Across the Years: Phreezing in Phoenix

Going in, I thought I would have a good race. I trained on the ideal course, a flat dirt loop where I could pace myself perfectly. But suffering through 18 degree mornings and windy afternoons with 40 mph gusts late this fall I didn't realize that I was also training for the exact conditions I would face at Across the Years this year.

The race fell on a week where the Phoenix area would have record cold conditions, plus a relentless rainstorm that turned the dirt track at Nardini Manor into a quagmire with a lake in the middle. I lucked out by running on the last 2 days and missed the rain, thunderstorms, and flood on the track. Everyone who started on the 29th got to experience that.

I arrived in Phoenix on the 27th after a relaxing 2 day drive with a stop in Albuquerque for green chile. When I got into Phoenix, the traffic was thick like LA, and the sky was clear. The forecast was for not so-nice weather, with an 80% chance of precipitation, but it was hard to imagine with the perfectly clear skies.

I called Dennis when I got to my hotel and he told me the Buffaloes seemed depressed, and Iris was not eating her food. I called the house and left a voice mail message for Iris.

"Iris, this is your mom. I want you to eat your food. Mom is going to be gone for 10 days and I need you to be a good girl and keep up your strength so we can go for runs when I come home. Isabelle, I need you to tell your sister to eat her food."

Dennis played it for them on speaker phone, and he said it worked. Iris ate. On the next call, I sang to them, and they sang back.



I spent the morning of the 28th in my hotel room getting organized. In the afternoon, I headed to the track to set up my tent and pick up my race bag, number, and chip.






The weather still looked perfect. I ran into my Colorado buddy Paul Grimm and my ATY/Badwater/mashed potato buddy Phil Rosenstein from Maryland and we set up our tents next to each other. I saw my friend Lynn Newton, the webmaster, who came out from Ohio. Then Jamie showed up and set up her cute little pink tent with the matching sleeping bag and chair that she got as a bargain and it was small enough to take on the flight from Arkansas. It wasn't quite big enough to lie down in, but who needs sleep?



Jamie and I were staying at the same hotel and we planned to go to dinner together and hang out before the race. I know Jamie from Badwater medical and from other races, including Across the Years 2 years ago, when she won the womens' 48 hour race.

I thought I lost my wallet by leaving it in my tent at the track, so I drove all the way back from the hotel to the track and as I arrived discovered that I had it on me the whole time- in my vest pocket. Instead of a nap that afternoon I was driving.

Jamie and I went out for Mexican food the night of the 28th and we had a hard time finding our way out of the restaurant! We weren't drinking anything stronger than water, either! It's a good thing the race is only in a circle and there are not places to get lost or we'd be in trouble! That night I also had a hard time finding my race bib and timing chip! I hadn't run a step and my brain was already gone! I did find them, though.

At dinner we talked and had a chance to catch up on our lives. We were both lucky to have been offered help by our friend Don Meyer, who is the closest thing to an angel you can find among people. Don was going to work the aid station from 8 pm to 8 am on the night of the 30th, and then he was going to come back on the 1st to help Jamie & I break our tents down and load all our gear back in our cars, which is a major undertaking after you've run 48 hours straight.

On the 29th I headed out to the track again in the morning and watched the race at the beginning. There was a breakneck pace among the two women in the 48 hour race who started that morning, and my friend Paul was running his first 72 hour and was also on a breakneck pace. I took more gear to the tent and set up my table. Then I went back to the hotel to hide out and avoid using any energy.












Around 11 am it started to rain lightly, but throughout the day the rain got progressively harder and I felt bad for everyone on the track that day. I went to the computer in the hotel lobby and checked the race standings. There were about a dozen people in various races who were stacking up the miles but they had a long way to go. I sent Paul a message to put the brakes on and take a mashed potato break, because 72 hours was a long way off!

That night Jamie and I went to Macaroni Grill for dinner and had an easier time finding our way out. When I got back to the room, I called Dennis. The girls were doing better. He told me about a staff member at work who had made a hugely generous donation, and she was also a cancer survivor. I was so touched, I cried. I kept her name in my mind throughout the race, and told him I wanted to thank her personally when I got home.

I slept pretty well the night before my start, but I did wake up and hear the thunder and the wind howling. It dumped rain all night and I imagined the track was muddy. When I woke up in the morning the rain had all but tapered off to a few sprinkles.

