Post-Christmas Goodies

The past few days have been quiet but satisfying in their own peaceful way.

I am looking forward to 2014, there's been so much stress and unrest in my life this past year. So much energy goes into the fight. I'm not complaining, because there are some things worth fighting for.

The Badwater issue is concerning, but I'm not thinking about it too much, there isn't much I can do right now. I wrote my letters, I'll stay on top of the news and do what needs to be done to support Chris and his events.

As far as healthcare problems, they are part of the larger problem of unchecked corporate power, and that is what needs to be fought. The nursing battles are partially due to the corporate power-mongering but also the establishment dinosaurs of the nursing profession. I can only put so much energy into that.

Maybe what needs to happen is that nursing as a profession implodes as a result of the lack of a support structure. Sad but maybe that's what needs to happen. Nurses are the glue that hold health care together. Only the people in power don't recognize that. It's all so incredibly frustrating, as a person who doesn't do bullshit, especially corporate bullshit, well.

I am going to focus on getting my own work up and off the ground, and running. And I don't have the patience for the establishment culture! Life is short. I need to concentrate on doing good for those I can empower and help, and enjoy it.

I just feel like I need to back off from the fight and focus on my own priorities at this time. Not that I don't think there are causes worthy of supporting. I do, and I still support them. I just need a little break from fist-clenching.

We aren't big on holidays around here. We did go down on Christmas day to visit Dennis's mom, and we took her out to eat at a Mexican restaurant. Just hung out and she showed us pictures of a gazillion grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It's weird that we fit in the grandparents generation now. We are great-aunt and uncle to a lot of kids on his side of the family. So many, I've lost count and can't keep up!

The weather has been spectacular, in the 50s and sunny, the ice is melting enough to clear off some of the sidewalks so they aren't so treacherous, which is a nice break to have at mid-winter. I have some new shoe spikes I'm wanting to use and review as soon as we get our next snowfall.

I've backed off on work for a while, there isn't too much I can do during the holidays because everything is shut down or people I need to talk with are on vacation. So I'm enjoying the break.

I've spent a little time in the afternoons hot tubbing, drinking wine, or cooking, and drinking beer. None of which I should be doing, but I will get it in gear. I'm as guilty of holiday indulgence as anyone else. And I will get my butt in gear at the first stroke of 2014. I'll probably have been asleep for two or three hours by then, but you get the idea.

Tonight I am cooking and hanging out with the girls while waiting for Dennis to come home from work. I've had some great workouts the past two weeks. My legs are tired constantly, but it's a good tired. I've been hitting the weights, in the pool, on the bike, getting my core work done, and running, of course. The running mileage has been low to moderate, somewhere around 35 to 50 miles a week, but I'm making progress.

I'm searching for a couple of good ultras in late March and early August in the neighborhood of 50 miles-12 hours-100K for training runs. Some of the ultra calendars haven't been updated yet.

The other things that have happened are that my book review of the Summit Seeker was picked up by an online publication from the U.K., Barefoot Running. It's worth checking this publication out, really well-done.

And they re-opened the tunnel that connects the east and west sides of town along the Spring Creek Trail, which is a bike path in Fort Collins that I often run during the winter months. I went for a run the day after Christmas and discovered something new. A memorial bench of a cyclist I knew in town, who passed away last November. The bench sits along the Spring Creek Trail.

I think those benches are the coolest thing. They are a such a great way to memorialize someone. I sat down for a while and could vividly recall his face and his voice. Now I know there will always be someone cheering for me as I run past that spot.

Over the coming week I plan to do one or two local races, neither of which will be anything impressive. There is the New Years Day run at Runners Roost and the Tortoise and Hare 8K next weekend with the running club. Get my butt in gear and start moving!

Sunset Flight

The past few days have been uncomfortably hot around here and it's been sapping my energy, but I've managed to get some decent bike rides in and some good walking. I'm starting a regular cross-training program as of Monday and I'll be feeling much better soon. I've been watching the birds and squirrels, they have been more active and they know the days are getting shorter.

Yesterday I met with a local coach, Wendy, to get her opinion on what's been off with my training. When you coach yourself, you can get tunnel vision and miss certain things that are obvious to someone from the outside. I've been at the bottom of a pit.

I already knew subconsciously, or even consciously, that I've been neglecting, hills, strength, and core work. All I've been doing for a long time is running roads and flats, few hills, with very minimal work on my abs and core, no weights, which amounts to almost no overall strength training. My performances plateaued, I can run forever, I have great aerobic capacity, but I am vulnerable to injury as a result of the staleness and lack of variety in my training. Wendy pointed that out to me in 5 minutes, and I've been marginally aware of the need to do all this but had little motivation.

