Amy DawsonAmy Dawson's web site2023-04-16T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.comAmy Dawson2023 Syracuse Half2023-04-16T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/2023-syracuse-half/<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>My training for this race was not strong. I was injured during the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/philly-marathon-2022/">Philly Marathon</a> and had a very slow re-entry into running. While writing this, I went back to look at the running miles I managed to get under my feet. They are:</p>
<p>January: 2-8 (3.17), 9-15 (3.01), 16-22 (4.23), 23-29 (3.10). That gives me a total of about 14 miles for the entire month of January which was the first month I ran at all after the injury in November. I was also battling with PT for my hamstring and I promised my physical therapist that I’d be cautious with my return to running. I made good on that promise! The first two weeks of February I didn’t run at all, and then I managed to get 3-7 miles per week in the last couple of weeks. As March hit, I had an initial week of 17.26 miles, followed by 8.4, 0, and 19.79.</p>
<p>This led into April 2 when we were supposed to run the Skunk Cabbage Half. Luckily this race also has a 10k option and we chose to switch to that level. It felt nice to make that move. I wasn’t trained at all for a half, and while Scott could have done fine, we knew we had this race coming up in two weeks. The 6.2 of the Skunk felt challenging enough that I wondered about how I’d do with this, but I reminded myself that I had plenty of years of running to fall back on, my hamstring was solid now and I really should be ok. I would just have to accept that it was a year to finish the race, not to race.</p>
<h2 id="music">Music</h2>
<p>The evening before, our family was playing Monopoly Deal, and discussing music for the race. I didn’t have a playlist yet, and decided I needed to take the time to make one. It was great fun to select music and it gave me something to look forward to listen to on the course.</p>
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<h2 id="before-the-race">Before the race</h2>
<p>Scott and I used to drive up the night before for this race and enjoy a hotel stay. I’ve run it solo when we were already in Syracuse for a dance competition for Elizabeth, Scott has run it alone as well. Both the times we ran alone the day was cold and snowy! He ran <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/skunk-cabbage-half-marathon-2016/">the race in 2016</a>; the year that they fondly nicknamed “Syracrazy” because it was literally a blizzard! The weather conditions made <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/syracuse-half-marathon/">my 2015 solo run</a> look positively balmy and they were anything but. In 2019 <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/2019-syracuse-half/">we did this race as a family</a> which was SO much fun!</p>
<p>Today, we got up early and we got ready quietly before hopping in the car for the drive to the OnCenter. We routinely get up at 5 am now, and it wasn’t that much different to get up a little before 4. In my early years of running, I used to be so scared to have to get up really early when an event demanded it. But today, it felt peaceful and lovely. We connected in the car as we listened to music and talked about our prior runnings of this race.</p>
<p>Soon we were arriving to the parking area which was very well managed and we were off to stretch and wait for the start. The energy was wonderful, and because it was a warm day the waiting time was pretty relaxing. Of course that meant that running would be hot, but it was so nice that I chose not to worry about the heat.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2023/syracusehalf/parkinggarage.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Pre-race in the parking garage" title="Pre-race in the parking garage" /><p class="stickyNote">Pre-race in the parking garage</p></div>
<h2 id="and-we%E2%80%99re-off!">And we’re off!</h2>
<p>This is the 10th running of the event, so the energy was wonderful!! They celebrated some folks that had run all 10 times which was inspiring. We wandered into the OnCenter and even participated in the Orange Theory warm-up exercises!!</p>
<iframe width="100%" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iicDUv4XEqU?si=Izh_IeVNFGZ3wi56" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<h2 id="a-music-snafu">A music snafu</h2>
<p>After one last bathroom trip, Scott and I headed to the start line. He lined up closer to the front than I did, and I didn’t try to start my music until I was set up in the start area. I was wearing my Shokz headphones and with all the noise at the start, I couldn’t tell if they were turning on. I panicked and called Scott to tell him that my music wasn’t working. Thank goodness he was close by and he helped me confirm that they were on and the music was working. I was certain for just a minute that I had forgotten to charge them and I’d be running a music free race today!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2023/syracusehalf/runningofficial.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Grateful for my music!" title="Grateful for my music!" /><p class="stickyNote">Grateful for my music!</p></div>
<h2 id="the-race">The race</h2>
<p>The gun went off and I just settled into a comfortable pace. I loved cruising along with other people, while also enjoying my music and being in my own head. It was a lovely day for a run even if it was a little hot, and the course was well-supported. My mind wandered all over the place and my focus for the pace was to just be comfortable. I promised myself I would not care about my pace, instead I would focus on running strong and happily. I was able to keep this promise to myself and the entire 13.1 miles felt really fun!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2023/syracusehalf/running.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Toward the finish line!" title="Toward the finish line!" /><p class="stickyNote">Toward the finish line!</p></div>
<h2 id="post-race">Post Race</h2>
<p>Scott and I took a photo, saw some friends and gave a quick wander around the finish area. I got my favorite post race food - pizza! Scott grabbed a bagel. Soon, we were back in the car for our drive home to enjoy the rest of the unseasonably warm day.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2023/syracusehalf/finish.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Official finish photo" title="Official finish photo" /><p class="stickyNote">Official finish photo</p></div>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.syracusehalf.com/Race/Results/6243/IndividualResult/bPKR?resultSetId=375093#U72622659">Official Results</a></p>
<p><strong>Overall time:</strong> 2:05:09<br />
<strong>Pace:</strong> 9:34<br />
<strong>Age 50-54:</strong> 20 out of 123<br />
<strong>Gender:</strong> 255 out of 975<br />
<strong>5K split:</strong> 29:46<br />
<strong>10K split:</strong> 59:28<br />
<strong>15K split:</strong> 1:28:59</p>
<div class="strava-embed-placeholder" data-embed-type="activity" data-embed-id="8901812172"></div><script src="https://strava-embeds.com/embed.js"></script>
Skunk Cabbage 10K 20232023-04-02T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/skunk-cabbage-10k-2023/<h2 id="first-race-since-philly">First race since Philly</h2>
<p>Scott and I signed up for the half marathon version of this. In fact, I’ve not done the 10K in years. But, my mileage has been low since my hamstring injury during the Philly marathon, and I deemed it prudent to change my registration to the 10K. I wasn’t trained for the load of a half, and I wanted to make sure this was an enjoyable experience.</p>
<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>After my injury, I stopped running entirely until Christmas, and then I put about 3 -5 miles a week on my legs (mostly in the form of the Winter Chill 5K series) as I finally accepted that PT may be a good idea. The mileage that followed that stint is as follows:</p>
<ul>
<li>Feb 27 - Mar 5: 17.26 miles</li>
<li>March 6-12: 8.84 miles</li>
<li>March 13-19: 0 miles</li>
<li>March 20-26: 19.79 miles</li>
<li>March 27 - April 2: 14.02 miles (6 of those are race day)</li>
</ul>
<p>Thus, the ENTIRETY of my training was 54 miles. I definitely didn’t want to hurt my hamstring again, so the choice to choose the 10K allowed me to run comfortably on the training I had. I did keep hiking and walking miles up during the late fall and winter, and had plenty of biking and yoga on my legs so I wasn’t entirely out of shape, just out of running shape!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2023/skunk/laurel.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Laurel and Scott, pre-race" title="With Laurel and Scott, pre-race" /><p class="stickyNote">With Laurel and Scott, pre-race</p></div>
<h2 id="music">Music</h2>
<p>This course is officially a no music allowed race, but in recent years, the number of people listening to music has exploded. This year, I decided to use my Aftershokz and enjoy the opportunity to run to music. After all, they are bone conducting and I kept the volume low which allowed me to hear all the sounds around me. It was my first time running the Skunk with music and I found it both separating and enjoyable at the same time. I was honestly embarrassed by my lack of training and worried about my hamstring. The headphones let me just tune into my own thoughts and tune out the world around me. It was a very cold April day, so it felt like a winter race. As the race started, I almost felt like I was just outside my body watching a group of people having fun. I didn’t feel totally present, and while I wasn’t especially happy, I also wasn’t especially unhappy. It just felt weird to be doing the 10K. The energy was different from the half.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2023/skunk/prerace.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Ready to run!" title="Ready to run!" /><p class="stickyNote">Ready to run!</p></div>
<h2 id="student-sighting">Student Sighting</h2>
<p>Shortly into the race, a former student ran by me. He was excited to see me and shouted my name. I smiled. Now a 9th grader, I had taught him just the year prior. He had a really hard year in grade 8 all around, so it was fun to see him confident and happy as he ran the course. Later, I’d see him again as he headed back, looking strong as ever. I cheered loudly for him as he ran by.</p>
<p>After the race, he came over to chat with me with his mom. It was his first 10K. He’d picked up running this year and was really finding it rewarding. As we talked, I thought about how running unifies people of all ages and all situations. It is something we train for, and continue to show up for, and it is great fun to motivate and be motivated by others. The energy post race was strong, and I felt grateful that we had made the choice to run the 10K. It was nice to be part of the day even though I wasn’t ready for a 13.1 just yet.</p>
<h2 id="kickoff-to-spring-running">Kickoff to Spring Running</h2>
<p>And that’s the thing about the Skunk Cabbage. It literally is the kick-off to spring here in Ithaca. It is the day that you see all the people you haven’t seen in months (or have only interacted with on Strava), and a day that reminds you of how amazing it is that we have this great running community. Today, I felt especially grateful that I was able to run at all. Injury has a way of making you feel like things are truly hopeless.</p>
<p>Shortly after my injury in the fall, I alternated between thinking I would never run again or accepting that I would run but it would hurt. Today, I felt grateful to my former self for seeking PT and for taking time to do the exercises once I attended PT. I also felt such gratitude to Chris Feely from Synergy for scheduling appointments for me before my work day began, during my lunch, and after my day finished. That made the entire process so much more feasible!</p>
<h2 id="freezing!">Freezing!</h2>
<p>This post wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t at least mention the weather. It was COLD. We’d had some warm days, so I wasn’t particularly happy to have to run in the cold temperatures today. But, thankfully they stage out of Barton Hall at Cornell and there is ample room to hang out, stay warm, and then just scoot outside for the start. Once on the course, it was sunny and not too windy. It really was perfect weather for a 10K. I found myself a little sad that I wasn’t solidly trained as it was definitely a PR kind of day if you were!!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2023/skunk/running.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Near the finish line" title="Near the finish line" /><p class="stickyNote">Near the finish line</p></div>
<h2 id="race-results">Race Results</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.leonetiming.com/results/index.php?id=5256">Leone Timing</a></p>
<div class="strava-embed-placeholder" data-embed-type="activity" data-embed-id="8820442160"></div><script src="https://strava-embeds.com/embed.js"></script>
<p><strong>Time</strong> 56:25<br />
<strong>Pace</strong> 9:05<br />
<strong>Age Group 45-49</strong> 8 out of 21<br />
<strong>Gender</strong> 57 out of 184<br />
<strong>Overall</strong> 140 out of 329</p>
Philly Marathon 20222022-11-20T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/philly-marathon-2022/<h2 id="disclaimer">Disclaimer</h2>
<p>If you are seeking a race report boasting a great marathon time or a fantastic experience with perfect race conditions, this is not that post. My story is one filled with unfortunate choices, grit and perseverance, and some wind and cold sprinkled in along the way. A few days after the event, I’m starting to find just a bit of humor in the way the race unfolded.</p>
<h2 id="why%3F">Why?</h2>
<p>In the early days of the pandemic in 2020, our family was signed up for the Mountains 2 Beach marathon in California. It was to be over Memorial Day weekend, and it would have been Xander’s first marathon. They offered a half on the same day, so Elizabeth signed up for that distance. We never did get to complete our race, though the 3 of us managed our own <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/family-marathon/">26.2</a> with Elizabeth as our support team. It was great fun! Just 2 and a half years later, Elizabeth was ready for her own marathon challenge. She signed up for Philly and started her training. Scott and I were in the middle of a crazy season of the <a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/">Finger Lakes Running Club Challenge</a>. We jumped into this with two energetic feet, letting it quickly consume our lives for the entire summer. This culminated with an <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/flrc-100k-ultra-challenge-2022/">unassisted 100K</a> on the 10 challenge courses with friend, Teressa.</p>
<p>Shortly after that wrapped, Elizabeth mentioned something about, “when we go to Philly.” She is 21, and somehow it hadn’t occurred to me that we were going with her. I thought this was her thing and she’d be heading down with friends. I wasn’t sure I was up for spectating a fall marathon. Why not just run? We were in decent running shape and it would be more fun to be together. Scott and I signed up and then launched into fall training.</p>
<h2 id="you-know-the-race-is-on-pavement%2C-right%3F">You know the race is on pavement, right?</h2>
<p>After a summer of mostly trail running, tired legs, and a busy fall schedule, I decided my training would be almost exclusively on the Black Diamond Trail near my house. It is a nice cinder path, mostly flat, soft underfoot, and generally lovely to run on. I put the miles in rather easily. It wasn’t the training load I’d normally have, but I did run most days of the week, I hit consistent mileage, and I managed the long runs without struggle. I’ve always been pretty good about kicking myself out of the house after school to run and this fall was no exception. I did make my first mistake as the fall training kicked in though. People would ask me if I was doing Philly and I always said, “we’ll see.” Truth was, I was signed up and would be doing it. Adding this doubt to my speech was not my best choice for framing a positive race. Scott liked to remind me regularly as I drove to the start of the trail head that the race was on pavement. He thought it would be wise to train somewhat on the surface I’d be running on. I did log a few runs on the road, including more than half of one of my long runs.</p>
<h2 id="foreshadowing">Foreshadowing</h2>
<p>I have a pair of Saucony Rides in black and a pair of New Balance 1080s. Both in black. You see where this is going, right? One day I made it 5 miles of my long run in one of each shoe. I never even noticed. I came home for a water stop and Elizabeth pointed it out to me while I was standing there sipping. We all had a good laugh, the story was shared and my line was “well they were the same color.”</p>
<h2 id="you-can%E2%80%99t-control-the-weather">You can’t control the weather</h2>
<p>The New York City marathon was one of the warmest on record. Elizabeth had tried to get into this by lottery but hadn’t made it in. This is how she chose Philly in the first place. In the 10 days before the race, we started to look at the forecast. 30s. Windy. Thank goodness, no precipitation. We started to remember past races. Sarah had run Boston the hottest year, Scott ran NYC when it was so windy that they had to change race plans so things didn’t fly away, and Elizabeth and I ran the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/run/womens-distance-festival-2015/">Women’s Distance Festival 5K</a> on a day so wet that I almost lost a contact lens while running. 30s and wind wasn’t that bad, but it wasn’t the ideal conditions one hopes for on a first marathon, especially after a very temperate fall running cycle.</p>
<h2 id="little-miss-rush">Little Miss Rush</h2>
<p>I have a new job this year and one of the key life benefits is that it requires fewer hours of work at home. Technically, I have promised my family that I will stop working all the time at home. But, I also have my <a href="https://emoticakes.com/">Emoticakes</a> business and they all know that is a lot of hours. Somehow, between my day job and cake job, Saturday morning turned into 5 hours of work. I had things I needed to complete for school, baking that needed to be completed, deliveries that had to be made, and of course, I had to pack for the marathon. By the time we left, Scott and Elizabeth were a little frustrated with my lack of participation and my last minute everything. One of the final things I grabbed were my shoes, making the decision not to bring a back-up pair, because if I brought them, I’d have to make a choice on race day. Fewer choices are usually good for me. I didn't know it now, but I would end up regretting this decision.</p>
<h2 id="arrival">Arrival</h2>
<p>Not typically someone very focused on video documenting, I grabbed my phone camera and started recording our entry into Philadelphia. It was beautiful and I was feeling punchy. Before long we were at the hotel, but the expo was due to wrap in just under 2 hours. Elizabeth was really excited about the expo, having been there as an 8th grader when she ran her first half. She remembered the food samples, the activities and all the excitement of a big city event.</p>
<p>We skipped unpacking and dashed over there. I was wearing a vest with zippered pockets and a winter coat with zippered pockets. On the way over, Elizabeth and I were walking too fast for Scott and he was frustrated. As we arrived, I went to take out my wallet from my coat zippered pocket and it wasn’t there. I freaked out thinking it had dropped or been stolen. Elizabeth dashed inside, planning to beg them to give her my bib. Scott and I ran out to try to find my wallet. Moments later, I remembered I had a vest on as well and pulled it out of that pocket. Scott stared intently at me as we walked back in while I looked down at the floor. This was not starting well.</p>
<p>We got our bibs. Scott and I registered at the same time, but my bib didn’t have my name on it. This is one thing I love about big races - people cheer your name as you run and you can pretend you have a lot of friends in the fans as you hear your name along the 26.2. Wandering through the very sparse exhibition area, we wondered aloud, “is this just what post Covid expos are like?” or “did we arrive too late?”</p>
<h2 id="dinner-and-christmas-village">Dinner and Christmas village</h2>
<p>Soon it was time to head back to dinner with our friends Arthur and Emilie. Art and friend Alex were planning to run together and Art’s wife, Emilie would spectate. Alex’s family was also there to support her. We met at LaScala's Fire and dined together on vast quantities of pasta. This was a different location of the same restaurant I’d eaten at when I ran <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/philadelphia-marathon-2013/">this race</a> with Chantelle, Rob, and Jenny in 2013. The vibe was completely different from the other location, but it was fun to hang with friends and talk about our upcoming race.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2022/philly/dinner.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="At LaScala's Fire with Art and Emilie" title="At LaScala's Fire with Art and Emilie" /><p class="stickyNote">At LaScala's Fire with Art and Emilie</p></div>
<p>On the way there we enjoyed wandering through the Christmas village in the city. I took a bunch of pictures to capture the vibe of the evening before the race. It was really pretty and I was starting to feel pretty optimistic about the day ahead.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2022/philly/christmasvillage.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Scott and Elizabeth posing in Christmas village" title="Scott and Elizabeth posing in Christmas village" /><p class="stickyNote">Scott and Elizabeth posing in Christmas village</p></div>
<h2 id="the-important-thing">The Important Thing</h2>
<p>Years ago, at a work training, the trainer used Margaret Wise Brown’s, The Important Book to illustrate the power of focusing on outcomes in our teaching. As I opened my bag to unpack at 7:45 after arriving home from dinner, I gasped. <strong>I brought two of the same foot shoe</strong>. Yup. Saucony Ride and New Balance 1080s, but not one of each foot. The SAME foot. I had 3 sports bras, 2 shirts, 2 pairs of tights … but no viable shoes.</p>
<p>As I stood there staring at my shoes, Elizabeth was on the phone in a flash. Within seconds she had contacted an Asics outlet store nearby to ask them if they had any neutral shoes in a size 7.5. Yes. But they close in 14 minutes. We were a 20 minute walk away, 18 floors up in a busy hotel and I had my pajamas on. Scott opened the Uber app, grabbed his shoes and Elizabeth put her coat on as she told the person they were on their way. I just stared at my shoes, and texted my friend Megan. She and her wife Alexis had run the half that day. I wondered if either of them wore a 7.5 or close, and if they were even still in town. They were in town, but the closest size match was an 8.5. Still, Alexis was willing to let me wear her shoes and that was surely better than my Allbirds leisure shoes or Elizabeth’s spare pair of 9.5s.</p>
<h2 id="we-are-not-type-a">We are not Type A</h2>
<p>They arrived home with the shoes only due to Elizabeth’s fast thinking and their team approach to getting there fast, convincing the store to stay open late for them, Uber, and having just enough time. They were happy as larks, talking about how great they were as a team. I was so grateful. I started to picture success. I texted Megan back to thank her and Alexis, letting them know I had shoes!!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2022/philly/newshoes.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="My new shoes from Asics. I'm so grateful to Elizabeth, Scott and the store employees for staying open to help!" title="My new shoes from Asics. I'm so grateful to Elizabeth, Scott and the store employees for staying open to help!" /><p class="stickyNote">My new shoes from Asics. I'm so grateful to Elizabeth, Scott and the store employees for staying open to help!</p></div>
<p>I was also feeling very much like a third wheel. Elizabeth and Scott are both people you want to have near you in a crisis. They think quickly and stay calm. I was missing Xander - my partner in crime. We lovingly joke that he is my kid - a creative, somewhat clueless wonder (together, we are usually the cause of the crisis, not the cure). Xander is the kid who forgot his ski jacket for a ski race, and took someone else’s skis back to the hotel for a big race weekend. Meanwhile, I’m the mom who didn’t even notice! We’ve shared a million mishaps together over the years. I found myself really missing him tonight.</p>
<p>He called to wish us luck and we regaled him with the shoe story. I told him I missed him. His response upon hearing the debacle was, “yes mom, we are not type As are we?” We all had a good laugh as we settled into bed for the evening.</p>
<h2 id="sleep%2C-snark%2C-and-security">Sleep, snark, and security</h2>
<p>The last two times I ran this race, I went through security so early that we just stood around for almost 2 hours. This year, we’d follow race directions and be more optimistic. We planned to arrive by 6 for the 7 am race. We set our alarms for 4:15 (we were 3 blocks away), and prepared to watch a World Cup ski race on Peacock in the morning as we enjoyed our bagels with peanut butter the next morning.</p>
<p>I settled into bed thinking I would sleep well. Only I didn’t. The last time I had sleep that poor before a race was when I didn’t sleep at all before the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/rachel-carson-trail-challenge/">Rachel Carson Challenge</a>, also in Pennsylvania. I took this as a good omen - that race went well. They say that it is the sleep two nights before the race that matters so I was good.</p>
<p>I started to get dressed, feeling gratitude for my new pair of shoes. The vision of two shoes for the same foot was burned into my brain. Still, I was worried about what to wear for the wind. I looked at Elizabeth wearing two shirts and a vest and said, “oh you are wearing two shirts?” She sniped back at me “don’t make your decision based on what I’m wearing.” My third wheel feelings kicked back into gear and I let my head get into a dark place of, “why did I come? I was messing up their race” and just kind of spiraled into negativity.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2022/philly/lobby.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="The 3 of us in the hotel lobby before we headed to the start" title="The 3 of us in the hotel lobby before we headed to the start" /><p class="stickyNote">The 3 of us in the hotel lobby before we headed to the start</p></div>
<p>Soon we ventured to the security lines. We were almost at the end of a not so bad line when they got on the PA and suggested we head around the corner to a shorter line. Of course we listened, only to find ourselves in a much longer queue that would eat up almost an entire hour. Already irritated, now I felt worry. Would I even have time to hit a porta potty before we started? We’d have no time to connect together and share the butterflies and thrill of starting a race together. We made it through the line with just enough time to hit the end of a new line for the bathrooms (why don’t they have trough porta potties for men by the way?) Elizabeth and I split up because I didn’t trust the line we were in, and she made it through faster than me, but we did connect in a corral behind the one we had planned to start in, shed our Salvation Army clothes and got ready to run.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2022/philly/security.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="The picture can't convey how long this was. I wish we had headed over at 5:30 so our pre-race time could have felt fun" title="The picture can't convey how long this was. I wish we had headed over at 5:30 so our pre-race time could have felt fun" /><p class="stickyNote">The picture can't convey how long this was. I wish we had headed over at 5:30 so our pre-race time could have felt fun</p></div>
<h2 id="the-first-6-miles">The first 6 miles</h2>
<p>These miles were much like any other marathon I’ve run except that my glute and hamstring were feeling tight by mile 2. I was a bit worried, but trusted I’d be ok. Fueled by the crowds, I found myself running near the 4:10 pacer with Elizabeth by mile 4. I fondly remembered her first half here in <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/philadelphia-half-marathon/">Philly in 2014</a> when we ran every step of the race together even though we’d never trained together. I imagined crossing the finish line with the 4:10 crew and meandering back to the hotel together. After mile 6, I lost sight of her. I hoped she was good - just a bit faster or slower than me - and I felt confident that we’d meet again later in the race. The pacer was pointing out holes and turns and it had a nice vibe.</p>
<h2 id="grit">Grit</h2>
<p>At mile 12, running gently downhill, I was feeling a bit tired. It was an out and back portion of the race and I saw a quadruple amputee coming the other direction. He was on a skateboard, using one arm to head up the hill. The woman next to me and I cheered for him, and I felt chills thinking about the grit that took. I said aloud, “wow he is incredible” and the woman next to me said, “and I thought I was working hard.”</p>
<p>I thought about how trivial my shoe story was compared to the very real obstacles so many faced. I pushed forward, feeling grateful.</p>
<p>I had solid splits that averaged to sub 10 for the first half. I was cruising along feeling like I’d finish somewhere between 4:10 and 4:30. It wouldn’t be my best time ever but it would be something I’d consider to be in my margin of normal.</p>
<h2 id="mile-16">Mile 16</h2>
<p>Out of nowhere at mile 16 my hamstring started to seize. It seized in the way it had when I had to drop the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/wineglass-marathon-2016/">Wineglass 2016</a> marathon at mile 13. Only this time was different because I didn’t go into this with an injured hamstring so I wasn't really expecting this turn of events.</p>
<p>I made a deal with myself. I’d walk one song and run one song and give it a bit of a rest and then resume normal running as it recovered. It is worth mentioning music here. I waffle about playlists in races. I used to work hard to pre-select music I thought I'd enjoy in the race. Then, I went through a phase where I just dumped songs in or reused things from old lists. This time, I added almost 10 hours of music and put it on shuffle. I enjoyed some of my songs, but 10 hours was excessive and I didn't hear a lot of the songs that I love. I also liberally dumped 80s songs in. Hearing Air Supply, "All out of Love" at mile 17 wasn't much help in pushing me forward (I love the song but ... not the best for running!)</p>
<h2 id="it-could-be-a-7-hour-finish">It could be a 7 hour finish</h2>
<p>Thank goodness I didn’t really study this course well. It had changed since the last time I ran, and I figured that I would have more fun if I didn't know what was coming. If I had realized how close I was to the finish at mile 16, I may have considered dropping. By mile 18, my hamstring was not firing at all if I ran. It was excruciating and I was only able to run for a minute or so before having to walk.</p>
<p>With 8 miles to go and figured I’d hit 20 minute miles in the condition I was in. That is another 160 minutes to finish. Our check out time was 2 pm. I braced myself to be picked up by Scott and Elizabeth at the finish, and to head straight home.</p>
<h2 id="what-really-happened">What really happened</h2>
<p>Luckily, I can’t do math while running. I hadn’t factored in that a 20 minute mile was only an additional 10 minutes per mile from what I was already planning on running. A predicted finish of 4:30 with 10 ish minutes meant that for the last 8, I’d have an additional 80 minutes. That meant just under 6 hours for a worst case.</p>
<p>My splits for the last 8 miles ended up at 11:34, 13:09, 13:33, 12:32, 12:50, 12:54, 13:37, 13:09, 12:22, 11:19. Nothing close to the worst case 20.</p>
<p>I ran/walked with my leg skewed out sideways, putting all my weight alternately on my left leg or the outside edge of my right foot. I tried not to look at spectators as they said, “you’ve got this!” and “you look great” because I really didn’t. I focused in on the other folks struggling around me and recognized we were all falling short of what we hoped, but continuing to put one foot in front of the other. We were a silent tribe of struggling runners. One man I leap frogged with had a sign on his back, “I’m a survivor” and “I run for my mom.” I remembered my sister’s words, “you are good at doing hard things” as I continued forward.</p>
<h2 id="in-the-chute">In the chute</h2>
<p>As I rounded the final corner, a woman said, “only 800 to go!” My brain has a solid image of an 800. Two loops around the track. I ran 10 miles around the track this summer on a blazing hot day. I could trod on for a measly two laps. I “ran” this entire 800 to the end, got my medal and heard my name announced.</p>
<p>Relief and embarrassment set in at the same time. I didn’t quit. But, I was an hour off my best marathon time ever and far outside my expected performance today. I said I just wanted to finish, but I didn’t really mean that. I meant, “I’ll be happy with a 4:30” because in my mind that was the time I was trained for.</p>
<p>My hands were cold enough that I couldn’t get my phone out of my belt or even manage to use them to call Scott on my watch. Everything looked unfamiliar in the daylight, and without the pin on the map of my phone, I felt lost. I felt like a zombie in a sea of other zombies as we all trudged forward in our silver blankets. I struck up a conversation with a crew of runners, finally stopping to open my belt and call Scott. I just needed confirmation that I was heading in the right direction, toward the hotel. He told me where to head and I hung up on him. Literally. “Great job!” dial tone. I was so upset with myself, I couldn’t even be nice.</p>
<h2 id="the-drive-home-and-moving-forward">The drive home and moving forward</h2>
<p>Our ride was uneventful. Both Scott and Elizabeth had outstanding races. I listened to them share their experiences and tried not to backseat drive my race. The truth of the matter was that I wasn’t able to run after mile 18. Even when a good song came on I couldn’t rally - my hamstring was just not working right. It wasn’t fair to beat myself up - I tried to be kind to myself and honor that I had done the best that I could on that day. I didn’t quit.</p>
<p>What’s next for me? Well, 2023 is our 50-50 and our 25th wedding anniversary. I turn 50 in April and Scott turns 50 in July. We’ve always done something special for these milestones and this year will be no exception. We’re toying with doing the Finger Lakes 50s and doing the 50 mile distance (or 50K distance) or maybe a different 50 miler where you can’t drop to the 50 K (because that one is super easy to drop down to mid-race). I am going to take a month long break from running and focus on yoga, strength, cycling and wellness in general. I’m looking forward to that break. In the winter, we’ll hit <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/training/mithacal-milers/">Mithacal Milers</a> again. This is a group I enjoy, and now they even offer an “injured” option so that if I don’t feel like I want to be doing speedwork on Tuesday nights, I can join that crew or run my own pace and still have the group warm-up and cool down.</p>
<p>All in all, despite the challenges, this was a good growth opportunity and a great chance to show myself that when faced with a time result that I know I won’t be proud of, that I was able to push through instead of taking the DNF.</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Scott wrote about his much more positive experience and shared all the details of the Amazing Race shoe team. <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/philadelphia-marathon-2022/">Check it out</a>!</p>
<p><strong>Time:</strong> 4:48:29<br />
<strong>F 45-49:</strong> 192/314<br />
<strong>Gender:</strong> 2268/3272<br />
<strong>Overall:</strong> 6442/8394</p>
FLRC 100K Ultra Challenge 20222022-08-07T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/flrc-100k-ultra-challenge-2022/<h2 id="how-this-came-to-be">How this came to be</h2>
<p>Just over 9 years ago, <a href="https://runningforpancakes.blogspot.com/2013/07/western-states-part-iii-journey.html">my sister Sarah ran Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run</a>. Scott and I made a spontaneous choice to go support her. We couldn’t be part of her official crew, but we could be integrally involved in her day, supporting her and her whole gang. This incredible experience laid a foundation for us to lean into running. It even prompted us to <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/western-states-100-kick-start-trail-running/">semi-jokingly discuss running our first 100 miler</a> for our 50-50.</p>
<p>In the wee hours of the morning on Sunday August 7th (Sarah’s birthday), Scott, Teressa and I scanned our first of 10 courses of the FLRC Ultra Challenge. To complete this successfully, we must finish all 10 courses in 24 hours.</p>
<h2 id="flrc-and-the-pandemic">FLRC and the pandemic</h2>
<p>Before I launch into our adventure, I want to share about how our local running club became such a key part of our life during the pandemic. In early 2021, the club kicked off the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/training/flrc_challenge_2021/">FLRC Challenge</a>. It gave me something to focus on for the year while races were mostly canceled. It energized my running and helped both Scott and me feel more connected to the running community. I challenged myself to attend a few group runs, met more people in person, and made more connections on Strava. The courses challenged me to run some on trails and running them gave me the confidence to sign up for a trail race. I was thrilled when they brought it back for 2022.</p>
<p>I’m really impressed with the number of ways that the club found to have people participate and compete in this newest challenge. They had a completely new set of courses, including the option to run on any track and have it count, as well as one course that was near my house. It was nice to have to drive 20 minutes or more for every challenge run.</p>
<h2 id="the-ultra-challenge">The Ultra Challenge</h2>
<p>In the first running of the challenge, they offered this up. I remember thinking, “only <em>real</em> runners can do that.” I really never gave it a thought. Maybe Scott could do it but there was no way that I would have the courage or endurance. I honestly never even considered it.</p>
<p>This year in version 2.0, the club created fun incentives to get involved virtually. You could get “social points” for posting about your run, for running with others, and for supporting local businesses after your run (and writing about it on the same day).</p>
<p>It is funny the things I’ll do for competition. I don’t generally use social media but found myself posting on the forum. I usually run by myself and suddenly I was running with Scott, looking forward to group runs and convincing my friends to sign up. Later in the summer I even invited my friend Sarah to run the Lick Brook course with me! We’ve never run together and we tackled this challenging 13+ mile course on a 90 degree afternoon.</p>
<p>So why not try the Ultra Challenge? I had convinced Teressa to sign up for the Challenge this year after she ran several courses with me the first year. Teressa is game for most anything and while I honestly don’t remember who came up with the idea first, I know we both thought we could probably do it. We spent the summer waffling on it. My kids and Scott strongly encouraged me not to do this. I wasn’t trained for the distance and it would be scary for them. At the same time we were considering this, I accidentally found myself at the top of the list for most miles. So, suddenly something that I hadn’t really concerned myself with before became a priority. I started trying to log miles - more miles than I should have on my feet and my family got a little worried about my obsession with this challenge. In their mind, this was just one more thing that could get to be too consuming. I told Teressa we probably should cancel this lofty goal and she pushed back saying we could do it, but that she was cool if I didn’t want to and her family would probably be happy too.</p>
<p>As we talked about the very few possible days we could do it, Scott mentioned that if I did it, he’d want to do it too. I told him I wasn’t comfortable with him out there solo and suggested that if it was ok with Teressa that he join us. We had some strict ground rules about time and pace and him running separately. As you can imagine, that fell apart rather quickly.</p>
<p>So let’s get to the story!</p>
<h2 id="our-order">Our order</h2>
<p>This changed many times. I originally proposed a midnight start and Teressa countered with 3 am. I had an entirely different order of courses than you’ll see below and we all made modifications in a shared doc for a bit. This final order is a tweak of <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RelpvFuPGbHtEnEzuLrJ6Q2quONXcWXyl7_agv6jBL0/edit?usp=sharing">our actual planned order from just a day prior</a>.</p>
<p>One change occurred the day before. Scott and I were enjoying breakfast in Trumansburg at <a href="https://www.creeksidecafetburg.com/">Creekside Cafe</a>. It was 9 am, 88 degrees, humid and sunny. Our original order had us hitting Brookton Hill and Dale after Lick Brook in the heat of the day, spanning noon. I looked at Scott and suggested we make it our 4th course instead of the 5th. We ran it by Teressa and determined that the change was good. This one change, set the stage for a much more positive experience. The next change was about drive time. We had ourselves bouncing around a bit. We had convinced ourselves that a bit of extra drive time was fine. But, after Lick Brook, we realized our stops were longer than we had budgeted for (travel time plus 10 minutes was budgeted) and the only thing we could really control was drive time. We adjusted the courses from there to lessen travel time. This proved to be another smart move, as it also pushed the very runnable and short Lansing Center Trail to last.</p>
<h2 id="sweet-1600"><a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/sweet-1600/">Sweet 1600</a></h2>
<p>We kicked off with the mile right before 3 am. On a moonless night, the air so thick it felt like you were running through water, we drove right up to the track, nabbed a picture and ran a mile. I was wearing a waist lamp my sister gave me to light the track for Teressa and me. Scott ran at his own pace. My highlight of this mile was the intense gratitude that I felt for my sister for sending this. It was over a year ago and showed up very out of the blue. I tossed it somewhere and promptly forgot about it. So much so that I ordered clip lights for this run because I knew headlamp running gave me a headache. Scott was the beneficiary of those lights and Teressa and I enjoyed this very bright (and comfortable) waist light!</p>
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<h2 id="taughannock-rim-%26-falls"><a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/taughannock-rim/">Taughannock Rim & Falls</a></h2>
<p>After our mile, we zoomed down to Taughannock. This trail is open from dawn to dusk. I’m a big rule follower who would never dare head to the trail outside of those hours. In fact, when <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/hiking/200-day-coronavirus-hike-streak/">Elizabeth and I had our hike streak during Covid</a>, we ended it at 200 days, largely because life had gone back to normal and our only opportunity to hike pushed into those off limits hours.</p>
<p>But for this, we didn’t really have a choice to hit this in the middle. It had to be at the start in darkness or at the end in darkness. We reasoned that we could explain our way out of this if we were caught, or split the cost of our ticket. Hence, we found ourselves at the parking lot a little after 3, ready to tackle our most familiar course. Teressa and I headed up while Scott headed down. Our goal was to take it slow and safe, making sure to avoid starting the day with a fall. We chatted happily, and found ourselves really enjoying the run in the dark. Again, that waist light was a high point. It reminded me of my children’s pre-school mantra for sending children outdoors to play, “there is no bad weather, only bad clothing.” We had great gear for this!</p>
<h2 id="inlet-shore-trail"><a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/inlet-shore-trail/">Inlet Shore Trail</a></h2>
<p>A switch back to road shoes in the car and a nice snack while driving and we were off to the Inlet shore trail. We parked near our gym, <a href="https://flxfitclub.com/">FLX Fitclub</a>, pretty certain there wasn’t a 6 am outdoor class in the parking lot and hit the course.</p>
<p>This time, I turned on Run Go directions for us. I’ve gotten lost on this course before, even after I was pretty confident that I had it, and we both knew we didn’t want extra mileage today! The run was comfortable. We were still chatting at this point, enjoying the darkness in the first half and the arrival of dawn as we finished. By this time, we had 1, 4.6 and 6.2 under our belts for a total of 11.8. As we pulled out of the parking lot we ran into Aaron King. He was also mid-Ultra Challenge!! It was super fun to know someone else was doing this “with” us and we looked forward to possibly bumping into him later in the day.</p>
<h2 id="brookton-hill-and-dale"><a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/brookton-hill-and-dale/">Brookton Hill and Dale</a></h2>
<p>We had a bit of time to chill in the car as we drove to our next course. Xander planned to meet us there and run with Scott. The water arrangement was for Scott to drop a cooler of water near mile 5 so we didn’t have to carry and then he would start the run with Xander, giving us a head start. We didn’t waste much time getting going here, and our agreement was that we’d run the flats and downhills and walk the hills. That was a brilliant mental strategy. It allowed us to look forward to the hills. I had run the course 3 times to Teressa’s one so I knew what was coming and was able to use that to give her a mental map to keep pushing on some of the longer flat stretches. The wheels started to fall off that plan as we neared the end but we made it in, rallying with a solid downhill and flat run back to Brookton’s Market. I was pretty proud of Xander for joining Scott so early for this. He was very supportive and sweet to us all, even leaving me his sunglasses because I forgot mine!</p>
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<h2 id="lick-brook-treman"><a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/lick-brook-treman-flt/">Lick Brook Treman</a></h2>
<p>On the drive to Lick Brook, we discussed using this course as a recovery course. We’d walk most of it, and maybe run the downhills. At this time we had 22.2 miles on our legs of legit running. That’s no small feat for 3 people who haven’t done any distance training. Sure, we had miles under our feet, and Teressa did a 17 mile training run last week to make sure she could handle the distance. We had <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/training/24th-anniversary-run-hike/">our 24th anniversary run/hike</a>. We all have lots of efforts on Taughannock and we’ve all completed all 10 courses of the FLRC Challenge.</p>
<p>However, we were nearing a marathon distance and it was 90 degrees and humid. Luckily we packed our poles from our <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/trail/mazama-mountain-running-camp/">Mountain Running Camp</a>. I had tried them out on my recent Lick Brook run with Sarah Giesy. They worked great so I was pretty psyched to use them today!</p>
<p>We all agreed that we’d do the challenging Lick Brook side first, reasoning we’d rather just get it done. The first part of this was very slippery after all the rain, and we found our poles super useful. Teressa and I hiked all the way up, spotting Aaron King on his way down to finish this course with a blazing fast time, looking very strong! Our hike felt like a slog, and while we were still upbeat, our fatigue was beginning to set in. I led on this single track trail, and when we reached the turnaround, we headed back down and ran into Scott. We had a bit of a head start on him for this. He reminded us that to hit our “worst case time” we’d still need to run some. Since we hadn’t run a single step of this course yet, I interpreted his message to mean, “please run something here.” I suggested to Teressa that we run the downhills on this side. We had previously agreed that we’d only run the downhills on the other, more moderate side, but she fell into step with me as I led us back down to the car. On our way down we ran into Caroline and Josh Brockner, and when we arrived back to the car we ran into Kristina Harrison and her husband. Both couples were out for the FLRC Lick Brook Course challenge, and it was really fun to see them! I think we had some snacks? I know we put on our packs because we hadn’t done the first part with water. Soon we were off for part two. We left together, with Scott only a little ahead of us for quite some time. It felt a little silly to have him just a bit ahead for so long, but he eventually pulled away enough that it felt reasonable.</p>
<p>This side felt never ending and the single track was monotonous. I’m not the best hike leader and my voice doesn’t travel well, so our conversation faded. A lot of this hike was quiet. We were tired and my feet were slopping around in my hiking shoes. We tried to run the downhills, but there were not a lot of downhills. Still, we did run most of them, including one luxuriously long one that felt amazing! One thing we noticed on this leg was that we saw so many more things than when we ran the course. Another thing that really hit me was how SLOWLY the miles tick along when you are hiking. I do love to hike, but mostly when there is a view in it for me. Today there was no view - only a wet, single track, semi-overgrown trail slog. With just a few miles to go I winced as I planted my right foot. My right pinky toe clearly had developed its typical pointy toe callus. I wasn’t able to walk normally for long enough that I panicked that I’d need to have one of the kids pick me up. Soon, I forced myself to step normally, wincing with each footfall. I remembered Heather Cobb telling me that when she did this, she shared with her feet hurt. Her friend pointed out that her feet should hurt. What did she expect? I formed this into a little mantra for the day. Yup. My feet hurt. What did I expect?</p>
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<h2 id="beebe-lake"><a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/beebe-lake/">Beebe Lake</a></h2>
<p>It was after this course when we officially had 35.3 miles under our feet (it must be noted that Lick Brook is MORE than 13.1 so we really had more but we had “credit” for 13.1), that we made a change to our plan. I was afraid that if we went to Long Loomis next like we originally planned that we would hike it. I also felt we needed a break from poles for a bit. I suggested we hit the largely shaded Beebe and try to run some of it. We made a new plan for Beebe, followed by the Dryden Rail Trail before hitting Loomis. The only hard rule we had was that we had to hit Loomis in daylight.</p>
<p>We arrived at Beebe hot and tired. It was 94 degrees by this point and almost 2 pm. I took my shirt off for this, planning to change into a new one, but it felt so breathtakingly wonderful to not have a shirt on that I chose to stay in my sports bra. We negotiated that we’d run some and I invited Scott to join us. He hadn’t been that far ahead of us in Treman and his legs were very fatigued. He was concerned about “crashing our party” but I assured him that it was ok. I didn’t actually check in with Teressa about this, and felt a bit bad about that, but we were a crew bound by the travel, so it felt ok. Walked, shuffled, ran, walked, shuffled, ran and somehow made it through the 4 miles still smiling.</p>
<h2 id="dryden-rail-trail"><a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/east-hill-dryden-rail-trail/">Dryden Rail Trail</a></h2>
<p>It was a short drive to this trail and when we arrived we saw Amanda King. In my overheated state, I didn’t even process that she was supporting Aaron. She walked over to us with ice and we eagerly started filling our water bottles with ice. Ours was almost gone and this felt like seeing an oasis in the desert. We chatted a bit and she gave us such great encouragement! Aaron was now beginning his 8th course while we were on our 7th. He joked that he was at a 9-10 minute shuffle. We laughed because we were hoping to not hit our highest projected time for this and to run “a bit” of the course. We agreed that after the initial flat bit, we’d run the first downhill to the turnaround at 1.5 miles. We’d then walk back up to the car. We didn’t talk about the next leg, which is a flat trail. By the time we hit the last 100 meters before the car, the heat was just radiating off the road. I quickened my step to just get away from this heat. We spent a brief time grabbing water and some food from the car before heading out. Aaron and Amanda were just heading off to do the short leg we just finished. She gave us the rest of their ice and we wished each other well.</p>
<p>This part is when I became a bit of a camp counselor, chief motivator, part tyrant to get us moving. I didn’t have it in me to walk these last 4.5 miles in their entirety so I suggested that we run .25 and walk .25 in increments until we finished. I knew I was pushing Teressa to the bounds of what she could handle in that moment, but I felt I had to do this. It was hot. We were all tired and it would keep us moving along and get us to Loomis sooner if we ran. Scott joked that I had assumed the role of camp counselor. Teressa joked that she was not a happy camper and wanted to call her mom to go home but she and Scott joined in each time I said it was time to run. As the miles ticked off, I stopped announcing that we had to run and just commenced with running. We paused for a picture at the turnaround before heading back to the car.</p>
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<h2 id="long-loomis"><a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/long-loomis/">Long Loomis</a></h2>
<p>This was a hard course because I was just a bit out of sync with how my legs felt from the way Teressa and Scott’s legs felt. I still thought I could run the flats and downhills. But, Scott and Teressa were struggling with running at this point. I realized when I suggested running as we crested the hill and they said the trail was too rooty and Scott shared that we were walking along with a solid 17 minute mile clip that we would hike this. I still kept a pace that was a little too far ahead of them, strangely worried that if I slowed down they would too. I should have been more chill. However, despite my intensity here, I was proud of myself for not taking on the role of camp counselor and respecting their bodies.</p>
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<h2 id="jim-schug"><a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/jim-schug-trail/">Jim Schug</a></h2>
<p>Before this trail, we got to have pizza. My request early in the day was to fit in a slice of pizza. I learned through this that I really like savory foods (and Teressa’s almond cookies) while in an endurance event. Scott went to <a href="https://www.pizzaandbones.com/">Pizza and Bones in Dryden</a> to pick up some slices for us all!</p>
<p>After a brief discussion of doing the same run/walk thing as we did for Dryden Rail Trail, we agreed to just keep a very fast walk. The concern was that if we did the run/walk, our walk would turn into recovery and it would tire our legs to give us the exact same pace we’d have had walking. It was long and tiring, but not at all bad when you consider we’d been going for most of the day by this point. Scott and Teressa bantered much more than I did, with Scott breaking into the occasional song to make us smile and laugh. As we finished, Sarah Giesy texted “one more to go” because she had seen it pop into the Activity page. Kudos continued as I put things into Strava. People had been rooting for us all day and some people were even still awake!!</p>
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<h2 id="lansing-center-trail"><a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/lansing-center-trail/">Lansing Center Trail</a></h2>
<p>We wrapped up Jim Schug around 10:30. This meant we COULD hit a midnight finish. We drove quietly to Lansing. I suggested the midnight finish for probably one too many times, saying we would have to run some of this and start right away. Teressa’s hamstring was tight and she needed to stretch it before we started. She and Scott were not nearly as concerned as me about finishing on the same calendar day. But, we’d started on Sarah’s birthday and I wanted to finish on her birthday. I wanted to be able to say, “we did this on August 7th” and not say “we did it on August 7th and 8th.” Today, after some sleep, I realized this sounds rather ridiculous, but in the moment it was pretty important.</p>
<p>So, as we stood in front of the sign, when Teressa said it didn’t matter to her if we finished by midnight I said, “this is really important to me.” I’m sure she and Scott had a moment of “wow she is crazy” in their respective heads, but Scott turned to humor and then he said, “well it’s flat now so we can run.” We ran with the course, embracing running on the flats and downhills and walking on the uphills. The grass was wet and my shoes and socks were squishy. However, it wasn’t too unpleasant. This course was Teressa’s original proposal for last and we were happy that we had reverted from our plan back to this. It was SO nice to end with a runnable course that was short!</p>
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<h2 id="after-midnight">After midnight</h2>
<p>The other thing I had wanted to have for this day was a beer. When we ran into Kristina, she pointed out that they had packed beer for after their Lick Brook run. After we showered, but before we poured ourselves into bed, Scott and I split a Flower Power by Ithaca Beer and my day was complete. Mike had stayed up for Teressa to greet her as she came in from her epic adventure.</p>
<p>And, guess what? We get a sign for our efforts. Our home gym will have 2 new signs to add to our wall for this day!</p>
24th Anniversary Run/Hike2022-07-25T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/24th-anniversary-run-hike/<p>Today is my 24th wedding anniversary! I had the harebrained idea to run/hike 24 miles to celebrate with Scott. We are part of our local running club’s spring and summer <a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/">FLRC Challenge</a>. This challenge features 10 courses that you can cover the ground for and get miles to compete in different ways. These include fastest times, most miles overall, most miles on a specific trail and more. One particular course was to be my “one and done” course. It was one that Scott lobbied our organizer to have and I was pretty bummed about. It is hard for me.I don’t consider myself a “real trail” runner so I envisioned getting my required single entry on it and then doing easier courses. However, the pull to grow my confidence with trail running proved strong and I’ve now logged 59 runs on this course.</p>
<h2 id="async-competition">Async Competition</h2>
<p>When we left for our summer vacation, I was first on the <a href="https://challenge.fingerlakesrunners.org/">leaderboard</a> for most miles. I can’t compete on speed, but I accidentally found myself in the lead for miles. This happened because I was working to make sure I stayed near the top of the Taughannock course to win the sign (note: I am not going to win the sign - Scott is on track for that and I can’t beat him but since we share a home it doesn’t much matter which of us wins this). In doing this, I managed to somehow be in contention for most miles.</p>
<p>Because everyone logs workouts on their own, if you are actually trying to win something you have to stay aware of the leaderboard. As we left for vacation, I noted that I was about 50 miles ahead of Liz (she was right behind Scott when we left for our trip). He was confident we would hold our lead, but I knew we’d lose it. I didn’t bother to check the board on our trip and didn’t plan to check upon arrival home. I’m a fatalist and assumed I’d lost it and couldn’t gain it back. Scott is a much more optimistic person than me and he checked right away. Yup. Liz had a powerhouse week and we were behind. We had a brief conversation about giving it up and went to bed (we did arrive home at 3 am from a very exhausting air travel experience).</p>
<p>The next morning I got right to work on baking for a wedding with no plans to hike or run. Elizabeth texted me mid-morning to ask if I could hike. I said I couldn’t and then reconsidered, knowing she was headed out of town for the weekend. Later that day I took a break and logged the 4.65 miles on the Rim/Base/Rim Taughannock trail. Liz logged more that day, something I noted because of the website of activities.</p>
<p>That evening Scott shared his plans. He’d do 20 the next day. What??? I can’t do 20 in one day. His plan was to run 10 in the morning and then run one in the afternoon and hike one with me. I agreed to do one run in the morning and to try again in the afternoon. It was clear he wasn’t going to give up most miles that easy. So, that means I am not going to give up that easily either.</p>
<h2 id="the-anniversary">The Anniversary</h2>
<p>Now comes the idea. 24 years. 24 miles. I love things like this. Let’s do it!! Scott thought it sounded cool. We started to talk about where we could look forward to eating afterwards to make it like a west coast hiking trip and hatched a plan to run the first one, hike the second, run the 3rd etc. We had to do 5 efforts and an extra mile to hit our 24. Very few things are open on Mondays in our area, but lucky for us, one of our favorite places, <a href="https://twogoatsbrewing.com/">Two Goats Brewing</a>, is!! Running for beer - yup. That’s our plan.</p>
<p>The morning was really dreary after constant rain overnight. I really dislike humidity and rain and we forgot to dry our workout clothes so we stalled, getting an 8 am start. Always the pessimist, I project a 10 hour finish. As we drove I said, “we may not get to go to Two Goats after all,” to which Scott replied, “we’ll finish in about 7 hours.”</p>
<h2 id="the-july-25th-anniversary-club">The July 25th Anniversary Club</h2>
<p>We started our first effort, going in different directions. I had pulled in an 80s Apple playlist which allowed my brain to roam freely back to my middle school and high school years. I could digress for hours here with stories, but I’ll spare you the experience! While running the first loop, I ran into my friend Lynn and her husband. She knew I was doing this and said, “you are doing 24 miles on THIS course???” Yup. Kind of crazy. There’s plenty of elevation and it is not that easy. I shouted that it would be a mix of hiking and running.</p>
<p>Soon, I arrived back in the parking lot. To hike, I wanted to change my shoes to my more cushioned Topos out of my minimalist Hokas. So, to avoid many shoe changes and because I was enjoying my 80s music, I suggested we run one more before we switched to hiking. Scott was game for that so off we both went. This time I ran into a colleague and his wife who shouted “happy anniversary” to me as I ran by them. I saw my friends Melissa and Walter who also wished me a happy anniversary. At this wish, I had a vague recollection that they might share an anniversary with us but I wasn’t 100% so I didn’t wish them one back. Soon, I was done with the out and back of the base trail and I caught Walter and Melissa on the north side. I walked the rest of the way up to the overlook with them, chatting away.</p>
<p>Upon arriving, we saw Scott talking to our friend Arthur. He and his wife Emilie were also celebrating their anniversary. Turns out it WAS Melissa and Walter’s anniversary so we all had a great laugh about this. Art and Emilie were heading off to breakfast at the Milkstand in Ithaca and Melissa and Walter were considering sushi. Scott and I had HOURS left before we could enjoy our dining experience. Scott said, “want to run the 3rd one and then hike the last two?” No, I most certainly did NOT want to do this, but it made 100% sense so I said, “sure” and off we went after a quick break for gatorade, a Bob’s bar and water.</p>
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<h2 id="let%E2%80%99s-talk-about-gatorade">Let’s talk about Gatorade</h2>
<p>I haven’t had Gatorade in YEARS!! But, in NYC a few weeks ago we were doing a 1600 meter challenge effort (Scott found a series of tracks in Manhattan that would satisfy the 1600 challenge course) and we were really thirsty toward the end. We stopped at a store and got some Gatorade. You know what? It was sooo delicious on that hot day. We remembered that and bought some for today’s effort. As I gulped down my blue Gatorade before the 3rd effort I was really happy!! I chased it with some water and off I went.</p>
<p>The 3rd effort was hard for me though. My left front toe was starting to rub and I was getting tired. It probably wasn’t the best that I decided to switch back to podcasts. I was in the last episode of Bad Blood: The final chapter and then I switched to Biohacked: Family Secrets. Both were super interesting but harder to run to than upbeat 80s music. I walked enough of the ups for this that it was 6 minutes slower than my 2nd attempt and almost a full 10 minutes slower than my first. Still though, I was done with running for the day. Sure, we could have run more but part of this was about being together in the hiking portion and having legs left for more running on other days this week.</p>
<h2 id="hiking-with-scott">Hiking with Scott</h2>
<p>We pulled out our poles from mountain running camp for this. I had tried them with Sarah Giesy on Lickbrook and they were super helpful for preventing falls. We started our hike in the “up/down/up” direction and quickly got into a nice groove. Scott shared his podcast stories with me and I shared with him. It was starting to get hot and I was grateful that I had changed my shoes to my Topos. They were plenty cushioned for this 2nd half of our day. We pretty much knew we had 3 hours left. He suggested running the base trail (it is flat after all) and I quashed his idea. Whiny as always I said, “I’m in hiking mode now and my shoes aren’t great for running,” when really I was just tired and hot and my toe hurt. As we walked up the 121 stairs on the north side, my brain sang, “put one foot in front of other, and soon you’ll be walking out the door” from <a href="https://youtu.be/OORsz2d1H7s">Santa Claus is Coming to Town</a>. It got me up the stairs!!</p>
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<p>We continued on at our normal hiking clip and chatted about a million things before arriving at the car for our final stop. Originally we had decided we’d reverse directions for the last loop but I changed my mind and suggested we just keep going counter clockwise. It seemed easier to go up just a smidge more and then have the nice downhill and flat with the final blast of uphill.</p>
<p>During this loop we talked about our kids and our life and how happy we are together. It was kind of fun to realize that our first 3 loops run solo could represent our time alone in our lives and then our time together from our hiking time. Or, we could go year by year through our 24 years of marriage and remember things (we didn’t go down that rabbit hole very far actually - by the time you are on loop 5 of 5 and are tired it takes a bunch of effort to think of things). On the last time up the stairs I sang, “The Ants Go Marching” in my head. As I did this, I remembered all the times I hiked this trail with the kids and how often I sang that song to get them up the hills. Soon we were back at the car and embarked on a short mile long slow loop to just make sure we hit 24 (we ended up hitting 25 so I guess that means we’ll make it another year together!!) Midway through this last bit, my watch hit 10% power - luckily there was enough left for me to finish.</p>
<h2 id="two-goats">Two Goats</h2>
<p>On the west coast when we finish a hike we go straight to wherever we plan on going all dusty and stinky. Scott suggested early in the day that we go home and shower before heading to Two Goats. I sighed and said, “ok” reluctantly. I LOVE the west coast and the crazy long days of hiking and how amazing everything tastes when we are tired and hot. But, in the east coast world, it isn’t as common to see dirty hikers stroll into places so his plan made sense. So after a quick rinse off we headed out. It was great fun to look over the lake together and enjoy a super late lunch (by the way, Scott was right - it took us just over 7 hours to finish).</p>
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<h2 id="what-now%3F">What now?</h2>
<p>Well, I’m temporarily 2 miles ahead of Liz. I do not kid myself that I’ll stay there. There are 3 weeks left and I think it is going to be game on for this last hurrah!! It is rather fun. A healthy fitness challenge where it doesn’t matter if you win or lose - either way you grow. Of course that isn’t going to stop me from trying to win. Accidental or purposeful, I found myself near the top of this miles leaderboard so why not try to stay there?</p>
Skunk Cabbage Half Marathon 20222022-04-03T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/skunk-cabbage-half-marathon-2022/<h2 id="amazing-triathlete">Amazing Triathlete</h2>
<p>As I started up the hill near mile 4, I was already a little tired. I was tempted to walk until I noticed that one of the women was someone I had run a group run with in the fall. I decided to look stronger than I feel and continue running. Several of us started chatting and one woman knew me from racing. She introduced me to her friend saying, “Amy is an amazing triathlete.” I laughed and said, “me?” For years I have participated in the Cayuga Lake Triathlon each year, but amazing is not a word that would ever come to mind. In fact, even my family struggles to say positive things about my swim portion of the event!</p>
<p>Yet I realized from this - we all inspire someone!</p>
<h2 id="fluid-mindset">Fluid Mindset</h2>
<p>A few years ago, I beat someone in this race who usually runs faster than me. I was more concrete in my athletic thinking prior to that race and I often popped people into unchanging pace buckets - myself included. That year marked a shift in my thinking. You can train for any goal you desire. You could use a race as a tune up race, just a fun opportunity to catch up with friends, or you could be going for a PR. Today I ran because I can. I ran because it is fun to see people. I ran because this race marks the start of spring for me.</p>
<p>It is ok not to have a time goal. It is ok not to run your fastest race (or slowest). I have now learned to be fluid in my mindset and accept my chosen effort and results for the day and race at hand.</p>
<h2 id="headphones">Headphones</h2>
<p>One of the reasons my daughter won’t sign up for this race is because she doesn’t like to run long distances without headphones. The FLRC runs say no headphones and they typically enforce this rule. However, last year they did not and I do have Aftershokz that will allow me to still hear the road as I run. I inquired via my daughter since she was talking with the RD about something else. No headphones.</p>
<p>I made sure to tell my colleague that he should plan on not bringing his, only to notice that so many people were plugged in. I was immediately annoyed at myself for both not taking a risk myself and advising Bill incorrectly. I didn’t see anyone get in trouble!</p>
<h2 id="post-covid-run">Post-COVID Run</h2>
<p>Scott and I both had COVID just a couple of weeks prior to this race. Now, it must be said that we were not well trained to begin with. Well, at least I wasn’t. I had a rough winter with running. I didn’t have motivation or even desire to work hard at running most of the time. I’d kept up a relatively decent level of running all things considered but it certainly wasn’t enough to do well on a half marathon. My longest run was a slow 9.6 miler with my friend Teressa the weekend before I got COVID.</p>
<p>So, it turned out that the Skunk Cabbage was my 2nd run back after COVID. I felt winded and un-prepared but not terrible. I did feel like I had to tell most everyone I encountered that I was recovering … but was that really why it was so hard? Not sure!!</p>
<h2 id="never-look-down">Never Look Down</h2>
<p>I made a promise to myself that I would never look down at my watch. Not once. No exceptions. I would run this race by feel and just accept my time for what it is. I had not properly trained and I did not deserve to have a fast race. I also was unwilling to risk injury by pushing too hard for something I was not prepared to do well on.</p>
<p>And you know what? I made it. I never looked down. My only regret came just under a mile out when I could hear the clock tower chiming. I knew that meant I could have actually hit the 2 hour mark if I had tried to push a bit. Nope. Today I just ran comfortably while honoring my promise to myself of “never look down.”</p>
<h2 id="myelination">Myelination</h2>
<p>As the race started I eavesdropped on a conversation where a man was happily sharing that his training was “running all the time for decades.” He didn’t train per-se but he was always ready for this. Moments after hearing this, I saw Shane Eversfield on the course. Shane was my swim instructor years ago. A weekly dose of Zen and information, in swim class he taught us that we were laying myelin as we trained our bodies to swim. We were building neural pathways that our body would remember.</p>
<p>I realized that even if my winter training had been lackluster, I was mylenized. The best way to get better at running - RUN! While the past 2 months hadn’t been the best, I do have years of run time on my feet. My body knew what to do in this race! And, just seeing Shane on the course was inspiring for me.</p>
<h2 id="positive-peer-pressure">Positive Peer Pressure</h2>
<p>I really thought I could use COVID and the lack of proper training as a reason to not follow through with this race. BUT, I had talked my colleague Bill into signing up. He was also recovering from COVID. In our team meeting one day I said, “I don’t think I’m going to do it. I don’t feel ready. The forecast is not good. I don’t want to get rained on.” Scott is typically not one to back down from things but this time he agreed. But that day at our meeting, Bill said, “I’m going to do it. I don’t care about the weather or that I’m recovering. I will give it a go.” I arrived home that day and told Scott, “Well, we have to do it! Bill’s doing it. There’s no way I’m going to be able to say I wimped out if he is pushing forward.”</p>
<p>Scott laughed. “Really? We have to do it because Bill’s doing it?” Positive peer pressure!!</p>
<h2 id="tortoise-meets-hare">Tortoise Meets Hare</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2022/skunk/friend.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="My leapfrog partner" title="My leapfrog partner" /><p class="stickyNote">My leapfrog partner</p></div>
<p>Starting at mile 4, another woman and I leapfrogged each other on the course. She would run fast by me and then I’d catch her later when she was walking. Repeat - for 9 miles! We ended up finishing super close to each other. I nabbed a picture with her after the race.</p>
<h2 id="beer-near">Beer Near</h2>
<p>As I neared the dreaded big last (and short) hill of the course, I saw the signs on the road for Ithaca's hashing group. Yup, they always have beer on the course. I remembered one year when I ran this with Christina and they offered mimosas! It was a high point in her run.</p>
<p>This year I turned down the beer, but it brought me great happiness to see them out there serving us all beer. They were energetic and inspiring on an otherwise lonely stretch of road.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2022/skunk/finish.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Finishing!" title="Finishing!" /><p class="stickyNote">Finishing!</p></div>
<h2 id="race-results">Race Results</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.leonetiming.com/results/index.php?id=5098">Leone Timing</a></p>
<div class="strava-embed-placeholder" data-embed-type="activity" data-embed-id="6928308420"></div><script src="https://strava-embeds.com/embed.js"></script>
<p><strong>Time</strong> 2:07:37<br />
<strong>Age Group</strong> 2 of 5<br />
<strong>Gender</strong> 53 of 76<br />
<strong>Overall</strong> 145 of 194</p>
FLRC Challenge 20212021-12-31T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/flrc_challenge_2021/<p>The FLRC Challenge really inspired me for 2021! I <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/training/flrc_challenge/">wrote about it earlier in the year</a> as we were getting underway, and this is the end-of-series recap. In a year of very few races and little intrinsic self-motivation, I relied on the opportunities to log miles that "counted" for something. Scott and I started slowly in this, doing only one long course a week in the spring. We picked up with regular running of courses after he recovered from surgery in late July. When we cancelled out trip to Oregon in August we ran a bunch of courses as part of our home staycation. Thanks to the Finger Lakes Runners Club for all the hard work they did to create this opportunity for all of us. And thanks to <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/">Scott</a> for creating the template for this page. Overall points, 716.45 (13th). 82 total efforts covering 560 miles (8th place in the mileage race).</p>
<h2 id="flrc-challenge%2C-visualized">FLRC Challenge, Visualized</h2>
<p>These are the pictures I took from my time running the Challenge courses. Most of the pictures are from a group run, the one race, or when I had either Teressa with me or Scott with me. I rarely remember to take pictures on my own!</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2021/challenge/IMG_0779.JPG?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2021/challenge/IMG_0782.JPG?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Finishing the Black Diamond" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2021/challenge/IMG_0789.JPG?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2021/challenge/IMG_0799.JPG?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="End of BDT with Teressa" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2021/challenge/IMG_1154.JPG?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="South Hill Recway with the boys before heading to Berklee" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2021/challenge/IMG_1234.JPG?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="East Hill Recway with Xander" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2021/challenge/IMG_1244.JPG?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="South Hill Recway with Teressa and Melissa" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2021/challenge/IMG_1266.JPG?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Forest Frolic" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2021/challenge/IMG_1273.JPG?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Another of many BDT runs with Teressa" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2021/challenge/IMG_1569.JPG?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Cider donuts after our last Frolic run - turned out to be a failed attempt but the donuts were delicious!" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2021/challenge/IMG_1583.JPG?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Thom B rainy group run - my running partners were so much fun to hang with." />
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<p>The chart below shows the frequency of running. You can see that it starts with once a week long running on either the Black Diamond Trail or the Skunk Cabbage and then expands to include other courses in the 2nd half of 2021. I also created some <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vSx3AiQ9Uj2WSe4LI6WD2kHUGmhXbX_veMirw31vjsumOA6-J4J4DLkNzXszA6Gf3AEFTHtZFRCit6C/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000">scatter plot charts</a> of each course.</p>
<div id="container"></div><h2>East Hill Rec Way (1 mile)</h2>
<p>This course transported me right back to the Mithacal Milers winter indoor training group. It was a great personal challenge to try to improve on the one mile each time I ventured out there!</p>
<ul>
<li><b>7/24/21</b>: 7:56 </li>
<li><b>7/27/21</b>: 7:38 </li>
<li><b>7/30/21</b>: 7:24 </li>
<li><b>8/19/21</b>: 7:39 </li>
<li><b>9/3/21</b>: 7:17 </li>
<li><b>9/11/21</b>: <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/5942460944">6:59</a> <i class="fas fa-star" style="color: #ff9a00" title="Fastest time for this course"></i> (19th)</li>
</ul><h2>Cornell Botanic Gardens (2.4 miles)</h2>
<p>A course I'd never even considered running before, the course is lovely. It is short enough to consider doing 2 or 3 times or using as a warm-up for the recway mile.</p>
<ul>
<li><b>7/24/21</b>: 23:32 </li>
<li><b>7/29/21</b>: 25:19 </li>
<li><b>7/30/21</b>: 22:24 </li>
<li><b>8/18/21</b>: 22:48 </li>
<li><b>8/18/21</b>: 23:22 </li>
<li><b>8/18/21</b>: 23:05 </li>
<li><b>8/21/21</b>: <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/5828677441">20:35</a> <i class="fas fa-star" style="color: #ff9a00" title="Fastest time for this course"></i> (18th)</li>
<li><b>9/11/21</b>: 21:25 </li>
<li><b>10/6/21</b>: 22:32 </li>
<li><b>10/6/21</b>: 22:14 </li>
<li><b>11/5/21</b>: 22:58 </li>
<li><b>11/5/21</b>: 23:22 </li>
<li><b>11/8/21</b>: 23:01 </li>
<li><b>11/8/21</b>: 22:56 </li>
</ul><h2>Waterfront Trail (3.1 miles)</h2>
<p>Stewart Park is one of my least favorite places to run in the area. I am thrilled that there was a course here because it made me run this! It turned out to be one of my more favorite after work runs.</p>
<ul>
<li><b>7/24/21</b>: 30:26 </li>
<li><b>7/29/21</b>: 30:13 </li>
<li><b>8/7/21</b>: 28:41 </li>
<li><b>9/2/21</b>: <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/5893012516">26:26</a> <i class="fas fa-star" style="color: #ff9a00" title="Fastest time for this course"></i> (18th)</li>
<li><b>9/9/21</b>: 26:43 </li>
<li><b>9/13/21</b>: 29:12 </li>
<li><b>9/30/21</b>: 29:29 </li>
<li><b>10/5/21</b>: 29:40 </li>
<li><b>10/21/21</b>: 28:38 </li>
</ul><h2>Tortoise & Hare (5.4 miles)</h2>
<p>Scott and other friends have run this over the years and I was always too scared to sign up. I really LOVED running this course. One of my favorite things about the challenge was that it pushed me to do things I wouldn't have tried in another year.</p>
<ul>
<li><b>7/26/21</b>: 1:09:43 </li>
<li><b>9/7/21</b>: 1:07:50 </li>
<li><b>10/11/21</b>: 1:05:09 </li>
<li><b>10/13/21</b>: <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/6109217277">1:03:51</a> <i class="fas fa-star" style="color: #ff9a00" title="Fastest time for this course"></i> (18th)</li>
</ul><h2>Danby Down & Dirty (6 miles)</h2>
<p>I wish we had braved this trail earlier in the season. I was so afraid of the name that I almost didn't even run it! I'm so glad I did and also glad that Scott convinced me to sign up for the race. It was a really great growth experience. This course made me start to love 'real' trail again.</p>
<ul>
<li><b>8/16/21</b>: 1:32:34 </li>
<li><b>10/2/21</b>: <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/6054606434">1:17:10</a> <i class="fas fa-star" style="color: #ff9a00" title="Fastest time for this course"></i> (17th)</li>
</ul><h2>South Hill Rec Way (6.8 miles)</h2>
<p>Set it and forget it type course that also manages to offer some strategy. My favorite thing about this run was learning to get over my fear of the hill. On a mostly flat trail, sometimes my fear on the one little hill was palpable. One day I ran this after recently running a 'real' trail with lots of hills. Perspective!</p>
<ul>
<li><b>7/31/21</b>: 1:03:31 </li>
<li><b>8/5/21</b>: 1:03:30 </li>
<li><b>8/8/21</b>: 1:05:22 </li>
<li><b>9/6/21</b>: 1:02:57 </li>
<li><b>10/22/21</b>: <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/6161643695">1:01:49</a> <i class="fas fa-star" style="color: #ff9a00" title="Fastest time for this course"></i> (16th)</li>
<li><b>10/31/21</b>: 1:02:50 </li>
</ul><h2>Thom B. Trail Run (8.5 miles)</h2>
<p>I think I got lost literally EVERY time I ran this. But, I did move up from true fear on the trail to pure enjoyment. One of my last times I ran this was a cold and rainy group run. I had SO much fun meeting new people as I realized group runs truly offer something for any pace.</p>
<ul>
<li><b>8/14/21</b>: 1:47:43 </li>
<li><b>8/20/21</b>: 1:46:00 </li>
<li><b>9/26/21</b>: 1:43:41 </li>
<li><b>10/30/21</b>: 1:49:47 </li>
<li><b>11/11/21</b>: <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/6245419108">1:39:21</a> <i class="fas fa-star" style="color: #ff9a00" title="Fastest time for this course"></i> (20th)</li>
</ul><h2>Forest Frolic (9 miles)</h2>
<p>I'll forever think of my kids' ski coach, Steve on this course. He used to race direct the FLRC race version - even with his million flags to keep you from getting lost I managed to get lost with my kids years ago. It was a great challenge to do on my own all these years later!</p>
<ul>
<li><b>8/9/21</b>: 2:39:28 </li>
<li><b>8/28/21</b>: <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/5869005440">2:04:41</a> <i class="fas fa-star" style="color: #ff9a00" title="Fastest time for this course"></i> (19th)</li>
<li><b>9/12/21</b>: 2:08:27 </li>
</ul><h2>Black Diamond Trail (10 miles)</h2>
<p>My favorite of all the challenge courses, the Black Diamond starts at the bottom of the trail for a 5 mile uphill. At the half way point you get to turn around and enjoy the gradual descent for the 2nd half. </p>
<ul>
<li><b>3/20/21</b>: 1:37:57 </li>
<li><b>4/3/21</b>: 1:36:55 </li>
<li><b>4/10/21</b>: 1:34:23 </li>
<li><b>4/20/21</b>: 1:34:26 </li>
<li><b>4/24/21</b>: 1:32:34 </li>
<li><b>5/6/21</b>: 1:35:46 </li>
<li><b>5/9/21</b>: 1:30:06 </li>
<li><b>5/12/21</b>: 1:34:21 </li>
<li><b>5/16/21</b>: 1:35:27 </li>
<li><b>5/29/21</b>: 1:32:33 </li>
<li><b>6/12/21</b>: 1:38:40 </li>
<li><b>6/20/21</b>: 1:34:16 </li>
<li><b>6/23/21</b>: 1:32:39 </li>
<li><b>7/18/21</b>: 1:31:04 </li>
<li><b>7/23/21</b>: 1:32:39 </li>
<li><b>8/15/21</b>: 1:32:24 </li>
<li><b>8/30/21</b>: 1:37:44 </li>
<li><b>9/4/21</b>: <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/5904899703">1:29:06</a> <i class="fas fa-star" style="color: #ff9a00" title="Fastest time for this course"></i> (14th)</li>
<li><b>9/28/21</b>: 1:32:31 </li>
<li><b>10/10/21</b>: 1:34:38 </li>
<li><b>10/14/21</b>: 1:33:56 </li>
<li><b>10/19/21</b>: 1:30:56 </li>
<li><b>11/2/21</b>: 1:32:01 </li>
<li><b>11/6/21</b>: 1:30:36 </li>
<li><b>11/14/21</b>: 1:30:59 </li>
<li><b>11/24/21</b>: 1:32:59 </li>
<li><b>11/27/21</b>: 1:44:17 </li>
</ul><h2>Pseudo Skunk Cabbage (13.1 miles)</h2>
<p>Similar to the FLRC official half marathon of the same name, this course feels hilly! The last 5 miles are tough, but overall it is a great challenge to be had.</p>
<ul>
<li><b>3/27/21</b>: 2:09:51 </li>
<li><b>4/18/21</b>: 2:05:19 </li>
<li><b>5/2/21</b>: 2:13:40 </li>
<li><b>5/23/21</b>: 2:14:28 </li>
<li><b>10/17/21</b>: <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/6128570120">2:01:40</a> <i class="fas fa-star" style="color: #ff9a00" title="Fastest time for this course"></i> (14th)</li>
<li><b>11/20/21</b>: 2:09:23 </li>
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Danby Down and Dirty 20212021-11-06T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/danby-down-and-dirty-2021/<h2 id="on-the-trails-again">On the trails again</h2>
<p>The first time I ran a trail race I had never really run trails. Enamored with road running, I thought, “What can be so hard about trails?” I signed up for the 25K of the Finger Lakes 50s with Scott almost on a whim. It sounded short and easy compared to the other two offerings in the forest of 50K or 50 miles. It was most definitely not easy.</p>
<p>I signed up for the Thom B run with my friend Stephanie with a similar level of preparation (almost none). I’ll always remember standing at the start with Joe saying, “keep one eye on the trail markers and the other on the trail” as we began the race. Shortly into the beautiful trail I fell. Just a bit later I got lost. I was so busy chatting with Stephanie that neither eye was on anything! We came in last and second to last that day and I went home feeling a little embarrassed.</p>
<h2 id="flrc-challenge">FLRC Challenge</h2>
<p>This year, the FLRC Challenge was my big thing (see my <a href="https://challenge.fingerlakesrunners.org/Athlete/Index/122784">athlete page</a>). It was my running rejuvenation and my focus. The challenge provided needed respite from my familiar 4 mile loop, my 8 mile out and back, the goldfish shaped 6 miler and the myriad other options that started from my front door. All of these routes are great, but a change of pace was needed and I figured the FLRC Challenge would be just the thing to get me onto some new courses. As with most everything I do though, I never really looked at the courses. It wasn’t until a few months in that I processed that there were actual trails to be run. Not a trail like Green Lakes or Black Diamond with its nice packed cinder surface and comfortable elevation change, but a trail with mud and elevation gain and loss and … well <em>real</em> trail. Scott and I made a pact to stay together for the first running of each trail and we used the Run Go directions on the routes we didn’t know.</p>
<h2 id="getting-comfortable">Getting Comfortable</h2>
<p>The thing about most anything is that the more you do something, the more comfortable it becomes. My first run of every trail was hard, but as we got going I started to really look forward to these courses! So, after doing the Danby Down and Dirty once with Scott (and ending the route with snakes sunning themselves on the bridge), it seemed extremely logical to go ahead and sign up for the actual race in October. We reasoned that it would be our 2nd (and last) attempt on this trail. We wouldn’t have to worry about animals and there wouldn’t be any snakes because there’d be so many people.</p>
<h2 id="race-morning">Race Morning</h2>
<p>It was a gorgeous fall day! I worked for several hours in the morning before it was time to get ready to go. We popped over to Cornell to deliver cake on the way and then headed toward the race. I had the familiar pre-race <em>I’m going to throw up</em> feeling but I knew it was just nerves. Soon we were parked and I faced the decision of whether to keep my long sleeves on or switch to short sleeves. I quickly decided on short sleeves. After chatting with a few friends it was time to run. The first mile and then some is downhill on a road. Someone was complaining about that before the race started. I smiled and said, “That’s the best part.” This person was all decked out with a hydration pack and looked super hard core. They looked at me rather oddly. I felt a flash of imposter syndrome. “I’m really not a trail runner,” I thought. I had no more time for thoughts. The race started moments later and I started my happy jog down the road. I could have warmed up. I could have run faster. But, on this sunny October morning I was content to jog along knowing that the trail would soon be upon me.</p>
<h2 id="single-track">Single Track</h2>
<p>As we turned into the woods, a course volunteer warned us of a muddy entry. Yup. Splash into the mud I went. The trail quickly went uphill and we fell into a single file mostly hiking line of people. I get anxious on the single track knowing that people may want to pass. I tried to push those thoughts out of my head. Soon it leveled out and shortly after that I let a whole crew go by me. I literally stood to the side and said, “you go ahead.” At the moment it felt necessary, but as I look back I wonder, “why didn’t you just stay up with them?”</p>
<h2 id="the-long-tail-..-isn%E2%80%99t-there">The long tail .. isn’t there</h2>
<p>A bit after the halfway point I caught a friend that I ran cross country with. We had a lovely conversation about trail racing. She’s faster than me on the road and in cross country. She also signed up for the FLRC Challenge as a way to get out to new courses. She laughed as she shared that she really didn’t expect to not like the trails. She thought she’d enjoy them, but they hadn’t turned out to be her thing. She shared about running the Forest Frolic. Her story was eerily similar to my story from that same race when I did it years ago. She started and almost immediately she was behind the pack - alone.</p>
<p>Road running attracts so many paces. New runners are always joining. Of course there are very fast people, but it seems to me that the barrier to entry isn’t as high as on the trail. So, when you are a pretty strong road runner, sometimes that switch over to trail is tough. You are used to more people finishing behind you. We talked for a half a mile or so and bid each other farewell. There was a nice downhill stretch that I felt like I could speed down so I did.</p>
<h2 id="back-to-the-scene-of-the-snakes">Back to the scene of the snakes</h2>
<p>When Scott and I ran this course the first time we split up for the last mile or so. I knew I was holding him back a lot. I was whining and he wanted to run. I told him to go on without me and I’d see him at the end. When I emerged from the last single track I saw him with a group of hikers. “There are snakes on the bridge,” he said. I thought he was joking but it was quickly clear that there were in fact snakes on the bridge! Because of the group of high school students, I put on a brave face and crossed the bridge after Scott coaxed the snakes off.</p>
<p>In the race as I approached the last bend my body stiffened up. The bridge is near. This is where the snakes were. I knew there would be no snakes today. There were too many runners. Still, I was fearful as I gingerly crossed the wooden bridge. I noted my FLRC Challenge split as I passed the sign for that and then headed up the last hill before the finish.</p>
<h2 id="finishing!">Finishing!</h2>
<p>I ran by the last aid station and heard my friend Joel giving the choice between stopping after the 10K or going on to do a 20K. I took the turn for the finish and ran in. Scott and I enjoyed a donut and chatted with people before heading home. That familiar hopeful feeling that always finds me after a race was back. It was so much FUN to see people and run with others. It was such a great challenge for me to push myself to run trails. I know running trails is challenging and GOOD for me. It builds my strength, draws on my core stability and keeps me focused on the moment at hand.</p>
<p>With just a few months left in the FLRC Challenge, I’m definitely looking forward to getting many more challenge course runs in!</p>
FLRC Challenge2021-08-22T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/flrc_challenge/<p>During the pandemic, my friend David started posting about “races” out in Oregon. David recently moved from Ithaca to just outside of Portland, Oregon. I started noticing races in his Strava entries. At the time I was rather stuck in my running. I’d just finished our family marathon that was originally supposed to be the Mountains to Beach marathon in California and I just wasn’t feeling the running thing.</p>
<h2 id="back-to-fall-2020">Back to Fall 2020</h2>
<p>At the start of the school year I was wrapping up a 200-day quarantine hike streak with my daughter. My foot was hurting a little, reminding me of my first and thankfully only stress fracture two years prior. That injury put me in a boot for 6 weeks. I was in no mood to repeat this so I went promptly to Sports Medicine to have it looked at. The doctor saw no evidence of a fracture, but asked me to lay off running for two weeks just to be safe. I could still hike and with the start of school being so busy, a running break made sense anyway. I dialed my running way back in the fall while focusing on cross training to keep my fitness up. I rowed. I biked. I hiked. I lifted. I did yoga. My mantra was quality over quantity.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Scott spent his fall training for his own fast half marathon that he planned to complete on Christmas morning. We rarely diverge much in our fitness goals. It felt a little weird not having a bit of a shared goal.</p>
<h2 id="time-for-the-flrc-challenge">Time for the FLRC Challenge</h2>
<p>In late 2020 Scott shared that Adam Engst and the Finger Lakes Running Club had an idea for something called the <a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/">Finger Lakes Runners Club Challenge</a>. There would be a bunch of courses - some trail, some road, some short and some long - that we could run. You would sign up and there would be QR codes to scan when you started and ended each course. This sounded very similar to what David got to do in Oregon. Count me IN!<br />
The FLRC Challenge gives so many options that are on local courses. Some are on courses I haven't run. It will give me a push to run some trail!</p>
<h2 id="quick-facts-about-the-flrc-challenge">Quick Facts about the FLRC Challenge</h2>
<ul>
<li>There are 10 courses.</li>
<li>There are road and trail options.</li>
<li>Some courses are short and some are long. (1 mile to 13 miles)</li>
<li>You can take the courses at your own pace. Even walking is ok.</li>
<li>You can complete each course as many times as you want.</li>
<li>You scan in to start and end your run.</li>
<li>There are turn by turn directions in Run Go for some of the courses.</li>
<li>There are maps for each course. On the <a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/">website</a> if you select the course you can get driving directions right there!</li>
<li>You can go for speed, distance, efforts (regardless of pace), or points. <a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/rules/">Points are fun to read about</a> since there's a nice math component.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="why-i-love-the-flrc-challenge">Why I LOVE the FLRC Challenge</h2>
<p>There are so many reasons why this challenge has refreshed my running. After the pandemic year I just felt a little stuck and this challenge has given me renewed purpose for my running. Here are just a few things I enjoy.</p>
<ul>
<li>It is flexible.</li>
<li>You can look at your stats over time. Stats motivate me.</li>
<li>The challenge helps me set goals.</li>
<li>I can see my fellow athletes in the results and also in Strava.</li>
<li>It has helped make in-person and virtual connections with local runners.</li>
<li>There is a team component even if you don't actually run together as a team.</li>
<li>I can run just for fun or for a fast time.</li>
<li>It pushes me to try out new courses. Once I run them, it gives me motivation to improve on them.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="spring-weekends">Spring Weekends</h2>
<p>Scott and I started the FLRC Challenge in spring with an every-other-week goal. We’d do the <a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/black-diamond-trail/">Black Diamond Trail</a> course (10 miles) alternately with the <a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/pseudo-skunk-cabbage/">Pseudo Skunk</a> course (13 miles). This routine quickly became something we really looked forward to. We felt almost as excited when we finished a challenge course as we did after finishing a traditional race. This routine helped me ease back into loving running after my struggle with injury in the fall.</p>
<h2 id="summer">Summer</h2>
<p>We got a slow start to summer running because Scott had hernia surgery. I wanted to wait until he recovered before I started to hit the other trails. Soon, we were a month post-surgery and it was time to ramp things up!</p>
<h2 id="i-run-for-credit">I Run for Credit</h2>
<p>This idea of running mini races with yourself and seeing the leaderboard compared to others after you run is surprisingly motivating for me. It stops me from slogging through runs, quitting early and most importantly, it mixes things up!</p>
<p>I do find I’m willing to run “for credit” more often than not and I drag my more willing friends into Ithaca to do a challenge course as much as I can when pre-challenge I would usually just pop out my door to run.</p>
<p>I recently finished all 10 courses. The day after I finished one of my good friends that I run with asked me if I had finished. She smiled when I said "yes" only to frown when I replied, "but I'm still going to keep doing the courses to get faster on them."</p>
<h2 id="trail-running">Trail Running</h2>
<p>The best part of this for me is that 5 of the courses are trail courses (one of those is really essentially road but it is a trail surface). I’m historically stressed and nervous on trail so this challenge provides a growth opportunity that I wouldn’t have sought out on my own this summer. Since we started doing the more challenging trail courses just last month I’ve been reminded of all the great benefits of trail running. Here they are as I see them.</p>
<ul>
<li>Trail takes your mind off the challenge of running.</li>
<li>You have to focus on the trail. I don’t get quite as stuck in my head.</li>
<li>Navigation opportunities - I get lost A LOT on trail so I need this!</li>
<li>MUD! I feel accomplished when I emerge from the trail covered in mud.</li>
<li>It is a great muscle stabilizer workout.</li>
<li>It is fun to navigate roots and not fall.</li>
<li>It makes the road runs feel easier. I am solidly in my “learning zone” on the trail.</li>
</ul>
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<h2 id="my-stats">My Stats</h2>
<p>Here is the link to <a href="https://challenge.fingerlakesrunners.org/Athlete/Index/122784">my FLRC Challenge athlete page</a>. I can keep up with how I'm doing and check how many times I've run a course.</p>
Intermittent Fasting2021-03-22T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/intermittent-fasting/<p>It has been a year since Scott and I started our intermittent fasting. Inspired by Tim Ferriss and a whole lot of other people talking about this, we set up an eating window for ourselves. We decided that we would eat between 11 and 7 every day and we’d allow ourselves to eat outside of that window on weekends.</p>
<h3 id="family-breakfast">Family Breakfast</h3>
<p>Meals in our family have always been precious. By adopting this new plan, our morning ritual of family breakfast would have to end during the week. I’d been kind of pushing for this for a while anyway. Every morning before work I get up at 5 and either bake for my business or work on my school work. With a hard stop of 6:30 for breakfast I often find myself mid-project for school or with a giant mess with baking. Not having to stop for breakfast means I can get into flow and mostly finish up projects.</p>
<p>The kids missed our breakfast time initially and they sad sadly at the table for several months. I felt bad as I watched them slowly shift their day toward a less immediate need for breakfast. It is true that the parents do set the tone for the kids. Neither actually does the intermittent fasting, but both kids have stopped eating breakfast first thing in the morning.</p>
<h3 id="snacks">Snacks</h3>
<p>That first snack used to be such a BIG deal. In the spring as Covid was in full swing, my office hours spanned the 11 o’clock hour. I used to write on my digital whiteboard “Ms. Dawson went to get a snack. I’ll be right back” in case a student showed up when I went to get my yogurt with granola or apple with peanut butter or trail mix. Some days Scott would deliver to me and other days I would deliver to him.</p>
<p>As we started school in the fall though I was in my shared space during my prep period right before 11. I started the year taking a quick mask break for my trail mix or apple right at the end of my prep before my next two classes. But, it was weird and I found myself not enjoying my food at all. I either inhaled it or just felt really aware of my crunching and how it could be bugging my colleagues. My lunch was at 12:30 so I just decided to wait to eat at 12:30. You know what - it wasn’t that much of a change. Except for the time between 10:15 and 11 I was teaching anyway so I wasn’t focused on eating. The result: come November I switched to eating between 12:30 and 7 or so. Some evenings Xander works til 7 so we can’t eat until 7:20 or so.</p>
<h3 id="why-do-this-anyway%3F">Why do this anyway?</h3>
<p>Honestly I started this because Scott started it. Scott started it because he listened to something about it on Tim Ferriss and a bunch of people in his circles had been discussing it.</p>
<p>Ultimately, Tim didn’t really think this was a great idea over time and didn’t stick with it (at least according to his <a href="https://tim.blog/2008/03/02/postponing-death-caloric-restriction-vs-intermittent-fasting-part-1/">blog posts</a>) . Me. I’m torn. I feel like it has given me the gift of more time. And, I actually like to run on an empty stomach.</p>
<h3 id="what-about-weight%3F">What about weight?</h3>
<p>This hasn’t really altered my weight much at all the way I see it. I weigh myself most days on my home scale and have a pretty narrow weight range. My typical range is 119 - 123 (see: <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/intermittent_fasting_weight_chart.pdf">Weight Chart</a>)</p>
<p>The result. No real weight change this year. I'm at the high end of this right now, but still in the range. Ultimately this experiment for me was more about gaining time, preparing one less meal and to be perfectly honest just joining Scott in his endeavor. He had tried it for a few weeks on his own as the 3 of us sat for family breakfast. It was awkward at best and we were at the point where either he had to give it up or I had to join in.</p>
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<h3 id="longer-fasting">Longer Fasting</h3>
<p>I have a few coworkers who have started longer bouts of fasting. They are really finding it beneficial. Like days of not eating. One colleague was going to get her Covid vaccine and mentioned she hadn’t eaten in 5 or more days (I can’t remember how many days it was). The other routinely goes several days without eating. Tim Ferriss has endorsed that as well and does several multi-day fasts each year. Here’s where I am on that. I really like eating and I like the predictability of regular meals. That said, I think I could pull something like this off 2-3 times a year. It could help me when I have to do a colonoscopy some day and I’m all about planning ahead to avoid challenging situations.</p>
<p>Right now with both kids home I don’t think I’ll try it. I know how whiny I’d surely be and I don’t want to subject either of them to that. If it were just Scott and me I feel like we could manage the whining together. Plus, my friends who have done this have actually read about it and have bought into the idea. I have not. So, I’m sure that after a day or so I’d get so hungry I’d cave and be done with the experiment!</p>
<p>See the <a href="https://www.eatmovehack.com/tim-ferriss-3-day-fast-protocol-details-get-ketosis-quicker-easier/">plan Tim Ferriss follows</a>. It looks complicated enough that I’m not ready to even go beyond a skim read right now.</p>
<p>This is a nice little summary of different fasting options. Basically Scott and I fall into the 16:8 category. Seems the easiest to me. And we skip weekends all together. <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-ways-to-do-intermittent-fasting#TOC_TITLE_HDR_7">Different Fasting Choices</a></p>
<p>In fact the weekend skip kind of reminds me of when we were first married. We were really into Men’s Health magazine and something we read in there recommended a cheat day. So we’d use that as our reason to eat a ridiculous amount of junk food one day a week. We were quite a pair at 25! Our Saturday activity back then was to sleep crazy late and then make cookies and later eat Chinese food. Now we get up at 5 EVERY DAY and our activity on a Saturday would be a long run or bike and a relaxing glass of wine by the fire pit.</p>
2021 Training (February)2021-02-28T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/2021/february/<p>At the tail end of January I started to get swamped with baking for Emoticakes. Meanwhile, my 8th graders and my team were returning to in-person learning at school. This meant 10 fewer baking hours per week just because of the time savings with not needing to get ready and my ability to use my lunch period for baking while working from home. I knew all that would take some adjusting so I didn’t set any goals for this month other than to record my workouts.<br />
Even so I did set up some loose goals for myself.</p>
<p>Well I guess that is not entirely true - I did write that my goal was to do yoga 3x a week. Unfortunately one thing I’ve noticed about myself and goals - if I state a goal but don’t really agree to it in my head (which I didn’t on this) it will not happen. If anything, the simple act of saying I’d do yoga three times a week ensured that I would hardly do any yoga at all!</p>
<p>I signed up for just a few Strava challenges this month.</p>
<ul>
<li>Le Col Project Active (300 minutes)</li>
<li>Love to Sweat with Picky Bars (30 minutes)</li>
<li>February 5K The FLRC Challenge</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="flrc-challenge">FLRC Challenge</h2>
<p>After a year of no formal races I'm excited about this opportunity. The <a href="https://fingerlakesrunners.org/challenge/">FLRC Challenge</a> gives so many options that are on local courses. Some are on courses I haven't run, one is part of a race I got lost during when I ran with the kids, and others are familiar terrain for me. It should be a nice mix.</p>
<p>I'm in need of some new goals so I'm ready for the challenge.</p>
<h2 id="skiing">Skiing</h2>
<p>With snow in February, we were able to cross country ski A LOT this month. This was the first time in so many years that there has been more than just a few days to catch snow. I grew up cross country skiing along with downhill, so it was fun to have an opportunity to do that. After years and years of regular downhill skiing 5 days a week with the kids racing and later with trips almost every weekend, it felt weird to only purchase 3 day passes to Bristol this year. We did get to enjoy one of those day trips over February break when Elizabeth got the first of her "spring break" days. Instead of giving a break, Ithaca College gave 4 days randomly spaced out during the semester. Thankfully one of them lined up with a day I had off! Here are some ski pictures.</p>
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<h2 id="february-by-the-numbers">February by the Numbers</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2021/02/StravaFebruary.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="February's Calendar View" title="February's Calendar View" /><p class="stickyNote">February's Calendar View</p></div>
<p><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2021/02/StravaFebruary.png">Get a closer view of February's Calendar</a> or <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/2021-February-Plan.pdf">check out the handwritten PDF of my plan</a>.</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2021/02/Box Plot.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Box Plot of Daily Workout Duration" title="Box Plot of Daily Workout Duration" /><p class="stickyNote">Box Plot of Daily Workout Duration</p></div>
<p>With a goal of NOT focusing on numbers I made sure not to be counting activities or minutes or anything for that matter. I ended up with 47 hours of activities and that represented 102 miles. This was split between 67 individual activities.</p>
<p>Continuing on my box plot thing for the year, here is the data for this month in minutes per day. We did have February break this month so thankfully there was an opportunity for more workouts during that week off! 106, 117, 94, 81, 54, 133,139,92, 90, 87, 114, 75, 40, 123, 179, 154, 120, 104, 60, 74, 154, 101, 124, 74, 98, 72, 60, 113.</p>
<p>Still I was down from last month. And because here's an opportunity for some percent change discussion I'll share that.</p>
<p>January had 80 activities and February dropped to 67 activities. This represents a significant percent decrease of 16.25% for February. Mileage was a similar drop with 117 to 102, representing a 12.83% drop in mileage. Still, when I compare it to a year ago when my mom passed away mid-winter, I had just 36 hours and 34 activities. I did have a lot more miles though because most of my fitness that month was running. In fact my mileage last year was 136% of this year's mileage.</p>
<p>Scott and I have talked a lot about our winter running break. His was planned after a heavy fall of running. Mine happened because of mandatory quarantine in the late fall. I am angry about that time. I am frustrated that I didn't drive somewhere in the country and just run. I lost two weeks of running right near the holidays and for me two weeks is enough to break a positive habit. I feel like I've been spinning ever since the quarantine to get back into a routine of running. I know I'll be fine in the end and will again manage to kick myself out the door after work more easily, but right now I'm struggling to make the choice. It is easier to settle into watching Melrose Place on the rower, do a Les Mills on Demand bike class on my indoor bike or do a Les Mills BodyPump class in my living room. Even my elliptical beats out running some days. I haven't used it regularly in years and this winter I found myself popping onto that after rowing just to continue my TV show. So, let's just say that I am glad it snowed in February! I had no trouble getting out to cross country ski.</p>
<p>The data points include:</p>
<p><strong>Population size:</strong> 28<br />
<strong>Median:</strong> 99.5<br />
<strong>Minimum:</strong> 40<br />
<strong>Maximum:</strong> 179<br />
<strong>First quartile:</strong> 74.25<br />
<strong>Third quartile:</strong> 122.25<br />
<strong>Interquartile Range:</strong> 48<br />
<strong>Outlier:</strong> none<br />
<strong>Mean:</strong> 101</p>
<h2 id="positive-peer-pressure">Positive Peer Pressure</h2>
<p>The Gorges Half Marathon <a href="https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Ithaca/GorgesIthaca">Gorges Half</a> is open for Labor Day weekend in 2021. We got our alert that the price was going up so it was time in late February to have our family discussion about whether to run it. I have a wedding gig that was postponed from last year's Labor Day weekend due to Covid and school starts right after the weekend. I don't love the new course and my favorite part of the race is the party after. That's not guaranteed right now, but the running looks pretty certain. I let the family convince me that I could handle baking a ton of cupcakes and cake and still get them delivered while fitting in the half. I know I can and that the race will probably be a welcome little respite from baking that weekend. Plus, if the Covid situation improves, we may still get our post race party. . I do love that my kids are talking me into a race. Scott and I introduced them to running - we started out as positive role models for them and they are turning that around and modeling healthy behavior for us now.</p>
<h2 id="highlights">Highlights</h2>
<p>I do think spring will usher in a reminder of how much I love to run and hike! One thing about indoor solo exercise is that it is lonely but it is an opportunity to watch TV that I’d never otherwise watch and do online fitness classes. The instructors in my Les Mills on Demand feel like good friends. There are releases I count on to improve my mood - including one RPM release where the instructor says, “Are you happy? Tell your face.” It always makes me smile and move just a bit faster on that bike.</p>
<p>The high points for February include SNOW STORMS and cross country skiing. I absolutely ADORE cross country skiing and it was so much fun to get to do it so much this year. I regret that despite invitations I didn’t make it out of the area or even to Hammond Hill. I did enjoy the golf course and the Finger Lakes National Forest a lot though. The forest is right down the road from us and Scott and I fit in quite a few outings.</p>
<p>There were a few times that I counted my snow shoveling as exercise. I don’t often do that, but the snow was heavy and I had to shovel multiple times a day. I made a point to go out in shorts one of the days just because! Some of my students love wearing shorts in winter and I rather do too. My kids and Scott made such fun of me - even turning my pictures into a Bernie meme.</p>
<p>Until March ...</p>
2021 Training (January)2021-01-31T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/2021/january/<p>My goal this month was to focus on getting back into a good routine and to approach each workout with a full heart.</p>
<p>I had no training plan because I’m not training for a race and with the in and out of school and the recent COVID quarantine I just came out of, it felt like a time to just allow life and workouts to happen without judging myself for success or failure goals.</p>
<p>Even so I did set up some loose goals for myself.</p>
<p>I signed up for several Strava challenges so that I’d make sure to complete some minimum fitness things.</p>
<ul>
<li>January 5K</li>
<li>January 10K</li>
<li>January Fresh Start Challenge (30 hours of workouts)</li>
<li>Sweaty Betty New Year 90 (4.5 hours of workouts)</li>
<li>NYRR Resolution 5K by January 17th</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="strava-challenges">Strava Challenges</h2>
<p>A word about these Strava challenges. They are easy to sign up for. You just click the button as it pops into your screen. You can absentmindedly sign up for one and then totally forget about it. There are no repercussions for not completing what you sign up for. So, I listed them on my sheet and made a point to look at them to know what I had signed up for.</p>
<h2 id="21-day-yoga-challenge">21 Day Yoga Challenge</h2>
<p>I also signed up for my yoga instructor’s 21 day yoga challenge. Every day she sends us a text with the yoga sequence for that day. She has everything posted on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1VsbDf8a6IFGPSNYG7Cnjg">her YouTube channel</a> and she also takes the time to write down all the poses for us.</p>
<p>The group is very chatty by text and I only sometimes pop into the fray. Most days I try to remember to do the sequence. Some days I post it in Strava and most days I don’t. Sometimes I try to do 3 or 4 in one day to catch up, but many times I just do one and many other times I don’t make time for the challenge at all. This round found me at a little more than halfway complete by the end of the 21 days. Still, in sticking with my focus of no judgement, I allowed myself grace and accepted the level of achievement that I was able to hit.</p>
<h2 id="the-flrc-challenge">The FLRC Challenge</h2>
<p>The Finger Lakes Running Club is preparing to start a challenge SOON. Scott is helping to build the website for it so I am loosely aware of the options. I thought it was going to be announced by January so I did intend to run one of the segments a couple of times this month. However, it is not yet launched so that will have to wait. The lack of this really caused me to curb back my running for the month. Many days it was snowy or cold and since I’m so fresh off quarantine I just found myself comfortable with the elliptical or the bike or rower inside my home gym. As the month draws to an end I’m starting to feel the pull to get back into a regular running routine. I think I have a couple more weeks left of light running and then I’m going to pick it back up again. I signed up for a virtual half marathon in late March so that will be what pushes me back into a training routine and gets my butt out the door as late winter approaches.</p>
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<h2 id="january-by-the-numbers">January by the Numbers</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2021/01/StravaJanuary.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="January's Calendar View" title="January's Calendar View" /><p class="stickyNote">January's Calendar View</p></div>
<p><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2021/01/StravaJanuary.png">Get a closer view of January's Calendar</a> or <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/2021-January-Plan.pdf">check out the handwritten PDF of my plan</a>.</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2021/01/Box Plot.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Box Plot of Daily Workout Duration" title="Box Plot of Daily Workout Duration" /><p class="stickyNote">Box Plot of Daily Workout Duration</p></div>
<p>With a goal of NOT focusing on numbers I made sure not to be counting activities or minutes or anything for that matter. I ended up with 57 hours of activities and that represented 117 miles. This was split between 80 individual activities.</p>
<p>I teach <a href="https://mathista.org/">middle school math</a> and one of our classes recently studied statistics. I put all my rough numbers in for # of minutes spent working out each day and created a box plot.</p>
<p>The data is (minutes each day): 150, 146, 86, 128, 61, 54, 91, 71, 98, 152, 118, 67, 85, 63, 84, 163, 110, 252, 83, 104, 140, 40, 174, 137, 158, 89, 90, 112, 83, 160, 150</p>
<p>The data points include:</p>
<p><strong>Population size:</strong> 31<br />
<strong>Median:</strong> 104<br />
<strong>Minimum:</strong> 40<br />
<strong>Maximum:</strong> 252<br />
<strong>First quartile:</strong> 83<br />
<strong>Third quartile:</strong> 150<br />
<strong>Interquartile Range:</strong> 67<br />
<strong>Outlier:</strong> 252<br />
<strong>Mean:</strong> 112.87</p>
2020 Year in Review2020-12-29T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/2020-year-in-review/<p>As the year of Covid draws to an end with the vaccine distribution inching closer each day, this post reflects on the ups and downs both with fitness and life in general.</p>
<h2 id="the-year-in-pictures">The year in pictures</h2>
<p>I picked a bunch of my favorite pictures for this year end wrap up.</p>
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<p>Strava let me know that I logged 809 activities, 2,820.2 miles in 734 hours this year. Not a single one of these was swimming! Over 200 were hikes and the rest was a combo of running, various indoor fitness, walks and the occasional kayak. I managed just one cross country ski in the calendar year!</p>
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<h2 id="winter">Winter</h2>
<p>Our winter started with a couple of quick ski weekends that while fun, were hard to be fully present for. Shortly into January my mom lost her year-long battle with cancer. As December wrapped, she ended what had been a relatively good year of health all things considered and went into rapid decline. We had an argument on Christmas Eve because of a silly comment I made. On Christmas we barely spoke. My mom and I rarely argued but when we did my typical response was to just let it lie until she came around. I knew I didn’t have time for that this year and reached out to my sister for advice. She guided me through and I patched things up quickly but it weighed on me. I knew in my heart she had just had her last Christmas with us and I felt broken from not having been able to communicate. That guilt carried heavily into my January and I used running to pull myself out of it. Our <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/family-marathon/">Mountains 2 Beach marathon</a> training helped keep me even keeled through my mom’s quick decline, her passing and then climbing out of the sadness.</p>
<h2 id="spring">Spring</h2>
<p>As we neared spring, Scott, Xander and I had recently returned from our first trip out to California. We took in Disneyland, long beach walks, beach runs and lots of fun adventures. COVID hadn’t hit us yet, yet I remember I had two students who wore masks to school. One just said he felt he had to. The other was very worried he’d get it. I naively thought we’d be fine and it wouldn’t become a pandemic. When FLRC cancelled the Skunk Cabbage and things shut down at Cornell, I should have realized we were really going to feel this. Yet I happily continued my marathon training and my focus on everything school while continuing a heavy baking load. I welcomed my running as an opportunity to escape stress and feel like I had a goal.</p>
<p>Then, as March 13th approached and we were planning Pi Day celebrations for my class we also started to have technology meetings at school. I was part of the tech team that was planning for teacher training and soon it was clear we’d be out of school for some part of the spring. As COVID hit us my first thought was, “more time to run” and “I can get things accomplished.” I also thought, “more time to support my dad."</p>
<p>Scott had been trying intermittent fasting for a few weeks in the late winter. Up until now, breakfast time had always been sacred, quality family time. We were all struggling with him sitting with us but not eating. He liked it though and asked if I would consider it. "In the summer when I don't have to be nice to people in the morning."</p>
<p>Famous last words. March 13th hit and everything changed overnight. Learn from home. No restaurants open. Gyms closed. Suddenly running was the only focus. Intermittent fasting? Excuse gone. Bring it on.</p>
<p>As the weeks went on, Spring running was really winter running as the season just seemed to stick forever. It seemed to be a metaphor for our time. In some ways, it kept it easier to teach because kids had an easier time getting to the computer for class when it was not so nice outside. Winter running was familiar too with no need to adjust to changing weather conditions. I didn’t have to take out spring clothes. I continued my running and started what would turn into a <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/hiking/200-day-coronavirus-hike-streak/">200 hiking streak</a> on a whim with my daughter. We used that streak to mark time. Our family also found one TV show to watch together. Leave it to us to find something that was currently being released one week at a time. We began to look forward to Wednesday evening when “Little Fires Everywhere” rolled out. In addition to our new habit of eating between 11 am and 7 pm daily, Scott and I started picking up having a glass of wine before dinner while doing a puzzle.</p>
<p>Just a few weeks ago when we were learning from home again, a student responded to my ask about how things were going wtih, “I like COVID.I don’t have to see people I don’t know and people I don’t like.” As I write this at the end of December 2020 I find myself looking back fondly on the early days of COVID. It was a gift of time, decreased pressure, and more family connection. Now I feel a just a little apprehensive about the "return to normal" and whether I'll be able to handle evening commitments, even more requirements outside of working hours for my job and all the wedding baking I that I will have from weddings that were posponed from last summer to 2021.</p>
<h2 id="summer">Summer</h2>
<p>By the time summer rolled around we had run our family marathon. The actual marathon we’d trained for was cancelled of course, but we had a great time with our own. Many of my friends signed up for the Run Across New York State virtual challenge. I didn’t. I felt burned out after my marathon training. I wanted to run for me, not because I had to run. I was enjoying the hike streak and didn’t want to stop that. I wanted to bike more.</p>
<p>With the Cayuga Lake Triathlon cancelled, I stood on my friend Kathey’s dock one evening and said, “it’s a shame I won’t be swimming this year.” She laughed and said, “you know you can still swim.” For me swimming is about the tri. No tri meant no swimming.</p>
<p>Summer was a bright star in the fitness area! Scott took Mondays off, I had lots of solo bike rides and rides with friends, my hike streak continued and I ran for me. I saw friends outside and hiked and ran with friends.</p>
<p>School remained uncertain and I anxiously awaited what would happen with that return. Yet, despite the uncertainty I planned, I led a couple of training sessions for teachers, attended summer online workshops and worked through several professional development projects. Despite most of my weddings postponing to 2021, my baking was very busy. I enjoyed delivering individually boxed cupcakes, making sure deliveries were contactless and bringing joy to college students for their birthdays.</p>
<p>Right in the middle of August my left foot started to hurt and I got a little worried. I had been through a stress fracture before and I felt certain that was what I was dealing with. I thought I could just stop running and be fine (continuing to do everything else) but after a week or so I realized I needed to go to the doctor.</p>
<p>He couldn’t tell without an expensive MRI whether it was a fracture or not. All things pointed to no so he didn’t order that test. Yet, in “an abundance of caution” he asked me not to run on it for two weeks. School was starting and he said I could still hike and bike on it so I obliged.</p>
<h2 id="fall">Fall</h2>
<p>Enter a very last minute decision of teaching the first 3 weeks to my 8th graders virtually. Wow. It was a surprise and both felt like a blessing and a stress. The spring had been comfortable because the kids and I already knew each other. New kids - new schedule - kicking off a year virtually in a pandemic. I felt like we had a gift because they’d figure out all the kinks before we arrived back (we were only virtual due to construction in a portion of the school so it was just two grades impacted) and I was also happy to not have to wear a mask all day for another few weeks and to be able to continue to have my dad over for dinner. He took up exercise after my mom died and had an early August stress fracture in his foot so we weren’t able to walk temporarily.</p>
<p>I started to struggle with my lack of running, my guilt about my dad’s injury, (I should have realized he increased his mileage too quickly and advised him better), having fewer hours in the day to work out once school started and more. I was emotional and while I don’t remember crying too often, I do feel like this was when my mindset flipped from, “this is totally doable” to “I have to endure this for just a bit longer.” I changed my email signature for work to say, “the only way out is through” and just generally got through each day. Suddenly there seemed to be little to look forward to. Elizabeth and I had picked an end date for our hike streak. The daylight hours were going to drop off too fast so we settled on the Friday before I was due to go back to school in person. I was both eager to have the day arrive and dreading its approach. It was to mark the return to life “as normal” but we both knew it wasn’t a real normal. It just wasn’t possible to hike during the daylight hours with our respective schedules.</p>
<p>I did ease back into running but it was just that - an ease. The doctor didn’t think it was a stress fracture, but there’s still something off with my foot. I don’t know what it is and I don’t know how much work I want to do to figure it out. When I went back to school full time I abruptly dropped from 2 hours of daily exercise on average (already down from 3 in the peak of summer) to about an hour (sometimes less). I can only imagine this could possibly be similar to quitting smoking or abruptly stopping drinking or any other addictive activity. We spent 4 months in and out of school. It felt like every time I got slightly used to a routine, the routine changed.</p>
<h2 id="the-final-sprint">The Final Sprint</h2>
<p>The final sprint or the final straw really was getting exposed to Covid at my school. I had spent the entire spring/summer and early part of fall flippantly saying that we’d be fine if we had to quarantine. We had plenty of food. We love our house. We all get along. Those words came back to bite me in the butt. I feel like in many ways I deserved the quarantine that arrived in early December.</p>
<p>I found out very unofficially that I'd been exposed before I got the slightly unofficial word. I realized I had left some stuff in school the night before I wouldn’t be able to enter the building for two weeks. I thought maybe I could just get in and grab it. On some level I knew I couldn’t so I reached out to my principal to ask instead of just sneaking in and hoping for the best. She confirmed that I couldn't enter and said she could get my stuff for me. “Wow!” That felt really above and beyond and it was exactly what I needed her to say that morning. It would take days and days for the Health Dept to reach out, but I knew I was quarantined. There is nothing like being told you can’t do something to make you really want to do it. (mental note to self for teaching and parenting). I couldn’t see my dad. I couldn’t run outside. I couldn’t really interact with my family. I couldn’t hike. Texting my colleagues became my lifeline. I had several group chats going. We talked about trivial things that just kept us laughing and upbeat to get through. In one of my low moments of texty whining, one of my friends in the chat aptly said, "at least we are healthy. We could have this. Let's appreciate this time." I missed running so much even as I I continued to say aloud, “I’m so lucky to have indoor fitness equipment.”</p>
<p>So that’s it - a wrap. I don’t know what my fitness will be for 2021. I usually sit down and create plans/goals and outline everything on the first. With no known races on the horizon I guess I can lean in any direction.</p>
Our 200-Day Coronavirus Hike Streak2020-10-01T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/hiking/200-day-coronavirus-hike-streak/<p>March 13 was my last day in my 8th grade classroom for Spring 2020. <a href="https://mathista.org/">I teach Algebra and 8th grade math</a> at Trumansburg's Russell I. Doig Middle School. I had an inkling this was going to happen with everything that was going on with Covid-19 but I didn’t expect it to happen this soon. My students celebrated Pi Day on that day. It would end up being our end-of-year party. I feel <em>so</em> grateful we had that day in the classroom. As school ended I joined a crew of teachers to prepare to train the staff for the possibility of teaching virtually. By the evening, the county had closed schools for 2 weeks but it was already clear this would be longer. We just didn’t yet know how much longer.</p>
<h2 id="the-first-lasts">The first lasts</h2>
<p>Our family went to <a href="https://atlasbowl.com/">Atlas Bowl</a> on Saturday night March 14th. We knew it would be one of our last dinners out, but we didn’t know at the time it would be our <em>actual</em> last dinner out in a restaurant. Even now as I write this, 7 months later, Atlas has not opened up again (not even for take out). On Sunday March 15 Scott and I went to our weekly hot yoga class. After the class we headed out to <a href="https://www.liquidstatebeer.com/">Liquid State</a>: one of our favorite places to grab a beer in Ithaca. As we enjoyed our beers we saw them putting signs on the door. “Closing at 7. Sorry for any inconvenience.” I marched right up to the bartender and asked, “Are you closing for the evening or closing forever?” His look told me it was the latter. We somberly drove home.</p>
<h2 id="the-hike-streak-begins">The hike streak begins</h2>
<p>In hindsight, it seems funny that we were already so sad and that we already felt a need to mark time. On Monday March 16, feeling the need for routine, I asked my daughter, “What if we start a hike streak?” It would give us something to look forward to. Elizabeth was game! We headed to the <a href="https://taughannock.us/">Taughannock Falls</a> rim trail near our house. This trail has approximately 485 feet of gain and it is one of our regular hiking routes. In fact, Taughannock is one of the things that I love the <strong>most</strong> about living here. Just having the trail so close is enough to keep me longing to be in Oregon’s mountains just a little less ... but that story is for another time. We were particularly grateful to Governor Cuomo and the New York State Parks for doing everything they could to keep our parks open and safe for the entirety of our hike streak.</p>
<h2 id="rain%2C-snow%2C-wind-and-sleet">Rain, Snow, Wind and Sleet</h2>
<p>March was filled with wild weather. We agreed that we would hike no matter the weather. The snow was so deep for several days that we were pushed out onto the roads that go around the park.</p>
<h2 id="what-about-pictures%3F">What about pictures?</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/10/hike_streak_collage.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Collage of most of our hiking pictures" title="Collage of most of our hiking pictures" /><p class="stickyNote">Collage of most of our hiking pictures</p></div>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/10/oct-1-hike-streak.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="That's it: our 200th consecutive hike!" title="That's it: our 200th consecutive hike!" /><p class="stickyNote">That's it: our 200th consecutive hike!</p></div>
<p>About a month into our streak, I said, “It’s too bad we didn’t take pictures of ourselves for this.” With no end to the pandemic's upheavel of our "life as we knew it" we reasoned this could go on for a lot longer. We took a picture that morning as we started hiking, and every morning after that until we ended on day 200. All of our hikes are in my Strava account: <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/4139562437">this one's day 200</a>.</p>
<h2 id="all-good-things-must-come-to-an-end">All good things must come to an end</h2>
<p>Why did we stop at 200? Well, purely practical reasons. With daylight hours diminishing, we found that some of our later hikes were starting in the dark. As a full-time teacher, I couldn't push the hike later in the day. As a full-time student at Ithaca College, Elizabeth couldn't do that, either, and her afternoons were jam-packed with classes and homework. So, we stopped with full hearts and tough quads at Day 200.</p>
<h2 id="what-the-streak-did-for-us">What the streak did for us</h2>
<p>Elizabeth and I have always been very close. This further strengthened our mother-daughter relationship. We talked about everything imaginable on those hour-long hikes. We marked the passing of time, planned for the future and looked forward to time together every day. We only had one day where we couldn't hike together because Elizabeth went to Whiteface Mountain with a friend. My friend Lynn joined me at Taughannock that day, and Elizabeth and I both took pictures of our respective hikes. During the streak, <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/training/our-own-skunk-cabbage-half/">Xander, Scott and I ran a family half marathon</a> and Elizabeth was our driver and water stop girl and cheerer. We also hiked that day. Later in the spring <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/family-marathon/">the three of us ran a family marathon</a>. That's 26.2 miles! Again, Elizabeth supported us. We also hiked that day. Those were some tired legs!</p>
<h2 id="by-the-numbers">By the numbers</h2>
<p>When you look back on 200 days of hiking, you can't not be impressed by what it means in the aggregate.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>Distance</strong>: 593.8 miles<br />
<em>Distance-wise, it's like walking from our home in Trumansburg to visit the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City, follow the TCS New York City Marathon route, head north to say hello to Andrew Cuomo at the New York State Capitol, then loop back home around the Western flanks of Cayuga Lake.</em></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Elevation Gain</strong>: 86,823 feet<br />
<em>Elevation-wise, it's like summiting Everest, K2, Denali, and South Sister in the Oregon Cascades. Of course, there'd still be a few feet to climb after that, too.</em></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Duration</strong>: 196 hours<br />
<em>Time-wise, it's like binge watching every Seinfeld episode followed by every West Wing episide (and that includes bathroom and snack breaks, mind you).</em></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Whew! That's a lot. We're glad we spread it out over 200 days! Here's a video montage of the days we have pictures for. Fantastic memories.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZW8jDdFtO8">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZW8jDdFtO8</a></p>
<h2 id="in-the-news">In the News</h2>
<p>On October 21, 2020, the Ithaca Times covered our hike streak (see <a href="https://www.ithaca.com/sports/steve_lawrence/equally-motivated/article_3d12e72c-13ab-11eb-9e2c-9346b4ec728c.html">Ithaca Times: Equally Motivated</a>). On November 6, 2020, New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo linked to this post as part of his daily newsletter's "Deep Breath Moment." That was pretty amazing!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/11/cuomo-email-hike-streak.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>On November 25, 2020, Tompkins Weekly covered our story: <a href="https://www.tompkinsweekly.com/articles/local-hiking-streak-recognized-by-gov-cuomo-2/">Local hiking streak recognized by Gov. Cuomo</a>.</p>
Family Marathon2020-05-24T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/family-marathon/<h2 id="we-were-supposed-to-be-in-california">We were supposed to be in California</h2>
<p>Training for Mountains to Beach marathon on the California coast started the first week in January. My mom was still alive, Coronavirus was yet to be a threat and we were so excited to help Xander as he trained for his first marathon. Just a couple months later we traveled to southern California for our February trip. By then my mom had passed away and there were a few people at the Los Angeles airport wearing masks. Just a few weeks later and the world as we knew it was forever altered. Still, somehow I thought a race at the end of May would happen. We continued our training but started to think about what we'd do if they cancelled.</p>
<p>When the fateful cancellation came of this race and so many others we made a plan to still run our own marathon. We'd run from Trumansburg to the Ithaca Commons and enjoy takeout Viva from our favorite Mexican restaurant. I even posted something on Facebook about it and started trying to talk a friend into running it with us. Shortly later I had a text from a friend sadly telling me that Viva wasn't open even for take out during the pandemic. On that day this made me oh so sad. I had spent so much time visualizing us hanging out on the Commons enjoying our post race meal. Time to start thinking of new post race food ideas and back to training ...</p>
<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>I logged up to week 16 in my training and then I got tired of writing about it. First I merged weeks and then I decided to stop posting about it for the last 4 weeks. Truthfully the training was just plugging along. It felt more like business as usual than marathon training. I hurt my foot and was afraid it was a stress fracture so I dialed back a bit for a couple of weeks all while continuing my daily hike streak with my daughter. As I write this we're on day 71. I continued my weekly running with friends. Running with friends used to be a fun thing I did every now and then when it worked out that I could join them. Now it has become my lifeline to companionship outside my family. I run even if I'm not really feeling like running or my plan calls for more or less mileage. On many a morning I'll head out for 5 and Scott will point out that the plan calls for 7. "I'll get the other 2 later I say. I want to run with my friends." It would be easy to add the mileage before or after the run and sometimes I do, but mostly I just enjoy running with friends while looking forward to my favorite part - the cool down walk where we can chat and just mosey along for as long as any of us are free. The time before work kicks off and I'm stuck making videos and grading work and sitting on virtual meetings the rest of the day.</p>
<h2 id="marathon-weekend">Marathon weekend</h2>
<p>On Saturday we awoke to an incredibly humid and soon to be hot day. Elizabeth and I got our hike in early before the crowds arrived at Taughannock Falls State Park. The air felt heavy and I felt worried for the next day. "Mom, you have to promise me that if your foot hurts or you just don't think you can finish you will call me." I told Elizabeth I would. With no gym access and no way to swim I know I can't be injured right now. I need to be able to run, bike, do yoga, etc. After our hike I baked for my business and delivered cakes to Cornell for unofficial small commencement gatherings for students. We enjoyed a glass of wine on our front patio and carbo loaded on Scott's stuffed shells. We hit bed at 8:15 with a plan to wake up at 4:30. I'd leave around 6:30 and the boys would follow about an hour after me. This should ensure we finish within a reasonable timeframe of each other.</p>
<h2 id="what's-your-route%3F">What's your route?</h2>
<p>My dad wanted to know the route all week long. He offered to help support us with water or cheering or anything we needed. Originally I had a plan to reach out to friends and family to create cheering sections to help make this feel more race like. As the time got closer somehow it just didn't seem that important. We'd run some combo of roads and trail and land at the base of the Black Diamond Trail. Elizabeth would pick us up and take us home. I wasn't even feeling excited about it. I planned to wear a hydration pack and just run and see how it went. I wasn't even sure I'd come up with a route. I kept suggesting little routes that put me around 10 miles in Tburg before heading down. Scott kept saying, "You need 15 miles. How many more ways can I say that?" Yes, this is a marathon. Suddenly I was fearful of the distance. I didn't want to run 15 in town.</p>
<p>Then, Scott mentioned, "I'm going to do 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 mile loops and then head down from home for the last 11." Hmmm, that sounded excellent. That meant no pack needed (maybe) or if I did need it, it would be just for the last 11. Normally I don't loop. I don't like the monotony of the same loop, but this was just subtly different enough to be palatable. I mentioned it to Xander. He had a complex route plan that required his sister supporting him early on - not just for the last 11. This would be a good plan for him too. Of course I'm not disciplined enough to do 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 in order. I knew I'd have to mix that up.</p>
<h2 id="race-morning">Race morning</h2>
<p>I awoke at 4:30 and enjoyed one of Elizabeth's homemade bagels with almond butter and coffee. Then I worked for an hour or so before starting to get ready. I put together a podcast playlist I was excited about! I planned to listen to podcasts until I started to lose motivation and then switch to music. Here are the three podcasts I actually listened to from my playlist. I made it through about 16 miles before shifting to music.</p>
<ul>
<li>Tim Ferriss #434 Jim Dethmer - How to Shift from Victim Consciousness, Reduce Drama, Practice Candor, Be Fully Alive, and more</li>
<li>Freakonomics Radio: What Will College Look Like in the Fall (and Beyond)?</li>
<li>Ted Talks Daily, August 2019: Be humble - and other lessons from the philosophy of water by Raymond Tang</li>
</ul>
<p>I put water and a Honeystinger gel by the road and headed out a little after 6:30 a.m. I decided I'd do the one mile loop first, followed by 4.</p>
<h2 id="the-loops">The loops</h2>
<p>The early miles were rather fun. For the 1 mile I listened to the Ted Talk Daily podcast and was so inspired by this short talk. As you can tell from the water mention, its focus is on going around obstacles and recognizing what you are able to control. This short little piece will provide great help to me in my job if I remember to keep it in focus. I was upbeat and happy as I hit my house after mile one.</p>
<p>Next came the 4 mile loop. I did this next because by the time I came by the house again I wanted to actually want a sip of water. The college podcast came on during this loop and it was really useful for me. As a middle school teacher I'm thinking ahead to how to integrate asynchronous learning with in person learning. I enjoyed listening to college presidents sharing their many faceted re-opening plans enough to plan to share this with my principal and other administrators. It helped me continue to formulate a plan for my own classes that I'd already been mulling over in my head. As I ran back to the house I decided to stop in to go to the bathroom. I wasn't running fast enough to turn off the biological need to go, and figured that even though I'd never stop at a porta potty during a race for this, I'd be more comfortable if I popped in. I was SO glad I did. The boys were getting ready to leave. I hadn't taken a picture before I left so we were all able to pose together before they started their race.</p>
<div class="main-carousel" data-flickity='{ "fullscreen": true, "wrapAround": "true", "autoPlay": "3000", "pauseAutoPlayOnHover": true }'><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/05/IMG_6054-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Xander, Scott and me" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/05/IMG_6056-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Ready to run!" />
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<p>After the 4 miles, I decided to go 5. Instead of a loop the 5 that I chose was one of Scott's favorite out and backs. He recently introduced it to me. It is relatively flat and just kind of relaxing. I get to run out of town just a bit, passing by a friend's horse barn and big windmill before heading back home. As I arrived back to the house I realized I would overshoot the mileage if I did the 2 and the 3. Each little loop had given me enough extra tenths that I was at 11.40 miles.</p>
<h2 id="creative-meandering">Creative meandering</h2>
<p>I wanted to be disciplined and dedicated and complete the last 2 and 3 mile loops respectively but I didn't want to walk the last mile of the Black Diamond trail after finishing 26.2. I headed out on the 3 mile loop path and spent way too much timing thinking about how the mileage worked out. By this time I was on to the Tim Ferriss podcast - had been for awhile actually. I was starting to get into it and enjoy it at the same time that my brain was calculating mileage. I had worn heavier socks and a blister bandaid because my right 4th toe had an annoying callous/blister on it and around mile 14 it dawned on me why I stopped wearing heavy socks. My left big toe was rubbing and I knew I was starting to get a blister under the callous. As I turned into my neighborhood I was at about 15.4 miles. I saw my dad out for his morning walk. I waved like crazy as he asked how much I had left. He said I was looking good. I skipped inside, quickly changed into lighter socks, putting a blister bandaid on my left big toe. Elizabeth said she'd support me twice on the Black Diamond and wished me luck for the last 11.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/05/IMG_9156-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Heading out for last 11 miles" title="Heading out for last 11 miles" /><p class="stickyNote">Heading out for last 11 miles</p></div>
<h2 id="the-last-11">The last 11</h2>
<p>Enjoying my new lightweight socks, I happily skipped out of the driveway. The last 11. This is one of my very favorite running routes. It breaks up really well. The first 3 are a gradual downhill to the top of the Black Diamond trail and then the next 5 are peaceful trail miles with frequent road crossings with a slight downhill slope. The last 3 miles of the trail have no road crossings while the last 2 miles are on a power line cut, pretty open and definitely are not my favorite. I know the route cold and can just zone out and run.</p>
<p>While running down Rabbit run I got a text from a cake customer asking a question. Since it was time sensitive, I chose to stop to answer. While already stopped, I chose to switch to music. I had planned to switch at the top of the trail anyway and that was just 2 miles away. I selected my Flower City Half 2015 playlist. It always brings back happy memories, and I was happy to jump back in time to that race day. I have the playlist mostly memorized so I decided to put it in shuffle. My favorite song in the entire list is the first one - Alive by Krewella. It is my favorite Black Diamond Trail starting song. I reasoned with myself that if it didn't pop up during the time I had left I'd forward until I got to it as my last song.</p>
<iframe allow="autoplay *; encrypted-media *;" frameborder="0" height="450" style="width:100%;max-width:660px;overflow:hidden;background:transparent;" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" src="https://embed.music.apple.com/us/playlist/flower-city-2015/pl.u-8a4JaC6kEgy"></iframe>
<p>These miles were good. Elizabeth met me when I was 2 miles in and I grabbed a swig of water. A family was walking by and they said, "nice timing!" I shared that we were doing a family marathon and continued along. Music and water support suddenly made it feel like a race. I was momentarily sad that I was focusing on just running and finishing, but it was way too late to change my plan and race. I knew in my heart that it was a good plan. I'd enjoyed the run up until now and I knew I would continue to do so. Injecting speed would just turn it into something to get through instead of something to savor.</p>
<p>With about 3 miles to go my left airpod died. Oh dear. I hadn't heard Alive yet. Should I forward now or trust that the right one would make it til the end? I opted to trust. I listened for the alerts that it was going to die. With just under 2 miles remaining it came on. Yay! I get to end my run with this song. As I listened I thought of all the times I had started up this trail with this song on. There's something about it that just makes me feel lucky to be able to run. I feel grateful to be on this wonderful trail and grateful that I enjoy the repeated motion of putting one foot in front of the other. As the song ended my right airpod quit. I'd enjoy the last mile in silence. Scott ran by and said, "I'm hurting." Mind you he started almost an hour after me. Of course he was. If my calculations were correct he'd be looking at about a 3:20 marathon time. That's near a PR for him. I didn't even know he was racing it. Hmmm ... now I was actually annoyed with myself for not racing. I probably should have. Too late now.</p>
<h2 id="the-finish">The finish</h2>
<p>I finished, caught him and we started to walk together. He looked at me very seriously and said, "can I have water?" "I don't have water." I replied. He pushed his watch and soon he was on the phone with Elizabeth asking her to walk up with water. Moments later she arrived and he sat down. "Oh dear" I thought. I hadn't really thought about the after. Was he going to be wrecked all day? Elizabeth looked her brother up and he was more than 2 miles from us. She was alarmed. "I hope he is ok," she said. I reminded her that this was his first marathon and he was probably exhausted and it had only been 3:25:00 since he started. We chatted a bit and went to the end of the trail. Scott promptly laid down in the grass and Elizabeth and I stood around.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/05/IMG_9171-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Scott is done!" title="Scott is done!" /><p class="stickyNote">Scott is done!</p></div>
<p>Moments later Xander called. He was done. He had a bit to walk to get to the end of the trail but was willing to run. We told him there was no rush and to enjoy his walk. Then Elizabeth and I walked up to meet him. He enjoyed water and we congratulated him. Finishing 26.2 on your own is not easy! We were so proud of him. He was proud of himself. It wasn't what the day was supposed to be, but it was a fun experience anyway.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/05/IMG_9177-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="After Xander's finish!" title="After Xander's finish!" /><p class="stickyNote">After Xander's finish!</p></div>
<h2 id="celebratory-lunch">Celebratory lunch</h2>
<p>We have been enjoying a different restaurant every week for take out and this week we had decided to order Pinesburgers from <a href="http://www.glenwoodpines.com/history.htm">The Glenwood Pines</a>. Xander's pre-Calculus teacher and her family own this restaurant so that's pretty cool! On our way home I said, "how about if I shower really quickly and Elizabeth and I go back to get lunch?"</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/05/IMG_6060D.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="The Pinesburger" title="The Pinesburger" /><p class="stickyNote">The Pinesburger</p></div>
<p>Elizabeth thought that would be a great idea. She suggested switching cars and airing this one out too! 3 smelly runners was not the most appetizing thing. After a fast shower, we headed out and got our lunch. When we got home we enjoyed our burgers and homemade frozen lemonade made by the boys. Scott felt much better after showering!! We celebrated Xander and his great achievement on his first 26.2. We also learned that my dad walked 8.3 miles - when we headed out for lunch we saw him and I said, "2nd walk?" He replied, "Still walking!! Almost to 8 miles." I am really proud of him. Just months ago it was a big deal for him to walk 2 times around our .4 mile loop. He's made great progress and plans to walk to Ithaca on the Black Diamond Trail soon. Incidentally my father-in-law walked 11 miles that morning. I guess it was just a long mileage day for us all!</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Results of a non-race don't really matter much and aren't terribly accurate when one stops a watch to change socks and takes a bio break, BUT here are our results. It is my slowest ever marathon and I'd be sad about it if I set out to race, but I'm proud of it as a solo effort. I'm psyched for Xander that he finished strong and surprised by Scott's ability to race solo. He didn't even plan on racing - he said he just felt pretty good and kept running fast. <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/dawson-family-marathon-pandemic-edition/">Read his race report.</a></p>
<iframe height="405" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.strava.com/activities/3505304647/embed/4dd2e3683baab6d1da0f609132b4d22ce1676681"></iframe>
<h2 id="xander's-results">Xander's Results</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/05/Screen-Shot-2020-05-25-at-10.23.34-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<h2 id="scott's-results">Scott's Results</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/05/Screen-Shot-2020-05-25-at-10.29.47-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
Family Marathon Training Weeks 15 & 162020-04-26T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/family-marathon-training-week-15-16/<h2 id="week-15-strava-log">Week 15 Strava Log</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-23-at-7.38.46-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<h2 id="week-16-strava-log">Week 16 Strava Log</h2>
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<h2 id="hiking">Hiking</h2>
<p>Elizabeth and I started our 2nd month of daily hikes. On the morning of April 16th we awoke to snow and COLD. We hadn't photographed our first month, but this was enough to make us decide to photograph month 2!! Going forward we're taking daily pictures. We're mostly hiking the rim trail near our house, but every now and then we venture onto another trail. We've hit the Black Diamond Trail and Buttermilk Falls State Park trail as well.</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/04/Day32.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Hiking with Elizabeth" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-23-at-7.42.56-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Hiking with Elizabeth" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/04/Day34.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Hiking with Elizabeth" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/04/Day35.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Hiking with Elizabeth" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/04/8E1D6ED8-B202-4002-B7A9-CCD34627FE81_1_105_c.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Hiking with Elizabeth" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/04/5FD4A066-CC8E-466C-BBCF-A665A8AAD236_1_105_c.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Hiking with Elizabeth" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/04/5CDAC356-32FA-4B10-885F-960C88AD7E9E_1_105_c.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Hiking with Elizabeth" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/04/E0B6A7D5-A48F-4333-98D5-773DB4918F75_1_105_c-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Hiking with Elizabeth" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/04/A587C89B-1F55-4ED1-B9FF-796F84C912D7_1_105_c-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Hiking with Elizabeth" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/04/IMG_2129.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Hiking with Elizabeth" />
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<h2 id="highlights-from-these-two-weeks">Highlights from these two weeks</h2>
<h4 id="16-miler">16 miler</h4>
<p>Week 15's plan called for a 16 mile long run. Scott also had a 16 miler and Xander had a 19 miler on his plan. We all agreed to run a long run landing in Ithaca at the base of the black diamond trail. I ran 5 miles in town, grabbed a sip of water and started the downward run toward Ithaca. I experienced so many emotions during these 16 miles! At the beginning as the wind was swirling around me I chastised myself for heading out so late. The morning had been lovely and now the weather was coming our way. I ran into a student and her family walking and felt joy. It is so fun to see people I know enjoying the opportunity to get out. I waved eagerly and picked up my step just a bit! As I entered the trail, I noticed that most people were exercising in masks. I had been wearing my Buff every day, but it was warm today so I left it off. I felt suddenly naked and out of compliance even though the governor was clear that we needed to wear masks only when social distancing is not possible. On this trail it IS possible - still I made a mental note to always wear the Buff, no matter what the weather.</p>
<p>Around mile 10 a man with really fun purple, green and blue hair had the best t-shirt. I told him I loved his shirt and hair as he whizzed by me on his bike. His shirt said:</p>
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<p>As I hit mile 14 I was still feeling happy from his t-shirt as it occurred to me that I'd run more than a half marathon and was feeling perfectly fine. My pace picked up a bit as I hit the last portion of my run. I knew that Elizabeth was waiting for me at the end of the trail and that soon the boys would bound by me. We had staggered our starts in hopes of winding up near each other.</p>
<h4 id="back-to-back-semi-long-runs">Back to back semi-long runs</h4>
<p>The Hanson method has you do back to back semi-long runs to help you learn to run on tired legs. This week called for an 8 miler followed by a 10 miler. They were supposed to be weekend runs, but the way the forecast fell Scott and I shifted them to Friday and Saturday, letting the rainy Sunday be a bike day. As a result, my legs were a little bit tired at the tail end of the week. Friday's run was chilly and drizzly and it felt hard. However, Saturday's 10 miler was a highlight of my week. The forecast called for a high of 58, but when I was due to run at 11 am it was 48 degrees. I felt a strong desire to go SOMEWHERE. I hopped into my car and decided to drive to Cass park. I don't typically love running in the park, but today I knew I'd see some people out, get to see the water and break up the run with some (but not all) of the run on the Black Diamond Trail. Less than a mile into my run I ran into one of my friends. I teach her daughter Algebra. I was so excited to share that her daughter is really helping me keep up my spirits during this time. I look forward to her (and her classmates) enthusiasm in our 3x weekly live classes. We had a lovely little conversation and then I continued my run. While running I focused on savoring the time, the opportunity to be out and the joy in the sunshine.</p>
<h4 id="new-shoes">New shoes</h4>
<p>On the very last day that the <a href="https://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/">Finger Lakes Running Company</a> was open this spring before the retail shut down, I bought new shoes. At the time in mid March I was just projecting out that I'd be close to wearing out my shoes right before my marathon (Memorial Day weekend). At the time, the marathon wasn't cancelled yet and we really didn't think that it would be. At the time I figured I could just buy shoes later when the store opened up again, but knew I wanted to support Ian now. The past week my shoes started to feel worn out. Xander (my expertly trained shoe fitter) examined them and said they looked like they should be replaced. Still, I wasn't sure. It didn't feel like it had been too long since I started using them. Then, the very next day I received my alert from Strava "time to get new shoes" and thought "wow Xander knows what he's talking about!" I had put over 400 miles on these and it WAS time. On the morning of my 10 miler I laced up my new shoes. As I drove to start the run I was feeling tired. I actually considered hanging out and reading a book and pretending that I ran before driving home. Wow that is a low place to be!! Instead I kicked myself out of my car and started the run. I think I was a mere 5-10 steps in when I realized today was going to be a GREAT run! Thank you FLRC!</p>
<h2 id="other-things-to-note-about-training">Other things to note about training</h2>
<p>As we near the end of the training cycle, we're getting ready to run a virtual race in support of the Finger Lakes Running Company. Next week's run calls for a 6 mile followed by a 16 miler. I'll either keep that and bump the 16 miles up to 19 or I'll drop to 3 and 19. This race is a 19 mile run! I look forward to the challenge. I've only done one 20 miler during this training cycle so this will be my 2nd longest run. I designed this plan with a combo of Hal Higdon and Hanson methods and it is light on the long long runs. I could alter one of the last two weeks and throw a 22 miler in there instead of an 8 followed by a 10. I may do that because I don't really feel prepared! However, being that this is our own "race" and my plan is to just run and savor it I don't feel terribly stressed about being light on long runs. I know the last 6 miles will be hard however you slice it!! It is almost time to consider the route and the post run food. We are in the final month of training now.</p>
Family Marathon Training Week 142020-04-13T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/family-marathon-training-week-14/<p>As I write this it is day 29 since our entire world changed in Central New York due to Covid-19. Schools abruptly shut on Monday March 16th <em>(we found out on Friday evening the 13th of March)</em>. Elizabeth and I hiked on Monday and decided we'd have a hiking streak. We thought it would last through yesterday as we were originally slated to go back to school today. However, it looks like we're going to be hiking every day for the foreseeable future.</p>
<h2 id="extra-hiking-miles">Extra hiking miles</h2>
<p>While marathon training I've added 21 - 27 or more hiking miles to my weekly totals. I hike daily with Elizabeth and then still try to get some hiking in with friends. After all, that's the only way to safely see a friend these days and even that is controversial. I have also started walking with my dad (he even joined Strava) and he's up to 2 miles a day. That is the only way I can see him and it helps us both focus on something as we walk and talk.</p>
<h2 id="this-week's-running">This week's running</h2>
<p>My running was pretty unremarkable this week except for the fact that I did wimp out from outdoor running two days in a row. What I've learned about myself is that if I hike first and it is cold outside, my legs are just done and I can pretty much talk myself into skipping running. The key is to RUN first and then hike. I managed a run with a friend on Tuesday. She joined me for the last 4 miles of my 7 mile run and I also ran with her on Sunday with the same strategy only this time we were together for the first 5 and I did the last 3 solo. My plan called for 36 miles this week and because of my double weather wimp outs I managed 32. I had 24 hiking miles and 12 walking miles so it wasn't too bad.</p>
<h2 id="about-the-weekly-distance">About the weekly distance</h2>
<p>I wish that I was hitting higher mileage. I looked at my plan this week and realized that I'm pretty much hovering in the 30-35 mile range for my weekly mileage. It isn't terrible, but I know that the marathon would be more fun if I was logging more hours.</p>
<h4 id="my-50-50-is-3-years-away">My 50-50 is 3 years away</h4>
<p>A few years ago when Sarah ran Western States, Scott and I had the opportunity to support her. We weren't part of her official crew, but we were able to help in some ways and we were there for the entire 29 hours. We started talking about our own long distance desires. Scott has since done a couple 50Ks and a couple of 50 milers. I've done two 50Ks. We both enjoyed the experience and the training and started to talk bigger. What if we did a 100 for our 50-50? After I got a stress fracture last summer I think I pretty much ruled that out. Exercise and activity means a lot to me - enough to play things a little safe to avoid injury. Plus, I don't adore the trails the way Scott does. I love to hike, but running on trail still evokes the kind of fear I felt in high school track.</p>
<p>Today on our hike though Elizabeth said, "I can't believe you and dad are 3 years away from being 50." I realized then that we should have that conversation again. How will we celebrate? Will we be here for it? In the midst of this pandemic we're updating our wills and thinking about this. Provided we come through this and stay healthy maybe we'll both do a 50 miler to celebrate?</p>
<h2 id="the-bdt-%22long%22-run">The BDT "long" run</h2>
<p>The part of my plan that I took from the Hanson plan was the back to back semi-long run. Basically learning to run on tired legs across two days instead of doing one super long run every weekend. On Saturday I ran 12 to Ithaca on the Black Diamond Trail. The entire time I felt grateful that they haven't closed this trail. I was blissfully happy for every footfall of this run. It was sunny after two days of rain and snow. It was warm enough to run in shorts with gloves, a windbreaker and long sleeves so I was happy.</p>
<p>After I arrived to the Finger Lakes Running Company where my kids were doing a photo shoot to help get their store up and running for e-commerce, I hung around awhile and waited for them to be ready. As I waited, I felt pretty silly for not taking on another 1.1 miles to finish a half, but I was also pretty cold and tired so I didn't kick myself back out the door!</p>
<p>The next day called for 8 miles, and that fit in pretty easily.</p>
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<p>There are only 6 weeks left til race day!! I'm sure the world will change a lot during that time and hopefully at least a little bit for the better!! At least I know for sure the weather will improve and I can at least look forward to seeing some friends outside.</p>
Family Marathon Training Week 132020-04-06T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/family-marathon-training-week-13/<p>This was a fall back week for mileage. It felt pretty low key. We're all settling into what feels like self-quarantine. I pretty much leave my house to hike with Elizabeth, walk with my dad and run either by myself or with one or two friends. I am settling into a fitness routine that includes a lot of hiking! Elizabeth and I laughed yesterday thinking that one thing I was really sad about when she left for college was that we wouldn't get to hike together. Now we're hiked a consecutive 21 days together!</p>
<h2 id="the-workouts-this-week">The workouts this week</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Monday:</strong> BodyPump, 3 mile hike with Elizabeth and 3 mile hike with Lynn, Teresa and Christina</li>
<li><strong>Tuesday:</strong> 3 mile hike and 5 mile run</li>
<li><strong>Wednesday:</strong> 3 mile hike</li>
<li><strong>Thursday:</strong> 4 mile run and 3 mile hike</li>
<li><strong>Friday:</strong> BodyPump and 3 mile hike</li>
<li><strong>Saturday:</strong> 3 mile hike</li>
<li><strong>Sunday:</strong> Skunk Cabbage family half marathon</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="highlights">Highlights</h2>
<p>I skipped some of the cross training this week because of the hiking. I'm finding that my legs are tired from the hiking. The rim trail at Taughannock park is one of my favorite trails, BUT I'm going to be happy when Treman and Buttermilk open up and are options. I look forward to having a drive so it feels like more of an outing. The trails also offer longer options so that will be fun.</p>
<p>I felt really grateful to be able to attend Zoom yoga for Pure Sweat again this week. This is our 3rd class and it is something I really look forward to. In some ways I'd like to add another weekly class, but other times I want to just stick with the one as something to bookend the week and to look forward to.</p>
<p>The weather was still not excellent this week so Elizabeth and I felt like brave hikers as we headed out in cold and rain a couple of times during the week.</p>
<p>The Skunk Cabbage Half was a huge highlight of this week - it will have a page for a race write up. Because of that, this weekly summary is really short.</p>
<h2 id="next-week's-goals">Next week's goals</h2>
<p>This week ramps things up. The mileage is back up after this fall back week. Mid-week runs are longer and will require more energy. I need to run BEFORE I hike so I don't lose resolve for running after the hike. It is funny that because we said hiking was a streak it can't be skipped. With running, when it is on my plan I usually do it, but could skip. Hmmm ....</p>
Our own Skunk Cabbage Half2020-04-05T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/our-own-skunk-cabbage-half/<h2 id="it's-cancelled">It's cancelled</h2>
<p>The FLRC cancelled the Skunk Cabbage Classic on the very day of our last MITHACAL Milers training. They had just learned that Cornell likely wouldn't let them host a large event and made the prudent decision to cancel. When Adam told us at our practice I was devastated. The full scale of this outbreak wasn't yet known and things weren't cancelled in general yet. It was one of the first of many cancellations. My friend Tonya said she was going to run her own Skunk race on the morning of the race. I thought, "hmm that's a good idea." I tucked that back in the back of my head and kept on marathon training.</p>
<h2 id="mountains-2-beach-cancels-too">Mountains 2 Beach cancels too</h2>
<p>Many weeks after that cancellation our Memorial Day marathon also cancelled. We had signed up for this marathon for three reasons.</p>
<ul>
<li>Xander wanted to do his first marathon - you are allowed to run this one at age 14. Xander is 16 so this works!</li>
<li>We needed a half marathon option - Elizabeth wants to join but wants to run a half instead.</li>
<li>We had enough points on Jet Blue to fly there. Important because it is only a weekend trip.</li>
<li>And if we have to travel, why not travel to a beach?</li>
</ul>
<p>Anyway, all of that became a moot point when they cancelled. Now the decision was, "do we keep training and do our own?" We decided YES. All of us are doing well with training and it is giving us something to focus on. Elizabeth never actually started training so she has volunteered to be our support. We continued our training and then as we wrapped last week we realized this week called for the Skunk.</p>
<h2 id="tonya-are-you-still-running%3F">Tonya are you still running?</h2>
<p>I texted Tonya to ask if she was still planning to do her own race. She said she had decided not to but wished us luck. We made a plan. We'd race at 10 just like the real race, but we'd give a slight head start to me so that it would be easier for Elizabeth to support us with water stops and cheering. We'd order Taste of Thai Express for after the race as a special Sunday treat. Xander was worried we'd be too close to people. He imagined hordes of people showing up. I thought at most we'd see about 20 on the course.</p>
<h2 id="airpods-and-apparel">AirPods and apparel</h2>
<p>The morning was typical for a race morning with only slightly less stress. I got up at 5 and enjoyed coffee while grading student work and checking in with students for 2 hours. After that we had breakfast and then went through the course. Xander hasn't run the half before and neither has Elizabeth. They'd both need to know where to go. Soon we all went our separate ways to get prepared and met up in the foyer around 9:30.</p>
<p>Elizabeth drove and Scott was her front seat passenger. I hopped into the car and we were backing out when I gasped. "My AirPods!" Elizabeth thought there was something really wrong so I was properly chastised by everyone in the car while I ran in to get them. As we started driving again she said, "so Xander1 and Xander2 do you you have everything?" Xander and I are really similar and it is a going joke in the family that we are two walking disasters as far as being prepared, being airheads etc. As our drive got underway we started pretending to be cats in the backseat. Scott and Elizabeth started laughing. I asked if this was why I was a backseat passenger. They said, "not originally but now that you mention it."</p>
<p>I couldn't decide between a tank top or short sleeved shirt. It was 47 degrees and Scott and Xander were both in short sleeves. I put on a short sleeved shirt and grabbed a tank top in case. When we arrived at the start line I quickly yanked my shirt off and my AirPod went flying under the Pilot. Of course I freaked out. I switched to my tank top and light gloves and headed off.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/04/9EC498BF-4948-4B09-AC59-62EAC618DC37_1_105_c.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="My solo start!" title="My solo start!" /><p class="stickyNote">My solo start!</p></div>
<h2 id="joel-in-his-banana-suit">Joel in his banana suit</h2>
<p>I was just under 2 miles into the course and I saw a familiar person running toward me. It was Joel Cisne in his banana suit. Because of my rough start I spent the beginning of this run questioning what we were doing out here on the course by ourselves. Did we really need to race today? Wasn't a 13 mile training run on a fall back week good enough? As soon as I saw Joel I thought, "This is gonna be a great run!" He was all smiles as we exchanged greetings. I smiled and perked up.</p>
<p>Soon after seeing Joel I saw my friend Steve with a buddy of his. I stopped and chatted with them briefly as they inquired how many others were on the course. I told them my family was behind me and I had seen one other person out.</p>
<h2 id="laurel-cheers-us-on">Laurel cheers us on</h2>
<p>Just before the 10K and half split from each other I saw my friend Laurel running toward me with a sign. She was out cheering us and other runners on. It was SO great!! Also at this time I noticed that the course was freshly marked. Wow! I wonder who did that. I thought <em>(correctly I later learned)</em> that this must have been Joel. How cool.</p>
<h2 id="the-%22liz.e.r.d%22-awaits">The "LIZ.E.R.D" awaits</h2>
<p>As I neared mile 4 where we turn onto a main road Elizabeth was awaiting. I saw the Pilot's hazards blinking from a distance and then she hopped out and started to cheer for me. I had asked her to take pictures of me en-route and she did! She gave me a sip of my water and I was off.</p>
<p>As I turned onto the main road I really had no energy. I was not even 4 miles in and I thought, "oh yikes!" This is a time in the race that I'm usually super jazzed. The crowd hasn't yet thinned and I am definitely in full race mode during a normal running of the Skunk. In this moment I suddenly realized the difference between running your own half and running a race. The former is so much harder!</p>
<p>I also noticed that this stretch is most definitely NOT downhill. We had told Xander to expect a lovely downhill after that turn. Hmmm. What is up with my memory of the course?</p>
<p>Elizabeth stationed herself in one more spot along this stretch, giving me a sip of water at mile 5. Scott passed me along this stretch.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/04/6AE96ECC-FA42-4C8A-8596-80E5B165174C_1_105_c.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Elizabeth's water stop for me" title="Elizabeth's water stop for me" /><p class="stickyNote">Elizabeth's water stop for me</p></div>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/04/1BE1D58C-DD76-4BA9-85A1-50763C094A1E_1_105_c.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Another water stop." title="Another water stop." /><p class="stickyNote">Another water stop.</p></div>
<h2 id="and-there's-tonya!">And there's Tonya!</h2>
<p>I saw a familiar person running toward me. Tonya!! She said she was running the course backwards to see people and cheer them on. I was the 9th person she had encountered so far. I got a new spring in my step just as the course headed downhill.</p>
<p>I enjoyed this stretch just as much on my own as I do in the race. It is typically the time in a half when I start thinking ... once I get to mile 7 there are only 3 miles til mile 10 and then you are practically done. As I approached the end of the main road I saw a dark blue house ahead. In Google maps this house was pale green. We had talked to Xander about how it would be obvious where to turn. A pale green house at a big intersection. Oh dear. Elizabeth told me he had already gotten lost once. I turned back and saw him. He should see me turning and be ok. Whew!</p>
<h2 id="take-a-picture-of-the-chalk!">Take a picture of the chalk!</h2>
<p>As I turned onto this side road I saw Elizabeth again. I'd hit my 7 mileish water stop. I saw chalk signs and said, "can you take a picture of these?" She inquired why I wanted a picture. I said, "because they are great!" She laughed and said, "I drew them!" Yes, somehow I thought some random stranger had been writing encouragement in chalk for me. This one said, "run like you are being chased by a bear!" This made me fondly remember one of Xander's cross country races. He and a friend were racing for the alternate spot in Sectionals. Both boys had been in the 8th spot off and on all season and whoever came out on top in the last race would attend. I was nervous for him. He often got stuck in his head and sometimes he didn't. It all depended on his (and his friend's) mental state that day. As the last curve happened in that race his friend was right behind him. I shouted as loudly as I could, "The BEAR is there Xander!" In the end he eeked out a small win and went to sectionals.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnuK-maoOdE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnuK-maoOdE</a></p>
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<p>These are all from the finish line!</p>
<p>After that little memory I plodded along. The Hash beer stop would be coming up on the left if we were really racing. That made me remember when we first came upon this stop. I was running with Christina and she had a mimosa. It was her first mimosa and she was SO excited. Aah to real races. They are so much fun.</p>
<p>I passed Tonya again and she offered encouragement. By this time Xander had passed me and Scott was way ahead as well. She said, "they are way ahead of you." I looked down at the road and she had written SKUNK FOREVER on the road in purple and blue chalk.</p>
<h2 id="strava">Strava</h2>
<p>So at the start of this race I started my Strava app on my phone. It typically lines up pretty well with my watch, and it is accurate on my Black Diamond trail runs with their mileage signs. So, I was surprised when it was off - way off - starting around mile 7. It had been fine and then suddenly it started racking up miles. The first time I noticed it was when it said I was at mile 8 when I was just over mile 7.5. By mile 10 though it had me at mile 11. Good thing I also had a watch track going. I'd have to ditch the Strava track and stop listening to the pace alerts.</p>
<h2 id="i-think-i'm-lost!">I think I'm lost!</h2>
<p>I have run this race many times, yet there is one turn I was worried about. It was the last turn onto Tower road. Even in the race I've almost messed this up before. I get into some pattern of thought that just makes me oblivious to the world around me at this point in the race. Well today turned out to be no different. I had realized that my time would be just over 2 hours instead of just under so I was irritated with myself. I had it in my head that I'd finish around 2 hours but really expected it to be just under instead of just over. Somehow I turned a block early. As I was running I noticed I'd be going on a pretty extreme downhill if I continued. I knew were that headed and I knew it wasn't right. I texted Scott from my watch. "I think I am lost!" Then I looked around and just hopped onto Campus road and started running. I had a vague idea of what I had done at this point. He called me and I tried to answer, but it didn't pick up. But by this time I was back on course so all was good. I was really embarrassed though!</p>
<h2 id="finish-line">Finish line</h2>
<p>As I ran toward the finish I was greeted by Elizabeth, Xander and Scott all shouting for me! It was no typical finish line, but it was definitely fun to run in supported by my crew. I was SO surprised when they put a medal around my neck. They were available for all of us unofficial course runners that day. Joel had told Elizabeth to make sure to give one to each of us. <em>(Notes: They are available for everyone who runs the virtual Skunk Cabbage to pick up once our world opens up again</em>).</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/04/FC19F612-42D4-4211-8DCC-B561AE2BF306_1_105_c.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="With the boys" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/04/AB9DBAA5-A853-41F5-AD85-9717057A6F63_1_105_c.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Medals for us" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/04/B5ACBB14-3B0C-43EA-A596-8E5C176C8423_1_105_c.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Our supporter!" />
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<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-06-at-11.34.31-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
Family Marathon Training Week 122020-03-30T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/family-marathon-training-week-12/<h2 id="marathon-name-needed">Marathon name needed</h2>
<p>When Mountains 2 Beach cancelled we decided we'd run anyway. We'd leave our house and take a long route to Viva in Ithaca. I had a little online chat with a friend trying to convince her to join us for the "half" option. "We can end for takeout from <a href="https://www.vivataqueria.com/">Viva</a>!" A bit later that day I received a text from another friend. "Did you say you were running a marathon to Viva?" I cheerily replied, "yes" and then she shared the sad sad news. Viva was closed until further notice due to coronavirus - even for take out. She sent the take out list from the Ithaca Voice. So many places we like are on the list as closed or not on the list as open. After reading the list and sulking I went back to baking for <a href="https://emoticakes.com/">Emoticakes</a>. Scott walked in and I said, "I have sad, sad news." I went on to share and he was visibly relieved. Of course when he heard sad, sad news his mind went to a much darker place than takeout options being limited. So the point of this was that I had planned to name our race "Dawsons to Viva" and now I need a name.</p>
<h2 id="training-paces">Training paces</h2>
<p>It is just Xander, Scott and me and we'll likely be three very different paces, making water stop work challenging and causing a need for a long wait upon finishing UNLESS we do a staggered start. Xander is really fast in his training. He ran 18 on Friday at a 7:07. Scott was in the middle in the low 8s and I was pretty slow for my long run with a 9:45 average pace. Elizabeth is going to be our roving cheer/water stop family member and then as we route we'll reach out to friends and family to request cheering and water stop help!</p>
<h2 id="this-week's-training">This week's training</h2>
<p>This week we moved to the back of the sheet. I've now completed 12 weeks of a 20 week training plan. I'm pretty impressed that I'm sticking to the plan without many major changes. I think often how I used to focus on inspiring my children and now I'm in a position to have my son inspire me. He's following his training plan really well and the 3 of us are helping each other stay with it. I'm grateful that Xander wanted to do his first marathon this spring. It is giving us all something to focus on in the midst of this coronavirus shut down. My training this week looked like this:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Monday</strong> Original hot yoga (Zoom session) and a 3 mile hike</li>
<li><strong>Tuesday</strong> Easy 4 mile run and 3 mile hike</li>
<li><strong>Wednesday</strong> Les Mills on Demand cycling, The Trip 18 and a 3 mile hike</li>
<li><strong>Thursday</strong> Easy 5 mile run and a 3 mile hike</li>
<li><strong>Friday</strong> 3 mile hike and a 16 mile long run</li>
<li><strong>Saturday</strong> 6 miles of hiking (2 separate 3 milers)</li>
<li><strong>Sunday</strong> 5 mile run, 3 mile hike and original hot yoga (Zoom session)</li>
</ul>
<p>About those hikes. My daughter and I are 14 days into our Rim Trail hiking streak. It is fun, though I admit I'm feeling tired. I ADORE this trail but I don't usually hike every day. I dropped one 6 mile run from my schedule (replacing it with a 6 mile hiking day) this week just because I'm feeling the increase in time on my feet.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/03/Screen-Shot-2020-03-30-at-7.36.51-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<h2 id="about-that-long-run">About that long run</h2>
<p>I'm struggling a little bit with the transition to teaching online. It is about finding a balance between the amount of work given, agreeing to timing with my team and not spending a million hours looking at work and designing work. I have talked to a few colleagues who feel like they are failing as moms and teachers in the balance. I feel like I'm failing as a colleague and doing ok as a teacher. I'm also feeling really grateful that my own kids are old enough that I don't have to manage their online learning. I am not consumed by feelings of struggling as a mom during this time. In fact, one thing that is going really well is our family life. We're managing extremely well as a crew of 4.</p>
<p>My long run took place on a day that I felt really crummy about my ability to interact digitally with my team. I had spent the past two days thinking I should find a different profession. I've been thinking it would be easier to cope of I just have to be less invested in this entire process, accepting what I'm told to do instead of trying to find ways to work around limitations. What exactly is the harm in leaning in and just staying in pjs and watching movies while still getting the required things done? Why am I continuing to get up at 5 am and work most of the day? These are all questions I've been pondering as of late. I started my long run in a pretty crummy mood. My only motivation to kick myself out the door was for food. <em>(Our plans for after included takeout from <a href="https://www.ithacabeer.com/">Ithaca Beer</a>. We had put in our orders of burgers and fries and planned on a beer to go with it)</em>. I reasoned I could run 16 miles with that carrot hanging out at the end.</p>
<p>I put in a <a href="https://tim.blog/">Tim Ferriss</a> podcast from August 2019 that I hadn't yet listened to. An interview with <a href="https://tim.blog/2019/08/21/the-tim-ferriss-show-transcripts-safi-bahcall-on-hypnosis-conquering-insomnia-incentives-and-more-382/">Safi Bahcall</a> about hypnosis, incentives and more. I think I was about 2 miles in when I got out of my head and started to enjoy the run. I ran roads until mile 7.5 and then dropped into the <a href="https://www.traillink.com/trail/black-diamond-trail/">Black Diamond Trail</a>. Once on trail I saw so many people out running, biking and hiking. It was nice to realize that despite all this social distancing there are still people out and about. Everyone kept their distances and waved and smiled. Just seeing people perked me up even more. My friend Jessica biked by me heading the other direction and I saw a group of bikers as they headed up the trail and then again on their way back down. "That's a long run," they said. "16 miles I chirped back" feeling really strong.</p>
<p>At mile 12 Xander ran by me in a blur. He waved and said, "hi mom!" and he was gone in a flash. I spent some time thinking about how proud I was of him. He has taken so well to marathon training. I am enjoying watching him tackle this with a full heart. It is fun to see him grow as a runner.</p>
<p>At around mile 13 I decided I'd like to switch from the podcast to music. However, I couldn't get Siri to understand my commands and my hands were too cold to operate my phone. I would instead finish the podcast. That turned out to be a great choice because the last half hour was the most interesting part of all. It really dove into incentives and group behavior - something that I'm struggling with at work. I got a little bit of perspective about my struggle.</p>
<p>When I hit the end of the trail both my kids were there cheering for me. They were a bit deflated when I asked, "where is dad?" and they shared that he was about a mile back. I was at 15.6 and reasoned I actually should do the last .4 so I continued on by them. When I finally finished they were not cheering quite as enthusiastically. After I finished the 3 of us hopping into our warm car and waited for Scott to finish. We had a blueberry fig bar in the car. I ate half of it and it was oh so good!! We drove to Liquid State to try to buy beer, only to learn they close up for beer sales at 4 pm daily. Then suddenly we realized, "Oh we are getting dinner at Ithaca Beer! We could buy beer there!" We spent the rest of the drive deciding what beer we'd want to have, only to arrive and see they had two choices in their beer cooler. "That was easy! We'd take our favorite hoppy choice of Flower Power." Scott took a picture of our dinner <em>(we all got a burger)</em>.</p>
<p>In true post long run fashion, my stomach was starting to turn a little bit by the time it was actually time to eat. However, I did eat every scrap of food. After all the entire motivation for my run was getting to enjoy take out from Ithaca Beer!</p>
<h2 id="other-training-thoughts">Other training thoughts</h2>
<p>As we enter into week 13 it is the week that the <a href="https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Ithaca/SkunkCabbageClassic">Skunk Cabbage Classic</a> half marathon was supposed to take place. We agreed that we'd run our own Skunk on Sunday. I'm pretty excited about this. Looking ahead at my training plan I see that I have a rest day on Saturday and a pretty low mileage week. I want to add a little more yoga at home to get more stretching in <em>(I'm so grateful that <a href="https://puresweatyoga.com/">Pure Sweat</a> is offering Zoom sessions)</em>, and I plan to take our daily hikes a little slower. I don't know that I'll race the half this weekend - it is hard to race without the adrenaline of a real race environment, but we'll see. Here's to another week of training!!</p>
Mountains 2 Beach Training Week 112020-03-23T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/week-11-mountains-2-beach-training/<p>And just like that every day is another new normal. When I went away to college I had a really hard time adjusting. Every night I would go to bed pretty sad and just beat up from the day. Luckily I would get good rest, but then in the morning I had that brief moment when I would forget I was at college and I would feel so happy and normal. And then I'd remember where I was.</p>
<p>This is how I feel now as each new day of the coronavirus unfolds. I've been teaching <a href="https://mathista.org/">middle school Math online</a> for a mere 3 days and the tone has shifted so much already. As this all happens I'm so incredibly grateful that I can run and so thankful that Xander wanted to do a marathon in the first place. Scott and I wouldn't have decided this was the spring to marathon train again. This is all Xander!!</p>
<h2 id="the-rim-trail-streak">The rim trail streak</h2>
<p>One thing that has impacted training this week and will continue to do so is my new streak with Elizabeth. We hiked the rim trail at <a href="https://taughannock.us/">Taughannock Falls State park</a> <em>(just down the road from our house)</em> a couple of days this week. On our 2nd or 3rd day we realized it was something we both looked forward to. "We should make this a streak" I said. She agreed. We decided it would give us something to be excited about. I've often said that the mere existence of this trail and the easy accessibility to my house is what enables me to be positive about most things. The trail brings calm, joy, peace, time for introspection, connection with friends and more to me.</p>
<p>But, for training it means I'll be adding a minimum of 21 miles of trail hiking to my weekly mileage. And, I have several friends that I like to hike with as well so some days I will need to plan on two hikes. There's also Xander and Scott hikes to consider!! On Saturday I hiked in the morning with Elizabeth and then hit the trail in the afternoon with Scott. I decided to skip the 6 mile run scheduled for that day!!</p>
<h2 id="cancelled">Cancelled</h2>
<p>I knew it was coming, but it was still hard to accept when we got an email Friday evening from the race directors of <a href="https://mountains2beachmarathon.com/">Mountains 2 Beach Marathon</a>. Cancelled. They had no choice given the circumstances. We talked briefly and decided we'd definitely still run our own marathon. I had already talked to a few friends about setting up cheer stations and water stops for us. We hatched the idea of running from Tburg to <a href="https://www.vivataqueria.com/">Viva</a> and ending with takeout on the Commons. It isn't the ideal first marathon for Xander but it will suffice. One thing it does do is put <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/green-lakes-50k-2/">Green Lakes 50K</a> back on the table for a first organized race. Scott and I both love this race and we know Xander would too. So that's definitely a possibility. The <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/rochester-marathon-2012/">Rochester marathon</a> clashes with the beginning of cross country season, so it is probably out, but it is a maybe possibility. It depends on how much Xander wants to focus on short vs long distance. Whatever happens in the future, we'll plan to enjoy our family marathon. Note: it will be Scott, Xander and me. Elizabeth was going to do the half but she is not interested in this version. She'll be our driver and supporter instead. <em>Note: for the remaining weeks of training I'll title my posts either Dawson family marathon or Xander's first marathon. I'm deciding.</em></p>
<h2 id="my-20-miler">My 20 miler</h2>
<p>Xander works at <a href="https://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/">Finger Lakes Running Company</a> in Ithaca. This has been an up and down week of wondering what will happen to them. Will they be forced to close as a non-essential business as new rules roll out with coronavirus? Will they manage to stay open? Will Xander have any more shifts in the short term? Will they be able to reboot when this is all over? We've known the owner Ian Golden for along while and just felt so sad this week as we worried for him and his store. Elizabeth and I spent a lot of time talking about his influence to the area on each of our daily hikes.</p>
<p>Sunday Xander was scheduled to work. Then, they ordered that all non-essential businesses must close Sunday at 8 pm. Ian posted a heart felt video that just made us ache for him. He wrote to Xander to ask if it was ok if he (Ian) took Xander's Sunday shift. "Of course" We settled into a somber mood at breakfast discussing the situation and shared Ian's video with people on Facebook. We planned to go down that day to buy new shoes.</p>
<p>However, this change in plans also changed my 20 miler plan. I had planned to drop Xander off at work at 11 and then run 10 miles back to Tburg on the Black Diamond trail and some roads and turn around and run back. I started considering doing loops around home and put a text out to friends to see who wanted to join me for different bits. One friend wanted to know what time which prompted me to look at the weather. It was 17 degrees. The temp wasn't really going to rise til late morning. I decided I'd need to wait til near 11 anyway.</p>
<p>Scott thought he'd go earlier and do loops. Xander had done his long run the day before. And then, Ian texted Xander to ask if he wanted to come in and work the register. He realized the store might be busy and he could use the help. Xander was happy to help. That put me back to my original plan.</p>
<p>I packed my <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/musings/my-9-must-have-items-for-happy-running/">hydration pack</a> (I haven't been running with any water lately but it felt like I should for 20 miles) and got ready. Xander and I drove down and I started my run promptly at 11. Teressa said she'd join me when I got to the top of the trail. She's up for about 10 miles right now, so I figured I would have company for 5 miles since she'd have to turn around to get back to her car. I was pleasantly surprised when she said her husband was in Ithaca doing errands and would pick her up. Yay! I would have company for my last 10 miles.</p>
<p>This run was good. It was challenging but I felt strong and positive. Teressa was a great sport when I slowed down quite a bit for the last 2 miles. After we finished I bought new shoes from Finger Lakes Running Company along with a shirt I've wanted for awhile. I am attaching my splits here. I feel pretty proud of them.</p>
<div class="main-carousel" data-flickity='{ "fullscreen": true, "wrapAround": "true", "autoPlay": "3000", "pauseAutoPlayOnHover": true }'><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/03/Screen-Shot-2020-03-23-at-6.55.31-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Week at a Glance" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/03/Screen-Shot-2020-03-23-at-6.55.38-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Week at a Glance" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/03/Screen-Shot-2020-03-23-at-6.14.42-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Week at a Glance" />
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<h2 id="thoughts-for-next-week">Thoughts for next week</h2>
<p>We are onto the back of the training plan! There are only 9 weeks until Memorial Day weekend. During those 9 weeks so much will change. The weather will improve, maybe the state of the country will improve, and the chance to see people outside will improve. Being stuck in my house isn't too awful with 3 other people in there with me and students to connect with virtually every day. But, my dad is 79. We lost my mom 8 weeks ago and he is so incredibly lonely. His world was just starting to open up and now it is contracted and can barely even include us. I'm hoping that the warm weather lets me get out for a walk with him most days as we keep our 6 foot distance from each other. I'm hoping we all still get to go outside and run. I'm hoping the rim trail stays open. There's so much to hope for. For now I'll start this next week with gratitude that all that is on my training plan for today is yoga and CX <em>(and my hike with Elizabeth .. that I didn't skip after my 20 miler yesterday).</em> That is something else I'm proud of!</p>
Mountains 2 Beach Training Week 102020-03-16T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/week-10-mountains-2-beach-training/<p>As I write this midway into training week 11 training the marathon is still on. I'm worried they will have to cancel and my training will need titles!! I've gotten to run several marathons so if it is cancelled I'll be mostly sad for my son. We worked so hard to find a marathon that would accept a 16 year old and he's doing SO great with his training. However if it happens, I have talked with friends and I think we'll try to hold our own and get some people out cheering for us on their porches, stash some water and maybe even have a water stop or two. For now, I'm going to think positively! Note that this post is as much about regular live with the Covid-19 situation as it is about running.</p>