I stopped by McDonalds and bought two breakfast sandwiches with bacon, egg, and cheese, and scarfed one down on the way to the track, ate half the other one and stashed the uneaten half in my red box under the table, thinking I'd heat it up later.

The mud on the track was slick and there was a small lake in the middle of the grassy area next to the track. There was mud everywhere in the big tent, and everyone who had been running through the night had mud-covered tights and shoes.



By the start, it was no longer raining and a few blue holes were visible in the clouds. The sun started to come out late in the morning, and a stiff wind picked up, keeping everything cool. After the start, I saw Nathan Coury and Paul Bonnett on the track, raking the mud off and adding dirt. With the wind and the sunshine, the track was in great shape by noon!

It was so much fun, I met some first timer ATY runners like Maryann, and Tammy, and Sarah, all of whom posted great efforts and mileage. I also spent lots of time with my Colorado buddies Dale Perry and Jack Menard. Dale is about twice as tall as I am, and I was hoping to run in his shadow to stop the wind, but I kept running into him in the heated tent instead! Jack was in his first big ultra since going to nursing school a few years ago. We commiserated through nursing school and our first couple of years of nursing together. It was great to see Jack tearing up the miles again.

It was cold throughout the race, but especially with the wind. The warmest place during the entire race was inside the portapotties during the day, when they would heat up from the few hours of sunshine and inside you could be out of the wind. Even the big tent was cold. It was freezing on the track, the sun came out in the afternoons but the wind was gusting 30-40 mph and it was COLD! Just like Fort Collins!

photo: Nathan Nitzky

photo: Nathan Nitzky

At night it was just plain cold, the wind would mostly die down but there was a breeze. I had 2 pairs of tights and windpants on top of those, and on top, I had one or two long sleeved shirts, two thin fleece jackets, a windbreaker, and a thick fleece outer layer, plus a headband, hat, and scarf over my head, and thick gloves.



The entire time, in my pocket, I ran with this little stone. This stone reminds me of all the people I touch with my race stories and those I hope to help in the future by working toward the goal of raising money for the cancer center. I attend a cancer support group called Sharing the Cancer Journey and by listening to the stories and experiences of cancer survivors and those who are undergoing treatment now, I hope it will help me to be a better nurse, to be better at meeting patients' needs. At our Christmas party the facilitators placed these little stones at the tables with words like "love" "hope" and other positive messages. I took "joy" because I think that is what people should have in their lives every day, and that is truly what drives me to run ultras. I think anyone who has watched me run would agree,because I am always smiling in these races.

During my race, I stuck to my plan very well for the first 28 hours. I ate a ton the first afternoon and evening, I have never eaten that much in a race before, and I am generally a good eater anyway. I think I ate more during this race than some people I know eat in an entire week! For about 6 hours it seemed like every other loop I grabbed a bowl of pasta, lasagna, macaroni & cheese, grilled peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, pizza. I also ate a green chile burrito and a bean burrito for dinner. I was trying to pack it away for the next day. I couldn't sleep at all the first night. Even when I got off my feet and lay down in the tent I jumped up after 15 minutes because I wasn't falling alseep.


photo: Nathan Nitzky

But I felt terrible on the second day. My stomach was feeling marginal, I wasn't interested in food and everything I ate made me feel queasy. I stayed with a steady but slow walk for hours. By the time it got dark the second day I had made only 30 miles since the 24 hour mark and I had to pick it up knowing the long night was ahead of me, that the New Years celebration could slow me down, and that at some point I might need a real nap.

I knew I'd have to take more frequent short breaks to get off my feet, the later it got into the race. I knew that I could still make 150 miles but I'd have to stay out there and keep moving consistently, and I wasn't going to be able to take more than minimal breaks. I was determined to do it. I kept getting e-mails and I knew I was being watched!

Jamie and I were talking around 6 pm on the second night and she was in the same situation as I was. She was feeling slow and queasy too, and her progress matched mine. We decided to make a deal with each other, we'd stick together and do a strong walk so I could reach my goal and she still had a chance of making hers, but even if she didn't, she would stay on the track instead of stopping early.

We'd break together and keep each other from taking too long in the heated tent. We started going and it was great having the company. We talked and laughed. Every time Nathan Coury ran past us, flying around the track at 6 minute pace in his one-piece blue pajamas at 3 am, we giggled about "pajama boy" and wondered if we were hallucinating. I kept the tunes on so I would keep moving at a good pace. I cycled through my MP3 player more than once.