Also, the lack of strength training has most likely reduced my muscle mass, which also reduces my metabolic rate, leading to fat gain. I need to shake things up. I've just had zero motivation, it seems like mental exhaustion and physical fatigue have been taking over. And I know why...the thing I've been bitching about for so long, I'm burned out and frustrated with my job and it's sucking the life out of me. Feeling physically, mentally, and spiritually depleted is not good. Extreme depletion precedes defeat. I will not allow this to get me to the point where I feel defeated.

Change is coming, and soon. The feeling of relief washes over me like waves in the ocean. I feel like I'm floating in the water, or lifting off the ground.

Work Hangover Wednesday: Walking

It's the end of the day and I almost didn't blog because I didn't feel hungover from work. I did slip into the negative mindset for a short time but I caught myself and remembered what was important, and getting back to a positive vacation frame of mind was the key.

The thing I always do on vacation is walk. I try to cover as much territory on foot as possible because that's how you can really observe and see people, places, and things, up close, and interact with them. At home in my usual routine I'm usually running, and that's part of training, so walking gets cast aside. I think in a way this injury has been a blessing, because I need to walk now, it's a key part of reclaiming myself after this stressful episode in my life.

Tuesday morning I was on my way into work and I ran into an advance practice nurse I've known since I started this job, she has been with the organization a long time and is good at what she does. I initiated the usual start to the conversation: "How are you doing?" and these days, when greeting my fellow nurses, it doesn't get answered with a smile and a confident-sounding, "Good".

Instead, now it's always "Okay. You know...been better." with a downward deflection of the voice.

That's exactly how she answered me. She asked me what I thought of things, and I told her, honestly, how disappointed I am in the way things have gone. She agreed with me, and she's also considering alternatives. Later in the morning I ran into another nurse who has been there forever, and she told me she is working on starting her own business, doing something related to nursing. It's sad to see so many people echoing the same feelings and escapist ideas. Even the people you thought would never have left.

Today I slept in until 8:30, which is rare for me. I needed it. That's why I didn't have a work hangover, even after a busy, long day on Tuesday. Since we got back from California I haven't slept well, with my work schedule it's hard to get a good night's sleep anyway.

I started this morning with a walk with Iris, Isabelle didn't want to go. I tried, but she refused. When an Australian Shepherd makes up her mind not to do something, that is how it is. So she stayed home. During the walk with Iris I was able to stop myself from thought perseveration on the frustrations of work, and turn my attention to better things. I began to come up with ideas, and those ideas became organized thoughts, and when I got home I was able to write things down.

I didn't put too much pressure on myself to work on anything too hard, I just got a few things done and then called Troy, and he came into town around 12:30 and we went for a bike ride for a couple of hours to Loveland and back. I felt like I got a good workout, didn't ride overly hard but steady. The pool at EPIC is closed until the middle of September and until then I can either find a different pool or just stick to the bike and minimal running. I'm figuring out a training plan that will keep me fit but not too tired so I have plenty of energy to work on the important business of my future.

After the bike ride I went for another walk, to think and clear my mind. It was a hot afternoon, and I tried to rehydrate myself. Walking always helps the thoughts flow so much better. I did a ton of walking on vacation, and I think it will save me if I continue to do it now, when I need more than ever to be able to think clearly, make plans, and move forward. Each day, just a few more steps forward, and I will get where I'm going.

Like I always tell Wheaties Boy when he asks me about my approach to a race I've trained hard for, I have a job to do. So I go there and do it until it's done.

I have a job to do. I'm not waiting for anybody's mediocre B.S. to get in the way of my ability to do something satisfying and meaningful to me, and helpful to others, I'm doing it myself.

Life is too short to wait, too short for mediocrity, and too short for B.S.

Today's Harvest

An hour run in the pool today, plus afterwards I jumped in the lap lanes and swam 100 meters. That was all. I can't even remember how to flip myself over at the end of the lane. I am a really pathetic swimmer. But I have to start somewhere. Maybe tomorrow I can swim 200 meters. Or 400. I did figure out that early in the day is best, there are no kids at the pool that early. Peace and quiet is what I need.

I felt quite the work hangover this morning, in the form of brain fog. I woke up at my usual time but was unable to fall asleep last night until late. This morning getting out of bed I felt a big pop in my back, and then I felt better. Not sure if things realigned themselves, or what, but running in the pool felt great and I'm not in pain today.

I stopped by Whole Foods to order a cake for a coworker, we're celebrating her birthday this Saturday, and they had this Hatch Green Chile Corn Chowder that smelled irresistible. I got a small container of that and had it for lunch.

