Talk About 'Get Your Sled On'

The Mountain Marathon has plenty of time to groom their trail like this before next Saturday...  I think I would definitely be able to get a PR if this was the case...

Seriously so fun....  I'm gonna build one here tomorrow to practice.  : )

Three Things Thursday

1.  It made it to the fridge... fridge cover art space is sacred... just sayin'...

2.  It snowed last night in Capital Forest.  It's snowing right now in Capital Forest... just sayin'...

3.  I'm still on Paleo... the revised Paleo for Athletes version...  Dean eats 6,000 to 10,000 calories a day... just sayin'

Dean the Machine

I'm sure you've heard about the next amazing journey that one of our own is taking...  Dean Karnazes is once again putting his ultra skills to the test.  He has joined forces with LIVE! with Regis and Kelly to bring attention to childhood obesity and running across America.  For three months he will be running 40 to 50 miles a day!!!!  Two marathons a day, every day, for three months straight.  Seriously.  I can't even believe it myself.

I just finished reading 50/50 and was so impressed with not just his running but his genuine kindness of spirit.  You can go here to see more about this challenge that he's taking on as well as dates and locations where you can run with him!!!  I'm expecting EMZ to run with him in March and Kovas to run with him in April and of course to give us reports...

So amazing.  You can also follow him on facebook as he will update and share experiences along the way.  This will definitely be something I want to follow to see how he survives this challenge!

Will you follow?  Do you care?  Do you think he's crazy?  Do you think his body can handle that kind of mileage for 3 months?  Let's hear it...

Attn: Management

Could someone in Olympia, WA please take care of this.  I'll be there in a week and a half to run your trails in Capital Forest and would sincerely appreciate having muddy trails...not snowy, icy trails.  I will check in early next week to see the progress you've made with this current dilemma.

Thank you,

Racing Dawn

The Manly Bracelet

Yes, I purchased a manly bracelet while in Huntington Beach.  When I met up with Chris K. he proceeded to show me the balance test.  I was sold.  Hook, line and sinker.  So back to the Expo we went to find me one.  This is the one I bought.  I wish I would have gotten a white one but whatever. 

I immediately put the bracelet on and thought this was going to be a saving grace at the race.  Not only keep me balanced, but keep the flu at bay.

I wore it on race day and I actually felt great.  Towards the end of the race I had some lower back pain, some right hip pain and a little pain in my right hammie.  I chalked it up to fatigue and races and mostly was just grateful that I wasn't vomiting.

Into recovery week my back pain got worse.  The right hip progressively got worse as well as the connecting muscle tendons from IT band up to my hip on the right side.  I know.  Crazy.  So I thought to myself...  9 marathons, I probably need a little tune up.  I went to my chiropractor, whom I haven't had to visit for 2 1/2 years, and got all lined up.  He told me to come back this last Monday, so I did.  Once again I got the works:  cracked, stretched, popped and some electrodes. 

Still this right side of my body was bothering me.  Nothing has been helping.  I've continued my running/training through all of it.  This morning I had a treadmill run of about 8 miles and my right leg seriously felt like I needed to disconnect it and put it out of it's misery.  While running, something caught my eye. 

The manly bracelet.

Guess which wrist I've been wearing it on.  Guess which side it has not left since the moment I put it on the night before the race.  Did you write down your answer?  Should I make you scroll down to see if you're correct?  Ok... You're right.  I've had it on my RIGHT side.  The side that has been killing me for the last week and a half.  So I thought I'm not going to take it off, I'll just switch it to the left side.

I kid you not...within five minutes the pain had all but disappeared.  I know.  I wouldn't believe it if it hadn't happened to me.  I have a scheduled chiro appointment tomorrow and I seriously don't even think I need to go. 

So my conclusion is that yes, these things have an effect on the body.  I checked the website and it said nothing about being lopsided, but I think I must need to wear one on each wrist to stay truely balanced.  Wearing one continually on the same side is detrimental to my well being and overall health.  When I told J of my findings he said that when he's noticed basketball and baseball players wearing them, they have one on each wrist.  He maybe should've mentioned that to me at the Expo...

Quite the marketing ploy EFX.  Can't just buy one...

Whole Lotta Love

I

TRAIL RUNNING

Yes, I've said it before...  I love hitting the trails.  I haven't had much opportunity to run any lately because they're all covered with snow.   And also, as some may know, I've had a hard time deciding on my spring races...

