prize

once upon a time I met an amazing guy.. we had a freaky fantasy life.. much better than a soap opera or trashy romance novel.. i kept wondering if it was a dream.. there was such mystery.. intrigue.. the build up was unreal.. then finally, finally, finally.. all the stars aligned.. and it became a reality.. prize earned and happily given..

VFF trail run + fun bike ride

Just an easy jog/walk in my Vibram Five Fingers (VFFs). Thought I would try something other than my usual clunky trail shoes in hopes of improving plantar fasciitis. Loved running on the trail in VFFs with the exception of over stones and slamming my toes into tree roots a few times. Have a new black toenail now from one root :) But it felt awesome running in VFFs in the deep sand and smooth sand/clay/pineneedle surfaces. Purposely kept it an easy jog, with walking over stone filled areas, for transitioning to VFF purposes.. and because I had plans of cycling with Oscar this afternoon.

I haven't ridden a bike in ages.. But the old addage holds. I had forgotten the little things, like when to use the big-vs-little front ring, but thankfully I was riding with an expert! Great 23-ish mile ride on the Silver Comet Trail! Easily floated along and at times felt giddy with the rush of wind as we sailed down the path. Just hope those padded shorts were effective enough to keep my butt from hurting tomorrow..

2011 pace PR (and possibly prior years)

Holy smokes! Fastest run in years? And it included 30 second walk breaks every 5 minutes. WOW! Goal was to beat fastest pace on this route this year (11:03); killed it (9:46)! Guess increasing base mileage, running hilly routes and losing weight is starting to pay off. What a great tempo run!

Harbins Park PR

Wow.. this was the fastest pace that I've ever run this trail! 3 great runs in a row = huge ego boost! Felt really strong and properly fueled. Took 30 second walk breaks about every 5-7 minutes depending on where the inclines were and ran like a kid on the downhills. Tons of fun and feeling strong for a change. Yay!!!

lucky day

Today was my lucky day.. It started out with the best long run that I've had in over a month! I made major changes yesterday and today and it paid off.. I ate lots yesterday to refuel my body from the trail run. I took a nap yesterday and then went to bed at 10 p.m. I woke up at 4:30 a.m. and forced myself to go back to sleep, turning off the alarm clock. Which meant waking up later than planned, but still in the nick-of-time to get a long run in before other duties called.. Ate a decent breakfast. Started run with a Camelbak full of water and with gels tucked inside. Consumed one gel at every 3 miles and drank as thirsty. Topped off Camelbak at mile 10, when returned to car, to make sure I wouldn't run out of water as I have the previous two runs here. Nutrition and hydration were perfect! I kept a steady pace throughout the run with a 4.5 minute run/0.5 minute stretch/walk for the sake of my aching plantar fasciitis. The last 3 miles were the fastest and I felt strong the entire time! And as a bonus.. I got a kiss from the cute cyclist that I met here 3 weeks ago.. Just wish I had time for more..

After my run, I quickly returned home to shower before "Bubby" arrived. After lunch, I took my daughter, "Like a Boss", and "Bubby" bowling. Although my hamstring cramped each time I bowled, I still managed a win against these 12-year-olds. What a lucky day!

twice the fun

I am sooooo blessed! Two trail runs in one week = heaven! Saturday is my typical trail run day, yet I had the luxury of a trail run earlier this week too. Kyra had horse riding lessons this morning so I went to the nearby Harbins Park for a trail run. I wanted to run 8 miles, but only had time for 6 and a half in order to get back to the barn before riding lessons ended. I took it easy.. Did a 4.5 minute run/0.5 minute walk interval with intense stretching of calf/PF during the "walk" breaks. It felt great! I felt like I could have run forever.. and would have if kiddo wasn't waiting on me..

Hitchcock Woods Trail adventure

hmmm... wish I had seen this sign before I crossed the following photo.. I drove to Barnwell, SC today for a business trip and decided to end the day with a trail run at Hitchcock Woods in Aiken, SC. I ran here once before and enjoyed the sandy trails. The website boasted of over 70 miles of trails so today I opted to explore a different pathway. I didn't have a trail map with me, but did have my Garmin 310 XT. I made random turns along the route and LOVED the intriguing scenery!

My favorite part was when I crossed this area that looked like it was once a river/creek that appeared now to be filled with sand. I cautiously made my way through it and then later saw the sign in the former picture. What a beautiful escape! Then the reality sunk in.. I was 3 miles into the trails and not sure how to return back to my car, my heel was hurting badly, a lone dog was following me, and the sun was setting. What to do.. I switched my Garmin to the "back to start" function, yet it had me retracing steps what weren't exactly a direct path to the car. I followed obediently until the battery died.

I should have learned this lesson a long time ago.. Make sure Garmin battery is fully charged before going on trail runs.. So then I turned to my phone, which did have a fullly charged battery, and opened up the mapping system. I had book-marked my car and just headed in that direction. My foot was KILLING me. I decided that maybe if I took off my shoes, the sand on my feet would feel so much better. It did. I eventually made it back to my car as dark was encroaching. My moments of panic subsided completely and returned to the bliss that only trail runs can impart on my pshyche.

murky water

Yet once again I slept later than planned and only had limited time for my trail run. I got into a zone and wanted to run for hours, but didn't have that luxury. This trail is now my total escape route. It soothes my soul. It brings to life fantasies and dreams yet realized. It invigorates my life force. It fills me with desires yet unfulfilled. Its murky waters totally reflect my current predicaments. It renders me exhausted and semi-satisfied.

they should create a new lane for that..

Remember the cyclist from last Sunday? We had a great date last night! So when I saw him on my long run at Stone Mountain today, he stopped to say good morning. We were straddling the line between the bike path and run path, and the next thing I know, he's kissing me! Then I laugh as a woman runs past and happily says, "They really should create a new lane for that." The kiss and comment really put a spring in my step and I run my warm-up miles way too fast. Miles 6-10 were supposed to be run hard according to the training plan that I'm following, and I loved that lap! I felt so strong and free and happy! But I ran them a little too hard and struggled through the last few miles of my run. My 70-ounce camelbak was completely drained by mile 13 and I was very thirsty. At that point, I shifted to a run/walk pattern. 14.47 miles done.

What's the biggest lesson learned today? Don't wear a racerback tanktop if you wear a camelbak on a 10+ mile run. Yes, I'm the one you heard screaming in the shower.. major chaffing on my shoulderblades. Ouch!