In the back yard I picked some yellow squash that were starting to grow too big, today's harvest of cherry tomatoes which are out of control, and the few raspberries that got ripe since yesterday. There is no end to the things you can do with cherry tomatoes.

I'm enjoying this low key day, with my Buffaloes. When Dennis gets home we're going out, it's his birthday. Time for a nap, for now.

And Now for Something Completely Different...

This morning I started officially cross training because I have finally admitted to myself that I am injured and the way I've been training has not gotten me the results I'd like to see.

So this morning I went over to the pool and ran for an hour with my friend Connie. I got my butt out of bed at 6, groggy as hell, but I did it.

Connie and I did a bike ride together on Saturday and she mentioned the pool thing again. I know she does pool running regularly and I have never gotten off my lazy butt to go over to the pool and do it myself, thinking, since I wasn't injured, I didn't need to.

Connie, on the other hand, is still rehabbing a serious injury- last spring she was riding her bike and crashed, landing on her hip and shoulder, broke the top of her femur, and damaged tendons in her shoulder. She is doing well and is able to run a little, but she's on the bike, in the pool, and walking mostly. She gets all the hardware taken out next month.

I used to swim when I was in graduate school and I also used to run in the pool back in the days before I started doing ultras when I was always injured. But maybe I should have been doing it all along.

Yesterday I spent a while searching before I found my swim goggles and my swimsuit. The goggles were buried in an avalanche of Badwater gear. In the past twenty years I've only used swim goggles for sandstorms in the desert.

The swimsuit hasn't had much use, either. Fortunately I could still fit in it! I did not have a swim cap and I bought one this morning after our pool run. I ran with Connie in circles in the deep end for an hour and could have kept going but thought I might want to see how this feels on my hamstring before I start pushing it. So far, feels okay.

After the run, I felt incredible. I get such an endorphin high after being in the water. I remember that feeling after swimming, too. I decided I'm going back to it, even if only once a week for now. I didn't swim today, but I'd like to do some of that again, too.

I'm thinking maybe I can get more benefit out of the Tabata workouts if I do them in the pool or on the bike. I really think that's how I injured the hamstring, the Tabata sprints were too intense for my slow legs.

The flowers haven't slowed down, even with the slightly shorter days and cooler temperatures we've been having.

I'm stretching and strengthening the hamstring now and I need to figure out a training program, but it's all going to have to wait until September, I need to get through the next few weeks and then vacation, and then I'll be ready to stick to something. For now, I'm enjoying the buzz.

Back to Running, Back to Life

Maybe all I needed was a good workout or two, some naps, and a few margaritas, but I feel like myself again. So far this week every day that I wasn't working I ran at least 10 miles, and three days I rode the bike 20 or more miles. All that's left is the weekend and I'm planning on a long run even if all I can do is shuffle. I need to get back to it, it's the end of July!

I was tired, three hour naps have been part of my afternoons all week, plus sleeping through the night. I wanted to go up to Estes Park today but sleep won, I think I'll have to skip it this week, do a long run here, and find a day next week to go back up there. I don't like to go up there on the weekends in the summer because the highway is jammed and everybody and their left nut is on the trail. Not worth it if you want peace and quiet.

The hamstring is feeling better as the week progresses. I'm still afraid to pick up the pace but I have plenty of time. I'm 14 weeks out from the 24 hour race, which allows for a two week taper and 12 weeks of training if I count this week as the beginning. I should end up with roughly 60-70 miles of running and about 100 miles on the bike this week. I'll continue with the bike as long as the weather allows, keep building the running miles, and see how the hamstring does. I can always do Tabata and intervals on the bike if I need to. It's the fitness I need, not the running speed.

Next week Wheaties Boy is doing his first triathlon ever, a half Ironman, and I want to go down to Boulder and catch some of it. Not sure how much I'll get to see but I'd like to at least see part of the ride and run segments. I have been considering doing some swimming this coming winter. I have no desire whatsoever to do triathlons though. I'm a runner.

I have a hard time getting my act together to go to the pool and it's been about 25 years since I've done any real swimming in a pool, so I'm sure I will be the world's worst swimmer. Wheaties Boy claims he was the world's worst swimmer when he started. If he can do a mile open water swim he can't be that bad. My goal would be to go from the world's worst to just bad.

As long as my hamstring continues on this improvement trajectory, I will go ahead and run in Wisconsin next month and get as long of a training run as possible there. For now I need to start getting more long days in to build the strength that pays off in the 24 hour. I also need to get some hill training in consistently.

I don't need to do too many super long runs before October but I need to get something in, 30-40 miles should be plenty. I'll do one in early August and one more in late September. Between those two long runs and the 12 hour run in Wisconsin I should be okay. The consistent 20+ mile days are more important anyway. Recovering from longer runs, especially if they are hard, is what takes away from training.