<p>Last week's training was excellent actually. Here's my summary:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Monday:</strong> Rim trail hike with Scott (3 mile hike)</li>
<li><strong>Tuesday:</strong> MITHACAL Milers (5 miles)</li>
<li><strong>Wednesday:</strong> BodyPump and Les Mills on Demand RPM</li>
<li><strong>Thursday:</strong> 4 mile run</li>
<li><strong>Friday:</strong> 8 mile Black Diamond Trail run and Les Mills on Demand BodyPump</li>
<li><strong>Saturday:</strong> 16 mile run</li>
<li><strong>Sunday:</strong> Les Mills on Demand The Trip and Hot Yoga</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="a-week-of-lasts">A week of lasts</h2>
<p>As MITHACAL Milers kicked off we learned that it would be our last indoor week and basically the last week. That was ok because I had planned on it ending anyway. Later in the week as things unfolded about COVID-19 though, things became sadder.</p>
<p>On Thursday we had a special training meeting at school to prepare for possible school closure. We were thinking a week out and planning a training day for the 23rd. As the session got going, the school officials changed it to the 19th. A day before an already planned faculty conference day. That felt soon but doable. On Friday after school we held another small planning meeting where we all realized we'd be delivering online training on Tuesday the 17th. As I left school on Friday I got most of the things I'd need from my classroom in case school didn't happen Monday. I knew the superintendent was planning to make a call about school around 4 pm as they were awaiting info from the health department. As I walked in the door at 4 ready to go for an 8 mile run Scott asked me if I wanted to run the Black Diamond Trail. It was a nice warmish day but CRAZY windy. The trail offered some wind blocking so I was game. We headed out. I had a blissful 8 mile run. Toward the end of the run I saw my neighbor. She was out for a walk and she had received the phone call that we were remaining open, they were offering a relatives only showing of the musical that Xander is in the pit for and sports were still on. I relaxed and thought, "we can do this" as I drove home with Scott.</p>
<p>A couple of hours later I was decorating a cheesecake for Emoticakes and my friend Gail texted, "All county schools closed from Monday through April 13th!" Oh my goodness. I didn't see that length of time coming. I wondered if we'd be allowed back in. Of course I threw myself into the car and went to school to get the rest of what I needed. This included math materials for all my Math 8 students. I grabbed the spiral bound BOCES printed books we keep in the classroom as well as worksheets I had printed ahead of time and a small warm-up book. After 6 trips and an hour or so I was ready. We went to pick up Xander from rehearsal. It was a sad sad night of lasts. No show. No opportunity for Xander to really enjoy performing on his sax. He got his things and we headed home. Thankfully Elizabeth was due home from her spring break trip to see my sister in Oregon tomorrow morning. She got out (and back) just in time. Unknowingly we had just had our last day of school for awhile. Thankfully we ended with Pi Day and we'd all celebrated - not just the Math 8 students for whom the topic made sense, but I had thrown in review time for Algebra kids so they could partake. We'd enjoyed ice-cream on cones and conical, spherical and cylindrical foods.</p>
<h2 id="the-16-miler">The 16 miler</h2>
<p>Saturday morning I headed into Ithaca to deliver the cheesecake and to buy a case of wine. We are out of wine and Scott had called the liquor store to have them put together a case. I grabbed that and then headed to the base of the Black Diamond Trail for my 16 mile run. It was cold - 30 degrees. This felt shocking after the prior day's 50 degree weather.</p>
<p>I put in a Tim Ferriss podcast - <a href="https://tim.blog/2020/03/12/jack-kornfield-covid19/">an interview with Jack Kornfield</a> about COVID-19. It was good. It was full of helpful information but it definitely made me sad. My 8 miles up the trail were somber and slow feeling. At mile 8 as I neared the top of the trail I turned around and headed downhill. I switched the music to Les Mills BodyPump and later to Les Mills Barre and things felt really upbeat. I enjoyed my downhill run for most of the trail and then as I neared the bottom I started to tire. 16 miles is a long way. I was cold and tired and ready to be done. However, I felt proud of myself!! It is nice to be training, even if I know there's a realistic shot that the race won't happen.</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/03/Screen-Shot-2020-03-18-at-8.24.19-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="16-mile Run" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/03/Screen-Shot-2020-03-18-at-8.24.30-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="16-mile Run" />
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<h2 id="the-last-dinner-out">The last dinner out</h2>
<p>Saturday night Scott and I were both tired from our run! I had taught a cake class that afternoon and was really just not up for making dinner. Something in the back of my head told me we were running out of opportunities to eat out as well. We headed to Atlas as a family to enjoy a nice family dinner. We ran into friends and neighbors and chatted awhile and then enjoyed their famous totchos, some beer and an entree. It was a fun way to end a 16 mile run day. That is one thing about marathon training that is great fun. Food tastes SO amazing on long run days.</p>
<h2 id="the-last-coffee%2C-yoga-and-pizza-and-beer">The last coffee, yoga and pizza and beer</h2>
<p>When Sunday rolled around the state had reduced restaurants to half capacity for seating. We learned this when we went to the coffee shop. We enjoyed a coffee while chatting with some regulars. Later in the day we decided we'd stick with our normal Sunday routine and go to hot yoga at <a href="https://puresweatyoga.com/">Pure Sweat</a> in Ithaca. We had an AMAZING yoga class and left planning to go to Denise's morning class during the week. Hey why not now that we have some more time, right? I no longer have to be to work at 7:30. Then we headed over to <a href="https://www.liquidstatebeer.com/">Liquid State</a> after a brief stop at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/francoandsalvosithacany/">Franco's pizza</a> to pick up pizza. Scott and I enjoyed a lovely date evening. As we were sitting there a staff member posted signs on the doors saying, "Closing at 7 pm tonight. Sorry for any inconvenience." When we returned our glasses I asked him if it was just for tonight or if they thought they'd be closing forever (dramatic .. I don't actually mean forever but for the near future). He and the fellow bartender both said they were deciding that night. They shared that it had been crazy the night before. People were so crammed in and all over each other. They said it was just outrageous. The very next day restaurants were ordered to close by 8 pm. I'm SO glad we had 2 last dates!!</p>
Mountains 2 Beach Training Week 92020-03-12T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/marathon/week-9-mountains-2-beach-training/<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/03/Screen-Shot-2020-03-12-at-5.56.38-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<h2 id="the-week">The week</h2>
<ul>
<li>Monday - Les Mills on Demand BodyPump 111</li>
<li>Tuesday - MITHACAL Milers</li>
<li>Wednesday - 6 mile outdoor run</li>
<li>Thursday - 4 mile outdoor run</li>
<li>Friday - travel day to Whiteface - REST</li>
<li>Saturday - ski Whiteface (18.7 miles downhill)</li>
<li>Sunday - 3 mile Taughannock rim trail hike, 10 miles Black Diamond Trail run</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="a-pretty-good-training-week">A pretty good training week</h2>
<h3 id="a-great-mid-week-run!">A great mid week run!</h3>
<p>There were several highlights of this week. The first was my really amazing 6 mile outdoor run after school on Wednesday. I left the house in shorts, a tank top, gloves and an ear band. It was sunny and I thought it was warm. It was decidedly NOT warm. About 1/2 mile in I realized I'd be cold, but I was too lazy to turn around. A chilly run in shorts it was!! I also had intentions of doing 4-5 miles but decided to do the Falls/Rabbit loop which would bring me in at 6 miles. I've struggled on this loop a lot over the last two years, needing to constantly negotiate with myself to run up Rabbit. This run was my 2nd in a row that I just ran up it - no need to negotiate. I came home happy as a lark and sat in the foyer asking Elizabeth to take my shoes off for me. My hands were FREEZING.</p>
<h3 id="whiteface-family-ski-day">Whiteface family ski day</h3>
<p>The 2nd highlight was our family ski trip to Whiteface. We brought the kids back to the hotel we'd gone to as a couple just a week or so prior. We planned to arrive by 7:30 and enjoy dinner in the really delicious hotel restaurant and then get up and ski Whiteface the next morning. Our drive was good - we listened to some of Michelle Obama's book as we drove (highly recommend) and we listened to Elizabeth's Les Mills Barre music (also very good!) Soon we were there and ready for our 7:45 pm dinner. What a difference the group makes. When Scott and I went we dined on a really nice meal but as a family we went with burgers (and beer for Scott and me). It was casual, filling and delicious. Though, I had trouble falling asleep eating SO much right before bed. We had talked about sitting in their super cool lounge and reading but it was almost 9 when we finished dinner. We were exhausted and all just fell asleep. The next day we got first tracks at Whiteface and enjoyed a full family day of skiing and driving home. We completed our day with a couples' trip to Garrett's Brewing. This is our new favorite place to hang out, making for the perfect end to a day of skiing.</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/03/6666000C-12BB-486A-B754-B1015D614B6A_1_105_c.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Skiing at Whiteface" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/03/21250E7C-1857-4197-B5D4-EBF2E67410BE_1_105_c.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Skiing at Whiteface" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2020/03/149894DD-F62F-4BD1-B7B5-8CA16C9C1E35_1_105_c-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Skiing at Whiteface" />
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<h3 id="long-run-with-teressa">Long run with Teressa</h3>
<p>On Sunday we woke up 2 hours late because of the time change. Typically I spend my time between 5 am and 7 am grading or baking and I lost those two hours. A bit after 8, my friend Lynn texted about running. We had casually talked about biking because the high temp for the day was going to be around 60. My bike is buried in our shed so I knew this was unlikely for me, but told her I'd love to run. However, Lynn is a morning runner and Elizabeth was flying out to Oregon for spring break in the afternoon. I wanted to be home when she was around and I had a lot of baking and grading to do.</p>
<p>I replied to the text explaining my day. I told Lynn and Teressa and Christina I was going to run later and asked if anyone was up for an afternoon run instead of an am run. I set up shop at the kitchen table working on grading and submitting progress report grades. Elizabeth and I had breakfast together and she headed off to the gym. We agreed to hike the rim trail at 11. I thought, "I'll definitely be ready by 11!" She arrived back from the gym at 10:50 and laughed that I was still in pajamas grading. I was ALMOST done so I finished up and then quickly got ready. We had a lovely but slightly chilly hike.</p>
<p>Soon I came home and jumped into a few hours of baking. Christina had texted back by this point that she was enjoying her ski day at Greek Peak as an adaptive ski coach. Lynn had already run. Teressa was up for a run. We agreed to meet at 3. I said goodbye to Scott and Elizabeth as they headed to the airport around 1:30. I was baking at a pretty quick clip as Xander came in to chat. We talked a bit and then he headed downstairs to do SAT prep, music practice and homework. Realizing I wasn't going to be ready by 3, I texted Teressa to see if 3:30 would work. It would! Great.</p>
<p>I met Teressa at the top of the trail and we headed out. It was warm enough for shorts, a tank top and gloves by this point. We settled into a comfortable rhythm right away. I haven't run with Teressa in a long while. It was nice to catch up and to run together. Soon we were 5 miles in. As we chatted about upcoming things she shared that she hasn't run longer than 6 miles. One of the things I love about running with T is that she's willing to give anything a go. In her mind it was totally ok to tackle 10 out of the blue. She's been running - just not quite that distance. Our run was good and at a better pace that I'd have expected for how exhausted I was and how little training she had on her feet. We had a 9:26 overall pace for our BDT run.</p>
<p>I headed home and finished the last of my baking. Of course I saved all the hard stuff for last. I was making the Cornell bear mascot and 24 cow cupcake toppers into the evening. I always underestimate how long things will take!! Working on that.</p>
<h2 id="final-thoughts-for-the-week">Final thoughts for the week</h2>
<p>This week was good. I hit most of the workouts. Things didn't feel too taxing or overwhelming. The long run was good. I'm worried for next week when the long run jumps to 16 and we have to run 8 the day before. My schedule will probably require that I switch up the order on this, but I haven't decided yet. All in all things are going well for 9 weeks in. Now I'm just hoping late spring events don't end up cancelled for coronavirus!!</p>
MITHACAL Milers - the last week!2020-03-12T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/mithacal-milers/mithacal-milers-the-last-week/<p>It wasn't supposed to be the last week, but Coronavirus has really impacted the area. Cornell is taking measures and stopping large gatherings, and Adam decided it would be our last indoor week. When we arrived at Barton we waited for awhile and talked about how the FLRC just had to make the decision to cancel the Skunk Cabbage Classic for this year. The Cornell indoor track team wasn't wrapped up by 7 like they normally are - in fact they were setting up hurdles at 7 pm. Soon, Adam called us over to the middle and we decided to start our warm-up on the infield followed by an outdoor warm-up.</p>
<h2 id="i-really-want-to-go-home">I really want to go home</h2>
<p>I really don't know why I had such a hard time, but the start of this evening didn't go well for me. Tonya and David had asked me if I wanted to run outside for a mile at 6:50. It was threatening rain and I didn't have proper outdoor running gear so I decided to stay and just hang out and wait til 7 pm.</p>
<p>When we started the warm-ups it just felt kind of off. There was a somber mood in the the group. Maybe it was having learned the Skunk Cabbage was cancelled, maybe it was because it was the last week and maybe it was just because of the general mood in the area. Learning that Cornell is sending students home after spring break and knowing your own child (at Ithaca College) will probably be in the same boat in a few days makes for a really weird headspace.</p>
<p>After our warm-ups Adam said we would do our warmup run outside (the Cornell team still had the track for their hurdles). I had a tank top and shorts on and it was too cold for that. I had a too heavy jacket on that I chose to wear for running. I was frustrated about going outside and just generally sad that it was already 7:20 or so meaning there was no way I'd get miles for the weekend. Now I REALLY regretted not running with Tonya and David. Here we were outside anyway and I could have gotten 2 warm-up miles in.</p>
<p>I ran the entire mile just listening to others talk. It seemed like too much effort to speak. That is so atypical for me. I came back in, wandered over slowly to the bathroom and contemplated just running outside for the rest of the evening. The one mile loop we did was relatively lit and it wasn't terrible to run in my too heavy jacket.</p>
<h2 id="but-i'm-here">But I'm here</h2>
<p>My decision was made for me when I came out of the bathroom and Adam was still setting the stage. I had reasoned that if they started while I was poking along I'd just run solo and do the steady state run. If they hadn't started it meant that I was destined to do repeats this eve. I grabbed my water bottle and walked over. Soon we were starting our 4x200 sets with 200 recovery in-between each. The group was smaller than normal. However both Tony and John were there and I really like running with both of them.</p>
<p>We agreed that instead of doing three 1000s we'd drop to 800s. Tonya is still struggling with her foot and John planned to peel off after 800 and then join us at the start of each. This was good given those things and the time. We are the slowest group and I knew we risked not having time to do one or both of the 400s if we kept things at 1000s. We settled into things and Tonya timed our first 800.</p>
<h2 id="your-turn">Your turn</h2>
<p>Tonya couldn't get her watch going on the 2nd set. Our I pace actually calls for 56 but we were shooting for 59s (T pace). That's relatively easy to time on a running clock so I took over paying attention to time for this 800. It was good for me to do this and have to think. I love the group but it is a reminder that someone has to step up to lead the timing bit and sometimes that person needs to be me. I do think that before I do this next year I'm going to sort out my timing situation. I feel like I should be able to take the lead anytime and have it not require doing math in my head as I run.</p>
<h2 id="last-400s-and-cool-down-with-ken">Last 400s and cool down with Ken</h2>
<p>We finally finished with our sets of 2x400 with 400 rest in between. I loved this because John had such a strong night. The longer distances are hard for him (he rocks the 200s) and with the 800s he would be rounding the bend and staying up with Tonya and me right up to the last lap. The 400s were strong for him too. I like when other people have good evenings and feel like it brings me up. We're all in this together and we have our good nights and our bad nights. I felt grateful that I'd managed to turn my mood around.</p>
<p>We wrapped up and I said, "anyone want to do a slow cool down?" Tonya was done because of her foot and no one else answered quickly. Ken said, "sure" and we started running. We talked just a bit as we ran 3 or 4 laps to wind down from the workout. It was a nice way to end the workout.</p>
<h2 id="until-next-year">Until next year</h2>
<p>Scott and I chatted briefly with John at the end. It is weird leaving a space and knowing you probably won't see someone until next December!! I really enjoyed running with this group this winter. I appreciated the opportunity to meet new people and see old friends. I'm bittersweet about it ending. It is March and I expected it to end, but found it to be a good way to spend a Tuesday eve. I know I'll transition into a new Tuesday eve plan thought.</p>
<h2 id="mom-i'm-ready!">Mom I'm ready!</h2>
<p>And just as Scott and I were walking out of Barton at 8:25 we got a text from Xander. His musical rehearsal ended 40 minutes early. He is ready for a ride home. He sweetly said, "It's ok. I can just stay here until you get here." We arrived just before 9, scooping him up for a good night's rest before everything starts again tomorrow!</p>
MITHACAL Milers Week 102020-03-04T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/mithacal-milers/mithacal-milers-week-10/<h2 id="the-workout">The workout</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/03/Screen-Shot-2020-03-04-at-6.12.01-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>So for our group that means 56 seconds for each 200 and then a 400 that isn't too slow! Scott and I talked about it on the way and we really should shoot for between 4-5 sets. Ideally 5 would be good, but realistically I knew we'd hit 4.</p>
<h2 id="nearing-the-end">Nearing the end</h2>
<p>It is March so the program is starting to dwindle a little As Adam noted last night, "it's starting to lose people." It makes complete sense. It is getting warmer, and next week we change time so it will still be light at 7 pm. I had listed this evening as a rest day in my plan and couldn't remember why. When Scott mentioned that "this was supposed to be a rest day" we realized why. I had thought it wrapped up by now.</p>
<p>So, our group last week was small and it looked at first like this week would be smaller. It didn't turn out to be that way though. Several people who were missing last week were back and our crew looked to be about 7 or 8 people. I say "looked to be" because we were not really together once we got going. Over the course of each 800 we spread out a fair amount, so literally we were on the start line together and then formed a long tail of runners.</p>
<h2 id="timing-disasters">Timing disasters</h2>
<p>One key person was missing this evening. Caroline has been our pacer for the last couple of weeks. Tonya has also had a proper watch and she's been a secondary pacer. Tonight with Caroline gone I assumed Tonya would take the lead until Tonya said she left her watch home. Elizabeth doesn't wear a watch and most others have either nothing or something like I do, an Apple watch or regular watch that doesn't really do what we need it to do. John has a proper watch but he pointed out he was going to be toward the back so he couldn't really pace the front.</p>
<p>Tonya and I talked about how to make the Apple watches work. She has the Strava app running in the background so she can have the timer running too. I have the native Apple app working and it cannot coexist with the timer. I killed my warm-up track and was going to start the timer, but ultimately we settled on Tonya timing because she's more used to doing it with her regular watch anyway. I wasn't too concerned since I pace is pretty zippy and if we can get even one good lap in we can typically feel the pace and hold it.</p>
<h2 id="the-sets-themselves">The sets themselves</h2>
<p>Our first lap of the first set was too slow by about 4-5 seconds so we picked it up as we went along. It felt increasingly more challenging but it was good. We finished with a not too fast 400 and then started again.</p>
<p>It was a pretty uneventful workout in that we hit the paces, chatted a bit and generally enjoyed the evening. When we hit set 3 Tonya decided to drop to a 600 but said she'd time our last lap. I had been running just a step behind her so I was running solo for that last lap until Ken passed by me. I had a new rabbit in Ken and just worked to stay with him. I ended up being a couple of seconds fast for that lap which made the entire set come out to spot on.</p>
<p>On our last set Tonya dropped after 400 and it was Ken, Kim and me for the last two. Kim had been with a faster group but her form was failing so she dropped back just a bit to join us. It was nice to have her for our last couple of sets. I enjoyed this last set most of all only because I had to push myself a bit harder to finish. There's something so comfortingly easy about running with Tonya. It is familiar and I know we can push each other to stay the course. I haven't really run with Kim or Ken and as Ken passed by me again on lap 3, I realized that it is often our mindset that determines if we stay with someone or let them go. Without a proper watch I didn't know what Ken's pace was. I only knew that he was currently passing me and I haven't really run with him before. I thought for a brief second, "oh he's faster than you so you don't have to stay with him." I quickly replaced that thought with, "he is in your group so you should be running with him." As soon as I made that mental switch it felt a little like running with Tonya. I would stay with him and Kim because they were in my group. Ultimately they did get a bit ahead of me, but I could tell I they were speeding up (it was the last lap and people often race it) and I was holding pace. This was confirmed when I finished and Tonya told them they were a bit ahead and I came in on pace. I like that I can feel the pace now and while a watch is nice, it is not a full disaster to not have one!</p>
<p>Until next week .... if it is still happening by then.</p>
Mountains 2 Beach Training Week 82020-03-02T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/marathon/week-8-mountains-2-beach-training/<h2 id="finally-a-35-mile-week">Finally a 35 mile week</h2>
<p>3 years ago my winter goal was to never dip below 35 miles of weekly running (and I hit it). It was easier then though. The kids had ski racing 5 days a week so we were driving them all over creation for training and races. If I was not planning to ski I would run. If I skied and then still had time before they were ready I would run. It made it really simple to rack up the miles.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/03/Screen-Shot-2020-03-02-at-5.37.25-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>However this week was 35 and it felt great! After our trip it was nice to get back into a regular running week. I appreciated every opportunity to get out there.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/03/IMG_1739.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Another week of things mixed up but most things were done!" title="Another week of things mixed up but most things were done!" /><p class="stickyNote">Another week of things mixed up but most things were done!</p></div>
<h2 id="the-long-run">The long run</h2>
<p>Every week there is a highlight and this week this was mine. I had a lot of baking to do for <a href="https://emoticakes.com/">Emoticakes</a> and I was behind on my school work on Saturday. I had signed up for a wedding expo event on Sunday so I knew I had to fit my long run in on Saturday. In addition to this, my sister Lisa was visiting and Scott and I were up for watching the last regular season Cornell hockey game at 7 on Saturday night.</p>
<p>So to make this all work I did school work until 9:30 on Friday eve, woke up and baked from 5-9:30 on Saturday morning and then enjoyed breakfast. I hemmed Elizabeth's dress for her chorus after that and then went over to my dad's house to visit with Lisa and with him a little before 11. Xander had to work at 12 so we stayed until 11:30 and then Scott took him to work. I made it out the door a bit before 12 after enjoying a clementine.</p>
<p>It was 22 degrees when I headed out while listening to NPR One on my phone. I was tired and was kind of nervous about this run. The last time I tried to run near lunch I ended up really depleted. However, today the roads were dry and I had a late breakfast so I really knew I should be fine. It was windy and cold so I made a deal with myself that I'd do my 3 mile loop near my house 4 times and then tack on an extra mile to hit 13.1ish. The plan called for 15 but I haven't hit anything over 9 yet, so I felt 13.1 was good enough.</p>
<h4 id="best-laid-plans">Best laid plans</h4>
<p>And after doing the one mile "baby loop" of the 3 miler I realized I was not really in the mood for multiple loops. I decided to do a longer loop that I do frequently in the clockwise direction. That meant I'd have a decent hill at mile 6 and change. I settled in and enjoyed NPR One for all of this loop. After finishing the 7.5 mile first loop I ran inside the house, got a drink, had a bio break and grabbed another clementine. I told Elizabeth (who had been waiting for me for lunch) that she should probably dine solo. I did an out and back route for this and switched to a Tim Ferriss podcast. This <a href="https://tim.blog/2020/02/20/richard-turner/">podcast</a> was with magician Richard Turner.</p>
<h4 id="discipline-breeds-discipline">Discipline breeds discipline</h4>
<p>A few minutes into the podcast it started really snowing and I found myself thinking that I might be tired of listening to words and would need to switch to music. However, my hands were cold and I decided I'd wait another a bit since I had just started part 2 of my run. In that wait period I really got into the podcast. I was starting to get tired around mile 10 just as he shared the quote, "discipline breeds discipline" and used a marathon analogy. He said, "So you can't run a marathon. Don't. Walk from your house down two houses and back. The next day, walk a 3rd house. Then, run the distance. Soon your partner will be saying, Does it always have to be a marathon?" I laughed out loud as he said that. I still remember my first time training to do a half marathon with Scott. I remember stomping home after a mere two houses of running saying that I couldn't do it. I remember Scott saying, "all the neighbors are going to see you" and my response, "I don't care." It took me a long time to find my groove with running, but he is right in any area that discipline breeds discipline.</p>
<h4 id="you-are-so-dedicated">You are so dedicated</h4>
<p>As I rounded mile 11 on Main Street a woman on the street smiled at me and said, "you are so dedicated." That was a nice pick me up for the last 2 miles of my run. I completed my 13.1 and then headed home for a mid-afternoon lunch. Scott was still running and I knew he had followed the plan and gone out for 15. I made him a big salad like mine and put out some crackers and hummus. All of us would dine separately today. The run lifted my mood. I had finished all my baking, I had enough school work done so that I could get the rest completed tomorrow, I had seen my dad and sister. I knew I could enjoy the hockey game now.</p>
<h2 id="other-training-highlights">Other training highlights</h2>
<p>On Sunday the wedding event ran from 1-4 with set up at 12:30. Yoga starts at 4 and it is literally down the road. It is a totally not legit excuse to leave something early, but I continued a habit I started long ago of double booking myself. I really wanted to go to yoga and I really saw nothing wrong with leaving just a smidge early from the event. So, I told the organizers that I was going to scoot out just a bit before the end and made sure my set up was easy to take down. At 3:40 Scott popped in to help me get everything and we headed to yoga.</p>
<p>In my haste that day I had forgotten to throw in casual clothes and shoes for after the event to wear home from hot yoga. There was no way I'd be putting on my nice clothes again after class or the shoes that were already giving me blisters. So I went outside in my sopping wet yoga gear, shoeless to join Scott in the car. He nabbed a picture of this because he thought it was so funny.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/03/IMG_5548.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Leaving Pure Sweat after forgetting a change of clothes." title="Leaving Pure Sweat after forgetting a change of clothes." /><p class="stickyNote">Leaving Pure Sweat after forgetting a change of clothes.</p></div>
<h2 id="looking-ahead-to-next-week">Looking ahead to next week</h2>
<p>Next week is light on miles. I threw a rest day in on MITHACAL milers day because I have an appointment that requires that I do a double drive to Ithaca. I typically try to avoid that so I must have thought it was a good time for a rest day. I'll swap that and do the rest day on Friday. We're leaving right as soon as school ends to go up and get a family Whiteface ski day Saturday. It is only a 25 mile week so it should feel pretty low. However, in 2 weeks it is time for the first 20 mile run which will be a challenge!!</p>
<h2 id="and-then-there's-xander">And then there's Xander</h2>
<p>I have to mention that he ran his LONGEST run ever this week. His plan called for 14 miles. He went out on Sunday morning for this. We hoped to see him before having to leave for the wedding expo and it was looking tight. Scott was checking Find iPhone and he said, "he's at the base of Rabbit" and then a bit later, "he's at the top of Rabbit." The top of Rabbit puts him less than a mile away from home and we had about 5 minutes until we had to leave so we'd get to see him. We made him an entire box of mac & cheese and went outside to clap as he came into the driveway. As he entered he said, "well I overshot that and got 14.8" So Xander almost completed a 15 miler!! His training for his first marathon is going well. As we pulled out, Elizabeth was coming home so we gave her a heads up that her brother was probably exhausted. She shared later that it took him FOREVER to get his appetite back but once he did he enjoyed his mac & cheese.</p>
MITHACAL Milers Week 92020-02-27T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/mithacal-milers/mithacal-milers-week-9/<p>Scott left for a business trip to NYC early Monday morning. Our Honda Pilot has a flat tire so I drove him to the bus stop and then headed back home to work. As we headed for him to board the Cornell bus he asked if I planned to go to MITHACAL Milers. "I'm not sure," I said. But I was thinking it was probably the most efficient way to get mileage in and would be a much more fun evening than just running steady state solo or trying to do the intervals on cold, wet roads. I decided I would go.</p>
<h2 id="the-workout">The workout</h2>
<p>Ever since the one week I was too afraid to look at our workout, I've braved opening my email. It really is easier to know what is coming than to be in the dark. This week's workout sounded tough. It included a 1200 at I pace. However it started at the max distance and went down. I typically do really well with this type of workout.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/02/Screen-Shot-2020-02-26-at-5.23.18-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<h2 id="it's-a-small-one">It's a small one</h2>
<p>Our 7 minute mile crew is normally a large crew. I arrived just a few minutes before 7 and almost no one was there. I saw my friend Bill standing alone. "Oh no you are alone?" I said to him. I'm sure he was thrilled with my less than excited to see him welcome. "Where's Elizabeth?" He replied that she had gone to the bathroom but she was definitely running. "Whew." I headed to the bathroom too and by the time I came back we had a crew of 5. Ok this was manageable. My friend Tonya looked at us and said, "thank you for coming." I was feeling the same gratitude toward this group. I rely on them week in and week out. We push each other to make it through the workouts. It is challenging but worth the challenge.</p>
<h2 id="and-we're-off">And we're off</h2>
<p>We agreed that for our 2 minute rest we'd kind of amble vs trying to finish a slow lap. If our fast lap pace is 59 seconds it makes sense it would take us more than 2 minutes to do a recovery lap. Then as Adam sent the pace groups off it was our turn before we knew it. We were 5 steady runners - no long tail meant no extra recovery time. We completed our 1200 about 6 seconds too fast (1 second per lap) so that was pretty good! Our first rest felt blissful and soon we were into our 1000. I found these first two intervals fun, almost easy actually. I've come to enjoy the meditative nature of this running.</p>
<h2 id="thank-you-to-garmin-owners">Thank you to Garmin owners</h2>
<p>Two of our crew members have Garmin watches that do a great job with splits. It lets them easily update us on how we are doing with our time. Every time Tonya yells out, "1 minute fast" I think "thank GOD she and Caroline have watches that can pace us!" My Apple watch just doesn't work for this. I still have my Tom Tom around but it stopped updating properly and basically just died. Every weekend I consider pulling it out to see if it could help and then I just cross my fingers that one of these ladies will show up to the practice. So far it has happened all but one night. That one night I was pacing and let's just say it was good that our workout was an easy one to pace!</p>
<h2 id="low-mileage">Low mileage</h2>
<p>Our decision to just stroll around for recovery did cut our mileage back a bit. That and the fact that it took us right up til a bit past 8 to finish the workout. I left with only 4.5 miles instead of my typical 5.5, but I was happy with the effort! It was a hard workout.</p>
<h2 id="calling-scott">Calling Scott</h2>
<p>As I hopped into the car I texted Scott. I meant to say, "if you are doing with karaoke call me." What it auto corrected to say was, "if you are out of Katie me call me." Yikes. Soon he called and was polite enough not to mention my crazy text. His work function was just wrapping up and I was heading home to dinner. His call was a nice break from my NPR One coronavirus update. We chatted about our respective workouts (he did his interval work Monday night in NYC) and I shared the really awesome thing I learned from my crew that evening. Apparently you only need a permit at Cornell until 5 pm and after that most lots are available without a permit. We typically park in the parking garage unless the students are on break. I was REALLY excited to learn this!!</p>
Mountains 2 Beach Training Week 72020-02-26T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/week-7-mountains-2-beach-training/<p>This week was VACATION week! It is our first year having one child in college. For the past 2 years we've traveled as a family to ski in Colorado. We thought it would feel sad to take a ski trip without Elizabeth so we decided to indulge Xander with his desire to go to Disney again, but this time we switched things up and took him to California to Disneyland. I knew we'd spend two days in the parks and we weren't sure what to expect for time to run, so I blocked off the full 5 days for no running.</p>
<h2 id="a-beach-run">A Beach Run</h2>
<p>Our rental was in Newport Beach and we were literally one block from the ocean. We started our first day there with a 4 mile morning beach walk, then drove up the coast and checked out other beaches. Late day we returned home to the rental and got a beach run in. It was so much fun!! All 3 of us headed out separately and ran along the beautiful beach sidewalk. You could go about a half mile north before the sidewalk ended and then a bit over two miles south. I ran every bit of sidewalk that you can run and I got 6 miles in. I always find beach running a bit challenging but this run was one of my top 3 things from our vacation.</p>
<p>We didn't run after that - our two Disney days were extremely full and we walked all day long. By the time we got home in the evening it was chilly and we just didn't have the energy to hit the beach and run. Instead we enjoyed the sunset on the ocean one evening, getting take out for our dinner and another evening we prepared a meal in our rental and just enjoyed recapping our day after our short beach walk.</p>
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<h2 id="and-a-ski-trip">And a ski trip</h2>
<p>When we originally looked at the winter we bought a few Gore/Whiteface 3 packs of tickets. It was hard to find full weekends that we could ski <em>(we actually didn't find any)</em> but we found a few one day opportunities. It turns out that the tail end of break was one such opportunity. Elizabeth couldn't join us due to a college concert requirement, but Xander and scheduled work to be done at 3 pm. That meant we could leave Ithaca at 3 and get to Saranac Lake by 8, hitting Whiteface the next morning. However, Xander felt he needed to catch up on homework so it turned out to be a date ski day for Scott and me. We got back into town Friday morning at 3:30 am, and I managed a 5 mile run and BodyPump at FLX Fitclub (yay!) Then, Saturday morning we sorted it out so that when we took Xander to work I ran 5 ish miles toward Ithaca and Scott and Xander picked me up. We headed up to Saranac early - why not since it was just the two of us? We had an AMAZING visit at the Saranac Inn, including a really great dinner. I actually don't remember the last time Scott and I went out for a really nice meal together. This was followed by the best day of east coast skiing I've had in the past 2 years. We had a bluebird warmish day and no crowds at all. Scott and I took every quad and triple ride just the two of us. That coupled with first tracks down the 2.5 mile Wilmington trail at Whiteface, made for an amazing day. We racked up 21 miles in just about 4 hours of ski time and then made the longish drive home to get ready for the work week.</p>
<p>It would have been SO easy to run. When we got home it was just after 6 pm. We were earlier than expected because we decided that after a week off from work we'd want to have the evening to get prepared. I had to force myself not to don reflective gear and head out for a 5 mile to make sure I had 20 miles for the week. My training plan and left all these blanks and I had embraced it with a full heart. I decided to fight that desire to get the miles in, instead relaxing and preparing for the week ahead.</p>
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<h2 id="success">Success</h2>
<p>Even though mileage was really low this week (about 17), it included 2 full days of walking and I did get one BodyPump session in. It is good to have a fall back week in training from time to time!! I am a little worried about transitioning into longer mileage, and hopeful that it connects with warmer weather. I am struggling with my 4th toe on my right foot getting calloused and hurting a lot early on in a run, so I may have to consider different footwear.</p>
Mountains 2 Beach Training Week 62020-02-16T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/week-6-mountains-2-beach-training/<h2 id="a-weird-week">A weird week</h2>
<p>The week started off strong and then it just fell apart toward the end. Training was mostly ok, but every day seemed like there was a new work or personal challenge that just pushed me past what I could handle. I had a lot of baking to do and teaching the week before a break is always different than other weeks. I started to fall into, "I'll just do what I feel like doing" instead of consulting the training plan.</p>
<h2 id="the-cross-training">The cross training</h2>
<p>On Monday Scott and I did Les Mills on Demand BodyPump and I got a short bit of steady state cycling in. I always enjoy BodyPump. We did release 104 which was what we both trained on when we had our little stint of wanting to be instructors. Every time we do that release I laugh a little wondering how my musically unintelligent self could have managed to keep time while telling other people what to do, and I feel a little bad that Scott didn't certify because it would have been fun for him.</p>
<p>Later in the week we did Pump at home one more time. Elizabeth was team teaching for our normal class at FLX and she asked us not to go. It was good as Friday turned out to be a really rough day for me, so I was pretty glad to not have to put on a happy face and pump with other people.</p>
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<h2 id="crying-and-running">Crying and running</h2>
<p>It seems like the only time I fully fall apart crying is when running. It feels safe. No one is there to console me or say I'm overreacting. I haven't cried since my mom died and I think that I'm finally starting to process how hard this is. My sister and my dad had a full week of sadness and tons of crying and I just kind of looked at them feeling bad that I couldn't cry. On Friday at work a colleague came in to tell me something that I could improve on and for a million reasons I wasn't able to hold it together. I ended up crying for all of my prep period, all of my lunch and then kind of holding it barely together for the 3 classes I had to teach for the afternoon. I haven't been in a position like that since my cat died when I was 22 in graduate school. I had an internship teaching and vividly remember crying in the bathroom whenever I wasn't teaching a class.</p>
<p>Anyway, I thought I had it together by the time I came home. I was in no mood to run though and announced as I walked in the door, "It is freezing and I'm going to Precor instead of running." Both Scott and Elizabeth said, "Sure it is 14 degrees that's probably a wise choice." As I started to get dressed I realized I'd be so annoyed with myself if I skipped the run. An elliptical is great but it really doesn't sub in well for running. I got very well bundled and headed out for 5. As soon as I got out of the neighborhood I started crying and didn't stop crying for the entire 5 miles. On the upside, by the time I got home I was able to kind of carry on a conversation, something I hadn't even been able to fake before heading out.</p>
<h2 id="are-you-running-long%3F">Are you running long?</h2>
<p>At lunch Scott asked me if I was running long. He reminded me that our plan actually didn't call for a long run this week (because we flipped it and did it last week). I reminded him that I quit halfway into that long run last week so I was going to try to run long. I headed out for 9-10. It wasn't the 12 that I should be doing, but I felt like it would be enough. I put on a Tim Ferriss podcast. I tuned into <a href="https://tim.blog/2020/01/09/penn-jillette/">Penn Jillette</a>. I adore Tim's podcast, especially while running. It has a way of putting everything into perspective. I identified strongly with a lot of what Penn said. He hates moderation. He is all in or all out. Yes, this is why I struggle at work and with people in general. I am so passionate about things that it freaks other people out. I'm really blunt and people don't like that. I love how he interviews people with strong personalities who are not afraid to be who they are and share that. It always helps me to really get inside someone else's head, something I just can't seem to do interpersonally.</p>
<p>However, my calmness just vanished as soon as I got home. Scott had run 10 and I ran 9.3. I left thinking he was going to go for 6 and I interpreted his 10 as a competition. I think I was so on the edge emotionally that really all someone would have to do was say "boo" and I'd cry. Anyway, we headed to the sauna and I shared all that is bugging me; my mom, not really being able to talk about it, my day job, how much baking I have to do for my evening and weekend job, not feeling like I am helping my dad enough and on and on and on.</p>
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<h2 id="back-to-the-point">Back to the point</h2>
<p>Elizabeth is signed up for two spring half marathons and she's not running a lot right now. She is doing a lot of cross training and she seems to enjoy winging the distance. We had a conversation about how the training is the point. The destination and race day are fun, but the training is the point. I don't think she agrees with us, and that's ok. I love that when I get to marathon day I will be able to look back and know that I used running to work through emotions. I will have memories of my running and the podcasts or music I chose. I know that the time on my feet over the weeks will help make race day more fun, or at least bearable.</p>
<h2 id="on-vacation">On vacation</h2>
<p>We head out to California today! I haven't been to LA since I was 22 and I convinced my internship coordinator that I was desperately needed for a corporate business trip. I fondly remember a day at Disney, seeing Hollywood and going to the beach. I look forward to being back there with Xander and Scott. I also look forward to having NO training on the plan. We know we'll run - we're packing running clothes - but it is nice to just see a blank week to do whatever I want to do.</p>
MITHACAL Milers Week 72020-02-12T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/mithacal-milers/mithacal-milers-week-7/<h2 id="the-workout">The workout</h2>
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<h2 id="selecting-the-workout">Selecting the workout</h2>
<p>When we arrived, Tonya had the workout on her hand. She had taken the optional drop to the two 400s and the four 200s that Adam suggested for our group. My mileage is over 20 miles per week, but this is one piece of being in a group. We had the choice to stick with the plan of the dropped intervals or split into two. Our crew is comfortable together and I know I didn't want to split off. I didn't see anyone else eager to split either so we stayed as a whole group doing.</p>
<h2 id="3-seconds-per-200-or-per-600%3F">3 seconds per 200 or per 600?</h2>
<p>Our R pace is 53 seconds and Tonya interpreted Adam's email to mean we add 3 seconds for the entire 600 so she had 54 written on her hand for our 600s. We had all read it as 3 seconds per 200 so we called Adam over to inquire. After some discussion we all settled on 3 seconds per 600. <em>(later when I talked with Scott he said they interpreted it as 3 seconds per 200 but ultimately they ended up 2 seconds slower than R pace per loop).</em></p>
<h2 id="the-600s">The 600s</h2>
<p>I had a really busy day at work and then went home and baked for Emoticakes, made a couple of parent phone calls for teaching and headed straight out. I hadn't really processed the workout until I got there so I didn't have time to be anxious or stressed about this. After 1000s last week these felt so nice! I settled into my spot right behind Caroline and just enjoyed the loops. Since I still haven't sorted out my watch situation I was extra grateful that both Caroline and Tonya were there. They both like pacing us and are very good at it!</p>
<h2 id="the-400s">The 400s</h2>
<p>I admit I was sad we dropped to two of these but the prospect of breaking from the group didn't appeal to me. The 400s were fun! We did these at R pace (53) and struggled only a little with pacing. The first set we hit 50 and 54 respectively for the 200s and by the 2nd set we were on track. One thing about having full recovery in between is that you really struggle to contain the speed at the end.</p>
<h2 id="and-finally-the-200s">And finally the 200s</h2>
<p>These were great fun! It is so awesome to start with the longest distance and go DOWN for the ladder, never having to return back UP. I was happy as a lark as we completed each 200. I loved how everyone chatted away during our very slow recovery laps and then when we hit the start line it was just an abrupt end and "GO" we all just ran. That is one of the best things about this group workout.</p>
<h2 id="everyone-has-their-strengths">Everyone has their strengths</h2>
<p>At the start when we talked about pace John said he probably couldn't hit the 600 pace we were going for. We had a long tail for the 600s because when you don't hit the pace for that distance it becomes visually obvious. However, with the full 600 recovery jog we were all together by the end of recovery for each set. The tail was shorter for the 400s and the 200s were so fun because all the spots shifted. People have their strengths and people settle into their grooves. Tonya was having a hard night at the beginning but by the 2nd 400 she said aloud, "I hit my groove!" John was crazy fast for our 200s. As we were in our cool down run Elizabeth said that this week was so much harder than last week at virtually the same time that I said it was so much easier than last week. It is so interesting how we all have such different perceptions of the same workout and different strong and weak times.</p>
<h2 id="what-is-the-point-of-all-this%3F">What is the point of all this?</h2>
<p>One of our group members asked midway through why we had to hit these paces. He's new to the concept of speed running and he had two eager group members in Tonya and me both ready to explain. We were both so excited to share our experiences that we found ourselves talking over each other on the short recovery laps. Tonya has been doing this 4 years and she shared that her improvement has been as much mental as physical, though she pointed out that the Jack Daniels' speed approach is proven effective. This is only my 2nd year, but I pointed out similar benefits mentally. I used to dread going on a Tuesday night so much that I was stressed all day at work. Now I mostly look forward to it and am not nearly as anxious! Another takeaway for me is that I'm so used to thinking I'm the worst person in any group. I'm having to come to terms with the fact that I'm really not a bad runner. I also have come to recognize that while there isn't actually a best and a worst to begin with, I don't fall into the category of "worst" in a running situation. Everyone deals with not wanting to do something but knowing they are totally capable and I'm no exception.</p>
<h2 id="the-strava-report">The Strava report</h2>
<p>Mostly people are using splits on their watches and actually recording our speed, but I'm just recording this on my Apple watch as a treadmill workout to capture distance. It is interesting how with the fast and slow running alternated we end up with a pretty slow overall mile pace (I don't ever pause the watch) and almost always hit around 5.5 miles for the evening.</p>
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<h2 id="and-the-after!">And the after!</h2>
<p>When I was baking after school my husband came into my kitchen and said, "I want to go out with you." I said, "I'd like that too, but Xander just offered to make dinner." He left and I went back to baking. Xander popped upstairs a few minutes later looking for some baking scraps. "I heard dad say he wants to go out. What are you guys going to do?" I said, "You could always make some pasta with meatballs and not have to cook a nice dinner." Xander is ALWAYS game to have a treat of meatballs. He hopped right on that one. "Oh yes that sounds wonderful! I'm going to go start my dinner." He quickly bounded downstairs.</p>
<p>So Viva it was. Arriving at Viva at 8:40 on a Tuesday it so different from a crowded Friday evening. We ran into our friends Jess and Joel at the bar and chatted for awhile before settling into a window booth. We agreed on NO margaritas and no chips/salsa/guac as an appetizer. We knew sleep was too important on a Tuesday evening to consider a drink or too much food that close to bedtime! Our food was out fast and we enjoyed every minute of the chance to catch up after a really busy day.</p>
Mountains 2 Beach Training Week 52020-02-10T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/week-5-mountains-2-beach-training/<p>This was a weird workout week. It started pretty strong and then Scott hatched an idea for us to take a super fast ski trip at the end of Week 6 of training. That meant that this week we'd need to change some things since next week we wouldn't have time to do the 5 mile run on Friday or the 12 mile run on Saturday. He shuffled things around and it seemed to make sense on paper. I guess it did work out well on paper, but not really so much when it came time to complete the workouts.</p>
<h2 id="the-first-half">The first half</h2>
<p>The first part of the week was only slightly flipped around. My dad is starting to come to terms with the new normal of my mom not being here and so are we. We decided it would be a good idea to have him for dinner as often as we can which meant that Monday night yoga should be replaced by a home workout for me this week. I took BodyPump from the following Monday and threw it in on this Monday so that Scott and I would have time to prepare a nice dinner at a reasonable hour for my dad. Tuesday we did our MITHACAL milers workout and the kids had my dad to dinner. Things started fo fall a little downhill from there.</p>
<h2 id="goodbye-rest-day">Goodbye rest day</h2>
<p>This Wednesday was one of the randomly placed rest days in my training plan. I finished the entire plan and then realized I hadn't budgeted in rest. Sure I had plenty of light days but no 100% off days of rest. This rest day is the 3rd day calling for rest in my plan and it would become the third time I skipped a rest day. I moved Thursday's 5 miler to Wednesday's rest day and then moved Friday's 5 miles to Thursday. Friday we had a snow day for school and it was a genuine snow day. There was no way I would be able to run on the roads. I subbed out elliptical and BodyPump on Friday for a run. Most of Friday was spent baking for my baking job, doing school work for my teaching job, and spending time with my dad. While productive, the day didn't feel that joyful.</p>
<h2 id="saturday-slog">Saturday slog</h2>
<p>Saturday was a chilly start and I had multiple cake pick-ups "mid morning" that day. Xander had to work at 10 so he headed out for his scheduled 8 miler at 8 am. He wore yak tracks and said he'd report back in for us. I mentioned to Scott that I might sub out an elliptical workout for my long run. My plan only called for 6 for the week, but we were flipping with next week so I was technically supposed to do 12. He made some comment that he swears was not to make me think I had to run, but I took it that way. Because Elizabeth was at a fitness class and Scott was taking Xander to work and given the uncertain timing of "mid-morning" for cake pickups, I spent 2 hours on the computer planning for school and then started work on an upcoming ice-cream cake. I knew one cake was being picked up at 11, so I figured everything would be out of the house by then and I'd be able to run. Right at 11 one of my cake pick-ups emailed to find out if mid-morning was still ok. She was sending her friend and wanted my cell number for the friend to confirm. Soon after the friend confirmed for 2 pm. Now I had a window of time to work out - from 11:30 - 2 before we headed out on our family ski weekend for this week. The other cakes were picked up moments after 11 and I was able to be ready by 11:30.</p>
<p>The trouble with the timing was that I was hungry, I was not really in the mood to run and I was inexplicably tired. Elizabeth was home by this time and she kept sharing small stories as I tried to get out of the house. It was entertaining as I had my air-pods in with my podcast already playing and she kept talking. There was a lot of pausing them before I finally said, "I'm leaving now."</p>
<p>The run was challenging from the get go. I haven't needed to run in yaks in a long while. I looked over at the golf course longingly. I'd really rather be cross country skiing. I didn't want to run 12 miles. Every 5 steps I'd get out of the slush and onto pavement and then the yaks felt terrible. Still, my podcast was interesting so I was mostly fine ... until it ended when I was just 3 and a half miles in. I switched the podcast to a new one and continued my slushy run. I really did think I could make 10 <em>(I wasn't even shooting for 12 actually since I was on a 10 mile loop).</em> Then abruptly on Main Street in Tburg I started walking and looked at my watch and asked Siri to call Elizabeth Dawson. It failed. My talking was slurred because it was cold out and I can't talk well when it was cold. I should have taken that as a sign. But, I tried again. This time I was successful. I asked her to pick me up at Not My Dad's Ice-Cream. "When?" she asked. "Now." "Are you ok?" "Yup. I'm just tired and not feeling great." True enough. Soon she arrived and we drove home. Of course Scott finished his 12 happily. When I got inside he said, "I'm going to row 10 minutes." My run was just over 5.5 miles of misery.</p>
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<h2 id="the-actual-plan">The actual plan</h2>
<p>When I sat down to write this today I looked at what this week's plan had called for. In addition to the rest day Wednesday that I didn't take, it only asked me to do a 6 mile run on Saturday and a cycling class. I wish I had planned Saturday better and gotten the cycling in. By the time I finished the unsuccessful run we had just under an hour before we had to leave to get Xander, I had to greet my cake pick-up and get ready. If I had looked in the morning I would have cycled and possibly gotten farther in the run. I learned a few lessons with this today though.</p>
<ul>
<li>Look at the plan. If you are going to modify it be committed emotionally.</li>
<li>Pick what you are going to listen to in advance and queue it up so you aren't facing choice on the road.</li>
<li>Consider leaving tech at home. I would have had to finish this run if I didn't have an easy way to call Elizabeth. Even just leaving the watch at home would have helped because my hands are usually too cold to open my phone.</li>
<li>Mix up the routes. I'm so done with the route I've been doing almost every day all winter. I think I would have been successful if I had changed the route.</li>
<li>Eat a snack. 11:30 is a weird time to head out. It isn't the best to be both hungry and thirsty and have nothing with you for a 10 mile run.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="looking-ahead">Looking ahead</h2>
<p>After out family ski trip, Scott and I talked about next weekend. Whiteface is hosting the Empire State Games so it isn't wise to head there and this would be our 3rd weekend at Gore. That would be ok and we still might decide to go, but it is unlikely. We considered Killington but knowing it is a holiday weekend and remembering how crazy the lines can get makes us think we're better off getting our long runs in and enjoying the day. 10 hours in the car over a 24 hour period doesn't sound all that romantic!! We head out for a trip to LA next Sunday and put no running on the calendar for our trip but we know we'll end up getting some fitness in. That makes me feel like a slightly missed week of training is ok.</p>
MITHACAL Milers Week 62020-02-05T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/mithacal-milers-week-6/<h2 id="too-scared-to-read-the-email">Too scared to read the email</h2>
<p>Every week Adam sends us an email with the workout details. Typically I read it carefully and sometimes I even write the paces on my hand. For some reason I just couldn't make myself open it this week. I was afraid our distances could be longer than 800s. Anything longer than a 600 indoors is really challenging! As we drove I said, "I didn't read the email because I was scared. Should I be scared?" Silence. "Are the repeats longer than 800s?" More silence. Oh no! Scott finally replied. 1200s followed by 200s. Most of the rest of our car ride was quiet as I contemplated the upcoming workout.</p>
<h2 id="laurel-came-back">Laurel came back</h2>
<p>Last week was my friend Laurel's first time going. It turned out to be the first week we missed. She mentioned she was in Tonya's group so I knew that meant that Tonya's foot recovered and she was back. When I walked into Barton, Laurel was one of the first people I saw. We chatted about the distances and I shared the email story with her. She said, "I think it is 1000 repeats followed by 400s." Hmmm. 1000 is better than 1200s. 400s are not better than 200s though. We chatted along and pretty soon it was time to warm-up. Whatever the workout, the time had come to just do it.</p>
<h2 id="adam-sets-the-stage">Adam sets the stage</h2>
<p>After our 10 minutes of jogging and 10 minutes of dynamic stretching we gathered for the start. Adam verbally shared the workout. Two 1000s at T pace followed by 4x200s at R pace. Laurel and I exchanged a smile. Both she and Scott had gotten half of the workout right! Soon we gathered with the 7 minute mile crew and within minutes we were off on our first 1000. There wasn't much time to think.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/02/Screen-Shot-2020-02-05-at-5.57.41-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="The workout I was too scared to open." title="The workout I was too scared to open." /><p class="stickyNote">The workout I was too scared to open.</p></div>
<h2 id="t-pace-is-nice">T pace is nice</h2>
<p>Our T pace called for 1 minute for a 200. That was pretty lovely. We fell into a nice crew with Caroline leading us around the track. Tonya shouted out if we were too fast or too slow and we all managed the first 1000 quite well. The 2nd 1000 was not terrible either. Suddenly I felt a little silly for being afraid to open my email. The 200s were challenging but short and before we knew it, the time on the clock was 7:51. We were supposed to get two sets in and with the entire workout wrapping around 8 I knew that was a tall order.</p>
<h2 id="you-are-what-you-repeatedly-do">You are what you repeatedly do</h2>
<p>As we finished up our 200s of set one my mind flashed to how nervous I had been just a little bit before this workout. All of that vanished as I started to run. Continuing to expose myself to this type of group workout is improving my running. I may still be afraid of the workouts, but we all are in some way. We come together for the comfort of the group, the push from the group and the chance to improve and maintain our running. We sometimes struggle with being tired from work, an injury or even a small nagging pain. We all have to decide when to pull back, when we can keep up and when we can't or shouldn't keep up. On this rather warm February evening, I said to myself, "you are what you repeatedly do." It is good that I dragged myself to this energizing workout!</p>
<h2 id="800s-it-is">800s it is</h2>
<p>As we finished our last 200 recovery lap I found myself with Bill, Elizabeth and Laurel. The rest of our crew was right behind us but Tonya and Caroline were across the track starting one more recovery lap. We waved frantically at them and they cut back across the track for us. We steeled ourselves for our 2nd set. We knew T pace would feel more challenging this time. Tonya led with, "Caroline and I would like to do 800s this time." She went on to explain that she felt like she was unraveling a bit. Tonya has struggled with a foot injury this winter and her mileage is down from her typical weekly load. I mentioned that it was already 7:51 so it seemed wise to cut one lap off anyway in hopes of finishing the entire 2nd set. We all quickly agreed that sticking together and dropping to 800s sounded great. John confirmed we'd still be at T pace (not faster) and we were off. Again the 800s were uneventful and rather meditative. It feels nice to push your pace past a casual run pace but not so fast that you feel like you are dying.</p>
<h2 id="commencing-running">Commencing running</h2>
<p>I love what happens when a group of people comes together. We all don our group personalities and sometimes those personalities are different from our solo running personas. When I run intervals on my own and it says to do a recovery jog of equal distance I almost always end up walking or shorting the distance. In a group I'm a rule follower and it turns out that I'm also a leader for others. As we ended each 200 we were expected to jog a 200 cool down. Our group typically had to quickly avoid a crew of fast runners as we ended and we'd find ourselves walking slowly for a bit. Each time as we rounded the curve I said, "commencing running" and everyone would follow. By the end it was a cute little joke.</p>
<h2 id="the-group">The group</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/02/IMG_1604D.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Our 7 minute mile crew!" title="Our 7 minute mile crew!" /><p class="stickyNote">Our 7 minute mile crew!</p></div>
<p>As you spend week after week running with a crew of people you start to depend on them. You look forward to the casual conversations and connections you make every Tuesday night. It becomes something to brighten up cold winter evenings. Tonight I really wasn't jazzed about running. It would have taken almost nothing to talk me out of going, but as with every week I was completely energized when I arrived. My group is fun and committed and I enjoy running with them. As we started our first 200 of the last set one of our group members who isn't doing too many weekly miles said he was going to peel off. We convinced him to do one 200 with us. I seized the moment and asked if we could stop for a quick photo after 3/4 of our cool down loop. I explained that I blog about this group and it would be fun. Everyone was up for it so we got our photo. After the photo we started right into our 2nd 200. I looked to my left and he was still running with us. I smiled and said, "you are still here!" He replied, "you guys are making it too hard to leave." That is the power that is in the group. We all bring each other up and we accomplish more than we would if we were completing intervals on our own.</p>
<h2 id="that's-a-wrap!">That's a wrap!</h2>
<p>It was especially late this week. Scott and I skipped out on the cool down stretches (again). I feel bad about that, but we can't really eat before the workout and when you go to bed at 9 it is hard to get home at 9 and start dinner! So we raced out and got home around 8:40 to find that Elizabeth and Xander had heated up dinner for us. They chatted with us as we shared our evening and they were able to share details from their respective days. Soon we all headed off to bed to recharge for the next day. Another great speed workout is in the books!!</p>
Mountains 2 Beach Training Week 42020-02-03T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/week-4-mountains-2-beach-training/<p>This week had a challenging start. I took Monday off from work to be with my dad and sister at the funeral home to make arrangements for my mom's service and deal with all the other aspects of the death of a loved one. It was a sad, sad day. I am really not a nurturing person and I felt the entire day like my presence was making their respective days worse instead of better. I am truly grateful that my sister came to visit and help my father since she IS a nurturing person and was the right person to be there for him.</p>
<h2 id="no-mithacal-milers">No MITHACAL Milers</h2>
<p>My training stayed mostly on course this week with a few exceptions. Tuesday evening is our MITHACAL milers night. I was at my dad's house taking with my dad and sister and helping with some things. I knew the roads were getting snowier and snowier because snow had been falling for awhile, but when Scott came over to get my from dad's house we continued to help with things and stayed chatting until our normal leave time. We made it about 1/3 of the way to Ithaca traveling 30 mph behind a very cautious driver and I said, "we're never going to get there on time." Scott was silent. I knew he really wanted to make it. I was projecting ahead to missing the warm-up, having to run the warm-up while other people started the intervals and ending up short on intervals and distance. We continued on our route and I said something else. He abruptly turned around. I knew he was really annoyed with the situation, but I also knew we'd never get there on time. We also would have gotten home crazy late and we eat dinner after this so I wasn't eager to enjoy a 9 pm dinner and then go to bed.</p>
<p>We got home and flipped a workout. I ended up doing Les Mills on Demand "The Trip" cycling and 30 minutes on the elliptical. It was good and it allowed us to have dinner as a family at a reasonable hour.</p>
<h2 id="running-with-sarah">Running with Sarah</h2>
<p>One nice thing about Sarah coming to visit from Portland, Oregon is that I had the chance to run with her a couple of times. We got out for a Thursday out and back run as well as a Saturday morning run. I had wanted to hike with her more as well - more laid back time to connect - but I was so busy with my baking load for <a href="https://emoticakes.com/">Emoticakes</a> this week that there just wasn't time to do both. Always a slave to a training plan once it starts, she was happy to indulge me by choosing to run instead of hike.</p>
<h2 id="time-for-new-shoes">Time for new shoes</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/02/IMG_1596D-scaled-e1580729098574.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="My new Altra Torins!" title="My new Altra Torins!" /><p class="stickyNote">My new Altra Torins!</p></div>
<p>My Altra Torins that I bought from Xander in August have over 500 miles on them. The tread looks great but my feet have been hurting so I know the foam is just done. It was on my list to go in and buy new shoes from him at <a href="https://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/">Finger Lakes Running Company</a> as soon as I could. Saturday morning he had to work and I had to deliver cupcakes to Cornell, so Scott, Xander and I all went in and Scott dropped us off at the Running Company. I had some time to look for shoes as he opened the store. As with last time, I tried the regular Torins and the plush Torins. The regular ones had a perfect fit in the heel and the plush ones felt slippy <em>(same as last time)</em>. The only sad thing was that the only color they had in my size was the same color as my old ones. Xander and I had a good laugh that I had "new" shoes but they were exactly the same.</p>
<h2 id="end-the-week-with-a-snowy-run">End the week with a snowy run</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/02/IMG_1590-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Scott took this for me after my snowy run." title="Scott took this for me after my snowy run." /><p class="stickyNote">Scott took this for me after my snowy run.</p></div>
<p>When my sister was here she commented on my attire, "you look like a yard sale." Fair enough. My clothes are all mismatched and very bright. I am very visible to motorists that's for sure! Sarah flew home on Sunday. After she flew out, I donned my bright gear that I had worn with her the other day and headed into the beautiful snowy afternoon for a 5 miler. The snow was gently falling and I was listening to my Flower City Half playlist on my phone. I love how music can transport you to another place and another time. The run felt surreal as I listened to favorites that brought me right to where I had been running in the Flower City - I remembered my freezing hands at mile 11 and not being able to open my Shot Blocs. The grateful feeling I had while running in the cemetery and more. Snow was swirling gently around me and I was filling with gratitude for this opportunity. My new shoes that Xander sold me felt amazing underfoot. I spent time thinking more about my mom's spring service that we're planning.</p>
<h2 id="sauna-time">Sauna time</h2>
<p>If asked to pick one big purchase that has brought me more joy than anything else it is <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/backyard-barrel-sauna-project-suburban-oasis/">the sauna</a>. Scott turned it on before we went out for our respective runs. We'd enjoy our 15 minutes of delightful heat after the chilly run even though we knew original hot yoga was in our late afternoon future. As we sat in the sauna we recapped our weeks, talked about our running and looked ahead to the following week. We sorted out who was driving Xander to piano, discussed the grocery list and other day to day things. As we stepped out of the sauna I sighed deeply and smiled. What a great run to end a week with.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/02/IMG_1598D.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>I hit most of my training goals this week! The rowing and 20 minutes of Flow didn't make it.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/02/Screen-Shot-2020-02-03-at-5.49.36-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>My week on Strava.</p>
Mountains 2 Beach Training Week 32020-01-27T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/week-3-mountains-2-beach-training/<p>Wow this was a week! My mom was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer last winter. She waged a strong battle for the year and we enjoyed a lot of wonderful quality time with her during that year. However, this week turned out to be the end of her time with us. She went into a very sudden decline right after we celebrated my dad's birthday and survived a week. My training still mostly happened - but there were some changes to the schedule for reasons less typical than because I wasn't in the mood or because I couldn't fit something in.</p>
<p>Training is cathartic though, and my solo workouts give me time alone with my thoughts while group workouts provide much needed and appreciated socialization. I always enjoy both but this week I felt even more grateful for the opportunity to train for something. I ended up shy of the weekly mileage but by just a bit.</p>
<h2 id="why-i-missed-the-miles">Why I missed the miles</h2>
<p>On Friday I missed the chance to run because my daughter needed me around to help her process what was happening with her grandmother. It was a beautiful day outdoors (unusually balmy for late January) and I asked her if she might consider going for a run with me. She declined. She had a concert for school that evening and had already showered. We talked and connected and it was the right choice emotionally. But I lost my easy 3 mile run that day. I did get into the BodyPump class that I had been waitlisted for so I headed down to FLX Fit Club and enjoyed BodyPump 112 with Chantelle. It was good to see my friend Christina and be able to share what was happening with my mom. I have trouble just texting or calling people out of the blue to say what is going on so this was an easy way to share.</p>
<p>Later that night my mom passed away. I was with her and with my father and my sister. It was emotional and I believe it is how things were supposed to happen. As painful as it was for me, I found myself more filled with peace than I expected. I've been actively dreading this for a year, and it was not as awful as I feared. Selfishly I wanted her to be here forever, but it was her time. Now she is at peace, no longer stuck in her broken body. It is our time to heal.</p>
<p>I began healing the next morning with my sister when we chose to go for a hike in the pouring and freezing rain. This weather was followed by snow and I lost another day of running.</p>
<h2 id="a-10-miler-is-not-the-same-as-two-5-milers">A 10 miler is not the same as two 5 milers</h2>
<p>Sunday arrived and the day was lovely. Sunny, high 30s and only a little windy. The perfect day for a run. My plan called for me to hit 22 miles for the week and at the time I had only run 11. Man I'd have to run 10 today to be close. I am really committed to goals if I can hit them (or almost hit them) in any way so as I headed out I knew that was my plan. It was challenging but wonderful. Right now a 10 miler is a long run for me - I know soon it will feel short and that is one of the things I love about marathon training! I listened to <a href="https://tim.blog/2020/01/16/bob-iger/">Tim Ferriss interview Bob Iger</a>. There were so many great life lessons in this podcast. For much of the run I was in my head with my own thoughts and for much of the run I was actively listening. It is my favorite thing about running to podcasts - I can listen when I want to and there is nice background when I don't want to fully focus in. For the last 15 minutes when the podcast ended I listened to <a href="http://www.kipmoore.net/">Kip Moore</a>. Scott and I enjoyed his concert this fall in Ithaca so much that I've been running almost exclusively to his music this year. I love it when a concert brings me that much joy.</p>
<p>When I arrived home Scott was surprised that I went out for 10. He said, "A 10 miler is not the same as two 5 milers!" Agreed. It is a bunch harder and a lot more fulfilling sometimes!! 10 miles is enough to have a zen feeling run and I needed that on this particular day. On to week #4!</p>
MITHACAL Milers Week 42020-01-22T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/mithacal-milers/mithacal-milers-week-4/<h2 id="the-workout">The workout</h2>
<p>Early in the day Adam sent his weekly workout information to us. Scott and I aren't doing the Hartshorne Masters' Mile this year so our plan called for a 200 - 200 - 400 ladder at R pace. This didn't sound too bad, so even though I was afraid I knew it would be a fine evening.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/01/Screen-Shot-2020-01-22-at-5.22.10-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<h2 id="nutrition-and-warming-up">Nutrition and warming up</h2>
<p>Last week I made the mistake of eating a bowl of Brussels sprouts an hour before heading out. This time I was smarter. I enjoyed some Greek yogurt with pecans at 4 pm. Scott and I had to do an errand before running so we left pretty early, arriving up at Barton before 6:45. We have been arriving early each week and getting in a pre-warm-up before the official after stretching warm-up. This week when I read the workout I noticed a question thread. Someone asked if it started at 7 or if one should arrive early.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/01/Screen-Shot-2020-01-22-at-5.30.44-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>When we arrived this time everyone who was already there was standing near the track. As we entered I heard a loud shot. The track team was in full practice mode. They were practicing starts with the gun, sprinting, stretching and lifting. I asked, "Is this one of those times we have to respect the track and wait?" Yup, we all agreed that we had to wait. So we grabbed drinks and took bathroom breaks before hitting the track for a warm-up.</p>
<h2 id="our-group-and-the-ladder">Our group and the ladder</h2>
<p>Before the evening began Scott showed me how you can double tap on the Apple watch to record splits. He had learned this during the week and thought it would be helpful. I left Xander's watch home. Last week I had worn both, but every time I pushed on Xander's watch to start a split it would bump against my Apple watch and trigger the SOS call. I had to abort an emergency call several times. I didn't want to risk that again! I was excited about the ability to track the splits and visioned myself yelling out our times as we looped.</p>
<p>The group was small this evening as both Caroline and Tonya weren't there. I was glad I had this new ability to do the split shout out and practiced hitting the watch. Yup this would be perfect. Our group convened and I shared that our R pace was 46 seconds.</p>
<h2 id="say-what%3F%3F">Say what??</h2>
<p>The first 200 came in at 47 and change. Not bad. Then our 2nd 200 was near 50. We couldn't hold the pace for the 400. Each lap was 52 - 54 range. And, I wasn't really able to hit the watch and look much. So much for my shouting out splits for my group. I was disappointed. I kept wondering why we couldn't hit the times and then I realized - our R pace is actually 53 seconds for a 200.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/01/Screen-Shot-2020-01-22-at-5.38.32-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>I let the crew know as soon as I realized. They were very gracious. They all had eyebrows raised when I said 46 but I must have sounded so confident that they just trusted me. Once we started our second set things went better. We hit the paces (I think) and we enjoyed our recoveries. Each time we were recovering with an equal distance with a slow jog.</p>
<h2 id="3-sets-or-4%3F">3 sets or 4?</h2>
<p>Most of us decided on 4 sets for the evening and we wanted to stick with that plan. However, at the end of set 3 I looked at the clock Adam had brought. It was 7:56 pm. I knew we'd be expected to be cooling down soon and I noticed that the track was almost empty. I let people know and we agreed to get as much of our last set done as possible. We started our 200 and did our 200 of rest. Then the track was literally empty. People were mostly done cooling down. Elizabeth and I ran a lap and a bit together for a short cool down and then called it quits. The group was stretching and Scott and I had to get home for Elizabeth's dinner night.</p>
<h2 id="time-for-curry">Time for curry</h2>
<p>Our family has tried something for awhile now - each member gets a dinner night to cook. It worked successfully for a full year and then Elizabeth went to college. We dropped it for Xander's cross country season because things were so crazy, planning to start again in November. Then, November and December were crazy with holidays so we bumped it again. Now, Elizabeth is transferred to Ithaca College and she is living with us. We brought dinner nights back and this night is Elizabeth's night. One of her favorite things to make is any curry. Usually she makes a homemade curry paste, but today she planned to try out the canned curry paste for her base. I was very hungry and consequently excited to get home to enjoy dinner! We've been keeping track of the meals everyone makes in a quick little blog called <a href="https://dawsondinners.wordpress.com/">Dawson Dinners</a></p>
<h2 id="did-the-repeat-setting-work%3F">Did the repeat setting work?</h2>
<p>It was a pain and unreliable but maybe it recorded and I just wasn't able to look quickly enough? When I went into the watch and looked I realized I only manage to split things a few times. It wasn't successful at all. I think the speed makes it challenging to properly do the double tap. I may try again next week and I may actually take time to figure out Xander's watch and just wear it on a different wrist than my Apple watch. A couple of our splits were recorded and ended up in the ballpark for what our goals were.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/01/Screenshot-2020-01-22-at-5.53.32-AM.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
Mountains 2 Beach Training Week 22020-01-21T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/mountains-2-beach-week-2/<h2 id="a-few-more-swaps">A few more swaps</h2>
<p>Week #2 brought more switching things up than the first week. I was able to stick with the plan for Monday and Tuesday and then the forecast looked rough for late week. With that in mind I threw in running on Wednesday and Thursday.</p>
<p>Thursday my legs felt like lead as I ran in the snow with my daughter. I felt grateful that she wanted to have an easy run!!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/01/Untitled-design-1.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With markups for week #2" title="With markups for week #2" /><p class="stickyNote">With markups for week #2</p></div>
<h2 id="check-the-temperature-before-heading-out">Check the temperature before heading out</h2>
<p>On Saturday morning Scott and I raced around the house to get ready for a ski trip. Xander had All County Chorus and Elizabeth had orientation for school. So the two of us had the morning to work, exercise and prepare for our trip. I knew I had to get a 6 mile run in, and also knew it was going to start snowing mid-day. I threw on pretty warm clothes, an ear band and mid weight gloves and headed out.</p>
<p>Once I was outside I realized fairly quickly that I should have donned heavy mittens and even hand warmers. Still, I thought I would be fine. My run was pretty great until mile 4. Then, I realized my hands were frozen. There was nothing I could do about it except run and hope to get back soon! Scott would be greeting me with the sauna heated up. This has become one of our favorite ways to relax after a chilly run.</p>
<p>I returned home and had to ask for his help to get my shoes off and my phone out of my waist belt. My hands were already tingling and I was in some pretty significant pain. He asked if I wanted to wait to head to the sauna. "No. I'm good," I said. We walked out and it was only a few moments until I couldn't stand the pain. I was jumping around, freaking out, whimpering and just generally thinking I might die from the pain. Poor Scott just kept asking me to calm down and reminding me that it wouldn't last forever. About 6 minutes into the warmth and I felt normalcy start to return to my hands. "How cold is it out there anyway?" I asked. "15 degrees." He then asked what gloves I had worn. I shared that I wore the mid-weight gloves he gave me a few years ago. He smiled and said, "mittens would have been a good choice." Yes they would have been. And hand warmers too!</p>
<h2 id="weekly-mileage-totals">Weekly mileage totals</h2>
<p>I was supposed to hit 20 miles for the week and only ended up at 18.76. It is low for a normal week and even lower for pre-marathon training. However, most workouts were met. It was a busy week at work, my mom ended up in the hospital suddenly and we had a very quick ski trip planned that took up most of two days. I look forward to hopefully not mixing days up quite so much this week!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/01/Screen-Shot-2020-01-21-at-4.58.05-PM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
MITHACAL Milers Week 32020-01-14T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/mithacal-milers-week-3/<p>As is typical we got our email with our workout early in the day. I read it and thought, "this workout is going to kill me." Whenever repeats go over a 600 it is really challenging. Our evening called for either 800s or 1000s depending on what my group felt was the best fit. I'm in the middle category so technically I should have been at the 1000, but Adam also said we should be in the 3-4 minute range for speed. With that, at our I pace for 7 minute milers we landed at 3:30+ for the 800. Moving up to a 1000 would put us over 4 minutes.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/01/Screen-Shot-2020-01-15-at-6.24.01-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>Scott and I arrived at 6:40ish and I got a mile of running in before the group started. At one point I took a water break and did a full lap before re-starting my watch which is always frustrating! The group arrived and we did our warm-ups. I enjoyed chatting with my friend Elizabeth as we went through the stretch sequence. As we warmed up I noticed the the group was smaller than typical. Tonya is still out with a sore foot and Becca and her team were not there. I still can't use Xander's stop watch effectively so I was really glad that Caroline was there. She's great with her watch!</p>
<p>Our workout went really well. After another 10 minute official warm-up we started. We were able to hit our goal of 55/56 second splits. The group chatted about dinners and kids and fitness goals during our lovely rest time and we got to know each other better. I left more energized than when I arrived and super pleased that I hit 6 miles with the evening (that's what I put into the marathon training plan for Mithacal Milers nights).</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/01/Screen-Shot-2020-01-15-at-6.34.03-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
Mountains 2 Beach Training Week 12020-01-13T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/week-1-mountains-2-beach-training/<p>The first "pre-training" week went pretty well! I hit my training goals and only shuffled a few things around. There were only a few things to contend with this week.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2020/01/Screen-Shot-2020-01-13-at-5.36.19-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>I ended up moving my Friday evening run. I went to BodyPump and mentioned to a friend that I had to run 3 miles when I got home. It was raining and it was windy and she said, "Why would you have to do that?" I explained that I had gotten home from work late and didn't want to run in the rain right before BodyPump. Then I'd be wet for class. I felt totally ok running afterwards in the rain. I said I had started marathon training. Her response was, "Couldn't you just tack on 3 to a weekend run?"</p>
<p>When we got home I realized that made a lot of sense. It was 6:30 and it was pouring outside. We have no snow so there was nothing to illuminate the road meaning I'd have to wear a headlamp. I pushed things off. Thanks Christina for the suggestion!</p>
MITHACAL Milers Week 22020-01-07T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/run/mithacal-milers-week-2/<h2 id="the-workout">The workout</h2>
<p>The 2nd week I took time to READ my email from Adam about our evening workout. This evening we'd be doing a ladder workout:</p>
<ul>
<li>200 at R pace followed by 200 rest</li>
<li>400 at R pace followed by 400 rest</li>
<li>600 at I pace followed by 400 rest</li>
<li>800 at I pace followed by 400 rest</li>
<li>600 at I pace followed by 400 rest</li>
<li>400 at R pace followed by 400 rest</li>
<li>200 at R pace followed by 200 rest</li>
</ul>
<p>I got the paces for the total distance each time and wrote them on my hand and then borrowed a watch from Xander to wear on my right arm. The Apple watch doesn't work well for intervals. It was weird to wear a watch on my right hand, and I couldn't figure out the split function on it, so I had trouble with pacing on the multi-lap ladders.</p>
<h2 id="excuse-me-adam">Excuse me Adam</h2>
<p>We were standing as a group after finishing our warm-ups and Adam verbally gave us our workout. He misspoke, telling us we had a 200 rest after the longer intervals. I looked down at my hand where I had written enough short hand to know the rest distance and then tried to decide if I had made an error when writing from the email. Adam's wife, Tonya noticed my confusion just as I said aloud that I thought we had a 400 recovery each time after the 200. Our little group talked about it and then Tonya got Adam's attention. We settled on the 400 recovery and Adam said we could all thank me for reading my email. I felt like, "oh my goodness I hope that is what it actually said!" Caroline also said she remembered reading this and so did a few others so I felt pretty good that this was correct.</p>
<h2 id="warming-up">Warming up</h2>
<p>Scott and I arrived at 6:40 so we had time to warm-up almost alone for 10 minutes before stretches. After this, we did our group stretching and then the entire group did the 10 minute warm-up. I forgot about that piece and when everyone started running I asked them what they were doing. Tonya replied, "we're doing our 10 minute warm-up." Oh yeah, that's right! I joined in. My friend Elizabeth was at Mithacal Milers for the first time, so it was fun to tell her about what to expect as we ran for the 10 minutes. She shared that she was nervous about the speed and I told her that I was sure she'd love it while sharing that I'm always nervous about it.</p>
<h2 id="more-about-nerves">More about nerves</h2>
<p>About a month ago I listened to a Tim Ferriss podcast titled, <a href="https://tim.blog/2019/12/05/adam-grant/">Adam Grant - The man who does everything</a>. He shared his early struggles with lecturing for students. He was anxious. So anxious that virtually all of his evaluations mentioned that he was the most anxious professor they'd ever seen. However instead of staying this way he gave himself a dose of immersion therapy and started guest lecturing everywhere he could as a guest lecturer. He became singularly focused on exposing himself to the opportunity for growth. He shared that our bodies can handle only so much anxiety and eventually we will adjust. Somehow during this exposure to constant lecturing he became comfortable. He still gets little butterflies but he no longer experiences full blown anxiety.</p>
<p>Mithacal milers is that way for me. When we first started this two years ago I would read the workout emails and want to throw up. I was so afraid. I did the workouts, but with active fear for the entire warm-up until at least the mid point of the workout. Last night as I was verbalizing how I felt about these workouts to Elizabeth I realized that my body and mind have adjusted. The fear is abating. The nerves are still there but they are calmer. Reading the email is less daunting. I have come to enjoy the pattern of each evening; run and chat comfortably with friends during the warm-up, work hard during the reps and then enjoy each recovery chance to chat and connect with fellow runners. Adam is right that the body can only handle so much anxiety and it eventually adjusts.</p>
<h2 id="final-mileage-and-thoughts">Final mileage and thoughts</h2>
<p>I ended up with 5.6 miles. My training plan called for 6 of speed <em>(I know Mithacal Milers will average me from 5-7 so this was perfect).</em> Scott and I came home to a delicious dinner of homemade pizza and salad. The kids were sweet. Elizabeth made dinner for all of us and they both waited until 8:40 to eat!! The only downside of this plan was that I literally ate dinner and went to bed 20 minutes later. It was hard to fall asleep.</p>
<h2 id="strava-tracks">Strava tracks</h2>
<p>I think it is so cool that I can set my watch to indoor running and capture the workout.</p>
<iframe height="405" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.strava.com/activities/2994743327/embed/2550a515988bdca35cc27cd867f2126916aa3dd0"></iframe>
Mountains 2 Beach Marathon Training 20202020-01-06T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/mountains-2-beach-marathon-2020/<p>Xander wants to run a marathon this year so we started looking at choices! Due to his schedule with cross country, music and school there is really only one good time of year to fit a marathon in - late spring. Our criteria for the race required that it be within driving distance, and have a half marathon distance choice. We selected Memorial Day weekend. We promptly selected the <a href="https://buffalomarathon.org/">Buffalo Marathon</a> as our first choice and were mostly through the registration process before realizing you have to be 18 to run. Strike out. We then fell in love with the idea of the <a href="https://www.runottawa.ca/">Ottawa marathon</a> only to find out that you also have to be 18. The <a href="https://worldsmarathons.com/marathon/keybank-vermont-city-marathon">Vermont City marathon</a> was a good fit for Xander. You only need to be 16 for this one and Xander just turned 16, but there is no half marathon option for Elizabeth.</p>
<p>So we changed our plan! Completely. We opened up our search to the United States in general with a focus on easy flights. We have enough points to use points to fly to a destination race. We thought the Rock and Roll series could be fun, but there was nothing available that weekend. However, we found a fun sounding point to point race in California. The <a href="https://mountains2beachmarathon.com/">Mountains 2 Beach Marathon</a> has a half marathon choice and a marathon choice. As the name suggests, it starts in the mountains and ends up at the beach. The half starts halfway through the marathon course just like the Wineglass Marathon in Corning. The best news? You only have to be 14 to run the marathon. We're in!!</p>
<h2 id="time-to-train">Time to train</h2>
<p>It has been awhile since I ran a marathon. My last 50K was in 2017 with the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/green-lakes-50k-2/">Green Lakes 50K</a> and my last marathon was the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/new-york-city-marathon-2016/">New York City marathon</a> with Jenny in 2016. I've been doing plenty of half marathons, but this is a more serious level of training. I'm going to have to get comfortable with longer distances again and earlier morning running. I also have to support Xander in his training.</p>
<h2 id="our-training-plans">Our training plans</h2>
<p>One fun thing about this is that it means an opportunity to create a training plan again. I love writing training plans! Now the job is to follow mine. I created a plan for Xander using mostly Hal Higdon's <a href="https://www.halhigdon.com/training-programs/marathon-training/novice-2-marathon/">Novice 2 Training Program</a>. The first 3 weeks are just getting consistent base running. We've all been running, but on some icky weather days we opt to bike or elliptical inside. These 3 weeks are about making sure we get started with running in most weather again.</p>
<h2 id="xander's-training-plan">Xander's training plan</h2>
<iframe src="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/Xander-Mountains2Beach-Marathon-Google-Docs.pdf" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>
<h2 id="my-training-plan">My training plan</h2>
<iframe src="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/Amy-Mountains2BeachMarathon-Google-Docs.pdf" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>
<p>My training plan is a mix of the Hanson's method between the just finished and beginner options (removing Monday runs, dropping some mileage and removing one of the days of speed) and Hal Higdon. I still have a 20 mile run in the mix, but am trying to follow the back to back longer runs on weekends. I fit in 2 times weekly strength sessions, some biking, 2x weekly yoga and I scattered in rest days.</p>
<h2 id="weekly-progress">Weekly progress</h2>
<p>I plan to write short posts each week about our training progress to keep everyone honest! This will be mostly about my journey with some of Xander's and Scott's training thrown in. Elizabeth is in her spring semester of her freshman year of college. She does want to run a marathon someday, but doesn't feel that now is the best time to train. She's excited to join us for the half!!</p>
2019 Year in Review2019-12-29T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/2019-year-in-review/<p>My friend Anne recently wrote her <a href="https://10minutemiler.wordpress.com/2019/12/24/janus-a-k-a-looking-ahead-to-2020/">year in review</a> and it inspired me to take a moment to reflect on my year. I had a good time thinking about my 2019 fitness and the rest of the year as well!</p>
<p>2018 ended with real challenges and 2019 was a rough start. My mom was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer after a fairly long stay in the hospital. Both of my sisters came to help and we spent much of early January thinking my mom wasn't going to make it more than a month or two. I found that most of my runs started with sobbing and I slowly settled out and was able to run and breathe. Amidst the stress, I enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with my sisters through walks and runs. Fitness definitely took a back seat to life. My rabbit died in early January as well. I haven't lost a pet since my childhood cat died when I was 22. At that point in my life I was in grad school in a teaching internship. I remember managing to pull myself together to teach a class and then go cry in the bathroom for passing time and go back to teaching. This was much different. I was incredibly sad, but my coping skills were stronger.</p>
<h2 id="the-year-in-pictures">The year in pictures</h2>
<p>I picked a bunch of my favorite pictures for this - they include both athletic photos and just pictures from life in general.</p>
<div class="main-carousel" data-flickity='{ "fullscreen": true, "wrapAround": "true", "autoPlay": "3000", "pauseAutoPlayOnHover": true }'><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/GorgesHalf_RNR_RH-20190615-34.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Before the Gorges Half" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/GorgesHalf_RNR_RH-20190615-62.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Setting my watch for the Gorges" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_0833.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="With my parents and sister in October" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_1075.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="After the May Day 5K with Audun" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_1078.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Before the Syracuse Half" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_1188.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Ithaca Turkey Trot" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_3109.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Cornell hockey with Elizabeth" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_3437.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Ski date with Scott at Killington" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_3566.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Skunk Cabbage Half" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_3567.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Skunk Cabbage Half with Scott" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_3685.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="May 5th. A great rainy trail 10 miler" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_3833.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="After the Gorges Half" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_3903.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="The day after HS graduation at Gimme" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_4007.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Working the Finger Lakes 50s" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_4225.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Scott's favorite tree outside Zurich" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_4281.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Hiking in Engelberg Switzerland" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_4305.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Hiking in Zermatt Switzerland" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_4361.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Hiking in Zermatt Switzerland" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_4369.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Hiking in Zermatt Switzerland" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_4390.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="A family hiking break" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_4652.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="At Two Goats brewing" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_4823.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Before the Gorges Half" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_4948.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="It's a Wonderful Run with Xander" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_4950.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="It's a Wonderful Run" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_4994.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Before the Syracuse Half" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_5077.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Ithaca Turkey Trot" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_5353.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Working the Women's Distance Festival 5K" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_5688.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="The kids with their teammate at the CLT" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_5780.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Xander at the CLT" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_5803.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Before the Cayuga Lake Triathlon" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_9429.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="BodyPump in Aspen, CO" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/12/IMG_9864.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="7th graders ready to run the May Day 5K" />
</div></div>
<p>I LOVE Strava because I can go back and get a clear view of January 2019. I spent 43 hours working out that month, with 114 miles of running.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/12/Screen-Shot-2019-12-29-at-6.46.16-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="January 2019 from Strava" title="January 2019 from Strava" /><p class="stickyNote">January 2019 from Strava</p></div>
<h2 id="coming-back-from-injury">Coming back from injury</h2>
<p>I've been injured before and I remember how challenging it is, but when I broke my third metatarsal in my right foot, it was my first injury in a long while. I had forgotten how hard it is to watch other people continue their normal routines while you are sidelined. I found late 2018 to be really hard and I hadn't fully recovered come 2019. While I was back to running, it wasn't with the same joy and carefree nature that I'd enjoyed pre-injury. Every step I took I worried that I'd re-break the bone or break a different one. It made even thinking about racing stressful.</p>
<p>I increased running gradually into March but I went into the Skunk very untrained. I was still trying to find people to run it "just for fun" with me a couple of weeks before the race. When I found no one, I decided I might as well run as quickly as I could for the training I had. It isn't much fun to jog a race at a comfortable pace alone. I ended up really enjoying the Skunk Cabbage Half like I always do, and left feeling energized for spring running.</p>
<h2 id="late-spring">Late spring</h2>
<p>I continued to run frequently in late spring, enjoying my afternoon runs in April and May. My mom was doing well with treatment and it felt like a pretty calm time in life. Emoticakes was in its busy season, and school was always busy, but I felt pretty calm. I was looking forward to the upcoming Gorges Half marathon, and I ran the May Day 5&5 with my colleague, my daughter and some of my 7th grade students. The injury was fading from my mind and I started to run with a fuller heart. I had my first really great run on May 5th. It was a 10 mile trail run in the rain. I liked it so much I took a picture at the end. I went to hot yoga right after and remember thinking that I really still love to run. The Gorges Half was fun and I enjoyed the finish line party, but I was disappointed with myself for not training with focus. I ran, but I didn't train properly and I felt afraid when the race started. It was a nice reminder to respect the distance - 13.1 miles may only be half of a marathon, but it still deserves respect and training time.</p>
<h2 id="finally-the-hours-increase">Finally the hours increase</h2>
<p>As June and July hit I was able to get more fitness hours in each month. June was 51 hours, 222 miles with 54 activities. July brought 70 hours, 408 miles and 68 activities. Not surprisingly I was happiest in July. I really love the variety of activity that summer brings. My days were filled with a mix of cycling, running, yoga, hiking, swimming and of course Body Pump. July made me remember how fit I was a few years ago before I went back to working full time. Sometimes I miss the luxury of being able to focus on myself while still having great creative energy for Emoticakes. In July when the days are long and the time is plentiful I feel grateful to be able to move my body. I remember when I got injured that my first thought was, "at least summer is ending."</p>
<h2 id="late-summer-travel-and-a-fall-half-marathon">Late summer travel and a fall half marathon</h2>
<p>We enjoyed our first family trip to Europe in the summer and we fit a fair amount of running and hiking into the trip <em>(though to be perfectly honest the balance of activity to hanging out was off for me - I have learned that compromise is very necessary to have a fun vacation for all four of us)</em>. After the Cayuga Lake triathlon we headed on our two week trip to Switzerland and Italy where the kids made us promise not to hike too much! I ran in Zurich and Venice and hiked in Zermatt. One fun thing was that Xander wanted to stay in shape for cross country pre-season so he drove the running train. We made sure we fit running in for the little lad!</p>
<p>Once we got home Scott and I picked up our training for the Syracuse Half marathon. I had signed up for it last year and had to defer because of my broken foot. It was supposed to be a romantic weekend for Scott and me. But, this fall Elizabeth had started college so Xander decided he'd join us. After all, he'd be well trained from cross country season. At the very last minute Elizabeth said she wanted to join us too. "How far have you run recently?" I asked. "About 5 miles." That's not gonna be fun I thought! She got a couple more runs in and said she was going to do it untrained. She wanted to be with us.</p>
<p>We had a blissfully wonderful Syracuse Half weekend and it was a fantastic way to cap off the year of running. I was grateful for every step and I just had fun on this day! I think what was most meaningful for me was that all 4 of were doing an activity together but we were all running our own race. We enjoyed time together the night before, in the morning before the race and in the post race celebration but our races were our own. It was a joyful experience on a beautiful November day.</p>
<h2 id="the-final-race-of-2019">The final race of 2019</h2>
<p>Xander started working at Finger Lakes Running Company at the end of the summer. He quickly threw himself into learning about shoes and how to fit people for shoes. He adores his job. This has created a new fire in him to race more. He wanted to do the "A wonderful run" in Seneca falls. Scott had a concert scheduled for his chorus and Elizabeth was finishing up her first semester of college, so it would a mother-son outing! We were so excited about our adventure together. We had grand plans to buy fun outfits for the season, but we never did. It turned out to be a really really rainy day! It was so rainy and cold that I had the audacity to suggest we go home and skip the run after we got our shirts and bibs. Xander looked me squarely in the eye and said, "Mom I work in a running store. I am not going to just pick up my bib and shirt. You can wait in the car if you want." Fair enough. Yes I would run. After standing in the pouring rain in a bathroom line for 20 minutes it started to turn to snow just as the race started. It felt magical on the streets even if I was sopping wet and freezing. We even made it home just in time to shower and go to Scott's concert!</p>
<h2 id="strava-year-in-review">Strava Year in Review</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/12/Screen-Shot-2019-12-29-at-8.57.51-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>MITHACAL Milers Week 12019-12-10T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/mithacal-milers/mithacal-milers-week-1/<p>I missed the time trial because I had an evening conflict. To be perfectly candid, I was really happy about this! I am in the slowest group anyway, so I knew my time trial wasn't going to really affect my training (except maybe put me behind the slowest group).</p>
<p>For week #1, Adam sent out an email with our workout. I had forgotten he did that and didn't check my email before we headed up. Scott asked on the way if I knew my times for the evening. I looked at him cluelessly as I realized I had missed an email. No concern I said, I know other people in my group will have checked the email.</p>
<p>We arrived early and ran 10 minutes on the track before starting the warm-ups. It is always nicer to arrive early and have that time to run. Last time we did this I felt like we were always late. We did our familiar stretches that I really enjoy and broke into our pace groups.</p>
<p>Our workout for the evening was a ladder. We had 3 sets of 200, 200, 400 with equal rest in between each set. We ran at R pace. That meant for us that our goal was 53 seconds for each 200. The trouble was that I wore my Apple watch instead of a stopwatch. It has a stopwatch feature, but you can't also have the gps running in the background. I wanted to record my distance, so I relied on others to record our timing. This worked great until our timing person moved up to the next faster group. Most of us were in the similar boat of not having a watch or having an Apple watch so we made it work with rough approximations, people taking turns looking etc. Our general problem was that we were a little fast which is better than being a little too slow.</p>
<p>I really enjoyed the workout. It was fun to run with friends again even though it was hard! I get really scared before a repeat starts and then you just have to run and can't think about anything but staying up with the group. I love the recovery time!</p>
<iframe height="405" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.strava.com/activities/2925720530/embed/d172041bf0d2a50d9ade8196a9520bce438c67cf"></iframe>
2019 Syracuse Half2019-11-11T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/2019-syracuse-half/<h2 id="from-two-to-four">From Two to Four</h2>
<p>I signed up for this race 2 years ago with Scott. It was going to be a date weekend in November 2018. Neither of the kids wanted to join us so we got a hotel in downtown and looked forward to the chance to have a romantic running weekend. Then, late summer of 2018 I got a stress fracture in my right foot. I had already registered for a season of adult cross country and I had this race in the books. Luckily they allow deferrals, so we moved our plan to 2019. However, we realized that Elizabeth would be at college by then. We'd probably switch our plan to drive up the morning of the race instead of leaving Xander home alone overnight. We asked him about the race and he surprised us by saying he would love to run it. Our date weekend would be a 3 person event. It would be fun. Just over a month before the race Elizabeth texted and asked if she could join us in the half. "Sure why not?" we replied, followed by "how much running have you been doing?" Just two months prior I had asked her if she wanted to jump in and do the Rochester Half with us. We hadn't registered but she is in college in Rochester so we thought it would be fun. She said she was done with doing untrained half marathons and wanted to be prepared for the next one. I reminded her of that and she said she would be fine. She had been running up to 5 miles and thought she could handle it. Now our adventure for 2 was a full family affair!</p>
<h2 id="run-less%2C-run-faster">Run Less, Run Faster</h2>
<p>I bought the book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Runners-World-Faster-3-Run-Week/dp/1609618025">Run Less, Run Faster</a> years ago and I followed the training plan for the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/flower-city-half-2016/">Flower City Half</a>. It was an intense plan that took me through ski season. What I remember most from that time is coming home from a ski race with the kids and pushing myself out the door to run repeats or a fast tempo run. It was so challenging. At the time I struggled with it because I wanted to run more and I wanted to run with friends. The workout gives each run a very specific purpose, making it hard to have conversational runs with friends fit into training and still manage the paces of the workout.</p>
<p>I've been struggling to get back into a good space with running since my stress fracture. Since my available times to run rarely line up with my friends' times to run, now seemed like a perfect time to pick the book back up. I was drawn to the focus and the cross training aspect and decided to give it a go. I based all the training for an 8:50 minute mile based on my most recent half marathon time from the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/my-5th-gorges-half-2019/">Gorges Half 2019</a>. I did most of the workouts and a lot of cross training. I loved that it was flexible for fitting in BodyPump, yoga, <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/yoga/came-love-bikram-yoga/">Bikram yoga</a>, cycling, rowing and more. I struggled to hit paces, and the long runs with pace goals were really hard, but it definitely gave me a focus. I love that it takes you to 15 miles for a half. That would definitely come back to help on race day.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/11/oct-1-11-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="The training plan. I checked the things I actually did. Cross training is all in Strava." title="The training plan. I checked the things I actually did. Cross training is all in Strava." /><p class="stickyNote">The training plan. I checked the things I actually did. Cross training is all in Strava.</p></div>
<h3 id="packet-pick-up">Packet pick-up</h3>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/11/oct-3.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="At packet pick-up with my eyes closed" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/11/oct-2.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="The kids aren't ready for the picture." />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/11/oct-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Elizabeth's eyes are closed." />
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<p>We hopped in the car at 2:30 on Saturday and picked Xander up from his job at <a href="https://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/">Finger Lakes Running Company</a>. We went into the store to look at gear, taking the opportunity to give him Christmas ideas while we were there. Then we walked over to <a href="https://www.purityicecream.com/">Purity Ice Cream</a> and got ice-cream <em>(very indulgent and only because Xander hadn't packed lunch for his shift)</em> and headed up to <a href="http://www.fleetfeetsyracuse.com/">Fleet Feet</a> in Syracuse for packet pick-up. Pick-up was quick and soon we were heading off to get an early dinner at Pastabilities. They don't take reservations and we knew they'd be crowded, but when we heard that it was a 2 hour wait we decided pasta was not going to be part of our evening. We didn't have a plan B so we just strolled around Amory Square until we found something appealing. <a href="https://www.thehopsspot.com/">The Hops Spot</a> was just down the street and there was no wait. Burgers and beer it was. We had a great dinner, enjoying the time to reconnect with each other after what had been a crazy weekend so far. We got back to the hotel around 6:45 and we were all asleep by 7:30. The time change has really messed us up!</p>
<h3 id="race-morning">Race morning</h3>
<p>I naturally awoke just before the 5:30 alarm. Scott had thought to refill our <a href="https://gimmecoffee.com/">Gimme coffee</a> growler yesterday and bring it with us. So, I enjoyed some iced cold brew coffee while reading the New York Times. The kids eventually woke up and we watched the news while enjoying Honey Stinger waffles and peanut butter. We had some debate over breakfast. We normally do bagels with peanut butter pre-race, but the hotel didn't have a toaster and Elizabeth wasn't jazzed to have cold bagels and peanut butter. Scott is a <a href="https://www.honeystinger.com/">Honey Stinger</a> ambassador so he mentioned we could have the waffles. Xander usually eats a bowl of peanut butter for breakfast, so we thought why not combine the two? After breakfast we got ready and did the million bathroom trip thing IN the room since were only a 10 minute walk from the start.</p>
<h3 id="dress-for-the-weather">Dress for the weather</h3>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/11/oct-1-2.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="All of my gear!" title="All of my gear!" /><p class="stickyNote">All of my gear!</p></div>
<p>The last time I ran this race it was a spring race and it was a snowstorm. Scott ran the race the year it was branded SyraCrazy because it was literally a blizzard. This year's weather was pretty close to PR weather, but it was also some of the first cold weather running most of us would be doing. I brought options; heavier shirt and lighter shirt, wind vest and wind protecting jacket, light weight bottoms and heavier bottoms, heavy ear band and light one, heavy winter gloves and lighter running gloves. I'd wear my running skirt with any of the choices. It has pockets to hold a Honey Stinger Gel and it keeps my tights from falling down. Now at 6 am I was trying to decide heavy vs light for it all. I ultimately chose a mix. I'd wear the lightweight leggings and shirt and vest and the heavy ear band. I opened up hand warmers just in case and put them in my vest pocket and at the last second I chose the lighter gloves. That was very BRAVE for me. I know a potential pitfall is that my hands get sweaty and then very cold in the heavy gloves.</p>
<h3 id="the-start-line">The start line</h3>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEkys7jClCc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEkys7jClCc</a></p>
<p>Aah the start line. The energy was amazing! We had planned to spend 10 minutes in the <a href="https://www.oncenter.org/">OnCenter</a> staying warm but didn't need to. Instead we all said our goodbyes and lined up. Scott went to the front, Xander went up a little bit and Elizabeth and I popped into the 9-11 minute mile area. We talked and absorbed the energy from the crowd. I kept thinking I should be further up and I'd be doing a lot of dodging and weaving for the first 2 miles, but I also just wanted to enjoy the chance to hang together at the start. Soon the gun went off and we were all starting our respective races.</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/11/oct-2-2.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="With Elizabeth right before the race start!" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/11/oct-1-4.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="The kids and Scott before we split up to race." />
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<h3 id="all-alone-in-the-midst-of-thousands">All alone in the midst of thousands</h3>
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<p>This is my favorite part of racing. Being surrounded by people but all alone at the same time. I had Apple Dance Radio on and I was just running and dodging and weaving through people. The first two miles are a steady uphill for the most part. I loved running by people and around people and listening to music. I took in the signs and the cheering and enjoyed watching people run with flags, run in fun outfits and just run. I was a little bummed at how hard it was to hold a pace but knew it was my fault for starting too far back. It isn't easy to weave around people when the crowd is this dense. It reminded me a lot of the Tower of Terror 13K that Scott and I did in Disney where you were constantly jockeying for placement. However, by the top of the hill a bit past mile 2 things started to thin out just enough. I saw a sign that said, "run like someone just called you a jogger" and I laughed out loud. I subconsciously picked up the pace a bit as I cut the tangent to make the turn.</p>
<h3 id="speaking-of-tangents">Speaking of tangents</h3>
<p>Every time a corner came I fondly remembered my time in physical therapy when I was a new runner. I had hurt my IT band and had runners knee after embracing the barefoot running movement and jumping two feet in to using Five Fingers. After a few weeks of marathon training where I had pushed things so far I couldn't bear weight on my left leg, I found myself at Sports Medicine getting a diagnosis. I met Brian Lee and I credit him for not only fixing my running form but helping me realize runners need to cross train. He encouraged me to get strength training back in, and to add cycling, yoga and more. A bonus? He taught me all about running the tangents in races. Now in every race I look ahead and make sure to see which direction we are turning and plan ahead to make sure I take the shortest route. After the race I mentioned something about this to Elizabeth and she said she remembered her <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/philadelphia-half-marathon/">first half in Philly</a> when the two of us ran together and I told her all about how to take the most efficient line. It is a fond memory for her too.</p>
<h3 id="the-first-few-miles">The first few miles</h3>
<p>I love the first few miles of a race. My mind things of SO many great things. I wrote a book, planned out adventures, reflected on how different aspects of my life are going and just generally felt grateful for the opportunity to run. I've spent most of the last few months either working in my classroom (I teach middle school), working at my part-time home bakery, or training. I haven't really taken time to connect with friends or family. Today it was fun to get out of the zip code, and just remember that the world is bigger than the one mile of my home and classroom. I felt inspired to make time to get more than just what must be accomplished completed. I also felt true joy being out here on the course. I'm so grateful that my foot healed and I can run!</p>
<h3 id="5k-split">5K split</h3>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/11/oct-1-7.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Speaking of splits. I would end up happy with my mostly even splits. That was the goal!" title="Speaking of splits. I would end up happy with my mostly even splits. That was the goal!" /><p class="stickyNote">Speaking of splits. I would end up happy with my mostly even splits. That was the goal!</p></div>
<p>I ran by the 5K pad and saw 29 and change. Yikes. I am not running this race hoping to have a PR or even a crazy fast race, but a 29 and change 5K was slower than I had trained for. I knew I started too far back but thought I had made up the time. It wasn't until about a 1/4 mile past the mark that I realized that was the start from the actual gun. It had taken me almost 2 minutes to get to the start line. I looked at my watch and relaxed. I was doing ok.</p>
<h3 id="the-middle-miles">The middle miles</h3>
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<p>These miles are fun. It is that point in the race when you aren't tired yet and are so tempted to push pace. My goal for this race was to have even splits so I worked hard against this desire to speed up. When I hit mile 7-8 and there was a lovely downhill I did pick it up. I always remember my sister's advice when I'm on hills. "Run with the course." I enjoyed every minute of the beautiful downhill stretch. I had that feeling of exhilaration as I breezed along effortlessly. I knew it would end soon as I saw the arrival of the flat. We had all looked at the course at dinner the night before the race and Scott reminded us of a little out and back in the last few miles. I was close to that.</p>
<h3 id="mind-maps">Mind maps</h3>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/11/Screen-Shot-2019-11-11-at-8.49.13-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="My 4 mile Curry Loop that gave me inspiration for the last 4." title="My 4 mile Curry Loop that gave me inspiration for the last 4." /><p class="stickyNote">My 4 mile Curry Loop that gave me inspiration for the last 4.</p></div>
<p>Mile 9 neared and I was getting tired. I had been taking gatorade at water stops since mile 5 and my stomach felt icky from the lump of peanut butter just sitting there. Xander may eat peanut butter every morning but my stomach is not used to it so it turned out to be not the best choice for me. I was tired and we were near the out and back portion. Suddenly I had great gratitude for training. With 4 miles left to go I had a great mind image for my run. All that is left is the Curry loop. This is a regular 4 mile loop for me. I know how I feel on the 4 mile loop and had an image for the distance of 4 miles. Soon, I was down to 3 and a new image replaced the Curry loop. Our neighborhood 3 miler. I knew what that felt like too. Muster up the energy to run the 3 miler my mind told me. And so on.</p>
<h3 id="almost-a-wipe-out">Almost a wipe out</h3>
<p>Just after mile 10 my left foot didn't lift high enough. It scuffed the ground and I caught myself in a near fall. My head jerked forward and back and my arms went out to catch me. I heard the people behind me gasp and ask "are you ok?" and wondered if I was going to go down or make it. I didn't fall but my body was jarred. I immediately started post race language of "well I was doing ok and then I almost fell and my last 3 miles were really slow." I jolted myself back to reality. "Really Amy, is that going to be your story? You were doing fine and you <em>almost</em> fell? That ruined your race?" No that would not be my story. I had trained fine for this and I didn't fall. I could run 2.5 more miles.</p>
<h3 id="get-more-comfortable-with-being-uncomfortable">Get more comfortable with being uncomfortable</h3>
<p>We keep telling Xander that he will have better cross country races as soon as he embraces getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. I felt my pace slipping. I was tired and had just over 2 miles to go. Could I turn that advice on myself? I would try. My body remembered the repeats and the tempo runs and I used that muscle memory to pick my pace back up to what it has been for most of the race. I focused on form and breathing and watched my pace return. I wasn't comfortable.</p>
<p>With a mile to go I became enamored with a man's pink shoes. Keep the pink shoes in sight became my mantra. Soon I recognized the area and knew it was time to kick things up for the end. I ran it in strong and got my medal.</p>
<h3 id="post-race">Post race</h3>
<p>I connected with Scott and Xander and heard all about their races. Scott came in 2nd in his age group with a 1:29 and change and Xander was 25th in his with a 1:37 and change. This was a HUGE PR for Xander and I felt really happy for him. We chatted with a colleague and his wife who had come up to run and we waited for Elizabeth to finish. After awhile we got too cold and even though we knew she was close by this point we knew we had to get inside.</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/11/oct-1-9.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Xander post race." />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/11/oct-1-8.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Elizabeth after her finish." />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/11/oct-1-10.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="And Scott after his race." />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/11/oct-1-5.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Looking into the sun after finishing. Note my light gloves!" />
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<p>Once inside the OnCenter we enjoyed the festivities of a great post race party. They had pizza and apples and bagels and cookies along with a race morning pancake breakfast. We didn't indulge too much - after all we were heading to Viva to celebrate! Scott picked up his prize <a href="https://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/syracuse/">($25 to Dinosaur BBQ yay!)</a> and we slowly walked back to the hotel to shower and change to get ready for our drive home.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7U1qKuE3D8">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7U1qKuE3D8</a></p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/11/oct-2-3.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="With Scott at Viva." />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/11/oct-1-6.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="The kids at Viva." />
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<h3 id="results-and-final-thoughts">Results and final thoughts</h3>
<p>1:53:46; Overall 771/3166 Age Group 15/223</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/11/Screen-Shot-2019-11-11-at-6.39.38-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>This was great fun! Ironically I'm glad that I ended up having to defer and to go through the stress fracture experience last year. It gave me a new appreciation for having the ability to run. I feel more grateful and grounded in my fitness this year. I'm not focused on miles for the sake of miles and I respect cross training more than ever before. Xander would like to tackle a full marathon in the spring so we're contemplating what that will look like and whether we're ready to embrace the training required. Because of school, summer programs and cross country, Xander has a limited time frame to do a marathon, so we have to look at late May - July. Right now we're tentatively thinking maybe the <a href="https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=71744&fbclid=IwAR1lDUWql7njI0dF4Hac5EB1KmgSlvVR2Y1X7XCxLOC37wpclBH4qVn9IIg">Cayuga Trails 50</a> <em>(the 50k option).</em> I think our December will be full of many decisions for us all! Right now we're all looking forward to the <a href="https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Ithaca/GorgesIthaca">Gorges Half</a> in June and Scott and I are excited about the <a href="https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Ithaca/SkunkCabbageClassic">Skunk Cabbage half</a> in April.</p>
Cayuga Lake Triathlon 20192019-08-09T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/triathlon/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2019/<h2 id="swim-(49%3A11)">Swim (49:11)</h2>
<p>Training had been so so for swimming. I started back in May swimming in the pool and then switched to the lake right before the 4th of July. I anticipated many lovely swim practice afternoons after a quick trip to NYC with Scott and Elizabeth. On our trip we learned that the lake had dangerous algae. We lost two weeks of potential swim time while they were testing the algae blooms. A lot of people swam anyway, but the area we swim near my friend Kathey's house was bad with the algae. I texted her saying, "how's our swim lane?" and her reply, "the worst I have ever seen it" was enough to dissuade me from hopping in.</p>
<p>Even so I managed many lake swim practices. Most were challenging, and one was my first ever unsupported swim. Elizabeth wasn't as free as in other years to be my kayaker and Xander is afraid of spiders in the kayak so if I wanted to swim I needed to be braver and use my buoy. I was very proud of my last training swim; 1 mile with the buoy. Two half mile out and backs from Kathey's dock.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/08/22664972-6281-4032-A572-834DB5529B08.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="T. Wellott photography got this nice picture of us before the race." title="T. Wellott photography got this nice picture of us before the race." /><p class="stickyNote">T. Wellott photography got this nice picture of us before the race.</p></div>
<p>The morning of the race the water was 77.7 degrees - just barely wetsuit legal. I popped my wetsuit on and used the swim lane to adjust goggles. They were holding water (something they hadn't been doing regularly doing training) so I kept them on my face locked on as I stood to wait for the swim. I was feeling very good about the swim. It was calm and I wasn't actually that scared. The water was warm and I had such a bad swim time last year (I wrote it on my hand - 49:01) that I said to Elizabeth and friend Christina that all I had to do was beat last year's time. I said this not to pressure myself but because I thought there was no way in the world that I wouldn't beat that time. I did feel confident.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/08/2019-06-1-2.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Ed and Jean before the race." title="With Ed and Jean before the race." /><p class="stickyNote">With Ed and Jean before the race.</p></div>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/08/IMG_2913.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="I am the one right in front of the white buoy. Thanks to Ed and Jean Dawson for the picture." title="I am the one right in front of the white buoy. Thanks to Ed and Jean Dawson for the picture." /><p class="stickyNote">I am the one right in front of the white buoy. Thanks to Ed and Jean Dawson for the picture.</p></div>
<p>Then the swim started. Less than 100 meters into the 1500 my left goggle started leaking. I had swam through that on a couple of training swims - just switched to breathing only on the right. In hindsight I probably should have done that, but it was so early I thought I'd adjust on a kayak and then be ok. I reached out to a nearby kayak and adjusted my googles. Then, the right side was gushing. I have to be able to see on the right for the buoy line sighting. Time for kayak hang number two. I sorted them out and looked ahead at my swim wave - now far in the distance. How was I going to do this? Would my googles stay put? Time to stop thinking and swim. The googles were never optimal and leaked enough to bug my contacts but not enough to make it so I would lose one so I kept swimming along. Shortly before the turnaround I had to call out for a kayak and wait awhile for it to come to me to fix them one last time.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/08/DAC6B8E2-4F1D-4372-BF40-AC854B96290C.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Ed and Jean got this beautiful shot of the water." title="Ed and Jean got this beautiful shot of the water." /><p class="stickyNote">Ed and Jean got this beautiful shot of the water.</p></div>
<p>On this swim I counted; 1, 2, 1, 2 a lot and thought about inspirational things. I thought about a student from my first year of teaching that really struggled with math. Instead of quitting or failing he stayed after school every day to work to understand better. I channeled that thinking that yes I had lost my ok swim opportunity, but I had the choice to blow the actual rest of it by getting stuck in my head or I could do my best and keep on going. I admit I was so frustrated that I just wanted to just get pulled in and call it a day. It had been a really hard week and that seemed like an easy choice in the moment. Eventually I got out of the water and looked at my watch. 49 and change. Man, I would have had an ok time if it weren't for the goggles. I was at least grateful that it wasn't worse. I ran defeatedly and slowly toward my bike.</p>
<p><video height="405" width="100%" autoplay="" controls="" loop="" muted="" src="https://skirtrunner.com/static/video/clt.m4v"></video></p>
<iframe height="405" width="100%" src="https://www.strava.com/activities/2591774011/embed/47e8e451d304228d41a2bb757553e69a070638ab"></iframe>
<p>Next year’s goals:</p>
<ul>
<li>Swim unassisted with my little orange buoy a few more times.</li>
<li>Stop saying that I can’t swim. It is self-defeating and I can swim. I am just not fast.</li>
<li>Sort out the goggle leaking. I’m very sad about this because if it hadn’t happened I would have had a solid overall race PR.</li>
<li>Work on speed. My average HR was only 109 for this (if the watch was actually recording my hr properly - it seems extremely low). I can clearly swim harder without exhausting energy.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="bike-(1%3A29%3A04)">Bike (1:29:04)</h2>
<p>This was a slow start and it felt like a slow transition, but actually rather typical for me. I got on the bike and started up the hill. I was struggling with getting going, but I wasn't cold. Usually I'm freezing after the swim, but the bonus of the warm water was that I was totally comfortable. I've biked this course enough to know exactly what to expect. My parents had said they may get up and come watch us from a hotdog stand a couple of miles up the road. I would look for them. My mom was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer this year and she wasn't able to come last year so it meant a lot that they were considering coming. Sure enough they were at the top of the hill. I waved and shouted to them and they cheered for me. A little boost. I saw the Knapp family out in full force along with the MacCarricks. It is fun to know a few of the spectators.</p>
<p>In the past two weeks a couple of good things have happened on the bike for me. The first is that I have finally become comfortable in the aero bars. They sat on my bike so long unused that I considered just taking them off. I have no idea why but two weeks ago I got the courage to use them for more than just a minute. I have practiced a few times since then and they are very helpful. I also got a new bike seat. My friend Brenda got a new bike and gave her old seat to my friend Christina. Christina loved having a new seat and I have not enjoyed my seat. I said to Scott, "I'm buying a new seat" and ordered one from Terry. It arrived and it was ok on my first 25 mile ride. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it. I figured I would get used to it. However before my 2nd ride I asked Scott to adjust it so it didn't tilt up so much. He did but I still thought it was not comfortable. I had a little temper fit and said I just wanted to go back to my old seat. He and Elizabeth laughed at me but then he noticed my legs were hyperextended. My seat was too high. No wonder I didn't like it. Since he hadn't adjusted the height of anything when he put the new seat on we reasoned that my seat has been too high for awhile. No wonder I absolutely cannot get any power on the bike. We adjusted the seat and my bike rides have been MUCH better since. I look forward to the biking that remains for the season to continue getting better. I feel like I can get a full circle pedal rotation instead of just a forward stilted motion.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/08/AC6C78F6-6DAA-461F-8309-5F2567CA3BAA.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Thanks to T Wellott Photography for the image. " title="Thanks to T Wellott Photography for the image. " /><p class="stickyNote">Thanks to T Wellott Photography for the image. </p></div>
<p>The bike was good. I passed a few people, got passed by a few and generally tried to push myself as hard as I could. I wish the first half had been a little faster but it was a lot better than last year's ride so I was pleased.</p>
<iframe height="405" width="100%" src="https://www.strava.com/activities/2591775445/embed/5e75660fd56229536048324f0d0a1876b631d5d7"></iframe>
<p>This was a very solid bike ride for me. It is the portion of the tri that I am most pleased with. Still for next year I have some goals:</p>
<ul>
<li>Get more comfortable with the push/pull motion for biking.</li>
<li>Work on hills to improve the ascent out of the park.</li>
<li>Lofty goal is to hit 17 mph.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="run-(57%3A43)">Run (57:43)</h2>
<p>A little tired with a bit of a sore stomach is how I started this run. Big score: I remembered to take my bike helmet off! The transition wasn't too quick. After all, how quick can one be when they have to tie and velcro trail shoes? I stopped for Gatorade at the first water stop. I was hoping the energy from the drink would help me and that my stomach would settle quickly. The first part of this course is on grass. I ran along, looking forward to hitting the trail. The deal I made with myself this year was no cheering for other people. I didn't plan to be rude but couldn't really spend the energy talking and encouraging. Water stop #2 was upon me in a jiffy and I grabbed water and Gatorade as I walked through. Soon I was at the 3rd stop and I did the same thing. The way they have the stops set up you hit stops 2 and 3 on your way into the gorge and again on the way out. You wouldn't think a person would drink on the way into stop 3 and then again on the way out because it is literally like having water 2x in 100 yards, but yup I chose to do that. I ran at a fine clip in between stops but I acted like I was running the last 6 miles of a marathon, not a 10K as part of a tri. However, as I said to my friend Christina, "It seemed perfectly logical and necessary at the time."</p>
<p>On my 2nd loop I was coming up on a guy with 61 and S on his leg. That means he is 61 and he's doing the sprint distance. I love looking at the numbers on legs because it is something to focus on. I started to pass him and he said, "Hurry up and get it over with. Just pass me." I was surprised when he said this and looked at him saying, "You are doing great - almost done." His reply, "That's easy for an intermediate to say to a sprinter." I had already been thinking this at various points in the race but I reminded myself, "Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about." This guy was struggling with the mix of intermediate and sprint being out there and feeling defeated by being passed. I know the feeling as I’ve been there myself.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/08/4E9E1A2C-AEBD-47ED-B3BE-E72454C44E0B.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="T Wellott Photography also got this great show of me looking happy at the turnaround!" title="T Wellott Photography also got this great show of me looking happy at the turnaround!" /><p class="stickyNote">T Wellott Photography also got this great show of me looking happy at the turnaround!</p></div>
<p>For the last bit of the run I thought about that. I recently read a blog by a really good triathlete who gets to the podium in races yet in her blog she was discussing the things that hadn't gone well in her race. I thought about how my friends and family would feel about our respective efforts and what troubles we would focus on. Our effort that feels good enough in the moment but would it be once we saw results?</p>
<p>Soon I was nearing the finish to the cheering crowd. My parents had managed to get to the end of the race too. I didn't expect that. Because the parking area is closed for the race, they had parked near the Taughannock Farms Inn across the street and walked down on a path. It is a long walk for them yet it was something my mom had to do. She was "in the picture" at the tri for many many years and last year she wasn't well enough to come down. After the diagnosis we thought she would never be able to see it again. She said she wanted to be "in the picture" this year because she wouldn't be able to be next year. I'm focused about the now and I’m so grateful that she made it for this one. It meant a great deal to me that she was there to see me finish.</p>
<iframe height="405" width="100%" src="https://www.strava.com/activities/2591778101/embed/eda8c3afb31eae4c1d0ac160422a08b7bfa20ce4"></iframe>
<p>This run doesn’t represent my best effort. It represents my best effort while staying very comfortable. It should have felt harder. After all it is a race. I was 2 minutes over my best time for the overall race. Even with the rough swim I could have gained back those two minutes if I had pushed harder on this run. Goals for next year:</p>
<ul>
<li>Run the course to get a baseline.</li>
<li>Do some brick workouts. I didn’t do any this year and I wasn’t prepared for the start of the run.</li>
<li>Check in on tech during the run. I decided I didn’t want to know my pace - I wasn’t feeling mentally strong to know it this year. I should have made myself look.</li>
<li>Pre-decide to only hit one or two water stops. 9 is ridiculous unless it is insanely hot which it was not.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="post-race">Post Race</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/08/2019-06-1-4.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With my mom and dad and Scott after the race. So glad they made it down to see us!!" title="With my mom and dad and Scott after the race. So glad they made it down to see us!!" /><p class="stickyNote">With my mom and dad and Scott after the race. So glad they made it down to see us!!</p></div>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/08/2019-06-1-3.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="The 4 of us after the race! Psyched that this is a family tradition." title="The 4 of us after the race! Psyched that this is a family tradition." /><p class="stickyNote">The 4 of us after the race! Psyched that this is a family tradition.</p></div>
<p>The post race is usually my favorite part. It wasn’t quite as fun as usual this year though. Scott and the kids were in a local show and Scott was called at 1 pm. I felt like we just had to eat quickly and get home and I knew we would have none of the fun of sharing about our race and laying around together feeling accomplished. Additionally I was so late to finish that they were out of my favorite Julie Jordan veggie wrap. This wrap is one of my top reasons for doing this race. I settled for roast beef but I was really sad. We did have a small amount of time to enjoy lunch before I headed home to an afternoon of baking followed by a lot of clean-up and laundry from the race. My friend Brenda hit the age group podium and Christina went to watch awards with her. As we ate I looked at the water. It was calmer than when we raced. I suddenly wanted a redo. If only. And that's what next year is for!</p>
<p><a href="http://scorethis-results.com/ResultsMS.php?raceid=20190804CLTR">Official Results</a></p>
<ul>
<li>Swim 49:11, T1 2:19</li>
<li>Bike 1:29:04, T2 2:15</li>
<li>Run 57:43</li>
<li>Overall 3:20:32</li>
<li>6/9 age group</li>
<li>32/48 gender</li>
<li>116/146 overall Intermediate.</li>
</ul>
My 5th Gorges Half (2019)2019-06-15T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/my-5th-gorges-half-2019/<p>This was the 5th running of the Gorges Half and it was my 5th time running it!! During those 5 years the race has had 3 different courses. I thought back to each of them this morning.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/gorges-ithaca-half-marathon/">2015 (2:01:46)</a></strong> The course started by going up Remington hill. I remember being SO proud that Jenny and I ran the entire way up. It ran through Cornell's campus and it was a really challenging course.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/gorges-ithaca-half-marathon-2/">2016 (2:06:05)</a></strong> The course was different than the first year but still hilly! I ran with Christina and Jenny and had a really fun time.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/gorges-ithaca-half-marathon-3/">2017 (2:13:10)</a></strong> This year Christina and I intended to race it. It was a new course with a fast start and all downhill for the first half. Unfortunately Christina struggled a lot with cramping (she later learned it was due to low potassium levels and is something she will always have to deal with) so our focus turned to finishing. I'm so proud of her for sticking it out and finishing that day!</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/half-marathon/gorges-half-marathon-2018/">2018 (1:50:32)</a></strong> I raced it. I was pretty psyched with my time. It was solid and while my goal was 1:45, I was sick and I pulled this time off. The last 6 miles of this were really hard.</li>
<li><strong>2019 (1:56:50)</strong> A new course again. I was sad to be 5 a full 6 minutes slower than last year but proud of my time considering my training.</li>
</ul>
<p>This year we again had my dad drive us to the start <em>(thanks Dad)</em>! Scott decided we needed to be there by 7 so we could hit the porta potties before the race. I thought it was too early. THANK GOODNESS Scott won this argument. We arrived and chatted with a few other locals who had been dropped by friends and then saw the first wave of buses arrive. We dashed into the potties before the instant 20 minute line started.</p>
<p>After that Scott went to warm-up and the kids and I talked with different people. I haven't had great training this spring, I felt tired and I wasn't all that excited about the change in course (it now starts with an uphill and had less time on the Black Diamond trail).</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I don't want to do this. I don't even feel like running. Why did I sign up?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I said this all aloud to the kids as a man passed by us. He laughed and said, "it's a little late for that now you think?" Yes it is. Time to be positive.</p>
<p>We ran into my friend Rob and he asked how my training had been going. I started to give my typical "I haven't really been running" and "I don't feel prepared" when I realized that yes I have been running. It hasn't really been focused training but it is most certainly running. I run to <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/yoga/came-love-bikram-yoga/">Bikram Yoga</a> almost every Sunday on the Black Diamond trail and that run along with the yoga is a highlight of my week. It is meditative and relaxing and I really look forward to it. I workout consistently 6 days a week, lift weights 4 times a week and I run at least twice. My friend Christina said years ago that her goal was to always be half marathon ready. I just took that mantra from her and decided it would be mine too. Yes, I am always half marathon ready. Today was no exception.</p>
<h3 id="mantras-and-the-first-miles">Mantras and the first miles</h3>
<p>I am very good at focusing on ONE thing at a time. This year has been a year that I'm trying to focus on more than one thing and struggling to give everything its due attention. Like most people my focus is split between many things. This year it is:</p>
<ul>
<li>Teaching Middle School</li>
<li><a href="https://emoticakes.com/">Emoticakes</a></li>
<li>Being a good daughter</li>
<li>Being a good mom to my teenagers</li>
<li>Staying fit and ready to race</li>
</ul>
<p>Right now teaching and baking are winning out over the other 3. On a recent morning at breakfast Xander and I were talking about school for the millionth time and Elizabeth and Scott looked at each other and laughed. I said, "what?" They commented, "Is it possible that mom is more OCD about school than Xander <em>(our all school all the time boy)</em>?" I responded with "what are you talking about?" and Scott said nothing while Elizabeth said, "Dad we talked about this." They agree that both Xander and I are too focused on work. They are probably right. I think my running is suffering because I'm always "doing one more thing" for school and then dashing off right into baking.</p>
<h3 id="first-miles-and-mantras">First miles and mantras</h3>
<p>After openly making the comment that should have remained in my head I decided a positive mantra was needed. I chose, "trust your training" which is something that we always tell Xander about school when he's stressed. Just trust that you studied enough and that you are ready. I would trust my training today and accept that I had plenty of time on my feet even if it wasn't all the most ideal and focused running that one could have.</p>
<h3 id="data-free">Data free</h3>
<p>I didn't run tech free but at a half mile into the course I decided today I would not be looking at my watch at all. Yes, I'd have all the data when it was over but I would run by feel. I don't do this often and I didn't know what "by feel" would mean for me today. Some days I think I am running "fast" and I look down and I'm running 10 minute + miles. Looking down just makes me annoyed. Some days I feel slow and I look down and I'm running 8:30s and I feel joy. However unless I'm trying to hit a specific split, looking down to see my timing doesn't usually change my pace. I figured today would be no different and chose to enjoy the run without personal judgement.</p>
<h3 id="the-trail">The trail</h3>
<p>One change to this course from last year was that we started with an uphill and we were on road a lot longer before we hit the Black Diamond trail. I wasn't jazzed about that so I was THRILLED when we hit trail. I saw the mile marker for mile 4 1/4 when we got onto the trail SO I would be on this for 3 3/4 miles. I wished for longer but I'll take it. This part of the run was so happy. I was in my Sunday zen mode even though there were many many others with me. I cruised along filled with positivity, trying to keep the negative thoughts about what was coming up out of my head.</p>
<h3 id="cass-and-stewart-parks">Cass and Stewart parks</h3>
<p>A lot of people LOVE to run the trails in these parks. I wish I was one of them. I feel like the miles pass slowly through this area and I struggle to find joy in the terrain. I got water at mile 7 and said to myself that it was time to just power on and stay the course. I was over halfway. I set my sights on reaching the <a href="https://flxfitclub.com/">FLX Fit Club</a> crew that I knew would be set up a bit after the Ithaca farmer's market. One cool thing about this part of the course is that you can see people heading out of the trail as you are on the waterfront. This meant I could look for Lize.r.d. and see how her race was going. I saw that she was about a mile behind me so that gave me motivation to keep moving!! I saw mile 8 and then a gust of wind blew my airPod out of my ear. I caught it but engaged Siri and my music stopped. I got that all settled as I hit another aid station and grabbed some more water and sports drink. Soon I was through the market and I saw the FLX crew. They had watermelon and smiles to share and I got a nice little boost from seeing them. I hit Siri again trying to adjust my airPods and this time I had to stop to open my phone and fix the playlist. It had switched to classical music and that was not going to fly for several miles. The greatest thing about this part of the course was that somehow I missed the mile 9 marker! Soon I was running by the mile 10 marker.</p>
<p>The course from here crosses suspension bridges in Stewart park. These are so hard to get in sync on so it is a really odd stop and start motion. I ran into my friend Scott and Laura's son Austin and we chatted briefly as we ran along the bridges. The park was lovely and very soon it was time to head into the final stretch. Even without tech I knew I had slowed down a lot. I tried to rally and focus on form, while at the same time knowing that while I'd have very uneven splits for this race I really think you need to work with the course. Those early miles need to be quicker for me because I almost have a full halt in speed come the flats.</p>
<h3 id="beyond-mile-10">Beyond mile 10</h3>
<p>When I was a new teacher one of our training days included a presentation where we were asked to visualize a scene. It was supposed to invoke a calm feeling or something like that. I am embarrassed to say that I whined through the whole thing and refused to even shut my eyes. My middle school team of teachers probably thought, "Wow I have to teach with her? Yikes."</p>
<p>Today when I hit mile 10 it was so easy to visualize running out of my door and heading out for my neighborhood 3 mile loop. I could imagine where I was in the loop as the miles passed. I know the person hosting our presentation was surely trying to help us find our way to a coping place in times of stress or other need. With many more years of wisdom I can see how visualization is very helpful!</p>
<p>I focused on trying to move a little more quickly than I knew I was actually running and looked forward to the finish for these last 3 miles.</p>
<h3 id="how-did-you-do%3F">How did you do?</h3>
<p>After the race we got our favorite homemade energy bars <em>(<a href="https://www.cayugamed.org/">Cayuga Medical Center</a> makes them)</em> and refilled our new finisher water bottles. As we stood in line for water we met Ben, someone we know from <a href="http://www.vivataqueria.com/">Viva</a> which is one of our favorite restaurants in Ithaca. We didn't know his name so it was fun to be properly introduced. I asked him how his race was and he said it was ok. He hoped to be faster but he really didn't train that well.</p>
<p>I echoed what he said. I didn't train all that well. I wrote a plan and loosely followed it. Many days after work I was tired and while I put in the miles there wasn't much focus on speed - it was all just about getting the run in. On not so lovely weather days I chose to ride on my indoor bike and watch Gossip Girl on Netflix or use my elliptical and also watch Netflix. Maybe if I didn't have something to watch I would have made myself go outside! Sill I'm proud that on many a Sunday I went out for my run regardless of the weather. One of my very best runs was in the pouring rain on my way to Bikram.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/06/2019-05-1-3.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="All of us after the race. Photo by Brenda Michaud." title="All of us after the race. Photo by Brenda Michaud." /><p class="stickyNote">All of us after the race. Photo by Brenda Michaud.</p></div>
<h3 id="finally-the-beer-and-food">Finally the beer and food</h3>
<p>So yes I admit that part of this race is the beer and the food. I think it is just fun and decadent to be eating lunch at 10 am and enjoying beer. It seems crazy. It is nice to accomplish so much before noon and I absolutely love that our entire family does it together. This year there were so many people in cool outfits and matching clothing that I asked Elizabeth if she wanted to consider running in something fun next year. She's a maybe on that one!</p>
<p>Did you enjoy reading about the race? Head on over to <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/fifth-annual-gorges-ithaca-half-marathon-2019/">Scott's blog post</a> for more about his experience running this year's race!</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/06/2019-05-1-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Post-race on the Commons" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/06/2019-05-1-2.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Post-race on the Commons" />
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<h3 id="results">Results</h3>
<p>1:56:50; pace 8:56; Age Group 11/81; 132/641 females; 293/990 finishers.</p>
<p><a href="https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/26751/?customResultsPageId=29697&segmentId=238136&row=292">Official Results</a></p>
First Swim of 20192019-04-27T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/first-swim-of-2019/<p>After waiting until literally the last minute last year to swim, I decided that this year I would be more dedicated to practice for swimming. I don't expect to drastically improve my time, but I do hope to enjoy the process and the day itself a little more than last year!</p>
<p>On this very COLD and windy day in April in central New York, Scott and I drove into Ithaca. He would pick up some things from Wegmans and buy paint for our porch and I'd use the hour to swim. I paid the day rate at a local gym to swim, promising myself I'd get some time in the sauna to make it worth it!</p>
<h3 id="crowded-saturday-at-the-pool">Crowded Saturday at the pool</h3>
<p>I smiled when the first person I saw in the pool was my Total Immersion swim instructor, <a href="https://kaizen-durance.com/zenmans-bio/">Shane Eversfield</a>. The entire pool was full and initially it looked like it could be an elite swim class. I walked over to Shane who was clearly coaching a swimmer and asked him if he had the entire pool. He assured me he was just working with one person and suggested I ask the 4 gentlemen who were swimming really fast 50s and then doing calisthenics on the deck how long they planned to be there. If it was to be awhile, he said I should ask if I could share one of their two lanes. He said they were all 4 sharing one lane in waves just a few minutes prior. A kind man in one of the other doubled up lanes said I could share with him and with his daughter if I needed to.</p>
<p>I walked over to the men. They looked like they were training for an Iron Man or something similar so I was a little nervous. I asked and they stared at me for what felt like a long while. Yes they planned to stay a long while. Ok. You can share they said.</p>
<h3 id="the-apple-watch%2C-rungap-and-strava">The Apple watch, RunGap and Strava</h3>
<p>Last year I swam a couple of times with my Apple watch but I didn't pull the data out of the watch so I never really learned anything from it. And, I was also scared to look at the data. I knew it would reveal what I already know. I'm a slow swimmer. However, after two years of working on my shoulder mobility with PT exercises and regular acupuncture I'm ready to take data and actually look at it. After all, what you measure you can improve.</p>
<p>I LOVED using the watch because I didn't have to count laps and I knew it would record my splits. I stopped from time to time and I think it captured stopped time. Though, it has me stopped for just a little over 2 minutes over the course of the 47 minutes and change and it felt like a lot more so ... maybe I went a little faster than it thinks.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.rungap.com/">Run Gap</a> is an awesome app that lets you take your workouts from the watch and share them on Strava. It is literally been my saving grace for being able to continue to stay on Strava once I started to use the watch to record my workouts.</p>
<iframe src="https://www.strava.com/activities/2323818383/embed/adda0e7e8111d5dbe2fc9a767c8454b26eaab0a0" width="100%" height="205" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
<h3 id="what-i-learned">What I learned</h3>
<p>I found the time really enjoyable for a first swim for this season. I had brief thoughts about not going the distance and saying that 1000 meters was fine for a first swim and then remembered that I only plan to swim once a week using the gym's day rate. Each swim should be long enough to feel worth it.</p>
<p>The hot tub was too crowded to bother but I did enjoy drying off in the sauna after my swim.</p>
<p>I learned that my average 100 was just under 3 minutes. It is typical for me so I wasn't surprised. Here is a <a href="https://tgbtraining.com/2013/09/23/swim-pace-chart/">swim pace chart for triathlons.</a> It was helpful to see - my tri pace for the 1500 meters would be 47:50 at this pace. For reference, my swim time last year in open water was 49:01. When you figure that this adds in some run time to get to the timing mat it is pretty much what I'd expect for a race. Maybe if work at training more this year I can have a better swim time. Slow swimming aside, the actual day's time depends so much on the open water conditions.</p>
<p>All in all this was a good swim day.</p>
Skunk Cabbage Half Marathon 20192019-04-17T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/skunk-cabbage-half-marathon-2019/<p>It's not a race, it's not a race, it's not a race. This was my mantra for my 2019 running of the Skunk.</p>
<h3 id="injury-and-recovery-is-a-long-road">Injury and recovery is a long road</h3>
<p>I injured myself in August and have spent the last 7 months recovering. After months of reflection I finally accept that overtraining was the cause. My sister recently visited and we were reflecting on our August days in Oregon. We remembered 10-15 mile hiking days followed by family runs and group runs. This, after a summer of training and a spring of training with no breaks. I said aloud to the room, "maybe we shouldn't have run after our days of hiking." Sarah chuckled, "you think?" <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/musings/injury-and-recovery/">Read more about my injury and recovery</a>.</p>
<h3 id="i-signed-up-so-i-am-going-to-do-it">I signed up so I am going to do it</h3>
<p>Scott and the kids and I signed up for the race shortly after registration opened. The kids planned to do the 10K and Scott and I would again participate in the half. I knew I was in injury recovery mode but figured I'd be fine by April 7th. Then, the months went on and I became less certain.</p>
<p>Scott and I were talking one night and he said something about not being in quality shape to race it the way he had last year. I kind of snorted at him and said, "there's a difference between not being ready to race and not being ready to finish! I'm not even ready to finish." After this conversation I considered ditching the race and already planned on how I'd position it to Scott. We knew by now that Xander couldn't run because he had auditioned and accepted a role in a musical that conflicted and that Elizabeth was likely going to choose not to do it if her brother was not doing it. I figured Scott would be fine with my decision. He was actually more ready to race than I was! But in another part of my head I was worried that dropping out of this race could kick off a chain reaction of pulling from races and not trusting my recovery.</p>
<p>Then, one evening in mid-winter I bumped into my friend Melinda in Wegmans. We always talk race things when we see each other and we quickly started discussing the upcoming Skunk. "I hope to just finish" summed up how we were both feeling. For me saying this aloud to Melinda somehow sealed that I would actually participate in the race. The conversation served as a promise to myself and my friend. I knew after this that I would indeed run the Skunk.</p>
<h3 id="an-object-at-rest-stays-at-rest">An object at rest stays at rest</h3>
<p>Most winters I keep a 30 mile weekly running schedule. In fact it is one thing I've been relatively proud of as a runner. I run in any weather and I kick myself out the door before I can change my mind. This winter was different. I found myself thinking of Newton's 1st law of motion.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>An object at rest stays at rest. An object in motion stays in motion.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>When I injured my knee very early on in my running my PT said of my running. "Well you've already mastered Newton's first law." He proceeded to talk at length about staying in motion and keeping healthy. I internalized that and strongly identified with the motion part of the law. I got so attached to it that I started to struggle to see how the opposite could be true. My injury showed me that part. It is just as easy to stop running as it is to run. Suddenly after having a forced break from running I found myself opting for the elliptical when the weather wasn't great. I chose the stationary bike after work more times than I care to admit. While I wasn't exactly "at rest" I was certainly not choosing running as often as I should. I made a training plan that I barely followed and suddenly found my weekly mileage sorely lacking for a half marathon.</p>
<h3 id="a-winter-of-not-so-much-running">A winter of not so much running</h3>
<p>I am a person who usually does what I have to do at the very last possible minute that I can do it and still have some small amount of success. So, several weeks before the half I realized I actually had to run more than 8 miles in a row. Well, I didn't have to, but to have the race be at all fun I really should. I had struggled with out and back and loop runs in recent weeks for odd reasons. I would just hit a point where my mind refused to run. My body was fine but I would find myself negotiating with my body the way I did early on in my running. "run to that pole and then you can walk" and "you can walk to that pole and then you must run again."</p>
<h3 id="downhill-training-is-better-than-no-training">Downhill training is better than no training</h3>
<p>After a winter of barely 2 digit run week totals on March 18th I went out for 11 downhill miles mostly on the Black Diamond trail near my house. This was where I got my stress fracture to begin with, but it also provided a nice soft surface and would come with a ride home from Elizabeth. Scott was out of town on a business trip and that day at work we had a teacher training day so the kids were home. I don't handle these days well so I armed myself with a container of tea, hatched a plan to come home for lunch with the kids and used our plan as my motivation to get through the day.</p>
<p>When I returned home at the end of the day the kids shared that piano had been cancelled because their teacher was sick. That meant no one actually had to drive to Ithaca. Usually the kids go to piano and then get groceries at Wegmans before heading home. Usually Scott has Community Chorus rehearsal at night and I go to yoga. Today they had planned to get me on their way into piano and I'd sit and do work while they had lessons and the 3 of us have dinner at Wegmans. Oh man, at least I was still able to use this as motivation for the day. Now what though? I really shouldn't make them drive in to get me. Maybe I should suck it up and do an out and back?</p>
<p>Elizabeth said, "What about this? I get groceries while you are running and pick you up on my way home?" "YES! That would be amazing. Are you sure?" She was absolutely certain as long as I would agree to watch Jane the Virgin with the two of them after dinner instead of going to yoga. Scott doesn't like this show so we don't find too many opportunities to watch it. "Sure thing. I can skip yoga," I said.</p>
<p>I had a delightful, albeit snowy run to Ithaca. It felt safe and familiar as I listened to a podcast for the first 3 or 4 miles and then switched to music for the second part. I focused on gratitude for the ability to run and tried hard to not think about pace at all. After this day I had one more nice long run (same route) before the race. I wasn't thrilled with my haphazard training but knew my body would be fine for 13 slower than normal race miles.</p>
<h3 id="race-morning">Race morning</h3>
<p>We woke to sun and a forecast calling for temps in the 50s on race day. I have learned from experience that this means shorts and a tank top. I decided on disposable gloves too, just in case. I gave little thought to my clothing choices though, selecting a new Athleta tank that Elizabeth had bought me for Christmas. Halfway to the race I realized I didn't want to pin into it. I decided my shorts would be a fine surface for pinning.</p>
<p>As we popped out of the parking garage I realized neither of us was carrying a phone. That means no pictures. Bummer.</p>
<h3 id="and-i-knew-it-was-going-to-be-a-good-race-when">And I knew it was going to be a good race when</h3>
<p>The very first person I bumped into that I knew was my friend Melinda. "Do you have your phone?" She did. "Can you take a picture of us!!" She was happy to oblige. I reminisced about seeing her that day and knowing that once I told her I was going to run the race that I would actually run it. That morning it felt like a good omen to see her. We were both here despite our doubts of being ready. The Skunk felt just like it always does to me - a chance to see running friends as we all emerge from our respective winters. I suddenly felt really happy to be here.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/04/2019-03-1-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Melinda before the race" title="With Melinda before the race" /><p class="stickyNote">With Melinda before the race</p></div>
<h3 id="the-start-and-beyond">The start and beyond</h3>
<p>I popped into the start pack near my friend Brenda and Michael. I waved to a few other friends and soon the gun went off. Just stay slow was my mantra for the day. I was running without music (required for this race) and felt a little bummed about it. I listened to lively conversations and looked for people I knew as I ran. Shortly into the race I ran a few steps with my friends Jeff and Ashley. It was fun to see them out on the course.</p>
<p>At a 9:09 mile my pace felt pretty comfortable. I was running slow enough that I could take things in and I wasn't using up energy having a conversation with anyone. I briefly considered trying to race this and pushing the pace. Ultimately I didn't though. I likened racing after my winter of training to secretly hoping for an A on a test when I hadn't cracked a book to study. Today my job was to enjoy the run.</p>
<h3 id="the-final-countdown-and-other-spectating-notes">The Final Countdown and other spectating notes</h3>
<p>At mile 4.6 a pair of teenage boys played The Final Countdown on their instruments. I couldn't help but chuckle since we were not anywhere near the end of this race. I smiled though and got a nice boost from their music. Toward mile 7 there was a big crew of people cheering for a specific person. They were playing music from their car and were just generally positive. Spectators have such power for mood lifting! As we turned left into the mile 7-9 slog I knew that the Hashers and their aid stop would soon arrive. Chalk affirmations started to appear in the road and soon the familiar "Beer Near" mark was there. They offered the standard Gatorade and water but also had beer and mimosas. I smiled as the memory of Christina's first mimosa on this course came into my head. I opted for Gatorade and water and continued toward the hill at mile 9.5.</p>
<h3 id="my-hill-buddy-and-later-my-finish-partner">My hill buddy and later my finish partner</h3>
<p>As I rounded the corner and started up the hill I saw a woman power hiking just ahead of me. I took note of my stride against hers and realized I would move faster if I were to power hike. I joined her and we exchanged a quick hello. At the top of the hill we were again serenaded by The Final Countdown boys. This time it felt appropriate.</p>
<p>Soon it was time to head down and start the home stretch!! The last miles were gently downhill and/or flat and I felt pretty good. I didn't feel like I could change my speed much but I was in fine spirits. I set my goal on passing 10 people in the last 2 miles, just like the goal I had set for Christina a couple years ago when we ran this together.</p>
<h3 id="the-last-mile">The last mile</h3>
<p>I didn't quite hit my goal but it gave me some focus and I managed to pass 6 people. Two of them I had been running behind since mile 5. As I ran near them I learned from their conversation that they had just met while running that morning, found themselves near the same pace and just ran together. Scott often manages to connect with people like that on the course but I never have. I think it is cool when that happens though!</p>
<p>I saw the photographer on the last corner and knew it was time to run it in. Racing or not, I was definitely going to run the home stretch as quickly as I could. I saw my hill buddy up ahead of me and decided to run it in with her saying, "come on hill buddy let's get this!"</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/04/81030788-6A2A2232-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Near the finish. Picture by Steve Gallow." title="Near the finish. Picture by Steve Gallow." /><p class="stickyNote">Near the finish. Picture by Steve Gallow.</p></div>
<p>I crossed at 2:01 and change - not really a great time for me. Under 2 without proper training would have been lovely but not deserved.</p>
<h3 id="awards-and-yoga">Awards and yoga</h3>
<p>After the Master's winner was stripped off, Scott came in first in his age group so we were waiting around for awards. I ran into my co-teacher, Rocco at the race. His girlfriend had run and he enjoyed spectating. He congratulated me on a nice run and then I headed over to get some yogurt. My friend Laurel walked over as I was starting to peer at results and said, "Congrats you both got 2nd in your age group." I thought, Huh? why would that be? Last year I ran a good race and didn't get anything and this year I run much more slowly and get an award. Laurel ran SO much faster than I did and didn't win an age group award. I found that laughable and remembered that racing really is all about who shows up. Turns out that after Master's winner was stripped off both Scott and I left with first place. Pretty fun! <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/skunk-cabbage-half-marathon-2019/">Read all about Scott's race</a>.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2019/04/2019-03-9.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Someone offered to take our picture after we got our awards. So sweet!" title="Someone offered to take our picture after we got our awards. So sweet!" /><p class="stickyNote">Someone offered to take our picture after we got our awards. So sweet!</p></div>
<p>We went home and fell into our typical post race pattern. Reflect on the race. Think about how fun it was. Look ahead to the next one and how we'll do better. We walked around our loop with our new bunny and Elizabeth and then I did some baking for my business before we headed back in for Bikram Yoga.</p>
<p>Laurel, Brenda, Scott and I took front row spots and enjoyed an amazing session of Bikram at <a href="https://puresweatyoga.com/">Pure Sweat Yoga</a>. Yes it was challenging post race but in a really good way. I admit that I looked forward to the laying down part of the session from the very first breath! Since it was Xander's last show that afternoon, we all met up for dinner after he finished with the set deconstruction. Of course we chose Viva. Our favorite waiter (friend Scott) waited on us for our post race/post yoga/post show dinner!!</p>
<div class="main-carousel" data-flickity='{ "fullscreen": true, "wrapAround": "true", "autoPlay": "3000", "pauseAutoPlayOnHover": true }'><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/04/2019-03-1-2.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Delicious Viva!" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2019/04/2019-03-4-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Our favorite server!" />
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<h2 id="race-results">Race Results</h2>
<iframe src="https://www.strava.com/activities/2273596692/embed/0194d2ab67e9d554e1cf2601695f7ee26fb9f532" width="100%" height="405" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
<p>Time 2:01:47<br />
Age Group 2 of 22<br />
Gender 80 of 227<br />
Overall 226 of 452</p>
Injury and Recovery2019-03-12T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/injury-and-recovery/<p>I haven't posted in a LONG while. Late August I was on a run and I felt pain in my right foot. I thought my laces were tied too tight so I loosened them. My run was on trail for a leisurely 12 miles. I was meeting my husband and kids for BodyPump in Ithaca. It was routine for me to run there on occasion. Two miles later and my foot was hurting more. I loosened my laces again. "I'm wearing shoes that I rarely wear," I thought. "They are just too tight across the top." Still, no better. A couple more miles and I called Scott. "I'm limping now. I hope I can make it to the end of the trail in time that you can pick me up for BodyPump."</p>
<p>We had just returned from our trip to Oregon. The trip was filled with lots of long hikes and late day runs. Xander was missing the first week of pre-season for cross country and he was determined to put in the miles he was expected to have for that week. Each day we had done hikes of 10+ miles and each late afternoon or early evening we went out for a 3-6 mile run. The air was smoggy because of forest fires and it was really dry. I had found the runs to be challenging but I did them anyway.</p>
<h3 id="maybe-i-didn't-break-it">Maybe I didn't break it</h3>
<p>Assuming it was bruised, I tried arnica gel and acupuncture. Both made my foot feel moderately better, but I was still limping. I started to avoid walking as much as possible. When I did walk, I walked on my heel. I convinced myself it was getting slightly better, but really I just changed my habits. School had started and my classroom is on the 2nd floor. I struggled to get through the day. Getting copies made, standing to teach all day and getting upstairs to begin with was a challenge. Plus I felt like I was dragging my foot around and that was embarrassing.</p>
<h3 id="sports-medicine">Sports medicine</h3>
<p>I called the doctor and got a pretty immediate appointment - thank goodness! I think I called on a Wednesday and had a Friday afternoon appointment. When I walked in and started answering questions, it was a quick diagnosis. Stress fracture of the third metatarsal on my right foot. 3 to 6 weeks in a boot. "So" ... I asked while trying not to cry. "What can I do for fitness?" She hesitated a very long time during which I added, "I work out every day. Is there anything I can still do?"</p>
<p>We had a conversation and I managed to hold back tears. I was allowed to swim without using my legs and lift upper body. After my boot came off I could elliptical and bike.</p>
<p>I got my boot. Thankfully I was able to get that right after my appointment Friday. I came home and modeled the boot and we went out to dinner at Atlas to "celebrate" my diagnosis.</p>
<h3 id="settling-into-the-reality">Settling into the reality</h3>
<p>I tried to do anything athletic that I could. One day I came home from work and hopped on the rower in our home gym. I held my booted foot stationary and rowed. Scott walked in and said, "Really?" Soon my daughter popped her head in and started laughing. They both pointed out that you could easily overwork something even if you were strapped into a boot. Instead I went swimming <em>(not using my legs)</em> and lifted my upper body as much as I could.</p>
<p>Soon though I settled into the reality. I wasn't going to see my friends for months <em>(the only thing I do with my friends is run and hike)</em> and I wasn't going to be able to enjoy after school hikes with Elizabeth. She is a senior this year and she opted out of cross country for her senior year. Figures that this is the one year I'm injured. I also missed adult cross country season. It was especially hard during the local race. We had signed up to host the after race party and I was stuck home setting up for the party and then attending as the injured one.</p>
<h3 id="the-bright-side">The bright side</h3>
<p>As I got used to the boot I started to enjoy the time I had. Suddenly I wasn't working out during most of my "free" time. My <a href="https://emoticakes.com/">baking work</a> was a little more relaxing and I was able to dedicate all of Saturday morning and Sunday morning to my school work instead of splitting it between work and working out. I felt left out of the family but I threw myself into work. I did get lonely and missed my friends and was super eager to get it off, but I felt like I had more patience for it than I expected I would.</p>
<h3 id="mithacal-milers">Mithacal Milers</h3>
<p>When I talked with the doctor at diagnosis and told her about my winter running in a group called Mithacal Milers she furrowed her brow and said, "maybe you can run fast again by winter." How far do you run every week? "30-40 miles I said." She said it would be a long while before I was back to my normal running load.</p>
<h3 id="and-six-weeks-are-up">And six weeks are up</h3>
<p>I ended up in the boot for the 6 weeks and slowly returned to things like elliptical and the bike. I stopped swimming for the time being and started to do BodyPump at home again <em>(skipping lunges and squats)</em>.</p>
<p>Soon it was time for the time trial for <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/training/mithacal-miles/">Mithacal Milers</a>. I had my first hike on <a href="https://www.strava.com/athlete/calendar/2018#Oct">October 14th</a>. Thank you Strava! My first run was on October 30th. I ran to meet my friend Kathey at the overlook of Taughannock Falls State Park - our regular hiking spot near home. This 3.5 mile run was challenging. Suddenly a short run felt never ending!</p>
<p>Very slowly I started to run again. On December 15th I finished a <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/2021088557">6 mile run</a> - my longest since being injured. I ran on the soft terrain of the relatively flat Black Diamond trail. I came home both thrilled and disappointed. "I can't believe a 6 mile run feels that LONG." I shared. The doctor was right that it would be awhile.</p>
<h3 id="mom-is-diagnosed">Mom is diagnosed</h3>
<p>Late December into January was a very tough time. My mom was admitted to the hospital a few days after Christmas and after what felt like a very long time she was diagnosed with Metastatic breast cancer. A few days after her return from the hospital, our dear rabbit, Snowball died. Both of my sisters came to help my mom <em>(they alternated)</em> and I spent as much time as I could in the hospital. I know they would both say I did virtually nothing to help <em>(I'm so terrified of medical things and truly useless in these situations)</em> but I spent very little time sleeping and most every run during this time was an opportunity to sob. Most runs I would make it out of the neighborhood and be sobbing by 1/4 mile. It was a good way to get crying out, but not the best for having good running experiences. I did manage a couple runs with friends during this time and one run with my sister Sarah. I feel grateful for these opportunities.</p>
<h3 id="and-that-fast-running-...">And that fast running ...</h3>
<p>Never happened. Still struggling to hit regular miles I just had a bad feeling about running fast. I am not terribly competitive <em>(meaning that if I can't do a workout I would be ok dropping back)</em> but in this group I knew in the back of my mind that I would struggle to do that. I had signed up for the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/hartshorne-masters-mile/">Hartshorne Masters Mile.</a> I transferred my sign-up to my friend Tonya since she hadn't registered yet. Scott went up to do the mile and I was rather sad not to be participating. Last year this race was my first ever mile race and it was fun. I stayed home and baked and worked on school work.</p>
<h3 id="time-for-the-skunk-cabbage-half">Time for the Skunk Cabbage half</h3>
<p>It is only a few weeks until the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/run/skunk-cabbage-half-marathon/">Skunk Cabbage</a> half marathon. This race is where you shake off the winter blues, see everyone you know from running season and just get re-energized. I ran it with a group of friends one year and then with my friend Christina another. Last year I "raced" it .. sort of. It was snowing and freezing and I ran it as quickly as I was able for the time of year. This year. Well, I hope to finish. I ran an 8 mile out and back run on Sunday and considered going for 10 but because I had to get to Bikram yoga after my run I cut it at 8. Thank goodness I decided to turn around at mile 4. By mile 7 my legs were exhausted and I was thinking, "you are going to do a half marathon how?"</p>
<p>I'm sure it will be fine. I'll be embarrassed by my time and disappointed that I can't race it, but I will focus on the positives. I CAN run! I am recovering. My mom is getting treatment that will hopefully help her. We have a new rabbit and a great video of Snowball to remind us forever of how much of a part of our lives he was. Spring is coming and my running will get back to normal.</p>
<h3 id="final-thoughts">Final thoughts</h3>
<p>I have more respect for my body now. If I could do things over I would have skipped the Oregon running. I know that the running on top of the hiking was just too much. It followed a summer of a lot of training and I should have just enjoyed the evenings by the pool and rested my legs.</p>
<p>It was a reminder of just how much time you lose when you are injured. I've watched my sister come back from injury and she always tells me that she isn't in the shape she was before the injury. I never really understood .. until I was injured. You lose running fitness FAST. The other things stay fine - elliptical, indoor cycling, lifting etc seemed easy to get back to but running. Wow. Even after a few months of slowly working back up the mileage I have to bargain with myself, kick myself out the door and negotiate all the time. I feel like a brand new runner with the exception of already knowing that running ultimately does make you feel great - you just have to get to that point. I look forward to being there again sometime soon!</p>
Goodbye Summer Bikram2018-09-03T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/goodbye-summer-bikram/<p>As I write this it is hard to even comprehend that it is already September 3rd. I go back to work tomorrow as the 2018-2019 kicks off for school. I'm excited! I'm ready. But, I'm also sad that summer has come to an end so quickly. As the summer draws to an abrupt end, I write this post to remember my first summer of Bikram at <a href="https://puresweatyoga.com/">Pure Sweat Yoga</a> in Ithaca.</p>
<h2 id="summer-early-morning-bikram">Summer early morning Bikram</h2>
<p>As summer approached, Scott and I talked about the possibility of taking an early morning class regularly. I know that my friend Kathleen <em>(who introduced this practice to me)</em> goes in the summer so I was excited by the chance to take class with her. We'd get yoga finished before the day began, and have little impact on the family. We get up at 5 every day already so it shouldn't be that hard to be out the door at 6 for the 6:30 class.</p>
<p>Those who know me well know that dealing with change isn't my strong suit. Moving from our late afternoon and evening classes to a morning class proved harder for me than I thought. I can do Les Mills BodyPump at 6 am or 8 pm and it pretty much doesn't matter. But I think Bikram requires a certain mental readiness that isn't needed for the other things I do.</p>
<p>The first summer class it was warm and rainy. I was tired and had a small coffee before we dragged ourselves into the room. There were only 5 of us. We decided to give the front row a try <em>(because with 5 people there was no need for a back row).</em> It was SO hard and my biggest problem was being that close to a mirror!! I am definitely not "front row ready" yet!</p>
<p>I realized at that morning class that I wasn't as flexible at that hour and since I'm so inflexible already, I feel like I need all the help I can get! If later in the day is better for my flexibility then I decided I was going to stick with that.</p>
<p>We stopped to get our Gimme! coffee and our almond croissant and lamented that it was too bad that we'd never be going back to a morning class. If only we were more flexible. If only we had more energy ... if only.</p>
<h2 id="scheduling">Scheduling</h2>
<p>The next week Scott couldn't go for some reason I don't remember, so I went to an evening class alone, and then the following week we found ourselves totally solo in the house. Both kids had camp and we realized that maybe we should give that morning slot another chance.</p>
<p>This time it was a lovely sunrise for what looked like it was going to be a beautiful day. I had learned from my first morning class to skip the pre-class coffee because it had made me feel shaky during class, and there were a few more people here. I happily assumed my typical 2nd row position.</p>
<p>Denise was our instructor that morning. She had a way of making you feel like everything in the world was possible - not just for that moment but for the entire day. I felt more flexible than I had on the rainy morning, and I left feeling exhilarated. She most certainly pulled out the best in me, leaving me ready to face anything!</p>
<p>Scott and I sauntered across the street with our sopping wet hair and sweaty limbs and stood in line for our special morning treat. I got my usual cold-brewed coffee with oat milk and an almond croissant and Scott tried a fun coffee flavor and joined me in selecting a croissant. We drove home chatting about our amazing class and vowed to make it a weekly thing.</p>
<h2 id="and-mostly-we-did">And mostly we did</h2>
<p>We settled into a pattern of Wednesday mornings with Denise pretty much all summer. On Scott's birthday it was also our friend and fellow classmate Laurel's birthday the next day. In honor of the birthdays Denise had us do 2 extra camel poses. Camel comes pretty far into the Bikram series, and sometimes I struggle to get through the 2 we already do. I laughed when she suggested 4 thinking she was kidding. She wasn't. However, the energy in the room was so fun and positive that I gave them a go. I actually made it through 4 of them!!</p>
<p>Our 20th anniversary also fell on a Wednesday, and we mentioned it when we walked in. Denise asked us for some advice on how to make it 20 years. Scott said something semi elegant sounding and I know I said something most truly lame, but I answered her question the best way I could at 6:30 am, feeling a little embarrassed by my reply. I didn't think much more of it at all and then the end of class came. Denise closed class with a beautiful paragraph about love and commitment and marriage. She took our totally raw sounding words and weaved them into a beautiful poetic sounding meditation for us all to end by. I left feeling stronger, inspired and ready to face the world again. And then trotted across the street to <a href="https://gimmecoffee.com/">Gimme!</a> to wrap up my perfect early morning time.</p>
<h2 id="vacation-and-the-end-of-summer">Vacation and the end of summer</h2>
<p>"Maybe we can find a Bikram studio on vacation," Scott said as we got ready to head out to Oregon for 2 weeks. "I'm sure we could" I said. The last time we went to Oregon we had sought out a Les Mills gym and it was fun, but this time I really didn't want to bring anything from our normal life with us. I just wanted to hike and explore and have no class commitments. He smiled and said he understood. So we took two weeks fully off from Bikram. I realized I hadn't done that since starting in March. I have even remarked many times that it is something I absolutely have to do once a week because it is so hard I don't want that starting over feeling!</p>
<p>We had a delightful vacation, but by the time we returned home we had missed almost 3 weeks of class because we had skipped due to the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/triathlon/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2018/">CLT</a> the week prior to our leaving. The summer was almost over and this would be our last morning class with Denise. We relished every second of the 90 minute stretching, and went to enjoy our coffee afterwards. On the way home we remarked about how amazing it was that a time slot we had just started in late June had become so important to us. Scott could technically choose morning classes with his flexible work schedule, but I have to switch back to evenings and/or weekends.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/09/IMG_8613.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Before our last summer morning class." title="Before our last summer morning class." /><p class="stickyNote">Before our last summer morning class.</p></div>
<p>As we went to order our last post Bikram Gimme! coffee we struck up a conversation with our Barista. He looked at us and said a little timidly, "Did you run here?" We looked down at ourselves and laughed, "oh we just came from Bikram across the street." He smiled and asked how many people had been in class, how our class was etc. We asked if he'd ever been and he said he had, but should get there more often.</p>
<p>30 minutes later I was hosting a wedding cake tasting in my bakery kitchen and I was sharing about our morning <em>(because I hadn't had time to make myself look truly presentable after class and was still enjoying my coffee).</em> The bride to be shared that she worked for Gimme! and asked me if the owner was there after mentioning one of the baristas by name. I said I wasn't sure but then described my conversation at our checkout. "Oh yes that is Kevin" she said. "He's very gregarious and gets into great conversations with the patrons." It was a cool interaction - small world. And I was rather thrilled that on our last day of morning class we got to chat with the owner of Gimme!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/09/IMG_2007.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Our last Gimme! morning post Bikram." title="Our last Gimme! morning post Bikram." /><p class="stickyNote">Our last Gimme! morning post Bikram.</p></div>
<h2 id="and-the-times-they-are-a-changin'">And the times they are a changin'</h2>
<p>In anticipation of fall schedules, we went to the Sunday afternoon class yesterday. It is a class we frequented before switching to morning and it is our plan for fall. We have this new family thing where each member of the family is in charge of one dinner for the week, and Sunday is Xander's day. Elizabeth bakes for my bakery, <a href="http://www.emoticakes.com/">Emoticakes</a> and Xander has the afternoon to prep his meal <em>(we had to give Xander a weekend day because he always selects challenging meals with a lot of prep).</em> Because of the kids' schedules, this time slot is PERFECT. We go to yoga and arrive home to dinner being ready.</p>
<p>Because it is the last week of summer and we're smushing everything we can into the day, I had hiked with Elizabeth and then gone swimming at Island prior to the class. Our hike wasn't terribly strenuous. I hurt my foot a week ago while running and am only just starting to feel better <em>(though this hike made me think I may need to see a doctor).</em> My swim was WONDERFUL. I haven't been able to run for a week, so biking and swimming have been an amazing gift to have as options while my foot is hurt. I swam a mile and then lounged in the hot tub for a bit before going to Bikram.</p>
<p>And I've never gone to Bikram after doing another workout. I thought it would be a perfect post-swim thing. I realized about 5 minutes in that it was most certainly NOT a good post-swim plan. I was so water logged that I started sweating instantly. I had to lay down during a few poses early in the sequence and after about 40 minutes I actually had to leave class. I have never left class before. I was just so hot and so tired from my prior activities. My only desire was to cool off enough to survive the floor portion of class. I sat outside the studio for what felt like forever, and then re-entered the room just as they were switching to the floor portion.</p>
<p>Our class had a guest instructor for the afternoon and we were lucky to have 3 of the regular instructors in our class; <a href="https://puresweatyoga.com/denise-green/">Denise</a>, <a href="https://puresweatyoga.com/beth-rodgers/">Beth</a>, and studio owner <a href="https://puresweatyoga.com/lilly-koken/">Lilly</a>. It was fun to watch their flexibility <em>(yes we're supposed to be looking at ourselves, but I'm still working on that bit)</em> and I couldn't help but feel some pangs of jealousy as I looked at Denise doing a most perfect bow pose while I laid there looking like a beached whale.</p>
<p>...And the 2nd half of class went fine. I was cooler from my rest, and had probably already sweated out most of the water I dragged in with me from the pool. I had never left class before, but it was the right choice for today. It allowed me to feel ok for the 2nd portion and give it my full effort.</p>
<p>After class, as we drove we remarked that it was hard to switch from morning to afternoon. I felt more tired from the day and less able to handle the work of the class. I know that will change as abruptly as the seasons. I laugh as I write this because I know soon I'll again wonder how I ever managed the 6:30 am class and switch back into my late afternoon or evening time. I also have blissful summer mornings to look forward to next year.</p>
<p>We arrived home to Xander finishing his 3 course meal for us. Tomato salad, homemade gnocchi and homemade tomato sauce and homemade tiramisu. He'd made his tiramisu the day prior, but had spent the last 4 hours preparing this meal. Elizabeth had folded the MOUNTAIN of laundry we had laying on the bed. We laughed and talked over dinner and took the rabbit for a walk around our loop. It's been a truly magnificent summer!</p>
Hamilton Mountain2018-08-29T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/hiking/hamilton-mountain/<h2 id="quiggly-comes-along!">Quiggly comes along!</h2>