Both nights I made myself eat a few of my microwavable entrees that I brought. The first night Don was working in the aid station and I kept the volunteers entertained with my 3 hour bag of mashed potatoes. I'd have them add some water to the flakes in the bag, mix them up, and I'd eat what got soft on the top. When I started crunching on flakes again, I'd drop the bag off at the aid station for more hot water.

It took about 2 1/2 hours and countless laps, but I ate the whole bag of mashed potatoes! We had a little celebration in the aid station when I was finished, I'm sure Don and the aid station people thought I was high maintenance! Finally toward the end of the second night I discovered gummy worms in the aid stations and got fixated on those. I'd grab a handful of worms on my pass through the aid station.

Throughout both days I took little breaks at the table to put my feet up and read my e-mail messages. Those were awesome, they charged me up. Knowing you have people pulling for you makes a huge difference in wanting to put your energy into moving forward. I was able to jump up out of my cold tent under layers of sleeping bags whenever I took a 10 minute or longer break, to get back on the track, knowing I was running for the Cancer Center Project Save Change campaign.



As it turned out I took 3 little power naps the second day, of 30, 20, and 10 minutes each, so I only got an hour of sleep in the entire 48 hours. But each time I got off my feet, I felt so much better afterwards.

At midnight on New Year's Eve everyone stops and gets a glass of fake champagne and does a lap together, and we have fireworks. It was so cold this year no one really wanted to stop for very long!







At 6 pm when I started chipping away at my goal for the final stretch, I had 117 miles and I was in 17th place overall. I knew it would be down to the wire to reach 150 miles but I was doing it and nothing was going to stop me. I hit 150 miles about 15 minutes before 9 am and had time for another 4 laps! By the time 9 am came and the 48 hour race was over, I had 151.3 miles and was in 5th place overall!



Jamil and Nick kept the awards ceremony short and sweet, which was nice because it's hard to sit there for a long time when you're exhausted and depleted. They had great food for us and they gave out the belt buckles and mugs.

The race was as well-organized and well-done as any other year, Jamil and Nick Coury, along with their brother Nathan and their parents and former Race Director Paul Bonnett and his kids, and the rest of the amazing race staff and volunteers executed another perfect event, despite adverse conditions. It could be the last year at Nardini Manor, but it sounds like there are plans in the works to keep the race alive and find another facility. It will be hard to beat Nardini Manor, but enough people love this race and are determined to keep it going, that I think they will find a way to make it work.

After the race, I drove across town to my dad & stepmom's house in Scottsdale and stayed there until the 4th. I found gummy worms in my pockets when I did laundry, and a half-eaten 4 day old McDonald's breakfast sandwich when I was sorting through my gear. I also had ice in my shampoo bottle which had been sitting out in my car during the days of the race. My dad is great at making delicious meals and feeding my depleted body after these races.

Looking back at my race, I think I was capable of quite a few more miles, but only if it had been warmer. I am a better warm weather runner, and there was no way to get enough calories in and stay warm enough. After the first night of keeping warm I think I was wiped out by the morning of day 2. I did recover and run strong the last 15 hours, but staying warm takes a tremendous amount of energy, which is why I usually overdress, but you can't really wear any more than 6 layers, which is what I had on!

So, now I'm home. I'm still tired and needing lots of naps, but my feet are better and I feel brave enough to try walking today.

Recovering is painful. First there's catching up on the sleep. You are brain fogged and silly for days. Not only do you have to make up for the two nights of no sleep, but also extra rest for making your body do extraordinary things.

Your body is full of fluid from inflamed soft tissue and stress hormones like ADH, your feet are blistered, your electrolyte and fluid balance is off the charts somewhere, you get weird little foot cramps and arm twitches, and you still need to digest and process whatever you ate. My appetite doesn't usually kick in for 2-3 days after the race. But it's important to be drinking and flushing all those waste products out of your body, your kidneys will be happier for it.

My left IT band is squeaking and crunching, and it hurts. My left leg was swollen from my hip to my knee for the first couple of days, my ankles looked like grapefruits, and I could only tolerate being on my feet for about a half hour at a time. My right little toe is completely covered by a blister, the entire thing is one big puffy blob.



Some people ask me why I do this to myself, as if it's some kind of self-inflicted torture. It's really not. I have so much fun at these races, the recovery is something you just accept and know that once you rest, there are new goals to pursue, new places to run, and new adventures to experience.