My strategy in October's race will be something like shuffling as much as possible and keeping the walking to a minimum to get as many forward miles as possible. On that course, with the three hills, there will be enough places to do planned walks, that if I can keep moving at a steady slow shuffle those little hills shouldn't be much of an issue.

We're making progress on the yard, two beds built, three to go, and I planted two more trees in the middle of the grass today, one on each side of the yard. We got some good rain earlier this week and I'm hoping for more. The new apricot and apple trees are growing and we haven't had to water all that much.

It will be next year before we can plant anything in them, but I'm excited to get back to real gardening. I can't believe it's already the end of July. I'm starting to think about next year and this year hasn't even happened yet. I did two things this week to prepare for next year: put in time off requests for the first week in April in case I get into Umstead 100 or American River 50, and for the middle of July so I can go out to work medical at Badwater next summer. There's talk of a 24/48/6 day race on a climate-controlled indoor 400 meter track in Alaska next summer, but I'm not so sure I want to go all the way to Alaska and then run indoors.

I need an adventure.

Dawn of the Dead

I survived the work week from hell, and I could not wait to get moving again, as in, running and moving forward on my feet, outside, in the fresh air, outside of the confines of our cramped, windowless little work dungeon.

When I got off work Sunday night my feet hurt, and my legs ached. It's one thing to keep moving, but all this new charting stuff has me standing there. There aren't a lot of opportunities to actually sit down. It's hard to stand in one place for so long, even if I try to shift my weight and move around, it kills my legs. I should have worn compression socks to work this week, I didn't even think of that.

Around 2 or 3 am I woke up with pain in both calves. It felt like my veins were going to explode. I wondered if I was getting varicose veins from my job. I went back to sleep.

This morning Dennis's alarm woke me up at 6, and I wasn't ready to wake up. I wasn't quite sure if I was alive, or just dreaming. I tried to go back to sleep but that wasn't working, so I got up, had coffee, and dragged my butt out the door with Iris.

Iris was more interested in a wild leash dance than a walk, so we went a few blocks and then she decided to turn around and head for home. It was already getting warm. I did some core work and a few pushups.

The woman cave looked inviting this morning but I had too many things I needed to do. Workouts were my top priority, despite my exhaustion.

I drank a protein shake and then went out with a frozen bottle of water. The plan was to get 10 miles for the day. It was already heating up and humid by Colorado standards, and I was suffering, mostly because my legs were so dead from standing on them for so many hours this weekend. During the run I had to stop a few times just to give my legs a break. They were toast.

After 7 miles I was done, I felt like I was barely moving. I figured I could get a few more miles in the evening if I had the energy. I went home, did a few errands, and then I was meeting Troy for a bike ride at 1 pm. While I was waiting to go I fell asleep on the couch.

The 20 minute nap refreshed me somewhat. When he showed up we rode out to Cottonwood Glen park and then up north by the cement plant and lake north of town, then back to my house, a little more than 31 miles. It was 90 degrees when we finished. All my water bottles thawed and got hot.

I went over to Sprouts to buy food for dinner and Dennis texted me to say he was on his way home and wanted to run. Perfect opportunity to get my miles in. I was hot, sweaty and more tired than I was in the morning, but I made myself go. We did 3 miles, I whined the whole way, but when we finished I had over 10 for the day. Not a peep out of the hamstring.

Now I feel much better, and I should be able to sleep too. I can't wait to feel human again. I wonder how many days that will take?

California Dreaming

Sitting here...

Wishing I could be there...

It wasn't a bad weekend as far as workouts went. I did the 8 mile hike to Chasm Lake and the vertical, and it didn't bother me. Then Saturday I ran an hour, did a little lifting and core work, which has me sore today, but it's a good sore in the right places. My hamstring felt fine during the run, I only did 10 minute miles, and it was humid like Florida! I know that picking up the pace is not a good idea right now. But it was good to be able to do the run without a peep out of the hamstring.

Today when I got up, I did some more abdominal work that I didn't finish Saturday, and then I went for a 25 mile bike ride, without pushing the hills too hard. I decided to not run today and give the hamstring a break since I'd like to be able to run the next two days, for my sanity. I can run in the morning before work Monday and then Tuesday I'm off, so I figured this was a good time to rest it.

I won't have a lot of time to run this coming week and that will be good, it will force me to have another full week of down time from intense workouts. The hamstring has definitely improved and the groin does not seem to be any problem at all.