<p>This was my first ever hike with Sarah's dog, Quiggly. I'd just met him for the first time a few days prior and she suggested that he might enjoy our hike up <a href="https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Hamilton_Mountain_Loop_Hike">Hamilton Mountain</a> in Washington. If Quiggly was game, we were happy to have him!! He is a little dog but he is a trooper. Sarah thought he'd manage to hike most of the trip as long as we were ok with his pace. After two days of family hikes, we felt fine about letting this little dog set our pace for us.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_0646.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Our hiking companion for Hamilton Mountain" title="Our hiking companion for Hamilton Mountain" /><p class="stickyNote">Our hiking companion for Hamilton Mountain</p></div>
<h2 id="we-need-the-discover-pass">We need the Discover Pass</h2>
<p>When we arrived on our trip, we picked up our <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r6/passes-permits/recreation/?cid=fsbdev2_027010">annual Northwest Forest pass</a>. This $30 pass gets you into pretty much any trailhead so we thought we were all set. However, after crossing the Bridge of the Gods, when we arrived at Beacon Rock State Park in Washington, Sarah pulled out the <a href="http://www.discoverpass.wa.gov/">Discover Pass</a> that she had bought for the trip. Also $30, it is needed at many Washington trails and is new since the last time we went. We could have used a $5 day pass, but she reasoned she and Adam would use this for the whole year so it made sense.</p>
<h2 id="there-are-facilities-here">There are facilities here</h2>
<p>Most of the trail heads don't have facilities, or if they do they are composting toilets. We were pleasantly surprised to find actual plumbed bathrooms at Hamilton Mountain. I suppose with it being right off the highway it isn't too surprising, but still it was nice to have them for washing off dust afterwards, changing clothes etc.</p>
<h2 id="the-hike">The hike</h2>
<p>It is different hiking with a small dog. In many ways it is like hiking with young children. You get more attention, meet people on the trail and talk more. The pace was totally comfortable and we found we enjoyed the surroundings more than when we're pushing through our pace as a family. This was a perfect family + dog hike especially since it was the first day of our trip we had a lot of time to catch up with Sarah and enjoy time with Quiggly.</p>
<p>Near the waterfall we crossed a log bridge that reminded me of Thunder Mountain or Splash Mountain in Frontierland in Disney. Both Scott and I remarked about this. It made our Disney lover, Xander, happy to feel like he was enjoying a piece of his Disney world. Sarah carried Quiggs across the bridge because she was worried his little paws could get caught in the gaps between the wooden slats.</p>
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<h2 id="merrill-magic">Merrill Magic</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_1621.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Lemonade with a skewer of blueberries near the top of a mountain!" title="Lemonade with a skewer of blueberries near the top of a mountain!" /><p class="stickyNote">Lemonade with a skewer of blueberries near the top of a mountain!</p></div>
<p>As we neared the top of a long series of switchbacks we saw something that looked like a lemonade stand in the distance. Could this be? Were people really out on the mountain with a lemonade stand? As we got closer, we realized that yes indeed this was a lemonade stand!! Merrill partnered with Backpacker Magazine as part of their <a href="https://www.merrell.com/US/en/merrell-magic/">Merrill Magic</a> campaign. A couple was manning the station, offering lemonade with lovely little blueberry skewers. We spent a long time up there chatting with them, enjoying the lemonade and the views.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_1648.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Group photo after enjoying our free lemonade!" title="Group photo after enjoying our free lemonade!" /><p class="stickyNote">Group photo after enjoying our free lemonade!</p></div>
<h2 id="the-slog-to-the-top">The slog to the top</h2>
<p>After we left the lemonade stand, we started the final ascent. This part was well treed and just a bit of a slog. We were all kind of hungry due to our late start so the conversation was flowing less freely. We knew that the actual top of the mountain was just a bunch of bushes with limited views, but that we'd wander a bit more up there and see some things. The day was hazy, so the views weren't magnificent but we weren't totally locked in with no visibility either.</p>
<p>We arrived at the top and had a quick snack of trail mix before wandering another mile over to the saddle portion of the mountain for our picnic lunch.</p>
<h2 id="and-that-picnic-lunch">And that picnic lunch</h2>
<p>When we first started hiking it was all peanut butter and jelly all the time. Between that and trail mix and apples our lunch was just too sweet. We always threw in some carrots, and quickly noticed they became the most coveted food of the hike.</p>
<p>As we've all grown older we have changed our trail eating. Some days we just throw in a container of hummus and a bunch of veggies to support our trail mix. Today we brought a container of hummus, a big package of carrots, grapes and some <a href="https://www.juanitasfinefoods.com/">Juanita's tortilla chips</a>. Juanita's is our staple chip when we do Mexican fiesta in Oregon - and of course our family can't go a week without at least one meal being what we call our Mexican fiesta <em>(just quesadillas, homemade guacamole and chips and corn - nothing fancy).</em></p>
<p>We sat on top of the mountain along with a couple other groups of people enjoying our yummy lunch. We have no pictures of us eating lunch, but a few scenic shots.</p>
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<h2 id="elizabeth-walked-the-dog">Elizabeth walked the dog</h2>
<p>Quiggly has his own Instagram page - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/quiggquigg/">Instagram @quiggquigg</a> if you want to follow him! Elizabeth isn't terribly fond of any dogs, and is actually scared of most dogs. Sarah has had Quiggs for a year though and Elizabeth follows his page and hears stories about him. He is little and totally harmless. She found herself falling in love so much that she actually walked him for a long stint as we headed downhill. She struggled to say goodbye to him each day saying that she could see herself having a dog like Quiggly.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_8497.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Elizabeth walking Quiggly down the mountain." title="Elizabeth walking Quiggly down the mountain." /><p class="stickyNote">Elizabeth walking Quiggly down the mountain.</p></div>
<h2 id="pizza-and-beer">Pizza and beer</h2>
<p>One of the best parts of hiking is being tired and dusty and hungry afterwards. I associate Oregon with mostly being off the grid and spending long hiking days only to "emerge back into civilization" at the end of the day to enjoy dinner.</p>
<p>This only fit the criteria because of our slower pace with Quiggly, otherwise it would have been a shorter day. But, it was extremely hot and we had been out hiking for 5+ hours. Add that the drive is a bit over an hour and we put in a full day. We started to discuss our food options. Oregon is not as friendly and welcoming to dogs as I mistakenly thought. I had been telling a friend here how there are dogs everywhere in restaurants. Yes there are, but it turns out they are all outside. Some restaurants allow your dog to sit near you but others have dog areas and they separate you from your dog.</p>
<p>Scott and I wanted to have beer so we thought we'd head to Hood River and hit a brewery. Elizabeth and Xander love Hood River and it was a perfect day to head there. Upon arriving at our brewery choice, Scott and I went in to inquire about the dog accommodations and the wait time. The wait was reasonable, but the dogs were required to be separated from owners in their own dog area. That wouldn't work for sensitive little Quiggly so we searched out another alternative. We found <a href="http://solsticewoodfirecafe.com/food">Solstice</a>; a lovely little pizza place with great outdoor seating. They welcomed dogs, allowing them to sit with their owners on the patio. A bonus? They could seat us right away!</p>
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<p>After our late afternoon meal, we wandered over to watch the wind and kitesurfers. Scott got a short video of one of our favorite things at Hood River.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyOEcwwrnAA">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyOEcwwrnAA</a></p>
<h2 id="hiking-statistics">Hiking statistics</h2>
<p>This day was 7.37 miles, 5.04 hours total time, 2169 ft ascent.</p>
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Elk Meadows to Gnarl Ridge2018-08-28T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/hiking/elk-meadows-to-gnarl-ridge/<p>After buying Elizabeth some brand new trail shoes from Road Runner Sports in Portland she was good to go for our hike the 2nd day. After reading a lot of hike descriptions we settled on Elk Meadows to Gnarl Ridge. One of the challenging things about the Hood area for us is that we have done a lot of the hikes already. Of course we can always repeat them, but it is nice to find new opportunities as well.</p>
<p>Our original plan had been to circumnavigate Mt. Hood on the Timberline trail as a family, taking 3 days to do it. However, there are several challenging stream crossings, 2 nights of wilderness camping and a lot to carry. The kids really weren't game. Since it is their vacation too we obliged, saying we'd pick day hikes we could all agree on instead.</p>
<p>This hike looked like a good choice. It isn't too far from Portland and it has a lot of beauty for a not too long trek.</p>
<h2 id="and-we-got-lost">And we got lost</h2>
<p>The directions to the trail head were rather simple, yet somehow we made our turn one road too soon. We ended up getting to see the parking lot of Hood Meadows ski resort, but we were not in the right place to start our hike. After just a little more driving down the main road we realized where we were supposed to be starting our hike. Without much delay we were heading out for our day on trail.</p>
<h2 id="stream-crossings">Stream crossings</h2>
<p>A few years ago when we were hiking with my sister Sarah we crossed the Muddy Fork river and it was a challenging cross. It probably took us almost an hour looking for the perfect opportunity to go for it. Later on the same hike we encountered a really challenging bridge cross on the same river. It was one of those crosses that you may have considered turning around and just heading back if it weren't the last mile of your already long hike.</p>
<p>On this trail we hit our first crossing only to see that the bridge was closed. A little worried since it was less than a mile in, I started to look around. Oh, there's a horse crossing just upstream. Perfect. We bounded across that and continued our journey.</p>
<p>When we hit the 2nd crossing, there was a log bridge high in the air. The route took you off trail a bit and the water wasn't all that swift. There were a couple of places where I thought we'd be better off just crossing the stream without a bridge. Of course I was also looking up at that bridge thinking that I didn't want to fall off it while crossing.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_1578.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Creek crossing" title="Creek crossing" /><p class="stickyNote">Creek crossing</p></div>
<p>As we started to cross, I couldn't help but thinking that the surface was flat and plenty wide. There was absolutely no way one should fall off this bridge, but somehow when you look down at the water below you feel this is a distinct possibility.</p>
<h2 id="lost-again">Lost again</h2>
<p>After the crossing there was no evidence of trail. We looked around a bit and nothing. A couple of guys were on the other side so we asked them. They pointed downstream and said "that way." Ok so we headed that way. We wandered awhile and there was really nothing to let us know where to go. Ultimately we found a little faint trail that took us up our next path of 8 switchbacks. Between Elizabeth's shoes on our first hike and getting lost 2 times in less than an hour I was feeling like we were really not the most prepared family.</p>
<p>Soon we were chatting along on the switchbacks and the kids were counting them. We knew there were 8 from the guidebook. This portion of the trail reminded us a lot of the Timberline down to Zigzag canyon. It was fun, shaded and there wasn't much exposure.</p>
<h2 id="elk-meadows">Elk Meadows</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_1581.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Elk Meadows" title="Elk Meadows" /><p class="stickyNote">Elk Meadows</p></div>
<p>We arrived at the perimeter trail for Elk Meadows. There is supposed to be a lovely meadow in the middle of this trail and there was a meadow. However, when hiking in August, you realize that you just missed the beautiful wildflower blooming of late July! There were a lot of bugs, and no views making this portion of the hike rather dull. Luckily it was short, and we'd be heading upward soon enough.</p>
<h2 id="the-ascent-to-gnarl-ridge">The ascent to Gnarl Ridge</h2>
<p>The name of this hike is so appealing. We spent that final ascent wondering what Gnarl Ridge would look like, and chattering about our hike. I asked Elizabeth one too many times how her shoes were. She gave me an earful about how she didn't enjoy hiking. They were fine but they didn't make her enjoy this hike. Ok. I'm thinking, "I'd rather be circumnavigating Mt. Hood," while my daughter is saying she doesn't like to hike at all.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_0608.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="This is one of the gnarly trees we saw along the trail as we got closer to our destination." title="This is one of the gnarly trees we saw along the trail as we got closer to our destination." /><p class="stickyNote">This is one of the gnarly trees we saw along the trail as we got closer to our destination.</p></div>
<h2 id="we've-arrived-at-gnarl-ridge">We've arrived at Gnarl Ridge</h2>
<p>I don't know what I was expecting, but somehow arrival was just ok. It was pretty and I was happy to be out of the tree cover, but it wasn't especially amazing. There was a lovely canyon, but it wasn't as pretty as ZigZag and after the hike around the meadows I was already thinking about how boring it would be to go back down. However, we enjoyed our lunch up there, looked at the views and hung out for awhile. One thing about this hike is that there was a lot of haze from wildfires so you couldn't see any of the things you were supposed to see. I do think that on a lovely clear day I would have been blown away by the views. s</p>
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<h2 id="time-to-head-down">Time to head down</h2>
<p>The trek down went quickly and uneventfully. We had enjoyed our lunch at the top so no one was hungry or thirsty, and Elizabeth's shoes didn't slip so we could make quicker progress. The elevation was also a lot more gradual than Kings mountain, so this felt really easy after yesterday's hike.</p>
<p>When we arrived to the stream crossing where we had taken the high log bridge we decided to take the alternate route across. We had noticed this downstream when we were searching for the trail at the start of the hike. I remember noting that with this being a glacial fed stream that the water would be higher in the afternoon, but at the time it would have been a joke to cross. Still, even with higher water, it wasn't a challenging cross. The first half of the stream is on rocks <em>(not seen in the picture)</em> and the 2nd half had a lovely little log suspended over it.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_1590.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Crossing the creek again" title="Crossing the creek again" /><p class="stickyNote">Crossing the creek again</p></div>
<h2 id="trillium-lake">Trillium Lake</h2>
<p>Last year when we went to the Mazamas Mountain Running Camp, one of our outings was to gather at Trillium Lake. We met to talk about training plans, managing injury and just to hang out since it is gorgeous! We thought it would be fun to bring the kids back there so we drove the short distance down the road to check it out.</p>
<p>Unfortunately shortly before we arrived, Elizabeth got a bloody nose. The poor girl had to shove kleenex up her nose to make the little jaunt to see the lake. Scott and I rinsed our feet and legs off in the water and posed for a picture before heading back to our car.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_1594.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Trillium Lake" title="Trillium Lake" /><p class="stickyNote">Trillium Lake</p></div>
<h2 id="it's-the-girl-from-roadrunner-sports">It's the girl from Roadrunner Sports</h2>
<p>We went back to our parking spot to spot a couple getting into their car right next to ours. I looked at her and said, "Roadrunner sports, right?" She had mentioned when we checked out the evening prior that she had two days off and would be heading out to Mt. Hood area for the first time! Sometimes this world we live in feels so small. What are the odds that we'd run into her during the 15 minutes we spent at Trillium Lake? When we shared the story with Sarah and Adam they grinned and said that kind of thing happens all the time in Portland.</p>
<h2 id="strava">Strava</h2>
<p>It's always fun to see the path and times on Strava, so here is that!! Interested in reading another point of view? Check out Scott's hike report on <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/elk-meadows-to-gnarl-ridge/">Elk Meadows to Gnarl Ridge.</a></p>
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Kings Mountain2018-08-27T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/hiking/kings-mountain/<p>After arriving in Portland for our 2018 summer trip we considered heading out to the coast on the first day. It was a day that we couldn't really hike because we weren't checked into our Air BnB and we thought it would be fun to see Haystack rock. Plans changed quickly when our hosts said we could check in early, my sister reminded me that it was a long drive and the kids said they didn't want a day with mostly travel.</p>
<p>Instead we stayed in Portland, selecting the <a href="https://japanesegarden.org/">Japanese garden</a> as our excursion and later we enjoyed dinner with my sister and Adam. But this meant that we had to decide on a hike for the next day. Portland was in the middle of a heat wave, so it seemed ideal to head to the coast where temperatures are cooler.</p>
<p>After debating whether to tackle the <a href="https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Elk_Mountain-Kings_Mountain_Loop_Hike">Elk-Kings traverse</a> again <em>(<a href="https://skirtrunner.com/hiking/elk-kings/">we did this when the kids were little and it is a very challenging hike</a>)</em> we selected the more moderate <a href="https://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkPage&parkId=140">Saddle mountain hike</a>. It would be new terrain and would allow us ample time to run later and enjoy the beach. Best laid plans ....</p>
<h2 id="saddle-mountain-it-is!">Saddle mountain it is!</h2>
<p>For some crazy reason I kept reading about the Saddle mountain hike in the car, looking up different pages to tell the family more about what to expect. It was during this time that I discovered that the trail was closed temporarily due to a washed out bridge. Yikes! There were really no other hikes to select in that area as a back-up. It was later in the morning than we'd have liked to do a longer hike, but we realized we had to divert soon and head toward Elk-Kings or we'd be planning a day just to hang out on the coast.</p>
<h2 id="yikes%3A-trail-is-closed">Yikes: trail is closed</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_1561-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="King Mt. trail shoes" title="King Mt. trail shoes" /><p class="stickyNote">King Mt. trail shoes</p></div>
<p>We assessed our food. Some trail mix. 6 liters of water. <a href="https://www.kravejerky.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwwo7cBRBwEiwAMEoXPL3kMbv6ooqNqfSPhkfXgoJsmZdmAgc0vViWNINYNTa00yz3c2pkHxoC1WUQAvD_BwE">Krave beef jerky</a>. We'd be fine for a longer hike but we didn't have a ton of food with us. Scott and I were both wearing our King Mt. trail shoes - it seemed like it was meant to be.</p>
<p>After some twisting and turning on roads we arrived at the Kings Mountain trailhead. Scott really wanted to do the entire traverse and to be honest, I did too. However, one thing I've acquired as I get older is more of an understanding of the desires of other people and an ability to read the situation. It was late - almost 10 am. This traverse could take 8 hours. We had snacks but not anything that would be considered lunch or dinner for that matter and it was our first day here. After reading the description we wisely chose to take the shorter and less exposed route up Kings Mountain, ditching the idea of the traverse connecting to Elk mountain. All the exposure was on Elk mountain and in order to start with that mountain we'd have to do a 4 mile hike over to the base and then begin the ascent. Once we started we'd be committed.</p>
<h2 id="the-magical-forest-of-e.t.">The magical forest of E.T.</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_1565.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="The world of the E.T. forest" title="The world of the E.T. forest" /><p class="stickyNote">The world of the E.T. forest</p></div>
<p>Our hike began in the world of the E.T. forest. This is my favorite part of Kings mountain! Excited to be in Oregon on trail we bounded along this lovely flat forested portion of the hike.</p>
<p>Soon we left the forest and started our ascent up King mountain. The trail is only 2.46 miles but ascents 2546 vertical feet. We went through switchback after switchback on the dusty trail, stopping occasionally to catch our breath.</p>
<p>The photo below is one of the only pictures we got of the ascent. We were busy hiking and not thinking so much about photos. This hike helped us learn that it was indeed not appropriate for Elizabeth to be wearing her old running shoes for hiking in Oregon. At the end of this day we stopped into Roadrunner Sports in Portland to get her proper trail shoes!! The descent was really challenging for her with her very little tread on her shoes.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_1546.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Steepness!" title="Steepness!" /><p class="stickyNote">Steepness!</p></div>
<p>Soon we arrived at the top and enjoyed some of our trail mix and beef jerky. The funny thing was that when we picked it out both kids said, "No way am I eating that."</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_1559.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Krave!" title="Krave!" /><p class="stickyNote">Krave!</p></div>
<p>On the mountain, Xander tried it and promptly ate most of the bag! We are almost to the top! Scott beat us by a little bit so he was enjoying the views as he waited for us to ascend.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_1549.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="We are almost to the top! Scott beat us by a little bit so he was enjoying the views as he waited for us to ascend." title="We are almost to the top! Scott beat us by a little bit so he was enjoying the views as he waited for us to ascend." /><p class="stickyNote">We are almost to the top! Scott beat us by a little bit so he was enjoying the views as he waited for us to ascend.</p></div>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_1560.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Our view from the summit was lovely if a bit hazy." title="Our view from the summit was lovely if a bit hazy." /><p class="stickyNote">Our view from the summit was lovely if a bit hazy.</p></div>
<p>It was right at this top part that we realized that Elizabeth's shoes were going to be a problem. I was incredibly grateful that we chose just to do Kings mountain and not the whole traverse when I realized how slippy her shoes were.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_1563.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Scott stayed up at the top to get a picture of us all heading down." title="Scott stayed up at the top to get a picture of us all heading down." /><p class="stickyNote">Scott stayed up at the top to get a picture of us all heading down.</p></div>
<p>After our very long descent; the steepness made it so that the descent took as long or longer than the trip up the mountain, we had to head to the coast. After all, we weren't going to make this trek again!! The rest of our time we planned to be hiking out toward Mt. Hood. So we hopped into the car to begin the hour drive up to Cannon Beach to see <a href="http://www.cannonbeach.org/explore/Haystack-Rock-in-Cannon-Beach-Oregon">Haystack Rock</a>. I was SO disappointed when I saw that parts of the coast were foggy. Some portions were very clear so I just hoped we'd hit a clear part when we were near our destination. It was not meant to be though. We spent just a few minutes on the chilly, foggy beach! You can see the bottom of Haystack rock in our photos.</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2018/08/IMG_1568.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Haystack Rock" />
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<h2 id="pelican-brewing-for-a-delicious-meal-to-end-the-day">Pelican Brewing for a delicious meal to end the day</h2>
<p>We finished our day off with a giant meal at <a href="https://pelicanbrewing.com/">Pelican Brewing</a>, complete with some delicious beer! If you ever find yourself near one of their 3 locations, definitely try the fish tacos. Delicious!!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_1567.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Pelican Brewing" title="Pelican Brewing" /><p class="stickyNote">Pelican Brewing</p></div>
<p>Of course nothing would be complete without our Strava track from the day!! Want another perspective of this hike? <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/kings-mountain/">Read Scott's report.</a></p>
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Cayuga Lake Triathlon - 20182018-08-05T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/triathlon/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2018/<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>This year was my first year doing the intermediate distance that I wasn't training for something long for running. Last year I was getting prepped for <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/green-lakes-50k-2/">Green Lakes 50K</a>, 2016 was <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/wineglass-marathon-2016/">Wineglass</a> and <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/new-york-city-marathon-2016/">New York City marathons</a>, and 2015 was <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/wineglass-marathon-2015/">Wineglass</a>. As I drove down to the lake with Elizabeth I said, "I think this may be taxing on my body. I've trained all these things separately and done a couple of brick workouts, but I haven't been routinely working out for over 3 hours at a time."</p>
<p>This week I hurt my left calf/Achilles tendon in a run. I stopped early and took two full days off, happy to see I had a regularly scheduled acupuncture appointment on the calendar two days before the race. At that appointment, Abby worked on my calves and said she thought I'd be good. It is an ongoing thing actually that I will probably need to see a doctor about. I overtrained on a sore Achilles tendon last year and have done enough reading about what I'm feeling to know that it isn't a great thing that I did that. The tendon itself is mostly fine now, but bone has accumulated that is apparently the result of training through the pain <em>(this from the internet ... so I'm hoping maybe to get better news from a real live doctor when I finally cave and make an appointment).</em></p>
<p>Other training was business as usual. A fair amount of pool swimming this year with two lake swims. There was blue/green algae in the lake and I just opted for the pool most of the time. The gem of my training was receiving a mass email from my swim instructor, Shane the week before the race. He put out there that he would hold a swim tune-up for the CLT and for <a href="https://www.hospicare.org/women-swimmin/">Women Swimmin'</a>. I sent Scott a note, "date night?" "Heck yes," he replied. Sold! The best $20 I've ever spent <em>(more on that later in the report)</em>.</p>
<p>Bike training went fairly well with one exception. I got saddle sores for the first time ever. I didn't even know what they were until I mentioned it to my friend Lynn while riding a week prior to the race. After doing some online reading I realized my early season choices to ride sans bike shorts were rather stupid. I have no idea why I refused to wear them, opting for running shorts instead but I won't be doing that again next year. I decided to take the last week off from indoor cycling classes and outdoor riding.</p>
<h2 id="registration-volunteers">Registration volunteers</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_1624.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Xander at registration" title="With Xander at registration" /><p class="stickyNote">With Xander at registration</p></div>
<p>This is our new tradition! It is only our 2nd year working race registration but it is something we all really look forward to now. Our family sets up the t-shirts and Wegmans bags and then greet people and give them these shirts and bags when they come to pick up their race materials. Scott moved over to give out the race bracelets after helping with our set-up and had a blast talking to everyone!</p>
<p>This helps us get prepped for the fun race day ahead and really just makes it feel like a destination race even though we live 4 miles down the road from the start!</p>
<h2 id="some-small-choices">Some small choices</h2>
<h3 id="choice-1---go-to-bed-early">Choice 1 - Go to bed early</h3>
<p>The evening before, Scott and I went to the concert at the park. The kids stayed home to play Monopoly together and we enjoyed great music and got to see the transition area set up, look at the swim and get our heads wrapped around the next day. As we left at 8:30 I said, "I really want to watch a good TV show" and started to reminisce about good shows we've watched in the past. We have made it through the first episode of a few things but haven't found a show that we enjoy in a long while. Anyway, we got home and started getting our stuff prepped and then I did my 45 sit-ups, 45 push-ups, 5 cat/cows, 5 minute downward dog, 2 minute plank and finally 5 minute savasana. I brushed my teeth and then Scott said, "Hey are you coming upstairs?" "No. I think I should go to sleep." He agreed and we were lights out a bit before 9:30. I was grateful for that choice when I woke up in the morning well rested just a few minutes before our usual time of 5 a.m.</p>
<p>We enjoyed a bagel spread with <a href="https://buy.onceagainnutbutter.com/">Once Again Almond Butter</a> and honey. Soon we were heading out the door. The kids had their bagels packed <em>(their relay team would go off later in the morning)</em> and we drove our two cars down to the lake (<em>in order to hold 3 bikes).</em></p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_8423.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Elizabeth in transition" title="With Elizabeth in transition" /><p class="stickyNote">With Elizabeth in transition</p></div>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_1506.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Before we all went our separate ways. Photo by Gail Zabawsky." title="Before we all went our separate ways. Photo by Gail Zabawsky." /><p class="stickyNote">Before we all went our separate ways. Photo by Gail Zabawsky.</p></div>
<h3 id="choice-2---race-tech-free">Choice 2 - Race tech-free</h3>
<p>My Tom Tom stopped working in the water a few weeks before the race. I planned to race with the watch for the bike and run, but would have no timing device for the swim. I stood on shore talking to my friend Simon and his daughter Jessica before the event. Jess is the swimmer for the kids' team and she's super fast. We were bantering about how it takes her forever to get her wetsuit on but her swim is quick and I get my suit on quick but it takes me forever to actually swim. I mentioned the watch situation to Simon. He said that some of his best triathlons have been tech-free. Hmmm.</p>
<p>I had spent part of my week at a work conference talking about formative assessments vs summative assessments. A formative assessment is anything you have the chance to improve on, do again etc. A summative is kind of like the autopsy. There's no chance - it is the end, like a final exam, unit exam etc <em>(the autopsy is the comparison our teachers used - I can't take credit for it but it is pretty apt)</em>. The tri was basically a summative assessment of my summer training.</p>
<p>"I'm going to ditch the watch," I said. What will it do for me anyway I thought? On the bike I'm going to look at it a bunch and think "you should be faster." If the average pace is too slow I'll yell at myself and if it is too fast I'll congratulate myself, but I won't really be able to change it much in the moment. I'm still dealing with a sore calf and have no idea how the run will go. It will be smart to run that fully by feel anyway. If I get way off pace I'll be much more likely to slow way way down and say "screw it" if I have tech vs continuing along with a positive mindset without the numbers. A new experience!</p>
<h2 id="the-swim-(49%3A01)">The Swim (49:01)</h2>
<p>It is important to say that I was genuinely pleased with my swim BEFORE the results came out. After I saw the results I ended up crying for much of the evening. So here's how this went down.</p>
<ul>
<li>Last year I thought I was ready to start in the fray, and lost my googles twice when I was kicked in the face. I held onto kayaks and I struggled to re-seal the goggles. This year the water was choppy and I decided to start after everyone else like I did when I first started doing triathlons. I knew that I wouldn't be in a position to be in the fray, and also knew I'd be last in the pack, but thought maybe I could pass a few people?</li>
<li>The buoy line was blowing in like crazy! I usually hug it and that was not going to be a great choice today. The goal would be to swim moderately straight to the end. I so wish I had an open water swim device to know how far I actually swam in this race.</li>
<li>The swim was peaceful, fun and I truly loved very minute of it. Thanks to Shane I enjoyed it, was able to breathe bilaterally and I didn't suck in any water at all. The refresher class helped remind me to focus on different things and stay grateful.</li>
</ul>
<p>I still got passed by my usual two waves of people and mostly had a positive outlook on this. "I'm swimming as fast as I can while not losing my breath or freaking out," I thought. Thank to my father-in-law, Ed Dawson for the pictures below.</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2018/08/IMG_8438.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Look how curved the line is" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2018/08/IMG_8433.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Getting ready to swim" />
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<h3 id="results-are-in">Results are in</h3>
<p>My outlook totally changed once I saw the results. I was one minute slower than last year. Last year's time was pitiful and it included kayak hang time. However, the water was less rough and I started in the fray. The trouble is that I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd be SLOWER than last year. In my mind that was the worst swim I could have. I counted results and realized I beat only 4 people in my entire heat <em>(that's all females 35 and older)</em>.</p>
<p>In my crying to my husband about how terrible I am at swimming I was saying, "If I could just be in the range of normal humans that aren't that great but aren't that terrible I could have a reasonably ok tri time," followed by, "If I ever want to do an ironman I won't be able to do it because I won't hit the swim cut-off." For anyone who has watched Harry Met Sally, it was rather like Sally's meltdown in the movie. After my pity party I reminded myself to be grateful. I CAN do this. I may be practically the slowest swimmer out there, but I could have done another mile or more if I needed to. I remembered how a few years ago I used to gasp for breath after a 25 yard distance and freak out if I was asked to swim a 200 without a break.</p>
<h2 id="help-i-lost-my-bike!-(bike---1%3A34%3A20)">Help I lost my bike! (Bike - 1:34:20)</h2>
<p>Since I was coming out of the water with pink and blue caps from the waves behind me, I pulled off my green cap as fast as I could when I exited the water and raced toward my bike. However, I ran right past my bank of bikes and stood there lost thinking my bike was gone. "oh no, someone took my bike," I thought. The next thought, "yay. I don't have to bike!" Finally I came to my senses and looked at my hand. #731 - "oh you are in the wrong yellow section." I headed back to my bike spot and there was my bike. I'd have to complete this event after all.</p>
<p>I dried off, grabbed my bike and headed out of the park. I know this course well and have practiced it several times this summer. When I hit mile 3, my friend Kathey and her family were out cheering like crazy for me. That was a great boost. Right after them I saw the MacCarrick and Knapp clan and got another energy bump. I focused on quick turnover. Soon I was at the sprint turnaround and I saw Scott coming back. I start to get stuck in my head, "I have 17 miles to go and he has 7 miles to go. He started 10 minutes before me. If I manage 4 min miles I have 68 minutes left. He is probably doing 3 min miles - he has 21 minutes left. He is going to PR. I wonder what time it is? How long was I in the water? I know the sprint was about to start. They start at 9. Were they lined up on the beach yet when I left?" I convinced myself that they weren't <em>(now that I know my swim time I know they were seconds away from blasting the start horn)</em> and reasoned that I probably had a fine time in the swim.</p>
<p>As I cruised down into Sheldrake I had a pang of sadness about being tech-free. I wouldn't know my top speed. It would probably be on this descent too. I hit the beach area and everyone was out with their cowbells. I love that you feel like a rockstar when you are biking along by yourself on a lake road. The crowd down here is great! My friend Vera who owns <a href="https://www.busybeemarket.com/">Busy Bee Market</a> was out cheering. I picked up my pace as I passed by her and prepared for the hill to come.</p>
<p>I climbed the hill as quickly as I was able and then leapfrogged with a few people as I headed back toward the sprint turnaround. Soon I was folded into the throngs of sprint distance racers and it felt like a race again. I started to look for my daughter Elizabeth. She was the team's biker and she should be coming through soon. I saw her and screamed, "Go LIZE.R.D.!" at the top of my lungs. I started thinking about time again, "What time did she make it out here? They went off at 9:40. Jessica is fast. Maybe she was on the bike before 10. She's 4 miles in. It is probably 10:40 or 10:45. I have 4 miles to go. Yikes. I'm going to finish after 12. The transition area closes at 12:30. What if I have a bad run? Will I finish before they kick me off the course?" Luckily I got out of my head quickly as I saw the MacQueens again and I started my final descent into the park. I love this descent when the road is closed. It is a nice way to finish!</p>
<p>When results came in I was really happy about the bike. I was 2 minutes faster than last year. I had hoped to best 16 mph but came in at 15 and change so that's not too bad.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_8468.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Finishing the bike. Photo by Ed Dawson." title="Finishing the bike. Photo by Ed Dawson." /><p class="stickyNote">Finishing the bike. Photo by Ed Dawson.</p></div>
<h2 id="run-(58%3A02)">Run (58:02)</h2>
<p>I was most afraid about the run. We're heading on vacation where our focus is hiking. I didn't want to do anything on the run that will make it so I can't hike. Abby had said to get a massage after the race or go see her again to work out the calf and I couldn't do either of those things. I'd have to settle for self-massage.</p>
<p>I got ready quick and grabbed a gu in case I needed it. I started the run and went by the first people offering water, gatorade and ice. I took gatorade. The start to the run was fun but my body was really on the edge of cooperation. I wasn't comfortable from the start. As I started the first bit I saw my friends Joan and Kasia volunteering on the course for Tburg Robotics. They cheered me on and I felt energized!</p>
<p>A bit before mile 1 my whole body was just HOT and I felt weak. I stopped and walked about 100 yards and slowly consumed my gu. Then I hit the water stop and got water and came back through the same water stop and grabbed gatorade, water and dumped ice down my tri suit. Soon the ice started to cool me off and I felt better. I started to pick up my pace and get into a groove. I saw my friend Tonya as we were heading into the last mile of loop one. She was doing a sprint relay. "Come on Amy, less than a mile to go," she said as she passed me. "I have to do a 2nd lap. Good luck!" I said. The bridge was fun as I received encouragement from my friend Brenda before each pass! The volunteers for this race are so awesome, and it is especially fun to see people you know out there.</p>
<p>(/images/2018/08/IMG_1519.jpg) Joel working the turnaround to tell people to start loop 2.</p>
<p>Soon I was back at the start and my friend Joel was directing me to start my 2nd lap. Gatorade, water, ice. Run. I typically wave and encourage everyone on the run, but I found that I didn't have the energy to do anything but run. It took all I had to encourage the few people I knew out there. It was hot so I focused on gratitude for the shade. This course is beautiful and it is shady. My left calf and foot were hurting so I focused on keeping balance and not overdriving with my right. I focused on keeping my shoulders back to have a more open airway to breathe. I thanked the volunteers. My friend Laura told me my family was lined up waiting for me. I felt bad. They were probably hot and tired and hungry and they'd been waiting forever. I tried to speed up.</p>
<p>I ran into the finish, grabbed my water bottle and walked a bit. I ended up 2 minutes slower than last year. I wasn't a bit surprised about this. This was the most challenging run I've had in awhile. I've never dealt with overheating like that and my foot and calf were hurting the entire race. All things considered this was the best I could expect of myself today.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_8481.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Determined to finish strong. Photo by Ed Dawson." title="Determined to finish strong. Photo by Ed Dawson." /><p class="stickyNote">Determined to finish strong. Photo by Ed Dawson.</p></div>
<h2 id="post-race---overall-result-(3%3A26%3A35)">Post Race - Overall Result (3:26:35)</h2>
<p>This race is AMAZING. After clearing the transition area, I got my favorite Wings of Life veggie wrap, and my Ithaca beer and went over with my family and friend Christina to sit at a picnic table. The lake was dead calm. It is amazing how much it changes during the day. We all talked about our races <em>(Christina was the sweeper for the youth bike course because she wasn't able to race this year)</em> and the vibe was just happy and fun.</p>
<p>We finished up our morning with <a href="https://www.purityicecream.com/">Purity Ice-Cream</a> and talked to a few more people before driving home. When we got home we sat outside with iced coffee and Scott and I talked about how grateful we are to have this race essentially in our backyard. We both shared how glad we were to have attended the swim clinic and imagined doing the run if it weren't shaded. More thanks for shaded trail instead of open road.</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2018/08/IMG_8486.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="With my family and Ed" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2018/08/IMG_8485.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="With my family and Jean" />
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<h2 id="final-thoughts-for-2018">Final Thoughts for 2018</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/08/IMG_1528.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Post race meal and beer!" title="Post race meal and beer!" /><p class="stickyNote">Post race meal and beer!</p></div>
<ul>
<li>I think I'd like to be training for a longer event again next year. It would make the day feel easier. I felt the stress on my body without being used to 4 hour workouts.</li>
<li>I am going to continue to work on loosening my upper body so I can improve swimming. After a year of PT and acupuncture my acupuncturist actually noticed that my posture was better when I came in this week. I can tell that there is more mobility in my shoulders. I hope that I can translate this into better swimming as the year goes on.</li>
<li>I may take one of Shane's bike classes this year. I'd like to improve there.</li>
<li>I'm definitely doing the intermediate again next year. I was telling Elizabeth that the sprint just seems too short after doing the intermediate 3 years in a row. It is tempting to do that distance to have more time to hang out and see people but I really do feel really proud to complete the distance.</li>
<li>A tech-free race brought me to within 30 seconds of last year's time. It was a good experience to not be checking the watch a bunch of the time. I also enjoyed the few hours before results came out.</li>
<li>"Comparison is the thief of joy." It is really hard not to compare myself to Scott. He is a strong swimmer, solid biker and amazing runner. He had a PR race and he was only in the water 2x prior. I was super happy for him but felt jealous and sad for myself. I sometimes wish you could opt out of results.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="official-results">Official Results</h2>
<p><a href="http://scorethis-results.com/ResultsMS.php?raceid=20180805CLTR">Score This</a></p>
<p>155/195 Overall<br />
41/65 Gender<br />
5/7 Age group 45-49</p>
Summer Swim Training2018-07-28T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/summer-swim-training/<p>The 2018 Cayuga Lake Triathlon is one week away! Today I availed myself of their 750 yard lake swim lane for the first time. I usually swim from my friend Kathey's house all summer long. My focus is on getting the full distance <em>(or half of it if I'm only up for one out and back from her dock)</em> but this summer it just hasn't worked out very well. I want to remember this rather unusual summer of training so I'm including it in my blog.</p>
<h2 id="pool">Pool</h2>
<p>I planned to pay the day rate at <a href="http://www.islandhealthfitness.com/">Island Health and Fitness</a> this spring and start to swim once or twice a week beginning in April. Unfortunately, it seemed like every day was booked after work with baking or kid activities and I just didn't make it down there. Then, Scott surprised me by purchasing a one month membership for me at Island at the <a href="https://mayday5k.org/">May Day 5&5 Auction</a>. I was really touched that he thought to do that, but it also put me in a position of trying to figure out when it was most "worth" it to start the one month. I realized that toward the beginning of June was best. School should be winding down by then. The trouble was that it just wasn't. Every night was still booked and I was so busy with my baking for <a href="http://www.emoticakes.com/">Emoticakes</a>. I finally managed to start it on June 25th. The trouble with that? The pool was scheduled for 5 days of closure starting on the 28th. Oh well. I reasoned I'd be in the lake soon enough and just forced myself to get there as much as possible.</p>
<p>Getting back into it proved not bad. Even after a full year devoted to lessons I'm still just a slow swimmer BUT I can swim forever if I need to. I seriously thank <a href="https://kaizen-durance.com/zenmans-bio/">Shane</a> every time I start and end a swim <em>(and plenty of times during it too)</em> for teaching me how to swim in his <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/swim/">Total Immersion class</a><em>.</em> Thanks to him I can swim a mile or more, I can breath on both sides of my body and I am really relaxed in the water. These are amazing things for someone who used to barely be able to swim down and back once.</p>
<p>I went 2-3 times a week, taking care to swim a full mile each time I went. During this time I killed my waterproof Tom Tom twice and it miraculously came back to life a few days after both times. I learned not to bring it in the water though!</p>
<p>Learning to count laps properly was a side benefit of killing the watch. I figured out a counting technique - 123, 123 for lap one, 223, 223, for lap 2 and so on. I counted by 10s and then started over for another set to help not lose count. I seriously wondered why it took me so long to figure this out.</p>
<p>After many luxurious sessions in the pool <em>(sauna and hot tub of course included)</em>, I felt happy that I can still swim comfortably. Thank you Shane!!</p>
<h2 id="kathey's-house">Kathey's House</h2>
<p>When I headed down early in July on a hot summer day I never realized it would be my one and only lake swim from Kathey's for the summer. Elizabeth and I were struggling to mesh our schedules but we had picked a day that worked. We went down thinking it would be the first of many like all the other summers. It was the first and last.</p>
<p>Because I thought I'd be there all the time I only did an out and back. I wasn't feeling especially scared but I wasn't feeling especially motivated either. I wasn't enjoying myself after the pool swimming <em>(I rather like pool swimming now thanks to Shane)</em> and I just wanted to be done. We finished and quietly drove up the steep driveway.</p>
<p>We tried heading down a few days later. I had just been to an AMAZING <a href="http://www.puresweatyoga.com/">Bikram yoga class</a> and had left feeling like anything was possible. But, then I got some bad news about something and I was near tears for the rest of the morning. Instead of greeting me with compassion, Elizabeth just didn't get my frustration. Her response was to tell me shake it off and get over it. Everything would work out. I knew she was right but I wasn't in the mood to shake it off. I felt like wallowing. So, when we arrived at the lake and it was really choppy and Kathey was surprised that I was going to get in it was all the nudge I needed to bail. No lake swim. Elizabeth and I drove up again. I could tell she was disappointed in me. I was annoyed with the day in general. I wanted to be back in Bikram with my amazing teacher who made me feel that I could do anything. Suddenly I never wanted to be in the lake again.</p>
<h2 id="saturday-open-swim">Saturday Open Swim</h2>
<p>A few years ago I went to a swim clinic at the lake. It was sponsored by the <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/">Ithaca Triathlon Club</a> and Scott and I were excited about it. Their focus was mass starts. Unfortunately I wasn't ready for this. It freaked me out and in the tri the next day I had a panic attack at the start of the swim. I almost bailed on the tri that year. I was training for <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/green-lakes-50k/">Green Lakes 50K</a> and I almost convinced myself to quit and just run a long run instead since I needed to train for running. I am grateful I chose to be strong!</p>
<p>Today was a calm day at the lake. I almost asked Elizabeth to kayak for me from Kathey's, but then realized it would be better training to go to the swim lane. In this way I'd be stuck in seaweed for the entire time and I'd be forced to do the hardest portion of the swim for the duration. For me the most challenging piece is putting my feet on the bottom and walking out there and looking down at the life below me. When I swim from Kathey's I only have to do that at the start and at the end but here it would be for the back and forth. Plus, the water is murky and I'd periodically get covered in seaweed. I'd also be around other people and have to be dealing with the embarrassment of being a slow swimmer.</p>
<p>I waded out with no fanfare and started. I chose to stay along the inside buoy because someone was already on the outer one. That meant I could touch but since I don't like to touch the bottom of the lake I wouldn't actually put my feet down. I started to count .. 123, 223, 323 and so on. I needed to do 20 laps to complete the intermediate distance. Early in the swim I had a head on collision with another swimmer. Sighting is a good idea. Yes. Then I zig zagged all over the place. Strong right side and weak left. Hmmm. Yes this is why I always ditch the alternate side breathing in the race. When I breath on the buoy side at least I swim straight!</p>
<p>After I had gone 14 lengths Scott stopped me and said, "is this 16 for you?" I hung my head and said, "no just 14. Should I stop at 15 or are you ok with waiting for me to do 20?" He was fine for waiting and I was fine to let him <em>(a year ago I wouldn't have been ok with making him wait for me so this is growth).</em></p>
<p>Soon we were done and home with Elizabeth. It was the very last day of her brother being gone at camp and she wanted to finish a movie as "the originals" before her little brother was again in our midst.</p>
<h2 id="summer-swim-summary">Summer Swim Summary</h2>
<p>By the time the tri hits I'll have been swimming 12 times. Each time <em>(except one)</em>, I swam at least the full intermediate distance. I can thank Strava for that data. Thank you Strava!!</p>
<p>I don't feel worried about the actual swim. I feel worried about being slow and embarrassed that despite practice I'll still probably be last or close to last in my heat.</p>
<p>One thing I've learned from swimming is that even when people don't look like they are moving very fast they are usually 2x as fast as me. I went last week to Island and Shane had a class going on. "Cramming for the tri?" he asked. "Yes. But I've been swimming a fair amount." I saw my friend Steve in a lane. I know Steve is a good swimmer and saw that he didn't look like he was moving quickly. I shared his lane and quickly realized he was going at least twice my speed. Yup. Slow swimmer. When I try to be fast I'm even slower, so I just focused on staying calm and relaxed.</p>
<p>Later, Steve got out and a new person shared with me. I passed by her. I was swimming faster than her. Yay!! I was faster than someone. When I got out of the pool I noticed that she was alternating between breast stroke, side stroke, back stroke and freestyle. She wasn't really putting her head in and well.... I was suddenly not so impressed with myself. I wasn't even that much faster than her. Oh well.</p>
<p>So with those two stories .. I guess my point is that I just get stressed on race day. My kids know I'm slow. My husband knows I'm slow. But people who don't know me and how hard I have worked at this and even some who do know often raise eyebrows about how someone can be such an inefficient swimmer. It is just embarrassing. And since I'm not a fast biker I can't make up the time later. The run is my only hope and with the intermediate distance it isn't quite as easy to make up time there because I'm more tired than after the sprint distances. I have grown to be ok with it by considering the morning to be a workout, not a race. I try to just shake it off when 2 or 3 waves of swimmers pass me in the water <em>(that is really scary by the way).</em></p>
<h2 id="thoughts-for-next-year">Thoughts for next year</h2>
<p>Mr. Money Mustache just had a post called <a href="https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2018/07/25/the-twenty-dollar-swim/">The 20 Dollar Swim</a> that gave me a new perspective about swimming; specifically paying for it. He reasoned out that if you own a pool yourself each swim essentially ends up costing 20 bucks. This is interesting for a lot of reasons, most particularly my plan with Scott to buy an <a href="https://www.airstream.com/travel-trailers/nest/">Airstream Nest</a> sometime and travel the west. His argument is that we'd be better off getting a Prius and using a tent. I can see the merit in this plan.</p>
<p>But, how is it relevant to next year? Well, I actually recently stopped dying my hair <em>(a bit over a year ago)</em> because I could never get the color to be what I wanted and the chlorine in the pool messed with it. I found that I was avoiding swimming because of my hair. I was also spending too much money and frankly I felt like I was always either looking like my hair was just dyed or was just needing to be colored. It looked "normal" for about 5 minutes. I would rather have gray hair and look the same all the time. So, now the only barrier to swimming is money. The day rate is expensive and I hadn't been willing to pay it. Mr. Money Mustache put that in perspective for me. After all, I'm no longer paying over $100 for hair frequently and the pool swim is improving my body and my mental health. I get to sauna and hot tub and swim. So, next year I plan to start swimming sooner. Less cramming.</p>
<p>I have one last opportunity to get ready for the tri this year. Shane is holding a refresher clinic on Wednesday evening and Scott and I are going to have a date night!! We'll swim and enjoy the hot tub together. Plus, we'll get to see Shane and get refreshed on things like "patient lead arm" and a whole mess of other things.</p>
Women's Distance Festival 20182018-07-12T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/womens-distance-festival-2018/<p>Elizabeth and I have been doing this race for a long while - since she was a little girl. It was fun to see so many little girls and their moms when we arrived at the event. It made us remember those years when she was tiny and out there running. As we shared our stories with some friends at the race we realized that in all the years we've done this we've never run together. However we are always pretty close to one another.</p>
<h2 id="i-didn't-expect-them-to-say-yes">I didn't expect them to say yes</h2>
<p>On a whim I threw my new <a href="https://aftershokz.com/collections/wireless/products/trekz-titanium">Aftershokz wireless headphones</a> into the car as we left for the race. They always say no headphones, but now it is at Stewart park <em>(no vehicle traffic)</em> and my headphones don't actually go in my ears so I can hear the world around me. I figured they would say no, but I thought I'd ask.</p>
<p>When I asked the race director she said sure. I realized that I wasn't ready for that answer when Elizabeth <em>(who had also snagged hers)</em> said, "now I need to get a playlist ready." Yikes, I thought. I don't have any 5K playlists <em>(because I don't run them with music ... hmmm first red flag).</em> I picked a half marathon playlist and headed off to the bathroom.</p>
<h2 id="tech-trouble">Tech trouble</h2>
<p>The other day my Tom Tom flaked out while I was swimming and it stopped working. I had planned to use Scott's Tom Tom so I could see my pace and then use my phone with Strava to record for real <em>(so he could delete the entry).</em> However, when I went to turn on the music and Strava I noticed my phone battery was at 23%. No Strava. I put it in low power mode and headed over to the start line with Elizabeth.</p>
<h2 id="the-first-half">The first half</h2>
<p>This race is an out and back course in Stewart Park in Ithaca. It is a lovely course really - flat and simple. There is a water stop at the halfway point and they always have the turns well staffed. There are two suspension bridges that are super bouncy as part of this route. Many of my friends were working corners and it was fun to see them!</p>
<p>I had an unusual start. I started pretty far back in the lineup and then was dodging and weaving through walls of people. Really? Were the two seconds I gained there going to do anything for me? It was rather ridiculous of me and surely annoying to the people I was pushing through in little spaces.</p>
<p>After the slow start, I settled into a pace that was quick but not too quick. I knew my time from last year was 24:07 and my goal was to beat that. I had Scott's watch set on average pace which in hindsight was not a good idea. The first bit was crazy slow so I was trying to recover from that and probably running too fast to get that average pace to drop. By the water stop at the half I was only down to a 7:59 average pace. I'd have to have a really fast 2nd half in order to get anywhere near my time from last year.</p>
<p>The first half was uneventful though - I was too comfortable with the slowish half marathon music I was playing and struggled to run quickly. In hindsight I should have turned it off and picked up the tempo.</p>
<h2 id="salmons-we-are">Salmons we are</h2>
<p>Elizabeth and I both adored this race when it was in Dryden. It was far enough away that it was our girls' night (even though the boys did volunteer one or two years out there it always felt like our thing), and the course was challenging. The first mile was on a horse trail and then the 2nd mile went up for what felt like forever before finishing on a fun downhill stretch.</p>
<p>This course is an out and back and is fully flat. So, here's what happens in my head. As soon as I see the first people turn around and come back toward me I start to get that "I'm done" feeling. I just wanted to stop running fast and I was counting how far back I was thinking, "yup definitely worse than last year."</p>
<p>It is funny because the race is so much easier to get to, and it is just as fun and the course is really more approachable for moms and daughters but Elizabeth and I are salmons and just missing that old course. I think we missed it more this year than last year - last year was new and interesting. This year just settled in that it was here now.</p>
<h2 id="untied-shoe-at-mile-2">Untied shoe at mile 2</h2>
<p>So I was already slowing down (I must note that my half marathon PR pace is faster than my pace for this race) and struggling and then I felt flopping on my left foot. My shoe was untied. Grrr. Should I stop and tie it? A mile isn't too far to run with an untied shoe, right? Well after about 10 steps my foot was feeling floppy and I was worried I'd lose my shoe. I stopped and tied it. During that 6 seconds (yes I counted), the woman I'd passed at mile 1.5 passed by me as well as a couple other people. However, they would have passed me if I'd slowed down more because of my shoe or if I'd tripped anyway!</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/07/IMG_1338.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="An opportunity to improve form. Major arm crossing that I didn't realize I was doing." title="An opportunity to improve form. Major arm crossing that I didn't realize I was doing." /><p class="stickyNote">An opportunity to improve form. Major arm crossing that I didn't realize I was doing.</p></div>
<h2 id="shirtless">Shirtless</h2>
<p>Last year my friend Tonya ran this shirtless. It had rained all day long <em>(poured)</em> and I chose to wear my tri suit in case it continued to rain <em>(it didn't).</em> Anyway, this year it was hot - not crazy hot but about 82 degrees. I decided I'd run shirtless knowing that Tonya would be doing this at least so I wouldn't be the only one. Then, I arrived and Tonya was working same day registration. "Are you running?" I asked. "No. I'm working on my biking." Tonya is doing a bike race next weekend so she's putting in some long biking miles. I briefly thought about going back to the car to get my tank top because everyone else was in shirts BUT I had my own mind set on shirtless so I stuck with it.</p>
<h2 id="after-and-final-thoughts">After and final thoughts</h2>
<p>I ended up just more than a minute off from last year's time and Elizabeth was just about the same distance behind me as last year. In fact, we were close enough together that I almost waited for her at the turnaround. We had decided before the event that this might be our last year doing this so I considered waiting and running in with her. Why so much slower? Well I have a few thoughts about my time and then about Elizabeth's too.</p>
<p>For me - Tonya wasn't running. I used her to pace myself off from last year and I did truly race her, something I don't typically do. Without that incentive I wasn't as motivated. There are other factors - music hurt instead of helping. The right music would have been a built in pacer but my half marathon music was comfortably slow and I just settled into a training run. And more excuses ... my right foot. I'm hitting it oddly on the outside edge only when I run fast. It has been bugging me for a bit and I think it is where my sock is rubbing in the shoe. By the end of this race I was limping. I need to sort that out. And as if I need more there is the untied shoe and the fact that I've been running slowly lately. A few interval workouts prior to a 5K would have been a good idea. As for Elizabeth - she always paces off me so I think her result was simply that she looked ahead and figured she was the right distance behind me. She also said that the music wasn't a good idea for her.</p>
<p>We enjoyed hanging out with the people who had volunteered and the people who had run the race after. There's always great post-race food and a fun atmosphere.</p>
<p>The boys were working the finish line helping with timing so Elizabeth brought snacks over to them as they waited for everyone to finish the race.</p>
<p>Next year I think we'll either volunteer or choose to run together for the first time. Elizabeth will be a senior next year and though it is a summer race, it will be kind of the close of a chapter of her life. Maybe it will be fun to just run it for fun together. She reminded me that we used to "twin" for this race. Now we just say, "oh that's today" and get dressed. It could be our year for homemade shirts and cute twin outfits to close off this chapter of K-12 education years.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/07/IMG_8318.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="We look happy after the race! Thanks to Linda for taking this for us." title="We look happy after the race! Thanks to Linda for taking this for us." /><p class="stickyNote">We look happy after the race! Thanks to Linda for taking this for us.</p></div>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>I was 3rd in my age group and Elizabeth was 2nd in hers. We came in 2nd in the mother-daughter team division. We went home with 4 plants. That's one thing that is super cool about this race - winning plants is fun! Now hopefully we can keep them alive this year.</p>
<p>Amy (25:13, 20/100) and Elizabeth (25:40, 21/100).</p>
<p><a href="https://www.webscorer.com/racedetails?raceid=143788">Official results</a></p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/07/IMG_1347.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With our plants!!" title="With our plants!!" /><p class="stickyNote">With our plants!!</p></div>
First Swim of 2018 CLT Training2018-06-26T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/first-swim-of-2018-clt-training/<h2 id="back-in-the-pool">Back in the pool</h2>
<p>I had hoped to get into the pool long before this but things have been so busy with school and Emoticakes that I didn't activate the one month pass that Scott bought me at the <a href="https://mayday5k.org/">May Day 5 & 5</a> until today! In fact, I almost changed my mind about even starting today. As I was walking out of my exercise class at FLX I mentioned to the owner that I was going to go to swim for the first time. I told her about the pass and she said, "aren't they closing the pool for maintenance soon?" Oh my goodness she is right I thought. I've always been confused by this practice. They close it before the lake is warm enough that people are really swimming regularly in it and while everyone is gearing up for <a href="http://support.hospicare.org/site/TR?fr_id=1120&pg=entry">Women Swimmin'</a> training and the <a href="https://cayugalaketriathlon.org/schedule/">Cayuga Lake Triathlon</a> training. I think the 2nd week in August would be a much better time for seasonal updates.</p>
<h2 id="summoning-the-courage">Summoning the courage</h2>
<p>Anyway, I almost just bailed when I realized it was closed from the 28th of June through July 1st but I called Scott to ask his opinion. He correctly pointed out that "Hey the cert expires in December so when else will you use it?" Ok ok I may as well push myself into the pool. I drove over with a pit in my stomach - it is hard to go back to a gym you left even if you do need their pool and to do something that is hard but I was going to summon the courage. Luckily when I walked in one of the women from my Les Mills training class was coming in as well. She was surprised to see me and I was happy to learn that she is now teaching BodyPump there. I explained that I had decided not to use the certification and she understood. Then she shared that she was going to be on a team for the CLT - running. She shared that she wasn't a strong swimmer. "Oh you should totally take <a href="https://kaizen-durance.com/zenmans-bio/">Shane's class</a>!" I said. "He'll give you amazing instruction and practice and he'll be your weekly dose of zen."</p>
<p>I bopped my way back to the locker room, suddenly feeling pretty ok about this whole swimming thing. I have such fond memories from my <a href="http://www.totalimmersion.net/">Total Immersion</a> days with Shane. The first swim couldn't be that bad. I got ready and hopped into a lane only to suddenly realize that I basically had to swim a mile in the lake - 1500 meters to be precise. With the pool closing imminently for 5 days it seemed prudent to swim a mile today. What was my pool fitness like? Would I be able to swim at all?</p>
<h2 id="it-wasn't-so-bad">It wasn't so bad</h2>
<p>I decided to start with a 400 and time it with my stopwatch/lap feature. I got into a pretty comfortable groove with a 9 minute time for the distance. I wasn't worn out and it wasn't unpleasant. Suddenly I realized that the Tom Tom had a counting feature - I could set the length of the pool and count a .25 mile distance (or any distance). For the 2nd quarter mile I used this. That would allow me not to focus on counting laps but just on swimming. My 2nd set <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1662057875">looked like this</a>. Not bad - 9:18 for 411 yards <em>(average of 2:15 for 100 yards)</em>. For my last section I realized I should not give myself even a bit of rest time and I set it for .5 mile. I started this set off counting strokes - not typically a good idea unless the numbers are what one would like to see. My stroked ranged from 18-22. Nothing has changed from the past. My best stroke count was the occasional 16 but really the typical was more toward 20. This set was the slowest of them all. It did include a couple of stops to sort out goggles and look around to make sure no one needed to share my lane (the pool was starting to get crowded) and I averaged <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1662057909">2:26 per 100 yards</a>.</p>
<h2 id="thanks-to-shane-i-won't-drown">Thanks to Shane I won't drown</h2>
<p>Just earlier that morning I had been in a BodyPump with my friend Jessica teaching class. A women had recently returned to class after an absence. Jess kept calling her out in a joking way "if you are just returning to class..." and I asked her how long she had been out and why. She shared that she had broken her ankle badly and it was a long recovery. I thought about her as I was swimming. It is hard to go back after an injury or an absence for any reason but things come back quickly. I feel eternally grateful to my former self for signing up for Shane's classes and to Shane for teaching them! I can still swim as well as I could when I left class (though I have a LONG LONG way to go to improve) and it wasn't unpleasant.</p>
<p>Some observations - when I dance I feel like I'm moving but I am really not moving. My family jokes about my "dancing" that it is just standing really. I must feel the movements in a more exaggerated way in my head. When I swim I am not rotating enough. I watched the guy next to me as he rocked from side to side, gliding through the water. I know I don't look like him. I look like a flat body on top of the water even though I feel like I'm rotating. I know I favor my right side strongly from Shane and from the fact that my right shoulder was tired from the swim. These are all things to work on when I go back on Wednesday!!</p>
<h2 id="the-lake-is-next">The lake is next</h2>
<p>I'll try to hit the pool a couple of times a week all month and get to the lake after Elizabeth gets home from camp in early July. It should be plenty warm by then and I'll have my kayak buddy with me. A bonus is that she can drive down Kathey's driveway now so I can just be chauffeured home after my swim <em>(she reminded me of this)</em>. I am hopeful that our practice sessions will help me keep my head calm in the actual race this year. Last year I was light on practice and the water/air was cold and I got kicked hard, losing my googles and panicking for a bit. A mile in the lake is a long way ... and there is the visual part that can freak me out.</p>
Gorges Half Marathon 20182018-06-16T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/half-marathon/gorges-half-marathon-2018/<h2 id="excuses">Excuses</h2>
<p>I had big plans to train properly for this. I really planned to sign up for the Rochester Marathon on my Mom's birthday in September. My sister was thinking of coming out and I spent a lot of time making a training plan for the two events. Marathon training needed to start a few weeks before Gorges so they overlapped well. Then ... my sister got hurt. She was on the fence about doing it anyway but she tore her calf muscle and that made me think it was highly unlikely she'd be up for it. And ... I was told I'd be able to return to my long-term substitute math teaching job for Fall <em>(most likely)</em><br />
so that puts a marathon 3 weeks into school. Then, I feel like I'm always on the edge with almost having plantar fasciitis so was marathon training really smart? The marathon will happen during adult cross country. Last year I did a 50K right before the start of that season and the long slow distance isn't the best for meshing with short fast running.</p>
<p>So why am I sharing all this in this post? Well, I wrote a plan and I kind of followed it, but without the intensity that I had originally hoped to have. Scott was intensely following the Run Less Run Faster plan that I'd followed when I tried to PR for Flower City awhile ago (I didn't PR but had a fine race). It was effective but it turned every run into a hard effort - there were no casual fun run opportunities. I didn't care for that. However, I did try to do my speed days on his speed days and I used my new Hanson marathon book for some things. I think this is actually what I am most sad about with not training for Rochester - not getting to follow the Hanson book's plan. In fact as I write this I'm feeling like I should change my mind. There's still time ... maybe?</p>
<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>Training went mostly well. I did a good job with adding speed to my workouts and I hit the distances needed for proper half marathon training. I ran a lot of my longer runs on the Black Diamond trail. Whenever I run that trail I am filled with gratitude for it. To have a lovely easy trail that is connected to a challenging trail that can take me all the way to Ithaca is amazing. For two of my runs I started in Trumansburg and ran to Ithaca and snagged a ride home. That's super fun - all downhill! Not the best training but fun. One day we were staying in my friend Kathey's lake house for Cornell graduation weekend <em>(we rent our house out)</em><br />
and we went out to get a smoothie at Starbucks after our respective runs. I had a long slow relaxing run to Ithaca and Scott had a crazy fast long run around Trumansburg before picking me up.</p>
<h2 id="a-great-track-workout">A great track workout</h2>
<p>Most of the speed training I did was in our neighborhood. It is ~ .4 miles and it works well for 800 repeats <em>(or any distance, really)</em>. I can loop back by my house and get water from the mailbox and there's a bathroom if needed. However, everything is still an estimate and one day I decided I was going to use the wonderful new track facility we have at our school complex. The only problem? Track practice was in session. It didn't work for me to go after practice so I figured I'd give it a go. Worst case I'd have to go home and use the neighborhood. Scott does this all the time, but he is available in the morning when no one is using the facility.</p>
<p>I ran my warm-up to the track <em>(about 1.5 miles give or take)</em><br />
and saw all my students out there for their modified practice along with the varsity kids. I had to do three one mile repeats with a 400 cool down <em>(4 minutes)</em><br />
on the track at threshold pace <em>(8 min miles)</em>. This was surprisingly FUN! I enjoyed running by the long jumpers, high jumpers, hurdlers and just seeing all the kids out and about. As I ran I thanked <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/training/mithacal-miles/">Mithacal Milers</a> because without that program I would NEVER have had the courage to be out on our track doing repeats like this! I thought back to middle school and high school track and remembered some key moments.</p>
<ul>
<li>Skipping track in 7th grade to go out for ice-cream with a friend and when caught <em>(quickly)</em><br />
by our parents telling them that there was no practice - we were let out for good behavior. We were both promptly grounded for the weekend!</li>
<li>Going to Invitationals and laying in the sun, hair drenched in Sun-In trying to turn blonde. The coach told us it wasn't a good idea. We should be under the bleachers staying in the shade and cool. Of course I didn't listen and had terrible race results.</li>
<li>Arriving late to practice and hitting the warm-up run of the "horn" around the 3 school buildings. I remember desperately grabbing my friend Erika's shoulder and begging her not to leave me if I couldn't keep up.</li>
</ul>
<p>I realized all my track memories are pretty much negative. I endured the sport and was terrible at everything I tried. As I watched these kids I had regret that I didn't enjoy the opportunity! But I could also see that the set-up of track is an introvert's nightmare, especially a not so athletically competent introvert. It would have taken a very emotionally intelligent coach for me to have enjoyed it. I'm rather surprised I stuck it out! However, to my athletic, confident adult self, it looked like a lot of fun.</p>
<p>One of my students said to me the next day, "Do you run every day?" I told her I ran most days but that I only did speed work like that once a week. She said, "Wow I thought I worked hard. You are amazing!" I smiled as she went on to talk about her goals for getting faster and how she was inspired to push herself harder next year. I thought that was great! It is fun to inspire the kids and gain inspiration from them.</p>
<h2 id="a-spring-cold-strikes">A spring cold strikes</h2>
<p>Three days before the Gorges Half I came down with a cold. Determined not to let it take hold I drank a lot of water and didn't exercise. The afternoon it first hit I came home from school and Scott said, "What are your fitness goals today?"</p>
<p>"I just want to survive. I have no goals." I said glumly and started baking.</p>
<p>Despite my best efforts the cold took hold and I spent two nights awake sucking cough drops for my crazy bad sore throat. Then, the day before the race I had the fortunate opportunity to be part of the leadership team for a full day event at school. This meant I got to check in on all the classrooms all morning long, giving me flexibility. I was able to consume excessive amounts of water. Goal: flush this cold out of my system. By then it had moved into my chest and I was struggling with breathing, but my throat was mostly better. I felt pretty optimistic by the end of the day that I'd be able to run the race.</p>
<p>That night the cold locked in again and I caved and took nighttime cold medicine. I hadn't slept in 2 days and I was just eager to get any rest that I could before the run.</p>
<h2 id="and-then-there-were-three">And then there were three</h2>
<p>This race was to be just Scott and me. We had asked the kids if they wanted to run and they both decided to take a year off. We asked them about volunteering and they thought they'd enjoy the morning at home since it was an early start and they hadn't seen much of each other lately. However, it was most convenient for us to have them go to pick up our packets because they already had to be in Ithaca. As they picked them up, someone asked Elizabeth if they were running. "No she said, we're not trained." They went on to ask if they might know who the other Dawsons were that had signed up. Elizabeth said she doubted it but then they read the names. "Elizabeth Dawson and Xander Dawson." Someone else said, "oh no that's a different family. They all run."</p>
<p>"That's actually us." replied Elizabeth. "We just didn't train so we didn't think we were signed up." She picked up the bibs and they laughed about it on the way home. There was no way her brother was going to be able to run a half marathon - he struggled with heel pain during track and hadn't run at all since track ended. Elizabeth surprised us when she got home by saying, "I think I might wing it." Fair enough - she'd been running short distances and she knew she could complete the distance even if she had to walk. She is also old enough to be out on the course solo and untrained without me worrying about her. We invited Xander to take the bus in to join us for the post race meal that he had paid for but he declined. He wanted to have time to practice piano and relax.</p>
<h2 id="race-day">Race day</h2>
<p>I woke up groggy - the downside of taking night time cold medicine. I was not exactly excited and very excited at the same time. It is fun to rise to the challenge of something when you aren't feeling up to it. We all had different goals:</p>
<ul>
<li>Lize.r.d. wanted to finish!</li>
<li>Scott hoped to PR and win masters or first age group.</li>
<li>I scrapped the original intent of a PR due to my cold but hoped to have a "respectable best effort race" for the condition I was in.</li>
</ul>
<p>My Dad picked us up to take us to the start line and we wandered to the start. I saw a few people I knew but not too many. I missed having Christina there with me and we arrived late enough <em>(purposely because we didn't want to have to go to the bathroom a million times after arriving)</em><br />
that the time was mostly functional and minimal. We said our goodbyes to each other and lined up at the start line in totally different spots. I turned on my playlist and then paused it and set my intention. Don't go out too fast. Don't change your mind and try to PR. Just run comfortably. This should be doable enough, I thought.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/06/IMG_1124.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Start line" title="Start line" /><p class="stickyNote">Start line</p></div>
<h2 id="lies-at-the-start-line">Lies at the start line</h2>
<p>Right before the gun went off the woman next to me asked if I had any goals. "Just to finish." I said. Why would I say that? I knew I could finish. My goal was not just to finish. It was as if by saying aloud, "I want to have a 1:50ish" would make it so that didn't happen. She had a water pack and she looked nervous and I know I look like someone who would have a goal that was more than "just finish" so I felt bad about saying that to her. Next time ... honesty. This little statement could be why I just missed the nice round number of 1:50. Payback for lying.</p>
<h2 id="the-trail">The trail</h2>
<p>This race starts on a road and then intersects midway down the Black Diamond Trail. It is a lovely start with the very obvious danger of going out too fast. Last year I started running too fast with Christina and we paid for it later. I would try to stay at an 8:30 for this race. <em>(had I bothered to do the math or look this up I would have realized that this would give me a 1:51:26 and may have shot for a bit faster - round numbers are always nicer to have as a result).</em><br />
The first miles were uneventful. I enjoyed Lindsey Sterling in my mix <em>(my go-to training music)</em><br />
so it felt rather like a training run. As I neared Cass Park I could feel myself getting scared. This was where Christina started to struggle last year. I remember wondering if I would have been okay if I had been solo. I remember hitting that wall of heat and humidity and being afraid.</p>
<h2 id="cass-park">Cass Park</h2>
<p>I don't like running in this park at all. It is dreadfully flat and mind-numbingly boring to me. I sometimes say no to friends who ask me to run here just even for a short 3 miles just because I dislike it so much. However, it was part of the race course so run it I would. As I emerged from the trail there was no wall of heat like the prior year. The weather was more temperate and the humidity was lower. I was surprised to be keeping pace nicely. I ran along the waterfront trying to enjoy it and succeeded. Soon I was at the Jewelbox where my friend Brenda was volunteering to direct traffic. I got a boost from seeing her.</p>
<h2 id="now-it-is-a-race">Now it is a race</h2>
<p>A bit after mile 9 I saw my friend Katie working and I picked up a new spring in my step. It is always so fun to receive encouragement from friends volunteering on the course! And it just so happened I was running along admiring the back of a woman's sports bra only to find as I passed by her that she is someone I bake cakes for. Scott often delivers cakes for me so I haven't seen Alicia much in person. She was having a strong race and looking good! After seeing her a song that I like by Sir Rosevelt came on my mix. The title of the song is, "The Bravest." Here are some of the lyrics:</p>
<p><em>When you're tryin'</em><br />
<em>Ya tryin'</em><br />
<em>Ya tryin'</em><br />
<em>To be strong</em><br />
<em>When you're dyin'</em><br />
<em>Ya dyin'</em><br />
<em>Ya dyin'</em><br />
<em>To hold on</em><br />
<em>Cause we only got one shot to make it</em><br />
<em>You could be the bravest</em><br />
<em>You could be the greatest</em><br />
<em>Set the world on fire</em><br />
<em>Burn a little higher</em><br />
<em>Oh oh oh oh</em><br />
<em>Oh oh oh oh</em><br />
<em>You could make em stand up</em><br />
<em>Make the people put their hands up</em><br />
<em>You can be a champion</em><br />
<em>Champion</em><br />
<em>Champion</em><br />
<em>Oh oh oh oh</em><br />
<em>Oh oh oh oh</em><br />
<em>A champion is someone who gets up</em><br />
<em>Even when they can't</em><br />
<em>They don't come to get it all</em><br />
<em>They come to give it all</em><br />
<em>And legends are made</em><br />
<em>In moments like this</em><br />
<em>You could be the bravest</em><br />
<em>You could be the greatest</em><br />
<em>Set the world on fire</em><br />
<em>Burn a little higher</em></p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/06/Gorges_Half_RNR_RH-20180616-384.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Rounding a corner in Stewart Park" title="Rounding a corner in Stewart Park" /><p class="stickyNote">Rounding a corner in Stewart Park</p></div>
<p>Okay, here I am at mile 10 and I really have plenty of energy. I took things slow and steady and knew I could do 3 miles well for the last bit. Soon I was nearing the bridges in Stewart Park. These bridges are the type of bridge that you have to be in lockstep with others or you have this horrible jarring motion. As I crossed the first bridge I passed by a woman I know. I wished her good luck and continued on. I could tell she was working hard and probably shooting for a PR that day.</p>
<p>Just 1/4 mile later she passed me by. I looked at my watch - I was currently doing 7:30. Too fast already and she was blowing by me. "Hmmm she really wants this." I thought. "Good for her." Today was not a race type of day for me. I dialed my pace back and continued my comfortable running. Check - goal 3 was sticking - "Don't change your mind and try to PR. Run comfortably." Still it is hard when you feel capable of running better not to change your mind this late in a race. But, one thing I have learned from doing a lot of races is that you need to embrace the day and do what you feel works for you on that day. So, while I did speed up a bit and I did try to catch her for just a bit, I was smart enough to look at my watch and acknowledge that it wasn't my race if I was chasing someone for the last 3 miles.</p>
<h2 id="the-last-mile">The last mile</h2>
<p>As I neared the end I was tired. My feet hurt. I love my zero drop Topos but they are super great for me up to mile 10 and then the last 3 miles my feet always hurt. I saw Scott and he cheered me on. The finish line was uneventful - I didn't have a ton of energy or desire to race it in but I did my best with it. I was annoyed to see that I hadn't hit 1:50 on the clock. It has nothing to do with anything but the key numbers for me are 1:45 and 1:50. 1:45 is my hopeful time for when I try to PR (<em>current PR on a half is Wineglass 2014 with a 1:46.11).</em> I'm in better shape now than I was then and I still think a new PR is possible, but I was super sad that I wasn't physically able to go for it today because this course is a perfect PR opportunity.</p>
<h2 id="shoe-laces">Shoe laces</h2>
<p>I ran into my friend Steve and was intrigued by his shoe lacing system. Of course as I was marveling I decided to ask him if I could take a picture. Here is the snazzy lace system that his friend does for him if you want to give it a go.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/06/IMG_8169.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Snazzy? Yes." title="Snazzy? Yes." /><p class="stickyNote">Snazzy? Yes.</p></div>
<h2 id="waiting-for-liz.e.r.d.-and-post-race">Waiting for Liz.e.r.d. and post race</h2>
<p>I saw my friend Alicia after the run. I think she finished right behind me. Her family had adorable shirts made for the race. Super fun! I caught up with my friend Scott as we both waited for our kids and he waited for his wife Laura. My husband Scott texted that he was going to run Elizabeth in. I thought they must be close then and stopped walking, getting ready to cheer. While I was waiting, my friends Jess, Joel and Carrie ran by. I nabbed a picture of this fun spirited crew of running friends.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/06/IMG_8166.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Jess, Joel and Carrie " title="Jess, Joel and Carrie " /><p class="stickyNote">Jess, Joel and Carrie </p></div>
<p>Soon Scott and Elizabeth came toward the finish line. I cheered loudly "Go Liz.e.r.d" as she went by. Scott had gone to run her in not sure if she'd be happy to have the support and it turned out to be a great decision. She was grateful for her Dad's encouragement and really pleased to see him!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/06/IMG_1172.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Elizabeth" title="Elizabeth" /><p class="stickyNote">Elizabeth</p></div>
<p>We grabbed food and beer and caught up with friends, listened to music and enjoyed the festive atmosphere. This race has a really awesome post-race vibe. Ian always puts on a great event!! It is one of the things that keeps us coming back every year.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/06/IMG_8170.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Post-race" title="Post-race" /><p class="stickyNote">Post-race</p></div>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Scott came in 8th and was first in his age group with a 1:23:17 - a new PR for him! Read his <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/gorges-ithaca-half-marathon-2018/">race report</a>. I was 213th with a 1:50:32 and 4th in my age group. Elizabeth came in 663rd at 2:17:42 and was 10th in her age group. Alicia was 3 seconds behind me and the woman I leapfrogged with was 5 seconds behind me.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.leonetiming.com/2018/Roads/GorgesNet.htm">Official Results</a></p>
<h2 id="photos">Photos</h2>
<p>The watermarked photo on this page is from Ron Heerkens Jr. of <a href="http://goatfactorymedia.com/">Goat Factory Media</a>. Official race photos were free this year!</p>
<p><strong>Goat Factory Media:</strong> <a href="https://galleries.goatfactorymedia.com/gorgeshalf-rnr2018">https://galleries.goatfactorymedia.com/gorgeshalf-rnr2018</a> <strong>Allison Usavage:</strong> <a href="http://photos.allisonusavage.com/ithacahalf2018">http://photos.allisonusavage.com/ithacahalf2018</a></p>
How I came to love Bikram Yoga2018-04-28T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/yoga/came-love-bikram-yoga/<p>My experiences with yoga have been varied and inconsistent until this year. When my kids were younger I organized a yoga class for a bunch of stay at home moms, finding a teacher and time that worked for us all at a local yoga studio. My reason for taking yoga? To have a reason to wear cute yoga clothes!! I never bought any cute yoga clothes and didn't particularly enjoy the class.</p>
<p>But, sometime after that class session ended I decided to try the yoga at the gym Scott and I had joined. My physical therapist that I saw for runner's knee and IT band issues recommended more cross training and core work for me. At my first visit he was visibly shocked by my lack of flexibility. Yoga fit nicely into his recommendations. I picked the easiest yoga class <em>(from the descriptions)</em>, coming home to tell Scott that I was AMAZING at yoga <em>(not amazing, just chose a very gentle class)</em>. In the years that followed I tried a few other instructors, types and times at my gym. While I never fell in love, I did like how it made me feel afterwards. Last year when we left our gym I turned to yoga apps at home and the Les Mills BodyFlow class for about a year.</p>
<h2 id="kelly's-class">Kelly's class</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Kelly-Caraher-Yoga-964608543669741/">My friend Kelly</a> teaches a class locally that I've always wanted to try, but it never quite fit my schedule until the fall of 2017. Her class is Monday nights and this fall my kids have piano on Monday nights. Elizabeth is driving now so she drives herself and her brother up to Ithaca College, hitting Wegmans to do our weekly shopping for us. That leaves Scott and me with a free evening for yoga. I decided to check it out first and report back in to Scott. I found that I really enjoyed the class! I realized after a year of yoga at home that an in person class really IS different even from an online class. I purchased a punch pass and decided to make yoga a regular part of my life. Monday nights quickly became something to look forward to. Our family gathered for a late dinner to catch up after a long day. I enjoyed the family time, even if it was a later than ideal dinner. If you live in Tburg or near, definitely check out Kelly's classes! She's an awesome teacher!</p>
<p>As I write this, I've been going pretty regularly for almost a year now, but the Monday night plan has changed because Scott joined a local chorus, so now it is just my thing. At first that stopped me from going for a bit. It wasn't the same without him and I found myself choosing the bike in our home gym or using the time to work for several weeks until I realized that these choices were making it so I was not getting yoga into my week. I kicked my butt back out the door to class after a few weeks of slacking. It is different, and Monday nights are no longer a special family time, but I am still getting my yoga in.</p>
<h2 id="kathleen-does-bikram">Kathleen does Bikram</h2>
<p>My friend Kathleen mentions her Bikram Yoga class at <a href="http://www.puresweatyoga.com/">Pure Sweat Yoga</a> to me from time to time. Last summer we were hiking and talking about fitness things and she invited me to join her for a 6:30 am class. "Sure, why not?" I really like hanging out with Kathleen and I honestly thought it would be fun to see her despite the yoga. The date we picked was still a few weeks away so I had time to get my head wrapped around it. She told me what to expect and we made a plan.</p>
<p>In those few weeks, the last of summer, I got a job as a long term sub teaching grade 7 math. The first teacher day was the day of our scheduled yoga class. I waffled about whether to go for an insanely long time, finally canceling on her the night before the class. The class was in Ithaca, I had to be at school looking presentable and I would never be able to go at this particular time again. I felt really sad about it, but it made sense.</p>
<p>On that same hike I had been telling Kathleen about my <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/swim/">amazing swim class</a> with Master Total Immersion instructor, Shane Eversfield. Many many months later we were chatting and she told me she was in the middle of Shane's level 2 class. "Wow! You are taking it! That's SO awesome!!" I replied. "We should swim sometime." Our kids are friends and occasionally when we talk about kid things we connect as well - we're both super busy and don't fall into each other's orbits too often so it was nice to connect. One day I was saying something about how we should get together sometime and she brought up hot yoga again. "Do you want to join me on Saturday morning?" she asked.</p>
<p>This was mid-week and I put it in the back of my head. I had a lot of baking to do and Scott was in the middle of rehearsing for a show that had him out late most nights. Xander was in the middle of his tech week for his show so Saturday morning was a time we'd actually all be home. I wasn't sure if I should disrupt the morning to go do something for me. Still, sometime on Friday I realized I could get my baking done and go to the class. The world would in fact keep on spinning if I did something fun just for me. "Yes I'll go!" I told Kathleen. Then I told Scott, "by the way I'm going to a yoga class tomorrow morning."</p>
<h2 id="the-first-class">The first class</h2>
<p>Kathleen warned me not to eat too close to class - like don't eat closer than 3 hours. I usually get up at 5 so it was perfectly reasonable to have breakfast at 6 and then be fine for a 9:30 am class. Scott and I normally wait until 7 or 8 on a weekend to eat if we aren't doing a long run. I baked and had breakfast and then baked again before heading to class. We had been out really late the night before when his rehearsal wrapped and Elizabeth had a friend sleeping over so it was an odd morning for us anyway. I struggled with what to wear, embarrassing Elizabeth in front of her friend as I tried poses in different outfits. "You aren't usually this weird mom," she said as I came out in thing after thing. "I don't usually go to hot yoga," I replied.</p>
<p>As I got into the car to go I realized I was really scared. I met Kathleen at a parking lot near her house and hopped in her car so we could catch up on the drive into class.</p>
<p>Kathleen explained the structure of the class; 26 poses done in the same order each time. She let me borrow a cool towel for my mat and she told my my first priority was to just try to stay in the room. I could do this I thought.</p>
<h2 id="labor-is-the-thing-that-comes-to-mind">Labor is the thing that comes to mind</h2>
<p>I know, not exactly a great sell, but even after 4 classes this analogy sticks for me. Labor was one of the few times in my life that I have only been able to think about what I'm doing right at that moment. Maybe the final miles of a marathon would also be an apt analogy to have something that all runners can relate to.</p>
<p>This experience is one of the hardest yet at the same time most energizing things I've done. My mind never wandered away from the meditation, the focus on the poses, or the class during the 90 minutes. I wasn't even capable of counting the poses to know how many we'd done. When Kathleen leaned over after the standing poses were complete to say, "we're past halfway," I thought "yay. I'm going to make it."</p>
<h2 id="what-bikram-does-for-your-body">What Bikram does for your body</h2>
<p>I can't speak for all bodies, but I struggle with shoulder mobility. I only became aware of it after taking swimming for a year. My teacher was really out of ideas for how to improve my swimming because he felt it came down to a lack of ability to move my shoulders. He suggested I see a PT and was even willing to attend sessions with me so he could learn. I did and I added regular stretches to my life. Then, I decided to try acupuncture along with the exercises. This twice monthly treatment is really helping. However, after visit #1 to Bikram I felt like I was just leaving a session of acupuncture. Hmmm. What if I do this weekly?</p>
<p>The Monday after my first class Scott and I were doing our regular Monday Les Mills BodyPump at home. We hit the back track and I felt more muscle engagement than I've ever felt. Wow! I asked Scott about the muscle use I was feeling and he said, "yup, always feel that." I think Bikram helped me engage muscles that I have never used before. After just one class I felt totally hooked.</p>
<h2 id="have-you-ever-tried-drugs-amy%3F">Have you ever tried drugs Amy?</h2>
<p>As someone who owns my <a href="http://www.emoticakes.com/">own business</a>, I know the importance of the <a href="https://www.productiveflourishing.com/maven-connector-or-salesperson-whats-your-archetype/">connectors</a> in the world. Those people who like your product and will tell all of their friends. By nature I'm a connector. I like to share my positive experiences with as many people as I can. At my team meeting the Monday after the class I told my fellow teachers about this experience. One of my colleagues said, "wow the brain can really be altered in the heat." I continued on and on about how amazing this class was and then she said, "Amy have you ever used drugs?" No. She joked that I'd probably be a good candidate. No one on the team was sold on coming with me .. yet. However, two of my friends were willing to give it a go. They both tried it and liked it, but due to injury and some other factors it didn't end up being a fit.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/04/IMG_7961.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Scott after my 3rd class and his first!" title="With Scott after my 3rd class and his first!" /><p class="stickyNote">With Scott after my 3rd class and his first!</p></div>
<p>I took Scott the following week and he ADORED it. We went out for coffee at <a href="https://gimmecoffee.com/">Gimme</a> after and there were 4 of us from class there! One guy from class drove down from Syracuse just for this class!! I thought as we stood in line, "only in Ithaca could we walk out of class totally sopping wet and stand in line at the coffee shop and not be a bit embarrassed."</p>
<p>This week I took my friend Kathey. She wasn't sure she'd manage the heat but I knew she would. Kathey is crazy competitive and very driven. She did the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/rachel-carson-trail-challenge/">Rachel Carson Challenge</a> with me years ago and despite great worry about finishing before the cut off she rocked the challenge!</p>
<h2 id="time-for-a-punch-pass">Time for a punch pass</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PureSweatYoga/">Pure Sweat</a> does this nice thing where they let you try yoga for 10 days for $20. A drop in class is $20 but they also offer various membership levels. After my 10 day trial and one drop in class I decided it was time for a punch pass. I am now committed to regular attendance!!</p>
<h2 id="the-poses">The poses</h2>
<p>I found this <a href="https://www.bikramyoga.com/about/26-postures/">really awesome page</a> about the poses. I don't look anything like this when I do the poses!! I think it is cool because it says what each pose does for you. I think I'll visit the page every now and then to remind myself about the goals of this.</p>
<h2 id="benefits-of-bikram">Benefits of Bikram</h2>
<p>A quick internet search will give you so many of the benefits but here are a few from the page that Pure Sweat Yoga has on their sheet.</p>
<ul>
<li>Maintain health and wellness.</li>
<li>Glowing skin.</li>
<li>Improved weight regulation.</li>
<li>Improved muscle definition.</li>
<li>Better mood and outlook on life.</li>
</ul>
<p>The studio encourages you to practice regularly and point out that the more you practice the more you will see these changes in your body. For me, for now I'm going to plan on at least once weekly and hopefully twice on some weeks. I want to commit to something I can maintain so my starting level is once a week.</p>
Skunk Cabbage Half Marathon 20182018-04-08T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/run/skunk-cabbage-half-marathon/<h2 id="background">Background</h2>
<p>This race is usually a big social event for my family. Scott always races it and I always run for fun with friends. I don't think it was ever purposeful that I wouldn't race it, instead the timing and the fact that the race was local has always made it feel like it would be fun as a crew. Our kids normally run the 10K and it is our official kick-off to the running season.</p>
<h2 id="how-i-found-myself-running-alone">How I found myself running alone</h2>
<p>This year was different. My son Xander was having his final day of his school musical and his call time was noon. We couldn't get him back in time for a noon call so he had to drop from the 10K. At her last golf lesson, Elizabeth was trying to find a time for her next one and she said, "Mom, what about 9 am on the 8th of April?" I said, "Sure. It just means you can't do Skunk and you have to drive yourself to Rochester for the lesson." With a busy week and weekend, Elizabeth decided she'd rather take the lesson slot than run a 10K and then wait around for Scott and me before being able to go home. So, no family crew.</p>
<p>And then the friends: many weren't running for one reason or another this year. Christina had been sick mid-winter long enough for it to derail her running, Tonya dropped back to the 10K, Katie hurt her ankle, Anne isn't in Ithaca anymore, Brenda was handing out medals at the end, Jenny and Chantelle weren't running ... and the list goes on. Sure, I knew plenty of people there, but no one I had run with in the past or knew well enough to run 13.1 miles with was going to be out there today. It was decided for me: I'd run solo.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/04/IMG_0644.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Me, Scott and Joel Cisne outside, pre-race" title="Me, Scott and Joel Cisne outside, pre-race" /><p class="stickyNote">Me, Scott and Joel Cisne outside, pre-race</p></div>
<h2 id="race-goals">Race goals</h2>
<p>Last month Scott and I took the RRCA Level 1 Coaching Class in Ithaca. We're now both certified running coaches! I'm starting to think about how I'll use this certification. As part of our training we talked a lot about pacing and motivation. I've paced my daughter and son through 2 half marathons each. I've also paced Christina to her course PR for Skunk and helped her through a rough half marathon race last spring. Today I would be my own coach. My goals:</p>
<ul>
<li>Run respectably but do not race.</li>
<li>Run even splits for first 10 and then shoot for negative splits for the end.</li>
<li>Have fun!</li>
</ul>
<p>I didn't want to race this because I've always considered it a social run. I didn't want to have the pre-race stress that comes with having a time goal in mind. My next half marathon can be that race. Today I wanted to run hard enough for it to feel like a good effort but not so hard that I couldn't keep a thought in my head.</p>
<h2 id="pre-race">Pre-race</h2>
<p>We arrived and Scott and I chatted briefly with a couple of people before dropping our stuff and saying goodbye. He was going to warm-up and get ready to shoot for a crazy fast race going for first masters again. <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/skunk-cabbage-half-marathon-2018/">Spoiler alert: he did it!!</a> He got a course PR for himself too. And that was with us foolishly going out for beer after Xander's show the night before. Maybe beer isn't such a bad pre-race choice after all? I stood in the bathroom line and then moseyed outside to the start line. That was a good plan as the line was crazy long and I just barely made it outdoors in time.</p>
<p>When I lined up I felt sad. I looked around and didn't see too may people I knew. Actually, I didn't see anyone that I knew. I felt a little like I was at the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/flower-city-half-2017/">Flower City Half</a> or the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/syracuse-half-marathon/">Syracuse Half</a>, just a part of a large crowd of strangers. I don't mind this feeling in those places - in fact it is one of the things I like about out of town races. I just have a different expectation for the Skunk. The feeling passed as the guy next to me and I started talking about clothing for the race and wished each other luck. Soon the horn blew and we were off.</p>
<h2 id="by-the-miles">By the miles</h2>
<p>My sad feelings evaporated as we started. I was instantly happy and I decided to run in that sweet spot of not too fast and not too slow. This would be a race for me to think about a million things, thoughts could stay in my head <em>(and because I ran a reasonable pace, I'd even remember them later)</em> and the crazy changing weather could just be part of the day's story too, though I didn't yet realize it!</p>
<h3 id="mile-1---2">Mile 1 - 2</h3>
<p>I started out really slow. I looked at my watch and it was in the 10s. Very atypical for me but okay. My pace started to settle out just over a half mile in. 9 minute mile starting pace. I could work with that. I knew 9:09 was a 2 hour half and I would be perfectly okay with anything under 2 hours. My goal for first 2 miles was to try hard not to have the average pace slip into the 8s.</p>
<p>I passed fellow FLRC runner Amelia at the one mile mark. Amelia had a stroke that greatly affected her mobility and was out for the 10K with an early start. She works so hard to improve her running and is very successful. Her courage and perseverance inspires me.</p>
<p>Soon after this I saw the back of a woman's shirt that said,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"It's not when you finish, it's why you finish."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>That's nice. Hmmm. I thought about that for awhile. Why was I running this race? For fun? For challenge? For something to do? As a way to avoid a solo training run? All of the above. Then, I looked at the person attached to the shirt. Headphones. This is a no headphone race. They are very strict about it. I spent the next few minutes irritated. Then, I realized that she was choosing to take a risk that I was unwilling to take. Instead of wasting time being angry, I decided to count how many people passed by me wearing headphones. During the time that I focused on this, I counted headphones on 5 people.</p>
<p>Somewhere in these miles fellow runners and friends Angela and Jess passed me. This was where I briefly (and jealously) thought "Why didn't you decide to race this?" as they ran by. However, I would stick with my plan. Even splits are not my forte so why not give it a go?</p>
<h4 id="mile-3-5">Mile 3-5</h4>
<p>These miles are when my thoughts started to settle. I got stuck in my head. At mile 3 my mind turned to my teaching job. We are learning percents and percent equations in my Math 7 class and over break I read a book that is filled with statistics. I remember sharing stat after stat with Scott as he laughed at how intensely focused I was on these numbers. I took screen shots of pages and later shared them with my principal to ask what he thought about talking about some of these stats in class, doing math problems with them etc. Of course I'd have to modify the passages for 7th grade reading levels and select some of the less depressing statistics <em>(the book is about the death gap in America based on race and income level, among other things. I was halfway through this modification, having spent some time on it before we left for the race).</em></p>
<p>This led me down the rabbit hole in thoughts to statistics in general to wonder why I never took anything beyond the required stats course in college. Then I started to think about my goal in grade 7: to inspire the kids to realize there is more than just numbers in statistics. You can do so much with the knowledge and these numbers paint a very detailed story.</p>
<p>My stats thinking led me to where we are with Elizabeth and her college search. As a junior she's in the thick of that. She's looking for schools that offer piano performance and an opportunity to play collegiate golf and limiting her search area to the Northeast. We've been looking at school stats on a really cool site for athletes. The site has helped us narrow her search down to 7 schools. Their stats page for each school is now making it easier to form a mental image of the school before contacting coaches and doing in-person tours. Soon I was out of my head and back on the road.</p>
<h3 id="mile-5-8">Mile 5-8</h3>
<p>Somewhere in this corridor my thoughts turned to running. For most of this time we're on a main road on the left shoulder. It is a perfectly pleasant run if you are running alone, but I remember this part of the course as challenging when running with friends. The shoulder is narrow and cars are whizzing by the entire time. Sometime during this stretch I caught Jessica and we briefly ran near each other. There was a water stop so I grabbed some Gatorade. I've learned enough to know that even when it is cold outside I need to stay hydrated.</p>
<p>As I was running along I heard two guys behind me talking about an ultra event. I'm guessing they were talking about a 100 mile race. <em>"You know, some people do the entire race, not as a relay."</em> They went on, <em>"They don't run the whole thing you know. They walk a lot."</em> As they passed me I had to bite my tongue not to try to enter their conversation. I've run a 100 mile as a relay and I've watched my sister run a 100 mile solo. Scott has done a couple of 50 mile races and during my own ultras (50Ks) I've learned so much about ultra running. I remember sitting down with my sister the day before <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/western-states-100-kick-start-trail-running/">Western States</a> as she shared her pace charts. I remember wondering how she could average paces of 18 and 20 minute miles. Now that I've been through these things I understand. I wondered for a bit whether these guys would do their own ultra endurance events and remember that conversation, laughing at their former selves at some later date.</p>
<p>"Halfway there!" a water stop volunteer shouted as I grabbed water at mile 6.5. "Not helpful," I thought. It was right at this halfway point that we turned off the busy road and onto a smaller road with little to no traffic. I looked up ahead and saw ominous clouds. <em>"Here comes the snow"</em> I said aloud. Seriously, about 30 seconds later it started snowing. The woman I was running next to at the time burst out laughing.</p>
<h3 id="%22beer-near%3F%22-miles-8-10">"Beer Near?" Miles 8-10</h3>
<p>Somewhere on this stretch the local Hashers are out with beer. There is a legit water stop but they also offer beer. The familiar "beer near" comment always makes me smile. This stop is where Christina had her first mimosa a couple of years ago and we had such fun talking about mimosas for days after. Normally my friend Jessica is serving beer here but today she was on the course running. I decided not to take the beer or water. Somewhere around mile 8 that I passed Angela. She was looking the other way so I didn't shout anything at her as I went by.</p>
<p>Shortly after the beer stop I caught up with my friend Elizabeth. Her son is in school with my daughter Elizabeth and we struck up a conversation in the snow. It was mostly about how we couldn't see ANYTHING. At this point it felt like a spring blizzard! Suddenly I felt grateful that I hadn't chosen to wear sunglasses.</p>
<p>We turned up the hill. This hill is short but steep, and the end of this hill marks what I consider to be the end of the course. It is all downhill from there and it is only 3 miles so ... race over. Every hill I approach I remember my sister's words of wisdom from early in my running years, "equal effort." I focused on getting up the hill with a strong effort knowing it was all downhill from there.</p>
<h3 id="time-to-negative-split!-miles-10---11.5">Time to negative split! Miles 10 - 11.5</h3>
<p>My average pace to this point was 9:03, give or take. It kept changing. My goal now was to get down to high 8s and not speed up too quickly. Secondary goal, don't let Elizabeth and Angela catch you again. Okay, so I am not racing and I know this, but now that I'm actively trying to speed up it would be a blow to have either of them pass by me at this point.</p>
<p>Soon I was at the last water stop. I walked through it and got another Gatorade. I remember running this portion with Christina and trying to motivate her. It was a low point for her largely because I looked at my watch and realized that if we didn't pick up our pace a 2 hour finish was out of range. As a result, I pushed her faster than she was ready to go. I would learn from this as I coached myself today. Not racing means not racing. It doesn't mean suddenly sprinting the last 3 miles to make up for 10 miles of comfortable running.</p>
<p>I love the home stretch of this race. For some reason I started to think about marriage. Scott and I are approaching our 20th wedding anniversary. I felt grateful that we are getting to experience 20 years of marriage and thought about how different our marriage is now than it was in the first 5 years. I like it better. It is more raw and real than those early years. Yesterday I delivered a wedding cake and got to see some friends in their 90s. They are still happily married, but age has taken its toll on both of them. I left the delivery saying to Scott, "Age can be cruel." He agreed, but then we talked about all the amazing things about aging too. More wisdom, yes, plus the depth of love and commitment we have to each other.</p>
<h3 id="pick-off-10!">Pick off 10!</h3>
<p>When I ran with Christina I asked her to try to pick off 10 people in the last portion of the race. I decided to do this today too. Catch 10 people and don't let anyone new pass you. I can do that. It is a great mind game to end a race with. I was able to catch just 10 people, reaching my goal. One thing that pleased me is that while it is easy to motivate a friend, I always thought it would be hard to motivate myself. However, I found it rather easy to motivate myself. I think the experience of running with Christina and coaching my kids through their own half marathons made it easier to coach myself.</p>
<iframe src="https://www.strava.com/activities/1497568948/embed/e266be77ff7721c38f7c31f221aa185c983acfe6" width="100%" height="405" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
<h3 id="good-enough-for-an-age-group-%233">Good enough for an age group #3</h3>
<p>I was happy to see that <a href="http://www.leonetiming.com/2018/Roads/SkunkHalf18.htm">I placed 3rd in my age group</a>. Sure, it wasn't a PR or a goal race or even racing, but it was nice! I was proud of myself anyway.</p>
<h3 id="next-steps">Next steps</h3>
<p>The best thing about the Skunk is that it makes me think about the season. What will I focus on this year? How will I train? What are my goals? In the week since the race I've determined all those things. Here's my plan.</p>
<ul>
<li>I will race <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/gorges-ithaca-half-marathon-3/">Gorges Half</a>. It will be my first time racing it. It is a deceptively hard course and I look forward to the challenge. I have to plan my training.</li>
<li>I will run the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/rochester-marathon-2012/">Rochester Marathon</a> on September 23rd. The first time I ran this marathon it was with my sister on my Mom's birthday (September 23rd) and it was also my first marathon. It lands on my Mom's birthday again this year. I've invited my sister and she's considering it. I will use the Hanson Method to train. I bought this book during my coaching training (literally from my phone) and it is appealing to me. I am super psyched to try it out.</li>
<li>Lastly, I'll look forward to training for my one and only triathlon this summer. I am signed up for the intermediate distance of the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/triathlon/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2017/">Cayuga Lake Triathlon</a>. I ADORE this race and I am grateful for its ability to motivate me to keep up with my swimming and biking. Without it, I wouldn't swim and I'd probably stall with biking. I can't wait to have Elizabeth kayak for me from my friend Kathey's house. I adore our swim sessions. I look forward to weekly rides on the tri course as soon as it warms up.</li>
</ul>
Training & Repeats2018-03-26T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/training-repeats/<p>My grand winter training plan hasn't gone as smoothly as I would like to have had it be. I knew it would happen. We had some trips planned, the winter was cold and rainy and just rather miserable a lot of the time and I was really busy with my job as a long term substitute math teacher and my job as a baker. Some days this winter I felt like I barely had time to sleep, no less work out!!</p>
<p>I stopped actually looking at my plan for awhile and that meant that I stopped marking things in regularly (to note changes or even know what I actually planned to do!). I owe a HUGE thank you to Strava for making it SO easy for me to look back and transfer my actual workouts to my chart!!</p>
<iframe src="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/Winter-Training-march.pdf" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>
<h2 id="training-plan-comments">Training plan comments</h2>
<p>I have been feeling really bad about not hitting my goals lately, but when I went to transfer things over, it was really only a couple of weeks that were way off base. I recently had a really great long run so that made me feel ok. All in all, everything is a balancing act and the training was the ball that fell this time.</p>
<p>I had a good solid long run on Saturday that reminded me that I am still capable of a happy, fun long run!</p>
<h2 id="and-then-there-are-the-repeats">And then there are the repeats</h2>
<p>Scott asked me to go with him to Barton Hall to do repeats this morning. I reluctantly agreed. We've barely had a chance to see each other lately and he wanted to have my company. I had my "I'm going to endure this" mentality for the way there, so I know he was thinking, "why did I ask her to come?" as we headed into Barton. Once there though, I quickly embraced the opportunity. After all, I had the experience from MITHACAL milers so I knew the drill. I talked with a woman who was standing there in a sweatshirt, dismayed. She had forgotten her shirt. I told her to run in her sports bra, "no one will care," I said. She decided to give it a go and we smiled at each other each time we rounded the track in opposite directions we were working out.</p>
<p>I ran a 1 one mile warm-up and then began the intervals. Scott was doing 5x1000 per the plan that he's following from the book, Run Less, Run Faster. I thought I'd do a 1000, then an 800, then 600, etc. However, after I ran the first 1000 at I pace, I remembered how much I enjoyed doing 1000s with my MITHACAL miles friends. I would try for 3 or 4 of them so I could finish with Scott.</p>
<p>I ran each 1000 at Interval (I) pace which for me is 55 seconds. I was typically between 52-55 for this, so I was pretty happy. I also learned that I am actually able to see the screen when I use the lap setting on my stopwatch (I thought it was too small so I hadn't used it during training this winter). I ended up opting to do 3 sets of 1000 vs the 5 that Scott did so that we could end around the same time. I could have done 4 .. but I would have lost cool down time that while not actually necessary felt luscious and desirable!</p>
<h2 id="confidence-restored">Confidence restored</h2>
<p>It was a good exercise to go up there, do some interval work and realize that falling off track for a couple of weeks of training isn't the end of the world. I cut myself some slack, realizing that there are many bigger problems in the world and I let myself be grateful that I can run. I am grateful for whatever I have time for, all the positive choices I make and for the time to connect with my husband!</p>
MITHACAL Milers Week 62018-02-01T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/mithacal-milers/mithacal-miles-week-6/<p>As with every week, Adam sent out an email with the workout early in the day. Scott gets these in his inbox and forwards them to me and I don't open it until I feel strong and ready to face what the evening will bring. I've grown to like this part of the program. I always know it will be a challenge, but I don't know until that day what that challenge will be. It is fun not to have to make up your own plan sometimes!!</p>
<p>This week's plan called for 2 to 3 sets. Each set was:</p>
<p>1000 at tempo pace followed by a 1 minute rest, another 1000 at tempo pace and another 1 minute rest and then four 200s at repeat pace with a 200 jog in between. Some quick math and I realized even 2 sets would be a long workout for our 7 minute mile crew!!</p>
<p>I went into the pacing calculator and our 1000 pace was about 1 minute per lap and I already knew our repeat pace was about 52. I actually wrote the whole thing up on paper, calculating out how many minutes the workout would last and started to get my head around things.</p>
<p>Scott and the kids and I are doing this new thing where we try to eat dinner earlier. Because of activities our dinners have been pushed so late that it is now 7:30-8pm that we're eating most nights. This is fine except we all go to bed by 9 and sometimes even 8:30. It isn't that great to eat and go straight to sleep. This is all good but on MITHACAL miles night it is hard to eat early and not throw up during the training AND we had plans to go to Viva with Tonya and Adam for dinner. Another quick calculation that we'd be eating at 9ish went through my head. Ok ... I can do this I thought and had a salad and something else that I can't even remember now as a snack before the training.</p>
<h2 id="the-first-set">The first set</h2>
<p>We arrived with plenty of time to spare again which always makes a night start out better. Our friend Lesley was there so it was fun to catch up with her. The group was on the small side for the evening and I was a little worried about doing the workout without some of our regulars. Again I found myself amazed at how quickly I could come to depend on people to keep things nice and even for us. John and Dave and Bob were all "absent" and I missed them. We had a nice crew though so it was all good.</p>
<p>Tonya and I enjoyed our 10 minute warm-up and we all gathered at the start line. Without much chit chat we found ourselves beginning our first 1000. I found this enjoyable actually. Every lap Tonya would shout out our pace. I had my watch to check as well but I liked that she was shouting it out. On other evenings we'd both be shouting it out, but the group was small enough it felt like overkill to have 2 people reminding everyone of our pace. Plus, really 1 minute paces are awfully easy not to mess up!!</p>
<p>We rested our one minute and then it was time for the 2nd 1000.</p>
<p>The 200s felt comfortable and familiar and I enjoyed the jog. I have also come to love the jog - there's that "I can't talk - I'm working all out" portion of the workout and then there's the wonderful time to catch up and jog at a snail's pace between reps.</p>
<h2 id="and-the-2nd">And the 2nd</h2>
<p>Adam warned us that the 2nd set would feel more challenging and of course he was correct!! However, it felt doable and that first 1000 at tempo pace felt even enjoyable after the fast 200s. Our friend Kim had done one track workout already that day and she managed to do the entire first set and the 1000s of the 2nd set before bailing for the 200s. I was so amazed/impressed that she was able to do TWO track workouts in one day - wow!!</p>
<p>Our last 200s felt like they'd never end. We picked up another person for this and she did every other one with us. I chatted with her toward the end of the evening and she said she felt up for every other one as she was struggling with some shin issues and speed was rather new for her. That's another thing I love about this evening - you can pop in and out and it is all ok. You can improve on your own timeline which is a nice thing!</p>
<p>Tonya's watch can pick up our activity inside and Strava has a new feature that allows you to tag a friend so you can more easily take someone's workout that you did with them. She shared it with me.</p>
<p>I think that's super cool - love seeing all the little orange circles around the track!</p>
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<h2 id="it's-a-wrap">It's a wrap</h2>
<p>There was no time for cool down with this and truthfully I felt no desire either! This is one thing about being in the 7 minute mile group when you have the 5:30 and the 6 and 6:30 crews all out there. You are the slowest so you take the longest.</p>
<p>We did our cool down stretches and soon we were at VIVA for a much anticipated dinner with Tonya and Adam. We enjoyed our food and conversation to end our Tuesday night workout.</p>
MITHACAL Milers Week 52018-01-25T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/mithacal-milers/mithacal-miles-week-5/<p>After running the Hartshorne Masters mile on Sunday we'd all be training together again on Tuesday. For week 4, some of the group members did a fast progression to be ready for the race and others did a longer workout because the race wasn't on their weekend agenda.</p>
<p>I was happy to be back with the big group on Tuesday and wasn't even alarmed when we got the email saying we'd be doing 800s. I am proud of this because every other week I have been afraid as I head up. I wonder if I can keep up, wonder why I signed up and have to constantly say to myself that I can do it! There were no such feelings this week.</p>
<p>Scott and I had to hit BJs either before or after the workout so we opted to leave early and cross that off our list. As a result, we arrived with plenty of time to spare before the training. It it is so much more relaxing to arrive early!</p>
<p>I got my chocolate medal from the race for winning my age group <em>(I was the only person in my age group)</em> and a monetary award for it being my first time running this event <em>(I'll include info about that in my post about the race)</em> and got ready to run.</p>
<p>One of our cross country running friends was there. She hadn't been before. She shared that she had asked Tonya and Adam if they were free and they invited her to join in. She had a baby sitter for her 3 and a half year old twins and her husband was out of town. It was fun to see her! The Lansing cross country coach is part of this group and she brought a lot of her team members this particular evening. Several of the girls joined our 7 minute mile repeat crew. This is one of the things I particularly love about this group and running in general. Ages and genders can blend in together so easily in this sport.</p>
<p>After warm-ups there were several groups of folks doing the 10 minute warm-up. We enjoyed catching up about our weekends and talking about the mile as we warmed up. Soon it was time to begin and there wasn't much time to think about it! We determined we were going for a 3:40 800 pace and we were off.</p>
<p>The first 800 was really cool. I've learned about pacing from Tonya and shouted out our lap time at the end of each 200. I ran just off Tonya's shoulder because it felt comfortable. Our group spread out enough to fit us all and we all held our pace goal. We had 2 minutes to cool down which translated into a very slow lap for us. I thought after the fact that I should have timed the two minutes, but it never occurred to me at the time.</p>
<p>Each 800 felt different - possible but different. Repeats this long are where I really feel the power of the group. You just go. There is no stopping, whining or quitting because the group is going. No reasoning about being tired, no unplanned drink breaks. Just get it done with the group. Soon we had finished our 4 and it was time to cool down.</p>
<p>Another great week of training!</p>
Winter Training Week 42018-01-24T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/winter-training-week-4/<p>This week was a light week for running and really for exercise of any kind. It is challenging with daylight, cold and rain and just the crazy schedule I've been keeping. I felt happy that I could hit 17 miles for the week and manage to do some other things besides running as well.</p>
<iframe src="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/Winter-Training-2018-2.pdf" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>
<p>One of the things that I knew when I wrote this plan up was that it would be a struggle to make every workout. A friend noted that there weren't any real rest days allocated. I assured her that they would happen by necessity.</p>
<p>We took our first ski trip this week - a simple one day trip to Whiteface. The drive to ski ratio was all out of whack - 10 hours of driving over 2 days for 5 hours of skiing one day. While I really enjoyed the skiing, I probably wouldn't make that choice again. We managed 20 miles of downhill and our quads were exhausted. I do so wish we lived just a bit closer to a large mountain. Our kids have raced for the past 9 years and this is their first year not ski racing. As such, it is our first year without season passes to a local mountain and our plan is to do a few bigger trips. I never used to understand why people without passes wouldn't take at least one or two trips to a local mountain. Now I do - I'd rather just not ski than pay $74 a day for a small mountain. It is the same cost (or more) than going to a big mountain like Whiteface or Gore and just managing the drive part. Anyway, after all this ramble - my point is that while I was skiing all day and driving I wasn't running this weekend!</p>
<p>I also participated in my first one mile race last week. It was an awesome experience that I'll be writing about this week. It did contribute to my lower than usual mileage last week.</p>
<p>All in all this was a good week of activity, just a little light on the running miles.</p>
Hartshorne Masters Mile2018-01-21T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/hartshorne-masters-mile/<p>Scott and I have been training for the past month through a local program sponsored by the Finger Lakes Runner's Club called the MITHACAL Milers. The entire point is to work on speed, specifically for the 1 mile distance, over the winter. I signed up for the group rather eagerly, but for this race, I was a reluctant participant. Scott said one evening, "Hey we'll be in town for the Hartshorne Masters Mile. Let's sign up." It sounded so far into the future at the time that I somehow thought it was at the end of winter. I said okay, thinking that I'd have 8 weeks of fast running under my belt and I'd be less afraid of the mile by the time the race rolled around. Little did I realize that it was coming right up! Read more about the Hartshorne Masters Mile including the history of this race in <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/hartshorne-memorial-masters-mile-2018/">Scott's post</a>.</p>
<h2 id="cornell-hockey">Cornell Hockey</h2>
<p>The night before the race we went to BodyPump at <a href="https://flxfitclub.com/">FLX Fit Club</a>, a new gym in town that my friend Chantelle opened last year!! I was exhausted from the week before we pumped, but gained some energy from the class! Scott and I brought our little crock pots filled with pesto pasta and plugged them in while we worked out. After class we quickly changed and sat in our car eating our warm pasta before heading to the game. We split season tickets with Chantelle and her husband, and tonight was one of our games. As they played the national anthem I could feel my eyes wanting to close. I started to wonder how I'd stay awake for the game.</p>
<p>On the drive home, the weekend schedule started to really sink in. My normal Saturday morning routine is to get up at 5 and work until the kids get up at 8 or 9. This Saturday would be a normal school morning wake-up for the kids because of their All County Music Festival. This meant a school morning schedule for me too - an hour of work from 5-6 followed by getting breakfast and helping with prepping lunches etc. The kids had to be brought to school at 7:45 so I wouldn't be able to get back to working until 8. We had to leave at 9 for the race and we were heading straight to a one day ski trip after the kids' concert. I had a little mini fit with Scott about this schedule. I was afraid to run the mile, feeling sad about my lost work time, and very sad that I couldn't have multiple cups of coffee. That is my favorite part of Saturday: PJs and coffee!</p>
<h2 id="splits">Splits</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/01/IMG_0084.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Splits on my hand" title="Splits on my hand" /><p class="stickyNote">Splits on my hand</p></div>
<p>On my first ever run of a mile a little over a month ago my time trial was 7:26. It was near what I predicted based on my best 5K time. However, it was also after a month off from running after cross country season ended and it was the first time I have run a mile on a track. So, I reasoned after a month of training I could go faster. I settled on a 7:15 goal and wrote my 200 splits on my hand. I knew as I wrote these splits that I was mentally ready for this. I would have a good run. However, I would continue to whine for several more hours.</p>
<h2 id="%22red-semmon%22">"Red Semmon"</h2>
<p>As we drove to the race, I whined in my head and aloud. I thought back to my pre-school years. Every time we neared the Seven Eleven on the way to school I would see the big red seven and start to cry and cry saying, "red semmon" because I knew it meant I was close to school. This is how I felt as we headed up the hill. As Scott and I got out of the car I had to say, "For the record, this isn't my ideal way to spend a Saturday." "I'm getting that," Scott replied.</p>
<p>I instantly felt even worse. No one wants to run with Xander when we do half marathons because he is so mean when he is afraid of things or when he is struggling. "Hmm, yet another trait he gets from me. Fantastic."</p>
<h2 id="arrival">Arrival</h2>
<p>We slowly walked into Barton where we were greeted cheerily by my friend Adam. Scott and Adam chatted about Scott's heat. I think Adam knew somehow that a simple hello was the best greeting for me. My stomach was all filled with butterflies like it normally is before a cross country race. However, I had some new thoughts about this after my conversation with Tonya at MITHACAL miles training. I read an article she recommended from Runner's World. Knowing the science behind the nervous stomach helped me to calm down a lot.</p>
<p>We chatted briefly with our friend David, and then I put my sneakers on and grabbed about 10 minutes of slow running in before stretching. Surprisingly I actually remembered most of our warm-up stretches for MITHACAL miles without Adam leading. Scott brought his headphones and was listening to music. I said I wished I had done that. He sweetly let me borrow them since he didn't have to run for awhile. I felt even worse than I already did for being such a complainer that morning.</p>
<h2 id="joe's-words-of-wisdom">Joe's Words of Wisdom</h2>
<p>My friend Joe's wife was running in our heat. Joe came over to me with advice. "Breathe on the first lap. Don't get behind on your breathing or the lactic acid will build up and you won't be able to run." "Yes, listen to Joe," I thought. He has good running experience. At my first ever trail race he was the announcer. His advice, "have one eye on the trail and the other on the signs. This way you won't fall or get lost." I ignored his wisdom, happily starting the race chatting with my friend. Shortly into the run I fell flat on my face AND later got lost! We came in last <em>(not really because of this, more that we were slow but even so...)</em>, and I've always listened to his advice ever since!</p>
<h2 id="shirt-or-no-shirt%3F-that-is-the-question.">Shirt or no shirt? That is the question.</h2>
<p>A couple of weeks ago at MITHACAL miles training I asked my friend Kerra why she cut the neck off a really awesome race shirt. "The neck bugs me," she replied. We went on to have a conversation about the shirt, necklines and more. My trouble with running fast is when shirts ride up. I haven't found a tank top that doesn't either flop around or ride up when I run fast. Neither is ideal. I wore the shirt that I wore a couple of weeks ago. I thought it would be perfect as it was okay for our training runs. However, as I ran one swift lap I could feel it riding up. My trouble is that I can't seem to push this annoyance to the back of my mind. It takes top priority and ruins my running. I decided that the only option was to go shirtless. I felt really silly, but honestly who cares? If it would help me have a better race, why not?</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/01/IMG_0081.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Scott was goofing around taking pictures of me shirtless." title="Scott was goofing around taking pictures of me shirtless." /><p class="stickyNote">Scott was goofing around taking pictures of me shirtless.</p></div>
<h2 id="the-start">The Start</h2>
<p>After a million trips to the bathroom, a little more warm-up running and some more chatting the time was finally here. I'd be starting this race one way or another. I wasn't going to get out of it. We headed to the line. Everyone was scared and excited at the same time. I was both eager to go and to be finished and scared that I wouldn't be able to do it. Others had been talking about finish goals that morning. My goal was just to stay positive and finish.</p>
<p>The gun went off and we were on our first lap!</p>
<h2 id="i'm-so-glad-i-wrote-my-splits-on-my-hands">I'm so glad I wrote my splits on my hands</h2>
<p>When we were running last week in training, Tonya said that she found the entire process of running speed work magical and beautiful or something like that. I don't really remember exactly how she put it except that I was thinking that it wasn't that beautiful or magical when she said it. Today I thought of it mathematically. I would hit my splits no matter what I had to do. I had taken the time to write them down <em>(twice, actually, since I goofed up and had to use oil to get them off my hand the first time)</em>, and I knew they were realistic. There. Splits will be hit today!</p>
<p>After the first lap I was on pace. That was fun, I thought. <strong>Fun.</strong> Hmm ... that's a nice feeling. Lap 2 was going to be a bit too fast, so I slowed down before the clock to make sure to be on my time. I could see Tonya just up ahead and I was part of a pack of 5. This was just like training. I could do this!</p>
<h2 id="bear!">Bear!</h2>
<p>Somewhere around lap 6 the woman in 5th place overtook me and I dropped to 5th in our pack. I would have had to speed up my splits to catch her and I had become mathematically married to those splits. Even though I felt I had more energy, I was worried that if I sped up too much I could lose it on the last lap. I stayed where I was. Today was not about winning for me, it was about finishing strong.</p>
<p>In our last training session at MITHACAL Milers our group had run eight 200s, successively faster. It was to prepare us for this race. At the time I just thought I hit the jackpot with the easier workout <em>(the people not doing Hartshorne had to run 1000s)</em> but today as I ran I was thanking Adam in my head for his wisdom in assigning that workout. I knew what it felt like to do successive 200s and I had bombed out on the last 200 in training so I knew I was going to try to go faster today.</p>
<p>As I rounded the first third of that last lap, Scott shouted "Bear!" and I smiled. Yes, let's actually try this time and see if I can speed up. I put as much speed on as I felt was reasonably maintainable until the finish and tried to catch Tonya to move into 4th. I overtook her by the tiniest smidge right at the end for a last lap of 46 seconds. Ironically that was my last lap time of the successive 200s in training that I was so bummed about. I suddenly wished I could have pushed a little harder to hit 44 or 45 seconds.</p>
<h2 id="the-race-video">The race video</h2>
<p>So Scott sent me the link to this and I didn't have the heart to watch it at first. I thought it would be just totally embarrassing but it was rather cool actually. I got to hear my name announced and see what splits in action really looked like. My kids laughed like crazy when they watched it saying, "mom your shorts look like they are going to fall off!"</p>
<iframe width="100%" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j1T2vPHDUPA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<h2 id="afterwards">Afterwards</h2>
<p>My friend Brenda was there to watch people so we chatted, and Tonya's Mom and Dad had come so we got to catch up with them. Tonya's Mom is the first person I met when I started taking BodyPump years ago, so I've always had a special connection with her. They had just come from our friend Jessica's BodyPump class and were super pumped from the great class! We tried to talk the woman with the blue shirt (who had passed both Tonya and me in the race) into joining Cross Country next fall, and we spent time talking with Brenda about Cross Country as well. Pretty soon it was time for us all to watch Scott's heat!</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>The results are super cool. Leone Timing even has our <a href="http://www.leonetiming.com/2018/Indoor/Hartshorne/">SPLITS</a>. That was awesome to see. I included my splits and Tonya's here since we have been training together in MITHACAL miles every week and also run very similarly to each other in cross country. It is SO much fun to have a friend to train with who pushes you to do your best. The <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/race/hartshorne-masters-mile-2018/">full results</a>.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/01/Screen-Shot-2018-01-30-at-5.50.52-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>A week later at Mithacal Milers, Tonya and I were talking about when the woman in the blue shirt made her move past us from 5th to 4th and then later 3rd. Tonya said her head was not in the game because she didn't really realize that she had to push ahead of her. My head was fully in the game, I just wasn't playing the game at that point. I was afraid of losing my planned splits and Tonya felt later that she should have pushed harder. It was fun to share our thoughts after the run and also to realize just how different they were during the race!!</p>
<h2 id="viva-and-beyond">Viva and Beyond</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/01/IMG_7561.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Viva!" title="Viva!" /><p class="stickyNote">Viva!</p></div>
<p>After the race we enjoyed a delicious post race date at Viva! I ordered a very GREEN lunch - I always modify things so much that they don't even resemble the original entree they are based on. We had to take a picture of it, of course. After this nice midday date we went to the kids' All County Chorus performance and then drove to Whiteface for our weekend ski trip.</p>
<h2 id="the-chocolate-medal-and-envelope">The chocolate medal and envelope</h2>
<p>As we entered Barton the morning of Hartshorne, Adam told Scott and me that we were both the only person in our age group. Guaranteed win! Can't win unless you show up. It turns out that the prize for this was a chocolate medal, which I thought was pretty awesome! Adam gave us our medals <em>(and Scott won a book for winning his heat)</em> the following week at Mithacal Milers. He also said to me, "here, this is the best part" as he handed me an envelope. I was wondering what it was and as I opened it I realized it was a card with $100 inside!! This year was a special year and a donor had given a grant of $200 to be given to the top 10 women in the race making their Hartshorne debut. The thing was that there were just two of us. Adam asked her what she wanted to do and she told him to split the money between the two of us. Wow!! That is really exciting and kind. Now I have plans to buy something special with this money so - something to remember the race and this kind gesture with.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/01/IMG_0147.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Swag" title="Swag" /><p class="stickyNote">Swag</p></div>
MITHACAL Milers Week 42018-01-19T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/mithacal-miles-workout-4/<p>This week was a mixed up training week. People running the Hartshorne Masters Mile on Saturday had a shorter, faster workout and people not participating had a longer, slower, and more challenging workout. Scott and I arrived on time this week - early even! We were awfully excited and relieved to be there on time. As we started the warm-ups on this very cold, snowy, January evening I looked around and realized it would be a little different than other weeks.</p>
<p>By splitting this group into two, we wouldn't be running in our usual pack. I have gotten comfortable with my big crew of people and I felt a little sad. I couldn't help but think of the irony - just a few weeks prior I had been afraid to run fast with other people.</p>
<h2 id="warm-up">Warm-up</h2>
<p>I ran the warm-up with my usual crew and we chatted about passports, work, online courses, iPad classroom integration and more. I always love the warm-up. We have a little pattern now. Run almost our full ten minutes and then peel off for drinks and last minute bathroom trips before we all gather at the start line.</p>
<h2 id="the-workout">The Workout</h2>
<p>Our plan for this was to run eight 200s with 200 rest in-between starting at I pace (Interval) and dropping to R pace (Repeat) by the end. For Tonya and me that meant starting at a 55 and dropping to a 52 by the end. Our last 200 would be flat out fast or as like Adam said, "like you are being chased by a bear." There was a large pack of us doing this workout but it was really 3 smaller groups with one person straddling groups. He chose to join Tonya and me for the cool down bits and run ahead of us for the workout part. It worked well.</p>
<h2 id="our-first-200">Our First 200</h2>
<p>Was too fast. I think we came in at 48 and change. I knew we were going too fast at the 100 mark but I didn't do anything to adjust this pace. In my own head it didn't much matter - we could adjust after the lap and I figured we might get tired and slow down naturally for the 2nd part of the lap. The other groups also went out too fast, needing to make similar adjustments for the other 200s.</p>
<h2 id="the-middle-laps">The Middle Laps</h2>
<p>These laps fell into place quickly. It felt easy compared to last week, and also strangely more challenging. One of the things about the 400s and 600s is that they give you equal rest time. That meant that by the time you started again you felt fully rested. I always felt a sense of fear as we started our next 200. I wasn't quite ready and I wasn't so sure I could stay with Tonya. However, we hit our paces well and generally enjoyed this.</p>
<h2 id="the-%22i'm-being-chased-by-a-bear%22-lap">The "I'm being chased by a bear" lap</h2>
<p>It seems like it is enough to give this direction. Run like your life depends on it was the core message. I most definitely did NOT run like my life depended on it. I am almost certain that bear would have made a nice meal of me. I had flashbacks to the few times in high school track that my coach actually put me in a running event. I "ran" track but mostly I was there to hang out with all the friends I wouldn't get to see if I didn't do track. So track for me was social and I threw the discus. I wasn't terribly awful at that, and sometimes even placed. In fact I have 3 memories of track - one was skipping practice with my friend and lying to our parents in grade 7 (3 days of being grounded when they caught us within a half hour), a second is literally grabbing onto a teammate's shirt and begging her to wait for me while running, and the last is an amalgam of memories of laying in the sun on Invitational Days with Sun In in our hair hoping to turn blonde. I'm sure that laying in the heat did wonders for our running!</p>
<p>I think the coach felt she had to put me in for more than one thing, so sometimes the 200 was a place that sometimes the coach felt she could sneak a not so great runner in. We didn't need the points there and it was a good challenge for me. The reason for this was that my friend Stephanie (a state level athlete) was always in this event and she won every time. As I ran this 200 I got that same feeling of fear as I looped around the track. I got to run the 200 relay a couple of times and let's just say that was not a good choice on the coach's part!</p>
<p>Anyway, back to the present. I got a 45 and change for this 200. I started with no goals other than, "run all out like you are being chased like a bear" and wasn't able to do anything with that info. I was telling Scott that I really should have had a 100 meter split time I was seeking. I think if I had approached it more scientifically, with less fear I could have gone faster. Tonya was 3 seconds ahead of me. I think having a 100 meter split time would have helped me a lot!!</p>
Winter Training Week 32018-01-16T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/winter-training-week-3/<p>In this third training week I started to feel like myself again. It is less challenging and feels more "normal" to just kick myself out the door to run. I'm glad I took the month off from running because it reminded me how it feels when you just start. I also got to enjoy an entire month with nice loose calves!!</p>
<h2 id="weekly-highlights">Weekly highlights</h2>
<p>This week we had our 2nd ski trip cancelled (well thankfully we are able to postpone this one) due to weather. We had an ice-storm/snow storm forecasted to come through on Friday night followed by sub zero temperatures. New York would get it, but in Vermont they were calling for widespread power outages. We all decided we'd rather be out the money than be trapped in Vermont in a hotel with no power for the weekend and/or skiing for the first time of the season with a forecasted high of -2. Luckily Jay Peak was willing to change the reservation dates for us, so we spent the entire weekend home.</p>
<p>What that meant for training was time to go to BodyPump on Friday, time for rpm on Saturday and a 6 mile run on Sunday. I should/could have done a long run but the way timing worked on Sunday I didn't have an opportunity to get more than 6. I decided I could go back out and get another 4 later on, or just accept that I'd be one mile shy of my goal for the week and have no long run. I opted for the latter.</p>
<iframe src="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/Winter-Training-2018-1.pdf" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>
<h2 id="racing-and-such">Racing and such</h2>
<p>On Saturday Scott realized we'd be in town for an indoor mile racing opportunity. "Wanna do it?" He asked me. "Not especially." I replied. "Why?" Well, I had a ton of baking to do for my business and I was spending my other free time working for my teaching job. I had a brainstorm for another use for my iPad in the classroom and was spending what even I recognize as an obscene amount of weekend time working on it. "No I don't want to." I said again. "I want to use the time that I am not working to get a longish run in and to play Risk with the kids." He was ok with that, deciding to brave the race alone. It was better this way anyway because we wouldn't have run anywhere near each other in the day, so it would have been a longer time commitment. He had a really interesting first mile race that made me super SCARED for the Hartshorne Mile next weekend. <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/first-flrc-track-meet/">Check out his race report</a>.</p>
<p>When he came home and reminded me that a mile is EIGHT times around the track I remembered just how HARD that mile time trial was. I also looked at my plan and realized that by running this I have no time to get a long run in AGAIN this weekend. So, by force this coming week is a fall back week in mileage. I'm also super worried for the race because I'll be going in with very tired legs based on the week's training plan. So, my focus for this coming week is to relax and try not to stress about Saturday!</p>
MITHACAL Milers Week 32018-01-10T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/mithacal-milers/mithacal-miles-workout-3/<p>This week Scott and I were all set to arrive ON TIME and not miss any warm-up exercises. When we made it to downtown Ithaca we heard the sound of a TRAIN. Yup, the very long train they had warned commuters about was coming through an hour and a half later than expected. We were behind it.</p>
<p>8 minutes later, we were able to arrive just moments after 7 pm due to a combinations of aggressive driving and decent light timing. Luckily a couple other participants were stuck behind it too so we had some company in our arrival. I don't do being late very well, so I was bumming but thrilled that we only missed the first few warm-up exercises.</p>
<h2 id="the-workout">The Workout</h2>
<p>This workout was a ladder. Adam sent it to us and just listing it off made me scared. I was telling my co-worker <em>(a cross country and indoor track coach)</em> about it during our 6th grade lunch duty. "We have to run a 200/400/600/800/600/400/200." I said. "How long is the recovery?" he asked. "Equal distances." "One of my favorite workouts," he replied with a smile. He then went on to talk about a student who was incredible at the 600, describing her flying around the track. I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be flying around the track.</p>
<h2 id="should-it-stay-or-should-it-go%3F">Should it stay or should it go?</h2>
<p>Adam said if we weren't routinely hitting 25-30 miles a week we could drop the 800. That was a bit of a quandary for me. I did hit 27 miles last week but only 17.5 the prior week. Scott and I recently took a month off running <em>(my first time doing something like that)</em> and getting back into it has been harder than I expected. Most of my group was below the mileage threshold so I decided to drop the 800 along with them. There were a couple of people from our 7 min mile crew doing the 800 and of course today I look back and think, "I should have done that." Aah, regret. In the moment I had no such feeling.</p>
<h2 id="our-splits">Our Splits</h2>
<p>We were asked to run repeat pace which was about 50 seconds for the 200, 1:45 for the 400 and so on in increments of 50 seconds. This week I was smart and re-set my stopwatch at the start of each interval so that I could follow along. I had a little pattern. I'd look at my watch right before the halfway point in the loop and then again as we neared the last turn. It helped me stay on track even though I had people to pace from. There was one 400 where the group took it fast, about 5 seconds too fast. I finished at exactly at 1:45 just as Tonya was saying they had taken it too fast. I'm so new to this that while I could tell they were going too fast and could have hollered something out to them I stayed quiet in case they had a strategy.</p>
<h2 id="the-600s">The 600s</h2>
<p>Last week our ladder had us topping out at a 400. I was SO afraid of that 400 each time it came. This week just thinking about the 600 had me scared. However, in the moment it became more of a fun challenge than the 400. Could I hang with the group for the last lap? Could I run mostly even splits? This felt mathematical and fun. As I rounded each corner of the 600 I started to understand why kids who do indoor track improve so much in their cross country and track seasons. It is a game of mental fortitude. It requires that you stay in the moment and give everything you have both physically and mentally.</p>
<p>Tonya talked about how she approached it in musical fashion. She views each loop as a measure and went on with this language describing the beauty of the running. As she was talking I was thinking, "I'm really more about surviving" but in fact I was surviving just fine.</p>
<h2 id="the-conversation">The Conversation</h2>
<p>In these past two weeks I've grown to love and embrace the recovery. In fact, one of my favorite things about the recovery last night was that we had two reps where we got to recover for 3 loops. It allows for more casual conversation, and it is nice for me to see just how slow we can take recovery. On my own I struggle to recover slow enough and that makes each successive repeat that much harder. We talked about work, travels, race reports, anxiety about running. Tonya shared about an article about <a href="https://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/how-stress-can-help-and-hurt-running">stress and running on Runner's World</a> that is worth a read. I checked it out right away as I feel a lot of stress in short distance racing <em>(prior to this winter short distance meant a 5K).</em></p>
<h2 id="cool-down-and-viva!">Cool Down and Viva!</h2>
<p>Following our 10 minute cool-down we stayed for the core exercises this week. I was super happy to be there for these very helpful after workout exercises. Adam hurt his ankle so he has to lead us without doing them now <em>(and I'm so sad for him because he loves to run and now has to lead us while injured).</em> They took about 15 minutes and then Scott and I headed to Viva. This ends late for us (8:15 ish) and normally we go home and get to bed, but the way the day went we hadn't had time to eat dinner. Both of our kids had plans that evening <em>(Xander had an All County Chorus rehearsal and Elizabeth had to teach piano)</em> so we reasoned we'd be getting home right as they went to bed anyway, why not tack on 1/2 hour for a quick dinner at our favorite restaurant? A quick shout out to Scott's dad - he picked Xander up from All-County for us so we could both go tonight!! Thanks Ed.</p>
<p>We scooted down the hill, nabbed a decent parking spot and enjoyed a lovely meal. Our friend Scott was our waiter which is always extra fun! Of course today we're paying for being up til 10 - EXHAUSTED!! But it felt like a totally great choice last night.</p>
Winter Training Week 22018-01-07T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/winter-training-week-2/<h2 id="week-2-summary">Week 2 Summary</h2>
<p>This week we had a polar plunge in Central New York State and in the entire East coast pretty much. It was so cold that Scott thought ahead about how we could hit our weekly running and called our local key access fitness place to inquire about rates. At $30 per month for each of us we decided to sign up. We can cancel anytime and if we go just a few times it is better than paying the day rate at our old gym in Ithaca. I was grateful that he did this as I would certainly have subbed out my running workouts for the bike this week if we didn't have the gym.</p>
<iframe src="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/Winter-Training-2018-Week-2.pdf" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>
<p>The week was pretty much as written with some shuffling. We had our 2nd week of MITHACAL Milers and that was a lot of fun but it made my day after "easy run" feel more challenging. Scott and I added a new Les Mills core workout on Sunday called <a href="https://www.lesmills.com/workouts/fitness-classes/cxworx/">CX Works</a>. <a href="https://flxfitclub.com/">FLX Fit Club</a>, our group fitness gym is starting to offer this so we thought, "let's check it out" and now we wonder why we never tried it before. With its half hour format it was a really challenging but quick class. We need better resistance bands if we plan to do it with any regularity, but we'll hold off for a bit on that.</p>
<p>In looking ahead at next week, I know things are going to be a little bit off. We had to cancel this weekend's ski trip due to cold, but next weekend is a 3 day travel weekend. I know I have to bolt from school Friday to grab 6 miles before heading to Jay Peak. My plan is to fit in a 6 mile run on Saturday but I think it is unlikely based on the forecast (5 inches of snow and 17 degrees). Still, I will toss my yak traks in and hope for the best.</p>
<p>I'm pleased with how the first two weeks have gone. I hit my mileage and then some this week, and I hope I can come close this coming week!!</p>
Winter Training Week 12018-01-02T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/mithacal-milers/winter-training-week-1/<h2 id="week-1-summary">Week 1 Summary</h2>
<p>I've decided to put a quick weekly update here about how training went for the prior week. Did I follow it? How do I feel about things. What did I listen to (if I listened to inspiring things etc).</p>
<p>First, the summary. I was supposed to hit 22 miles for the week and managed 17.5. One day was really cold and I did start my run only to come inside and switch to cycling indoors. I just wasn't feeling it and figured I'd make it up later.</p>
<iframe src="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/Winter-Training-2018-1.pdf" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>
<p>This week was rather easy because it was break week. There was no juggling of schedules, no pressure from daylight - just loads of time. Ironically fitness wasn't a huge focus either. Sometimes I think that my family could live on a boat or in a small cottage together. This was our first year in a decade that we didn't ski for the entire break - not even once. We spent almost the entire week in our house together. We played every game under the sun; Risk, Monopoly, Scrabble, Uno, Cards Against Humanity, Exploding Kittens, and Clue. In fact all the family activities were what made it hard to kick myself out the door to work out.</p>
<h2 id="long-run-podcast">Long run podcast</h2>
<p>My best run this week was my 8 miler on Saturday. I did a favorite out and back and popped in a Tim Ferriss podcast. It is titled, <a href="https://tim.blog/2017/12/20/terry-crews-how-to-have-do-and-be-all-you-want/">Terry Crews - How to have, do and be all that you want</a>. It was exactly what I needed to listen to that day. It was so interesting that I came home and before I could even change my clothes I rewound it back to let the kids listen to an especially inspiring part. Later that night we were making polenta (think stirring for 50 minutes) so Scott popped his headphones in, volunteered to tend to the stirring and started the podcast. I highly recommend it for a long run or a car ride. I prefer the run because it is the type of podcast that will help your run just feel especially wonderful.</p>
<h2 id="things-to-ponder">Things to ponder</h2>
<p>There are a couple of things I'm considering at the end of this week. The first is a nutrition log partly for fun and partly to keep me focused on nutrition for winter. We had our annual homemade cheesecake for New Year's Eve, too many Christmas cookies over the break etc. I know things will settle back into normal, but right now my nutrition feels like it has gone awry. I may give myself a week to consider this though as logging has never been a strong suit/high priority interest item for me.</p>
<p>Oh and the biggest reason for doing the summary this way? It is because I'm using <a href="https://forscore.co/">ForScore</a> to edit my plan and I think it is super cool. It is the same thing I'm using to make my iPad work nicely with a SmartBoard in school and it is super fun. It is A LOT more fun than just marking up a training plan in pencil!!</p>
MITHACAL Milers Week 22018-01-02T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/mithacal-milers/mithacal-miles-workout-2/<p>Our 2nd workout was our first official workout in Barton. Last week was the holiday break so Adam sent out a workout for us to do alone. This week it was FREEZING outside, so we were excited about running inside.</p>
<p>I was working on school things right up to the second it was time to go and has somehow forgotten that we have to BE there at 7, instead thinking we leave home at 7. Elizabeth was teaching piano and Xander was in bed sick, so I felt a bit bad about leaving him. I was worried he'd wake up and need something during the time that all 3 of us were gone. But, off we went, arriving just a few minutes late and missing the first half of warm-ups. Note to self for next time: arrive on time!</p>
<h2 id="workout-structure">Workout Structure</h2>
<p>We began with the series of warm-ups mostly to loosen up our hips. Next week I'm going to write down what they are because I couldn't remember to go back and do the ones I missed. Then, we ran a 10 minute warm-up run at a comfortable pace.</p>
<p>Each set:</p>
<ul>
<li>200 repeat pace followed by 200 recovery jog</li>
<li>200 repeat pace followed by 200 recovery jog</li>
<li>400 repeat pace followed by 400 recovery jog</li>
</ul>
<p>Repeat for 3-5 complete sets. This is based on your weekly mileage: for 30 miles a week he suggested we do 3 sets.</p>
<h2 id="the-repeats">The Repeats</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2018/01/IMG_7450.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="My repeat times. 110 seconds (1:50) for a 400 and 55 for the 200." title="My repeat times. 110 seconds (1:50) for a 400 and 55 for the 200." /><p class="stickyNote">My repeat times. 110 seconds (1:50) for a 400 and 55 for the 200.</p></div>
<p>This is what was totally new for me and surprisingly FUN. Adam asked us if we needed our paces. Our paces were calculated based on our mile time trial 2 weeks ago using the <a href="https://runsmartproject.com/calculator/">Jack Daniels calculator</a>. I had mine written on my hand. I was worried that I'd forget them and thought I'd be running solo.</p>
<p>He went on to explain the mechanics of the evening. We'd run in a group so he asked us to find a group based on our mile time. He reminded us we shouldn't be running alone. The point of this workout was to have a group and take turns leading, following, encourage each other, etc. He also talked about passing, moving to the outside lanes on our recovery laps and more. I joined the 7 min mile group of people and before we could even think about it, we were off.</p>
<h2 id="the-group">The Group</h2>
<p>After last week's solo workout I was convinced that I do my best running alone, but I realized in this week's group training that the group helps!! It was so much FUN!! I was able to hit the paces with a smile, enjoying the opportunity to talk with everyone during the recovery run. We felt connected, stronger and happy as we ran on the indoor track at Barton. My group ran 3 sets and then I enjoyed a cool down run with Tonya.</p>
<h2 id="final-stretches">Final stretches</h2>
<p>Scott and I left for these; with Xander home sick and the fact that it was the first day back to reality after vacation we felt pulled home. I would like to stay next week as the stretching/core work is super helpful.</p>
2017 In Pictures2017-12-31T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/2017-in-pictures/<p>On this last day of 2017, I thought it would be fun to put up a year in pictures for racing. I loved ALL of these races and recommend some of them even if you aren't local to Ithaca or Trumansburg. Each is fun and challenging in its own way, and all come together to form a nice variety of athletic opportunities!! I'd like to especially thank <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/">Finger Lakes Runners Club</a> for their great presence in the Ithaca area, Ian and his <a href="http://rednewtracing.com/">Red Newt Racing</a> company, Tonya and Adam Engst for heading up our PGXC teams and my sister and the <a href="https://mazamas.org/">Mazamas</a> for all these experiences. I also want to thank my friends and family for running with me, spectating and for all the great times we have together. Happy 2017 in review!!</p>
<h2 id="skunk-cabbage"><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/skunk-cabbage-half-marathon-2017/">Skunk Cabbage</a></h2>
<p>This is a great half marathon or 10K race in Ithaca, NY to ease into your spring running season! Fantastic for locals and for people to travel for. I've run both the 10K (flat and fast course) and the half (hilly and challenging) and they are both fun! What is really great about this event though is that it just feels like a homecoming of runners. After training all winter it is fun to see everyone out and about as the spring kicks off. Added bonus: it is an affordable race!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/17523580_10212198876757069_2117492245496111740_n.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Christina and Elizabeth before the race." title="With Christina and Elizabeth before the race." /><p class="stickyNote">With Christina and Elizabeth before the race.</p></div>
<h2 id="flower-city-half-marathon"><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/flower-city-half-2017/">Flower City Half Marathon</a></h2>
<p>This race is one of my all time favorites! It winds through a cemetery, runs along the river and takes you down historic East Avenue in Rochester. I've run it in all kinds of weather, sometimes alone, and sometimes pacing Elizabeth. We may just try to run it with the whole family as a crew one of these years!! Last year they upped their game and gave out 1/4 zip shirts instead of t-shirts.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/IMG_5919.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="After the race in our 1/4 zip shirts!" title="After the race in our 1/4 zip shirts!" /><p class="stickyNote">After the race in our 1/4 zip shirts!</p></div>
<h2 id="gorges-ithaca-half-marathon"><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/gorges-ithaca-half-marathon-3/">Gorges Ithaca Half Marathon</a></h2>
<p>This is the 3rd version of this race course and ironically it turned out to be the hardest course of them all. For year one and year two the course was extremely hilly, winding through Cornell. This year, race organizer Ian realized his goal of a point to point event, starting on the newly built Black Diamond Trail. It is a gradual downhill for the first 5 plus miles, until you enter Cass Park in Ithaca hitting flat ground. From there it winds around town until you finish on The Commons to a great after party! I've run all 3 years but never raced this. For me I find it a fun way to enjoy a great run with friends.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/IMG_8368.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With a bunch of our friends and our kids post race!" title="With a bunch of our friends and our kids post race!" /><p class="stickyNote">With a bunch of our friends and our kids post race!</p></div>
<h2 id="women's-distance-festival"><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/run/womens-distance-festival-2017/">Women's Distance Festival</a></h2>
<p>It is hard to believe Elizabeth and I considered skipping this even this year. We've been running it since she was a little girl!! They moved it to Stewart Park in Ithaca (from Dryden) which makes it a flat and fast out and back instead of a hilly looped course. Suddenly the race felt like it would be PRESSURE for speed instead of a hilly challenge. We waffled but signed up, only to have it POUR all day long. Never ones to be deterred by weather (well almost never) we headed down for the race just as the skies brightened. This race was fun! I definitely recommend it as an evening summer event. Ladies only, men volunteer and cheer and they always have fun prizes.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/IMG_8626.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Elizabeth and I won our mother-daughter category and we each won age group awards too! (What can I say, it's a small race)" title="Elizabeth and I won our mother-daughter category and we each won age group awards too! (What can I say, it's a small race)" /><p class="stickyNote">Elizabeth and I won our mother-daughter category and we each won age group awards too! (What can I say, it's a small race)</p></div>
<h2 id="cayuga-trails-50"><a href="https://scottpdawson.com/cayuga-trails-50-2017/">Cayuga Trails 50</a></h2>
<p>Only Scott RAN this but Xander and I volunteered so I must include this event in our year. We were so proud of Scott as he tackled his 2nd 50 miler and KILLED it - he shaved 3 hours off from his first go at it. Xander and I had a blast volunteering. My dad came down at the early morning start to surprise Scott and his parents came and watched him along the way. This race is really challenging! It is most definitely a race worth considering as a destination event. Ian of Red Newt Racing always provides some great weekend entertainment for the registered runners and Ithaca is gorgeous in summer.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/IMG_6104.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="It was cool to get to the park and see my dad had gotten up crazy early to come surprise Scott!" title="It was cool to get to the park and see my dad had gotten up crazy early to come surprise Scott!" /><p class="stickyNote">It was cool to get to the park and see my dad had gotten up crazy early to come surprise Scott!</p></div>
<h2 id="finger-lakes-50s"><a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/races/finger-lakes-50s/">Finger Lakes 50s</a></h2>
<p>We've both run this in the past (well I ran it once) but this year 3 of us volunteered for possibly the WETTEST running of it yet. We thought we hit the jackpot when the forecast said 0% chance of rain for our 5 hour stint only to have the skies start to dump as soon as we had the tent set up. Turns out we had somehow set up the tent in what would turn out to be a RIVER of water and there was no moving it. This was amazingly fun - there's something awesome about helping runners on a really challenging day. We had music playing and we enjoyed cheering everyone on as they came through our "library" aid station. The spirit and enthusiasm they showed was incredible!! This race fills up FAST so if you want to run it, definitely sign up - registration opens on January 1st!!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/IMG_6816.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="The river we stood in all morning!" title="The river we stood in all morning!" /><p class="stickyNote">The river we stood in all morning!</p></div>
<h2 id="gillie-girl-sprint-triathlon"><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/triathlon/gillie-girl-sprint-triathlon-2017/">Gillie Girl Sprint Triathlon</a></h2>
<p>My friend Lynn does this event every year and she finally talked me into it last year. I was SO nervous about driving for a triathlon and doing a swim that requires you to get into and out of a pond TWICE but it turns out that I really like this race. It is a short jaunt up to Syracuse and the race benefits breast cancer. It is a supportive and fun atmosphere of great women!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/IMG_6439.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Katherine and Lynn before the race." title="With Katherine and Lynn before the race." /><p class="stickyNote">With Katherine and Lynn before the race.</p></div>
<h2 id="mountain-running-camp"><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/trail/mazama-mountain-running-camp/">Mountain Running Camp</a></h2>
<p>This isn't a race but it is totally worth being in my year in pictures!! If I were forced to pick a high point of the entire year this would be it. My sister runs this mountain running camp and Scott and I decided to give it a go this year. It is situated on Mt. Hood in Oregon held at the Mazama Lodge. For an affordable rate you get 3 days of running training, great food, rustic lodging and more beauty than your eyes can even take in. I highly recommend this camp to anyone interested in trail running.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/IMG_6505.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Scott on the last day - 14 mile Ramona Falls run." title="With Scott on the last day - 14 mile Ramona Falls run." /><p class="stickyNote">With Scott on the last day - 14 mile Ramona Falls run.</p></div>
<h2 id="cayuga-lake-triathlon"><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/triathlon/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2017/">Cayuga Lake Triathlon</a></h2>
<p>This is the 2nd year we've done the Olympic Distance version of this event. It is challenging to train for but SO satisfying. It is hard to pick the best thing about this event. It is held at gorgeous Taughannock Falls State Park, has a lovely swim route in beautiful Cayuga Lake and has breathtaking lake views near the halfway point of the bike course. The event finishes off with a delicious box lunch from Wegmans, post race ice-cream from Purity and BEER from Ithaca beer. It feels so decadent!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/IMG_8981.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Cayuga Lake Triathlon" title="Cayuga Lake Triathlon" /><p class="stickyNote">Cayuga Lake Triathlon</p></div>
<h2 id="green-lakes-50k"><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/green-lakes-50k-2/">Green Lakes 50K</a></h2>
<p>I signed up for this race to make me take the mountain running camp more seriously. I'd run it once before with my friend Jenny but I knew it would be totally different running a 50K solo. I adore Green Lakes and highly recommend this race (and area) to anyone. It is a looped course so you can get really comfortable with the route, the aid station workers and the lovely scenery is there for you all day long. It isn't a technical course so it makes for a very nice entry into long distance trail running.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/IMG_9137.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="We had to hit Starbucks for gigantic drinks afterwards .. and then Viva for cheatin' vegan nachos. We were definitely well fed after our 50K." title="We had to hit Starbucks for gigantic drinks afterwards .. and then Viva for cheatin' vegan nachos. We were definitely well fed after our 50K." /><p class="stickyNote">We had to hit Starbucks for gigantic drinks afterwards .. and then Viva for cheatin' vegan nachos. We were definitely well fed after our 50K.</p></div>
<h2 id="pete-glavin-cross-country"><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/pgxc-2017/">Pete Glavin Cross Country</a></h2>
<p>Last year I signed up for this series to meet people and to get more comfortable with running shorter distances. It was so fun that Scott joined me this year. I still find running cross country to be really challenging and scary but it is growing on me. This year my favorite race was the one that I was most dreading - it was POURING rain and mid 40s and I was really worried about it. However, it was a blast driving up with Scott and Elizabeth. It was Elizabeth's first adult cross country race and she loved it.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/IMG_9477-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With my friend Brenda before the event. It stopped raining just a bit, only to start pouring again as we ran." title="With my friend Brenda before the event. It stopped raining just a bit, only to start pouring again as we ran." /><p class="stickyNote">With my friend Brenda before the event. It stopped raining just a bit, only to start pouring again as we ran.</p></div>
<h2 id="ithaca-turkey-trot">Ithaca Turkey Trot</h2>
<p>No year would be complete without the Turkey Trot. This event warms our hearts every year!! Over the years we've run together and we've run separately. One year we won a pie for being one second off a predicted time (well Xander won the pie) and every year we catch up with friends at the event and then head home to watch the parade with our parents and enjoy homemade cinnamon rolls. This year our friend <a href="http://eatrunpavement.com/home/">Ellie Pell</a> joined us in the run!! It was great fun to hear about all of her running adventures and run with her on what was a post race recovery run for her.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/IMG_9632.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Ellie at the Turkey Trot Prediction run put on by FLRC." title="With Ellie at the Turkey Trot Prediction run put on by FLRC." /><p class="stickyNote">With Ellie at the Turkey Trot Prediction run put on by FLRC.</p></div>MITHACAL Milers Week 12017-12-28T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/mithacal-milers/mithacal-miles-workout-1/<p>Last week we had our time trial for the indoor MITHACAL miles group. My time trial was faster than I predicted, but it still wasn't fast by any mile standards. I was chatting with a fellow runner as we warmed up about cross country in general. I said that before I ran cross country I used to spectate and think, "my poor child must be crying inside knowing that everyone is finishing and they are still nowhere near the end." Once I started running cross country I realized that you are only focusing on your own running, with little to no awareness of how others are faring compared to you. I found the mile time trial no different. While I was slightly aware of how close I was to those right in front of me, that was the extent of it. Adam asked us specifically to keep the person in front of us in our memory for timing and I didn't even manage to do that.</p>
<p>Week 2 of the program happens to fall over the holiday break so we have no formal group workout planned. Adam sent one by email "in case we want to fit one in." I didn't even read the email somehow thinking that it was just reminding us to meet next week. Scott, always the diligent one, read it and knew exactly what our workout was supposed to be. Elizabeth had her weekly indoor golf lesson at the <a href="https://pinnacleathleticcampus.com/amenities/">Pinnacle Athletic Campus</a> this week. Ironically it is an indoor facility just a mere miles from where we used to live in Fairport. As we were driving there I thought briefly about what our lives would look like if we had never moved. We all came to the lesson with the plan to go out to do some errands afterwards and to use the time to run. After getting Elizabeth settled with Lauren, the 3 of us headed to the locker rooms to change.</p>
<p>My first thought was typical to my visits to suburban Rochester, "honey we're not in Kansas anymore" was what crossed my brain as I entered the locker room. The lockers allow you to set your own combination, they have amazing showers and blow dryers mounted for your use in the getting ready area. I felt very strong envy all of a sudden.</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/A5A529A7-2E6D-4AEF-BD43-747AF01B4603.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="The track at Pinnacle Athletic Club" title="The track at Pinnacle Athletic Club" /><p class="stickyNote">The track at Pinnacle Athletic Club</p></div>
<p>I walked out to the 3 lane 350 meter track and felt very happy. Adam's workout called for us to have a 10 minute warm-up followed by 4 sets of intervals. Each set called for 2 minutes hard running and 1 minute of easy running, then 1 min hard and 30 seconds easy ending with 30 seconds hard and 30 seconds easy. We'd finish with a 10 minute cool down. Xander was with us and we asked him to consider doing the workout, but he opted to do a fast mile followed by jogging. He's still planning to join us for this experience so it was a good entry point for him. However, it must be shared that Xander woke up sick on Tuesday (the normal training day). About a half hour into the morning Elizabeth said, "do you guys have MITHACAL miles today?" We said, "no it is break week." Suddenly Xander was well. Hmmmm....</p>
<h2 id="the-workout">The Workout</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/3346202B-9B3B-4AFE-B8F5-0B27DA6E4710.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Scott got this of me as I was finishing the cool down." title="Scott got this of me as I was finishing the cool down." /><p class="stickyNote">Scott got this of me as I was finishing the cool down.</p></div>
<p>I brought music with me knowing it would be nicer to have some stimulation while running. I generally dislike track running, however I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this track. It felt like being outdoors and there was enough going on to look at that it felt enjoyable. I chose music by <a href="http://mixing.io/playlist/apple-music-pop-intro-to-ed-sheeran">Ed Sheeran</a> to warm up to and bopped around the track for 10 minutes. When it was time to start the tough part of the workout I switched it to <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/artist/lindsey-stirling/403025113">Lindsey Stirling</a>. The music is so repetitive it just provided a beat for me to run by. I LOVED the structure of this workout. By starting with the most challenging time and then moving down in duration it felt doable for me on an emotional level. It was almost enjoyable even ... almost. The sets flew by and soon it was time for the cool down run. I switched over to the <a href="https://tim.blog/2017/12/16/the-man-who-taught-me-how-to-invest/">Tim Ferriss podcast</a> I had started on a run the other day and ran my final 10 minutes.</p>
<h2 id="golf-and-afterwards">Golf and Afterwards</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/32689F12-B755-40CF-AD31-57C552679674.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Elizabeth's lesson" title="Elizabeth's lesson" /><p class="stickyNote">Elizabeth's lesson</p></div>
<p>After getting back into street clothes I wandered in to watch the last bit of Elizabeth's lesson. I don't golf <em>(well occasionally with my dad and Elizabeth I make it to the driving range or to do best ball at the course)</em> so it was fun to listen to her coach talking to her about how she was doing, look at the cool screen etc. She has lessons set up here with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lauren.b.tallman">Lauren Tallman</a> on Thursdays for the winter so I'm suddenly rather excited for my possible regular trips up this way.</p>
<p>We finished our outing by hitting the Ski Company to use our coupons we'd gotten earlier in the season, a quick Wegmans trip for our gingerbread house materials and dinner at an Indian restaurant.</p>
<h2 id="final-thoughts">Final Thoughts</h2>
<p>One thing that was interesting for me (<em>and I have noticed this most of the time but never have chosen to write about it)</em> was that this workout felt fun. I was ALONE for it. I am in the middle of reading a book called <a href="http://amzn.to/2zGTe8n">Quiet, The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking</a>, recommended by my friend Anne on her blog. Here is the link to her post for a <a href="https://10minutemiler.wordpress.com/2017/11/03/a-couple-of-books/">nice summary</a>, but the punch line for me with running is that i do my best running alone. I seek group running opportunities for easy workouts, but struggle in a group for the hard stuff. I'm willing to push harder and have fun working harder when I'm alone vs in a group. I don't know what this means for me this winter as we hit Barton with a big group every Tuesday, but it is good information for me to know that I don't actually dislike track workouts and I'm not even scared by them when I do them by myself. It jives with what the book says about introverts vs extroverts, and in particular about music students; they spend a lot of time engaged in group practice but their real, focused efforts are almost always independent.</p>
Winter Training Plan2017-12-25T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/winter-training-plan/<p>Another year has passed and it is time to kick off 2018 with another training plan. The first race Scott and I signed up for this year is the <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/races/skunk-cabbage/">Skunk Cabbage Half</a> so it is conveniently the end of this plan.</p>
<p>After taking a full month off from running I'm easing back in with apx 20 mile weeks for the next two weeks and then starting to increase mileage. There are many weeks that I put in double days of interval training, BUT having never done the <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/announcing-the-mithacal-mile-series/">MITHACAL miles</a> group, I may have to turn the 2nd speed day into regular running. I will have to watch how my body handles the speed work as staying injury-free needs to be my ultimate priority.</p>
<p>This plan doesn't include any swimming (sadly) because right now I don't have regular access to a pool or time to swim. However, I will try to sort that out for the next cycle so that I can get back into some semblance of swimming shape!!</p>
<iframe src="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/Winter-Training-2018.pdf" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>MITHACAL Milers Time Trial2017-12-21T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/mithacal-miles-time-trial/<p>This week was the first of our MITHACAL Milers workouts. Xander, Scott and I signed up to participate in this indoor training through FLRC over the winter. The first workout was our time trial!! We would run a timed mile to set all our training paces for the winter.</p>
<p>The timing was interesting because right after cross country ended, Scott and I decided to take a month off from running. Well, in truth Scott decided to take a month off and I chose to copy him. I remember our friend and owner of Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company Ian saying that runners should take an extended break every year to let their bodies recuperate, get fat (he said jokingly I think) and just reflect. There is plenty of time to run and we all need a break from it.</p>
<p>I hadn't exactly enjoyed the month off, but the time did fly by and we filled it with things like lifting and other cardio so I didn't feel like I lost too much fitness. My first run back made me feel like I wasn't a runner anymore!! Of course it didn't help that I was struggling to get breath through my cold. By this evening I'd had 2 runs over the past 3 days to get back into the swing of things.</p>
<h2 id="aren't-you-excited%3F">Aren't you excited?</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/IMG_9834.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="4 of us had our Tom Tom watches on" title="4 of us had our Tom Tom watches on" /><p class="stickyNote">4 of us had our Tom Tom watches on</p></div>
<p>Scott asked me as I kept slowing down as we were walking toward Barton. "Not especially," I replied. "I'm nervous." He went on asking me if I wanted to get faster. I said, "Not really." Of course I didn't mean this. I am excited about the challenge, I'm just afraid. Most of the training Scott and I do is alone and almost all of the speed work is alone. I find it hard to run full out with others. I think it is the lingering terrible memories from high school track that just fill my heart with fear as I head into something like this.</p>
<h2 id="the-mile">The mile</h2>
<p>We began our evening with a nice series of stretches to help open up and stretch out our hips and then we ran for 10 minutes. The track at Barton Hall at Cornell is an 8 lap mile so we'd be running this track 8 times. I said that I struggle with running in circles and my friend Tonya said, "Well actually they are ovals if that helps." That's exactly what Scott told me when I was whining. I smiled.</p>
<p>Before you could even think about it we were off and running. I had sent in a time estimate weeks ago so Adam (our fearless leader) would have some idea of what to expect. I came up with it based on my fastest 5K time and my prediction was 7:45. However, that night I forgot what my prediction was and I didn't do the math to know what my lap pace should be. I just ran.</p>
<p>While running I kept thinking, "When will this be over?" and just tried to count laps properly. My calf was tight by the end which I think is a function of not running for so long and then running all out. I ended up with a 7:25 mile and while that was slow for the group it was right near where I predicted.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/IMG_9833.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Scott after our mile." title="With Scott after our mile." /><p class="stickyNote">With Scott after our mile.</p></div>
<h2 id="more-stretching-and-final-thoughts">More stretching and final thoughts</h2>
<p>After the mile we did a 400 and a 200 and then some final stretching and core work. I felt more comfortable with the 400 and 200 because I've done more work with these distances and they are shorter. In fact, I don't think I've ever run a mile for time. As things go it wasn't all that painful.</p>
<p>We now need to look up our training targets for the winter based on our mile time. I admit that I'm excited now! It will be fun to train with people, make new friends and hopefully increase my short distance speed!!</p>
PGXC 20172017-12-02T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/pgxc-2017/<p>This was the 2nd year I've participated in adult cross country. Last year I signed up on a whim - mostly to meet people and just see how I liked it. At the end of last season I had determined that I don't love the 5 and 6K distance, but I really enjoy the community so I decided to sign up again. This year I wasn't training for a fall marathon, instead planning to focus more on short distance during the cross country season.</p>
<h2 id="race-%231%3A-clay-central-park%2C-liverpool-ny">Race #1: Clay Central Park, Liverpool NY</h2>
<p>September 10, 2017</p>
<p>The day of our first race was warm. It felt summery and it was appropriate as it was still summer. Our friend Brenda was riding up with us and she'd just completed the 100 mile Aids Ride for Life around Cayuga Lake the day prior. Wow. I was impressed. I don't think that I would have been heading up to race the day after that!!</p>
<p>I'm doing a long term sub job teaching 7th grade math and we'd just finished the first week of school. I felt like I was drowning in work so, I brought a whole bunch of work with me and sat in the back. I spent the first 40 minutes or so reading the units we were in for Math 7 and Pre-Algebra but after that I socialized with Scott and Brenda and enjoyed the drive. Scott was really excited. I felt pretty excited too. I wasn't all that happy about actually running <em>(a common problem for me - I sign up for things and then dread them the day of)</em>, but in the back of my mind I thought it would be fun.</p>
<h4 id="course-inspection">Course Inspection</h4>
<p>This is a two loop course on an almost totally flat field with just a short bit through the woods. Our team signed in and pretty soon we were ready to head off on our course preview. I had my regular sneakers on for this only to realize it was pretty muddy in the woods. Our run through was slow and helpful.</p>
<p>After multiple last trips to the bathroom and a granola bar I changed into my brand new spikes. I bought them this summer when we were volunteering at the Cayuga Lake Triathlon for packet pick up. It is hosted outside of Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company. Elizabeth convinced me to go in and check if they had spikes for a good price. Sure enough, there was a pair in my size on clearance. She said they'd make cross country feel more fun, so I bought them. Today was the first time I'd ever put them on my feet. In fact, Elizabeth had put the actual spikes in that morning before we left. So much for planning ahead!!</p>
<h4 id="race!">Race!</h4>
<p>We gathered on the field and tried to come up with a team cheer. We came up with something lame like, "Go Finger Lakes Women" and listened a little jealously as our men's team <em>(High Noon)</em> did their classic cheer. The gun went off and we were running.</p>
<p>I tried to tuck in behind my friend Tonya for the early part of the race. Last year we'd run near each other but I knew she'd been working a lot on her running this year. She had done an indoor mile series in the winter and focused on speed. Meanwhile I'd run a 50K two weeks prior. Not exactly good 5K preparation.</p>
<p>Before we even hit the woods I felt like I was exhausted. Then, my sock slipped down on one of my feet. It was down to the middle of my foot. As I exited the woods I sloshed into the puddles so I had a bunched up wet sock in my shoe. I briefly thought, "I think one loop will be plenty," followed by, "wow that's really what you are going to go home and tell your kids huh?" Your sock fell down and you stepped into a puddle so you didn't finish the race. Hmmm. Yup, I'd be finishing this race.</p>
<p>I'm struggling with short races where I feel HUNGRY. I know it isn't nutrition but some sort of manifestation of nerves. My stomach was growling uncontrollably and I felt like I was going to pass out. For awhile I was trying to stay with a new team of HS girls called the B team, and then we passed by their coach. Their coach yelled for them to speed up and they took off. I briefly thought about my kids and how lucky they are to have coaches cheering them on from the sidelines.</p>
<p>Almost as soon as it started the race ended. I was near the back of the pack, but my pace wasn't terribly awful. I was chatting with someone afterwards. My observation was that it is ironic it is that a person can have all the same emotions that one has during a 50K in just a 5K distance. He laughed and agreed. Soon it was time to share race stories and enjoy some post race camaraderie. Our women's team ended up coming in FIRST so we got a case of beer to save for the end of season party!!</p>
<div class="main-carousel" data-flickity='{ "fullscreen": true, "wrapAround": "true", "autoPlay": "3000", "pauseAutoPlayOnHover": true }'><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/09/IMG_6859.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Post race!!" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/09/IMG_6858.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="The prize table." />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/09/IMG_6857.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="With Scott after the race." />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/09/IMG_6856.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="My spikes after the race." />
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<h2 id="race-%232%3A-akron-falls-county-park%2C-akron-falls-ny">Race #2: Akron Falls County Park, Akron Falls NY</h2>
<p>September 24, 2017</p>
<p>It was a HOT HOT day in Central New York. The temperature was due to top 90 and the humidity was terrible. Our kids had raced the day prior in Syracuse in only slightly cooler temperatures. Again, I wasn't excited about this. This is the farthest race away <em>(2 hours)</em> and Brenda couldn't go so it was just Scott and me. Some of our teammates were going out for a late lunch on the way home, but I had to get back to bake so we planned to literally drive up there for a race and then drive straight home. We do things like this for the kids all the time, but it felt weird taking most of a day for our own race.</p>
<p>The ride there turned out to be amazing! Scott and I haven't seen much of each other lately and we ended up spending the ride brainstorming different things for our work. We arrived energized and ready to see our team. Soon I was getting my spikes on and doing warm-ups with Tonya. We hit the course for inspection dangerously close to the start of the race though <em>(and didn't realize it).</em> After a lovely warm-up run with teammates I looked at my watch and realized it was 5 minutes until race time! Yikes. We had time for the bathroom, a Gu and to decide to run shirtless. 3 of the 4 of us chose no shirts while most of the men decided to keep shirts on. It was a little ironic.</p>
<h4 id="the-race">The Race</h4>
<p>Even with proper snacking and a last minute Gu my stomach was growling. It was in this race that I realized it must actually be nerves instead of food. The prior race I was still holding out that maybe I just wasn't eating enough. Suddenly I was glad that I only had 5 minutes to spend worrying instead of the 15-20 we typically have. This time we did a cheer with the men. They invited us to join them and then added, "Go Finger Lakes women" to the end. It was more fun and felt very much like a big team! They had a moment for us to think about a girl who was recently killed in Cross Country practice by a car. She was a Geneseo HS student. Scott and I went to college at SUNY Geneseo so somehow having a place to associate the situation with made me even more sad. I channeled that sadness into gratitude for being able to run today.</p>
