The Build Begins

Some things I’m just not very good at keeping - one would be a journal. I’m always kicking myself, the supposed writer, for not chronicling and archiving the moments that present in a more concrete manner. It makes me sad to think of all those memories lost to the unreliable narrator of my mind. (I fully recognize the irony of that statement.) I have tried over the years, many times, to start some sort of narrative - any sort of reference to this life. There are dozens of bound journals with fits and starts but no real essence. The closest you would get to finding the moments would be in my boxed up yearly dayrunners, even those are dusty with neglect in these electronic dating days. So, last week when I was cleaning out my desk, I was pleasantly surprised to come across a running journal that I actually kept for my 3 months of Boston Marathon training. It was nostalgic and strangely intense to read the tiny snippets - and they truly are tiny, just a roll call of miles run, temperature, calories consumed, miles on the shoes, pace and how I felt - nothing spectacular, nothing special. But just peeking into that book took me instantly back there, to that 12 mile run a week before the big race supposed to be slow but burned up @ sub 7 pace. I can remember the way the air felt, the unusual smell at mile 9 that nearly made me sick and turning onto our street smiling ear to ear, recognizing how ready I was for the big day. And that’s just one run. I could do that for almost every run recorded in the journal. It made me pause and realize one fundamental reason why I love running so much. It’s something I DO. It’s not something I start and stop. It doesn’t nag at the base of my mind as a should be or could be; it simply is. Yes the training plans, the goals, the triumphs are all part of the package, but running is running without the medals and the circled date at the end of a calendar. I lace up my shoes, walk out the door, head to the park and traipse back home. Once home I am finished with my task - beginning, middle and a neat,tidy denoument - every single day. And if I’m up for it I can pile on the goals, push myself to go faster, longer, harder, more; layer the experience, but I know regardless that I will most certainly open the door and run. It’s as essential as sleeping, eating or loving.

And with that newly formed understanding my first building week went quite well. I had to cut out my Wednesday run entirely due to freakishly strange weather: hail storms, 50 mph winds, and loud, loud thunderclaps that shook the house. So I padded the rest of my runs with a few extra miles to try and meet my weekly mileage goal, coming close. Next week I plan on adding an additional 2 hours of XT via road bike; we’ll see how well my energy holds all of these different exercise balls in the air - and if it does - then I might just do the Ironman Tri in September with Eric…..

Miles run 46 +1.5 hour swimming +1.5 hour resistance & yoga

Just a short note

It was a “down” week for me - so lots of easy running, minus the Thursday hill session which nearly sent me home in tears. I was beginning to get quite frustrated with my lack of fitness and speed, and then along came the weekend. Sunday was a breakthrough run for me. It was hot - hot - hot, and I had no intention of actually completing the long run. I told myself I’d be happy with just 4 miles as the thermometer tipped 92 degrees. After a week of temperatures in the 60’s - 92 felt like being in an oven. But I went out there and plugged away - running all the miles and shaving a few minutes off my supposed finish time. I finally feel like my fitness is progressing, and that I am getting somewhere! Hopefully this trend will continue next week - as I take a serious step up in training intensity.


Miles run 32 + 1 hour swimming + 1 hour resistance training

Too Cool!

BRRC - First Cut from Brandon Wade on Vimeo.

Rain, Rain, Rain.....

10 days and counting...everything is damp, all the time - our towels will not dry, my shoes are squishy and chilly when I pull them over my socks. I’m tired of this weather! Everyday this week it was either threatening to rain or raining during my run - a no sunglasses necessary week. I managed to capture all 6 runs on the plan anyhow, and for 3.5 of them I had a partner, my teenage Eric. Our Saturday run, which was scheduled to be a “recovery” 6 mile day for me after my Friday speed session, was a breakthrough moment for Eric. Having the opportunity to feed off that energy was empowering and fitness building, if not a little silly on my part. With puddles and mud and rain coming down Eric decided to go cross country in the park, and I followed along - mud caking the backs of our legs, shoes growing heavier with each stride, we had an absolute blast. Eric hit every puddle with the joy of little kid stomping around post rainstorm, and I couldn’t help but smile - especially when he blurted out mid-stride, “I really love running.” Of course, he was in such good spirits after 4 weeks off running that I could barely keep pace with him. As he glided along at a 6:00ish pace I had to let him run ahead. I kept telling myself quietly - slow down Kristen this is your recovery day. BUT watching your kiddo in a moment of pure bliss, well that makes the exhaustion, the soreness, the difficulty on the Sunday long run all worth it. Witnessing someone else discover the essential feeling of physical power and exhaustion of the purest form = priceless. And after more intense running than anticipated this week I am very much looking forward to a down mileage week - starting off with shooting a Big River commercial this evening. I get to play a fast runner. “Play” is the operative word here, as I just don’t feel anywhere near fast yet - hopefully a few more weeks of base building will help....

