The Ultra Trail Goddess Blog

Five for Friday

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 03:00:15 PST

1. I am back in Virginia again! If you are reading this on Friday, I may be running down a trail, or heating up some soup over a propane burner, or sitting in a chair sipping a beverage in the sunshine waiting on my runners.

2.Reverse Ring is Saturday! After I crew for Cam and Slim on Friday, I run The Reverse Ring on Saturday.

3. My German Shepherd hogs my pillow. I tried to give her a pillow for herself, but that didn't work out.

She wants to share mine.

4. Weight-my weight is back to "normal" meaning what it was around January 1.

Still need to lose 10 lbs; 15 would be better. I think, after this Virginia weekend, I'm going to hit another round of eating clean.

5. Self Image

I am settling more into being comfortable with the person at the weight I am in the mirror. Of course, self image and weight really weren't at the top of my worry list for the week!!

Have a great weekend!

Check and Double Check

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:56:40 PST

I am a great list maker. Checking items off on a list makes me feel secure.

For an ultra weekend, there are usually more than one list.

For this weekend, for example, there is the Aid Station List, with pots, skillets, stove, bowls, etc.
Then I have the list for clothes for Friday, Saturday, Sunday. The Friday list is kind of long because I am going to both run and sit around. So I need normal running clothes, but I also need warm clothes to hang out in. Watching the weather forecast, I also threw some rain gear into the bag. I care less about running in the rain, but I am not hanging out in the rain.

Saturday list is pretty straight forward-just typical running clothes and gear for the day. And night. But you want to make sure it's packed before you end up in Virginia lacking a light, or the right shoes, or heaven forbid, your running bra.

We have one drop bag, which will get shuttled around on the course on Saturday. This mainly contains my calories I want to leave the AS with, plus a few dry clothing options. I will pick up my rain jacket at Camp Roosevelt-it is already prepacked in the pockets with food, spare gloves, new lights. (No rookie mistake with this in 2012.)

Check the item off the list, security. Blammo. It is done.

You know, I feel alot better after posting yesterday. I think I got some of the anxiety out, into words. That helped me.

I know I am old, when I can tell this is Les, from "WKRP in Cincinnati" and Mr. Carlson and Andy are in the window...

But that is how the last 5 days have been. I am very glad I have already paid for airfare to Colorado. And had the big vacation fight at the Work. Because in the last 5 days, or week or so, I would have been seriously second-guessing going to Colorado.

My doctor appointment has been cancelled, death in the family. That is fine. I was going to go with my original plan.
Use my Advair inhaler, as scheduled, twice a day.
Once I start The Reverse Ring, I am going to use my albuterol inhaler every six hours, whether I feel I "need it" or not. That way, I may not find myself in a 'rescue' situation, where I now need the albuterol inhaler.

I will wear my face mask for the entire Reverse Ring. I will pull it down to chat if I am with others. But I am anticipating quite a bit of RR to be solitary. That is fine. I am looking forward to some trail time on the famous Massanutten rocks and do some homework for the 100 mile race in May. I am looking forward to helping out my friend Cam and seeing many other friends this weekend. (I need this!!!!!)

Quote

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 06:04:13 PST

"Everything happens for a reason. You just have to live fearlessly and love every day. "

Serena Burla, competitive runner and cancer survivor

I've been struggling mentally with training and the big picture the last few days. I've started at least three blog posts about it; attempted to draw it out-with MS Paint, of all things. Somehow I've been able to avoid posting all this public self doubt out there.

Things always seem better in the morning.

Then I read Cam's post. Then I reread my post. Then I came across Ann's post: http://www.annsrunningcommentary.com/ which was, incidentally, a run at altitude (cough).

Then I came across this quote on FB, from Des, posted above.

So I am going to ignore all this self doubt. Back to the old "fake it til you make it".

Everything happens for a reason. My random selection happened for a reason. It is making me become not complacent. It's making me step outside of the box. It's making me uncomfortable. It's making me realize I can improve and get better. It's making me realize I can fail. And there, lies the rub.

It's making me uncomfortable.

I need to ponder this some more. I do not think this is a bad thing. I just need to come to grips with it. It's not all skipping down the mountain trail, picking flowers and looking for the leprachaun. Maybe it is time to get uncomfortable now.

To Our Big Dreams

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:00:38 PST

Just a thought for the day.

I've heard so many people say "I'll do that when I'm older, when I lose 20 pounds, when I'm retired".

