National Running Day!

Went out and met up with some other GTC'ers out at Cleveland Park for a 3-5 mile run this morning at 5:30am. Just a small gathering to celebrate National Running Day! The GTC even sprung for some free t-shirts! Was very nice to change scenery for my morning run and have some excellent company as well. I should mix it up more often.

Chattooga 50k weather forecast

Sunday June 6th (6 days away):
High 96°
Low (Saturday night) 68°
No chance of rain.

Couldn't look much worse than that...

Race Numbers

So - The Paris Mountain 15k Trail race was my 90th official event. I was bib #61 and as I am puttng my race details into my spreadsheet, I wonder how many events it will take for me to get a duplicate bib number. Anyone out there know that random bit of information for themselves? I imagine if I continue to do smaller races where it is likely the bibs will start with #1 and go up from there, that my chances are growing quickly. I only have 20 of the first 100 numbers, and I don't see ever getting bib #1.
I'll have to take a photo of all mine and attach it on here one day, since I have all but one or two of them.
(Added 6-3-10)

Well - this entry can be ignored. I just realized I have a duplicate bib #.
283.
26th Greenville News Run Downtown on Feb 15, 2003 and the 27th Reedy River Run 10k on March 6th, 2004.
So it took only 30 events.
Ok - how many events to the Second duplication?!

Xterra Paris Mountain 15k Race Report

Humid and about 66° to start, 170+ runners lined up at Paris Mountain State Park for one the Greenville Track Club's trail races. There is also a 7k and an 11k. This is the only one that gets to the top of the mountain and has a section that most people just walk up - me included of course!
Six of my relay teammates were there, and I ended up running the whole thing with (right behind) Alex. It spread out a bit more this time so that was nice. A heavy rain last night made the beginning part of the single track trails wet in spots, but the upper side was completely dry.
I gave a pretty even effort the whole race, never really exerting myself, but it does amaze me how quickly your heart rate can jump with going up the mountain. Had some aches come and go - left hamstring/groin, right hamstring. Right toe felt ok after an up and down week with it. The parts of the trail I typically run, I went at about the same pace, so that worked out well.
Section one - Road section to spread the field out some, then the gently rolling trails of Mountain Creek before hopping on the beginning of Sulphur Springs. Could run this over and over!
Section two - Up the mountain. Yuck. How do people run up this?!?
Section three - Off Sulphur Springs, to Firetower, onto Kanuga to North Lake. After trekking up Firetower, it's all downhill to the North Lake. Can really open it up here if you want. Fun undulating sections and you can make up some time here after a ridiculously slow pace up the mountain.
Section four - North Lake loop. All runable around the lake. Wish it was a bigger lake to spend more time there with the calm waters.
Section five - Pipsissewa and Brissy to the upper parking lot. Mostly uphill, but only somewhat moderate. Not terribly long though, just something to get thru.
Section six - Back on Sulphur Springs, and after a very short uphill (the last one on this course), you're on the steep downhill section. You better have quick feet and watch every step on this very steep descent.
Section seven - the return - still on Sulphur Springs before running into Mountain Creek and the return back to the finish.
We finished in 1:46 and some change and I must say I am pleased as I wasn't racing this at all. Felt better than I expected I would too given the last week (Traveled for work, ran once in a sauna-like exercise room, had heavy legs for my other 4 miler. Then the lingering toe-thing.). Did I have it in me to do that distance another 2.5 times? I'd like to think so, and next Saturday I better be thinking I can as the Chattooga 50 is a week from tomorrow.
Good seeing the gang - Kathrin, Terry, Alex, Dave, and Chris!

Tapering! Traveling. Triathlon?

Gotta love tapering! Backed off to 3 days of running - 6.8 miles, 5.1, then a long run of 17-18, so I can hit 30 for the week. Of course the aggravating "injuries" are showing up too. Odd hamstring pains flare up during my long run, only one or two and never amount to anything, but it's still very odd I've never felt anything like it before. I guess I must have did something to my big toe on my right foot last weekend during m,y last 20+ miler. Feels like I bruised the bone or something - right on the soft fleshy part. It is usually ok during my long run and it certainly didn't keep me from my 17 yesterday. Today I adjusted my step a little as I cut grass (more hill-work) and later on, the top of my foot was sore as well. At least that is fine now.

I have to travel for work this week (Mon- Thurs), so I may just take some time off my feet. This is probably the best week to do that too.

So back in 2003 & 2004 I became a Triathlete. I did the Riverlink Triathlon, a 4mi run, 5mi paddle (on the French Broad), and 12mi bike. I never really considered myself one..but I guess I could. Well I noticed this past week that the Mountain Sports Festival in Asheville is bringing a Triathlon back - this time it is a 1.5mi run, 2.5 mi paddle, 11mi bike and 1.9mi run. Same distance (except much shorter paddle), just splitting up the run segment. I will be putting this on my schedule for next year! It gives me reason to actually get my bike fixed up!