I set a reasonable goal for myself, one I knew was doable. Going into the race I also knew I was capable doing more miles than my goal, but you never know what kind of conditions you'll encounter or how you're going to feel. Things fell apart for me in the middle of the race, but because I kept on moving forward, I was able to salvage it and when I finally recovered, I was able to get back on track and exceed my goal!

I have to admit in the back of my mind I wish the conditions had been ideal because I'd like to see how many more miles I could have put in if I hadn't been so cold, but I will get my chance at another time.

When things don't go perfectly, when you're struggling, and you're trying to reach a goal you've set, you have to sometimes make adjustments along the way. Just because things don't go perfectly, or you're not hitting your goals along the way, doesn't mean you should give up on trying. You can succeed despite adversity and things being less than perfect. It's not a black-and-white, all-or-none world. You have to go with what's given to you in a situation, and make the best of it, always.

Don't give up on your new years resolution. Even if it's already a struggle to make changes and keep them in place, remember this: the difference between success and failure is that we only fail when we fail to see the positive things we have accomplished. No work of art looks perfect at the beginning, it takes time and work and revisions before the final product is recognizable as something beautiful. Every positive step counts!

My plans now? To rest, catch up on my sleep, get back to running, go to Florida at the end of February, but this picture really says it all. I'm sending my Badwater application in February.













Photo credits: Nathan Nitzky (3 photos)

Gummy Worms

Thanks to EVERYONE who sent me messages and thoughts of support in my race! I will be in touch individually, right now I am at my parents' house in Arizona, visiting, doing laundry, sleeping, eating, and putting my feet up most of the time.

I am finding all sorts of interesting things while cleaning up after the race, like the 4 day old half-eaten breakfast sandwich from McDonald's that I bought race morning and stuck in my box under my table, and the gummy worms I found in the washing machine after I washed the clothes I was wearing while running. I am sure those gummy worms were cleaner than when I grabbed them from the bowls at the aid station on New Year's Eve.

And every once in a while I get a crazy text message from one of the other runners in the race. We are all half-crazed and sleep deprived and suffering from separation anxiety after being in such close proximity for several days running around the same 500 meter loop together. It really does create culture shock to re-enter the real world after one of these events.

I will have some pictures and race stories when I get home in a few days and can blog about it, but in a nutshell, I had a GREAT race, reached my goal and exceeded it, and spent the new year holiday in the presence of all these fantastic people, walking, eating, dozing off, sleepwalking, running, laughing, and hallucinating together.

Happy New Year, and you'll hear from me in a few days!

Saving Change to Create Change

It's December 20th and today is the day the PVHS Foundation launches the Save Change to Create Change campaign to raise money for building the Poudre Valley Cancer Center.

December 20th is also a special day for me. It's my dad's birthday. I want to thank him for being a great example of generosity, positive energy, focus, and drive. He is the most highly self-motivated person I've ever known and I'm sure I get my ability to run ultras from him.

It's the day before solstice, and there's only one day to go until the days start getting longer. For now, it's dark outside most of the time, and it's a good time for contemplation and review of the past year, and for thinking about hopes and dreams for the coming year.

As I'm preparing to run around the track at the end of each year, I'm reflecting on a list of meditations for my Across the Years race. What have I learned this year? How can I be better next year?

Looking back, I learned a lot this year. I suffered some pain, but I also grew from the experiences. Things came into sharper focus as a result. I learned that I should have trusted my gut a lot more than I did, and spoken louder than I did. I left myself vulnerable, but I'm glad I did in a way because in that vulnerability I learned the lessons I needed to learn.

And as a result of the actions I took from those lessons, I am in a much better place now in so many aspects of my life. I know I can be better next year, and make more of a positive impact.

Make your new years resolution count in 2011 by making a positive impact.



What better gift could you give? If you have influenced someone else in a positive way, then you have made a positive impact. A thousand small acts, like pennies, all add up to something big.

Guided by some basic values, we can influence others in good ways. The principles of integrity, equality, community, simplicity, and peace are the ones I like to start with. They are building blocks, as well as things in which to strive for improvement. Here is what this means to me:

To the greatest degree that you can, practice

integrity: be true to who you are and genuine in all your interactions with others

equality: no one person is better than another, we are all of equal value as human beings, and each of us brings a unique presence and gift to this world, the actions we each take will make our mark on the world and other people's lives

community: remember that everyone is a part of a community, or several, which are all connected

simplicity: less is more, take only what you need and share with others who have less

peace: be aware of your presence in the world and how it impacts others, be kind, be quiet, and listen first, think before speaking, but speak out loud when it makes a difference

At Across the Years, as we circle the track around Nardini Manor, we will all be united in the event and sharing a common goal, to cover as many miles as possible in the time we have chosen to run, 24, 48, or 72 hours. I can't think of a sporting event that better exemplifies these principles.