<p>I started slow, probably too slow, but I didn't want to start out fast like before and end up slowing down as much as I had in the last race. This race was a 6K which somehow changes everything in my mind. The first loop was good and rather uneventful.</p>
<p>The day prior, my daughter, Elizabeth had run a solid race. She has had a challenging cross country season this year, and she said she had finally figured out a way to run. She pushed the entire team dynamic out of her head and pretended that every person out there was cheering for her. She just kept picking new people to catch and used the cheering to fuel her. So I decided to try that as I ran. Whenever I heard a cheer I would think, "Amy they are cheering for YOU." I would pick another person and another and just keep trying to catch up. One person was dressed very similarly to the fastest runner on our team. I knew it wasn't her, but in the moment I said, "Come on, you are up here with Julie. Stay here. You can do it." I passed this woman and then picked a new rabbit.</p>
<p>I ended up having a fine race, largely due in part to two things; Elizabeth's suggestion and our long pre-run of the course. It wasn't that it was long so much as the fact that it included the long out and back that we ended the race with. Emotionally during that pre-run I thought, "will this ever end?" so in the race knowing what to expect helped me a great deal!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/10/IMG_6886.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Finger Lakes women after the race!" title="Finger Lakes women after the race!" /><p class="stickyNote">Finger Lakes women after the race!</p></div>
<h4 id="the-waterfall-walk">The waterfall walk</h4>
<p>After the race a bunch of us walked down to a waterfall. It was a slow amble where we were all able to talk and get to know each other better. This is a big reason I signed up for cross country; to get to know other runners better while doing something athletic. It turned out there was no water because of the extremely dry summer, but it was a fun outing.</p>
<p>After that, we watched awards where some of the faster individuals on our teams did well. The men took the tent down while I went to the car to change and then we headed home. When we got home I plunged right into baking and then I went for a hike with Elizabeth on the rim trail. Despite the heat it was a fun way to spend a Sunday!</p>
<h2 id="race-%233%3A-watkins-glen-state-park">Race #3: Watkins Glen State Park</h2>
<p>October 10, 2017</p>
<p>At the last race I was talking with Tonya thinking it would be fun to have a gathering after our next race. It would be colder then and people could try our sauna out! After all it would be October so it should be colder!! We hatched a plan to invite everyone over when she was doing the final emailing for the race. We'd have lunch, hang out and sauna. A plan.</p>
<p>Well, race day brought 80s again. It was humid and felt sticky after raining overnight. Watkins Glen is only 30 minutes from us, so we didn't have to leave very early. We left a little later than we should have and had a little trouble figuring out where exactly in the park it was once we got there. However, we were settled with ample time. We each ran the course with our crew and were ready to start at 11.</p>
<p>I wasn't being the most positive person that morning. Instead I was openly worried. I am not really sure why I was so worried, except for that it was still hot. I was hot and humid enough that I felt like leaping out of my skin. Humidity really affects my running and I think I just was over the fact that it was 80 degrees in October. Everyone else was happily talking about how much cooler than last time it was. True. That's fair. However, I accept extremes more easily. Somehow when it is 90 it is an achievement to run well. Near 80 is just annoying. You can't really be proud about overcoming, but you are almost as uncomfortable. Regardless I was here and we'd be running in just a few moments.</p>
<h4 id="start-delayed">Start delayed</h4>
<p>It is rare to get to the start of a race, do your cheer and expect a gun to go off only to hear, <em>"the race is delayed for 15 minutes."</em> It was because of parking; people had to move their cars because someone was blocking a camper. The ladies stayed and chatted, most lamenting their nutrition choices and some looking at the skies. They had started clouding up just in time for the race, giving us a respite from the brutal sun.</p>
<p>Just moments went by and suddenly the announcer said that it was now delayed until 11:30. We all had to move our cars. Now it was time to accept that we shouldn't stand there anymore. We'd need to walk around, hit bathrooms again etc. I was suddenly bummed that I only had a bit of my Gu and tossed the rest. I had nothing else with me and my stomach was doing flip flops again. I found some post race Gatorade style drink and had a bit of that.</p>
<h4 id="we're-running">We're running</h4>
<p>11:30 came before we knew it, but sadly the skies had brightened back up. They were cloudy and delightful for that entire waiting period so that was sad to think about. We started and after just a short run around a field we were in the woods. The running was DELIGHTFUL. The woods were pretty and the path was nice and wide and not muddy. I was really enjoying this until I wasn't. I looked down at my watch and realized I was running SLOWLY. No wonder it felt fun. This course was 3 loops with some pretty tough hills. I struggle on both down and up when the hills are extreme and the race was no exception. I practically ran backwards down the big hill and walked back up. After my first loop I tried to focus on running faster but I was struggling. I couldn't see anyone in the woods and my pace just kept dropping. At the last two races things were wide open. I could pick people off and I could see where I was relative to a person I'd identified as a marker. At some point in the race I just embraced the fact that it was a run. It wasn't until loop 3 when I saw that there were people on loop two <em>(there is a spot where you can see people behind and ahead of you)</em> that I was jolted back into reality of, "you have a team and you are racing so pick up the pace to help the team." It was a bit too late for that. I ended up with a really slow time for this. I did have some oomph at the end because one of the B Team girls was right near me. For some odd reason I felt compelled to finish faster than her and pushed hard to the end. My teammate Jen's husband got a <a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNxljn5uqRiyCqfm_dC6QdOn-24ZcJ8ab1K-8qskM5t_D-VXgPtLTCiP8V569GHbA/photo/AF1QipNAHvAN4MdNSBgXBQc77CfWoXT7DAQs_48v17zL?key=WElZUHpMREVWTzh2OWhoWjJNemxiT2I0bnlLbllB">video</a> of my finish and shared it with me. That was pretty cool of him!</p>
<h4 id="post-race-party">Post race party</h4>
<p>After the race <em>(and awards .. the men won the Master's division. As Adam posted in his report there may or may not have been another full team but you have to show up to win)</em> we headed home to prepare for our party. Every woman I had talked with wasn't able to go except for Tonya and Scott really didn't have a sense of how many men may show up. We were kind of afraid no one would come, but we were ready for whoever did.</p>
<p>We had time to get home and start cutting veggies and people started to come. There were a fair number of men able to make it and with Tonya, me and the wife of one of the guys we had enough women to balance things well. A man Ximing Yin is from China and he is new to the team this year. He came to the party and he is just such a fun person! The group sat around our outdoor table on our deck and talked about running and life and had such a wonderful time. Our bunny came out to meet the crew and we at least showed everyone the sauna on this hot hot day. I think that this afternoon really felt the most team like I've felt - getting to know people beyond the running and really talking. Ximing shared all about his country and how he started a running club that grew exponentially. He met his wife through this and the club was the start of many a romance. He had a positive energy that was contagious and I felt grateful that he and the others that were free that day had decided to join us for our little post race party.</p>
<h2 id="race-%234%3A-genessee-valley-park">Race #4: Genessee Valley Park</h2>
<p>October 29, 2017</p>
<p>This course is run on the famous McQuaid course that the kids get to run in their cross country seasons. I was excited about this until I saw the forecast. POURING rain the entire night before and that day. Xander had planned to go with us and Elizabeth was joining us for her first adult cross country race. With the forecast and Xander's strong desire to do homework all day he decided to stay home. I had no desire to run in the cold rain so I was just scared. I got up early and baked until practically the second it was time to leave. I said goodbye to Xander as we piled into the car.</p>
<p>Scott and Elizabeth were excited. Elizabeth didn't know what to expect but she'd been asked to join because they needed one more person to round out the Open Team. "Sure, she thought." She had planned to do the last race of the season with us anyway since her season would be over so it would be fun to check out the race today.</p>
<h4 id="we're-running-2">We're running</h4>
<p>When we arrived I suggested we sit in the car. It was cold and it was pouring. We stayed in the car for about 5 minutes and then smarter heads prevailed. We were at a race and we were supposed to be socializing and getting ready. I donned my NYC marathon post race poncho and headed to the pavilion. It was weird to be here without the chaos of the HS racing scene - we were able to park right by the race start!! Oddly, this race was our largest showing for the season. Pouring rain and everyone was here!! The ladies were getting ready to head out to preview the course. I stomped my foot and said, "I'm not warming up." They looked at me a little bewildered as I said that I didn't need to get wet before the race. In truth, it was that temperature level where once I get cold I'm really in trouble. 40s and rain. I knew my hands and feet would freeze and I'd struggle in the actual race. I occupied my time going to the bathroom, chatting with people before they left and after they returned and contemplated my attire. I ultimately decided to wear my lightweight Patagonia jacket that I got from running camp, my tank top underneath, capris, an ear band and gloves.</p>
<div class="main-carousel" data-flickity='{ "fullscreen": true, "wrapAround": "true", "autoPlay": "3000", "pauseAutoPlayOnHover": true }'><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/12/IMG_9482.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Carl before the race collecting extra layers." />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/12/IMG_9480.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Scott and Elizabeth before the start." />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/12/IMG_9477.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="With Brenda moments before the gun went off." />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/12/IMG_9473.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Staying warm and dry with Elizabeth." />
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<h4 id="an-open-course">An Open Course</h4>
<p>After the last race at Watkins I was really excited to have an open course. What I mean by that is that you can see where people are the entire time. There is no single track to zone out and forget that it is a race. As we got ready to start, Scott snapped a few pictures. A few of the men from our men's team were around to wish us good luck and at literally the last second I decided to shed my jacket. I was FREEZING as we started but running with a jacket, however light, was probably not the best plan.</p>
<p>I started behind Tonya by quite a bit and I could see my Lizerd up ahead <em>(Elizabeth's nickname is Lizerd with the last 3 letters coming from her initials. So we can spell lizard correctly!)</em> I thought, "I hope she can beat Tonya and me" in the back of my head. She had raced the day prior and it was a disappointing race for her. Cross Country didn't go well for her this year and she was excited to be checking out the adult version. I wanted her to have a good experience today.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/DSC03279.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Elizabeth and Tonya early in the race." title="Elizabeth and Tonya early in the race." /><p class="stickyNote">Elizabeth and Tonya early in the race.</p></div>
<p>Back to my race. I had set my watch for 3.7 miles so I'd have a little beep in the middle to let me know I was halfway finished. I would get alerted again at 90% of the run. I've run this before and watched the kids run a very similar course so I was familiar with the terrain. The rain gave me something to focus on besides my nerves and because it was a USATF race there were women out there with their age and special bibs. I could watch how they were doing. I found myself thinking, "this is FUN!"</p>
<h4 id="hills-and-mud">Hills and mud</h4>
<p>The one hill in this race isn't terribly bad. Early into the first loop though, I could see Tonya running next to Elizabeth. They were too far ahead of me to catch but I thought, "oh it is so early and Tonya is going to blow by her." Then, I watched Elizabeth power up the hill and pull away. Soon it was my turn to tackle the hill. Hill running (up and down) is one of my weaknesses, and I could feel myself losing ground. We hit the top and the High Noon team was there cheering for me. That put some pep in my step as I hit a really muddy patch before heading down the hill.</p>
<p>When we hit loop two I was in lock step with another woman on the flats, and then she crushed it on the uphill blowing by me only to have me catch her on the flats later. I think this kind of leap frogging is fun - it keeps me out of my head, reminding me that positions change all the time and that it is never over until it is over.</p>
<h4 id="this-is-going-to-be-a-good-race">This is going to be a good race</h4>
<p>I found myself with energy. My nerves were calm <em>(maybe because I was focused on worrying about Elizabeth instead of myself)</em> and I was enjoying running. I saw that I was gaining on Tonya and wondered if I should try to pass her. I knew once I did that it would be something that I wanted to be able to stay with. Too soon and she would get me again and too late and I would miss the chance. Ultimately I think I passed her with just under .6 to go, maybe even less. After that I was grateful for spectators cheering, "go Tonya" because I could tell where she was relative to me by their voices. It didn't much matter - I would only end up beating her or having her beat me by a smidge, but it was my motivation for the end so I went with it. I pretended that I was being chased by a ton of runners and kept thinking, <em>"you can do anything for a few minutes."</em> I ended up finishing well and feeling happy with my results. I was most happy that Elizabeth beat me. She really enjoyed the people and how everyone was so friendly and supportive.</p>
<h4 id="after-the-race">After the race</h4>
<p>We had grand plans for this to be a family day afterwards. Xander was going to spectate and we'd go shopping and out to lunch in Rochester. Xander didn't want to come with the rain and cold and he had a lot of homework so it was just the 3 of us. We were sopping wet and tired and I had a lot of baking to do when I got home. So we piled in the car and headed straight home. We stopped for a sub for lunch at Wegmans in Canandaigua, so sad that Starbucks was closed for remodeling. We really wanted to just stop for a coffee and eat when we got home. Of all the races, this race that I hadn't even wanted to go to turned out to be my favorite to actually run.</p>
<h2 id="race-%235%3A-flcc-in-canandaigua">Race #5: FLCC in Canandaigua</h2>
<p>November 12, 2017</p>
<p>It was a cool, sunny morning as we headed up to Canandaigua for our last race. My friend Julie decided to try it out and I was riding up with her while Elizabeth, Scott and Xander rode up together. Elizabeth had an indoor golf lesson scheduled with her coach <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Compassgolfinstruction/">Lauren</a> in Victor after the race and we planned to buy Xander new ski boots while she was at her lesson. I enjoyed the ride up as Julie and I talked about everything under the sun but the race <em>(until we got close and then I filled her in about what to expect)</em>.</p>
<h4 id="you-never-know-what-to-expect">You never know what to expect</h4>
<p>So at each race we put up our tent and seem to have a swarm of runners for our FLRC ladies team and the High Noon men's team. The last race last year had a TON of people despite the snow as we even had Ian's Red Newt team joining us. I expected this race to have a lot of energy and excitement. Only I was completely wrong. It was sunny and not even that cold so we didn't put up the tent. Most of the women weren't able to make it, and the men's showing was light as well. Julie was standing with Scott, Elizabeth and me and I apologetically said, "Usually it is more than just our family. Really." Luckily soon after that Tonya came over and then Elizabeth, Julie, Tonya and I started our warm-up run. Tonya did a longer warm-up, opting to scout out the hill. Sensitive to the fact that Elizabeth's team usually just walks the course, and that it was Julie's first race, I suggested we just run a little bit. We did a short, slow run through, leaving us with plenty of time to go to the bathroom, get into our race attire and feel ready to start. I had the nagging nervous stomach thing again which was annoying, but it wasn't as bad as some other races.</p>
<h4 id="memories">Memories</h4>
<p>My only memory of this course is when we came here last year for Elizabeth's team. It was the first race of the season and she had big goals for herself. She wanted to run Varsity for the season <em>(meaning she had to be top 7 in this race).</em> The prior year she had flip flopped from JV to Varsity and she knew she had it in her to be faster that year. My sister was visiting and it was HOT. After watching her run well for over the first mile, we were standing near the top of the last hill awaiting her final push when she never came. I knew there was a problem when her whole team came up and she never appeared. It turned out that she fell and passed out on the course.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/IMG_8031.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Our small team pre-race." title="Our small team pre-race." /><p class="stickyNote">Our small team pre-race.</p></div>
<h4 id="time-to-race">Time to race</h4>
<p>The men and women are staggered for this race and the men were to run an 8K to our 6K. Adam led us in the High Noon cheer as it was time for us to start and then we were off. Because of my short run through I didn't really know what to expect, and saw that we were out of the field and onto narrow spaces really quickly into the race. I settled toward the back of the small field that was there today. My stomach started doing flip flops as I splashed through mud and jumped over a fallen tree. I was afraid of the coming hill. I saw Xander cheering and perked up. He had reluctantly joined us. He wanted to be home doing home work and working on a presentation but we'd insisted today. I needed to give my best effort for this little guy!</p>
<h4 id="it's-all-downhill-from-here">It's all downhill from here</h4>
<p>Soon we hit the fated start to the downhill. It was a rocky path and I felt awkward with my spikes on as I ran down it. No one was around me, so this is where I started to think, "you are last." Arriving at the bottom I was happy to see we got to run around a field - I liked open spaces. I was bummed that I really could see no one, but it was what it was. The race was small today so it makes sense that I wouldn't be around too many people. This is where I started to really get stuck in my head. "You're last" and "why do you do this exactly?" were thoughts that kept scrolling through. Once we were down in another flat area I was fine, and then a woman came up behind me. She didn't pass me but instead just lingered a foot off from me. We didn't talk. I just heard her breathing. I consciously slowed down to let her by because it felt like it would be nicer to run without someone a half step behind me.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/IMG_8068.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="At the start of the long downhill." title="At the start of the long downhill." /><p class="stickyNote">At the start of the long downhill.</p></div>
<h4 id="you're-going-the-wrong-way">You're going the wrong way</h4>
<p>I missed a turn because the woman ahead of me missed it as well. I followed her and a guy near the course hollered "go this way!" "But she went that way," I pointed. Somehow I thought that just because another person did something it was totally ok for me to do this too. I didn't even know if her move lengthened the course or shortened it and here I was lobbying a stranger to let me go the other way. I fixed my direction and continued on. By this time in the race it was past 3 miles and I had convinced myself that we didn't actually have to run back up that hill. Perhaps we had already gained the elevation slowly? No hill for me? Was my course that different than Elizabeth's high school course? Suddenly there I was back at the hill. No such luck. I would be running up it.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/IMG_8079.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Elizabeth at the top of the hill that we had waited for her at a bit over a year ago." title="Elizabeth at the top of the hill that we had waited for her at a bit over a year ago." /><p class="stickyNote">Elizabeth at the top of the hill that we had waited for her at a bit over a year ago.</p></div>
<p>"Tonya's just up the hill," Scott shouted. "Liar, I thought. She's already finished." The fact that Scott was that the base of the hill made me RUN up it. I know that had he not been there I would have walked. This hill was almost as steep as the Watkins hill that I walked. Once I arrived at the top someone shouted, "almost there." I knew full well I was .6 away from the finish so really not almost there. At least not in a race that is just shy of 4 miles. Almost there in a marathon, yes, but not today. I finished running the wooded part and emerged into the final stretch. My shirt said Run Fearless on it and one of the spectators yelled, "run fearless" at me. I got my last little bit of energy. I saw Tonya was ahead of me - she was almost finishing but she was in eyesight. Scott hadn't been lying. I dashed in, happy to be done.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/12/IMG_8088.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="My turn! I was happy to arrive at the top and head into the home stretch." title="My turn! I was happy to arrive at the top and head into the home stretch." /><p class="stickyNote">My turn! I was happy to arrive at the top and head into the home stretch.</p></div>
<h2 id="season-results-and-final-thoughts">Season Results and Final Thoughts</h2>
<p>A second season is done. The high point for me from this season is from our party after the Watkins Race. It was the race that most felt like a team to me. This is what I was seeking with Cross Country. Teammate <a href="https://www.strava.com/athletes/24937913">Ximing Yin</a> had brought so much energy to that day and our group felt like a true team. Ironically it was my worst race of the season as far as the actual running goes!</p>
<p>I enjoyed Cross Country again this year. It was another growth experience and an opportunity to meet more new people. This year I wasn't scared the way I was last year. I knew what to expect more or less and while I had butterflies before the run, I wasn't afraid going in. I will definitely sign up again next year and try harder to focus on speed this year!!</p>
<p>Since it has taken me so long to write this up, Scott and I are actually on a one month break from running right now! I'm not enjoying it a bit - looking forward to running again in a week or so. Just last night at dinner he said, "have you ever heard about the Mythical Miles group?" It is a winter group that trains indoors and works specifically on their mile pace. "Yes." I said. "They meet on Tuesday nights," he replied. "You free?" Yes, technically I am free. Elizabeth is teaching piano until late so 3 of us are free. We could do this over the winter ... hmmm. Have we found a new training challenge? I'm guessing we'll decide to step into this and it will be a true winter challenge for us.</p>
Flax & Hemp Pancakes2017-09-14T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/recipes/flax-hemp-pancakes/<p>Pancakes are a favorite in my family! We've tried many recipes, but we always go back to a base recipe from a book my husband got from his parents when he was a bachelor, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wheres-Mom-Now-That-Need/dp/0961539011">Where's Mom Now that I Need Her?</a> However, we've changed the recipe so much that we need to share our version. We realized this when the kids started making the Whole Wheat pancake recipe straight from the book and they weren't the same as what I was making. I was making all the substitutions in my head.</p>
<p>The actual recipe is for 2 people and it calls for whole wheat flour, an egg, milk, oil, sugar, baking powder and salt. We've doubled the recipe and changed most of the ingredients. Our goal? Add as much nutrition as possible and stay full as long as possible.</p>
<h2 id="flax-%26-hemp-pancakes">Flax & Hemp Pancakes</h2>
<p>Yield: 12</p>
<p>These are a perfect Saturday morning breakfast but they are also fast enough to enjoy on a school day! We enjoy 3 pancakes each topped with homemade fruit sauce. The blend of flax and hemp and flours keeps us full until lunch.</p>
<h3 id="ingredients">Ingredients</h3>
<ul>
<li>2/3 cup whole wheat flour</li>
<li>2/3 cup mix of ground flax seed, hemp seed and coconut flour</li>
<li>1 1/3 cup almond milk</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon baking powder</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons honey</li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
<li>1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon salt</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="directions">Directions</h3>
<ul>
<li>Heat an UNGREASED griddle on the stove while you are preparing the pancakes.</li>
<li>Combine the flour and mix of flax seed, hemp seed and coconut flour. Add the baking powder and salt.</li>
<li>Combine all the wet ingredients. Make sure the milk and eggs aren't too chilled or the coconut oil will solidify.</li>
<li>Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until they are blended.</li>
<li>Use a 1/4 cup measure and pour 4 pancakes onto the griddle. Wait until bubbly and flip. Repeat for all the pancakes.</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="additional-notes">Additional Notes</h3>
<p>You can use any oil you like if you don't want to worry about temperature of ingredients. The coconut oil does impart some flavor, so if you would prefer not to have that flavor, use a coconut/canola blend or just canola oil.</p>
Green Lakes 50K2017-08-27T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/green-lakes-50k-2/<h2 id="on-a-whim">On a whim</h2>
<p>In the spring of this year, Scott and I decided to sign up for the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/trail/mazama-mountain-running-camp/">Mazamas Mountain Running Camp</a> in July. It is held at Mt. Hood, Oregon and my sister is in charge of the camp. It has been 3 years since I ran the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/green-lakes-50k/">Green Lakes 50K</a> with Jenny, and while I still run trail quite a bit, I certainly don't consider myself an avid trail runner.</p>
<p>As such, I needed some good motivation to hit the trails regularly to get prepared for the running camp. Elizabeth has several summer golf matches near Green Lakes, so I'd get at least a couple of chances to run the course over the summer too! I posted something about it on Facebook to see if anyone wanted to sign up with me. No friends were able to, but Scott was on board!! He had just run Cayuga Trails 50 and was pretty excited to give the Green Lakes 50K a go. We signed up before we could change our minds. Interested in another race report? Check out <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/green-lakes-endurance-runs-gler-50k-2017/">Scott's</a>. He had a GREAT race! Plus you can see all the food we had after the race! We had 2 free drink coupons for Starbucks and then we HAD to hit Viva for some nachos on our return trip home.</p>
<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>Training has been odd for me this summer. My baking business was very busy, the kids were very busy and while I kept up with a lot of exercise, it was much less planned than in prior years. Scott was much more regimented, putting his workouts in the calendar and actually doing what the calendar said. We both trained for the Olympic Distance version of the Cayuga Lake Triathlon, so we took care to get solid biking and some swim practice in. At this point in my life the running just seems to happen no matter what. I'm so conditioned to want to run that I make time for it even if a plan isn't saying, "you have to do this."</p>
<p>However, when we got back from running camp, I did try to emulate Scott. I put the last 3 weeks of Krissy Moehl's training plan from her <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Running-Your-First-Ultra-Customizable/dp/1624141420">ultra book</a> into my calendar and mostly followed it. I added a bunch of cross training, lifting etc but I tried to hit the running she called for. Scott had used her book to successfully train for his recent <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/cayuga-trails-50-mile-trail-race-2017-training/">Cayuga Trails 50</a> race. As a bonus, we got to see her at our running camp in Oregon!!</p>
<p>I'm typically really disciplined, but for this cycle, Scott was the one who would say, "You have repeats on your calendar today." I replied, "Oh I do?" Then I'd get out there and do them ... some of the time. Other times a friend would text asking me to run and I opted to take the social run over the hard training.</p>
<h2 id="early-to-race">Early to race</h2>
<p>It was a COLD start forecasted for race day, for summer!! We knew the high was going to be 76 and the humidity was low so conditions were pretty ideal for running. Scott and I got up at 4:15 and headed out the door a bit before 5 to make it up to Green Lakes by 6:30 a.m. We left the kids home sleeping with a million post-it notes of things they could or should do while we were gone.</p>
<p>On the way, we stopped at a rest stop to go to the bathroom and I suddenly realized it was 45 degrees outside. I was wearing capris and a short sleeved shirt; perfect attire for the 50-70 ish degrees I thought we'd be running in. However, when the temperature dips below 50, I really need gloves or a long sleeved shirt to keep my hands warm. Scott was thrilled with the starting temperature, and I was just a bit worried. Oddly, I had thrown in my <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/syracuse-half-marathon/">Syracuse Half</a> long sleeved zip pullover for after the race in case I was cold. At no time had it crossed my mind to run with it on, but now I knew I'd be doing loop one wearing it. I was super grateful to myself for throwing it in!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/09/IMG_9122a.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Scott before the race. Thanks to Ellie Pell for the picture!!" title="With Scott before the race. Thanks to Ellie Pell for the picture!!" /><p class="stickyNote">With Scott before the race. Thanks to Ellie Pell for the picture!!</p></div>
<h2 id="my-bladder-is-leaking">My bladder is leaking</h2>
<p>We arrived and saw our friend Ellie and our friend John. We said hello to them both and then after checking in we struck up a conversation with Ellie and her dad. I had just picked up my pack and saw it was drenched. I came over to them and said, "my bladder is leaking." We went on to talk about how I could handle this. Scott went to get a bag to wrap around it. Ellie said the most helpful thing I heard all day. "What if you just aid station it?" Meanwhile her dad had a moment of realization. He thought I was sharing about my actual bodily functions. We had a good laugh!</p>
<p>The ironic thing was that my original plan was to just use the aid stations for water and fuel. You are never more than 3.75 miles from one and they are well stocked with friendly volunteers and supplies. However, when I did my last long run on a day when it was 90 degrees and humid I decided that having access to water all the time was required. Ellie's statement made me realize that today was not like that. Yes, I could just use the aid stations.</p>
<h2 id="but-my-podcasts!!">But my podcasts!!</h2>
<p>I had saved a month of <a href="https://tim.blog/">Tim Ferriss</a> podcasts to listen to on this race!! I was so excited to catch up <em>(and it took great self control to save them in the first place).</em> I had considered wearing my new Lulu Lemon bra that has a back pocket for my phone, but I knew I'd have my pack with me and I hadn't run more than 12 miles with it yet. I also briefly considered bringing my running belt, but again, knew I'd have my pack. So the decision to leave the pack behind also meant leaving my podcasts behind.</p>
<h2 id="and-we're-off">And we're off</h2>
<p>Following the pre race meeting and the national anthem we were off. As is typical for trail races, it was a quick start with not too much fanfare. This is one great thing about trail races. Runners chat with each other before the start and the vibe is super low key. Scott lined up toward the front near Ellie and our friend John lined up behind me a bit. I didn't know anyone else at the race which felt a little bit weird.</p>
<p>The first portion of this race is around the beautiful Green Lakes in Fayetteville Manlius, NY. These are two of my most favorite lakes in the world along with <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/hiking/deschutes-river-trail-green-lakes/">Green Lakes</a> in the 3 Sisters Wilderness, Oregon and <a href="http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-north/walden-pond-state-reservation.html">Walden Pond</a> in Massachusetts. <em>(Walden Pond is one of my favorite places solely because of my 10th grade English teacher. When he spoke about this amazing place, the world came alive for me. When I finally saw it I was already in love from his stories!)</em> Back to these green lakes though; they are beautiful, clear and the most gorgeous color you can imagine, it is a lovely way to start a race. By the time we hit the forest less than 2 miles into the race I was almost completely alone. This event had fewer than 100 participants, and we spread out quickly.</p>
<h2 id="making-deals-with-myself">Making deals with myself</h2>
<p>There are 4 hills on this course. I made a deal with myself that I'd run the first one, walk the 2nd one and then run the last two. I would do this on each of the 4 loops. It would give me something to look forward to (the walking hill) and I'd feel accomplished and proud of myself for running 3 of the 4.</p>
<p>The hills are not long and they are not challenging. If you are an Ithaca native and know Taughannock Falls State Park, the hills are comparable with the hill from the overlook parking lot to the top of the trail; some longer, some shorter. Still, hills are the hardest thing for me on a race, and when Jenny and I did this, I only remember running hills 1-3 on the first loop. I believe we ran the last one on most of the loops. This year I didn't have Jenny to motivate me, so I was worried I'd walk them all for all loops - hence the bargain. This plan paid off and I was able to stick with the deal except for the 2nd half of both hill 1 and 2 on the last loop.</p>
<h2 id="accidental-pacer">Accidental pacer</h2>
<p>On the 2nd hill I had a crew of people pass me. It was a little weird because at first one of them settled on my right side just a half step behind me. I thought for a bit that the group was going to pass on the right, but then they eventually passed on the left. Shortly after the 3rd hill a man settled in on my right side just a step or two behind me. I didn't think much of it, figuring he'd linger just long enough to decide to pass me on the left. Only he didn't. He stayed right there. Soon we hit 3.1 miles and I said, "yay we hit the 5K mark." Nothing. He didn't reply. I thought maybe he had headphones on but didn't look back enough to see. Because I had no music or podcast I could hear every footfall and I felt like I had to outrun him somehow. I was worried I was slowing him down, even though he could pass at any point.</p>
<p>Soon we hit the aid station and I purposely lingered to head out behind him. However, he dropped back immediately behind me, settling on my right side a half step behind me. When we hit the blissful downhill portion of the course a couple miles later we chatted about how enjoyable this race is, how much we liked the course, the aid stations <em>(he's done it several times and there used to be more aid stations)</em> and more. Before long we hit the main lake and he saw some of his friends at the lake. There was a lot of encouragement and he picked up his pace and beat me to the end of loop one. I later passed him on loop 2 at the top of hill 3. I thought we might repeat our whole loop one process but he was a little bit slower by this point, so I stayed ahead of him. He was the last person I ended up running near for any significant length of time.</p>
<h2 id="how-are-you-feeling%3F">How are you feeling?</h2>
<p>On lap two, a man and a teen passed by me. They were chatting along happily as we ran through the Serengeti. I will take this opportunity to talk a little bit about this portion of the course. It is called the Serengeti because of the cracked earth, and the dreadful heat you can feel up here on a hot sunny day. It is vast and open and has a feel like it is an African safari. I have run this in the heat only in training. Both times I've run the race I've been fortunate with the weather. With Jenny we had humidity but clouds and cool air, and today we had beautiful sun, but comfortable temperatures and low humidity. As they passed me I was thinking, "this is so lovely. I am grateful to be able to run this race." Right when they passed, the guy asked the teen how he was feeling. I responded, "Great!" thinking that he was talking to me. I kind of laughed in my head as I realized he hadn't been talking to me at all. The teenager went on to say he was ok, but he didn't expect to finish until 1:30 or 2.</p>
<p>Alarm bells went off in my head. My outer bound finish time was 1 pm. They were currently PASSING me. What was I missing? Based on a 7 am start 1 pm was a 6 hour finish. These guys were saying they were going to finish in 6.5-7 hours and they were getting ahead of me in lap 2. I spent much of the next mile calculating different paces in my head before realizing they must just be planning on positive splits. Or perhaps it was their first 50K and they really didn't know what to expect. Or like me, maybe they were just becoming comfortable with a worst case scenario but secretly hoping for faster. I did pass them later and I'm happy to report that they finished faster than this verbal prediction in lap 2. I remember seeing them just a bit after me when Scott and I were hanging around the finish area.</p>
<h2 id="this-is-easy">This is easy</h2>
<p>I recently listened to a Tim Ferriss podcast where he interviewed a famous poker player. The man said he had to learn not to listen to the negative feedback and not to get hung up in the positive either. Neither is reality and neither is helpful and perception changes all the time. Racing is much like this. One mile you are breezing along thinking, <em>"this is easy"</em> and just minutes later the world can crash down and your thoughts spiral negative. Because of this I try to let thoughts just enter through my head, I acknowledge them and then let them pass without letting them take up too much space.</p>
<p>On loop three I found this thought looping in my head, <em>"this is easy"</em> and I couldn't get it out. I was having fun, the day was beautiful and I wasn't even bumming about not having podcasts. It was on this loop that I decided a 5:30 finish was feasible. Last time Jenny and I did the race in just over 6 hours. I was super excited about the idea of finishing in 5:30. I started telling myself that even though I was 3 years older I was wiser and stronger and I could do this. All good things, but I ALWAYS know that when I get into a positive feedback loop like this that there will be a negative one coming, it is just a matter of when.</p>
<h2 id="and-just-like-that-it-is-loop-4">And just like that it is loop 4</h2>
<p>As I came into the timing area at the end of loop 3 I considered treating myself to media for the last loop. I figured I could have the phone in my bra or between my waist band and be ok. But, I was proud that I'd run 24 miles without it and wanted to be able to say to myself that I hadn't relied on anything for motivation so I opted against it.</p>
<p>Each loop I'd lost about 10-20 seconds on my average pace. I opted to not stop my watch so I'd have 100% certainty on how long I'd been on the course. When Jenny and I ran, we stopped the watch at aid stations, so we never realized we were 3 minutes off from a 6 hour finish. I know we could have hit it if we had realized it, and today I did feel compelled to have a sub 6, even if it was just by seconds.</p>
<p>As I finished loop three I was suddenly exhausted. The candy that I had easily ignored on loops 1-3 suddenly called to me for this last loop. I grabbed a handful of m&ms and a pecan cookie along with a bunch of watermelon at the aid station before I headed out. My average pace was just under 11 minute miles at this point. I'd spent a 90 seconds to 3 minutes at each aid station so far, and I had only one aid station left. Negative thoughts started to creep in. Suddenly I was thirsty even though I'd just left the aid station 5 minutes ago. The thought, "you'll be lucky if you are sub 6" creeped in <em>(I was still on track for slightly over 5:30 at this point)</em> and then I quickly justified, "well you aren't as well trained as you were with Jenny. Of course you can't expect to be faster." I knew it was dangerous to let such thoughts stick and worked to let them pass by. My job now was to hold the best pace I could and finish strong.</p>
<h2 id="and-about-poles">And about poles</h2>
<p>The day before the race, I mentioned to Scott that I might bring my new <a href="https://www.leki.com/us/trekking/poles/2760/micro-vario-carbon/?c=708">Leki poles</a> that we got from running camp. They were awesome for our Ramona Falls run and I thought they could help me on the one downhill pitch into the park. Scott suggested that bringing them might invite laughs, after all the course is really not hilly. "But when I ran it with Jenny I almost fell a few times," I said. I decided that I'd bring them to stash at the start to pick up on loop 4. However, by the morning of the race, I realized it was probably not the best plan. Scott was right. Still, just like the first time I ran this, I almost fell on loop 4 on the downhill back to the lakes. And just like last time I caught myself so the crisis was averted.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/09/IMG_9134a.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Finished!!" title="Finished!!" /><p class="stickyNote">Finished!!</p></div>
<h2 id="finishing-thoughts-and-stats">Finishing thoughts and stats</h2>
<p>Each time we "entered civilization" coming into the main Green Lake, people would cheer participants on and encourage them. This was my favorite part - watching people hang out at the beach, enjoying picnics and time with friends and family. They took the time to say, "Good job!" Their encouragement helped me a lot, especially on this last lap!</p>
<p>Soon I was nearing the finish line and Scott was there to welcome me in!! I wandered into the finish area and enjoyed some m&ms and water. Race director Tim Hardy came over with a medal, pint glass and a magnet for me.</p>
<p>The aid station volunteers were so friendly and it was nice to be done and able to talk to them for more than 90 seconds!! I thanked them for their time and we talked about how lucky we had gotten with this amazing weather.</p>
<p>The statistics were good this year. It was a competitive field in the front and records were broken in both the male and female overall category! The woman who broke the record had never run trail OR this far. Wow!! I was pleasantly surprised to be the 6th female and 2nd in my age group. That happiness waned quickly when I started chiding myself for letting the 5th place female catch me a mere 3.5 miles from the finish. I always try not to back seat drive, but of course I do go down that rabbit hole from time to time. If only I had treated myself to music for that last lap I could have held pace .. if only.</p>
<p>I had two notable thoughts about the race. The first was that it is TOTALLY different from the first time I ran this because they didn't offer the 100K distance. When Jenny and I ran, we were rarely alone. I had anticipated running with other people and talking a lot the way I had with Jenny. I never thought about the difference of having fewer people on the course and more similar paces <em>(when you are offering a 100K, naturally the paces are slower for the distance)</em>. The 2nd was that it would be great to offer a 25K like the Finger Lakes 50s does. It would be a lot more work, but it is a great course to have new to trail runners get started on.</p>
<p><a href="http://results.leonetiming.com/2017GLER/">Official Results</a>; Age group 2/12, Overall 35/82, Gender 6/34,</p>
<iframe src="https://www.strava.com/activities/1155538300/embed/0bb588849272a8741468167c26d95e19bd3a9bd6" width="100%" height="405" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
<h2 id="splits">Splits</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/09/Screen-Shot-2017-09-02-at-12.33.17-PM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>I LOVE how detailed the race results are for this event. Thank you <a href="http://leonetiming.com/">Leone timing</a> for the awesome job!! When I look at the splits I critique like this. The first lap was too fast. Largely this was because I was stressed out about being an accidental pacer. I felt pressure to be a good pacer for this guy who was right behind me. But, then, my 2nd lap wasn't far off that pace and I spent a fair amount of time at the aid station before starting that 2nd loop <em>(that time is counted in loop 2s time)</em>. Loop 3 was pretty solid as well. It was a drop off of 9 minutes from the first loop, but all things considered I wasn't unhappy. For the last loop I'm mostly grateful that I didn't slow down more than I did. I got a blister on my 4th toe on my right foot halfway through loop 4 so each step was killing me. I considered walking more and then realized that just meant it would hurt longer. So, looking back I don't have any real regrets except that I broke my promise to myself and walked part of each of two hills I said I'd run all of no matter what.</p>
<h2 id="you-should-do-this-race-if">You should do this race if</h2>
<p>If when you read this you think, "maybe I could try this" or "this sounds reachable" definitely think about doing this 50K race! Here are some reasons I think that the Green Lakes 50K makes an especially good event for a first timer.</p>
<ol>
<li>It is a looped course. This way you know what to expect after you finish loop one. You can prepare yourself emotionally and physically for each of the coming loops.</li>
<li>The course is BEAUTIFUL. As I said in my post these lakes make my top 3 of favorite lakes. If you are within driving distance, I think it is totally worth making it goal race just for the scenery.</li>
<li>The course is runnable. The entire course is runnable - really. If you are new to trail it is nice to know that you won't encounter challenging terrain that you know you must walk. Of course the flip side is that there are not too many opportunities to give yourself permission to walk without feeling just a twinge of "I know I could run that but ..."</li>
<li>The aid stations are reliable and the workers are friendly. I ran the entire race without additional anything, finding everything I needed at the aid stations. They are like your little oasis in the desert! Thank you <a href="http://eatrunpavement.com/home/">Ellie Pell</a> for this last minute suggestion. It was a great choice for me.</li>
<li>The race has a nice low key vibe and it is easy to have spectators. They can hang at the lake and they get to see you at the start and finish and at the end of each of your loops. It is fun for spectators to have something to do while you are running.</li>
</ol>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/09/IMG_9133.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Race Director Tim Hardy getting my medal, glass and magnet. He did such a great job organizing!" title="With Race Director Tim Hardy getting my medal, glass and magnet. He did such a great job organizing!" /><p class="stickyNote">With Race Director Tim Hardy getting my medal, glass and magnet. He did such a great job organizing!</p></div>
<h2 id="would-you-ever-do-a-100-miler%3F">Would you ever do a 100 miler?</h2>
<p>Yesterday as I was finishing this post the <a href="http://www.utmbmontblanc.com/en/live/runner/102">UTMB</a> was going on. 2 of our Mountain Running Camp instructors ran in it. Amy Sproston and Yassine Diboun were on track to do very well when we were following live coverage. <a href="http://www.utmbmontblanc.com/en/live/runner/102">Yassine</a> ended up 89th overall and 60th in his age group. <a href="http://www.utmbmontblanc.com/en/live/runner/80">Amy</a> was the 8th female and 96th overall. Wow!!</p>
<p>Naturally Scott and I were reminiscing about the camp and how cool it was to have learned from these elites. Then he looked at me and said, "do you ever want to run a 100?" We've talked about this before and agreed that not while we have kids living at home. I said, "I have to run a 50 miler first." He smiled and said, "hmmm probably a good idea." Then, he quickly calculated that we'd both be turning 49 when Xander graduates from High School. "Let's plan a 100 miler for our 50/50!!" he said. I admit that sounds like a super great goal. We went on to talk about how we really have to start training now for that. More focus on nutrition, more reading about long distance running and more practice. Something to think about for sure!</p>
Cayuga Lake Triathlon 20172017-08-06T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/triathlon/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2017/<h2 id="the-year-of-thunderstorms-and-blue%2Fgreen-algae-blooms">The year of thunderstorms and blue/green algae blooms</h2>
<p>This year was really different from last year with training, most notably the swim. We switched fitness facilities and our new one is 10 minutes further from our house. Turns out that extra drive just pushes it over the edge for feasibility. So, we didn't go very often to swim. No worries, we figured we would hit the lake aggressively come summer just like last year. But a summer that was overly busy with activities, daily thunderstorms and the algae bloom that hit the lake conspired together. The result? Two lake swims before the triathlon!</p>
<p>My first swim was good; a double out and back from my friend Kathey's dock on a calm day. Elizabeth was my kayaker and it felt just like last summer. We have a good time with this and I thought it would be the beginning of many swims. A week later, I went down with Scott. The water was rougher and it had been storming for several days. The water was brown, and full of sticks and other debris from the recent storms. Because of time constraints we planned to do just a half mile swim each. I kayaked for Scott first. He struggled more than he typically does and I had a hard time kayaking for him <em>(I am not so great at staying in a straight line or at a constant speed)</em>. When he finished he had a pretty darn good swim time despite his struggle. All during his swim I waffled about whether to swim or not the entire time but knew I had to do it. I jumped in and started swimming before I could change my mind. Scott doesn't typically kayak for me and I have a weird hang up about being embarrassed about how slow I swim when he does play the role of kayaker. Because of this, I had a little fit about 3 minutes into my swim followed by another a few minutes after that. Despite my attempts to quit, I stayed the course and he managed to put up with my nonsense. It wasn't a stellar swim though, leaving me hopeful that there would be many more. I didn't realize at the time that this would be my last lake swim in Cayuga Lake until the morning of the race.</p>
<h2 id="packet-pick-up-volunteering">Packet pick up volunteering</h2>
<p>Every year there are volunteer opportunities for the Cayuga Lake Triathlon!! We can't really do same day volunteer jobs because all 4 of us race, but the day before there are opportunities. This year I said, "what if we sign up to work packet pick-up?" Everyone was game so we hopped into the 11-3 shift. We arrived and got our instructions and met all our fellow volunteers. We knew most everyone already and enjoyed some pre-volunteering conversation! Soon the 4 of us were working together with another volunteer to sort and fold shirts, and opening and stuffing Wegmans bags with a smoothie coupon! When participants started to arrive, our job was to give out shirts and bags and then to direct them on to see Shane, who was in charge of race bands. It was A LOT of fun!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/08/IMG_8900.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Volunteering!" title="Volunteering!" /><p class="stickyNote">Volunteering!</p></div>
<h2 id="there's-a-last-time-for-everything">There's a last time for everything</h2>
<p>The Brad Paisley, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWkoquUvD98">"There's a Last Time for Everything"</a> song just kept going through my head on race morning. Just like I didn't know that my not so stellar swim with Scott would be my last time in the lake before the tri, I didn't know that last year could be the last year that both my parents and Scott's parents would be at the tri. My mom is dealing with health problems. My dad pulled me aside at dinner a couple of evenings before the race to tell me he didn't think they could make it down this year. Of course I understood and to be honest I was a little relieved. I knew I'd be worried about how they'd fare in the busy race environment if they did try to come down. I went over to see them the night before the race and they wished us luck. I was up most of the night worrying about the race <em>(would we swim or not as there was enough doubt about the algae bloom to have it need to be a race day decision for our safety, how cold would the water be and my mom's health)</em> After my rough night's sleep, for the briefest moment, I considered just staying in bed that morning and ditching the race all together.</p>
<p>My in-laws also always body mark for the race so they are usually some of the first people we come into contact with at the tri. However, my mother-in-law has had both knees replaced so she knew she wasn't up for the bending required. They were still volunteering, this time at same day registration. Still, it seemed weird not to see them as we got into line to get our bodies marked. And there goes the refrain in my head ... <em>"There's a last time for everything!"</em> It kept on in my head during most of the bike. I found myself reminiscing about Xander's last year of digging trenches in the lake a couple years back and wondering what other things are currently in their "last" that we don't yet know about. I'm hoping to have everyone at the race again next year!</p>
<h2 id="if-you-are-just-getting-ready-here%2C-don't-worry">If you are just getting ready here, don't worry</h2>
<p>As we exited the car and started to walk to transition at 6:45 we heard the announcer say</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If you are just getting here, don't worry. You have plenty of time</p>
</blockquote>
<p>There was more to the announcement, but my brain turned off at the word worry. Suddenly I felt worried that we were late! We usually arrive around 6:30 and had decided we could get there just a bit later this year since the kids had so long to wait to start! The body marking lines were long, the body markers were not my in-laws, and the water temperature was 69.8. I hadn't even considered that it would be below the mid 70s.</p>
<p>To keep my head I started eating my breakfast slowly. I looked around knowing I really was here on time, my body would be marked just fine by someone else and I would swim in the water, cold or not. Everything would be ok.</p>
<div class="main-carousel" data-flickity='{ "fullscreen": true, "wrapAround": "true", "autoPlay": "3000", "pauseAutoPlayOnHover": true }'><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/08/prerace.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Getting body marked" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/08/IMG_8908.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Scott and the kids before the race" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/08/IMG_8924.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Xander, Elizabeth and Jess" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/08/IMG_8931.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Xander and Grandma Dawson" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/08/IMG_9206.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Elizabeth and Jess" />
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<h2 id="what's-1500-meters-when-you-could-be-swimming-3-miles%3F">What's 1500 meters when you could be swimming 3 miles?</h2>
<p>In the bathroom line, I struck up a conversation with the gentleman behind me. He was excited about this swim! He had recently done a 3 mile swim that he gratefully finished before they pulled people from the water for an impending tornado warning!! He is training for the <a href="http://www.bayswim.com/">Chesapeake Bay Swim</a> - a 4.4 mile swim across Chesapeake Bay. As we talked, I said, "Wow, 1500 meters is nothing compared to that. When I feel tired I'm just going to think about you!" This chance encounter was super helpful for keeping everything in perspective. In fact, it is one of the things I love most about races; meeting new people and sharing different life stories.</p>
<h2 id="%22just-keep-swimming%22-....-even-if-you-get-kicked-in-the-face">"Just keep swimming" .... even if you get kicked in the face</h2>
<p>The now familiar pre-swim corral phrase. It always seems to pop up! One of the women said to us all, "do like Dory does and just keep swimming!" Yes, when the alternative is to stop and sink, one must just keep swimming!</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiuTYucSt98">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiuTYucSt98</a></p>
<p>My wave went off before I could even worry too much, and soon I was in the fray of swimmers. I've been kicked before, but never as hard as I was just a few buoys in. I was behind someone breaststroking and I was foolishly trying to get around her. Not a fast swimmer, I should have taken a wider line or just settled in behind her. Still, I thought I had enough clearance. Instead she kicked me straight on in my eye, knocking my goggles off. I reacted quickly enough not to lose my contacts, and tried to put my goggles back on while holding a little orange buoy. I couldn't adjust them so I waved for a kayak and quickly swam over toward Kris. I was pretty freaked out and she took time to introduce herself, asked my name all while reassuring me me that I could hang as long as I needed. It was so early in the swim! I got them back on as she said, "don't worry, there are still a few white caps behind you." "Great, I thought, now I am even farther back than I was before!" I started to swim again, but hadn't even made the next big buoy when my goggles were full of water again. I flagged another kayak and adjusted as quickly as possible so I could get on my way. I have never hung onto a kayak before and here I had done it twice in the span of what was probably less than 2 minutes!! Luckily this time it worked and I was on my way.</p>
<p>The good thing was that I was now completely alone. It was just me and the buoy line until the green wave caught me. I set into a good pattern and despite being a slow swimmer I was fine. Thoughts in my head included, "this is easier than the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/triathlon/gillie-girl-sprint-triathlon-2017/">Gillie Girl</a> swim because of the buoy line," and "I'm not even cold yet!" Then, just before the turnaround the green caps started passing. Suddenly I was in a mass of fast swimming men!! I didn't get kicked though and if anything it was kind of fun. None of them were breast stroking so there was no real risk of being kicked hard. I found myself imagining that I was in the fray of my own wave. I looked at my watch and saw that it was 26 minutes to the turnaround. Wow, that is a bummer!! A very slow first half. Determined to have a better 2nd half, I tried to pick up my speed and take a straighter line. I had veered back and forth way too much on the first half. By the sprint buoy turnaround my hands and feet were frozen. I knew it would happen at some point, so instead of being annoyed I felt gratitude that I stayed warm for so long! Soon, I knew I was back near shore because of the seaweed. Ironically, the seaweed I once feared is now my comfort. I wish we had it for the entire swim because you can look down and see your forward movement!! I headed into transition, trying not to hang my head. I was embarrassed about my slow swim time.</p>
<h2 id="a-gorgeous-bike-course">A gorgeous bike course</h2>
<p>Last year when I did this ride I was still scared to go down hills. I was scared of the drop off on the side of the shoulder and I was nervous about the distance itself. This year I've been riding the route weekly, put aerobars on my bike and am generally comfortable with biking. However, I had different issues this year. As I hopped onto my bike and started up the hill I was SO cold. My feet were numb, my hands were numb, and all I could think was, "wow I sure hope I warm up!" It didn't take long. I was fully warmed up within a mile, grateful for the sunshine and lack of wind.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/08/IMG_0056.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Photo by Stevan Knapp" title="Photo by Stevan Knapp" /><p class="stickyNote">Photo by Stevan Knapp</p></div>
<p>The bike ride was filled with fast men passing me. I got a little bit sad during the ride. It wasn't the warm and supportive feeling that you get during the sprint distance or the Gillie Girl when most people say, "good job" or at least "on your left." Most of the men flew by me wordlessly. I did pass a couple of women, but just 2 or 3. I knew I was really far back in my swim wave which was ALL women over 35 in the Intermediate distance.</p>
<p>A bright spot was when a man passed me and said, "nice job" and then a mile later another one did. It reminded me that not everyone out there is blazing fast or working so hard they can't speak to others. Soon Scott passed me shouting words of encouragement and I wished him well.</p>
<p>There was absolutely nothing that stood out to me on this ride from a fitness point of view except how tired I was. I knew it was a combination of just returning from <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/trail/mazama-mountain-running-camp/">Mazama Running Camp</a> out west and not sleeping that great the night before the race. The bottoms of my feet were sore from camp and I just felt generally tired. It wasn't unpleasant however, and the lake was lovely. I felt grateful for the opportunity to be out here riding on this gorgeous course just miles from my house. I tried to focus on giving the best I had on this day.</p>
<h2 id="were-you-struggling-on-the-bike%3F">Were you struggling on the bike?</h2>
<p>My friend Gail was participating in the sprint tri. I met her in <a href="https://kaizen-durance.com/">Shane's swim class</a> and now enjoy seeing her at all the local races!! She caught me a few miles before the end of the race. We were chatting briefly as she passed me and then she said, "I guess I have to pass you, huh?" I laughed and said, "Yup I guess you do!" I hoped I'd see her again on the run course and wished her good luck.</p>
<p>Later I did catch her on the run and we laughed as I passed her. We talked after the race though when she rather tentatively if I had been struggling on the bike when she passed me. I said no that I hadn't and she had a look of "should I say something" pass on her face. I asked her what was up and she hesitated. I pushed a little bit as she finally said that my knees were splaying out on my bike so she thought maybe my bike wasn't fit properly. I told her several people had said this to me in the last year so perhaps it was high time to listen.</p>
<p>My friend Jim is a bike guy and he was totally willing to check it out!! He moved my seat backwards and made some other small adjustments and I feel like things are going to be MUCH better!! I haven't had many rides since the race, but I don't think that my legs are going to splay out anymore which <em>should</em> help with my speed and comfort on the bike.</p>
<h2 id="there's-a-difference-between-can't-and-don't-want-to">There's a difference between can't and don't want to</h2>
<p>Soon the bike portion was over and I headed into transition for the run. I put my trail shoes on and headed out, eager to get started! I don't know if it was because I knew I was so far back in my wave of swimmers and hadn't made up any time on the bike or if I was just tired, but this felt emotionally more challenging than last year. I had to work to say "good job" to others and to just keep putting one foot in front of the other. However, once I hit the first turnaround (1.5 miles in) I felt warmed up. I would be ok with this. Soon I was back to the start where I'd have to head out and do the SAME course AGAIN! Emotionally hard, not so much physically hard. Luckily my friend Joel was working this area. He was dressed in some fun outfit and full of his well known big personality!! He cheered me on and I got a second wind as I started the 2nd loop.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/08/amyrun.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="On the run course" title="On the run course" /><p class="stickyNote">On the run course</p></div>
<p>Early on in the 2nd loop I finally saw Elizabeth and screamed, "fear the LizERD" <em>(her nickname)</em> at her!! I could relax. She was ok. I always worry a bit that something could go wrong in one of my kids' races and I wouldn't know. Now I knew she didn't fall off the bike somewhere on the course. Next would be Xander.</p>
<p>Entering back into the last mile was the youth turnaround. This was Xander's crew of people. A friends' daughter, Kenzie was right behind me as she made the turnaround. Kenzie runs cross country with Elizabeth and she was the motivation I needed to keep my pace up. I was NOT going to let her catch me if I could help it. The last portion of this course is all open and it is grassy. It is my least favorite part of the course, so it was great to have that extra oomph <em>(thanks Kenz!)</em> Soon I sprinted into the finish line, so grateful to be done!! I never did see Xander. He was a bit behind Kenzie so our paths didn't cross.</p>
<h2 id="by-the-numbers">By the numbers</h2>
<p>Post race we enjoyed our beer, bid my in-laws adios and caught up with fellow participants. We enjoyed our delicious post race food from <a href="http://ithacabeer.com/">Wegmans</a> and a fantastic post race beer from <a href="http://ithacabeer.com/">Ithaca Beer</a>. We had to move pretty quickly because we were heading to NYC for a mini vacation later that afternoon and delivering a cake for my <a href="http://www.emoticakes.com/">Emoticakes'</a> business along the way.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/08/IMG_8990.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Post race with my in-laws, Scott and the kids" title="Post race with my in-laws, Scott and the kids" /><p class="stickyNote">Post race with my in-laws, Scott and the kids</p></div>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/08/IMG_8994.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Done!" title="Done!" /><p class="stickyNote">Done!</p></div>
<p>I was disappointed when I imported my times and checked Strava for last year's numbers. I was SLOWER in EVERYTHING this year; 3 minutes and change in the swim, 5 minutes and change in the bike, and just under a minute in the run. I am not sure what I expected, but the bike was the biggest surprise.</p>
<p>The swim I could explain by lack of training and being kicked in the face. The run was within striking distance of last year and the bottom of my feet were killing me with every step. But the bike was really a big time difference. I'm hoping that adjusting my bike will help but I know I have to work hard on my pedal turnover.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/08/IMG_8981.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Post-race beer" title="Post-race beer" /><p class="stickyNote">Post-race beer</p></div>
<p>Looking at the results, it seems to me that many of the people in the Intermediate Distance are pretty strong athletes! Even though I don't feel prepared for the competition (yet), I prefer this distance because I don't have to wait long to start <em>(no time to get nervous)</em> and it is a fantastic workout!! I remember the last time I did the sprint distance in the CLT, I went home and ran 10 miles to "get a better workout in." However, I think that was more about the the fact that I was signed up for the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/green-lakes-50k/">Green Lakes 50K</a> a couple weeks later! Want to read more about this race? Check out <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2017/">Scott's race report</a>.</p>
<p>Overall 183/213<br />
9/12 Age Group<br />
Swim: 48:13<br />
T1: 2:20<br />
Bike: 1:36:40<br />
T2: 2:27<br />
Run: 56:25<br />
<a href="http://scorethis-results.com/ResultsMS.php?raceid=20170806CLTR">Official Results</a></p>
Day 3: Mazama Mountain Running Camp2017-07-29T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/day-3-mazama-mountain-running-camp/<h2 id="i-can't-believe-it-is-almost-over">I can't believe it is almost over</h2>
<p>Creatures of habit, Scott and I popped up at 4:45 again and I did yoga in the room. When I went downstairs, Scott had already prepared me an iced coffee. I read a book for awhile and enjoyed coffee before heading upstairs to get ready for our long run to Ramona Falls.</p>
<p>When I came down, it was breakfast time and we enjoyed another delicious breakfast. Having food prepared for you every day is really lovely!</p>
<h2 id="ramona-falls-here-we-come!">Ramona Falls here we come!</h2>
<p>We finished our breakfast a bit after 7 and needed to be ready to get into the vans by 7:45. The vans would take us to Timberline where we'd start in two groups. At the camp, Yassine gave us the head's up that we'd split into a fast group and a medium group. Scott and I knew we'd be in different groups for this last day and we were pretty happy about this. It meant we would both talk to more people and we'd both be in a group where we felt our pace was appropriate for the situation.</p>
<p>The general rules for mountain hiking and running state that your party may be no larger than 12. We had 18 campers with 4 instructors so our groups needed to be fairly even. When we arrived in the parking lot they asked us to self-select into the fast or medium group. The fast group had 4 and our group housed the rest. Hmmm... this wasn't going to work. One by one, people moved over to the fast group and the groups evened out. We started getting prepared to run; the fast group would leave and then we'd follow about 10-15 minutes behind them so that we'd keep a healthy distance between the two groups.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/IMG_8808.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="My group all ready to go!" title="My group all ready to go!" /><p class="stickyNote">My group all ready to go!</p></div>
<h2 id="trucker-hats-and-poles">Trucker hats and poles</h2>
<p>I looked around at my group and suddenly realized that I was the only one in the group that had brought both of my poles and I was the only person without a hat or visor of some kind <em>(most people had trucker hats on)</em>. I had opted for sunglasses for no particular reason. I also committed to using <a href="https://www.leki.com/us/trekking/poles/2723/tourstick-vario-carbon-v/?c=708">two poles</a> because I knew they'd improve my confidence on the hills. Amy had warned us that by using the poles we'd change our workout to be more of an upper body workout as well, and I was prepared!</p>
<p>Soon we started and in those first 10 steps I thought, "What are you doing? You are NOT going to be able to run 14 miles!!"</p>
<h2 id="the-trouble-with-patterns">The trouble with patterns</h2>
<p>We had talked about this in hill training. You can get very comfortable with doing a certain thing in a certain spot. Always walk that hill? It is harder to run it because of the pattern you've created. This was a trail that I knew well from hiking. I always HIKE this trail, and always with my kids. It felt weird to be running. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to keep up.</p>
<p>However, another thing about patterns is that when one element changes, it is easy to take a different direction. I was with a group of people I didn't know so well and I am certainly fit enough to participate. I would just have to rise to the challenge!</p>
<h2 id="the-early-miles">The early miles</h2>
<p>This trail was beautiful and I found myself NOT looking around because I was paying attention to my footing. The way we spread out I was smack dab in the middle of the group. The people ahead of me were chatting and those behind me were as well. I thought, "this is not that fun" and "I think I like to hike better" during that stretch. However, soon we reached the little Zig Zag and switched up our places in the line so I was near people.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/IMG_8811-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Canada, or Mexico?" title="Canada, or Mexico?" /><p class="stickyNote">Canada, or Mexico?</p></div>
<p>At this point we were on the Pacific Crest Trail, but soon we turned upward to head up to Paradise Park. Along the way we had to cross over several fallen trees, both large and small. One of them was really a climb and I got a little nervous climbing down from it. Jaime had offered to take my poles. Overconfident, I thought I was fine as they hung off from my hands. However, partway through the crossing I started to wish I had handed them to her. I made it down the other side, suddenly realizing how different it was to run with a group of adults vs hiking with children. Everyone had crossed the tree and kept going!! I waited for the crew behind me and stayed with them for the part up to Paradise Park. Our group mostly walked this uphill stretch <em>(well ok actually we completely walked it)</em>. I spent the next several miles chatting with Justin about everything under the sun and that was great fun!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/fullsizeoutput_213b.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Paradise Park - photo credit - Sarah Klain" title="Paradise Park - photo credit - Sarah Klain" /><p class="stickyNote">Paradise Park - photo credit - Sarah Klain</p></div>
<h2 id="the-long-downhill">The LONG downhill</h2>
<p>After a couple of lovely viewpoints and small stream crossings we had a very long downhill ahead of us. Each time we stopped for a view we shuffled our places in the group so there was ample opportunity to meet and talk with different people. For this downhill I tucked in behind Kristin and her friend Kate was right behind me. Kristin and Kate are in their 20s, so we had some discussions about age groups, triathlons, training runs and racing in general. Kate shared how supportive the tri community has been in her area, and I told her we had a similarly supportive crew out here in Ithaca.</p>
<p>At one point, Kate and I talked about how we tend to be better at running training runs alone vs with our respective partners - we push ourselves harder when we are alone. But we agreed that we could push ourselves in a group like this too because we didn't know anyone well enough to be whiny yet!!</p>
<p>As we were talking, suddenly I realized that Kristen was not in sight. She had just literally flown down the steeper downhill, much like my friend Laura does at home. At first I thought we had missed a turn because we'd been so focused on talking!! I got a little nervous and stayed a little worried so I sped up, hoping to see her as we switchbacked. Soon I saw a glimpse of Kristen ahead of me. Whew! I hadn't missed a turn. She waited for us before the coming stream crossing and pretty soon our entire group was back together.</p>
<h2 id="my-first-intentional-crossing-through-a-stream">My first intentional crossing THROUGH a stream</h2>
<p>Two years ago, I hiked in this area with Sarah and Adam and the family. The trail we took was different, starting at <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/hiking/ramona-falls-to-bald-mountain/">Ramona Falls</a>, but it faced a similar stream crossing. We spent a long while at that stream trying to find away across that would keep us safe <em>(the current was very strong, we had big packs on and there were no logs to hold onto)</em>. Today, Joelle had already crossed. She had found a log to cross and she warned us that it was a bit unstable. Yassine said the log was indeed the way to go though and he offered to demonstrate for us. We said, "sure that would be great!" He explained that if you had a pole you should have a pole in one hand and have your other hand on the log. "Hmmm I thought as I handed one pole to Kate, this means we are walking IN the water, not ON the log." I have never purposefully crossed a stream if there is ANY other option. Suddenly grateful that I had worn my fast drying socks, I said, "OK" and walked through. The funny thing about this? It was absolutely no big deal. I dare to say it was FUN! Much more fun than trying to cross on the slightly unstable log and worrying about actually falling off. Soon our entire group had crossed exactly the way Yassine showed us and we were on the last push toward the falls.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/08/IMG_9895-e1501874539412.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="River crossing" title="River crossing" /><p class="stickyNote">River crossing</p></div>
<h2 id="ramona-falls">Ramona falls</h2>
<p>The last portion up to Ramona Falls was a slight uphill grade, and I was getting a bit hungry. I had eaten several things that Sarah had given me for my pack <em>(Scott and I missed the part about packing food for the actual run! Thankfully she had plenty and many other campers also offered us stuff!!)</em> I stopped for a Honey Stinger waffle about a half mile from the falls. I thought we had farther to go, so I felt a bit silly when I arrived so soon after!!</p>
<p>We arrived, took a group photo and hung out looking at the beautiful water. There were A LOT of flies here, so we were eager to get moving. We had to stagger again so that our groups followed the rule of being 12 or fewer participants.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/04-IMG_6428-JRaab.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Ramona Falls - photo posted by Sarah Bradham" title="Ramona Falls - photo posted by Sarah Bradham" /><p class="stickyNote">Ramona Falls - photo posted by Sarah Bradham</p></div>
<h2 id="oh-my-toe!">Oh my toe!</h2>
<p>In this last 3.5 mile mostly flat stretch I started chatting with Mark. We were talking about Sisters and Bend and I guess I stopped focusing on the roots. I was getting tired too so about 1.5 miles in I just tripped pretty hard. I was grateful for my amazing Leki poles that kept me upright, and bummed that I had hit my left big toe bad enough that I was worried!! Everyone around me asked if I was ok and I said I was, and then stopped to assess the situation.</p>
<p>I dropped to the back with Jason and he advised me to keep my shoe tight, letting me know it should be fine for the duration of this but it could swell up or hurt more later. He was right - it was fine. It hurt a bit but it was ok. I'm writing this 4 days later it still hurts so that's a bit of a bummer, but had I not had my poles, I think I'd have cut up my knees, hands etc so I feel pretty grateful!</p>
<h2 id="govy">Govy</h2>
<p>All good things must end and after our run it was time for this camp to end. About half the participants were heading back to the Mazama building in Portland and the other half were heading back to the lodge at Government Camp. Sarah was staying one more day with the Ultra Running Camp and she suggested it might be fun for us to stay an extra night. We agreed, so we'd have one day to hike and spend more time with Sarah and Adam before taking the red eye home on Monday night.</p>
<p>We asked Justin to drop us off at Government Camp and headed to Mt. Hood brewery for a late lunch. Scott talked me into ordering a pitcher of beer to split and I got a bowl of vegetarian chili while he enjoyed a cheese and bread platter. I LOVE how amazing food and drinks taste after a mountain run or hike! We had so much fun sharing stories from our group run with each other.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/IMG_8855.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Lunch at Mt. Hood Brewery" title="Lunch at Mt. Hood Brewery" /><p class="stickyNote">Lunch at Mt. Hood Brewery</p></div>
<p>After this we wandered very slowly up to the center of Government Camp and bought some snacks for our hike the next day. It was fun to be in the little town that our kids had spent their time in during summer camp. Now we were the summer campers!!</p>
Day 2: Mazama Mountain Running Camp2017-07-28T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/day-2-mazama-mountain-running-camp/<h2 id="early-to-rise">Early to Rise</h2>
<p>Scott and I woke up at 4:45 a.m. Since we were the only people in our room, and we had carpet, I decided to do <a href="https://www.lesmills.com/ondemand/">Les Mills BodyFlow on demand</a> to help stretch out my sore quads and hips from the downhill run on day 1. This was a most wonderful way to start the day and I felt much better afterwards. After yoga I joined Scott for an iced coffee and some time reading. We had an hour before our dawn patrol run. Soon fellow campers started to join us in the common space.</p>
<p>7 am rolled around and we met on the porch to split into two groups for a morning run. Our coaches joked that we'd have a "fast" group and a "medium group." Scott opted for the fast group and I selected the medium group. It was an out and back run in the forest. I settled in pretty quickly behind a couple of ladies and we flip flopped back and forth a few times. I never felt like I couldn't keep up, and this entire run felt fun! We walked some of the time, ran most of the time and ended up with a run that was just shy of 5 miles.</p>
<p>We arrived back to a huge breakfast of eggs, French toast, bacon, oatmeal, fruit, and potatoes. Scott and I chatted with a group of fellow runners. After breakfast we split into two groups. One group would have an hour mountain safety class and the other group would have boot camp! Scott and I were placed in the mountain safety group, along with 7 other members of our 18 person camp.</p>
<h2 id="mountain-safety">Mountain Safety</h2>
<p>This was a time for discussing the things you should have with you on any run or hike in the mountains. Instructors <a href="http://amysproston.blogspot.com/">Amy</a> and <a href="http://jasonleman.blogspot.com/">Jason</a> reminded us that a 5 mile run could turn into a multi-day event if something happened! Some things to remember;</p>
<ul>
<li>If you have your phone conserve power so you have it if you need it.</li>
<li>Bring layers.</li>
<li>Always have a compass/map and know how to use them.</li>
<li>Have extra food and water <em>(and or way to filter water).</em></li>
<li>A whistle or beacon is helpful.</li>
</ul>
<p>nd now is a GREAT time to mention one of the camp sponsors! Patagonia gave each mountain running camp participant a <a href="http://www.patagonia.com/product/womens-houdini-windbreaker-jacket/24146.html">Houdini jacket</a>. I am familiar with this jacket because Sarah gave one to Elizabeth for her birthday. I borrow it ALL the time!! It is a super light windbreaker that packs into its own pocket. It is great for running and cycling and of course hiking. I was really excited to have my own!!</p>
<h2 id="boot-camp">Boot Camp</h2>
<p>Right after the mountain safety discussion our groups switched locations and we went to Boot Camp. This was good because I was starting to get tired from sitting and chatting!! <a href="https://ultrarunning.com/features/interviews/quick-dirty-joelle-vaught/">Joelle</a> and <a href="http://www.yassinediboun.com/yassinediboun/about">Yassine</a> had a bunch of things for us to do. We started with dynamic warm-ups, then moved to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/GHB-Agility-Ladder-Training-Carrying/dp/B01GPBXP86/ref=sr_1_1?s=exercise-and-fitness&rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1501966468&sr=1-1&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011">agility ladder work</a>, ball work and stations. They integrated opportunities for us to continue to remember each other's names, and by breaking us into smaller groups we got to know each other a bit more easily. After this session a bunch of us started searching for all the things they were using! Scott and I have made agility ladders from sidewalk chalk in the past, but we went ahead and bought one when we got home.</p>
<p>After Boot Camp, we had some time before lunch so they set up a volleyball net. It has been a long while since I played and it was SO much fun!! Though terrible elsewhere on the court, I have a pretty solid underhand serve. I enjoyed the opportunity to serve several times in a row so that was super fun! We enjoyed hitting the ball around for awhile and then gathered for a fantastic lunch.</p>
<h2 id="lunch">Lunch</h2>
<p>In the camp information, they said we'd have healthy, fresh food and they were right. Our lunch was a salad, all the things to make a most excellent sandwich, fruit, and cookies. I made myself a sandwich filled with avocado, tomato, lettuce, swiss cheese, turkey - yumm! After lunch we had some siesta time and I actually fell asleep! I wanted to be ready to have some energy for the hill clinic later.</p>
<h2 id="hill-clinic">Hill clinic</h2>
<p>Yassine came back to Ithaca a couple of years ago and held a Hill Clinic with <a href="http://krissymoehl.com/">Krissy Moehl</a>. Scott and I attended that clinic at Buttermilk. I expected it to be very similar, and certain parts were, but there were also a lot of differences.</p>
<p>I admit that I don't care for hills. Along with roots, they are a big factor for making road running my running of choice. But, I do want to get better at tackling the hills, both with my brain and my body, so I was excited about the clinic time. Yassine talked about how our attitude could affect our progress and I appreciated his reminder to keep things optimistic and positive.</p>
<p>The clinic started with us breaking into smaller groups and my group got to try out our other sponsor gift. Leki gave each participant an amazing set of <a href="https://www.leki.com/us/trekking/poles/2723/tourstick-vario-carbon-v/?c=708"> Tourstick Vario Carbon V poles</a>. I have used poles in the past for both running and hiking, but these poles took everything to a new level. They are very lightweight, collapse easily, and have little glove attachment so that you are always connected to your pole.</p>
<p>Amy showed us different techniques for running and hiking with poles including using pole plants for every step, double pole technique as well as a more natural "every so often" pole plant. We practiced on the small hill below the lodge.</p>
<p>After the pole time, we practiced running up and down the hill just above the lodge. Yassine and Joelle gave us many tips for handling the hill and we did several hill repeats.</p>
<p>When we all joined back together it was time to do some more targeted practice on a slightly larger hill. We had to run to get there so we took off as a big group. On the way we passed by a campsite that had a giant ax and a bottle of rum. Of course we HAD to stop for pictures!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/IMG_8796.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="The campsite picture" title="The campsite picture" /><p class="stickyNote">The campsite picture</p></div>
<p>For the second half of the training we discussed specific techniques for uphill versus downhill and split into groups to practice two repeats for an uphill and two for a downhill. It was hot and I had chosen NOT to carry water <em>(most of the campers had put on their hydration packs but I figured I'd bum water off of Scott).</em> My plan wasn't the best, as Scott hadn't packed much water and got a little bit annoyed when I kept coming over for sips. I wish I had thrown my pack on!!</p>
<p>I found the hill repeats to be humbling but helpful. This time reminded me that you really do need to practice things you would like to get better at!!</p>
<h2 id="trillium-lake">Trillium lake</h2>
<p>As soon as we finished our hill clinic we hopped into the vans and went to Trillium lake. We'd get to cool off in the lake and then talk about training techniques. As we headed there from the parking lot I told Yassine I'd never been to this lake. Whenever we visit Sarah we are always looking for challenging hikes and climbs, not relaxing lake time!! The group quickly set up and popped into the lake to cool off. I went over to a bridge and sat in the sun taking in the gorgeous view of Mt. Hood. I'm not a huge fan of swimming, wading etc - I am a baby about the bottom of lakes. Next time I'll throw in water shoes!</p>
<p>After the relaxing time we gathered to talk about training. All 4 of our instructors shared their philosophies about training and answered our questions.</p>
<h2 id="food">Food</h2>
<p>We arrived "home" to great fresh rolls with curry dipping sauce as an appetizer. Yum!! Then, the dinner bell rang and we enjoyed tofu stir fry and chicken stir fry with veggies, salad and fortune cookies. We talked about the day with other campers and started to think about our 14 mile run the next day. We had a bit of time to clean up before it was time for movie night.</p>
<h2 id="movies-and-rolling">Movies and rolling</h2>
<p>My quads were still suffering from the downhill run the day prior! I felt like I needed to limp to get around, so I was coveting the rollers that other campers had brought. As we settled down to an evening for short running films, I was self-massaging my quads. We watched some really inspiring movies! Definitely check them out if you have time.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/7iRzzrNn9pw">Zion Traverse FKT with Amy Sproston and Joelle Vaught</a></li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/2YmA1lCZ9QE">UTMB: Endure with Amy Sproston</a></li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/AaXum47XJxs">Mt. Marathon (Salomon TV)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/05sUhlxFBk0">Trail Dog (Salomon TV)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.outsideonline.com/2175746/maroon-belles-running-group-carbondale-colorado-thriving">Maroon Belles: a Thriving, All-Women's Running Group in Carbondale, Colorado</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Before the last movie I worked up the courage to ask another camper if I could borrow her roller and rolled my quads and calves out. I felt SO much better after doing this!!</p>
<p>As soon as movie night ended, Scott and I bounded upstairs and went to bed! We missed the singing time and hanging out, but after waking up at 4:45 we were both barely able to keep our eyes open.</p>
Day 1: Mazama Mountain Running Camp2017-07-27T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/day-1-mazama-mountain-running-camp/<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/IMG_8757.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Thw Whole Bowl" title="Thw Whole Bowl" /><p class="stickyNote">Thw Whole Bowl</p></div>
<p>We arrived in Portland late Thursday night <em>(2 am EST)</em> and my sister met us at the airport. We spent the night at her house, and then enjoyed a morning of some yoga and a trip to the <a href="http://www.thewholebowl.com/portland.html">Whole Bowl on Hawthorne</a>. I LOVE the Whole Bowl, so we were super happy to have a chance to eat lunch there!! If I were single and childless I think I would eat the Whole Bowl every day. We do have make our own <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/whole-bowl-tali-sauce/">Tali sauce</a> so we can have it at home! Once tried to eat it every day for a month. Resident foodie Xander only managed a few days before the whining got to be too much.</p>
<p>Soon it was time to meet at the <a href="https://mazamas.org/about-us/mmc/">Mazama Center</a> in Portland to board our van to the mountain. We'd meet all the other campers and load our gear into the vans. I was a little apprehensive about this part. We didn't know anything about what to expect for who would attend! Instructor, <a href="http://www.yassinediboun.com/yassinediboun/about">Yassine</a> pulled up in the van and greeted us. The ice was broken. We know him from Ithaca and he was so welcoming. As people started arriving, Yassine and Sarah helped to facilitate talking, got the van loading process going and before long we were all boarded into one of two vans. The drive out to Hood was just over an hour on this gorgeous sunny day. We haven't seen much sun in our area this summer, so I just sat back, relaxed and looked out the window.</p>
<p>Soon we arrived! Sarah had prepared us for the lodge to be rustic. Shortly after we arrived, we were chatting about how nice the lodge was. Mike said that he had asked Sarah if there was running water!! There were several large rooms that we could choose from or we could sleep in the giant teepee outside or on one of the porches. Everyone quickly selected the accommodations that worked the best for them. Many people chose spots on the porches and others of us selected bunks in the large rooms. Scott and I picked bunks next to each other in the center room and set all of our stuff out. We had a brief sunscreen scare when we thought I forgot to pack it. Justin heard me say this and told us he had plenty to share. Of course after our panic, we found it! I already had a great vibe from our fellow campers - everyone seemed super helpful and friendly.</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/IMG_8762.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Silcox Hut" title="Silcox Hut" /><p class="stickyNote">Silcox Hut</p></div>
<p>After some time to get settled, we loaded into vans and headed up to Timberline Lodge for our first hike/run. We'd hike up from the main parking lot to the Silcox Hut <em>(about 1 mile up the mountain with about 1000 feet elevation gain)</em>. Then we'd chat at the top and do introductions. Everyone had to share their name, an embarrassing story and their running history. There's nothing like embarrassing stories to bond a group together. I tried to remember names, and did a pretty good job!! While we were there we could see the Magic Mile where the kids ski when they go to <a href="http://www.mthood.com/">Mt. Hood Summer Ski Camp</a>. I took a picture of the groomers.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/IMG_8760.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Hiking to Silcox Hut" title="Hiking to Silcox Hut" /><p class="stickyNote">Hiking to Silcox Hut</p></div>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/IMG_8770.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Running down from Silcox Hut" title="Running down from Silcox Hut" /><p class="stickyNote">Running down from Silcox Hut</p></div>
<h2 id="%22i'm-a-completer%2C-not-a-competer%22">"I'm a completer, not a competer"</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/IMG_8769.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Our 4 instructors at Silcox" title="Our 4 instructors at Silcox" /><p class="stickyNote">Our 4 instructors at Silcox</p></div>
<p>After we arrived at Silcox, we gathered round on the rocks and prepared to share names and stories. I looked around at the people I would be spending the weekend with. The stories didn't have to be about running but many were. Bodily functions were high on the story list - think race and run potty needs and Scott and I almost told the same story <em>(he changed his at the last minute).</em> As with any gathering, one thing typically sticks out. The thing that I remembered from the evening was the phrase shared by Jaime "I'm a completer, not a competer." I liked that. Our coaches win races, but many of us participate in races. Jaime's phrasing made it sound fun to be the type of person who participates, vs winning.</p>
<h2 id="who-wants-to-run-back-to-camp%3F">Who wants to run back to camp?</h2>
<p>After we exchanged our introductions it was time to run back to Timberline Lodge. It was the same trail we took up, 1 mile and 1000 foot loss. I noticed just how cautious I am on downhills as literally everyone I started with and most that started behind me passed me by. Scott did get to snag a picture of just me since I was ALONE as we neared the base of the hill. At the hut, they had offered the opportunity to run all the way back to camp. It was about 6 miles downhill. Of course I wanted to do this!! The only rub? Dinner was at 6:30 so we had just over 45 minutes an hour to make it the last 5 miles from the parking lot. "Do you think we have time?" I asked Scott. "Let's go for it!"</p>
<p>We joined our instructor <a href="http://amysproston.blogspot.com/">Amy</a> and 3 other participants and we started our downhill jaunt. I felt a bit bad for Scott during this time as he was stuck running 9+ minute miles with me while the rest of the group flew downhill. But, he wasn't going to leave me on my own so it was what it was. And, we knew there were plenty of chances for breaking into speed groups the rest of the weekend. At 6:22 he said, "do you think we can make it by 6:30?" I laughed and said I thought we were more than 3/4 of a mile away. We ended up arriving by 6:40 <em>(they had held dinner for us)</em> and joined the group for our first camp meal.</p>
<h2 id="meals!">Meals!</h2>
<p>I don't remember the last time I had all my meals prepared for me. My in-laws love to go on cruises and always tell us we'd love them. I still think that a cruise wouldn't be my thing, but I did like that we just had to show up for dinner. They rang the dinner bell, then Charles told us what we'd be eating for dinner. He and his staff had prepared trout, portobello mushrooms, salad, roasted potatoes, caramel ice-cream and sherbet.</p>
<p>We chatted with fellow participants and enjoyed our delicious meal!</p>
<h2 id="time-for-sleep">Time for sleep</h2>
<p>I can imagine that my sister Sarah will read this and laugh. I am not so great at sleeping in tents! I have trouble falling asleep with any noises and I spend a lot of time worried that I might have to go to the bathroom <em>(only if I have no bathroom access).</em> She asked us where we were set up to sleep. We happily chirped, "The big room in the middle. We are in bunks next to each other." Her face looked worried and she said, "you should see if the smaller rooms are full. If they aren't you might consider moving so it is quieter." I thought, "hmm that's not necessary, we'll be fine." Still, I went upstairs to check. Sure enough the 2 person room was empty and so was the 8 person room. We moved to the 8 person room figuring we'd be cool with company and it would be a bonus if we ended up solo.</p>
<p>That first night it was just the two of us. Still quasi on EST we went up to bed at 9:30 and fell asleep before the quiet hours even started at 10. As I was falling asleep I thanked Sarah in my head for the suggestion. Being in a quiet room let us keep the window shut <em>(I am always cold and windows were open everywhere else)</em> and when we woke up at 4:45 am <em>(2 hours before the dawn patrol run)</em> I was able to do yoga in my bedroom without waking anyone up!!</p>
Mazama Mountain Running Camp2017-07-26T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/trail/mazama-mountain-running-camp/<p>My sister <a href="http://runningforpancakes.blogspot.com/">Sarah</a> is in charge of the <a href="https://mazamas.org/education-classes/mountain-running/">Mazama Mountain Running Camp</a> near Mt. Hood, Oregon. We have talked about going before, but each year there was something that prevented the trip from working out. This year, as soon as she announced that it was time for Mazama Mountain Running Camp we looked at our calendar and saw that the dates were FREE! We had planned to do a family trip the 2nd week of August <em>(the only week that was fully free on our calendar)</em> but as we went to plan that, we discovered that Elizabeth's pre-season Cross Country started a week sooner than we had thought. Suddenly there was no time for a family trip. The silver lining? All 4 of us would go to camp! Elizabeth had <a href="https://www.ithaca.edu/pianoinstitute/">Summer Piano Institute</a> at Ithaca College at the start of the summer and Xander was attending <a href="https://www.ithaca.edu/music/prepdivision/academy/">Summer Music Academy</a> there later in the summer. Now we had the Mazama Mountain Running Camp to look forward to. Read <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/mazamas-mountain-running-camp-mrc-2017/">Scott's post about camp experience</a>.</p>
<p>The only rub - how do we get Xander home from summer camp? He'd be finishing his week at Ithaca College Summer Music Academy midway through our camp. Elizabeth piped up at the dinner table, "If I pass my driver's test in June I'll have my license by then. I can pick him up." Wow, yes this was doable!! Elizabeth could stay home alone and then her brother would join her for the last couple of days. Both sets of grandparents live in town and we have a lot of friendly neighbors that they could reach out to if they have any troubles.</p>
<p>We signed up and booked our flight before we could change our minds.</p>
<p>Now here's the thing. I don't really consider myself a trail runner. This camp was all trail running!! We'd do some clinics, and finish off our weekend with a 14 mile run on the Timberline trail to Ramona Falls. We've hiked this trail many times, and I know it well. Scott was SO excited to have the opportunity to run it. My list of top 6 reasons had one noticeable absence - running! It included:</p>
<ol>
<li>I would see my sister.</li>
<li>I would get to see Mt. Hood and area.</li>
<li>It would be fun to meet fun people.</li>
<li>A few days with no responsibility what so ever would be lovely.</li>
<li>Scott would really LOVE the running part!</li>
<li>It was a growth opportunity for me.</li>
</ol>
<p>Scott spent all winter and spring training for the <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/cayuga-trails-50-2017/">Cayuga Trails 50</a>. He was totally trail ready. I spent my winter and spring road running and biking. I knew I was in great shape, but trail running is a lot different than running road. I started to kick my butt out onto the trail a couple of months before the camp. I slowly worked my way up and felt reasonably ok about the trail. It has been a hot, humid and rainy spring, which did serve to make trail running more appealing.</p>
<p>However, as it got closer and people started saying, "You must be SO excited," I realized I was actually pretty nervous. I wasn't feeling even a little excited. I felt like a trail fake!! One day, a post about the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/green-lakes-50k/">Green Lakes 50K</a> popped up and I thought, "I should do that again." That will give me a reason to focus more on the RUNNING part of this camp. I posted about it on FB and tagged my friend Jenny <em>(I did this race with her a in 2014)</em> and some other running friends. No one but Scott was able to do it, but he was game. Hmmm... could I run this by myself? When Jenny and I did it we trained together for months. We knew we'd run together and we'd only be as strong as our weakest link. Without Jenny, I'd have to make myself leave each aid station in a timely fashion. I'd have to keep pressing on just for me, not because I knew she was depending on me for her race. "Let's do it, I told Scott!"</p>
<p>Suddenly I had a better attitude about running summer camp!! I could add RUNNING to my list of reasons to go.</p>
<p>The short story of this camp is that it was AMAZING! I enjoyed every minute and am so glad that we went. When we talked about whether to spend the money on a flight for just a 4 day trip, we remembered that one of our best trips was when we went out for the weekend to support Sarah at <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/western-states-100-kick-start-trail-running/">Western States</a>. We realized that trips can be short! So, if you are a runner at all interested in trail or mountains, I highly suggest this camp. It is affordable, and has great sponsor gifts from <a href="https://www.leki.com/us/">Leki</a> and <a href="http://www.patagonia.com/search/?cgid=root&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand%20Core&utm_content=text%20ad&utm_term=patagonia&gclid=CjwKCAjw2ZXMBRB2EiwA2HVD-K66dLh6KYypjP_AsOV18TTsns8WrqDh_gMDCARvn3E4RILLYcLKmBoCptkQAvD_BwE">Patagonia</a> <em>(I'll write all about these in the day to day)</em>. An added bonus - it is a lot of fun to go away to camp as an adult!!</p>
<p>Wanna see if the Mazama Mountain Running Camp is for you? Select from the list below to read more about each day of camp.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/day-1-mazama-mountain-running-camp/">Day 1</a></li>
<li><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/day-2-mazama-mountain-running-camp/">Day 2</a></li>
<li><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/day-3-mazama-mountain-running-camp/">Day 3</a></li>
</ul>
Gillie Girl Sprint Triathlon 20172017-07-23T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/triathlon/gillie-girl-sprint-triathlon-2017/<h2 id="the-days-before">The days before</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/IMG_6444.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Pre-race selfie with Lynn & Catherine" title="Pre-race selfie with Lynn & Catherine" /><p class="stickyNote">Pre-race selfie with Lynn & Catherine</p></div>
<p>My family traveled to Martha's Vineyard and to Boston in the few days before the Gillie Girl Tri. We enjoyed a day traveling around the island and then showed Elizabeth Boston University on Friday in Boston. We caught up with my brother-in-law and his family after he finished work on Friday ended our mini trip with a trip to see the <a href="http://www.rpo.org/p_2178">RPO at CMAC</a> in Canandaigua. We left during intermission so I wouldn't be too exhausted the next morning. It was such a great concert that it was VERY hard to leave early!!</p>
<p>These few days before were busy and I didn't sleep very well any of the nights. I also didn't exercise much since our Thursday and Friday were full days, I ended up with a 6 mile run on Saturday morning. Typically I wouldn't run that far the day before a tri, but I hadn't run in 3 days so it felt important to run.</p>
<p>I had a vague plan in the back of my head that I wasn't going to actually do this. I had signed up, but didn't feel ready or that excited about it. Xander had to leave for sleep away camp as soon as I would get home, and I wanted to be able to spend the morning with him. When I mentioned to my family that I might just bail, they were shocked though. "Really mom? Why would you sign up for a race and not go?" Ok, ok, I decided I would go. Even though I wasn't prepared I'd get a good workout in!</p>
<h2 id="race-morning">Race morning</h2>
<p>Lynn and I drove up together on race morning. Because of my trip, we had to get our packets on race morning <em>(something neither of us have done before)</em>, so we left a little earlier than normal. Pick up and body marking went quickly and pretty soon we were set up in the transition area. I was impressed with how easy they made the same day packet pick up at the Gillie Girl. As a race organizer myself, I always try to get my stuff at the pre-race packet pick up, but was pleasantly surprised with how convenient this was at a time that I couldn't make my normal routine work. We found our friend Catherine really quickly and soon the 3 of us were checking out the water.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/IMG_6438.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Lynn, Catherine and me before the race" title="Lynn, Catherine and me before the race" /><p class="stickyNote">Lynn, Catherine and me before the race</p></div>
<p>It was 76 degrees so wetsuit legal! I was really excited to hear that and put on my wetsuit and popped into the water to check my google seal and swim a couple of strokes. After the "warm-up" we found our friends Katie and Tina and chatted briefly before the pre-race meeting. Then, it was time to walk over to the water.</p>
<h2 id="swim---18%3A12.4-(18%2F25-ag)">Swim - 18:12.4 (18/25 AG)</h2>
<p>This is my last year in the 40-44 age group. My group would start the swim at 8:07. This meant not too much time to get nervous watching other people. Catherine and I are in the same age group so we headed down to our start. I wished her good luck and we got one minute updates from the race officials as a count down. Pretty soon we had our one minute alert and what felt like moments after that the gun went off.</p>
<p>Due to the stormy summer and just a crazy busy summer, I've had only two lake swims this year. Last year I was in the lake so many times before this race. I started off with my head out of water like most of the other ladies, but after just a few strokes I decided I might as well just start swimming. I went out too quickly and lost my breath, water got into my goggles, and I quickly spiraled into negative thoughts of, "What am I doing? Why do I sign up for these things? I should drop back to the sprint on the CLT? I can't swim a mile if I can't swim a half mile." I slowed down. If I didn't get into a rhythm, I wouldn't end up being able to finish this swim and participate in the rest of the event.</p>
<p>As I slowed down, my negative thoughts abated. I tried to channel my friend Anne, reminding myself to keep a patient lead arm and even breath. I worked on getting into a swim rhythm and remembered to look up and get my bearings more frequently so I didn't go back and forth too much.</p>
<p>Soon, I was running up on the beach and plunging back in for the 2nd lap. Wow, the swim looked so short from land. Why was it taking so long? "Head in - just get it done Amy. The sooner you get this done the sooner you will be on your bike."</p>
<p>I'd like to say that I enjoyed lap two, and to some extent I did. I did fall into a decent flow and I didn't feel panic. However, I mostly felt annoyed that I wasn't faster but grateful that I had kept my head and hadn't freaked out too much. As I exited the lake, I looked back and saw that there were still orange caps in the water. I wasn't last in the wave. I had something to be happy about.</p>
<h2 id="transition-one---1%3A35.1-(6%2F25-ag)">Transition One - 1:35.1 (6/25 AG)</h2>
<p>I ran to my bike, grabbed a fig bar <em>(more about this later),</em> threw on my bike shoes and helmet and was off. It was an easy transition made even easier by the fact that the morning was humid and warm. I wasn't cold as I headed out onto the bike course.</p>
<h2 id="bike---49%3A29.2-(5%2F25-ag)">Bike - 49:29.2 (5/25 AG)</h2>
<p>This bike course is fun. It is essentially flat, the roads are in great shape and it is incredibly well marked. I focused on the thing I struggle the most with; turnover. The only thoughts in my head for the first 5 miles of the bike were, "one, two, one, two, one two ..." I passed many people from the wave before me, but I counted the people that I passed from my age group. By the end of the bike, I had moved up 5 spots in my age group. Two people from the next wave passed me on the bike ride and just as I was congratulating myself that no one from my age group had passed me, my friend Catherine blew by me. I wasn't surprised as she's a really strong biker, but I was bummed because it meant I had failed in my goal of not letting anyone from my wave pass me on the bike.</p>
<h2 id="transition-two---1%3A15.4-(17%2F25-ag)">Transition Two - 1:15.4 (17/25 AG)</h2>
<p>Catherine and I were in transition together which was rather fun. I grabbed my second fig bar, popped my running belt on and quickly tied my shoes. Eager to have a better bike to run transition than last year <em>(last year I fiddled with a visor for way too long)</em> I scooted out quickly. I quickly regretted that, because my right shoe was too loosely tied. It is what it is. I would have to deal with it.</p>
<h2 id="run---24%3A38.8-(2%2F25-ag)">Run - 24:38.8 (2/25 AG)</h2>
<p>The run is the only part of triathlon that I feel that I'm pretty good at. I knew I could hold a fast pace and have fun while doing it. I cheered others on and settled into a nice run, hoping to pass more people in my age group. I caught 3 more people which made me feel pretty happy! This course is mostly downhill for the first 1.5 after an initial rise out of the park. The hills back in the middle are challenging. I leapfrogged with another woman who is stronger on the uphills than I am. When we reached the entrance to the park, I asked for water at the last water stop. The guy who had offered me water as I ran by the first time was holding two cups. I said, "I'll take that water that you offered me before now." He said, "oh I don't have any water." He was holding Gatorade. I looped around him and grabbed water from another volunteer, feeling bad as I almost smashed into a runner heading out of the park. I apologized and kept on running.</p>
<p>The final descent into the park needed to be quick! The last person I passed was in my age group and she was still right behind me. I had no idea where I was in the pack, but I knew I wasn't going to lose a spot in the final .6 of the race. I just pretended she was right on my tail and kept picking up my pace. As I went by one of the last volunteers, she pointed out that I could catch the person way in front of me. I laughed and she said, "Really, I think you can." I had no idea if the woman was in my age group <em>(later in results I could tell she wasn't)</em> but I set my sights on catching her, and I got pretty close to closing the gap.</p>
<p>Soon, I crossed the finish line, got my medal and enjoyed some post race water as I watched other people finish. Tina was already finished, and Katie, Lynn and Catherine were going to be right behind me. Soon I'd be hanging out with my friends.</p>
<h2 id="race-nutrition">Race nutrition</h2>
<p>I have never managed the sprint distance tri nutrition until this race! I have trouble timing breakfast, and always end up super hungry part way through the swim. Typically I'm nauseous by the end of the swim and struggle from that point onward.</p>
<p>Today, I ate my egg sandwich 45 minutes before I started the race. I threw in a fig bar that I was planning to eat after the race or maybe not at all. But, then I noticed that Lynn had honey stinger blocks or something like that and Catherine had Gu. Darn it, why don't I think about things like this? Hmmm ... I don't ever use those things in training, but I have used the homemade rice balls that Scott makes. What If I eat one of the bars in the package after the swim and the 2nd one before the run? Yes, this is my new plan!!</p>
<p>I tried this and it was the first time EVER in a tri that I wasn't sick to my stomach. Lately, I've been wondering if that sick stomach feeling in races is nerves, nutrition or a combo of both. Today I thought maybe it is all nutrition. I wasn't hungry and I wasn't nervous. I actually spent a bit of the 2nd half of the bike thinking that I actually feel like I can "race" a Sprint tri except for the swim part, vs concentrating on finishing the Olympic Distance.</p>
<p>I'll use this paragraph to thank my daughter Elizabeth and fellow cross country parent, Stacey Ives for introducing me to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Bakery-Gluten-Free-Bars/dp/B00WFDK2IK">fig bars</a>. Elizabeth was heading off to piano camp a couple of weeks ago and her brother was going to Boy Scout camp. She and I shopped for individually wrapped snacks they could each take to camp. She said, "Oh can we have these? I love them." "Sure!" I said. Then I asked when she had tried them. "Oh, Mrs. Ives always brings them as post-race snacks for cross country practice." She likes the gluten-free bars because they are less bready, so we bought a package of them. We split a package on the way home <em>(each package has 2 cookie sized bars in it)</em> and I agreed that they are delicious. After today I know they are also good for race nutrition.</p>
<h2 id="interested-in-a-new-tri%3F">Interested in a new tri?</h2>
<p>Last year was my first year doing the Gillie Girl Triathlon. My only other open water triathlon experience comes from the Cayuga Lake Triathlon in my hometown. As such, I looked at everything with that as the benchmark. After doing the Gillie Girl for a 2nd year, I have decided that if I add another tri to my race schedule I'd spectate or volunteer the year before participating!</p>
<p>This year was SO much easier than last year. I knew exactly what to expect. I wasn't worried about parking, getting to transition on time, finding porta potties, or anything else. It was nice to know how they run the post race food, and what to expect from the transition area as well as to know the course. I feel like you could figure out all this stuff by spectating, volunteering or supporting a friend's race. That way, instead of having a first year learning curve year when you participate you feel "up to speed" so to speak. Of course, I'm also a slow adjuster, so this may be just good advice for me and all those other "slow adjusters" out there!</p>
<h2 id="and-the-results">And the results</h2>
<p>I was just about 50 seconds faster than last year. In the back of my mind, I still think they may have messed up my results last year though - they recorded a bike time that was 4 minutes faster than what I recorded and a run time that was 2 minutes slower. They didn't have a T2 time for me <em>(and maybe anyone?)</em> so I always figured they rolled the T2 time into the bike time, but it doesn't make sense that the run time is 2 minutes slower than what I have then. A bike time of 4 minutes faster would have been amazing - and not really feasible for my skill level. So, suffice it to say I think I was actually more than 50 seconds faster this year than last, but my net time is basically the same.</p>
<p>I ended up 3rd of 25 in my age group <em>(last year I was 10th of 65 so essentially the same placement with an incremental move-up).</em></p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/gillie.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Tina, me and Katie - photo by Nick Tubbs" title="Tina, me and Katie - photo by Nick Tubbs" /><p class="stickyNote">Tina, me and Katie - photo by Nick Tubbs</p></div>
<h2 id="thoughts-after-the-race">Thoughts after the race</h2>
<p>I'm super glad I did this. I was excited to place 3rd, but in the initial listing I was 4th so I was bummed for awhile. I think it is harder to be close to winning something than it is to be far from it!! I got a text from Katie after I got home saying I had missed my award so that's how I found out. She was super sweet and picked it up for me though.</p>
<p>I went through and counted to see where I fell in the spread. I am pleased with my run and even though I don't have great results for transitions, I'm happy that I had more successful transitions than normal. I can still improve in this area a great deal and that doesn't require improvement in athleticism but is still part of the race!! The bike truly felt the best I could do at the time. I'm struggling with the high turnover needed for fast biking. I enjoy biking more slowly and am not really all that comfortable with speed yet. I haven't been biking as long as I have been running and I can totally feel that in the race.</p>
<p>The run was good. I was a little disappointed I couldn't get closer to an 8 minute mile to really crush this, but it was good. I had a good kick and great motivation to catch people because I knew I wasn't competitive in the swim!</p>
<p>About that swim ... oh there is so much to work on here. I was almost 2 minutes slower than last year with this and I wasn't impressed with my time last year. I have to remind myself where I started with swimming and that practice is critical for me. To focus on the positives: I used to panic so badly I had to flip to my back and just try not to drown. So, being able to bilateral breath and follow a mostly straight route and not panic is incredible forward progress.</p>
<p>Swimming is an area I must continue to work on and continue to be kind to myself about. I'm so grateful to <a href="https://kaizen-durance.com/">Shane and his teaching</a>. It is because of him that I have the skills to participate in a tri that has no buoy line! That is the aspect of the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/intermediate-cayuga-lake-triathlon-2016/">Cayuga Lake Tri</a> that makes it easier than this event - a line you can just follow along with using any stroke - no sighting required. I am also grateful to my friend Anne. I met her in swim class and not only is she a great friend, she has a blog where she writes about her adventures. She keeps me honest with my swimming. I know she's working on her swimming and I feel committed to staying on top of mine as well!! I love to read <a href="https://10minutemiler.wordpress.com/2017/07/19/tri-training-series-a-recap-and-a-wardrobe-malfunction/">her blog</a> and see how her athletic endeavors are coming along for her as I work on my own. She is SO excited to swim in her next tri! I'll try to channel some of that enthusiasm in mine!!</p>
<p>Overall time: 1:35:51.7, 39/239 overall, 3/25 AG <a href="http://www.auyertiming.com/pdffiles/72317%20GG%20OV.pdf">Official Results</a></p>
<h2 id="this-specific-triathlon">This specific triathlon</h2>
<p>Do you live within driving distance of Syracuse? Interested in doing a great women's only event? This tri is really a perfect one!! It is supportive, the proceeds all go to the <a href="http://findacurecny.org/wp/">Carol M. Baldwin breast cancer research fund</a>. Check out the <a href="http://gilliegirltri.com/event-details/">Gillie Girl race page</a> for details!</p>
Women's Distance Festival 20172017-07-13T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/run/womens-distance-festival-2017/<h2 id="yes-...-or-no%3F">Yes ... or No?</h2>
<p>Elizabeth and I have run this race together since she was in first grade! Still, when they announced that the race was moving from Dryden to Stewart Park, we were not so sure we were up for the move. Perhaps this was a sign that our Women's Distance racing days were over. The outing to Dryden is the part that we look forward to; the horse path, the never ending hill, and of course the "need" to do dinner out at Viva afterwards!!</p>
<p>Over the years we've made it a tradition to invite a new friend or two to join us at this race and make and outing of it.</p>
<p>For awhile we decided we weren't going to do the race.</p>
<h2 id="to-sign-up-or-not-to-sign-up">To sign up or not to sign up</h2>
<p>We went to the end of school year meeting about Cross Country in the fall. The girls team is supposed to log miles over the summer. Their focus is on building base, not racing, but still it seemed like it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a race in the summer. Then, the <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/">Finger Lakes Runners Club</a> put out an appeal for volunteers. The boys sometimes join us to volunteer at this race. Being that it was in Ithaca, it would be super easy for them to do this. They signed up as finish line volunteers and we registered!</p>
<h2 id="team-lizard">Team Lizard</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/lizerd-final.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Team LizERD" title="Team LizERD" /><p class="stickyNote">Team LizERD</p></div>
<p>We've nicknamed Elizabeth "LizERD" because of her initials (Elizabeth Rose Dawson), and last year we used the team name LizERD. However, when it was printed on the sheet it was either all lowercase or all uppercase and the result; it looked like we didn't know how to spell the word. Not wanting to be embarrassed for a 2nd year, we put ourselves in as "Team Lizard."</p>
<p>This race is cool because they have a mother/daughter team division and a sister/sister team division. Elizabeth and I have a friendly rivalry with another mother/daughter team. Elizabeth's Dad made her a logo for her nickname and we put the logo on poker chips for her 16th birthday. Elizabeth is a golfer, and recently she bought a "high school lifetime" supply of custom Titleist golf balls with her Lizerd logo on them!! I thought about having custom shirts made for the race, but it was a little too close to the date. Maybe next year!!</p>
<h2 id="rain!">Rain!</h2>
<p>A few years ago we participated in this race in a huge rain storm. It was SO bad that I almost lost my contact lens as I ran up the hill. The day of the race, the weather was just like that during the day. There was SO much pouring rain that our yard was flooded and we thought we were in for another rainy run. I decided that I'd wear my triathlon suit for the run. At least it was designed to get wet!!</p>
<p>I got ready a couple of hours before the race and did some yoga. By the time it was time to go, the weather had cleared and my family kindly let me know that I could consider changing my outfit selection. By this point I was married to the tri suit idea and pretty thrilled that I'd be wearing a race belt, there would be no chance of chafing, etc.</p>
<h2 id="time-to-race">Time to race</h2>
<p>At the park in Dryden there is a compostable toilet. It is not really a problem, but it was awfully nice to arrive at Stewart Park and see a bathroom building. Elizabeth and I stopped at the bathroom and then I did a little pre-race warm-up run. After that, we socialized and my last minute race jitters had me heading to the bathroom a second time. More socializing and ONE LAST bathroom trip <em>(did I mention I was grateful for a REAL bathroom yet)</em> and we wandered over to the start line.</p>
<p>The field was really different from the race in Dryden. More women and a different energy. You could tell that it was going to be a more challenging field of contenders. One thing I was super excited about was that the course is an out and back. I LOVE watching the really fast runners as they head back by me. It spurs me on to run my best and I get to count runners so my mind has something else to focus on besides my familiar, "one ... two ... one ... two" mantra.</p>
<h2 id="to-the-turnaround">To the turnaround</h2>
<p>One of my biggest problems with running 5K events is pacing. I struggle the most with the first mile. I usually go out too fast and occasionally too slow. Over the years I've mostly figured out the pacing for the old course <em>(fast first mile, equal effort up the hill trying to hold the pace as best as I can, and then pour it on for the downhill finish)</em>, but today's fast and flat route left me wondering what my strategy should be.</p>
<p>My friend and adult XC teammate Tonya was racing as well and we run a similar race pace. The race started and I saw that we were off to a nearly equal starting pace. I've passed her too soon in cross country races only to have her come back and pass me later in the race. I decided she'd be my rabbit. Unless she really slowed down her pace, I would NOT pass her before mile 1.5.</p>
<p>As we ran, all the volunteers on the course were cheering for us. I remember thinking, "Wow, I wonder if this is psyching her out that the volunteers are saying <em>Go Tonya!</em> and then immediately saying <em>Go Amy!</em> so she knows exactly where I am relative to her." Mostly I just kept various refrains and random thoughts in my head including;</p>
<ul>
<li>One of my trail favorites, <em>"cuckoo bottom, cuckoo bottom"</em> weird I know. It started with the Green Lakes 50K a few years ago.</li>
<li>One ... two ... one ... two .. and on and on and on.</li>
<li>Wow, Tonya has good running form. She looks effortless. Try to run like her.</li>
<li>As we crossed pedestrian suspension bridges, "just stay in step with everyone so it doesn't shake" and "don't slip!"</li>
<li>7x3 = 21 and 8x3 = 24 ... this kept playing over and over in my head. I was holding between a 7:37 and a 7:52 pace much of this time. I kept thinking, "Why does it have to be 3.1? Then I'd break 24 for sure."</li>
</ul>
<p>Soon, we were past a mile and I felt like I was deliberately staying behind Tonya. It wasn't really my race if I was just using her as a pacer. I passed her and hoped for the best. It was near this time that the leaders were heading back. My friend Lesley was in 4th and Ian's wife Sherry <em>(Ian, from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FLRTC/">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a>)</em> was in 3rd. I counted people for awhile and then came upon the water stop. Ian's daughters were working the stop. I smiled as I ran by them. They always work this race with their Dad. The water stop is usually mid-way up the never-ending hill and they are a lovely little oasis in the race. Today, Ian was taking pictures and I was not in need of water. I hit the turnaround, took note that Tonya was right behind me and kept on running.</p>
<h2 id="the-second-half">The second half</h2>
<p>The second half of a 5K is always SO hard!! It is that point in running fast where I don't much care to run fast anymore. Today I was glad to have Tonya out there as my rabbit. As I passed each volunteer, I could now hear them shout her name after mine, so I knew I had to keep my A game. But, I also needed a new rabbit. It is important to have goals, so I fixed my eyes on a runner with black and white striped knee socks. I would try to catch her.</p>
<p>The same mantras repeated in my head with one additional one coming in. You have this. You have this. Don't let up. It will be uncomfortable. I also quickened the count on my 1, 2, 1, 2, to try to speed up my turnover.</p>
<p>Pretty soon I heard Joe's cowbell letting us know that we were near the end and I could see Xander and Scott in the distance. Soon, I was through the chute having my bib torn off. I chatted for just moments with Tonya and then Elizabeth finished. It was time to cheer for my Lizerd!!</p>
<div class="main-carousel" data-flickity='{ "fullscreen": true, "wrapAround": "true", "autoPlay": "3000", "pauseAutoPlayOnHover": true }'><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/07/IMG_8610.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="With Elizabeth after the race" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/07/IMG_8613.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="The boys at the finish line" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/07/IMG_8619.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="With Tonya after the race" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/07/IMG_8624.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="With Tonya's mom after the race" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2017/07/IMG_8890.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Elizabeth's flowers!" />
</div></div>
<h2 id="results-and-final-thoughts">Results and final thoughts</h2>
<p>My PR <em>(made several years ago on a much cooler day on a course with some ups and downs and with music)</em>, is a 23:40. I didn't hit that today, but I was pretty pleased with a 24:08 and change. Initially not excited to race, I found it to be a nice reminder that sometimes it is good to just put it all out there and see what you can do.</p>
<p>Elizabeth and I pulled off a mother/daughter win <em>(because our competition wasn't there, but still we were excited because we won nice plants)</em> and I very narrowly squeaked out an age group win. Elizabeth also won her age group. We laughed because our friends Kathey and Molly were supposed to run this race and had they run Molly would probably have placed first in the race and their aggregate time for the race would have put them as first mother/daughter team. On the way home we said, "Thanks Molly and Kathey for the plants!!" We <em>could</em> give them to them I suppose, but right now they are awaiting planting in our garden.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/IMG_8626.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Plants are such a great idea for a prize!!" title="Plants are such a great idea for a prize!!" /><p class="stickyNote">Plants are such a great idea for a prize!!</p></div>
<p>I'm happy we raced this. We talked about it afterwards and both of us are grateful that we signed up. We saw a lot of friends, got to challenge ourselves and both ran the best we were able for that evening. The boys had fun volunteering too!</p>
<p>10/79 overall<br />
1/11 age group 40-49<br />
1st Mother/Daughter team<br />
<a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/race/womens-distance-festival-2017/">Official Results</a></p>
<h2 id="some-great-things-about-this-race">Some great things about this race</h2>
<p>I talked with one of the organizers after the race. "What do you think about the course?" she asked. I shared our story and said that I had liked it. I think that it has the potential to grow here. When we started doing this race it had over 130 people and over the years it has dipped down to 60+ so it was good to see it back up at nearly 80 this year!! I think it is a wonderful celebration of fitness and women's running.</p>
<p>I hope a lot more local women come out for this next year. Here is my short list for why you should definitely check it out!!</p>
<ul>
<li>It is easy to get to. Parking is easy, there is a nice pavilion for rain coverage if needed, real bathrooms, and the lake is right there so it is beautiful!</li>
<li>It is a very affordable race and the proceeds go to support the <a href="http://www.theadvocacycenter.org/#">Advocacy Center</a></li>
<li>The out and back course is fun! Wherever you are in the pack, you will receive inspiration from others. It is a lot of fun to see people heading the opposite direction from you and support and encourage them.</li>
<li>Prizes are fun <em>(this year all the prizes were flower plants)</em> and post race food is yummy.</li>
<li>A lot of the FLRC men <em>(and some women)</em> volunteer!!</li>
<li>You will get to connect with or meet many local runners.</li>
</ul>
An Accidental 50 Miler2017-07-10T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/bike/accidental-50-miler/<h2 id="the-centurion-50">The Centurion 50</h2>
<p>Scott and I went on a short vacation to the Blue Mountains in Canada over the 4th of July. With both kids in camp we had time for a short getaway! Our plan? Stay in an affordable AirBnB and get a nice bike ride in, some running and some time on the longest contiguous fresh water beach in the world.</p>
<p>After we arrived our first order of business was to figure out a route for our ride. It was obvious to us as we drove in that we'd need a plan. Many roads up here didn't have shoulders, and since we didn't know the area, it could be awfully easy to get lost. In a quick internet search, I found a bike race route called the <a href="http://centurioncycling.com/routes/">Centurion 50</a>. We'd ride the 50K route in the morning, enjoy lunch at a taco place that I found and then hang at the beach for the afternoon. We had turn by turn directions written out so that we wouldn't get lost.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/IMG_6337.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="The turn by turn mangled by the end of the ride." title="The turn by turn mangled by the end of the ride." /><p class="stickyNote">The turn by turn mangled by the end of the ride.</p></div>
<h2 id="facebook%2C-fifties-and-forty-five">Facebook, fifties and forty-five</h2>
<p>Prior to our trip, we had a whirlwind weekend. I baked A LOT of cakes, we volunteered at the Finger Lakes 50s Trail Race, got the kids off to camp and packed up our things. There were a lot of things going through my mind as we sat down to breakfast with our AirBnB hostess that morning. After volunteering at the race my mind was spinning with, "I'm not a real runner because I don't want to do the Finger Lakes 50s." It was a miserably wet day and the course is hard on a normal day!! <em>(I did do the 25K once and really didn't like it).</em> After dropping Xander at camp I was worried about his week. It is an outdoor camp and he's petrified of spiders and most other outdoor things. When we left him there it was all I could to make myself get back into the car and drive away. That morning at breakfast our AirBnb hostess shared that her husband died when her kids were young. She immediately followed up that statement with a question about how old Scott and I are. "I'm 44," I replied and then shared that Scott would be 44 on July 11th. We learned that Terry and Scott share a birthday and that she would be turning 58. Some quick mental math and I realized she lost her husband when she was 45.</p>
<p>I don't spend much time on Facebook. I try to remember to get on each morning to send happy birthday greetings, but the only time I go through the feed is when I'm waiting in a checkout line. It isn't because of laziness or time that I don't go on, but because I find it puts me in a bad mood. I end up feeling like I haven't accomplished enough in this world when I look at all the things my Facebook friends are posting. One of the cakes I made for the weekend was a wedding cake. It was for a friend for purchase and I worked really hard on it. I was happy with how it turned out and excited that I had a role in her wedding. That morning I had popped onto Facebook and saw she mentioned a lot of people in her wedding post, but hadn't mentioned me. So naturally I decided she hated the cake. With all these thoughts swirling in my head, along with the knowledge that I'd be cycling with my much faster husband, we headed off for our morning ride.</p>
<h2 id="sunscreen-and-a-water-bottle">Sunscreen and a water bottle</h2>
<p>After a last bathroom stop we parked the car, grabbed our water bottles, put some sunscreen on and headed out for our ride. It was a gorgeous yet slightly chilly day. Scott had his sleeveless tri outfit on and I had a bike skirt and a short sleeved jersey. The first portion of our ride was uneventful. We missed a turn once, and there were bits that were in traffic with no shoulder, but it was lovely country and we enjoyed ourselves.</p>
<p>Soon into the ride we took a turn onto an 8K stretch that would wind through the mountains, gaining a lot of elevation. We saw many riders along this stretch of road. After this portion, we turned right onto a main road with a shoulder. Scott had the turn by turn directions so I asked him how long we'd be on this. "Not long," he replied. A couple of miles later he said, "actually I think we're on this awhile." We stopped and I looked at the mileage. We were at 18 miles. Not bad. We checked the map so we'd know where to turn next, checked a text from Elizabeth telling us that she was loving her piano camp more than any other camp we'd ever paid for. We smiled and continued our ride.</p>
<h2 id="courage">Courage</h2>
<p>This stretch of road lasted for what felt like forever, and then we turned onto a main road with no shoulder. This portion of the ride started with a pretty decent ascent before turning into a long downhill. I'm working on my courage for downhills, only recently mastering a hill near my house. The grade of this hill was steeper than the one I'd just mastered. It also had no shoulder and there was a fair amount of fast traffic. I knew I had no choice. Walking down the hill was simply not practical. We were nearing the end of the ride and I just took a deep breath and started down. Seeing Scott in front of me reminded me that this was indeed safe and I'd be ok. I made it down this hill and used all of my courage in doing so!</p>
<h2 id="we've-ridden-30-miles">We've ridden 30 miles</h2>
<p>As I arrived at the base of the hill, Scott looked bummed and said, "well we have ridden 30 miles!" "Great! We're almost back!" I said. "I think it is actually 50 miles," Scott replied.</p>
<p>We had both ventured out for a 50 mile ride with one bottle of water. We didn't have any food with us, and we had both ridden over 30 miles the day prior. We aren't long distance riders, and we were plenty tired by mile 30.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/IMG_8527.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Tired but smiling at mile 30" title="Tired but smiling at mile 30" /><p class="stickyNote">Tired but smiling at mile 30</p></div>
<h2 id="this-was-an-%22amy%22-idea">This was an "Amy" idea</h2>
<p>We have this going joke in our house that if I am the one to think of the idea, we should immediately discard it. As we started our next ascent all I could think was, "Really, why didn't you look more carefully at the map? It must have been obvious that it was a 50 mile route." After realizing we had to go 20 more miles I was suddenly chafed, thirsty and hungry. Interesting that I wasn't any of those things just moments before. Ironically I'm reading a great book called "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/How-Bad-You-Want-Psychology/dp/1937715418/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499681096&sr=8-1&keywords=how+bad+do+you+want+it">How Bad Do You Want It?</a>" about the mental aspect of athletics by Matt Fitzgerald. I spent the next few miles thinking about not being hungry, thirsty or chafed, finding it really ironic that I was fine until I realized we had to ride longer than I thought.</p>
<h2 id="are-you-in-your-smallest-ring%3F">Are you in your smallest ring?</h2>
<p>We turned a corner and Scott stopped to wait for me. I could tell he was annoyed with me for picking this route and felt bad about messing up the distance. I caught up with him and said, "you know we could just route ourselves back to our car. It might be shorter." He replied that he was thinking the exact same thing. Suddenly we had a plan. We'd route to the car and save 5 miles. I admit that I was a tiny bit sad about this as we changed our route. Now we wouldn't be able to say we rode 50 miles. But, it seemed kind of silly to stay on the course if there was a more direct route to be had. There wasn't much time to dwell as we had reached another hill to climb.</p>
<p>At the top of the hill the road turned to dirt. We had planned to take this road all the way back. Now I knew we'd end up being back on the course and doing 50 after all. There was a small store there and we grabbed Clif bars and ice-cream sandwiches and filled our waters. We had 12 miles to go. The man who suggested I lower my gear told Scott that we wouldn't have wanted to take that road anyway; it was VERY steep. He told us the actual route was much gentler. There was only a little bit of climbing left.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/IMG_8533.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Clif bars and ice-cream sandwiches!" title="Clif bars and ice-cream sandwiches!" /><p class="stickyNote">Clif bars and ice-cream sandwiches!</p></div>
<h2 id="what-qualifies-as-a-%22little-bit%22%3F">What qualifies as a "little bit"?</h2>
<p>The road we had turned onto had no shoulder again. By this time in the ride I'd figured out that the drivers here are very kind to cyclists. As a result, I wasn't as worried as I had been earlier in the ride. Scott was ahead of me and I watched as cars waited to go around him when there was oncoming traffic. Presumably they did the same thing when they came upon me, but I didn't get to see them stop and wait. I started to worry about him being splatted by a car. What if we had met Terry for a reason? She lost her husband at 45. What if one of us was going to die on this road today? I pushed the thought out of my head while also saying a little prayer that if someone had to die, could it be me? I felt he was better equipped to deal with talking to someone in customs as he drove in with a body and everything that would follow afterwards.</p>
<p>Gratefully, I was abruptly pulled from my thoughts when I arrived at our left turn. I went to dismount because there was a car coming in each direction and my skirt got caught. I almost fell over. I looked left and saw a massive hill. This is not "A LITTLE BIT" of climbing left.</p>
<h2 id="please-pass-the-courage">Please pass the courage</h2>
<p>At the top of the climb I saw a sign that said, Trucks use lower gear. A big downhill had to be coming up. Oh my goodness! I was going to need another helping of courage. I had used up all that I thought I had for the last downhill.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/07/IMG_8536.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Use lower gear. Uh-oh." title="Use lower gear. Uh-oh." /><p class="stickyNote">Use lower gear. Uh-oh.</p></div>
<p>Scott stopped to take a picture so I was ahead of him. He'd catch up after his picture taking. I started down the hill as slowly as possible. This hill reminded me of a ride I took with my friend Michael. He had to coach me down as I rode my brakes most of the way. "1 one thousand, 2 one thousand, 3 one thousand ..." I would count to ten and only allow myself to hit the brakes every time I reached 10. Suddenly Scott blew by me saying, "Woo hoo isn't this fun?" "It is TERRIBLE. I just want to stay alive." I replied. He looked shocked and kept going.</p>
<p>Back in my head I started to think about my kids. They've spent years ski racing; throwing themselves down the hill. How do they do this? Poor Scott. He should be married to someone who is more of a daredevil. At least someone who isn't trying to survive the downhill of a bike ride. I was only able to think for mere moments, because soon the hill was extreme again. I counted to at least 100 before we hit the bottom. By the time we arrived at the base, my hands were numb and my arms were so tense.</p>
<h2 id="back-at-the-stable">Back at the stable</h2>
<p>Early in the ride we had a crew of people come up behind us. Clearly a biking group, the leader was right behind me for a bit commenting that it was a great day for a ride. Then, he and his crew had turned off and I heard him say to one of the riders, "don't worry, we'll take the hill nice and easy." At this turn off you couldn't see the hill, but the hill they went up was the hill we just came down. As hard as it was to go down that hill, I couldn't imagine reversing the route!</p>
<p>Once we were here, it was just some light city riding. The horse stable was a landmark that reminded me that we were almost at our destination. The last miles were uneventful and relaxing even. There was almost no elevation change and while we were in the midst of traffic, it felt very calming. The speed limit was low and cars were very kind.</p>
<h2 id="the-rest-of-the-day">The Rest of the Day</h2>
<p>When we finished we weren't all that hungry. We'd had Clif bars and ice-cream sandwiches from the store we came upon. So, instead of hitting the taco place we had looked up we went to the town at the base of the <a href="https://www.bluemountain.ca/">Blue Mountain Ski Area</a>. We wandered, got a coffee and enjoyed the atmosphere.</p>
<p>Then we headed to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasaga_Beach">Wasaga Beach</a>, the longest freshwater beach in the world. As we walked about a 5K we chatted about our great day of accidental long biking! We agreed that it was a better story than we'd have had if we had only done a 50K today. We finished our day with a trip to a Brew Pub, enjoying some beer and chicken wings at the bar. Then we went home to chat with our AirBnB hostess about her day of motorcycle riding. She tried to understand what we found fun about riding 50 miles as we tried to understand what was appealing about being on a motorcycle for 6 hours.</p>
<p>No one died!! As usual my worries were for nothing. And the cake? My friend mentioned me later in the day along with a picture of her cutting the cake with her husband. Her wedding was lovely and I hope she liked the cake.</p>
Gorges Ithaca Half Marathon2017-06-27T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/gorges-ithaca-half-marathon-3/<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>I didn’t specifically “train” for this race. This means that I didn’t actually alter my plans and focus purposefully for a half marathon. I raced the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/flower-city-half-2017/">Flower City Half</a> a month and a half ago so I hadn't decided yet whether I wanted to race this or run with the kids or a friend. Two days before the race, Christina and I were running with our normal Thursday morning group. She asked my plan and I said, “I don’t know what I want to do.” Our friend Teresa, also running with us, planned to race it. I felt like I was ready to race, but also wasn’t sure I really cared to run all out. Christina and I ran <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/skunk-cabbage-half-marathon-2017/">Skunk Cabbage</a> and had a blast together. I thought it was rather fun to motivate someone else and have a great run to just enjoy the event and all the moments. I’ve paced my daughter and son before and find that I’m a pretty good supporter for others. I said to Christina, “sure let’s run together.” In that moment, I realized that I wouldn’t need a music playlist, I wouldn’t stress about a PR, and I could just enjoy the day. In the back of my mind I thought, “I can pace Christina to a sub 2 hour race!” Our Skunk time was 2:01 and change and this course was easier. I knew Christina was ready! I’d been running long with her every weekend for the past several weeks. She’s in great shape and I was super confident that we’d stroll into the finish and celebrate our 1:58 or 1:59 and enjoy the after party.</p>
<h2 id="what-is-racing%3F">What is Racing?</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/06/Christina-Speech-2-1.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>Just a week prior to the race I had a conversation with a friend. I shared my "to race or not to race" dilemma. He said, “let’s face it, none of us really race.” I agreed at the time and we had short chat about how none of us ever saw the front of a race, etc. Later I thought more and realize I completely disagree with this sentiment. We may not all be top racers, but we all RACE when we want to. I remember traveling to a half marathon with a friend who is a much better athlete than me. She asked me my goal time. I said I was shooting for a sub 1:50. She looked at me sadly, put her arm on my shoulder and said, “I can pace you if you want me to.” To someone who routinely runs a 1:30 Half Marathon, 1:50 sounds like an ETERNITY. But it is MY race pace.</p>
<h2 id="pre-race">Pre-Race</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/06/Christina-Speech-3-2.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>That evening all 4 of us prepped for the race. Xander had signed up with us a LONG time ago and then struggled with injury during the spring track season. He had opted out of the Flower City Half at the last minute because of the injury, but decided he wasn’t missing another race. He ran 3 miles a few days before the race and proudly announced that he was beginning his taper. “You have to run to taper,” we all said!! I predicted the poor guy would be limping by mile 5, but he was determined!!</p>
<p>Elizabeth spent her spring focusing on her golf season. She kept logging the miles, but not with focused purpose. She hit her long runs, but didn’t practice speed or pacing. Still, she had run Flower City in April as well and I predicted she’d have a reasonably comfortable run.</p>
<p>That morning, the 5 of us met in the lot and walked the mile to the start. It was fun and casual with lots of chatting. We were excited though we took note that at 7:15 the air was already very heavy and warm. The light was filtering down in a hazy summer morning feel. I remarked aloud that we were lucky this race started early!</p>
<h2 id="the-start-line">The Start Line</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-27-at-6.18.01-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Our splits show the story of what turned into a challenging race." title="Our splits show the story of what turned into a challenging race." /><p class="stickyNote">Our splits show the story of what turned into a challenging race.</p></div>
<p>And this is why I love race season. We arrived and saw so many familiar faces!! We connected with friends ever so briefly as we trudged to the porta potty line. When we realized the race was due to start in 10 minutes and the line was snaking around god knows how far we looked at a field. Yup, this was the only answer. Christina and I headed to the field and on our way we ran into my friend Katie <a href="http://www.katie.camp/race-report-gorges-ithaca-half-marathon">(read all about her 2nd half marathon)</a>!! I was surprised to bump into her with the 600 or so folks milling about. “Wait, we’ll be right back,” I hollered as we headed into the woods. After our stop, we snapped a picture and then hopped into the start area. We were near Katie and several other friends. Our friend Claire was shooting for a sub 2 and wondered if she should stay with us. Not wanting any pressure on us, I advised her to run her own race. Another friend asked us if we planned to run fast to know if she should be ahead or behind us. We said we were out for a fun day and didn’t really know.</p>
<p>Soon Ian was talking and the familiar ram’s horn blared. We were off. We settled into a quick clip and after about a half mile I noticed Katie was right with us. We chatted briefly about her shorts of choice as we’d had a back and forth about shorts recently. She bought Oiselle shorts for the race and was liking them quite well so far. Then, as we turned downhill our friend Teresa caught us. We wished her well as she passed us by. I had my watch set on current pace and we’d been hovering in the low 8s every time I looked. The course was downhill at this point and would start to level out, so I didn’t worry much. As we turned onto the Black Diamond trail and the grade leveled a bit, I said to Christina, “I’m going to slow us down, ok?” She replied that this was ok and I tried to slow us a bit. Still, we didn’t slow very much. She said, “I can’t really talk but I’m ok with that if you are.” I see this as the turning point of the race. We were not yet at mile 3 and she was telling me she wasn’t at a conversational pace. I slowed down more, but not enough. If I had been running with Elizabeth, I would have forced us to a much slower pace, a pace where she could chat easily. I was overconfident that Christina was well trained and overzealous in my own desire to pull her to a sub-2. With these two things conspiring, we kept going pretty close to the pace we had been.</p>
<h2 id="mile-4">Mile 4</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/06/Christina-Bubble-4.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>Around mile 4 I felt like we started to settle into a pretty comfortable stride and it was about that time that Xander blew by us. I was surprised to see him. We’d advised him to go out at a 9:30 pace. We told him not to get caught up in the fray. He didn’t listen. I had a twinge of guilt as a mom. I should be running with him in case he has trouble later. That thought quickly left my head when our friend Brenna caught up to us and we chatted a bit. She is from Syracuse and we rarely see her, so it was fun to talk with her on the course. Katie was still with us during this time as well, and we talked occasionally.</p>
<h2 id="the-end-of-the-trail!">The End of the Trail!</h2>
<p>The Black Diamond trail is a delightful, forgiving cinder surface. It was fully shaded and delightfully cool on this very warm day. As we neared the end you could feel the climate starting to change. We were going to be spit out into Cass Park in Ithaca and it was going to be HOT! Christina and I had talked about this. She enjoys running in Cass and Stewart parks and I consider them pretty much torture. In fact, that terrain was one of the reasons I was perfectly ok with not racing this half marathon. I always feel like you keep running and running and the miles just don’t build. Every single feels like an eternity. Even though I was unofficially pacing Christina, I was counting on her to pull me through that flat, boring terrain.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/06/Christina-Speech-5-1.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>“I have a cramp,” Christina said. “Can you walk through it?” I asked her. We chatted about cramp strategy a bit and slowed down more. I thought she’d be able to run through it. Then, she said something about music. “Can you sing to me?” she asked. I laughed in my head. Oh dear. No I do not sing when there is no music. I wish I had put in headphones because I know it would have helped. Instead I replied, “Jenny would sing to you.” She said, “I know,” and told me about a race that Jenny sang to her. <em>(Jenny is a choral music teacher)</em>. A few more minutes went by and she realized that a bathroom stop would be a good choice. We started discussing where the bathrooms were and made that our goal - we’d hit the bathroom stop and then the running would be easier. Another woman listening in was happy to know that the bathrooms would be near as well! While this discussion was occurring, suddenly we heard music!! Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” was playing behind us. “Music!” I said. “This is my ring tone for my friend Kathey.” It has been years since I got my phone and she is still the only friend with her own ringtone, custom made even. When I set it up I thought I’d make one for all my friends, but stopped after Scott and Kathey.</p>
<p>Suddenly I was jolted to reality when I heard our pace and time announced behind us. Yes, the music listeners had it set to give them pace updates. “Ok, this will be fine,” I thought. “Maybe they have it on mile increments.” What seemed like just moments later I heard it again. “OH my goodness! Are you kidding me?” I said to Christina. I realized we were actually running the same pace as these people. Our only choice was to speed up or slow down. At the moment speeding up didn’t look like an option. Christina said something to them about these broadcasts. They were happy as larks, as they shared that it was set to update every two minutes. Luckily our bathroom stop would serve to give some distance between us and them.</p>
<h2 id="post-stop">Post Stop</h2>
<p>We only saw the bathroom because the woman who was with us jetted over there. I told Christina to head there and planned to meet her at the water stop <em>(just 50 yards away)</em>. Friend friend Cory West was working the stop and I chatted with him about his upcoming 100 miler!! Soon, Christina was back and I greeted her with water. “Ready?” I asked. “Do you feel better?” I was still optimistic at this time that she could rebound from this.</p>
<p>That optimism evaporated as she started running and it was immediately clear she didn’t feel better. She quickly started walking and said she wished she hadn’t stopped. I told her she had no choice, and tried to encourage her not to second guess it. I don’t really remember being too helpful at this point. My brain was struggling with what I should do. Should I push her or should I be comforting? With Elizabeth or my sister I would push. But I’d never been through a rough race with Christina and she isn’t my relative. We were only a bit past halfway at this point and suddenly finishing the race seemed questionable. Her breathing was shallow and strained and I could tell she was really stuck in her head. We kept run/walking and she started to tell me to leave her.</p>
<h2 id="no-i-will-not-leave">No I will NOT Leave</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="images/2017/06/Christina-speech-6.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>And this is where pacing became a growth experience for me. I remember when my sister ran Western States and her friend <a href="http://www.runningbecause.com/">Desiree</a> paced her. No this was NOT the same thing - we are only running 13.1 miles TOTAL and Desiree wasn’t even allowed to join Sarah until mile 60. However, I remember Desiree saying that those 30 miles that she paced Sarah were some of the toughest miles she faced. Sarah struggled for a lot of the time. Desiree was sleep deprived and she was trying to motivate a friend to keep going. She had to dig deep to be her best person to help pull Sarah through. It would have been easier for both Christina and me in the short term to have me leave. She wouldn’t have been embarrassed and I wouldn’t have had to figure out how to keep her positive and running her best race that she had in her that day.</p>
<p>“I would feel better if you just left,” she said on several occasions. Her breathing was still really labored. Just then, we heard ambulance sirens in the distance. It was HOT and people were struggling in the heat. I knew that Christina was affected by the heavy air. She said something about possibly dropping. Knowing she would be really angry with herself after the event if she did that, I said, “let’s get to the next water stop and make a call.” She started running and then walking. “Just walk,” I said. “I think you might be panicking. I’m not leaving and I don’t care about the time. Please accept that I’m not leaving.” I’m sure that those weren’t my exact words, but they express the sentiment. Soon we ran by a guy shouting, “350, 351” and I surmised that this was our placement in the pack of 600 or so runners. “Does he really think that helps anyone?” I asked. “Seriously that is annoying.”</p>
<p>Sometime between that point and the next water stop Christina became comfortable with the fact that I was staying with her. Her breathing settled. I know this because I couldn’t hear hear breathing anymore. She started running more and walking less. I felt optimistic for her. She would finish this race and give it the best she had today.</p>
<h2 id="but-where-is-elizabeth%3F">But where is Elizabeth?</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/06/Christina-green.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>So while all of this was happening I was thinking that it was GREAT that we hadn’t caught Xander. That meant he was probably doing ok. But, then I realized that I hadn’t seen Elizabeth yet. I knew we hadn’t passed her and she hadn’t passed us. That meant she was going slower than us. I still had my watch set on current pace. I didn’t even have the heart to look at it. I was afraid that if I saw the pace I’d start trying to push Christina to speed up. I knew that wasn’t the right thing to do in the moment. So, I just hoped that Elizabeth would catch us soon. And soon she did. She arrived shortly after mile 9 looking out of breath. “I’ve had a cramp since mile 4,” she said.</p>
<p>“Oh dear!” this race was proving to be challenging for many. We chatted a bit and kept things upbeat. Soon, a woman behind us said, “I’m unofficially with you. I’m having a rough race as well.” I thought, “Oh great! We look like we’re struggling so much that someone has identified with us as people who are having a rough race.” Our little motley crew continued onward. I think Elizabeth left us a bit before mile 11 and I knew our friends Jenny, Chantelle and Joel would be catching us soon. They planned to run slowly and just enjoy the course. Jenny and Chantelle hadn’t trained at all for the race. They just knew it was going to be a fun slow run for them.</p>
<h2 id="mile-11">Mile 11</h2>
<p>And they caught us!! I heard Joel in the distance and I knew they were here. We talked at the mile 11 water stop and suddenly we had a group. Joel was jovial and not working very hard. I had fun chatting with him, shouting thank you to course volunteers and suddenly felt energized to cheer Christina on more. Maybe it was that I felt like I had permission to talk because there was someone else who was kind of along for the ride with me. We both knew we could run faster but we were with our friends who were running not as fast. Joel is one of the most fun people you’ll ever meet, and I enjoyed the opportunity to interact with him on this portion of the race.</p>
<p>As we passed the high school we saw a woman passed out on the side of the road. There was a crew around her and the ambulance had arrived. I looked at Christina and had thoughts of gratitude that she wasn’t lying on the ground. The heat was hard on many a runner this morning and while she was suffering, she was in in a pretty good situation all things considered.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/06/Christina-Speech-7.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>I saw what I thought was one last water stop up ahead and said to Christina, “Do you want to get water here?” I don’tremember her answer, but I imagine it was something like, “YES!” Only the thing was when we arrived we realized it was just a few girls with donuts. While that was super sweet, donuts on a super hot, humid day and no water seemed about as appealing as hot chocolate at that moment!! I was sad that I had gotten Christina’s hopes up. It was time to just soldier on to the end.</p>
<h2 id="we%E2%80%99re-almost-there">We’re almost there</h2>
<p>As we hit the last bit of the race, my friend and swim coach Shane was out on the course, followed by friend Jeff. They cheered us on and gave us the oomph to keep going on. I could tell that Christina was well past the struggle. She had hit her 2nd wind physically, even if she didn’t know it at this point. Soon we neared the chute and I slowed down a little bit. I thought it would be nice to let her finish a bit ahead of me. She sweetly stopped and said, “Oh no I’m not crossing this line without you.” We crossed the finish line together.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/06/Christina-speech-8.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<h2 id="the-after-party">The After Party</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/06/Christina-2nd-to-last-quote.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>A reunion of friends!! Food, beer, music! It was just past 9:30 in the morning and soon we were eating and drinking and chatting with everyone. It was festive and fun and before long all our memories were just that. Our friend Brenda crossed the line and we learned she had also had a rough race. We walked over to our friends’ house a few blocks from the Commons and piled into our Subaru for the drive home to Tburg.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/06/IMG_8453.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="(back) Jenny, Joel, Chantelle, me, Scott, Xander, Elizabeth (front) Brenna, Christina" title="(back) Jenny, Joel, Chantelle, me, Scott, Xander, Elizabeth (front) Brenna, Christina" /><p class="stickyNote">(back) Jenny, Joel, Chantelle, me, Scott, Xander, Elizabeth (front) Brenna, Christina</p></div>
<h2 id="final-thoughts">Final Thoughts</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/06/Last-Bubble.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>I am proud of Christina. I thought a lot about this after the race. I am someone who won’t even run near a pacing group. It freaks me out to know that I might not be able to keep up. My mind gets consumed with, “What if I fall off their pace?” The closest I’ve ever come to being vulnerable on a run is when I was training for a 50K with my friend Jenny. We had some tough runs, but with runs of that distance, it was usually a back and forth kind of thing. We both had highs and lows in the same training run. And, it was trail. There's just something about trail that makes things feel emotionally safer. It is crazy weird, but it is an alternate universe to road running. It was HARD for Christina to struggle like that in front of a friend. It would have been so easy for her to quit, stomp her feet and say, “LEAVE” and actually mean it!! She kept going and she reached deep and gave that course everything she had that day.</p>
<p>I am proud of myself. I have never been in a situation where I had to motivate a friend like that. I don’t have a lot of close friends. It is something I really struggle with. I’ve found my closest connections through running, and in the case of Christina, it has been through race organizing, running and parenting. I knew I would never leave her on the course, but I also didn’t know if I could really help her to finish either. I was afraid she might leave me and quit the race. I also dug deep to be supportive and encouraging and kind. She remembers this as her worst race ever, and I can understand that. I know I would too if our roles were reversed. I think of it as a growth opportunity for both of us. It is a day I wouldn’t trade, and I am grateful that I could act as a good friend to her. Oh and Scott's race? He ended up 13th overall and 1st Master's Male!! <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/gorges-ithaca-half-marathon-2017/">Read his report</a>.</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Our results were really not that bad all things considered. We ended up with an average pace of 10:10 and an overall time of 2:13. It would have been ok had we set out to run this speed, but with hoping for about 15 minutest faster, it made for a disappointing event for us both. Still, it was fun to see friends and enjoy the lovely warm day (after the race)! <a href="http://www.leonetiming.com/2017/Roads/GorgesNet.htm">Official Results</a></p>
Flower City Half - 20172017-04-30T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/flower-city-half-2017/<h2 id="getting-ready">Getting Ready</h2>
<p>My "training" this winter has been lackluster at best. Yes I always stuck with my running, but I haven't done much speed work or many hill repeats. I am proud of myself that I mostly got 30 miles a week in, and lately I've been feeling very JEALOUS of my husband as he trains for a 50 miler. It is important to note that I don't actually WANT to run a 50 miler. I just think it is amazing that he ran as many miles yesterday as I did this entire week.</p>
<p>The weather couldn't make up its mind for the day. First it was 40% chance of thunderstorms, then the chance of rain went away. One thing stayed though; 43-44 degrees for the race. For me that meant a light long sleeved shirt, capris and gloves. I packed a pair of throwaway gloves. Then, at the very last second I threw in my regular gloves and an ear band just in case.</p>
<h2 id="good-sleep-two-nights-before-the-race">Good Sleep Two Nights Before the Race</h2>
<p>They say that this is the key! You don't actually need good sleep the night before the race. Unfortunately I had bad sleep 2 nights before the race. We had friends over and we were up much later than we normally stay up. Added to that, I had to be up and baking by 5 the next morning SO I think I got about 4 hours of sleep on Friday.</p>
<p>Saturday night I practically passed out at 7 p.m. I could hear the kids arguing and Scott mediating but I didn't even fully process what was happening. I crashed hard and happily woke up at 4:30 a.m. fully rested!! I did feel ready for the Flower City Half!</p>
<h2 id="heading-to-the-race">Heading to the Race</h2>
<p>Elizabeth, Scott and I hopped in the car at 5:30. Xander was supposed to be running this with us, but he injured his knee. It was sad leaving him at home but we all knew he couldn't finish the distance safely. We left him a bunch of post-it notes and told him we'd call him to make sure he got up!!</p>
<p>Our ride was lovely! We listened to <a href="http://www.ildivo.com/">Il Divo</a> and chatted about our race goals. I made sure to eat my egg sandwich an hour and a half before the race, had some water and a bit of coffee and felt ready!</p>
<h2 id="worlds-collide">Worlds Collide</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/05/IMG_0683.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Elizabeth and Dr. Meyer" title="Elizabeth and Dr. Meyer" /><p class="stickyNote">Elizabeth and Dr. Meyer</p></div>
<p>Scott needed to run 1.9 miles before the race started to get his 15 in for the day. He would be pacing Elizabeth for this race and I would run solo. We parked a few blocks away and Elizabeth and I ran to the War Memorial to go to the bathroom and get ready. We hopped in a rather short bathroom line and there was Elizabeth's pediatrician from when she was a baby. We used to live in Fairport when she was born and Dr. Meyer was her very first doctor. We run into Donna at all the races and her son also ski races with Elizabeth. Such a small world!! Of course we nabbed a picture of the two of them after the Flower City Half was complete.</p>
<h2 id="we're-starting">We're Starting</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/05/IMG_5914-e1493844123916.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Selfie before the start" title="Selfie before the start" /><p class="stickyNote">Selfie before the start</p></div>
<p>The nerves before a race that you plan to push hard on vs running with friends are so different. As Elizabeth and I bagged our phones in case of rain, got our playlists queued and readied ourselves to go outside I noticed how nervous I felt. Elizabeth said, "I wish I brought a throwaway hat." I had caved and put my ear band on but I knew I'd end up having to toss it. In my mind it was a throwaway one but Elizabeth asked me to keep it if possible. She wears it a lot. I said, "Here take this. Then I won't have to toss it." I had already given her my throwaway gloves because she hadn't brought any. Now she'd be ready for the weather! Before we went out we grabbed a quick selfie of the two of us. We wouldn't be running together, but still wanted to have the memory of our time before the race.</p>
<p>I got in line between the 1:45 and 1:50 pacers. I don't like to actually run with a pacer, but my goal was to hit somewhere between those two so it seemed logical. Within minutes it was National Anthem time and moments after we were running!</p>
<h2 id="the-first-miles">The First Miles</h2>
<p>I got started and made an on the spot decision. I would NOT look at my average pace for this year's Flower City Half. I usually have my watch set at average pace. However, whenever it slows down I start to beat myself up and compensate by running too fast. This race is nice and even until mile 6.5 when the uphill starts. In prior years I've spent all the uphill miles thinking I am terrible because I just watch that pace drop. This year I'd run by feel, taking a minute to glance at my current pace at the end of each song.</p>
<p>The beginning of the course is my favorite of the entire race. There are tangents to cut, stores to look at and you are surrounded by people. I love running down East Ave and going by my favorite store from when we used to live in the area, <a href="http://www.parkleigh.com/store/home.php">Parkleigh</a>. I had a nice zippy start, though consciously slowed a few times when I saw my pace getting too quick. The last thing I needed was to hit the hills already exhausted!</p>
<h2 id="dodging-puddles">Dodging Puddles</h2>
<p>As we neared Rochester on our way to the race, Scott said, "do we have plastic bags for our phones?" "It isn't supposed to rain, right?" I said. Scott replied, "the forecast changed again. It is a 20% chance during the race." That didn't actually seem too threatening to me, but I searched the car and found a bag for for Elizabeth and for me. Scott had one already. So, when the skies opened up at mile 4 my phone was protected!!</p>
<p>At first I thought it would just sprinkle but it was pretty quick to turn to full on rain. My mood changed at the start of the rain. Suddenly I worried about freezing, getting my shoes and socks sopping went in a puddle and just got a bit bummed. I had been excited about no rain, having convinced myself that because my phone was protected it wouldn't end up raining.</p>
<p>However, I started playing a puddle dodging game with myself and stayed entertained. As we made the turn off Park Ave, I knew it wasn't long before the hill started. The were lots of puddles, so I picked a "lane" right near the center stripe and just kept pushing onward.</p>
<h2 id="bang-my-head">Bang My Head</h2>
<p>The hills start at mile 6.5. There's a great Cheer Zone there that always kicks everything off well. They reminded us we had a hill coming up by shouting and writing it on the road!! I focused my gaze 5 feet ahead and plowed up, keeping my sister's words of "equal effort" in my head. The song I was listening to was a remix of Bang My Head with David Guetta featuring Sia. It was quite appropriate for how I was feeling and had a great beat!</p>
<p>I neared the end of the first hill, enjoyed the little flat respite and then headed into the cemetery! Every year the cemetery tests me. I often wonder if I should start out the race slower so that I bring more to this point in the run but I haven't tried it yet. Things went reasonably well for the first bit. Things go up for awhile, then down, and back up. When I reached mile 8 a woman shouted, "highest point of the race" at us. What I thought that meant was, "it's all downhill from here." That was NOT what that meant. I could have been happier if she had not shouted these "encouraging" words at us. Yes, it was technically true that it was the highest point in the race, but we had some downhill followed by more uphill to get out of the cemetery.</p>
<h2 id="emergency-gu-and-still-in-cemetery">Emergency Gu and Still in Cemetery</h2>
<p>When I first started running I was the type of runner to stash water for a long run, make plans for perfect routes, and to pay attention to appropriate clothing for the weather. I also had something with me for a long run for energy. In short, a planner. I'm not like that anymore. I don't really know what happened, but I wing it a lot more. So, on the way when I realized I was actually trying to get a good time (for me) on this race I also realized I didn't have anything for energy just in case. I shared this with Scott and Elizabeth and Scott said, "You can have my emergency <a href="https://guenergy.com/">Gu</a>. I am running with <a href="http://www.tailwindnutrition.com/">Tailwind</a>." God bless him!! Elizabeth passed it up and said, "I hope you like Salted Caramel." Sure thing that will work!</p>
<p>Well, in that cemetery I decided to break it out. My stomach was growling like crazy. I am almost positive that this is a nervous thing more than actual hunger but not completely. It did happen in the Skunk Half that I wasn't running all out for and wasn't a bit nervous about. So, maybe I actually am hungry when it happens. Regardless of the reason, I was happy to have the Gu. My hands were freezing but I managed to get it open. I ran with it for miles, taking little nibbles every now and then.</p>
<h2 id="final-miles">Final Miles</h2>
<p>The final miles of a half marathon are just not that far when you look at the race through the marathon lens. As I turned to run along the river for the final few miles, I remembered how grateful I had been to reach this point in the Rochester Marathon several years ago. Surprisingly after not nearly as many miles, I felt almost as bad as I did back then (this was about mile 22 of the marathon course). Really, I exaggerate though. It wasn't that bad, it was just cold and there was a headwind. I was ready to be done running.</p>
<p>Having made a conscious decision to run by feel, I didn't want to change the plan now. Sure, I hadn't banned myself from looking at my current pace on my watch, but I made a promise not to change it to average pace. Why? I really have no idea. Maybe I wanted to just see if I could push myself harder if I didn't know what I was shooting for. Maybe I was afraid to see what it said. Either way I kept my promise to myself. I plugged along on the path again thanking Scott for reminding Elizabeth and me to protect our phones.</p>
<h2 id="where's-my-pacer%3F">Where's My Pacer?</h2>
<p>I ran with my friend Christina for the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/skunk-cabbage-half-marathon-2017/">Skunk Cabbage Half</a> a few weeks ago. While I wasn't actually pacing her, I was helpful to her at the end of the race encouraging her and keeping her moving faster than she would have without me as an unofficial pacer.</p>
<p>When I hit mile 11 was when I realized I could really benefit from someone acting in the role I had served for Christina. I tried to talk to myself like I was a friend, "Come on. We can pass people. Keep it going. You got this." The trouble was that I didn't really believe what I was saying. I tried though, and I do think it perked me up a bit. By this point in the race it was raining again and the wind was just annoying.</p>
<p>As I rounded the corner and realized I was already into mile 12 then I did glance at my watch for total time. I saw that it was 1:42 and change. No PR would happen, but I was consistent. This time would be close to the race I ran last year on the same course. I tried to find the spring in my step for the final tenths and mostly succeeded. I sprinted by a few people as I came into the chute, grabbed my medal and dashed inside before it really started storming.</p>
<h2 id="my-beloved-topos">My Beloved Topos</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/05/IMG_5918-e1493844209147.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="They survived the race mostly clean!" title="They survived the race mostly clean!" /><p class="stickyNote">They survived the race mostly clean!</p></div>
<p>I must take a moment in this post to thank my <a href="http://topoathletic.com/">Topos</a>. This is the first race they've run!! I bought a pair as a replacement shoe when my Pure Connect was discontinued. My friend Brenda had settled into them after the Connect was done and she actually seemed to love them. I was still mourning the loss of the Connect, so I was baffled that she could have moved on so quickly! However, we wear the same size so I jumped when she offered to let me take them for a spin. I quickly bought a pair and 375 miles later they entered retirement. They are zero drop, have plenty of room for toes to spread comfortably and weigh almost nothing!</p>
<p>I went to <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> and tried on the updated version of my shoe. They were out of stock in my size but Ian placed an order for me. However, it was also near my birthday so when my parents asked for a little wish list I put Topos on that too. Much to my surprise it was one of the things they chose!! Their present arrived before the half so I wore them. They are so pretty - a lovely blue. The only downside was that there was a bunch of red mud in the cemetery. I spent a lot of time dodging mud to save my beautiful new shoes!! Thankfully, I ended the race with only a little speck of red mud on them. When the pair Ian ordered for me arrives, I plan to use my gift card that my husband's parents gave me for Christmas. I feel pretty lucky to have almost 800 miles full of presents from my family!!</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>1:49:08<br />
10/141 Age Group<br />
<a href="http://files.yellowjacketracing.com/races/rochester-regional-health-flower-city-challenge-2/121_2017_FCC_Half_AG.htm">Official Results</a></p>
<h2 id="final-thoughts">Final Thoughts</h2>
<p>This race was fun! It is a great community race with a great race 1/4 zip. This is new this year!! After the race all 3 of us wore our shirts for the rest of the day. We went out to dinner to celebrate and walked in with our matching 1/4 zips. It was a lot of fun to run the race as a family. We missed Xander!!</p>
<p>Having run this by feel this year without any speed training I feel pretty good about my time. The cemetery didn't beat me up too much!! I also didn't get too stuck in my head. It does help me not to look at the average pace. I find that as it slows down I worry that I'm going to slow and then if it speeds up I worry that it is going too fast. It was nice to be free from those concerns. However, I think the next time I race this distance, I'll set my <a href="https://www.tomtom.com/en_us/">Tom Tom</a> screen to show average pace and current pace, so I can have the best of both worlds.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/05/IMG_5919.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="In our 1/4 zips at my in-laws' house before dinner." title="In our 1/4 zips at my in-laws' house before dinner." /><p class="stickyNote">In our 1/4 zips at my in-laws' house before dinner.</p></div>Skunk Cabbage Half Marathon 20172017-04-11T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/skunk-cabbage-half-marathon-2017/<h2 id="winter">Winter</h2>
<p>This winter, if you can call it winter, went back and forth between 40s, 50s, with the occasional cold days, and some days in the 70s! It wasn't much of a ski season, but the weather for running was quite excellent. I think I wore my yak traks two or 3 times all season, and had really no trouble keeping up with running. I did struggle a bit with motivation, mostly because I was so bummed that ski season was so bad. Usually we have so much fun skiing that after the kids' training we have to kick ourselves out the door to run. It feels like an accomplishment after skiing all day to run as well. This year it was just the running most of the time. I did know I was going to run the Skunk Cabbage Half, so that kept me mostly in focus.</p>
<p>Brooks discontinued my favorite shoe, the Pure Connect, so that added a dimension to late fall/winter training. I knew it was coming, so I bought a couple of pairs on clearance to give me time to figure out a new shoe. Late in summer, I bought a pair of shoes that I not only disliked, but they seemed to mess with my running mechanics. They were incredibly light, but large underfoot and it changed the way I was running. I ended up with some achilles issues for a bit.</p>
<p>Luckily, after that snafu, I talked with my friend Brenda. She also wears the Connect and she switched to <a href="http://topoathletic.com/">Topo Athletic</a> shoes. She wears the same size as I do, and she let me take hers out for a spin. After one 10 mile run, I wasn't sure I loved them, but I could tell that they were promising. I ordered a pair and spent all winter running in them. In the early weeks I missed my Connects, but it didn't take long for them to become my new favorite shoe.</p>
<h2 id="about-the-training">About the training</h2>
<p>I knew from the start that I would run the Skunk Half for fun with friends, instead of racing it. I will probably race the <a href="http://www.flowercitychallenge.com/half/flower-city-half-marathon">Flower City Half</a> next month <em>(if I can handle the pre-race stress of racing!)</em> and then participate in another local half, the <a href="http://www.rednewtracing.com/GorgesIthaca">Gorges Half</a> in June. In the weeks before the Skunk, Christina and I have had several conversations what racing. I was trying to explain the difference between "racing" and running with a friend.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If I'm racing a half I won't be running at a conversational pace. It will feel like I am on the edge of comfort for most of the race. Running the race with a friend will not be at a long slow training run pace, but it will be something where we can chat and enjoy the day.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I made a <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/Amy-Skunk-Training-Google-Docs.pdf">training plan</a>. Really I repurposed one from last year, writing in what I planned to do. It was a winter maintenance plan with a target of about 30 miles a week in running miles. I mostly did what I planned to do, but I didn't stress about doing everything I planned. For awhile I crossed things off if I didn't do them, but ultimately just filled in what I actually did to prepare.</p>
<h2 id="last-longish-training-runs">Last longish training runs</h2>
<p>Longish because after marathon training a run of 9 or 11 miles doesn't really feel that long. It is a distance that we may not even bother with water <em>(though we should).</em> However, they were my "long" runs of this cycle. Despite my plan to keep 10 miles as my minimum long run, I didn't hit that this winter. I almost always hit the 30 miles per week, but not always with a long run involved.</p>
<p>Two weeks out, Christina and I went for a 9 mile run on a cold rainy Saturday. It was 37 degrees and misting for most of the run, turning to full blown rain toward the end. It was a good run, but when I got home my hands were SO cold I was in tears as everything thawed. Christina was in a similar "freeze mode" from her clothing choices.</p>
<p>The week before the race, I met up with Christina and my friend Katie to do an 11 mile run. This race would be Katie's first half marathon!! We planned on a slow run up the newly completed Black Diamond trail after a short warm-up in Cass park. As we started, I saw my friend Emily pushing her brand new baby in a stroller and some friends from Tburg walking in the park. I love about the start of spring; everyone is out and about!! I felt energetic as we headed up and onto the trail. The trail is a light uphill for the 4.5 miles that we'd be on it, and then we'd enjoy a gentle downhill to finish as we turned back toward the park. We chatted along about this and that, and enjoyed the day. After this run, I knew Christina and I were going to stick together for the race, but I wasn't sure how Katie felt. The coming week turned out to be pretty crazy and neither of us checked in with the other, so I still didn't know what she was thinking by race morning.</p>
<h2 id="race-morning">Race morning</h2>
<p>Xander and Elizabeth had plans for the 10K like they did the year prior. However, two nights out we learned that Xander's call time for his school play was at noon. Even if I snagged a ride home with Christina and the kids and Scott bolted home as soon as Scott finished the half, Xander would be late for his call time. He decided to pull from the race. He would stay home and walk to school when it was time for him to be there. We were sad because this race is a family tradition, but it was important to him that he be on time and ready to act and sing.</p>
<p>I got up early to bake for a few hours and then we all gathered for breakfast around 8. Everyone had something different to eat; Xander enjoyed Ramen to help him keep his voice, Scott had his standard pre-race fare of a bagel with peanut butter and a banana, Elizabeth had scrambled eggs and toast and I had an omelet. Scott needs to eat 2 hours out, but I like to wait until an hour and a half out so we staggered things just a bit. After breakfast it was time to gear up, put sunscreen on and head to the race.</p>
<h2 id="we've-arrived">We've arrived</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/04/IMG_7797.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Selfie with Elizabeth before the race" title="Selfie with Elizabeth before the race" /><p class="stickyNote">Selfie with Elizabeth before the race</p></div>
<p>We got there around 9:30 and headed to the bathroom lines right away. Being a local race, we saw so many people we know!! I bumped into my swim coach <a href="https://kaizen-durance.com/zenmans-bio/">Shane Eversfield</a> and proudly told him that I was swimming. I bragged that I thought I had figured out the shoulder motion, showing him where I was feeling things when I swam. Nope. One conversation and I realized I am still using the wrong muscles. I spent the next few minutes modeling what he did with my arm. Poor Elizabeth was mortified!! I saw my friend <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/training/athletes-inspire-ofer-leshed/">Ofer Leshed</a>, and then ran into our friends Laura and Scott. My husband Scott went his own way, warming up on the track and stretching. He's currently training for the <a href="http://rednewtracing.com/CayugaTrails">Cayuga Trails 50 Miler</a>, and this race fit well into his plan.</p>
<p>Soon we found Christina and got a pre-race picture, and looked for Katie. In what seemed like moments, it was time to wish Elizabeth luck on the 10K and head outside to our start. We joined the sea of people lined up and started chatting with a crew! Katie found us right away and we talked as a group with several friends.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/04/IMG_7799.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Elizabeth with Christina. I had to get this one! Christina has known Elizabeth since she was a baby, and now years later here they are!" title="Elizabeth with Christina. I had to get this one! Christina has known Elizabeth since she was a baby, and now years later here they are!" /><p class="stickyNote">Elizabeth with Christina. I had to get this one! Christina has known Elizabeth since she was a baby, and now years later here they are!</p></div>
<p>And this start is where I realized how laid back I've become about races that I'm running vs racing. I forgot to get my watch ready to start, and I hadn't even asked Katie yet if she planned to stay with us by the time the announcer started talking. He didn't have a megaphone so we really couldn't hear him, so suddenly the start happened! My watch wasn't ready and I shouted to Katie, "What's your plan? Do you want to stay with us?" Katie had already asked us our goal. Based on last year's splits we shared that we were thinking we'd be around 9:20 min miles for most of it. Our goal was to come in near 2 hours. She said she'd do her own thing and if she was with us she'd be with us. If she wasn't, continue on.</p>
<h2 id="the-skunk-cabbage-half">The Skunk Cabbage Half</h2>
<p>We split off from Katie early in the race and settled into a probably too fast starting first few miles. We kept speeding up for a bit. When I mentioned this to Christina she said, "I'm just trying to stay up with you. Maybe I should slow down so you have to slow down." I laughed and spent the next few minutes thinking about pacing with another person. You often really can't tell who is setting the pace or how it is being set. It just kind of happens. Somehow things settled as we just concentrated on keeping things conversational.</p>
<p>The miles ticked off and soon we had hit the part of the race where we had to run along the side of a main road. This is my 2nd time doing this race, and I remember feeling the same way last year; it is a LONG time on this main road. It isn't terrible, but it isn't the best part of the run. We ended up behind two girls that were just slightly slower than we had been going. One of the girls kept spitting. I told Christina, "let's speed up and go around these two." I didn't tell her why, we just bolted around. When we got settled again I explained.</p>
<p>Shortly after the 3rd water stop there were chalk drawings in the road saying "beer in 1.5 miles" followed by many inspirational phrases. It was fun to read them all! Christina and I head up a local race called the <a href="https://mayday5k.org/">May Day 5&5</a>. She said, "we should totally get someone to make chalk signs for our race!" I concurred. Inspiration while running is awesome!</p>
<p>After what felt like an eternity we reached the "beer near" sign which meant it was literally coming up. This unofficial stop was so much fun. Many of our friends were working it, dressed in Star Wars attire. They had beer, mimosas and water. Last year we had hung at this stop awhile waiting for our friends Jenny and Chantelle to catch up to us. This year we didn't stay long. Christina grabbed her favorite - a mimosa - and I opted for water. The short, steep hill followed soon after this stop and then it was all downhill into the finish.</p>
<h2 id="i-might-get-quiet">I might get quiet</h2>
<p>Christina warned me that she was hitting the point in the race where she may stop being chatty. She was feeling tired. I told her not to worry and suggested she tuck in behind me and just stay with me. It was windy and I could block the headwind for her too.</p>
<p>We caught up to a friend of mine and we were chatting as a group for a bit. Then, with just over 2 miles left to go <em>(I think)</em>, I said to Christina,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Ok you've got this. We are going to pass 10 people between now and the finish.</p>
</blockquote>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-14-at-3.55.56-PM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>I'm not sure if that would be an incentive for her but it gave me something to focus on to help us speed up our pace. I counted each person we passed. Our 10th mile was one of our slower miles, but we quickly dialed things up as we neared campus. We ended up passing 18 people in that last little bit, and came into the finish line with a nice pace! I was a lot bummed that I waited to look at elapsed time on my watch until we were less than a mile from the finish. When I looked it was 1:59; too late to make it in under 2 hours. Like last year, we didn't actually have a goal to break 2 hours. However, when you are that close to an even time suddenly you want to hit it!</p>
<h2 id="post-race">Post Race</h2>
<p>We joined a bunch of our friends hanging out and talking about race moments. Katie wasn't far behind us and we ran out to cheer for her. We saw our friend Joe finish and cheered him on. The best part about this first race of the year is that you get to see everyone again!! Over the winter it is just you <em>(and training partners if you are running with others).</em> The Skunk Cabbage Half rejuvenates, reminding me that so many of us are out there running all the time!</p>
<p>Scott won 2nd Masters so we waited for awards. Elizabeth was 2nd in her age group for the 10K. After awards we had to bolt home. Elizabeth had a golf lesson in Victor, so we had about 20 minutes to quickly wash off, get changed and hop in the car to head for the lesson.</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>2:01:25<br />
112/271 Females<br />
<a href="http://leonetiming.com/2017/Roads/SkunkHalf17.htm">Official Results</a>.</p>
A Hike: Trumansburg to Ithaca on the Black Diamond Trail2017-04-01T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/hike-trumansburg-ithaca-black-diamond-trail/<p>For a whole host of reasons we found ourselves home over February break. We knew the kids would have training for ski racing during the vacation, and the weather is usually pretty good for daytime skiing at Bristol Mountain. In the back of our minds, we thought we would take a day or two and go to Gore and Whiteface mid-week. Then the 10 day forecast came out calling for highs in the 60s for 3 of the days! Sadly, we realized we couldn't get far enough north to get out of this weather! Resorts as far north as <a href="https://www.tremblant.ca/">Mt. Tremblant</a> had spring skiing conditions with thunderstorms forecasted.</p>
<h2 id="so-now-what%3F">So Now What?</h2>
<p>Monday and Tuesday were reasonably ok for training, so the kids went to ski training both nights. Daytime skiing seemed hardly worth it, so we stayed home. Wednesday was forecasted to be sunny and 66 so we agreed to bail on training. After batting around day trip ideas, we decided Scott would just work and the kids and I would do something fun around home.</p>
<p>For a fun non-typical Wednesday activity I said, "What if the we walk to <a href="https://blackdiamondtrail.org/">Ithaca on the Black Diamond trail</a>? Daddy could drive in and we can meet for lunch at Ithaca Beer. Then, we can walk home and it will be a 30 mile hike day."</p>
<p>NO. That does NOT sound fun. 3 people STARED back at me at the breakfast table. Xander, always the one to try to please others, said, "Well actually that could be kind of fun. Mommy and I could do it together."</p>
<p>I believed him, so we set about trying to find a time to meet for lunch. We quickly realized that whatever we did, we couldn't find a good time to meet for lunch. Scott would have to blaze in, wolf down food and race back to work. The conversation shifted toward, "maybe we can just walk there and not back" and suddenly Elizabeth was interested.</p>
<p>Soon we had a final plan. The three of us will walk from our house to Cinemapolis and Scott will meet us to watch a late day showing of "La La Land" followed by a late family dinner at Ithaca Beer.</p>
<h2 id="our-black-diamond-trail-hike">Our Black Diamond Trail hike</h2>
<p>I run this newly completed trail from Trumansburg to Ithaca rather regularly. It is a lovely packed cinder trail that makes you feel like you live in a place like Rochester, NY or Lexington, MA. Every time I head there I remember biking on the <a href="http://minutemanbikeway.org/">Lexington bike path</a> when Scott and I lived in Massachusetts. However, it is less crowded than these suburban trails, and has a bit more of a wilderness feel. I've walked the trail with Elizabeth, but this was Xander's first time seeing the trail.</p>
<p>We left our house a bit before lunch with a fanny pack, some apple slices, carrots and trail mix. Xander was in shorts and short sleeves. Elizabeth wore pants and long sleeves and I opted for capris, long sleeves and gloves. As we left the neighborhood, we chatted with my neighbor for a few minutes and then headed off. As we left the neighborhood I said, "wow I'm really glad I brought my gloves. It is chilly." The kids laughed as Elizabeth said, "seriously? I'm just getting ready to take my long sleeves off." We had a good laugh.</p>
<h2 id="the-first-3-miles">The first 3 miles</h2>
<p>Our house is 3 miles from the start of the trail so it seemed silly to snag a ride there so we did our first few miles on the road. As we walked along the shoulder of the road we had to shift positions for cars rather regularly. Both kids wondered aloud what was fun about this. "We will be at the trail soon," I said on more than one occasion. When we arrived at the trail, we stopped right away for a picture.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/02/IMG_8825.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Elizabeth and Xander on the Black Diamond Trail" title="Elizabeth and Xander on the Black Diamond Trail" /><p class="stickyNote">Elizabeth and Xander on the Black Diamond Trail</p></div>
<h2 id="apples%2C-trail-mix-and-carrots-...-but-oh-that-trail-mix!">Apples, Trail Mix and Carrots ... but oh that Trail Mix!</h2>
<p>"Let's start with apples," I said after we took our pictures and we hit the trail. We crunched our Granny Smiths and talked about Xander's school play, his Running to Places theatre company play, and Elizabeth's upcoming golf season. We discussed our mid-March plan to go to Mt. Tremblant and reminisced about this year's ski season having the potential to be much like last year; an abrupt early melt followed by unusual cold for March/April. We all agreed that if the skiing was going to end so fast at least it would be good if golf season got a great start.</p>
<p>However, in 2016 the melt was just long enough to ruin the skiing prematurely. Then, cold came back to delay the start to golf season. Elizabeth and Xander are pretty certain that Bristol can weather this melt and we'll still be skiing locally in March. I hope so!!</p>
<p>After the apples, it was time for trail mix. Xander was "hungry for something substantial" and VERY excited to see that bag come out of my pack. It was here about mile 5 that he started questioning why he had signed up walk to Ithaca. Most of our hiking is done on the trails with more up and down elevation change. Today, the steady gradual slope downhill was getting rather boring even for me. As much as we wanted this to feel like an Oregon hike, it really didn't.</p>
<p>Soon we saw Bison. They were behind a fence and we stopped for pictures. Elizabeth runs this trail for Cross Country and she mentioned that she'd never been this far on the trail. This brought me back down memory lane. I'd trained for my first <em>(and so far only)</em> 50K with my friend Jenny a few years back and used this trail a lot. It wasn't officially a trail at that point. The first few miles out of Ithaca were reasonably good, filled with large railroad bed stones underneath you for footing. As you got closer to Trumansburg, it became really hard to navigate with overgrown grasses and prickers. Toward the last bit there was a spot with mud, prickers and water and old barb wire fencing along the sides. I told the kids about one 22 mile run Jenny and I had on the trail. We'd left from Ithaca and run up to Tburg, then taken the Rim trail twice and headed back to Ithaca. Scott met us on the Rim trail a couple of times with food and water. After this run that he and I had a date planned for pizza and beer at Little Venice. I was SO excited only to come home with my stomach really off. Our "date" at the restaurant turned into me watching him eat and talking my pizza home for later. The kids laughed!</p>