99 miles of running to go...

No - I am not doing a 100 miler (yet?!) one mile at a time.
I have an 18 month old. I don't sing in front of Anyone no matter what photos you've seen, that is, except for my daughter. For many months after she was born, I would walk up and down the stairs in order to get her to fall asleep - a great workout for getting back into marathon shape. At the NYC expo 1 month before she was born - I bought her the only piece of clothing we purchased for her in (almost) her first year - a NYC Marathon onesie. She likes to "read" my Runner's World and other similar magazines. She doesn't speak that many words, but signs about 60 different ones. One of my favorites these days is "running" which she associates with me. (Her arms going back and forth in the motion of running).
These days, she still needs help getting to sleep and I often give her mom a break. To soothe her and help her fall asleep - I resorted to something that was long and monotonous - "99 bottles of beer on the wall". After a while of that - I decided to change it up a little to be a better influence...
"99 miles of running to go, 99 miles of running, run one down, run it around, 98 miles of running to go..."
I often get to zero and start over...
I do imagine doing a 100 miler one day although I have doubts that it will ever happen (not willing or able to put the time in for training).
I would not be surprised if I start singing this to myself on a remote stretch of the Chattooga 50k coming up in 2 weeks.
Good night.

Previous 2 weeks (Since Relay): One week off and one Big week!

One Week Off:
After the relay - I went to Florida for a few days visiting family and logged a total of 5.5 miles in one run (on a 68° 5am morning run). One run in 6 days - yep, that's right. Motivation waned, had a sore ankle/shin and the heat/humidity of central Florida helped me decide to take it easy. Driving ~11 hours back was not sop fun either. But I was home for that Friday where I relaxed, unpacked and thought I'd try to make up some miles that weekend and I think I did ok. Sat: 10.2 miles, followed by cutting our grass (just think Hill Workout), then 3 hours walking around at a local downtown street event (Artisphere). Sun: Another 16.2 miles - so I still ended up with almost 32 miles for the week. Only note for Sunday is running with other people makes it so much easier. Ran 2-3 miles with 2 women and it seemed to go by quickly and easily.
One Big Week:
After my normal Monday yoga session - Tuesday logged 7.7 miles and felt good. Legs seemed somewhat fresh. Missed that! Wednesday, planned another 7.7, but added a bit more and stopped at 8.5. Still a bit fresh and my fastest mile was again my last one. Both days ran a steady pace, slightly slower on Wed. Rested Thursday. Friday, ran 10.2 miles before work (as I always do). Sleep was difficult this week as my 18 month old would frequently wake up at 1am, or 3am, or 4am (on my rest day) and be up for an hour or 3. There were at least three straight days of waking up at 4am or earlier. That run was fine though, not so much energy, but it was a hot and humid 68° again. The following day was Saturday. In order to not miss as much of the day with my family, I woke at 4:30am again. I was out running at 5:45am and ran on the road around Oak Grove. It was 70° and to mimic the Chattooga River race, I ran with just a water bottle the first 7 miles (what I think I'll do on race morning for the first out and back section), then put on my camelbak. I decided to go with my smallest one with a 2L bladder and that seemed to work well. Packed a bagel and some Gu, plus a power bar and got 5 more miles in before it was time to head over to Paris Mtn State Park. It opens at 8am and I was meeting
Kathrin and Terry (2 Relay teammates) to run the Greenville Track Club's Xterra 15k Trail course. We are doing that race in 2 weeks and decided we needed to run the course at least once. Did ok on the flat section, but had some difficulty with the steepest section. Kathrin wasn't feeling her best, so she cut it short once we made it to the top. The next section I am very familiar with and we cruised until we went around the upper lake and headed back in. I needed to walk quite a bit as my legs were heavy and had little energy. Couldn't get cool either - by that I mean not just back to normal Hot. I did better coming back into the upper parking lot and took it easy on the Steep downhill before doing so-so on the flat section to finish up. Just under 2 hours for those 9.3 miles, but with the heat and already having gone 12 miles - doing 12+ minute miles on trails at mile 21 for the day I'll take. I was tempted to walk an extra 2.4 miles to break 50 for the week (Mon thru Sun), but had somewhere to be. Still - 47.7 is the most I've ever done. That was actually in 5 days too. I can always look at my 7 day stretch where I ran 63.9 miles. Who knew I could do that?! (Looking back, I had done 62 once before, and nothing else over 49 I think). I still find it hard to fathom being on my feet, moving forward for (hopefully, Less than) 8 hours while I do this 50k. I know my training has been lacking the longer hours on my feet (~5 hours), but I am going with what I've done...so -
My Taper begins! Whew.