Running Update

It's been a while since I posted about running, so I thought I'd take a minute to do that!

First, here's a quick update on my resolution: I was starting to get worried that I wouldn't make it to 500 miles by the end of the year, after the slow start I got thanks to weather and various illness-related setbacks. But, now that summer is here with it's better weather and longer daylight hours, I'm running strong! As of my (epic, PR-setting) 10-mile run on Saturday, I'm officially at 251.9 miles for the year so far! That's right, I'm over halfway there, before the year is halfway over!!! Wooooo hooo! It's nice to have that little reassurance that I can make my goal, even if I hit some bumps in the road on the way there.

Speaking of bumps: I've had my fair share of those when it comes to running recently. I've been doing a good job, running a race every month in April, May and June, but my May race was pretty rough. I'd decided to find a 10k to run on May 16th, since that was the distance I wanted to run that weekend. So, I looked for races nearby, and found an evening trail run close to my house that day. It seemed perfect! Everything was lining up just the way I wanted! An evening run would be great, since it would get rid of all the pressure of getting out the door at a crazy hour. So, I registered the day before the race, and showed up on race day, full of anticipation.

I should have been full of dread. It. Was. Awful. First of all, the day the hottest we'd had in a while, and I was totally unprepared for that. Sure, I carried my own water for the race, but that just wasn't enough to combat the heat of the day combined with the direct sunshine at the start of the race. Yeah, evening run didn't mean nice, shady run. It meant, full-on, blazing sunlight when we took off! Yowch!

The race was a small event, which I'm usually good at. I can generally count on starting toward the middle of the pack, and doing well there. Apparently, this race was full of speedsters, though. They all started out crazy fast, and it wasn't until I heard my split for my first mile that I knew I'd gone out too hard. On a cooler day, with more shade, that pace would have been fine; but that wasn't the race I was running.

I tried to pull back and run smarter, but the damage had already been done. I had to take multiple walk

This is early in the race, which is why I look so happy...

breaks, and spent most of the race utterly alone. I wasn't the last person on the course, but there was no one in sight of me, in front or behind. It was pretty lonely and miserable, and I imagined myself passing out as soon as I crossed the finish line (if I made it that far).

I managed to tough it out and cross the finish line. No question of setting a PR, but I was really proud of the fact that I finished, since it was pretty much the worst race I'd ever run. I drank a bunch of fluids, and then got myself home, where I discovered a hitchhiker on my ankle. Yup. I'd picked up my first ever tick!!! YIKES! I totally freaked out, and made hubby come take care of the interloper. I still get the wibblies, just thinking about it. Ick.

Anyway, after all of that excitement, I started to feel really crappy. I had a huge headache, and my muscles were really sore. I could tell something was off, but it wasn't until I threw up spectacularly that it dawned on me: heat exhaustion. To add insult to the injury of that race, and as if I needed further proof that I hadn't run a smart race, I spent the evening being violently sick. Fun, fun, fun!

I didn't do much better the following weekend, when I had to cut short a planned 8-mile run after wiping out on the sidewalk. Fortunately, I didn't do anything worse than skin my left knee and right palm, but I knew finishing the run was out of the question. I was able to pick up running again without any lost time, but it was a few weeks before I went back to doing yoga...it's really hard to do most of the poses when you're down to one useable hand and knee.

Luckily, my most recent race was a much more enjoyable experience! Hubby and I ran the DePauw Almuni 5k Challenge for my 10th college reunion earlier this month, and it was fantastic! We ran together the whole time, enjoying a part of the campus that wasn't around when I was there, and feeling mildly smug that we were up and active while a lot of people were still in bed, hungover from the night before. That was a really smart run for both of us, and it did a lot to offset my May race.

And that brings me to now! I'm feeling really strong (as if evidenced by my aforementioned PR-setting 10 mile run), and really enjoying my running so far this summer! I've been doing yoga at least a couple of times a week, and I think it's starting to pay off. I'm focusing on the positive in my runs, and thinking about making plans for another race soon.

Next up on the calendar is the Things' first race!! We've signed them up for a half-mile fun run on the 4th of July! I'm looking forward to seeing what they do when we let them loose--it should be a lot of fun!

My Trail

I wouldn't say I'm a particularly outdoorsy person. I don't particularly enjoy camping or hiking. Bugs of all kinds are my nemesis. I like flora and fauna just fine, but seeing a rare flower doesn't send me into raptures. Basically, I like the outdoors just fine, but I also like the indoors. We have a very comfortable home, and I enjoy spending time there.

My trail

That being said; this winter really made me miss my trail. My trail is about a mile from my house, and goes farther than I have yet to run in either direction. My trail has beautiful shady trees in the summer, and lovely fall foliage. My trail is quiet and peaceful. Running on my trail gives me a chance to process things in a way I can't when running on a treadmill, or laps at the track, or even around our neighborhood.

I love the fact that I could round a bend in the trail, and see a family of deer just hanging out together. I love the way it smells like green things. I love the feeling of being the only person in the world, when there's no one else around me. I can hear myself breathing, and the birds singing, but everything else is silence.

Deer!

A run on my trail feels shorter, because I'm looking around me, and appreciating my surroundings, not focusing on the miles creeping by. I've stopped on more than one run, just to admire my surroundings.

I'm so lucky to live so close to such a great place to run, but this winter showed me one thing I hadn't realized: the trail isn't plowed in the winter. Instead of my lovely, easy runs of spring, summer and fall, my first post-snow run was a nightmare. I had to dramatically alter my stride, to pick my feet up out of the snow with each step. Rather than gliding along effortlessly, I was slogging through on a surface that was maddeningly slippery, yet sticky. I quickly found myself leaving the trail and heading back for the sidewalk. Though not as picturesque, I decided that running loops of my neighborhood was easier and safer than attempting to run on the thick snow carpet of the trail. Too bad I don't have cross-country skis!

Now that winter is (almost) behind us, I'm getting back onto my trail for runs, and I absolutely love it! On a run at dusk last week I ran into my first deer of the spring (almost literally). It's exciting to see the changes taking place, as the snow melts, and the green comes back into the world. As the weather continues to improve, I plan to do as much running on my trail as possible. For some reason, I never get bored out there. I can't wait to see what the trail has in store for me this year!

Since we're talking so much about running, here's the tally so far: I'm at 85.2 miles for the year. I'm definitely behind where I'd like to be, but weather and illness had to be accommodated. I think I might be able to make it to 100 miles by the end of the month, but I'm not going to stress out about it. I know I'll be able to get out more and run further as the weather continues to improve. It's been a slow start to my resolution, but I know I've got 500 miles in me this year!