<p>"More trail mix, please Mommy???" Xander begged. "Let's have our carrots next," I said. I knew if he filled up on trail mix the carrots wouldn't get eaten. We crunched along eating our carrots and Elizabeth was on her phone texting her friend Sophie to tell her about her crazy long walk to watch a movie and get dinner. Sophie was heading to ski training and was pretty happy not to be along on our hike!</p>
<p>Soon Xander piped up again, "How many miles?"</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/02/IMG_8848-e1488201411665.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Trail Smiles" title="Trail Smiles" /><p class="stickyNote">Trail Smiles</p></div>
<h2 id="final-miles%2C-movie-and-menus">Final Miles, Movie and Menus</h2>
<p>The last few miles were uneventful. As we neared Ithaca, the trail was crowded and less tree covered. Xander had finished his trail mix and knew there was no more to be had, so he stopped begging. We continued to talk about everything under the sun and soon popped out into the city of Ithaca. It is always fun to re-enter civilization after a long walk. We had the same dusty shoe feeling we get while hiking in Oregon, but we were only 12 miles from home!</p>
<p>We thought we had time to stop into Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company to look at running shoes and just say "Hi" before we went to the movie, but a quick look at the clock revealed we'd cut it too tight. About a block away from the movie, Elizabeth checked find my iPhone. Scott was at the theatre. We would head straight there, get some popcorn and get settled in for our movie. Ithaca Beer would follow!</p>
<h2 id="la-la-land">La La Land</h2>
<p>Since our family goes to the movies about once a year and the kids fought back about this one saying, "Let's just wait until it is released! We like to watch movies at home." Since we can rarely agree on a movie, we hardly watch any at home all together either. Scott and I watched the preview and decided this would be a good family movie outing. The parents prevailed on this one!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/02/IMG_8819.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Ready to watch La La Land" title="Ready to watch La La Land" /><p class="stickyNote">Ready to watch La La Land</p></div>
<p>It didn't take more than a scene or two to realize why <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3783958/">La La Land</a> was nominated for so many awards. Amazing, amazing and amazing! We were all rapt from the first scene. It was sad, happy, thoughtful and provided dinner conversation for us that night and a love of the music that continues as I write this post more than a month later. We now own the sheet music and listen to the soundtrack all the time!</p>
<h2 id="and-dinner-...-at-ithaca-beer">And Dinner ... At Ithaca Beer</h2>
<p>My original plan had us walking the Black Diamond Trail and streets for a total of 15 miles to <a href="http://ithacabeer.com/">Ithaca Beer</a>, eating lunch and walking home on the Black Diamond Trail. While a 30 mile day would have been a super fun accomplishment, the stay-cation day that we compromised for was really lovely.</p>
<p>After the movie we drove over to Ithaca Beer, hoping that the wait wasn't too long! It was Wednesday after all, but it was also February break. The wait was 45 minutes, and we decided we had to stay. It was our destination plan, and no one was really starving after the popcorn we'd all enjoyed!</p>
<p>We hung out near a small bar table and talked more about La La Land while sharing stories about our hike. The app the use for their wait time let us see that two parties were ahead of us. After only 5 minutes Scott refreshed the app and it said only one party was ahead of us. Just moments later, our table was ready. Wow! I think it was 7 minutes in total. It was our lucky evening!</p>
<p>Soon we were enjoying a delicious dinner! Even after enjoying popcorn, dinner had that amazing feel of eating when you are really hungry after a long hike.</p>
Selecting a gym: How I went from 1 gym to Four!2017-03-20T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/selecting-gym-went-1-gym-four/<p>When Scott and I built our house we put in a home gym. We bought the equipment for the gym while we were in an apartment; the store in Rochester agreed to hold things for us until our house was built!! We put our elliptical that we bought from <a href="http://www.advantagefitness.com/">Advantage Sport and Fitness</a> in Ithaca in our little apartment living room, but everything else waited patiently at the store.</p>
<p>During the months of house building, we met different neighbors. Many people from the neighborhood walked through the house as it was being built. At a gathering one neighbor asked, "What is that room near the kitchen? Will that be a dining room?" We replied in enthusiastic tones, "No it is a home gym!" Arm patting followed, "Oh well you can always change it to a dining room."</p>
<p>Our home gym was PERFECT. It was large enough for us, had double doors to close it off and had an elliptical, a big cage for bar weights, a couple of benches and free weights. We've since added medicine balls, a rower, a spin bike and a piece of equipment called the <a href="http://skiersedge.com/">Skier's Edge</a>. Our only regret is not making it bigger!!</p>
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<h2 id="injured">Injured</h2>
<p>Our big world plan when we built the house was that we'd never have to pay a gym membership again. The reasoning? The nearest gym with a racquetball court was 30 minutes away and we love racquetball. With little kids it wasn't that realistic that we'd make it to the court very often. We gave up racquetball with a full heart (except the VERY occasional date night) and enjoyed our home gym and life as young parents.</p>
<p>Then, we were training for our first marathon and I injured my knee. My physical therapist was alarmed that I wasn't doing regular yoga training or full body weight work. In my home gym I was following Men's Health plans working parts of my body that I wanted to work. That meant that back wasn't getting any time and hamstrings were virtually ignored while quads were getting overworked. He had a LONG talk with me about core strength and the importance of a balance of muscles for avoiding injury. Since I'd pushed past the point of anything sane <em>(I couldn't put weight on my left leg by the time I agreed to go see someone).</em> I was very prone to listening to his suggestions. We joined the large gym he worked out of that was closer to our house <em>(17 minutes)</em> promptly.</p>
<p>We enjoyed many happy years there including one year that I was at the gym so frequently for swim lessons and practice that I barely ever showered at home!</p>
<h2 id="newton's-first-law">Newton's First Law</h2>
<p>When I went to the doctor for my injury, I was describing what happened and my big goals to run a marathon. Concerned that my injury may make me stop my fitness progress, he abated my fears with I remember this reply,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Well you've already figured out that an object in motion tends to stay in motion.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Later in a big scuffle over group fitness, Newton's first law would show its face again. We were happy gym members. We'd watched our favorite spin teacher and friend April open her own gym and we'd stayed put. We missed her a lot, but we loved having the pool, the sauna, unlimited group fitness etc. Ultimately we decided we were too cheap to pay extra for classes outside our gym. However, there was a huge scuffle in group fitness at our gym. Unfortunately we really couldn't in good conscience remain. Enter Newton's law:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Every object will remain in uniform motion in a straight line unless compelled to change its state by the action of an external force.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The external force was provided. It kicked us off course and stopped us in our tracks. It was time to figure out our next plan!</p>
<h2 id="choosing-a-gym-...-or-4">Choosing a Gym ... or 4</h2>
<p>Sometimes a shake up is a GOOD thing. I know we would have happily continued to work out at our gym until we moved away, but we now had to figure something out. Here's what we did!</p>
<h3 id="ithaca-ymca"><a href="http://www.ithacaymca.com/">Ithaca YMCA</a></h3>
<p>For about half the price of our current gym we could join the local Y. This is the gym that is a half hour from our house. It is "up the hill" and you can get stuck in some pretty bad traffic to get there. However, you only have to be 13 to do EVERYTHING. This means that Xander can take classes, play racquetball and swim. It also means that we can have family outings to play racquetball, introducing the kids to a sport we love. Sold. We are now Y members.</p>
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<h3 id="wright-fitness-and-cycling"><a href="http://www.wrightfitnessandcycling.com/">Wright Fitness and Cycling</a></h3>
<p>My friend April. Back when we first joined our gym April was our spin instructor. Her class was so popular that you needed to arrive a half hour early to get a ticket for a bike. We were so dedicated to spin that many a winter morning we left the kids out waiting for the bus and dashed off as soon as we saw the bus driving down the road. Seconds mattered both for getting tickets and getting a "good bike" location in the room.</p>
<p>Maybe it was time to check her classes out again. I talked with my friend Lynn about the idea and we decided that we'd buy a 10 pack of classes and give her Wednesday morning class a go. We'd carpool to <a href="http://www.wrightfitnessandcycling.com/">Wright Fitness and Cycling</a> <em>(it is up near the Y)</em> and catch up on the way to and from class.</p>
<p>I didn't realize how much I missed April's classes until I went back. She also offers boot camp and tri training programs so there are a lot of opportunities for great workouts with her!</p>
<h3 id="les-mills-on-demand"><a href="https://www.lesmillsondemand.com/">Les Mills on Demand</a></h3>
<p>As group fitness junkies our biggest concern in leaving our gym was missing class!! We have a Friday night <a href="https://www.lesmills.com/us/workouts/fitness-classes/bodypump/?_ga=1.253290249.1687374016.1490011768">Les Mills BodyPump</a> "Happy Hour" routine; class at 5:30 and then dinner/drinks out at one of our favorite Ithaca restaurants afterwards. Sometimes when Elizabeth joins for class we do take out for the family or come home and cook an amazing meal. Now we wondered, "What would our Friday nights look like? Elizabeth was hooked on group fitness and Xander was counting the minutes until he turned 14 to join the gym <em>(he JUST turned 13 so he had awhile to wait!)</em>"</p>
<p>Through a Facebook Group we learned about <a href="https://www.lesmillsondemand.com/">Les Mills on Demand</a>. It is a great monthly subscription service that gives you access to all the Les Mills classes. While we were still members at our gym, we tried out their 2 week free trial to see what we thought. It only took a class to hook us. This was going to increase our use of our home spin bike and allow us to easily do yoga at home. There were other classes to try, and we could do BodyPump as well if we wanted to.</p>
<p>Just days before we pushed the button to subscribe, my sister surprised us with a year's membership as a Christmas present. We were thrilled!</p>
<h3 id="flx-fit-club"><a href="http://flxfitclub.com/">FLX Fit Club</a></h3>
<p>And our newest gym is just opening as I write this. They had their opening weekend celebration this past weekend! Filled with great classes, food and festivities, it was fantastic to see so many friends at the launch. Our entire family checked out Les Mills Body Attack and Body Step for the first time AND did our favorite BodyPump both days. This fantastic group of instructors left the big gym we used to be part of and started their own fitness facility. We're all excited to call <a href="http://flxfitclub.com/">FLX Fit Club</a> one of our gym homes now!</p>
<h2 id="a-big-push">A Big Push</h2>
<p>And that's how a big kick got us started at a gym, and then another very unexpected push kicked us off course again. Now we've expanded our horizons to multiple spaces and ways to work out. Of course then there's also the great outdoors with biking, hiking and of course the thing that started it all - running!</p>
<p>Oh and that first marathon Scott and I were training for? No we didn't do it. He was so so sweet and didn't leave me out. We waited a year and did our first marathon together the next year. We did get to hike all over Oregon that summer though. I told my PT that I'd do ANYTHING he said if he could get me rehabbed to a point where I could hike every day for our vacation!</p>
First Swim of 20172017-02-26T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/first-swim-2017/<h2 id="we-joined-the-ithaca-ymca">We joined the Ithaca YMCA</h2>
<p>We've been at our gym in Ithaca for many years, but some things recently changed leading us to reconsider our fitness location. It has been almost a month that we've been "gymless" and that has been pretty weird! There are SO many ways to get fitness without a gym that we haven't really been suffering in any way. However, we do miss our friends from our group fitness classes and we need a place to swim. Thanks to my sister <a href="http://runningforpancakes.blogspot.com/">Sarah's</a> generous Christmas gift, we're using <a href="https://www.lesmills.com/ondemand/">Les Mills on Demand</a> for home group fitness, I've started taking cycling at <a href="http://www.wrightfitnessandcycling.com/">Wright Fitness and Cycling</a>, and one of my friends is opening <a href="http://flxfitclub.com/">FLX Fit Club</a> in Ithaca later this month. These ladies are some of the best group fitness instructors I know, and I can't wait to take classes from them again! Still, the <a href="http://www.ithacaymca.com/">Ithaca YMCA</a> has a place in our lives for racquetball, some group fitness classes and the POOL! If we are going to do triathlons we need to swim! I love that the Y is so friendly to families in their pricing that we can all join for a reasonable rate. We're already having a blast teaching the kids racquetball! We played in college so this is a great chance to make it a family sport. Ironically, the <a href="http://watertownymca.org/">Watertown YMCA</a> was the first gym I ever joined. It was a perk of my first job at 14; working the SACC program. I credit that job and that membership as a key reason I'm a fit person today. Kudos to the Y for supporting our youth.</p>
<h2 id="before-we-get-to-that-first-swim">Before we get to that first swim</h2>
<p>I've taken a lot of swim classes from <a href="https://kaizen-durance.com/">Total Immersion Master, Shane Eversfield</a>. During my time in his classes I went from really not being able to swim at all to swimming very comfortably, breathing bilaterally, and considering swimming to be a FUN workout. Those three things are cause for celebration all on their own.</p>
<p>However, I am still a very slow swimmer. Shane is concerned that my shoulders lack full range of motion, and shoulder mobility is very important for swimming. He suggested I try physical therapy to improve my range of motion. Of course I obliged and went to several sessions this past fall. I have a lot of great exercises that I've integrated into my workouts and daily life. I feel like I am on the slow road to improving their mobility.</p>
<p><a href="https://scottpdawson.com/">Scott</a> has been going to acupuncture every other month and he suggested that I try that to see if it could help me. In January I went to see his acupuncturist and she said that she thought it would be very beneficial to do along with the PT exercises. I've been seeing her every 2-3 weeks for treatments and it is helping me a great deal. She explains that the acupuncture opens the muscles up, making them more receptive to the stretching and strengthening that the PT exercises provide.</p>
<h2 id="let's-go-to-the-y!">Let's go to the Y!</h2>
<p>We came home from ski training and I was in my cake kitchen baking. My kids came running in, "We have an idea! What if we go to the Y and play racquetball????" We had taken them a few days prior to join and taught them the game. "Hmm..I thought. I played with Scott yesterday and my right arm is still sore." I checked the pool schedule and then said to everyone, "What if I finish up my baking and we head up there? You three can play racquetball and I can swim for the first time this season." We only own 3 racquets anyway, so this was a perfect plan! We did take a fun time lapse video of one of your racquetball games yesterday that I'll add here. One thing that is super cool about playing this sport as a older person is that I am a little less connected to the score, and a little less focused on getting cardio in during the game. I play with more focus on the game itself and had a lot of fun!</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJYBKH_e0jk">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJYBKH_e0jk</a></p>
<h2 id="time-to-swim">Time to swim</h2>
<p>But this post is about swimming. After checking in and getting my swim band, I hopped into a lane and just started swimming. I purposely left my watch home, but couldn't help looking at the wall clock. I think it was 2:35 when I started. They had lap swim until 3 and then 2 lanes of Open Swim when lessons started. It had been awhile since I'd been in the pool. I decided to take a break in the fall when I started PT. I wanted to work on range of motion to hopefully stop reinforcing the swim stroke that I currently have. So, I wasn't fully sure how far I could swim this first time out.</p>
<p>The first length was pleasantly surprising. The Y pool is deeper and longer than the pool at our other gym. It is also warmer. The depth was nice because I never really felt any desire to stop and rest at either end. I couldn't touch in the deep end, and the shallow end is pretty deep as well. My breathing was good and I felt like I was moving pretty well. I could feel my muscles engaging more than in the past. Pretty soon I had completed a 400 <em>(the Tri for the Y swim distance)</em> and headed into the next 400. As I headed into that next 400 I remembered my very first Tri for the Y swim. Oh I've come SO far! I'll have to write about that someday.</p>
<h2 id="tim-ferriss---total-immersion">Tim Ferriss - Total Immersion</h2>
<p>My husband introduced me to Tim's podcast and I'm completely hooked on his material. So, much so that I had heard him advertise his book, <a href="http://amzn.to/2mp1LdQ">Tools of Titans</a> on a podcast episode this fall. I considered buying the book for Scott for Christmas but hadn't gotten around to doing it. We were in Barnes and Noble one evening buying presents for people and I saw the book. "We should buy this book. I heard him talk about it. I really think we should buy this book!" Scott was oddly cagey about it saying that we really didn't need it. He made a strong case for not buying it and I recall leaving the store mildly annoyed. Christmas morning the book was one of MY presents from him. We both smiled when I opened it up. He apologized for being a jerk and said he had just bought it and wrapped it the day before we were at the bookstore. Of course he didn't want to give that away at the store.</p>
<p>Anyway, the point is that Tim Ferriss has done Total Immersion. Of course he took to it in classical Tim Ferriss fashion, making it a 10 day 100% focused swim effort. You can <a href="http://tim.blog/2008/08/13/total-immersion-how-i-learned-to-swim-effortlessly-in-10-days-and-you-can-too/">read all about it</a>. One thing in particular stuck out to me.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>For those who have rock climbed or done bouldering, it’s just like moving your hip closer to a wall to get more extension. To test this: stand chest to a wall and reach as high as you can with your right arm. Then turn your right hip so it’s touching the wall and reach again with your right arm: you’ll gain 3-6″. Lengthen your vessel and you travel further on each stroke. It adds up fast. ~Tim Ferriss</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In all the time that I'd worked on swimming, I just hadn't understood the shoulder/arm extension thing. I have a very mechanical, non stretchy stroke and despite Shane's excellent teaching I hadn't made the connection of how to lengthen the stroke. I have rock climbed and this analogy clicked in my head. "Oh. I'm supposed to stretch my back/arm/shoulder and lean into the stroke." I practiced against the wall like he described and the muscle memory from rock climbing kicked in.</p>
<h2 id="1600%3A-not-bad-for-the-first-time-out">1600: Not bad for the first time out</h2>
<p>I didn't count strokes. I wasn't ready to be potentially sad because my stroke count was too high. I didn't really time things, though I think my 1600 was just shy of 45 minutes. That is NOT fast. It is quite typical for me actually; about a 2:50/200 pace. One of my former swim classmates is on Strava and she was one of the slower swimmers with me when we took the class. She has been super dedicated to her swimming and has gotten really fast, regularly post posting 1:50 hundreds for very LONG distances! When I told Scott my swim time he said something about that not being fast. I said, "Yup, I know. It is almost off the pace chart on tri training plans even." I know this because when I looked at the Master's Swim pace chart last year I noted that the SLOWEST 100 pace on the chart was 3 min/100. My goal is to improve down the pace charts, though I'm happy that my pace is at least <a href="https://www.usms.org/fitness/pacechart.php">ON THE CHART</a>. <em>Note: there are other charts out there that go past 3 min 100s.</em></p>
<h2 id="thoughts-fluttering-in-my-head-while-swimming">Thoughts fluttering in my head while swimming</h2>
<ul>
<li>I LOVE that all these different age groups are co-existing. Kids are in lessons, babies are in the small pool, moms and dads and kids are swimming together and adults are lap swimming. The controlled chaos around me felt energizing.</li>
<li>I miss swimming with friends. Back when we took class together there was a small gap when Shane didn't offer a class. <a href="https://10minutemiler.wordpress.com/">Anne</a>, Deidra and I met during the regularly scheduled class time and worked on our strokes. We went through Shane's TI progression and Anne always reminded us of the "patient lead arm." I could just see her now saying, "patient lead arm" as I switched sides for each stroke.</li>
<li>I am so grateful to Shane and his nudges to move me forward with my swimming. I am so grateful to myself for continuing this journey.</li>
<li>And acupuncture and PT - wow! What a combo together. I was thinking about both my PT and my acupuncturist while doing those final lengths. When I got out of the pool, who was sitting on the bleachers, but my acupuncturist. Her kids were taking swim lessons. It was neat to see her right after my first swim.</li>
<li>And Tim Ferriss. Well, that image of leaning in for rock climbing stuck with me for the entire swim. I also noticed that it was so much easier to do on my right side. Shane has told me I'm crazy right dominated, and I know this from my wear pattern on running shoes as well. So much to work on!</li>
</ul>
First Group Run2017-02-20T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/my-first-group-run/<p>Recently, my friend Anne wrote about her first Colorado group run in her blog: <a href="https://10minutemiler.wordpress.com/2017/01/31/running-club/">10MinuteMiler</a>. As I read it, memories of my first group run came flooding back to me! Unlike Anne, I didn't go to meet people, or because I had signed up for the club, but because I was an ambassador for my local running store and they were in need of someone to lead.</p>
<p>It just so happened that there was incentive for me to raise my hand and say, "sure I can do it!" Our contract required participation in a certain number of group runs each year and we had to lead some of them. At the time, my daughter danced 3 nights a week and both kids had piano on another week night. None of the times worked out with the group runs, so I hadn't attended any.</p>
<p>Not that I cared that much. In fact, I was happy to have an excuse. It hadn't been that long since I managed to run with other people without being petrified. I think a whole separate post is appropriate for this topic, but let's just say that at this point in my life <em>(about 3 years ago I think)</em> I almost always ran alone.</p>
<h2 id="time-to-lead-the-group-run">Time to lead the group run</h2>
<p>The run was scheduled too late for me; one of the reasons I'd never been. I needed it to line up with when I dropped Elizabeth at dance so I'd have enough time to run and go pick her up. I piped up in email.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I can lead the group run if we can move the time up just a bit and if people are ok with a recovery run pace.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Everyone was more than happy to change the time to have a leader. I arrived and there were people milling about the store. I talked Jeff for a bit <em>(one of my favorite employees)</em>. Jeff was so knowledgeable about shoes and running and just so friendly that Scott and I looked for reasons to "need" to buy shoes from him. I met a few other people and as we were standing there I suddenly felt really anxious. People clearly came to this regularly and they all had a plan. While listening to the discussions around me, it suddenly became obvious that this run was usually a little faster than I had planned on that evening. I had just raced the day prior and my legs were beat. I had planned on a 5-6 mile recovery run which would be somewhere between a 9:30/9:45 minute mile. Advertised as a "no drop" run with the pace also publicly shared, I hadn't worried until I met everyone.</p>
<h2 id="selecting-our-route%3A-where-will-we-run%3F">Selecting our route: Where will we run?</h2>
<p>After what seemed like FOREVER people were all finally there. Note: the store is 1/2 hour from my house and after parking and standing around for awhile I now had to go to the bathroom. As I shared my route, someone else suggested something different and everyone agreed. I didn't know downtown Ithaca very well so I went along with the group consensus. I was just grateful that they didn't select one route they were kicking around which would have led us UP the hill onto Cornell's campus. I would have surely had to walk up the hill! The group would have to decide whether to keep their "no drop" policy way too early in the game.</p>
<h2 id="a-funny-thing-happens-when-you-can't-keep-up">A funny thing happens when you can't keep up</h2>
<p>I've since learned this about myself: I can run fast. I don't consider myself a slow runner and I know I'm not a new runner and wasn't even then. However, when I find myself in a group where I feel that I'm not up to the standard my mind spirals into bad places pretty quickly.</p>
<p>For some reason I was hung up on the fact that I had set a recovery pace for the run and I was the leader. In my grand vision of group running I visioned the leader out front, or at least in the front 3rd. So, I was killing myself trying to stay up with the front group and I *think* we were running 8:30s. This was not a conversational pace for me, so I was mostly just listening to people talk while, "you suck. you suck. you suck" was going along in my head like a ticker tape.</p>
<p>I dropped back and joined another person for a bit. She shared a story about store owner Ian's Saturday morning trail runs. I think I was training for a trail run and she explained that his runs weren't easy like this. They were definitely not "no drop" and she was the only female in the group most of the time. She hadn't been dropped, but said people had been. It sounded intense, and I made a note in my head thinking that Scott would enjoy that crew. Definitely not for me!! She was a very good runner and I was intimidated by her. Despite her kindness, my head was now saying, "why did you ever sign up to even attend, no less lead this run?"</p>
<p>I didn't last long with her either; ironically though she would end up being one of my teammates in the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/virgil-crest-100-relay-the-first-50-miles/">Virgil Crest 100 Miler</a> a couple years later.</p>
<h2 id="time-to-bring-up-the-rear">Time to bring up the rear</h2>
<p>There was no point in pushing so fast I couldn't keep up. I allowed myself to drop back as needed with as full a heart as I could muster. Now, just a couple miles into this run, I was bringing up the rear. Jeff was also running in the back of the pack. He had his very large phone on his arm and was chatting away. It was here that I found the silver lining in group running: Conversation. I could maintain Jeff's pace AND carry on on a comfortable conversation. I no longer felt that strong desire to grab onto the back of his shirt and say, "please don't leave. Wait!" Yes, I had found my comfortable place.</p>
<p>A funny thing happens while running, even with people you barely know. You leave the run knowing A LOT more about them. Subjects come up that just don't get put out there in a casual standing around venue. I learned that Jeff had recently lost over 100 pounds. He had been laid off from his job as an engineer and was working at the running store temporarily. He woke up one day and realized if he kept adding weight the way he had been that he might not be around to see his kids grow up. He became vegan and was really into making homemade bread and fermented things and I think even beer. I was fascinated and inspired by his story. As we ran, I wished this was a LONG run so I could learn his entire life story! <a href="https://twitter.com/powderfinger">Follow Jeff on Twitter</a>.</p>
<p>We spoke really casually about everything during that run and I found my way out of my head during this conversation. The negative ticker tape negative self talk faded away and I was just running. As we neared the store a few people peeled off to say they were heading to their cars. Some people were going back to the store to get belongings like keys or purses but most were either running straight home or to a car. In this moment, I also noticed that we weren't all that spread out. Perception changes when you don't qualified for a task.</p>
<h2 id="thoughts-about-my-first-group-run">Thoughts about my first group run</h2>
<p>After years of running, I do think group runs are GOOD. It is a venue to meet new people, and to push yourself a bit harder than you might on your own. I'll be honest though, I didn't go back. To hit my ambassador requirements, I set up a few other group runs off site. There were several reasons I didn't return but the biggest one was that the timing just wasn't very convenient. Closely following was the fact that I don't love city running and despite the fact that I had a lovely run with Jeff, I was really scared about being too slow to go back. The group was pretty small and I would probably always be toward the back of the crew. Attending this run did help me grow though, making runs closer to home with friends who were just a bit faster than me suddenly a lot less scary!</p>
Winter Training2017-01-23T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/winter-training/<p>I've FINALLY put my winter training plan into a schedule. I only have the plan in for week one, but I KNOW what I want to do each week. I'll be running the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/skunk-cabbage-half-marathon-2016/">Skunk Cabbage Half</a> on April 9th and my only goal for this is to run a comfortable, happy pace. The kids will run the 10K and Scott is also running the half. I have two more half marathons coming up after this, and will layer more speed training in after the Skunk to make faster half goals realistic.</p>
<p>I decided that posting this here will keep me honest and help me commit to updating it! As I head into this training "plan" that I'm making up, I have been hitting about 20-25 miles per week for January following a 2 week full break from running in December. Prior to that, my normal running load was 30+ miles per week on average.</p>
<p><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pzgANHbnNnkWh8Ft3J0DX4AJEJy8NjFz1jH7JeDqrTU/edit?usp=sharing">See the plan</a>.</p>
Truth, Detachment and Focus2017-01-20T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/truth-detachment-focus/<p>36 degrees. Dark. Damp. We pulled into the Bristol Mountain parking lot for Elizabeth's ski training and I quickly put on all my reflective running gear as she headed out to ski. A couple of moms and kids said, "are you running?" I replied that I was going to go out for 6 miles. "I'm scared to go out in the dark to run," said one and the other agreed. Then they looked at me and said, "but you do have all the right gear." I shared a bit of my story about the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/virgil-crest-100-relay-the-first-50-miles/">Virgil Crest</a> relay and said I wasn't a bit scared and headed out. Then of course I though about why I am not scared to run in the dark. It is totally because of my <a href="http://runningforpancakes.blogspot.com/2013/07/western-states-part-iii-journey.html">sister</a>. She does such hard core amazing things that anything I do pales in comparison.</p>
<p>I turned on a <a href="http://tim.blog/">Tim Ferriss podcast</a> that I had started in the car the day prior. I planned to finish listening to <a href="http://tim.blog/2017/01/16/the-return-of-the-money-shot/#comment_list">The Return of the Money Shot</a> by Whitney Cummings on this run.</p>
<h2 id="the-thing-about-podcasts">The Thing About Podcasts</h2>
<p>They me feel like anything is possible. I am energized and empowered and excited while I am listening. But, like a runner's high or a runner's invention idea, the feeling and the memories fade quickly after the run.</p>
<p>I often listen to podcasts on a run when pace isn't my focus. Just last week I ran while Xander had a ski race <em>(I ran while he was inspecting the course and was back to watch his race)</em> and finished it the next day when Elizabeth was training. Scott listened to the same one on his run at the same time in a different place <em>(we didn't plan this).</em> We both came home at dinner to eagerly share this great podcast that we listened to while running. But, we didn't remember all that much by dinner. I even had to go look at the show notes online and in the comment section I found the inspiring quote that I had loved while running.</p>
<p>As I pressed play and headed out into the darkness I looked forward to that feeling of a conversation with someone, that feeling that anything in the world was open to me; at least for the next hour.</p>
<h2 id="the-first-14">The First 14</h2>
<p>After the first 14 minutes of the podcast <em>(the part I listened to in the car)</em> I told Scott I wasn't sure if he was going to want to listen to this. Whitney took a very long time to answer the question about co-dependency and then delved more into it with the 2nd question. It wasn't exactly engaging but it wasn't boring either. I was hooked in a weird way, and said I did plan to finish it. Unfortunately, I identified with a lot that she was saying but I wasn't sure he would with the first 2 questions.</p>
<p>The sticky parts of the first 14 minutes for me included two lines:</p>
<p>"Perfectionism leads to procrastination, which leads to paralysis." and something about how co-dependent people "don't have fun."</p>
<p>I'm already working on the not having fun part and dumping activities that I do "because I have to." So, while I identify with a lot she said in these 14 minutes, I am happy to report that I'm "already on it" as far as changing my attitude for things.</p>
<h2 id="the-wrap-up">The Wrap Up</h2>
<p>Thankfully I had pressed fast forward for most of the dog part in the car. I don't love dogs and I couldn't really listen to the dog Q & A. There was a smidge left as I started my 2nd run so I zoned out and decided whether to stay on the main road or run a mile and turn off to a lesser traveled road. After I made my decision the dog part was over.</p>
<h2 id="equine-therapy-and-the-truth">Equine Therapy and the Truth</h2>
<blockquote>
<p>We lie all day every day and it is exhausting.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Whitney shared that when you encounter a horse you can be scared of the horse or you can not be scared of the horse and either is fine. What is most definitely NOT fine is being scared of the horse and <em>pretending</em> to be not scared. Horses do not understand the concept of a lie and it scares them.</p>
<p>She went on to share stories about her own equine therapy. She would select her horse to work with, and then the horse would be with her as long as the thoughts in her head were positive, honest, and she was fully present. As soon as she started to think, "I should get this done or I shouldn't be here because I need to do this that or the other" the horse would be distant and walk away.</p>
<p>She said that this therapy has helped her work on truthfulness. It is a very tangible reminder of the need to be honest and serves to point out how dishonest we are most of the time. A survival tactic learned in childhood for most. I started to think about how often we feel we need to lie. Usually the alternative is rudeness and we don't want to be rude so we pretend we like the dinner, the game, the party, the baby shower, the outfit, the present and the list goes on and on.</p>
<p>I'll share just a tidbit about the present thing. A hopelessly bad actress myself I spend most of my "after present" time feeling guilty that I didn't pretend better to like something. My daughter is similar to me; you know immediately when she doesn't like something even if she tries to be polite. My son, on the other hand, the self-proclaimed perfectionist and budding actor in the family, overacts when he doesn't like something and LOVES it. When he really likes something his reaction is more muted and comfortable. This other extreme of lying has its own set of consequences.</p>
<h2 id="detachment">Detachment</h2>
<p>I met my husband when I was 18 years old. I was happily in a long distance relationship that would last another 4 mostly happy years, but Scott and I made a connection the first day of classes that remained during college and beyond. It wasn't until after I'd broken up with my high school sweetheart and Scott and I had both finished grad school and were gainfully employed that I fell in love with him though.</p>
<p>Why then? That weekend I'd driven from Boston to NYC to visit him. We spent two nights hanging out, dancing and drinking. It was great fun, but even late into Friday night it was clear just how much he <em>needed</em> me to love him. I was off put by the desperate energy and told him straight out that I wasn't going to be in another long distance relationship.</p>
<p>He took it well. In fact, the next morning when I woke up he was out in the parking lot near his apartment playing street hockey. Shortly after I got up, he came back and we headed out to the city for the day. Something was different. His energy changed. We had the most amazing day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, we went out dancing until 4 a.m. and the next day we walked dreamily along the ocean.</p>
<p>3 days later we were dating <em>long distance</em> and 8 months later he asked me to marry him. Early in our relationship I asked him what had happened that day. He said, "I realized I cared more about your friendship than dating you." He continued, "I said F___ it! If I can't date her I might as well be her good friend."</p>
<p>Whitney's podcast shared just that. The delicate art of not caring what someone thinks about you. Not <em>needing</em> their approval, acceptance, love you name it. The energy that you put out is so much more positive and powerful that way. She also talked about the challenge in her industry <em>(and many others)</em> is to walk that line. To be a successful comic she must have people love her, but she can't care if they don't love her. She has to remain detached or it will hurt too much.</p>
<p>I related very strongly to this. I sell cake for my business and even after years of doing this, I try to avoid going to functions where the cake I sold is served. I worry too much that someone won't like it, someone will say something rude about it, and generally have a low level of stress around the event because of my cake. I'm getting better though and working to understand that some people will not like my cake, and some people will love it. People bring their own experiences and expectations into their cake eating and I can't control that.</p>
<h2 id="inches-make-champions">Inches Make Champions</h2>
<p>Toward the end of the podcast and my run, Whitney shared the above quote. I don't remember if it was hers or someone else's but it doesn't much matter. I have been to enough cross country meets and ski races to know this is true. That grit desire and heart is what makes a champion. You have to want it! I love the saying. It is a great reminder that you need to really WANT something and then you push yourself harder.</p>
<h2 id="focus-on-one-thing-at-a-time">Focus on One Thing at a Time</h2>
<p>"There are no awards for starting 15 scripts," she said. "You have to finish." She continued that it works better for her when she focuses on one thing at a time. Tim Ferriss talks about this a lot as well, and I do totally get where they are coming from. It is perhaps my biggest challenge as a person though. She did share that she also struggled with this - she has so many things that she's interested in, wants to learn, do, make etc. I am a mom, a daughter, a wife, a runner, a baker, a creative, a tutor, a writer, and the list goes on. Each day I do so much, but sometimes have nothing tangible to say I accomplished!! So, I appreciate her reminder and I will continue to work on this.</p>
<h2 id="and-the-window-closes">And the Window Closes</h2>
<p>Soon I am back where I started. The mountain. I look up and the skiing looks pretty good actually. I lament that I didn't bring my ski stuff (<em>the way to make sure I make good on my running plan)</em> but I'm also happy that I ran. I walk back into "the bubble" that we call home at Bristol Mountain. Elizabeth is still training, but a HS ski race is wrapping up. I take off all my bright running gear and sit to enjoy my <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/whole-bowl-tali-sauce/">Whole Bowl</a> dinner in my <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006H5V7ZY">mini crockpot</a>.</p>
<p>As the reality of the fact that I'm back in the "real world" settles in, I open up my <a href="http://www.apple.com/ipad-pro">iPad</a> and look up <a href="http://www.coppercolorado.com/winter">Copper Mountain</a> lodging. My goal tonight: decide whether we're going to drive cross country to see my friend <a href="https://10minutemiler.wordpress.com/">Anne</a> and ski out west for the first time or ski someplace in the east for a trip. Soon I have several lodging options and I've found discounted tickets for March. Now the question remains ... do we drive 25 hours or about 7? I haven't managed to decide yet!!</p>
Changes2017-01-03T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/changes/<p>As 2017 begins, it is a perfect time to reconsider how I'm using this blog and to plan my fitness for the year.</p>
<h2 id="gym-membership">Gym Membership</h2>
<p><a href="https://scottpdawson.com/">Scott</a> and I have been members at many gyms during our almost 19 year marriage. At almost every place we've lived, our first stop was to find a place to work out!! In Trumansburg, we put in a home gym when we built our house, with the intention to never pay fitness membership fees again. That all changed when I was injured while training for my first marathon. My physical therapist reminded me that at 38 I was no "spring chicken" and needed to focus on flexibility, strength - in short ALL areas of fitness! While our gym could give us a lot, we had settled into a pattern of mostly running and we realized that paying a gym membership would actually force us to use all they had to offer! So we landed in the gym that became like a 2nd home to us for the next 5+ years.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, there's been a recent shake up in the group fitness portion of our beloved gym and we're caught in the crossfire. We adore group fitness and we've come to know many of the instructors well during our time there. I won't go into the drama, but the only choice in this situation for us was to cancel our membership, effective at the end of January 2017.</p>
<h2 id="dailymile">Dailymile</h2>
<p>I've been a member of Dailymile for several years now and the weekend before we cancelled our gym membership I was skiing with Scott and said, "I think I'm going to switch over to Strava effective January 1st. I'm going to cancel my Dailymile account." Scott moved over to Strava last year, though he kept his Dailymile account enabled for occasional use. I've been on both platforms for a year now and barely cross post at all; using Strava only when I wear my TomTom for running or swimming. As a result, Dailymile serves as my social place and Strava is really not doing much of anything for me. It's ok, but I like how Strava does its reporting and tracking.</p>
<p>While on the lift I pondered more about it. If I know that I'm quitting in 10 days, why keep it now? I should just click delete and be done with it. I credit Dailymile with getting my fitness on track back when I joined. From day one of membership I never missed a workout. I met many people and stayed close with people I may have drifted from otherwise. I would be sad to say goodbye, but it felt like the only choice in that moment.</p>
<p>An Army brat, I'm no stranger to abrupt change, and with the shake up at the gym and some social stresses going on I felt like this was something I could control. A hard break from everything I had been doing seemed in order; sadly Dailymile was a casualty of my current place in life.</p>
<h2 id="the-in-between-time">The in-between time</h2>
<p>Right now I am in between. I'm getting used to using Strava. I miss the community of Dailymile. I am still attending my 2 favorite classes at the gym, but I know those days are numbered. Our gym uses <a href="https://www.lesmills.com/">Les Mills</a> classes, and thankfully they offer an <a href="https://www.lesmills.com/ondemand/?ici=try-workouts-from-home_btn-2&icn=On-Demand">OnDemand</a> option. Scott and I signed up for the free 10 day trial to give it a go at home and loved it! On the very day we planned to join, my sister gifted us an annual membership for 2017. I cannot even begin to express my gratitude both to Les Mills on Demand for existing and to my sister for giving such a thoughtful gift. While not a permanent substitute for group fitness, it will help us bridge the gap as we figure out our next steps. I'm already hooked on <a href="https://www.lesmills.com/workouts/fitness-classes/rpm/">RPM</a><em>,</em> <a href="https://www.lesmills.com/workouts/high-intensity-interval-training/les-mills-grit-strength/">GRIT</a> <em>,</em> and <a href="https://www.lesmills.com/workouts/fitness-classes/bodybalance/">BodyBalance</a>.</p>
<p>Thanks to my love of swimming that I got from Total Immersion coach <a href="http://www.totalimmersion.net/blog/author/coachshane/">Shane Eversfield</a>, we'll need to find a place with a pool so we'll probably join the <a href="http://www.ithacaymca.com/">Ithaca Y</a> when our membership is up. And, while it will take time to adjust, the silver lining is that we can introduce our kids to racquetball. Scott and I played racquetball together all through college and I am really excited to play again!</p>
<h2 id="and-the-blog">And the Blog</h2>
<p>If I hadn't abruptly deleted my Dailymile account I could go back and check stats for last year, look and see how I felt about things etc. However, in my haste, I deleted entire years of logging about my workouts. Going forward, I hope to use this Musing section of the blog for more regular thoughts. In many ways I'm excited about this. Dailymile served as a daily fitness journal if you will, and perhaps I'll find it fun to post more regularly.</p>
<h2 id="and-2017">And 2017</h2>
<p>My friend <a href="https://10minutemiler.wordpress.com/">Anne</a> has a great blog where she shares her raw emotions on random topics - not just exercise. Here <a href="https://10minutemiler.wordpress.com/2016/12/21/resolutions-for-2017-early-draft/">recent post</a> about New Years Resolutions made me think a bit. I've never been one to have formal resolutions, but each year I add a lot of things that I say I'm going to do regularly. I stick with most of them, because truly what I don't like about the resolution is not the resolution itself, it is not succeeding at keeping it. Some things I'm adding/resolving to change this year include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Figure out the "kill" shot: racquetball metaphor for making my fitness count. I hope to put in FEWER hours of exercise for more results. I strive to eliminate "junk miles" from my workout docket.</li>
<li>Get back into racquetball</li>
<li>Write 30 minutes daily. Scott and I started this yesterday. Our plan: write from 5:15-5:45 each morning. We'll use <a href="http://e.ggtimer.com/">E.ggtimer.com</a> to stay honest.</li>
<li>10 minutes of <a href="https://www.duolingo.com/">Duolingo</a> Spanish daily.</li>
<li>10 minutes of meditation daily. Scott and I are using <a href="https://www.headspace.com/signup?utm_source=google-b&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=US&utm_content=headspace_app&origintoken=google-b&gclid=Cj0KEQiAtK3DBRCBxt-Yxduq5p4BEiQAbFiaPQNg_Yc0f2HZkFYmFKn_5qypWXweoQiTGDYI6Mbm57AaAovQ8P8HAQ">HeadSpace</a> right now.</li>
<li>Drink a mixture of apple cider vinegar, water and honey before bed. I'm one night in having to plug my nose to get it down and I'm not sure that's gonna take, but I'm optimistically adding it to the list</li>
</ul>
<p>Anyone who reads this list who happens to listen to or read <a href="http://fourhourworkweek.com/blog/">Tim Ferriss</a> will probably recognize a few of the things on my list. I've been listening to his podcasts for awhile, and Scott bought me <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tools-Titans-Billionaires-World-Class-Performers/dp/1328683788">Tools of Titans</a> for Christmas and I've fallen madly in love with it!</p>
<p>There are more things, but they are all for my business, <a href="http://www.emoticakes.com/">Emoticakes</a>, so I won't list them in my personal musings.</p>
Jeff Cronk's Philadelphia Marathon Report2016-12-13T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/jeff-cronks-philadelphia-marathon-report/<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/12/Jeffs-Story-2.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Click 'read more about Jeff' for more" title="Click 'read more about Jeff' for more" /><p class="stickyNote">Click 'read more about Jeff' for more</p></div>
<p>I met Jeff on a popular workout tracking site, Dailymile. He was friends with my friend Christina and lives a few towns away from me. We began encouraging each other online as we each logged our workouts. It wasn't until a year or more later that I met him him person. We were at a High School cross country meet and we met in person. I don't always love social media. I frequently get caught up with feeling not good enough in comparison to others. But from day #1, Dailymile has always been a great community for me. I've always been very good about sticking to workouts, but the added connection element keeps me 100% honest. It has been many years, and many races since I've met Jeff. I still don't know him well in actual life, but we continue to encourage and inspire each other online. I was very moved by his write up about his Philadelphia marathon with his daughter and asked him if he'd guest post for me. Here is his race story. Jeff used to be a completely sedentary adult ... oh how his life has changed since he took those first steps to start to run again. <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/jeff-cronk/">Read more about Jeff.</a></p>
<h2 id="back-to-finish-what-i-started">Back to finish what I started</h2>
<p>Pins and needles….We had both been on them since the day Allison dared to mention the word. I had run my first Marathon in 2014 <em>(Wineglass Marathon)</em> I had trained hard and I had trained well. My weight was in check, I could cruise for miles at 7:10 pace <em>(Thanks Coach Weeks)</em> and I was <em>(unwisely)</em> pining for a BQ on my first try. Comfortably on BQ pace at 20 miles, I was suddenly and violently stopped in my tracks by uncontrollable muscle twitches, cramps, spasms …whatever the heck you call em….they hurt. Not once did I attempt to quit, or figure a way out this mess… It was finish. Nothing else mattered. That’s what I do. That’s what Cronks do. I massaged, and limped in to a 3:49:53 finish. Everyone said that was awesome finishing under 4 hours. But I knew I had left something undone.</p>
<h2 id="philadelphia-bound">Philadelphia bound</h2>
<p>Fast forward to 2016….2 years of continuous lower back issues, 15 pounds heavier, and more than a mile per minute slower in any distance, but still logging the miles… Allison batts her eyelashes and says “Dad, I really want to run my first marathon and I want you to run it with me!” I knew all along this had been on her list since she turned 18, but competitive college XC training was always in the way.</p>
<p>With her senior year of college nearly done, it was her last season of Cross Country, and I know my girl. If something is on her to-do list, she’s gonna do it…with or without me! I did have something to take care of “So take a look”, I said. “What could we run as soon as your season is over?” PHILADELPHIA she said excitedly. It’s the weekend AFTER nationals and BEFORE we stuff ourselves with turkey and pie. Only a 4 hour drive, c’mon let’s do it! Ok then let’s do it!</p>
<h2 id="training-with-allison">Training with Allison</h2>
<p>The summer of 2016 was filled with 600 miles of conversations, adventures, water bottle stashing, outdoor bathroom experiences, Gu stomach training, new routes, old routes, sun, heat, up-hills, down-hills, mooing at cows and rain. Wait, I don’t think we ran in the rain once that summer. It was NOT New York like at all…</p>
<p>At Allison’s first Cross Country meet her coaches remarked that she came in the best shape they had ever seen. Me? I could do the miles and, but still felt a bit heavy and slow. Like a Big ole bear.</p>
<h2 id="pins-and-needles">Pins and Needles</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/12/IMG_2171.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Philadelphia Marathon packet pickup" title="Philadelphia Marathon packet pickup" /><p class="stickyNote">Philadelphia Marathon packet pickup</p></div>
<p>It’s time to go kiddo. Got to get there and check in the day before. The car was way over packed <em>(as usual)</em> as we drove down the Turnpike on a rare 70 degree day in November. We rolled into town, those pins and needles sticking sharply in our brains, the weather man says to get ready for a change…cold front is coming. So we worried a bit about that and got on about our day.</p>
<p>I always find myself looking up when in the city. Probably a sure sign you are tourist is staggering and staring up in awe at tall buildings. The Philly Convention center wasn’t tall, but it sure was huge. Taking up several city blocks and even having streets go right through. We asked an obvious marathoner, where’d you get your bib? To which he repeated word for word what was written on our check in procedures. <em>(dorks)</em></p>
<p>We got our official “stuff” and bought few things including Ally’s soon to be earned 26.2 sticker for her car. All the Pasta eateries had an hour wait, so we settled into an inner city Chili’s. We knew the food and there it had open tables along with the SU game.</p>
<h2 id="cold%2C-wind-and-rain">Cold, wind and rain</h2>
<p>Back at the hotel, we began to plan for the big day. The temps were gonna drop into the 30’s. 50 MPH wind gusts and a bit of rain. If anybody would have been with us, they would’ve laughed and pointed and called us names. Like a soon to be bride, laying everything out, planning for the worst conditions, what do we wear to the start? What can we donate as we strip? Do we need a checked bag for after? Phone for pics? Food? Where is coffee? We figured it all out and the alarm went off a few moments later.</p>
<h2 id="and-we're-running">And we're running</h2>
<p>Time to run!! Let’s do it. We followed the crowd the ¾ mile walk to the start area. Lots of complaining about “those damn terrorists” as we were funneled through pinch points to check our bags and pat us down. A quick trip to the UPS trucks, a long trip to the porta potty line where it Seemed like we made life-long friends as we chatted and shivered. Off to the start line and the “green” corral. I wondered how many corral liars we’d have in front of us. Bill Rodgers gave a little speech, we honored our country, threw off some old basement sweatshirts and the gun went off. No turning back now.</p>
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<p>The first miles went fast in our heads, but not fast paced. About 10 per mile was all we could do stress free as we followed the crowd. Our goal was to finish, but if we could finish under 4 hours that would be a nice bonus. We had trained for 8:45 pace. We went right into the heart of the city. The crowds were amazing, inspiring and fun. The bibs had our names printed large enough for the fans to read….and yell. And YELL they did! Still cruising nicely, we made it to Penn’s Landing area. I recognized the Dunkin' Donuts I had frequented when we stayed down there last summer. I stripped my long pants and gloves as we headed back into the city by Drexel and into the Zoo. Men were running off into the trees to which I heard a girl mutter….” must be nice”.</p>
<h2 id="oooooh-we're-halfway-there!">Oooooh we're halfway there!</h2>
<p>We crossed each of the 10k markers together each time knowing FB posts and tweets were going out to supporters. At 13.1 we were just under 2 hours and I sang out loud … oooohhhh were half way there! Next, a guy behind me belted out the next verse. And then I followed. Feeling great as we came rounded toward the start, we crossed mile 14 when the winner came in. We couldn’t see him but heard the announcer say he had broken the course record by over a minute. Runners 2, 3, and 4 all broke the course record. We passed runner 5 as the out and back started…..6.1 miles out and 6.1 miles back. Everyone from then on would face each other. We saw both joy and agony. Often on the same face.</p>
<p>Despite a heavy swirling wind, which raced off the river, we really ran well from mile 14 to 20. Picking up the pace each mile, hitting 8:40 by mile 20. We laughed at the water stops; it was like locusts attacking as hundreds of cups pelted us as panicky volunteers chased them down. A few times the wind took my breath away and it seemed like I was on a treadmill. Watching the returnees with wind at their backs kept me pushing. The turnaround town was electric. Scores of screaming fans on every block, music cranking, screaming, singing, offering water, oranges, beer, and even tissues. The beer stops were so sticky, that you had to work a little harder to get by them.</p>
<h2 id="allison's-just-getting-started">Allison's just getting started</h2>
<p>Allison’s strength began to show. As I began to tire, she was getting faster, more excited I could tell. I was just excited to get to mile 21 without the spasms, but it was short lived. Just past 22 I could feel the calf tensing, hardening…. Please no! Please body, don’t do this again! I did everything right! I did everything you told me to. Don’t let me down now. Only 4 miles to go. I can run that in my sleep!</p>
<p>But it didn’t listen. I locked. Miles 22.5. Just over 3 hours. Right on pace. It is NOT a question of mind over matter….or ignore the pain…I could not move <em>(again)</em>!</p>
<p>Go get your time Ally. Go get it, I yelled again. Are you sure? she asked. I knew there was only one answer for both of us….. And off she went. My anger quickly vanished as I this proud Dad watched her pick up her pace and disappear into into the crowds of runner. I felt comfort in the fact that Allison was ready to finish what she started. I raised an amazing young woman that was fully prepared to finish something this difficult without me. She was ready to face the world! Her finish line pics were worth a 1,000 words as she cruised in to a 3:57:55.</p>
<p>I massaged out my locked up nether regions and got back to running. I’d get another half mile and they would lock again. A repeat of 2014, I had tons of energy and my mind was clear and strong. But I grimaced in pain, massaged, ran, walked and repeated until the finish was in sight…then to the screams of thousands of strangers…I crossed the finish at 4:20:27.</p>
<p>After a quick trip to the Rocky steps to flex our muscles and a hot shower, we climbed shakily onto our tired feet explored more city on foot.</p>
<p>Finding local wings, Philly Cheese steaks, Ice cream and Coffee…rewarding ourselves before another adventure <em>(feet of snow)</em> welcomed us back to New York.</p>
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<h2 id="we-are-cronks-...-already-seeking-our-next-adventure">We are Cronks ... already seeking our <em>next</em> adventure</h2>
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<p>Of course, we are already discussing options for the next one. After all, we are Cronks. And something has been left undone!</p>
Jeff Cronk2016-12-12T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/jeff-cronk/<h2 id="you-can't-change-your-past">You can't change your past</h2>
<p>I remember just a few tidbits about running when I was young. I could “run like a deer” according to the neighbor, I could win cross country meets in junior High, and I broke the 5 minute mile on a cinder track just before I was kicked off the team for smoking. I blamed everyone else for my “misfortune” and quit running for the next 30 years. How I’d love to go back and have a talk with that young man, tell him how it is….But one lesson I did learn, You cannot make a better past.</p>
<p>Besides the twice per decade ritual of buying the latest treadmill only for it to become a clothes hanger by Valentines’ day, I did nothing for my body. I worked hard at work. I worked harder at play. Both took their toll on my mind and body. As I stumbled through my late 30’s, I began to realize I was going stop living at all if I kept living like I was.</p>
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<h2 id="why-would-i-watch-a-race%3F">Why would I watch a race?</h2>
<p>Just over 8 years ago, as 40 came calling, and my oldest child Allison started her freshmen year, she joined the Groton Cross Country team and asked If I would like to go watch her 1st race! She tells the story often of what I said. “Now why would someone watch a running race? Everyone runs into the woods, stand around for a while and they all run out”. Ha! Little did I know the fun that I would have at 100’s of races.</p>
<p>Despite my feelings about running, I supported my kids, so I dragged my tired, 230 something pound body down to coach Scott Weeks pre-season fundraiser, The Groton Labor Day race.</p>
<p>Who are all of these old people? I asked myself. These are not just kids. I know him, I know her, I didn’t know you could run. And look. They are smiling, talking, high fiving, eating, having fun. All shapes and sizes, all age groups <em>(I had yet to understand the racing meaning of age groups)</em> at this point.</p>
<h2 id="i-used-to-be-fast!">I used to be fast!</h2>
<p>That’s it! I used to run! Heck 30 years ago I was fast! Maybe that will be the secret treadmill that will last a lifetime <em>(or at least as long I had left)</em> I went home and excitedly slapped on a pair of those thick gray sweatpants everyone owned, some k-mart flats, a backwards hat, and lined up at my mailbox.</p>
<p>I made it to my neighbor’s mailbox huffing and puffing. Face as red as a Santa suit.. A whopping 200 country yards or so. Hmmm, that was tough…but exhilarating at same time. The next day I made it to the next mailbox, By Saturday I could get to the 1st stop sign <em>(nearly a half mile)</em>. It was Thanksgiving 2 months later when I made it 3 miles for likely the first time in my life. Day after day, again and again….I’d run a little further, or a little harder. I still felt the same…it was hard, my body felt tired, but my mind was racing….my mind loved it. The weight started to drop, the miles got easier, the smiles got bigger, the shoes got more expensive, as well as the other gear. I to my surprise, my mind became clearer, happier, stress rolled off my shoulders all day long.</p>
<p>Pam, Adam, and Marissa joined in with Allison and me, and suddenly we were a family of runners. My first 5k and our first family 5k was the a Father’s day race at Lime Hollow in Cortland. I could not have had a better father’s day gift than to see my family at the starting line. I clocked my very first 5k with a sub 30 minute. It was my PR of 29:57.</p>
<h2 id="i-can't-imagine-not-running.">I can't imagine not running.</h2>
<p>Over the next 8 years I would drop 60 pounds and log over 8,000 miles. I would watch my family do some amazing things as well… I would shave 10 minutes off that 5k time and grab PR’s every month. I would log Every single mile along with a bit of tomfoolery on <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/">www.dailymile.com</a> where I (virtually) met some great people with the same passion as I. The only thing better was meeting those same folks in person the 1st time and again at local and XC races.</p>
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<p>Marissa Joined Cross Country and Adam, the fastest in the family, would whoop us all, even though he “hated to run”. They were always proud to report to me their new PR or new distance <em>(I was even more proud to hear it)</em>. My Wife Pam was just as proud when she finished her first half marathon.</p>
<p>Running, exercise, fitness <em>(boot camp)</em>, and mental toughness are part of my every day now. I could not imagine starting my day any other way! I don’t like me when I don’t run.</p>
<p>Read Jeff's <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/jeff-cronks-philadelphia-marathon-report/">Philadelphia marathon</a> race report.</p>
Pete Glavin Series Cross Country Race #52016-11-20T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/cross-country/pete-glavin-series-cross-country-race-5/<h2 id="weather">Weather</h2>
<p>After two days of 70 degree weather, our forecast called for 30s and lake effect snow with accumulation. Not feeling especially motivated, I emailed Brenda to see what weather conditions would make her bail. She said she was in no matter what the weather! Scott had signed up to try out the last race of the series as well, so really who I was I kidding - we were going to be going to the race no matter what the weather.</p>
<p>As we prepared to walk out the door that morning we were carrying a large cake for my business, Emoticakes, loading it into the car. Elizabeth said, "mom what is your goal for today?" I replied, "to get there!" in a grumbly tone. In truth, my goal was to run all the way up vomit hill and continue to run up the wall. The time that we ran the course a few weeks ago, I walked entirely when I hit the wall and took a few walking steps on the hill. After the cake delivery went more efficiently than planned I pointed out to Scott that we were going to be early and suggested stopping for coffee to kill time. He laughed and continued driving.</p>
<p>In truth, the weather wasn't really bad at all. It was cold and windy but the snow hadn't accumulated yet and it would be a fine day to run as soon as I came to terms with the fact that my feet would be sopping wet. Mostly I was grumbly because I hadn't managed to run during either of the lovely days of 70 degree weather and here I was heading out into winter running rather suddenly.</p>
<h2 id="warm-up">Warm-up</h2>
<p>We arrived and hung out inside Moakley House up at Robert Trent Jones golf course. This was fun! I've only ever been here in the summer when Elizabeth is there for golf camp. It was cool to see it all decked out for the holidays and it was amazing that we were allowed to use this space. I don't know that I could have been quite as upbeat if we only had a tent!</p>
<p>Before long a group of us headed out to warm-up. I whined a bit about my socks slipping, my feet getting wet and being cold, but really it wasn't that unpleasant. People chatted about how they felt, shared stories of trips and travel. Just like with any other race, everyone brought their own worries and hopes for the day.</p>
<h2 id="race">Race</h2>
<p>With about ten minutes til go time, they announced that it was time to head toward the race start. I was well dressed for running with my Brooks Run Happy thin shirt, an ear band that I won in the Steeplechase years ago and my nifty wind resistant gloves that Scott bought me last year. However, I wasn't keen on standing for 10 minutes. Brenda and I waited a couple more minutes and then strolled out there, hovering near the wall of the building until we absolutely had to go to the line.</p>
<p>Moments after arriving on the line the gun went off and we were running! It was unpleasant and then suddenly it wasn't. I settled comfortably into a pace rather quickly. I've been going to physical therapy for my shoulder mobility and in the first mile I sensed the difference after just 2 weeks of work. My airway felt more open, I wasn't feeling as hunched over and my breathing was easier. Though I'd been glum about not running for the prior two days, suddenly I felt rather happy because I felt more of a spring in my step than usual.</p>
<p>I passed several people and occasionally checked my watch. At one point prior to mile 2, my average pace had dropped to 8:23. I thought this was good knowing that the hills were at the end of the course and they'd slow me down. However, shortly after mile 2 the wind changed and the snow increased. Suddenly wind was gusting straight into my face and snow was pelting. I started to feel defeated.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neNMmDSGMr4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neNMmDSGMr4</a></p>
<p>As we hit an area of the course where we had to bound down a hill and then make a loop with a tight turn, I was so hungry that I was having trouble focusing on running. If someone had offered me food on the course I probably would have just walked off to eat. I started thinking intently about eating when Tonya's voice snapped me back into the race. She was so close behind me and she said something positive and encouraging. I had just over a mile to go! It was time to get my head focused.</p>
<p>We arrived at the downhill trail and I remembered Tonya sharing that some people would fly down the hill while others would take it more cautiously to make sure they didn't fall, and to reserve energy for the last two hills. I chose the latter and carried the energy into the final ascent. Before we headed up the hill I had an average pace of 8:32. By the time I neared the finish line, my average pace had dropped to 8:48. While rather bummed, I was very proud that I hit my goal of running the entire time up the hills. It wasn't fast, but it was running.</p>
<p>As I hit the final sprint in, I realized that I'd be annoyed later if someone came out of nowhere and passed me here. That gave me the energy to "sprint" in as the wind came fast and furious toward my face! I was so happy to be greeted by Scott carrying my New York City marathon poncho. I quickly joined my team in cheering!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/11/IMG_7492.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="The final sprint" title="The final sprint" /><p class="stickyNote">The final sprint</p></div>
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<h2 id="after-the-race">After the race</h2>
<p>Brenda and I went out to watch the men for a bit and then we popped back inside to warm up and then went back out to watch again. It was freezing but fun!</p>
<p>They had a lot of great food for runners - soup, salad, bread etc. Scott and I had talked about going to Viva after the race and then decided we'd probably stay for food.</p>
<p>Ultimately <a href="http://www.vivataqueria.com/">Viva</a> won out because those cheatin' vegan nachos just sounded so tempting! We chatted a bit and then headed down the hill to enjoy.</p>
<p>As we sat there waiting for our nachos, we received a series of texts from the kids. They were jealous.</p>
<h2 id="end-of-season-thoughts">End of season thoughts</h2>
<p>Cross country is a great stretch assignment. I am SO happy I signed up for this.</p>
<p>I look forward to next year and getting to know everyone better, training a bit better for this and keeping a positive attitude toward racing more often.</p>
<p>I also look forward to getting more comfortable with pacing. With Scott present, we'll be able to take pictures of our teams running next year.</p>
<p>This is something I love to do for my kids' cross country, so I think it will be great fun for adult cross country too.</p>
<p><a href="http://results.yentiming.com/2016/xc/PGXC/race5-11-20/women-overall.html">Official Results</a></p>
New York City Marathon 20162016-11-06T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/new-york-city-marathon-2016/<h2 id="3rd-time's-the-charm">3rd time's the charm</h2>
<p>The first time I tried to get into the New York City Marathon, Scott, Jenny and I all tried. I naively thought that we'd get selected! Considering that you can't link your names, the odds were definitely NOT in our favor. Scott was selected and he ran the <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/new-york-city-marathon/">2014 marathon</a>.</p>
<p>I was in the baking aisle in the early evening in Wegmans and Jenny texted me to see if I had checked my email about NYC marathon. "Oh dear," I thought. When I open my email I'm either going to have nothing there or an email congratulating me. I'd been through this before when Scott was selected. His acceptance note arrived at 5 p.m. and my rejection note came 4 hours later. I opened my email and YES there it was - Congratulations!! I timidly texted Jenny back, "did you get in?" Yes she did too. Time to plan!!</p>
<h2 id="unexpected-injury">Unexpected injury</h2>
<p>I had a fun year of races planned, including my first ever <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/intermediate-cayuga-lake-triathlon-2016/">Olympic Distance Triathlon</a>. Unfortunately, after the tri, I struggled with the transition to running. I logged the requisite miles for the Wineglass marathon training, but my heart wasn't as engaged as it should have been. Then, I injured my right calf 5 days before the race. I tried to run the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/wineglass-marathon-2016/">Wineglass marathon</a> anyway, and made it halfway, limping to stop at 13.1 so I had a chance of recovery for the New York City marathon.</p>
<p>I knew I had to play it smart to be able to go the full 26 in the TCS New York City Marathon. I waited two weeks after Wineglass to run again and took things very slowly. Then I entered a marathon training plan in the final 3 weeks of taper. My longest run in that timeframe was 12 miles <em>(not done consecutively but at least done in one day - 4 miles slow, then a race of 6K followed by the rest of the miles)</em>.</p>
<p>By the time the big weekend arrived, I felt reasonably confident that Jenny and I would be good running partners. We'd trained together for our first marathon and our first 50K and knew we could run comfortably together. I was recovering from my injury and was pretty certain I could make the distance. She was not as trained as she would have liked to be, but had a solid 20 miler in so she was very certain that she could make the distance. We never planned to race it - even before lackluster training and injury our goal was to enjoy this race, run a conversational pace, and have fun!</p>
<h2 id="the-laid-back-runner">The laid back runner</h2>
<p>The morning of the race I grabbed clothes and threw things in a bag, watched some of Titanic with Elizabeth and Scott and bid Xander farewell as he headed out to Area All State chorus. As I drove to pick up Jenny I wondered what I had forgotten. I had my shoes though so I could buy anything I forgot.</p>
<p>As Jenny got in the car we started talking about the race. She brought headphones in case we wanted to split up. Hmmm... forgot those. What else wasn't with me I now wondered? She brought breakfast like we both did before we ran <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/another-post/">Philly</a>. Nope hadn't packed that either. I was trusting on the hotel breakfast - food I wasn't used to eating. This is unlike me. We started reminiscing about our early days as runners when we thought through every scenario, knew the course inside and out, and planned minute details. In that moment I realized that somewhere between those early days and now was that sweet spot.</p>
<p>Soon we were almost to the city! Jenny got a picture of our "welcome" sign for the New York City marathon.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/11/14925691_10101201191674189_3563068308532530877_n.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Welcome to New York! Expect delays." title="Welcome to New York! Expect delays." /><p class="stickyNote">Welcome to New York! Expect delays.</p></div>
<p>We headed to our <a href="http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/hotels/new-york/hampton-inn-manhattan-seaport-financial-district-NYCSPHX/index.html">Manhattan-Seaport Hampton Inn</a> in lower Manhattan. Located just a block and a half from the Staten Island Ferry it was a perfect location for us.</p>
<h2 id="packet-pick-up-for-the-new-york-city-marathon">Packet pick-up for the New York City marathon</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/11/IMG_4832.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="We've arrived at packet pick up." title="We've arrived at packet pick up." /><p class="stickyNote">We've arrived at packet pick up.</p></div>
<p>I had big plans for us to arrive at our hotel and then walk up the <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/edc/pdf/greenway_mapside.pdf">Hudson River Greenway</a> to the <a href="http://www.javitscenter.com/">Javits Center</a> for packet pick up and then take the <a href="http://www.thehighline.org/visit">High Line</a> back. Jenny is generally a more sensible person than I am, and she suggested that it might be prudent NOT to walk an aggregate 10 miles the day before the race.</p>
<p>Upon arrival to the <a href="http://www.javitscenter.com/">Javits center</a> we quickly grabbed our bibs and saw signs for shirts. The problem - no size medium sign. They were out of Jenny's size! It was 3:24 p.m. and pick-up was open until 5. Jenny picked up a large and displayed grace. I couldn't help but think that I'd probably have had a mini temper-fit if they were out of my size.</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2016/11/IMG_4834.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Jenny" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2016/11/14956386_10101201191714109_8517781679262825317_n.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Me" />
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<p>We looked at the expo for shirts to buy and jackets etc. They had a lot of great things in size XS but not too many smalls and nothing in medium. So, we saved some money and then went to tour the exhibits, take a picture of ourselves, sample some food <em>(I sampled a lot more than Jenny)</em> and we headed to the High Line.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/11/14937186_10101201191808919_8572363800765498358_n.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Packet pick-up picture with the finish line in the background." title="Packet pick-up picture with the finish line in the background." /><p class="stickyNote">Packet pick-up picture with the finish line in the background.</p></div>
<h2 id="stroll-to-dinner">Stroll to dinner</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/11/IMG_4836.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="The pizza line was shorter than the pasta line so pizza it was!" title="The pizza line was shorter than the pasta line so pizza it was!" /><p class="stickyNote">The pizza line was shorter than the pasta line so pizza it was!</p></div>
<p>The High Line was crowded, but it was a more pleasant way to walk down to Union Square than taking city streets. I was in my purple Converse while Jenny smartly wore sneakers. Guess who had a blister later? Yup, definitely too laid back about races these days!</p>
<p>I had selected a short list of dinner options for us to choose from. We chose a <a href="http://us.vapiano.com/en/restaurants/vapiano-new-york-city-113-university-place-1/">Vapiano</a> in Union Square. We enjoyed a delicious pre-race meal along with a glass of wine. Of course I grabbed some gummy bears to go <em>(their signature thing and Xander's favorite end to the meal)</em> He asked me to bring some home, but I enjoyed each little bear myself!</p>
<h2 id="pre-race-hours">Pre-race HOURS</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/11/IMG_4837.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="On the Staten Island ferry before the race" title="On the Staten Island ferry before the race" /><p class="stickyNote">On the Staten Island ferry before the race</p></div>
<p>The next morning we popped up early and headed to our 6:15 ferry. With a 10:40 start and about an hour in transit to get there we knew we'd be sitting around for almost 3 hours. It would be a long morning. Luckily the weather was very temperate. We found a sunny spot to enjoy the wait and watch people.</p>
<p>Kudos to New York City marathon organizers for their incredible pre-race organization. Pre-race amazingness!</p>
<ul>
<li>Never have I been to a race with so many port-a-potty options. No bio stress!</li>
<li>Yes it was early, but waiting at the start for hours eased stress. This event was as relaxed as a community 5K.</li>
<li>Free bagels, bananas, coffee, hot chocolate, tea, water. Wow!</li>
<li>Free race morning hats in case you were cold from <a href="https://www.dunkindonuts.com/content/dunkindonuts/en/responsive/ddperks/splashpage.html">Dunkin Donuts</a>.</li>
<li>Frequent pre-race announcements so you can't miss anything!</li>
<li>Goodwill bins everywhere to donate your extra clothing.</li>
</ul>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/11/IMG_4841.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Before the NYC marathon wearing my Dunkin Donuts hat!" title="Before the NYC marathon wearing my Dunkin Donuts hat!" /><p class="stickyNote">Before the NYC marathon wearing my Dunkin Donuts hat!</p></div>
<h2 id="and-we're-off!">And we're off!</h2>
<p>Suddenly just like that <em>(after 3 hours)</em> we're in the corral slowly proceeding to the start line. Soon, they are making final announcements that we should not litter anything on the bridge, drop clothing or PEE! The last item risks being disqualified.</p>
<p>We're running! It is surreal that we are finally running. People stop to take photos and view the skyline. Suddenly we see a man peeing on the bridge. Really? Even with all those announcements, porta potties, garbage cans and Goodwill bins people pee, drop litter and shed clothing on the bridge. I wonder how bad things would be on the bridge if they didn't mention these things.</p>
<p>Once we crossed the bridge we shed our long sleeved shirts . We settled into a 10 minute mile pace. There were crowds and bands and the day was beautiful. Before long we were past the 10K mark and I was scanning to find the spot where I'd stood with the kids 2 years ago when Scott ran.</p>
<h2 id="mile-12">Mile 12</h2>
<p>My longest run since my injury was 12 miles. Until we hit mile 12 I had a nagging worry about my calf. As we crossed the 12 mile marker I said aloud to Jenny, "every step is farther than I've gone recently."</p>
<p>We hit a little bridge after the mile marker and Jenny said, "how is your calf? I heard, "Oh there's a calf." She meant my muscle and here I was scanning the crowd searching for a person dressed in a baby cow costume. A few moments later she asked again and I laughed as I shared what I thought she said.</p>
<p>Mid-way across that bridge they stopped us for the briefest of moments. Someone had collapsed on the course. I thought about my race just 5 weeks ago when I had to stop and limp. I hoped this person was not seriously hurt. After that point I started to notice people limping, stretching and walking on the course. I felt thankful that this was not me today.</p>
<h2 id="manhattan">Manhattan</h2>
<p>We entered Manhattan and we were running along 1st Avenue. The streets were barricaded and lined with people. I remember this from watching Scott. The atmosphere changed from laid back and casual to the feel of a real city race. I looked in the distance and saw no change in terrain for what looked like miles. I looked at my watch and discovered that our average pace was 10:10. Wow, cool I thought. It is almost mile 17. We'd stopped at almost every water stop and we were still at a 10:10. Pace was never our goal, but still it was rather extraordinary that to keep almost even splits. Jenny had asked me not to share any data so I'd agreed to keep my mouth shut. But, I couldn't help myself and said, "Hey I know you don't want any data but this is cool." "If it is going to make me have to run faster, I don't want to know," she replied. "No, it is just cool. You won't have to run faster." I shared the data and she said, "Oh, I thought we started faster than that." This was my first inkling that she wasn't in the same head space as I was.</p>
<p>A bit further up we stopped at another water station. Jenny nabbed a picture of all the cups littering the street.</p>
<p>As we continued, I opened my mouth again to say, "This is going to get monotonous," complaining that we were on 1st Ave so it wasn't very exciting. Jenny said, "you aren't helping things." I realized I most certainly was not! So, instead I jabbered on, speculating about how much more fun it would be heading down 5th on the return from the Bronx.</p>
<p>I was feeling happy and this was fun. The crowds were energetic and I felt supported. Early in the race I was grateful that I wasn't racing this because of the cups all over at the stops, you would have to weave around people to hit a pace goal etc. However, here at mile 17, I felt the energy from the crowd. It is so different to have that support. If I ever try to BQ again, I may choose a city race precisely for this support.</p>
<h2 id="the-last-6-miles">The last 6 miles</h2>
<p>The New York City marathon was my 6th marathon and the very first one for which the last six miles were FUN! At mile 21 Jenny asked how I was doing. "GREAT," I replied. She wasn't having as much fun as me and I felt bad. She told me to go ahead and finish fast. "No. That isn't my goal for this race I said. I just want to have fun." We've run enough together that we have experienced one person having a great training run and the other person struggling, but no matter how many times it happens, it isn't ideal for either person. I feel like more often than not I've been on the struggling end <em>(I still haven't been back to one trail that we did a 26.2 mile training run on because it was such a tough day for me)</em> but we both have handled these situations with grace and support. Today was no different. It was clear Jenny was struggling, but she kept putting one foot in front of the other with a great attitude. I was extra impressed because we are comfortable enough with each other to put aside the strong face and whine. She stayed strong!</p>
<p>At mile 22 we arrived in Central Park. I hadn't realized we had 4 whole miles in the park. I thought, "glad I'm feeling good because this would be really HARD if I weren't." Less crowd support, waning light and cooler air made this part more challenging than the rest of the race. When we neared Columbus Circle I was ready for the race to end. We hit the finish, got our medal and had the usual post race happy feelings.</p>
<iframe src="https://www.strava.com/activities/768830474/embed/b400ec815d238bebd4c52116a2c372bbfa18e527" width="100%" height="405" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
<h2 id="the-long-slog-to-ponchos">The long slog to ponchos</h2>
<p>When Scott ran this race, we had selected a post race meeting place at a local pizza shop. We had literally sprinted there to make sure not to be late based on how he was running at mile 22. Then, we ended up sitting in the restaurant FOREVER waiting for him. Now I understand why.</p>
<p>When we finished, we got our medals and then continued to walk along. They had silver blankets for us. We almost didn't take one because we knew we were getting ponchos <em>(we hadn't checked a bag so that was our gift)</em>. Soon, Jenny saw a group of folks clustered near the side getting bags. "What is that?" she asked. "Oh it appears that is the post race food," she said a moment later after seeing people eating and drinking. At this point, Jenny was not feeling great and needed that water and post race food.</p>
<p>We headed that way and waited for what felt like forever to get our bag. After waiting awhile, a volunteer said, "there is more down that way." I whined, "but we have waited a long time here. I don't want to go start in a new line." She promptly tossed me a bag. After getting the bag, Jenny said, "I really need to go over here and sit down." We walked over to the curb and she asked the volunteer if she was medically trained. "No but I can get someone who is," she said quickly. Before we could blink, someone was over checking out Jenny's pulse and confirming that she was ok. Jenny got some Gatorade in her and some pretzels and perked up. We had to fully exit the park to get to the poncho station. I was freezing by the time we arrived there and so grateful that we had accepted the silver blanket!</p>
<p>We slowly negotiated the streets and then hopped in a subway back to our hotel. We'd forgotten to take a picture of the Staten Island Ferry sign on the way in the morning, so we got one as we exited the subway.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/11/IMG_4846.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Staten Island Ferry sign" title="Staten Island Ferry sign" /><p class="stickyNote">Staten Island Ferry sign</p></div>
<h2 id="final-thoughts">Final Thoughts</h2>
<p>I absolutely LOVED this marathon. I very much wanted to run it 3 years ago, and really wanted to run it last year. This year, I totally forgot I put my name in for the New York City Marathon. I wasn't that excited and I felt bad about that, especially when I talked to friends who have been trying to get in for years. Jenny felt similarly to me, so I didn't feel quite so bad!</p>
<p>I knew from way back 3 years ago when I put my name in that I didn't want to race this. I wanted to run for fun and enjoy every minute. My take away from this experience is that a good goal is to reduce my "comfortable pace" so that I could have a faster "non racing" time. I remember a friend saying he was going to "just enjoy the sights" at the Philly marathon and shoot for a 3:15 <em>(he can run a 2:45).</em> I was so shocked to think that a 3:15 could be "enjoying the sights." Today I discovered that adding 30 minutes or more to your race pace makes for a run where you can truly enjoy.</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/11/IMG_6731.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="The kids begged for an after race selfie so we obliged!" title="The kids begged for an after race selfie so we obliged!" /><p class="stickyNote">The kids begged for an after race selfie so we obliged!</p></div>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>We finished in just over 4:30. With just a bit to go I looked at my watch and saw 4:28 and thought, "grr we are going to be just over 4:30" and then quickly realized that it didn't much matter. It felt the same as when we almost hit 6 hours in the 50K - we hadn't had a goal beyond finishing but suddenly being so close to a time threshold mattered somehow.</p>
<p>Results: 4:30:40, half marathon split 2:06:18 and overall pace 10:20.</p>
<p>Thanks to the organizers for putting on a fantastic event!!</p>
PGXC Cross Country Race #42016-10-24T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/pgxc-cross-country-race-4/<h2 id="my-2nd-cross-country-race">My 2nd Cross Country Race</h2>
<p>This is my first race since my calf injury at the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/wineglass-marathon-2016/">Wineglass Marathon</a> in early October. I've been very careful about coming back to running after injury, taking a full 2 weeks off from running before easing back slowly in. The <a href="http://www.tcsnycmarathon.org/">New York City marathon</a> is in 2 weeks, so I'm following the last 3 weeks of a Hal Higdon plan now to prepare for that. Jenny and I only hope to have a great time and to finish, so it won't be a race, but my body does have to be healthy to run the 26.2!! That means being careful in this race, and hitting 12 miles during the day to make my training goal.</p>
<p>After my first cross country race, I felt like this was something I'd like to do more of, but at the same time I felt wholly unprepared to participate. For this race, I carpooled with Brenda and Liz and as we neared the race, I whined a bit about how I didn't really think I was very good at this. I shared that I felt stressed about it, not terribly motivated while actually on the course, and yada yada.</p>
<h2 id="getting-ready">Getting ready</h2>
<p>We arrived with about 40 minutes to spare. We hit the bathrooms, checked in and found our tent. Minutes later a group of us headed out for a warm-up run. This course was in the same place as the famous <a href="http://www.mcquaidinvitational.com/">McQuaid Invitational</a> race that the HS boys and girls competed in earlier this season. I've been there once to watch and felt really intimidated. The course is all on grass, and I was really nervous about that!!</p>
<p>Our warm up was good though, and I liked the course. There was one, "friendly hill" that we'd do twice because it was a looped course. It was cold and windy and it had rained a lot two days prior, so I had planned to run with long sleeves under my tank and leggings under my shorts. I'd worn trail shoes for the mud. I realized during the warm-up that this was a bad plan. I quickly took the extra layers off and wore just the tank and shorts. The mud wasn't bad at all, so I switched into my more comfortable <a href="http://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/?mkwid=siOKhWetZ_dc&pcrid=101271390866&pmt=e&pkw=brooks&gclid=Cj0KEQjw4rbABRD_gfPA2-uQqroBEiQA58MNdBQ0I7FGEqGClvrej2Rz4J-4-c0-uZbWU1SOEDbCulwaAkfx8P8HAQ">Brooks</a> Pure Connects <em>(a side plea here, Brooks please please bring these shoes back)</em>!</p>
<p>We shared goal paces and headed to the start line. Tonya was shooting for an 8:30 like last week. I told her I'd try to stay a bit behind her, wanting to be cautious with my calf. In the back of my head, I knew that she'd go faster than 8:30. It was cold, windy and the course was flat and fast. I suspected she'd hit an 8 or so and I decided that 8:16 was my goal.</p>
<h2 id="and-we're-off">And we're off</h2>
<p>We lined up and soon the gun went off! It is a wide open start and then you funnel down into the path. Unlike last time, I had my Tom Tom so I knew my pace. Cautious to keep Tonya in sight and to keep my starting pace reasonable, I settled in toward the back of the pack rather early. My first mini loop was enjoyable and soon we were heading up the "friendly" hill. I adored this hill. I always remember my sister Sarah's words about hills, "equal effort" and kept focused on this as I increased my arm momentum to get up quickly. When I reached the top I was rewarded with a delightful little downhill. It was shallow enough that I could gain speed on it and I passed a couple of people.</p>
<p>Soon I heard our male team mates cheering me on. This gave me a boost and I started thinking, "yes I do like this" followed by, "maybe I can get better at this." Note to self: cheering does help me - just not on what feels like an impossible hill like at the last race.</p>
<h2 id="the-2nd-loop">The 2nd loop</h2>
<p>This was a 6K and my last race was a 5K. There were no kilometer markers so I was happy to have my GPS. On this loop, my stomach started grumbling like crazy. I had run 4 miles that morning before breakfast, and then come home to a delicious pile of scrambled eggs with spinach and sausage prepared for us all to dine on. That was around 8:15, and our race time was 11:40. Typically I would have had a snack before the race, but somehow I just forgot about that. I ate half the granola bar I packed right before the race started, but it wasn't enough to push hunger out of my mind.</p>
<p>So, around 4K into the race my brain became very focused on this hunger, how tired I was, how few people I was ahead of etc etc. I decided no negative self talk would be permitted and had a few mantras. They included;</p>
<blockquote>
<p>You are not hungry. This is a race. You are awesome. Almost done. You are not hungry. You are awesome. Almost done ...</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I repeated them in my head rapidly focusing on increasing my cadence. There were 3 ladies in front of me. My goal was to pass each of them. As I caught the first woman she said, "good job" and I told her good job too. She said, "you are the one catching me." Then, I caught the next person. I could see her cadence was slowing down. She was tired. I could stay ahead of her if I passed her. Soon I realized we were in the final .2 when I looked at my watch. Someone on the sideline yelled, "FLRC stop looking at that watch and RUN!" Yes it was time to sprint this in. I ran in hard, passing the last person just before the chute started.</p>
<p>Overall pace: 8:17. I was close to my goal pace! <a href="http://results.yentiming.com/2016/xc/PGXC/race4-10-23/women_overall.html">Overall results</a>; <a href="http://results.yentiming.com/2016/xc/PGXC/race4-10-23/women_age_group.html">Age group results</a>; <a href="http://results.yentiming.com/2016/xc/PGXC/race4-10-23/women_open_team.html">Team results</a></p>
<h2 id="pacing-thoughts">Pacing thoughts</h2>
<p>It was most amazing to have a GPS. But, I'm not yet sure if it helped me. My first race was an 8:23 pace and this one was 8:17. Basically this is apples and apples considering the other course was more challenging, BUT it was for a longer distance as well. I think what the GPS did for me was mostly emotional. I was able to settle into a pace with a full heart instead of feeling that panic of "how fast am I going?" If I hadn't had my GPS I would have thought I was running an 8:40 pace based on thinking Tonya was running an 8:30. That would have been fine, and maybe I'd have been pleasantly surprised at the end, but I don't know. One thing that regulating my pace did for me was to give me energy at the end to have a strong finish. At my first race, I don't have the benefits of the splits, but I knew that Tonya was behind me until she caught and passed me near the end. I started fast and slowed down. At this race I was steady and confident and more emotionally balanced.</p>
<h2 id="carpool">Carpool</h2>
<p>One of the best things about the PGXC series is the fringe benefit of carpooling. It seems like it wouldn't be a big deal, but it is big for building community. The last race I went with Brenda and had a great time catching up with a friend I don't get to see very often. This time, Liz joined us and we all got to know each other better.</p>
<p>We talked about podcasts, testing your aging by telomere length testing and the resulting potential effects on health insurance etc. We talked about running and our own goals, shared TV shows and more. This is one of the big reasons I wanted to sign up - for that camaraderie that is sometimes hard to find as an adult.</p>
<p>I appreciated the general group vibe at the race and I remembered my teammate's names!</p>
<p>There is one last race in this series and it is at Cornell. Elizabeth is hoping to come watch and cheer me on!!</p>
Wineglass Marathon 2016 (DNF)2016-10-02T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/wineglass-marathon-2016/<h2 id="injured">Injured</h2>
<p>A week prior to the race I pulled my calf. It happened in increments really. First, a bike ride and my calf cramped when I unclipped at an intersection. Then, it was tight the next day. Later that week, I ran my first <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/">cross country race</a> and later that day it fully gave out on a hike with Elizabeth. As we finished the Taughannock park rim trail, I dragged my leg behind me dejectedly. When I came home, Elizabeth used the stick to roll my calf out, and we began to prepare dinner. I hobbled around the rest of the night, and the next morning made a poor choice to attend 6 a.m. BodyPump. As I was limping from the car to the gym Elizabeth said, "are you sure this is a good idea?" I replied that I was certain that it was not in fact a good idea, but went to the class anyway. That night I realized that full on rest was my only chance for running the marathon Sunday.</p>
<p>A week of Epsom salt baths, a massage, lots of self massage and yoga and I thought I had a reasonable shot. I did a shake out run on Saturday and felt ok. Sure, my calf was still a little tight but I decided to give it a go!</p>
<h2 id="details">Details</h2>
<p>Two days before the race, I had a back and forth with my friend Darryl on Facebook. Darryl and I had "met" after he read my blog about swimming. He has an amazing story of injury and recovery, and we have since shared exchanges about swim challenges, goals for races etc. Rain was in the forecast. If it was pouring should I wear a tri suit? Would that feel ok for 26.2? Run with my phone or no? Music? It took a day and a half while the forecast changed a millions times and I finally settled on my lucky Chevron printed skirt, a purple tank top, calf sleeves and no visor. I also decided NO on music and NO for my phone. This would be a tech free race.</p>
<h2 id="goal%3F">Goal?</h2>
<p>After you run a few marathons everyone wants to know. Are you going to try to BQ? Hit a sub 4? Have a new PR? Scott was going to try again for a BQ. Darryl was going for a sub 4. I was hoping to finish, but more than that I thought I would like to run even splits. In my past 4 marathons I've started with an overly ambitious pace only to fall off after mile 20. I felt it was perfectly reasonable to hit a sub 4 since my other 4 were, and decided that I'd work with the gradual downhill and go for just under 9 minute miles.</p>
<h2 id="race-morning">Race Morning</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/10/IMG_4541.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Morning race text" title="Morning race text" /><p class="stickyNote">Morning race text</p></div>
<p>Scott and I fell into bed before 9 on Saturday night and popped up easily at 4:30 Sunday morning. We had our normal race day morning routine; coffee, a short TV show, hung out with our rabbit, packed some breakfast and we were on the road. On the way, we received a text from Elizabeth. She didn't have to wake up early today but she set an alarm to text us good luck!</p>
<p>We arrived, hopped into our bus line and before we knew it we were on the bus to the start. As we walked by the music I said to Scott, "This is the only music we'll hear until the end of the race!" We waited for porta-potties, met some people and generally just enjoyed the pre-race atmosphere. I was less nervous than <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/wineglass-marathon-2015/">Wineglass 2015</a> when I was going for a BQ time (<em>which I didn't quite do).</em> But, I knew Scott was really nervous. We got into what turned into be a too long bathroom line, exiting shortly before the National Anthem. I wandered over to the start and started looking for Darryl near the 4 hour pacing group. We had shared our attire plans with each other so we'd be sure to spot one another. I was looking for black calf sleeves, gray shorts, a white visor and white sunglasses. Really how hard can that be? I looked and looked but no luck. We weren't destined to meet up today. Soon it was race time!</p>
<h2 id="the-race">The Race</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/10/IMG_7194.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Ready to go" title="Ready to go" /><p class="stickyNote">Ready to go</p></div>
<p>I settled into a comfortable pace. Determined not to go too fast, I hit my target pace early on. I was near the 3:55 pacing group. As a general rule I try to stay away from pacing groups because I don't like to run with a big crowd and I'm not easily motivated by others. This group included one gentleman who kept clapping 6 times in a row. He was cheering everyone on and I'm sure that some people enjoyed that. I longed to go back in time and make the choice to run with music! Two ladies were running near me and they were trying desperately to slow down to stay right with the pacer. They kept stopping in front of me and then dropping back. Minutes later they would speed by.</p>
<p>I felt my first calf pain 2.7 miles in. I willed myself to forget about it. I would finish this race. My splits stayed even, my breathing was steady. I can do this I thought. My calf will be fine. And then, it wasn't. By the end of mile 8 every step started to hurt. I could feel myself compensating and changing my stride. Should I walk? Stretch? Slow down?</p>
<p>I wasn't tired, my calf just hurt. I kept running, and started to see my average pace go up on the GPS. I walked through the water stop and tried to run again. So much pain. I walked some more. Then, another attempt at running. More pain. I knew a medical tent had to be coming up, probably at the 13.1 so I kept limping along. While walking, I tried to decide whether to limp the entire race, try to run/walk through the pain or stop.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/10/Screen-Shot-2016-10-04-at-12.48.53-PM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Time to stop, or carry on?" title="Time to stop, or carry on?" /><p class="stickyNote">Time to stop, or carry on?</p></div>
<h2 id="finish%3F">Finish?</h2>
<p>I was still deciding what to do. I didn't have a phone. If I were to finish this I would potentially be out there til after the course opened up. I hadn't paid attention to course closure info because I didn't think I'd be out there long enough for it to matter. Scott would be worried about me. Xander wouldn't make it to his service project at 3 pm. Elizabeth needed us to pick her up at a golf match she was spectating. I should stop. I started having a dialogue with myself.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If you stop you won't get a medal. You will have to tell everyone you quit. But you are injured. You are running NYC marathon with Jenny in a month. Is it really wise to keep running on an injured leg? Scott will worry about you. You don't want him to worry, do you? The med tent has to be up here somewhere. If it looks unfriendly just go by and stay on course. If they are friendly you can stop.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 id="others">Others</h2>
<p>As I walked, HUNDREDS of people passed by me. I saw the 4 hour pacing group go by and thought I spotted Darryl but I wasn't sure. They looked strong and happy. Soon the 4:15 group came through, chatting away. There was a smattering of phone alerts as we hit mile markers. Many racers had signed up for runner tracking and their phones were alerting for current pace, average pace, projected finish etc.</p>
<p>Before long the 4:30 crew passed me and I was intrigued by the different personalities of each of these packs. Some groups had people on the phone with loved ones sharing their story as they ran, gear varied so greatly, and there were so many fun shirts. One of my favorites said, "what happens at mile 20 stays at mile 20."</p>
<p>I saw the sign saying that there was one mile to the med tent. I was nearing the half marathon point. Donuts and coffee were available for runners on the side of the road. A bunch of people headed over to partake. I looked at my watch "2:15 and change." Ironically I was going to be just a bit slower for this half that included 3+ miles of walking than I was on my first half when I had run the entire distance. At least I made it halfway.</p>
<h2 id="med-tent">Med Tent</h2>
<p>They did look friendly. I walked right up to the guy with the clipboard and said, "So, what do you do if a runner has to drop out?" He said, "go stand with this guy. We'll take you back to the finish." We waited for awhile, watching the groups go by. It was actually fun. Bandaids and BioFreeze were the most needed things, and it was great to know that they had help for those who need it.</p>
<p>Before long 3 of us climbed into the transport vehicle, joining the one woman already there. It was a steady stream of chatter as we all shared our stories. The driver was friendly as he navigated the race course to bring us to the finish. We were all sad, but we all agreed that we made the right decision for each of our respective situations.</p>
<h2 id="finish">Finish</h2>
<p>As we arrived back at the finish, we all hobbled out of the van. During the drive we'd stiffened up and it was probably a sight to see us limp out. I said farewell to my fellow passengers and I limped as quickly as I could to get my bag from bag check (I was freezing!) and then went to the finish line to greet Scott because it was about the time he should be finishing.</p>
<p>I arrived at the finish just in time to see Scott exiting the chute and entering the food area. He hit a PR but had missed his BQ. He was devastated and so sad to see me there already. It was an hour wait for a massage for him so we decided to skip that and head home. I drove as Scott stretched out in the back seat, barely conscious. Interested in his race? Read his <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/corning-wineglass-marathon-2016/">race report</a>.</p>
<h2 id="thoughts-about-a-dnf">Thoughts about a DNF</h2>
<p>I am person #3 in my family to have a DNF in a race. Scott experienced this in the Finger Lakes 50s last year due to injury, and Elizabeth passed out during her first Cross Country race this fall <em>(we think due to low blood sugar and excessive heat)</em>. Not being first made it a little easier to take. Everyone was compassionate and fully understanding. I don't feel great about having to drop out but I am happy that I was able to make the choice and not further injure myself by being stubborn about finishing.</p>
<p>We'll see what next year brings. It will either be a bit of a break from marathons or time to go for BQ again. I'll be able to qualify with the 45-49 age group since I'll be 44 by then, SO that just might make it worth the attempt! I get an extra 10 minutes, so I will need a 3:55 to qualify and probably a 3:52 and change to actually run the race.</p>
<p>Darryl hit is sub 4 goal!! I didn't get to see him at the race but it was right there in the results. Congrats Darryl!!</p>
PGXC Cross Country Race #22016-09-26T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/pgxc-cross-country-race-2/<h2 id="something-new">Something new</h2>
<p>This summer there was an email on the <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/">Finger Lakes Runner's Club</a> email list about the <a href="http://www.gvh.net/pete-glavin-xc-series/">Pete Galvin Cross Country series</a>. I was a soccer player in High School and I only got into running in the last decade. Now, both of my children run Cross Country so I've learned a lot about it. I talked my friend Brenda into signing up again <em>(she's done it twice before)</em> and decided to give it a go.</p>
<p>Why? Two reasons. I want to meet new people and I want to understand what my kids feel like on out there on the cross country course.</p>
<h2 id="this-sounded-like-a-good-idea-in-the-summer">This sounded like a good idea in the summer</h2>
<p>I had to miss the first race, so the 2nd race of the season was my first race. The week before we had a few emails about the timing and location, and some fun things happening after the race. Brenda and I planned to carpool and I planned to look at details on Friday night before Sunday's race.</p>
<p>It just so happened that the kids had races on Saturday. They were in opposite directions and both were over an hour away. My Sunday race was almost 2 hours away. Suddenly my summer ambition to try this out seemed foolish. Even so, I wasn't going to skip something I signed up to try, so I sorted out a plan with Brenda. We'd leave at 8:15 and arrive an hour before the race. Perfect!</p>
<p>The morning of the race my 15 year old daughter, Elizabeth, started to ask me some questions.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>How far do you run mom?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Hmm. I don't know. I didn't check the email. "A 5K I think?"</p>
<p>Later when she saw me in my capri leggings she asked, "are you going to run in tights?" "Yes. It is cold." I replied. "Well for what it is worth, I was hot yesterday in shorts and a tank top, so I think you should throw in shorts," she offered. I threw in shorts, borrowed her watch, grabbed my stuff and headed out.</p>
<h2 id="they-don't-follow-high-school-rules">They don't follow High School rules</h2>
<p>That morning I dutifully took out my earrings and left my GPS watch at home. In High School Cross Country neither of these things are permitted. When I arrived, I noticed that most people had GPS watches. Why didn't I throw mine in just in case?</p>
<p>We got our bearings, found our FLRC tent and team and got ready to warm up. It was only 50 degrees but it was sunny and felt HOT. I felt so grateful to Elizabeth for suggesting that I bring shorts and promptly changed into them. Soon we were gathered into our team and running the course. This was fun. We ran a comfortable pace and chatted a little bit as we ran. When I encountered the big hill at mile 2 that I knew was coming I was a little worried. My right calf is really tight and I wasn't sure how it would manage in the race. Soon we peeled off just shy of the last loop, making for a bit over 2 miles for a warm-up run.</p>
<p>With 15 minutes til the start we stretched a bit and then headed over to the line.</p>
<h2 id="this-will-be-over-in-less-than-30-minutes">This will be over in less than 30 minutes</h2>
<p>When my kids race I feel like I'm going to throw up ... the ENTIRE time they are running. I worry that a stray thought that I have could mess up their race. I wait and hope they emerge from the woods without tears, upright and happy. I breathe a huge sigh of relief when it is over.</p>
<p>Today for my own race I didn't feel nearly as scared. I was annoyed that I didn't have my GPS. I was worried about my calf. I lamented that I haven't been training fast at all while marathon training. But, mostly I just thought, "this will all be over in less than 30 minutes."</p>
<p>One of my team mates told us she was shooting to start at an 8:30 pace to help us use her as a marker. We had our team cheer and then we were off!</p>
<h2 id="and-we're-running!">And we're running!</h2>
<p>It was a wide start that funneled into a narrow path very quickly. I headed out on the slow side, cautious not to go out too fast. I settled into a nice rhythm rather quickly, but really had no idea of what pace I was going. As I ran, the thoughts just tumbled through my head;</p>
<p>I know why I never did this in high school. This is hard. Stay focused on roots. Then my little slogan "kooko bottom kooko bottom" crept into my head for what felt like forever. It does help with turnover on trails for me. Google should make something that can tell me where my teammates are because, wow, I really have no idea where I am relative to others. I see 2K spray painted on the trail. 10:28. Ok so that's about 1.25 miles. That's about an 8:30. Ok. There is the hill. Yuck! Ok no walking. No walking. You will make it up the hill without walking. I pass someone - yay! Then I walk. I have no idea why I walked. I wasn't especially tired. All I can think is that my stride was so short at this point I thought it might be better to walk. Someone was on the sideline with a camera. Someone yelled out, "you got this, almost there!" Suddenly I thought about Elizabeth's race in Groton where parents line the hill. We all cheer and scream. I have always thought we were helping. I wanted to hit the person who said "you got this, almost there." Perhaps we aren't helping so much when we cheer? Just like that we're in the final loop. Soon, I see a 4K mark on the trail and I hear Tonya come up behind me. I know I need to push harder to stay with her. She becomes my rabbit. As we get ready to leave the woods she says, "It's almost over when we get out of the woods." I know what faces me when we get out of the woods - GRASS. I hate running in grass. The open space with a trail marked reminds me of the hardest part of the Cayuga Lake Tri course. I keep pushing and try not to let her get too far ahead. I hate this. This is terrible. Actually, no this is fun. I'm changing my mind every second about how I feel. Pick up your feet! Move. No I don't actually care that much. I can't pick up my feet any faster. Oh look, there is the rest of your team. They are cheering for you. The clock is still in the 25s. Maybe I can get a sub 26. Pick up your feet! Faster. 26:01. Really? Really? Why couldn't you pick up your feet just a bit faster? Why do you always care more right AFTER you finish than when you can actually control how you do?</p>
<p>And just like that it was over. Less than 30 minutes of my life. A million thoughts. Soon I was chatting with team mates and hearing about great runs and personal challenges, falls and caught spikes.</p>
<h2 id="how-did-it-go-mom%3F">How did it go Mom?</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/09/text.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Texting my results" title="Texting my results" /><p class="stickyNote">Texting my results</p></div>
<p>After grabbing a bagel and some cider, I checked my phone. Time to share the stories with my family.</p>
<h2 id="what-i-learned">What I learned</h2>
<p>As we stood on the start line, the announcer asked us what we'd say about OUR race after we finished. He said he usually heard, "well, I got 78th behind so and so" as an answer. He urged us to think of OUR race in a different way. He said something like this,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>When I ask you about YOUR race, I'm asking about how YOU did. When you get to that hill at mile 2 and look at the 5 people ahead of you, how do you do relative to THEM. How do you feel when you finish. Did you give it your all? Your race is NOT how you did relative to so and so in the field.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It was a nice way to think of things. And, as I ran I thought back to watching my kids race. As people come through I wonder how they are feeling knowing a team mate has finished or how they are doing out there and feeling like it takes so long for each second to pass. I realized cross country is no different than any other race. There are a lot of people in every part of the race. You aren't aware of the gap of time between you and others - it is truly a race against yourself! Yes, the team is there and you are doing your best for them, but in the end it is a race against yourself - your job is to put it all out there and do what you can on that day. After I finished I took a picture of the results.</p>
<h2 id="and-i'm-going-to-do-it-again">And I'm going to do it again</h2>
<p>I liked it. It was hard and I wasn't always positive. But, I met some nice people, had a great ride up with Brenda and now I have a benchmark. Brenda and I chattered all the way home about the race, life in general and just had a good time. I learned everyone's name and hope to remember them at our next race!! And, Scott and I realized that Elizabeth will be able to drive next year so we can BOTH do it next year!</p>
Intermediate Cayuga Lake Triathlon 20162016-08-07T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/intermediate-cayuga-lake-triathlon-2016/<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>This year Scott and I decided we were ready to give the intermediate triathlon distance of the Cayuga Lake Triathlon a go! I started training with great enthusiasm back in March, roughly following a <a href="http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/training-plans-view.asp?planid=16&memberlevel=1">half ironman plan</a> I found on Beginner Triathlete. My reasoning was that I was also training for the Wineglass Marathon in October and this would keep me in good running shape. I quickly realized that I wasn't in fact training for a half iron and that the focused swim practice was something I wasn't really ready for. As such, I started following Scott's plan. He put the distances in our shared calendar each week and I just did my best to match what he was doing.</p>
<p>This year Xander was competing in the youth division again and Elizabeth and her friend Jessica would give the Sprint distance a go as a relay team. Their name: Chasing fish and scaring snakes!</p>
<p>I planned two sprint triathlons to help me prepare for this race. The first was the Tri for the Y in May and the 2nd was the Gillie Girl in July. Both were great fun and I'm glad I participated.</p>
<p>My run training was solid all winter and then I added the swimming and biking and as the season went on I started to slack on the running. As a result, I now need to hit the ground running (literally) to get up to speed for Wineglass in October!!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/08/IMG_6771.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Getting body marked by my mother-in-law" title="Getting body marked by my mother-in-law" /><p class="stickyNote">Getting body marked by my mother-in-law</p></div>
<h2 id="swim">Swim</h2>
<p>I have trained well for the swim this year. I started in the winter at the <a href="http://www.islandhealthfitness.com/">Island Health and Fitness</a> pool, gradually working my way up to 2500 with 3 training swims a week.</p>
<p>I moved to the lake on July 5th and managed 10 lake swims! Several of these swims were in very choppy conditions and the lake looked like glass for a couple of them! I am so grateful to my friends, Kathey and Bruce for letting Scott and me swim from their lake house as often as we want to. Elizabeth was my faithful kayak escort for most of these swims <em>(Xander joined in on the double kayak for one and Scott accompanied me for a couple)</em>.</p>
<p>Typically I do the sprint distance for this race, and that starts late! I have a lot of time to socialize and to think about what's coming up and to watch the water conditions. Today my wave assignment was FIRST! Nutrition was easier <em>(just eat at home)</em>, and I had hardly any time to stress or to socialize. Before I knew it, it was time to pop into the lake! My training sessions had ranged from 43-56 minutes per mile, so I expected and hoped to hit 45 minutes for the 1500 on race day. I truly thought I could do better than 45, but ultimately ended up hitting this goal.</p>
<p>I started near the front third thinking that it would be easier to be passed than to pass people. I swallowed a bunch of water early on in the chop but settled into a nice rhythm by the 4th buoy. As I comfortably breathed bilaterally I thanked my swim teacher, <a href="https://kaizen-durance.com/">Shane</a> - WOW - "I could never have done this before his class." That morning when I looked at the yellow turnaround I thought, "that's not too bad."</p>
<p>The swim was mostly uneventful. I was passed by a lot of people, but I kept my steady rhythm. I hit the sprint turnaround at 10 minutes and the halfway point at 24 so I was disappointed at having lost time in the 2nd quarter. The way back was demoralizing because the green caps <em>(wave behind me)</em> started passing me in large numbers and soon I was being passed by wave behind them. I had convinced myself that I was the very last swimmer from my wave by this point so I lost some of my positive attitude. My kids confirmed later that there were people behind me from my wave, so I felt a little bit better about my efforts. However, once results were up I HAD to go check to confirm this. Yes, in my entire wave of women ages 35 and older I managed to be faster than 7 of the 56 participants. My gut feeling that I was near the back was very correct. I was proud of one part of my swim. Near the halfway point, my goggles filled with water and I stopped on the buoy line to empty them. Last year I would have panicked about this, probably ended up shutting my eyes and swimming erratically just to avoid the need to stop and regroup.</p>
<h2 id="bike">Bike</h2>
<p>I grabbed a Gu and took in a bunch of water before heading on the bike. I learned from my friend Lynn that it works pretty well to ride without socks so my transition was quicker than if I had put socks on. I headed up the hill and got into a rhythm and soon I heard my friend Michael behind me saying, "your seat is too low and your knees are splaying out. I don't think you are getting a full rotation." I have a feeling this is what the woman was trying to tell me in my first group ride a few weeks ago but somehow it was easier to hear from Michael. Note to self, "must check out seat height."</p>
<p>I have no idea what was up with the start to this bike, but I had a really slow start! I had faster training rides with my kids up this hill and faster splits on 50 mile bike rides so .. anyway.</p>
<p>I got a boost when I hit the top of the hill when I saw the entire Knapp family out watching and cheering! Then, I passed by my friends the Mulfords who were also out cheering and got my second boost. When Scott passed me at mile 6 I looked at my watch and saw it had been almost 29 minutes already. Yikes. Slow enjoyable bike ride needed to end now! At this rate I'd end up with a nearly 2 hour bike time. I'm rather grateful that Scott passed me early on and I kicked my own butt to speed up.</p>
<p>I got a new bike this year and had planned to call this year the "year of the bike." However, I just didn't end up doing anything more than buying a new bike and riding a lot. Next year may have to be the year of the bike!</p>
<p>This ride was a little like a training ride for me. It was lonely. I passed a few people and got passed by many, but I was never around people the way you are in the sprint distance <em>(until we folded back into the last 7 miles)</em>. I enjoyed it though and did hit my goal of getting an average pace of over 15 mph <em>(I wish that I had hit 16+ but given my start my pace was in line with my expectations)</em>.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/08/IMG_2692-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Our fan club!! My parents are in the back row and Scott's parents are in the front row." title="Our fan club!! My parents are in the back row and Scott's parents are in the front row." /><p class="stickyNote">Our fan club!! My parents are in the back row and Scott's parents are in the front row.</p></div>
<h2 id="run">Run</h2>
<p>Every year when I run this I see the intermediate distance folks and think, "those poor people are doing this course TWICE." Today that was me. And you know what - it isn't that bad! This course is actually A LOT of fun. The first time out you can take it all in, set a comfortable pace and think, "I get to do this twice." I loved running by the water stops; each had a unique personality. I loved seeing people coming the opposite direction and cheering them on! This is the part of the race when I really realize just how many people I know along the course, both the participants and spectators and the volunteers. This is what makes this race so special for me. The vibe is so positive and fun!</p>
<p>My first 3.1 was about an 8:45 average and by the time I ended the 6.2 it had slowed to 8:57. I really thought I'd be lucky to be sub 10 after the other two things so I was reasonably happy with this performance. My friend Pete and his wife Hayley were out on the course and they snagged a picture of me running.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/08/run.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Getting ready to start the 2nd loop!" title="Getting ready to start the 2nd loop!" /><p class="stickyNote">Getting ready to start the 2nd loop!</p></div>
<h2 id="final-thoughts">Final thoughts</h2>
<p>This is a great race. It is FUN! It has fantastic post race food from <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/HomepageView?storeId=10052&catalogId=10002&langId=-1&clear=true">Wegmans</a>! I mean only in Ithaca can you even get the Wings of Life salad and they bring it to the race in a wrap. Free Ithaca Beer and Purity Ice-Cream. What more could you want post race?</p>
<p>The race is SO well organized - on the run course I think that every possible root or tripping hazard is marked in spray paint. There are fabulous volunteers at every possible location cheering you on, and the spectators line the course. This was my first time doing the intermediate distance and I was pleasantly surprised to see how many people were out in Sheldrake cheering all the bikers on. That is the most beautiful part of the course, and the crowd support was really awesome!</p>
<p>The lake? Well, that's some people's biggest worry. I fall into that camp. I've learned from Shane to embrace the day. Accept your limitations but don't dwell on them <em>(ok I did dwell a bit on my swim results today but not as much as I could have)</em> and remember everyone has to swim in the same conditions. One great thing about this race that I now know is not at every race is the wonderful buoy line. Really you can't get lost or very far off course with this line. Plus you can count buoys to keep you focused.</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>3:18:26, 6/10 age group <em>(40-44)</em>, 156/212 <em>(overall),</em> 46/78 <em>(female)</em>, swim 45:12, T1 2:11, bike 1:33:19, T2 2:21, run 55:23</p>
<p>Thanks to my parents and my in-laws for spending their morning down at the lake watching our entire family participate in this. It has become a wonderful family tradition for us all! Thanks to Scott's parents for taking great pictures for us! Check out the rest of the pictures and read all about Scott's race on <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2016-olympic-distance/">his blog</a>. Interested in other race reports from the day? Check out <a href="http://www.katie.camp/race-report-cayuga-lake-triathlon-2016">Katie's blog</a> and <a href="https://lauravoorhees.wordpress.com/cayuga-lake-triathlon-olympic-distance/">Laura's blog</a>.</p>
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</div></div>Gillie Girl Sprint Triathlon2016-07-17T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/gillie-girl-triathlon/<h2 id="i'm-in-for-the-gillie-girl-triathlon!">I'm In for the Gillie Girl Triathlon!</h2>
<p>My friend Lynn LOVES the Gillie Girl triathlon! She talks to me every year about signing up and my contention is that I'm not good enough to travel for a race. Scott and I do the <a href="https://ithacatriathlonclub.org/cltrace/">Cayuga Lake sprint triathlon</a> every summer and I usually do the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/tri-y-2016/">Tri for the Y</a> in Ithaca as a warm-up race for this. However, this year I'm training for the intermediate distance for the CLT and my friend Katie and I have also been talking about signing up for a race together. Katie has also done the <a href="http://gilliegirltri.com/event-details/">Gillie Girl triathlon</a> and enjoyed it. After looking at our calendars, Gillie Girl was the one that worked for us both so we picked it!</p>
<p>I've been doing pretty well with training for the intermediate distance triathlon. Originally I was writing up my weekly plan, but then as things got busier and busier I started trying to just do whatever my husband was doing to train. I figured if I could match his workouts I'd be ready. I got into the lake on July 5th and have been in several times since then. Even after a full year of <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/swim/">Total Immersion swim lessons</a> with <a href="https://kaizen-durance.com/zenmans-bio/">Shane Eversfield</a>, swimming is still the event that I need to work the hardest at, so I must be diligent about preparation.</p>
<p>While not incredibly enthusiastic to willingly travel for a race, I decided to stick with the plan and participate in the race.</p>
<h2 id="race-week">Race Week</h2>
<p>The Gillie Girl organizers sent us a final email the week before the race. It was filled with everything we needed to know. I appreciated all the information and quickly asked Lynn and Katie if either of them could pick up my packet. Lynn reminded me that I needed my ID and I'd get a wrist band and all that jazz. Oh yes, another reason I don't travel for triathlons - the added trip for getting my packet. Yes, I'm one of those spazzy people for whom race morning pick up is just palatable. Luckily Lynn was heading up on Friday and she was willing to have a passenger. I've been driving Elizabeth to golf things all around the area lately and I wasn't jazzed to have a solo drive to get my packet so I was very grateful to Lynn!</p>
<p>As it turned out, Katie was planning on staying with friends in Syracuse the night before the race. I thought Lynn's family was going up to watch and I was pretty bummed out about traveling alone to my first out of town triathlon. My family had other plans so they wouldn't be joining me either. So, I considered just not going because honestly I wasn't married to the race and figured I could work out here just as easily. However, I asked Lynn on the off chance that she'd want to ride up with me and she said yes. I was so excited to have company for the ride up and to have the moral support for a new race for me.</p>
<h2 id="pre-race">Pre-Race</h2>
<p>One thing that is nice about these early races is that I always get up at 5 anyway. My alarm went off at normal time and I had plenty of time to get things together for the drive. I packed my bagel and peanut butter, coffee, water and some raisins and headed over to get Lynn at 5:40. We had a really smooth ride up and got a great parking spot right near the event. Our friend Gilly parked next to us so we chattered a bit before going to get our bodies marked for the race.</p>
<p>Lynn helpfully guided me around and explained the swim course, scoped out a place for us for transition etc. This transition area was a lot different than the Cayuga Lake Triathlon. There were no numbered spots so we just picked our own. I liked this because I was near a friend and because I could pick a spot that I could easily remember. I didn't like the first come, first pick approach because I was afraid we'd get a bad spot, BUT we got a fine spot and it all worked nicely.</p>
<p>Soon Katie texted that she was there and we got a group picture with friend Cynthia, whom I only met recently at my first group cycling ride, and then we walked over to the water where Lynn snagged a picture of Katie and me. Before we knew it, there were pre-race announcements and the race was about to start! Time flew by!</p>
<h2 id="swim">Swim</h2>
<p>As I stood there on the edge of the water I contemplated how far I've come with swimming. Just a couple of years ago, I started the swim for the Cayuga Lake Triathlon and totally freaked out. After briefly considering quitting, I flipped to my back and did the entire swim this way. Now, thanks to one year of lessons with Total Immersion coach Shane Eversfield I actually enjoy swimming. I can swim more than a mile comfortably and do so several times a week.</p>
<p>Still, all the practice in the world doesn't take away the anxiety of swimming around that many people! This swim has no buoy lines like I'm used to in the CLT. We swim from one large buoy to another and then to shore. There is a brief out of the water stint and we pop back in. A couple of years ago I think I would have panicked about this, but today it made me feel a bit stressed but not overwhelmed.</p>
<p>Knowing I'm a slow swimmer and not wanting to be passed by everyone, I started in the middle on the edge. I got into a rhythm pretty quickly and was able to sight well. As I swam I thought of Shane. I really can't express how grateful I am for the time he spent teaching me. The difference between swimming now and before his class is drastic. During this swim there were times where I thought, <em>"I don't like being close to this many people,"</em> and <em>"I wish I wasn't in this lake."</em> But, I never felt panicked or like I couldn't dot even once.</p>
<p>I looked at my watch as I came out of the water from the first loop and it was 7 minutes and change. At the exit of the swim <em>(where the transition pad was)</em>, it was 17:50. I never inquired about how the distance split out for loop one and loop two, but if they were even my first split was faster than my 2nd. It felt faster, but Lynn thinks that the 2nd loop is slightly longer. If so, that makes for about even splits. My recorded swim time was 16:44. I'm not sure if something went awry with timing on this race because I could almost swear that the first time I looked at the results everyone was about 2 minutes slower <em>(my time was 20 and change and I was annoyed that I must have shut my watch off early)</em>. I'm perfectly happy with a 16:44, but feel like it means that this swim is short of being an 800 meter distance OR the bit of time on the sand really speeds things up!</p>
<h2 id="transition-one">Transition One</h2>
<p>My swim to bike transition was one of the worst in the field (2:24). I actually compared my transition time in the results and I was 90 out of 286. Only two of the people who placed in front of me had a slower transition time than I did. This was a great reminder that transition times matter. I hadn't worn a tri top and decided that it is important to save that step of putting on a shirt to bike/run in. I also need to switch belts - my running belt that has pockets to hold things requires that you snap the number on after you clip the belt together and this is challenging to do. Lesson learned!</p>
<h2 id="bike">Bike</h2>
<p>I hopped on the bike after my long transition and was immediately happy with how flat and smooth this course was! My pace was fast for this as I started and I really enjoyed the ride. I was passed by one woman from the wave ahead of me, and then I leap frogged with a woman from my age group several times. I passed a lot of bikers but these two are the only ones that passed me that stuck out (<em>I could have been passed by others and not remember</em>).</p>
<p>The splits have me at 45:45.8 but my watch was 49 and change. I do believe my watch is correct as I started it after I crossed the start pad and I swear I stopped it promptly. Plus, a split of over 18 mph is very unlikely for my riding history.</p>
<p>After the race I talked with Scott about my time and how I raced. I shared that whenI saw the average speed increase I'd slow down thinking I couldn't maintain that for the duration. He said he's been riding without average speed displayed so that he just rides what he feels comfortable maintaining. I do think I shall try this for my next training ride and see how things go. The power of the mind is so strong and just thinking you can't or can do something can really make it happen!</p>
<h2 id="transition-two">Transition Two</h2>
<p>There is no time listed for transition 2 in the results, BUT the first time I checked the results it was listed as 2:28. I think that they just added this to the run time <em>(see below)</em>. I fiddled with my visor for about a minute and struggled to get the other half of my bib attached to my belt <em>(it had been flapping about on the bike).</em> For the CLT I shall have proper tri gear on and save myself some time in transition!</p>
<h2 id="run">Run</h2>
<p>This was also uneventful and the time also doesn't match with my watch OR the original postings for the run. My original "official" time was 24 while my watch time was 24:34. When I went to write this post I checked the run time again and the new time is 26:58.9.</p>
<p>This run was good - it was more hilly than the Cayuga Lake Triathlon course but it was all pavement. There was plenty of support. They even had the fire department out spraying people with water! I need to work at working harder on the run portion. It is the least important part of a tri, but it is also my best part so I should push harder!</p>
<h2 id="race-thoughts">Race Thoughts</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/07/gillietri.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Lynn, me, Cynthia, Katie" title="Lynn, me, Cynthia, Katie" /><p class="stickyNote">Lynn, me, Cynthia, Katie</p></div>
<ul>
<li>You really don't have to be an amazing athlete to make it worth traveling for a race. This was fun!</li>
<li>I have to work on transitions.</li>
<li>Swimming is still a weakness for me and I will continue to focus on improving this area. However it felt nice not to be petrified at the start of a swim.</li>
<li>All the people I know won or came in 2nd in their age group. I came in 10th of 65 in mine. I should be happy with that result but I ended up feeling really depressed afterwards. I have to work on comparing myself to myself instead of others.</li>
<li>I think I'll do this race again next year! It was a really fun experience.</li>
</ul>
<p>Katie also wrote up her experience from the Gillie Girl Triathlon. <a href="http://www.katie.camp/race-report-gillie-girl-tri">Read all about her race</a>.</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Overall time 1:35:51.7; 48/286 (overall) and 10/65 (age group 40-44). <a href="http://www.auyertiming.com/results.php">Official Results</a></p>
Women's Distance Festival 20162016-07-14T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/womens-distance-festival-2016/<h2 id="running-with-friends">Running with Friends</h2>
<p>Every year Elizabeth and I run this race! We have ended up having other people join us almost every year and this year was no exception. We signed up the two of us using our now familiar team name, The LizERDs where the ERD comes from Elizabeth's initials so we KNOW it is spelled incorrectly. Elizabeth learned that her band teacher was signed up to run and we asked her if she'd like to ride with us. My friend Katie had been asked to be the lead biker for the race but she decided she would rather run it. We asked her if she'd like to come with us and she was in too! Read <a href="http://www.katie.camp/">Katie's race report</a>.</p>
<p>That day, the forecast during the <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/road-races/womens-distance-festival-5k/">Women's Distance Festival 5K</a> was terrible. Weather called for 93 degrees and humid with a really high chance of thunderstorms. Last year it was pouring rain so we braced ourselves for more of the same. Actually it was really fun in the rain, so we weren't all that worried about weather.</p>
<p>That morning though the forecast changed. Our revised forecast: sunny, warm and humid. We could manage that! A hot run in July at 6:30 - count us in!!</p>
<h2 id="the-race">The Race</h2>
<p>We headed to pick up Sarah and Katie and there was NO traffic to Ithaca so we were really early to get them. No traffic on the way to Dryden either so we were there with plenty of time to spare.</p>
<p>On the way over we discussed goals. We all had our own and some of them depended on who showed up. Last year Elizabeth and I placed 2nd as a mother/daughter team. The daughter in the mother/daughter team that beat us WON the race! As soon as we arrived we saw. They saw us and we all joked about being each other's competition. We picked up our bibs and Katie registered and soon we were standing on the start line. There were not very many participants for this year's Women's Distance Festival. We weren't sure if it was because of the terrible weather last year, the rough forecast (that didn't materialize) or the time of day (6:30 p.m.) but this was the smallest field we'd ever seen here.</p>
<h2 id="and-off-we-go!">And off we go!</h2>
<p>As we headed to the start I shared that I was SO scared. The 5K distance is my biggest challenge - it should be all out running for the entire time. I really struggle with hitting a pace that I can hold for the full 3 miles. There is a fine line between the pace that's going to give you a cramp at mile 2 and the one that you can get to the finish with. I think Elizabeth has a similar struggle with this.</p>
<p>Moments before the start I asked her if she had any goals. She wasn't feeling very well so I wasn't sure what she was thinking for the race. I really wanted to know if she hoped to run together. She said she didn't have a goal, so I started the race not quite sure what to expect.</p>
<p>I settled into a pace next to the mom from the mother/daughter team we were competing against but she pulled ahead of me not far into the course. Soon, Elizabeth and I settled into pace next to each other. I passed her on the hill thinking I would beat her. Famous last thoughts.</p>
<p>Just before the water stop which is located halfway up the largest hill on the course, Elizabeth pulled ahead of me. Ian, owner of our <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/">local running store</a>, manned the water stop. Unfortunately, I fumbled with my water, spilling it and ended up walking through and I lost more space to Elizabeth.</p>
<h2 id="miles-2-and-3">Miles 2 and 3</h2>
<p>On the way to the Women's Distance Festival, Katie and Sarah asked us about the course. I described it this way.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The first mile is along a horse track and it is really nice and shaded. Then you turn left and hit an uphill that goes on FOREVER and it feels impossible. Then you hit the last half mile and it is a lovely downhill into the finish.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>As I was running along enjoying the rolling hills between the 2nd and 3rd mile I realized that my description wasn't really that accurate.</p>
<p>Step, step, yes she's still up there. I look back and there is NO ONE behind me. I am solidly in 5th place and Elizabeth, about 10 seconds ahead of me, is in 4th. The other team has 1st and 3rd. I have never been in a race so small that it is feasible to be in the top 5. My pace is hovering at around 8 minute miles, not spectacular at all. As is typical, I didn't check my time from last year so I don't have a time I'm trying to beat.</p>
<p>As I comfortably run, I watch my daughter. She has a comfortable stride and seems like she can run forever at this pace. I wonder if someone would get that same sense looking at me from behind. I also wonder why I struggle so much with pushing myself faster than is comfortable. I must work on this. I feel like my ability for self preservation is VERY strong.</p>
<h2 id="finish">Finish</h2>
<p>I tried to catch Elizabeth and she tried to catch the person in front of her, but we stayed in our 4/5 spots respectively. It was the first time she's ever beaten me in a 5K - by 10 seconds! I was really excited for her!</p>
<p>When I finished the race, I turned around and ran the course in reverse. As I ran up the hill out from the finish and enjoyed the rolling hills in reverse, again I realized just how incorrect my description of the course was for Katie and Sarah. Note to self, "don't scare people in the future."</p>
<p>It was fun to cheer people on while running it as a cool down at an easy pace! When I arrived back at the finish, Elizabeth was waiting for me. They had given roses to all the runners after us (they ordered 3 dozen but there were 40 participants). She was REALLY bummed not to get a rose. She said the woman told her that there may be one left at the end so I walked over with her. No luck. She was really bummed. While she had been waiting for me, they gave the last couple to others that had also not received one, so I felt bad that she missed a chance to get one because she was waiting for me.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/07/Screen-Shot-2016-07-19-at-9.42.48-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Jennifer, Lesley, Katie, me, Sarah, Elizabeth" title="Jennifer, Lesley, Katie, me, Sarah, Elizabeth" /><p class="stickyNote">Jennifer, Lesley, Katie, me, Sarah, Elizabeth</p></div>
<p>After the race we received our age group awards and/or team awards <em>(the benefits of a small race)</em> so we posed for a picture with our friend Lesley and her mom. It was a fun evening for everyone!!</p>
<p>And of course, we couldn't break tradition. Our evening ended with Elizabeth, Sarah and me enjoying a fantastic dinner at <a href="http://www.vivataqueria.com/">Viva Taqueria</a> in Ithaca.</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Amy 25:05.6 5/40, Elizabeth 24:55.6 4/40; <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/2016/07/womens-distance-festival-5k-run-walk-2016-results/">Official Results</a></p>
Gorges Ithaca Half Marathon2016-06-18T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/gorges-ithaca-half-marathon-2/<p>This is my fourth half marathon (so far) in 2016. It is Scott's "year of the half marathon" <em>(he's run 5)</em> and somehow I was following close in his footsteps. In the Fall of 2014, I ran the Wineglass Half and upon arriving, decided that I wasn't really a fan of the distance. Somehow it seemed too short to bother with all the pre-race stress. But, we live 20 minutes from the start line, race director Ian Golden always puts on a great event, and heck, I'd run it last year with my friend Jenny and had a blast! I decided I should sign up for the second year.</p>
<p>I paid no attention to the course and didn't have any kind of race strategy or focused training. I'd recently run <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/bostons-run-to-remember/">Boston's Run to Remember</a> with Xander. Prior to that I'd raced the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/flower-city-half-2016/">Flower City Half</a> by myself, hitting a course PR! This was going to be a fun, hometown run with friends!</p>
<h2 id="a-week-before">A week before</h2>
<p>Scott and I signed up months ago, back when the race was affordable and you had to put it in your race calendar to avoid accidentally slotting something in its place. The week prior, after enjoying Boston's Run to Remember, Xander said, "Are we doing <a href="http://rednewtracing.com/GorgesIthaca">Gorges Ithaca</a>?" We said, "Yes, Mom and Dad are." He replied, "Well I want to do it!" I looked at his sister and asked her if she was up for running with him as I continued, "I'm running with my friends." She looked at me and said, "Really Mom? I don't really want to run another half so soon." Scott wasn't up for giving up a race to run with Xander during his year of the half marathon. I didn't feel comfortable with our 12 year-old running solo and selfishly, I wanted to run with my friends. We dropped the conversation and a day later the kids came back to us saying they were in.</p>
<h2 id="the-days-before">The days before</h2>
<p>I decided it might be prudent to actually look at the Ithaca Gorges Half Marathon <a href="http://rednewtracing.com/GorgesIthaca/Course">course map</a>. I glanced at it and saw that we'd hit a hill around mile 9 <em>(turns out it was actually mile 7)</em> and I thought the hill was "un-runnable". Close to the hill from last year's course, I thought it took a steep turn to the right. I spent time telling people that I would be walking up that hill and blabbed on about it being too hard to run. I'm sure I annoyed people who actually knew that the hill was gradual and rather fun, but they politely put up with my nonsense. We all got our race day clothes out and were ready for the early start.</p>
<h2 id="early-start-and-before-the-race">Early start and before the race</h2>
<p>About the early start. Since we now get up at 5 am every day, a 7:30 am race start in my hometown is not actually early to me. We had time to enjoy our typical morning coffee, eat breakfast and leisurely saunter off to the race. When we arrived we chatted with local friends, and I realized I didn't have my race band for post race beer and food <em>(Scott picked up our bibs and I didn't know about the band. Of course the rest of my family had theirs on. Luckily my friend Jess was working the same day pick-up table and she quickly hooked me up with one!)</em></p>
<p>We posed for a family picture, gathered with a bunch of local friends and enjoyed small talk before the race. Soon Scott peeled off to get into race mode and the kids bid us farewell as they found a spot to start from. Jenny, Christina and I confirmed that we were just running for fun with no time goal and no stress. It felt a bit like high school conversations that I frequently had, "Did you study for the test?" followed by, "Oh good, neither did I" as we went in but without the secret goal of acing said test. Not one of us really did care about how fast we went. We just wanted to enjoy the run!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/06/IMG_6478.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Four Dawsons, pre-race" title="Four Dawsons, pre-race" /><p class="stickyNote">Four Dawsons, pre-race</p></div>
<h2 id="the-race%3A-gorges-ithaca-half-marathon---first-half">The Race: Gorges Ithaca Half Marathon - First Half</h2>
<p>The start was really low-key and relaxed. It almost felt like a group run as we started off. We settled into a comfortable conversational pace as we began. The early miles passed quickly and I found myself admiring the scenery like a tourist instead of a local. I don't enjoy running Cass Park trails because they are flat and I don't find them very inspiring, BUT as I ran in this group and listened to people chatting around me, I realized I have just become numb to the beauty of the area. If I were on the canal in Rochester I'd probably be marveling simply because it isn't in my own backyard.</p>
<p>We caught up with our friend Chantelle around mile 5 or so and joined her for awhile and we passed my kids around this same time. They had started with a speedy pace and I knew when we saw them that Xander would struggle later. He is only beginning to learn about pacing. In the back of my head I worried about his sister having to motivate him up the hill but trusted that she could do it.</p>
<h2 id="the-hill">The Hill</h2>
<p>Jenny and I started to talk about the hill. I thought it was mile 9 and she thought it was closer to mile 7. It turns out it was around mile 7.5 so Jenny was closer! I intended to walk up this "un-runnable" hill. However, I am not very good at starting again if I walk. So, I thought, "I'll run as long as I can up this." Soon we hit the hill and it was shady and cool and we didn't take a right up the steep part of the hill. Instead it was a gradual climb that was actually FUN! I I just ran and ran ... and ran.</p>
<p>Soon we were at the top of the hill, running through Cornell and back into the streets of downtown Ithaca. We waved to friends working course crew and water stops and enjoyed the views. There was one part of the course that was a windy downhill that was really fun!</p>
<h2 id="post-race-party">Post Race Party</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/06/IMG_6471.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Elizabeth and Xander after the race." title="Elizabeth and Xander after the race." /><p class="stickyNote">Elizabeth and Xander after the race.</p></div>
<p>As we crossed the line, Ian announced us. It is always fun to have Ian announcing. When I first picked up running as an adult and went to visit his store, <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a>, he sold me my very first pair of running shoes <em>(and many pairs since then).</em> Ever since that first interaction with him I've appreciated his energy for the sport. I grabbed my post-race reusable water bottle and finisher plate and went to watch for my kids. It wasn't long before they crossed the line and we were all reunited!</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2016/06/IMG_6473.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Post-race food on the Ithaca Commons" />
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<p>At 9:30 in the morning suddenly we found ourselves enjoying fruit, veggie burgers, corn and more from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/YellowTruckCatering/">Yellow Truck Catering</a>. We even enjoyed <a href="http://ithacabeer.com/?age-verified=8f11c954de">Ithaca Beer</a>!! I love that about racing: the odd hours that you can consume things and have it feel totally normal. We hung with friends, posed for pictures and celebrated our morning together.</p>
<p>As for the kids, Elizabeth said it was someone else's turn next to run with Xander. The hill was a struggle for her to motivate him through, as I suspected. Xander asked when he could do a marathon and we all laughed. We told him it would be best for him to get a lot more training under his belt before tackling that distance, but that we applauded his enthusiasm!</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.leonetiming.com/2016/Roads/GorgesNet.htm">Official Results</a></p>
Boston's Run to Remember 20162016-05-28T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/bostons-run-to-remember/<h2 id="selecting-the-event">Selecting the Event</h2>
<p>Last Fall, we got a call from our real estate broker letting us know that we had found a renter for our house over Cornell graduation weekend. This is something we typically do, and usually we stay local. However, this year we thought "let's do a race!" My brother-in-law lives near Boston and we thought it would be fun to visit him. As luck would have it, Boston's Run to Remember was scheduled for that weekend. Soon to be 12 years old, Xander was VERY excited that there was no minimum age limit for this event. He felt ready to run his FIRST half marathon.</p>
<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>We decided that since this is Scott's "year of the half marathon" that he would race solo, I would run with Xander, and Elizabeth would decide closer to the race how she'd run it. This would be her 4th half marathon, and if she chose to run alone, it would be her first time running in a HUGE race solo. The day before the event, she decided to give it a go, sharing with us how grateful she was to have had the experience of running Wineglass alone this Fall, while our friend Brenda generously rode the bus with her and guided her to the start. After that experience, along with 2 other races with me, she felt ready.</p>
<p>The kids followed a training plan (for the most part). Xander wasn't so great at hitting his mid-week runs, opting to enjoy time on his bike instead. He did hit every long run, so while we knew he wasn't fully trained, at least he had experience running 10 miles. Elizabeth trained better than her brother, but even she wasn't as well prepared as she has been for her other races.</p>
<h2 id="boston-the-day-before">Boston the Day Before</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/05/IMG_3164.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Boston Duck Tour" title="Boston Duck Tour" /><p class="stickyNote">Boston Duck Tour</p></div>
<p>It was 94 degrees and humid. We checked into the <a href="http://www.seaportboston.com/">Seaport Hotel</a> right near the start/finish and picked up our packets. After enjoying time with Scott's brother and his wife and son the day before, we had planned a rather low-key family day in the city. Our plan was to not tire Xander out and to do a few touristy things. We used to live in the area many years ago, but didn't do any typical tourist things then. Xander loves to plan trips, so he had selected the <a href="http://www.bostonducktours.com/">Boston Duck Tours</a> as his big pick for the day. We headed over to the Duck Tours on foot, planning to take the kids to our old favorite burrito spot, <a href="http://annastaqueria.com/">Anna's Taqueria</a>. It was good, but I couldn't help thinking that some things were best left as memories. My heart belongs to <a href="http://www.vivataqueria.com/">Viva Taqueria</a> in Ithaca now, and I was sad to lose my most lovely memory of Anna's by returning.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/05/IMG_3147.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Crush Pizza" title="Crush Pizza" /><p class="stickyNote">Crush Pizza</p></div>
<p>As we wandered the streets, we ended up near the Museum of Science to buy boat tour tickets. I saw the banner for the IMax film, <a href="http://nationalparksadventure.com/theatres/">National Park Adventure</a>. I said, "I want to do that!" and everyone else thought it would be pretty cool too. So, we picked up tickets for both things for later in the day and continued wandering around the city.</p>
<p>We stopped for a quick dinner at <a href="http://www.crushpizza.com/">Crush Pizza</a> and laughed that we had put about 10 miles on our feet! So much for keeping things "low key" for Xander. We had a wonderful day, but he was completely <em>exhausted</em> when we hit the bed.</p>
<h2 id="pre-race">Pre-Race</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/05/IMG_3158-e1464640246345.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="American flag" title="American flag" /><p class="stickyNote">American flag</p></div>
<p>With a 7 a.m. race start, we were up at 5 to get ready. We enjoyed our bagels and peanut butter in the room and chatted about how it was the first time the 4 of us were at a big race when were ALL running. At this point, Xander was still not that jazzed to be running with me. He felt ready to run alone. I told him when he saw how big this race was, he'd feel grateful for our plan.</p>
<p>We ventured outside and his eyes grew wide. He whispered, "I'm happy that we're running together." I smiled and said that I was too <em>(there were at least 13,000 bibs between the half marathon and 5 mile races)</em>. We said our goodbyes to Scott and then the 3 of us made our way to our starting spots. Xander and I would line up at the 9:30 min/mile area and Elizabeth would continue to thread her way up through to the 9 min/mile area.</p>
<h2 id="and-we're-off!">And We're Off!</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/05/IMG_3173.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Me and Xander" title="Me and Xander" /><p class="stickyNote">Me and Xander</p></div>
<p>As the gun went off, Xander and I started with our music on. We chatted here and there and I told him I'd keep him updated about our pace to let him know when we reached a 9:30 average. At that point, we could just maintain the pace and not worry about speeding up. After weaving and bobbing for the first 2 miles, we finally hit a 9:30 average and settled into a rhythm. As with the first time I paced Elizabeth, Xander and I hadn't really run together before. We were pretty comfortable for not having any experience as running partners. I had to go to the bathroom from almost mile 1, but decided that I didn't want to mess up Xander's race if I didn't have to. Instead, I chose to skip all the water stops, except for a quick sip at mile 5 and again at mile 10.</p>
<p>The course loops along the Charles river with 2 separate out-and-backs and we knew we had a good chance of seeing Elizabeth. We ran by her near mile 4 and then again around mile 7. It was fun to see her and cheer like crazy for her!</p>
<p>On the 2nd out and back there were a lot of police cars and they were all out there to high five us. This race is held in honor of men and women of the police and fire departments who have lost their lives on the job. It was an honor to be part of it, and felt very special to have so many of them out on the course.</p>
<p>As we neared mile 8 I noticed that Xander didn't have his music in anymore. I said, "do you want to chat?" He looked at me like I had 9 heads and snapped, "no!" So, I kept my music in and kept on running quietly next to him. Around mile 10 he was flagging and I suggested that he grab gatorade at the next water stop. I tried to explain that most people start to feel tired around this point and that it would help him. He said he was fine, clearly taking it as though I was saying that HE needed it, and that HE was struggling. At that moment, a woman on his left started a conversation with him, telling him how amazing he was and asking his age etc. I felt like a really bad Mom, knowing she probably thought I was pushing him too hard. I decided to keep my mouth shut and just let him run on. Soon, he said, "can we walk?" I said it might be hard to start again, and he saw the water stop in the distance and said, "I can make it to there." As we neared the stop, I asked if he wanted to try the Gatorade. He said, "sure" and I grabbed a cup too just in case he wanted another. He guzzled the first glass and happily gulped down the 2nd glass followed by more water. Soon we were in that final push.</p>
<h2 id="the-last-2-and-the-finish">The Last 2 and the Finish</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/05/IMG_3188.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Finished!" title="Finished!" /><p class="stickyNote">Finished!</p></div>
<p>As we passed by one of my favorite parts of downtown, I mentioned that I used to hang out with my friends here all the time when I lived in Massachusetts. He said, "quiet" and I laughed a little bit in my head. As we hit mile 11, I said, "only 2 to go - just like running the 2 mile loop at home. You are almost done!" He said, "I am NOT almost done!" and I started thinking about how hard it must be to pace someone for 100 miles. You really have to check your ego at the door!</p>
<p>Luckily at this point in the race, Xander started to get a lot of encouragement from other runners. A few people ran by cheering for him, and one lady was so impressed that he was 12 and doing this that she just chatted with him for quite a distance. I could feel the spring in his step come back as we neared the end. Soon we were racing each other in toward the arch!!</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/05/IMG_3157.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Post-race frozen greek yogurt bars" title="Post-race frozen greek yogurt bars" /><p class="stickyNote">Post-race frozen greek yogurt bars</p></div>
<p>After the race we enjoyed some awesome frozen greek yogurt bars from <a href="http://www.yasso.com/">Yasso</a> that we had tried at packet pick up the day prior. Xander also wanted to find some of the yummy <a href="http://www.noosayoghurt.com/">Noosa Greek yoghurt</a> we'd tried the day before, also at packet pick up. No luck with that one, but we did remember the name for later! This made me think about marketing - back to one of our early races when <a href="http://cheribundi.com/">CheriBundi</a> <em>(then Cherrypharm)</em> was at the Rochester Marathon. I'd tasted one small cup and loved it so much we've been subscribers ever since <em>(and told all our friends about it)</em>! Xander was smitten with the Noosa lemon yoghurt, so we promptly looked it up and discovered that our our local <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/">Wegmans</a> carries it!</p>
<p>We posed for pictures, chatted with each other and headed up to our room to shower. Aah, the wonderful benefits of staying right at the start/finish! That was SO awesome.</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/05/IMG_3191.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Xander had a GREAT race" title="Xander had a GREAT race" /><p class="stickyNote">Xander had a GREAT race</p></div>
<p>Xander had a GREAT race. He started strong and finished strong. He had only a few moments when he felt like he couldn't continue, and we had just a bit of stress during the run.</p>
<p>I was happy to pace him for his first big race! I imagine there will be many more in his future!!</p>
<p>Xander 2:08:28<br />
Age Group 18/39 (18 and under)<br />
3559/6214<br />
<a href="http://www.coolrunning.com/results/16/ma/May29_Boston_set1.shtml">Official Results</a></p>
Tri for the Y 20162016-05-08T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/tri-y-2016/<h1 id="the-dream">The Dream</h1>
<p>The day before the race, I spent the morning with my kids at NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association). Scott worked on the set for Xander's play, and then he headed up for packet pick-up. We learned that I was to head out at 8:30 and Scott would begin at 9:15. I felt excited and ready, though I was sad that my friend Anne wasn't here to do this with me again this year. I was excited when I learned my friend Christina was in my heat and also my friend Gail from swim class.</p>
<p>Then, it was time to go to sleep. I have this great new sleep app called <a href="http://www.sleepcycle.com/">Sleep Cycle</a> and it measures the quality of my sleep, lulls me to sleep with soft ocean waves and even measures my pulse in the morning. I set it up and headed to bed at 9. A few hours later I woke up believing that the swim was across a muddy river with a strong current. In my dream I was fighting with Scott saying,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I don't care if we paid for the race! I am not swimming across that river. I draw the line at current and it is freezing and raining.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Also part of my dream was one woman who was allowed to swim in a calm blue river with dolphins. She was the only one. Everyone else had to swim across the muddy river.</p>
<p>Thankfully when I woke up for real I quickly realized that it was only 400 yards in the pool. Yikes I must have been anxious. My sleep quality was an abysmal 59% <em>(down from a normal high 70s or low 80s)</em></p>
<h1 id="getting-there">Getting There</h1>
<p>We decided to skip the pre-race meeting and arrive an hour before my heat. As we exited the highway, it started raining. What?? There was a 0% chance of rain at that time and no rain on the radar. Thankfully it was just a very brief passing shower. We did have two garbage bags each just in case though!</p>
<p>We quickly got our bikes set up, did the usual socializing and got comfortable in the pool area. One of my favorite parts of this race is seeing everyone, and I felt generally happy, though slightly crazy to be out on this cold, very windy morning. It was 43 degrees and the wind was really strong.</p>
<h1 id="the-swim">The Swim</h1>
<p>I found Gail and asked her if she wanted to share a lane. I was comfortable swimming next to her and I knew she'd be faster than me so we'd be off pace from each other (hence not bumping into each other). I warmed up a bit in the warm pool, mostly making sure my goggles weren't going to leak. Gail and I met a woman in our heat named Mary who is getting back into triathlons. It was fun chatting about the local community and encouraging her to get involved.</p>
<p>Before long it was time to start. I can swim a long distance now after taking a <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/swim/">full year of lessons</a> with TI Expert Instructor Shane Eversfield, but I swim one speed regardless of how long I plan to swim. Shane thinks that I need to do some PT for my shoulders - they cave in and they are really little. I need this to have more power in the water. As I started, the familiar panic set in as well as the negative self talk, "What are you thinking? You still can't swim. You are going to be the last person in your heat." After about 2 lengths of that I said to myself, "You can swim. Just because you WANT to be faster doesn't mean you CAN be faster today. Just relax, swim and have fun." I did relax after that and the swim was quite lovely. Soon, the red kickboard came down to let me know I had one length left. There must be something wrong with the counting. Gail was still in the pool and I KNEW she was more than 25 yards ahead of me. I confirmed with my counter and thought, "Wow, I'm faster than I thought."</p>
<h1 id="transition-1">Transition 1</h1>
<p>Putting on a long sleeved shirt, vest, running jacket, windbreaker, long pants, hat and mittens along with all the usual things like cycling shoes and socks and helmet took a LONG time!! It was freezing and windy and I felt it was better to take the time to get everything on than to rush out and freeze for an hour. Soon I was off, but I was well behind Gail and Christina <em>(both beat me out of the pool so it was fair to expect but I had hoped to be faster than them at transition and shave some time off).</em></p>
<h1 id="the-bike">The Bike</h1>
<p>Last year was the year of the swim and this year is our year of the bike. That meant it was time for a new bike. Our friend Jim gave us a list of things to look for and our friend Katie also gave us great tips. Armed with all that knowledge we headed to <a href="http://cayugaskiandcyclery.com/">Cayuga Ski and Cyclery</a> to look. We met Anthony there. He is an avid cyclist and all around great person. He spent a ton of time with Scott and me answering our questions, helping us select what would work best for us, and later fitting them to us. I have been biking quite a few times and LOVE my bike so I was excited to ride it for the race!</p>
<p>I headed out to follow my rabbits, Gail and Christina. It took me 5.4 miles to catch Gail. We chatted briefly as I passed her and wished her well. I caught Christina by mile 7.4 and I had to work SO hard to get to her that I was rather confident that I'd see her again. Sadly there was no new "rabbit" after Christina. I still struggle to set a consistent pace, finding it much easier to chase someone. Without someone to chase as we hit some hills, I lost ground and Christina caught up to me. We leapfrogged a few times. It was fun to keep seeing her on the course.</p>
<p>The only notable thing about the bike ride besides the crazy WIND was that I was totally prepared for the weather. I found this amazing as I NEVER ride when it was cold. I left this ride thinking I SHOULD and remembering my kids' pre-school philosophy, "there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing." My windbreaker is a cast off from my sister and I thanked her repeatedly in my head on this ride for giving it to me. It was a lifesaver!</p>
<p>I did come in the wrong side of the bike finish and had to cut back over, but that was MUCH better than getting lost and doing an extra mile like I did last year!</p>
<h1 id="transition-2">Transition 2</h1>
<p>The sun had come out by this time so I took off all my layers except my trusty Turkey Trot shirt. Thankfully I hadn't thought to prepare my shoes by untying my laces. My hands were completely numb and I couldn't have worked laces. I smashed my feet into the already tied shoes and hoped for the best. Numb feet, numb hands and I was off!</p>
<h1 id="the-run">The Run</h1>
<p>I consider myself a weak swimmer, a novice biker, and a pretty solid runner. I knew this would be my best leg if I could get past the numb hands and feet. Almost a mile in, my sock was slipping so badly I couldn't run. I stopped and pulled it up and tied my shoe. My hands were ok by this point. I lost about 40 seconds so my average pace dropped to 9:22. I wasn't happy so I worked on speeding up. By mile 2 the average pace was 9:02 - better. Soon I was heading downhill on Cherry. As I hit mile 2.5 I read the average pace again - 8:49. I set a goal of an average of 8:30. One nice thing about running long so often is that 4 miles felt like a joke. It was easy to crank up the speed for this distance, especially knowing I was done with the uphill part. I finished strong with an overall average moving time of 8:22 not counting my stopped shoe tying time.</p>
<h1 id="overall">Overall</h1>
<p>I LOVE this race! As my friend Paula said this morning, "This race let's you know you need to get training for summer!" I met several new people, saw people from my gym and enjoyed the camaraderie among the athletes. Oh and I talked with Gail afterwards. She swam an EXTRA lap. It was my fault - I told her they put a red kickboard down when you had 25 yards to go. I didn't realize they had BLUE and RED kickboards. She saw the blue kickboard and didn't know it was her last one. I felt bad but she was really chill about it so that was good!</p>
<p>Despite the cold, it was a great morning. If you live in or near Ithaca, definitely consider adding this to your list of races for 2017.</p>
<h1 id="results">Results</h1>
<p>1:55:38<br />
<a href="http://www.pcr-timing.com/racedata/2016/05/Tri/AllParticipatsTri2016.htm">Official Results</a></p>
Flower City Half - 20162016-04-24T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/flower-city-half-2016/<h2 id="on-a-whim">On a Whim</h2>
<p>On Tuesday as we drove to Ithaca for something, my husband said, "You know there are still spots in the Flower City Half. Wanna come with me? I'd love your company at 5 am." Hmmm... I originally didn't register because this is Scott's year of the half marathon. I've run it before and we wanted one of us free to drive the kids somewhere if they had something going on. As luck would have it, they were free and my training called for me to run 2 hours on Sunday. "Sure, I said. Let's do it!"</p>
<h2 id="not-trained-to-race">Not Trained to RACE</h2>
<p>I ran the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/skunk-cabbage-half-marathon-2016/">Skunk Cabbage Half</a> two weeks ago with my friends, Christina, Chantelle and Jenny <em>(though mostly with Christina).</em> It was GREAT fun! I didn't feel ready to race a HM and just enjoyed a nice run with Christina. It wasn't slow by any means, but I wasn't working to hit a PR, making it a fun conversational run with a friend.</p>
<p>So, as I thought ahead to the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/flower-city-half-marathon/">Flower City</a>, I remembered the one time I raced this. It was 2014 and my goal was to have a PR. For me at that time a PR was a sub 1:50. I trained hard all winter, religiously doing speed work, long distances and getting out there even when it was VERY cold, rainy, or snowy. This year I hadn't trained and didn't feel a bit ready to race. But, as luck would have it, I am training for my first Olympic Distance Tri. An article that I recently read on <a href="http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=2714">beginnertriathlete.com</a> said this about getting faster.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Get out of your comfort zone: Too many times I see athletes that run their 5k, 10k, and 21k races at the same pace. I often wonder how this is possible. My hat is certainly off to anyone who steps up to the start line of any distance, but if you don’t have the ability to get out of your comfort zone, you won’t get faster, no matter how far you can run at one pace. Workout with faster athletes once per week and see what it’s like to swim, bike or run at a faster pace than you currently do. Even changing up your run pace by 15” per mile will give your body a challenge from the same old, same old.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Perfect! I would RACE this event. I've done several half marathons in the last year, but this would be the first time shooting for speed since October of 2014 when I hit my PR in the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/wineglass-half-marathon/">Wineglass Half</a>.</p>
<h2 id="30-miles-a-week-is-training!">30 Miles a Week IS Training!</h2>
<p>At about mile 7 as I was hitting the worst of the seemingly never ending uphill <em>(that I always exaggerate after the fact because truly it isn't that awful)</em> I realized that 30 miles a week is training. All winter I've hit my 30 miles, plugging away week by week. No fanfare, no training plan, just winter maintenance. It has been really liberating not being tied to a training plan for these winter months, while at the same time wonderful to just enjoy the miles.</p>
<p>I started to think about my 8th grade Algebra students. The end of the year is drawing near and more and more I'm reminding them to prepare for the Regents Exam with just 20 minutes a day of focused practice. As they headed out for break I said, "Many of you are going on great fun adventures. Bring your review book with you and just give it 20 minutes a day. No matter how fun your trip, I bet you have 20 minutes you can give Algebra." One of my students remarked that he doesn't study because he always manages to study what is NOT on the test so he's learned it is better to just avoid preparation.</p>
<p>As I ran I thought about him. The truth is he may not "study" per se but he IS prepared. He works his mind in class, does all assigned work, participates with his group and contributes to class discussion. He studies even though he doesn't realize it. I am TRAINED for this race, even though I didn't follow a plan and sign up months in advance.</p>
<h2 id="apple-music">Apple Music</h2>
<p>Typically the week before a race I rush to buy new music. I always start with an email to my friends saying, "Can you recommend some songs I should buy?" Then I spend an hour or more listening to clips and buying songs. I don't like to have heard the music before I run a race, so I have to get all new music, or at least mostly new.</p>
<p>We recently started a subscription to <a href="http://www.apple.com/music/">Apple Music</a>. Suddenly there is no need for such preparation. I can add anything I want to my library at any time. They even have pre-made playlists especially for running that I can use. On the way to the race at 5 am, I found two such playlists, grouped them into one Flower City Half 2016 list on my phone and I was ready. 91 songs that I'd probably never heard before - plenty of chance to skip anything I didn't want to hear and more than enough music for the distance. Pretty Cool!</p>
<h2 id="the-20-degree-rule">The 20 Degree Rule</h2>
<p>Our running temperatures were forecasted to be between 37 and 39 degrees. Heavy mittens, an ear band, insulated tights, vest and my trusty Turkey Trot orange shirt. The same attire I'd worn at the Skunk 2 weeks prior. I was all set ... or so I thought.</p>
<p>I knew I was in trouble when I was standing at the start and I was NOT cold. I should be freezing, eager start running. Nope. I forgot the great 20 degree rule that I always abide by when I'm racing. Dress for 20 degrees warmer than the actual temperature. That would be nearly 60 degrees. I should have worn capris, short sleeves, gloves and an armband. I spent the first 6 miles thinking, "I'm so hot. I'm so hot. I wish I had worn capris and short sleeves." Then, at mile 6 I thought, "Get over yourself. This is what you wore. You are not dying of heat, do not lament your choice. Just run!"</p>
<h2 id="almost-a-pr!">Almost a PR!</h2>
<p>At mile 6 as I headed up what would be 24 minutes of hills into the cemetery, my average pace was 8 min/mile. I was on track for a course PR for sure but I tried not to focus on this too much. When I hit the cobblestone steep section I <em>*thought*</em> it was the last hill. I was sure to have an actual PR - my average pace had only slowed to 8:06 by this point and I had 5 miles to make that back up. It wasn't the top and as we wound around and around my average pace dropped to 8:10. Still, I was reasonably confident I could hit a course PR. The last few miles were challenging because they weren't really downhill at all. I don't love running on the waterfront near U of R - it always reminds me of the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/rochester-marathon-2012/">Rochester Marathon</a> <em>(the last 6 miles)</em> when I was so spent I felt I was clawing my way to the finish. I stopped at a water stop and lost 2 seconds off my pace so I was down to an 8:12 ... soon it was 8:14 and then 8:17 by mile 12. In the back of my head I remembered my old course pace to be an 8:19 and thought, "I am going to hold this"</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/04/IMG_6087.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Sprinting toward the finish line" title="Sprinting toward the finish line" /><p class="stickyNote">Sprinting toward the finish line</p></div>
<p>As luck would have it, the high fives by <a href="http://www.fleetfeetrochester.com/">Fleet Feet</a> and the cheering on the last couple of miles really energized me. I was able to get back down to an 8:15 overall by the end. And, since Scott was finished he nabbed a picture of me as I neared the finish line! <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/flower-city-half-marathon-2016/">Read his race report</a>.</p>
<p>Going into the race I really thought my old real PR was 1:43 and change. But it turns out it is actually 1:46:11. I ran today's race in 1:48:03. I wasn't that far off after all. I was pretty happy for my first racing half in some time!</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Overall 1:48:03, 371/2119, Gender 107/1245, Age Group 9/172<br />
<a href="https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/5496/IndividualResult/XtQB?#U3198400">Official Results</a></p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/04/IMG_6092.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Scott and me after the race" title="Scott and me after the race" /><p class="stickyNote">Scott and me after the race</p></div>Skunk Cabbage Half Marathon 20162016-04-10T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/skunk-cabbage-half-marathon-2016/<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>We signed up for this race way back when it opened and it just kind of crept up on us. I spent my winter with a goal of maintaining 30 running miles a week and I managed to hit this goal! There were many weeks that I brought my kids to their evening ski racing training, donned a headlamp and headed out running on the main road near the ski area. Having run the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/virgil-crest-100-relay-the-first-50-miles/">Virgil Crest Ultra</a> relay this past fall, somehow running on a main road in the dark of evening didn't feel a bit scary! I had that memory of running at 4 am in the woods with coyotes howling in the distance to ponder as I was running along a nice level road surface.</p>
<p>The kids were both signed up for the 10K and Scott and I planned on the half marathon. Xander was in the same boat as last year - very little running leading up to the race. His sister was only marginally better having managed to run a bit more regularly in the few weeks leading up to the race. Last year, I pulled myself from the half marathon and ran the 10K with Xander. It was his first and he was 11 and untrained so I felt some company from mom was in order. This year at age 12 I figured he was ready to brave it solo - even if he wasn't really prepared!</p>
<h2 id="the-event">The Event</h2>
<p>My friends Jenny and Christina were planning to run this race together. I've only run one other half marathon with a friend and it just happened to be another local race last year. Jenny and I decided to run together with no time goal - we just wanted to have fun. We talked our friend Chantelle into doing the half and planned to be a foursome for this race.</p>
<p>Race day arrived and though it was April, we had a dose of winter hit us! Race day temperatures would be between 27 and 32 degrees. We had picked up our bibs the day before so we only had to arrive ready to run. It was freezing outside as we hurried over from the parking garage to the indoor track at Cornell. Soon we found most of our DailyMile friends and gathered for a group picture. Friends Brenda and Michael couldn't be located for the picture so it is incomplete! Luckily we saw them later though.</p>
<h2 id="and-then-there-were-two">And then there were two</h2>
<p>The 4 of us planned to run at a conversational pace and just have fun. Chantelle hadn't done much running at all (she is a group fitness instructor, so despite not running she exercises A LOT and is in great shape). Jenny and Christina had trained together pretty regularly, and I'd been running solo all winter. We quickly broke off into two and two and chatted about random things. Christina and I were just in front of Jenny and Chantelle so we were technically still together as a group. Around mile 2 we met up with our friend Jeff and talked with him for a few miles. As we got onto a smaller side road we were able to run as a cluster and we enjoyed catching up with each other.</p>
<p>Then, the water stops started and somehow Christina and I got just enough ahead of Chantelle and Jenny that it really turned into a two and two grouping. The road was a main road with room for two to run abreast along the side. Christina and I haven't run together since fall, and it was really nice to catch up with her. We've been busy planning a big race in our town - almost all by email. So, of course we found ourselves talking race talk during some of the time!</p>
<p>At the 2nd to last water stop we arrived at the famous Hash stop where our friends were giving out Mimosas and beer along with the usual water and Gatorade! Christina took a mimosa and I opted for Gatorade. Christina had never had a mimosa before and we had fun saying "mimosa" in goofy voices for quite some time. Jenny and Chantelle caught us at this point and we tried to wait for them. They were very happily enjoying chatting and drinking the beverages offered so we decided after waiting for a bit that we'd continue on.</p>
<p>As we rounded a corner before the one big hill on this course we heard and saw an ambulance coming. Of course I feared the worst - that one of my family members had collapsed on the course and was heading to the hospital. I sometimes scare myself with the thoughts that creep into my head! Christina assured me that it wasn't someone in my family and we went back to chatting.</p>
<h2 id="the-last-miles">The last miles</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/04/IMG_6012.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="With Christina after the race" title="With Christina after the race" /><p class="stickyNote">With Christina after the race</p></div>
<p>The final stretch of this race is all downhill. It is gradual and nice and Christina asked me our time. We were at 1:47 when she asked and she asked if a 2 hour time was possible. I said we couldn't quite hit that but if we sped up we realized she could get a course PR. Her old PR on this course was 2:04. We picked up our pace and just enjoyed a nice speedy clip for the last couple of miles. We came in at just over 2:01. The race didn't have a start pad <em>(and somehow we hadn't realized that)</em> so our time was from where we started back in the mid-pack of the crowd of runners. Just like The <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/gorges-ithaca-half-marathon/">Gorges Half</a> when I ran with Jenny, we had missed a 2 hour half because we weren't shooting for any specific time. It was ok though - it was my first time running the course and I enjoyed the opportunity to run without shooting for a PR. I never thought I'd like "racing" with friends but it is a really great way to spend a Sunday morning! You find that you push yourself harder than a training run of the same distance even though you aren't racing for speed.</p>
<h2 id="post-race">Post Race</h2>
<p>After the race we dropped Xander off at rehearsal for Little Mermaid, a play that he's part of with the local theatre company, <a href="http://www.runningtoplaces.org/">Running to Places</a>. Then the 3 of us headed off to <a href="http://www.vivataqueria.com/">Viva</a>! Where else? Scott won the Master's Division (and $100 to <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a>). [Read about his race](<a href="http://i/">http://I</a> was happy to have run with friends and to have that wonderful feeling of a race morning. There's something awesome about getting up, running a race and seeing all your running friends out and about! After a not so amazing winter in central NY I am ready for a great season of running!!). Elizabeth came in 3rd in her age group of 20 and under and got $15 to FLRTC. They both had reason to celebrate!</p>
<p>I was happy to have run with friends and to have that wonderful feeling of a race morning. There's something awesome about getting up, running a race and seeing all your running friends out and about! After a not so amazing winter in central NY I am ready for a great season of running!!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2016/04/IMG_6009.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="The family after the race!" title="The family after the race!" /><p class="stickyNote">The family after the race!</p></div>
<h2 id="the-stats">The Stats</h2>
<p>2:01:41<br />
142/310 gender<br />
6/16 age group<br />
<a href="http://www.leonetiming.com/2016/Roads/SkunkHalf16.htm">Official Results</a></p>
Wineglass Marathon 20152015-10-04T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/wineglass-marathon-2015/<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>I signed up for the <a href="http://www.wineglassmarathon.com/">Wineglass</a> after having done this race as my 2nd marathon back in 2013. I also ran the half in 2014. After the 2013 experience, I said I'd never do it again. It was a hot, humid day that year and I considered it a once and done run based on my first experience. Then one day I heard a crash! My marathon medal had fallen off my wall and SMASHED into a million pieces. I guess I would need to do it again! I had 3 marathons under my belt by this point; <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/rochester-marathon-2012/">Rochester 2012</a>, <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/wineglass-marathon/">Wineglass 2013</a>, and <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/another-post/">Philadelphia 2013</a>.</p>
<p>Rochester was a great experience and I was proud to just barely break 4 hours. It was my secret goal going in, and I ran 23 miles of it with my sister; what more could I ask for? I felt really prepared for Wineglass <em>(enough that I was over confident that I was ready for a BQ).</em> The weather wasn't a PR kind of day and in truth I really wasn't ready to run a BQ time. I did improve on my first marathon time though and was happy with my results. Philly followed just 5 weeks later. I signed up on a whim to join my friend Jenny. We thought it would be great fun, and it turned out our friends Chantelle and Rob were also doing the race. We all enjoyed a pre-race dinner together and somehow managed to connect the morning of the race!! This race was so hard from mile 20 onward that I cried as I crossed the finish line.</p>
<p>Wineglass 2015 would be my 4th marathon. Last year I focused on doing the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/green-lakes-50k/">Green Lakes 50K</a> and didn't add marathon training to my season. This year I was excited for another road marathon. After doing a bunch of thinking and reading and waffling about possibly hiring a coach, I decided to follow a <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/marathon-training/why-you-need-a-running-coach">plan focused on a BQ</a>. However, I didn't mention it to anyone. It was a private goal.</p>
<p>Normally I write up a plan and then later transfer it to the computer to reflect what I really ended up doing, but this year I am posting the actual scribbled up plan!! I kind of like seeing it this way.</p>
<div class="main-carousel" data-flickity='{ "fullscreen": true, "wrapAround": "true", "autoPlay": "3000", "pauseAutoPlayOnHover": true }'><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2015/10/Scannable-Document-on-Oct-5-2015-12_57_43-PM-e1444064661663.png?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Training Plan" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2015/10/Scannable-Document-on-Oct-5-2015-12_59_07-PM.png?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Training Plan" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2015/10/Scannable-Document-on-Oct-5-2015-1_00_30-PM.png?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Training Plan" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2015/10/Scannable-Document-on-Oct-5-2015-1_01_07-PM.png?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Training Plan" />
</div></div>
<h2 id="the-red-flags">The Red Flags</h2>
<p>There were a couple of red flags with my training. The first was the timing for our vacation to Oregon. It was mid August, just when I should have been ramping things up. I left the entire vacation slot blank in training and said I'd "catch as catch can" for exercise. While I did spend most of the vacation hiking and even did a couple of trail runs, I logged no quality marathon training miles.</p>
<p>The 2nd red flag was that I signed up to participate in the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/virgil-crest-100-relay-the-first-50-miles/">Virgil Crest 100 Mile Relay</a>. Together with 4 other teammates, we tackled the 100 mile trail run in the forest in Virgil 2 weeks prior to the Wineglass. This required me to move my 20 mile run up a week, and focus more on trail running for the latter part of the summer. Sometimes I thought this was a good idea, and the week after this event when I was utterly exhausted from the all nighter I really started to question my thinking. However, I had an awesome time so I totally wouldn't trade the decision! Even with these things, I felt reasonably confident that I was ready for the BQ.</p>
<h2 id="not-that-into-you">Not that Into You</h2>
<p>One really odd thing about this training cycle is that it was so compartmentalized from the rest of my life that I almost didn't feel like I was training for the race. I did <em>almost</em> everything on the plan, but I didn't obsess about it like I had for the other 3. Scott and I joked that this race felt like marrying someone you weren't that into. I felt strangely disconnected from my training and from the race. I think maybe it had something to do with the fact that I was so excited for Elizabeth to do her first half by herself!! She's run two with me pacing her, but this would be her first time running a half marathon alone! She worked so hard at her running this year that I almost couldn't wait to hear about her race!</p>
<h2 id="race-morning">Race Morning</h2>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2015/10/IMG_3301.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Elizabeth" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2015/10/IMG_3302.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="In our ditchable warm wear" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2015/10/IMG_3304.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Signs!" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2015/10/IMG_3308.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Jess Kerns, Jim Miner, Jenny Henion" />
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<p>I LOVE this race! I started off thinking I'd do it once but it has really grown on me over the years. It is an hour from my house, and is very well organized while maintaining a great casual and friendly feel. It is a FUN way to spend a weekend.</p>
<p>After a bright and early wake up at 4 am <em>(luckily since our normal wake-up time is 5 am, 4 didn't feel so early, nor did 7:45 feel too early to go to bed)</em>, we headed down to the start, followed by our friend Brenda Michaud. We had to take buses to our respective starts; Brenda and Elizabeth would hop onto the half bus and we'd take our spots on the full marathon bus. I was so grateful to Brenda; it really eased my mind to know that Elizabeth had someone with her for the start.</p>
<h2 id="final-countdown">Final Countdown</h2>
<p>The bus dropped us off at 7 am <em>(the race started at 8:15).</em> Scott and I enjoyed chatting with friends Jeff Holbrook and Jim Miner. Soon we wandered out to the porta potties and ran into friends Jenny Henion, Jess Kerns and Joel Cisne. I looked around for other friends and ran into Jess from my BodyPump class. She was kind enough to take a picture of Scott and me. After that I warmed up, found a quiet place to get my head ready for the race and then shed my bathrobe and hopped into the start line.</p>
<h2 id="the-race-starts-at-mile-20">The Race Starts at Mile 20</h2>
<p>I started just behind the 3:35 pacer. My goal was to stay in between 8:13 and 8:36 for the race. My sister had sent me her splits from her BQ races. I had looked them over and chatted with her about working with the course. We agreed that I should work with the course rather that trying to take it slower than goal pace at the start just because that is the conventional advice. This course has much of its downhill in the first five miles so it would make sense to take that a little fast. I know from past experience that the flat part of the course really beats me up. My goal was to run a comfortable pace by feel, check my watch at the half mile alerts I'd set up and try not to overthink. This worked nicely. I stayed fully positive until after mile 17, all the while reminding myself that "the race doesn't really start until mile 20."</p>
<p>There was a BIG red flag for me at mile 14. There is a small hill that lasts about a half mile. The first time I ran Wineglass I fell apart starting when the 3:45 pacer passed me shortly after mile 13. Today I was cruising along at an 8:25 and felt like I was on top of the world. My playlist as a whole was rather uninspired but the song, "The Nights" by Avicii was playing and it just resonated well. I promised myself I wouldn't let thoughts linger or get too attached to them, positive or negative, but I got it stuck in my head that if I felt great here I'd be ok for the rest. I started more aggressively chasing <em>"my rabbit"</em> and started leap frogging with her, wasting energy in the process. I found a new rabbit and eventually another one. I continued to feel strong and was fueling smart with Gu every 45 minutes, while stopping for water at most water stops.</p>
<h2 id="%22go-3%3A45!%22">"Go 3:45!"</h2>
<p>After passing the 22 mile water stop I heard "Go 3:45!!!" as I rounded the corner. I still had an 8:31 average pace on my watch at this point and was surprised the pacer was that much ahead of the 8:35 required. But, in the moment, I forgot that my <strong>pace was for what I'd run,</strong> not the actual race distance. I was a little over the actual race mileage, so my real pace was probably closer to 8:33 at that time. Soon the pacer group caught me just after mile 22. I joined them and remembered my pre-planned late race motivation.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The person who does the best is the person who is most comfortable with being uncomfortable.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I was working hard to stay positive. I didn't like being part of the group and I didn't like that I was having to work both physically and mentally to stay with them. Soon we passed a water stop. The pacer stopped to grab water, and I stopped to snag a cup too. My right hamstring was cramping and I was letting negative thoughts creep into my head.</p>
<p>I had a terrible flashback to high school track. A painful memory of a day I'd arrived late along with another girl. My coach sent us out for a 2 mile "horn" around the school complex. She was faster than I was and I desperately grabbed onto her shirt BEGGING her not to leave me behind.</p>
<p>I saw that pacer in the distance and I just wanted to cry. It had also suddenly gotten really warm; I'd only just shed my throwaway gloves 5 minutes prior but suddenly the sun was out and it was so hot!</p>
<p>Those last two miles lasted FOREVER. I actually watched my lovely average pace of 8:33 and slowly turn into an 8:44 by the time I reached the finish line. To motivate myself to finish, I set my interval display on my GPS to distance so I would know how many tenths of a mile were left once I hit the miserable last bridge.</p>
<p>Ultimately, I ended up with a PR by almost 7 minutes and at that finish line moment I really was ok with not hitting the BQ.</p>
<h2 id="finished!">Finished!</h2>
<p>After I ran through the finish and got my medal I saw Elizabeth beaming at me. She'd crossed the line with a 1:54:26, a PR by about 7 minutes!! Her Social Studies teacher was at the race and he'd cheered her into the finish. She stood next to her middle school principal waiting for her dad to cross the line (<a href="https://scottpdawson.com/corning-wineglass-marathon-2015/">read his race report</a>) and now she was here to hug me. I quickly forgot all about my own race as she shared all the details of her run with me.</p>
<h2 id="final-thoughts">Final Thoughts</h2>
<p>I really was happy with my time, until I wasn't. I don't have a strong desire to actually run Boston, but I do want to qualify. So, some I'll need to think about how to improve my outlook when I'm passed by a pacer. I need to think, "I'm not letting her get by me!"</p>
<p>A word to all race spectators. You are IMPORTANT!!! For most races, I engage with you and smile and try to remember my favorite signs. For this race, I tried to take your energy and not give any energy back. I was so focused on my running. But, these two penguins (in my picture above) kept appearing all over the course. They brought a huge smile to my face every time I passed them, and I felt lucky to see them at the end and get their picture. I remember others too and every person that was out there added something to the race for me and to so many others. Thank you!!</p>