We got through life saying "I would, but it probably wouldn't work out" or " I'd like to but. . ."

We too often base our actions on an artificial future, painting a life picture based on an expectancy that time is more than sweat, tears, heat and mirage.

You can't count on anything.

For out of the blue, fate can come calling.

In a flash, what was once an unlimited horizon is the honed blade of a life gone short, robbed even of the power to grieve for what is ending.

I stand outside on a pale crescent of beaten earth and breathe deep.

I feel every ache in my muscles, I feel my skin, hot under the sun, the savage, fecund smell of loss in the air, laying heavy in the loud silence.

Somewhere in the distance is a soft clap of thunder, overhead clouds stray deliberately across the earth, disconnected from mechanical time.

I'd rather be elsewhere; the smell simply that of kitchen and comfort, the sounds; only that of laughter.

But I know how lucky I am, to simply be, in this moment and alive.

You can continue your day and do nothing, standing in brooding and irretrievable calculation as if casting in a game already lost.

Or you can seize the moment, the days, wringing every last drop from them.

Remind your loved ones you love them.

If there's someone that means the world to you and you've never told them, tell them now.

Hug your family, forgive an enemy (but remember the bastard’s name), give the dog an extra biscuit.

Then step outside into the sharp and unbending import of Autumn, a dying summer flaring up like fading flame, one last taste, one last memory, never knowing how long it will remain.

-Posted by Brigid on her blog

This weekend is about friends and dreaming big.

Another quote, which is spank on my blog to the right, same concept:

"1) you will never achieve great things with small goals
2) there is no guarantee you will have another chance tomorrow"
-laz

We have Reverse Ring this weekend. This is 71 miles of the Massanutten Trail; in the Counter Clockwise Direction.

The only folks eligible for the Reverse Ring are folks who first qualified by running The Ring- the same course, clockwise, 71 miles, in September.

Cam Baker has decided that is not enough. Cam has decided he is going for The Double.

Cam at the MMT 100 Race

Cam is going to run The Ring. On Friday, 71 miles. Then he's going to catch a nap and then reverse the course, joining us "normal runners" for the Reverse Ring, on Saturday.

Slim will be running The Ring, with Cam, on Friday. I am crewing. I will meet the Boyzz at two points on the 71 mile course-Camp Roosevelt and Moreland Gap Road, with hot food. I will also drop aid for them, at two other locations.

Once Cam turns around, he will be among the "fairly normal" Reverse Ringers and able to get aid from the volunteer Aid Stations for the Reverse Ring. But he might hit these aid station points early, so Slim will be Cam's roving aid.

Me? I will be just a mortal Reverse Ringer, it should be a "fairly normal" 71 mile run for me.

My hope is Cam won't start his Reverse Ring too far in front of me. I would love to have him just ahead of me, to give me a chance to chase him down and join him for miles on the trail.

We still have not ironed out all the details yet for the crewing and aid, we've got all week to get those ready.

All Cam has to do-is run. We'll do the rest, make sure he's got hot food and fresh clothes and water ready to go. We are all ready to support his Big Adventure.

Some of us are more comfortable with stepping outside of our comfort box than others. What's the worse thing that can happen? We can come up short. We might not achieve that pie in the sky goal.

But how will you know that, until you try? Until you go for it?

Life is short. You might not have that opportunity to try again.

So what are you waiting for?

Skunked By Proxy

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 10:07:42 PST

I went out for my 10K around the block.

I'm glad I cut back from the 11 mile around the block, as my legs just felt kind of heavy during this run.

Scooter roused himself from his spot of sunshine on the bank as I ran by and joined me.
Sniffing around, it was obvious that Scooter has a slow learning curve with skunks. Of course, he managed to brush up against me, and transfer a little bit of that odor to my gloves and tights. Other than that, Scooter behaved and peeled off about one mile down the road, right before the climb to the Gump Dog headquarters.

Gossip from the Neighborhood:

Large amount of orange vested men at the one farmhouse. I think they hunt birds of some sort. Or that's their story and they're sticking to it
I counted 20 or so Amish buggies at the goat farm Amish home. That means this home was hosting church. Amish, in our area, have church every two weeks.
I first said "hi cows" to the cows beside the barn at the Amish farm, then I heard the giggling and saw all the little boys in the barn window watching me. I said hi to them too.
All the Gump dogs but one were content on just barking at me. The one beagle mix seemed to find it his honor to make sure I got his road section as quickly as possible. I had to keep turning to make sure he wasn't going to catch up to me and take a bite of my ass.