My goal at Across the Years
is to run at least 150 miles. If enough people donated a penny per mile, it could add up quickly. My running partner said she'd give a quarter a mile. I've been dumping my loose change into an old coffee can and I'll donate that.

I challenge everyone reading this to make a New Years resolution of generosity, making a big impact through something small, by contributing some loose change to the PVH Foundation Cancer Building Fund, to build something that will bring wellness to this community. Small steps, small things that add up and make a big difference.

My favorite suggestion for donations: Consider donating an extra dollar per each mile I go over my goal.

The following part of this blogpost is a modified version of an earlier post I wrote on September 25, 2010:

Some simple guidelines for the coming year: Be Kind, Be Well, Be Generous.

Kindness

"Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up"- Jesse Jackson

Remember the power of a small thoughtful act, like a thank you, a word of appreciation, even something as small as a smile, eye contact, or acknowledging someone else's presence. Small things make a big impact.

Make an effort every day to acknowledge people, thank them for the things they do, make eye contact and smile when it's genuine and appropriate.

Wellness

"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something...I will not refuse to do the something I can do"- Helen Keller

When I talk about wellness, everyone thinks I mean running. Any exercise is a huge part of my own wellness. It's important to move your body, to keep the blood circulating, to bring oxygen and fresh nutrients to your muscles and organs. For me, moving forward boosts my creativity. I put in as many miles walking as I do running.

If I'm struggling with a problem, and I go for a run, even if I don't actively or consciously think about the problem while I'm running, I usually end up solving it after the run, or at least I have a better approach. The same thing happens if I go for a walk.

There is something about the forward, rhythmic motion of moving through the air, arms and legs pumping, that turns the wheels in my head and gets it all going. I find it hard to think when I'm sitting still. I challenge everyone to find ways to add self-propelled forward motion. For example, walking to the little grocery store in my neighborhood instead of driving to the big supermarket. It takes less time to make the round-trip on foot, I timed it.

There are so many ways to make changes in our lives, but to make change last, you have to start small. Take small steps, and achieve success with those, before taking bigger steps. It's a process, but even if you make one small change in the direction of wellness next year, it's a success.

Success builds on success and you will learn that it is possible to make lasting, positive changes. Then it becomes easier to take the next step.

Generosity

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"- Lao-Tzu

Don't underestimate the importance of a penny. It's a small thing by itself, not much value, but like any small thing in numbers, they add up to something big. When I do speaking engagements, often I tell the audience that success builds on success. One small thing each day. A series of small steps add up to something big. Sixteen hundred steps in a mile. One hundred sixty thousand of them in a 100 mile run.

A penny by itself is only a cent. One hundred fifty pennies is a dollar fifty. If a thousand people give a dollar fifty, that makes $1500. Loose change can do a lot.


Save change to create change, and start moving forward now!

Taper Madness

Not sure what this rooster is thinking. Is he about to take a bath? Is he looking for a drink? Maybe he's tapping his feet impatiently, waiting for something big to happen. Like tapering for a race.

The past two weeks I've been trying to balance rest and running. I've gotten a lot of sleep, done some errands to prepare for my trip, tied up some loose ends for projects I needed to complete, and here I am. Trying to be patient.

It's been cold the past few days, we were all spoiled here in northern Colorado by the mild fall weather. Temperatures were near 70 until just a few days ago.

Monday I'll have a new blogpost up, it's the day we launch a campaign to raise funds for the Poudre Valley Cancer Center. There will also be information about how to send messages during Across the Years. I love getting those messages during the race, they motivate me more than anything else, in the middle of the night when I'm trying to push myself through the fatigue.

I had a dream the other night that I was running a 100 mile race and I decided to take a nap in a hotel room. When I woke up I had slept 8 hours and I only had 3 hours left on the time limit to finish, and 20 miles to go. Not good! I'm taking that as a reminder of being careful about my nap time at Across the Years. In 2008-09 I slept for a good portion of the event. Actually slept better than I had in months. But that year I needed it!

I want to wish everyone reading this blog a happy holiday and a healthy and happy 2011. Thanks for your readership. I have some new topics planned for early 2011 in addition to my preparation for upcoming events.

