New Horizons

Last weekend I went running with my two best friends. It was great fun and I was happy to see both of them enjoy my favorite trail just as much as I do. I got to show them everything trail running, even how to stumble and fall.

Was it graceful and a superb example? Honestly, I have no idea, because I can't remember how I fell. All I remember is that on the way down I was contemplating the best way to catch myself and by the time I hit the ground, I was laughing internally about my stupidity. I must have been inspiring though, because both of my friends tried to imitate and might I say, even tried to outdo me in my fall. Didn't quite hit the tree there, Erin and Dave didn't make it all the way to the ground either :-) Thank you for joining me on the run. I hope after my thoughts out loud here, you will do it again.

Today I meant to go running in the morning, but we were awoken by thunderstorms that lasted a good portion of the morning. So I had to switch things up and plan for a run in the afternoon. That meant more time to get nervous and think about the fact that my longer runs from this point forward are venturing out further than I have ever run before. I almost psyched myself out before it was time to go, but I just put my fingers in my ears and went "lalala", so I wouldn't listen to my own thoughts and went out the door.

Because the marathon I am training for will not be on trails, I now have to put some asphalt running back into my training, which to be honest, I am not too excited about at this point. So I decided to create a 14 mile run for myself today that incorporated both paved biking trails and a run along my favorite hiking trail in my absolutely favorite park. I started out running 3 miles on a paved biking trail. The sun was hammering down on the pavement and it didn't take long to feel sweaty and just a little uncomfortable. The weirdest thing about this run was that I was the only runner among tons of families out for a bike ride. They all seemed to look at me funny, but I just smiled and nodded and imagined that they were just all astonished that I was doing the distance on foot instead of on a bike and that they were glad they didn't have to be me. I switched from a side road biking trail to the major biking trail that I think I could take all the way to Madison if I would feel so inclined (which at this point I do not, just in case you were wondering).

The Ice Age Trail, my favorite long distance hiking trail in this area, turns off from the bike trail into Lapham Peak State Park. I was quite happy to take a turn from the bike trail and enter into single lane hiking trial mode. Because of the rainy morning not many people were out hiking.

I took some sections a little slower as the rocks were still really wet and I didn't want to add to the fall from last week. Being baptized into trail running once is enough for at least a little while (I can save the bloody knees and hands for the next trail race, because I am sure then it will look tough...). Now I felt like I was back at home. I took the trail the whole way through the park and out the back end.

A quick wave to the car that was parked at the other end of the park and then I ignored it as I ran by to continue my journey. I didn't want it to get too excited and give me a disappointed look if I didn't stop - like my daughter when I don't do exactly what she wants me to do. If I would have seen that look on the car, I might have changed my mind about continuing. But I knew it would get over the hurt by the time I return and so I kept going.

Although this continuing route is still the Ice Age Trail at this point it joints paths with yet another biking trail (there are tons of those around in this area). The scenery here was completely different. Roads, cars, and even some cute little restaurants to run by.

When I finished the 14 miles and got back in the car after stretching out (I was afraid that if I didn't stretch, I wouldn't be able to bend my knees and I wasn't sure the police officer would buy my story, if I get pulled over for speeding), all I wanted is to go home and get myself a high five from the little one and Homebody. I had to beg for the high five, but it still felt good.

Ice Age Trail - Half Marathon

Yesterday I had the honor of running my very first trail race. It seems like my half marathons are supposed to be surrounded by impossible events. The first time the morning of my marathon started with a huge thunderstorm and branches still had to be cleared out of the way before the race could start. This time, it was a little less dramatic. The little one has been sick for a good portion of the week leading up to my big race and the night before the race, she had the worst cough and could not sleep (and thus neither could I). An alarm was not needed to make sure I get up in time. I kept telling myself that I have read in several books that you should try to get enough sleep in the week leading up to a big race and that this should make up for a lack of sleep the night before the race. I was just hoping this would be true. Because of the little ones sickness, I drove alone to the race. She was in not so great shape, when I left and so we thought, they shouldn't come. It was sad to think that I wouldn't see Homebody and little one at the finish line, but if she wasn't feeling any better, we didn't want to have her out there for that long.