Well the decision has been made!  Yay!  I will be heading to the PNW in March, Capital Forest, Washington to be exact.  I'm going to run THE MOUNTAIN MARATHON...  and let me tell ya, these organizers know how to put a little fear into someone.  Here's a little excerpt from the description:

'The trail in March will likely be VERY muddy. There will likely be standing water in some

places – up to a foot deep (might not be a bad idea to pack an extra pair of socks to

change into at the turn-around). The trails are some of the most technical (roots, rocks,
cinder blocks, etc.) Capitol Forest has to offer.  Believe us when we say this race will leave you crying for mommy....'

I can handle a little mud.  And along with a rockin' race tee, we get one of these in the race booty...

That's right.  A trucker's cap with a tagline yet to be decided...  Nice touch, right?

So who's in?  Who wants to join me for a nice trail run through knee deep mud?  It's gonna be a blast!!!!  And here's some elevation charts to look at to help make up your mind.  This is just the back half...  Don't worry there's some downhill... : )

Another amazing thing about this race... We will be given a red/white/blue ribbon to pin to our bib #. What is this for? To show solidarity for a troop of US soldiers stationed in Afghanistan that will be running the Hillbilly Half with us ‘remotely.’ They will be running 13.1 miles with us on raceday on a .4 mile course on their base. We want to show them that we support them and are thinking of them running their race while we run ours! So you know, Guerilla Running will be sending these soldiers all of the race booty (shirts, hats, finishing medals) to congratulate them on their victories!  How amazing is that!!!

And if all that can't convince you...how bout these pics...

Absolutely gorgeous.  So come on y'all...  come join me for THE MOUNTAIN MARATHON or if looking for a shorter distance, you can run the HILLBILLY HALF!!!  (It's March 5th!)

Yee Haw!!!



Question of the Day

It's past breakfast time, missed my meal. 

So inner dilemma: 

Should I have my usual morning protein shake even though it's now mid-day

or  should I inhale this...

Well, from the picture I guess we have our answer, since there is only a quarter of the round left... 

And before you start gettin' all over me about Paleo... remember, it's recovery week...  Let a girl have a treat or two...

And seriously who can refuse a fresh loaf of sourdough bread straight from Fisherman's Wharf? 

I heart Boudin...

Have a great weekend!

Marathon 9 - Check...Surf City!!!

Surf City Marathon - The Recap in Pictures...

and a few words...

This is the line to get into the Expo!  We arrived in Huntington Beach in the late afternoon and the Expo was packed!  We made our way through and picked up my bib and goodies as well as picked up my GU necessities for race day...  Once we made it out of the tented, hot Expo we enjoyed the beach a bit...it was a warm day of 72 degrees!!!

Then on to the EAP meet-up...I had the chance to meet Patrick and Chris.  Both great guys and we chatted things of training, flu, BQ's and such.  Chris actually sold me on a product that he bought at the Expo so we headed back in to browse a bit and to get me one of my own...  I'll let him tell about the exciting product!

J thinks this looks like the cover of an album...We got P-funk on the drums with crazy solos...C-Rock on bass jammin' his blues riffs...and aRDy on tambourine... I can play a mean tambourine...  Band names??

Patrick offered up some great suggestions for pre-race meals, so J and I headed off for dinner and early lights out.  That night I had a dream that I was running the race and at mile 13 I realized that I was running in house slippers.  I saw J on the sideline and told him to go back to the start to get my runner's, that I had forgotten to switch, and to bring them back to me.  He said, 'Aaaahh you're fine.  You're already half done.  Just finish it up.'  Thanks babe.

I woke up after that dream without an alarm going off, looked at my watch and it was 5:15 am.  My alarm was supposed to go off at 5:00!  So I got up, changed super fast, gathered all my stuff together and while lacing up my shoes I noticed the clock on the sidetable...4:25 am.  Oh yeah...Pacific time...deep breath...I had another hour... : )

It was a perfect foggy morning in Huntington Beach.  20,000 runners. 

No signs of the flu.  I felt rested.  I felt strong.  I just knew it was going to be a great run.  I was secretly, well probably not so secretly, hoping for a PR even though I'd had a rough week.  I set out running 9:00/mi and it felt great.  I hit the halfway mark at 2:03.  Felt exceptional about that.  I didn't take pictures during the race but the course is just absolutely spectacular.  The majority of the course is literally along the ocean.  Views of the Pacific and surfers in and out the whole morning.  I was in heaven.  Like clockwork I slowed in the late teen miles and then the last 5 miles I was trying to stay around 11's.  So frustrating.  I felt aerobically very strong, not a problem, but legs just didn't have it in them once again.  Still I finished with a 4:25, my fastest time since Logan back in September!  So that, I was happy about.

The race was extremely well organized and a zillion volunteers that went above and beyond.  I LOVED this race.  The course wasn't completely flat...a few little rollers and one baby hill...which I love having a few little things to shake it up.  The finish area was crazy but great and of course I love my surfboard finisher's medal!

