Long Overdue Update
Well, it's probably good no one is reading this blog, yet anyway. Or uh. If you are, hey! Thanks haha. But I haven't updated this in more than half a year. So, What happened?
Well. I pretty much stopped running. Not totally, but I moved halfway across the country, and to a higher elevation. The combo of that plus fretting about footwear kept me off my feet for most of the summer. I fell out of my routine due to stress and life and excuses, plus a lack of a real goal to strive for. I also felt like I'd messed up my knee with the half marathon, so I took it easy for a bit. It still feels a touch funny but I've decided to get back on the running train because I needed to. I started smoking again too when I moved. Bad idea. Don't do that kids. Not doing it anymore, again, and lo and behold: I feel way better.
That said, this summer and fall weren't devoid of activity, and I want to record what's up, and try to remember to post to this in my free time.
After moving to Colorado I was up and trying my hand at Fourteeners within a few weeks of the move. No trail runs, but I did manage to climb Gray's and Torrey's in the same day. I suppose I jogged a little on the way down but I don't count it as a run haha. I biked a bit, I jogged a couple times
In August I visited Chicago and ran faster than I ever had. Turns out, being acclimated to 5,000 ft above sea level means you are superman at or near sea level. I set a PB for a 5k and ran 5 miles in less than an hour.
I did some bushwhacking a few weeks later and absolutely ruined my ankle, which put me down off the run train for a while. I had been running a bit but just as I was hitting my stride: injury. GAH. That finally healed up and I began to run again. I wasn't super consistent, but going into late october, I started going 2-3 times a week, as well as skiing.
November I was active every day, despite getting sick. I completed the Petzl night running challenge, which was to run 42km in 20 days, I did yoga, skied, ran, kickboxed, and a few other things in addition to running to be active each day. It was a worthwhile experiment in fitness. But around thanksgiving I came down with either a cold or bronchitis and I was sick until just earlier this week, nearly 3 weeks. It sucked and I was reduced to a walk or two a week, and a lot of laying around.
Finally in the last week I felt on the mend. My first run was a festival of mucus. I wasn't... totally better. But I was going nuts sitting around. I still had a decent run. I went again this week on Monday, Wednesday, and today. My Wednesday run was incredibly encouraging. I was able to run nearly 7 miles (by now I suspect my strava is trying to make me feel better by slight over-estimation). I felt strong end to end, and minus some gut uneasiness, I was able to do 12 minute miles with 1200 ft of elevation gain on trails. Being able to do that made me feel like I could bust out a half marathon right now. And just to see if I could, I ran again today and with sore legs was able to bust out a 31 minute 5k. It felt good, and I think I might be stronger than I have ever been, at least when it comes to running. Which is good, because I may have decided to do something really stupid (fun).... I am going to sign up for my first 50k.
Behind the Rocks is a multi distance race. It has a 50mile distance, but I think that is way too much too soon. But 50k? If I can do 7 and feel strong, tired, but strong at the end, right now, I think I'll be able to do it. The cutoffs are -generous- and the course only has about 3000 ft of climb. Not bad for a 50k, if you ask me. I have about 3 full months from today to train for that distance. I am hoping to get in a few 18-20 mile days between now and then, at an easy pace. But I think I can do it.
A year ago, I hadn't even heard of an Ultramarathon. I only knew about Marathons. I was also of the opinion that people who ran were insane people who had super powers. I guess I am living proof that just about anyone can do this if they set their mind to it, listen to their body, and push through the initial curve of doing something you should be doing, but most of us never have. Because, why run in the modern world? Our meals don't try to run away anymore, really, and couches and pizza rule, right? But here I am, ready to commit to trying this 30+ mile race. I suppose it'll be fine, I have ~13 hours to finish it, which seems really generous. That's a brisk walking pace, and I have done 2x that elevation in a day quite a few times. It's going to be tough, but honestly, if the wet, miserable, cold Rattlesnake Ridge Half Marathon taught me anything, it is that I can do a lot more than I think I am capable of, and I can push through a good deal of pain to make it through. Also, 3000+ ft of climb all at once in a running race is brutal, and knowing that Behind the Rocks' gain is spread out makes me feel better about it. If I do it, it'll be the longest distance I've gone on two feet in one day.
Anyway, that's a bit of a sloppy catch up, but I wanted to update. I am still running, and I am pushing for much bigger goals. Because why not? Oh, Also, I got back on my diet, and after a bit of a weight relapse of over eating due to stress and laziness this summer and fall, I am down to about 212-213 ish. That's 17-18lbs down from February when I started running. I hope I can keep that up too.
