Flashback Friday - Ogden Marathon

The Ogden Marathon is one of my most favorite Utah races.  It is in May every year when the spring run-off from the mountain is usually at it's highest.  The majority of the run is a gradual downhill through country and canyon.  Simply beautiful.  It's quiet and you run with the river through almost the whole race.  You know that smell of spring, not Downy spring, but real fresh clean spring?  Mmmm.  Yep, you get to enjoy that fragrance the whole way through.  My fave.

I've run the full marathon twice and have also completed it as a relay with a friend, I ran the first half and she the second.  Both times that I ran it as a full I finished in 5 hours, which is definitely not my best, but the scenery, the volunteers, the finish line area, even the race expo was all excellent.

I really can't complain about anything from this race except for when I ran it in 2006 it poured rain.  Like hurt your face and body, pelting rain.  And it started at the beginning of the race, around mile 8 til about mile 12.  Wring your shirt out kind of rain.  I remember coming up to one of the stations where relayers jump on and this kind, kind lady gave me her gloves to run with.  We were all looking like drowned rats and shivering and she choose me to give her dry gloves to.  In that moment it made night and day difference in that race.  I actually felt like I could finish just having warm gloves!  Thank you glove lady, where ever you are! : )

I mentioned a couple weeks ago when I did Hurt in the Dirt that one of my big reasons for doing that race was so I could go and have an early race entry for Ogden Marathon.  Ogden now sells out in a matter of weeks once registration opens October 1st!  It caps at 8500 runners!  That's a ton!  And it is attributed to it being such a great race and that it was featured in Runner's World in the Top 10 races to do in the United States!  Pretty cool.  I tell everyone that it is a great first marathon to do and one to go back and do over and over again.  I should totally work for them, they are getting a lot of love from me!

Last night we made Orange Dream shakes with our Blender Bottle.  So good.  We also made the Classic Smoothie with raspberry yogurt and cranberry juice - it was excellent once we added some vanilla ice cream! :)  Tomorrow I'm going to try the waffle recipe.  Just a new way to shake things up!  If you haven't yet go here and enter the giveaway for your very own free Blender Bottle!

How you doing on your eating?  I'm still hangin' in there.  Not craving my soda but would kill for some Wheat Thins and cheese...   (btw - I use dailyplate.com to look up my calories and portion sizes, you can also use them for free to keep a log!) 

Anyone doing any races this weekend?  I've got a short 12 miler ahead of me tomorrow, love taper weeks! 

Have a great weekend friends!

Tunesday/Training Tips

I'm  trying to get back on track with my training this week but it has been tough.  I had a great recovery week last week and then the race on Saturday was awesome.  Now, trying to be consistent with my plan before Park City Marathon sneaks up on me seems to be really hard!  I've become a magnet for a lot of other races that aren't the marathon distance and I'm trying to fit them in everywhere.  I'm not really sure that it's a good idea but these races are so fun!  I'm starting to get a glimpse of what I may be leaning towards when my challenge ends...

So for today... I have a training session with my trainer at the gym - the first real session - so I'm excited.  I really am counting on him to take me to the next level.  I'm prepared to work hard and definitely get results!

Also, I'm part of a relay team for the Red Rock Relay that is coming up in September.  It's a race that covers 180 miles between 12 people in Southern Utah.  Tonight we will attempt a training run together. Here's our plan...meet at midnight, run 3 miles, meet at 6 a.m., run 3 miles, and meet at 2 p.m., run 3 miles.  Most of us have distances longer than this but it will help our bodies feel what it will be like to run 3 legs in 36 hours.  Crazy!  Gonna look pretty crazy seeing 12 women running through town at midnight!  It will also benefit us to try out what our nutrition should be between those runs.  Trial and error, we'll see what works.  Details and pics will surely be available tomorrow!

 I thought I'd add a couple more Q&A's today...hope they help.
Please feel free to add to or tell me how I wrong I am in the comments!  I love feedback!

What supplements do you take and when?

If you're running less than an hour you don't need Gatorade or supplements. They are extra calories that are unnecessary for less than 60 minutes of exercise. However, if I know I'm gonna be out for over an hour I start my usual routine of a peanut butter sandwich and water before the run and then hydrate every 15 minutes from the beginning, usually just 4 or 5 oz - 4 swallows - rotating Gatorade.  But honestly, I don't bring Gatorade unless I'm doing 2 hours or more.