Five for Friday

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 04:31:31 PST

1. I'm tired. Yeah, it's okay. No, I am not over doing it.
I felt like running on Tuesday, my day off, but with errand running, didn't get around to it.
I walked one mile and jogged one mile on Wednesday. Then I was pretty whipped at work.
I didn't run at all on Thursday. Maybe I will run a bit on Friday.

2. I haven't weighed myself in 8 days.
Gasp! I always am up 6-10 lbs after an ultra. Once I got home, Sunday evening, my ankles were holding fluid. After working all day on Monday, standing, even in my compression stockings, I still had edema.
I've been eating rather poorly-meaning not my usual measured out portions-when hungry. Which has been most of the time, it feels. I think I will pony up and weight myself Saturday.

3. Reverse Ring is next weekend.
71 miles on the Massanutten Trail is now, in my head, a fun event to be anticipated. Heck, we're even going to have aid every eight miles or so, until the final push, on the East Ridge, where you're on your own for 25 miles. I'm not scared of the 25 miles alone on the East Ridge, like I was last year.

4.Extrinsic vs Intrinsic
I feel a little bit of a disconnect from the running community, online, these days. I am finding I am liking these very small, very individualized events/challenges/runs more so than the more main stream organized runs and races.
I am finding I don't need buckles, shirts, or medals to validate my status. I don't need to call myself a badass, or hard-core, or whatever. I am just me.

5. Writing As I sit here, musing, about just coming up with five thoughts, I think my blog is getting a bit boring. Or maybe I am. Perhaps next Friday, as I am crewing in the Massanuttens, I can get some more creative, thoughtful blog posts organized.

Happy Friday!

Today's Workout

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:48:03 PST

I walked a mile on the treadmill, then jogged one mile. Toward the end, took it up to a running effort. My legs feel good. The quads are just a bit stiff, but actually less stiff than they were for the Monkey Hills Marathon.

I had a conversation with my pacer last night that managed to assuage my worries one less click down.

It's not much, but worrying is a huge stress and an energy depleter.

The bright spot I have going is the Reverse Ring. 71 miles of the Massanutten Trail, in virtually the same weather and similar terrain to last weekend. If I can manage my body better in this event, it will give me much better confidence for going out west.

I will do a few things different for RR. I will wear my mask over my mouth for the whole trail. I will use my Advair compliantly. I may also use my albuterol on a scheduled basis, on the trail.

I do have an appointment with my doctor next week, before the RR, to discuss whatever findings my PFT might have uncovered. My pacer was of the same mindset that I am, my condition isn't something that begins at the start of a workout, I'm not sure what the PFT results may give me.

Tests

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:26:06 PST

Today was the day of my pulmonary function tests.

I was supposed to have this done about three years ago, but never got around to it. After the HR lottery, and discussion with my doctor, she wanted me to still have it performed.

After my breathing debacle on Little Bald Knob, I was happy to have the test scheduled, even though my lungs are not recovered from the weekend event.

It turns out to be pretty simple. You clip your nostrils closed, then clamp your lips around a tube attached to machines and computers. You breathe normally, then follow instructions on inhaling quickly, and breathing out. This is repeated a few times in various manners, then another test with the door of the machine closed.

Then an albuterol aerosol treatment, which is a bronchodilator, and some of the tests are repeated.

Whee, the albuterol via the nebulizer hit me much stronger than two puffs off my inhaler! I was a bit spacey, my hands were shaky, had a little bit of the jitters. It took a little bit of time to wear off.

Now the results will go off to the pulmonologist, who will then relay results to my doctor.

I'm still kind of doubtful if this will be of any help. I know the tests are to measure your volume of air, capacity, but will these help me? I want this solved.

Tomorrow I start back on my $180 Advair. I will be taking this, as scheduled, between now and The Reverse Ring. At least I have another cold air event soon to see if I can prevent this bronchospasm from happening again.

And whether you celebrate or not, there is nothing wrong with a day of Love in it. But that should be every day.

My weekend training

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:17:24 PST

A few of us went to Virginia to get in some hill work. The plan was to do 4 loops of the trail, for 104 miles.

Friday morning, it was sunny and around..30? Great weather to run in.

Loop One

Bradley Mongold and Jill Cantafio came out on Friday. Bradley was running the loop with me, and Jill was going to get some hiking on her own in.

We had a great time chatting, and the time went by, very quickly, as it is apt to do, when spent with friends.