<p>Next year is the "year of the bike!" and I'm going to tackle an Olympic Distance Triathlon. I'll need to be really disciplined to get the mileage in for all 3 things. I know I got very sidetracked by swimming in preparation for the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2/">Cayuga Lake Sprint Tri</a> this summer.</p>
<p>I just ran the idea of running the Buffalo Marathon over Memorial Day weekend next year to Scott. Scott has declared next year to be, "the year of the Half Marathon" so he's not quite so sure he wants to kick off the season with a marathon. We'll see what the year brings!</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Time 3:48:41.05<br />
397/1927 <em>(overall)</em><br />
146/727 <em>(gender)</em><br />
17/182 <em>(age group 40-44)</em> <br />
<a href="http://www.auyertiming.com/pdffiles/WGFullOV15mon.pdf">Official Results</a></p>
Virgil Crest 100 Relay - The Last 50 Miles2015-09-20T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/virgil-crest-100-relay-the-last-50-miles/<h2 id="the-radar-map%3A-red%2C-orange-and-green">The radar map: red, orange and green</h2>
<p>(continued from <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/virgil-crest-100-relay-the-first-50-miles/">Virgil Crest 100 Relay - The First 50 Miles</a>)</p>
<p>After I finished at Hope Lake, Gloria and Ashley headed out to wait for Doreen at the Hitching Post Aid Station They expected her in less than an hour and wanted to be ready for Ashley to take off right away when she came through. Back at Hope Lake, I enjoyed a delicious veggie burger and salad from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/YellowTruckCatering">Yellow Truck Catering</a> while talking with Stephanie and Joe Reynolds and several others. I asked my family to come back to say goodbye when they left their shift at 8:30.</p>
<p>Soon, while hugging Scott and the kids goodbye Scott asked me, "when do you run again?" He sounded serious and worried. I said that I was the 2nd to last leg and predicted it would be between 3:30 and 4 a.m. "There is a BAD storm heading your way between 9:30 and 10," he said. Stay dry if you can. Get things organized now. Stephanie was our next runner. She'd be on the toughest section of the entire course for the entire storm. Worry settled over us.</p>
<p>We drove to TenKates to wait for Ashley. Doreen had her sneakers drying behind the car and Stephanie got ready to run. It was just after 9, so we had plenty of time to wait and hope this storm would somehow be milder than the radar showed. Gloria and I tried to rest in the car. Only a few minutes after getting settled, we heard light raindrops start to fall. I said, "it's starting," and Gloria said, "the sneakers!" She quickly dashed out to get them and by the time she made it back into the car it was POURING! It was the kind of rain that would make you pull over to the side of the road if you were driving. My heart was breaking for Stephanie. I tried unsuccessfully to rest. I was worried and it was too early to be tired. I laid there hoping she'd be ok, that she wouldn't get lost and scared. I thought of Ashley finishing her section on a slippery downhill road totally exposed to the elements and hoped she was ok. Soon it was 9:40 and Ashley arrived back to the car with Doreen. Stephanie was off and Ashley was soaking wet and cold. We decided to go back to Hope Lake (<em>where there were permanent restroom facilities and a pavilion)</em> for 45 minutes for everyone to change and get ready for what was to come. I was in my 2nd outfit; the last clothing I had packed. I stayed in the car until there was a break in the rain and then went inside to put my skirt on <em>(I had long pants for warmth while waiting, but realized that they'd just get wet as I walked up to the Aid Station).</em></p>
<h2 id="trails-roc">Trails Roc</h2>
<p>There are two Aid Stations in this race that are a little tricky to get back and forth between in a timely fashion. The group was worried they wouldn't make it back in time for me when I was running the stretch, so they'd hatched a plan for the 2nd time through. I'd wait at <a href="http://www.trailsroc.org/">Trails Roc</a> Aid Station with Doreen and Gloria while Ashley and Stephanie drove onto The Rock Pile. Doreen, Gloria and I walked the .25 mile to the Trails Roc station. It was pouring and we quickly took shelter under their pop-up tents. Ashley remained in the car trying to get some rest before her next leg. We'd wait for Stephanie and then Gloria would head out and I'd walk Stephanie to the car. It is a little complicated to explain, but ultimately Doreen and I spent about 2 hours hanging at Trails Roc while Gloria was running and Ashley was getting settled at her next spot. This was a great plan except for two things. It was really cold, and I hadn't napped yet! By the time I would be back in the car, Doreen would be running and I'd be up next.</p>
<p>I stayed reasonably warm with Scott's <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/new-york-city-marathon/">New York City marathon</a> poncho and Doreen was really chilled in a trash bag and her running gear. I gave her my sweatshirt to wrap around her, but it didn't help a lot. Thankfully they had a lovely fire that we mostly stood around. I ate what felt like a ton of food here. It was the middle of the night and I was really hungry. Doreen was struggling with stomach upset and wasn't able to eat much at all, and she was very cold. My morale dipped here. I was tired and scared for my section. I was worried about not being able to stay awake for my run. We talked intermittently and I shut my eyes occasionally but soon it was time for Doreen to head out. I'd be next. We'd drive to TenKates and I would start preparing.</p>
<h2 id="tenkates">TenKates</h2>
<p>Ashley had finished her section. After thinking she was going to have to hike the entire thing, she ran the whole section!! She was over the moon happy. Her calf had been hurting, but it abated enough for her to run happily for this leg. I was so happy for her, while at the same time shaking with fear about my section. Ashley got me coffee and then she and Gloria went to hang in the Aid Station while Stephanie and I stayed warm in the car. I didn't expect Doreen until 3:45 or so, but still I went for a last bathroom break around 3:20 and started to get ready. Suddenly at 3:30 Ashley came running to the car to say she was here! I dashed out of the car anxiously. False Alarm. It wasn't Doreen, BUT it would not be long now. It was time to pack my extra head lamp batteries and get ready to tackle this section. I had opted to use trekking poles because of a conversation Stephanie had with Joe Reynolds. He'd talked her into using them for the alpine section and she was very grateful. Doreen also used them and I felt they'd be useful in protecting me from falling, and would help me be more confident with my footing. My body was shaking in fear as Doreen came through and I headed out onto the road.</p>
<h2 id="to-joe-reynolds%2C-i-am-forever-grateful">To Joe Reynolds, I am forever grateful</h2>
<p>I ran up Carson road. This is a road that I've stomped up in frustration before. I didn't think I'd be able to run it tonight, yet I ran every step. I was happy listening to the click click of the trekking poles. This was going to be fun! I had this. At almost exactly the 1 mile mark, the trail turned into the woods from Carson road.</p>
<p>I loved this trail. Even in the dark I could tell it was most like the trails in Oregon that I loved. It was technical, there was some exposure, and it was <em>(I imagined)</em> beautiful. However, it was poorly marked. I'd talked with the woman who marked it and she warned me. I would need to follow the white blazes and it could be a long time between the reflective ribbons. She'd marked parts of the course really well, but ran out of flags. Grateful for this insight, I watched for white blazes high on trees. The terrain was very runnable, but I was running at a very slow speed. I watched my per mile pace drop from 12 something at the top of Carson to 14, then 15 and 16 by mile 2.25.</p>
<p>At mile 2.5, I lost the blazes. There was a fallen tree and I didn't see the next blaze anywhere. After scouting around and finding nothing, I decided to just stand there. I was going to wait. Someone would come and I would just run with them. No more getting lost for me. Yup, that was the plan. I considered calling my team for directions and then laughed thinking of them trying to follow what I was saying. I watched my per mile pace tick up to 17 and then 18. I had to move. I couldn't stand there all night. I went past the fallen tree and sure enough after walking a little bit down the trail I saw the next white blaze. I could continue.</p>
<p>During this entire stretch the mud was so slippery I called it the "mud skating rink" and repeated, "thank you Joe Reynolds" over and over. Never having been the type of person to dedicate a mile of a marathon to one person <em>(I can't keep a thought in my head while running a marathon)</em> I spent this long stretch thinking about when I first met Joe, and the little tips I'd picked up from him over the years, "look up high at blazes with one eye and keep the other eye on the trail." It was Joe who encouraged me to try my first trail race shortly after meeting him the first year I co-directed the May Day 5&5 in Trumansburg. After talking to him I signed up for the race he suggested. Stephanie <em>(one of my teammates on this relay)</em> and I ran every step together. I do not exaggerate when I say that one of the thoughts in my head was, "these poles are keeping me alive." It was 5 a.m. and I was exhausted and scared. The 1, 2 rhythm of the poles kept me going.</p>
<h2 id="it's-always-darkest-before-dawn">It's always darkest before dawn</h2>
<p>Soon dawn was approaching. It was a little unsettling to see light in the distant sky. I had my watch set to the night setting and it drained the battery. Just after mile 6, the battery died. By this point I could already see Hitching Post in the distance. My team would be waiting for me and Stephanie could bring us in. It was a joyful reunion made perfect with a delicious grilled cheese made to order from Bob Talda. I scarfed it as I shared all my little stories. Soon we headed back to Hope Lake to wait for Stephanie.</p>
<h2 id="%3C24-hours"><24 Hours</h2>
<p>It was almost time to celebrate! This great team of ladies had run hard, worked together and we got to know each other during these 24 hours. Stephanie ran into view just after dawn and we cheered like crazy for her. We'd finished around a 23:30. Race director Ian, of <a href="http://www.rednewtracing.com/">Red Newt Racing</a> and <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> took our picture, gave us our finisher glasses and socks and congratulated us on a great run!</p>
<h2 id="next%3F">Next?</h2>
<p>We said good-byes to Gloria and Doreen as they pulled away in their respective vehicles. Ashley, Stephanie and I had driven together from Ashley's house. On the say home, Ashley asked, "Would you do it again?" Neither of us answered. Later she said, "Should we find something for next year?" I don't know yet. It was FUN, challenging and yet scary and overwhelming at the same time. The best thing I can compare it to is childbirth. I have a feeling that the painful memories will fade and only the fun ones will remain. Which might just mean you'll find me as part of a relay team again! Many thanks to Ashley for suggesting this, to Ian for offering the relay for runners that aren't really ready to enter the full ultra distance, and to Ashley, Doreen, Gloria and Stephanie for being amazing teammates!</p>
Virgil Crest 100 Relay - The First 50 Miles2015-09-20T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/virgil-crest-100-relay-the-first-50-miles/<p>On a cold, dreary day on May 31st while waiting for Scott to finish the Cayuga 50s, Ashley Schmidt casually asked me if I'd like to join her all-female team for the Virgil Crest 100 miler. Our mutual friend Doreen was also waiting and she'd already told Ashley she'd like to give it a go. A new challenge. I told her I'd think about it and pretty soon Scott was crossing the line and we were cheering like crazy!</p>
<h2 id="team-no-name">Team No Name</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/09/Screen-Shot-2015-09-20-at-4.58.34-PM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="The front of our shirt that Doreen designed for us." title="The front of our shirt that Doreen designed for us." /><p class="stickyNote">The front of our shirt that Doreen designed for us.</p></div>
<p>I decided to go for it! It would be my first relay experience; a way to try out a serious ultra while only dipping a toe into the physical training required. I mentioned it to a few people casually in case we needed more people for our our team of 5, however Ashley had no trouble quickly filling our team. Read <a href="http://www.everexploring.com/adventures/2015/9/22/5-girls-and-100-miles-and-a-blog-post-just-as-long-as-those-100-miles?fb_action_ids=10101706613804282&fb_action_types=og.likes">her blog</a> for her perspective of this event. A month and a half before the event, one of our teammates decided she'd like to do a different ultra that weekend if we could find a 5th. I texted my friend Stephanie who had seemed really interested and YES - she was still willing to give it a go! After a lot of Facebook messaging and some really unusual name ideas, we finally decided on "Team No Name" for our group.</p>
<p>Doreen worked on making a logo for our team shirt and Ashley had them made. They arrived in time for race day!</p>
<h2 id="racer-schedule">Racer Schedule</h2>
<p>Ian of Red Newt Racing organizes this race and in the weeks before the race he sent us detailed information about each leg of the race. I offered to slot people into spots based on their preferences with a goal of keeping our mileage roughly even and our running staggered. A couple of us wanted to run our sections back-to-back and a few wanted them separated. We'd each run 4 sections of the total 20. After several hours creating a spreadsheet and putting each runner into spots we were ready! I even modified Scott's pacing chart from CT50 to predict our timing based on each possible per mile average. Everyone was running roughly 20 miles, we all had at least one night slot and all was good.</p>
<h2 id="course-changes">Course Changes</h2>
<p>About 2 weeks out, all participants received an email from Ian about course changes. There were some insurance issues with the ski slope that operates in the area and Ian was going to have to re-route the course. The new course had 16 sections with longer distances. Time for a new runner plan! After doing it once, it was much easier the 2nd time around and soon everyone's sections were planned. Doreen is training for a trail marathon in two weeks, so she would do a back-to-back and be the one runner to take 4 sections instead of 3. She'd have about 25 miles and the rest of us would have 18 or 19 and change. We printed the files and popped them into a binder along with directions to Aid Stations. I missed one of the stations in my file and luckily Ashley had grabbed the official map at packet pick up. It had information for the station I was missing. Here are our binder files.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14iutEPWa1rYllUWZXz236OUWzYnLFFmynJjhrqWW_lo/edit?usp=sharing">Overall Chart</a></li>
<li><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HmpX4KKGYTU4ouRKOy_HXxBUsmab3HM5guANZ85yj6U/edit?usp=sharing">Runner Legs</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="the-early-hours">The Early Hours</h2>
<p>After gathering for a pasta dinner at Stephanie's house with the team the night before, I practiced setting up our camping tent in case we needed it, packed my things in our huge beach bag and tried to settle in for bed. Nerves or allergy medicine or both kept me awake for most of the night. Soon it was 4:55 and time to make some breakfast and hang with Scott for an hour before heading to pick up Stephanie. We drove over to pick up Ashley, and after a quick drop off of cake and cookies for my business, we were on our way to the event! Before we knew it we were united with teammates Doreen and Gloria and posing for a pre-race picture!</p>
<p>Gloria was off right at 8 a.m. and we drove the short distance over to the Hitching Post Aid Station to wait for her to arrive. As we waited we chatted and got to know each other better.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/09/IMG_3245.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Hanging out at TenKates Aid Station while Ashley ran leg 2 of Virgil Crest 100." title="Hanging out at TenKates Aid Station while Ashley ran leg 2 of Virgil Crest 100." /><p class="stickyNote">Hanging out at TenKates Aid Station while Ashley ran leg 2 of Virgil Crest 100.</p></div>
<p>The morning was fun, casual and easy. It was sunny, not too hot and we just had one runner after another heading out. During these morning hours, I thought about how the race didn't really start until dark. That was when we'd be exhausted, muddy and sleepy.</p>
<h2 id="my-first-leg---rock-pile-to-trails-roc">My first Leg - Rock Pile to Trails Roc</h2>
<p>My first leg started at 2:20 pm. We walked the .5 mile on trail up to the Rock Pile Aid Station and waited for Doreen to arrive. It wasn't long before we slapped hands and off I went. She had us at about a 12:45 average pace at this point <em>(she's VERY fast and in her two legs she'd dropped our average pace from a 14:10)</em>. The forecast hadn't called for rain until 9 p.m., but just minutes into my run it started pouring. It rained for most of this leg. I was thankful that at the last minute Stephanie suggested that I not carry water for this 5 mile section. It wasn't very hot, and it was windy and rainy so I really didn't need water.</p>
<p>The trail followed part of the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/forest-frolic-2014/">Forest Frolic</a> race course and unfortunately the rocks on a very long hill portion of the trail were really slippery from the rain. I walked many of the hills and missed a turn on the course, adding some distance. Since I started my GPS late, it ended up looking like I'd been right on for the section.</p>
<p>Memorable moments from this leg; running along a washed out creek bed thinking, "Ian must have a different definition of beautiful single track" before realizing I was actually on the wrong trail, and the pure panic I felt when I discovered I'd missed a turn. If I was running this solo, I'd have been much calmer, but I worried about letting my team down! My average pace for this section was 12:37 but it did contain about .3 extra so officially it was over 13 min/miles for the section. I felt pretty embarrassed when I finished this; getting lost on my first leg wasn't part of my plan. My team was really cool about it, and soon we were off to the next stop!</p>
<iframe src="https://www.strava.com/activities/396232238/embed/94ab3d9f4ca665863de5e33ca167c89c5f6ad39f" width="100%" height="405" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
<h2 id="my-2nd-leg---hitching-post-to-hope-lake">My 2nd leg - Hitching Post to Hope Lake</h2>
<p>I had two teammates running between my 1st leg and 2nd. I stayed in the car and tried to rest a little. Looking back on it now, I think I did take a little cat nap while listening to other relay teams chatting around me. After my rest, I went over to the Aid Station area to join them while they waited.</p>
<p>Soon enough Stephanie was finished with her section and we left the TenKates Aid Station, run by the <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/">Ithaca Triathlon Club</a>, for Hitching Post. I was excited about this because my family was working this station. This station was being manned by the <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/">Finger Lakes Runners Club</a>. While waiting for Gloria, we enjoyed talking with friends. The weather was nice, it was approaching dusk and everyone was in good spirits. After some waffling, I decided to head out with one of my head lamps on my waist just in case darkness fell while I was on the trail. Gloria arrived at 5:40. We were at a 13:15 overall pace at this point.</p>
<p>As I entered this section, my friend Pete Kresock was right behind me. Tackling the whole 100 by himself, he was looking strong and confident. We chatted briefly and he bid me adieu and said he'd see me at Hope Lake as I headed off. This section was so runnable! And, I was SO hungry!! I felt like I'd snacked reasonably well, but my stomach was growling and I felt a little weak. Luckily I had a Gu in my belt and at mile 2 I reluctantly took it out. I decided savoring it on the uphill portions was my best bet. Each time I went uphill I took a little sip like I was nursing a cocktail. I passed several 100 milers on this stretch. Each one said, "good job" and I congratulated them and said, "I'm only doing the Relay!" as I went on my way. Soon, I caught up to my friend Scott Ulrich. Jenny and I had run with him for awhile during the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/green-lakes-50k/">Green Lakes 50K</a> last summer. He looked strong and happy. After a few minutes of talking, I wished him well and continued on.</p>
<p>This section was amazing! I bounded into Hope Lake through the 50 mile finish line feeling happy and strong. Later when talking to Scott I said, "if every section were like this I'd want to do the whole thing!" It was one of the least challenging sections of the course with a net loss of 200). I averaged a 12:28 mile/hr pace for the section.</p>
<p>Continue Reading: <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/virgil-crest-100-relay-the-last-50-miles/">Virgil Crest 100 Relay - The Last 50 Miles</a></p>
Ramona Falls to Bald Mountain2015-08-15T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/hiking/ramona-falls-to-bald-mountain/<p>This hike to Ramona Falls and Bald Mountain was the last hike of our trip to Oregon. We selected it because I swore that Sarah had taken me on this hike the very first time I went out to visit her. It was a dreary August day when we left Portland. The fog had settled in and it was a chilly, wet morning. As we arrived at the trail head, Sarah and I debated constantly about whether I'd been there. It became pretty obvious as I looked around that my memory was mistaken.</p>
<h2 id="off-to-ramona-falls-we-go">Off to Ramona Falls we go</h2>
<p>There was a large parking area at the trail head, complete with porta potties. We all got prepared to hike, secured our packs and soon our crew of 6 was off on the trail.</p>
<p>The trail to Ramona Falls started off with a soft path and large pine trees. The light was filtering down, and we enjoyed a pleasant stroll together as we frequently shifted our positions to engage in conversation with different members of the group.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/01/IMG_4801.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Soft path and large pine trees" title="Soft path and large pine trees" /><p class="stickyNote">Soft path and large pine trees</p></div>
<p>Soon we reached the stream that we'd been getting glimpses of as we walked. Littered with logs, we realized we were going to need to cross over a makeshift bridge. There were a lot of people out on this Saturday morning, so we hung back to allow them to cross before we began our trek over. Everyone did great with the log bridge and soon we were on the other side. It wasn't long after that crossing that we enjoyed our first morning nibble. Our drive there was long enough for everyone to be moderately hungry by the time we started our hike.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/01/IMG_4799.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Littered with logs" title="Littered with logs" /><p class="stickyNote">Littered with logs</p></div>
<p>The popular portion of this hike lasted until we reached Ramona Falls. This was not great fun for my sister - crowded Saturday morning trails was not her cup of tea. I was frustrated that it was foggy, but we enjoyed the trek. We paused at Ramona Falls long enough to get some pictures before continuing.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/01/IMG_3109.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Ramona Falls" title="Ramona Falls" /><p class="stickyNote">Ramona Falls</p></div>
<h2 id="bald-mountain-or-yocum-ridge">Bald Mountain or Yocum Ridge</h2>
<p>We were still debating which hike to do as we hit the split to turn off to the Yocum Ridge trail shortly after viewing Ramona Falls. It was still foggy, and the entire point of the hike was to view Mt. Hood. At this point in the hike we could see nothing but the fact that we'd be heading up the mountain in the fog. I was seriously bumming that this was the weather for my last Oregon hike of the summer. I always have trouble leaving Oregon, and just wanted to stay for another gorgeous August day. Ultimately, I think we decided to stay on the Timberline because the elevation change wasn't as great, and it was more of a loop than the out and back that Yocum would have been.</p>
<p>As we hit the fork, we stayed on the Timberline Trail, hoping the weather would clear. There were parts of the Timberline trail that were really narrow, overgrown, or very exposed.</p>
<h2 id="muddy-fork-crossings-1-and-2">Muddy Fork Crossings 1 and 2</h2>
<p>It was as we were walking along the Timberline trail that we were still actively debating why I thought I'd done this hike before. As it became clear that we'd be crossing Muddy Fork 3 times, Sarah was even more adamant about how she wouldn't have brought me on this hike. The year I thought I had done this hike, I was almost 7 months pregnant with Elizabeth and had been given doctor's orders to keep my heart rate below 169. I wore a heart monitor that beeped whenever we went over that number. She was positive she wouldn't have taken me on 3 river crossings! I totally agreed, but somehow still had the vague memory of a similar hike.</p>
<p>We arrived at the first crossing, and there was a fair amount of water. We had to consider how to cross, and knowing that there were two more branches coming up put us slightly ill at ease. It was a chilly, foggy day, so no one was keen to get fully wet with many miles to go. However, we made it across rather easily, and soon came upon the 2nd crossing. The 2nd crossing was relaxed. There were well placed boulders for us to climb over on, and we used our hiking poles to help us as we crossed. Confident that the first one was our most challenging one, we pressed onward enjoying the views as the fog started to lift ever so slowly.</p>
<p>The red line in the picture is our track, and you can see from all that zig zagging that the 3rd crossing was not a piece of cake! When we first arrived it looked pretty straightforward; not easy by any means but doable. However, on closer inspection we realized the water was swiftly traveling and every path of boulders petered out midway across. We hiked very far up the river, only to realize it didn't get any better. Soon, Scott and Adam decided to scout downriver and asked Sarah, Elizabeth, Xander and me to stay put and wait for them to holler.</p>
<p>Soon after trying unsuccessfully to throw logs and rocks, they were crossing over to test things, dropping their backpacks on the other side. They both have very long legs, and both were maneuvering pretty well across the river.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/01/Muddy-Fork-Crossing.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Muddy Fork crossing" title="Muddy Fork crossing" /><p class="stickyNote">Muddy Fork crossing</p></div>
<h2 id="muddy-fork-crossing-%233">Muddy Fork Crossing #3</h2>
<p>We knew they had scouted it out, and already brought their packs to the other side, but we still weren't quite sure. We all stared at the raging water for awhile before we agreed to give it a try. There was some discussion about turning back, BUT the fog was lifting even more and the most beautiful part of our hike was yet to come. No one wanted to bail this early in the game.</p>
<p>So, we went for it. The kids and Sarah were great sports. I was a little whiny but made it across. After we crossed, we sat high on the hill of the opposite side, dried our socks out and enjoyed lunch together.</p>
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<h2 id="bald-mountain">Bald Mountain</h2>
<p>After we enjoyed lunch, we were ready to continue on the rest of our journey. We would take in glorious views of Mt. Hood in this portion. The fog had lifted more, and with it my mood also improved. This part of the hike was filled with laughter, great views and general gratitude for the fact that we had crossed the river successfully. We took some great pictures, stood on a ledge for a LONG while and savored the view.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/01/IMG_4827.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="A view to savor" title="A view to savor" /><p class="stickyNote">A view to savor</p></div>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/01/IMG_4821.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Our hiking crew" title="Our hiking crew" /><p class="stickyNote">Our hiking crew</p></div>
<p>Scott got a neat video of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orographic_lift">orographic lift</a> that we were observing on Mt. Hood. He also posted this video on his own <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/ramona-falls-to-bald-mountain/">blog</a>, as well as his recollections of the hike.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPzzPbry1vA">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPzzPbry1vA</a></p>
<h2 id="the-rest-of-the-story">The rest of the story</h2>
<p>The Muddy Fork crossings were amazing, but when I came home, the story I chose to share most often was about the final crossing. We were almost finished with our hike, and we were nearing one last crossing. After the first bridge was washed out, we figured that the same flooding could have caused something similar here. But, we marched onward as NO ONE was about to turn around and brave the 3 Muddy Fork crossings that we'd already done again.</p>
<p>Upon arriving at the last Muddy Fork crossing, we saw that the bridge was indeed washed out. You can see from our tracks that we walked around for awhile contemplating what to do.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/01/Muddy-Fork-Last.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Zigging and zagging" title="Zigging and zagging" /><p class="stickyNote">Zigging and zagging</p></div>
<p>As we walked upstream, we found a log bridge that had been made. It wasn't ideal but it was doable; you had to shimmy along on the bottom log and hold onto the rope on the top log. Xander was small and we were a little worried about him, so Scott roped him up and they stayed close.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/01/IMG_4836.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Log crossing" title="Log crossing" /><p class="stickyNote">Log crossing</p></div>
<p>As we ambled back on the Ramona Falls trail, we took a few more pictures, talked a lot about our adventures and looked forward to our drive back to Portland. This hike was #69 in the <a href="http://amzn.to/2ik2GsL">100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon</a>.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/01/IMG_4802.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Beautiful moss" title="Beautiful moss" /><p class="stickyNote">Beautiful moss</p></div>
<p>Scott used the <a href="https://www.gaiagps.com/">Gaia GPS</a> app for his iPhone to record our track. We spent 5:19 actively hiking the 15.2 miles but we were out there for 7:45.</p>
<iframe src="https://www.strava.com/activities/828288734/embed/066f4c5bae3d64c215c6379de148a633feac00d7" width="100%" height="405" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
Deschutes River Trail & Green Lakes2015-08-11T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/hiking/deschutes-river-trail-green-lakes/<p>Scott and I woke bright and early for our solo day of hiking. Our vacation came right in the middle of training for the <a href="http://www.wineglassmarathon.com/">Corning Wineglass marathon</a>, and I'd put on my training plan "catch as catch can" for any type of running. I knew we'd spend most of our time hiking, but still it would be good to have at least a couple of runs during our 10 day stint in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.</p>
<p>Scott wanted to run the 9 miles on the Deschutes River trail up to Dillon Falls. I wanted to hike the 9 mile trail to Green Lakes via Fall Creak. They are both in the same general area so we decided to make a day of it and do both.</p>
<h2 id="cold-pizza">Cold Pizza</h2>
<p>We headed out early that morning to shop in the <a href="http://www.theoldmill.com/">Old Mill</a> area in Bend, and then drove out to the trail head just outside of Bend. We'd enjoyed take out pizza from <a href="http://sistersmartollis.com/">Martolli's</a> pizza shop in Sisters the night before, so naturally we packed our leftovers for lunch. We had a slice of pizza and some fruit on the drive before the run. We've hiked this trail a couple of times and always enjoy it. It is a nice gentle grade with only 300 feet of elevation gain over the 9 plus mile distance. It hugs the river and passes by the famous <a href="https://suncountrytours.com/tour/big-eddy-thriller/">Big Eddy rapids</a> that we enjoyed rafting through the last time we were in Oregon.</p>
<p>Soon we were off. Scott and I don't run the same pace - not even close! I told him to go ahead of me and just wait up every now and then instead of changing his stride to stay with me. This was going great until we hit an area where there was some question about which way to go. He waited for me and I kept going. As I kept running along I thought, "gosh I guess he's really far ahead of me" followed by "hmmm, I hope he is ok." Soon my phone rang as he checked in. He quickly caught me and we continued on our way.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/09/IMG_4754.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Scott's power pose" title="Scott's power pose" /><p class="stickyNote">Scott's power pose</p></div>
<p>This run could have been pleasant if I'd been in the right frame of mind. I was afraid of running with him and holding him back and it was 90 degrees and dry and dusty. I was crabby and even the slightest elevation change made me want to stop to walk. I plugged on to the 4.6 mile turnaround when we reached Dillon Falls. We enjoyed some trail mix and took some silly posed pictures near the falls.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/09/IMG_4753.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Biceps? Yep." title="Biceps? Yep." /><p class="stickyNote">Biceps? Yep.</p></div>
<h2 id="skinned-knee-and-banged-up-elbow">Skinned Knee and Banged Up Elbow</h2>
<p>As I hit mile 5.6, I remember thinking, "I'm getting there" and "I just need to keep plugging along". I glanced at my watch, worried that the battery was near death. Even though I wasn't running very fast, I was still looking forward to my stats for the run. The next thing I knew I fell face first onto the hard, dusty ground. My knee was gashed open and my elbow was all bloody. I burst into tears and laid there until Scott ran back. He tried to comfort me by saying, "It's ok, we don't have to hike Green Lakes. We can just head back after this." I responded by wailing, "but Green Lakes is what I was looking forward to!"</p>
<p>Scott did a nice job cleaning up my cuts and I slogged through the remainder of the run with my skinned knee and banged up elbow. Soon it was time to head to Green Lakes.</p>
<h2 id="thunder">Thunder</h2>
<p>The West is in major drought, and out in the East we'd been having very humid and pretty rainy weather. Of course, as soon as we arrived, thunder and rain showed up in the forecast. We joked that we'd brought it! The area desperately needed the rain, but the thunder was not so welcome. With thunder and lightning comes the risk of new forest fires. Today the chance picked up after 3 pm. We started our hike around this time. As we left the parking lot, South Sister was entirely shrouded in clouds. There was rain looming and every now and then we'd get a small shower. We weren't going to let any rain dampen our moods though! This is my very favorite trail and I was excited to be on it. We walked along the beautiful mountain stream and enjoyed chatting together. It felt nice to be hiking, even though our pace was on the slow side after the run.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/09/IMG_3074.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Scott in our favorite tree" title="Scott in our favorite tree" /><p class="stickyNote">Scott in our favorite tree</p></div>
<p>This is a very popular trail even on a weekday afternoon. We passed several big groups of hikers heading out from a day of hiking. Soon, we arrived at our favorite tree. We've been taking pictures of the kids on this tree every year since they were little kids. I felt a pang of sadness that they were not with us to see their tree. Scott and I dutifully posed in their spots for our own pictures.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/09/IMG_3073.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Me in our favorite tree" title="Me in our favorite tree" /><p class="stickyNote">Me in our favorite tree</p></div>
<h2 id="scott's-turn">Scott's Turn</h2>
<p>As we crested the final hill, Scott became somber. We sat looking over at one of the Green Lakes and the lovely Broken Top mountain and he admitted that his IT band was killing him. The running mixed with the hiking and the fact that he hadn't been doing his physical therapy exercises while on vacation had conspired to make his leg feel really tight.</p>
<p>There are two ways down from this area and I had planned to suggest taking the other route back to our car. If we took that way, we'd have a 20+ mile day. It was hard for me not to chase miles, but I knew it was prudent to return the way we'd walked in. We've been on the other trail several times before, and it is enough longer that it would add undue stress to his already exhausted leg. We began our slow descent to the parking area.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/09/IMG_3077.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Broken Top Mountain" title="Broken Top Mountain" /><p class="stickyNote">Broken Top Mountain</p></div>
<p>As we walked, we took several pictures of the beautiful area. We've never been up here without a goal of a summit. We'd just hiked up with water and basic supplies on our backs ready to enjoy a few views before heading down. It felt a little odd to be heading back instead of setting up camp and planning the next day's summit attempt.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/09/IMG_3076.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="South Sister, so close to Broken Top yet totally covered with clouds while Broken Top was clear." title="South Sister, so close to Broken Top yet totally covered with clouds while Broken Top was clear." /><p class="stickyNote">South Sister, so close to Broken Top yet totally covered with clouds while Broken Top was clear.</p></div>
<h2 id="we're-back!">We're Back!</h2>
<p>When we reached the parking area, we met a man out hiking the entire PCT. He had met up with a couple and the three of them were heading up to summit South Sister and take in the meteor shower that was lighting up the sky that evening. We had a lovely conversation with this very pleasant PCT thru hiker. He'd lost a gaiter, and we started talking about <a href="https://www.altrarunning.com/?c3api=6671,46432370857,%2Baltra%20zero%20running%20shoes&gclid=Cj0KEQjw98mvBRD-_ciSovKhq7gBEiQAEvsBZ4YtsBpABFy81IpPo7ocv7qz2YMx8rFONp8MxL0NZ8MaAjPz8P8HAQ">Altra shoes</a> <em>(he was in his 5th or 6th pair since he'd started the trail and he commented on Scott's Altras)</em>.</p>
<p>After our conversation, we headed home to Sisters where we enjoyed a delicious homemade pasta dish with green beans and tomatoes. One of the best things about staying in a rental is being able to have a nice dinner in a lovely space. Despite our dual injuries, we had a fabulous day!!</p>
<h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
<p>Run 9.26 miles (1:43) and hike 9.3 miles (2:59:34) 1250 ft gain. Total mileage: 18.56.</p>
Four in One Cone2015-08-10T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/hiking/four-in-one-cone/<p>In our time in Oregon, we've hiked Scott Mountain, Mount Scott and now today's hike to the Four in One Cone begins on the Scott trail. After dropping the kids off at Mt. Hood Summer Ski camp, we spent the night in Portland with Sarah and Adam. The next morning we had a lovely trail run in Forest Park in Portland and then ventured down to our rental in Sisters, Oregon. Sisters is a beautiful little community just about 30 minutes northwest of Bend. We've fallen in love with the area, and Scott and I hope to retire in Sisters or spend part of the year there and part of the year where we live now in Trumansburg, NY. Each time we go, however, we find that we're a little more rooted at home and spend more time discussing a bi-coastal existence.</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/09/IMG_4718.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Adam and Sarah" title="Adam and Sarah" /><p class="stickyNote">Adam and Sarah</p></div>
<p>Our plan was to have Sarah and Adam come down and spend a couple of nights with us in our rental. For the first night, they joined us at <a href="http://www.worthybrewing.com/worthy-pub-dining.html">Worthy Brewing</a> for dinner. We fell in love with Worthy on our last trip to the area for its gorgeous outdoor seating area. The day we dined there, we had completed a 16 mile hike with the kids and we were dusty and tired! We found Worthy and quickly had a tasting flight of beer in front of us and some fantastic pretzels. The rest of our meal was as delicious as the first bites so we made it a point to go back. We had another lovely meal there, this time joined by my sister and Adam. The four of us rarely get to go out just adults and it was really great to catch up with them.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/09/IMG_47191.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Worthy Brewing" title="Worthy Brewing" /><p class="stickyNote">Worthy Brewing</p></div>
<h2 id="hitting-the-trail">Hitting the Trail</h2>
<p>The next morning we headed out for a hike. We selected the Four-in-One Cone hike from our favorite guidebook, <a href="http://amzn.to/1Fy0hNf">100 Hikes in the Central Oregon Cascades</a>. We chose it because it was long enough to make it feel like a good day hike, and because we've done most of the hikes in the area, some several times already! We all got up early and hit the trail around 8 am. The high for the day was near 90 degrees, so our early start gave us nice cool hiking temperatures.</p>
<p>To get to the hike you take McKenzie Highway 242, an old scenic road between Sisters and McKenzie Bridge. It is a beautiful drive, albeit on very winding roads. Shortly outside of Sisters you lose cell reception for the entire journey. This is one of the things I like about this area; less than an hour away from civilization and you are unreachable to the world. We admired the views as we drove along, looking forward to our start.</p>
<p>This hike follows the footsteps of Captain Felix Scott when he led the first wagon train through the McKenzie Pass area in 1862. It crosses volcanic landscapes of cinder cones and lava flows beside North Sister. The viewpoint we'd be heading to follows the Scott trail to a viewpoint on the top of a crater rim of 4 connected cinder cones. It would cover some of the same terrain we'd taken when Scott and I summited Little Brother in 2013 with the kids.</p>
<h2 id="natural-beauty">Natural Beauty</h2>
<p>Because today's hike was simply a day hike and the weather was very mild, we had very little to carry; simply collapsible hiking poles, a small lunch, water, and a long sleeved shirt. As we hiked through the viewless portion of this hike, I marveled at how much more lovely it was then when hiking similar terrain with a 40 pound pack for an overnight <em>(what we'd done when we summited Little Brother).</em> The terrain is lovely, full of moss and trees and shade.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/09/IMG_4739.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Moss. Trees. Shade!" title="Moss. Trees. Shade!" /><p class="stickyNote">Moss. Trees. Shade!</p></div>
<p>Shortly into the hike, the grade increased and we hiked up several steep sections and passed through some little forested 'islands' between lava flows. The terrain is very similar to that of Belknap Crater. See <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/scott-trail-to-four-in-one-cone-obsidian-trail/">Scott's post</a> about this hike to view the GPS tracks from all of the hikes we've done in this small area.</p>
<p>It wasn't long before we were on top of the largest of the 4 cones enjoying incredible views of North and Middle Sister as well as Little Brother. We enjoyed part of our lunch up here and took a few photographs before descending into the valley below.</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2015/09/IMG_4725.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Stretching out my calves" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2015/09/IMG_4727.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="With Scott" />
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<h2 id="keep-on-hiking">Keep on Hiking</h2>
<p>After descending, we had a little discussion. The main hike was classified as moderate and it was a 9 mile round trip. We had the option of extending and turning this into a challenging 15 mile loop by taking the PCT and Obsidian Trail back. Of course I wanted to extend it. Luckily the others all felt the same way. The kids weren't with us and we had no time pressure, so the longer hike was in the cards for that day!</p>
<p>The next portion of this trail was on the PCT and while we were on this section, we did run into a couple of PCT thru hikers. I love meeting folks tackling this journey, even if we just exchange quick hellos. The thought of doing the entire trail is just so inspiring!</p>
<p>After our stint on the PCT <em>(during which time we walked by our access route to where we had summited Little Brother 2 years ago and saw the area where we camped)</em> we returned to our car via the Obsidian Trail. This trail takes you through gorgeous lava flows before re-entering the mossy forest. This was the route we had taken up to camp with the kids while carrying the aforementioned 40 pound packs both in and out. As I hiked next to Sarah, I remembered how exhausted I was when we did that route to summit Little Brother. Because I was carrying virtually nothing, I was free to enjoy the lovely scenery without a thought of being tired. I was, however, already looking forward to the celebratory <a href="http://www.nuggetnews.com/main.asp?SectionID=7&SubSectionID=88&ArticleID=23596">huckleberry smoothie</a> I'd enjoy when we returned to Sisters for the evening!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/09/IMG_4743.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Our favorite Huckleberry Smoothies in Sisters, Oregon" title="Our favorite Huckleberry Smoothies in Sisters, Oregon" /><p class="stickyNote">Our favorite Huckleberry Smoothies in Sisters, Oregon</p></div>
<h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
<p>According to <a href="https://www.gaiagps.com/gallery/">Gaia GPS</a> we logged 16.28 miles with 3,116 feet of elevation gain for the day. We were actively hiking for 5:24:27 and our total time on the trail was 6:20:10.</p>
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Timberline to Zigzag Canyon2015-08-08T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/hiking/timberline-to-zigzag-canyon/<h2 id="mt-hood-summer-ski-camp!">Mt Hood Summer Ski Camp!</h2>
<p>Before dawn on our 2nd day of vacation we packed all of our stuff to begin the drive out to <a href="http://www.mthood.com/">Mt. Hood Summer Ski Camp</a> to drop the kids off for the week. This year the schedule was compressed because the mountain was closing early due to lack of snow. We were bringing Elizabeth and Xander in time for breakfast on Friday where they would grab some food with the other campers, pack their lunches and head up to the mountain.</p>
<p>As we left the hotel, Scott and I decided we'd hit McDonalds and buy an egg sandwich for ourselves as we began the drive. We almost never eat fast food and Xander had a tremor of terror in his voice as he timidly asked, "We don't have to eat there do we?" We laughed that our 11 year old was so anti fast food, and assured him he'd be dining at camp.</p>
<p>About 20 minutes into the drive Scott said, "can you check the GPS? I think it is heading to Hood River." We'd been to Hood River on our way home from St. Helen's yesterday and sure enough we were heading right back! No problem, we re-routed but didn't check the bigger picture map. It routed us on back windy mountain roads for almost 45 minutes. By the time we realized our error we were too far into the process to correct this. We were glad that neither kid had eaten as both are prone to car sickness. Soon, we hit the last town and were back on straight roads for the last 1/3 of the drive to camp. Arrival was smooth and before long the kids were heading up the mountain and we were off on our own adventure!</p>
<h2 id="the-hike">The Hike</h2>
<p>We chose a hike near Mt. Hood so we could see the kids as they started their day, and because we had plans to see my sister and stay the night at her place in Portland. In 2012 we hiked the Timberline Trail down to Zigzag Canyon with Xander on Elizabeth's first day of camp so it was cool to be back on familiar terrain a few years later. Arriving just as they were heading up, we nabbed a quick picture of them before our hike.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/09/IMG_4705.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Ski campers, ready to go!" title="Ski campers, ready to go!" /><p class="stickyNote">Ski campers, ready to go!</p></div>
<p>Soon it was time to head out. The hike begins on the PCT and heads down to little Zigzag river. The trail was dry and dusty and almost sandy feeling. Our feet sunk into the sand and it felt a lot like walking on beach sand. We passed many hikers, including several overnight campers and a couple of PCT thu hikers. Before we began the 700 ft descent into Zigzag canyon we took this shot of Mt. Hood.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/09/IMG_3066.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Hood before we started our descent into ZigZag Canyon" title="Hood before we started our descent into ZigZag Canyon" /><p class="stickyNote">Hood before we started our descent into ZigZag Canyon</p></div>
<p>As we began the series of switchbacks down to the Zigzag river I thought about how different it is to hike without a young child. When we last hiked here with Xander he was 8. He was a great little hiker, but every switchback we went down I worried about our trip back up! Today I just ambled along with no worries. When we reached Zigzag river we enjoyed a snack and the scenery before making the quick river crossing. It was so easy to hop from rock to rock and head up the other side.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/09/IMG_4711.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="ZigZag River Crossing" title="ZigZag River Crossing" /><p class="stickyNote">ZigZag River Crossing</p></div>
<p>Shortly after the river crossing, we made a right turn to head toward Paradise Park. On this trail, we enjoyed switchbacks toward dramatic views of Mt. Hood. We made steady progress on the climbs, grateful for some shading from trees on this really warm day. We made it to a meadow and tried to decide what to do. We could finish the loop for a 12.2 mile day, or take a short connector trail and cut it short, making it about 10.6 miles. It was almost 11 am and we were only about 5 miles in, so we opted for the connector so we'd have time to enjoy lunch at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Taco-Shoppe/126847427406571">The Taco Shoppe</a>, our favorite place in Govy. After that we'd head back to Portland and enjoy the afternoon/evening with my sister and her partner, Adam, finishing off the day with her 40th birthday party!</p>
<h2 id="the-return">The Return</h2>
<p>We'd decided to choose the shorter distance, but still I felt bummed that we would barely be in double digits <em>(I try to be chill on these hikes, but have trouble doing anything but "chasing miles" when I'm out in Oregon)</em>. Our hike back was really delightful. We passed by many hikers, saw some trail runners and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. One thing that I love about out and back hikes is the new perspective you get on the return trip. I always find that because I know exactly what to expect, I'm more open to looking around and taking in the scenery, and usually more relaxed. We also saw the actual start of the Little Zigzag river!! This is a glacial stream that sometimes doesn't start until afternoon when the glacial melt reaches the lower elevations. See the picture on <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/timberline-to-zigzag-canyon-paradise-park/">Scott's post</a>.</p>
<p>Before long we were back at Timberline. We knew it was about the time of day that the kids would be heading back to camp. By early afternoon, the snow on the Palmer Snowfield is too warm to train on, so they head back to camp and enjoy great afternoon activities like cliff jumping and white water rafting. We saw some kids in the distance and I said, "there are ski racers down there." Scott took one look and said, "those are OUR kids!" We ran down to see them before they boarded their bus. It was SO warm that Xander was sopping wet with sweat. I was suddenly REALLY happy that we'd chosen the shorter distance for this hike!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/09/IMG_4715.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Ski campers after a full day" title="Ski campers after a full day" /><p class="stickyNote">Ski campers after a full day</p></div>
<h2 id="the-numbers">The Numbers</h2>
<p>Our stats for this hike are 10.6 miles with 2316 feet of gain. We were hiking for 3:28:21. We used Gaia GPS to track everything loaded it into Strava for the GPX report.</p>
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Mt. St Helen's: Windy Ridge to Loowit Falls2015-08-07T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/hiking/mt-st-helens-windy-ridge-to-loowit-falls/<h2 id="why-windy-ridge%3F">Why Windy Ridge?</h2>
<p>Our family has a mostly annual tradition of going to visit my sister <a href="http://runningforpancakes.blogspot.com/">Sarah</a> in Portland in the summer. While we are there, Elizabeth has attended <a href="http://www.mthood.com/">Mt. Hood Summer Ski camp</a> for two of the years and this year would be the first year that Xander was ready to attend. We arrived on Thursday August 6th around midnight Pacific time after a LONG day of travel. Ordinarily, our first day would be a day of acclimating. However, the kids' camp had been moved up 2 days due to low snow <em>(they'd be attending camp on the actual last days the mountain would be open for the season)</em>, so in order to have a hiking day before camp we had to seize the day!!</p>
<p>We'd tried to get St. Helen's rim permits on a <a href="http://www.purmit.com/">permit swap site</a> <em>(all the permits were sold so the only option was to buy from someone who couldn't use theirs)</em> and we were unsuccessful. We've been to the <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mountsthelens/recarea/?recid=31562">Johnston Ridge Observatory</a> several times over the years, so we picked what we thought would be a shorter drive for a hike that would be beautiful and not too long <em>(for their first hike of the trip the kids were game for a hike that was less than 10 miles so we obliged)</em>.</p>
<h2 id="winding-roads">Winding Roads</h2>
<p>The guidebook explained that we'd need to take Interstate 5 to exit 21 <em>(North of Portland 25 miles)</em>. Then it explained the long drive to Cougar, Washington as we'd head toward Windy Ridge. We didn't read that part carefully, only figuring that if we were getting off I-5 SO much earlier than if we went to Johnston Ridge that this drive would be shorter than our normal outing.</p>
<p>2 hours later we were on the last stretch of winding roads up to the parking area when Elizabeth woke up from her nap completely disoriented <em>(we were in a rental Mercedes SUV with only our hiking poles and lunch)</em> and promptly said she felt like she was going to throw up. Luckily there was a pull off a few minutes away and we made it just in time. We couldn't help wondering what we'd have done if we hadn't. A rental car with no clean-up supplies at least an hour from civilization would have been a tough ride! Onward and upward and soon we were at the parking area. As soon as we popped out of the car we noticed that Xander had his Keen sandals on. Thankfully he wasn't in flip flops. He's 11 and Elizabeth is 14 so we have stopped parenting <em>"as though we have little kids"</em> thinking that they can predict what they'll need based on the situation. All I could hope was that his feet wouldn't get irritated and he wouldn't end up starting the trip with blisters.</p>
<h2 id="hiking-at-last">Hiking at Last</h2>
<p>As we headed out on the 8.8 mile hike that begins on a dusty gravel road, Elizabeth and I couldn't help but joke that we really didn't need our poles. It was fun to walk side by side and chat on the mostly flat terrain, but we were eager for it to change to trail. As we hiked, we came upon an odd looking little building. It turns out that it is an <a href="http://www.earthscope.org/">EarthScope</a>. It is part of a network of 103 stations across the west to study deformation of the Earth's crust. The data is used to better understand earthquakes and volcanoes. Elizabeth had just finished taking Earth Science this year and we spent some time reading about this and taking pictures.</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2015/08/IMG_3047.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="EarthScope" />
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<h2 id="bigfoot-200">Bigfoot 200</h2>
<p>As the road turned to trail we ran into a couple of women who were clearly setting up an Aid Station for an ultra. We chatted and learned that the <a href="http://www.bigfoot200.com/">Big Foot 200</a> runners would be coming through soon. It was early in the race; mile 19 or 29 of 200. We'd get to see runners!! We continued along the trail and I have to be honest; at this point I wasn't really enjoying the hike. The kids were whining, I was worried about Xander's feet and my own feet were rubbing with the dry dusty surface. Lamenting that we hadn't gone to the visitor's center, I continued to slog along. Soon we arrived at an area with enough steepness to make the kids a little nervous going up. This is when everyone started to be a little more cheery. Once we get off the easy terrain, our family always perks up.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/08/IMG_4683.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Dry and dusty!" title="Dry and dusty!" /><p class="stickyNote">Dry and dusty!</p></div>
<h2 id="lush-landscape">Lush Landscape</h2>
<p>I kept looking up at the crater, grumpy that we couldn't be doing a big, challenging hike and soon we arrived at what we thought was our river crossing. The landscape was lush and green in the middle of the otherwise dry, dusty, lunar inspired surface. Scott told us to hang back and he headed in only to come out quickly and point us uphill. We could either walk through the river or head uphill where we'd cross with our feet dry. We opted for the dry feet through this little oasis.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/08/IMG_4682.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Lush Landscape" title="Lush Landscape" /><p class="stickyNote">Lush Landscape</p></div>
<h2 id="loowit-falls">Loowit Falls</h2>
<p>Our hike continued along as we debated whether to go to the falls or turn back. Xander was worried that with the dry year that there would be no falls. Scott and I wanted to keep going. Being a bit of a long hike freak, I wasn't going to be happy if we'd driven 2 1/2 hours for a 6 or 7 mile hike. As it was, 8.8 felt short enough! Our effort paid off and soon we were treated to the gorgeous waterfall. It reminded us a lot of <a href="http://www.nysparks.com/parks/62/details.aspx">Taughannock Falls</a> in our hometown, minus the greenery.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/08/IMG_4686.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Loowit Falls" title="Loowit Falls" /><p class="stickyNote">Loowit Falls</p></div>
<h2 id="small-world">Small World</h2>
<p>After we saw the falls and had lunch, the kids had great energy! Suddenly eager to show us that they could beat us back to the car, they were fast hikers indeed. Scott and I kept our steady pace and talked about the landscape and wondered aloud if we'd see Bigfoot 200 racers. Soon, we saw the first racer in the distance followed by another shortly after that. Having watched my sister in <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/western-states-100-kick-start-trail-running/">Western States</a> we knew what goes into an event like this. These guys were the front runners and it was fun to see them run by us. We saw one directional race sign that was flapping in the wind and thought, <em>"yikes that could be a confusing turn"</em> but we didn't have anything to pin it down with. Soon we approached the fork that could take us on a longer hike <em>(I voted for longer and lost)</em> or take us back toward the car. As we approached the fork we saw a person hurriedly scrambling down a big hill. He had a camera and he was telling a guy that he was going the wrong way. Turns out he was an official race photographer, a seasoned ultra runner himself and the guy he saw wasn't supposed to be coming from that direction. He joined us as we headed back toward the Aid Station.</p>
<p>Upon arriving at the station, we chatted with the now larger group of workers about the terrain and the race. We shared that one sign was flapping a bit and that this could be the reason the person was approaching from the wrong direction. One woman had a Western States shirt on and she looked a little bit familiar. I figured the odds were that I didn't know her and didn't say anything. Luckily Scott was more daring, quickly asking her if she'd run the race. She started to explain that she'd crewed for a friend 2 years ago and we shared that we'd been out to watch my sister 2 years ago. Turns out she is Janet; part of my sister's crew from the race. We'd spent the weekend with her during the event and had a great time! We'd even been with her when she bought the shirt!! Small world. The race photographer listened to us catching up and he snapped a picture. We made it into the official <a href="http://www.bigfoot200.com/">Big Foot 200</a> photographs. This photo is just the 3 of us, but to see the official race one visit <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/mount-st-helens-windy-ridge-to-loowit-falls/">Scott's post</a>.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/08/IMG_4694.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Janet at the Big Foot 200" title="With Janet at the Big Foot 200" /><p class="stickyNote">With Janet at the Big Foot 200</p></div>
<h2 id="and-we're-done!">And We're Done!</h2>
<p>Using data from <a href="https://www.gaiagps.com/gallery/">Gaia GPS</a>, we learned that our hike was 8.85 miles <em>(1,157 feet of gain as reported by GPS)</em> and we had a moving time of 3:12:15 with a total time of 4:02:37.</p>
<iframe src="https://www.strava.com/activities/386458290/embed/5ea75a3d6c14faf9128fb1afdeeeebc77cfc2704" width="100%" height="405" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
<p>We headed into our car and took a different route home by way of Hood River. We enjoyed a delicious dinner at <a href="http://www.doublemountainbrewery.com/">Double Mountain Brewery</a> before heading back to our hotel in Gresham.</p>
Cayuga Lake Triathlon 20152015-08-05T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2/<h2 id="family-fan-club">Family Fan Club</h2>
<p>The CLT tops my list for favorite events. Located just 3 miles from my house in the beautiful Taughannock Falls State Park, it is a beautiful location. It's a time to see so many people I know out on the course! Friends, fellow <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> ambassadors, and of course my family! <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2015/">Scott's</a> parents have volunteered as body markers for several years and my parents always come to the event for the whole morning to support us.<a href="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2015/08/done.jpg"></a><a href="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2015/08/family.jpg"></a></p>
<p>This year it was also a time to see many people from my <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-week-1/">Total Immersion swim class with Shane</a>. If you have seen my blog before, you may already know that this year was my self declared, "year of the swim!" I saw Anne and Katie <em>(whom I trained with this summer)</em> Didi, Diane, Gail, Deidra, and of course Shane.</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/08/before.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="With Anne, Xander and Scott before the race." title="With Anne, Xander and Scott before the race." /><p class="stickyNote">With Anne, Xander and Scott before the race.</p></div>
<h2 id="swim">Swim</h2>
<p>Last year the water was glass smooth. Even with this, I panicked, almost dropped out and flipped on my back for the entire swim. After a full year of lessons and practice, I yearned for another smooth water year. I wanted to compare my time against similar conditions a year later. This wish was not granted. It was choppy. The buoy line was being blown far inward so we'd have to try to sight more off the kayaks than the line and battle the current against us. I stood on the shore feeling gratitude to my friend Kathey (<em>who let me swim from her dock all summer and strongly suggested that we practice in choppy water)</em> and to Katie and Anne for practicing with me in the chop. Our 1 mile training swim was on a very rough water day - thank goodness! While chatting with a friend's relay group about the rough waters, her swimmer said,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I'm ok with the chop. I just have to handle it better than everyone else.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I could do this. I was ready! The conditions were not what I wanted, but I was not scared.I wandered and chatted as I waited. Instead of the usual butterflies, I felt happy and my friend Michael joked that I was working the crowd really well. Soon it was time to warm-up. During my warm-up I promptly crashed into my friend John and we had a good laugh. I'd get the bumping into people out of the way before the swim!!</p>
<p>As I stood in my corral, I talked with my friend <a href="https://lauravoorhees.wordpress.com/2015/08/02/67/">Laura Voorhees</a>. She loves the water and has a wonderful way of helping make everything feel relaxed. We stood together waiting for the start. I looked over at my family and thought about how hard I'd worked this year. This was my 5th time participating and the first year they hopefully wouldn't have to ask me, "How come you started last and out to the left?" or watch me emerge from the lake panic stricken at the very end of my heat. I thought about my daughter Elizabeth and the time she'd spent as my kayaker all of July for my practice swims. And then there was my son Xander who would be entering the lake in just over an hour for the youth version of the CLT. Then, there were all the friends I met along the way during this journey. Everyone has a story and each person has a different challenge. I would channel Shane's positive energy during this swim and focus on the "opportunity" if I encountered any adversity.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/08/amyswim.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Ready for the swim. Photo by Ed Dawson" title="Ready for the swim. Photo by Ed Dawson" /><p class="stickyNote">Ready for the swim. Photo by Ed Dawson</p></div>
<p>The horn blared and we were off. I settled into my groove a little slower than I hoped, catching a couple of mouthfuls of water early on. I quickly adjusted my breathing <em>(thanks Shane for teaching us how to adjust breathing for conditions)</em> and settled into a routine. I wanted to count the buoys as they went by but couldn't concentrate on anything more than 1, 2, 3 in my head. Soon we arrived at the green buoy <em>(ok not that soon)</em> and I was still in the fray!!</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/08/shane.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="With my fantastic swim Coach, Shane Eversfield. Photo by Jean Dawson" title="With my fantastic swim Coach, Shane Eversfield. Photo by Jean Dawson" /><p class="stickyNote">With my fantastic swim Coach, Shane Eversfield. Photo by Jean Dawson</p></div>
<p>Usually I'm swimming virtually alone by the time I'm halfway to the green turnaround buoy. As we rounded the bend I knew the way home would be sweet! I worked on speeding up and trying to pass the ladies I was near as the current was in our favor. It was work to stay close to the line because the water was pushing us toward shore, but I managed pretty well. As I got close to shore I heard horn for the last wave go off. I was SO angry. That meant 20 minutes had passed and I wasn't at the shore yet. In my heart I knew I probably wasn't going to hit 20 but some of our training swims were close so it was within reach. I kept swimming and emerged with a swim split of 22:38 (<em>almost 3 minutes faster than my fastest swim time that happened to occur on a glassy water year. It was 4 minutes faster than a choppy year time).</em> I was pretty pleased. I was 6th of the 12 people in my age group and I was 31/57 in my wave. Success!</p>
<h2 id="bike">Bike</h2>
<p>This was the year didn't expect much from the bike. I barely rode this season and didn't even go regularly to spin classes. But, I was reasonably sure I could at least tie myself from last year based on the Tri Club's training ride/run evening.</p>
<p>My watch never found satellites, so I rode by feel and while this was a lovely ride, I never really got into a great groove. I didn't have a song going in my head and I forgot to get into my drops until mile 9 or 10 when my friend Lynn rode by me and reminded me (<em>thanks Lynn).</em></p>
<p>On the training ride, whenever anyone passed me I was able to pick up their cadence for awhile but during the race this rarely happened. My friend Steve did pass me and I picked up his cadence ever so briefly, enjoying the speed burst. I realized a couple of days later that one thing I lacked on the ride was drive. Normally I get out of the water so defeated that I want to pass anyone I can. This race day I was exhilarated because my swim wasn't terrible. I didn't know my time, but I ENJOYED it. I was still basking in that happiness for this ride instead of desire to be speedy.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/08/IMG_5077.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Heading up the hill just before mile 3. Photo by Stevan Knapp" title="Heading up the hill just before mile 3. Photo by Stevan Knapp" /><p class="stickyNote">Heading up the hill just before mile 3. Photo by Stevan Knapp</p></div>
<p>My time was just under a minute slower than last year with a 51:23, 7th in age group. As Anne pointed out, the triathlon is largely a bike race. I need to master the bike because it is where you can drop many minutes off an overall time. So, next year is the year of the bike! Elizabeth is going to sign up for a relay team <em>(she'll do the bike/run and her friend Jess is going to be their swimmer)</em> so I'll finally upgrade my bike and give her mine. Neither one of us can wait!</p>
<h2 id="and-finally-..-run">And Finally .. Run</h2>
<p>I promised myself during the training evening that I would focus solely on running as fast as I could. No shouting, "you got this!" or "you can do it" or smiling for photos. And guess what? I co forgot about this as I started to run.</p>
<p>First, my watch worked - yay! But, as I ran I thanked the volunteers at the top of the stairs, and cheered on every person that I knew and many that I didn't know along the course. I shouted thank you to volunteers and gave big smiles to everyone. My friend DiDi from swim class was out on the course taking pictures of me (<em>thanks Didi)</em> so of course I smiled whenever I saw her. I even scared a guy running behind Shane as I shouted encouragement to Shane.</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/08/FullSizeRender-1.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Running and smiling. Photo by Didi McDonald" title="Running and smiling. Photo by Didi McDonald" /><p class="stickyNote">Running and smiling. Photo by Didi McDonald</p></div>
<p>It was only when I ran by friends Christina and Melissa cheering them both on, I saw that they were both in a zone. I don't even think that Melissa saw me. "Oh my goodness! I was going to focus and run as hard as I can. I promised myself I would tune out the world!" By then it was too late. I was at mile 4 and having so much fun! As I neared the finish line I caught up to someone and shouted "we're almost there!" before sprinting in toward the finish. My official run time was exactly 5 seconds slower than last year. I was 7th in my age group with a 26:09.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/08/done.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="The joy of finishing! Photo by Ed Dawson" title="The joy of finishing! Photo by Ed Dawson" /><p class="stickyNote">The joy of finishing! Photo by Ed Dawson</p></div>
<h2 id="another-year-in-the-books">Another Year in the Books</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/08/family.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Scott, Elizabeth and Xander after the race" title="With Scott, Elizabeth and Xander after the race" /><p class="stickyNote">With Scott, Elizabeth and Xander after the race</p></div>
<p>I crossed the finish line to my family cheering for me! I got my finisher water bottle and it was time to celebrate. We enjoyed our post race Wings of Life salad wrap (<em>this really made my day. My favorite salad here at the CLT for lunch!)</em> and our post race beer from <a href="http://ithacabeer.com/">Ithaca Beer</a>. The boys had to head home as soon as Xander finished to get into town for the last performance of The Music Man with local theatre company; <a href="http://encoreplayers.com/">Encore Players</a>. Elizabeth and I had signed up to sweep the run course <em>(they didn't end up needing us)</em> so we stuck around socializing.</p>
<h2 id="thanks-and-next-year">Thanks and Next Year</h2>
<p>Thank you to the many volunteers that make this fantastic event possible! It was a beautifully organized event from start to finish. Race Directors Alex and Shawn do a fantastic job of leading this event.</p>
<p>It is the 5th year Scott and I have participated <em>(first in 2008, then a big gap and we've done it the past 4 years).</em> Ironically what I most love about it now is what made me too afraid to sign up again after that first year; knowing so many people there! When we first started we really weren't athletic at all. I was afraid that people would make fun of me and think I was an impostor triathlete. In the several years that followed, I began to understand that everyone has a story and no one is an impostor triathlete. We all do our best, train to the best of our time/ability and show up and have a good time. Some people will win, some will be near the back of the pack, and everyone grows from the experience. In many ways it feels like the New Year to me; a day of resolutions and the feeling that anything is possible. If you are considering a triathlon, definitely check this one out.</p>
<p>Next year I'd like to sign up for the intermediate distance. My friend Michael, who is a wonderfully supportive person, told me that he was positive I could do it. He did remind me to sign up for what I thought I could reasonably train for. Luckily I have until December 1st until sign-ups open for next year!!</p>
<p>If you participated in the <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/cltrace/">Cayuga Lake Triathlon</a>, I'd love to read your story. Add a comment with your race report link!!</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>This was a 2 minute PR for me so I was pretty happy. A lot of it was the faster swim (yay) and the rest was my transition time being slightly faster than last year since both the bike and run were slower.</p>
<p>Overall 1:44:22, Swim 22:38, T1 2:24, Bike 51:23, T2 1:48, Run 26:09 <a href="https://results.score-this.com/ResultsMS.php?raceid=20150802CLTR">Official Results</a></p>
Time to Tri!2015-07-30T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/time-to-tri/<p>Only 3 days remain until the <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/cltrace/">Cayuga Lake Triathlon</a>. I've been in the lake 14 times since July 2nd. Prior to that I took an entire year of Total Immersion swim lessons with <a href="http://totalimmersion.net/blog/author/coachshane/#.Vbo1wSpVhBc">Shane Eversfield</a>. During my self declared, "year of the swim" I've made new friends, learned to embrace the lake, and I've dramatically improved both my swim technique and my pool cardio fitness level.</p>
<p>A few days ago, Katie, Anne and I met again at Kathey's for a full mile swim. Our plan was to go to the middle of the lake with two kayak escorts and then return back to the shore. However, there was a threat of thunderstorms and one of our kayakers was feeling under the weather. Canceling was NOT an option, so we modified our plan; we'd swim two laps of the 1/2 mile close to shore route with Elizabeth as our kayak escort. This plan would afford us the option of an easy exit if a storm rolled in and would let us abort if we weren't up for the full distance.</p>
<h2 id="the-first-loop">The First Loop</h2>
<p>We arrived at my home away from home for the summer and saw that the lake was rough. It was choppy and to be honest I took one look and thought, "I've had enough practice. I could go home now." But, after a wasp fiasco with the kayak <em>(thanks to Katie for handling the wasps for Elizabeth)</em> and a spider web blocking our access to the ladder <em>(I was brave enough for that)</em> we were in the water. The current was strong and it was going with us so our first .25 mile took us a mere 7:45. We worked to swim next to each other to feel the proximity we'd feel in the race and get used to being amongst other swimmers. I found it comforting to be near them. As we turned around, we could feel the current pushing us backwards. It felt like we were salmon swimming upstream as we slowly made our way toward the big landmark of the blue and yellow water trampoline. Time passed slowly and I counted my strokes to mark time. 699, 700, 701, was interrupted by Elizabeth saying, "Mom you are getting far out, can you aim back toward Anne and Katie?" I looked up and in my intense focus on counting I had headed 25 yards out into the lake. I dropped the counting and headed back toward them. Finally we made it to the dock with a total time of 26 and change. As hard as the return trip was, I still couldn't process that it took us THAT LONG to get back. Really?? I felt done.</p>
<h2 id="my-best-self">My Best Self</h2>
<p>When it was time to start the 2nd lap I just didn't want to. I looked at Anne and Katie and said, "I could be done." They both responded cheerily that they could go on. I pondered for a moment. It would have been easy to swap out the single kayak for the double and join Elizabeth as the kayak escort. I'd be relaxing and enjoying the ride while they swam. I wouldn't even have to paddle. BUT, I'd feel like a slacker and I knew I COULD swim another lap. I just didn't want to. I popped my goggles on and before long we were off. This time our trip there was even faster at 6:45 and our return trip even slower. Our total time for the mile was something near 56 minutes!</p>
<p>By the time we finished my hands were numb and my teeth were chattering. I was tired but proud. We had completed our 1 mile swim and practiced swimming close. It was a rough lake day and we persevered. Whatever race morning would deliver we felt ready.</p>
<h2 id="celebrating-total-immersion">Celebrating Total Immersion</h2>
<p>As we made our way up Kathey's long driveway, we chattered about how confident we felt in the water. All of us grew so much under Shane's teaching. Not only did we become better swimmers, but we were enjoying ourselves! Anne said she would never have signed up for the CLT if it hadn't been for class. I thought back to fall when I introduced myself in level 1. I felt so afraid to be there, like I wasn't even good enough to contemplate trying to learn to swim. Now, here we had all just finished a mile in the lake.</p>
<h2 id="jenny's-first-swim">Jenny's First Swim</h2>
<p>Later in the week I brought my friend Jenny out to the lake. It was her first time swimming since the CLT last summer. We enjoyed a calm water day and a relatively speedy .5 mile swim (21:20) from Kathey's. I was both happy for Jenny that she could just hop in the water and swim without any drama and jealous that she could just hop in and swim with no training. But, I reminded myself that everyone is an individual and I NEEDED the year of training to get to this point.</p>
<h2 id="the-little-orange-buoy">The Little Orange Buoy</h2>
<p>Later that same day, Anne and I met at East Lake park for one last swim. We had talked about hiking, but it was 90 degrees so swimming sounded like a better plan. After getting lost finding the park and having a little help from my friend Michael via phone, I arrived ready to swim. Anne had her <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M3D0ZZC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00M3D0ZZC&linkCode=as2&tag=lunchtaker-20&linkId=S23273ZRXMCNRCBR">orange buoy for solo swimming</a> and we were ready. This little contraption is SO neat! It attaches to the swimmer and serves as a flotation device as well as a way to be seen by boats in the water. It was so comforting that I definitely plan to buy one if I will ever be swimming sans kayak escort!</p>
<p>This swim turned out to simulate race condition anxiety for me. I wasn't expecting that. The route from Kathey's house had become my "pool" in the lake. I had my personal kayak escort, I knew which dock I had to swim to and I knew generally when to expect seaweed. This swim altered all the variables; no kayak, no idea where we had to swim to and lots of seaweed in random places. I was more anxious than normal, but found it really comforting to have Anne swimming near me. I kept her little orange buoy in sight and hung onto it when we stopped to look around a few times.</p>
<h2 id="time-to-tri!">Time to Tri!</h2>
<p>As I write this, I've had my last bike, last swim and last run before the race. I will probably bike with Xander to help him get ready for the youth triathlon and may even swim with him. I will make time for some yoga and then soon enough Sunday morning will arrive. Whatever race day brings, I'm grateful to myself for all the hard work I've put into swimming. I'm so thankful for Shane and his coaching, and to my family and friends for all their support this year. I can't wait to see what the day brings! As Shane reminded us in class, our goal is to be comfortable in the water and to come out with energy to attack the bike and the run. With that in mind, I already declared that next year is going to be "the year of the bike!"</p>
1st Group Swim2015-07-21T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/1st-group-swim/<p>The CLT is fast approaching, and Anne, Katie and I found a night for our first group swim. We met at my house and then we drove down to Kathey's to give it a go. I've been alternately dreading and looking forward to this. I've had several successful solo lake swims, but something about swimming with other people makes this feel different. But, I've shared a lane with Anne many times in class as well as in the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/tri-for-the-y/">Tri for the Y</a> and I've seen Katie swim <em>(she is the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/swim/session-1-halfway-point-week-4/">amazing level 3 swimmer</a> I blogged about when I was in level 1)</em> and met her before. I was excited to try this out!! My daughter, Elizabeth, was set to be our kayak escort. She's been kayaking for me all summer and loving it. This particular day she spent a full day in golf camp followed by BodyPump with me, after which we enjoyed a packed dinner in the car before heading to the lake.</p>
<h2 id="the-watchdog">The Watchdog</h2>
<p>We arrived at Kathey's to find her dog Finn barking outside. Finn is a very sweet dog who doesn't really bark much at people, but he barks at us every time we are around. Kathey jokes that he can tell we aren't dog people. And, since our first reaction to him barking was to call Kathey to let her know we'd arrived <em>(before stepping out of the car)</em>, I'd say she's pretty much spot on.</p>
<p>We hopped out, exchanged pleasantries and headed down to the lake. It was 80 degrees outside, slightly muggy and the lake water was like glass. A PERFECT evening to swim.</p>
<h2 id="the-live-fish">The LIVE fish</h2>
<p>While Elizabeth got her kayak all situated we donned our wetsuits. Anne was wearing glide for the first time because she chafed the last time she swam, Katie was putting on her glide and I <em>(having not chafed yet)</em> skipped the glide and hopped right into my suit. I set my tempo trainer for 130 and started down the ladder to get my goggles wet. I looked down into the crystal clear water and saw a FISH. He was happily swimming near the ladder and seemed comfortable. A minute or so later I decided I'd be jumping off the dock instead of climbing down the ladder. Life in the water is one of my big lake fears <em>(more snakes than fish actually)</em> so jumping in away from the fish seemed safer. Ultimately I was too chicken to jump in and ended up easing myself down slowly into the chilly water.</p>
<h2 id="and-we're-off!">And We're Off!</h2>
<p>We pointed out our destination to Anne and Katie and we were off. I started a little bit ahead of them because once I was in the water I didn't really know what to do with myself. Treading water is not a strong skill of mine and I was in the sleeveless wetsuit which is a bunch less buoyant than the one with sleeves. Soon Elizabeth shouted for me to wait up so I did, and then after that we all swam near each other for awhile. It was SO nice to be in calm water and this felt fun and easy. The area under my right arm was chafing a bit, so I made a note to self to use glide next time. Soon, however, my goggles fogged up so badly I couldn't see well enough to even sight off the kayak. I stopped on the back of the kayak and wiped them out and then we headed back out. When we started again we were right next to each other. My friend Michael told me to practice being super close. He is a very strong swimmer and he said that sometimes the close proximity during a triathlon still makes him a little anxious. I enjoyed swimming tightly for the opportunity to practice being comfortable with it. It wasn't so scary being with people I know whom I know are just as nervous as me. I felt some comfort in that it was the first group swim for all of us.</p>
<p>Soon we were spread out again, going various directions though mostly forward. This was the farthest I've ever been from the kayak <em>(all of my swims have just been one kayak on one person so I was literally right next to it)</em> and I really enjoyed being farther away. Somehow it made it more real; I couldn't just climb onto the boat if I freaked out. Also, I was far enough away that I'd have to choose to swim over to it if I felt panicked, ultimately wasting energy for the real swim.</p>
<h2 id="the-green-roof-%26-the-water-trampoline">The Green Roof & the Water Trampoline</h2>
<p>We swim to the 2nd building with the green roof. I'm always SO happy to see that building. We arrived, Anne checked her watch and gave a time update and we were off. The swim back was equally uneventful and enjoyable. I got into a really comfortable groove using most of my energy to focus on kicking without breaking the surface. I also worked on my poise point and trying to use gravity to my advantage. It was really fun to have all of the Total Immersion Swim knowledge and imprinting to rely on. Many times I found myself thinking of techniques we'd practiced in <a href="http://totalimmersion.net/blog/author/coachshane/#.Va5V3ipVhBc">Shane Eversfield Total Immersion</a>. On our way down when I was <em>slightly</em> freaking out about our paces compared to each other, Katie pointed out that we all swam with the same method so that made us compatible.</p>
<p>Soon I allowed myself to look in the distance and saw I was getting close to the water trampoline. This is the last landmark before Kathey's dock; the point in the swim when you know you are almost done!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/07/IMG_20150720_195822191_HDR.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Anne, Katie and me after our swim" title="Anne, Katie and me after our swim" /><p class="stickyNote">Anne, Katie and me after our swim</p></div>
<h2 id="when's-the-next-one%3F">When's the Next One?</h2>
<p>We finished as 3 happy campers. On the way down we joked that it was A LOT of work to get ready to swim for about 20 minutes. When we were finished we were discussing the idea of swimming a mile. Anne is doing the <a href="http://womenswimmin.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1133291&lis=1&kntae1133291=3CC7036EBBD948D7844C60E20EAE4700&supId=422732263">Women's Swimmin' for Hospicare</a> in a few weeks and Katie is signed up for the Olympic Distance of the CLT. I'm SO happy that we had this great 1st group swim and can't wait to get another one under our belts!</p>
Women's Distance Festival 20152015-07-13T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/run/womens-distance-festival-2015/<h2 id="the-plan">The Plan</h2>
<p>The Women's Distance Festival is a summer highlight for Elizabeth and me. This year we signed up as "The Loping LizERDS" for a mother-daughter team. Elizabeth's initials are E.R.D. and people keep trying to call her Liz <em>(something that drives her CRAZY)</em> so our family started calling her "lizerd" for fun. Elizabeth has been running more for cross country pre-season, and I'm in decent shape from training for the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2014/">CLT</a> and the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/wineglass-marathon/">Wineglass</a>. As such, we thought we might win a mother-daughter award.</p>
<p>My friends Anne and Deidra from swim class signed up for this and so did my friend Brenda. It has also become an annual thing for Brenda and this was Anne's 2nd time running the race. Elizabeth invited her friend Jessica to join us too. We talked about going out to dinner afterwards <em>(<a href="http://www.vivataqueria.com/">Viva</a> of course)</em> and Elizabeth and I bought race shirts <em>(Normally they give them to the first 100, but this year they had them as something to purchase. We always look forward to the shirts, so just decided to buy them.)</em></p>
<p>The race starts at 6:30 p.m. in a local park in Dryden. Every year it has been hot and muggy and sunny! A tough course at a tough time of day, the spirit of the group makes it worth the challenge.</p>
<h2 id="rain">RAIN</h2>
<p>The forecast for race day called for rain. A LOT of rain. Thunderstorms were also possible. Deidra emailed to see if they would cancel for thunder and Anne texted to make sure we were still game if it was raining. Elizabeth and I chose our only warm weather twin outfits and headed out to pick up Jess. The rain ceased right before we left, but by the time we hit Ithaca it was really pouring again. As we passed the High School we heard thunder in the distance so we started to speculate whether they'd have to follow soccer rules for thunder <em>(waiting 1/2 hour after each time it is heard or lightening is seen)</em>, how close the storm had to be to worry etc. Headphones are banned in this race, and we laughed that it didn't much matter since it was POURING. Obviously even if it were a headphone legal race we wouldn't be wearing them. I asked Elizabeth to give us some good race tunes for the drive. She obliged, switching back and forth between my playlists and hers <em>(making fun of my songs when they came on - it appears in my eagerness to find songs I've never heard, I unknowingly picked some that were from Dance Moms).</em></p>
<h2 id="the-race">The Race</h2>
<p>(/images/2015/07/IMG_20150709_181853209_HDR-e1436815548155.jpg) Before the race: Elizabeth, Brenda, Anne, me, Jess</p>
<p>As we lined up in the pouring rain we chatted with the ladies around us. A mother-daughter team chatted with us, pointing out that we were a team to beat. A woman behind me asked me how fast I was going to run this and I told her I was hoping for 25. She wasn't sure how to pace herself, so I told her to rely on the mile one split shout out. She could adjust up or down based on how she felt at the mile.</p>
<p>Elizabeth and I had talked about the fact that we could possibly be the same pace for this race. We've never run a 5K together - we just show up and run our own race. She was cool with us running together if it happened to work out that way, but we agreed that we wanted to try to win a mother-daughter award so we wouldn't plan to run together.</p>
<p>The gun went off. I hadn't run the day prior and my legs felt really springy. I was zipping along at a 7:30 pace on the horse trail. It was lovely! The rain was great fun and the ground underneath was pretty good. I caught up with Elizabeth about 3/4 mile into the run. I hung with her for a few steps and continued on. We hit the one mile there were no splits shouted <em>(it was POURING after all)</em> and I thought of the woman who was worried about pacing.</p>
<p>Soon it was time to start the uphill slog. I was running next to the mom from the mother-daughter team that we'd chatted with. She had just run the Finger Lakes 50s the week prior, so I had a reasonable shot of staying up with her because her legs were probably still exhausted. We talked a bit, and I focused on keeping my contacts in my eyes by putting my head down slightly. The rain was driving straight into my face. Ian was out at mile 1.5 with water. We waved and he cheered as we went by, joking that we could drink from the sky instead of a cup. This stretch was uneventful and rather easy. Looking back, I wish I had checked the average pace on my watch and picked it up a bit. I was trying to run by feel and not look at how I was doing. Last year I got a cramp at the top of the hill, and that was still in my memory. As we crested the hill, my running mate stopped to tie her show. Now I was alone. I wasn't even sure what pace we were running, or whether I was pacing her or vice versa. "Crud" I thought, "Now I have to pay more attention to my running." I looked down at my watch and saw that I was 1.8 miles into the race. "Wow, a 5K is SHORT, I'm almost done" I thought.</p>
<p>Soon I saw the last hill in the distance and suddenly I heard footsteps behind me. I pulled it out and started to pick up the pace for the last .3. By this point my skirt was SOPPING wet and felt much like I think a diaper would. I was ready to be done. I sprinted in with a strong finish to a 7 second course PR. 24:45 and change. I scolded myself for not having the watch set to average pace - I knew exactly what that number needed to be to have a real PR. But, with the rain I hadn't even contemplated one until it felt so fun about 3/4 mile in.</p>
<div class="main-carousel" data-flickity='{ "fullscreen": true, "wrapAround": "true", "autoPlay": "3000", "pauseAutoPlayOnHover": true }'><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2015/07/IMG_20150709_190126828-e1436816044523.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Elizabeth and Jessica" />
</div><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2015/07/IMG_20150709_190118370-e1436815754743.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="With Anne and Deidra" />
</div></div>
<p>I planned to run the course 2x like I did last year and turned around to head back. However, soon Elizabeth came through and I wanted to cheer her on. Then, Brenda and Anne came through and soon after that Deidra and Jess. It was so wet and I opted to just enjoy the post race camaraderie.</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>After the race, the girls headed to the car to change into dry clothes. I hung out with the ladies watching people finish. After the girls were done I headed down to the car to change. I had managed to get dry jean shorts on and switch my shoes when I heard a knock at the car window, "Mom, you won Masters!" "Awards!" I headed back up in time to hear Elizabeth being called out for winning her age group and Jessica placing 2nd. We waited for mother-daughter awards and we didn't place. The mom I'd been running with - her daughter was blazing fast and they took 1st. A little girl and her mom came in 2nd. Even with the rain, this was another great year for the Women's Distance Festival.</p>
<p><strong>Amy</strong> 24:45.1, 6/64</p>
<p><strong>Elizabeth</strong> 26:38.4, 14/64</p>
<p><a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/2015/07/women%C2%92s-distance-festival-5-k-run-2015-results/">Official Results</a></p>
A MILE in Cayuga Lake!2015-07-12T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/a-mile-in-cayuga-lake/<p>I've been writing about each lake swim for the past week or so. After having such a challenging time for the first time out and being pressed for time <em>(the <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/cltrace/">CLT</a> is the first Sunday in August)</em>, I hit this hard knowing I am rapidly running out of time for my year of learning to swim. Since my last post, I've been in the lake a couple more times working on getting comfortable, not quitting and just getting practice.</p>
<h2 id="the-next-step">The Next Step</h2>
<p>I want to go back to the group swim, but I don't want to have to climb into a canoe again <em>(unless I can't make the time limit)</em>. So, I need to be reasonably certain that I can make the distance before I show up. That's what today was for! Scott was out for his 2nd lake swim along the shore from Kathey's house and I would follow with a swim to the center of Cayuga Lake and the return to the dock.</p>
<p>Elizabeth and I kayaked for Scott and he had an AMAZING swim. He struggled a lot more than either of us expected on his first time out and I was so happy to see him swimming confidently today. His stroke looked very strong and his kick was great as was his patient lead arm - and he hasn't even taken lessons with Shane yet! He finished the distance in about 18:30. I admit I was jealous - hey I've spend almost a full year working on this and this is his 2nd time in water since last August! But, mostly I was happy for his success.</p>
<p>I actually felt excited as we approached the dock. It was my turn to put on my wetsuit and get into the water. Just before we went, we stopped at a friend's to try to talk her into joining us. She was swimming in her pool and I looked at the pool and actually thought, "I am looking forward to the lake." On the drive down, Elizabeth and I chatted about pools. I commented that I think if I were ever to really seriously want to swim at home I'd want an endless pool as it would simulate lake swimming pretty effectively. As I spoke, I could barely believe that these words were coming out of MY mouth.</p>
<h2 id="the-first-.25-miles">The first .25 Miles</h2>
<p>"I'm amazing!" "Wow, this is kind of fun" were the thoughts going through my head as I began to swim a mile in Cayuga Lake. The tempo trainer kind of faded into the background as my mind wandered about random things and then came back to trying not to splash so much on my kick. Time was melting away and I thought I must be nearing .5 miles <em>(my turnaround point in the lake)</em>. I stopped for a minute and looked up to sight only to hear Scott shout, "Looking good! You are .25 miles in!!"</p>
<p><em>"Oh CRAP!"</em> I shouted. <em>"Really???"</em> <em>"That's all."</em> Before we started, Elizabeth asked if I really had to go a full mile. I said, <em>"No. I might not. I just want to get out in the lake instead of along the shore. I need to know I can do that."</em> After that Scott said I'd been swimming for 11:30. <em>"That's it huh?"</em> <em>"I don't want to swim anymore."</em> I mumbled. They reminded me that I was looking great and that was pretty spot on for timing for me. I grudgingly agreed and started off again. The next time I surfaced long enough to listen to them he told me I'd hit .44 miles. Now I knew I could make the turnaround!! I had a mere .06 to go before they'd tell me it was time. I arrived at my halfway point of .5 miles at just over 23 minutes; still not fast by any means but something I could be proud of.</p>
<h2 id="washing-machine">Washing Machine</h2>
<p>A beautiful Saturday afternoon, one of the first nice days of summer and you can imagine that there were A LOT of boats out and about. The water was very murky from the recent rain and I couldn't really see anything. As I started back the water felt choppy and I started to feel like I was being tossed around in a washing machine. At one point a boat came by behind us and I looked forward to the waves that would push me toward shore. Just moments later though a boat came from the other side. I got tossed around and started to think I'd never make it back.</p>
<h2 id="just-the-kayak-and-me">Just the Kayak and Me</h2>
<p>While swimming along by shore you can see docks and houses. Once familiar with the route you always know roughly how far along you are and what is coming next. Heading into the middle of the lake was completely different. It was peaceful in a way that swimming along shore is not. It was just me and my kayak out there keeping me safe from boats. I could see nothing but the boat. Scott and Elizabeth were my moving buoy - my sightline. I felt completely safe with them by my side.</p>
<h2 id="the-dock-at-last">The Dock at Last</h2>
<p>As I approached shore I could see Kathey, Bruce, Mitch, Molly and their dog Finn on the dock. They were cheering for me!! I had arrived. It took me just over 47 minutes to swim 1.01 miles out to the middle of the lake and back. It was challenging but also A LOT of fun! I am so grateful to Kathey and Bruce for letting me swim from their house and to Scott and Elizabeth for giving up almost a full hour to saunter along with me.</p>
<p>A great swim day!!</p>
Lake Swim #4 - Success!2015-07-09T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/lake-swim-4-success/<h2 id="time-pressure">Time Pressure</h2>
<p>On Tuesday July 7th Elizabeth and her friend Alana wanted to kayak for me. Xander was again at his grandparent's pool enjoying the warm weather we've been having. We had just over an hour to squeeze in a 4th lake swim for me. My goal with this swim was to start at the dock and not struggle even once. Today was going to be my day for swimming success!!</p>
<h2 id="swim-to-impress">Swim to Impress</h2>
<p>"My mom hates to swim in the lake," said Elizabeth as we headed down to Kathey's house. I followed by sharing about my first 3 swims and assured Alana that I'd be on my best behavior for her today. Elizabeth and Alana have been friends for several years, so I know Alana reasonably well, but not so well that I feel like I can show her my poor behavior.</p>
<p>We started with the same routine. I set the tempo trainer to 1.34 and headed out. The lake was calm and clear. It was the first time since I started lake swimming that I could see to the bottom. I am petrified of seaweed and life of all kinds in the water. However, today I found the zen in this. I remembered Shane sharing his experiences swimming in Hawaii and suddenly felt that maybe I could be ok with that someday. I felt safe in my wetsuit because it acted as a barrier between the lake and me. I started to enjoy looking at the bottom, and enjoyed to watching the now familiar houses and docks pass by as I swam. Sighting went well and I wasn't zigging and zagging as much as before. Soon, we reached the stretch where there is one large property so there's not a lot to look at. This is the part that I always want to quit. It feels SO hard! I powered through and soon arrived at the turnaround point.</p>
<p>I asked Elizabeth to turn off the timer as I hung off the back of the boat, caught my breath and thanked the girls for coming out to support me. I was probably there for less than a minute when Elizabeth turned the boat around and we headed back. My time to get to the .25 mile mark was 11:31.</p>
<p>The return trip started off easy. I was so thrilled to hear that I had arrived in 11:31 that I briefly ignored my tempo trainer and swam at a faster tempo. Soon though I settled back into the rhythm of the tempo trainer. I worked on keeping my kick calm and snapping from the core instead of just using my arms. Docks went by quickly and I waited for the water to become clear again <em>(it had become murky about 3/4 of the way to the turnaround).</em> I don't know why I thought that the water would clear - it never did. But I learned from this that it actually IS easier to swim when you can see rather than being in the murk <em>(I've been telling Kathey forever that I want to see NOTHING and she laughs and tells me I'm crazy).</em></p>
<p>When I was just over halfway back, I looked at the water trampoline in the distance. It is the last marker before Kathey's dock and suddenly it seemed SO far away!! I started counting strokes - 50 <em>(look up and sight)</em> and then another 50 and so on. This helped the time pass.</p>
<h2 id="just-over-20-minutes-of-my-life">Just over 20 minutes of my life</h2>
<p>"21:31" Elizabeth shouted out as I hopped up to the dock. Of course this time doesn't include the time that I hung off the back, but I wasn't there very long. I was on cloud 9 as I quickly pulled my wetsuit off. I can do this! I actually kind of enjoyed it - wow!</p>
Lake Swim #32015-07-08T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/lake-swim-3/<p>After finding moderate success swimming in the lake the day prior, I was eager to get right back in. After all, even with my moderate success I was very far from anything "tri worthy" in the lake. Last year, I panicked near the first or 2nd buoy and flipped over to my back. I ended up completing the entire distance using the backstroke.</p>
<p>I promised myself that I would swim freestyle and enjoy the swim this year. This promise took the form of a year of <a href="http://totalimmersion.net/">Total Immersion Swim lessons</a> with <a href="http://totalimmersion.net/blog/author/coachshane/#.VZ1l8u1VhBc">Master Coach Shane Eversfield</a>, and now it is culminating with a month of practice in the lake.</p>
<h2 id="pitting-cherries-helped-me-swim!">Pitting Cherries helped me Swim!</h2>
<p>On July 5th we picked Cherries! We had lots and lots of sour cherries. I had to pit half of the almost 30 pounds that we picked. As I stood picking them the morning before we headed out for the swim I realized,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Cherry picking is boring. Progress is slow and it seems like it takes forever to see a change in the bucket. It isn't so much that it is difficult, just tedious and slow. Just like swimming is for me.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I vowed to remember this when I was in the water. I could do this. I just needed to get into a stride, find a comfortable rhythm and swim the way Shane taught me to.</p>
<h2 id="choppy-water">Choppy Water</h2>
<p>Late in the morning on Monday July 6th, the kids and I hopped into the car and headed to Kathey's house. They were excited to kayak for me together. Elizabeth is 14 and very capable in the kayak and Xander enjoys kayaking too. He was excited to be in the boat and not really have to paddle. I totally trusted them to be my support for this third lake swim.</p>
<p>I realized I forgot my tempo trainer as we headed down to Kathey's house. Luckily Kathey also took Shane's classes and had one that I could borrow. I donned my wetsuit and walked out to the dock. I would start from the dock today; no booties.</p>
<p>The kids paddled out, and off we went. The lake was really rough with a strong current going against me. While scared, I was happy about this because you really can't control what the weather brings you on race morning. I know that practicing in rough water is a good opportunity. The first half of this swim went much better than the day prior. I still had water in my goggles twice at the start. I realized this was mostly about the position of the <a href="http://amzn.to/1LWPD9K">tempo trainer</a> and got it sorted out after the 2nd time it happened. I flipped onto my back once and had a big wave crash on me. I was breathing heavily and a little freaked out but there was no hyperventilating today!!</p>
<p>Soon we reached the turnaround point. There were moments when I considered stopping early. After all there was no rule saying I must finish the half mile, right? Yes there was - this was MY goal today and I would meet it!</p>
<h2 id="with-the-current">With the current</h2>
<p>And the beauty of rough water is the way back!! Suddenly the current was with me and I felt its gentle push as I swam. The way back was completely uneventful. I swam without stopping to lay on my back or fix goggles. Soon we were back at the dock in just over 26 minutes <em>(my swim time from last year for 750 meters when I did the backstroke was 25:07).</em></p>
Lake Swim #22015-07-07T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/lake-swim-2/<h2 id="right-back-in-the-water">Right Back in the Water</h2>
<p>As with many things I do, the first outing is my smack in the face that I have to hit this hard! I knew I had to get right back in before fear set into me. My friend Kathey lives on the lake and she extends an open invitation to me every summer to come swim. I've tried once or twice in the past <em>(rather unsuccessfully)</em> to practice from her house, but I am determined that this year will be different.</p>
<p>On July 5th, we left Xander at my in-law's pool (_his most favorite place to be in July) _ and headed down to Kathey's. Our plan was to have Scott and Elizabeth kayak for me, and then Elizabeth and I would kayak for Scott. Scott typically swims once or twice before the CLT and isn't terribly worried about it. It is something he isn't amazing at or terrible and he just gets it done and moves forward with the other two parts. Today, however, he would try his wetsuit for the first time AND swim in a cold lake <em>(normally he swims the week before the event in a much warmer lake).</em></p>
<h2 id="this-time-i-go-first">This time I go FIRST</h2>
<p>We agreed that I would go first. This would take worry time away from me. I quickly got my wetsuit on, complete with the booties and headed unhappily into the lake. The rocks were slippery and you couldn't see anything in the water. It was very smooth though; this was a saving grace.</p>
<p>I decided to set the tempo trainer much slower this time. One of the people in my canoe that first evening suggested that part of my problem was that I was swimming at an unsustainable pace. She told me to slow down so that I wouldn't be out of breath. The pace I tried last week is perfectly reasonable for me in a pool when I can stop as I turn around every 25 yards. I realized quickly that it was completely unrealistic for a lake swim. Today I set at 1.35.</p>
<p>A few minutes into the swim and my goggles had water in them. After adjusting them, my swim alternated between bouts of lying on my back hyperventilating and flipping over to swim. The booties were keeping my feet aloft and my kick was sloppy and splashy. I felt like I had no form as my panic consumed me. With Scott and Elizabeth as my escorts, I had no concerns about looking foolish or taking their time. This turned out to be good, and I ultimately got into a groove. I found my swim stride and started to make forward progress. I almost made it to the .25 mile turnaround point (<em>going for .5 miles instead of 1.2 seemed more realistic)</em> and then asked them if it was ok if I turned around. The way back was slightly better and soon we were back at the dock. I struggled to take my wetsuit off, but eventually found success with it.</p>
<p>It took me 24 minutes and change, but I swam almost .4 miles in the open water. I was pleasantly surprised that I doubled my time from the first outing.</p>
<h2 id="scott's-turn">Scott's Turn</h2>
<p>Scott hopped in the water and wasn't much calmer than I was. He swam quickly for a minute or so and then stopped and gasped and then resumed his fast cadence only to stop and gasp more. He struggled with his wetsuit and the booties just like I did. He did made it the full distance, but it wasn't easy for him. I was so happy to see him finish the distance. He thanked me for kicking his butt to get him in the water. He said, "If it weren't for you taking this so seriously I would probably just wing it." And later he said,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>you know when you were swimming and not panicking you had a very patient lead arm.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>He has read every blog entry and listened to my chatter after each class, so he knows all about patient lead arms!! I suddenly felt a rush of gratitude for my year learning from <a href="http://totalimmersion.net/blog/author/coachshane/#.VZxMLO1VhBc">Shane.</a> This will come together - someday - and it already is in some ways. While I am not exactly looking forward to my next day in the lake, I'm not as terrified either!! I learned another thing - no booties next time. I'm going to enter from the dock so I don't have to worry about zebra mussels cutting my feet, and hopefully my feet will kick properly without the booties.</p>
Lake Swim #12015-07-07T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/lake-swim-1/<p>On Thursday July 2nd I attended my first <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/">Ithaca Tri Club group swim</a>. I had failed in my first attempt to group swim <em>(it was cold, I arrived late and there was some confusion about whether the group was going out, so I didn't go)</em> so I was determined to make this one. I put on my long sleeved wetsuit that I got from my friend Allie <em>(part of the reason I didn't go in on Monday was that I had my new sleeveless wetsuit on)</em> and I headed down the stairs to Francesca and Kent's house. I was brave! I listened to race music on the way and just finished reading <a href="http://www.zendurancecycling.com/zenmans-2015-training-journal.html">Shane's blog</a> about his amazing adventures in his Trans Mass Ultri Tri. My head was in the right place and I was ready. I walked down to the dock and prepared to meet people before the swim.</p>
<h2 id="how-long-do-you-think-you'll-take%3F">How long do you think you'll take?</h2>
<p>One member of the group asked this completely innocent question. She was trying to decide who should go first. A simple and fair question to kick off the evening. I responded,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I'll need the full hour and most likely will be plucked out before we reach our destination.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Another swimmer said, "45 minutes" and someone else replied with "38 minutes." Conversations turned to races recently completed and upcoming events. Discussion about nerves in the water, cold water and dark water were had. It comforted me that even people who participate in Ironman events sometimes have bouts with nerves. I still felt ok about this evening. I had been upfront that I'd need the full time. I was ready to go for it.</p>
<h2 id="the-canoe">The Canoe</h2>
<p>The canoe clinic prepared us to paddle alongside a swimmer. I hopped in the front of the boat knowing that meant I wasn't responsible for steering. I wish now that I had taken the back because if I had to steer my energy would have been used for that instead of worrying about the swim. We were pacing a speedy swimmer and still that distance seemed extremely daunting. I was starting to get psyched out. Suddenly finishing the distance seemed unlikely. The current seemed strong and the water was choppy. However, they had set it up nicely; the slower group would go 2nd and have the benefit of going with the current. Soon, we arrived at the Girl Scout camp and it was time for my group to go.</p>
<h2 id="rip!">Rip!</h2>
<p>Normally I swim with my <a href="http://amzn.to/1S5F2b3">tempo trainer</a> attached to my goggles. It has never fallen off in the pool, but we were in a lake so I decided to stick it under my cap. Upon pulling it over my head my cap promptly ripped. "That's ok" I said aloud, right after muttering that my cap ripped. I would just put it on my goggles. Francesca said I could use her cap and I happily obliged. I reminded my canoe handlers that they could pull me early. I wasn't interested in making anyone stay late for me to finish. "Pull me as soon as the first group finishes," I said. They agreed. There were 4 of us swimming in this group and I knew I'd be in the back of this pack.</p>
<p>I set the trainer for 1.21 <em>(the tempo I used for the Tri for the Y and what I've been using for my mile swims).</em> I started off rather well thinking, "I can do this." and "this is fine." and then I hit a cold patch. "Yikes I'm in a lake" flashed through my mind. I was wearing booties with my wetsuit <em>(the water was 64 degrees).</em> The first time I looked at my watch 2 minutes and 34 seconds had elapsed. I was breathless, freezing and terrified. The zen feeling I had after reading Shane's blog was long gone, and my can do attitude had shifted to, "maybe I won't do the CLT this year after all." However, I also thought back to the first lake swim last year that lasted less than 2 minutes. After a year of swim lessons I had to be able to do better than that! Carry on. For the next 10 minutes I alternated between relative calm and complete panic. I approached the boat two or 3 times, took the booties off at the suggestion of one of the boaters, floated on my back, flipped back over and swam a bit etc. Ultimately, I stopped because I just felt so bad for my boaters. This is where my personality gets in my way. My friend Anne recently posted on her <a href="https://10minutemiler.wordpress.com/2015/07/02/a-break-from-reality/">blog</a> that she enjoys solo travel because she can relax and not worry about others' happiness. I was worried about the poor people freezing in the canoe. They were giving up their Thursday evening to slowly paddle next to me while I alternated between swimming and drowning. Even though I knew that as I had paddled up next to my swimmer <em>(when I wasn't thinking about my swim)</em>, I was enjoying the views of the lake and the sun on the water.</p>
<h2 id="12-minutes---success!">12 Minutes - Success!</h2>
<p>I went out with 7 people for a group swim. 6 of those people swam 1.2 miles. Some had nose plugs or a nose covering, some were really fast, one wore fins to help with staying afloat, and everyone was friendly. I learned that many of these very strong swimmers had struggled with the water at some point. The woman I canoed the first leg with with took lessons from Shane several years ago. When she started she was completely terrified of even being in the pool. Francesca said that on her first lake swim she didn't make it all the way either and suggested that I continue to come assuring me that each time it would be better. The people that took me back in the boat were so sweet and helpful, and they also suggested that I keep coming. It is this support from these wonderful people that helped me realize that 12 minutes is SUCCESS. I swam for most of those 12 minutes, and last year on my first <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/training/first-open-water-swim/">lake swim with Jenny</a> I came back in less than 2 minutes screaming!! No, it wasn't what I had hoped, but it was a successful outing, if only because it happened over a month from the date of the CLT. Now, I have a full month to improve.</p>
Baseline Pool Mile Swim2015-07-03T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/baseline-pool-mile-swim/<p>I attended the <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/">Ithaca Tri Club</a> <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/swim/ithaca-tri-club-canoe-clinic/">canoe clinic</a> so that I could attend the summer lake swims. Well, after learning that they have a 1 hour cut off for the 1.2 mile swim, I decided it was time to do a baseline mile. I haven't been swimming a full mile very often in my swim practice, so it was time! At the lake swims there won't be a chance to warm up, so I decided to just hop in and swim. I'd deal with any problems <em>(goggles, getting winded etc)</em> just like I'd deal with them in a race - manage them and keep going.</p>
<p>This went surprisingly well. It was slow like I expected, but came in at exactly 1 hour for 1.2 miles. Of course this was in a pool. There is no current, no wind, you don't have to sight or worry about swimming in a straight line!! Clearly I wouldn't come in under the 1 hour time limit. I made peace with that though - it is a progression for sure. Here is my entry from this swim in <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/people/aedawson/entries/33008795">Dailymile</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Well this went great. Now that I know that there is a 1 hour cut off for the 1.2 mile lake swim <em>(tri club group swims)</em> I realized it is time to start practicing the mile distance in the pool before those start. I set my tempo trainer to 1.21 and just started swimming - no warm up or anything. I shared a lane with two different people and had some solo time too. Kind of proud of myself.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Never one to settle at one attempt, I decided the next week to do a 2nd pool attempt. Of course I expected this one to go even better!! I was commending myself for having taking swim lessons for a year. I had this. I have learned to enjoy the pool <em>(never thought I'd say that)</em> and felt ready to happily swim a mile again. My hopes were dashed when this swim was hard, sloppy and not nearly as strong as the first. My entry;</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Kind of crappy actually. I was disappointed in myself because this felt scattered and hard. Kept visualizing myself drowning in the lake even though I was in 4 feet of water. Grrr.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I don't know if it was the realization that the next step was actually the LAKE or just a bad day, but I felt defeated by this swim.</p>
<p>I didn't intend to write about it in the blog, but then I ran into one of my swim classmates in the locker room a week later. We chatted about swimming, summer lake swims and running events. Realizing that the plan was to document this "year of swimming" and that those baseline swims were a part of the journey, they now get their own slot in the blog!!</p>
<p>Verdict. It is time to get into the lake. It is time to put on a wetsuit and suck it up and move forward to lake swimming. At the time of this writing, I have finished my first <em>attempt</em> at a lake swim, but more about that in the next post.</p>
Gorges Ithaca Half Marathon2015-06-14T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/gorges-ithaca-half-marathon/<h2 id="time-to-register!">Time to Register!</h2>
<p>This is the 3rd half marathon I've participated in since March. The half has never been my favorite distance. In fact, until recently it was the distance I was most scared of; too short for me to be proud of just finishing and too long to just wing it! Scott talked me into signing up for the inaugural running of the <a href="http://www.rednewtracing.com/GorgesIthaca">Gorges Ithaca Half Marathon</a>. I wasn't psyched to sign up, but knew that come race day I'd wish I had. So, I registered!!</p>
<h2 id="race-morning">Race Morning</h2>
<p>We arrived at the Commons in Ithaca to meet our <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon</a> teammates for a picture before the race started. We enjoyed chatting together and everyone wished each other great luck in the race! Then it was time to head over to the start and meet up with Jenny for the race.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/06/teamflrtc.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Team FLRTC" title="Team FLRTC" /><p class="stickyNote">Team FLRTC</p></div>
<h2 id="running-with-jenny">Running with Jenny</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/06/IMG_2684.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Finished!!" title="Finished!!" /><p class="stickyNote">Finished!!</p></div>
<p>In March I ran the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/syracuse-half-marathon/">Syracuse Half</a> to the best of my ability for the day. It was FREEZING and I worked hard for my barely sub 2 hour time. Then, in April Elizabeth and I ran the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/flower-city-half-with-elizabeth/">Flower City Challenge</a> together in Rochester, NY. It was a great mother-daughter bonding event. The thing I most enjoy about pacing someone is that I don't have pre-race jitters. It feels like heading out for a training run when I'm focused on someone else's race.</p>
<p>So today was a completely different plan. It was my first time running a half entirely with a friend. Jenny and I trained together all summer last year for the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/green-lakes-50k/">Green Lakes 50K</a>. It was our first 50K and we ran every step together! A couple weeks before this race, Jenny and I ran the hilly parts of the course and talked half jokingly and half seriously about running together. It was 90+ degrees for our training run and on the very first hill we watched Brian Lee zoom by us on his own training run <em>(he came in 3rd overall in this race)</em>. Jenny hadn't been running much, and I haven't been great at training lately either <em>(though I have run more than she has, she is <a href="http://www.lesmills.com/">Les Mills fitness instructor</a> and is in fantastic shape!)</em> As the day approached, we decided it would be fun to spend the morning together. We wouldn't <em>race,</em> rather we'd think about the run as an event. Time wasn't on our radar, today was about having fun and enjoying the day. This isn't to say that we wouldn't be working hard. We didn't plan to saunter either, just not push a hard race pace. As a result, I was spared the pre-race nerves again!</p>
<h2 id="expect-the-worst-and-it-just-might-be-fun!">Expect the WORST and it just might be FUN!</h2>
<p>After our incredibly challenging training run, my attitude was less than stellar going into the race. I couldn't be bothered to check what time it started until the day before, gave no thought to clothing, or even to a pre-race dinner. I did however, make a quick playlist in the morning. When Elizabeth and I run together we chat and listen to music and it works for me, so I thought why not do the same with a friend. I set the music to a low volume and Jenny and I headed off chatting and running down the Ithaca streets.</p>
<p>We encountered so many people we knew cheering on the sides of the course, working Aid Stations, and managing intersections. It was GREAT to see everyone out there supporting the runners! Many of the volunteers were people I'd just watched RUN 50 miles while I was volunteering at the <a href="http://www.virgilcrestultras.com/">Cayuga Trails 50</a> a couple of weeks ago. It was great fun to have them out there today!</p>
<p>We surprised ourselves by running up all of Remington. This is the hill that broke us both on our training run. Once you start walking the hills, it is awfully hard to switch back to running <em>(at least for us)</em>. We walked part/most of every hill after that, but felt very proud that we made it up that first big slog. We reasoned that if we pushed to run up the hills that we could possibly find ourselves walking the flats; something we didn't want to do.</p>
<p>Pretty soon we were at mile 7. This is the place where the real hills end and it is either flat or downhill with only an occasional low grade incline from time to time. We were cheery and chatty as we caught up to friends Jessica and Joel and we had a span of time where we were encouraging and chatting from a distance. As we headed down Remington we realized this wasn't really that bad. We had prepared for the course to brutal. It certainly wasn't easy, but it was actually pretty FUN! Plus, I recently joined a relay team for the <a href="http://www.virgilcrestultras.com/">Virgil Crest Ultras</a> so "hills" of today would be a dream come true on that rough trail course; everything in perspective!</p>
<h2 id="fifteen-minutes-of-fame">Fifteen Minutes of Fame</h2>
<p>Every race I run has a song magically <em>reveal</em> itself to me as my race song and this run was no exception. At the top of Remington we hit the long straightaway and the song, <em>Fifteen Minutes of Fame by Josephine</em> came on. I was so proud of us for making it to the top and transitioning into comfy running and the song was so catchy and fun (<em>I love listening to music I've never heard before and this song was new to me).</em> My race song!!</p>
<h2 id="nearly-2">Nearly 2</h2>
<p>When Elizabeth and I ran the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/philadelphia-half-marathon/">Philly Half</a>, she was so close to having a sub 2 hour time. I am such a numbers girl that it was hard for me to accept that we just missed it!! Elizabeth however was cool as a cucumber. She had finished her first half and did GREAT! Well, today I thought Jenny and I would be lucky to hit 2:15 or 2:20 based on the course and our level of preparation. It wasn't until mile 11 (<em>after we'd walked most hills and stopped at almost every water stop)</em> that I looked at my watch and realized we were pretty close to a 2 hour finish. Lately a lot of my runs have been like this - like a kid who prays right before the final exam for an A when he really didn't study! Late in a run or race is NOT really the time to back seat drive and wish different decisions were made!!</p>
<p>We came in just a bit over 2 hours and it was FUN! Every minute of the race was enjoyable. Sure my feet hurt a little and I was kind of hot and a little tired, but it was a fun run with a friend on a challenging course super close to home.</p>
<h2 id="post-race">Post Race</h2>
<p>Ian and team of <a href="http://www.rednewtracing.com/">Red Newt Racing</a> and <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> put on a GREAT event! We arrived at the finish line to lots of fresh fruit, yogurt, homemade energy bars and lots of water. Scott joined us as we got our refreshments. After chatting with friends and cheering people in Scott and I wandered over to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/YellowTruckCatering">Yellow Truck catering</a> area where we enjoyed a delicious veggie burger, corn and salt potatoes. And later <em>(at noon when it is legal to serve beer on a Sunday)</em> we enjoyed a 10 ounce beer sample from <a href="http://ithacabeer.com/?verify-error=2">Ithaca Beer</a> at their beer tent. Our bracelet had 3 sample tickets on it, but we found that one was more than adequate in the heat after running!! *<em>In the picture I'm holding Scott's beer so he can take a picture of me.</em></p>
<p>This race that I wasn't really all in for was really great fun! I'm so glad Scott pushed me to participate!! A bonus - he came in first in his age group (<a href="https://scottpdawson.com/gorges-ithaca-half-marathon/">read more about his race</a>)</p>
<p>As you consider your spring races for 2016, I highly recommend checking this one out.</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Overall 219/620, AG 26/121, <a href="http://www.leonetiming.com/2015/Roads/GorgesGN15.htm">Official Results</a> from <a href="http://www.leonetiming.com/">Leone Timing</a> <em>*the course has 692 feet of gain according to my GPS and came in just under 13 miles; 12.8 is my GPS distance.</em></p>
Ithaca Tri Club Canoe Clinic2015-06-05T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/ithaca-tri-club-canoe-clinic/<p>It is almost time to get into the lake and practice swimming! Last summer when I freaked out during the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2014/">CLT</a> swim for hopefully the last time, I made a promise to myself to work on my swimming once and for all.</p>
<p>After a full year of pool lessons with <a href="http://totalimmersion.net/blog/author/coachshane/#.VXHxQ2TBzRY">Master Total Immersion coach Shane Eversfield</a>, I am ready to make good on my 2nd promise; to actually practice in the lake!</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/">Ithaca Triathlon Club</a> offers evening swims on Monday and Thursday evenings. Their only requirement; you must take the Canoe Clinic. This clinic gives participants basic canoe safety knowledge and teaches you how to steer the boat, save a swimmer, right a flipped canoe and more.</p>
<p>A couple of days before the clinic I read the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/ITC-Canoe-Safety-Clinic.pdf">ITC Canoe Safety Clinic</a> they sent us. There would be a quiz! Scott and I studied it together the day of the clinic but still I figured I'd learn more when I got there. There were a couple of things I wasn't quite sure about. I spent a lot of time canoeing in my childhood, but never steered the boat and honestly didn't pay much attention to safety. My best canoe memory was a weekend camping trip with my father. It thundered and poured and we had to canoe across a very choppy lake in a storm to get home. He lost his hat, we wore garbage bags over our bodies, and our canoe did not capsize!</p>
<h2 id="the-wetsuit">The Wetsuit</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/06/IMG_2617.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Wetsuit ready!" title="Wetsuit ready!" /><p class="stickyNote">Wetsuit ready!</p></div>
<p>The lake is 52 degrees right now, so wetsuits were recommended. Luckily I have my wetsuit that I got from friend and fellow 2014 FLRTC Ambassador, Allie Taisley. I haven't put the wetsuit on since I tried it on, and I was nervous about this. About 10 minutes before heading out, I started putting it on. I was out of breath and worn out by the time it was fully zipped. Scott laughed saying, "Why don't you just put it on there? You are going to burn up!" Well, burn up I did, but I didn't have to have any witnesses to me struggling with the suit either.</p>
<h2 id="quiz-%26-drills">Quiz & Drills</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/06/IMG_2615.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="The plan" title="The plan" /><p class="stickyNote">The plan</p></div>
<p>We arrived and took our quiz, chatted about wetsuits, lube and temperature and other swim things. I heard at least one person say that he had taken Shane's class when asked if he was a swimmer. I couldn't help thinking that it is like a badge of honor to have taken his class. He has a great following! Pretty soon it was down to business.</p>
<p>The instructors <em>(Francesca & Kent)</em> are members of ITC and they generously offer their instruction and their house as the location. Amelia Frye, head of the ITC led the event, and Francesca & Kent demonstrated the basic strokes and explained the drills. Spouses should not be in the same boat! Fighting could occur. Scott and I got in the same boat anyway; we never fight. My friend <a href="https://10minutemiler.wordpress.com/">Anne</a> and her friend Katie <em>(the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/swim/session-1-halfway-point-week-4/">amazing level 3 swimmer</a> I blogged about when I was in level 1)</em> hopped into a canoe together. Steve Ryan <em>(my kids' ski coach when they were little)</em> and his friend were in a boat near us. All in all there were 10 or 12 of us. Everyone was friendly and it was fun.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/06/IMG_2619.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Ann & Katie" title="Ann & Katie" /><p class="stickyNote">Ann & Katie</p></div>
<p>We started our drills. First we were to sit in our canoe for 2 minutes without paddling and observe where we drifted. Then, we were to pick a spot that we'd like to stay for 2 minutes and paddle as needed to remain there. After this, we picked a spot across the lake and paddled for 4 minutes, turned the boat around and headed back. All these drills required the person in the back of the boat to steer. I opted to take this spot first, and I did ok with it. Scott has a lot more canoe experience than I do, and he did some coaching. I was grateful for his guidance and couldn't help thinking, "Wow I'm lucky that I'm in a canoe with Scott because anyone else is going to think I'm a complete moron."</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/06/IMG_2618.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Scott in his rented wetsuit from Finger Lakes Running & Triathlon Company" title="Scott in his rented wetsuit from Finger Lakes Running & Triathlon Company" /><p class="stickyNote">Scott in his rented wetsuit from Finger Lakes Running & Triathlon Company</p></div>
<p>We switched positions and then repeated the entire sequence before taking turns jumping out of the canoe and getting back in, before finishing by "rescuing" our bucket of water that we threw overboard.</p>
<p>Two brave souls demonstrated how to right a capsized canoe. They had to actually swim and be in the freezing water longer than a minute. We were grateful to them for volunteering!</p>
<h2 id="what's-next">What's Next</h2>
<p>Lake swims!! They don't have a set start date but will begin when the water is 64 degrees. There is a 1 hour cut off for the 1.2 mile swim across the lake <em>(or up the shore).</em> As someone who still struggles with a .5 mile swim, 1.2 miles with a 1 hour cut-off sounds daunting. I am heading to the pool this weekend to get a 1 mile baseline swim in!!</p>
Cayuga Trails 50 - My Aid Station Report2015-06-01T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/cayuga-trails-50-as-an-aid-station-volunteer/<p>This year marked the 3rd running of the <a href="https://www.cayugatrails50.com/">Cayuga Trails 50</a>, a local 50 mile trail run put on by Ian Golden of <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> and <a href="http://www.rednewtracing.com/">Red Newt Racing</a>. This year it also happened to be the 50 mile national championship race. Our family volunteered last year, and Scott decided then that he would run it in 2015.</p>
<p>His training went very well, right up until it didn't! On May 1st, as he walked over from his office to my computer to help me. I needed help with a form for my then upcoming race that I co-direct. On his way, he ran into a coffee table with his foot. His little toe was broken! I felt terrible, as my race had been consuming most of our evening time as of late, and now it could potentially derail his big event of the season. He promptly saw our locally <em>(and maybe nationally)</em> famous <a href="https://www.cayugamed.org/content.cfm?page=physicianfind&searchby=staff&thisstaffID=202&selectedID=all">Dr. Getzin</a> who advised him to wait for it to heal <em>(apx 4 weeks</em>) before running. It wasn't that he would really hurt the toe so much more, but that his stride could change to compensate for his broken toe and he could be injured. He said he could make up the cardio training on the elliptical as long as it didn't aggravate his toe. His training was solid to this point, and he was due to taper in 2 weeks anyway so he'd just have an extended taper.</p>
<p>Scott ran his first marathon injured and it was a really bad experience for him. He knew he was injured, had been to a PT and was working on recovery, but he decided to run the marathon anyway. It made for a long, sad run when he realized he was just hurting himself more with each step he took. Because of this experience, he was willing to listen to Getzin's advice.</p>
<p>The first weekend after the injury he spent hours and hours on the elliptical in our home gym. He simulated 26 miles on day one and then had another 7 or so miles on day two. It was 90+ degrees and humid, and he watched several movies! Unfortunately, his toe really swelled and hurt. He took the entire next week off, and then tried again. It still swelled, so he decided to just lay low completely, hoping the toe would heal.</p>
<h2 id="race-week">Race Week</h2>
<p>Ian hosted several events for runners and volunteers the week before the race. We made it to one gathering; a Friday evening get together at <a href="http://ithacabeer.com/?age-verified=719b25fe2a">Ithaca Beer</a>. It was great fun to talk with so many of our fellow runners participating in the race. We also met some awesome people at this event that I looked forward to cheering on at the race. The group we sat with was a running group from South Jersey and they were just such fun! We chatted about their awesome 6 person cabin <em>(they lost 3 participants due to injury/work etc so they had lots of space for the 3 of them)</em>, the lack of hills in their area, and more. It was a fun way to spend and evening!</p>
<h2 id="race-morning">Race Morning</h2>
<p>The day before the race it was 85 degrees and extremely humid. We woke up on race morning to 58 degrees and rain. Scott was ready to go early and I drove him in at 5 a.m. and then went home to get the kids up and ready. He'll have his own race report, so from here on out this report is about my experiences on the day of the race.</p>
<p>I arrived home and got all my favorite runners into the tracking system as soon as the race started. I enjoyed breakfast with the kids and then we headed out to the top of <a href="http://parks.ny.gov/parks/135/details.aspx">Treman State Park</a> for our shift. On our way, both my parents and Scott's parents texted that they were heading to watch Scott. They both headed to Buttermilk and planned to come to the Old Mill to see him at mile 22 and 28. My parents ended up watching both those mileages and Scott's parents stayed for the entire race; heading back to Buttermilk after his mile 28 check in and then later to the finish line.</p>
<p>Upon arrival we saw our familiar crew from last year; Tim and Karen Ingall and their little boy, Eamon and we met another volunteer, Lorreen. This station is run by the <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/">Finger Lakes Runners Club</a> We acclimated and we were ready to help when the first runners began to come through. We started checking the app for tracking and saw that the front runners were less than a mile way. Time to cut bananas, put out the warm food and be ready to fill bottles! Then, time continued to tick by and no runners. Elizabeth looked at the app and saw that they were now at mile 24 <em>(our station was mile 22)</em>. They certainly hadn't passed by us. Our conclusion; the tracking wasn't working.</p>
<p>Soon, other volunteers arrived and the runners started arriving and shortly after that we received radio messaging from Ian that we should track the runners. This is something we did last year, but didn't anticipate doing this year with the tracking. Truth be told, it was something we missed from last year so we weren't unhappy to have the job added back in. I got the list, flipped it over to blank paper and started tracking. The only thing we wished was that we had blank paper, so that we could also use the list to figure out runner's names. Prior to tracking the runners on paper, Xander had been holding the list and cross checking it against runners coming in so he could tell us each runner's name. We couldn't get everyone because sometimes they came in clusters, but it was so nice to be able to encourage someone by name.</p>
<p>We tracked, we filled bottles, we chatted and encouraged and cheered and we waited for Scott. He had made us a sheet with approximate times from a best case <em>(10 min miles)</em> to a worst case <em>(14 min miles)</em>. I hadn't anticipated needing this sheet with the tracking, and it stressed me out just as much as my sister's sheet had during <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/musings/western-states-100-kick-start-trail-running/">Western States</a>. I think it is human nature to hope for the best case scenario, and to become really worried when that doesn't happen. Soon, our friend Pete Kresok arrived <em>(on the incorrect tracking he was shown as being behind Scott by a mile or more and while I knew this was unlikely I still started worrying a lot when Pete came through and said he hadn't seen him on the trail)</em>. I saw friend Scott Ulrich come through looking great! Then Ian came on the radio saying, "are the Dawsons still at the Old Mill?" I answered, "yes, Amy here." thinking oh my goodness, Scott dropped. Thankfully Ian's next words were, "Scott's 1/4 mile out from your stop." The kids raced out to run him in. He was at around an 11 or 11:30 pace split but he didn't look great. He said his muscles were worn out, and while he was cheery, I felt like he was acting for the sake of the kids. I bid him farewell and worried more.</p>
<p>We continued to help runners and this was when we saw most of the people we knew. We saw our South Jersey friends come through, Chris Reynolds, Joel Cisne, Jeff Holbrook, John Donaldson, Shane Eversfield, Jim Miner and more! It was great fun to see everyone as they made their way by us at mile 22. Things got really crazy when the front runners came back through our stop at mile 28 and we had people coming through for mile 22.</p>
<p>Soon, Maria and Gary came and said that the front runner was on track to beat last year's time by over an hour. They were due to come through for mile 47 in less than 2 miles. We were all shocked but I added a column in my tracking for mile 47 and thought, "wow this is going to be CRAZY soon!" And then we learned that they were looking at the tracking. Of course. No records were being broken <em>(or at least not by that much!)</em> and we wouldn't need that column for this half hour slot.</p>
<p>Jenny arrived just a little bit before Scott came through for mile <a href="http://28.it/">28.It</a> was a great surprise to see her! During this time, a runner approached me and said, "here's my chip. I'm dropping." He looked fine and I said, "are you sure?" "Yes, I am sure," he said. My parents are here and I want a hamburger. He was done. We were cooking burgers and he was thrilled. I'm sure it was the best burger he's ever had!When Scott arrived, we chatted with him briefly before he headed up out of the Old Mill. He told us this was going to take him all day and to plan to go out to dinner later. It was 12:30 by then and the kids and I headed to Wegmans for lunch. I was freezing. We talked about our afternoon while we were eating. We'd do a couple quick errands and then maybe catch him at another station and then hit the Old Mill. Then, Elizabeth pulled up the radar and saw RAIN coming our way. Big green blobs of rain. As we made our way into the parking lot from Wegmans it started pouring. I looked at them and said, "you know, I could bring you home. I could just come back after bringing you home." They responded, "are you sure Dad won't be upset with us?" Followed by, "That will be 3 Ithaca trips for you today mom." I said I was sure and off we went. They got to practice their music, enjoy a movie together and surprise their dad with signs and by making dinner for our arrival home.</p>
<h2 id="the-afternoon">The Afternoon</h2>
<p>I arrived back at the Old Mill by 2:30. I considered trying to catch him at other stations, but he hadn't looked good at mile 28. I know that it is hard for Scott to see me when he's struggling. He can stay stronger for strangers and friends than he can if I'm there. I decided I'd be more useful at the Old Mill even though I knew I'd be waiting 3 hours or more until I saw him again.</p>
<p>As I arrived a group of volunteers was heading out and some new volunteers arrived. A couple with a baby was helping and we all had fun interacting with the baby and with Eamon. It is always great fun to see families helping at races!</p>
<p>The afternoon went along well; we added hot chocolate <em>(warmed up chocolate milk)</em> to our offerings, heated lots of broth, and kept refreshing our potatoes and pierogies.</p>
<p>Time kind of jumbles at an Aid Station, but at some point in the afternoon a man came through and he was in AMAZING spirits. He had received Advil from an AS worker at another stop and it had really put the spring in his step. He practically danced into the station sharing how amazing this stuff was for him during the race. He sped off even faster than he arrived as he headed down for the last 3 miles.</p>
<p>Jessica Kern was there waiting for her husband, Joel Cisne. Joel is president of our <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/">Finger Lakes Runners Club</a> and he and Jess are both full of great energy! Jess had beer for him <em>(and any other runner who would like to partake)</em> and soon she had a runner drinking beer. He took a sip or two and said he didn't want to drink all her beer. "I have plenty!" she said, and he happily continued drinking it. Soon Joel arrived and drank pickle juice from the giant jar of pickles we had earlier. We all laughed and Jess nabbed a picture before he headed down into the gorge.</p>
<p>When Scott arrived he was tired but determined. He had been walk/running with another gentleman he'd met from Pennsylvania. I knew when I saw him that he would finish. He had this and his head was in a good place for finishing. Soon they were off for what they thought would be an hour <em>(there were 2.9 miles left from this point)</em>. I told Karen and Tim <em>(the only people left at the station at this point)</em> that I'd hang for another half hour and then go to the finish. They said, "you should stay another 5 minutes and head down so you don't miss him." I recorded the next few runners, drove to the Underpass Station and grabbed his drop bag, and then went to the finish.</p>
<h2 id="the-finish">The Finish</h2>
<p>Upon arriving at the finish, it started to rain. Too lazy to grab my rain jacket, I grabbed an umbrella and walked over. As I walked, I stopped to talk to the guy who had taken Advil. He was just as exuberant as when I saw him last and he said that the last 15 miles of his race were fantastic! I saw another man and congratulated him. I had just seen my friend Michelle's post saying that her husband was almost finished <em>(she had posted it 47 minutes prior)</em> and on a whim as he walked away I shouted, "Are you Keith by chance?" He was! I had seen him at <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/green-lakes-50k/">Green Lakes 50K</a> last year, but I hadn't really met him so it was fun to talk with him and congratulate him on a race well run. Michelle also had her first <a href="http://raceroster.com/events/2015/3477/canandaigua-classic-half-marathon-and-5k">half marathon</a> that day! Their family was going to have a lot to celebrate that evening.</p>
<p>At the finish line I saw friends Pete Kresok and his wife Hayley, Maria and Gary, Ashley Schmidt, Joe Reynolds, my in-laws, Doreen Fanton, Ian and so many others. We waited for people to come through, cheering every runner though. I watched Joel finish, followed by Chris Reynolds and soon after I saw Scott finish. His dad got a great picture of him and then he was ready to go. He was exhausted, his feet hurt and he was freezing. We took 4 post race glasses and drove home with the heat blasting.</p>
<h2 id="the-homecoming">The Homecoming</h2>
<p>The kids were cheering as we entered the driveway. Elizabeth made peanut noodles for dinner and they'd hung a sign for him. It was an evening of sharing and reminiscing about the day. It wasn't the time or the experience Scott had hoped he'd have; it was much more challenging than he thought it would be, and he really struggled. But he did it. I am so proud of him for sticking it out and so grateful for all those along the way who encouraged him and helped him in this journey. And, as is often the case with us, we forgot to take a single picture of ourselves during the day!! Thanks to my father in law, Ed Dawson, for taking the picture of the two of us at the finish line.</p>
Total Immersion Level 3 Class 82015-05-10T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-level-3-class-8/<p>It has been 2 weeks since our last class. Typically I try to write within a week so that I can really remember things. This is an opportunity to remember, and think back fondly on that last class.</p>
<h2 id="the-start">The Start</h2>
<p>We talked about bikes and bike fitting this week as we were waiting for class to start. We also talked about the year wrapping up and looking forward to summer. One of my classmates is a senior at Cornell this year and will be graduating very soon. She's coming back for the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2014/" title="Cayuga Lake Triathlon 2014">Cayuga Lake Tri</a> this summer! Several of us are signed up for it, so we talked about lake swimming for a little while as well.</p>
<p>Pretty soon it was time to get into the water. It was bittersweet knowing it truly is my last class at least for now. My next step is to take the <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/" title="Ithaca Tri Club">Ithaca Tri Club</a> boating class so that I can participate in the lake swims. I do have my wetsuit from my friend Allie that I'm ready to use as I begin to move to swimming freestyle in the lake!</p>
<h2 id="introduction">Introduction</h2>
<p>Shane started with our now familiar Dry Land Drill sequence. He talked about the shoulder/scapula and also about our pelvic core rotation. I'm sad to admit that I'm so spatially challenged that I still struggle with the Front Quadrant walk if someone isn't in front of me. I can do the proper elbow movements if I'm watching someone very carefully, but I don't have it imprinted yet.</p>
<p>When we got into the pool we worked on swimming relaxed as we started the evening off with a 300. I think it was a 300, but it could have been 150. Whatever it was, I felt relaxed but aware of how far behind the others I was falling. I think that this is my biggest hang up; worry about being the slowest. I am certain that if I can manage to drop this thought from my mind that my swimming will improve. It is almost as though the thought manifests and then that is exactly what happens - last to finish.</p>
<p>He asked us to observe our rotation and pointed out that too little will result in inadequate shoulder clearance and trouble breathing, while too much will cause drag and also challenge our breathing stroke. One thing that was key here was that he pointed out (probably for the 100th time, but it was the first time I processed it) that if you don't rotate enough it is challenging to skim the fingertips because the entire arm is too low above the water surface. This is definitely something I'm dealing with. However, tonight, every other stroke or so I found the "a ha" moment of doing it properly and then it vanished.</p>
<h2 id="then-a-brilliant-thing-happened">Then a Brilliant thing happened</h2>
<p>Three of us planned to participate in the 27th <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/tri-for-the-y/" title="Tri for the Y">Annual Tri for the Y</a> coming up the Sunday after our last class. When Shane asked us to swim a 2x200, Anne <em>(one of the Tri for the Y folks)</em> decided to swim faster. She wanted to see how it she'd do in a race situation. Shane called her out on it and asked what was going on. She shared and then Shane made a brilliant move.</p>
<p>Now you see, every time I try to prepare for the Tri for the Y <em>(it is only 400 yards so you'd think I could relax about this)</em> I lose all ability to swim in any semblance of proper fashion. I try to race and ultimately revert to my very poor swimming self. This is what happened to me this summer when I made the unfortunate choice to attend a swim clinic the morning before the CLT. The coach recommended that we swim very fast for the first 100. He advised "staying in the fray" and "seeing the bubbles" to get a good spot in the race. Then, we should settle into a comfortable pace. Well, I had been practicing swimming and felt reasonably confident so I tried it. I completely panicked at the first buoy and the rest is history: backstroke for the entire swim. I did seriously consider dropping too, but had too much determination.</p>
<p>Shane got the pace clock and asked us to swim a 2 x 100. We'd swim the first one at a fast pace and note our time. Then, we'd rest a bit and do the 2nd 100 with good technique and composure. Most of my classmates were about 10 seconds slower on the 2nd one (so 40 seconds over the Tri for the Y distance). I didn't really process the clock but estimate that I was about 30 seconds slower.</p>
<p>In this short 100 of fast pace in a 4.5 foot deep pool, my mind flashed back to last summer when I felt like I was going to drown in Cayuga Lake. I panicked, knew I couldn't sustain it past 100 and felt scared. For the 2nd 100, I settled into a happy pace, calmed down and enjoyed the swim.</p>
<p>I say that Shane was brilliant because if he hadn't done this, I very likely would have raced out of the start in the Tri for the Y. I wouldn't have gone crazy fast because I know it doesn't work for me, but I would have started too fast. Because of this last drill, I went into the Tri for the Y knowing that I'd pick a pace and stick with it. I was really grateful for Shane's ability to read Anne and adjust our class accordingly.</p>
<h2 id="the-video">The Video</h2>
<p>The video does tell all. I'm still working hard at getting basic technique. My shoulders aren't articulating properly and I'm not gliding through the water like my classmates. But, as with all learning, every person has a pace and everything does have a learning curve. I like to think that I am on the bell curve, just sitting at the very far left right now. I hope to move myself more to center over time and practice.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqbacRd687M">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqbacRd687M</a></p>
Tri for the Y2015-05-03T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/tri-for-the-y/<p>The last time I did the Tri for the Y Elizabeth was 7 years ago. It was 39 degrees and rainy. The kids were little, and Scott's dad came to watch them in the morning as we groggily at our breakfast before heading out to the event. An event of this distance was a HUGE deal. I didn't know how to swim at all, owned a mountain bike, and was a completely novice runner.</p>
<p>I've grown a lot as an athlete since then, but I still struggle with swimming. So this time, the event was all about the swim. I've been taking <a href="http://totalimmersion.net/" title="Total Immersion">Total Immersion</a> swim lessons from TI <a href="http://totalimmersion.net/blog/author/coachshane/#.VUivaNrBzRY" title="Shane Eversfield">Master Coach Shane Eversfield</a> since September. I am signed up for the Cayuga Lake Triathlon again this summer, and I needed to see if I could be in an event situation and not panic. Last year, I made it to the 1st or 2nd buoy, completely panicked and did the back stroke the rest of the way.</p>
<h2 id="getting-ready">Getting Ready</h2>
<p>This weekend was crazy! It was the culmination of months of work as co-director of the 5th annual <a href="http://mayday5k.org/" title="May Day 5K">May Day 5&5</a> in Trumansburg. The race went off beautifully, and then our family promptly switched gears for Xander's special concert with the <a href="http://www.ccoithaca.org/" title="Cayuga Chamber Orchestra">Cayuga Chamber Orchestra</a> at Ithaca College that evening. We arrived home just before 10:30. I was utterly exhausted and practically passed out in bed after telling Scott I thought 4:30 a.m. was a reasonable alarm time.</p>
<p>At 1:30 a.m. I woke up and started getting dressed. I turned on the lights in the bedroom, bathroom and closed and started scrambling to get my things together <em>(I hadn't even sorted out clothing the night before I had been so tired)</em>. Scott said, "What are you doing? It is 1:30!" and soon I was back in bed. When the alarm actually went off at 4:30, I seriously considered skipping the race because I was so tired. The only reason I went? I had friends participating that would wonder what happened to me.</p>
<p>I had a wonderful drive in, looking at the glorious sunrise over the lake while listening to my <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/flower-city-half-with-elizabeth/" title="Flower City Challenge with Elizabeth">Flower City Half</a> playlist in the car. I saw friends Michael and Brenda as soon as I arrived and we walked in together. Shortly after I checked in, I met up with my swim friends, Diane and Anne and we talked about our race.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/05/IMG_2475.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Anne (left) and Diane (right) before the event" title="With Anne (left) and Diane (right) before the event" /><p class="stickyNote">With Anne (left) and Diane (right) before the event</p></div>
<h2 id="swim">Swim</h2>
<p>I was put into heat 5 (of 8). This race is organized from slower to faster based on your overall finish time prediction <em>(with the relay folks going in the early heats so not truly slower to faster)</em>. I predicted at total time of 2 hours, with a 10 minute time for my swim. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I was put in the same heat as my friend Anne. I met Anne in swim class in September, and she and I have been in class with Shane all year now!</p>
<p>I decided to use the [tempo trainer](<a%20href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005TVYVI2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005TVYVI2&linkCode=as2&tag=lunchtaker-20&linkId=KYL3HO7KJWHYMB6C">Tempo Trainer Pro set at 126 to help me keep my head calm. I was worried, because the trainer can make me go either way. Sometimes it is calming and other times it is stress inducing. Today it proved calming. And, the lane was wide. When we started swimming it felt like Anne was in another zip code. My biggest worry always is being last, getting kicked out of the pool, or totally panicking in the water. Talking with Michael Boggs before the race was helpful; we laughed that really we care so much about how fast we are relative to others, but no one else cares if we are last. No one is looking at someone thinking, "she sucks" or "what a bad swimmer." People are kinder than that. This conversation helped me stay focused on the end game: a solid swim for me.</p>
<p>I jumped out of the pool with a time of 10:08. This was exactly the time that Shane predicted I'd get in our last class. I shared that my biggest worry was getting kicked out of the pool for being too slow <em>(they give you 15 minutes)</em>. He smiled and said that if I swam the way I'd been swimming I'd swim the 400 in 10 minutes. He was right!</p>
<h2 id="bike">Bike</h2>
<p>After a short transition it was time for the bike. This was rather uneventful. I headed up the hill and caught up with Anne. I wished her well and kept riding. This course is totally unfamiliar to me. I live about a half hour away, and do all of my biking from my house. I hadn't looked at the course map until right before the race, and don't know the roads enough to have the map mean much. I was relying on the people on the corners to help me turn the right way. This was a BAD choice.</p>
<p>About 5 and a half or 6 miles in, I reached a corner and was pleasantly surprised to see a volunteer there <em>(several corners had been unstaffed with just signs telling us which direction to go)</em>. I started to say my usual, "thank you for volunteering" when I realized she was a participant. I asked if she was ok because she was stopped and she said, "small bladder." She was partially blocking the sign, and I looked quickly thinking that the sign was an arrow to the right. A half mile later I hit a main road. No sign. No person. I was LOST. I stopped my bike and got out my map and used it to get turned around. I was grumbling at myself the whole way thinking, "but my bike was going so well!" I realized it was like Elizabeth's untied shoe in the half marathon last week. There was nothing to do but accept it happened. I got lost, used my resources to get turned around and would have to live with the fact that I biked an extra mile. Soon I was back on course, and awhile later I passed by the same people I had passed earlier.</p>
<p>I spent the rest of the bike ride trying to hit an average pace of 15 mph. I hadn't stopped my watch for the map time, and I knew the results would be cruddy but I'd be happy if my gps said 15.0 mph. I did hit this goal so all was good.</p>
<h2 id="run">Run</h2>
<p>I ate some sport beans and headed out, only to hit the end of the transition and notice that I didn't take my cycling jersey off. It was getting really hot by this point and two layers for the run would be completely ridiculous. I ran back and dropped the jersey. The announcer joked about it, and I was embarrassed and frazzled heading into the run. The run started uneventful enough. I ran along and saw the left turn arrow a little way into the course. <em>(I hadn't actually looked at the run course map. I have been running the route regularly when Elizabeth is at dance in the area ... or I thought I had been)</em>. As soon as I turned left, I was supposed to get on a path. I didn't see the arrow on the mouth of the path and kept going up the hill on the road. Luckily, Anne was behind me with a couple runners and they called to let me know I was going the wrong way. I doubled back, adding .4 miles to my run for the day. Grrr. Once I hit the top of the hill, I set a goal for the run. I wanted to have my watch read sub 9 for the distance I ran.</p>
<p>Again, the run was rather uneventful. It wasn't especially challenging. It was great fun to watch the fast bikers from the last heat zoom by me though! My friend Ofer came in 2nd for the whole race and our friend Tommy (age 14) that Elizabeth ski races with came in 10th over all! Amazing to watch these guys race.</p>
<h2 id="final-thoughts">Final Thoughts</h2>
<p>"This is a fun way to spend a morning." That is the phrase that kept going through my head on this run. I had many friends in the race, and it was just so fun to be around everyone getting a great workout in to start the day. The swim was good for me, and while it is humbling to be so much slower than many others, it is also truly AMAZING how far I've come with my swimming. I was comfortable, and I could have kept swimming as long as needed. It was a sustainable pace and it wasn't unpleasant. I can't thank Shane enough for the time he's spent with me, but also for all the little things he's taught to help us approach things.</p>
<p>I was also really excited to see my swim classmates and to share a lane with Anne and see her several times on course. It was her first tri ever and she had an amazing race! Here is her <a href="https://10minutemiler.wordpress.com/tag/tri-for-the-y/" title="Anne's Tri for the Y Report">full race report</a>.</p>
<p>After the race, I went for a hike with Elizabeth. I was excitedly telling her that when I got stressed in the swim I'd start to channel Shane thinking, "I don't care, I don't care" and she said, "whatever works for you" in a way that implied that she thought I was crazy. I realized she hadn't experienced the swim training with me, and without the experience the phrase meant nothing. I said, "you would have had to take the class to understand." She smiled.</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.pcr-timing.com/racedata/2015/05/ithaca/age.htm" title="Tri for the Y Results">Official Results</a></p>
Flower City Challenge with Elizabeth2015-04-26T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/flower-city-half-with-elizabeth/<h2 id="one-bad-run">One BAD run</h2>
<p>Elizabeth and I signed up for the Flower City Challenge in January. She was in the midst of ski race season and it sounded totally feasible for her to be well trained by April. After ski racing ended she launched right into dance competition season. She ended up logging a decent number of miles, but not as many as fall when she was training for <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/philadelphia-half-marathon/" title="Philadelphia Half Marathon">Philly</a>. Still, things were clicking right along for her until the week before when she had her first truly terrible run. One week until race day and she considered pulling out of the race, and dropping down to the 5K instead of the 5 mile in the upcoming <a href="http://mayday5k.org/" title="May Day 5&5">May Day 5&5</a>. I told her it was too early to worry about that, and that bad runs happen. Just get through it and move forward. She did and pretty soon it was time to head up to the race!</p>
<h2 id="amazing-italian-meal">Amazing Italian meal</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/04/IMG_4237.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Pane Vino" title="Pane Vino" /><p class="stickyNote">Pane Vino</p></div>
<p>The boys came with us for this race. Our hotel had a pool for Xander and we were just blocks from the start line. We arrived just in time to grab our packets before <a href="http://www.fleetfeetrochester.com/" title="Fleet Feet">Fleet Feet</a> closed and headed to check into the <a href="http://rochester.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html" title="Hyatt Regency">Hyatt</a>. The gentleman at the desk recommended a nice Italian restaurant near our hotel called <a href="http://www.panevinoontheriver175.com/" title="Pane Vino">Pane Vino</a>. We didn't think to ask if you needed reservations or needed to dress nicely. We were <em>very</em> casually dressed! Upon arrival, the hostess said she could fit us in toward the back of the restaurant. We literally had our very own little space, almost like our own dining room. The people who had reserved the table had recently cancelled, so it was ours. We enjoyed fantastic pasta which we decided to consider a double celebration; "pre-race meal" and "report card celebration" for the kids.</p>
<h2 id="...-and-our-famous-pre-race-bagel-faces">... And our famous pre-race bagel faces</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/04/IMG_2446.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Bagels with peanut butter: bagel faces!" title="Bagels with peanut butter: bagel faces!" /><p class="stickyNote">Bagels with peanut butter: bagel faces!</p></div>
<p>We woke at 5:45 and had our usual pre-race carpet picnic of bagel faces! Scott prepared our bagels with peanut butter and raisin faces and we watched the NBC Nightly News podcast from the prior evening. Then we put on our matching outfits with a <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="FLRTC">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> shirt given to Elizabeth by our friend Melissa. She was an ambassador with me last year, but is now running exclusively for <a href="http://www.skechers.com/" title="Skechers">Skechers</a> and <a href="http://www.injinji.com/" title="Injinji">Injinji</a> toe socks. Scott snapped a picture of us before we left the hotel.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/04/IMG_4241.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Before our run" title="Before our run" /><p class="stickyNote">Before our run</p></div>
<h2 id="3-out-of-4">3 out of 4</h2>
<p>We knew 4 people that were also running the <a href="http://www.flowercitychallenge.com/" title="Flower City Challenge">Flower City Challenge</a> <em>(and later would learn of more when scanning the results)</em> so our goal was to find them all. Within the first 10 minutes of our arrival we ran into my High School friend Mary! About 1.5 miles into the race we saw Brenna, and after the race we caught up with Melissa and her husband Walter. We didn't find Lisa, one of our friends from <a href="http://bristolraceteam.org/" title="BMRC">Bristol Mountain Race Club</a>, but did get to see her race pictures later on Facebook. They all had wonderful races!</p>
<h2 id="pacing-elizabeth">Pacing Elizabeth</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/04/IMG_4251.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Matching tights!" title="Matching tights!" /><p class="stickyNote">Matching tights!</p></div>
<p>This is my 2nd time pacing Elizabeth. It was my 2nd time on a course that I knew and I enjoyed every minute of it. We both ran with music, but kept it low enough to talk. I was also interested in monitoring her breathing for signs that she was struggling.</p>
<p>At mile 1.5, Elizabeth had to stop to tie her shoe. I was struck by how calm she was about this. I would have fretted and whined about losing a minute or more to shoe tying, but she just rolled with it. At mile 2 we ran by our hotel and saw Scott and Xander cheering for us. Elizabeth tossed her ear band and gloves to them. She wondered why I didn't do the same. I wondered how she could even consider tossing them!</p>
<p>Around mile 5 I could tell that she was starting to struggle. I asked her if she wanted to slow the pace or if she was ok. She said she had a cramp and she'd like to slow down. We had agreed that she would set pace and I would follow. We slowed down and her cramp slowly left. I had warned her that when we turned off Park Ave there would be a hill. She would need to keep her head in a positive space and attack the hill. Then the hill didn't come. My memory was flawed and the hill wasn't for another 1.5 miles!</p>
<p>Soon the hill arrived and she powered through. The part through Highland Park feels like one never ending hill. It was about this time that I felt a tiny bit sad <em>(and also extremely happy)</em> that I was pacing instead of going for a PR. I was enjoying this. I was able to encourage her up the hills, chat with her and motivate people around me. It was fun to take in everything around me instead of pushing so hard to run fast.</p>
<h2 id="when-push-comes-to-shove">When push comes to shove</h2>
<p>One thing that I love about running with Elizabeth is that she really rises to the challenge of the day. She is strong and courageous and she is eager to learn from my experience. I feel like we are a solid team when we run together. Hard right up ahead? I motion with my hands to get right or warn her and we both head to cut off the tangent. Water stop? A quick ask of "do you want water" and she knows exactly what she needs. She doesn't want to know pace, but every now and then I let her know just so she knows what a certain pace feels like. Her training run a week ago was challenging because of a major hill, yet today's hill was much more challenging and she conquered it. I was so proud of her!</p>
<h2 id="lessons-from-running-with-a-novice-runner">Lessons from running with a novice runner</h2>
<p>Today was about finishing. She ran Philly at just over 2 hours. Of course Scott and I hoped she could beat that time. She knew this course was tougher and that she wasn't as well trained. She went into the run with a full heart and a goal of having fun and finishing strong. It was her real goal; she didn't have a secret desire to break two hours. I found it so refreshing to run with her for this reason. I know there will come a time in her running that a PR means the world to her and when an untied shoelace is a real bummer, but now she is able to enjoy every moment and have fun.</p>
<p>She's running the <a href="http://www.wineglassmarathon.com/" title="Wineglass Half">Wineglass Half</a> this fall - solo. It will be her first time lining up alone at a big race and her first time pacing herself on the course. I think she's ready and excited for the opportunity and I have a feeling that she'll also be ready to go for a PR on that great course!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/04/IMG_2448.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Proud finishers" title="Proud finishers" /><p class="stickyNote">Proud finishers</p></div>
<h2 id="and-the-race-signs!">And the race signs!</h2>
<p>No race report of mine would be complete without the race signs! We had so many bust out loud laughing times on the course and such great support from people. Some of our memories were:</p>
<ul>
<li>A man early in the race held a sign saying "run now, pie later." At mile 11, he was standing with McDonalds pies saying, "I told you there'd be pie!!"</li>
<li>A boy held a sign saying, "If you think your feet hurt imagine how my hands feel!"</li>
<li>There was a man on the course holding a sign saying, "power up" and an Angry Bird for us to hit to get our power. We saw him 3 times on the course and powered up each time.</li>
<li>And then there was the man holding the sign saying, "free high fives" so of course we availed ourselves of the free high five.</li>
<li>And there's always the classic, "this is a lot of work for a free banana" and "worst parade ever" at the water stop along with "why do the good ones always run away" and more.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>2:07:50 <br />
<a href="http://www.yellowjacketracing.com/files/user/121_2015_13_OV_FCCHalf.htm" title="Flower City Half Results">Official Results</a></p>
Total Immersion Level 3 Week 7 - Starting Flip Turns2015-04-22T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-level-3-week-7-starting-flip-turns/<h2 id="the-best-swim-class-ever">The Best Swim Class Ever</h2>
<p>I greeted Scott after class saying, "I know I've said this before, but that was the best swim class ever!" In truth, I have. I can think of at least 3 times that I've posted on Daily Mile or Strava that it was the most wonderful class ever. Many evenings have also been called "worst night ever."</p>
<p>Tonight a few things happened. First, several of us were talking about the upcoming <a href="http://www.runningintheusa.com/Race/View.aspx?RaceID=13340" title="Tri for the Y">Tri for the Y</a>, DiDi shared that she came in 2nd in the swim in her recent ocean triathlon <em>(she couldn't do the other two events due to her stress fracture)</em>, and it was a nice sunny evening. It is class 7 and by class 7, the group has always reached bonding/chatty phase which helps make everything feel relaxed and fun. Then, after Dry Land, we split into our 3 lanes. There were 8 of us and we self selected by speed. Our two fastest swimmers shared a lane, there was a middle lane for the other speedier swimmers and the 3 slower swimmers hopped in the 3rd lane.</p>
<h2 id="differentiating-swimming">Differentiating Swimming</h2>
<p>Shortly into our warm-up set of drills, Shane mentioned to me that my forearms were still bending out and that I should focus on keeping them straight and relaxed. Then, he began explaining the "fist drill" we'd be doing next. We've done this before but this time I was thinking, "I probably shouldn't do that. I need to work on keeping my arms forward and relaxed." As he set us loose, Shane said, "you should keep your hands open."</p>
<p>During the first 50 my head was saying, "Wow you are so behind that you have to do something different than the class." But, by the 2nd 50, I was out of my head , realizing that I really had to get this. This was an opportunity to practice something I needed to work on while my classmates worked on something appropriate for them. A gift.</p>
<h2 id="the-workout">The Workout</h2>
<p><a href="http://totalimmersion.net/blog/author/coachshane/#.VTeojpTF86E" title="Shane Eversfield">Shane</a> asked us to use our <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005TVYVI2">tempo trainers</a> and start with a 1.20 tempo. We'd swim a 50 without stopping at the wall, and then drop the tempo by .3 when we returned. We did this until we hit a tempo of just under a second, .99.</p>
<p>Normally there is a bit of panic that happens when we are tempo dropping, but tonight this was really AWESOME! It helped me with so many things; keeping a straighter kick, keeping my arms forward, snapping, efficient recovery etc. I managed to stay out of my head for the entire 400 because there wasn't time to think. I was focused on the task at hand, and it was really a positive experience.</p>
<p>We followed this up with a 200 at a sustainable tempo. For me that was 1.20. I enjoyed this swim. It was a challenging tempo and I felt winded at the end, but it was sustainable. At the end, I asked Shane about proper tempo for a 400 if this felt like it was getting challenging by the end. He first suggested that I change my breathing from alternate side to every stroke, just alternating sides for 50s and if that didn't help then to drop the tempo by .4 seconds. I will work on that this week.</p>
<h2 id="learning-to-flip">Learning to Flip</h2>
<p>It was finally time. We'd been working on our pushing off from the wall all evening as we swam, but it was time to try the flip. First we swam about 1/3 of the distance of the pool and then did a full flip without using our hands for rotation. This was FUN! I love flipping in the pool and I really enjoyed this. Next, Shane asked us to do a half flip and emerge out the other side upside down. I looked at Anne and she said, "This is where it gets hard. I didn't learn past this part." One of my classmates was a synchronized swimmer in school so she executed this beautifully on her first attempt. Others soon followed her lead trying out the half flip. This was hard but also fun. A game to practice in a really safe environment. As we neared the end of class, he had us try doing this as we approached the wall.</p>
<p>I was surprised how fun it was to begin learning flip turns. I thought we'd just begin by swimming at the wall and trying to flip over. I should have known that Shane would have a wonderful step by step method to help us gradually approach this skill. It felt totally pressure free; a fun way to end the session.</p>
<h2 id="final-thoughts">Final Thoughts</h2>
<p>As with level 2, I have mixed feelings that last week is our last class! It is so hard to believe that our Tuesday sessions are almost over. Our last class is right before the Tri for the Y so we're going to need to have a reunion to talk about how the event goes!! I think 4 or 5 of us are participating this year. But, it is getting warmer and closer to the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2014/" title="Cayuga Lake Triathlon 2014">Cayuga Lake Tri</a>. The next step of my plan is of course continue to work on my form and being more comfortable with the swim itself but also getting into the lake. I am excited to wear my wetsuit that I got from a fellow <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="Finger Lakes Running & Triathlon Company">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> ambassador and know that the lake swim will be a big journey itself! Perhaps I should try to form a group to hire Shane as our lake coach for summer!!</p>
Total Immersion Level 3 Week 6 - Feeling Swimming2015-04-22T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-level-3-week-6-feeling-swimming/<h2 id="feeling-swimming">Feeling Swimming</h2>
<p>We've spent a lot of time with our House of Cards, doing great drills and plenty of time with work on form for swimming. This week, after our dry land work where we focused on the subtle details of our shoulder articulation and forearm placement during recovery, Shane had us start to work more on refining our body tipping point.</p>
<p>To have a really well refined "tipping point" for a most efficient weight shift we need to have a lot of factors align including;</p>
<ul>
<li>Optimal Poise Point</li>
<li>Leverage for our grip</li>
<li>Muscles must be relaxed</li>
<li>Proper head, neck and spine alignment</li>
<li>Patient Lead Arm</li>
</ul>
<p>Whew! He helped us do this by having us work on dropping to a deeper target. This shortened our stroke, but helped us to feel what a proper tipping point would be. We also worked with lunging our lat muscle as we extend. His main point here was to remind us that our goal is to use gravity first and then add our body's force.</p>
<p>I did enjoy the deeper target and could feel myself tipping more. It was nice to just work on feeling swimming happening, thus spending a little less time thinking about every piece.</p>
<h2 id="flip-turns">Flip Turns</h2>
<p>One of the things we had talked about learning in Level 3 was how to properly do a flip turn. About halfway through class, Shane inquired, "so who wants to learn how to do a flip turn?" We all looked at him and DiDi and I looked panicked. He smiled and said, "yes?" I blurted out, "Anne is sick and she really wants to learn flip turns." DiDi echoed with, "it is really important to her." We decided to have flip turns wait until week 7.</p>
<h2 id="eyes-closed">Eyes CLOSED</h2>
<p>Shane wanted us to focus on really <em>feeling</em> swimming. To this end, he asked us to close our eyes in the water while we focused on delicately slipping one arm forward in the water. He wanted us to feel the water moving along our entire arm and keep our forearm "hidden" as it extends through the sleeve.</p>
<p>This was fun. It changed the focus and made things feel a little easier. My forearm is not in the correct form, and I don't think that this improved anything about that, but I did find that with my eyes shut I was less worried about things and more zen in the water. I tried hard to <em>feel</em> that water moving along my arm like Shane wanted us to.</p>
<h2 id="double-fin-swim">Double Fin Swim</h2>
<p>We've been doing Yin/Yang drills for many weeks now. When they first started, I didn't even know if I could do it! Now, they've become something that I look forward to. Tonight Shane asked us to try this drill with a fin on each foot. Immediately, I could feel my kick settle out. I was still breaking the surface for the first few times, but each time the kick felt a little longer with less leg flection. The fins greatest asset? Helping me feel the pressure on my foot that is sometimes just too subtle for me to recognize in normal swimming.</p>
<h2 id="the-video">The Video</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbmttgffwZE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbmttgffwZE</a></p>
First Trail Run of 20152015-04-19T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/first-trail-run-of-2015/<h2 id="sympathy-pain%3F">Sympathy pain?</h2>
<p>This week in swim class, we started talking about running. A few of us had participated in the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/training/watermelon-salt-vinegars-and-gatorade-oh-my/" title="Watermelon, Salt & Vinegars and Gatorade, Oh My!">Skunk Cabbage Classic</a> the weekend prior and we were chatting about our experiences. One of my classmates has a stress fracture in her ankle and she was telling us how she got it <em>(increasing mileage, doing intervals etc)</em> so our discussion turned quickly to running form, mileage strategy and racing and then Shane re-directed us back to swimming.</p>
<p>I knew she had a stress fracture; in fact just a few weeks ago we were sharing a lane and she was swimming faster than me when she wasn't even able to kick <em>(she had a bool buoy between her ankles to make sure she didn't!)</em> but this night was when I learned it was in her ankle. Instantly my ankle started to hurt. I'm the type of person who feels like I will throw up as soon as I learn someone has a stomach bug, almost passes out at the first mention of blood etc. I spent the next few days convinced I had a stress fracture.</p>
<h2 id="salt-and-vinegars">Salt and Vinegars</h2>
<p>Last summer, Jenny and I were training for the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/green-lakes-50k/" title="Green Lakes 50K">Green Lakes 50K</a>, a first for both of us. For several months we felt like we lived on the trail together. This week, Jenny texted that she sang our <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/training/watermelon-salt-vinegars-and-gatorade-oh-my/" title="Watermelon, Salt & Vinegars and Gatorade, Oh My!">"Salt and Vinegar"</a> song. Yes, we even had a song to go around our favorite race refuel food; salt and vinegar potato chips! Between the warm weather, Scott's constant trail running training for <a href="https://www.cayugatrails50.com/" title="Cayuga Trails 50">Cayuga Trails 50</a>, my sore ankle and Jenny's singing, I knew I had to hit the trail again!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/04/IMG_2421.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Taughannock Falls" title="Taughannock Falls" /><p class="stickyNote">Taughannock Falls</p></div>
<h2 id="rabbit%2C-rim%2C-base%2C-rim%2C-rabbit">Rabbit, Rim, Base, Rim, Rabbit</h2>
<p>After volunteering to set up for the <a href="http://www.toughturtleithaca.com/" title="Tough Turtle Ithaca">Tough Turtle</a> obstacle race, Scott ran 18 miles home using a mix of trail and road. Early in the afternoon, Elizabeth went out for 11 miles; her last long run before the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/flower-city-half-marathon/" title="Flower City Half Marathon">Flower City Half</a> and Xander went to his Boy Scout service project. I worked on things for the <a href="http://mayday5k.org/" title="May Day 5&5">May Day 5&5</a>, baked and decorated a cake for <a href="http://www.emoticakes.com/" title="Emoticakes">Emoticakes</a>, and then it was my turn! Late in the afternoon, I donned my hydration pack, downloaded a few podcasts and headed down Rabbit Run in my familiar "trail uniform" from last summer; a Brooks mesh tank top, <a href="http://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/womens-puregrit-3-trail-running-shoes/120173.html?dwvar_120173_width=B&dwvar_120173_color=437#q=pure+grit&start=1" title="Pure Grits">Brooks Pure Grits</a>, <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/musings/my-9-must-have-items-for-happy-running/" title="My 9 Must-Have Items for Happy Running">Nathan Hydration Pack</a>, and my favorite running skirt.</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/04/IMG_2422.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Taughannock Gorge" title="Taughannock Gorge" /><p class="stickyNote">Taughannock Gorge</p></div>
<p>My first podcast was an episode of <a href="http://thisiscriminal.com/episode-18-695bgk/" title="Criminal">Criminal,</a> and I listened with rapt attention about a terrible case of a police shooting. Soon, I had arrived at the top of the North rim trail. I stashed my headphones and enjoyed the entry into nature. The smells and beauty of the rim instantly brought me back to last summer, then the re-entry into "civilization" on the base trail made me remember our long 18-20 mile trail days when we did this route multiple times. I enjoyed the softness underfoot and the mental energy it took to look out for rocks and roots. I nabbed a few pictures on this gorgeous day, and thanked God that I had this natural beauty in my backyard. I often long to live in Oregon, and this trail is one way to transport my mind to Oregon for just a short while.</p>
<p>I slogged up the steps without a single running leap. Just walking. Reasoning that even when I was in great shape last summer I usually walked them, I did so today with no shame or regret. Soon, I hit the area that I used for hill repeats last year and was ready to run again! I used the <a href="http://animalathleticspdx.com/" title="Animal Athletics">Animal Athletics</a> "potato chip" image to keep my hands relaxed as I headed uphill, all the while imagining I had potato chips in each hand with a goal of no crushing!</p>
<p>Toward the top of the trail, one of my swim classmates was walking with her husband. We chatted briefly and then I discovered Xander's Boy Scout project; crushed rocks in the very puddly, swampy part of the trail! Bliss. I never look forward to this brief boggy section so that was a lovely surprise.</p>
<p>Upon reaching the top of the South rim, it was time to head back up Rabbit. By this point in the run I had decided to finish the run home instead of calling for a ride. There were 2 reasons; I knew Elizabeth had run 11 so I felt like 10.5 was a nicer number than 8 for me AND Rabbit, Rim, Base, Rim, Rabbit was symmetrical. That last part was pretty enjoyable. There was a nice swirling wind and road hills never feel as hard after trail hills; something I suddenly remembered from last summer.</p>
<h2 id="done!">Done!</h2>
<p>I arrived home from my first trail run of the season to find my family sitting on our front step smiling at me. "You guys look like you have something up your sleeves," I said. "No, us .. not at all" followed by, "<a href="http://www.littlevenicet-burg.com/" title="Little Venice">Little Venice</a>" in "How I Met Your Mother" style. So, we finished our day of mostly separate activities by a family dinner at a local restaurant with pizza and beer!</p>
Skunk Cabbage Classic: Xander's First 10K2015-04-12T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/skunk-cabbage-classic-xanders-first-10k/<h2 id="race-change!">Race Change!</h2>
<p>Originally I signed up for the Half. I've only run the <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/road-races/skunk-cabbage-classic/" title="Skunk Cabbage Classic">Skunk Cabbage Classic</a> one time before and it was the 10K distance. I was really excited to run the half this year! Elizabeth was going to run with her brother and Scott and I would each run the half. However, a week before the race Scott learned he had to be back in Trumansburg for the play he was in about an hour earlier than he thought! That meant I'd have to finish sub 2 hours <em>(totally possible but if I had a rough race for any reason I'd screw up his play)</em> and literally bolt out of there. So, I contacted the race director and asked her if I could drop to the 10K. I would run with Xander and Elizabeth would run her own race. This turned out to be a really good decision.</p>
<h2 id="pacing-my-little-man">Pacing my Little Man</h2>
<p>We posed for our ambassador picture with our team from <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="FLRTC">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a>, and talked to many friends before the race. There was a real team feel to the day which made it great fun! Pretty soon, Scott was off for the half and the kids and I made our way to the starting line for the 10K. Right before the race I was swinging my legs to stretch out my hips and Xander reached to tie his shoe. Yup, whack right into his eye with my knee!! I felt terrible for him but luckily he was ok. We wished Elizabeth well and discussed our race strategy. We settled on a 9:30 min/mile pace goal. Within minutes the air horn sounded and we were off! Our first two miles were a comfy chatty 9-9:15 minute mile pace. I knew we were starting too fast, but he was happy and I reasoned that if he can do a 25 minute 5K this was probably ok. Soon we ran by Ian, owner of <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="FLRTC">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> who cheered us on and said, <em>"your daughter's smoking you!"</em> as we passed by. I could still see Elizabeth ahead of us and thought we'd keep her in our sights for the whole race at that point. He was running strong and happy.</p>
<h2 id="lost-breath%2C-untied-shoes-and-cramps">Lost Breath, Untied Shoes and Cramps</h2>
<p>Then we hit mile 2.5. Around this point in the race we were on the main road which was shoulder running and felt crowded for him. He was reaching his max training distance <em>(3 miles)</em> and fading fast. I started to try to encourage him saying, <em>"Soon we'll hit an out and back and we'll get to see runners in both directions. It will be so fun!"</em> He said, <em>"Mom, I don't like it when I see faster runners going the other direction."</em> So I quickly said, "Then that part will be over soon and you can look forward to being done with it."</p>
<p>We continued our back and forth banter until finally he just told me to stop talking. I obliged and pretty soon we hit the water stop. He was overdressed in pants and happy to see water! We stopped and walked through the water stop. He said, "Mom I'm good with dropping to 10 min/mile pace. I have no goals now but to finish." He reminded me that his longest training run was 3 miles and shared that this run hadn't gone so well. Soon we saw Elizabeth heading back the other direction. She was also over dressed in a really heavy long sleeved shirt that I noticed was now tied at the waist with her sleeves rolled up. Clearly our parenting skills were not dialed in that well in the morning! After seeing her, Xander said, <em>"Oh dear I have to tie my shoe!"</em> I looked down and saw him pretending to tie his shoe <em>(which was triple laced).</em> Hmmm. We laughed about this one.</p>
<p>We continued on, slowing more and more until shortly before mile 4 he was out of breath. He abruptly stopped and said he couldn't breathe. He was struggling and we stopped to walk. I encouraged him to take deep slow breaths to regulate his breathing and picked a landmark in the distance to begin a gentle run again. This was good. He felt like he was going to throw up, and was feeling defeated. I reminded him that he was almost 2/3 done and we'd soon be hitting our downhill return. Our next mile was rocky. I talked too much and he snipped back each time I said something. Xander and I spent much of our winter together on a ski lift and this reminded me of winter. Races sometimes lead to sniping, and this was no exception.</p>
<h2 id="the-2nd-wind">The 2nd Wind</h2>
<p>Soon it was mile 5 and the Half Marathon lead runner passed by us! Wow, this guy was flying. We both marveled. We started to see more spectators along the road cheering us on. People were wonderfully encouraging to Xander and I felt him get his 2nd wind. Pretty soon we were back at our 9 minute mile pace and he was asking how much farther we had to go. I heard the ladies behind me discussing whether to sprint it in or not. One wanted to and one had no energy and told her friend to go for it. I asked Xander if he'd like to speed it up and he said, <em>"you can but I'm not going to!"</em> But in a matter of seconds the ladies behind us both picked up their pace so naturally so did we. He had a nice strong kick to the end where Ian was announcing people by name! Dawsons 2 and 3 had arrived. Now it was time to wait for Scott to finish his half.</p>
<h2 id="after-the-race">After the Race</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/04/IMG_4211.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="First 10K in the books!" title="First 10K in the books!" /><p class="stickyNote">First 10K in the books!</p></div>
<p>We grabbed some water and walked back to watch for Scott. Elizabeth was off running 2 extra miles so we knew she'd arrive back pretty soon to join us. It was so much fun watching all the really fast half marathoners arrive in! We saw friend and fellow teammate <a href="https://ellieslicesbagels.wordpress.com/2015/04/13/skunk-cabbage-half-marathon-2015-race-recap/" title="Skunk Cabbage HM Female Winner">Ellie Pell</a> come in as the first female finisher! Soon, Scott crossed the line 4 minutes faster than he did last year. Elizabeth was back by this time so we all ran in to greet him. Soon we were saying goodbyes to our teammates and heading back to Trumansburg for the final performance of Spoon River by <a href="http://encoreplayers.org/" title="Encore Players">Encore Players</a>!</p>
<p>I was so proud of everyone in my family today. Elizabeth ran a strong first 10K <em>(though she makes sure that I note that she has done a half marathon before)</em>, Scott had an amazing half marathon race finishing 2nd in his age group. Even with all our sniping, Xander did really well for his first 10K, finishing in 1:02:15. We hugged after the race and he was immediately sorry that he was snippy with me and I was sorry for talking way too much! He's excited to train for the <a href="http://www.mayday5k/" title="May Day 5K">May Day 5&5</a> coming up in a few weeks now. I had fun pacing my little guy, not being nervous for an event and just enjoying the first spring day that also just happened to be my birthday. However, next year I'm running the half! I admit I was jealous of Scott's medal!! For more pictures of Team FLRTC and my family, check out <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/skunk-cabbage-half-marathon/" title="Skunk Cabbage re-cap Scott Dawson">Scott's post</a> about the Skunk.</p>
Total Immersion Level 3 Week 42015-04-04T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-level-3-week-4/<h2 id="numbers-matter">Numbers Matter</h2>
<p>Our class met over spring break. It was a freezing cold week in Ithaca, NY and I was rather happy that Shane still held class. During break, there were no kid activities on the calendar so no busses, help from others, or rushing around required! For this simple reason, I arrived at class much less frazzled. Because of the break, many in our class were on vacation, so there were 6 of us. This meant 3 per lane, and a more casual feel to the class.</p>
<h2 id="a-small-tweak">A Small Tweak</h2>
<p>Over the week, during my practice I was again stalled out at 23 strokes for length. This was upsetting and confusing, and nothing I did in my own practice changed this number. Shane asked us to swim 150 lazily, and midway into this he told me to focus on not driving my hand so deep. Another classmate in my lane needed to work to drive deeper. I made this correction and sure enough I was back to 18 strokes. Again, the power of a coach! I was so happy he noticed this EARLY in the class, as it helped me imprint this proper technique for the entire class.</p>
<h2 id="gears">Gears</h2>
<p>Shane has been telling us we're going to learn to control our stroke count and speed and talking about "gears" for a few classes now. Tonight was the night to give it a try. He asked us to swim three 50s. First, we had established a baseline SPL (strokes per length). Mine was 18.</p>
<p>He shared the two ways to go faster; increase stroke length and # strokes per length or increase tempo. To increase our tempo, you just need to make your weight shifts happen more quickly, thus gaining time, BUT you have to work to keep your efficiency stable. To increase the stroke length you can increase the amount of time gliding, improve your balance or play with the pressure applied to the water. These are all really neat nuances, but since I keep falling out of balance on a weekly basis, I wasn't so sure how I'd do with the gear thing.</p>
<p>Pretty soon we were swimming. For our first 50 we would swim at our baseline SPL. I was really jazzed that I managed to hit 18 both down and back! Then, we were asked to <em>add</em> one stroke per length. This felt pretty easy too. I nailed it. Then, for our last 50 we added one more stroke. Success again! I hit 20 SPL with ease. He asked us our strategy. Mine "I got tired." It was true. I was rather winded by the end of the drill.</p>
<p>Then he asked us to <em>reverse</em> it! Three 50s starting at our highest SPL and dropping one stroke each time. I was sad to say that while I was able to start at 20, I held constant at 20. I think that my very last length may have been 19, but it wasn't successful. I was tired and also felt more pressure for this.</p>
<h2 id="final-swim">Final Swim</h2>
<p>We closed class with a sustained 300 followed by a 200 and then a 100. The class had done this before on the evening that I left early with goggle troubles. The pool was empty by the end of class, so we were able to spread out to two people per lane. I shared a lane with my friend Anne <em>(she gave me my marvelous goggles)</em> and we were off. I set my tempo trainer at 1.36. After my first length I choked on water and had to stop to catch my breath at the end, but pretty soon I was back in the swim. After the 300, Shane asked that we speed up our tempo by .04. I dropped my trainer to 1.32 and headed out again. When I finished my 200 and started to set my next one .04 faster, I realized that everyone else was done with everything. A couple people had lost count, and I hope I wasn't really 100 behind everyone BUT there are some pretty fast swimmers in my class, so it is quite feasible.</p>
<p>Overall I felt really positive about this. I enjoyed the sustained swim, and felt successful. Shane would like me to work to get my tempos much faster, to 1.20, so I plan to work on that this week in practice sessions.</p>
<h2 id="my-video">My Video</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnthdF7BUao">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnthdF7BUao</a></p>
<h2 id="random-thoughts">Random Thoughts</h2>
<p>This was an excellent class for me. Shane's small tweak to my form helped me for the entire class. The small group made it easier for me to feel part of the class and answer Shane's questions when he asked about how a drill went. And, the goggles worked really well <em>(after the first length. I hadn't gotten them wet and they didn't stick to my eyes for the first 50).</em> One thing that I noticed is that with my stroke improves when I'm swimming right next to a very strong swimmer. I lined up with a woman in the next lane every so often and while she is much faster than I am so she zoomed right by me, I could feel my core snap improve and my gliding improve as she swam near me. I was able to see her in my peripheral vision very well. The few times that I swam near her were the same times that Shane noted positive improvements in my stroke. It ties into Shane's suggestion to watch good swimming on video. There is something in you brain that makes it feel to your body like YOU are doing that.</p>
