Change of Plans

Not only did I not run at Waterton Canyon, but I didn't run my planned 12 miles.

I was up most of the night with a terrible stomach ache and other things that go with that (doesn't take much imagination, does it?) I thought I felt pretty good this morning - until I started running. I made 5 miles and then bagged it.

I purchased an annual pass to a nearby park - so I can drive there and skip the big honkin hill that is on the way home from there. I found some nice trails there and I think the pass will pay off. It was really nice. I took the above picture on a trail down to the creek.

It is a beautiful day, I just wish I felt better.

Now I am debating whether I should try the 12 miles tomorrow or skip it and take a nice bike ride....

Bad Blogger!

This week I have been so preoccupied with family problems I haven't been blogging here. I also missed a run this week.

Tomorrow I am planning on a 12 mile run. One of my co-workers came to visit me this afternoon and suggested I try running at Waterton Canyon. It is 6 miles uphill, through a beautiful river canyon - then you turn around and run 6 miles downhill - which sounds like fun.

Here is my problem. See the picture of the bighorn sheep above? Well, you really haven't lived until you have seen one take that pose, head down, horns up, and start running at you. I did have that experience 7 years ago at Waterton Canyon on a bike ride. I turned my bike around and pedaled as fast as I could uphill and waited for a group to ride down with. The same bighorn in the same spot did the same thing when we came down, but another buffoon just whizzed right past him and he ran off. I never rode a bike so fast in my life - to get down that hill.

Do I really want to face a bighorn sheep without a bike even? Just me and my feet?

My friend suggested that if I didn't go so early in the morning, I wouldn't have all the run-ins I have with wildlife.

So that is what I am thinking about tonight. I will update tomorrow.

90 Days

That's a warning about mountain lions. If there is one thing that REALLY scares me, it is mountain lions. I wasn't afraid today though since there were a million people on the mountain (well, I might be exaggerating slightly). It was fun to run up to the mountain, and then run on trails for a bit.

So, I have 90 days before my marathon. I followed my plan and had my hiccup week. I ran only 7 miles today. I made them hard miles, lots of crazy hills - and you know what? My overall time is no worse than what it is when I run around a lake at a park. But this way, I have extremes, some miles are really slow, and some miles are not so slow.

I am happy with my training. I still can't imagine that I am going to be able to run 26.2 miles in a short 90 days. How can that happen in such a short period of time?

Alaska Stuff

In case you didn't read yesterday, I actually had a successful 10 mile run. I am still flying high on that one!

Yesterday I spoke with my nephew in Alaska. We discussed my plans for my trip.

Oh dear. I am so excited. I have booked my flights based on my nephew's recommendation that I stay longer than I had intended... I am, after all, staying at his house! I wanted his permission to stay longer than a weekend.

So, I am getting to Anchorage on Thursday night. Then we will go to the race expo on Friday. Saturday is the race. Mary Gee's first marathon!!!! woo hoo!!! The next day I am hopping on a train to go to Denali. I will stay at Denali National Park for 2 nights and then take the train back to Anchorage.

My nephew wants to go on a fishing charter! How cool is that! So I will have some time to spend in Anchorage because I won't be leaving until the next Monday.

I write this to confirm it in my mind. I was talking with a friend (well, actually a former boyfriend) and he said I shouldn't go. He said I should stop running because it isn't good for me and going to Alaska is just expensive and isn't going to "make you happy." What the hell does that mean?

I spoke with two of my children after this conversation and they both agreed that going to Alaska is one of my better ideas! So, I will just try to put the f.b.f.'s opinion out of my mind... there is, after all, a reason he is a FORMER b.f.!

10 Glorious Miles!

(I don't know why I feel the need to take a bathroom picture, but I apparently do. This is from my pit stop on my run this morning.)

I ran 10 miles this morning. I am so glad I got out there and faced these demons. The demons telling me I can't run a marathon. That I am too old to run at all. That I am too fat to run and I must be delusional.

Take That Demons!