Miles run: 40 + 1 hour swimming + 1 hour resistance training

The Letter C

The couch - what an enemy it can be! This week started off with a really strong fever and head cold which quickly went to my chest - hence - the couch. If wasn’t working I was down, tissues all around me, blankets tossed on and off and trying, trying, trying to feel GOOD. Cinco de Mayo (a silly but engagingly fun holiday) came and went without so much as a taste of guacamole or salt rimmed margarita. And my 5K race Wednesday night - well that was a bust…. The rest of the week went down the tubes as well, and as the weekend approached I was concerned that I would never get better and the fever, the congestion, the headache, the cough was here to stay.

The highlight of my week - seeing Eric get his Varsity letter for Track & Field, as a Freshman. I didn’t expect it to hit Eric with such significance - but he was unexpectedly excited about the recognition after working so hard to achieve it. And as he continues to grow in the arena of running, I’m the one who is excited to watch his development and progress.

The week ended, Sunday, FINALLY with a run - the best part, my fast teenage son accompanied me. We both have been out of running - him for 2 weeks due to a wrist fracture on the growth plate, and me for the week thanks to illness. So we took it nice and easy, chatted the whole time and made our 5K loop in no time. I look forward to a normal training week this week, complete with sore and tired legs and slower than expected speed times.

Miles run: 3….+1 hour resistance training

Regarding Research

Ask anyone around and they’ll tell you I’m a reader. I’ve an entire room devoted to books. In a large house this would be no big thing, but in our small 1600 square foot, 7 room house, it’s a serious commitment to institute a library. In my library are several shelves devoted to training and fitness. I’ve read everything and I do mean everything available about distance running, the marathon, nutrition, the runners body, etc... Some of the books have been wonderful gems of information, some are better suited for the ‘que as kindling. There are hundreds of books out there about distance running and optimal training - so when I began my ultra running research I figured it would be relatively easy to find some valid information. Uh huh…. That the library doesn’t even recognize ultra-running as a subject should have been my first warning. Next stop on the research train was Barnes & Noble online. Check their marathon running category and you come up with over 100 titles. Try ultra running or ultra marathons and you come up with 7, 3 of which have nothing to do with ultra running, 2 of which are over 20 years old and out of print. Yes, this was going to take a little more digging. Hours and hours later I found some tasty tidbits via running blogs and running times. I am honestly surprised at the lack of information out there in the middle of this information age. Ultra-running is a bit of a middle finger to the boon of distance running as an everyman sport. It’s the underground rave world of running. This both excites me and scares me. And as I start this project I am as under-prepared as I’ve ever been in terms of research. Somehow though, my nerves are steady and I have confidence that I can not only find some relative and relevant information, but even if I do not - that I can make it through a 50 mile run. It’s a little like a kindergardener’s confidence when they barrel through the doors of learning - all boundless energy and optimism. My training week bolstered this, and I was able to complete all my boxes.

The week was not without struggle however. My hips - both of them - have been pesky lately. This is not a pain I’m used to experiencing and it’s quite uncomfortable. In addition, I had a bit of a bug, slight fever, bad headaches S/Tue - but nothing to X a workout over. So on Wednesday night I jumped into a 4 mile race in Forest Park for my “speed” work, and it was rough. After the first minute I felt like my legs were cement. When I hit the first mile marker in 7:18 I was dumbfounded; my body certainly FELT like it was working much harder than this. I should’ve been hitting that marker a good 45 seconds earlier. I took a deep breath and soldiered on, knowing it was going to be an embarrassingly slow speed-workout for me. I hit the remaining 3 markers in 7:16, 7:18, and 7:01 respectively. In the end, after crossing the finish line almost 3 minutes slower than anticipated, I was actually glad to have the experience in the bank, and hopefully I’ll be able to watch my fitness grow as the weeks progress. This race also serves as a remarkable reminder of my age. I’m by no means an old timer but spring chicken doesn’t ring so true anymore either…. These are the moments when you realize: you’re not invincible youth anymore. I can’t just go out there and rip off fast miles without real preparation in every way. From my sleep numbers to my food input, it all matters now. It reminded me of the need to focus on all of the variables and centered my drive to do just that. The week ended with a peaceful 9 mile run in the park, a perfect way to end an imperfect week of running.

Miles Run: 40 + 1 Hour Swimming + 1 Hour Resistance Training