I was thrilled to read that Joe Fejes broke the Vol-State record, he ran the 314 miles across Tennessee in 3 days and 8 hours. Awesome job, Joe! And Lisa Smith-Batchen is doing a Badwater quadruple crossing this year. I know she'll enjoy every step of the way and do great.

Even if I'm not running Badwater, I always have the best time with the medical team, I am just as happy to do that instead of running the race. But I'm missing it, the magic of being there in that spectacular place, in that huge space surrounded by colorful rocks, cradled by salt flats, and covered by blue sky in the day and mind-blowing stars at night.

I really do wish everyone a fantastic time and that everyone has the fun, memorable, and safe race experience they worked so hard to achieve. It's painful to not be there, because I know how I feel every time I am there, and also how motivated and inspired I feel every time I come back. It always helps me put things back in their proper perspective.

Each time I come back from Death Valley, being surrounded by so many strong, positive, enthusiastic and supportive people, I realize again that the little stupid things we deal with day to day, like the pettiness of people who have no life outside of their power-grabbing, insecurity-induced fears, and relationally aggressive habits, are not what life is about.

There are so many of those people, who often rise to the just the right place and become roadblocks in their desperation to maintain control behind masks and facades that attempt to hide their self-loathing misery. If you're not careful, their sociopathic cruelty, lack of empathy and insensitivity can stop you in your tracks and make you question your entire purpose for going forward and existing.

This is a fact of life and the working world, unfortunately, it happens everywhere. But I find it awfully ironic that nurses do this to each other, and they're probably among the worst! So next time you hear someone refer to nurses as angels, not only is that a rather backward, sexist comment, but it's also as far from the truth as you can get. No, nurses are not angels. Many of them are hard-working, intelligent, kind people with good hearts who sincerely care to help other people, but there are enough mean girls out there to more than make up for the good intentions of any halo-sporting people in scrubs. Don't be fooled.

Life is about enjoying what you do. You have to be happy. It's important to be in a non-toxic environment, around people who are happy and secure enough in themselves that they don't play games. People who can feel joy in other people's successes, and can continue to believe in themselves without feeling like someone else's success somehow takes away from theirs. That is what is so great about ultrarunning, the supportive environment of athletes who understand that we're all just trying to do the best that we can as individuals, and that is what contributes to the positive energy that helps others push themselves to greater achievements.

Badwater is something I really need for my head right now. But I'll have to be content with what is. I go back tomorrow to work, and I'll be doing 5 shifts over the next 7 days, which will likely kill me, but in case I don't die, someone please put me out of my misery the following week, when I'm trying to recover from it. I just hope that they have plenty of support available through the entire week for all this new computer stuff. After a month I imagine it will become routine.

I can always have escape fantasies about Death Valley. Instead of driving down Lemay Avenue, I can be driving down this road.

It's been a quiet, low-key weekend. It rained some, and it got humid. Better than the bone-dry weather we had the past few years.

When the sky looks like this, Isabelle hides out in the woman cave.

Dennis was busy working on the area where we will be putting raised beds for the garden. He was practicing for when we go to Manhattan Beach, working on his tan and beefing up his runner's body for the Cuervo girls.

Work Hangover Wednesday: An Epic Hangover

We're finally getting some beautiful spring weather. I'm hoping to get a few days to enjoy it here, before it goes into an all-out heat wave.

I wrapped up last week with an 8 mile elephant legs run followed by a 29 mile bike ride with Troy in the afternoon. We had a killer cross wind on the ride, but we made good time for the distance. My legs were burning as I fought the wind.

I got 40 miles of running in for the week, all at a painfully slow pace. Then I started my work week, which consists of two 8 hour days of computer training, then a few days off, followed by two 12 hour shifts on the weekend. So I'm headed into the days off segment now. The reason why it's an Epic hangover is that the name of the computer system we are training for is Epic. All of our documentation will be in this Epic system, which actually is not so bad, once you get used to it...

but sitting on my butt for two days in a classroom in front of a computer was about the most exhausting thing I can imagine. I got home both days after class and all I could do was take a two hour nap. I was zonked. It sucked the life out of me.

I was so pathetically wimpy that I didn't run on the computer training days, even though the weather was perfect, cloudy one day, then nice and cool and breezy with sunshine. I figured since I have been feeling so sluggish, another two days off won't hurt me. If anything it will give me more rest if that's what I need, and if not, it will just make me more sluggish, which can only be overcome by running, which I will do for these next 3 days before I go back to work again.

And then I have three weeks of a more normal schedule, which will give me a chance to get back into my running routine. Elephant legs B-GON!

I might even hit the track this week on one of the three days, just to do some 200s or something to get a little turnover without having a serious speed workout. That might be what I really need.