Oh, and one more thing, now that I am treating my body right again, my respiratory difficulties are clearing again as well. It's a freakin blessing.
Well. I pretty much stopped running. Not totally, but I moved halfway across the country, and to a higher elevation. The combo of that plus fretting about footwear kept me off my feet for most of the summer. I fell out of my routine due to stress and life and excuses, plus a lack of a real goal to strive for. I also felt like I'd messed up my knee with the half marathon, so I took it easy for a bit. It still feels a touch funny but I've decided to get back on the running train because I needed to. I started smoking again too when I moved. Bad idea. Don't do that kids. Not doing it anymore, again, and lo and behold: I feel way better.
That said, this summer and fall weren't devoid of activity, and I want to record what's up, and try to remember to post to this in my free time.
After moving to Colorado I was up and trying my hand at Fourteeners within a few weeks of the move. No trail runs, but I did manage to climb Gray's and Torrey's in the same day. I suppose I jogged a little on the way down but I don't count it as a run haha. I biked a bit, I jogged a couple times
In August I visited Chicago and ran faster than I ever had. Turns out, being acclimated to 5,000 ft above sea level means you are superman at or near sea level. I set a PB for a 5k and ran 5 miles in less than an hour.
I did some bushwhacking a few weeks later and absolutely ruined my ankle, which put me down off the run train for a while. I had been running a bit but just as I was hitting my stride: injury. GAH. That finally healed up and I began to run again. I wasn't super consistent, but going into late october, I started going 2-3 times a week, as well as skiing.
November I was active every day, despite getting sick. I completed the Petzl night running challenge, which was to run 42km in 20 days, I did yoga, skied, ran, kickboxed, and a few other things in addition to running to be active each day. It was a worthwhile experiment in fitness. But around thanksgiving I came down with either a cold or bronchitis and I was sick until just earlier this week, nearly 3 weeks. It sucked and I was reduced to a walk or two a week, and a lot of laying around.
Finally in the last week I felt on the mend. My first run was a festival of mucus. I wasn't... totally better. But I was going nuts sitting around. I still had a decent run. I went again this week on Monday, Wednesday, and today. My Wednesday run was incredibly encouraging. I was able to run nearly 7 miles (by now I suspect my strava is trying to make me feel better by slight over-estimation). I felt strong end to end, and minus some gut uneasiness, I was able to do 12 minute miles with 1200 ft of elevation gain on trails. Being able to do that made me feel like I could bust out a half marathon right now. And just to see if I could, I ran again today and with sore legs was able to bust out a 31 minute 5k. It felt good, and I think I might be stronger than I have ever been, at least when it comes to running. Which is good, because I may have decided to do something really stupid (fun).... I am going to sign up for my first 50k.
Behind the Rocks is a multi distance race. It has a 50mile distance, but I think that is way too much too soon. But 50k? If I can do 7 and feel strong, tired, but strong at the end, right now, I think I'll be able to do it. The cutoffs are -generous- and the course only has about 3000 ft of climb. Not bad for a 50k, if you ask me. I have about 3 full months from today to train for that distance. I am hoping to get in a few 18-20 mile days between now and then, at an easy pace. But I think I can do it.
A year ago, I hadn't even heard of an Ultramarathon. I only knew about Marathons. I was also of the opinion that people who ran were insane people who had super powers. I guess I am living proof that just about anyone can do this if they set their mind to it, listen to their body, and push through the initial curve of doing something you should be doing, but most of us never have. Because, why run in the modern world? Our meals don't try to run away anymore, really, and couches and pizza rule, right? But here I am, ready to commit to trying this 30+ mile race. I suppose it'll be fine, I have ~13 hours to finish it, which seems really generous. That's a brisk walking pace, and I have done 2x that elevation in a day quite a few times. It's going to be tough, but honestly, if the wet, miserable, cold Rattlesnake Ridge Half Marathon taught me anything, it is that I can do a lot more than I think I am capable of, and I can push through a good deal of pain to make it through. Also, 3000+ ft of climb all at once in a running race is brutal, and knowing that Behind the Rocks' gain is spread out makes me feel better about it. If I do it, it'll be the longest distance I've gone on two feet in one day.
Anyway, that's a bit of a sloppy catch up, but I wanted to update. I am still running, and I am pushing for much bigger goals. Because why not? Oh, Also, I got back on my diet, and after a bit of a weight relapse of over eating due to stress and laziness this summer and fall, I am down to about 212-213 ish. That's 17-18lbs down from February when I started running. I hope I can keep that up too.
Oh, and one more thing, now that I am treating my body right again, my respiratory difficulties are clearing again as well. It's a freakin blessing.
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