is heaven.

I hope you are all doing well. 

1:06:28.  Nice run on the Fort Valley trails -- they are easier than most around here.  Lots of rollers, but footing is good, and it is nice and quiet.  I love running here.

Happy Friday bloggers. 

AM: (8 miles, 1:10:28).  Rainy, wet, hilly, muddy, awesome trail run ;-).

PM: easy 4.

Happy Saturday bloggers!