Stop back soon!

Two Owls and a Goat

I've outdone myself. On the bright side, I could call it a PR.

I rarely do things this stupid in training, but this time I proved, once again, that the lessons will be repeated until they are learned.

All you runners out there who get that smug little attitude toward walking, who think walking doesn't count, and who look down their noses at walkers, listen up!

This old goat ultrarunner had the bright idea that she would do a 50 mile walk in training. After all, it's just walking, right? Not like doing a 50 mile run, should be easier to recover, doesn't count so much, after all, moving at 4 miles an hour is not that fast compared to running.

I started out at 5 am, ate a huge breakfast, and began walking to Loveland. I kept a sub-15 minute per mile pace the whole time, including the time I took for my breaks, so it worked out to something more like 14 minute miles. Not a blazing fast walk pace, but requiring some focus and concentration to keep going that fast. Not a casual stroll.

My plan was to walk down Lemay to County Road 13, turn at County Road 30 and then take the bike path through Boyd Lake State Park, until it comes out near the intersection of Denver and Eisenhower. At that point I would continue southwest along the Loveland bike path until I hit the 15 mile mark from home, then turn around and go back home, where I would take a break and then head out for my final 20.

Simple minds make simple plans.

On my way down Lemay in the dark, I passed two owls, who were loudly "WHOOOOO, WHOOOO"ing at me. The sunrise was spectacular, far beyond what is shown in this picture.

My hands were too frozen, and by the time I was able to dig the cell phone camera out of my pack and navigate the buttons on my Blackberry, the sunrise had faded. But it was spectacular blazing red on the horizon, with black silhouetted trees and deep purple and red-streaked clouds against the lavender mid-sky.

I blasted down the bike path near the lake, and as the sun came up it got a little warmer, but I was dressed for sub-20 degrees. I still had water so I waited until on my way back toward Fort Collins to make my stop at the little coffee shop at Denver & Eisenhower. I scarfed half the sandwich in my pack and I was still hungry.

On my way through downtown Loveland on the bike path along the canal, there were a few houses with goats in the yards. I actually saw more than half a dozen goats. But I was the biggest goat of all. There weren't too many people on the path this morning, a few older people walking near the senior center, but that was it.

I stopped off at Dazbog Coffee at the intersection before heading back through the park, and bought some water and a blueberry scone. I was looking for something with a few more calories but nothing sounded good at the moment. I refilled my water bottles and left, inhaling the scone before I turned the corner to go north, and damn, the thing had cinnamon in it.

I hate cinnamon. UGH! But it was some calories, and I only had another half a ham & cheese sandwich and a package of margarita shot blocks left to get me through the next 12 1/2 miles to home. Normally that would be plenty of food, but my tapeworm came out of hibernation this week. I washed the scone down with as much water as my stomach could tolerate, and started blasting up the bike path again.

By the time I passed Carpenter I was less than 5 miles from home and it had warmed up some. I was way overdressed. I usually don't mind but today I was uncomfortable in all those clothes and I couldn't wait to get home to peel off some layers. My legs were a little sore, but I didn't think much of it.

When I arrived at the house I was well under 15 minute miles average including all my pee breaks and coffee shop stop, and I felt good. I took a long break at home, changing into all clean clothes.I had some soup and drank some water and gatorade, and hugged the girls. Dennis was working in the yard and he heard the girls howl when I came in, and he asked how I was doing.

"Sore!"

A few minutes later when I tried to get up out of the chair to leave the house again, I realized just how sore. My quads hurt to the touch. I could barely stand up from the chair without using my arms to prop myself up. I waddled out the door, practically limping down the street for the first mile. My plan was to do a 10 mile loop, then come home one more time, and go out for my final 10.

I wasn't too much slower, maybe 17 minute miles on the way out this time, but I was hurting! My quads were in agony! I have never been this sore during a run before. Then I realized, I usually don't walk 30+ miles at a fast pace without breaking it up with a substantial amount of running.

This past week I ran 15 miles on Thanksgiving Day easy with a lot of walking, the next day I ran 25 with some walking but mostly running. But today I walked. The only time I ran was to get across the intersection at Harmony & Lemay because the light doesn't last long enough.

Thinking 50 miles of walking would be easy was the ultimate hubris. The ultimate arrogant runner attitude, it was smacking me in the butt and quads with every step. I went home on the shortcut and finished with 37 miles. I was done.