We were lucky to be able to spend an extra day and enjoy some beach time...

We came home to this...

But still thinking about this today...

I now live in Surf City...

but I altitude train 52 weeks a year in Snowville, USA... : )

Inner Peace

If there was somewhere that I would go to find my inner peace I'm certain this would be it. 

I've been all over the place this week thinking about this race.  This is definitely a 'destination race' in my book.  And no matter what happens it will be an amazing weekend.  

I'm feeling back to full bars on the vitality scale.  I have been able to keep carbs down for 2 days now but no running to speak of this week.  And through all the flu-mess, I feel extremely confident that I'm going to have a GREAT race.  Is it bad to be overly-optimistic?  I hope not cause I just have a good vibe about this one... (Yay!) 

We Have Ourselves A Winner...

Well I'm not sure if she deserves it after she clucked at me when I was sick...and worried more about the Ryders Giveaway than my marathon well-being... but Random.org thought otherwise...  So...

Melanie B. you won yourself a pair of

Ryders Eyewear!!! 

I have your email because you sent me this awesome photo of yourself with your beach shades on just having finished a triathlon...pretty professional... :)

Congratulations girl!!! 

You will be officially ready now for race season with your new pair of sunnies!  Yay!

Status Update...

Thank you so much for all the well wishes yesterday and the tips. 

I AM FEELING BETTER! 

I felt all your healing vibes!!! 

Not too much real food to speak of being eaten, but I'm feeling better.  I ate a couple small pieces of a thin crust pizza last night as my inaugural meal back into REAL carbs and it was horrible.  I kept it down but still feeling the effects on my stomach right now.  Back to protein shakes and fruit today...maybe some soup.  Pizza just sounded so good...

So I need to do even more baby steps, but I ran up my stairs this morning to grab a phone call.  Did you hear me?  I RAN up 12 stairs today.  I'm good as gold for the marathon... 

So other big things going on this week?  (I'm still pretty much out of the blogging loop but...)  My Ryder's Eyewear Giveaway!!!  Remember that?  It's ending tonight.  I'll pick a winner at 11:59 pm so you still have time to get your entries in.  I can't say enough about how much I love mine.  I've had a few of you send me some picutres of their worst shades for bonus entries...

That's Melanie on the left in her beach shades...but just finished a triathlon...looks like she just stepped out of the mall...

Here's our stylin' Miss Zippy (in her own words) in her bug-eyed shades.  So awesome.

And here's ShebaJC with a pair of shades fit for someone with a bigger face than hers... : )

You still have time to get your entries in as well as email me pictures of your worst shades...  I love pictures...

and btw...Now I'm more worried about not being able to eat like crazy for the Super Bowl than for my race... not sure my stomach can handle nachos and salsa and hot dogs and cheese and candy and soda.... WHHHAAATTT???  How am I going to get through a football game without all the goodies?



Wiggity What Wednesday!

Well it finally happened.  I didn't think it would...  I've been so good for the last 8 months...

The guy in blue is 'The Flu' and the guy getting hit with the atomic bomb is me.  I have not been sick once in the last eight months of training and racing.  Pretty amazing if you ask me.  But now I've been flat out for two days.  It started Saturday when I went to the gym to run an easy ten miles and at mile four I was sweating and I had zero energy to keep going.  I called it a day and decided I'd run ten on Monday.  Sunday I was okay, but started to feel a little achey, so I took an ibuprophen and thought I'd be fine the next day.  Monday morning...not pretty.  The only reason I moved out of my bed all day Monday was for either another trip to the bathroom or to put on another episode of Max & Ruby for my 3 year old.  I've never been hit quite so hard with the flu.  Yesterday I felt better but still took it pretty easy. 

Today I'm feeling good.  Except when I have to go up the stairs, I'm winded...  Wiggity What?  Yeah... I said I'm winded after going up 12 stairs.  And what's that you say?  Don't I have a marathon this weekend?  Why yes I do... 

So I'm not panicking yet.  Maybe just a little.  Okay... a lot.  I'm really blaming the whole sickness on the Paleo Diet.  I've  had no real carbs to combat the infection, right?  I don't know. 

So question of the day... 

What should I do? 

*Throw Paleo out the window and eat as many pieces of bread, servings of pasta and rice til race day?

*Keep Paleo around and wait to eat carbs all day Saturday before race on Sunday?

*Be creative...give me some free counsel.

I haven't run since Saturday and I'm pretty sure if I can't handle a set of stairs,  a run isn't in the cards just yet.  But I definitely need to get a few miles in before the race, just for the mental aspect of it all...  

And to my Paleo friends... Did you get sick when you started eating this way?  Just curious...