I also add in supplements every hour mark. I switch it up all the time... it's something you gotta try...figure what works for you and your tummy.  My favorites are the Clif Blocks, they are like gummy bears, they taste good, and go down easy. I usually only eat one, maybe two squares an hour. I've taken trail mix, honey packets, regular gummy bears, Clif bars (I only take 2 bites of a Clif bar an hour). I've liked the Clif squares the best. You're looking for fast carbs that will digest quickly and easily.  The last thing you need is something sitting in the bottom of your gut making you feel sick. 

What do you do to help get past your wall - whether it's 4 miles or 24 miles?

This one is tough.  You really can't prepare for it until you've hit that wall and crossed it a few times.  I've hit a wall in every marathon I've run.  It's all mental my friends.  I run with music and that helps me but it really is a mind game. Your body is so fatigued that it really is pure will that pulls you through.  I actually have little chants that I say to myself when I feel myself slowing down or hitting a wall. My go-to phrase is 'Finish like a champ, not a chump.'  I know, so goofy, but I've heard sillier.  : )   Also, in some instances it helped to talk to those that are around me in a race that are trying to finish at the same time. There's been a race or two where if I saw someone crying during the final few miles, I just had to go past because I know I would start crying too and probably not finish! 

If you start feeling strong when you leave for your run and then you're feeling really fatigued and weak in the mind by mile 4, you're probably dehydrated. Or, maybe you need to switch up your course.  If you're always running the same route and at the same point always feeling tired, it's mental. Try switching up your runs throughout the week to see if that would help. For example: Monday, an easy 3, Tuesday XT, Wednesday Fast 2, Thursday Hills, Friday off, Saturday Long 4. This will help you add mileage and increase your speed.  A lot of you know these tidbits, but for newbies I think it's super helpful!

As far as Tunesday goes, I still have Hurt In The Dirt on the mind.  They put together this short little video of some of the race day action accompanied by a great R.E.M. song.  Enjoy...  http://vimeo.com/13813261

Hurt In The Dirt - The Filthy Recap...

Yep, that's me...  Hurt in the what?

 The race directors weren't lying. I, indeed, did get Hurt in the Dirt!  The inaugural race was all that it was built up to be and more!  I can't believe I just did this race...  We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into!  The race had several options on how to complete 4 legs of racing. My friend Lindsay and I decided I would take the running portions and she, the mountain biking portions. We had a great pre-race meal...

Yeah, we split a cheeseburger...hey we were starving for real food.  All this other stuff was for during the race (except for the ipod, turns out they were prohibited - gotta be safe!) and I really don't think the burger threw me off too much, I burnt those calories off after my first plunge through the river. : ) 

I began with 2 loops of a 2 mile course and it did not disappoint.  I love trail running and this course had it all.  Including huge fallen trees that had to be climbed over (about 10 of em x 4 loops!). We had to cross the Weber River twice during each loop with water deep up to my thighs - so 8 times total - and a serious set of built in steps that were killer!  Not to mention sliding down trails, ducking under branches and hopping over fences.  I felt pretty hard core if I do say so myself... : )  I wasn't the fastest runner but I also wasn't the slowest. 

I feel like I completed them in a respectable time, the race results have been posted and the first leg of running I completed in about 35 minutes  I'll take it...

After my first leg of running Lindsay jumped on her bike for 2 loops of 5 miles each on the course and it was tough.  She did awesome though and completed that 2nd leg.  We both did good hydrating and fueling in between legs and I know that really helped keep us going through the 4 hour race.

Out on the third leg now, running, I had a great cloud cover at this point which really helped taper off the heat. This leg was a 36 minute running time.