My all-out frustration with things going on in healthcare and in the nursing profession in general have led me to an existential crisis of sorts regarding my future in healthcare, but more specifically, nursing. It makes me sad that I love what I do on a daily basis in my job, really, even when it makes me crazy and exhausted and burned out because of the WAY WE WORK, not because of the THINGS WE DO.

Just the past two days of being in computer training with a small group of the nurses I work with most often, reminds me again that we're all dealing with the same set of circumstances, and we feel the same pressure, and have the same thoughts, questions, frustrations, and fears. And it's not just us. It's EVERYWHERE. I hear the same things from nurses all over the country, and out of the U.S. too. Despite the numbers, something like 3 million registered nurses in the U.S., we have not been able to advocate for changes that would improve not only patient outcomes, but our own working conditions and environments.

I've been torn between a few things, I have so much to say on the topic that it's enough for another blog, easily, but I don't want to start another blog. It would take too much time and energy to commit to another regular blog when I need to start channeling the energy of frustration into something constructive.

Writing, for me, is so therapeutic, and I have a lot to say. I need a lot of therapy! My friend Geri Kilgariff has been after me for years to write a book, so has Dennis, and I think I'm finally at the point where I have accumulated enough material that I could discipline myself into refining and shaping it into something other than a blog. So that's one project I need to get going on. I might have close to 1000 pages of written material on nursing alone over the past 8 years since I started nursing school.

The other project is to figure out a way to move myself forward despite the lack of anything but lateral opportunities in nursing, unless I wanted to become a nurse practitioner, which I don't, or go into management, which is about as appealing as dog poop. Actually I think dog poop is much more appealing and I would rather roll in it than go into management of anything.

So I am in the process of exploring how to expand on my current skills, knowledge, and interests to give me some opportunities while the profession of nursing stays inert and stagnant, choking as healthcare reform swallows it up and the vicious cycle begins again. Between my two projects, maybe I can help myself and do something to impact nursing in a positive way. My snarky side wants to say I could do something to disimpact nursing, which is really part of nursing's problem.

So, that said, I'm ready to get on with it. I've been a slacker for almost 5 weeks. Tomorrow, no excuses, it's back to running, and a more structured schedule. I have the Casper Marathon coming up in 11 days!

Supafast!

I woke up this morning at 4:42 am, which sucks. Just woke up, sweating as usual.

It's a Saturday and I thought I would have to force myself out of bed at 6 am so I could run the Heart Center 5K at Boyd Lake. Starts so early for November, 8:30 am. It's cold. So glad I didn't sign up for the half marathon, which is really the main event, I think. That would have hurt.

It was freaking freezing at the start. My hands were ice cubes, and I was wearing all sorts of layers, most of which I forced myself to remove before I ran over to line up at the start. I was thinking, how can they call ultrarunners crazy? Here are hundreds of people, in the freezing cold on a Saturday morning when they could sleep in, and they want to sprint 3 miles and tear every muscle in their bodies.

THAT'S CRAZY.

Oh, wait...I was out there with them.

I ran my warmup in the beautiful sunrise, and of course I took some pictures of the mountains west of Loveland.

I considered running in my Brooks Adrenalines. It's a 5K. But after I ran the course as a warmup, I thought, what a dork. They're not racing flats, but I feel really silly wearing lightweight shoes, as if I think I'm Supafast...

And it's not the fastest course in the world either, not certified, starts out in a sand pit for the first 50 meters, has a half mile section on dirt and grass, and bike paths that have lots of curves. But what the hell, part of my training. I settled on my usual tank shoes, the Addictions.

I waited to the last minute to line up at the start, I stayed in my car until then. When I got to the crowd of people, you couldn't tell which end was the fast people and which was the back. Everyone was asking and nobody knew.

So when we finally figured out which way the race was starting, they lined us up in a sand pit- which was part of a playground. The first 50 meters or so were across this deep, soft sand pit until we could all get up on the narrow bike path. So you get a little burst of lactic acid built up right out of the starting line.

The first mile was uphill, and when I got to the one mile mark, I looked at my watch and almost started laughing. 8:26. It feels like I'm running my ass off, and all I can do is 8:26? I just kept pushing, thinking, this is going to be pathetic.

I don't know if the mile markers were off, or even if the course is accurate, but my two mile split was 16:15, and that included the cross country section on a rutted dirt two-track. I hit the finish line in 24:26, which is still sub-8 minute pace, not bad for one week out of racing an ultra. Far from Supafast.

I actually felt strong and consistent the whole time. Though I did finish second in my age group by 2 minutes, I got beat by some 41 year old chick...with no ass, I might add. I'll get you, my pretty...and your little dog, too!!!! Just wait 'til I get some real speedwork...and if all else fails, only 16 months to the new age group! Ha!