I think I discovered something (else) about myself this morning. I didn't go to the park with the other runners - where I feel slow and old and heavy. I went out on roads. On insane hills. The first two miles are downhill- and they give you a really nice start. Kind of like starting on training wheels - I get used to going fast, so my speed stays faster that way. The next mile is up and down. And it has a bathroom stop, and a chance to fill up my water bottle and ready myself for the tough part of the run.

Between miles 3 and 7, it is nearly straight uphill. It is hard. The bikers flying by in the other direction nod or smile or wave at me. I feel it is grudging respect. They know what the grade of that hill is. And a 14 minute mile doesn't look so bad when you are running up a hill at altitude.

Funny, they look at me differently than people at the park do.

And you know what? I feel different about it too. It is fun. I enjoy it. I feel good about myself.

The last 3 miles were fabulous! Great! Marvelous!

I took a gu to have after 4 miles. I was carrying water to wash it down with. I think I prefer doing this to carrying powerade in my water bottle.

I feel great. I am so glad I did this run this morning because I was so discouraged after the fall last week. I stayed with my plan this week and I am on track. YAYAYAY!!!!!!!!

Recovery is fine

My left knee is all scabby now, I would love to post a picture, but it really is kind of gross - well, totally gross. My right knee turns out to be just bruised. I am fine, just still a little freaked out over the whole fall thing.

I did run on Tuesday morning and intend to run tomorrow.

So, for people who are not over the hill, how often do you fall when you run? I would imagine not very often.

And - it is now 100 days until my marathon. yikes.

I am considering registering for a half-marathon on May 18. It is the one I did for my first ever 1/2 mary last year. I think it might be good for my training. Whatcha all think?

Falling Stars

That's a picture of my left knee. My right knee is very similar, only it has some gravel imbedded in it. My hands are scraped up as well. I fell 1.03 mile into my 10 mile run today. Fortunately, I was in a park with many other runners, and many of them stopped to help me. I really fell! I was even seeing stars. I almost started crying, but then I realized that if I did I would never finish my 10 miles. So, I got up and ran away and did run 10 miles. I felt great for about 5 of them, and then my knees really started hurting and I felt really, really crappy. The last two miles were torture.

By the time I got to my car, I was crying. I called my daughter who volunteered to come over and help me, but all I wanted was a hot bath and my own bed. I have now had my bath, a bowl of cereal and lots of water. I am going to bed.

I did run according to my plan this week. 16 miles.

I think I fell a lot harder than I realized and I am not feeling good at all. For those so inclined, would you say a prayer for me? I am feeling pretty physically and emotionally beat up. waah.

True Confessions

What is it about last year that isn't about this year?

Why was I so motivated last year and accumulated huge mileages, no matter what the conditions? And why is that not the case this year?

I did go to the treadmill this morning and ran 3 miles. I will attempt to get to the pool tomorrow and swim a half mile.

Here's my plan:
Sunday: off
Monday: cross-train - bike or swim and core
Tuesday: Run - 30 to 45 minutes
Wednesday: cross-train - bike or swim and core
Thursday: Run - 30 to 45 minutes
Friday: cross-train - bike or swim and core
Saturday: L-o-n-g R-u-n

Let's see how this works!

Things are not going my way...

Yesterday I was at school all day, it was 78º. Today I was going to get my 9 mile run in. There are blizzard-like conditions out there. I went to church earlier, and intended to run after church. Even if I had to go to the blasted treadmill at the gym. The roads, however, are so dreadful, I am going nowhere. No where.

I have 16 weeks to train and it seems that every week there is a setback of some sort. I did manage to run 2 times last week for a total of 6.5 miles. I ran a total of 29.5 miles in February - I took 2 weeks off though - due to injury.

Now I am feeling great, free of injury, but a victim of weather and circumstances?

I will try to somehow get a semi-long run (6 miles?) in during the week as well as my regular runs... .and then 10 miles next Saturday?

I am so afraid I am not going to be able to run a marathon in June at the rate I am going.

On a happier note: I booked a train trip to Denali National Park the day after the marathon. I will stay at Denali for two nights and then take the train back to Anchorage. Doesn't that sound like a wonderful way to recover from a race?