I could barely take my clothes and shoes off. I screamed trying to pull my socks off because any movement of my quads was agonizing. Just a light touch sent me through the roof. It took me forever to get undressed and into the shower, and I screamed with pulling each leg over the ledge of the bathtub.

I will be lucky if I can get out of bed tomorrow. I took some ibuprofen after the shower and it seems to be helping. I still can't lift my feet more than 6 inches off the floor without my quads screaming in agony, but that's better than when I got done with the run.

Dennis made catfish tacos for dinner and brought the computer to me so I could work without having to deal with the stairs. He also brought home some chocolate chip cookies from Starbucks to feed the tapeworm.

I got 80 miles for the week and I guess that's good, but I was hoping to do a 50 miler before Across the Years. I did learn a lesson though, it is a lot easier to do distance when I mix up the running and walking, than to stick to walking.

Walking is NOT easier. It will kick your lazy arrogant runner butt off it's primadonna pedestal.

I learned my lesson...

Just for Fun...A Little History

Death Valley Chuck-Walla, April 1907, ad
On a cold day it's fun to think about warmer places. One of my favorite things to do when I'm in Furnace Creek is to visit the little museum there at the resort. This ad is displayed in there. I always get a kick out of it.

It's really cold outside, and the forecast is for colder. I have a few more long runs planned before I start to rest for Across the Years. I'm planning a long one the day after Thanksgiving.

This week I didn't work too hard with the running, got 80 miles in but ran relaxed and easy every day. I didn't want to tire myself out with a couple of high mileage weeks coming up. I did a 30+ mile run at the lakes the other day and the weather was crazy. I froze my butt off for most of the first few laps, so I put more clothes on.

Then the sun came out and I got really hot, so I peeled those layers off and left them at the car, and then of course the sun went back behind the clouds and the wind picked up, and I froze again. Then I got the layers out again and of course the sun came out. By then it was nearing sunset and getting colder anyway.

I spent most of this weekend cooking. I don't know why I suddenly got in the mood but I made tamales, which take two days, and other stuff too. Must be the cold weather, makes you want to go inside and be near the stove.

An automobile trip through hell sounds pretty appealing right now.

Time to Get Tough Again!

It's been a long, mild fall and now reality has set in, and I have to stop being a fair weather runner and get tough again. This is an adjustment I have to make every year. This year it's taken until the middle of November, so I can't complain about that. I love hot weather, but I also love seasons, and I wouldn't want to live and train anywhere else but here in Fort Collins, so I have to deal with a little cold, ice and snow for a short portion of each year.

I lucked out last week, we got our first snow and I was on my rest week, so I really didn't have to deal with it. But now it's Monday morning of my new training week, and I need to get some miles in, and I do have to deal with it. It's snowing this morning and I'm hesitating but I know once I get out there and get warmed up I will remember the world of winter running, that I missed so much all those years in Arizona!

It always amazes me when I'm asked how I train through the winter. Running in the snow and ice seem to be unimaginable to so many people. I don't like to be cold or wet, but I would go crazy if I didn't go outside for months. I have never owned a treadmill. There are times when I've wished I had one, but I can count the number of times I wish for that every winter on one hand.

I do love running in winter, even if the snow and ice make you slow down, run more flat-footed, and you have to watch your step. But it's so beautiful running in the white stuff, the ice crystals in the air, and the silence that the snow brings as it covers everything. I also love how refreshing the cool air is, and how good I feel when I'm finished with my workout.

I lived in Gunnison and Crested Butte for about 7 years, so I learned how to deal with cold weather. I happen to have great memories of running in blizzards and 20 degrees below zero, breathing air with so many ice crystals in it, it would make you gag. I learned to deal with it both physically and mentally, and it's much more mental than physical.

Like I've said before, you don't get extra points at the pearly gates for running fast, but for running outside during the winter, I'm almost 100% sure you do.

I hear a lot of complaints about winter running, and I think they are excuses. It takes time for your body to warm up. Think about it. Your body temperature is somewhere around 98 degrees. You live indoors in an environment that is probably 60-70 degrees. So when you step outside into 30 degree or colder air, it's going to be a shock. You have to give your body time to warm up.

Most people who "exercise" never get out there long enough to give their bodies time to adequately warm up and adjust to the temperature gradient. That's another reason why people need to sustain a workout for at least 30, preferably 60 minutes to really get fitness benefits. It takes a good 15-20 minutes, or more on colder days, to really warm up and adjust. There's an adjustment period. What a bummer that so many people never stay out long enough to make the adjustment, so they never get to the point where they can enjoy their workout.