On the agenda for tomorrow is the second of back to back 5Ks: the Tortoise & Hare 5K in the morning at Warren Park. Fort Collins Running Club T & H events are low-key, and there's been a good turnout lately. The run is at 8 am, but that's really 9 am because we're turning the clocks back tomorrow, ugh. No dragging myself out of bed.

I prefer daylight savings time. I like for it to be light later into the evening. Mornings are for quiet, who cares if it's dark. But at least in the fall we get an extra hour to sleep. And for once I'm not working on time change weekend. How did that happen?

I got on the bike again Friday and took the day off from running. I was having little aches and pains after my 15 mile day on Thursday. I can tell I haven't been on the bike. Why? Sore butt.

Tomorrow I'll ride with Troy, even though it won't be cold out, he is motivating me to get my butt on the bike and make it a point to ride when the weather cools down.

Troy is my motivation for a lot of things, including starting this blog 5 years ago, and getting me off my ass to run Badwater in the first place back in 2008. He's an amazing dude, he's like a human 4 wheel drive vehicle, he's like a tank on the outside, with a marshmallow on the inside...

He's been through the wringer this year, actually this year topped off the last couple of years. His wife, Ornella, died this past April from ovarian cancer. They had been dealing with it for 10 years, but the last few years have been extremely hard for them, as she kept getting sicker and weaker despite her refusal to give up on treatment.

I've written about her before on this blog, and how they both motivated me to raise funds for the cancer center and just to get off my butt and do the things I dreamed of doing. Life is short, and you never know what can happen from day to day. Don't put things off.

So then in June when the High Park fire started, Troy was forced to evacuate his home for several weeks, and the fire came way too close- just the next ridge over was burnt to a crisp along with the houses there. And then a few weeks after he came home, a truck was coming down the road with some logs and ran him off the road into the ditch, tearing a hole in his oil pan and doing a bunch of damage to the car.

He's getting over a recent bike wreck where he got hit by a car on his bike and broke 6 ribs, that was just about 8 weeks ago, and I think if it were me I'd be freaked out about getting back on the bike, at least on the roads, but he was determined to get back to it and has been riding for a few weeks already. Like a tank, we should all be that strong and resilient.

I'm not that hard core when it comes to the bike, but I can pretty much get myself out to run in anything cold, wet and windy, even though I whine like a big baby about anything cold and wet. So when I think of Troy, I remind myself that my minor discomfort is no excuse.

Looking back over the past couple of years, I ran two races where it was COLD, at Across the Years in 2010, and at 24 the Hard Way last week. I have done so much heat training over the past several years that I think my body's thermostat has been permanently altered, or at least my perception of the heat is changed. I have become a COLD WIMP!

Then this summer I whined about the heat, because my body is now into hot flash mode, and cool air actually feels good. But as I discovered last weekend in Oklahoma, and again this morning, I'm still not used to running in it. I was wearing three layers while other people were in shorts and tank tops!

So one of my projects for this winter is to make myself be less of a cold wimp. I did go to REI yesterday and bought shoe covers and super warm gloves for cold weather cycling. Doesn't look like I'll get to use them for at least another week, though, with our weather forecast.

The plan for next year's racing is falling into place. I've picked out about a dozen races, mostly training run half marathons and marathons, but I have 3 ultras already in mind and I'm still in search of that fast 50 miler. Or two. If anyone knows of a good, fast road 50 early in September, preferably on a loop course, that's not a major hassle to get to or to deal with once you're there, please send your suggestions my way!

I need to go take these Buffaloes for a run before they stare holes through my back...

Eight Weeks To Spring!

Happy November! How did THAT happen? What ever happened to this year? Spring is just around the corner!

To remind you in case you forgot, in Alene's world, January marks the first day of spring. In my world, winter only lasts about 10 days, the time from winter solstice to January 1st.

I am having a good recovery week after my race, I've been on the bike, and I got a couple of good runs in today for a total of about 15 miles. My legs feel a bit tired but not bad at all.

This morning I took the girls out in this sunrise. Isabelle did almost 2 miles, Iris did 3 1/2. Then I went out and did a few more on my own with strides.

Tonight I ran with Wheaties Boy, we did an 8 mile run. We actually kept a decent pace, like 9 minute miles, but it wasn't anything I'd call a hard workout. It just forced me to turn my legs over faster than I would have by running alone. And we got to catch up on news and running plans, since we've missed our runs together for a few weeks.

I have my week figured out, I'll get on the bike again Friday with an easy run, then the 5K with extra miles afterward on Saturday, and a bike ride with Troy on Sunday, plus some easy running. This is my easy week since I didn't taper before the race, it's my reverse taper.