I have never run a trail race, so I wasn't sure what to expect in comparison to a road race. I can affirm now that the atmosphere at a trail is indeed more relaxed. There were only 160 half marathoners which made it much more intimate. When everybody was lined up at the start, the crowd could even quiet down enough to listen to the race director explaining the route and giving last words of advice. He didn't even need a speaker system, which apparently had experienced some issues after the 50 mile and 50K runners had started earlier.

He just counted down and off we went. The first big difference to a road race I noticed was that there was not such a great sense of urgency as you always experience in a road race. In a road race as soon as it starts, people are impatiently passing each other and trying to make sure to get in the right spot for their pace. This time this happened in a much more calm way. There was no rush to get ahead and this made me much more calm about first figuring out what my comfortable pace feels like.

The very beginning part of the race led us through a fairly flat area of the moraines. At the beginning there were three tattooed ladies in front of me who just chatted away. I could here them talk that they had been afraid this would be too difficult hill wise, because they hadn't run many hills, but that (at about mile 1) it wasn't that bad. I think I wasn't the only one grinning at their words, knowing that this was just a side shoot trail and the big portion of the trail with all the rolling hills was still ahead of us. After passing them, I actually didn't see them again.

The course consisted of two loops. My first loop went really well. I felt good and once the field had cleared out a little, I started to enjoy the beauty of the trail. At the end of the first round, there was a photographer laying on the grass taking picture. I didn't see him at first and jokingly said to him while passing "You're like a cop-car hiding in the grass". I hope it put a smile on my face, when he took the picture, because I just saw his work for other races on his page today and he takes awesome shots. If my shots turn out that good, he can hide in the grass for any races I do.

The second loop provided more challenges than the first one. My lack of sleep started to become apparent. I could feel fatigue set in. My hydration pack became my life line. I ate some saltine crackers I had brought with me. My mouth felt so dry at that moment that I must have looked like cookie monster, with dry pieces of saltine cracker flying everywhere out of my mouth (maybe actual cookies would have worked better...). Note to self, find something more moist for the next race. Every runner that I passed or that passed me was as encouraging as possible. We all told each other what a great job the other was doing. On some parts of the race, the longer distance runners had to come from ahead of us and we knew to cheer them on. The funny thing was that I congratulated several runners on their great performance and as they ran by noticed that they didn't have a race number on. I wondered if these were runners that were just out on a training run today and chose the route, because they knew everybody would cheer them on for their great effort. I mean that's not usually something you can get otherwise on a regular training run :-)

My last two miles were a challenge of willpower. Luckily, I came across the "lady in black" who helped me stay motivated for these last efforts. We played leap frog for quite some time. She sprint down the hills and pass me, during the next up hill I would pass her. At one point we ran next to each other and she said "You are such a killer on those uphills. You catch me every time". I said that I am so terribly slow at walking any hills that I don't know what else to do but run them. I thanked her for keeping me going and she did the same. It was nice to share that moment and it was nice to have somebody compliment you on running hills, when you already feel really exhausted. It sure helped me to not even think about walking the last three hills that led up to the finish line. It felt so good to cross. And "the lady in black" and I found each other afterward to congratulate each other on a good finish.

Beside the "lady in black" I was also welcomed by my friends (thanks for coming out!) and to my surprise by Homebody and the little one. They decided they didn't want to stay away and I was so happy for it. During the last hills, I had hoped to see their smiling faces. Thanks to all four of you for cheering me on and making my finish special!!!

I think, despite the more challenging terrain of rolling hills that I haven't experienced in road races and my exhaustion at the end, my vote is for trail races. The people seemed so much more relaxed and you just can't beat the serenity and beauty of the trail!

Here is an example of how a race or other challenge help extend our fitness or performance.  The area's Senior Olympics just published its even list for this year.  I ran their 10K two years ago and came in first, but only in my age class.  I am going to focus on the 10K this year as well.  However, they also sponsor dualathon, running and biking.  Time trials are going to held for either a 5K and 20K bike or 10 K and a 30 K bike race.  Hmm.  This morning I headed to the College track for my speed work (6X400) with 200 walking intervals, then jogged home and got on my bike for a 10K.  (hedged on the my blood sugar by having a peanut butter sandwich ready before I added the biking.)  Legs feel OK, but Saturday will be long run/walk: 6 miles.  We'll see how limber I am then.

this old man, he keeps running.