I have tried different strategies for the coldest days. The most frequent problem/excuse I hear is: breathing the cold air hurts my lungs. First of all that means you are starting out too hard. If you have to gasp really hard and you're not warmed up, yes the cold air will be a shock to your warm mouth and throat and upper respiratory tract. Start out easier!

You can cover your face with some sort of mask or bandana if that helps, but then it gets wet and freezes, so it seems kind of pointless to me.

I only cover my face when the wind chill or air temperature are so cold that it freezes my skin. Some people like to put vaseline on or something to protect their skin. If it's so cold that I'm seriously risking frostbite, those are the days I consider staying inside and getting on my bike trainer.

Another problem/excuse I hear is: My feet get cold. Wearing thick socks keeps you from being able to move your toes around in your shoes, there's no room for a layer of warm air to build up, and your toes stay frozen, until they slowly start to warm up and become excruciatingly painful until they do warm up. I have tried all kinds of things: neoprene socks, putting chile pepper seeds in my socks and in between my toes, and wearing shoes that are a half size bigger. For me, wearing thin socks helps more than anything.

I think all these strategies work, except the chile seeds, they can actually burn your skin temporarily, which creates an additional source of pain. But some people swear by them.

Problem/Excuse # 3 My hands get cold. Try mittens. Allowing room for warm air to build up around your hands will help. Or pull your hands inside your sleeves. If you have gloves, pull your fingers into the palm of the glove until they warm up. Usually by the time you get warmed up your hands are sweating enough that you don't need the gloves anymore.

Problem/Excuse # 4 The roads are icy, the footing is bad. Running more flat footed helps, slowing your stride down helps, running with a slightly wider stance makes you more stable too. I use Yak Trax on the iciest conditions, and they are a pain in the butt when you have to stop and re-adjust them occasionally, but they work. I can run The Buffaloes on icy streets in the Yak Trax and even when they pull me, I don't slip at all.

In Fort Collins we have the bike paths, which usually get plowed before the streets. Also, if you run in the fresh, untracked snow, the footing tends to be better than running on tire tracks, which get packed down and slick. Just be careful of ice hidden underneath fresh snow.

Problem/Excuse # 5 I don't mind the cold, but the wind is so unpleasant. Here in the Front Range area we have an abundance of wind in the cooler months. It's something you have to get used to. I think wind is a gift from the weather gods. You have to look at it with a positive frame of mind. Running with the wind makes you faster, and running against the wind makes you stronger. You can't lose.

My friend Cat complained to me about the wind recently. I couldn't believe it came from her because she's one of the toughest runners I've ever known, and she never lets anything stop her from running. I am pretty sure she didn't mean it.

Problem/Excuse # 6 I don't like to be cold. Then why are you living in a cold place? The solution is to dress warm. Wear layers. It always amazes me to see people out in shorts and running bras or t-shirts when it's 40 degrees outside. If it's below freezing, I'm the one dressed up like a snowman, I've got six layers on top and three on the bottom, and I can barely bend my knees and elbows because I've got so much clothing on.

Seriously, if you spend a lot of energy trying to stay warm, you'll get tired pretty fast. I like to overdress, not only because I train for races in hot environments, but also because I like to conserve my energy. Yes you do sweat and no matter how high-tech your clothing is, you will have some wet layers close to your skin, but if you have enough clothes on, the wind won't cool those wet layers down and you'll stay warm.

Problem/Excuse #7 It gets dark too early, there's not enough daylight. WAAAAH! First of all, the snow reflects light, so it's easier to see at night, and there's less traffic on the roads, and in the winter, there tend to be fewer creepos and weirdos out and about, so find a training partner and make an agreement to keep each other motivated through the winter, and get out there when it's dark and run.

The other things to remember in winter: sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses. The glare and the reflection make the sun equally if not more intense than in the summer, so don't forget to cover up any skin that's exposed. I need to do a better job of remembering that, everyone thinks I'm a skier because of my raccoon eyes from my sunglasses.

When they ask me if I was skiing, it always catches me by surprise, and I usually look at them like they said something in some language I don't understand. When I tell them I run, they proceed through every question I just answered in this post.

Enough about winter running. Yes, I hope it's a short winter. I'm looking out the window, seeing the blobs of snow fall off the trees, knowing I need to get out there, and I'm not moving too fast.

It's time to go practice what I preach.