Total Immersion Level 3 Week 32015-03-30T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-level-3-week-3/<h2 id="practice-in-a-pool-with-a-deep-end!">Practice in a pool with a DEEP end!</h2>
<p>Before I talk about week 3, I must tell about my practice this week! I only managed to get into the pool once, and it wasn't in my home gym at <a href="http://www.islandhealthfitness.com/" title="Island Health and Fitness">Island Health and Fitness</a>. Elizabeth had dance workshops in Syracuse from 5-10:30 p.m. on a Friday night. I had to pick up my packet for the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/syracuse-half-marathon/" title="Syracuse Half Marathon">Syracuse Half Marathon</a> at <a href="http://www.fleetfeetsyracuse.com/" title="Fleet Feet Sports Syracuse">Fleet Feet Sports</a> between 5 and 7, but after that my options were limited to shopping, eating, or hanging out in the hotel lobby with the other parents. In the middle of the afternoon, I had the brilliant idea to look for gyms. I found <a href="http://pacifichealthclub.com/" title="Pacific Health Club">Pacific Health Club</a> in Liverpool. For a $10 day pass, I could use the entire facility which included an indoor track and a lap pool.</p>
<p>Upon arrival, I received a tour of the two ladies locker rooms, indoor track, tons of weights, all the pools and more. The pool was open until 9 and it was just shy of half past 7 when I arrived. I grabbed a 2 mile shake out run on the track and then headed to the pool. The pool had a deep end (my first struggle with lake swimming is the depth, so this was good practice for me). I went through Shane's standard progression, starting with a 400 and working through poise point drills and later finishing with a 400. It felt really great, and I wasn't scared of the depth of the water. I actually wished it had been crowded so that I would have had to share a lane <em>(reality for the <a href="http://www.runningintheusa.com/Race/View.aspx?RaceID=13340" title="Tri for the Y Ithaca 2015">Tri for the Y</a> practice)</em> but it was more pleasant to have my own.</p>
<p>The trouble started AFTER my swim. The woman who gave me my tour told me the pool closed at 9, and I hadn't checked the facility hours. The ENTIRE place closed at 9. So when I hopped out of the pool at 8:55 I wandered into the sauna and enjoyed 10 lovely minutes of heat followed by a shower. At Island the pool closes 1/2 hour before the locker rooms, so I planned to be ready to leave right at 9:30 and then dawdle my way back to pick up Elizabeth downtown at 10:30. At 9:15 a woman peeked into the locker room to ask me if I was almost done. Yikes! Here I was with my $10 day pass causing her to have to work late. I quickly finished up and headed out!</p>
<h2 id="if-i-drowned-in-a-former-life%2C-i'm-doing-great">If I Drowned in a Former Life, I'm doing GREAT</h2>
<p>Recently NBC news aired a story about a young boy who remembers amazing details about his <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/boy-remembers-amazing-details-of-past-life-as-hollywood-actor-416079939861" title="Boy Former Life">former life as a Hollywood Star</a>. As we listened to this story in the car on the way home from skiing, I said "I truly must have drowned in a former life." This prompted an entire conversation about reincarnation, God, and more.</p>
<p>But seriously speaking, the time has come to solely measure myself against myself. My classmates are faster than me, and they are getting things more quickly than I am. This was becoming clear midway through level 2, but our class was small so it wasn't quite as "in your face" obvious.</p>
<p>I am proud that I have practiced weekly, come to class every week, and despite some occasional lapses into really negative self talk I stay pretty optimistic.</p>
<h2 id="body-matters">Body Matters</h2>
<p>After class, I was chatting with <a href="http://www.zendurancecycling.com/shane-eversfield.html" title="Shane Eversfield ">Shane</a> about my progress. He is super sweet and was saying that he sees improvement. I think it must be really hard for the coach to look at a group of 10-12 and find positive things to point out for each person. I laughed and said I had a pretty steep learning curve. He commented that I really don't have an <a href="http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/articles/swimmagazine/articles/199909-01swim_art.asp" title="Ideal Swimmer's Body">ideal swimmer's body</a>. SO TRUE! I have really tiny shoulders and odd shoulder mobility issues, and I'm bottom heavy. He also said that my breathing is derailing the process for me. I wasn't aware of that, so here emerges another value of having a coach!</p>
<h2 id="swapping-goggles">Swapping Goggles</h2>
<p>Shortly before class I received an email from a classmate. She had purchased new goggles and they weren't going to work for her face. She would love to give them to me if they work for me. I have been struggling with leaking goggles. I don't think my goggles are flawed, just that they aren't fitting my face perfectly. This wasn't much of a problem in earlier sessions when most of our swimming was 25s or 50s. Now that we are swimming longer distances, if my goggles leak it is more challenging. I've almost lost a contact a few times this session! I was excited to try hers, and since she's also been struggling with leaking goggles I had her try mine out.</p>
<p>What a difference! I noticed right away that I could swim without much worry of leaking. Even with taking them on and off every time we checked in after swimming they sealed right back up. After class, I took hers and gave her my goggles. Mine worked pretty well for her and her <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HSNIF7W">Aqua Sphere Vista Lady Goggles</a> were amazing for me.</p>
<h2 id="weekly-practice">Weekly Practice</h2>
<p>This week when I went for my first weekly practice, I started with a 400. It went well, with no panic or worry, but my stroke count is way high which is moderately to highly frustrating. Then, I moved into working with focal points and went back to finishing with a 400. The thing that stood out for this session was the breathing. After Shane pointed out that my breathing was stalling things, I was able to see it. EVERY time I breathe I can see the ceiling. He talks to us about getting just a "nip" of air and rotating our head so we can see underwater with one eye and just above the water with the other eye. I am looking at the ceiling with BOTH eyes. I worked on the nip of air thing, splitting vision, and just trying not to look at the ceiling. This is when and where depth starts to play a role with me. I choked several times, or got enough water down my throat to be a little freaked. Because the pool is only 4 feet deep, I could just pop my feet down and re-group, but in a lake or pool with a deep end this option is not something I can avail myself of.</p>
<h2 id="final-thoughts">Final Thoughts</h2>
<p>Almost halfway through Session 3 I feel happy that I did sign up to continue this Total Immersion swim journey. Even though my progress next to my peers is slower, a moment in late September pops to mind. I was "swimming" in the warm pool when the life guard told me that you aren't allowed to actually swim there. I was merely working on 2-4 stroke lengths at a time. I couldn't fathom the idea of having to move to the cold pool to do that. I remember telling her, "but it is SO cold over there." and "what if I just do 2 strokes?" It is March and I now comfortably swim continuously for quite some time and can easily fill an hour in the pool with practice. It is a journey of continual baby steps.</p>
Syracuse Half Marathon2015-03-22T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/syracuse-half-marathon/<h2 id="you-get-what-you-train-for">You Get What You Train For</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/03/heading-out.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Right before the race." title="Right before the race." /><p class="stickyNote">Right before the race.</p></div>
<p>I'm a planner. I am type A, organized, and always prepared, except when I'm not. I signed up for the <a href="https://www.syracusehalf.com/" title="Syracuse Half Marathon">Syracuse Half Marathon</a> because I was in Syracuse last year for my daughter's dance competition. We were staying in the Courtyard Marriott and when I headed back from dropping her off at her workshops I saw that there was a water station less than a block from our hotel. I thought, "hmmm if we're here again next year I should definitely do that!" Add in a great 1/4 zip shirt and this year I eagerly signed up.</p>
<p>As is typical, I made a nice <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/Syracusehalf.pdf" title="Syracuse Half Marathon Training Plan">training plan</a> for myself. I did a lot of what was on the plan, but found that the cold weather, the kids' ski race schedule, and my own crazy schedule impacted what I could do to prepare for the Syracuse Half Marathon. This was the first year that Scott and I had to split up to get the kids where they needed to be <em>(meaning hotel stays with one parent and one child for ski racing)</em> and I frequently had abbreviated long runs. Additionally, unless I was on a treadmill, I didn't manage the paces prescribed for an 8:05 HMP. My Half Marathon PR time is 1:46:11 which is an 8:06, so to PR I would need an 8:05.</p>
<p>Late winter on a Listserv discussion, Ian Golden, owner of our local running store, <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> made a great comment. He said, "Living in NY State we should target our PR races for fall. He suggested we just enjoy the spring races for what they are, an opportunity to get out and run and enjoy."</p>
<p>I liked this approach. I haven't actually run a Half Marathon where I didn't have a specific time goal, and thought it might be fun to just enjoy, not worry about pace, look around and have fun with it. But ... I still had to break 2 hours. That was my real goal; to enjoy and not stress about time, but make sure I didn't cross the 2 hour mark.</p>
<h2 id="race-day-last-minute-changes">Race Day Last Minute Changes</h2>
<p>For being a planner, I'm really last minute about race details. I like to think about them a couple of days before, and when I do spend time thinking about them I sort it all out really quickly. This race was more complicated because I needed to get 14 year old Elizabeth where she needed to be. We were planning to drive up Sunday morning, and she was expected to arrive at the <a href="http://landmarktheatre.org/" title="Landmark Theatre">Landmark Theatre</a> in costume and make up in Syracuse at 8:15 a.m. My race started about 3 blocks away at 8 a.m. A small difference in time, but the theatre doors didn't open until 8:15 and it was going to be 12 degrees outside. I started asking other mothers if they could meet us up there a little early, or ride with us and just kill a few minutes with the girls in a coffee shop. No dice. I could get her a ride up on race day, but she wanted to ride with me <em>(and I was looking forward to the time with her too)</em>. I contacted the race and asked if I could start just a few minutes late since it was chip timed. No luck there either. We went about our weekend activities; school play for Xander, fun Aloha season ender ski race for all of us, and then got a weather alert late afternoon on Saturday. Lake effect snow for the region. We decided to simplify our lives and book a last minute hotel room at the <a href="http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/syrdr-residence-inn-syracuse-downtown-at-armory-square/" title="Marriott Residence Inn">Marriott Residence Inn</a> 4 blocks from Landmark and just under a mile from the race start. I would leave the hotel at 7:30 and Elizabeth would linger and head out a little after 8. Voila - a plan!</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/03/pre-race.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="In hotel ready to go!" title="In hotel ready to go!" /><p class="stickyNote">In hotel ready to go!</p></div>
<p>I was ready for the weather with my hand warmers, heavy mittens, ear band AND hat, calf sleeves and long pants as well as my 3 running top layers. Once I arrived at the On Center, I learned they delayed the race start til 8:15. Now that meant one more bathroom trip so I popped into an outdoor porta potty line <em>(inside was WAY too long).</em> My feet were numb after the line, so I went back indoors at 8:07 and waited. It was LOUD so I knew I would not hear Elizabeth's "safe arrival text" or her "I need help phone call" and I took my phone out of its little pouch and then outside of its mitten to protect it from cold. I texted her that I was going to start soon and she said she was almost to Landmark. After tucking everything back in I went outside to line up. It was so last minute that I didn't notice that I was behind the 9-11 minute mile group. We waited a little bit and the gun went off. Soon I was running. It took almost a full mile of serious dodging and weaving to get into a groove where I felt like I could hold a steady pace. It was ok though, I wasn't going for speed and I had plenty of miles to cruise along. Then, my phone started going bonkers with texts. "oh no! Is Elizabeth ok?" She knows to call me if there's a problem. "Maybe it is FB alerts" "I never post anything on FB and I posted a pre-race picture. That must be it." I wavered about whether to stop and check my phone, but ultimately reasoned that Elizabeth is an intelligent 14 year old that would call if she had a problem.</p>
<h2 id="and-the-run-...">And the Run ...</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/03/Screen-Shot-2015-03-23-at-10.19.56-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>Normally I look at the elevation profile for races, especially if it is a Half Marathon or Marathon. In fact, for the <a href="http://www.wineglassmarathon.com/" title="Wineglass Marathon">Wineglass</a> I even sent it out to friends <em>(also running it)</em> with my thoughts for approaching the lone hill on the course. However, I didn't bother with this one. I wasn't shooting for a PR and I knew I'd been running plenty of hills so I'd be fine. However, there were a few hills that were rough. I enjoyed the variety, but there was a short steep hill right between mile 7 and mile 8 that I walked up. I now feel terrible about it, but at the time I didn't much care. Other highlights:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><strong>Frozen Gatorade, water and</strong></strong> <strong>snot.</strong> The aid stations had slushy liquid which was kind of cool. I wiped my nose early on in the race and my glove got slushy!</li>
<li><strong>Alone in the midst of thousands.</strong> I realized once there that I rarely do races completely alone. Usually I travel with someone and then bump into several people I know. Today I didn't see anyone I knew and only talked to a few folks in the porta potty line and at the start. It was really odd to be surrounded by thousands of people and not know anyone.</li>
<li><strong>This connected world we live in.</strong> I finished the race at 10:18ish and I had a text from Scott saying, "Yeah baby!! Way to go!" at 10:19. Elizabeth texted me at 10:26 to tell me her competition was running ahead and they were getting ready for her 2nd number already. So much for only missing one number. I was enjoying post race pancakes when I got this text. Even so, I decided to dash over and see if I could get there in time. I left the race quickly, called Scott to talk along the way and arrived 3 minutes before she was on stage.</li>
<li><strong>The race song.</strong> The rules said no headphones. I considered listening, but decided I'd bring a shuffle as backup after noting the culture of the race. Tons of people had them, so I popped mine in. There were two race songs for me.The first was Compass by Lady A. It hit on a long straightaway and just brought me back to seeing them in concert at sunset in Canandaigua. I quickly went from feeling blah to energized! The 2nd was Hypnotic. It hit on a lovely downhill at mile 8. When I was making the playlist, I listened to a clip of the song for the first time. I liked it and thought, "I might enjoy that for running."</li>
<li><strong>Death of the Music.</strong> At mile 10 my shuffle died. My phone was happily wrapped in a mitten so it wouldn't get too cold, but I hadn't thought about my shuffle. Quick thinking; I put the shuffle in my mitten that I was wearing. By mile 11 the hand warmer had warmed it up enough that it started again. Nice!</li>
</ul>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/03/Screen-Shot-2015-03-23-at-10.35.39-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="" title="" /></div>
<ul>
<li><strong>Flirting with the pace.</strong> So, I wasn't racing this all out. I wasn't looking at my watch very often and had it set to current pace vs average pace. However, at mile 10 I decided to "just check" and see how I was holding up. I had a 9:06 average pace. Not a great situation with 3 miles to go. I knew I'd need to blow by the last water stop <em>(the one by my hotel)</em> or risk not hitting the 2 hour mark. It was fun to look back on my pace though. I was really consistent without any focus on pace.</li>
<li><strong>The Roads, volunteers and spectators.</strong> I commend the city of Syracuse for doing a fantastic job getting this course clear for runners. On this cold, cold day, there were so many great spectators out cheering us all on, and the volunteers were upbeat and positive at every stop! The police presence was great and I made sure to thank as many of them as I could as I passed by. I was running by one sign that said, "As you run by we're checking out your ass" and was laughing hard and not looking at the road a bit when a spectator said, "PUDDLE" and I quickly avoided the puddle with a leap to the left!</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Time 1:59:08 992/2773; 53/298 (<em>age group 40-44).</em> <a href="http://www.leonetiming.com/2015/Roads/SyracuseHalfNet.htm" title="Syracuse Half Marathon Results 2015">Official Results Page</a></p>
Total Immersion Level 3 Week 22015-03-20T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-level-3-week-2/<h2 id="we're-not-in-kansas-anymore">We're Not in Kansas Anymore</h2>
<p>A year ago, I was in the pool when Shane was teaching a Total Immersion group. I looked at them and thought, "I could never swim that much" and "I would be so embarrassed to mess up in front of other people."</p>
<p>Tonight after our dry land warm-up, Shane asked us to start with a 4-6 lap relaxed warm-up. The 10 of us took two lanes and off we went. After we went through the warm-up, he asked us to swim using a Pause Drill. We would pause at the poise point. This drill encourages many things;</p>
<ul>
<li>Patient Lead Arm - both degree of patience, and accuracy of placement</li>
<li>Optimal Poise Point - shoulder/scapular articulation and elbow flex</li>
<li>Long aligned spine</li>
<li>Calm legs</li>
<li>Optimal timing of all elements that constitute your weight shift</li>
</ul>
<p>After we did several 50s he asked us to return to regular swimming without pausing.</p>
<p>Sometime during this swim cycle, a 3rd lane opened up, so my lane dropped to 4 swimmers. There was not much rest time, so not too much time to get cold or to think. I tried to stay focused on doing what Shane asked me to do and was a little more <em>(well actually a lot more)</em> successful with this than last week. I still spent too much time thinking about how slow I am and wondering why I am not getting more streamlined, but for much of the time I was able to shelve these thoughts, especially during the pause drill.</p>
<p>As Shane had us swim 50s and later 100s, there wasn't much pause time. We were swimming a lot! I suddenly realized WE are that group I saw last year. The group that is swimming, swimming, swimming. I was not cold. I was not counting the minutes, and while my head is still getting in my way with negative talk, I am doing all that he asks me to do.</p>
<h2 id="arms-only">Arms Only</h2>
<p>After this first part, we swam 2x50 with NO KICKING. We were supposed to keep our legs together and just use our arms. This meant that we had to stay in balance because our legs couldn't help us compensate. I did well with this drill. In the natural swimming portion right before this I started to get back into my head wondering why I was so slow, and when I started this drill I was worried I'd sink. However, I found the challenge of no legs fun. Shane told me my legs looked better positioned relative to the water with this than when I was kicking.</p>
<p>After our no kick swimming, we moved to a dolphin kick followed by 2 beat kicking and back to dolphin etc. This was to help us work on minimal hip/knee flexion. When we finished our two 50s of this, Shane told me I was still firing only with my right leg. I so want to use that left leg, but it isn't happening unless I put the fin on the "leg of opportunity" as Shane likes to say. He asked us how we felt and pointed out those of us who were seeing improvement in kicking. After this, we decided to mix up our order in our lane so that we could see different kicks as we swam.</p>
<h2 id="tempo-trainers">Tempo Trainers</h2>
<p>Now it was time to put our tempo trainers to work. We picked a tempo and swam 50 with an easy kick, followed by a 50 with a medium kick and concluding with a strong kick all at that tempo. We counted our strokes with the different style kicks. I liked this. It was fun to compare BUT I did really struggle to define for myself what an easy, medium and hard kick felt like. I knew I was only using my right leg for kicking, so I had to decide whether to try again to use the left leg or continue to kick as I have been and do what Shane was asking. I chose to try the drill vs continuing to stress over which foot I was using.</p>
<p>When we first started counting strokes, I could barely swim and count. Now, it feels calming. In my counting I learned that the 50 using a medium kick gave me the lowest stroke count. The strong kick made me feel so tired in just a 50 that it felt unsustainable. The stroke count was only one up from the medium, but I don't think I could have comfortably finished 100 this way.</p>
<h2 id="and-the-final-swim">And the Final Swim</h2>
<p>Our final swim was ... interesting. We still had 3 lanes available to use for circle swimming for the 10 of us, and Shane decided to group us by speed. He noticed that 4 of the 10 of us are a little faster and they gathered in one lane. Thankfully he's a master teacher and he didn't subdivide the remaining 6 "not as fast people". I remained in my lane with 2 of the women I'd been with and one of them hopped into the middle lane. Again, we chose a tempo and swam at this tempo working on a sustained breathing pattern and a calm hidden kick.</p>
<p>At the start of this I had a flashback to my my <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/training/first-open-water-swim/" title="First Open Water Swim">swim in the lake with Jenny</a> this summer. A week before the CLT we decided it was time to get into the lake for the first time of the season. In the one minute 15 seconds that we were in the water <em>(before I had a panic attack)</em> Jenny had seemingly swam a mile while I was mere feet from the shore. Of course I exaggerate, but as we started our final swim of the evening, I imagined the 10 of us lining up on shore and me losing the bubbles from their kicking in less than a minute. I quickly let that negative thought leave my head and started to swim. I got into a groove, relaxed and <em>mostly</em> enjoyed the 10 minutes. .</p>
<p>Shane noted in our weekly summary that most of us maintained longer legs which translated to a longer body line. I don't know if I was in the "most" category, but I felt ok about my final swim. I finished it, my goggles didn't leak and I felt hopeful. The pursuit of mastery will be a long road, but it is a road worth traveling.</p>
Total Immersion Level 3 Week 12015-03-15T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-level-3-week-1/<h2 id="pursuit-of-mastery">Pursuit of Mastery</h2>
<p>As I decided whether to continue and take level 3, I admit that signing up was as much about continuing to see my classmates weekly as it was about improving my swimming. One might argue that arranging a dinner out would be just as effective to hit the first goal, but alas it will not help the 2nd. As I entered this class, I was excited. Eager to continue. Disappointed by my practice session the prior week but not defeated; just disappointed that I have trouble keeping everything strong when I practice on my own.</p>
<p>Shane reminded us that there is no finish line in the pursuit of mastery, and I was grateful to be back.</p>
<h2 id="salmon">Salmon</h2>
<p>We have a joke in my house that I am the salmon. I resist most any change in routine and insist on digging my heels in against even the smallest of changes. I'm working on it, but I still spend too much time swimming against the current of life.</p>
<p>I started class with a warm-up session in the sauna with 3 of my classmates. One woman had taken level 2 last year and was back for level 3, and the others were part of my group of Level 1 and 2. We wandered into the pool area and then we were 10; 7 from the fall/winter over the two nights of sessions and 3 people who had taken some time off and were back to continue the pursuit of mastery.</p>
<p>Session 2 had 4-6 of us in every class. There were two nights offered, each with 4-5 in the class, and we could go to what worked with our schedule. The classes mixed and mingled and we often had 2 lanes with 2-3 people in each lane. This was down from 10 people in each class of level 1 where we were 4-5 per lane. I spent much of session 1 freezing and whining about freezing. Oddly, in session 2, I decided that I had become a much warmer person. I wasn't freezing and I didn't whine. Tonight as we hopped into 2 lanes of 5 each, I realized I hadn't changed; we were back at 5 per lane and I was freezing and either whining or thinking about it. I also noticed that the 3 people joining our class were better swimmers than most of us - well much better than I am. I was thrown off kilter by being cold again and having a big class again after getting used to a little class.</p>
<h2 id="time-to-swim">Time to Swim</h2>
<p>Thankfully there wasn't too much time to stay stuck in my head. Pretty soon we were swimming. We continued to work on our poise points and Shane further explained the delineation between the entry phase (toned and aligned forearm, wrist and hand) and the recovery phase with a relaxed almost dangling forearm. For the Recovery, the shoulder articulation is the most important factor and the initial source for Entry and Extension comes from the hip/torso. Shane reminded us that our goal was effortless power.</p>
<p>An interesting thing about being back in a large class was the opportunity to see different swimming styles and speeds. While I admit I wasn't feeling that Zen; spending way too much time worrying about whether I was too slow for the person behind me, frustrated the the people in the lane next to me were moving effortlessly way faster than I was, and feeling cold, I was also learning. It happened that I often swam next to one of the women who had taken a break. We'd start together and then she'd zoom by, and in doing so I watched her core. She was really snapping. She had completely effortless power. I was not snapping. As Shane gave us tips to help make sure that the stroke wasn't all focused on our arms, I realized again that my core wasn't really fully part of this equation. Visually seeing it in the next lane was helpful; something that I could bring into my weekly practice.</p>
<h2 id="yin-yang">Yin Yang</h2>
<p>After we worked through all of our House of Cards focal points, we moved into the Yin Yang drill. During the last class of Session 2, my stroke count averaged 18. When I practiced during the week, I was back up to 23. I was a little nervous when we started the Yang part of this drill (working on minimal strokes per length) that I wouldn't be anywhere near 18. I was pleasantly surprised to hit 18, and then shocked to hear another classmate had 12 SPL. Body length not withstanding that's still amazing. We played with this a little; wide tracks, closed fists, open palms. I enjoyed all of the variations and found them useful. I wasn't struggling and was able to focus on what he asked us to do until he had us do a 50 of the Yin (fast cadence). I still find myself out of breath and dragging badly on the last 10 or so. I love that he has us do this though because it used to be a real challenge to do a 25 with a fast cadence, so improvement is evident.</p>
<h2 id="goggle-trouble">Goggle Trouble</h2>
<p>My goggles leaked water all evening. This wasn't especially awful as I had plenty of time to empty them and re-position when we stopped to check in, but I nearly lost my right contact on the last 50 because I didn't stop to adjust. It was nearing 8:20 and I saw Shane getting the tempo trainers out and knew were were going to close class with a continuous swim. Generally speaking I'm not someone who would leave a class early for no overtly obvious reason. However, as I stood there freezing, thinking about Scott leaving for a business trip at 5:30 the next morning, and knowing that I would have to adjust my goggles after each 25 to avoid an eye catastrophe I decided I had to leave early. As a result, I missed the final set where I could have put all the practice into play. I am including what we were asked to do here so that I can go back and check. As I was leaving, I did hear Shane say that we were to keep our tempo trainers below 1.35. The fastest I've successfully set mine on is 136 SO I know that next week will be a challenge for sure!!</p>
<p><strong>Tempo Trainer Set</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>200 yards at “tempo x”</li>
<li>100 yards at “tempo x - 0.05”</li>
<li>50 yards at “tempo x - 0.10”</li>
</ul>
<p><em>(For example: 1.30, 1.25, 1.20)</em></p>
<p>As we swim this final set, he asked that we work on a sustainable breathing pattern and maintain a 3 stroke per length range (ex 17-19 SPL). He reminded us that when we get to flip turns this breathing pattern will be very important; we won't be able to catch our breath at the wall each time.</p>
<h2 id="final-thoughts">Final Thoughts</h2>
<p>This will be good for me. Really. It is out of my comfort zone ... again! I am going to have to work hard to stay Zen in Level 3. More people means more time to think and thinking while trying to just relax and work though the swim progression is not good (for me). This was the first time since level 1 that I did rather actively watch the clock. A combination of being cold, goggles leaking, and feeling like I was really not swimming well was a perfect storm for staring at a seemingly unmoving clock. I plan to demand an open attitude from myself for class 2 and I know that will be just a bit easier for this salmon now that I know exactly what to expect.</p>
Total Immersion Level 2 Week 82015-02-26T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-level-2-week-8/<h2 id="mobility">Mobility</h2>
<p>At the start of class 8 we gathered on the deck to being our dry land routine. There were only 3 of us, and I noticed that my arm wasn't getting nearly as high as the other members of my class. Shane came over to correct my motion and I asked about this. He breathed slowly and said, "yes this is limiting the distance you are getting on your stroke." He went on to tell me that he was reading a book that was going to help him address things like this. My body is my body. I have to work within my own limitations, but there are ways to help improve my reach, poise point etc.</p>
<p>He went on to talk about how something is going on with my shoulder where it isn't letting go enough to get that long length, and my arm is kind of caving in, making it more difficult to grip and push in the water. He showed me what was happening and showed me what my arm should look like. It is worth mentioning that he's been telling me this for weeks, but tonight was the first time I really felt like I grasped that this is a big problem.</p>
<h2 id="18-strokes">18 Strokes</h2>
<p>After a warm-up, we began our focal point work. We started with our patient lead arm and then worked with focusing simply on moving our shoulder forward. This focal point ALWAYS helps put me back on track. That helped me with my poise point as we moved into swimming with pausing. As we went through the series, I didn't count strokes. Usually I'm very focused on how I am doing compared to my classmates <em>(am I falling behind, am I staying close)</em> but tonight I just felt calm. Sometimes I ran into the swimmer in front of me and other times I fell behind, but I was completely zen about this. I felt Shane's calmness and was able to channel it.</p>
<p>One of the things that Shane talked about last week was how athletic training could help you approach things more positively. I am working on being comfortable in the water, realizing that it is just wasted energy to chatter my teeth away and think about how cold I am. Instead, tonight I stood still in the water as we talked. I wasn't shivering. I felt calm. When I approached a drill, I approached it with a positive mind frame and with no expectation past that drill. It felt freeing not to worry about my placement compared to others.</p>
<p>So, when we neared the end and Shane asked us to count strokes, it was the first time I'd counted that evening. The first count - 18. The 2nd count - 18. And the third time - 18. I felt comfortable and 18 was my repeatable count for the evening. This is exciting because, while I'd been at 18 occasionally a few weeks back, I've been adding strokes in the past few weeks. During my own practice last week I was typically between 21 and 23. So, doing 18 without feeling stressed out or winded felt great.</p>
<h2 id="dolphin-kick">Dolphin Kick</h2>
<p>Soon it was time to work more on our kick. Shane got out fins and off we went to try the dolphin kick. To do this, we kicked with both of our feet at the same time. We had a brief discussion about the monofin <em>(we were using two separate flippers).</em> The benefit of using a monfin or the flippers in this way is to help the weaker leg learn the motion for the kick. This technique brings the "leg of opportunity along for the ride" with drill. I found a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzBBaOSsUaM" title="monofin">video</a> to show the technique we were going for. This was a lot of fun. It was HARD but a cool way to think about kicking.</p>
<p>Once we switched back to the two beat kick, I learned AGAIN that I am using my right foot to begin the kick. Shane asked us to focus on it, and suddenly I was doing the kick exactly backwards; leading with the right for my right side and with my left for my left side. I felt really silly until one of my classmates had the same problem. Then, suddenly it felt a little better. For more about why I felt suddenly ok to be in a "group" with this trouble, check out this <a href="http://www.npr.org/programs/invisibilia/384065938/the-power-of-categories?showDate=2015-02-06" title="Categories">podcast</a> about the power of categories from Invisibilia.</p>
<h2 id="yin-yang-and-level-3">Yin-Yang and Level 3</h2>
<p>We finished our evening with a last round of the Yin-Yang drill. Shane asked us to use a minimal stroke count with maximum strength for our first 25 and then shoot for maximum cadence while maintaining technique for our return trip. He shared that his stroke count varies by an average of 5 with this. On the "yin" portion he will hit 13 and for the return "yang" his stroke count spikes to 18. This made me feel a lot better about how this is going for me. For the first two weeks, I somehow missed that our stroke count was SUPPOSED to go up. This drill scares me less now, feeling more opportunity focused.</p>
<p>I leave level 2 excited to begin level 3! I've been swimming 3x a week since September. I've learned that swimming is not going to be a "quick fix" but something that will be a very slow and steady road. I am happy to have made some nice friends in the class and look forward to continuing on in my <a href="http://totalimmersion.net/" title="Total Immersion">Total Immersion</a> journey with <a href="http://www.zendurancecycling.com/shane-eversfield.html" title="Shane Eversfield">Shane</a> and my classmates. I'm so grateful to Ian from <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> for introducing me to Shane, thus helping me begin my focused swim journey!!</p>
Total Immersion Level 2 Week 72015-02-18T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-level-2-week-7/<h2 id="mid-week-practice">Mid Week Practice</h2>
<p>While practicing this week I decided to use the lap counter and swim the 400 distance for the Tri for the Y. This is a distance I'm very comfortable with and if Shane asked us to start class with a 400, I would be fine <em>(for reference, he normally starts us with a 200).</em> I had finished going through the entire progression, and even completed 3 rounds of the "yin-yang" drill before starting this 400. Immediately upon starting the first 25 my stomach revolted. I felt like I was going to throw up for the first 300, and then I remembered that I had options for breathing. I could continue to breathe bilaterally, or breathe every stroke. I switched to breathing every stroke on my right, then my left and after another length I had calmed my head. I finished the 400 in about 10 minutes.</p>
<h2 id="competition">Competition</h2>
<p>It was a holiday week, so our normal group of 5-6 turned to 3. We started class with sharing our thoughts from the week. I shared my tale of anxiety from my Tri for the Y practice, and we talked about competition. Shane shared that one way to think of the word competition was to think, "I'm petitioning for companionship" instead of thinking of it as a challenge between me and the person next to me. Then, my classmate admitted that she wasn't all that interested in racing. The discussion that ensued was SO fascinating. This is one of the many reasons that I LOVE this class. <a href="http://www.zendurancecycling.com/shane-eversfield.html" title="Shane Eversfield">Shane</a> gives his classes what I consider a weekly does of Zen. He's part swim coach and part life coach and there hasn't been a week that I haven't left class with some wisdom to take back to my every day life.</p>
<p>He shared his philosophy for fitness. He's an endurance athlete and he runs, bikes, and swims to find flow state. He is a self proclaimed "flow state junkie" and this is his way of finding flow. He sees the racing as an opportunity to enjoy the fruits of his labor, see friends, and just enjoy. More conversation followed about triathlon culture, endurance athletes, and the marathon and half marathon scene.</p>
<p>Soon it was time to swim!!</p>
<h2 id="the-house-of-cards">The House of Cards</h2>
<p>The evening started with our familiar set of drills; dry land and focal point swimming. Our first 200 was a lazy swim where we count our strokes per length followed by specific focuses added for each lap. The most helpful focal point for me during this class was the shoulder shrug. If I focus on the shoulder, other things that are often out of whack sometimes fall into place. It is during this focus that I find my lowest spl count every time. It is also the time when I swim with the most ease.</p>
<p>Eventually we got to the "yin-yang" drill. After one pass through, I felt like Shane may as well have been speaking Arabic for what I could get from the drill. But then, he demonstrated the recovery arm again and showed us that motion. It clicked and the next 3 times we did the drill I really started to understand. I still work on breathing properly <em>(not releasing air the moment I take it in or holding it 100% and becoming out of breath)</em> and not breaking the surface with my kick (<em>less knee action)</em> but I felt this drill was coming along ok for me.</p>
<h2 id="the-final-300">The final 300</h2>
<p>To end class, Shane asked us to swim a continuous 300. The pool had emptied out, so we each had our own land. We were free to choose our tempo with the tempo trainer. He asked us to focus on a sustainable breathing pattern. I started with the trainer set at 146. This is my typical "comfy swimming" setting <em>(but Shane reminds me that for my short body I need to be striving for a much faster tempo)</em>. Halfway into my first length I realized I was hanging out waiting for the beep for awhile. I stopped to re-set to 136. I know one of my classmates typically uses this setting and thought I'd give it a go. To my surprise I was able to keep up with the beeps. Shane's YY drill had really helped me move more into the front quadrant. That meant my turnover was quicker, so the faster tempo felt comfortable.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy3hXwBv3vA">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy3hXwBv3vA</a></p>
<h2 id="the-end-conversation">The End Conversation</h2>
<p>When we finished, one of my classmates shared that she really struggled with the last 300. She panicked a little, and we had a short discussion about even seasoned triathletes panicking and needing to resort to backstroke in a race. I suddenly felt a lot better about my <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2014/" title="Cayuga Lake Triathlon 2014">need to backstroke</a> in the CLT this summer.</p>
<p>One of the things Shane had told us about competition and training in our earlier conversation was:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>When I head out the door on a cold day to run, I know I'm choosing to be cold. I may come home with my knees hurting, but I know that this is good for me. However, in life you don't always get to choose what happens. Sometimes frustrating things happen and you can only choose your reaction. I find that training helps me choose a good reaction.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I had spent much of the evening with my teeth chattering. I am always extremely COLD in the water, sometimes so much so that my hands and feet are blue and I have no feeling in them. During our last 5 minute discussion, I would normally be chattering away, hopping up and down and praying for class to be over as soon as possible. During this time though, I remembered Shane's discussion about training and reactions. I was standing in the water, and was suddenly fully present for the conversation, and I was not cold. It was fleeting and it may not happen again, but I felt like I was choosing my reaction to the situation. I chose to be fully present in the conversation instead of thinking ahead, thinking about my comfort. The result; I was warm, and I was really engaged in the discussion.</p>
<p>I can't believe that next week is the last class of this session!!! I started with this in September thinking I'd endure 8 weeks and hopefully get better. Now, I signed up for the 2nd session eagerly and I've come to really look forward to this class and my practice sessions. Shane shared a video of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJpFVvho0o4" title="Shinji Total Immersion Swimming">"Zen Master" Shinji Takeuchi's Ti Swim Video</a></p>
Total Immersion Level 2 Week 62015-02-13T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-level-2-week-6/<h2 id="23-strokes">23 Strokes</h2>
<p>I must have gotten into some bad habits during my training this week. After what felt like a super successful baseline mile attempt, I felt really confident. But, a couple days letter when I was dying to go back and see if this was repeatable I had a terrible swim. I blamed it on being tired, fighting a cold, and having just returned from downhill skiing, BUT these challenges lingered as class started on week #6.</p>
<p>We started with 200 using a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005TVYVI2">Tempo Trainer Pro</a>. Shane asked us to count strokes. My typical average is 18-21 strokes with 17 and 22 being outliers for me <em>(22 more than 17 in truth).</em> Tonight my number was 23 for EVERY length. This set my morale on LOW to begin. I knew something was off. I wasn't snapping from the hip. My arms felt incorrect. But, I really wasn't sure exactly what was off. Shane told me I was going too deep with my stroke and that was causing me to lose speed. A diagnosis. Now I could move forward.</p>
<h2 id="swim-relaxed">Swim Relaxed</h2>
<p>As we worked with our dry land routines, Shane reminded us that we need to stay relaxed.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Unnecessary muscular and connective tissue tension affects balance. The critical element of integrating breathing with freestyle is to minimize disturbance to balance. Keep your head and neck relaxed.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>After Shane I learned that I was diving too deep, I modified my stroke and was back to my 18 strokes across the pool. However,this didn't feel sustainable for me today. I struggled with keeping a high poise point and working on the tipping point. Shane asked me about my stroke count and while I was happy to be back in my "acceptable realm" I told him it was hurting my brain to think about the proper form. He chuckled and said that was a good place to be.</p>
<p>We worked again on single side breathing, taking a breath every stroke. This was not nearly as challenging as it was last week. It could have just been that it felt more familiar, or perhaps it was just clicking a little better. While I still struggled on my left, I didn't feel like I was drowning the entire time. My stroke counts were similar to last week.</p>
<h2 id="%22yin-yang%22">"Yin Yang"</h2>
<p>Our last drill was called the Yin Yang drill. Shane asked us to swim 25 yards with as much "force" as we could while striving for the lowest possible SPL without being glide junkies and asked us to maintain our great technique. For our return 25 we were asked to swim with as fast a cadence as we could manage.</p>
<p>Shane reminded us to be aware of our elbow bend at the pose point. He reminded us to avoid reaching too far forward above the water with a straight arm. He also suggested we shorten the recovery in the back to help keep our cadence quick. This action encourages a more patient lead arm. To keep a quick cadence, we also needed to strive for "minimal air time" for the recovery hand, while keeping maximum front quadrant time. The final piece. It all comes down to the shoulder shrug.</p>
<p>I struggled with this. On the "yin" portion of the drill, I was able to hit 18 strokes, but it was through a mix of glide and pushing. He was clear that we were to avoid glide as the technique for hitting minimum strokes, but I am so used to this strategy that it felt foreign to push hard on the water. On the "yang" portion, he advised us to keep a quick cadence, while avoiding the "washing machine" feel. I definitely felt like a washing machine. It took me 23 strokes to get across the pool, and I felt like I was in a perpetual state of panic. By the time we hit the 3rd time through this drill, I was physically exhausted.</p>
<p>Sometimes when I give my 11 year old son several directions, he will just spaz and not be able to function at all. He'll say, "but Mommy you are asking me to do too much at once!" With this drill, I felt like I had just been given so much to focus on that my brain and body just freaked out. I don't feel like I did anything that Shane asked, other than get from one end of the pool to another. However, as with any new drill, week #1 is the most challenging. I look forward to practicing this and trying it again next week.</p>
<h2 id="the-final-sustained-swim">The Final Sustained Swim</h2>
<p>To conclude the evening, Shane asked us to swim for 5 minutes continuously with no pausing at the end of each length. This should have been a piece of cake after my mid-week full mile practicing. I set my tempo trainer at 145, and started swimming. While swimming, we were to focus on keeping our stroke count in the 3 stroke range from when we started and work on a sustainable breathing pattern and rate of exhalation.</p>
<p>This went surprisingly well considering I had to work hard with myself to stay for it. 2 member of the class had to leave early due to commitments, and it was 8:30 already. I was cold, tired, and figured, "really what will happen if I don't stay?" But, true to form, I worked to be my best self and suck it up and swim the 5 minutes to the best of my ability. This was a good decision. I settled in, calmed my head and stopped feeling bad about struggling with so much this evening. This process has its its ups and downs, the fast progress and plateaus. The important part though is that I'm always working hard to improve, become more comfortable and push my body.</p>
<p>After I finished the swim, I decided I would sign up for the Tri for the Y at the YMCA in Ithaca again this year. I have only done this race once, back when I truly couldn't swim <em>(I finished right at the time cut off for the swim, and ended up either last or 2nd from last in the overall results)</em>. This race will be good because the pool has a deep end. I tend to panic in deep water, so it is a good step to practice before hitting the lake. Also, it is early in the season. I may have not had a chance to be outdoors on a bike very much before the race. It will be a good test of baseline bike fitness. It also has a long run for a Sprint Tri - 5 miles. The run is challenging but is likely to be my favorite part of the race!!</p>
<h2 id="the-video">The Video</h2>
<p>This video is from our final 5 minutes of swimming. I need to work on keeping my legs calm behind me so that I don't break the water with my kick. I also need to work to start my kick with my left leg and my right leg vs always using my right leg. And then there's the poise point, staying in the front quadrant etc.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erambzypcC4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erambzypcC4</a></p>
Total Immersion Level 2 Week 52015-02-06T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-level-2-week-5/<h2 id="dry-land">Dry Land</h2>
<p>Shane started our time together with dry land training focus. We worked on integrating the head roll of breathing on land, before we were face down in the water. While working on land, it struck me that I finally no longer feel silly as we go through all our motions. Shane's subtle corrections to my form here really help my stroke in the pool.</p>
<h2 id="a-little-light-reading">A Little Light Reading</h2>
<p>One of the coolest things about my class is that we are getting to know each other and feel safe asking questions, sharing stories about our swimming, and just feeling comfortable together. As we chatted about our week's highlights, one of my classmates recommended <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1477800832">a book that she recently read</a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00INIXN9Q">Shane shared one of his favorite titles</a> as well. I'm always looking for a good read in the running and fitness genre, so I made sure to note the titles. Now, I have two more books in my reading queue.</p>
<h2 id="breathing!">Breathing!</h2>
<p>After we spent our time doing our standard house of cards <em>(tempo trainer work, focus on our patient lead arm, relaxed swimming and focus on our poise point)</em>, we added breathing to the mix with a vengeance!</p>
<p>I've been rather confident about my breathing lately. I know that I'm still lifting my head too far out of the water, and that my poise point is altered on a breathing stroke, BUT I've really imprinted alternate side breathing. Even when I share a lane, I can still keep the alternate side breathing going <em>(in the past any stress added to swimming caused me to revert back to single side breath)</em>. All that confidence vanished when we started intense breath focus.</p>
<p>We used fins for a Breathe and Glide drill that we'd worked on in the past, only with fins. We focused on timing our breath with core rotation and extension, our head position all while refining our target and working on our poise point. As with most drills with fins, this was lovely!</p>
<p>It was when the fins came off that things got really hard! Shane asked us to breathe every time on one side. We did 50 yards with right side breathing every stroke, followed by 50 yards on the left while breathing every stroke, and then 50 yards of bilateral breathing. He asked us to count our strokes for each 25 yard segment. I was at 20 strokes for my right side, 22 for left, and 21 for the bilateral. However, while left side breathing I truly felt like I was drowning!! I was really surprised at how challenging left side breathing felt.</p>
<h2 id="waiting-to-exhale">Waiting to Exhale</h2>
<p>And then there's the timing for releasing the breath. For some reason, the moment I grab air, I expel it. I sometimes wonder why I bother to get it in the first place! We discussed slowly releasing our air, keeping enough to stay buoyant until the next breathing opportunity. I find that I'm able to do this when I really focus on it. If I forget to focus, the air leaves right away. Thinking more about it, it is very much like the patient lead arm. When we first started this journey, we all struggled with leaving our arm out front and staying patient. Now, unless it is a breathing stroke we've all nailed this, and we're even getting it 90% of the time on breathing strokes. It is truly all about imprinting.</p>
<h2 id="the-video">The Video</h2>
<p>There were six of us in class this week. Our actual class has 4 members, but Shane also offers a Monday evening session. There was a snowstorm on Monday, and two members from the Monday class joined us. We took 2 lanes, and in the lane I found myself swimming next to Deidra for part of the evening. At first this caused me great stress. I wasn't able to swim next to her without trying to keep up. As a result, my form was sloppy, and my head was thinking, "You're losing ground! You can't keep up." But, as time went on, I calmed my thinking, reminding myself that this was class #5 of 8. I couldn't waste the valuable learning opportunity from one class because I was trying to "race" with my classmate when she didn't even know I was racing her. The cool part of swimming next to someone for me is that I pick up bits of their stroke. I noticed how "fishlike" Deidra was looking. She was achieving the snap from the core and the glide much better than I was. She was very streamlined. The video Shane captured this week clearly shows that difference. I was rather happy to see that my video had both of us swimming. <em>(Of course I got Deidra's permission before posting it).</em></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w67Ej81UH6Y">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w67Ej81UH6Y</a></p>
<h2 id="baseline-mile">Baseline Mile</h2>
<p>After 13 classes <em>(between level 1 and 2)</em> I decided it was time to swim a mile <em>(or as much of a mile as I had time for before yoga).</em> I started by sharing a lane with another gentleman, and he promptly got out after about 5 minutes. Then, I saw Shane appear at the end of the lane. He hopped in next to me. We exchanged quick hellos and he started to swim. I really enjoyed the opportunity to watch him swim. He had mentioned during class that my arms were lifting really high out of the water. I watched his arms and focused on keeping my arms as much like his as I could. I found it easier to focus on my poise point and snapping while in the lane next to him. I ended up completing 60 of the 70.66 lengths needed for a mile. When I worked out the pace it was 43 minutes. I was originally VERY impressed with myself, even emailing two of my classmates to share how much faster it was than my old swimming. However, when I went to check my Daily Mile data, I discovered that it wasn't my fastest swim. In fact it is similar to many other half mile swim times. BUT, when compared to the one time I swam a mile back in November it was 7 minutes faster. Shane likes to remind us that our first priority is to improve our stroke and efficiency so that we're not exerting as much energy while swimming. Later we can focus on also improving our time. With that metric for success, I have really succeeded. I was not a bit tired after this swim, I just ran out of time.</p>
Total Immersion Level 2 Week 4 (Halfway There!)2015-01-30T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/halfway-there-total-immersion-level-2-week-4/<h2 id="swing-skate-drill">Swing Skate Drill</h2>
<p>This week Shane had us try a drill that we'd done back at the beginning of Level 1. I remember when we did this in Level 1 that I didn't get it at all. It is basically the "painting" movement with our arm. The purpose is to make sure that our shoulders are forward and articulating and our arm isn't resisting the water. This drill helped something with my shoulders click today so that was really great!</p>
<h2 id="the-power-of-a-question">The Power of a Question</h2>
<p>I tell my kids that if they have a question about something in class to ask it. If they don't understand, it is very likely that many others in their class are confused too and their question will help many. Last week I suddenly started to get confused about the recovery arm, when to start it and exactly what it even was. Toward the middle of class, one of my classmates asked a question about the recovery stroke. "How far does the arm go back before we start to bring it back forward?" Shane showed us, and helped us understand where we were supposed to be pushing in the water and suddenly it started to click for me. One of the things that has struck me on this swim journey is the power of the class. I have made connections with others, learned from what they are struggling with, and we all have a chance to ask questions sometimes and listen and follow along at other times. Sometimes we're too cold, tired, or just don't know what question we need to ask, just that we don't understand. Other times, the question is right there at the forefront and by asking we help everyone else in the group.</p>
<h2 id="break-the-rules">Break the Rules</h2>
<p>When we did the swing skate drill I finally started to understand the shoulder articulation. It was many weeks after I really should have gotten this, and I do hope that it isn't one of the fleeting things where I get it for one class and then lose it as fast as it comes. Shane said that my shoulders looked the best they've ever looked and I felt like leaping into the air.</p>
<p>Shortly after the drills, we moved back into swimming and focusing on the kick. Shane asked us to observe the rhythm of our kick and how much flex we had in our knee. Later he asked us to focus on the pressure on our foot. After each 50 we shared our observations. He asked me what I observed and I said, "I am so excited about finally starting to understand the shoulders that I can't be bothered to focus on the kick!" We all had a good laugh, and Shane said to continue to focus on the shoulders and break the rules! I felt silly that I was only just starting to understand something my classmates had been very comfortable with for weeks, but I was also exhilarated that I was getting it. Everyone has a unique timetable for learning, and we can't always force things faster than they are meant to happen.</p>
<h2 id="conscious-incompetence">Conscious Incompetence</h2>
<p>We went through a series of drills that some of us were really confused by. We were circle swimming and I wasn't the one to go first, so I just hoped that the leader understood better than I did. She headed out followed by the two of us in the lane. We talked after the first 50 and she said, "I don't think I'm getting this." I spoke with my other classmate and she was as confused as I felt. I confided that I just hoped to make it across the pool without being called out for being too egregiously wrong. After a few times through these, we talked as a group about how we all felt rather incompetent. Shane said we were "unconsciously incompetent" and our next step was to be "consciously incompetent" followed by unconsciously competent" and so on. We all had a great laugh about our progress!</p>
<h2 id="final-thoughts%2C-and-the-video">Final Thoughts, and the Video</h2>
<p>Most of the evening, I felt like my right side "got it" and I was struggling with my left side. On the left, things felt loose and just unplanned while the right felt tighter and I felt in control. Shane's first words in the video were just the opposite - my left side was looking more comfortable and relaxed. There it is; relaxed. He keeps telling us to stop thinking and let our body get into flow.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3wKwyfxeRg">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3wKwyfxeRg</a></p>
Total Immersion Level 2 Week 32015-01-26T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-level-2-week-3/<h2 id="2-steps-forward%2C-1-large-step-backwards">2 Steps Forward, 1 Large Step Backwards</h2>
<p>After my practice this week, I commented to my husband, "I TOTALLY understand why people swim for exercise." Lately, I've been really into my bike trainer and enjoying swimming more than running. This is unusual for me, and it is partly because we're so busy getting the kids to and from ski training that I've been working out at odd hours.</p>
<p>I had just finished bragging to a friend who is a self declared "not so great swimmer" that if I could learn to swim from Shane anyone could. I mentioned that he could probably teach a rock to swim if he could teach me. Famous last words.</p>
<p>We began with dry land work and Shane commented that I was still struggling with pulling backwards on my recovery. Most of the time my head is a scary place to be, so read on with caution. That one simple comment threw me for a complete loop. As with many things, I thought I had it! Suddenly I didn't even understand what he meant by recovery. I was doing it wrong. Everyone else was doing it right. My brain was overloaded as I tried to figure out how to do it properly. Soon we were in the pool and my entire stroke fell apart.</p>
<p>I struggled in all of our first lengths, and I won't even share my video from this week. It was definitely a 2 steps back kind of week for me.</p>
<h2 id="the-side-of-opportunity">The Side of Opportunity</h2>
<p>Halfway through our practice, Shane brought over some fins and lined them up by the side of the pool. We were going to work on our kick, and he suggested that we place a fin on our weaker leg IF we had one leg that tended to dominate our kick. I quickly reached for a fin for my left foot. He asked us to swim, focusing on the kick using the fin to help the "side of opportunity" with the kick.</p>
<p>This drill was AMAZING! I could actually feel the kick. It sounds silly, but I really wasn't sure that there had been any rhyme or reason to my kicking up until now. I had some idea of what was happening, but it wasn't repeatable, or even planned. Instead it just kind of happened as needed.</p>
<h2 id="the-email">The Email</h2>
<p>Shane sent us everyone's videos to look at and learn from this week. They arrived shortly after class and I viewed them the following morning. However, before I viewed them, I read an email that one of my classmates sent after watching the videos. She says,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I just looked at all the videos Shane sent and I'm struck by how much everyone has improved and how "patient" everyone looks. I think your form looks beautiful, and even from my limited vantage point, I can sense how much more comfortable you feel in the water compared with early in Level 1. I am amazed at how much more comfortable I feel swimming as well...before I would get winded swimming a 50.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I realized after watching the videos a few times that she is RIGHT! We are getting better and I think I can speak for our whole class that none of us get winded swimming a 50 anymore. We ARE moving forward and it was SO nice to have a classmate point that out.</p>
<h2 id="the-fin-of-opportunity-...-swim%2C-bike%2C-run">The Fin of Opportunity ... swim, bike, run</h2>
<p>In my practice this week I got out the fin for my "side of opportunity" and I worked on that side with running and biking too. Funny thing. Usually my first reaction to finding out that I'm doing something very wrong is to cry, want to stop, think it is hopeless etc. Luckily, my 2nd reaction is to attack the problem AGGRESSIVELY.</p>
<p>I wore the fin for practice this week and worked on that side. I focused on imprinting that kick. Shane told us that we should spend some time on the kick each week, but not to stress about it too much. We should spend some time just swimming and working on our front end. I like that. It takes the pressure off, BUT once I became aware of the kick, I realized that I couldn't actually make the kick leave my mind. I'm not sure where that will land me this week, but for practice anyway, I wasn't able to use the tempo trainer effectively this week. Between the front end and the kick, my mind had enough to focus on and the tempo trainer was just added noise. I'm looking forward to class to start to sort that out. Here is a teaching <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiPpiC0629I" title="2 Beat Kick">video</a> showing the 2 beat kick.</p>
<p>And, I am pretty sure I know the next thing coming; I think that I am reversing the arm and leg that should be moving together. I'm not sure but it feels like my rhythm is wrong. Shane is a dancer, and he talks about the need to just feel vs think. I know I'm in thinking mode still.</p>
<p>Now to the biking and running. After beginning to think about my weak side as an opportunity, I realized it was also an opportunity on the bike and while running. I worked on my left side on the bike trainer and while running all week. It felt like a little project and I feel how all 3 activities are complementing each other well!</p>
Total Immersion Level 2 Week 22015-01-20T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-level-2-week-2/<p>With a temperature of -5, my car refused to start when I was out taking Xander to piano shortly before class. I had planned to drop him off after choir and head to do errands at Wegmans. He and I had 10 minutes to kill before piano, so we sat in the car with the auxiliary power on, and when I went to turn the car on it wouldn't budge. Luckily, his teacher came out and jumped the car! I sat there with it running for the half hour not wanting to risk getting stranded at Wegmans. I called Scott and gave him the heads up. He was driving home from Bristol Mountain with Elizabeth, due to arrive home a bit before 7. My swim class starts at 7, 20 minutes away from home. I had a little internal temper fit thinking I would have to miss class, before we realized that I could be late (wait for him to arrive home and take the reliable car), or I could drive the car down and if it wouldn't start after class he could come get me. We decided on late and I breathed a sigh of relief knowing I'd make class! He and Elizabeth hit no traffic, and I managed to arrive to class by 7:03 - not bad for a 7 p.m. start.</p>
<h2 id="class-time">Class Time</h2>
<p>The pool was crowded, and the 4 of us got re-connected with Shane talking about our swimming. Shane's strategy is to do some dry land work before getting in the pool. Surprisingly, the lanes seem to clear out just when we need them to every time! We worked on our shoulder articulation before hopping into the pool. He set the stage, telling us that tonight we would start the kick! This meant we'd hit the warm pool about 45 minutes into our hour and a half class. I could hardly wait!!</p>
<h2 id="the-house-of-cards">The House of Cards</h2>
<p>We had two lanes, and we worked through our standard progression, starting out with "lazy" swimming and moving into focused target points. Shane took video of our swimming, and we did our standard layering until things started to fall apart. He had us work with the tempo trainers at a tempo of our choosing. Here is my video.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BhtUK1u56k">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BhtUK1u56k</a></p>
<p>So, as I watched this video, I couldn't help but see my classmate zooming along through my video with much nicer form. I feel SO much more streamlined than when I started, but when I watch my video, it looks like I'm still moving like a snail. I also learned when we started to discuss the kick that I'm EXTREMELY right side focused, another fact that is obvious in my video.</p>
<h2 id="the-kick">The Kick</h2>
<p>Shane asked us to talk about how we feel about our kick. Each person had a different answer prompting good discussion. Of course, Shane shared his observations, "right dominant" "constant kicking" and "not kicking at all" were some of the things we heard. This is ok, as we're going to start to focus on the two beat kick. The news that I am extremely right dominant with the kick was a surprise. I have watched the video of the two beat kick, and in my head felt like I was two beat kicking. Once Shane called the right dominancy to my attention, I realized he is totally spot on. Off we head to the warm pool to learn drills for our kick.</p>
<h2 id="mind-blowing">Mind Blowing</h2>
<p>First, I made a flippant comment that I should use the tempo trainer in a tri to stay on tempo. This led to a GREAT discussion about USATF rules <em>(long story short, you can use them)</em> and the value of a tempo trainer AND the fact that most deaths in triathlon swim are caused by asphyxiation which starts with panic and inability to get air, and not by heart attack. Shane shared that he uses his to keep him calm and steady and he trusts the trainer. But, back to the kick. It was nice to get into the warm water, and I mistakenly thought, "we've learned so much that this will be easy to layer onto what we've learned!" Famous last thoughts.</p>
<p>Work at the pool barre, followed by drills for kicking and soon I felt like a drowning hippo. It was entertaining and laughable. What made this SO much better for me than the first couple of weeks of Session 1 was that I felt safe and comfortable, and I totally trust Shane. I laughingly told him that the only thing he had going for him was that I trusted in his system now. After a mere 30 minutes of work, my brain was fried and my body was done. After weeks of layering, and getting more comfortable, we were adding something completely new!</p>
<h2 id="the-after">The After</h2>
<p>This week my practice was more interesting than usual. My first session, I hopped in and had a lane to myself. I started with shoulder work and then went through my standard progression. After a solid "house of card" building in the pool, it was off to the warm pool for kick work. When I finished the kick practice, I rewarded myself with time in the hot tub where I met another swimmer who had trained with Shane. He said, "are you taking Shane's class?" and we promptly started talking about the kick. He shared that the kick had literally thrown him for a loop for WEEKS! He thought he'd never get it, and then one day it just clicked.</p>
<p>A few days later, I was back in the pool again, and this was when I discovered how far I've come. The pool was FULL. I nabbed the last spot, sharing a lane with a gentleman. He was my lane partner for about 20 minutes, during which time the deck filled up with 2 swimmers waiting for any spot in the pool. He left, and one of those swimmers joined my lane, and another spot opened in the pool for the 2nd swimmer. I continued to happily swim along with my tempo trainer set when a woman tapped me on the shoulder and said, "I'm going to join you guys, ok?" Circle swimming! This is the time that I'd normally just get out. I can't keep up with other people, or swim around them. No way! But, this time I said, "sure" and happily kept swimming. It NEVER crossed my mind to leave the pool. I was only halfway through my practice. After a lap or two, we were both at the end of the pool and she said, "are you a Total Immersion swimmer?" Wow, twice in one week I was <em>spotted</em>! My form, though still very rough, is progressing to the point where it looks enough like TI to be recognized!!</p>
<p>I wasn't able to practice the kick at this practice, as there was a class in the warm pool, and every time I tried to work from the hip and kick, I felt off balance. But, I did use the side wall to do some drills at the end of several of the lengths. I'm very excited to continue work during class #3!!</p>
Total Immersion Level 2 Week 12015-01-07T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-level-2-week-1/<p>This class picks up where Level 1 ended, and the first night of class we spent the first 15 minutes working on dryland training much like each level 1 class started. Shane reminded us about the benefits of shoulder and scapular articulation. Dryland is a really great place to work on this because we have the "mirror" in the windows and we're not challenged by the addition of being face down in the water. He reminded us that shoulder articulation is the fastest path to improvement.</p>
<p>Next we hopped into the pool. There are only 4 of us this time, all from the first class. Additionally, 3 of us practiced several times together between the sessions, getting into a comfortable rhythm of practicing Shane's "House of Cards" progression. I found it really helpful to practice with people from my class over the break. It really increased my confidence in swimming near people and sharing lanes. It also helped me get more comfortable with feedback; both receiving and giving.</p>
<h2 id="moving-forward-with-goals">Moving forward with Goals</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/IMG_2106.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Shane, ready to bike home (12 degrees outside)" title="Shane, ready to bike home (12 degrees outside)" /><p class="stickyNote">Shane, ready to bike home (12 degrees outside)</p></div>
<p>We started the session off by swimming, and working through Shane's progression points. Now is a good time to mention that it was 12 degrees outdoors, windy, and it is January. Tuesday night is our craziest night of the week - Elizabeth has ski training at Bristol mountain, and Xander has piano and choir practice in Ithaca. I have to quickly drive him home from these things only to turn around and head back to Ithaca for my class. Meanwhile, Scott brings Elizabeth to and from from ski training, arriving home just in time to bring Xander to Boy Scouts. As this first class kicked off, I realized our entire Tuesday evening schedule depended on clear weather and people not driving 30 in a 55!! We'll have 7 more times of this, and after last night <em>(when people did drive slow, piano ran late and things still worked)</em> I know we can do it. And, as Scott and I were overusing fossil fuels, my zen instructor was biking to and from class.</p>
<p>One of my goals for the year is to improve my swimming and step 1 was to take level 1, followed by level 2, and most likely level 3. After that I plan to get into the lake with the tri club clinics and be much more prepared for the <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/cltrace/" title="Cayuga Lake Triathlon">Cayuga Lake Tri</a> this summer. I'm really thrilled that our family is making this work in winter!</p>
<h2 id="1400-yards">1400 Yards</h2>
<p>Two of my friends started level 1 on the same day that I started level 2. I wished them luck and thought back to my first day of <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-week-1/">level 1</a>. We had a large class, and we started with introductions, hitting the warm pool after a big picture slide show presentation. It was during that first class that I realized it would be several weeks before I could '<em>count class as exercise'</em> in my schedule. This is clearly not the case for level 2. Because I am a complete geek, I felt that I must count our distance; about 1400 yards give or take. This was awesome! First, by week 9 of the schedule we're fully swimming and honing our skills AND we have the ability to do so. If someone had expected me to swim the entire class for day 1 of session 1, I couldn't have done it. Shane has gradually worked with us to where we feel totally comfortable with this level of swimming. After the class in the locker room, a classmate and I talked about how far we would likely go by the end of this 8 week session - hoping to feel fishlike!</p>
<h2 id="glide-junkie">Glide Junkie</h2>
<p>We did quite a few drills, but the big thing that stuck with me was that I've become a 'glide junkie' to use Shane's words. We spent time working with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005TVYVI2">tempo trainers</a>, starting with a relatively quick speed and slowing down incrementally only to speed back up to faster than the speed we started at. I was very comfortable at the slower speeds. These speeds are when you refine your balance, so it is good that I like to work on balance.</p>
<p>However the faster speeds are tricky for me. My stroke feels really sloppy and I get panicked about keeping up with the beeping. I learned something from this though, not really related to swimming. When Shane asked us how we felt at the fastest speed, one of my classmates said she just couldn't even keep up and didn't bother with the beep. I was so stressed by keeping up with the beep that I just stopped breathing all together - my goal was to stay with the beep until it killed me. I had a similar learning experience recently in a spin class. The instructor was giving gear/watt numbers that for me couldn't mesh up. I had to choose one to hit, but in doing so had such anxiety about it that I just wanted to leave class. When I shared this thought with my friend <em>(who had been next to me in class)</em>, she laughed and said, "Oh I ignore that stuff. If I can't do it, I can't do it." So, mellowing out is in my future, which will probably help me get better with these faster speeds. Accepting that maybe I can't hit the speed right away, but eventually will be able to if I keep working at it is a good first step!</p>
<h2 id="the-video">The Video</h2>
<p>As with session 1, Shane shot video of us swimming. It was cool because with just 4 of us in class, Shane was able to talk with each of us individually about our video while the other 3 class members were swimming. I was a lot less nervous about being taped this time than the first time around - each time he has taken video it's gotten a little easier!</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgvxfdJ4SGw">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgvxfdJ4SGw</a></p>
<p>This week I look forward to practicing at least once in the water <em>(last session I was able to get 2 weekly sessions in but with ski season timing is much tricker)</em>, and working a lot on my dryland shoulder articulation - my biggest weakness!!</p>
Philadelphia Half Marathon2014-11-23T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/philadelphia-half-marathon/<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>This was Elizabeth's very first half marathon! She looked at several training plans, and talked with Scott and me about how to manage cross-country, dancing and half marathon training, and then she wrote up her <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/Phillytraining1.pdf">Philly training plan</a>. She hung a copy in the hallway outside her bedroom and followed it quite religiously right up until race day.</p>
<p>I was recovering from an injury that happened two days after the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/wineglass-half-marathon/" title="Wineglass Half Marathon">Wineglass Half Marathon</a> and I knew that Elizabeth was getting worried. We'd signed up to run together, and had to get a doctor's note to allow her to run because she was under 14 (the minimum age to register). We planned to run every step together <em>(even though we never ran a step together in training)</em>. Not normally the best with handling injuries, I did stop running and scheduled an appointment 3 weeks from race day. The doctor asked me how important it was for me to run the race, and I answered emphatically, <em>"I must run it!"</em> He began the examination, and everything was already on the mend <em>(I had taken 2 weeks off from running by this point)</em> so he instructed me to add mileage gradually and be careful. If I was still injured after the race I could come back in to see him. It was smart to take the break as I had a full recovery in time for the run. Elizabeth could relax knowing I'd be right there next to her.</p>
<h2 id="packet-pick-up-%26-pre-race">Packet Pick-up & Pre-race</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/12/IMG_1900.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="After packet pick-up" title="After packet pick-up" /><p class="stickyNote">After packet pick-up</p></div>
<p>We drove down to Philadelphia together. My sister planned to come run with us, but she had come to help my parents while my Mom recovered from shoulder surgery. When the day arrived, she felt she really needed to stay and help my Mom and Dad, as it was the last 2 days of her trip. We said goodbye to Sarah and "our boys" - Scott and Xander were staying back with some amazing Cornell hockey tickets courtesy of our friends, Chantelle and Rob, who were also running Philly.</p>
<p>Packet pick-up was entertaining. I ran the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/another-post/" title="Philadelphia Marathon 2013">full marathon</a> last year with my friend Jenny. It was my first BIG marathon, and I was so impressed and overwhelmed with everything. This year, after being at the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/musings/nyc-marathon-my-spectators-story/" title="NYC Marathon: My Spectator Story">NYC marathon</a> expo with Scott, Philly looked calm and relaxed and much smaller in comparison. Many of the same vendors from NYC were there, including the same person we had spoken to selling The Stick product. We perused the booths, getting samples and enjoying the displays. Pretty soon we were on our way to our <a href="http://www.sheratonphiladelphiasocietyhill.com/" title="Sheraton Society Hill">hotel</a>. Ironically, we selected this hotel because it had a lovely pool that we knew Xander would enjoy, but we ended up loving it because of the super awesome beds, but we didn't venture near the pool.</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/12/IMG_3585.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Scott and Xander at Cornell's Lynah Rink" title="Scott and Xander at Cornell's Lynah Rink" /><p class="stickyNote">Scott and Xander at Cornell's Lynah Rink</p></div>
<p>When the boys and Sarah had planned to come with us, we decided we'd do take out pizza and pasta by the pool. Now it was just two of us, and it was too late to join Chantelle and Rob's reservation at <a href="http://www.lascalasphilly.com/" title="La Scala's">La Scala's</a>, the place we dined as a group last year. We saw an Italian place, <a href="http://www.positanocoast.net/" title="Positano coast">Positano Coast</a>, right near our hotel, and called them. Hostess Victoria said if we came right over she'd hold us a table, and asked our name. When we arrived, the hostess asked if we had a reservation. I gave our name and said we spoke with Victoria. She shook her head back and forth saying, "that girl ..." and two other staff came to the desk. It turned out that one of them was Victoria and she sweetly walked us to our reserved table. Elizabeth and I had a delightful dinner of homemade ravioli and stir-fried broccoli rabe while the boys texted us pictures from their awesome hockey seats. We texted Chantelle and Rob to let them know we had arrived and found dining, too.</p>
<p>Soon it was time to head back to the hotel and prepare for our 4 a.m. wakeup time. We readied ourselves with our pre-race gear and hopped into our respective beds for reading and relaxing. We set two alarms 15 minutes apart, and rose at 4:15 a.m. to enjoy our carpet picnic of peanut butter bagels and cherry juice. Before long we were heading to the public transportation in our Salvation Army bathrobes and our matching race outfits. After a couple of blocks of walking, we ran down the stairs to the train. The train was arriving, and before we could figure out how to use our tokens another runner opened the gate to let us in.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/12/IMG_1908.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="On the morning train" title="On the morning train" /><p class="stickyNote">On the morning train</p></div>
<p>After disembarking from the train, we joined the sea of runners walking to the start. We sauntered as it was only 5:30 a.m. I knew from last year that it would be easy and fast to get through security, but also that Elizabeth felt better getting there plenty early just in case. Porta potty lines were pretty short at that hour, so we were ready and killing time by 6 a.m. We enjoyed sitting and chatting in our corral, met a couple from the Rochester, NY area and told them about the course. We wandered to try to find Chantelle and Rob, but had no luck.</p>
<h2 id="the-race">The Race</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/12/Screen-Shot-2014-11-28-at-2.59.28-PM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Waiting to start" title="Waiting to start" /><p class="stickyNote">Waiting to start</p></div>
<p>We discarded our bathrobes in our corral about 15 minutes before the start, and began listening to the pre-race announcements. Before long we were freezing and ready to run! They released our corral and we were off. Elizabeth and I had agreed to a <em>"don't ask, don't tell"</em> protocol for pace. If she wanted to know our pace, she'd ask me. Otherwise, I'd stay quiet. Her goal was to hit 10 minute miles and enjoy the race.</p>
<p>We settled into a very comfy stride about a half mile into the race. It was hard to believe we hadn't run a step together except the one family shakeout run the day before. We both had our music on and just chatted the briefest of times. I hadn't planned to run with music, but the crowds weren't nearly as dense as I remembered from the prior year, so I figured I'd enjoy some music.</p>
<p>We averaged an 8:59 pace for the first 3 miles and then fluctuated a bit, but stayed pretty speedy. We settled into a routine of stopping at every other water stop, looking at the signs and spectators along the way. Some of the signs we remember include; <em>"You run better than the government"</em> and <em>"It's all about that pace, 'bout the pace"</em> followed by <em>"Run hard, brunch later"</em> and <em>"Any idiot can run but it takes a special idiot to run a marathon!"</em> and of course, <em>"pain is temporary, pride is forever."</em></p>
<p>Around mile 4 we had a gentleman running behind us shout, <em>"are you sisters?"</em> which made me smile. We giggled and I said, <em>"No we're a mother-daughter team and this is Elizabeth's first half marathon!!"</em> He said, <em>"Awesome! Now go run, don't let me slow you down!"</em> When we stopped at our 2nd or 3rd water stop one of the volunteers cheered for us using our names from our bibs. He said, <em>"Go Elizabeth, you've got this!"</em> and <em>"Go Amy, you can do it!"</em> several times. It was SO great to have the encouragement from the volunteers. I could feel Elizabeth perk up and realize the great importance of volunteers. She's been on the volunteer side so many times, but hasn't been in a longer race on the runner side.</p>
<p>Just as I was starting to think, <em>"I wonder if she's ever going to want to know our pace?"</em> she asked me. Mile 9. Wow, she made it 9 miles without asking. I was rather impressed as I had to fight the urge to break our deal and tell her MANY, MANY times. We were on track to come in dangerously close to a sub 2-hour half marathon. Soon the rolling hills started and I knew the big hill was coming. Last year in the full marathon I had a little temper fit when I hit that hill, so I was worried about Elizabeth. She had trained doing loops in town, avoiding the country roads for fear of crossing highways and of course hills. As we started I reminded her to use her arms and focus on equal effort, not equal pace. She powered up the hill like it wasn't even there. It was only later that she confided that she considered asking me to walk. At mile 10 I couldn't keep my mouth shut and had to tell her that if she sped up just a little bit we'd hit a sub 2-hour half marathon. I told her to let me know if she wanted me to pace for that. She said she would let me know. I didn't say another word, which took great restraint!! Our last 3 miles were the most boring of the course. They ran along a highway near the river and, while beautiful, they felt uninspiring. I didn't know at the time, but she was really struggling here. She put a great face on though, and while she ultimately didn't shoot for the sub 2, we ended up with a 2:01:57, not bad for a first half marathon!</p>
<h2 id="after-the-race">After the Race</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/12/IMG_1909.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Finished!" title="Finished!" /><p class="stickyNote">Finished!</p></div>
<p>This race report wouldn't be complete without mentioning post-race stories! We wandered through the chute and decided not to wait in the line for the food. After all, we were eager to get back to our hotel and begin our journey home. We hadn't found our friends, and we were starting to get chilly. As we were walking along, Elizabeth recognized Chantelle from the back of her ponytail! We ended up getting food after all and Chantelle took our picture before the 3 of us began walking back toward the hotel <em>(Rob was doing the full marathon, so Chantelle had time to clean up before his finish)</em>. Also, remember the runner who opened our gate for us in the morning? Now we had souvenir tokens! We decided to save them and hang them with our bibs on the wall and walk the 2+ miles back to the hotel with our great post race blankets wrapped around us. Upon reaching the hotel, we changed quickly and then off we went to begin our 4+ hour drive home. We stopped at the same gas station I'd stopped at with Jenny the year prior and got the same food; salt and vinegar potato chips and coffee drinks from Starbucks. It was so fun reliving every moment from the race together on the way home!</p>
<p>This was a FANTASTIC first half marathon experience for Elizabeth.</p>
<h2 id="elizabeth's-stats">Elizabeth's Stats</h2>
<p>2:01:59 time 10/73 in 12-15 age group 2/18 for 13 year-olds <a href="http://goo.gl/iqMgQQ" title="Philadelphia Half Marathon results 2014">official results</a></p>
NYC Marathon: My Spectator Story2014-11-03T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/nyc-marathon-my-spectators-story/<h2 id="black-friday-2014%3A-the-lottery">Black Friday 2014: The Lottery</h2>
<p>There was a special deal to sign up for the lottery on Black Friday. Save a few bucks and then cross your fingers and hope for the best! Scott and I hoped to do this race together, and convinced ourselves that despite the extremely low odds somehow we'd both be picked. Months later when selections were made we saw just <em>one</em> charge on our credit card and knew <strong>ONE</strong> of us got in. Scott drew the lucky straw! After briefly considering entering by running for a fundraising team, we decided that the kids and I would spectate.</p>
<h2 id="scott's-training">Scott's Training</h2>
<p>After completing his first marathon injured in 2012, I was so happy that he'd had a really strong, injury-free training cycle. He was READY for NYC! He was really ready to have a BQ time, or close to it. A year ago, he had predicted a much slower finish time than he was trained for so he was placed in the 3:45 corral. Realizing this could affect his race, he reached out to try to change his corral. No luck. He'd have to make the best of the start time he had and work with the weather forecast: WIND!</p>
<h2 id="carbo-loading">Carbo Loading</h2>
<p>After breezing through packet-pick-up and finding a pair of winter boots for Elizabeth at Macy's, we grabbed a subway back down to our hotel in lower Manhattan. While walking from the subway, we remembered that we planned to hit <a href="http://www.cafferomapastries.com/" title="Cafe Roma">Cafe Roma</a>, our favorite Italian bakery in Little Italy. Elizabeth and I walked the 2.5 mile round trip quickly and enjoyed the time to chat_. W_e met the boys and headed to <a href="http://www.ilbrigantenyc.com/about.html" title="Il Brigante">Il Brigante</a>, a cute little Italian restaurant a block from our hotel. Xander had selected his meal ahead of time down to his fancy Pelligrino beverage. It is always fun to dine out with our resident "foodie" in the family. We relaxed and enjoyed a delicious meal together. We even convinced Xander to save two slices of his pizza to add to Scott's pre-race breakfast meal <em>(everyone else got pasta)</em>. Because I always get hungry before races, I was worried that Scott's planned breakfast wasn't quite enough. The kids enjoyed a lot of laughter at my expense though. After dinner, we headed home and went right to bed.</p>
<h2 id="the-big-day">The BIG Day</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/11/IMG_1767.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Cheering!!" title="Cheering!!" /><p class="stickyNote">Cheering!!</p></div>
<p>Scott headed out early and the kids and I walked 3.5 miles over to Brooklyn to watch the marathon at mile 8. We arrived just after the first wheelchairs went through, in time to see the lead pack of men and women as well as the lead hand cycles! We had a perfect spot right on the barricade, and sponsor <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/">AirBNB</a> gave us big red foam fingers, pompoms, kazoos, and samples of food. The area was festive and fun with live music, a big screen display of the official coverage and more music from just a block down. We got comfy with our fellow spectators, helping them find who they were looking for and got video of Scott coming our way (<a href="https://scottpdawson.com/new-york-city-marathon/">you can see that and more details on Scott's writeup</a>). It was GREAT fun to see him and encourage him here.</p>
<p>After this, we planned to take a G line up to Queens and watch him at mile 14, but we lost the 10 minutes of buffer we had trying to find the a subway station with the G line. We decided we'd skip mile 14 <em>(where we imagined he'd still be feeling great)</em> and head up to mile 18/20. Unfortunately, the 6 train was REALLY slow and we had to change our plans to see him at mile 22. We knew from tracking him that his goal pace was slipping, and decided he'd need us there.</p>
<p>The Bronx had a different feel than Brooklyn. Police tape lined the streets and spectators ignored the tape, opting to stand right in the street. Onlookers were crossing the street, playing Frogger with the runners. We found a decent spot and waited for Scott to come through. I was overzealous with my video this time, starting it 7 minutes too early. The result; no footage of Scott because of a depleted battery. He came through right after I turned off my phone. We frantically tried to get his attention but he was in the zone. He didn't see us, even as we ran down alongside the route yelling his name.</p>
<p>We headed down to our meeting spot 5 miles away via the marathon route, we talked about the things Scott might be feeling. Did he let his BQ time go with a full heart, or was he still going for it, hoping? Did he NEED us at mile 22 and we failed to deliver? Would he think we just went to a museum and ditched him? We looked at each gap in the police tape thinking <em>"this would have been a better spot to stand. He would have seen us here."</em> Our hearts were somber as our bodies were knocked about by the wind. Finally, we wondered how we'd ever cross past the runners to get to our meeting spot.</p>
<p>We made it to 85th street and knew it was now or never: time to play Frogger! A short gap presented itself and we dashed. <em>Whew.</em> Now it was onto <a href="http://www.freddieandpeppers.com/" title="Freddie and Peppers">Freddie and Peppers</a> pizza place on 74th and Amsterdam. We were hungry. All we had eaten was our free breakfast at the hotel at 7 a.m. and our sample of cookies. We'd walked about 8 miles by this point and had at least 3 to go before reuniting with Scott.</p>
<h2 id="reunited">Reunited</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/11/IMG_3487.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Scott in the nifty poncho." title="Scott in the nifty poncho." /><p class="stickyNote">Scott in the nifty poncho.</p></div>
<p>We were almost to the pizza joint when Elizabeth got a call from Scott. He was in the medical tent recovering and would be heading out in a few minutes. We'd watched people exiting the park and knew we had some time, so we slowed our frantic pace and sauntered to the restaurant. When we arrived, one look at my kids' faces and I knew they couldn't wait for their Dad for a slice of pizza. It was 2:30 p.m. and they were exhausted and hungry. We grabbed our slices and monitored Scott's progress using the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/find-my-iphone/id376101648?mt=8" title="Find My iphone">Find my iPhone</a> app. It wasn't long before he arrived. His first words to me were, <em>"how do you feel about driving us out of here?"</em> Today would be my first day driving in NYC! We congratulated him, hugged and shared stories from the day and then we hopped a 3 train to our hotel.</p>
<h2 id="viva-%26-beyond">Viva & Beyond</h2>
<p>On the way home we stopped for warm drinks at Starbucks, then headed straight to <a href="http://www.vivataqueria.com/" title="Viva">Viva</a> for a celebratory, albeit late dinner. We heard all of Scott's stories and shared ours with him, talked about future races and chilled out in the car. We're both thinking about Black Friday this year and whether I'll put my name in the lottery. Inspired by a co-worker when I was 22 and running wasn't even part of my vocabulary, this race has always swirled in the back of my head as something to experience. But for today, I'm really grateful that I had the chance to watch him and he had such a great race!!</p>
<p>Read more about his race from a runner's perspective: <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/new-york-city-marathon/">scottpdawson.com/new-york-city-marathon</a></p>
Total Immersion Level 1 Wrap Up2014-10-30T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/session-1-wrap-up/<h2 id="what-i-learned">What I learned</h2>
<p>I was excited to sign up for this class, but was also frightened. My biggest worry; failing level 1! Shane helped build everyone's confidence though, and we gradually built upon each skill learned. The things that stand out for me include;</p>
<ul>
<li>Realizing how much I would learn from my classmates. There is something very comforting about being in this together with others. We all came here from very different swim backgrounds and for different reasons, but we were in the same place learning together. Whether it was learning from their questions or by watching others practice what we were learning, it was valuable.</li>
<li>I looked forward to Tuesdays for Shane's Zen approach. He radiates a calm energy and brings out the best in people. I left every session feeling calm and confident. Shane also helped me realize that this isn't personal. We all have our own rate of learning, and we just need to be patient and let things happen and relax.</li>
<li>Midway through the session I was practicing quasi lap swimming in the warm pool. The lifeguard came over and reminded me that lap swimming was not permitted in this pool and suggested I move to the warm pool. At that time the thought of actually swimming in the cold pool was impossible. This was week FOUR of the session; by week 8 it was hard to remember ever being in the warm pool!</li>
<li>During week 7 a classmate asked why she was out of breath. She was concerned she didn't have the cardio fitness needed. Shane told her that she already had the cardio from running. The calmness would come in the water when she nailed technique. It seems obvious, but this was a revelation to me. I'm in great cardiovascular shape, and if I'm out of breath with swimming of course it was form related.</li>
</ul>
<p>I recommend this class to anyone that I meet. It has been a high point of my fall. I feel optimistic about my future with swimming. I'm excited to keep adding to my "house of cards" in level 2. Whether that is this winter or later, I know Shane will guide me well through the process. I also really enjoyed meeting my classmates and swimming with them every week!</p>
Running Headbands2014-10-30T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/fashion/running-headbands/<h2 id="a-sewing-party">A Sewing Party</h2>
<p>We discovered these running headbands called <a href="http://www.sweatybands.com/" title="Sweaty Bands">Sweaty Bands</a> in 2012 when my sister did the Boston Marathon. She went to the Expo and bought one for herself while my parents picked up one for Elizabeth and for me. At $15-$19 each, they are not something you'll accumulate too many of. My silver one disappeared a few months later, and two years went by before I considered replacing it. Likely tired of hearing me lament its absence, Sarah sent me one as a present this spring.</p>
<p>We were on a family vacation this summer and came across the same type of product in a local running store. Called, <a href="http://www.bicbands.com/" title="Bic Bands">Bic bands</a>, the price point was a little lower. Still, there were so many colors to choose from and now that I had a neutral colored band, I decided that I didn't need to buy another.</p>
<p>This fall, Elizabeth started her 2nd year on the cross country team. We decided it would be fun to do a mother-daughter sewing project and make her team headbands in school colors. Pretty soon those were made, and then we made them for my friends, and later made more for her dance team!</p>
<p>It is fun and even a little addictive!</p>
<h2 id="materials">Materials</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Ribbon</strong> We used 3/8" sparkly and plain ribbon</li>
<li><strong>Interfacing</strong> The interfacing should be a little thinner than your ribbon. We used 1/4"</li>
<li><strong>Velvet</strong> This should be the same thickness as the ribbon. In our case 3/8"</li>
<li><strong>Black elastic</strong> 1/4" or thinner. If you use very thin elastic, you will need two pieces.</li>
<li><strong>Thread</strong> Match the ribbon for the spool and the elastic for the bobbin or use clear thread.</li>
<li><strong>Candle or lighter</strong></li>
<li><strong>Iron and ironing board</strong></li>
<li><strong>Sewing machine, scissors, cutting mat, measuring guide</strong></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="making-the-headbands">Making the Headbands</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/10/IMG_1652.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Ribbons all cut" title="Ribbons all cut" /><p class="stickyNote">Ribbons all cut</p></div>
<ol>
<li>Measure and cut the ribbon, interfacing and velvet. The sizing for a standard adult headband is 20" - 20.5" while kids' sizing is 18" - 19". If you are custom making them for a particular person's head, you can use the rule of thumb to measure the head where the headband will fall and then subtract an inch or two. Generally we cut the ribbon and velvet 15" long and then the elastic is 5"-6" long. We cut 14" long pieces of interfacing.</li>
<li>Turn on your iron and set it to the wool setting <em>(or follow the interfacing instructions)</em>. Lay the sparkly band sparkle side down on the ironing board, followed by the interfacing <em>(leave 1/2 inch free at each end)</em> and then the velvet with the velvet side facing up. Carefully iron until the ribbon and velvet are fused together. <em>*This step is very important and can be tricky. You need patience to keep the interfacing from getting off kilter.</em></li>
<li>Use a lighter or candle to singe the ends of the ribbons. This will keep them from fraying when you use the headbands. Take care that the ribbons don't fuse to each other. You'll be inserting elastic between them in step 5. <em>Note: This is one place where our style is different from the bands on the market. They have the fabric turned up to avoid fraying, but we took this step away because it eliminates bulk and makes the bands just a little faster to make.</em></li>
<li>Cut your elastic to size. I like to re-measure my band at this point and check that we still have 15 inches. Then, cut approximately 6" of elastic for your band.</li>
<li>Prepare your sewing machine with the thread. The bands look nicer if you match the thread colors with the ribbons. You can use clear thread, but we found that it was easier to sew with colored thread. Sew on the edge of the band down to the end, and then insert the elastic between the ribbon where the interfacing ends. You'll have about 1/2" of elastic per side. Turn and sew a couple of times across the elastic to secure it well, and then continue sewing on the other side of the ribbon. When you get to the end of the other side, you can put the elastic into that opening and finish the sewing. Make sure to sew several times across to secure this like you did on the other side.</li>
</ol>
<h2 id="wear-and-enjoy">Wear and Enjoy</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/10/IMG_1655.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>Likely after you start this project you'll want to have a big collection!! We went from having a couple of colors to a full rainbow. My daughter now wears them to school, while running and to dance every day. It is a great mother-daughter activity, and a fun gift idea for your active friends. Once you master the glittery style, branch out to other types of ribbon. We now have some that are sequined and some that are perfect for more fancy occasions. These are tougher to iron and sew, so make sure to fully master the other ones first.</p>
Total Immersion Level 1 Week 82014-10-29T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-week-8/<h2 id="trending-on-twitter">Trending on Twitter</h2>
<p>Last Friday I realized that our class was almost over. With a mere one class left, it was time to see if I could swim for a sustained duration so I could come armed with questions for the last class. I went through the practice sequence Shane has been having us do, and then started my swim. It was AMAZING! I felt happy, graceful and I felt like I was moving water. Most importantly it felt repeatable. After my half mile, I showered an headed to BodyPump but it was Zombie Night in Trumansburg and our regular crew was there. I was doing the dance driving, so while it was great to be able to workout, there was no one in class to share with. When I got home, Scott arrived back from being a Zombie to find me jumping up and down saying "I SWAM a half mile!! It was faster than before! It was FUN!!!" This was one of those times when I wish this was important enough to the world to have that little email come through with "trending on Twitter." I was on cloud 9 for at least the next day.</p>
<h2 id="beware-of-high-expectations">Beware of High Expectations</h2>
<p>And then class started. I was excited and a little more scared than usual. I knew this was our last, and my schedule may not let me hop right into the next offering for Level 2. We did our dry land work and then hopped into the pool. Shane asked us to swim the first 5 lengths as lazily as possible. For me the trouble was that we started swimming in pairs. Immediately I felt like it was a race and I was afraid I couldn't keep up. Quickly, my happy attitude disappeared and I was stuck in a battle in my head for much of the next half hour. It was during this time that I realized I haven't shared a lane during most of my swim practice during this class, and I definitely haven't been next to someone swimming at the same rate. Suddenly I thought about the mass start of the tri and realized that I have a LONG way to go.</p>
<p>However, as the class continued, I eased back into things. We went back to circle swimming and I felt much more relaxed. The tempo trainers came out again and I was really excited to use them. These things are just so nifty that I have to get one!!</p>
<h2 id="synchronized-swimming">Synchronized Swimming</h2>
<p>Shane ended our session by swimming with each one of us. He would mirror our stroke and send us the video of the two of us swimming together. The class volunteered me to go first because I was SO cold <em>(and eager to get to the hot tub).</em> So, off I went. This was really cool to watch. It was a great way to end class. After everyone finished their syncro session, we gathered in the hot tub and chatted for awhile. Most of my classmates plan to take session two this winter, and there was a lot of enthusiasm about moving forward in our respective swimming goals.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAPZLav6rXk">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAPZLav6rXk</a></p>
<h2 id="what's-next">What's Next</h2>
<p>Shane is offering Session 2 in early January. My kids ski race, so we're juggling ski race schedules along with the year long activities; piano, choir and dance. My plan is to continue to make it to the pool twice a week and refine all the things we have learned this fall, and I'm working on my schedule for winter. A lot of things will have to fall into place to make winter work, but I'm quasi optimistic that they will.</p>
Total Immersion Level 1 Week 72014-10-22T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-week-7/<h2 id="gravity">Gravity</h2>
<p>There were only 6 people in my class this week, so we had a lot more space for our dry land time. A class mate asked about propulsion with our core and Shane talked about the role of gravity. He demonstrated the arm movement and shared that we could utilize gravity by being on a tipping point as we insert our arm into the "sleeve" in the water. In running, we use gravity by leaning forward until we have to tip to catch our legs and in swimming the tipping comes from the core. Something clicked with this for me tonight, and I was really glad that this question was asked and answered.</p>
<p>We worked on our form out of the water before hopping into the pool to start with 5 lengths of relaxed, easy swimming. As we built our "house of cards" we just kept working on our patient lead arm, shrugging our shoulders and using our core to propel our body. After our first 5 lengths, Shane started checking in with us after each 50. During one of these discussions, he told me that my shoulders were starting to relax. "YAY!!!!!" I was SO happy to hear this. I felt like they were relaxing, but the affirmation was great.</p>
<h2 id="a-10k-swim-in-2000-feet-deep-water-anyone%3F">A 10K swim in 2000 feet deep water anyone?</h2>
<p>About halfway through class, I stopped mid lap and had a moment of panic. I was breathing just fine in my practice, but it was because I knew that I could stop practicing breathing at any moment. I could choose to go back to stopping in the pool, breathing and then resume swimming because the pool is only 4 feet deep.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"What about when I'm in open water? Or a pool that has a deep end?"</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I shared this thought when I got to the end, which started a conversation about water depth. Shane told us about swimming in 2000 ft deep water near Kona. He said the rays of the sun go through the clear water and look like the fingers of God. He went on to tell us about being able to see dolphins far beneath him while swimming. A classmate asked him the longest distance he's swum before and he answered "about 6 miles." Wow! He went on to talk about workouts as "practice" vs workouts. I love that Shane is so zen, and his focus is truly on long term growth vs short term. This helps give every session perspective, and has really improved my outlook on swimming. A classmate was having a difficult evening with her patient lead arm. Shane reminded her, and all of us, to accept each session for what it is. Some will be hard and frustrating and others will click along. Our job is to accept this, work on what we can, and keep our attitude strong and solid.</p>
<h2 id="tempo-trainers">Tempo Trainers</h2>
<p>Tonight Shane introduced us to a device called a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005TVYVI2">tempo trainer</a>. This nifty little device sends out a sound at consistent intervals. He had us begin with a moderate setting, then cycle it slower and slower and reverse through the same cycle. The purpose of this series of drills was to help us with our balance and patient lead arm. If our body was not in balance, it would be very difficult to switch at the specified times. After the first lap one of my classmates said "this is SO slow" about our fastest setting, while I felt it was pretty speedy compared to what I'd been doing. Our class was roughly split down the middle about whether it felt fast or slow. At first I commented that it was like patting my head and rubbing my belly at the same time. My focus was drawn to the trainer, and I wasn't able to think about my form. However, as the speeds changed, I became really comfortable with it. I started to think of it like hockey is to ice-skating. I had to focus on this, so my form just became second nature. I even noticed that my lead arm was staying patient during breathing strokes, something I had struggled with during the first part of class.</p>
<h2 id="shane-swims">Shane Swims</h2>
<p>Shane offered to swim for us at the end of the class. A bunch of us hopped into the hot tub to watch in warm comfort, while a couple of brave classmates hung out by the main pool to watch. He jokes with us that we'll get bonus points if we fall asleep while swimming, and as we watched him we couldn't help but feel relaxed. Things heard from the hot tub, "wow, he practically has fins," and "he is so calm" to "look at his patient lead arm." Of course also joked that he needed to work on being more patient <em>(not possible)</em>! Here is a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87-3pUntcz4" title="Shane Eversfield Total Immersion">video</a> of Shane swimming.</p>
<h2 id="7-down%2C-1-to-go">7 Down, 1 to Go</h2>
<p>When this session started I wasn't sure if I'd make it through 8 sessions, and I certainly didn't think that I'd start to enjoy swimming. I remember when I first started running; when many runs ended in tears and I felt completely inept with the sport. With all my failed starts I think I resigned myself to thinking that maybe swimming would never turn into what running is for me now; something I truly love.</p>
<p>Last night, during one of our 50s, I started behind one of my classmates and I caught up to her. We weren't racing by any means, but I've NEVER caught up to another swimmer in my entire life. When I did my <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/training/first-open-water-swim/" title="First Open Water Swim">first lake practice swim</a> with Jenny this summer, before my panic attack in the first minute or so of swimming, Jenny already had at least 25 yards on me. When Scott and I attended an open water swim clinic this summer. When we were practicing starts I was dead last in the 25 yard swim every time! I certainly wasn't catching anyone then. I'm feeling positive about swimming, and committed to finishing this learning process. My only wish is that we had more than one class left!!</p>
Chris Bond Run 20142014-10-19T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/chris-bond-run-2014/<h2 id="a-week-before-the-race---injured!">A week before the race - Injured!</h2>
<p>A week ago my hip and side started hurting. Naturally, I still did my long run and of course still attended BodyPump and practiced swimming, and ran some more until it hurt A LOT even to walk. Tuesday of race week I came home and told Scott that it was so bad I thought I might have bone cancer. His natural response was <em>"have you rested it at all?"</em> followed by <em>"maybe you should see a doctor."</em> I promised him I would call and promptly emailed three running friends for advice. They all advised rest followed by a call to the doctor if it didn't improve. Two days of complete rest followed, during which time I tried to remain pleasant to be around, but failed miserably. I drove Elizabeth to dance on Wednesday and instead of spending my time in a coffee shop catching up on things or doing errands, I went to the gym to work in the common area. Hey, I could at least see people in the gym this way! I talked to several people from BodyPump as they finished class that night, and everyone gave me a pep talk. I was feeling more positive by Thursday. By Friday I decided I'd better see how things went with exercise and joined the PTO group hike, practiced swimming, and went to BodyPump. I raced home from class to take Elizabeth to a school dance, and headed out for an easy 4 miler. It was dark, and I was happily running thinking "yes I am ok!" -- "resting works" -- "this is GREAT!" -- and then -- "wow, it is Friday night and I just had lima beans for dinner and am out running ... I am pretty lame" -- when suddenly everything seized up. I sadly limped home. I tried a couple more times to run, but just felt defeated. I finished the evening with yoga but it was half-hearted. I wasn't sure I'd be able to run, or even walk, this race. I whined a lot. Saturday was a long pity party. But, Saturday night I thought it was time to try a 2 miler and make the decision. I ran an uncomfortable 2 miles, but the pain stayed the same, so I decided to run in the morning.</p>
<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<p>The night prior I gave myself 3 options for the race: race it, make a pacer sign and be a 30-35 minute unofficial pacer, or find someone who needed company and planned to walk and walk the event. That morning I ruled out the pacer idea. I wasn't sure if that would be too silly and didn't want to carry a big pacer sign by myself. I also quickly nixed the walking idea because it was 39 degrees and I figured running would warm me up faster. I asked a couple of people if they'd want to just run the race without racing it, but that didn't fly because they had plans to run with someone already or wanted to race. So, ultimately I stood on that start line and decided to just give it a go. After all, the faster I ran the faster it would be over, right? And, even though I had been so waffly about racing that I hadn't taken a pre-race picture for team FLRTC, I did wear my logo gear and was representing <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Co">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> on the course. This fact really impacted my decision to ultimately put forth my best effort. Fellow ambassadors Scott, Bill, and Jeff were also running today.</p>
<p>I had a solid start and held a 7:15 pace until the 1.5 mile mark. I ran near both of my kids for about 50 feet and then wished them well and sped a bit ahead. My pace slowly tapered off for the second half of the race. As with the Wineglass Half, my erroneous mid run calculations and an incorrect average pace on my watch failed me, putting me 11 seconds off a PR. This was upsetting not because I really deserved a PR for this waffly race morning decision, but because I really had believed my watch average pace of 7:30 and purposely held it there to avoid pushing too fast and risking completely running out of steam. In fact, my pace was 7:41, and I genuinely feel like I could have run just a smidge faster to hit a new PR!</p>
<h2 id="the-results">The Results</h2>
<p>The kids both had a great run. Elizabeth came in just over a minute behind me, and Xander was about 30 seconds after his sister. Scott came in 2nd for the whole race and had a 2-second PR! He is quick to point out that this isn't really a 2nd place finish because the Varsity boys were volunteering on the course instead of racing today. I told him to enjoy the slot!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.auyertiming.com/pdffiles/101914CBOV.pdf" title="Overall Results">Overall Results</a><br />
<a href="http://www.auyertiming.com/pdffiles/101914CBAW.pdf" title="Age Group">Age Group</a></p>
Total Immersion Level 1 Week 62014-10-15T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-week-6/<h2 id="watching-perfect-form">Watching Perfect Form</h2>
<p>When you watch someone swimming using perfect form, your body thinks that it is swimming that way. One of the members of my class watched <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJpFVvho0o4" title="Shinji Total Immersion">Shinji's Total Immersion video</a> every day between the classes. Her stroke improved dramatically this week.</p>
<h2 id="becoming-comfortable-in-the-space">Becoming Comfortable in the Space</h2>
<p>I admit, it was a week before I was able to go back to the pool with a full heart. The day arrived though, and I went back into the pool. It was during our normal swim class time, and the pool was completely empty. It was in stark contrast to the same time of day the week prior. I spent the entire time working on my shoulder shrug and trying to relax my arms. It felt pretty good.</p>
<p>A few days later, I ventured to the pool again. I'm noticing that my heart doesn't pound as I enter the room anymore, and while I still don't enjoy jumping in the water, I feel less like I need to scream. On this particular day, a gentleman was in the lane next to me. He was swimming using Total Immersion style, so I asked him if he had taken Shane's class. It turns out that he has taken levels 1 and 2, and he sang Shane's praises saying he helped him A LOT! He's a local triathlete with 40+ triathlons under his belt, and he was one of the kayakers for the Cayuga Lake Tri this summer. We chatted about that race, and he happily reported that the crew only needed to pull 3 swimmers from the water this year. Two of them just panicked within the first 100 yards. I thought about myself and the other swimmer in my class both panicking by the first buoy. We both pulled through our panic <em>(by flipping to our backs)</em>, and I wonder how many more of the athletes had a similar experience? Talking to him, and later watching him swim made me feel more confident. Every person starts somewhere, and we can all improve. I felt very good about this swim session.</p>
<h2 id="my-2nd-video">My 2nd Video</h2>
<p>Shane brought his ipad to class again, so we knew we'd be videotaped. There were three occasions where I thought he was taping me, but the one he actually taped was a time that I thought he was taping the man in the lane next to me. I don't think it changed my swimming too much, except that I was trying to slow down to not block him and to not be in his video. As it turns out, it was my video! At first glance to me it doesn't look a lot better, but Shane says I'm starting to get it, and Scott could see a difference as well. I'm already looking forward to practicing this week and seeing next week's video!</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRb58z8Lxv0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRb58z8Lxv0</a></p>
<h2 id="fins-anyone%3F">Fins Anyone?</h2>
<p>After swimming for just under an hour, Shane told us it was time to work on our breathing again. This was both thrilling and terrifying at the same time, as we're all struggling with our breathing. He grabbed us fins and had us do a breathing exercise. You swim a few strokes and then turn into "skate" position as you breathe, then swim again and "skate" and breathe as you cross the pool. We reached the end of the pool and we were all giddy like children. We felt fast and competent! Wearing fins was exhilarating prompting some of us to say, "Why can't triathlons allow fins?" Shane replied, "If triathlons allowed fins, I'd be out of a job."</p>
<h2 id="next-steps">Next Steps</h2>
<p>We have two classes left. Shane is talking about Session 2. I know that our breathing will improve in these next two weeks, and I hope that we learn a little bit about kicking. I'm already excited to get back into the pool to practice with fins!!</p>
Marathon Training Plans2014-10-10T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/marathon/<p>For 2012, the annual challenge that Scott and I chose was the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/rochester-marathon-2012/" title="Rochester Marathon 2012">Rochester Marathon</a>! We'd completed the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/rochester-half-marathon-2007/" title="Rochester Half Marathon 2007">Rochester Half</a> and participated in the relay. Naturally, the next step was to complete the full. I've since completed the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/wineglass-marathon/" title="Wineglass Marathon 2013">Wineglass Marathon</a> <em>(2013)</em> and the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/another-post/" title="Philadelphia Marathon 2013">Philadelphia Marathon</a> <em>(2013)</em>.</p>
<p>Recently a friend asked about training plans for her first marathon. I decided it would be a great idea to type up some information to help other people, and for me to keep all my training notes in one place. Here are some plans that I've used/modified for my races.</p>
<h2 id="hal-hidgon">Hal Hidgon</h2>
<p>I chose the <a href="http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51138/Marathon-Novice-2-Training-Program" title="Hal Higdon Novice 2">Hal Hidgon Novice 2 Marathon Plan</a> for my first marathon. I pretty much followed it as written, adding in the non running things that I enjoy as well. I typically try to get a couple of weight lifting sessions in per week as well as some cycling, Pilates and Yoga, so I put those into the week where they fit. I think this plan is perfect for you if you have the following goals/physical stamina:</p>
<ul>
<li>You have a nice running base, and typically run 15-25 miles per week.</li>
<li>You occasionally/regularly compete in races.</li>
<li>You enjoy running 4 times per week.</li>
<li>You feel ready for some pace work.</li>
<li>You are a social runner. Most of the workouts do not call for specific paces.</li>
<li>Your goal is to finish the marathon strong and run comfortably.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="run-less%2C-run-faster">Run Less, Run Faster</h2>
<p>For my 2nd marathon I was ready for a little more challenge. Now that I had one successful marathon under my belt, my goal was to PR. My real, unshared desire was to BQ. While visiting my sister in Oregon during the summer of 2012, I saw this book on her shelf. Not yet having run my first marathon, I was already thinking about number 2 and I picked it up and read it from cover to cover on the way home on the airplane. There are great pace calculators in the book. I happened to look at the Marathon calculators 2 days before the 2012 Rochester Marathon. The pace predictor for me based on my HM time was a sub 4 full marathon. Until reading that, my only intention had been to finish strong. Knowing my predicted finish based on actual racing, helped me to push my own expectations. I ended up with a 3:58:30 for the run, though I made a lot of novice mistakes <em>(going out too fast, not fueling enough etc)</em>.</p>
<p>For the Wineglass the following fall, I followed the 3:40 BQ training plan, and stuck all my other activities into my plan just like I had for my first marathon. I think that this plan is perfect for you if:</p>
<ul>
<li>You have limited time and/or want to continue to keep a lot of activities in your schedule. For me, it allowed me to continue lifting weights, yoga, Pilates, and biking while still having time to adhere to the plan.</li>
<li>You are not a social runner. With only 3 weekly runs, each one has a purpose and paces are very prescribed.</li>
<li>You are comfortable giving up your casual runs. Each run is very challenging. I found that I added a 4th day to have a "just run" day. I subbed a run in for one of the cross training workouts.</li>
<li>You want to BQ.*I didn't, and I don't think I was really ready to even if I'd had a perfect weather day <em>(but I would have been closer!)</em> I was extremely well trained but the heat on an unusually hot, humid, muggy day really affected my race. The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007PF7LBE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007PF7LBE&linkCode=as2&tag=lunchtaker-20&linkId=MTZP7LZIUGL7G2OM" title="Run Less, Run Faster">plans in this book</a> are specifically designed for certain pace goals.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="advanced-marathoning">Advanced Marathoning</h2>
<p>In the final weeks of preparing for my 2nd marathon, my running partner was preparing for her 2nd marathon scheduled just 6 weeks after mine. She had run the Chicago marathon for her first, and was registered for Philadelphia this year. One lovely afternoon, I inquired about whether her boyfriend was going with or if she planned to go alone. Jason planned to come spectate, but wasn't sure about his work schedule. She was pretty sure he might be ok with me coming along instead, and I could run! I'm not sure what made me want to do another marathon so soon. I hadn't even completed the one I was training for!! But, I promptly signed up and looked for the appropriate training plan for the situation. After reading an excerpt in Running Times, I bought the book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Marathoning-Edition-Peter-Pfitzinger/dp/0736074600" title="Advanced Marathoning">Advanced Marathoning</a>. Chapter 12 gives plans tailored for doing multiple marathons in 12 weeks or less. These schedules are grueling, and while I aspire to log this many miles, I wasn't quite at their minimum <em>(48 weekly miles for the 4 week schedule).</em> The schedules are designed assuming you want to do your best in your 2nd marathon; not necessarily a PR, but your best on that particular day. If you just want to run to finish, you won't need this rigorous plan. <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/Philadelphiamarathontraining.pages.pdf" title="Philadelphia Marathon Training">This plan</a> is perfect for you if:</p>
<ul>
<li>Want to do multiple marathons.</li>
<li>Would like to try a high intensity plan, but you aren't sure that you are ready to follow one for a 16 week full marathon training cycle.</li>
<li>Enjoy running 4 days per week with a day of cross training.</li>
<li>Enjoy social recovery runs. This plan has you work hard but integrates a lot of recovery speed runs.</li>
<li>Enjoy high mileage weeks.</li>
</ul>
Wineglass Half Marathon2014-10-05T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/wineglass-half-marathon/<h2 id="work-on-your-long-game-to-improve-your-short-game">Work on your long game to improve your short game</h2>
<p>I trained for <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/green-lakes-50k/" title="Green Lakes 50K">Green Lakes 50K</a> this summer. After the GLER, I knew I had this on the race calendar, but had trouble transitioning from trail to road. I spent a couple weeks bummed out from post race let-down, then school started for the kids as I transitioned into my half training plan. It was the same plan that I used for <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/flower-city-half-marathon/" title="Flower City Half Marathon">Flower City Half</a> in the spring, but I approached it with much less enthusiasm. I skipped a lot of the speedwork, and ran on trail every chance I got. But, I put the miles in, kept doing a lot of yoga, continued once or twice weekly weight lifting and started a <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/swim/" title="Swim">swim class</a>. I reached race day reasonably ready, albeit with an unhappy right hamstring.</p>
<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<p>Scott and I woke up at 4:30, had a pancake with peanut butter and watched a TED talk before getting donning my <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company">FLRTC</a> singlet and getting ready for the race. As we drove, the temperature dipped down to 31 on the car thermometer. Brrr. We ate our bagels at 6 a.m. in the car. This would be my first cold weather run of the season. I'm a wimp with transitions, so this stressed me out a little. We arrived and hopped into the very long bus line. There are 3000 people in the half, and the first person we saw was our friend Tracy. We waited for the bus together. It always amazes me how many people you see that you know at big events! A short ride later we were at the start. We hopped into the very reasonable porta potty lines and then headed inside to take off our warm clothes before checking our bags with UPS. We sauntered over to the start line and said our goodbyes. Scott lined up near the very front of the pack, and I settled into a nice spot between the 1:45 and 1:50 pacer, hoping not to see either of them on the course <em>(being near a pacer makes me anxious)</em>.</p>
<p>After a few minutes of waiting, it is clear they are going to hold the race to wait for buses still coming in. The bus lines were very long in the morning. As soon as I realized this, I knew it was time to hit the cornfield for a last minute bio break! I made it back to my "spot" and chatted with the folks around me for a minute. While waiting I start thinking, "I'm not so sure I am into this" and "I can't wait for this to be over" followed by "I'm SO hungry!" I still have not figured out pre-race nutrition. Clearly eating breakfast 2 hours before a race isn't working for me. (<em>my stomach growled for the entire race)!</em></p>
<p>Before long the gun went off and all the negative thoughts left. I was running! It was great. My favorite part of the race is the weaving in and out of people in the first mile. I know it consumes energy, but it gives such an adrenaline rush and makes me feel happy. By mile 1, settled into an 8 minute mile average pace. I briefly considered dialing it back so that I wouldn't crash. Ultimately, I decided it was a cool day and I may need the pace later as I hit the hill and water stops. It was a good decision. With my hunger, I opted to walk through every water station and have Gatorade. I held a sub 8 until mile 7.25, and I was proud about that. At mile 7, I saw friends Larry & Karen Glanton and they shouted my name. It was a spot where I especially appreciated the support and I really felt the pick up from it!</p>
<h2 id="the-race-song">The Race Song</h2>
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<p>Every race has one, and one of my favorite parts of racing is finding it! At mile 8 we entered the park. Last year during the marathon this stretch was the lowest low of the race for me. My legs were tired, it was HOT and humid and even this short little downhill killed my quads. Today, it was GREAT! I was running in a cluster of five people, one of whom I had stood next to at the start line. I looked at my watch and said "5 to go folks!" and one of the women said "lead us in!" and then a man said "I want to know if the guy ahead in the kilt has anything under it?" Soon after we ran by a group drumming and we hit the next water stop. I felt like I could run forever and the song Break Free was playing on my playlist. Voila! Race song revealed!!</p>
<h2 id="on-racing">On Racing</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/10/fourafter-wineglass.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Scott, Jenny, and Christina after the race" title="With Scott, Jenny, and Christina after the race" /><p class="stickyNote">With Scott, Jenny, and Christina after the race</p></div>
<p>At the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2014/" title="Cayuga Lake Triathlon 2014">Cayuga Lake Tri</a>, I ran by my friend Christina going the opposite direction and said "Hi! Great job." She barely looked up, and after the race she <em>thought</em> she remembered me running by. Hmmm, I thought. I usually thank every volunteer and cheer every runner on. Clearly I could use some of this energy to race faster instead! Two weeks before this race, I went on a training run while in an especially focused and determined mood. I ran fast, and focused about 6 feet ahead of me virtually unaware of the world. Today, I had that same focus. I didn't thank every volunteer, I didn't see every sign, and while I took time to hi five some kids and thank some volunteers, I really felt like I <em>raced</em> this. I was in the zone for most of the run and I kept Scott's mantra of "this isn't supposed to feel good/easy" in my head and pushed harder than I normally would. I have never felt like I have a lot left to give at the end of a race, but today I feel like I really pushed every mile to what I was capable of doing. It felt nice!</p>
<h2 id="post-race-thoughts">Post Race Thoughts</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/10/wineglassscott.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Scott at the finish" title="With Scott at the finish" /><p class="stickyNote">With Scott at the finish</p></div>
<p>I liked this course more than last year. I felt A LOT sad that I didn't get this cold weather (35-42 degrees) for the full last year. I still don't think I would have hit a BQ, but I would have been closer! I love that I didn't see a pacer at all while I was on the course, connected with friends after the race and enjoy great pizza at the finish. The last mile the only thought I could keep in my head was "I'm running toward pizza" because I was SO hungry. I was especially excited for Scott because he won 1st Masters for the race. He got PRIZE money and we're going to enjoy dinner out at our favorite Ithaca restaurant tonight to celebrate - <a href="http://www.vivataqueria.com/" title="Viva!">Viva!</a> Thank you <a href="http://www.wineglassmarathon.com/" title="Wineglass Marathon">Wineglass Marathon</a> for putting on another awesome event. Thanks to Lisa and Ian of <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Co">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> and my FLRTC teammates for their support for my running! It has been a really fun season. Only a few races left before it is time to SKI!!! And the best thing is that my 10K split was FASTER than my PR 10K on the Skunk Cabbage. I'm pretty psyched about that!</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Time 1:46:11 <br />
Overall: 215/2,449<br />
Age Group 40-44: 7/325<br />
Female: 77/1,846<br />
Masters: 25/902</p>
Total Immersion Level 1 Week 52014-10-03T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-week-5/<h2 id="flow">Flow</h2>
<p>Shane talked about flow last week, and reminded us that swimming is something our body needs to learn to do. You can't think your way to better swimming. I practiced a lot this week, and felt really positive about my practice. I swam next to Shane for one session and next to another gentleman using <a href="http://totalimmersion.net/" title="Total Immersion">Total Immersion</a> swim technique for another.</p>
<h2 id="building-neural-endurance">Building Neural Endurance</h2>
<p>The pool was CROWDED at our last class, and Shane had us hop right into the water to claim our lanes. Tonight he would video one of our laps across the pool. We worked on the same set of exercises, building our "house of cards" until things started to fall apart <em>(or maybe stayed up a little longer)</em>!</p>
<p>I felt really confident. My practice had gone well, and I thought I was getting it. This thought should have been my first hint that things were going to go awry. I believe there is a disconnect between my brain and my body with swimming. So many times, I really think I am doing what is asked or taught, but often it is COMPLETELY wrong!</p>
<h2 id="the-video">The Video</h2>
<p>And a video speaks the truth. I'm not there yet; not even close! I cried all the way home from my lesson. The next morning I was supposed to get up for my Wednesday morning 6 a.m. BodyPump class and actually said aloud, <em>"perhaps I should just give up exercise in general and watch TV and eat."</em> Luckily I remembered Dr. Getzin's comment when I had an injured knee "an object in motion tends to stay in motion" and pretty soon I was off to class! My video is below, along with a link for what <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJpFVvho0o4&index=1&list=PL32353D4BEDCC8F03" title="Total Immersion ">perfect form</a> should look like.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcs14sg1lMw">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcs14sg1lMw</a></p>
<h2 id="the-morning-after">The Morning After</h2>
<p>I made it to BodyPump and Spinning. Usually I practice swimming as well, but I purposely left my bathing suit home because I wasn't ready to practice with a full heart. I'm not sure what is worse; knowing you can't swim or <em>thinking</em> you are getting it only to discover you are nowhere near understanding. I gave myself until December to sort out my swimming because the Cayuga Lake Tri registration opens in December. But, in addition to having already paid for and committed to taking the class, two other things conspired today to make sure I won't give up on swimming just yet.</p>
<p>Fellow teammate from <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a>, Emily was next to me in BodyPump that morning. She recently did the <a href="http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/wisconsin.aspx#axzz3F5n1ncqF" title="Ironman Wisconsin">Wisconsin Ironman</a>. I shared a lane with her this summer on one of my <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/musings/the-power-of-a-team/" title="Power of a Team">first training swims</a> and she's an outstanding swimmer. We were chatting about swimming. I told her about my video. She said she had taken Shane's class last year and things really clicked in Level 2. Suddenly I had hope. A little lightbulb went off in my head, My brain thought, <em>"You have taken 5 classes, practiced about 15 times, and you expect to have great form already?"</em> Later that day, Shane sent my video. I was afraid to open it, but reluctantly clicked play. In isolation it suddenly didn't seem just SO awful. Scott watched it with me and candidly said, "you <em>do</em> look A LOT better than you did this summer." Again, I had hope. He knows how much I struggle with swimming and saw some improvement.</p>
<h2 id="realistic-goals">Realistic Goals</h2>
<p>I am slowly resetting my expectations. Maybe someone who has never enjoyed swimming and has always struggled with shoulder mobility is crazy unrealistic to expect to get things in 5 lessons? It has been 4 days since that session, and I'm still not ready to enter the pool with a full heart and open mind. I'm choosing to wait until after the <a href="http://www.wineglassmarathon.com/" title="Wineglass Marathon">Wineglass Half Marathon</a> this Sunday to get back into the pool. We don't have class this week, so I will have several opportunities to practice, and look forward to them. And next time we get videotaped, I'll hopefully find at least one little improvement in my form. After all, now I have a baseline video!!</p>
Total Immersion Level 1 Week 4 (Halfway There!)2014-09-24T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/session-1-halfway-point-week-4/<h2 id="practice-makes-better">Practice makes better</h2>
<p>I made it to the pool 3 times this week! For the first time <em>(well maybe 2nd or 3rd)</em> in my life, I longed for an endless pool so that I could practice every day. I'm also VERY grateful to have an <a href="http://www.islandhealthfitness.com/" title="Island Health and Fitness">Island Health and Fitness</a> membership so I can use their pool. By mid-week, swimming became less personal. By saying this I mean that I no longer feel like a bad person because I don't YET know how to swim well. It has turned into a game or puzzle of sorts and I'm having a great time figuring it out. One of the practice days I was swimming about 5 strokes back and forth in the warm pool. The lifeguard came over and told me that lap swimming wasn't permitted in the warm pool. My brain thought, "but this is NOT lap swimming!" but then I looked around and saw the 2 other people in the pool were walking or just moving in a couple foot radius. I guess compared to the exercises the warm pool is designed for, it was. I admit I begged to stay and said I'd swim less - anything to remain in the 89 degree water over the lap pool. But, the next time I went to swim I hopped right into the lap pool and got moving!!</p>
<h2 id="she's-in-level-3">She's in Level 3</h2>
<p>Here we are, starting class and asking questions. There is not a soul in the pool except for our group. In walks a woman and she heads over to one of the lanes. Moments later, most of us start glancing at her in the lane. She's swimming "wide" like Shane has taught us, and her stroke looks beautiful. Shane tells us she is in level 3. The woman next to me says, "yes she's my friend who told me about this class." We all smile and try to stay focused on our questions. I alternate thinking <em>"I have to get to level 3?"</em> with <em>"there's hope for us all"</em> as we kick off our class.</p>
<h2 id="house-of-cards">House of Cards</h2>
<p>Our class began on the swim deck like always with the front quadrant walk. And, as is typical for me, my correction was to work on having less tension in my lower arms. Relax! But, the front quadrant walk is becoming more comfortable each week.</p>
<p>We quickly moved into the lap pool and began a house of cards. Each drill we'd add something, and just like last week Shane said we'd build until our house of cards collapsed. The difference this week was that it was FUN. I enjoyed the layering approach and the challenge. I was in a lane with 3 other people and we headed off in twos for each drill. We were in a nice flow, and I felt pretty comfortable.</p>
<p>When we got to the drill where we needed to intensely focus on leading with our shoulders my arms felt better than last week. I didn't feel like a plow. It wasn't quite a paintbrush, but definitely not a plow either! It did make me want to cry when he said we were going to do this drill, but I did it!</p>
<h2 id="bilateral-breathing">Bilateral Breathing</h2>
<p>Our last two drills incorporated breathing. Last week in class I was totally underwater when I was to turn my head to get air. Shane reminded me that tense muscles sink when I asked about it last week. It was frustrating, and even though Shane told us not to worry about breathing this week during practice, I decided to add it in. I actually managed to get air during the week. Sure, it wasn't bilateral <em>(in fact it was the opposite side that I normally breathe on)</em> but it was air.</p>
<p>In class, I breathed bilaterally. Like several of my classmates, it was a struggle to get enough air, to remember to breathe out so I could breathe in, and to keep my patient lead arm in place long enough, but I got air. Always.</p>
<h2 id="flow">Flow</h2>
<p>To swim well, we need to feel the water and relax. Shane reminded us that we can't think our way to good swimming. We need to feel to swim. This means turning off or pre-frontal cortex. Flow is a state we get to when time seems to stop, we are uninhibited and completely immersed in an activity. It just so happens that when people are in flow, activity in the pre-frontal cortex is suppressed. If we can get into flow we are much less likely to overthink and just feel.</p>
<p>This part of the class, when we talk and really listen to Shane's experiences also doubles as a weekly calming influence. It is the time when I remember how grateful I am that I am learning something new on a Tuesday evening, making time to get to the pool to practice and it also helps me keep everything in life in perspective.</p>
<h2 id="backstroke-anyone%3F">Backstroke Anyone?</h2>
<p>Last night I was talking with a classmate. She had a <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/cltrace/" title="Cayuga Lake Tri">Cayuga Lake Tri</a> cap on and I asked her about how her race went. She replied that it was great except for the swim sharing, <em>"I panicked 50 feet in and almost bailed. Then I did the backstroke the rest of the way."</em> I was surprised to hear someone else had the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2014/" title="Cayuga Lake Triathlon 2014">same experience</a> I had. We laughed that we both panicked, couldn't get air and in self preservation decided to backstroke. It made me feel SO much better to talk to her and to know we were both taking steps to make sure that next year we can tell a much different race day story.</p>
<h2 id="halfway-there">Halfway there</h2>
<p>With 4 classes to go, I'm optimistic. The layering that Shane is doing is helping me a lot. Every week we go back to reinforce and imprint the skills we have been working on and we layer something new!</p>
South Sister (Climber's Trail) - August 20102014-09-22T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/hiking/south-sister-climbers-trail-august-2010/<h2 id="itinerary">Itinerary</h2>
<p>This was our very first solo family alpine camping adventure. We'd been on several outings with my sister and her boyfriend over the years, and this year Scott and I decided we were ready to use Sarah's GPS, filter our own water, manage our food and gear and get our kids up to the summit of South Sister without any experts along to guide us.</p>
<p>At age 9, Elizabeth had 3 prior big hiking trips under her belt, and this would be her 6 year-old brother's 2nd trip out west.</p>
<p>Our plan called for us to hike in via the <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gDfxMDT8MwRydLA1cj72BTJw8jAwjQL8h2VAQAzHJMsQ!!?ss=110601&ttype=recarea&recid=38994&actid=51&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&position=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&navid=110290000000000&pnavid=110000000000000&cid=null&pname=Central+Oregon+-+Soda+Creek+Trail" title="Soda Creek Trail">Soda Creek Trail</a> near Bend, Oregon to Green Lakes and set up camp at one of the numbered campsites. We were heading in on a weekday, so were reasonably confident we'd have no trouble finding an available site. We'd filter water that evening, enjoy a nice meal with our new camp stove and play some Uno, dig our toilet spots, and enjoy the stars. The next morning, we'd get up early and summit South Sister via one of two climber's trails. We had looked carefully over the route with Sarah and Adam in the days prior, and been fully schooled in the use of her GPS to track ourselves. This route joins the main hiking route near a glacial lake, where we'd begin the steady ascent to the top on the trail of red rock. After a brief stop at the top, we planned to descend down the main hiker's trail and return to our campsite for another cooked meal and more water filtering. If this went well, we planned to take Xander up Broken Top the next day. Elizabeth and I made it nearly to the Broken Top summit 3 years prior with Adam and Sarah. We both chickened out of the brief required rock climbing part near the summit. Our family thought we could get to that same spot. After Broken Top, we would hike out via the shorter, more popular <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gDfxMDT8MwRydLA1cj72BTJw8jAwjQL8h2VAQAzHJMsQ!!/?ss=110601&ttype=recarea&recid=38870&actid=50&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&position=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&navid=110290000000000&pnavid=110000000000000&pname=Central+Oregon+-+Green+Lakes+Trail" title="Green Lakes Trail">Green Lakes trail</a> back to our car.</p>
<h2 id="soda-creek">Soda Creek</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/09/IMG_9884.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Slogging up the Soda Creek trail" title="Slogging up the Soda Creek trail" /><p class="stickyNote">Slogging up the Soda Creek trail</p></div>
<p>By this point in our two-week trip, we'd learned that Elizabeth wasn't very keen to hike this summer and her brother was <em>thrilled</em> to be out on any trail. Loaded to the gills with gear, we departed the parking lot in 95-degree heat. To get all of our gear up, I had a pack on my front and back. Not too many miles into the trip, we were having words about whining. There were a lot of little stream crossings, some good elevation change for kids with packs, and the heat made for slow going. Xander embraced every stream crossing and enjoyed most of this trek, while his sister complained a lot about the dust, the heat and the elevation change. However, at 9 and a half years old, she was carrying a 16-pound pack, and Xander was only responsible for his hydration backpack. We knew once we made camp and got settled that morale would improve for her and we'd all enjoy the lovely scenery of Green Lakes.</p>
<h2 id="camp">Camp</h2>
<div class="main-carousel" data-flickity='{ "fullscreen": true, "wrapAround": "true", "autoPlay": "3000", "pauseAutoPlayOnHover": true }'><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2014/09/IMG_0005.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Ready for a cold night" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2014/09/IMG_0004.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Dinner time" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2014/09/IMG_0006.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Digging our bathrooms" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2014/09/IMG_0001.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Time to camp" />
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<p>Upon arrival, our first order of business was to find a campsite that was appealing to everyone. We quickly found an area that was very close to the climber's trail we'd be taking the next morning. The evening low temperatures would be here before we knew it, so it was time to head to the lakes to filter water, and to make sure we were dressed in our long underwear, hats and mittens so we were ready for the cold. We had some trouble with the water filter we'd borrowed from Sarah and Adam. It got some debris caught in it, and stopped working. Luckily we'd managed to filter a lot of water, and we had a backup sterilizing plan of using iodine tablets. We enjoyed a delicious simple dinner of macaroni and cheese and settled into our tent for the night. I'm very scared to sleep in tents, and rarely sleep at all when the family is camping. A few hours into the night it became comical how many times I left the tent to go to the bathroom <em>"just one more time"</em> before settling in. Thankfully everyone else got some rest, and I must have fallen asleep for at least a little while!</p>
<h2 id="the-ascent">The Ascent</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/09/IMG_0011.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Crossing that first stream" title="Crossing that first stream" /><p class="stickyNote">Crossing that first stream</p></div>
<p>The next morning was chilly. We were ready with water, all of our gear <em>(it would start out cold, warm up midday on the mountain and we'd need all that cold weather stuff again at the summit)</em>, water, lunch and snacks. The most precarious spot was 5 minutes into our climb when we had a stream crossing. No one fell into any streams on the first day, but something about this crossing made me nervous. We all made it, so no wet feet for the ascent!</p>
<p>It wasn't long before we were heading straight up South Sister. Early in the climb, we had to cross a snowfield. We didn't have crampons and the snow was still very hard packed. It was difficult to dig in, and we really missed having Sarah and Adam along to help keep everything even keeled. Scott did a very nice job of making holes for feet, and while we had a couple of close calls (slips), we all made it across. At 6 and a half years old, Xander was so little that it was tough for him to really get his feet in and stay on that hard packed snow, and Elizabeth was afraid of the exposure on this stretch. Between here and the glacial lake where we enjoyed our lunch we didn't snap many pictures. Much of this time was spent feeling nervous about the exposure, the route and being really cold. During this time, you cannot see the true summit of the mountain, only a false one which makes you feel you are much closer than you truly are. We had some tense moments when Elizabeth was so afraid of the exposure she couldn't move forward or backwards, but pretty soon we found ourselves at the lake enjoying lunch.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/09/IMG_0026.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Xander near the glacial lake" title="Xander near the glacial lake" /><p class="stickyNote">Xander near the glacial lake</p></div>
<p>At lunch, while sipping from our hydration packs, we realized we hadn't brought our iodine pills! We saw other people refilling water from the lake, and suddenly we realized we might run out of water. Xander and Elizabeth each only had 1 liter on their back, while Scott and I had 2. Xander's water was nearly empty from constant sipping and Elizabeth's tube had a slow leak so she was low as well. Our lunch also wasn't very appealing. We were tired of sweet things and we had peanut butter and jelly on <em>very</em> "bready" bagels, trail mix and assorted dried fruit. Our only savory item was a bag of baby carrots, which we really enjoyed!</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/09/IMG_0035.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="At the summit!" title="At the summit!" /><p class="stickyNote">At the summit!</p></div>
<p>We continued to trudge up the mountain, and it was right after this lake that the our route re-connected with the main hiking trail. From this point onward it would be a straightforward hike, and a crowded one at that. Every point of our route would be visible, and in many ways it would become more challenging being able to see exactly where we were headed. However, we'd hiked this trail with Sarah and Adam the prior summer and we knew exactly what to expect. It is a slow but steady climb to the top with variable temperatures, a lot of wind, but not too much exposure. Before long we were enjoying a summit view all the way up the chain of the Cascades. While at the top, I remembered some of my favorite hikes in Germany with my family when my father would say "do you want to go to the top of the next mountain?" From a young age I have been crazy giddy at the idea of reaching a summit and my answer was always "Yes, let's go!" with no thought to whether we were prepared to do so. Here, I found myself wanting to disregard all common sense and head north to the next summit. It looks SO close when you are standing on the top of a neighboring peak. However, common sense prevailed and we began our descent after crossing through a lovely snowfield to get back onto the main trail.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/09/IMG_0039.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="The kids crossing the snowfield" title="The kids crossing the snowfield" /><p class="stickyNote">The kids crossing the snowfield</p></div>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/09/IMG_0042.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Beginning the downward trek" title="Beginning the downward trek" /><p class="stickyNote">Beginning the downward trek</p></div>
<p>It wasn't until mid-way down that we realized our downward trek wasn't gaining us much time, and we were going to run out of daylight. We'd taken the main trail back because we were worried that Elizabeth wouldn't be able to handle the exposure of the downward traverse on the climber's trail, so we were in for an 11-mile day. Our water supply was dwindling, and while we had plenty of food, the only food that would also quench our thirst was our half empty bag of baby carrots. Feet were beginning to hurt, and everyone was feeling dusty, hot and tired. When we passed Moraine Lake and merged onto the Green Lakes main trail, I asked Scott to run ahead a few miles to the campsite to filter water before dark. We had brought all of our filtered water, and the iodine method takes some time to work. We'd need water for drinking and for cooking dinner soon. He was reluctant to leave us, but I assured him that I know this trail well and that we'd be fine. The kids and I got into a nice hiking rhythm and while we were really thirsty, we knew we were fine. We settled upon a pattern of eating one carrot every 20 minutes or so in order to feel less thirsty! We came upon a junction at some point in the trail and Scott had left us a bag of Craisins and a scratched a note in the dirt telling us we were close. Before long we were back at the campsite. It was nearly dark, and Scott had water boiling for us to enjoy our pre-packaged meals. We'd bought some "just add water" meals to enjoy on this second night. I don't think any food has ever tasted this good!!</p>
<p>That night the kids were tired. Our feet were tired. And, we realized from our time on the climbing trail that Elizabeth was really afraid of exposure. We struggled to get her up Broken Top when she was 6, and we realized that this time would probably be just as challenging. So, we decided to wait for another trip to tackle Broken Top for the 2nd time. Our 2nd day would be a casual day hike, followed by breaking down camp and heading out via the Green Lakes trail.</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/09/IMG_0041.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Xander and Scott on the way down the mountain" title="Xander and Scott on the way down the mountain" /><p class="stickyNote">Xander and Scott on the way down the mountain</p></div>
<p>We chose to use this hike as our qualifying climb for <a href="http://mazamas.org/about-us/mazamas-faq/" title="Mazamas">Mazamas membership</a> because we all did it together with no help <em>(except for getting prepared before we went, and we are most grateful to Sarah and Adam for that help)</em> and we were able to take a "route less traveled" for a big chunk of the ascent, making it feel more challenging. We learned A LOT on this climb including:</p>
<ul>
<li>Carry water sterilizing gear at all times!</li>
<li>Pack a variety of food options. PB&J may sound good pre-hike, but by the 3rd meal it doesn't taste very delicious. Sarah told us this, but we didn't listen!</li>
<li>Do bring cold weather gear. We'd learned this on prior trips and we were prepared on this trip.</li>
<li>Bring a change of underwear! We were so concerned about weight that we left that out, and that was pretty uncomfortable by day 3 - especially for the ladies.</li>
</ul>
Total Immersion Level 1 Week 32014-09-18T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-week-3/<h2 id="practice">Practice</h2>
<p>After our 2nd class, Shane sent us some great videos and I practiced them in front of my computer at home. I also went to the pool to work on practicing in the water. I felt pretty comfortable with the land drills, and pretty ill at ease in the water. After two weeks of class, I was pretty excited to get back into the water for class #3.</p>
<h2 id="myelination">Myelination</h2>
<p>As we stood there practicing our front quadrant walk, Shane helped alter my arm position and I remembered that he majored in Modern Dance in college. My daughter is a dancer, and she's very coordinated. I needed Shane's video to help me remember which arm lined up with which leg for the entire time I practiced the front quadrant walk. As such, it wasn't much of a surprise that he needed to refine my arm positions!</p>
<p>Shane reminded us that his email promised to share the process of myelination. He went on to say that myelin is the fatty sheathing that covers nerves. Laying down more myelin on nerve paths will begin in about 2 weeks of consistent practice. I read more about the process and found a <a href="http://thetalentcode.com/myelin/" title="Myelination">nice explanation.</a> Everything I read talked about adolescence and the importance of laying down this myelin early in our lives. Shane didn't talk about needing to lay down myelin decades ago, or tell us it was a loss if we didn't yet know how to swim. Shane focuses on the here and now. A quick read of his <a href="http://www.zendurancecycling.com/shane-eversfield.html" title="Shane Bio">bio</a> will inspire anyone of any age to start something new. And if I can lay some more myelin in 2 weeks - well that's fabulous news!</p>
<h2 id="painters%2C-not-farmers">Painters, not farmers</h2>
<p>We hopped into the lap pool, going from end to end practicing our newly learned stroke. Swim wide with gorilla arms, lead from the shoulder, and make sure to slide your arm into a sleeve with entry. Shane told us it was a layering exercise. We were going to start small and add steps until the house of cards fell apart. And it would.</p>
<p>Midway through the layering, I felt like I lost all forward momentum. On one of our last trips across the pool, Shane pointed out that my arms were literally plowing the water. I was leading with my hands instead of my shoulders, and my arm was acting like a brake. He smiled and said "remember painters, not farmers." We did a couple more laps, and I watched as most of my classmates seemed to understand this principle. At this point in the class, I was freezing and struggling to keep a positive approach. But, I knew the warm pool was coming and I'd get to warm up in a few minutes!</p>
<h2 id="stealth-swimming">Stealth swimming</h2>
<p>Aah, the 89-degree warm pool! Shane began this portion with a great story about elite triathletes that he'd coached. He'd put them in an endless pool with a swift current and they'd swim really hard for 5 minutes. They'd stop and he would ask them how that felt. "Great!" they'd reply. Then it was Shane's turn to use the endless pool. With no change in current setting, he'd hop in and in his very Zen way he'd swim. He was graceful and calm. He'd hop out and it was a revelation to these athletes that he was swimming as fast as them. "No!" they'd say and he would respond, "I didn't change the current. It wasn't pushing me backwards." Hmmm.</p>
<p>Our class practiced putting our hand deliberately into a "sleeve" while stationary. Then, we added that to our stroke and circle swam around a woman exercising in the center of the warm pool. It was GREAT! We were slow and stealthy and it was mesmerizing. I, however, was still plowing. I mentioned that to Shane. He replied, "If you've always approached swimming with apprehension, it will take awhile to unlearn those habits and feelings. You will need to retrain your brain." He went on to share with all of us that swimming was similar to sculpting from a large block of wood. We were unlearning all the bad habits we'd formed in our lives and what was left was our sculpture, our pure swimming.</p>
<h2 id="tense-muscles-sink">Tense muscles sink</h2>
<p>"If your muscles are tense, they vibrate. Your body will seek out the pockets in the water and fall into them. It sounds crazy but it is true," says Shane. We have just learned the proper time to breathe along with how to roll our head to get air. I rolled my head but got water and asked why. My muscles are tense. I am nervous in the water. Always worried about drowning, I'm sure I'm the person who literally lifts my entire head from the water to breathe. Then, my back end sinks and the rest is history. I realize that I need to remove pressure from myself - I shouldn't think that I'll be a solid swimmer in 8 weeks. Just try to soak in what I can, practice and begin chipping away at the large block of wood to slowly reveal that sculpture.</p>
<h2 id="and-the-next-day-...">And the next day ...</h2>
<p>Wednesdays are my crazy exercise morning. I begin with a 6 a.m. BodyPump class, followed by an hour long trail run and then an 8:30 a.m. spin class. Today, I added swim practice to the morning. It was time to begin adding myelin! In the warm pool, I worked on our drills and began my stealth swimming practice. The best moment was when another classmate arrived. She stood on the pool deck and stopped me saying, "I knew you had to be someone from our class by the way you were swimming!" And for me, this was what I needed to hear. Someone in my class could recognize that I was practicing what Shane was teaching us. My heart sang a little and I went back to my swim practice, trying to paint instead of plow.</p>
Total Immersion Level 1 Week 22014-09-15T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-week-2/<h2 id="practice">Practice</h2>
<p>I didn't practice the first week. Yes, I did the gorilla walk on land and I thought a lot about swimming. But, the body needs to practice to imprint the behavior. Watching my Total Immersion Videos and thinking about swimming was not going to do a lot for my swim stroke. I did have a wonderful run mid-week where I tried to keep a zen attitude and to learn forward and let gravity do the work for me. My easy run pace was much faster than normal on this run, and I felt really thrilled!</p>
<h2 id="land-practice">Land Practice</h2>
<p>We stood on the pool deck and did some gorilla walk practice. Looking at ourselves in the window "mirror" we practiced our front quadrant walk. I admit that my time here was spent thinking "my hips look fat" and trying to remind myself that this didn't much matter while practicing swimming. I was grateful when we stopped having to look at ourselves in the mirror and even more grateful when Shane fixed my arm while doing the walk. After practicing this a few times, he had us grab flippers and hop into the lap pool for some practice.</p>
<h2 id="lap-pool">Lap Pool</h2>
<p>We donned our flippers and eased into this pool. At 80 degrees, it is really quite appropriate for swimming. I sat there watching people happily hop in, one after another. Finally, I dipped my body in as my teeth chattered. I was happy to see one or two other women easing themselves in and struggling to stay warm, but I couldn't help thinking that if I could embrace being chilled I'd enjoy swimming a lot more!</p>
<p>We practiced the Superman glide position and moved into our Skate position. This felt pretty good for me, and Shane reminded us that his goal was to put himself out of a job as quickly as possible. I had to really push back against my mind when I found it saying "sure this feels fine, but wait until you really have to swim." I enjoyed being in a large group, able to practice and mess up without someone really looking only at me.</p>
<h2 id="warm-pool">Warm Pool</h2>
<p>We entered the 89 degree warm pool and I was blissfully happy and warm for about 10 minutes! Later, I decided that this pool should be 98 degrees for my total comfort. Shane had us really focus on our recovery arm. He talked a lot about the importance of the recovery arm. Read <a href="http://www.zendurancecycling.com/shane-eversfield-zenmans-blog-the-swimmers-dilemma.html" title="Swimmer's Dilemma">Shane's blog</a> to learn more about this important part of swimming. Later, as the class went on, we started working on relaxing our arm and shoulder and "painting" in both directions. I found this enjoyable, though I was much more tense than I should have been. As the evening went on and I got colder I began to covet the wetsuit that one of my classmates had on. As we added layers to what we were doing, I felt like it was more and more challenging to do what Shane asked. However, we practiced in groups of 3-5 and he was able to give us some feedback and body correction. One thing that always astounds me is when I feel like I'm doing what he asks, and my body is SO out of position! I'm both grateful for the correction, and bummed that I need so much of it.</p>
<h2 id="highlights">Highlights</h2>
<p>If I said I felt optimistic about this after class #2, I'd be lying. This week I felt defeated. It feels like learning a foreign language that I am not terribly interested in learning. However, I've talked with SO many adults who are terrible swimmers, or people that never learned to swim as children who have grown to love swimming as adults. I also realize the need to have a cross training option for dealing with injury and adding variety to my training.</p>
<p>I've learned that I need to try hard to push back against my mind that is always looping "you can't swim" and "you are the worst swimmer in this class." It is challenging to turn off those negative thoughts. I need to remind myself that just 11 years ago, I was afraid to get onto a bike and 8 years ago when training for my first half marathon, I stomped home from many a run.</p>
<p>I'm glad to have the opportunity to take this class, and trying to look forward to class #3.</p>
Total Immersion Level 1 Week 12014-09-15T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/total-immersion-week-1/<h2 id="introductions-%26-lecture">Introductions & Lecture</h2>
<p>This class is held at my local gym, <a href="http://www.islandhealthfitness.com/" title="Island Health and Fitness">Island Health and Fitness</a> in Ithaca, NY. I learned about Shane from Ian at <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Club">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Club</a>. I was in the store buying goggles telling Ian that I really needed to learn to swim and he said "you should really see <a href="http://www.zendurancecycling.com/shane-eversfield.html" title="Shane Eversfield">Shane</a>!" He put me in touch and I took a private lesson. I enjoyed it and learned a lot in the session. However, my practice was derailed by my own <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/swim/why-i-dont-love-swimming/" title="Why I don’t LOVE Swimming">sensitivity to comments from others</a>, and a couple of years later I find myself ready for the next step; a group lesson.</p>
<p>This first class was two classes combined, so it is a large group. I learned during introductions that some are former swimmers, some triathletes, and others are total newbies to the sport. Introductions eased my fears and I found myself eager for the lecture. Shane opened the class with this quote from Abraham Lincoln.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I lack patience, and the quote made me cringe. I remembered learning to ski when I fell for the first time. My friend Stephanie laid down in the snow next to me, carefully teaching me how to get up. I desperately wanted her to lift me, but she showed me how and waited patiently as I struggled and struggled but finally learned. As a 7th grader, I was mortified, lying there in the snow helpless. I realized at this moment that this swim class would be just like falling during skiing. No quick fixes. I would have to find patience.</p>
<p>Shane shared that novice swimmers are 1-3% efficient, and elite swimmers are 9-10% efficient while dolphins are 90% efficient. A an improvement of a mere 1-2% will dramatically improve a swim time, while improving aerobic output by the same percentage will have minimal effects on finish time. Shane is very Zen, and he stressed that we should be looking for the path of least resistance through the water and in life.</p>
<p>All this time, I've been muscling through the water thinking that the harder I work, the more breathless I am, the faster I'll be. Shane was telling me the exact opposite. I could continue to muscle through and get a great cardio workout, but it would be just that.</p>
<h2 id="the-water">The Water</h2>
<p>After some land practice, we made it to the warm pool at the gym. At 89 degrees, warm is relative. I was freezing within 10 minutes. This is the major reason I dislike swimming. I'm so cold! However, Shane started with our practicing right away. I knew from the videos and from my private class how we'd begin. We started with Superman Glide, moved into skate, and discussed the "hammock" position. We did a lot of partner practice, and some solo work as well.</p>
<p>During this hour in the pool, I relaxed a lot. Although, I was initially uncomfortable working with a partner, I slowly realized that I wasn't the only person struggling with what he was asking us to do. Each person added to our class discussion and learning. It was nice to hear others ask questions and see each class member try what he asked us to do. I left feeling really good and very positive about the future classes.</p>
<h2 id="highlights">Highlights</h2>
<ul>
<li>When asked to relax in the water, I struggled. My legs fell toward the bottom of the pool, while many other people's legs floated. Shane reminded us that if we are tense our muscles vibrate and we will sink. He also said to remember to take in air and keep the air. When I practiced next, I realized I was taking in air, but promptly letting it out as I got into the water.</li>
<li>During the land exercises, I looked around and understood that we were all struggling. This helped me relax. Later, I enjoyed the fact that many of us were asking questions and realized that whatever our background is we all have something to learn.</li>
<li>He asked us to "swim wide" like a gorilla. We should take up the entire swim lane. When we need to swim by someone, we should pull in and resume our wide swim promptly.</li>
<li>He told us we'd be resting in the "hammock" position almost 90% of the time we're swimming. Shane joked that we'd get extra points if we fell asleep while swimming.</li>
<li>He asked us to have the mind set of a child thinking "this is the first time I'm doing this" or the mind of a fatalist and think "this is the last time I'll get to do this." Either will work toward helping us approach the water in a positive and playful way.</li>
</ul>
Why I don't LOVE Swimming2014-09-04T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/swim/why-i-dont-love-swimming/<p>I have been thinking about swimming a lot as I prepare to take the next step in training. My mom and dad made sure that I'd be confident in the water, making sure to take me to lessons until I reached reasonable proficiency. My dad was in the Army, and we moved frequently, and sometimes I credit this for why lessons were difficult for me.</p>
<h2 id="childhood-swim-memories">Childhood swim memories</h2>
<ul>
<li>North Carolina. Age 10. I was in lessons at an outdoor pool. I remember standing on the side of the pool, freezing and scared. It was my turn to jump in and do a time trial to see what my placement would be. I have no idea how I performed, what my placement was, or even the set of lessons to follow. The memory of feeling frozen and scared is so strong! So, later in life, when most of my friends were opting for summer lessons for their kids in the local outdoor pool, I signed my kids up for indoor lessons at the YMCA. I declared that I couldn't possibly ask them to get in the water when it was freezing or raining.</li>
<li>When I moved to Watertown NY in grade 6, our school had an indoor pool. This meant swimming in gym class. Traumatic doesn't even begin to describe this experience. Moving in grade 6, it was the first time for locker rooms and adding the pool and all the things that go with getting wet and back into school clothes was just too much for me. I managed to get through the swim units, but did find myself wishing for an extended illness to hit for these 4 week sessions!</li>
<li>My sophomore year in High School I was at a weekend event for Key Club, and one of the activities was a swim relay. The relay team needed a 4th person and they were willing to take anyone. After much begging <em>(while repeatedly said that I really couldn't swim)</em> they convinced me. With 3 strong swimmers, they just needed someone to make it across the pool. Well, I was the anchor and we were in solid first place when I started. We LOST by quite a margin.</li>
<li>But I have a positive memory as well. In my senior year of High School, I decided that I wanted to swim. My mom and I swam laps 3 mornings a week before school that year. I don't remember why or how we decided to do that, but have fond memories of the time. I'm embarrassed to say that the pool facilities were a key factor in my college choice. And, I never used the pool at Geneseo State - not once in 4 years!</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="re-learning-to-swim-as-an-adult">Re-Learning to swim as an adult</h2>
<ul>
<li>When I decided to do the Cayuga Lake Tri in 2009, I also planned to do the Tri for the Y as a test to learn the ins and outs of transition. To plan, I enrolled in a Saturday swim class. After 8 weeks of class I felt ready to start the training plan. When I started class, I couldn't swim 25 yards comfortably in a freestyle stroke. By the end of class, not much had changed, but I did feel marginally more confident.</li>
<li>That same year, Scott and I followed a <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/training/2013_Sprint_Distance_Training_Plan.pdf" title="Newbie Sprint Tri Training Plan">Newbie training plan</a> with great success. While my swimming wasn't strong, I felt ready.</li>
<li>In spring of 2013, I followed a friend's suggestion to just put the time in at the pool and work up to swimming a mile. The thought was that by swimming regularly that form would eventually come. I followed <a href="http://www.ruthkazez.com/SwimWorkouts/ZeroTo1mile.html" title="Swim a Mile">this plan</a> to the letter. By the end, I felt really comfortable with the mile distance. I could do it completely freestyle, and found myself not dreading the time in the pool. I was slow, but comfortable.</li>
<li>Following the event in 2013, I enrolled in a private swim session with <a href="http://totalimmersion.net/blog/author/coachshane/" title="Total Immersion - Shane ">Shane from Total Immersion</a>. It was good. I had already bought the video series, and tried to work with these on my own. I thought the one on one would really help me. It did, but in my one lesson we got as far as breathing. I went to practice a couple of days after my lesson and as I got out of the pool, the lifeguard made the innocent comment, "you look like you are working on a lot!" followed by "take it slow and work on one thing at a time." I was so sensitive about swimming at the time that this one comment sidelined me from the pool. I remember fighting tears as I drove home. It was a couple of months before I got back into the pool, and by that time most of what I had learned from Shane was gone.</li>
<li>In spring of 2014, I practiced swimming a little bit. I swam just enough to ensure I could finish the distance for the Cayuga Lake Tri, and attended a clinic the day before the race. We practiced the mass start and learned how to handle this essential time in a race. I was optimistic after this clinic, if a little bit freaked out. However, I knew I wasn't ready to plow into the water fast with the group and planned to hang back a bit <em>(like I normally do).</em> Race day morning for some unknown reason, I jumped right into the fray. I panicked before the first buoy and considered dropping from the event. After treading water a bit, I flipped to my back and had my fastest swim time for the race <em>(still very slow).</em></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>This last experience</strong> was my kick in the behind to take Shane's full on Total Immersion 8 week class. I happened to be talking with a friend who also struggles with swimming a few weeks after the tri and she said she was going to make it happen as well. I checked my gym's schedule and saw a class was starting in 2 weeks. It means juggling 2 kids' piano lessons, ballet, cross country, choir and my swimming and requires both Scott and me to drive 40 minutes round trip to manage the mess of activity, but it is worth it! I am excited, and feel like all my prior swim experiences have led me here.</p>
Green Lakes 50K2014-08-23T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/green-lakes-50k/<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>This whole journey started when my name wasn't pulled for the NYC marathon lottery. Needing a new goal, I searched around for fall marathons and didn't find anything screaming out to me. Scott and I were both bitten by the trail running bug when we watched my sister at the <a href="http://www.wser.org/" title="Western States 100">Western States 100 miler</a> last summer, and <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/">Scott</a> had already signed up for his first 50K, so naturally a 50K was a top contender.</p>
<p>I settled on the <a href="http://gleruns.org/" title="Green Lakes Endurance Runs">Green Lakes Ultra Marathon</a> because I LOVE those lakes and started training with my <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/Green-Lakes.pages.pdf" title="Green Lakes Training Plan">custom plan</a>. The plan incorporated all that I hoped to keep doing while training well for my first 50K. My friend Jenny and I have trained together for all the marathons we've done <em>(5 between us)</em> so naturally I hoped to talk her into joining me in the GLER. Jenny loves the crowds and energy of the big marathon, so I wasn't sure she'd be interested. Since she also wasn't finding a big city fall marathon that was calling to her, she decided to start following my training plan. Before long, we were weeks and weeks into the plan. Things were going well! And, if memory serves, Jenny signed up for GLER right after Scott finished the <a href="http://fl50sultraz.blogspot.com/" title="Finger Lakes 50s">Finger Lakes 50s</a> in early July.</p>
<p>I wrote about <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/training/" title="Green Lakes Training">every week of training</a> during the 16 week process. Over the training cycle, I managed to do almost every workout. The last couple of weeks were crazy with vacation and a sore Achilles. The few days before the race I had 3 of the roughest runs I had during the whole training cycle. I told my family not to come up to watch, and warned Jenny there was a chance I could not finish this distance if my Achilles felt the way it did for the last week. <em>(Jenny and I planned all along to run together, so this would derail her plans as well)</em>. But, with a hopeful spirit and trust in my training, I headed up to packet pick-up at <a href="http://www.fleetfeetsyracuse.com/" title="Fleet Feet Sports">Fleet Feet Sports</a> in Syracuse with Jenny.</p>
<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/08/IMG_1565-e1408910787342.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Before the start with Jenny" title="Before the start with Jenny" /><p class="stickyNote">Before the start with Jenny</p></div>
<p>Fueled by a great pre-race dinner at <a href="http://pastabilities.com/home.asp" title="Pastabilities">Pastabilities</a> in Armory Square with Brenna and Jenny, we headed off to sleep around 10 p.m. Brenna lives a few miles from <a href="http://nysparks.com/parks/172/details.aspx" title="Green Lakes State Park">Green Lakes State Park</a>, and she graciously offered to host us, so we were able to sleep "in" to the relatively late pre-race time of 4:30 a.m. After a quick breakfast of an english muffin with peanut butter, some iced coffee and cherry juice we were off to the park. Upon arrival, we had time to check in, meet up with my fellow <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="Finger Lakes Running Company">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> ambassadors and begin our event. The run started at 6 o'clock on the dot, and we quickly settled into a comfortable rhythm.</p>
<p>The race is comprised of four 7.75 mile loops. The terrain varies from lakeside gravel paths, spongy lakeside wood chip paths, to forest with a portion taking place in open grassy area referred to by the race organizers as "the Serengeti." It was a cloudy day with really high humidity and a pretty good chance of rain. As we headed into the forest, I felt like I was suffocating in the humidity, and was blissfully happy when the Serengeti felt nice and breezy! We cheerfully ran up the hill to the first power line cut and passed a big cluster of people. We both felt pretty strong, and enjoyed the rather soft surface of the Serengeti <em>(for our one training run on the course it was hard packed and much less forgiving).</em> Time flew by rather quickly on this loop as we were leapfrogging people, chatting with fellow runners, and enjoying the scenery. On the gradual downhill back down to the lakes from the forest, I tripped on a root and nearly fell, but caught myself well. We came into the main Aid Station at 1:22:16, fueled up and headed out for loop 2.</p>
<p>It was nice to know what to expect for this second loop. The first 1/4 again felt the most challenging and the trip up through the woods was a bit more tiring than the first time. We power hiked hills we had run during the first loop, and people spread out enough that we didn't leap frog anyone. We stopped at the mid-way Aid Station after skipping it on the first loop, and I scarfed down some potato chips and a few peanut m&ms before heading off. Jenny and I always have plenty of things to talk about, but neither of us felt very chatty on this loop, and it felt longer than our first time around. We stopped for a bathroom break before finishing up loop 2 with a 1:29:54 for a total time of 2:52:10 for the first half. As we were standing in the main Aid Station, I looked back and saw my friend Scott just entering the area. Knowing he'd catch us, I didn't try to grab his attention before we headed off.</p>
<p>Our 3rd loop started much the way loop 2 did, but this time we both knew this was going well! I didn't want to jinx us, but I had to point out that we had finished 16 miles already and we had a sub 3 hour time. Most of our training runs of this distance lasted MUCH longer, so this was really exciting! We congratulated ourselves for training on the hilly terrain in Ithaca, often seeking out the most challenging routes we could find! Then, as we hit the 2nd hill through the woods, Scott caught up with us. We chatted about how we were all feeling, and settled into a comfortable pace together. He was doing the 100K and Jenny hadn't met him prior to the race. They chatted <em>(at this point I was feeling happy enough to run, but not quite energetic enough to carry on a coherent conversation, so I welcomed the opportunity to listen)</em> and we stayed together until the end of the third loop. During this last 2/3 of the loop it started raining. It quickly went from drizzle to downpour and pretty soon our feet were soaked! Luckily, we had done some of our training runs in rain and with wet feet, so we felt ok. We caught ourselves commenting happily that we had one loop after this, only to quickly realize that Scott had 5 remaining! We bid each other a temporary farewell when we arrived at the main Aid Station. Our 3rd split was 1:34:34 and our overall time was 4:26:43. We just happened to be at the main area when the first female finisher came through. It was her very first ultra and she WON for the women!!</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/08/IMG_1570.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Proud Finishers" title="Proud Finishers" /><p class="stickyNote">Proud Finishers</p></div>
<p>Jenny changed her socks, and we decided to brave the last loop without our hydration packs. Our clothes were sopping wet, and it would feel nice to drop some weight. With only 4 miles to the next AS, it seemed reasonable to go without our water. The trails were really muddy by this point, and we spent more time focused on our footing. As we entered the 2nd hill in the woods I felt an acute pain in my foot. A blister had formed and popped <em>(I suspected and later confirmed).</em> It was over as quickly as it happened and we headed up to the Serengeti for the last time. I was wearing a GPS, and when we hit 26.2 I told Jenny. We were now on uncharted territory; our longest run ever! Running low on energy, I thought we were pretty close to the Aid Station. At mile 27 Jenny commented "each step is a new distance for us" at the same moment I realized we were farther from the station than I thought. I stopped and said "I have to walk." A moment of "I don't think I can do this" came and left just as quickly. We were less than 100 yards from our Aid Station, and we ran in confidently. Scott arrived just as we were heading out, and we wished him good luck on his remaining laps just in case we didn't leap frog again.</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/08/IMG_3206.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Homemade Viva 'Goats'" title="Homemade Viva 'Goats'" /><p class="stickyNote">Homemade Viva 'Goats'</p></div>
<p>This last trip down back to the lakes, the footing was really treacherous with the wet roots. I was very grateful that I had almost fallen on loop 1. This near miss made me super aware to watch my footing the remainder of the run. Before we knew it we were coming into the Round Lake trail; the 2nd to last portion of our last loop. We caught up to two ladies whom we thought were way ahead of us, and we enjoyed chatting with them for a minute before wishing them luck and heading off to complete our final 1.5 miles. The sun was coming out as we finished with a last loop time of 1:37:19 for an overall time of 6:04:01. Our first 50K was in the books! Race Director Tim Hardy met us with medals and our pint glass and we celebrated with Gatorade, pictures and popsicles. <em>(and later, at home I enjoyed margaritas with Scott in my new pint glass)</em></p>
<h2 id="overall-thoughts">Overall Thoughts</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/08/IMG_3196.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="With flowers from Scott to congratulate us!" title="With flowers from Scott to congratulate us!" /><p class="stickyNote">With flowers from Scott to congratulate us!</p></div>
<p>I am SO glad I participated in the <a href="http://gleruns.org/" title="Green Lakes Endurance Run">GLER</a>! The terrain is beautiful, the training helped me grow as a person and a runner, and I feel tremendously grateful to have had the opportunity to participate. I am so thankful for the support from all my friends and family for this 16 week adventure! A friend asked me after the race yesterday if a 50 miler was next. I think that for now, I'm happy to have added trail running to my life, and am looking forward to some rest before deciding what will come next. After the <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/cltrace/" title="Cayuga Lake Triathlon">Cayuga Lake Tri</a> early in the month, I did sign up for a <a href="http://www.islandhealthfitness.com/AquaticsCenter-immersion.cfm" title="Total Immersion Swimming">Total Immersion Swim class</a> this fall, and I'm very excited to start working to improve my swimming for next year's multi-sport event(s)!</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Time: 6:04:01<br />
41/101 <em>(overall)</em><br />
2/20 <em>(age group)</em><br />
<a href="http://www.leonetiming.com/2014/Roads/GreenLakes/GL50K14.htm" title="Green Lakes 50K">Official Results</a></p>
Green Lakes Training Week 132014-08-08T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/green-lakes-training-week-13/<p>Weekly Stats: 28.8 running miles, 750 yards of swimming, 14miles on bike, 1 lifting session, and 1 yoga session. Hard to believe that just a week ago I ran almost 50 miles!</p>
<p>I found this week rather uneventful and uninspiring. It was Scott and Xander's final week of play rehearsal before their big production and Elizabeth had dance camp. Workouts were tough to squeeze in with the twice daily driving to camp and lots of game playing and pool time with Xander. However, my in-laws were amazing and totally cool about me running while Xander was at their pool with them, giving me variety in route and a chance to get a run in while my little boy was having a blast! I ran every day but Saturday this week, splitting my time between road and trail. I feel like trail running has made me rather finicky about the weather for road running. When I ran during lunch on Friday it was already warm and full sun, so I ventured to the trail to avoid the heat!! When I was training only on road I never worried much about heat and sun.</p>
<p>The highlight of this week was the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2014/" title="Cayuga Lake Triathlon 2014">Cayuga Lake Tri.</a> The only odd thing about the day was that even though I had altered my plan to let the race count for my long run, I felt compelled to run that day. When I got home from the race, I did Scott and Xander's stage make-up for their last show. Elizabeth decided to have a friend over, and I decided I must run. Note: It was POURING when I headed out still in my tri suit hours after the race. I had the most amazing run! It was fun to run while sopping wet with no concern about pace, distance or competition!</p>
Cayuga Lake Triathlon 20142014-08-03T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/cayuga-lake-triathlon-2014/<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>It sounds a little crazy, but I didn't specifically train for this event this year. I'm training for my first 50K later in August, so I focused on adding in some riding, and doing a little bit of swimming in the couple of months before the race. I love this race, and would have liked to train more, but the 50K calls for so much running that I didn't have a lot of time left to train to swim and bike. I did attend an open water swim clinic the day before the race. At this clinic, triathlete Doug MacLean helped us practice our starts and talked about strategies to use the pack to our advantage. I learned a lot from this that I'll take into the next training round. Unfortunately, for me, attending a clinic the day before was brain overload.</p>
<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/08/DSC_0162.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Before the Swim" title="Before the Swim" /><p class="stickyNote">Before the Swim</p></div>
<p><strong>Swim</strong> At our clinic, Doug had us practice the frenzied tri swim start. Working to get comfortable swimming in the chaotic start, staying with the pack and swimming hard would help us secure a nice spot in the swim pack. He suggested we really push the first yardage with all out effort, before settling into our pace. He also strongly advised a wetsuit. I borrowed my friend Lynn's wetsuit at the last minute, and decided I wouldn't heed his advice about swimming hard for fear of running out of air and energy soon into the swim and panicking. However, when the race started, I abruptly joined right in the fray. I hopped in and followed bubbles, staying on people's feet and getting jostled around. This was going well for me until I panicked right before the 50 meter buoy. This is the 4th time I've done this tri, and the first that I very seriously considered dropping. I treaded water for a minute, flipped onto my back, thought <em>"I'll just catch a ride home and run 20 miles instead"</em> and then <em>"have fun explaining to all the people who know you are doing this that you dropped out before you finished 50 meters of swimming!"</em> So, I flipped over and proceeded to do the back stroke for the entire distance. I haven't done this stroke in 6 years, but it felt right for my frame of mind that moment. I stayed near the buoy line on the way out, getting tossed into the big buoys a couple of times. On the way back in I got a bit farther out toward the kayaks than I would have liked. I ultimately finished this swim in 25:07 which while slow, was a swim PR for me. Heading out of the water, I really didn't transition very quickly. I was feeling crummy about giving up on freestyle. I was disappointed that I considered dropping, and wasn't feeling very energetic. Taking my time in transition gave me the time I needed to flip my brain around and give permission to just have fun with the bike and run, letting the stress of the swim melt away.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/08/IMG_3027.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Photo by Stevan Knapp" title="Photo by Stevan Knapp" /><p class="stickyNote">Photo by Stevan Knapp</p></div>
<p><strong>Bike</strong> As I hopped on my bike and headed up the hill, I felt happy. This was the first year I didn't start the bike with a sick stomach. I normally panic mid-swim about the fact that I'm in a lake and my head gets away with me. I've started every bike feeling like I'm going to throw up. So, it was a very pleasant surprise to feel totally great. Smiling as I biked up the hill, I zippily passed several people from my purple swim cap group, cheering them on as I passed by. Soon, I started getting passed by the 50+ male heat that started after me. I thought this might make me sad, but I found it really helpful. My friend Simon powered by and I picked up his cadence for a little while, then another speedy man and another chance to mimic cadence. I loved watching the great tri bikes pass me by, and I enjoyed continuing to gain on people in my swim group.</p>
<p>My friend and 50K training partner, Jenny was on the course somewhere, and she was really worried about both the swim and the bike. As I passed the remnants of a bike accident, I got really anxious that the accident could have been Jenny. This thought occupied my mind until a man passed me around mile 4 and promptly got a flat tire as he pulled back in. I pondered flat tires for the next mile, grateful that my tires were not flat. After mile 5, I saw Jenny heading back down the hill. We recognized each other and shouted encouragement. I was so relieved and happy for her! I relaxed instantly and continued on my bike, grateful that she was having a strong first tri. As I pulled into the turn around, I had failed to pass the woman in front of me</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/08/IMG_3002.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Transition to the run" title="Transition to the run" /><p class="stickyNote">Transition to the run</p></div>
<p>before we had to slow down, so I worked to pass her after that turnaround. She took right off and it took me awhile. Then, there were suddenly a lot of cars on the road and gluts of cyclists. I caught up to two ladies riding next to each other just chatting. The race is so strict with the 3 bike length rule for no drafting that I was really shocked that these bikers were just casually talking and riding together. After passing them, I switched gears too quickly and lost my chain. Luckily, this has happened to me in training rides, so I just pulled off to the side, put it back on and resumed my ride. I was really bummed because I was close to passing 17 mph for this ride, and I would have done it if this hadn't happened. The rest of the ride was uneventful. When I was pulled over with my chain, all the ladies I had recently passed shouted words of encouragement, and later when I caught back up they were also encouraging. I love the camaraderie of this race. For the first time ever, I was able to cycle down hill into the park without putting on my brakes. It was great to fly down the hill! Time 50:20 <em>(PR by about 6 minutes)</em></p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/08/IMG_3010.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="After the race with my Mom and Dad" title="After the race with my Mom and Dad" /><p class="stickyNote">After the race with my Mom and Dad</p></div>
<p><strong>Run</strong> Quickly changing into my new Pure Grits, I chatted with Scott briefly <em>(he was finished)</em> before heading out for the run. The funny thing about this was that I didn't much care to run when I started. I took off not really into it. The only part of the course that I don't like is the first 2/3 of a mile or so that is on grass as we start and end. I struggle to have a good attitude as the run begins, and today was no exception. However, once I got into the groove <em>(thanks to great cheering efforts from spectators on the sides)</em> it was great! I didn't have a GPS on so I just ran by feel. The only thing going against me was the memory of having gotten a cramp in the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/womens-distance-festival-2014/" title="Women’s Distance Festival 2014">Women's Distance Festival</a> a month ago. I tried to run right below full out effort threshold to avoid cramping again. I saw so many people I knew on the run, and enjoyed cheering each and every person on. After the run, I decided that perhaps I could run a bit faster if I were to spend less time saying "good job" and "you've got this" and "go xxx" to everyone. But, it wouldn't be nearly as fun!! Time for this 26:04. (<em>Also a PR by about a minute).</em></p>
<h2 id="overall-thoughts">Overall Thoughts</h2>
<p>Just two weeks ago, I had a terrible attempt at an <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/training/first-open-water-swim/" title="First Open Water Swim">Open Water Swim</a> and decided I wasn't going to do this event again - EVER! Now, after race day, it is tough to imagine not doing it again. I do think I'm finally ready to stop thinking about not being a strong swimmer as a permanent character flaw. I think that I'm ready to attack it head on. I was 4th in my age group for the run and 5th for the bike. Of the 20 people in my age group, I was 17th for the swim. If I can improve the swim, not only will I enjoy the entire day much more, I'll like my results better. My plan for this year is to get a wetsuit, join the <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/" title="Ithaca Triathlon Club">Ithaca Triathlon Club</a>, sign up for a Master's Swim Group, and attend open water swim sessions in Cayuga Lake next summer. I also intend to do the Tri for the Y next spring. The first year Scott and I did the Cayuga Lake Tri we used that race as our practice. Next year it can be my test of my swimming!</p>
<p>I'd like to thank <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="Finger Lakes Running Club">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Club</a> and all the ambassadors! It was SO much fun to see so many ambassadors out on the course. We were represented as volunteers, Sprint participants, Intermediate and Relay! I loved seeing everyone on course, and giving and receiving encouragement. And our team Louis Garneau tri suits were AMAZING!</p>