"Listen to your body and not your head."  I remember reading that somewhere.  George Sheehan the grandfather of the running movement said that after you run for a while you learn that the first and most important competition is with the voice in your head that says, "Stop."  I still compete with that voice.  That voice has been telling me to be content with being an aging runner, and to give back my fitness level and speed.  But my body misses the surge of exertion; my soul misses the satisfaction of completing a goal and even exceeding it.

Galloway said to do a fairly slow run first this week.  So I did.  Goal: 40 mins.  Ran 45.  To day he says run about 27/28 mins.  So I ran 5K+ route with a small hill.  Last time I ran this I did in 31.  Not today.  In spite of the voice telling me to take it easy and you don't really have to do this, my legs felt like running, my lungs welcomed the deep breaths, my heart kept up.  Time: 29.07.  Pace: 8.54.  Havn't seen that for a couple of years.

The men's chorus I used to sing with had a motto: for the love of the song.  For us, its for the love of the run.

5K's and Other Little Victories

Another entry.  The second in just a few days.  How very odd and consistent  of  me.  Who knew I could be so prolific?

As shared earlier in the family e-mail, Stephen, Hannah and I did a 5K over the weekend in Belleville, IL while we were visiting the area.  Stephen of course, ran it, and ran it in very good time.  Hannah and I took on the challenge together and though we walked it, we had a very good time.  It was fun doing it with my daughter.  It took us just under 55 minutes.  A better time than when I ran the 5K back in November.  I'm not quite sure what to make of that, but, hey, it's yet one more victory.  I'll take it.


The view from Corral C where Hannah
and I started the race.

It was a beautiful morning.  It started out cool and got quickly warm.  I overdressed and was sweating profusely by the end of the race.  The route took us through a lovely historic distric with well-kept century homes with beautiful flowers blooming everywhere.  Every now and again a family would be out on their porch or we came across them sitting by the sidewalk cheering people on.  How very cool!  One little girl of about 7 or 8 was handing out clover flowers.  I promptly tucked mine behind my ear but alas, by the end of the race it was gone, having disappeared somewhere along the route.

Nice T-shirts!  The race was sponsored
by Law Day.  Monies raised went to
Legal Aid.

I enjoyed having the time to just talk and talk with Hannah.  Having not seen her since Christmas, it was good to be together and just talk.  We talked about a lot of stuff. 






One of things that we talked about was an insight that one of my co-workers and I shared while, what else, complaining about  how to be more regular and disciplined about the fitness thing.  She is a busy young woman who is working full time, planning a wedding, and going to graduate school.  She was quite an athlete in highschool but after graduating somehow got too busy with other things.  She knows she "should" be more active, "should" take the time to eat more healthily, but finds herself so overwhelmed with everything else that fitness feels impossible.

I was sharing with her something I came across in my reading that suggests that when beginning to diet and get back in shape, that you should aim for about an 80% rate of follow-through.  This way you don't find yourself caught in that perfection trap.  You know the one:  "Well, I ate a candy bar yesterday" or "I missed a workout"  so "I might as well give up".  If your aim is 80%, you end up with some wiggle room before declaring yourself a failure.  My co-worker, who is getting her master's degree in social work, jumped on this concept.  She told me that in all her classes, that her instructors tell them that when they are working on writing up goals for their clients, that they need to aim for a 25% rate of success toward the goal the first months, 50% rate the following months and move progressively toward the 100% compliance.  Eureka!!  This sounds  infinitely more do-able, and seems like a person has a much better chance of feeling like a winner.  Instead of going from that couch potato to marathoner in one huge chunk... give yourself a chance to get used to the changes, to  move little by little to being a more active and health conscious person.

It's sounds kinder and more forgiving to me, the one who is always holding herself up against the perfection standard.  If I can redefine "perfection", perhaps I can make myself a happier person, as well as a healthier one.

Here's to small victories!