When I came back in to the transition area, we decided that I would do one of the mountain biking loops and then she would do the last loop to see if we could finish in time. Let me preface by saying I am not a cyclist.  I own a beach cruiser. My visions of cycling are on a beach boardwalk somewhere...not on a mountain ;) I have never mountain biked. I have never switched a gear on a road bike. I don't even know which brake controls which wheel! When mounting up on the bike I didn't put the bike gloves on right, they were actually on upside down. Another racer had to set me straight, thanks buddy! Seriously...I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

It was ridiculous. I had already run 8 miles and now I'm off riding on trails though trees, switchbacks, riding over logs and hills that were insane. I was comforted by the volunteers that assured me that no one was able to actually ride up any of the steep hills...

 and no one was actually able to ride through the beach like sand either. I did come to one section where it dropped off (steep) down to a pebble beach. I panicked and squeezed the life out of the brakes and over the handlebars I went. I scrubbed!  Hard! Dirt in your teeth hard! Of course the race photographer was on the bridge right above me capturing it on film.  Beautiful - I hollered up to him, 'I hope you got that!'  Can't wait til the pics are up online!

Lindsay finished up with the final bike loop, in the dark (what a rock star) and did a round-off over the finish line. I believe we finished in about 4 hours and 16 minutes.  It was tough my friends, don't let anyone tell you different... : ) Hurt in the Dirt is no joke.

One of the perks of coming out to do the race was that we could sign up early for the Ogden Marathon and secure our spot for a race that will sell out in a matter of weeks!  I met up with one of the race directors and shared my little story of 12 in 12 and that I was ending with a bang at the Ogden Marathon in May next year.  Hopefully he will assist in the post-race, post-challenge, after-party at the race! : ) That would be awesome!

Lindsay and I finished up our night downing some Rooster's Root Beer. That was the perfect post-race drink...and we got to have one of these cool mugs for a souvenir of the day.  So fun!  Cheers Hurt in the Dirt! We'll see you next year.

Flashback Friday & Racing Updates

On my race calendar you may have noticed that I have almost as many races in California as I do in Utah.  Northern Cali is one of my most favorite places to run.  I grew up there, spent my formative years there and luckily married someone from there that still has family in the area.  So great!  Whenever we head out there to visit I usually try to sneak a race in. 

3 years ago I did the Muir Woods Marathon.  It begins on Stinson Beach in the sand and you proceed to head up a mountain for the first 3 miles.  It is an uphill climb for more than half the race but the first 3 miles took me about 45 minutes.  We're talking so steep that they have fire ladder steps up the mountainside to climb, not run up!  It is a trail race, put on by Envirosports.  Running through redwood and oak forests, jumping across little streams, climbing over and under fallen trees, switchbacks the whole way up. Once you get to the top, it is amazing!  Gorgeous view of the Pacific! Once you're running on top, it's all single track bike trails. There were definitely a few spots where I slowed down to prevent falling down the mountain. It was amazing.  The last few miles of the race were pretty steep with switchback downhills. I felt like one of those X Games athletes pounding through dirt and mud.  Loved it! Ipods/music devices are strictly prohibited but there is seriously no need with waterfalls and streams around every corner.  This is another one of those races where the aid stations had big bowls of gummies, trail mix, M&M's as well as water and gatorade. They do advise however to wear a water belt for the race.  They also advise that any ideas of achieving a PR or sticking to a specific pace will be crushed.  Of course run your best, but most importantly enjoy the experience, the views, and the course!  Definitely going to run that race again - maybe even fit it in my 12 in 12! 

Race reports...  I've known when it comes to running that I seem to have an addictive personality.  Once I'm in training mode it consumes a lot of my thoughts, as I'm sure it does most runners.  But since I've decided to do these 12 in 12, I'm finding that I'm getting addicted to doing races!  They're so fun!  I'm coming across and being introduced to lots of fun ones that aren't necessarily marathons. I want to do them all and I'm trying to fit them in here and there, hoping that they don't affect my monthly marathons...Do you think that's wise? 

There is a race this weekend that I've know about for several weeks and have been begging my friend to do it with me. It's called Hurt in the Dirt.  It's a run/bike duathlon up Ogden Canyon. My favorite thing to do... trail running!  It's a 4 miles run, 10 mile bike, 4 mile run, 10 mile bike.  I'm doing the running and my friend is doing the biking.  Sounds perfect!  8 miles total for me - that will be a perfect Saturday run for recovery week, right?  : )

**The pictures in this post were taken from Envirosports.com.  Didn't bring my camera to that race, dangit.