And next week, it's back to business. I have a 24 hour race to train for...

Surly Siri

This morning I woke up late and felt all out of sorts. I have these back cramps in my shoulder blades that won't go away, and my neck is tight. My triceps hurt too. Maybe too much texting and playing with the iPhone? I also had an intense weight workout on Friday. I used to get back cramps when I was running when my thyroid was way off, but this isn't while running, and I know my thyroid isn't off.

My legs are tired. Even my ankle was complaining, barely noticeable, but it was there. What's wrong with me?

I've been struggling with my running so far this spring but I haven't really sat down to make a plan for training this year. All I wanted to do this spring was get ready for the 24 hour and the Double Mick. Nothing super fast, just good endurance. I feel strong, but I'm slow and starting to feel a bit stale. My legs feel dead, and I haven't been doing any high mileage, racing, or anything out of the ordinary. There must be a reason.

I decided to ask Siri. Dennis got an iPhone 4S, that's how I got to talk to Siri. My phone is Siri-less.

If Siri is wondering, then I need to do some research on my own.

Finally I got smart last night and looked at my running log. For the past 6 weeks I've been doing moderate mileage, between 50 and 75 a week, but I haven't taken any rest weeks since late January! I wasn't paying attention. That was dumb. I tend to do better when I have frequent rest weeks in between high mileage weeks, and I need to do that. Stat!

So I have designated this coming week as an official rest week. I will ride the bike some, and do a minimum of running. Weather should be nice for riding, except for some predicted wind. But as long as it's warm, it's okay.

This afternoon I got the Surly out to go for a short easy ride. Except after I inflated the tires on the Surly, I looked at it and realized that somehow the shifter cable became detached from the derailleur and I am not a bike mechanic, and I have a low frustration tolerance with mechanical things anyway. I was sort of pissed, grumbling about how I just wanted to go out for an easy ride and I have to deal with all this crap.

That's why I'm a runner. Plus this gives me another errand to do: get the Surly fixed and tuned up so I can ride! But I have my backup.

So I dragged the vintage Fat Chance out, inflated the tires, looked over it once, and took it out for the first ride of it's 27th season. But first I had to get out of my cleats and get into some old shoes, that slide in and out of the toeclips of the Fat Chance. I keep forgetting I have a blister on the inside of my big toe. I need to get back to doing pedicures and taking care of my feet before the Double Mick.

I did ten miles easy, no big hills, no hard efforts. It felt good to relax and be brainless for a while. I'm tired. I don't have to think, and I can ask Siri. She's got my back.

It's still spring. Did you know that Siri spelled backward is Iris? That's why Iris has all the answers. And she can be surly, too.

Groundhog Day: What a Drag!

This is my new toy, just started playing with it this week.

Dennis and I put this tire drag together using Marshall's instructions, and it took all of an hour and a half to do it, including gathering the supplies. I used a free old tire from a junkyard, got about 10 feet of climbing rope and a carabiner from REI, a bungee cord, and a padded weight belt for $20 from Sports Authority. Total cost less than $30.

First, the inspector had to check it out, for quality control.

Once it met Isabelle's approval, I tried it out.

It works. It's awesome! Now I have to figure out some good places to play, with a nice grade, where there isn't much traffic and there won't be too many gawkers.

I'll be using this to help me prepare for my little adventure this summer. I'm still looking into used baby joggers on e-Bay and other places. I'll be making reservations this month, and once I have things fairly well-organized, I'll blog about it.

Fourteen miles this morning, two with the buffs, one with the tire, and 11 more unattached. I ran the Power Trail. It's sort of a gloomy morning, the clouds are hanging out and the breeze is starting to pick up. It wasn't too cold, maybe 35 degrees, but I wore three layers on top and my thickest tights anyway. This is my work weekend so I don't have a lot of days to run this week. That's okay, as long as I get my quality workouts in. I need to do hills and I hope it's not brutally cold and windy tomorrow for that. But if it is, I'll tough it out anyway.

It is February and the days are noticeably longer. It was still light at 5 pm. Another 5 weeks and we change the clocks again. Can that be possible? Spring is on its way, even if we get hit with a snowy month or two this year.

If you follow the famous rodent, Punxsutawney Phil, he saw his shadow this morning, so it looks like 6 more weeks of winter. Judging by our weather forecast, that is true. We've lost our sunny 50+ degree days for at least the next week. But the forecast isn't too bad, just a bit colder with a little snow, nothing major expected. I'm not a big fan of Phil. I say it's just a brief reprieve from spring, which has already been here for a month. Positive thoughts.

Whitewalls up!