Watermelon, Salt & Vinegars and Gatorade, Oh My!2014-07-28T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/watermelon-salt-vinegars-and-gatorade-oh-my/<p>My Achilles had been a bit sore all week, and I was pretty nervous for this run. I stretched well and fit in 2 yoga sessions during the week, took the day off before the run, and I was feeling pretty confident, albeit a bit tired the morning of the run. Jenny had chosen our course, and I was absolutely NO help with researching: I spent 9 hours the day prior driving to pick Elizabeth up from camp <em>(I am not always this hands-off, just this particular time)</em>. She asked me to print a map just in case, and I printed a different one than she asked! Having never been to the trail, I popped the intersection into my GPS after stopping at Wegmans for some Aid Station food and headed up the hill to the <a href="http://www.cornellplantations.org/our-gardens/natural-areas/monkey-run" title="Monkey Run Trail">Monkey Run Trail</a> on the Cornell campus. As luck would have it, Jenny was arriving at exactly the same time, so I followed her the last mile and we turned into the parking lot together. We stashed her car there and then took my car to our starting location. Now we'd have two stocked aid stations!</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/07/IMG_1498.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Me on forested trails" title="Me on forested trails" /><p class="stickyNote">Me on forested trails</p></div>
<p>The run started out nicely, but we hit a field rather quickly. The field was so wet our feet felt like we'd crossed a river! It was mile 3 or 4, <em>way</em> too early to adopt a sour attitude, but I admit that between my wet feet and aching Achilles, I was feeling a bit like Eeyore. Jenny asked me to pull out the map, and I flippantly said <em>"Oh yes, I printed a different map because it looked more detailed."</em> She was super sweet as she said <em>"Oh, I think <strong>my</strong> map was a bit more detailed."</em> Yup, my map didn't show the area we were currently lost in, so we called it up on her phone. We quickly sorted out our way and headed back into the forest. A few miles later we were lost again, this time in some of the beautiful gardens of Cornell. After looking at the map on a sign, we decided upon a course and headed off. Our first 6.5 miles took us just under two hours of elapsed time. We'd started at 8 a.m. and it was already nearly 10. We were going to be running all day! We hit mile 8 or so and Jenny said very happily, <em>"now the miles are just going by quickly."</em> I was still really struggling and I pouted and said <em>"No they aren't! They are hard! My Achilles hurts! I'm doing something with my stride to compensate making my hips and left knee hurt."</em> followed by, <em>"I don't think I can make it the full distance."</em> Wow, what a great training partner I was this morning.</p>
<p>We reached our first aid station at mile 9 and enjoyed our favorite newly coined "salt and vinegars" that turned into a zippy little tune later in the run, and headed off for a baby loop of a couple miles before the other car stop. During our quick little stop, Scott texted that he had just gotten a PR and won the Master's division in a 5K and both kids won their age group. I was excited for them, but further bummed that the training run I was so psyched for was turning out to be so challenging.</p>
<p>Time did start to fly as the run went on, and my hips and knee settled out. My Achilles bugged me on uphills, but it was fine on the flats and downs. Later in the run, good old-fashioned fatigue set in, but my body really was holding up very well. Somewhere near mile 14 I took my first full spill of this training session, falling flat out on a rather non-technical section of trail. Embarrassed, I dusted myself off and resumed the run. Later, we looped by this same area and I kicked a root full force the way you would kick a soccer ball. It felt like someone had pried my large toenail off!</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/07/IMG_1497.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Jenny" title="Jenny" /><p class="stickyNote">Jenny</p></div>
<p>Jenny had just gotten new shoes a week ago from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FLRTC" title="FLRTC">Finger Lakes Running Company</a>. She was wearing her <a href="http://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/brooks-puregrit-3-womens-trail-running-shoes/120173.html?mr%3AtrackingCode=1BD5ADD0-F9E7-E311-B181-001B2163195C&gclid=CIevtrvZ6L8CFRGAaQodnKAADQ&mr%3AreferralID=NA&mr%3Adevice=c&mr%3Afilter=89342665706&mr%3Aad=31214464106&mkwid=kXYQxc2w&pcrid=31214464106&mr%3AadType=pla" title="Pure Grit 3">Pure Grit 3s</a> for the 2nd time <em>(and first long run)</em> that day. I could tell she was happily bounding along in them. I was feeling kind of irritated that my shoes felt sloppy on the flats, the field and the road stints. This is something that I've been worried about for <a href="http://gleruns.org/" title="Green Lakes">Green Lakes</a>. They are fine on technical trail, but not so great on the flatter mixed terrain. On this run, I decided that getting another option for a trail shoe for Green Lakes had moved up my priority list.</p>
<p><strong>We did finish this run!</strong> I did know we'd never quit. When we hit the parking lot at mile 25.9 I may have started crying a bit when we had to turn around and do .3 more miles, BUT Jenny started telling jokes and I started watching my GPS. Pretty soon we were done! 6 hours of running time, with nearly 7 hours for the entire outing. It was quite a day.</p>
<h4 id="highlights">Highlights</h4>
<ul>
<li>Signing our name in the trail log on each of our 3 loops, writing about how we were feeling and reading the log. The day prior, someone wrote complaining that it was a bad ski trail. This provided conversational fodder for a mile or so as we debated whether they were joking or using some kind of summer ski we didn't know about.</li>
<li>Watermelon, Salt and Vinegars and Gatorade! Each long run, I muse about how brilliant aid stations are to offer so much variety. The things I think I'll love on a long run are rarely desirable. I'm always surprised by what appeals to me.</li>
<li>Learning we can run with sopping wet feet. This put a river crossing into perspective. We planned to wring out our socks and shoes, but they dried on their own as the day went on and our feet were fine.</li>
<li>Finishing! And, heading to <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="FLRTC">Finger Lakes Running Company</a> the next day to buy Pure Grit 3s. Yes, Jenny and I shall have twin shoes for this event. I put them on in the store and said <em>"These feel Happy!"</em></li>
</ul>
Green Lakes Training Week 122014-07-28T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/green-lakes-training-week-12/<p><strong>Weekly Stats:</strong> 48.27 running miles, 1,600+ yards of swimming, 16 miles on bike, 1 lifting session, 2 sessions of yoga and 6 lovely hiking miles. I'm ready to taper now! I had hoped to break a 50-mile week for my longest week, but will settle for 48!</p>
<p>This week I struggled with a sore achilles, and then somehow I altered my stride to compensate. This made my longest training run (26.2) really challenging. Jenny was so supportive sticking with me as I really struggled on this run!</p>
<p>The high points of the week include a first open water swim <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/training/first-open-water-swim/" title="First Open Water Swim">(read about the swim)</a>, and the 26.2 run <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/training/watermelon-salt-vinegars-and-gatorade-oh-my/" title="Watermelon, Salt & Vinegars and Gatorade, Oh My!">(read about the run)</a>.</p>
First Open Water Swim2014-07-28T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/first-open-water-swim/<h2 id="the-adventure-begins-...">The Adventure Begins ...</h2>
<p><strong>6 years ago,</strong> Scott and I signed up to do the Tri for the Y as a training triathlon, and planned to do the Cayuga Lake Sprint Triathlon as our annual challenge. At that time, I couldn't swim from one side of the pool to the other without panicking and being out of breath. After regular swim lessons, I progressed to where I could finish the Tri for the Y distance <em>(using multiple stroke styles over the .25 mile distance)</em> and complete the Cayuga Lake Sprint swim <em>(750 meters using back stroke so that I wouldn't have to look at seaweed)</em>. After the race, my father politely asked me why I started after everyone and way out to the side and then promptly ran into the buoy line when I started swimming. My mother-in-law chatted with another spectator, describing me as "the one who finished last in her heat" <em>(If memory serves, I did finish before one other swimmer, but that's beside the point!)</em></p>
<h2 id="and-now%2C-the-adventure-continues-...">And Now, the Adventure Continues ...</h2>
<p>I have taken more lessons, completed a training program on my own to work up to a continuous mile of swimming, and I'm not <em>nearly</em> as scared of the lake. While I do have a very LONG way to go with swimming, I try to be kind to myself and remember where I started.</p>
<h2 id="first-ows-of-2014"><strong>First OWS of 2014</strong></h2>
<p>In preparation for the Cayuga Lake, I have been pool swimming: not often enough, but some. Jenny is also doing this tri and last Tuesday <em>(a week and a few days prior to the event)</em> we went to her sister's lake house. We planned to swim to the buoy and back <em>(~ .5 mile)</em>. It seemed simple enough. I took off my wedding ring and popped it into my goggle bag and we hopped in. 1:15 <em>(that's just over a minute, folks)</em> later I panicked and we were standing on the shore. As we were deciding whether to get back in or bail, I pointed to what looked like a stick in the water and said <em>"Is that a stick or a snake?"</em> Just as Jenny got ready to answer, the object sipped water. It was a snake and we were <strong>done</strong>.</p>
<p>I reasoned that I could swim comfortably if we had a kayak next to us, so I frantically called my friend Kathey to see if we could come to her house and have her be our boating escort. Unfortunately, she wasn't home and while she was more than willing to have us swim at her house, I knew I'd panic the same way there.</p>
<p>Luckily Jenny was feeling brave, and without much deliberation we decided to head to the swimming area at Taughannock Park. We raced into our cars and headed to the park before we changed our minds.</p>
<p>This swim went marginally better in that we swam for about 20 minutes. There was a lot of stopping and starting, but I felt okay. Jenny pulled herself through the water very confidently, but felt worn out. She left knowing she had to work on maintaining a pace that wouldn't wear her out. I felt okay and while I was on the edge of panic about seaweed most of the time, I learned that my challenge would be to move my body. All of the swimming stroke knowledge that I have departs my head in the lake. I always resort to mere survival, with a very small amount of forward motion.</p>
<p>Later that afternoon, I remembered my ring was in my goggle bag. Not thinking much of it, I planned to put it on later in the day. Right before dinner I discovered the bag was missing! I assumed it had fallen out of my gym bag when we raced away from Jenny's sister's house. Just last week, Scott and I had a discussion about my "gym bag management" because I never zip the pockets and things fall out all the time. A quick downward spiral began where I vowed to not do the tri next year, chastised myself for losing my ring the <strong>same week</strong> as my 16th wedding anniversary, and off I headed to the lake house to search for the ring. It wasn't there, but luckily Scott had lost his last year and found it. He was understanding and I was cautiously optimistic. The next morning, Jenny checked her bag one last time on a whim and found my goggle bag in her gym bag. We have the same goggles and she had grabbed mine in our haste to leave. <strong>Relief!</strong></p>
<p><strong>And the follow up on swimming ...</strong> after talking about whether to swim a lot between then and the race, or whether to wing it after that one time, I've been in the lake 2 more times. I feel more confident, and I have an answer to the question about why I always start the bike with a really sick stomach. It is because about halfway through the swim I really panic. Both of these training swims have ended with my stomach sick. I always thought it was nutrition and now that I know it is nerves I feel that I am better prepared to handle it. Hopefully, I will get in the lake at least one more time before Sunday! I am attending an <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/288455904672365/" title="Open Water Swim Clinic">OWS training clinic on Saturday August 2nd</a>.</p>
Green Lakes Training Week 112014-07-21T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/green-lakes-training-week-11/<p>Another training week is in the books! I cannot believe my first 50K is now less than 5 weeks away. I logged 37.72 running miles this week, grabbed a couple of brick workouts and did some lifting. I have yet to get into the lake to swim for the upcoming tri that I'm not really preparing. I'm feeling VERY chicken.</p>
<p>A high point of this week was the <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/cltrace/" title="Cayuga Lake Triathlon">Cayuga Lake Triathlon</a> practice night. Every summer, the Ithaca Triathlon Club offers this opportunity to ride and run the course on a Wednesday night in July. Simulating race conditions, groups head out in waves and while the road isn't closed and the turn around isn't staffed, it provides the chance to really push hard riding with others on the course. Every year I am less afraid and more excited! This year I was outfitted in my <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/home.html" title="Finger Lakes Running & Triathlon Company">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon</a> tri kit. It was so comfortable to ride and run in, and fun to see so many of my teammates. Shortly into the ride, I rode straight over glass and waited to hear a hissing in my tire. I was lucky! Both my tires were fine. Later in the course, there was a piece of metal in the road. Yup, I rode right over that. Having recently passed a man changing his tire, I figured it was now my turn. Again I was spared. I went on to enjoy this ride. Wearing my <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/musings/my-9-must-have-items-for-happy-running/" title="My 9 Must-Have Items for Happy Running">Nathan hydration pack</a> <em>(or a small baby as my friend Brenda noted at the start)</em>, I was able to drink whenever I wanted to, and while I had hopes of crossing over the road at the turnaround without hopping off my bike, I chickened out and carefully walked across <em>(I still don't trust my mirror)</em>. On the way back, this was my first time not visioning Scott getting hit by a car. Every year, I spend the last 3 miles freaking out that a car will hit him and he will be splatted on the road. I know this is ridiculous, but this doesn't seem to stop the fear! The worry for me is different. When I was 12, a good friend flipped over her handlebars while riding downhill on her bike, ending up in the emergency room. I don't remember anything from that day except a lot of blood! So, whenever I hit the downhill, I worry that my brakes will fail while I am using them constantly to avoid going too fast. This year was no exception. When I got to the base of the hill, I walked my bike across the road, and then took the long way back <em>(while they were giving instructions, I was chatting thinking I knew the course well enough)</em>. Even with all these things, I maintained a decent pace for me (16.2 mph).</p>
<p>The run was GREAT! I don't love this course, but I always feel so happy heading out on the run. It is a big mental game to head out on grass and run through the park on a seemingly random route through the grass. My mantra was "an object in motion tends to stay in motion" as I kept putting one foot in front of the other while working on keeping a quick cadence. I heard three men chatting behind me, and as their voices got closer, I knew they'd be speeding by before too long. My goal; hold them off as long as possible. They breezed by at about a mile shouting out "good job" and "it took us almost the full mile to catch you." They confirmed with each other that they were averaging 8:44. I looked at my watch, 9:03 average. I know from running this for training that I can gain speed on the return trip, and set a goal to hit 8:35 for the course. I nearly hit that, coming in with an 8:37 per mile pace.</p>
<p>The other highlight of the week was the Forest Frolic (<a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/forest-frolic-2014/" title="Forest Frolic">read my race report</a>). Jenny and I chose to use that race to get our fall back long run in. It was challenging but rewarding and a lovely change from the trails we've spent so many of our weekends on.</p>
<p>Goals for the coming weeks include starting to think about race day strategy, realistic pace goals and to get into the lake at least once before the Cayuga Lake Tri!!</p>
Forest Frolic 20142014-07-20T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/forest-frolic-2014/<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<p>My training plan for Green Lakes called for a fall back week with a long run of 16 miles. Jenny and decided that two loops of the <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/tag/forest-frolic/" title="Forest Frolic">Forest Frolic</a> would be perfect for our run! We'd be running different terrain and there would be a built in Aid Station at the race finish! After contacting the co-race directors to let them know our plan, it was official.</p>
<p>The week prior, I decided I would feel too much pressure to race if I wore my FLRTC singlet. So, that morning I joined Jenny in my usual weekend running gear <em>(We've both been wearing the same shirt and top 90% of the time on these weekend runs)</em> and we headed to the race start. Many of my <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="Finger Lakes Running & Triathlon Company">FLRTC teammates</a> were there, and it was fun to see them and to know so many runners at this event! Before long, Jay announced that it was time to start, and Jenny and I were off. We quickly dropped toward the back of the pack as we headed up the big hill. This course has 1700' of gain per loop, and we dropped into a sustainable pace early on. My unspoken goal; to be consistent on the pace for the two loops. The trail was a little wet and slippery in spots, mostly tree covered and really enjoyable terrain. 3 or 4 miles into the run we hit a road and weren't sure which way to go. Luckily, teammate Kerra was behind us and she and her friend knew exactly where the trail headed. We joined them in running down the road and back into the trail. As we hit the end of the course, we saw a cute dog that just looked so peppy that I commented out loud "how adorable!" People were cheering for us and Jenny remarked "I totally forgot that this was a race." <em>(I had also forgotten this little fact)</em>. We finished near the back of the pack, enjoyed some of the best watermelon I've ever tasted and chatted with a few people before heading back out for loop two in the opposite direction. We had waffled briefly about which direction to head, and decided it would be fun to mix it up. This turned out to be a really nice choice.</p>
<p>About 5 miles into our 2nd loop we heard what we thought was someone shouting "Hello!" in the woods. We were a little worried for a minute, not sure whether to continue running when we realized this person was shouting a name. We ran into Mike searching for his dog Milo. He and his fiancee were here for a two week vacation and their dog had just wandered off. We spent about 10 minutes describing the dog we saw at the finish line, while he searched his phone for a picture. At the end of our chat, we realized that he had been WITH Milo when we saw Milo. Dead end. Jenny took Mike's number and we promised to keep an eye and ear out for him as we ran. We ran into another couple who had spotted him, but had been unable to get him to come to them. Pretty soon we were done with our 2nd loop and back at the car. What did we see? Milo. He had found his way back to their car and was waiting. His owners arrived and we snapped a picture (above)! A happy reunion.</p>
<p><strong>Final Thoughts</strong> While this was an AWESOME way to get our mileage, it is really challenging to not <strong>RACE</strong> a race. It felt like it took self control and courage to stick with our plan, and we both found ourselves tempted to tell everyone (and what the heck, actually telling) that we were going to do the course twice. We are both pretty seasoned road racers at this point, but truly novice trail racers, so I for one was also grateful not to be racing. It was akin to being able to say "I didn't really study" when going in for a test back in High School. As for having an Aid Station that we didn't stock, that was priceless! Food is SO much more appealing when you don't know what is going to be there. The watermelon ... yumm!! And, that unspoken goal? Our 2nd loop pace was just 30 seconds slower per mile than our first loop. Nice!</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Time 2:02:36; Overall: 80/89</p>
Newton's First Law of Motion: A Tale of Injury, PT and Love of Running2014-07-18T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/newtons-first-law-of-motion-a-tale-of-injury-pt-and-love-of-running/<p>Four years ago I read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0028MBKVG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0028MBKVG&linkCode=as2&tag=lunchtaker-20&linkId=LWURLEPMK5XVTURP" title="Born to Run">Born to Run</a> right before Scott and I were ready to decide on our annual challenge. Naturally after reading the book, a marathon rose to the top for our challenge. The book talked about the virtues of barefoot or minimal shoe running. As with most everything we do, we jumped in hook, line and sinker. Vibram Five Finger shoes arrived, and I started <a href="http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51138/Marathon-Novice-2-Training-Program" title="Hal Higdon Novice 2">Hal Higdon's Novice 2 marathon training plan</a>. It was April and because I hadn't been running, I planned to do each week twice for a September marathon.</p>
<p>Fast forward 6 weeks. I can no longer put any weight on my left leg. I realize one morning at church when I'm making an announcement about an upcoming event that all my weight is on my right leg. I feel like a flamingo. I can't walk up the stairs, and I finally admit that I'm injured. To my surprise, I got an immediate appointment with <a href="http://www.cayugamed.org/SMcontent.cfm?profileID=3&serviceID=95" title="Dr. Getzin">Dr. Getzin</a>, an amazing triathlete with an excellent reputation as a sports doctor. I enter his office and see beautiful framed photos of triathlons in action and quietly pull out my book. Before I even finished page one I was whisked back into the office. He asks me how this happened, and I start at the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/about-me/" title="About Me">beginning</a>: the annual challenge, the fact that I did my first triathlon the prior summer, and of course the "barefoot" training I was using for my first marathon. I knew what an amazing athlete he was, and I suddenly felt pretty silly sharing my story. He smiled kindly and said, <em>"Well, you've discovered Newton's First Law of Motion: An object in motion tends to stay in motion."</em> After a thorough workup including x-rays, I left with a simple and common diagnosis, Runner's Knee and an inflamed IT band. I had an appointment for physical therapy with another amazing athlete that same day, Dr. Getzin's friend and colleague <a href="http://www.cayugamed.org/PTcontent.cfm?profileID=15&serviceID=95" title="Brian Lee">Brian Lee</a>.</p>
<p>I entered Brian's office and he asked what brought me there. This time I got straight to the point. <em>"I read Born to Run, bought 5 Finger shoes and started training for a marathon."</em> He chuckled, <em>"Didn't everyone?"</em> And, <em>"How many miles were you running weekly before you started the plan."</em> Me, <em>"none."</em> And this is the problem. Hal Higdon's plan clearly states,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"Runners differ greatly in ability, but ideally before starting a marathon program, you should have been running about a year. You should be able to comfortably run distances between 3 and 6 miles. You should be training 3-5 days a week, averaging 15-25 miles a week." - Hal Higdon</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Brian put me through a series of physical tests, and I realize I'm not exactly passing with flying colors. He asks me if I do yoga or core work. My proud answer, <em>"No, I run"</em> and when he asks, <em>"Are you a member at Island Fitness?"</em> I flippantly say <em>"I have a home gym. I don't really like organized classes or monthly membership costs."</em> By the end of the appointment I learn that I won't be doing the Rochester Marathon in September, but if I follow everything that he asks me to do, I will be able to go on our family hiking trip to Oregon in August (see above picture from the top of South Sister in Oregon, 2010). This trip means everything to me, and knowing that I can climb the mountains if I rehab well means that I will be committed to following every PT direction. I bawled all the way home and then looked things up online. Notoriously squeamish about anything medical, I promptly got light-headed and collapsed onto my bed. I looked up a few minutes later to find Scott standing over me looking very concerned.</p>
<p>Months went by with twice weekly appointments and daily PT exercises. I learned about self massage, the importance of core strength and learned to reform my running stride. Most importantly, I stopped taking my physical body for granted. Brian is my age, and he commented at that first appointment, <em>"We're not sixteen anymore. We can't just go out and do anything without taking care to keep our core strong, etc."</em> I liked how he said "we" and I loved that he really believed I could reform my stride and run again. I channeled that belief and during that rehab time, I grew to <strong>LOVE</strong> running. Scott and I enjoyed Island Fitness and I embraced yoga, spinning, BodyPump and Pilates.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/07/IMG_1456.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Before a race with Elizabeth, 2014" title="Before a race with Elizabeth, 2014" /><p class="stickyNote">Before a race with Elizabeth, 2014</p></div>
<p>I spoke with another runner on a group run last week, and he commented that he got all of his injuries out of the way when he first started running. I chuckled. Yes, injuries are tough. They are funny things. They happen to us all, and it is how we react to them that defines us. Four years later I consider myself a runner. I no longer apologetically talk about my pace or my achievements. I know that I'm not an amazing athlete like either of these two men, but I have grown into a much stronger athlete since that first injury.</p>
<p>Earlier this week, Newton's First Law of Motion was my mantra during the run portion of the Cayuga Lake Triathlon practice night. Suddenly, the memory of the injury, the appointment and physical therapy came flooding back to me.</p>
<p>I'm proud of how far I've come, and grateful to these two gentlemen for their work with me!</p>
Green Lakes Training Week 102014-07-14T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/green-lakes-training-week-10/<p>I can hardly believe there are a mere 6 weeks remaining until the <a href="http://gleruns.org/" title="Green Lakes Endurance Run">Green Lakes Endurance</a> run. My Pearl Izumi N2 shoes are up to 260 miles, I've been logging about 40 miles each week, and my legs are holding up really well. While I still get pretty nervous before a hilly run in Buttermilk, it is amazing how quickly bodies adapt to training. My favorite part of this training is running what I used to consider a really big hill on road and having it feel pretty fun! Now to the week's highlights. Overall running miles this week: 43.85.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/07/Screen-Shot-2014-07-14-at-8.59.46-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p><strong>Monday</strong> was a very muggy day, and I grabbed 5 miles on road in between storms, and went to Jenny's BodyPump class in the evening. <em>(48 min 9:35 pace)</em></p>
<p><strong>Tuesday</strong> was the 4th time I ventured out when there was a 100% chance of thunderstorms. It was the only time I had to run, and I had put it out as a group run opportunity for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FLRTC" title="Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company">FLRTC</a> so I needed to show up in case anyone else came. It was just me, and I started off in 87 very humid degrees at the base of Buttermilk. A lovely time of day to be on the trail, it was eerily calm before the impending storm. I had the trail mostly to myself, and while I wasn't feeling very zippy, it was meditative. As I hit the final descent, the wind picked up and I knew I had just minutes to make it back to the car. I used all of the Animal Athletic's strategies to pick up my downhill speed (body as joystick, hands down for stability, and no fear) and reached my car a mere 3 minutes before the storm hit! <em>(5.25 m, 1:07 12:45 pace)</em></p>
<p><strong>Wednesday</strong> was fun. I took Elizabeth with me to BodyPump and had her hang out reading while I was in class, and then we grabbed dinner at Wegmans before heading to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Yoga-By-Melissa/394102983996780" title="Yoga by Melissa">Melissa's Wednesday night yoga</a> class at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FLRTC" title="Finger Lakes Running Company">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a>. It was my first chance to go, and Elizabeth's first yoga class ever! Unfortunately, we forgot to bring our mats, but fortunately I had a blanket in the car and Elizabeth was able to use the store mat. It was really fun to do this together, and Elizabeth did really well for her first class. Next time we'll remember out mats as yoga on a blanket was challenging.</p>
<p><strong>Thursday</strong> we had the <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/road-races/womens-distance-festival-5k/" title="Women's Distance Festival">Women's Distance Festival</a> in Dryden. Elizabeth and I have been doing this race since she was just in grade 1 (she's now 13). We've always run our own race and this year was no exception. We both had course PRs, and had a great time! Our evening finished with a celebratory dinner at <a href="http://www.vivataqueria.com/" title="Viva">Viva</a> with friends Brenda and Jocelyn.</p>
<div class="main-carousel" data-flickity='{ "fullscreen": true, "wrapAround": "true", "autoPlay": "3000", "pauseAutoPlayOnHover": true }'><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2014/07/IMG_1467.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="A beautiful field" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2014/07/IMG_1468.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Jenny in the beautiful field" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2014/07/IMG_1469.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Some awesome bikes we saw on the BD trail" />
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<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/07/IMG_1465.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="After my swim/bike" title="After my swim/bike" /><p class="stickyNote">After my swim/bike</p></div>
<p><strong>Friday</strong> it was time to try a brick workout! I enjoyed 25 minutes of a pool swim in my in-laws pool, while Xander helped me train by pretending to be a fish, splashing water on me and kicking a lot so I could work on staying focused in turbulent water. Then, I headed out on route 89 to do most of the Cayuga Lake Tri course. However, this route avoided the most major hill. It was a successful, fun ride and I really enjoyed my Finger Lakes Running Company Louis Garneau tri suit. Elizabeth has this brand of ski speed suit for racing, and she has always said it is the most comfortable thing ever. They do have comfort mastered! I only do this one triathlon, and finish toward the back of the pack every year, so sometimes I feel silly having such a nice outfit, but it is really awesome!! <em>(15.25 miles, 59 min, 12:45 pace)</em></p>
<p><strong>Saturday</strong> Jenny and I had our longest training run ever! We met at Island Fitness and headed north on the <a href="http://blackdiamondtrail.org/?page_id=2" title="Black Diamond Trail">Black Diamond Trail</a> all the way to Trumansburg where we ran on roads for 9 miles before heading back down the trail again. This was challenging from the first step, mostly because of the humidity. The prior two days were not humid, and I got really used to that! We were dripping wet, tired, hungry and thirsty by the end (I ran out of water with two miles to go) but it was a really good run! When I arrived home, Elizabeth had prepared lunch for me and the family even saved me my favorite flavor cupcake from Scott's birthday dinner the night before! <em>(24 miles, 4:11, 10:27 pace)</em></p>
<p>My legs felt tired from the long run on <strong>Sunday</strong> but I knew Jenny was off doing the <a href="http://www.boilermaker.com/" title="Boilermaker">Boilermaker</a> so I couldn't skip my timed hour run! Christina had just arrived home from vacation and was up for a run. I was so happy to have her company to keep my mind off my tired legs for this! After the run, I hopped on the <a href="http://www.skiersedge.com/" title="Skier's Edge">Skier's Edge</a> for a quick 20 minutes to end the week! (<em>6.55 m, 1:02, 9:27 pace)</em></p>
Women's Distance Festival 20142014-07-10T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/womens-distance-festival-2014/<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<p>Two nights before the <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/road-races/womens-distance-festival-5k/" title="Women's Distance Festival">Women's Distance Festival</a>, Elizabeth suggested to me that we "twin" for this race. Last summer, my sister gave Elizabeth a skirt that is the same as one of mine, so we have matching skirts. I'm an ambassador for the <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="Finger Lakes Running Co">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> and planned to wear my singlet, so our mission began to find a 2nd singlet. Luckily, we thought to ask fellow ambassador, Melissa if we could borrow hers for the event and she happily obliged! Psyched to be "twins" for the day, Elizabeth and I felt ready for this race.</p>
<p>This event is a very special one for the two of us, as it was my first ever 5K when Elizabeth was 7. I wasn't running much back then, and I ran a 30+ 5K time. It has been fun to watch my times drop incrementally over the years and see Elizabeth grow into a more confident runner along with me. We were blessed with lovely weather <em>(no humidity and beautiful high 70s and sunny skies).</em> The run was fabulous, though I did start too quickly and paid for that later on the course. I was cruising along and just after mile 2 I got a terrible side cramp. The cramp practically reduced my pace to walking for .4 miles, until I managed to get it under control and finish the last part strong. Even with the cramp, this was a course PR for me. The perfect weather conditions definitely helped!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/08/IMG_1461.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Brenda, Jocelyn, Elizabeth and me before the run" title="Brenda, Jocelyn, Elizabeth and me before the run" /><p class="stickyNote">Brenda, Jocelyn, Elizabeth and me before the run</p></div>
<p>Elizabeth had a really strong race as well. It is so fun to line up on the start line together for this every year! I look forward to knowing she's on the course and one of these years <em>(soon)</em> I am confident she'll beat me!!</p>
<p>The one frustration from the race was the headphone policy. This event is typically very strict about the use of music. If you are caught using headphones, you can be disqualified. They typically remind you before the race, and people comply. As such, Elizabeth and I now leave our music at home. This year, so many people openly used music, and they didn't announce this policy prior to the race. Next year, we'll definitely find out if they have changed their policy as the course is tough, and it is one of those races where music would certainly speed us along.</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Time: 24:51<br />
18/87<br />
5th in age group</p>
<p>Elizabeth: 28:46<br />
34/87<br />
3rd in age group</p>
Green Lakes Training Week 92014-07-06T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/green-lakes-training-week-9/<p>Another great training week! The weather was pretty cooperative and I managed to start getting a little bit of cross training for the upcoming Cayuga Lake Tri. With 35 total running miles, a 28 mile ride and two sessions of swimming totaling 1600 yards, I'm satisfied.</p>
<p><strong>Monday</strong> After taking the weekend off for a trip to NYC, my legs were ready to run. I Opted for road after dropping Xander off at his 45 minute <a href="http://encoreplayers.org/" title="Encore Players">Oliver</a> rehearsal and made it back right on time to pick him up. <em>(5.18, 45 min, 8:41 pace)</em> Later that evening, Elizabeth had dance so I enjoyed BodyPump and my first <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/musings/the-power-of-a-team/" title="Power of a Team">pool session</a> of the season. <em>(800 yards, 21 min, 45:06 pace).</em> <strong>Tuesday</strong> I led a group run for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FLRTC" title="Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company">FLRTC</a> at Buttermilk. It was early and at the same time as another event, so I knew it was unlikely to be a big group, but Patty came and we had a GREAT time despite the muggy 94 degree heat! Thunderstorms were looming and we enjoyed just a little cooling rain on our run. I'm planning it again this week if anyone is free. 5:15 p.m. for about an hour and fifteen minutes at Buttermilk. <em>(5.28, 1:11, 13:30 pace)</em>. Later that night I grabbed 20 minutes on the Skier's Edge for cross training.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/07/IMG_1424.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Amy vs. Tree" title="Amy vs. Tree" /><p class="stickyNote">Amy vs. Tree</p></div>
<p><strong>Wednesday</strong> was my first time at Jessica's Wednesday night BodyPump class since she got married. Great fun! I followed this by swimming again. Twice in the same week! <em>(800 yards, 21 min, 45:06 pace)</em> <strong>Thursday</strong> my plan called for a hilly run, so I did just that. I did it in two loops so I could grab water at my mailbox mid-run. I worked on form and after a first loop with a 9:16, my goal was to have loop two be faster. Goal met! (7.36 miles, 1:07, 9:03 pace). Later; Skier's Edge for 20 minutes. <strong>Friday</strong> Jenny and I squeezed in our long run before a weekend of time with family, and <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/finger-lakes-50k/" title="Finger Lakes 50s">Scott's first 50K</a>! We met early at Island Fitness for our 2nd fall back week of 16 miles. We ran 3 in Cass Park on roads before doing 10 on the Black Diamond Trail and our last 3 in Cass. This was perfect!</p>
<p><strong>Saturday</strong> After watching Scott run 32.9 miles, I felt silly going out for my one hour run. I decided to do a hilly route and spent the entire run calculating paces for <a href="http://gleruns.org/" title="Green Lakes Endurance Run">Green Lakes</a>. Today was the first time I realized that for every 32 minutes added to a time, it was a one minute per mile addition. With Scott finishing in 5:40, suddenly our predicted 7 hour finish that Jenny and I have been discussing doesn't seem so realistic. (7.21, 1:12, 9:59 pace)</p>
<p><strong>Sunday</strong> While working at the <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/trail-runs/finger-lakes-fifties-trail-runs/" title="Finger Lakes 50s">Finger Lakes 50s</a> South Beach Aid Station with my friend Michael, I mentioned I planned to run the <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/cltrace/" title="Cayuga lake Triathlon">Cayuga Lake Tri</a> course on Sunday morning. He wanted to get a ride in too, and pretty soon we had plans for a morning outing. It was my longest ride of the season on a perfect biking day! <em>(28 miles, 1:57, 14.4 pace).</em> I selfishly followed this with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/317795475037209/" title="Yoga in Cass park">Melissa's Yoga class in Cass Park</a> before joining the family again!</p>
The Power of a Team2014-07-02T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/the-power-of-a-team/<p>This year will be the 4th time that I have signed up for the <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/cltrace/" title="Cayuga Lake Triathlon">Cayuga Lake Triathlon</a> <em>(sprint distance)</em>. This started as one of our annual challenges, and has since turned into something that Scott and I just do annually. Since doing this for the first time, I've become a much stronger runner but I haven't really worked at swimming or biking. Fortunately, I'm not scared on the bike and while my time won't break any records, I feel comfortable with the distance.</p>
<p>Swimming is a different situation entirely! I've taken lessons, including an afternoon long immersion class. Last year I followed a plan to work toward swimming a mile. Following it religiously, I was able to swim a full mile by the end <em>(albeit very slowly)</em>! This year I've been focused on running, and rather deliberately putting off swimming.</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/07/IMG_1334.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Before the Cayuga Lake Swim" title="Before the Cayuga Lake Swim" /><p class="stickyNote">Before the Cayuga Lake Swim</p></div>
<p>With the race rapidly approaching, it is time to get into the pool, and hopefully into the lake before too long!! On June 30th, I had a 20-minute span of time and timidly made my way to the pool at <a href="http://www.islandhealthfitness.com/" title="Island Health and Fitness">Island Health and Fitness</a>. Every lane had a swimmer in it. <em>Have I mentioned how scared I am to share a lane?</em> Usually I pick the lane that appears to have the slowest swimmer in it, but on this particular night the slower swimmers were in the outside lanes, and they were doing breast stroke. Not wanting to be hugging the wall, I chose a center lane.</p>
<p>As the woman in the lane neared me I leaned down to ask if she'd mind sharing a lane. She looked up at me and said <em>"Amy, right?"</em> and proceeded to introduce herself, <em>"I'm Emily. I know you on Facebook from Team FLRTC."</em> Oh, yes! <em>"Petrina, right?"</em> and we laughed that we knew each other virtually, having never met in person. I said <em>"I can't swim",</em> and she said <em>"That's ok, I'll stay on my side."</em> I hopped in.</p>
<p>This was the <strong>best</strong> first swim for the tri! No, I wasn't a lot faster. My pace was what I expected. Yes, Emily sped by me over and over, but instead of being fearful and feeling bad about my swimming, I watched her stroke. Noticing she was hitting the water twice as fast as me with her arms, I tried speeding it up. I focused on my breathing and realized I'm in better cardiovascular shape than last year, probably because I've been training for the <a href="http://gleruns.org/" title="Green Lakes Endurance Runs">Green Lakes 50K</a>. I even tried alternate side breathing a few times! The power of a team! We are both ambassadors for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FLRTC" title="Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a>. Part of a group. I felt inspired to be in the pool with her, happily sharing a lane.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/07/DSCN0960.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Finished! With Elizabeth, Scott and Xander" title="Finished! With Elizabeth, Scott and Xander" /><p class="stickyNote">Finished! With Elizabeth, Scott and Xander</p></div>
<p>And the 20 minutes? They breezed by. Before I knew it, I was done with my 800 yards and zipping up the hill sopping wet and just a bit late to pick Elizabeth up from dance. I'm going back tonight and I'm EXCITED to swim. Wow!!</p>
Green Lakes Training Week 82014-06-30T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/green-lakes-training-week-8/<p><strong>Monday</strong> I got out on my bike with Scott for a 14 mile ride. It started with a flat tire for Scott <em>(before we left the driveway)</em> which reminded me I really NEED to learn to change a tire. The weather was perfect, and though my attitude needed improvement, it was enjoyable. I finished up the day with Bodypump with Jenny at Island. Now that school is ending, I'm not able to make as many classes, so I am grateful that this works with my schedule for June and July. <strong>Tuesday</strong> brought another hot, humid and sometimes rainy day to Trumansburg. My plan called for hill repeats. As is often the case, I postponed them as long as I possibly could! I managed to do 8 on the South side of the Rim Trail. As luck would have it, there were a lot of hikers out and that really spurred me on. As I passed by them, I wasn't about to be slacking!! <em>(6.34 m, 11:13 pace)</em></p>
<p><strong>Wednesday</strong> was the last day of school for the kids, and we had Xander's 4th grade moving up ceremony at 10 am, so Scott and I hit the trails early. He had his last round of hill repeats and I had a timed run on the plan. I did rim/base/rim at a rather anemic pace in the very heavy air. My legs and body were tired, but I did get it done! Later that day, I fit in some Skier's Edge and finished off the evening with yoga in the living room with Scott. <em>(5.01 m, 11:13 pace)</em></p>
<p><strong>Thursday</strong> was our LONG run for our fall back week. Both Jenny and I had travel plans for the weekend, so we moved our Saturday run up in the week. Patty and I have been trying to meet up <em>(she's also doing her first 50K at Green Lakes this summer)</em> and it worked with her schedule to join us for this run. We met at the base of Buttermilk at 5 pm with the plan to head up and pick up the Finger Lakes trail, head down Lickbrook and over to Treman. We stashed Jenny's car over at Treman to drive us back when we completed our 16 miles. Best laid plans and then ... While we did figure out the Finger Lakes trail (<em>last time we had to resort to road for a bit of this)</em> we hit a lot of swampy trail, tons of prickers that weren't there just a few weeks ago, and when we got almost to the top of Treman we had only 7 miles. We realized we'd need to make this an out and back, so we braved our way back up the Lickbrook hill. A friend had recently run the Cayuga 50s, and she said it was crazy hard to go back up that hill. It was SO lovely going down that I really didn't believe her. Well, this was so challenging! I felt very whiny and tired for this entire ascent. We made it though and then hit the road to avoid some of the really swampy parts on the Finger Lakes trail. It was getting darker, and we didn't want to be on wet trail again in the evening. We hit the base of the Bear trail realizing we'd have to make up 2 miles at the end to hit our 16 miles. This was the first time EVER that we agreed to just call it a day at 14. The trail was hard, we were tired and hungry and we convinced ourselves that 14 miles on this terrain was more like 18 on easier turf. All in all this was a good run. I struggled with being hungry from the beginning (<em>5 pm was a tough time to start for food. I should have had a decent meal mid afternoon)</em> and later I got a cramp towards the very end. I think this was from being slightly dehydrated. <em>(14 m, 14:30 pace)</em></p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2014/06/IMG_1419.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Jenny and Patty" />
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<p><strong>Friday</strong> I was able to get a quick timed run in on the roads. I need 60 minutes, and while I hit this in the heat of the day, it was nice to see a single digit pace for a change. Sometimes it is nice to get off the trail and head back to the good old road! <em>(6.15 m 9:13 pace)</em></p>
<p>Over the weekend we had planned to run on our trip to NYC, but Xander forgot sneakers and I forgot a sports bra. It was for the best anyway as we racked up 10 miles of walking on <strong>Saturday</strong> and another 6 on <strong>Sunday.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Weekly running miles</strong> (31.85)</p>
Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run2014-06-27T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/western-states-100-kick-start-trail-running/<p>In 2013, my sister qualified for the <a href="http://www.wser.org/">Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run</a>. She had one ticket in the lottery, so she was surprised when her number was drawn to participate. We had recently watched a film about the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run. Ian, from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FLRTC">Ithaca's Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a>, showed the film in Ithaca, NY. A once in a lifetime opportunity presented itself to us: go support her for her first 100 mile race!! After lining up our parents and our good friend to watch the kids, Scott and I hopped onto a plane to San Francisco, and planned to drive down to meet Sarah and her crew in Squaw Valley for this epic event.</p>
<h2 id="the-flight!!">The Flight!!</h2>
<p>Our flight was a comedy of errors. Early in the day on Thursday, my parents brought us to Syracuse for our first leg, where we discovered AFTER eating a meal that we were delayed for 2 hours. When we arrived at JFK, we discovered we'd missed our connecting flight to San Francisco. We rebooked and finally departed around 8 p.m., inbound for a 2 a.m. arrival. Victory!! We knew we'd be driving overnight to arrive at my sister's weekend rental, but we were going to make it. But, when we landed ... and our bags did NOT. It was now 2 a.m. Friday and we had a 3-hour drive ahead of us. We were hungry, tired, and for some odd reason, dressed in nice travel clothing. We hadn't carried our toiletries onto the plane, nor had we worn proper footwear or clothing for the race in case our luggage didn't arrive. After many phone calls, the baggage crew finally told us we had to wait for the next (and last) flight to come in. As we were waiting, we saw a small bakery box sitting on the counter. I asked the baggage carriers what that box was? They said a gentleman on our flight just left it. We had seen that little bakery box with a gentleman in Syracuse, and now that it was here without its owner we wondered what was inside. We all eagerly opened it and saw delicious half moon cookies. The staff saw just how hungry we were and offered the box to us! We gratefully took it. Little did we know, these little sugary treats would be our breakfast on our long car ride later that morning. It was almost 5 a.m. and we were on our way to Squaw Valley.</p>
<h2 id="squaw-valley">Squaw Valley</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/06/IMG_1994.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Scott, mid hike" title="Scott, mid hike" /><p class="stickyNote">Scott, mid hike</p></div>
<p>The scenery was AMAZING as we pulled into <a href="http://squaw.com/">Squaw</a>, happy to be there but exhausted. Desperate for sleep, we opted <em>against</em> going to bed knowing that we'd miss all the pre-race festivities and really mess up our internal clocks. We got settled into the rental and headed off for a lovely hike at Squaw Valley. We hiked to the top of the mountain, enjoyed a delicious lunch back at the base and did some window shopping. Later that day, we gathered groceries for the weekend and met Sarah's crew for the race. It was time. This was her weekend, and we were there to be a part of it! We went through the maps, learning the access points for crew. We weren't officially listed as crew, but were unofficially there to help her. This was our first experience with ultra running, and while we'd been hearing about Sarah's races for awhile, we didn't really know what to expect.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/06/IMG_2001.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="The day before the race with Sarah" title="The day before the race with Sarah" /><p class="stickyNote">The day before the race with Sarah</p></div>
<h2 id="the-big-event">The Big Event</h2>
<p>The night before the race, we gathered at a welcome reception for athletes. We bought Western States shirts out of desire and necessity. Living on the East Coast, I look at a forecast calling for 100 degrees and don't think about needing sweatshirts. So, on the last weekend in June, we bought long-sleeved WS gear. After an eclectic dinner, we all fell into bed around 10 p.m. Wake-up at 4 a.m. arrived quickly, and before we knew it we were wishing her luck at the start. It wasn't long and they were off. Headlamps bouncing into the darkness straight up the Squaw Valley ski resort. It was incredible to watch these brave, well-trained souls as they ventured off for this 100-mile journey. Our first access point to see Sarah was at mile 30. We had time to pack up the rental and then drive through lovely terrain before meeting her crew for the first time. Sarah went through several check points that crew couldn't access before this 30-mile spot. We met her at Robinson Flat (mile 29.7) but were able to access updates about how she was doing prior to that. She was running strong, ahead of her mid-predicted times.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/06/IMG_2063.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With her crew at Robinson Flat" title="With her crew at Robinson Flat" /><p class="stickyNote">With her crew at Robinson Flat</p></div>
<p>We arrived at Robinson Flat, got settled, and enjoyed watching the front runners come through. We waited to see Sarah and made a plan for how to care for her needs. Soon she arrived, and we knew right away that the heat from the Canyons had really affected her. Her stomach was hurting, she was worried and scared and sad. She had 70 miles to go. I hung back and let her crew tend to her. They knew the right combination of tough love and compassion, and how to speak with her to really assess how her body was holding up. Before Scott and I knew it, we were watching her head back into the woods. The next time we'd see her would be at Michigan Bluff <em>(mile 55)</em>. It would be dusk, and hopefully that would bring some relief from the relentless heat.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/06/IMG_2098.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Adam and Desiree at Michigan Bluff" title="With Adam and Desiree at Michigan Bluff" /><p class="stickyNote">With Adam and Desiree at Michigan Bluff</p></div>
<p>Scott and I enjoyed a full afternoon of hiking after stopping in at Forest Hill to watch the frontrunners. Of course, we didn't yet know we'd be pulling our 2nd mostly all-nighter and embarking on a 2 a.m. headlamp hike the next morning. After hiking, we headed to Michigan Bluff. It was a lovely walk down to the area where we would wait for her to emerge. Our updates showed that she was slowing down, meaning she'd be eligible to pick up her pacer here, instead of having to wait until mile 62 at Forest Hill. This was both good and bad. I meant she wasn't hitting the times she had hoped for, but she'd have the support from her pacer Desiree as she entered into the first hints of darkness. She came through and her stomach was still unsettled, but her morale was up from when we'd seen her last. We fed her and gave her motivation, and Adam walked with her as they headed out. It would only be 7 more miles until we next saw her. Little did we know that those 7 miles would be some of the roughest on the course for Sarah.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/06/IMG_2107.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Arriving into Forest Hill" title="Arriving into Forest Hill" /><p class="stickyNote">Arriving into Forest Hill</p></div>
<p>Sarah hadn't been able to eat much at Michigan Bluff, and somehow we had let her leave without any food on her person. Desiree had food, but according to the rules of the event, she was not allowed to assist Sarah in any way. Sarah needed something, and it killed Desiree not to be able to help her. Luckily, Sarah found something in her pocket that turned out to be just enough to keep her going. They arrived at Forest Hill in total darkness. This aid station was so exciting! They had music, a Dr. Seuss theme and it was on the town's main street. We were ready for Sarah when she came, knowing it was very critical to get good food into her system before she hit the river crossing. The next time we'd see her would be mile 78, just after she crossed the waist-high river.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/06/IMG_2112.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Watching all the headlamps cross the river." title="Watching all the headlamps cross the river." /><p class="stickyNote">Watching all the headlamps cross the river.</p></div>
<p>Scott and I were really hungry by this point. It was a bit after 10 p.m. and we suddenly realized we must have food! We had missed our opportunity to buy anything local as all the restaurants had just closed. So we drove to Auburn where our choices included Taco Bell or Denny's. At 11 p.m., we settled on omelets at Denny's, enjoying the chance to sit and relax before heading to the Rucky Chucky Far Aid Station. We drove there and got settled into a parking spot on the side of the road around 12:30 a.m. Truly exhausted, we reclined the seats and set our alarm for 2 a.m. We were zonked in less than 30 seconds! Soon enough it was time to begin the 4-mile trek down to the river. We wandered down alone as Sarah's crew was in a separate vehicle. It was surreal, walking with our headlamps. The temperature was brisk, and I was grateful for our Western States apparel to keep us warm!! We arrived at the river and got comfortably settled on rocks. This was one of the most interesting times of the entire event; watching the personalities of the participants as they emerged from the river. We cheered for each person, and their reactions were so very different.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/06/IMG_2117-e1403879103233.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Sarah emerging from the river" title="Sarah emerging from the river" /><p class="stickyNote">Sarah emerging from the river</p></div>
<p>One man replied to <em>"you look great!"</em> with <em>"NO I DO NOT! I am awful!"</em> as he trudged up to the aid station. The woman following him came out of the water with a huge smile in her fun-colored outfit and ponytails as though she'd just run a 5K saying <em>"this is AWESOME!"</em> Sarah finally emerged. We were getting very worried. She was starting to get close to the 30-hour cut off times. She had come SO far. She came out emotionally beaten up. This was the time that I was able to be most helpful to her.</p>
<p>I am her sister. I realized as we were walking up the hill that even though I am not an ultra runner, I know her as well as any of her crew members. I talked to her all the way up the hill, and just really tried to connect with her and encourage her to go the distance. I knew that these next 15 miles would make or break her race. She had to get through until morning and if she was ahead of cut off times when we saw her at Highway 49 she would make it! Her fiancee Adam asked her if she'd smile if he wore a skirt when he took over pacing from Desiree for the last 10 miles. She gave a weak smile and we knew we'd see Adam don his skirt!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/06/IMG_2140.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Sarah and Adam - off they go!" title="Sarah and Adam - off they go!" /><p class="stickyNote">Sarah and Adam - off they go!</p></div>
<p>We grabbed another hour of sleep before heading to Highway 49. This stop requires you to take a shuttle, so we got ourselves settled and onto the shuttle. This time we were with her crew and we all gathered together at the Aid Station. Adam was in his skirt, ready to take Sarah to the finish when she came through. We didn't have to wait long. She had gained speed and came in very strong! They had pancakes at the Aid Station (Sarah's favorite). She snagged some pancakes and pretty soon the happy couple was heading into the beautiful morning sun.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/06/IMG_0859.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="The finish. At long last!" title="The finish. At long last!" /><p class="stickyNote">The finish. At long last!</p></div>
<h2 id="home-stretch">Home Stretch</h2>
<p>We were down to the last 7 miles. We went to the end of the course and walked to a neighborhood. This neighborhood always has a great block party to cheer on the participants. It was impossible not to be excited while cheering with all these supportive neighbors. Soon, Sarah and Adam came up the hill and we all joined in to run with them for the last couple of miles. As we got close to the finish, Janet, one of Sarah's crew, dropped her phone. The case shattered on the pavement. Scott and stopped to help at the same moment that Sarah started racing. Janet shouted <em>"Go!! You are going to miss her! I can pick this up."</em> Suddenly I realized that I was going to have to sprint to catch her. She had caught her final wind and we were far behind. My parents had asked that we get a video of her crossing the finish, so we HAD to catch her. I told Scott to go and I tried my best to catch up. As she rounded the corner onto the track, just 100 yards from the finish I finally caught up. Scott got a video for my parents, and Sarah had finished. She did it. She came in under 30 hours. Her first 100-mile event and we were there for the entire thing!</p>
<h2 id="looking-ahead">Looking Ahead</h2>
<p>When asked if either of us would ever run a 100-mile trail run, both Scott and I say "we'd never rule anything out!" but I was thinking "I'm a road runner." I also know that I tend to like a lot of the same things Sarah likes. Scott was very inspired and immediately started thinking about doing a 50K for his next big event. Later this year after two marathons, I put my name in for the <a href="http://www.tcsnycmarathon.org/">New York City Marathon</a> with Scott. Scott's number was chosen and mine was not. I moped around for about a week and then decided I needed a goal. I didn't have another fall marathon that I was really psyched to do, so I began to look at ultras. After talking with a few people, I chose <a href="http://gleruns.org/">Green Lakes Endurance Run</a>, a 50K in August. I was excited! I had a plan. Now, halfway through a 16-week training plan, I am feeling excited. I have even more respect for the trail than I did when I wasn't running trails. In fact, just last night after a particularly challenging 14-mile run on part of the <a href="https://www.cayugatrails50.com/">Cayuga 50s</a> course, I called Sarah and said <em>"I don't know how you did Western States! I am so impressed!"</em> Ironically, when I called, Sarah and Adam were en-route to Western States. This year she's there writing for <a href="http://irunfar.com/">irunfar.com</a>. She will get to enjoy the excitement as a spectator. I am happy for her! And I'm proud to have been able to support her and be inspired by this epic event.</p>
Green Lakes Training Week 72014-06-23T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/green-lakes-training-week-7/<p>Scott was in NYC for the week, so I started <strong>Monday</strong> by taking him to the Cornell bus really early, coming home to get the kids ready for school before starting what turned into a rather busy exercise day. I grabbed a quick hike with Kathey, and later a 20 miler with Lynn, before concluding with what was actually on the training plan - an evening run during Xander's last soccer practice.</p>
<p><strong>Tuesday</strong> was a rainy, very busy day which was perfect for a planned rest day. By <strong>Wednesday</strong> I was running very low on sleep <em>(something I really struggle with when Scott is away)</em>! Not in any mood to run, I was really grateful that Christina and I made plans the day before to do a timed run. We took it easy as she was recovering from a sinus infection, and it was a great way to get out and catch up with a good friend. Later that day I hit the bike in my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FLRTC">FLRTC</a> tri suit. I had time for a quick 14 mile ride <em>(same length as the tri distance)</em> and I took my Waterburg route that approximates the hill on the <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/cltrace/">Cayuga Lake Tri</a> course. I felt completely unworthy of this great suit, as I'm not a fast biker, but it was amazingly comfortable. I had a perfect ride that was pretty zippy for me too. I tried to take a picture of myself in the mirror, with no luck!</p>
<p><strong>Thursday</strong> was the last day of Pre-School with graduation later that evening. I had a lot of things to do between those two things, and while in the middle tasks, I headed out to check the mail. I forgot to check the door <em>(it was locked)</em> and I didn't have my phone. My parents weren't home, I couldn't get in touch with Scott's parents and no one else has a key. After hanging out with my friend and neighbor, Jackie, on her porch for awhile <em>(using her phone)</em> I got in touch with Scott who reached his mom and she let me back in. Jackie told me it was the universe telling me to relax and slow down! My training plan called for a 1:15-1:30 which I almost skipped because of lack of time, BUT it was beautiful out and I knew I'd be happier if I got a run of any distance in. I raced to the Rim Trail and enjoyed a 50 minute run! I felt so much better after this and while a bit bummed I couldn't do the entire length, I was grateful. Later that night, after a mere 14 hours of sleep for the week, I squeezed in a few minutes of yoga before I picked Scott up at Cornell.</p>
<p><strong>Friday</strong> was another crazy day, but I got some Skier's Edge time in the day, a little bit of yoga and we capped things off with our Friday night Bodypump class! <strong>Saturday</strong> was the big 22 miler! It is supposed to be a fall back week to 16, but both Jenny and I are both traveling next weekend, so 22 it was! We met at <a href="http://www.islandhealthfitness.com/">Island Fitness</a> and headed up the Black Diamond Trail. The low grade hill actually felt quite nice, and we kept a pretty comfortable pace until we hit the crazy mucky part of the trail. When we finally emerged from the woods and swampy trail, Jenny looked at her legs and saw they were bleeding. Then she looked at mine and said "you are bleeding too!" We had our first war wounds! Our feet weren't too bad, just a little wet. We only just taken out extra socks out of our packs <em>(from our potential river crossing run 3 weeks ago)!</em> Scott and Elizabeth met us at the overlook of Taughannock with chips and m&ms at mile 9, and Christina joined us for the next 3-5 miles. We enjoyed our roving Aid Station before starting down the hill for our first time around the rim. Christina had fresh legs and Jenny and I were really dragging when we hit the uphill. We walked/ran/walked up the hill and then got into a groove again as it started to level off. We had arrived later than planned at the overlook, so Christina needed to head home after one loop. We said goodbye and Jenny and I continued on for loop 2. The 2nd time up the stairs we just hiked. We can't even call this power hiking, just hiking. Scott and the kids were going to meet us at mile 14 before we headed back onto the Black Diamond trail. Scott hid behind a tree and scared me badly when he jumped out. They gave us more food and I knew my stomach was going to be a problem when the salt and vinegar chips tasted terrible. I had a few m&ms hoping that the sugar and peanuts would help, but started the next section of the run feeling pretty lousy. We had decided to avoid the mucky part of the trail and hit the road for just a bit to get around it. The road was a gradual uphill and it was sunny, so we found ourselves walking just a bit of it before picking our feet back up and running. The last 8 miles on the Black Diamond were pretty uneventful. We settled back into a groove and enjoyed seeing our average pace fall. The big stones underfoot became less frequent, and with that we were a bit happier. I had a pretty close to major fall, but caught myself on a pricker bush! Another cut, but no fall. We finished strong, and I headed home for my planned evening date with Scott. An hour later, my stomach was still not ready for food, but I managed to eat a little bit and we enjoyed some nice quality time together.</p>
<p><strong>Sunday</strong> calls for a timed run while pushing the pace a bit to simulate the last miles of the race. After waffling about whether to run at all today because my legs were tired, and feeling guilty about missing much of yesterday with the family, I finally decided to go. But, after playing Chess with Xander and begging him to join me for yoga on the deck, I felt good enough to go. The kids were at the neighborhood trampoline and I decided to brave the rim. It was sunny and hot, so the road <em>(while tempting)</em> wasn't that appealing. It turns out I loved this run. Sometimes when I'm feeling really tired I do my best running solo. I pushed myself hard and because it wasn't a long run, I really enjoyed the scenery and was grateful to be able to run again after feeling so tired from the 22 just 12 hours prior. Except for one uphill stretch that I should have run more of, I had a pretty solid pace for this, and it was definitely a good simulation of the last miles of a race.</p>
Green Lakes Training Week 62014-06-16T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/green-lakes-week-6/<p>Week #6 was another challenging but very good week of training. Between the weekday running and Sunday's long run I hit 43 miles for the week. My plan changed slightly as it often does, and somehow Scott and I got away from our good solid home yoga routine this week, but all in all things are going well for week 6 <em>(or 11 the way it is on my plan ... 11 to go until the 50K that is!)</em></p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/06/Screen-Shot-2014-06-16-at-9.39.38-AM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="" title="" /></div>
<p>This week was really great for training because Elizabeth had a 4 day ballet intensive at <a href="http://www.armstrongdance.com/" title="Armstrong School of Dance">Armstrong School of Dance</a> so I had 2 hours on Monday and Thursday to use for training. <strong>Monday</strong> I had to decide between yoga and running. The plan called for a rest day from running on Monday, but there was an <a href="http://fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="Finger Lakes Running & Triathlon Company">FLRTC</a> group run scheduled. I can so rarely make these runs that I decided I'd run. It was GREAT to join the group and run downtown. I think there's hope for me being able to navigate myself down there without getting lost someday!</p>
<p><strong>Tuesday</strong> between work and kid activities there was no time to do anything, so I enjoyed a delightful rest day. <strong>Wednesday</strong> morning kicked off with my very last favorite spin class of the year. With school ending the entire routine is going to be different for summer. Chantelle gave an excellent workout, and I enjoyed spinning in my normal spot next to Christina. Later in the day it was time to hit trail. With the threat of thunderstorms I headed for the Rim trail to do hill repeats. Scott told me where he had done the repeats on the South side. I decided it wasn't quite steep enough. Seeking a longer warm-up, I continued to the North side. While running up the camp access road, suddenly I wished I had stopped where Scott suggested. This road felt plenty steep and was only .15 miles long. I used it anyway and did 6 repeats. The distance and grade of the hill were both manageable and I while it was challenging, it was not unpleasant. A quick run back to the South side to do 3 more of the proper distance fully rounded out the workout. Those three were SO hard that I was laughing to think that just a little bit earlier I had declared that hill "not steep enough" as though I was an expert hill runner. And those forecasted storms - they never did hit! A funny thing happened near the end. I accidentally did all of these with my sunglasses on my forehead. On my last repeat I tripped on a root and my <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/musings/my-9-must-have-items-for-happy-running/" title="Must Have Items ">sunglasses</a> saved me from a real face plant. Out of concern for their well being, when they started to fall I reached to catch them. I missed, but managed to avoid falling on them. Earlier in the week, I had talked with Natalie Kelly at our FLRTC run. She had the same thing happen on trail recently ... but she caught her glasses!</p>
<p><strong>Thursday</strong> I had plans to run the Black Diamond trail with a local runner I've not yet met in who is doing the Green Lakes 50K. With 100% chance of thunderstorms during the time we planned to run, she opted to run earlier in the day. I was only able to run at 6:15 p.m. so I decided to give it a go. I also switched my plan to Buttermilk. I have never run it alone, and thought I was up for the challenge. After finishing piano lessons for Elizabeth and for me, I dropped Elizabeth off at dance and headed over. This was probably the BEST trail run I've ever had. I enjoyed everything about it. The storms never came, I enjoyed the chance to think and just had a blast hopping over logs and navigating the trail.</p>
<p><strong>Friday</strong> we enjoyed our weekly Body Pump "happy hour" class and I got a little time on the skier's edge. This is always a highlight of my week! Xander had rehearsal for Oliver and Elizabeth had a school dance, so we had to race back to Tburg to get them where they needed to be. We weren't able to go out afterwards, but we did have a nice date at home. <strong>Saturday</strong> was Scott's trail race and Xander had play rehearsal all morning. Elizabeth and I headed out for a run. She is considering training for a longer distance race this fall, and I tried to talk her into going out with me for 6. After a mile she peeled off to do her standard 3. After starting our run off with a nice 9:40 warm-up pace, I stayed slow and comfortable on pace for a little longer. At the base of Rabbit Run my average pace was 9:13. I always have to set some sort of intention at the bottom of that hill, so my goal was to not lose pace. Arriving at the top with a 9:12 my last goal for fun was to get back to my house with a 9:09 overall. Arriving home with a 9:08 I was happy with my road run.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/06/IMG_1403.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Christina" title="With Christina" /><p class="stickyNote">With Christina</p></div>
<p><strong>Sunday</strong> was our big 20 mile trail run. After doing Buttermilk/Treman last week we opted to give ourselves the easier terrain of Taughannock Rim and base trails this week. We started from my house, stashed a car at the Overlook as our Aid Station and off we went. Christina and Jenny were both battling head colds while I was in fine shape to run. I felt bad for both of them, and worried about whether they'd make it but they both powered on. Christina joined us for our first 7 miles and then we continued on our adventure. This went really well. The temperature was perfect, the air was delightful and we managed to stay upbeat for most of our run. We knew the last 3 miles were going to be on road uphill, and while we briefly considered staying on trail and just driving my car home, we were tired of looping by the end. The hardest part of this course for me today was frequent entry into "civilization". We ran the base trail 3 times and each time there were a lot of leisure walkers out on the trail. It feels kind of weird to be around all those people with our hydration systems on and blowing by them as we run. However, the Green Lakes 50K will have this same thing with the same almost completely flat run, making this a pretty good thing to practice! We also felt how different this trail was from Buttermilk because it is either up or down. There aren't very many rolling up and down hills that are nice and gradual. We should have done the open part of the Cayuga Lake Triathlon course to approximate the grassy part of Green Lakes, but it was full sun and we didn't have visors or sunglasses. We opted for the cover of trees instead. Jenny managed to go the distance with her head cold (yay Jenny!) and we started thinking ahead to next week's 22 miles! We realized that when either of us has an event at any point in the day, it makes it really challenging to schedule. We joked about people asking us what we did that day. "Oh I ran 20 miles." And then they wait to hear more and we say "yup, that's what I did with my Sunday." Hmmm. Of course there is time left, but it does feel very long compared with road running! Scott used the find my iphone feature to find us and surprised us with ice mid-run. It was great to emerge from the woods and see him with Xander. They were headed to Xander's soccer game and made a little pit stop to cheer us on.</p>
Green Lakes Training Week 52014-06-09T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/green-lakes-training-week-5/<p>Wow! Week 5 was filled with ups and downs. I practiced what I learned from the <a href="http://animalathleticspdx.com/">Animal Athletics</a> Hill Training clinic and did all my mid-week running on trails, braved the <a href="https://www.cayugatrails50.com/">Cayuga Trails 50</a> course for my Saturday long run, and fit in a lot of cross training. I also realized this week that on shorter run days I've started replying to "How long are you running for?" with an apologetic "only an hour." Hmm ... I don't think this is the best reply. <em>(45.99 m for the week)</em></p>
<p><strong>Monday</strong> is supposed to be a rest day, but we shifted things around this past week, so Monday was the hour timed run. It was HOT, my legs were tired and I was happy to run from water to water, using Not My Dad's ice-cream as a water stop twice on this hour long road run. I also fit in my usual Pilates and Bodypump. <em>(6.3 m)</em></p>
<p><strong>Tuesday</strong> last chance for the season to do the evening slot for running the Black Diamond trail. Piano is ending soon and it is a season of concerts, business trips and general chaos. So, despite not being in the mood to run I pushed myself out of the car for this one. Well, Scott did actually! Ran up at a 10+ pace so sped down to have a 9:27 overall. <em>(6.11 m)</em></p>
<p><strong>Wednesday</strong> was a speedy outdoor ride <em>(2nd fastest ever)</em> early and the running plan called for a 55 minute hilly run. I decided that the bike counted for something and did a fast Rim run instead. <em>(2.93 m)</em></p>
<p><strong>Thursday</strong> This was a timed run day and I hit the trail again. Plan was to do the Rim, base rim combo by starting at the overlook. I managed to keep a pace in the high 10s <em>(ok so I stopped early to prevent it from hitting the 11s as I had one last ascent)</em> and run most of the hills. I used a lot of the suggestions from the Animal Athletics hill training clinic. I'm glad I attended this. It's already helped me improve both mentally and physically on the hills. <em>(6.51 m)</em></p>
<p><strong>Friday</strong> Rest day from running before the big 18 miler, but fit in some Skier's Edge, a quick bit of yoga and my favorite Friday night class of Les Mills Bodypump at Island Fitness.</p>
<p><strong>Saturday</strong></p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/06/IMG_1393.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Near the end of the 18 miler" title="Near the end of the 18 miler" /><p class="stickyNote">Near the end of the 18 miler</p></div>
<p>This was the really hard workout of the week. Scott ran 26 in the Finger Lakes National Forest in the morning. He returned from his run at 12:50 as I was heading out to bring Xander to a birthday party and meet Jenny and Christina for my 18 miler at Buttermilk. He was laying on the floor muddy knowing he had to be at play rehearsal in a half hour as I left! Jenny and I dropped one car at Treman and headed over to Buttermilk to meet Christina. After assembling our packs, we started up the brutal hill. We stopped at the gate where our hill training class met and I shared a couple of hill tips with them as we started up the hill. After doing repeats up this hill at the clinic, it feels like a familiar friend instead of the enemy it once was! Our first 6.5 were challenging but good. It was Christina's first big trail run and she did really well. We nourished her with water when she was thirsty and gave her sport beans when she was in need of some sugar. She's even thinking about joining us another time! After loop one we refilled water and headed back up the hill as Christina headed home. The 2nd time the hill didn't feel so familiar and I wasn't quite as happy as we headed up. We did a lot more power hiking on loop 2, but we made it. We took the Finger Lakes Spur trail over to connect to Lick Brook and get on the Cayuga Trails 50 course. It was splendid! We got lost a few times, and consulted our GPS and map (and my watch died AGAIN - realized at home that it is on night setting with backlight, so hopefully next time it won't drain battery so fast!) We had packed extra socks for our water crossing over Lick Brook. However, when we arrived we saw a nice little railroad bridge that we could cross to avoid the water. With only 5 miles left to go and very tired legs, we decided that we'd take the path of less resistance and stay dry. Lucifer's steps were pure torture when we hit them. I can't imagine hitting those twice on the 50 mile race! I'm so impressed with everyone who did that race. Just as we were 2 miles from done I got a text from Scott saying "are you ok?" because of course we were taking MUCH longer than anyone would have thought. Embarrassed, I replied that we were 2 miles out. We slogged through the final 2 and finished pretty strong all things considered. All in all, it was a good day; good friends to run with, we tried out typical Aid Station food and our stomachs did fine, we hydrated well, and we're trying out new terrain to keep things interesting! <em>(18 m)</em></p>
<p><strong>Sunday</strong> The last run of the week! A one hour timed run. I hit the Rim trail again. I am starting to prefer trail!! I waited until the last possible moment to do this, and got caught in the rain. The scary moment on this run was running into a large snake at the top of the trail. He was big and had spots on him and was across 2/3 of the trail. Of course my heart didn't calm down for about 5 minutes! I even contemplated returning a different way, but then realized that was insane. <em>(6.10 m)</em></p>
Green Lakes Training Week 42014-06-02T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/green-lakes-training-week-4/<p>This week was exciting! The <a href="http://fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="FLRTC">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> hosted the <a href="https://www.cayugatrails50.com/" title="Cayuga Trails 50">Cayuga Trails 50 Miler</a> in Ithaca week and we attended several of the pre-race events and volunteered at the race. It is really cool to be so inspired! We met amazing athletes, learned some hill running techniques, and watched the <a href="http://trailsinmotion.wordpress.com/" title="Trails in Motion">Trails In Motion Film Festival</a> as a family. Walking up Buffalo Street after the show discussing the films was one of my favorite moments. Now to the work outs <em>(38 running miles logged this week).</em></p>
<p><strong>Tuesday</strong> After my friend Kathey told me her 12 year old daughter runs the Rim Trail in 30 minutes, I decided I needed to push myself to run the whole thing. I headed out and squeaked in the 2.93 miles in 29:56. Scott suggested starting at the top and doing all the downhill running first. It was a good choice and I have a nice benchmark for next time! Before evening piano lessons we stopped at Finger Lakes Running & Triathlon Company to meet Yassine and Willie from <a href="http://animalathleticspdx.com/" title="Animal Athletics">Animal Athletics</a>. They were here to run the Cayuga 50 Miler and it was fun to be part of the energy of the upcoming event! My plan called for an easy 45 and storms were predicted for my normal evening slot. However, I was ready to run in case they didn't come and they didn't! I got a really nice comfortable run up the Black Diamond trail during the kids' piano lessons. I have settled into a predictable pace for this run, almost always averaging 9:31 pace for my 45 minute run.</p>
<p>Wednesday was a triple workout with Spinning and Pilates early in the day and Hill Repeats during Xander's evening track program. The repeats began with a 1.5 mile warm-up, 5x500 repeats and just under 1 mile cool down. This was hard! Time includes all rest time - watch interval workout setting is AWESOME. Keeps you VERY honest!! (<em>5.28 miles/52 min)</em></p>
<p><strong>Thursday</strong> we had a Field Trip to Taughannock Park today so I was able to run to work! It was a great way to start the morning. I enjoyed a comfy 6 miles to the park before walking with my pre-schoolers to see the falls. When I got there we had planned to run the kids a little so they'd get some energy out before our big hike. I had a blast racing with them across the field. The only downside of this was that it was COLD and after I finished running I was freezing for the trip even with 5 layers of clothing on! (<em>6.08 miles/54 min)</em></p>
<p><strong>Friday</strong> The <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/" title="FLRC">Finger Lakes Running Club</a> and <a href="http://fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="FLRTC">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> brought a program called <a href="http://animalathleticspdx.com/who-we-are/" title="Animal Athletics">Animal Athletics</a> to Ithaca. My sister knows the directors; Yassine & Willie and we enjoyed meeting them! It was really fun to have the chance to learn about hill training from them. We met in Buttermilk State Park and worked on hill repeats. I plan to write a specific post about this event because there is SO much to say! I was so nervous for this, but it turned out to be an amazing opportunity!</p>
<p>Saturday I enjoyed a hike with Xander, and a nice solo bike ride along with some relaxing yoga to wind the day down. The ride was great. I took my typical route out Waterburg Road and managed 15.5 mph pace. I need to start getting on the bike more and working on improving pace. This was the 2nd outdoor ride of the season. Elizabeth is interested in a road bike too, so this could be an opportunity for me to upgrade my bike if I can find a good deal!</p>
<p>Sunday After volunteering at the <a href="https://www.cayugatrails50.com/" title="Cayuga Trails 50">Cayuga Trails 50</a>, Jenny and I drove up to Green Lakes to run 2 loops of the 50K trail. This was a VERY good idea! I printed the maps and we were ready!! After less than 3 miles we were lost and much more tired than usual. I wasn't terribly surprised that we were lost since I'm terrible about reading maps, but it was humbling. We ran into a trail runner who took time from his day to run us back to where we needed to be and help guide us on our way. It made us feel better when he told us that there were a lot of new trails that weren't on the map, making it really challenging to stay on course. The terrain at <a href="http://gleruns.org/the_course" title="Green Lakes">Green Lakes</a> is quite varied making this a really nice route. We enjoyed what they called the Serengeti because of the wind on this really warm day! Sadly, my watch died at mile 12.62, but we switched to phones and luckily I had recently looked at my watch! My achilles and calves are tight so I will have to watch that. Jenny and I started discussing strategy for aid stations, thinking about practicing with food on long runs and seeking out similar terrain for training running. We may venture out to the <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/fingerlakes" title="Finger lakes National Forest">Finger Lakes National Forest</a> soon as the terrain is more similar to the course than the State Parks are. (16.14 miles/2:58)</p>
<div class="main-carousel" data-flickity='{ "fullscreen": true, "wrapAround": "true", "autoPlay": "3000", "pauseAutoPlayOnHover": true }'><div class="carousel-cell">
<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2014/06/IMG_1366.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="The Serengeti" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2014/06/IMG_1367.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Dead GPS" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2014/06/IMG_1369.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="With Jenny post run" />
</div></div>My 9 Must-Have Items for Happy Running2014-05-30T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/my-9-must-have-items-for-happy-running/<p>This winter a package arrived in the mail from my sister, who is an ultra runner, climber and hiker living in Portland, Oregon. She knew I was training to PR a half marathon and that my GPS was broken. She packed up her extra one and threw in some trail butter for me to try. Being that it was winter in central New York, I was skiing and running roads so popped the trail butter in my pantry. Out of sight, out of mind, until I didn't get into the NYC marathon lottery and signed up for my first 50K: the <a href="http://gleruns.org/" title="Green Lakes">Green Lakes Endurance Run</a>.</p>
<p>Last week I brought the trail butter on my long run. About an hour into the run I tried it. Oh my goodness! This stuff is amazing. I saved 3/4 of the tube for Scott to enjoy the next day on his much longer run, and we both became obsessed with <a href="http://trailbutter.com/" title="Trail Butter">Trail Butter</a>.</p>
<p>I looked at all their flavors and got in touch with <a href="http://fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="FLRTC">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> to find out if they carry it, emailed my sister to thank her, and had to mention it in my weekly running summary on my blog. The next day, I was at Finger Lakes Running Company and said to the manager, "you have to get Trail Butter! It is AMAZING."</p>
<p>As we sat down to an early dinner at our favorite Ithaca restaurant before my daughter's dance recital, I suddenly realized that virtually everything I truly <strong>LOVE</strong> that I own for running has either been directly marketed to me at an event, or via my sister. In fact, I can only think of one thing that I really love that I stumbled upon myself! Here's my list of favorites, how I learned about them, and just why I love them:</p>
<h2 id="cheribundi">Cheribundi</h2>
<p>The <a href="http://www.rochestermarathon.com/" title="Rochester Marathon">Rochester Half Marathon</a> was my first big race. Milling about in the amazing post-race food tent, I happened upon a small company giving samples of their cherry juice. A half hour later, armed with a sticker with their website I asked Scott how he felt about subscribing to get a monthly shipment of cherry juice. He laughed and told me I was a marketer's dream. This was in 2007. Seven years later, <a href="http://www.cheribundi.com/" title="Cheribundi">Cheribundi</a> has grown and and changed its name <em>(used to be Cherry Pharm)</em>, and we're <em>still</em> enjoying our monthly shipment.</p>
<h2 id="running-skirts">Running Skirts</h2>
<p>When I first started running, I ran in shorts. They always rode up and looked terrible on me. I tried a couple of major brands of skirts, but the liner rode up too. Thinking it must be my legs, I decided I'd just need to accept it. Then, my sister started running in <a href="http://www.skirtsports.com/index.cfm" title="Skirtsports">Skirtsports.com</a> skirts and sent me one to try. Immediately smitten, I bought several more. Later, she discovered <a href="http://runningskirts.com/" title="Running Skirts.com">Runnningskirts.com</a>, loving them for their fun patterns and cute velcro pockets. She sent me another skirt in the mail to try! I love them both so much!</p>
<h2 id="brooks-pure-footwear">Brooks Pure Footwear</h2>
<p>I have never loved a shoe as much as the <a href="http://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/womens-running-shoes/#prefn1=use&prefn2=Offset&prefv2=04&prefv1=running">Brooks Pure line</a>. Returning to running from a knee injury caused by a too quick a transition to minimalist shoes, I spent a lot of time checking out footwear. One evening at the gym, I saw my physical therapist's wife in the locker room. She was raving about her new shoes. I asked her what they were and her response was, <em>"I don't know. Ian from <a href="http://fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="FLRTC">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> put me in them and I LOVE them!"</em> Well, that was enough for me. The next week I went to the store and asked Ian what shoe he had put her in. He said "Oh, the Pure Connect." Sold. He cautioned me to start slow because they were a 4mm drop. Post-injury I happily obliged. Several months later I ran the Rochester Marathon in those shoes. Now I use the Pure Connects for speed work and short distances and the Pure Flows for longer distances. I love how light weight they are, and how responsive they feel.</p>
<h2 id="brooks-apparel">Brooks Apparel</h2>
<p>At the 2012 Boston Marathon the temperatures were forecasted to be sky-high with high humidity. My sister Sarah was coming from Portland where it had been in the 50s with nice drizzle, perfect running weather. At the expo, Brooks had this <a href="http://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/d%27lite-micro-mesh-racerback/220443400.025.html#start=29" title="mesh tank">light as air mesh tank</a> that she picked up. It is basically like wearing nothing! I bought a few shortly after Boston and they remain my go-to summer workout wear.</p>
<h2 id="lara-bars">Lara Bars</h2>
<p>Wandering through the Philadelphia Marathon Expo, Jenny and I stopped at booths, meeting sales people and checking out products. While we had the most fun in the Minute Rice line when Jenny won a set of measuring spoons, the <a href="http://www.larabar.com/" title="Lara Bar">Lara Bar</a> sample turned out to be the best find of the day. Thinking "this will probably be another icky bar," I grabbed a sample size anyway. It was only a bite-sized bit. A week or so after the marathon, I popped it into my mouth after a run. It was amazing, and the part that really sold me was the ingredient list. Everything in the short list was real food! I promptly hopped onto their website to learn more about the company and later that week I bought a box at Wegmans. About a month ago, I tried to make my own. Let's just say I'll be purchasing them for at least a little while longer. My first try at a home version was not a dazzling success.</p>
<h2 id="sunglasses-%26-sweaty-bands">Sunglasses & Sweaty Bands</h2>
<p>I never run with sunglasses. I'm a visor girl. But, when we went to watch Sarah run the 2012 Boston Marathon, she had some time to spend at the Expo. She purchased a pair of <a href="http://www.psisunglasses.com/shop/select-type.cfm?typenum=2&subtypenum=7&recordsPerPage=10" title="PSI sunglasses">PSI (Precision Sunglass Innovations)</a> sunglasses for herself and a sweaty band. Marathon day was sunny, hot and humid with temps in the 90s and Sarah looked great with her new lightweight sunglasses and sweaty band for her hair. My parents picked up some <a href="http://www.sweatybands.com/" title="Sweaty Bands">Sweaty Bands</a> for me and Elizabeth at the Expo and Scott and I bought ourselves the sunglasses after the event. Now, on the not-so-hot days I love to wear my light-as-air fog-free sunglasses!</p>
<h2 id="nathan-hydration-pack">Nathan Hydration Pack</h2>
<p>After watching Sarah in Western States, Scott and I were inspired to <em>consider</em> trail running. She encouraged us to check out hydration packs and suggested the <a href="http://www.nathansports.com/hydration/race-vests/intensity" title="Hydration Pack">Nathan Intensity Pack</a>. We decided to give it a go since we'd use them for day hiking even if we didn't pick up trail running with fervor. I was training for the Philadelphia Marathon right after doing the Wineglass Marathon. Because Philly was a destination marathon and I was traveling with friends, I decided I'd need to carry my phone, and I was the driver, so I had to carry car keys. I haven't found a waist belt that won't ride up, so the hydration pack made it to the marathon start. It was great for comfortably carrying my things and it was pretty cool to have my own water. And I LOVE it for training for Green Lakes for trail!</p>
<h2 id="trail-butter">Trail Butter</h2>
<p>This is my last and newest favorite thing! I wrote about it at the start of this post. Scott and I are so excited to have found <a href="http://trailbutter.com/" title="Trail Butter">Trail Butter</a>. For him, it is in time to use for his last few training runs for the Finger Lakes 50s in July and I will get to use it for most of my training cycle. I'm looking forward to trying all the flavors. One of the best things about being a little bit behind my little sister with my running is that she checks things out and sends all the things that work great for her my way!</p>
Green Lakes Training Week 32014-05-26T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/green-lakes-training-week-3/<p>Weird training week! I was able to flip/flop things around because of Elizabeth's dance recital and the fact that we were renting our house out for Cornell graduation but everything felt a little chaotic. I am starting to get stressed about focusing so much on trail <em>(yes I should be doing this since my goal is a 50K on trail)</em> when the Cayuga Lake Tri is coming up so soon. I really don't swim <em>(realized when checking past results that my swim times have gotten progressively worse each year instead of better!)</em> and haven't made any effort to improve this year. But back to this week and Green Lakes in particular for now.</p>
<p><strong>Monday</strong> I turned the planned rest day into a trail run day. After I dropped Elizabeth off at dance, I ventured down the hill through crazy traffic to <a href="http://nysparks.com/parks/135/details.aspx" title="Treman State park">Treman State Park.</a> Right out of the gate my 1:15-1:30 window dropped to an hour because of the traffic. I quickly headed up the Gorge side of the trail and almost immediately I was transported to Oregon trails in my mind. The upper falls were closed, so I crossed the bridge to the Rim after confirming the closure! A mile down the rim side, I took a left fork when I should have gone right. The trail rapidly turned to single track, and there were lots of downed trees, most covered with moss. I was zipping along thinking "they need to do some trail work here" when pretty soon I came upon water. Looking up I thought "the rim doesn't go right to the water!" Plodding up the hill, I panicked about being late for Elizabeth, getting lost and thought "this is why I haven't ventured out on the Pacific Crest Trail alone yet ..." I realized I must work at being much more thoughtful and brave on trails! All in all a good, albeit VERY SLOW run.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/05/IMG_1307.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Treman State Park" title="Treman State Park" /><p class="stickyNote">Treman State Park</p></div>
<p>Tuesday Delightful! I thought I had the bad time slot this week and was feeling like it was my turn for it anyway since Scott got the heat last week it would be my turn for rain this week. But it never really rained - just slight sprinkling which was nice. Almost the same stats as last week for time and distance for this timed run <em>(45-60 min).</em> The difference was that after running Buttermilk and Treman this trail felt EASY. Nice to see harder work pay off to make something that used to feel really hard feel more comfortable. I averaged a 9:30 pace for just under 6 miles.</p>
<p><strong>Wednesday</strong> After Spinning, Teresa and I hit the Black Diamond Trail. I was tired from class and my left knee/IT band was tight. What was interesting was that on Tuesday evening I felt I had pushed myself hard, and then I was zipping along with Teresa much faster than when I ran alone. We ended up with an 8:54 pace for 6 miles. This was a reminder that I need to push myself harder more often! After this run I regretted letting Teresa go ahead during the Flower City Half. I think that if I could have kept her in my sight instead of letting my head decide she was too fast for me, she could have unknowingly been my pacer for that race. I'm working on challenging myself a little harder at least some of the time now!</p>
<p>Friday Jenny and I changed our Saturday long run to Friday because Scott needed to run 24 on Saturday. Since we were staying at Kathey's lake house while we were renting our house for Cornell, I realized that it would not be responsible to leave the kids and Elizabeth's friend at the lake house while both of their parents were off running. I could have taken the afternoon slot, but we really didn't have time to stagger before the recital without being very pressed for time. So, Jenny and I met shortly after lunch and did 3 rounds of the <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/cltrace/racemaps.php" title="Cayuga Lake Triathlon">Cayuga Lake Tri</a> route with two Rim loops to make 14 miles. This was really fun. We had perfect weather <em>(albeit a bit too humid)</em> and we settled into a nice groove early on. I was really hungry about an hour and a half into the run, so I tried the <a href="http://trailbutter.com/" title="Trail Butter">Trail Butter</a> that my sister had sent earlier this year. After a lot of laughter and pictures about it looking like poop coming out of the tube, I tasted it and LOVED it. It settled very well in my stomach and I was no longer hungry. Of course when I love something this much, I have to shout it from the rooftops. So, more about that in another post. Stay tuned.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/05/IMG_1315.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Yoga/Pilates on Kathey's dock" title="Yoga/Pilates on Kathey's dock" /><p class="stickyNote">Yoga/Pilates on Kathey's dock</p></div>
<p>Saturday This was supposed to be a 1 hour medium effort run. It ended up being a day with lovely Yoga/Pilates on Kathey's dock. Honestly my knee hurt, I didn't feel like staggering with Scott and having to run right when it was getting nice outside, and I really wasn't in the mood to have to shower before the dance recital. So, my choice was to pretty much rest. Two rest days within a couple of days of each other didn't sit that well with me, but my legs sure felt better for it!</p>
<p>Sunday It was so nice to be able to run this medium effort hour long run with Scott. We were able to talk about a lot of things that were just general to the world and not specifically about our kids or our own day to day life, and kept up a nice 9 min mile pace for 7 miles. I also appreciated the time on the road for a change.</p>
<p>Week #3 is down, and I'm excited to get to 16 miles next weekend. An added bonus is that the <a href="https://www.cayugatrails50.com/" title="Cayuga Trail 50s">Cayuga Trails 50</a> is next weekend! It is being hosted by our local running store, <a href="http://fingerlakesrunningco.com/">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a> and Cayuga Medical Center next weekend. This race is the 50 Mile distance championships for 2014! I'll be volunteering at an aid station with my family. I'm sure both Scott and I will come away from this event really inspired and ready to focus even harder on our own training.</p>
6 Trail Tips2014-05-18T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/musings/6-trail-tips/<p>Turning to trail? These are the things I find help me as I tackle the trails. Already a seasoned road runner, I am a complete novice on trail and need each and every one of these tricks.</p>
<h2 id="1.-leave-your-gps-home">1. Leave your GPS home</h2>
<p>It helps me to forget about pace and focus on feel. Every "naked" run helps me dial into my natural pace and think positively. After the run if I really want to know, I calculate pace using <a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/us/">Map My Run</a>.</p>
<h2 id="2.-choose-some-tunes">2. Choose some tunes</h2>
<p>I am pretty comfortable leaving the music home on the road. I love the time to think and focus on breathing and just running. However, on trail I need all the motivation I can get. Music shifts my focus, making it feel easier to keep putting one foot in front of the other. On my last solo trail run, I chose a mix from a recent road race and visualized speeding along on the race course.</p>
<h2 id="3.-run-alone-(or-with-others)">3. Run alone <em>(or with others)</em></h2>
<p>I am an introvert, which means that I am energized by being alone. This doesn't mean that I don't enjoy being around people - I do! It means that being around people can drain my energy. With something new, like trail running, I push myself harder when I'm alone, and I feel more confident. Extroverted? Try to do most of your running with a group.</p>
<h2 id="4.-negotiate-...-always">4. Negotiate ... always</h2>
<p>I will run as soon as I hit that tree! Or I can run 10 minutes more. Make deals with yourself and stick to them. In my first 3 trail runs I spent much of the time making these little deals. Pretty soon I had finished my goal, and I felt PROUD!</p>
<h2 id="5.-hydrate">5. Hydrate</h2>
<p>I have a <a href="http://www.nathansports.com/hydration/race-vests/intensity">hydration pack</a>, but on my first long trail run with my training partner, I decided to leave the pack home. It was 80 degrees and humid, but we were only running 10. Coming from road, that seemed trivial. I felt wimpy packing water and fuel. At the end of this run, we drank from the dog spout in a park we were so thirsty! Know the situation and the terrain and come prepared. My next run, I arrived with everything I needed, and was MUCH happier!</p>
<h2 id="6.-gear-up">6. Gear up</h2>
<p>Trail running means trail shoes. With advice from my ultra runner sister, I headed to my local running store, <a href="http://fingerlakesrunningco.com/">Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company</a>, and tried on the <a href="http://shop.pearlizumi.com/product.php?mode=view&pc_id=80580&product_id=1982421&color_code=3TH&outlet=0">Pearl Izumi N2s.</a> I took them on a local trail that I had run with my regular running shoes the two times prior, and enjoyed not feeling every rock under my feet! Having proper footwear gives me more confidence and comfy feet.</p>
Green Lakes Training Week 22014-05-11T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/green-lakes-training-week-2/<p>This week I edited Scott's training plan to fit all the things that I need to do; Pilates, Yoga, Bodypump, Skier's Edge and a couple of races I don't want to miss. My <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/Green-Lakes.pages.pdf" title="Green Lakes Plan">plan</a> has no rest days built in, but I know that I'll squeeze some rest time in!</p>
<p><strong>Monday</strong> I couldn't make my usual Bodypump/Pilates combo, and it was my night to drive Elizabeth to dance so I fit in some Power Yoga at <a href="http://yogabootcamp.weebly.com/" title="Yoga">Michael's Power Yoga Bootcamp Studio</a>. My legs were really tight after the weekend's running and I felt almost perfect after this class!</p>
<p>The first day was 45-60 minutes easy. Today I hit the Black Diamond trail again. I broke out the small pack that can hold a 1 liter hydration pack. This is one of our last weeks of piano/dance shuffle and I got the 7-8 p.m. slot again after Scott's 6-7 time. It was a great time slot because it was a very warm day and it was cooling off by then. I had a bit of trouble with the pack rubbing on my shoulders, but other than that it was a great run! I kept a positive mental attitude for the entire run.</p>
<p>Wednesday I went to spinning and then instead of doing hill repeats when it was nice and cool outside, I waited to do them when it was 80 degrees during Xander's track. He and I ran to track. I carried water bottles for both of us, and then started my repeats when he started track. Since it is early in the plan, I only had to do three 600 meter repeats before heading home with my empty bottle just in time to hit a PTO meeting. Luckily Christina brought Xander to the meeting for me, as it was Scott's night to do the dance driving. On my way home, I tried putting the bottle between my skirt and back like the elite trail runners did at <a href="http://www.wser.org/" title="Western States 100">Western States</a>. Scott tried this the other day and it worked great for him. Not so much for me.</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/05/IMG_1299.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Ready for my first solo effort!" title="Ready for my first solo effort!" /><p class="stickyNote">Ready for my first solo effort!</p></div>
<p>Thursday I headed out for my first solo effort at a rim base rim run. I forgot my GPS which turned out to be a good thing <em>(no pressure)</em> and set a timer on my phone. I started at the overlook and went up and then down the South Rim to the base. Picked up the CLT course and went to the falls. I stopped to have a hiker take my picture and enjoy the spray of the water before heading back on the trail. I took the South Rim back up, walking all the stairs until I hit this one little tree that I always negotiate with myself to be the <em>"you must start running again here and no stopping to walk after you start"</em> point. Later, I stopped a couple of times for texts with Elizabeth about end of day plans. Today I used music to help keep my positive mental attitude. I figured out mileage when I got home - and spent much of my run thinking about all the little tricks I have started using in my short tenure as a trail runner. I came home and <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/musings/6-trail-tips/" title="Trail Tips">composed them</a> before they left my head.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/05/IMG_1298.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Taughannock Falls" title="Taughannock Falls" /><p class="stickyNote">Taughannock Falls</p></div>
<p><strong>Friday</strong> is a day off from running. I fit in the <a href="http://www.skiersedge.com/" title="Skier's Edge">Skier's Edge</a> before heading off to Friday night Bodypump with Scott. This is always a high point of my week; seeing my friends in class and often heading off to Viva afterwards!</p>
<p><strong>Saturday</strong> before my planned trail run with Jenny, I took some time to do a half hour of flexibility yoga. Early in the afternoon I met Jenny and Jess to do 2 loops at <a href="http://nysparks.com/parks/151/details.aspx" title="Buttermilk Falls">Buttermilk Falls State Park</a>. The start of this run was not my proudest moment. I was late, and then had to buy my park pass so I was feeling stressed about making them wait for me. Then, as we started up the steep hill I had a complete flashback to High School track when I arrived late to practice. My coach sent me off to do a "horn" which is a 1.5 mile warm-up run around a loop starting with a hill. I ran quickly to catch up with the last girl and grabbed her shoulder and begged her to wait for me. On this run, I felt that same way but instead told them to "just go on without me" and I'd see them somewhere on the trail. Of course they didn't leave me and we had a good run, but it was a rough start!</p>
<p><strong>Sunday</strong> I took in Bodypump with Jenny because I can't make Monday's class again and enjoyed my hour timed run with Jenny and Christina. It was a nice cool day and it was fun to be running on the road with friends. Later in the day I took in some relaxation yoga with Scott.</p>
<p>All in all this week #2 felt pretty good. Things were mostly positive, and I'm enjoying the challenge of this training.</p>
Green Lakes Training Week 12014-05-05T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/training/green-lakes-training-week-1/<p>The <a href="http://www.mayday5k.org/" title="May Day 5&5">May Day 5&5</a> is complete! We had our post race wrap up meeting and set the date for next year. Now it is time to launch into the next training plan. I signed up for the Green Lakes 50K on August 23rd, and this week was week 1 of training. I am following Scott's <a href="https://scottpdawson.com/so-heres-the-plan-for-50k-training/">training plan</a> that he's using for his first 50K. Here are the week's highlights.</p>
<p><strong>The first day was 45-60 minutes easy.</strong> We have a swap that we do during piano/dance lessons, so during my hour of workout time, I ran around Cass Park. After 30 minutes I was ready for a new challenge, so I hopped onto the <a href="http://blackdiamondtrail.org/" title="Black Diamond Trail">Black Diamond Trail</a> for the rest of the time. My first time on trail for the season and I LOVED it! Great start. I was feeling jazzed for the race.</p>
<p><strong>Wednesday</strong> brought a hilly run into my life. After spinning I talked Christina into joining me on a Black Diamond trail run. It was GREAT! We headed up for 25 minutes and then back down. After this run I was thinking "Yay! I'm so glad I didn't get into NYC marathon so I can do this trail race." I think I like trail running.</p>
<p><strong>Thursday</strong> ushered in stomping and tears. Scott asked me to join him on the Rim Trail while Xander was at soccer practice. I spent the entire downhill time fearful of the uphill and then much of the uphill was stomping and whining. Scott says, "you know all that stomping is getting in the way of a good workout!" and I think, "I'm NOT a trail runner!"</p>
<p><strong>Saturday</strong> was the first long trail run of the plan. Jenny joined me and we headed up the Black Diamond trail for 5 miles. Hot, humid day with no hydration and we were exhausted by mile 2. We were both wearing new shoes, and were not quite ready to get them muddy! We ran into Scott on his 22 mile run and got some hydration. When we finished the run, we were so thirsty we ended up drinking from the dog spout in the park!</p>
<p><strong>Sunday</strong> was Mother's Day and I enjoyed a one hour run with my great friends and running partners, Christina and Jenny. It was nice to run for time with no worry about pace, and on this lovely sunny day we had planned water stops. Bonus, it was the day I was painting my house so this was my break from painting, making it even more fun!</p>
<p>Overall at the end of week #1 I feel excited and worried. I am ready for the challenge, and grateful for friends willing to train with me.</p>
May Day 5K 20142014-05-03T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/may-day-5k-2014/<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>I didn't specifically train for a 5K for this race, but I had just completed a training cycle for the Flower City Half Marathon and participated in that race one week prior. I was very excited to participate in the May Day again this year. I have decided that next year I will stay on site, so this was my 2nd and possibly last time participating as a racer.</p>
<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<p>The <a href="http://www.mayday5k.org/" title="May Day 5K">May Day 5K</a> is a big fundraising event that I help organize every year. This year we had the race professionally timed for the 2nd year, this year by <a href="http://fastfinishes.net/" title="Fast Finishes">Fast Finishes</a> so I was able to leave the race site and run it again. Last year it took me a full mile to catch my son Xander and his friend Drew, but this year I caught them within the first .3 mile <em>(it was a cold winter and they hadn't trained as much as last year but I was still pscyhed!)</em> We got our course USATF certified this year, so the distance is a little bit longer than last year. I ran just behind our 23 minute pacer, trying to catch him the entire race. I managed to eek out a PR on the course after being up most of the night worried about details for the event. And while this PR is only a second and a smidge faster than last, it is for an official 5K certified distance which is a bit longer than the race course last year. The race was a huge success, both in the goal of raising funds for a school capital project, and with our numbers. We had a record turn out of 516 people between our 5K, new 5 mile option and our youth Fun Run!</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Time: 23:41:6 <br />
07:38 pace<br />
23/276 overall<br />
1st Female Masters <br />
<a href="http://www.coolrunning.com/results/14/ny/May3_MayDay_set2.shtml" title="May Day 5K Results 2013">Official Results</a></p>
Flower City Half Marathon2014-04-27T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/flower-city-half-marathon/<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<iframe allow="autoplay *; encrypted-media *;" frameborder="0" height="450" style="width:100%;max-width:660px;overflow:hidden;background:transparent;" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" src="https://embed.music.apple.com/us/playlist/flower-city-half/pl.u-x8DXTBjZ1W"></iframe>
<p>This was my first time training for a specific time goal. I sat down at my kids' New Year's Eve ski race and decided that I wanted to run a spring Half Marathon. I determined that a goal of 1:50 was reasonable based on my prior performance and selected a <a href="http://cdn.running.competitor.com/files/2013/03/30_nat.pdf" title="Half Marathon Training Plan">plan from Competitor Magazine</a>. I modified the plan to include my Les Mills BodyPump classes, Spinning, Pilates and some yoga. This was what my <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/static/pdf/Half-Marathon-Training.pdf">Half Marathon Training</a> plan looked like once I customized it specifically for me. I found the plan challenging but good. There were days where looking at the workout gave my stomach butterflies, but I managed to stick with my goal running for almost every workout.</p>
<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<p>As with many things I sign up for, I didn't really look carefully with the details of the <a href="http://www.flowercitychallenge.com/">Flower City Challenge Half Marathon</a> before I signed up. The 7:30 a.m. start. The packet pick-up starting at 6 a.m. and the fact that I didn't secure a hotel room meant a 4 a.m. wake up on race day. With about an hour of sleep the night before, I hopped into the car with friends Teresa and Melissa at 4:45 a.m. and headed up to the race. Luckily Teresa stayed awake and kept me company and I had given up coffee the week of the race so that I'd feel the caffeine from the coffee that morning.</p>
<p>This race was staged out of the <a href="http://www.bluecrossarena.com/" title="War Memorial">Rochester War Memorial</a>. We arrived with plenty of time to spare and promptly found parking a block away. The location was perfect! It was large, there were plenty of bathrooms with short lines and since it was a very chilly morning it was great to wait indoors. We got ourselves all settled and pretty soon it was race time! I found myself strangely nervous. I normally have pre-race nerves, but today was different. I was trying for a particular time, and I knew exactly what pace I needed to achieve it.</p>
<p>I ran the first two miles right next to Teresa at about an 8 minute mile pace. I let her go shortly after mile 2, thinking I would slow things down a bit and eventually ramp back up my pace <em>(goal pace was 8:19)</em>. I don't know if this was a wise move or not. I like to think that by slowing down I was better prepared for the upcoming hills <em>(that I didn't yet know about)</em> but I wonder if I had kept up the speed for a bit longer if I would have come in right at my goal of 1:50 instead of 1:50:47. I will never know, but I do know that I'm ready to work really hard to do even better at the <a href="http://www.wineglassmarathon.com/" title="Wineglass Half Marathon">Wineglass Half</a> this fall!</p>
<p>The things I remember from this race the most include:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Clothing and Food:</strong> Losing my <a href="http://www.sportbeans.com/" title="Sports Beans">Sports Beans</a> at mile 10. My hands were freezing and I couldn't get the package to open. They flew out of my hands onto the path. I shed my gloves at mile 4, giving them to a spectator. I've never done that before and it felt strangely terrible. Somehow losing my cheap black gloves made me sad.</li>
<li><strong>Highland Park and Cemetery:</strong> I know this area and I mistakenly thought we were going to run by it not all the way through it. I didn't look at the <a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/fullscreen/332612207/" title="Course Map">map</a> much before the race. As much as I disliked the constant hills through the <a href="http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589936771" title="Mt Hope Cemetery">Mt. Hope Cemetery</a> I found this part of the course to be the most inspiring. I gave thanks for my ability to run, and reminded myself to live each day that I have to the fullest. I felt the strongest on this part of the course with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for this life that I have.</li>
<li><strong>Race Song</strong>: Every race I have done has a race song, but I don't usually know the song until I run. Sometimes I run with music and the song reveals itself to me during the run, and sometimes it is just the music I listen to in the days before the run or the morning of the event. Today, I had a new playlist with several songs that my friends suggested using. I only really enjoy listening to music I haven't heard much <em>(or at all)</em> before. Today I chose the race song from the part of the course where I felt most grateful and inspired. That song was, Sweat (Snoop Dogg vs. David Guetta) [Remix]. Interestingly enough, my Philly Marathon Song Little Bad Girl (David Guetta) was the song playing as I approached the very first hill. Listening to it always transports me back to Philly and I uttered an audible Thank YOU when the song inspired me to push hard up the first of what would be many hills.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Time 1:50:47 561/2245; 14/160 (<em>age group 40-44).</em> <a href="http://yellowjacketracing.com/files/user/121_2014_13_OV_FCCHalf.htm" title="Flower City Results">Official Results Page</a></p>
Philadelphia Marathon 20132013-11-17T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/philadelphia-marathon-2013/<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>Jenny signed up to do the <a href="http://philadelphiamarathon.com/" title="Philadelphia Marathon">Philadelphia Marathon</a> months before I did. We were running one day in late summer and I asked her if her boyfriend was going with her or if she wanted company. He did plan to come watch, but was willing to give up his spot of spectator to me!! I decided to jump onboard with 5 weeks to train between the <a href="http://www.wineglassmarathon.com/" title="Wineglass Marathon">Wineglass Marathon</a> and Philly. It would be an adventure.</p>
<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/02/67079_10100358449830599_45782657_n.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="With Jenny at the Expo" title="With Jenny at the Expo" /><p class="stickyNote">With Jenny at the Expo</p></div>
<p>Philly was my first BIG marathon. It also came on the heels of doing the Wineglass Marathon just 5 weeks earlier. Jenny and I headed down the day before to pick up our packets at the Expo. We enjoyed a delicious meal at an Italian restaurant in downtown Philadelphia with Rob and Chantelle, two of our friends from Ithaca who were also running the marathon. After dinner, we said goodbye thinking that we wouldn’t run into each other at the event due to the size of the crowd.</p>
<p>Jenny and I went back to our hotel and tried to get rest before our 3:45 a.m. wake-up (they told us to arrive by 5:30 to clear security in time for the start of the race). As I prepared for bed, I realized I forgot my contact case, so I “slept” in contacts. Waking up was easy as I don’t think I ever fell asleep, and I enjoyed our family tradition bagel face breakfast (peanut butter and a face made from raisins). Jenny and I walked over to the race and the first people we saw were Chantelle and Rob! It took us a mere 5 minutes to clear security, BUT we were happy to be there early as the porta potty lines were absolutely crazy.</p>
<p>Here's 4 hours of music for my first big city marathon!</p>
<iframe allow="autoplay *; encrypted-media *;" frameborder="0" height="450" style="width:100%;max-width:660px;overflow:hidden;background:transparent;" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" src="https://embed.music.apple.com/us/playlist/philly-amy/pl.u-kAgDHlxMky"></iframe>
<p>We all started in our separate corrals based on our predicted finish times (ironically we all finished within 10 minutes of each other) and got our heads into gear for the race. The crowd was amazing! The course was challenging. I found the out and backs very difficult, and running by the half marathon finish at mile 13 made it VERY tempting to stop early.</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/02/photo.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Humpback picture. My hydration pack was beneath my shirt" title="Humpback picture. My hydration pack was beneath my shirt" /><p class="stickyNote">Humpback picture. My hydration pack was beneath my shirt</p></div>
<p>The things I remember from this race the most include:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Signs Everywhere.</strong> Some fun ones; You think running is hard, try holding this sign when you're drunk! Smile if you aren't wearing underwear, Free beer for quitters.</li>
<li>Crazy porta potty line averted by kind angel man telling us about no line a minute away and he was right! Brownies at mile 20, Seeing Jenny at mile 21 when I really needed to see a friend, watching Brian Lee blaze by me the other direction, and crying at the finish because I was so relieved to have made it.</li>
<li><strong>Race song and favorite moment:</strong> Bad Girl by David Guetta. Mile 10 ish. Made it up the hill after walking 10 steps before kicking myself in butt to run. Then this song came on as the hill crested and I ran down.</li>
<li><strong>Things I loved about this race:</strong> being with friends, great crowd support, name on bib so people yelled my name (esp great from mile 20 onward), funny signs and costumes, the fraternity guys with their beer yelling and cheering, beautiful city streets (though somehow I completely missed running through Chinatown), my Nathan hydration pack.</li>
</ul>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2014/02/IMG_1101.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Enjoying the post race time with Jenny" title="Enjoying the post race time with Jenny" /><p class="stickyNote">Enjoying the post race time with Jenny</p></div>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Time 3:59:29 <br />
Overall: 4101/16000<br />
Age Group 40-44: 142/1328<br />
<a href="http://live.xacte.com/templates/philadelphiamarathon.com/for-runners/race-results" title="Philadelphia Race Results 2013">Official Results Page</a></p>
Interlaken SteepleChase 20132013-11-09T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/interlaken-steeplechase/<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<p>This is always a special race for our family. The Interlaken Steeplechase was Scott's first 5K and then the kids and I joined in the following year. We spent years alternating running with the kids and now they are old enough to run their own race. I was 8 seconds slower than last year, but had a good race. My friend Brenda reminded me that each day is different and to celebrate it. I was 2nd overall female so I got a super cool steeple statue made by co-race organizer Scott V. I tried and tried to catch 10 year old Xander but he wasn't having it. I started about 10 seconds behind him and by the end he had widened the gap to a minute. First mile split was 6:45 and I hit the hill at 11 minutes. I lost my breathing rhythm at minute 13 and didn't get it back til the top of the hill at minute 21. I was hot and had to take off my ear band. I was very glad that I didn't keep my fleece on. It was fun to have our whole family run the race!</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Time: 24:37<br />
Overall: 27/114<br />
2nd female overall<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsiPu4G91nnydGM2eFVGbm5DbU1SejZjRE5BQ0tSTFE&usp=sharing#gid=0" title="Steeplechase Results 2013">Official Results</a></p>
Wineglass Marathon 20132013-10-06T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/wineglass-marathon/<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<p>Scott and I were very excited to do the <a href="http://www.wineglassmarathon.com/" title="Wineglass Marathon">Wineglass.</a> He signed up for the half, and trained well and I was solidly trained for this, my 2nd marathon. The weather forecast changed daily the entire week prior to the race. I picked out a race day outfit and changed it so many times! Ultimately, it was a hot and humid October day and I wore summer clothing.</p>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2013/10/IMG_1737.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Before boarding the buses with Scott" title="Before boarding the buses with Scott" /><p class="stickyNote">Before boarding the buses with Scott</p></div>
<p>The course was marketed as a fast and slightly downhill course. I checked out the elevation chart and somehow got it into my head that the downhills would be noticeable. I didn’t find them to be very obvious, and my expectation of downhill made me not really enjoy the course. I know that the next time I run it, I’ll go in understanding the course and embracing it! A substantial part of this course was on a secondary road near a highway. The cheering was infrequent compared with my prior experience, but the crowds that were there were very enthusiastic! The mile markers and aid stations were great.</p>
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<p>I hopped in line at the porta potty at 7:20 - and just made it to the starting line at 7:58 with 2 minutes to spare. LONG line! The positive thing about this was that there was no time to be nervous at the start. I started between the 3:40 and 3:45 pacer having read a piece about pacing (the gist is that the average runner's best hope is to have positive splits - with the humidity I felt this was my best plan). I kept the 3:40 pacer within 100 feet til mile 10 and then the 3:45 pacer caught me at mile 13. I knew at mile 14 I had to drop back as I had the choice to keep him in sight as long as possible and potentially not finish or drop back and surely finish. It was a tough decision but I decided I wasn’t going to be able to hold the pace and dropped back.</p>
<p>My stomach got off at mile 14 as well and I got a cramp on the one hill between mile 14-15. Some great signs out there that made me laugh which was fun. The people that were spectating were really awesome. Lots of comments on my <a href="http://store.runningskirts.com/chevrun-running-skirt" title="Chevron Skirt">skirt</a> which was fun. Last 4 miles were killer hard. Scott ran in with me for the last 3/4 of a mile and I couldn't even say more than hi to him. When I finished I was did have a bit of kick but then kind of looked out of it and the guy asked me if I was ok. I was saying yes as the woman next to me passed out. I was proud of my time as it was better than last year in perfect running conditions. It was truly the best I could do today! I really thought I could hit 3:50 but the organizers reminded us that it was 20 degrees warmer than average and very humid.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2013/10/IMG_1739.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Finished!" title="Finished!" /><p class="stickyNote">Finished!</p></div>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Time: 3:56 (09:00 pace)<br />
Overall: 488/1615<br />
Female: 171/870<br />
Age Group: 30/152<br />
Female Master: 46/271</p>
Cayuga Lake Triathlon 20132013-08-05T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/cayuga-lake-triathlon/<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>This was my third time doing the <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/cltrace/" title="Cayuga Lake Triathlon">Cayuga Lake Triathlon</a> (Sprint Distance). I didn’t train well for it because my focus was the <a href="http://www.wineglassmarathon.com/" title="Wineglass Marathon">Wineglass Marathon</a>. However, I did participate in the training ride and run organized by the <a href="http://www.ithacatriathlonclub.org/aboutus/" title="Ithaca Tri Club">Ithaca Triathlon Club</a> and had a great morning ride/run with Brenda Michaud and Michael Boggs shortly before the race. I made time to swim during the summer, both in the pool and in the lake, and worked on building up distance in the pool. My goal was to swim the entire course freestyle and not to have a panic attack about fish and other things in the water.</p>
<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<p>It was a chilly morning. I was down at the lake for the concert in the park the night before and was panicking about the cold weather forecast. Brenda reminded me that we can’t control the weather and I realized I needed to relax. The morning of, Brenda suggested that I take a few minutes to warm-up in the water and swim a short distance. I did, and this calmed my nerves and reminded me that I could do this.</p>
<p>The swim went well. I did accomplish my goal (no panic attack and full freestyle) but I was not fast. In fact, my time was slower than the first year I participated. That year I did a mix of breath stroke and back stroke but was freaked out the entire time.</p>
<p>I ran out of the water and into the transition area. After a pretty quick transition I hopped onto my bike. I was hungry. I struggled to get my <a href="http://www.honeystinger.com/" title="Honey Stingers">honey stingers</a> out of my pocket. The ride was uneventful but disappointing. My times during practice were stronger, and my stomach never did calm down.</p>
<p>The run was great! I was still struggling with being hungry, but figured the faster I run the faster I’ll be eating the boxed lunch from <a href="http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreDetailView?langId=-1&storeId=10052&catalogId=10002&productId=347822" title="Wegmans Ithaca">Wegmans</a>! The water stops were energetic and I do love the out and back of this course. Another great part about the tri is that everyone’s age and race is marked on the back of a calf. So, whenever I saw someone in my age group participating in my race I tried just a little bit harder!</p>
<p>After the race we came home, showered quickly and did our laundry before heading off for a 2 week cross country trip to Oregon. We spent the first 5 hours talking about the race and being proud of ourselves. It was A LOT of fun!</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2012/08/IMG_1328.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="In the swim corral" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2012/08/IMG_1341.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Ready to swim!" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2012/08/IMG_1350.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Happy to be almost done" />
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<p>Overall 1:51:51<br />
Swim 26:02<br />
T1 2:17<br />
Bike 54:09<br />
T2 2:15<br />
Run 27:08<br />
187/306<br />
<a href="http://results.score-this.com/ResultFiles/20130804CAYUResults.pdf" title="Race Results 2013">Official Results</a></p>
Forest Frolic 20132013-07-21T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/forest-frolic-2013/<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2013/07/IMG_1163.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Scott and Xander at the Frolic" title="Scott and Xander at the Frolic" /><p class="stickyNote">Scott and Xander at the Frolic</p></div>
<p>This was the kids' first trail race! Scott registered to run the 15K and the kids and I signed up for the 7K. We were all excited. We brought a Michael Boggs and his son Duncan to the race, and we all enjoyed our ride over. Elizabeth was very nervous about the event, and Xander was really excited. We all grabbed our bibs, got ready to run and said goodbye to Scott as he headed toward the front of the pack. We took our spots near the back of the pack, and listened intently as the race director explained the turn off for the 7K distance. We were not very far into the race when we were <strong>LOST</strong>. I thought I had followed the instructions well, but somehow misunderstood the turn location. We were the last participants and luckily we were lost with another woman. The 4 of us wandered back and forth for awhile, before finding our way back to the trail. The experience scared the kids, and made me realize I should have thought to bring the map with me!! About 30 or 40 minutes into the run, Elizabeth was tired and started walking. We had agreed pre-race to stay together. Xander was disappointed, as it was clear that his sister wasn't going to return to running right away. Luckily a woman I know from the Finger Lakes Running Club, Maria, was near us. She offered to run with Xander. I wasn't sure I wanted to stick her with being responsible for him, but she was genuine in her offer and he was very eager. He enjoyed his run with Maria and we were both so grateful to her for offering. He got to run and I was able to stay back with Elizabeth and give her the support she needed. Ultimately we had a great time and it was an overall good experience for the kids and for Scott and me. Scott did very well on the 15K and had a lot of fun!</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Time 1:02:13<br />
75/85 <em>(Xander finished in 55:32; 66/85)</em><br />
<a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/wordpress/2013/07/forest-frolic-2013-results-and-race-report/#7k" title="Forest Frolic Results 2013">Official Results</a></p>
Women's Distance 20132013-07-11T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/womens-distance/<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<p>As part of my training for the <a href="http://www.wineglassmarathon.com/" title="Wineglass Marathon">Wineglass Marathon</a> I needed to run 6 miles on this particular evening. However, the Women's Distance Festival was my first 5K ever and has become an annual thing for Elizabeth and me. So, on this night I ran the race and then, I grabbed some water and turned around to run the course in reverse. It was a fun night - Scott's 40th birthday and he and Xander worked the water stop. I made an announcement at the beginning for people to wish him Happy Birthday as they passed. He received over 100 birthday wishes while wearing his silly lime green "I am 40" shirt we made him. Brenda Michaud and her daughter Jocelyn were running this too!</p>
<p>This race is such a fun evening event, and this year was no exception. It is a challenging course (flat horse trail for the first mile, uphill for what feels like a never ending 2nd mile and then some and then towards the very end there's a nice downhill). I ran the race with a 25:40 overall (mile 1 split was 7:59, mile 2 was 8:47). I was hoping for sub 25 but this was consistent with my prior year's time (25:30)</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Time: 25:39; 18/108; 2nd in age group <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/wordpress/2013/07/women%C2%92s-distance-festival-5-k-run-2013-results/" title="Women's Distance Festival Results">Official Results</a></p>
<p>Elizabeth: 32:11; 3rd in age group</p>
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</div></div>May Day 5K 20132013-05-11T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/may-day-5k/<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<p>The <a href="http://www.mayday5k.org/" title="May Day 5K">May Day 5K</a> is a big fundraising event that I help organize every year. This year we had the race professionally timed by <a href="http://www.auyertiming.com/" title="Auyer Timing">Auyer Timing,</a> so Christina and I both took the opportunity to run the race. It was my PR for a 5K - yay! My goal was sub 24 and I hit it. I took a full mile and a bit to catch Xander and his friend Drew and when I caught them Xander promptly hopped in front of me to block me!! He only finished 1 minute behind me again - we're both getting more determined I think.</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2013/05/100.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Scott finishing" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2013/05/138.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Xander finishing" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2013/05/156.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Elizabeth finishing" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2013/05/131.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Me finishing" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2013/05/IMG_0983.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Us with Ed and Jean" />
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<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Time: 23:42.33<br />
07:38 pace<br />
3/65 in age group<br />
43/345 overall<br />
<a href="http://www.auyertiming.com/pdffiles/5-11-13Trumansburg_overall.pdf" title="May Day 5K Results 2013">Official Results</a></p>
Skunk Cabbage 20132013-04-14T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/skunk-cabbage-2013/<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<p>This was my first time running the <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/wordpress/road-races/skunk-cabbage-classic/" title="Skunk Cabbage Classic">Skunk Cabbage Classic</a>! Originally I was upset that I didn't sign up for the half, but this was a really great distance. It was my first 10K and I enjoyed the challenge of keeping up a quick pace for 6.2 miles. It was fun to have a big Daily Mile crew there. Christina took a picture of everyone before the race.</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Time: 51:07; 3/24 age group, 111/408 overall, 32/245 women. <a href="http://www.leonetiming.com/2013/Roads/Skunk10K13.htm" title="Skunk Cabbage Classic 2013 Results">Official Results</a></p>
Chris Bond 5K 20122012-10-14T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/chris-bond-5k-2012/<p>This was the first time I participated in this great local race! It takes place on a Sunday morning, and we typically spend our Sunday mornings in church. However, starting in spring of 2012, we took a break from church to evaluate things in our life, and while on "break" we decided to venture over to check things out.</p>
<p>The race is in honor/memory of local teacher and soccer coach, Chris Bond. He was my husband's teacher and coach growing up, and he died from cancer. The local Rotary club started the race in his honor. It is one of those races that just makes you happy! You know you are running in memory of someone who loved physical fitness, someone who inspired young athletes, and it just feels special to be involved.</p>
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2012/10/IMG_0629.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Me on the course" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2012/10/IMG_0640.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="With my family" />
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<img src="https://skirtrunner.com/images/2012/10/IMG_0631.jpg?nf_resize=fit&h=800" title="Elizabeth on the course" />
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<p>Our entire family signed up, along with several of our friends. As with all local races, I was still a lot fearful of looking slow in front of friends and neighbors. I find the 5K distance to be the most challenging distance of all. It is FAST, and by the time I feel warmed up the race is over.</p>
<p>However, this chilly October day was great for racing, and the course was well lined with spectators in key spots, and our entire family had a blast! I was wearing my trusty <a href="http://www.skirtsports.com/" title="Skirt Sports">Skirt Sports skirt</a> and new <a href="http://www.cepcompression.com/progressive-calf-sleeves-2-0.html" title="Calf compression sleeves">CEP compression sleeves</a>, and Elizabeth had her <a href="http://www.runningskirts.com/" title="Running Skirts">Runningskirts.com</a> skirt on. We were fashionable for the day.</p>
<p>Results: 24:56, 54/219, 8:02 pace</p>
Rochester Marathon 20122012-09-23T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/rochester-marathon-2012/<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>My FIRST marathon!! I used <a href="http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51138/Marathon-Novice-2-Training-Program" title="Hal Higdon Marathon Training">Hal Higdon's Novice 2</a> training plan, while falling back to Novice 1 for a lot of the weeks. I reasoned that I had used his <a href="http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51131/Half-Marathon-Novice-1-Training-Program" title="Half Marathon Plan">Novice 1 Half Marathon</a> plan for my first half, and was now a stronger runner. Scott and I had joined <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/" title="Daily Mile">Daily Mile</a> in the late summer of 2011, and in doing so our training bumped up from sporadic to extremely consistent. Shortly after joining, I met to my my soon to be running partner and good friend at the <a href="http://spencercrest.org/redbaron/index.html" title="Red Baron Half Marathon">Red Baron Half Marathon in 2011</a>. Jenny and I were friends on Daily Mile for a few months when our mutual friend learned we were both training for a first marathon. Jenny was <a href="http://www.chicagomarathon.com/" title="Chicago Marathon">Chicago</a> bound and I was heading to <a href="http://www.rochestermarathon.com/" title="Rochester Marathon">Rochester</a> just a few weeks earlier. The timing worked, and we started our training together. We had only met in person once, very briefly 5 months earlier so I we were both a little apprehensive about running together. Our first training run was LONG on a very hot day! About a mile into our this run, we started discussing our mutual dislike of babies. We still laugh about that moment. We knew we were going to be great running partners, and we've become close friends as well.</p>
<p>My goal for this run was to enjoy it. I hoped to finish strong and just have a lot of fun! Prior to this day, Scott and I had both done the Rochester Half Marathon and the Relay. It seemed natural to have this be our first marathon location. Of course my spoken goal was to finish and have fun, but secretly I hoped to have a miracle happen and to break 4 hours. I had this in the back of my head until two nights before race day. For some reason I opened up a book that I had borrowed from my sister, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007PF7LBE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007PF7LBE&linkCode=as2&tag=lunchtaker-20&linkId=MTZP7LZIUGL7G2OM" title="Run Less Run Faster">Run Less Run Faster</a>. They have fabulous charts with pace estimators, and based on my 5K time and half marathon time my finish projection as 3:59:30. My entire training cycle, I had only managed to run one mid-week longish run at a 9:09 pace and it just about killed me. So, while I never really believed I could nail a 4 hour time, I suddenly felt empowered knowing a book projected my finish time to be under 4 hours.</p>
<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<p>For our first marathon, we had an entourage of people coming up to support us. Scott was suffering with an IT band injury and hadn't run farther than 14 miles in training, but he was determined to finish! It was my mom's 70th birthday, and my sister was flying in from Portland, Oregon to join us in the race and to surprise my mother. Our parents were coming up with us, and of course the kids were joining them in cheering for the 3 of us. Sarah surprised my mother in the hotel room the afternoon before, and we had celebratory cupcakes as part of our pre-race spaghetti dinner.</p>
<p>Scott and I got up early for bagel faces at 4:30 a.m. and the 3 of us wandered over to the start on that chilly September morning. We checked all of our things in a bag in Scott's name and we headed up to the line. We all planned to run our own race that day and lined up in our separate spots.</p>
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<p>As with any race, there are moments that stand out. Some of my highs and lows from the day include;</p>
<ul>
<li>Running with Sarah: We had planned to run solo. But when we hit the 3 mile water stop, I realized that Sarah and I were just yards from each other and had been for the entire time. We joined up thinking it might just be for a little while and we ended up running the entire race together. It was really special to run my first marathon with my sister.</li>
<li><strong>Gear:</strong> I started with a long sleeved shirt and shed it around mile 6 where my family was watching for me to go by. It was luxurious being able to start comfortably dressed for the weather and to know I could drop the shirt with them. Another runner shed a pair of arm warmers around the same spot, giving them to my daughter. She said "they are good arm warmers I just don't need them right now" and asked her to use them. I still use those warmers and love them!</li>
<li><strong>Wind:</strong> I believe that the entire 10 miles on the canal were a headwind! I was starting to lose my moral by mile 20. I KNEW we were going to turn out of the wind, but it felt like it was going to take forever! When we finally turned out of the wind I was near my breaking point.</li>
<li><strong>Inexperience:</strong> Around mile 11 or so, I put music on because I felt like talking was tiring me out and I worried about running out of energy. I had a playlist with songs I'd never heard that Jenny had recommended. A good song came on and I sped up. I remember Sarah saying "you know you are running 8 minute miles, right?" I responded that I did know this and let myself start thinking about having an amazing first marathon time. A mere two miles later I felt like I was going to fall over. I had shared my goal of sub 4 with Sarah, and when we hit mile 21 she started really needing to push me. I had stopped to walk through every one of the 13 water stations on this course. When we hit that last station she looked at me and I knew what she was thinking "You can't stop here or you won't hit 4 hours." I didn't stop, and I did just squeak in under 4.</li>
<li><strong>Bag Check:</strong> When Sarah and I went to get our bag, we learned that we had to wait for Scott before we could pick it up because it was in his name. Freezing, we begged and pleaded for our things and talked the person into giving us the bag. I learned to always check my own bag!!</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Overall time: 3:58:29, 9:06 pace 221/574 overall 9/37 in age group (35-39)</p>
Ithaca 5&10 20122012-09-09T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/ithaca-510-2012/<p>This was my first (and only time) participating in the <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/road-races/ithaca-5-10/" title="Ithaca 5&10">Ithaca 5&10</a>. I ran this race with friends Christina and Jenny as a training run for the <a href="http://www.rochestermarathon.com/" title="Rochester Marathon">Rochester marathon</a> and Scott enjoyed running it solo. We enjoyed running along and chatting as we wandered the Ithaca streets for the 10 mile course. Part of this course follows the same route as the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/ithaca-twilight-5k-2012/" title="Ithaca Twilight 5K 2012">Ithaca Twilight</a> so it was very familiar. Even running with friends, I felt like the 10 miles felt long and challenging. I struggle to run on city streets, whether alone or in a race. More than any other running, when the blocks are short I find myself feeling like I've been running for much longer than I usually find out that I've been running when I check my gps!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2012/09/IMG_0591.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Me and Scott" title="Me and Scott" /><p class="stickyNote">Me and Scott</p></div>
<p>Results: 1:31:47, 86/125 female, 12/18 age group</p>
Women's Distance Festival 20122012-07-12T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/womens-distance-festival-2012/<div class="rt"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 317 317'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2012/07/IMG_0347.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=317" alt="Elizabeth and Molly" title="Elizabeth and Molly" /><p class="stickyNote">Elizabeth and Molly</p></div>
<p>This race is an annual tradition for me! It started as my first 5K with Elizabeth and my friend Jody and her daughter Abby back in 2008. At that time, even finishing a 5K was something I wasn't so confident about. I've gone back to this race every year, as it holds a fond place in my heart. It is a race that we often introduce friends to, and this year, we came with my friend Kathey and her daughter Molly. We all ran separately, looking forward to meeting up after the race.</p>
<p>The course is challenging. Held in a local park in Dryden, NY it starts on a horse path through the woods, turning uphill right past mile 1. The next mile feels like a never ending uphill, but the water stop lies halfway up that hill! I always look forward to seeing our local running store <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunningco.com/" title="Finger Lakes Running Company">(Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company)</a> owner, Ian Golden and his daughters manning this station. On this hot July evening, I grabbed a cup of water, gave the girls high fives and continued up the hill.</p>
<p>At the end of the race, they were giving out roses to people doing the Women's Distance for the first time. Kathey gave Elizabeth her rose, and the girls had fun posing with them. We enjoyed a yummy dinner together at local Thai place, <a href="http://www.tamarindthaiithaca.com/" title="Tamarind">Tamarind</a> after the race.</p>
<p>Results: 25:30, 8th in age group, 36/129 overall</p>
Ithaca Twilight 5K 20122012-06-13T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/ithaca-twilight-5k-2012/<p>The <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/road-races/twilight-5k/" title="Ithaca Twilight">Ithaca Twilight 5K</a> is such a fun event! It is put on by our local Ithaca running club, the <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/" title="Finger Lakes Running Club">Finger Lakes Running Club</a>. The race starts and finishes on the High School track at Ithaca High School, and crosses train tracks less than a mile into the course. Held on a Wednesday evening in June, the weather is usually steamy and hot, and you can be almost certain there will be a train coming through at some point during the race. Because the course crosses major roads and of course the tracks, one of us always runs with Xander, and the other runs solo. This was my year to run alone.</p>
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<p>While we waited for the race to begin, I felt my nerves starting to get the better of me. Suddenly I wished that it was my year to run with Xander! Soon though, we were all gathering near the start line for race announcements and even sooner we were running. I got into a nice position and didn't get stuck waiting at the train crossing, whew.</p>
<p>I enjoyed the run in this warm June evening. We all enjoyed pizza and festivities after the race. We find that the Ithaca Twilight race is a GREAT way to spend a family evening.</p>
<p>Results: 25:38, 52/211 Female, 10/65 age group</p>
Rachel Carson Trail Challenge - An Epic Event!2011-06-18T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/rachel-carson-trail-challenge/<p>In the fall of 2010 I wasn't really running much. Scott and I had our annual challenge, but we didn't consider ourselves to be athletes. At a Labor Day party on my deck, a friend casually mentioned the <a href="http://www.rachelcarsontrails.org/rct/challenge">Rachel Carson Trail Challenge</a>. This event, held on the summer solstice, is a 34 mile trail race. The course has 7,000 feet of elevation change over the 34 miles <em>(most of it NOT gradual)</em>, with a 15 hour 4 minute cut-off. One of the men at the party shared that he'd raced this event a few years prior. He RAN the entire thing and won either his age group or the whole race!!</p>
<h2 id="rachel-carson-trail-challenge-accepted">Rachel Carson Trail Challenge Accepted</h2>
<p>This would be a wonderful annual challenge. Scott wasn't interested at all, but my friend Kathey and my friend Stephanie <em>(the one who told me about it)</em> were definitely in. We got a crew of 5 together and signed up. Signing up was no piece of cake. The Rachel Carson trail challenge fills up fast! But we got in, and commenced training upon acceptance to the event. Check out the elevation profile!! I was a little bit scared after I looked at this.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-28-at-7.11.01-PM.png?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Elevation Profile" title="Elevation Profile" /><p class="stickyNote">Elevation Profile</p></div>
<h2 id="rim-trail%2C-rim-trail%2C-and-some-more-rim-trail">Rim Trail, Rim Trail, and some more Rim Trail</h2>
<p>Kathey and I trained together by walking a local trail over and over again!! It was an extremely cold spring, and we spent much of the spring hiking in chilly, wet conditions. We waffled back and forth about whether to use hiking poles or not, whether we planned to hike together and should we run at all?</p>
<p>After several months of training we agreed that we'd try to stick together. Stephanie and the rest of our crew were faster than Kathey and me, so we'd likely let them pull ahead and then just work on finishing within the time limit.</p>
<h2 id="race-evening">Race Evening</h2>
<p>Kathey and I made the 6 hour trek down in Kathey's car. It was a long drive, and we arrived tired and hungry. Our kids were little and it was a big deal to be away from them for the weekend. After a fiasco on the turnpike <em>(we went through without getting a ticket and had to pay full fare for one exit),</em> we finally made it to packet pick up and then our hotel. We met up with the other 3 members of our group and promptly found an Italian restaurant for a pre-event meal.</p>
<p>Then the real challenge started. After saying our goodbyes to the group and we headed to our hotel room. The Rachel Carson trail challenge starts at 4:30 a.m. so we planned to fall asleep promptly! Only, I didn't. I was up for the entire night. I was worried about the event. Could I do it? Would I finish in time?</p>
<p>As I write this almost 6 years after the event, I laugh quietly to myself. Just this morning I awoke at 4 am to drive 3 hours to take my son to a ski race for the day. I went to bed the night before around 9:45, fell right to sleep and 4 am is just an hour before my now normal wake up time. Back to 2011 though. I didn't keep those hours back then. Tonight, the air conditioner on the wall was loud and the blanket wasn't heavy enough. Grateful when my alarm went off, I donned my hydration pack, compression socks and got ready to face the trail.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/06/IMG_0637.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="We all ended up going our own way!" title="We all ended up going our own way!" /><p class="stickyNote">We all ended up going our own way!</p></div>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/06/DSC_1791.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Ready for this challenge!" title="Ready for this challenge!" /><p class="stickyNote">Ready for this challenge!</p></div>
<h2 id="the-start">The Start</h2>
<p>We all gathered together at the start and began as a group. It was dark, but because it was the solstice the light was already peeking over the horizon less than a mile into our journey. Kathey and I had agreed to stay together. The only thing; we didn't. In less than one mile's time I was away from everyone in the group. I don't know exactly what happened, only that we barely walked 1/4 mile together. Our Kathey/Kathy duo did together for awhile, so I guess when you consider that Stephanie and Chris mostly stayed together, I was the one who actually ditched everyone. Somehow I was off on my own from almost the beginning - something that wouldn't surprise anyone who knows me well.</p>
<h2 id="stream-crossings">Stream Crossings</h2>
<p>I had decided to pack hiking poles because of the extreme elevation changes. Early in the event, I was already grateful for this decision. We had to cross several streams. I was with a group of locals who were chuckling each time we crossed along perfectly placed rocks. "We put those there," they said cheerfully. This is fun, I thought as I used my poles to steady myself across each little crossing. I realized that if the rocks weren't there or the water was a bit deeper, I'd be starting the day early with wet feet. Today my feet would stay dry.</p>
<h2 id="power-cuts-and-running">Power Cuts and Running</h2>
<p>The Rachel Carson trail challenge course takes you up a lot of power cuts. The hills are very steep and exposed. It was warm and sunny and really muggy. As I watched people grab ahold of the occasional tree to try to get down the steep faces I said aloud, "I love you poles." I was Grateful for my sister's advice to bring them, and to myself for heeding the advice. I ran a lot of this terrain, and was happy about this, especially considering I didn't really intend to run.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/06/5849980920_b7ca700659_o.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="One of the steep inclines." title="One of the steep inclines." /><p class="stickyNote">One of the steep inclines.</p></div>
<h2 id="you-go-girl">You Go Girl</h2>
<p>Late in the race <em>(mile 20 or so)</em>, I ran into an aid station. I quickly grabbed some food and refilled my hydration pack. As I ran out of the place, two men were hobbling in. They shouted, "You look great! You go girl." I picked up the pace and trotted off, happy as a lark in my <a href="http://store.runningskirts.com/accessories/compression-socks">Running Skirts compression socks</a>. I was also wearing my favorite skirt from <a href="http://www.skirtsports.com/">Skirtsports</a>, so I had the skirt company gear covered!</p>
<h2 id="stephanie-%26-chris">Stephanie & Chris</h2>
<p>After coming down like what felt like the steepest decline of the entire race I suddenly saw Stephanie and Chris. I was so surprised to see them. I KNEW they were ahead of me and I didn't think I had a chance in the world of catching them. We went along for awhile together, refueling at an aid station, and chatting happily. Stephanie and Chris were newlyweds, so I was a little worried about crashing their twosome, but my fear was unfounded. They welcomed me and I enjoyed their company.</p>
<p>Just a few miles into our journey together though, Christ started flagging. His calves were cramping and he was in bad shape. Suddenly Stephanie faced a dilemma. Should she let him sort this out on his own and continue on with me, or should she stay with her husband? I didn't envy her choice. I knew my GPS had about 14 hours of battery life. As such, I was really happy that I was cruising along. I felt guilty, but I knew I'd continue on by myself if Stephanie chose to stay with Chris.</p>
<p>Ultimately Chris convinced her that there was nothing she could do for him. He was at risk for not hitting the cut-off time and if she stayed with him she would be too. "Go on and I'll be ok," he said. So on we went. Stephanie worried whether she made the right choice, but she convinced herself as we continued that it was the only choice.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/06/DSC_2513.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="So happy to catch Chris and Stephanie" title="So happy to catch Chris and Stephanie" /><p class="stickyNote">So happy to catch Chris and Stephanie</p></div>
<h2 id="beer">Beer</h2>
<p>We had heard that there was beer on the course around mile 30. Sure enough, as we crested a hill it was like a little oasis. Beer!! It tasted so amazing to us and we were just so happy to realize we had only 4 miles to go. Mostly walking at this point <em>(Stephanie actually walks almost as fast as I can run so I was probably walk/running)</em>, we were nearing the end. I kept looking at my watch to see if the battery was going to hold. When I realized I would have the whole track for the day I was really excited!! Sadly, it was before I ever heard of <a href="https://www.strava.com/athletes/6917325">Strava</a> so I don't have any record of the track now.</p>
<h2 id="the-end">The End</h2>
<p>We finished in just under 11 hours. I was 100 out of 457 participants and I was super proud! View Official <a href="http://www.rachelcarsontrails.org/rct/challenge/rctc11/splits">Results</a>. Stephanie and I waited for our friends. Stephanie's friend Kathy came in just over 12 and a half hours, Kathey finished in 16:01 and Chris crossed the finish line in 16:48.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/06/IMG_0645.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Finished!!" title="Finished!!" /><p class="stickyNote">Finished!!</p></div>
<h2 id="diet-coke%2C-m%26ms-and-chips!">Diet Coke, M&Ms and Chips!</h2>
<p>This post would NOT be complete without sharing about our drive home! When we finished, Kathey and I were DONE. We wanted to be home with our husbands and kids, and we were totally high on adrenaline from the event. Kathey promised that she would keep me awake if I could drive. I promised I could drive if we could drink Diet Coke, and eat m&ms and potato chips. Of course!! This is something else I laugh about almost 6 years later. I stopped drinking Diet Coke after one too many documentaries about food several years ago.</p>
<p>We listened to NPR, we listened to books on tape, we tried music, and we got TIRED. We arrived home around 4 a.m. I think Scott was on the elliptical in our home gym at around midnight just trying to stay awake for me.</p>
<p>Of course the next day was filled with hours of sharing, reminiscing about how amazing the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge was and time was spent reconnecting with the kids.</p>
Tom Bugliosi Trail Run 20112011-04-25T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/tom-bugliosi-trail-run-2011/<h2 id="let's-do-this!">Let's Do This!</h2>
<p>I was signed up to do the <a href="https://skirtrunner.com/race-report/rachel-carson-trail-challenge/">Rachel Carson Trail</a> adventure so it only seemed right that I do a few practice races. Despite not actually RUNNING trail that year, I oddly considered myself a trail runner. I was also really into signing up for races, so on a whim I emailed my friend Stephanie to ask if she'd like to do the Tom B trail run with me.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Sure! Let's do it. It will be good preparation for our Rachel Carson event!</p>
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<h2 id="the-race">The Race</h2>
<p>The <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/race/thom-b-trail-runs-2017/">Tom Bugliosi trail runs</a> put on by the <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/">Finger Lakes Running Club</a>. They are held in the <a href="http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/8204.html">Hammond Hill State forest</a>. I've cross country skied there, but I've never done any hiking over there. They offer a 13K or a 26K and you can change your mind about what you are doing because it is two loops. Stephanie and I knew from the beginning that we were doing the 13K.</p>
<p>We arrived and sorted out our parking and clothing and headed to the start to check in. A cool May morning, the start was just teeming with black flies. It was terrible! After checking in, we just huddled under a little shelter area to stay away from the flies.</p>
<p>Luckily we didn't have long to wait as soon we could hear Joe shouting for everyone to come to the start. As we prepared to start, Joe said something that I still think about every time I hit the trail.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>You need to have one eye down on the trail and one eye up to watch for markings. Don't listen to music on trail.</p>
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<p>It wasn't those words exactly and he went on for awhile, but that was the gist. I needed to pay attention. Trail was NOT the place to zone out.</p>
<h2 id="lost">Lost</h2>
<p>Truth be told, I didn't know Stephanie very well. We'd met through our daughters because they were friendly with each other and they played on the same soccer team. She told me about the Rachel Carson Event and suggested we get a team together. She's an energetic, fun person and I was excited to be in this event with her. We had never run together before, but we agreed to stay together for this race.</p>
<p>The race starts with what I felt like was a steep ascent up a wide trail. We started out running, but by the top of the hill we had settled into a brisk walk. Soon it veered onto single track trail and we were in a beautiful forest. It wasn't long before we could run side by side and we found ourselves chatting about everything under the sun.</p>
<p>I tried to keep Joe's words in mind; watch the trail AND look for markings. I think I was just too busy chatting with my new friend to manage both of these at the same time. Soon we found ourselves off trail. We were already slower than the group so we weren't seeing many people to keep us on track. However, suddenly we were in a bit of a bowl area that clearly wasn't the course. After a bit of initial panic, we navigated ourselves back onto the course. "Look for markings," I thought.</p>
<h2 id="the-fall">The Fall</h2>
<p>Shortly after we got back onto the trail I was flitting along happily talking and suddenly found myself FLAT on my face. I tripped on a root and just fell forward. It was jarring and scary and I felt back for Stephanie. I was already slower than her, and now here I was falling down. After that fall, I grabbed her hand and held onto her for a bit and switched to a walk. I wasn't hurt, but I was quickly gaining a respect for the challenges of trail running!</p>
<h2 id="are-you-doing-the-13k-or-the-26k%3F">Are you doing the 13K or the 26K?</h2>
<p>We neared the final ascent; a mini hill that Stephanie could walk faster than I could run <em>(she's an amazing speed walker)</em>! So I "ran" up the hill while she walked briskly next to me. We saw a course marshall near the bottom of this area which was almost near the end of the race, and he shouted, "13K or 26K?" We replied that we were in the 13K and he told us which direction to head to get to the finish. We'd seen people pass us to start their 2nd loop but we didn't realize just how slow we were until we ran into the finish.</p>
<h2 id="official-results">Official Results</h2>
<p>We came into the finish line together with results of 64 and 65 respectively. With only 67 racers for the 13K we suddenly realized just how slow we were. I felt bad for Stephanie because I knew she could have run this a lot faster. However, it was a lot of fun to run this together!! I learned a bunch about trail on this race, but the one thing that stands out is Joe's starting message. One eye on the trail and one eye in front of you at all times!</p>
<p>We lingered for just a few minutes, grabbed a few snacks and then headed to the car. The flies were still rather bad and it was chilly once you stopped moving. We had a lovely drive home discussing all the moments from the run!</p>
<p>1:39:55; 65/67 <a href="http://fingerlakesrunners.org/race/thom-b-trail-runs-2011/">Overall Results</a></p>
Elk-Kings Traverse2010-08-05T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/hiking/elk-kings/<p>Sarah chose this hike because it was something a little different from our South Sister climb, and the other dusty terrain near Bend, Oregon. This was the tail end of our 2010 trip, and we had a few days in Portland. Xander was getting ready to start Kindergarten in the fall, and his older sister, Elizabeth was heading into grade 3. The guide says this about Elk mountain.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This trail is extremely steep and narrow. Reaching the summit requires gaining 1,900 feet elevation in 1.5 miles, challenging even the experienced hiker. Because this trail is strenuous, make sure to pack plenty of water and be prepared for changing weather conditions. The reward for this hike is the beautiful view stretching from Mt. Hood to the Pacific Ocean.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 id="getting-there">Getting There</h2>
<p>The drive from Portland to the Tillamook State Forest was lovely. We took route 26 West and then turned onto Route 6 where things really become scenic. We saw beautiful rivers, lush forests and lots of clear-cut areas from logging. In a little over an hour we were at the trail head and ready to start our ascent.</p>
<h2 id="it's-time-to-hike!">It's Time to Hike!</h2>
<p>We started our hike in a dense forest of ferns that reminded us a lot of the scenery from E.T. and we chattered our way up through the switchbacks. Scott was pleased with Sarah's choice as it was a lovely departure from the dusty terrain in the Cascade mountains.</p>
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<p>Xander was 6 at the time, and this was his first 2nd big summer of hiking! He'd recently summited South Sister and was enjoying his first great hiking vacation. The terrain was steep though, and often there were very significant drop-offs. He's the type of kid who loves to chatter (and at 11 he still is), and when the chattering starts, often his footing becomes unsteady. By the time we finally made it to the top of Elk Mountain, I think that Xander would have used at least five of his nine lives if he were a cat! Sarah, my not-so-religious sister, gathered us in prayer at the top of each summit. It is tough to pick a mountain, and then see how challenging it can feel hiking with a 6 year old. Xander was happy as a lark on the trip, not complaining, just worrying the heck out of everyone else. He was about to lose his two front teeth on this trip, and with the dirt on his face and his wiggly teeth we called him a "homeless hilbilly" all day long! He did lose those teeth a day or so later in the hotel.</p>
<p>After we reached the summit of Elk Mountain, we had this to look forward to with Kings Mountain.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This trail is a challenging hike. In order to reach the summit of Kings Mountain, hikers face a 2,546-foot elevation gain in 2.5 miles, but the panoramic views from the top are worth the effort. The trail is a steep but gradual climb that in some places can be a scramble, making sturdy boots and plenty of water essential.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 id="picnic-lunch">Picnic Lunch</h2>
<p>Sarah wasn't sure if we should turn around and head back Elk Mountain. Ultimately we all reasoned that we'd just hiked some of the most exposed parts of the trip, and moving forward to summit the second mountain would be more satisfying and possibly offer less exposure. Just past the summit of Kings, we found an awesome picnic table! This table was a local Boy Scout's Eagle project. We were so grateful to find this lovely spot to enjoy our peanut butter and jelly, pop chips and fruit for lunch!</p>
<p>As we descended, we again approached the fern forest and chattered about our day. The switchbacks seemed never ending by this point in the day! We all looked forward to a trip to Cannon Beach, followed by some Tillamook ice cream.</p>
My First Triathlon: Tri for the Y 20082008-05-03T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/tri-for-the-y-2008/<h2 id="why-tri%3F">Why Tri?</h2>
<p>Scott and I had an annual fitness challenge! In 2008 our big goal was the <a href="http://cayugalaketriathlon.org/">Cayuga Lake Triathlon</a>. We felt like it was a good idea to sign up for an event to practice. Actually, our plan that we were following to the letter suggested a practice race, so of course we HAD to sign up for a practice race. The Tri for the Y was perfectly timed for a practice race AND it was a pool swim!</p>
<p>The kids had been taking lessons for a couple of years and I decided I needed to take lessons as well. Despite taking lessons every place we lived when I was growing up, I am not a strong swimmer. Actually that's really an understatement. I am a terrible swimmer. Still, after my 8 week lesson session at the Y, I was feeling pretty prepared for the race.</p>
<h2 id="early-to-rise">Early to rise</h2>
<p>Back in 2008, Scott and I didn't get up very early. In fact, there were days when we would sleep through our alarm on a school day. Elizabeth would get up for her alarm, get herself all ready and then come to our room saying, "Mommy? Daddy? I'm ready for school. What should I do now?" We had to get up at 5 and be at the Y at 6. My father-in-law was sweet to come early and stay with the kids so we could race. We headed out after having breakfast and getting the bikes ready in the car. It was snowing as we drove up on this early morning the first Sunday in May. The high for the day was going to be 39 degrees. This would be one cold transition, and a really bitter cold bike ride.</p>
<h2 id="wave-assignments">Wave assignments</h2>
<p>The Y assigns your wave time based on your projected total finish time. Scott and I wanted to share a lane for the swim and then bike and run together. We asked the front desk worker how we could make sure this happened. He explained we'd need to put similar times down for our finish estimates but he couldn't guarantee anything. On race morning we were happy as clams when we learned we were assigned together. We assumed this was how all triathlons worked and started thinking ahead to being together as we raced in the Cayuga Lake Triathlon.</p>
<h2 id="swim">Swim</h2>
<p>At the race there is a big group meeting and then people either wait <em>(those in later waves)</em> or get to their pool start <em>(us)</em>! I was so scared I was shaking. Uncertain about what to wear for the swim, bike and run, I wore a black bra top and quick wicking underwear for the swim. I planned to pop clothes over it for the bike and the run. The kids' swim instructor was there and he was counting my laps for me. I need to take a moment here to share the first swim lesson story.</p>
<h3 id="the-kids'-swim-lesson-drama">The Kids' Swim Lesson Drama</h3>
<p>The year prior to this, we put the kids in lessons at the Y in anticipation of our first trip to Disney. Our goal was to have Xander feel ready to go down the little slide at the hotel pool without being scared. We were all excited! At the first lesson, the 3 of us got ready in the locker room and then came out to the bleachers to wait to be called into groups. When the groups were called, Elizabeth and Xander walked out to their respective teachers looking petrified. As the classes gathered and groups started to get into the water, Elizabeth started crying loudly, refusing to move. Xander started SCREAMING when the teacher tried to help him into the water. I stood on the pool deck LAUGHING!</p>
<p>So here I am standing on the pool deck LAUGHING <em>(how I react when I'm super uncomfortable about something)</em>. Suddenly, the director of the program walked over to me and said, "What can I do to help you?" I said, "I have absolutely NO idea. This is so embarrassing!" He replied, "Hang on, I have an idea." In a flash he was gone. Mere moments later he appeared in his bathing suit. By this point, Elizabeth had calmed down and had entered the water. "I'll work with Xander for you. Everything will be ok." He smiled at Xander and introduced himself as Joe. I sat down on a bench near the small pool and Xander got in the pool with Joe. He had a wonderfully positive first swim session.</p>
<p>Joe got into the water with Xander for almost every swim lesson that session! He was his private instructor until the last week or two when Xander finally had the courage to be part of the class without his own private coach. We got to know Joe and his girlfriend well, even getting together for dinner and lunch and then later a movie with the kids and adults. I gave him a cake as a thank you for all that he did for Xander.</p>
<h3 id="and-back-to-my-400-yard-swim">And back to my 400 yard swim</h3>
<p>Naturally, I felt I had something to prove with Joe counting my laps. I had bragged about how good I was getting at swimming and was genuinely excited to show him how well I was getting around in the water. Then, the gun went off and Scott took off. I started and I swam freestyle to the end of the pool. I started to panic as I hit the deep end. There were so many people. Scott was already heading back the other way. I can't do this. What was I thinking? I smiled at Joe, embarrassed that I had bragged. I flipped onto my back and swam the other way. Then, I switched to sidestroke, and backstroke again and I think I even swam underwater for a bit. Somehow I finished those 16 lengths, possibly even before the cut off time of 15 minutes. Soon I was heading outdoors to the parking lot to transition.</p>
<h2 id="rain-and-wind">Rain and Wind</h2>
<p>Most of the slower people <em>(and even some of the faster ones)</em> opted to transition in the locker room. It was after all 36 degrees. I was somehow too worried about my time so I bounded out into the parking lot where poor Scott had to WAIT for me in the freezing weather while I changed. I had what felt like a pretty speedy transition and soon we were off biking ... on our mountain bikes.</p>
<p>We didn't see many people out on the road. It isn't a large race, and we were in the first heat so we certainly were not going to catch up to anyone. All the people we did see passed by us quickly as we lumbered along on our heavy bikes.</p>
<p>The bike portion of the race was uneventful. I don't struggle with the act of biking the way I did with swimming at the time of this race. However, right after this race we caved and bought road bikes. We would NOT be doing the Cayuga Lake Triathlon on our mountain bikes. To this day I remain grateful that we did this less hilly race first so we went to the CLT prepared with road bikes.</p>
<h2 id="the-run">The Run</h2>
<p>Back in 2008 it felt like punishment to me to run without music. I never ran alone. I struggled to keep putting one foot in front of the other from the first step on almost every run. I ran to accomplish our challenges but I dreaded every minute leading up to it and every step while it happened. It was only when finished that I enjoyed a few moments of happiness and pride to creep in.</p>
<p>This run was no different. We started up the hill out of the parking lot and I ran up to the top of the hill with Scott. I was huffing and puffing and not talking much. He was trying to run slow enough to stay with me. We rounded the corner onto the flat portion and hit a headwind. You might think it would make sense to speed up; the headwind would be over sooner. No. I started walking. Stomping is more accurate. A few rounds of, "I can't do this." followed by, "this is terrible" escaped my lips. Poor Scott had to talk me off my ledge and we kept plodding onward.</p>
<p>What goes up must come down so soon we were on the downhill home stretch. My whining subsided and my attitude turned positive. We came bounding into the finish full of smiles and pride.</p>
<h2 id="the-after">The After</h2>
<p>After quickly getting dressed, we popped our bikes into the car, hopped in and then headed to church. Our kids were at church with our parents and we thought we'd make it back in time. This was a phase in our life where we ALWAYS made it to church, no matter what. We felt bad for being late, but arrived as the service was far enough along that it felt weird to sit down. I believe we stood in the back and listened and then greeted them as they came out to go to coffee hour. We chatted with friends, sharing our story of being so cold, the run drama etc.</p>
<p>After church we all came home and pulled out the sofa bed in Scott's office/our media room and put a movie on. I think that I stayed awake for all of 10 minutes. The race had me fully spent!!</p>
<h2 id="final-thoughts">Final Thoughts</h2>
<p>I'm happy we participated in the Tri for the Y. It taught me several important things! I learned that I needed to practice my transitions and it helped me realize that I did need to be ready for any weather. I also realized that it was really unkind to whine so much to Scott. I would need to work harder on my running attitude.</p>
<p>Looking backward, it is really hard to believe that the Tri for the Y knocked me out so much! I'm really proud of myself for working on continual improvement for fitness. Just last year we signed up for the Olympic Distance of the Cayuga Lake Triathlon. One of the reasons I told people it was a good distance was, "because it is long enough to really feel like a workout." Progress.</p>
<p>Oh and results? Well, I can't find them for this far back BUT if my memory is correct I was last and Scott was 2nd from last <em>(only because he stayed with me)</em>. We may have beaten someone, but I don't think so! But one great thing about a triathlon is you really don't have any idea how you are placing as you are participating. Sure, you know folks are passing you, but you always assume someone could be behind you!!</p>
<p>What are your stories about your first triathlon? I'd love to hear about your favorite moments or things you learned.</p>
Rochester Half Marathon 20072007-09-16T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/race-report/rochester-half-marathon-2007/<h2 id="training">Training</h2>
<p>This was year 2 of annual challenges for Scott and me. Last year we challenged ourselves to bike 100 miles around Cayuga Lake. 12 hours later we returned home, exhausted, excited and enthusiastic to pick our next challenge. My good friend Mary had recently tackled her first marathon. We knew we weren't quite ready for that, but we had agreed to select an event that would be really difficult for us. A half marathon seemed like the perfect plan. We selected <a href="http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51131/Half-Marathon-Novice-1-Training-Program" title="Hal Higdon Half Marathon Training">Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Half Marathon Training</a> program. The program runs for 12 weeks. However, we decided that since we hadn't really run before, we would do each week two times.</p>
<p>The first few weeks were filled with stomping! I really wasn't in good shape, was nervous about running and then also anxious about running with Scott. His pace is naturally quicker than mine, but he had agreed to run with me so that we could do this together. He was completely comfortable with this decision, but I spent my time worrying that I was holding him back.</p>
<p>A run that I remember well started after Elizabeth's school party for Valentine's day. We were only heading out for a 3 mile run. We had both eaten lots of candy at the party, and rushed home to get the run in before she arrived home from school. We couldn't have been 100 yards away from home when I started whining and saying I couldn't do it. Scott reminded me that all our neighbors would see me stomping home if I quit. I said "I don't care. This is hard!" and I proceeded to stomp home. When I got into the foyer I looked at the plan and kicked myself out of the house again. If it is on the plan, ultimately I will make it happen even if a whole lot of whining and stomping precedes the effort.</p>
<h2 id="race-day">Race Day</h2>
<p>Scott and I headed up the day before with the kids and my in-laws. We had a big pre-race spaghetti dinner at <a href="http://www.olivegarden.com/menu-listing/dinner" title="Olive Garden">Olive Garden</a> and stayed in a <a href="http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/hotels/new-york/hampton-inn-and-suites-rochester-henrietta-ROCHEHX/index.html" title="Hampton Inn">Hampton Inn</a> near the airport with a pool for the kids. The afternoon before, we looked at the forecast for race morning only to learn that it would be a 40 degree start. We'd run all summer in the afternoons and hadn't thought about early morning temperatures at all. We ran out to the mall to get some shirts to wear for the start of the race! Leaving before the free breakfast in the morning, we got ourselves ready to start the race.</p>
<p>It was a great event! We comfortably ran our practice 10 minute mile pace for the duration of the run. We felt confident and prepared, especially enjoying those last few miles while still having some oomph in our legs. We did split a <a href="http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_shot_gel/" title="Strawberry gel">strawberry gel</a> around mile 10 for a little boost of energy. Our kids and my in-laws made great signs for us, and cheered us on at several points in the race.</p>
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<p>When we finished we celebrated our race with a trip to <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/preview/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x89d6ccb29503b339:0xe01716cc250630b1!2m5!2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i100!3m1!7e1!4shttps://plus.google.com/112567778518697651280/photos?hl%3Den%26socfid%3Dweb:lu:kp:placepageimage%26socpid%3D1!5sperinton+park+fairport+ny+-+Google+Search&sa=X&ei=C75uU9WBCLHNsQSduIDoBw&ved=0CJ0BEKIqMAs" title="Perinton Park">Perinton Park</a> with the kids before driving home and lounging around for the entire afternoon!</p>
<h2 id="results">Results</h2>
<p>Time: 2:12:52<br />
759/1048 overall<br />
54/72 <em>(age group 30-34)</em></p>
Old Snowy Mountain2006-08-06T00:00:00Zhttps://skirtrunner.com/hiking/old-snowy-mountain/<p>Before Elizabeth was born, I went to visit my sister in Portland, Oregon a couple of times. I went alone, and she and I enjoyed lovely day hikes in the beautiful North West. After she was born, Sarah and I decided that when she turned 5 I'd take a trip out just the two of us to spend time with her aunt and discover the beauty of western mountain hiking.</p>
<h2 id="getting-ready">Getting Ready</h2>
<p>Elizabeth started hiking when she was 3. We have a great local trail near our house that has a lovely view of Taughannock Falls. We made her a shirt that said, "I hiked the rim trail!" for her first successful hike around the 3 mile loop. Summers were always filled with family hikes but the summer we had our trip to Oregon planned, we stepped things up and trained. We got her real hiking boots and broke those things in by hiking all the time. Our big preparation trip for the trip out west was to the Catskill mountains early in the summer. We left her little brother Xander home with his grandparents and summited a mountain. It was muggy and poured rain on us but she did it! After a full summer of hiking around home, followed by the Catskill trip, we knew she'd be ready for our plan. She and I were going to climb Old Snowy mountain in Washington with my sister Sarah and her boyfriend, Adam.</p>
<h2 id="getting-there">Getting There</h2>
<p>We arrived in Oregon late at after a rough flight. Our first flight had been cancelled due to thunderstorms after waiting hours and hours in the Rochester airport. We ultimately drove home. Scott had dropped us off for our flight at 2 in the afternoon, and by 10 p.m. when the flight was finally fully cancelled, we took a cab back to Victor, NY and enjoyed a very late dinner at TGI Fridays! Scott picked us up an hour later for our drive home to Trumansburg. We re-booked our flight, traveling out of Ithaca the next day. Thankfully this next flight was uneventful, but we arrived late at night again and our trip was shortened.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/IMG_2318.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="We were upgraded to 1st class for the short leg of our trip!" title="We were upgraded to 1st class for the short leg of our trip!" /><p class="stickyNote">We were upgraded to 1st class for the short leg of our trip!</p></div>
<h2 id="old-snowy-mountain">Old Snowy Mountain</h2>
<p>After arriving at midnight Portland time, we grabbed some sleep and spent the next day getting ready for our overnight summit to Old Snowy. The weather in the mountains at night can dip below freezing, so we had plenty of cold weather gear as well as our zip off pants, food, and of course, Elizabeth's stuffed monkey in her pack to come with us on our journey.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/old-snowy-mountain-elk-pass">Old Snowy mountain</a> is a couple hour drive from Portland. We headed up early to be able to get an early start on our hike. We'd be camping for one, possibly two nights in the mountains as part of this trip. Our plan was to hike to camp the first day, enjoy the evening and then get up the next morning to summit. Sarah was pretty certain we'd need to return to camp the 2nd night after summiting, but did say there was a chance we'd make it back in one day. She had never hiked with a 5 year old, so she wasn't 100% sure what to expect. I had spent my summer hiking with Elizabeth and even I wasn't sure how she'd handle the western mountain experience.</p>
<p>One of the reasons Sarah picked Old Snowy was because it had a snowfield we would have to cross. This would qualify Elizabeth to be a <a href="http://mazamas.org/">Mazama</a> member, should she desire. This is a group that my sister is part of in Portland. They do a lot of hiking, climbing and more.</p>
<h2 id="heading-out-on-the-hike">Heading out on the hike</h2>
<p>We got all of our gear split between 3 packs, and to be honest, Sarah and Adam really carried most of it. I thought I was in great shape, but compared with them I really had little experience hiking with a heavy pack!! The beginning of the hike reminded me of the forest in the movie E.T. Elizabeth and I both had our zip off hiking pants and you can see in this picture below that Elizabeth had a pack. She was carrying her clothes, and of course her stuffed monkey!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/PICT0002.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Hiking!" title="Hiking!" /><p class="stickyNote">Hiking!</p></div>
<p>We were in this forest environment for most of the day that day. It was chilly compared with what the weather had been just a week prior. The prior weekend, Sarah had camped here and didn't even need her fly on her tent. Tonight's forecast was scheduled to hit 32. We were all a little nervous about mountain camping in such chilly temperatures. This would be my first time doing this. There were two big worries; taking my contacts out without proper facilities and digging a hole to go to the bathroom in the morning.</p>
<p>Sarah convinced me that hole digging would be fine and urged me to just sleep in my contacts. Of course I didn't listen about the contacts; instead hauling up my mini mirror and a big bottle of saline solution as well as extra contacts just in case.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/IMG_2293.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Elizabeth and me at Lily Basin" title="Elizabeth and me at Lily Basin" /><p class="stickyNote">Elizabeth and me at Lily Basin</p></div>
<h2 id="the-meadow">The Meadow</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/PICT0015.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="We emerged from the woods to a lovely meadow." title="We emerged from the woods to a lovely meadow." /><p class="stickyNote">We emerged from the woods to a lovely meadow.</p></div>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/PICT0031.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="The wildflowers were amazing!" title="The wildflowers were amazing!" /><p class="stickyNote">The wildflowers were amazing!</p></div>
<h2 id="camp">Camp</h2>
<p>Sarah gave us the choice to camp in one 4 person tent, or two two man tents. We chose the latter thinking it would be nice to give them some privacy. I had never slept in a two man tent before and I'm very claustrophobic! In hindsight the 4 man would have been a better choice. We set up camp when it was still light outside, and then Elizabeth and I played what felt like hours of Uno! I was so freaked out that the tent was so little that I didn't sleep very much that night. I spent my time trying not to touch the sides of the tent and not having to leave too often to go to the bathroom. However, the stress about contacts was much ado about nothing, turning out to be rather easy. Since that trip though, I've learned to follow Sarah's advice, leaving them in overnight.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/PICT0016.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Our campsite!" title="Our campsite!" /><p class="stickyNote">Our campsite!</p></div>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/IMG_2295.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Hydrating!" title="Hydrating!" /><p class="stickyNote">Hydrating!</p></div>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/PICT0029.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="The Summit" title="The Summit" /><p class="stickyNote">The Summit</p></div>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/PICT0088.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Another view from our campsite" title="Another view from our campsite" /><p class="stickyNote">Another view from our campsite</p></div>
<h2 id="heading-to-the-summit">Heading to the Summit</h2>
<p>We awoke to very cold temperatures the next morning. We quickly ate our breakfast and made sure we had all our warm gear on. Sarah and Adam got a harness on Elizabeth in preparation for the snow field and for the scramble to the summit. Sarah had bought a junior harness just for this trip. Of course we hoped we'd use it again on future trips out to see them.</p>
<p>We started along, and it wasn't long before we hit the snowfield. With the cold night temperatures the snowfield was rock hard. Sarah took the lead, taking time to kick in solid foot holds as we walked. This was the first time a strong parental fear kicked in while hiking with my kids. Ever since this hike, I've had trouble separating whether I'm actually afraid of heights and drop offs or whether I am just worried for my children. I think it is the latter as this scared feeling creeps in even when we are crossing a railroad bridge on a hike near home when they are with me. Alone on the same bridge I just walk across with no stress.</p>
<p>For whatever reason on that day, the drop off over the snow field scared me to death. I remember saying to my mom, "one wrong step and 'poof' you fall to your death." I've been back since and I laugh about that. Yes you'd fall a ways down but you would certainly not be dead or likely even injured. Despite my irrational fears, Elizabeth did just fine with her aunt leading the way.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/IMG_2303.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Crossing the snow field." title="Crossing the snow field." /><p class="stickyNote">Crossing the snow field.</p></div>
<p>Soon we reached the scramble to the top. There were just a couple of spots that we decided to attach the harness to Elizabeth. It was a fun scramble perfectly suited to a 5 year old.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/IMG_2313.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="The class 3 scramble" title="The class 3 scramble" /><p class="stickyNote">The class 3 scramble</p></div>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/IMG_2312.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Adam patiently supported her ascent." title="Adam patiently supported her ascent." /><p class="stickyNote">Adam patiently supported her ascent.</p></div>
<h2 id="the-summit">The Summit</h2>
<p>We always knew we would make it, but it was still AMAZING to sit atop of the summit of Old Snowy. This was a trip that we planned for all summer, encouraging Elizabeth every step of the way. I was really happy we did this together and so grateful to Sarah and Adam for being willing to guide us up and teach us so many things.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/IMG_2304.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Elizabeth and her aunt Sarah on top of Old Snowy Mountain" title="Elizabeth and her aunt Sarah on top of Old Snowy Mountain" /><p class="stickyNote">Elizabeth and her aunt Sarah on top of Old Snowy Mountain</p></div>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/PICT0057.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="View from the summit" title="View from the summit" /><p class="stickyNote">View from the summit</p></div>
<h2 id="homeward-bound">Homeward Bound</h2>
<p>The way back was joyous! The day had warmed up enough that we didn't need to wear our hats and gloves once we got past the meadow and the snow field was so much softer that Sarah didn't need to make tracks for us. We were all so pleased with ourselves that time just flew by and we found ourselves back at the campsite early in the day.</p>
<p>I know that Sarah and Adam would have been happy to spend one more night in the mountains, taking a short day hike around Old Snowy Mountain and enjoying the Goat Rocks, then heading back to Portland the next day. I however had a different agenda. Pack up and head out!! Having not slept well, I wasn't looking forward to another cold tent night. I behaved a bit like a baby about the entire mountain camping thing, and wish I could go back in time and be a better sport.</p>
<p>I got my way and we packed up our camp area and headed out. The walk seemed never ending and Elizabeth was tired. She was a great sport though, and soon enough we were at the road ready to head back to Portland.</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/IMG_2302.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="In the meadow!" title="In the meadow!" /><p class="stickyNote">In the meadow!</p></div>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/IMG_2316.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="A fun rock enclosure we found on the way to the summit." title="A fun rock enclosure we found on the way to the summit." /><p class="stickyNote">A fun rock enclosure we found on the way to the summit.</p></div>
<h2 id="the-drive-to-portland">The Drive to Portland</h2>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2015/01/IMG_2288.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="With Adam after the hike" title="With Adam after the hike" /><p class="stickyNote">With Adam after the hike</p></div>
<p>When we hit the parking lot, Sarah was so excited to share that she'd brought Gatorade to share for the ride home from Old Snowy Mountain. I was not a bit excited because the colors were yellow and orange. I only like blue and red. Really? I was such a brat that I didn't even drink any. In fact, at this point in my life I adored Diet Coke on road trips <em>(and only on road trips).</em> Instead of enjoying the Gatorade, I silently, or maybe not so silently, whined that we wouldn't enter civilization with a gas station for more than an hour and a half.</p>
<p>Sarah opened her Gatorade and we headed down the hill. We couldn't have been more than 5 minutes down the winding road when Elizabeth got carsick and threw up. We stopped the car and managed things really well but it was not the best way to start a 2+ hour return trip.</p>
<p>I think that somewhere along the way we stopped for a Diet Coke and all was right in my world. Elizabeth jabbered on awhile about the hike and then fell asleep.</p>
<p>We spent many more days out in Portland, but this picture below is of her return to the airport, greeted by my dad!</p>
<div style="position: relative"><img class="lazy" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 700 400'%3E%3C/svg%3E" data-src="/images/2017/04/IMG_2319.jpg?nf_resize=fit&w=700" alt="Elizabeth returns home from her first big trip!! The days when Playdoh was still allowed on airplanes!" title="Elizabeth returns home from her first big trip!! The days when Playdoh was still allowed on airplanes!" /><p class="stickyNote">Elizabeth returns home from her first big trip!! The days when Playdoh was still allowed on airplanes!</p></div>