We got back in under 8 hours, and Brad and Jill helped crew me with a quick wardrobe change, soup, and I was out on Loop Two, by myself. Now the objective was, to get through as much trail as I could in the daylight.

Kimba and Mongold

First time through Camp Todd

Loop Two

Loop Two wasn't as fun as Loop One.

I was also going in the Clockwise direction, and we had done Loop One in the Counterclockwise direction. It seemed that the CW direction was..harder than CCW.

I changed a sock (just one) a few miles up the trail, as it seemed my foot pad felt a bit funny.

I got turned around just up Hankey's Mountain, and had to back track about 1/4 of a mile. Hard to explain what happened, but I was glad I had a map and a compass with me to know what direction to go in!

I did have to turn on the light to run down the technical Hankey's Mountain.

Now I was climbing Big Bald Knob, and looking for the spring. And I knew I would be running into Slim here, somewhere. To my surprise, I hear him hooting from the spring, so we can both fill water bottles, and chat! We agree to run Loop Three together, and Slim will just wait for me back at the van.

I leave and continue to climb. I hear the coyotes yipping in the woods. They don't concern me.

I finally get to the top of Big Bald Knob Mountain. The snow is falling, and the trail is close, with snow covering the laurel or rhododendrons through here. My gloves (cheap knit gloves) are getting soaked through and my hands are freezing. This rarely happens to me, I am usually running with the gloves off.

I did come somewhat prepared. I have two hand warmer packages-the type that you just open and expose to air, and they heat up-I take the gloves off, stash them, and put my spare socks on my hands. Of course, one of these is a "used" sock so you can imagine how this smells once they warm up!

But at least my hands are warm. Now I trip and fall. Big Bald Knob does not seem to want runners on its summit tonight, and I resolve to leave as quickly as I can.

I run into Eva, running solo, up the mountain. She offers to pace me on my fourth lap, and I am touched and honored by this!!

Now I have the climb to Little Bald Knob, about 3 miles uphill. It is very slow going. But I don't notice any panting or breathing issues on this climb. Maybe I was moving slow enough that I did not notice my breath?

It's night. It's snowing. Still, I am okay. One of my mantras this day has been "There is no where else I would rather be" and it was still true.

I finally ascend Little Bald Knob, and then the downhill. Now I have Grindstone Mountain, but it's "only" a 1000 feet or so of climb and descent. I'm looking forward to being done with Loop Two, and seeing Slim, and starting Loop Three.

Loop Three is the hardest to start. If you can start Loop Three, you can finish. Because if you do Loop Three, now you're at 75 miles, and you would be silly *not* to get that finish. Slim stopped last year after two loops, and had been kicking himself ever since.

Slim and Kimba Big Bald Knob Mtn

Loop Three

I get back to the van, get changed, Slim gets soup for me, and we start back up the CCW direction, which starts with a big climb. Almost immediately I am panting, and we stop for a minute. I think we've just started out too quickly, since we're both excited to have company again. I catch my breath and we start to climb again.

But I am shortly out of breath again. I am wearing my mask around my mouth and nose-I have been wearing that at all times since starting the second loop.

I can't breathe. I can't get any good lungfuls of air into my lungs. I am now doing the ten steps climb, and stop. We are barely moving. I'm getting pretty despondent.

About half-way up to Little Bald Knob I ask the question "where can I bail on this loop?"

Slim tells me I can take the forest road after the Little Bald Knob descent back to the trail head, probably about ten miles of road. We don't discuss this.

This really was my first thought of quitting. Now I can feel the tears starting, and the feelings, but this only exacerbates the breathing so I cut all of that out. We climb. It is so slow. I think of the climbs after the road-Big Bald, and then Hankey. I'm getting medically concerned about my condition. What if I get stuck out there? There is nowhere to go once you start up these climbs. There is no way to stop. The temperature is in the 20's. Not moving is not an option.

I tell Slim I am going to drop and take the road back. Now all I want to do is get over the mountain so Slim can get going on his own. My breathing is fine on the level surface and downhill.

We get to daybreak and Camp Todd about the same time. I turn down the road and now Slim gets to get on with his loop and get some running done!

I open more hand warmers and drink a bunch of water. I'm dehydrated because it's hard to try to suck water and air at the same time. I resolve to walk a bit, and then jog back down the road.

About two or three minutes later, three cars come down the road. It is more runners, who are going to start at Camp Todd. My friend Quatro, is one of them, and now I am sitting in a warm car, being transported back to the trail head!

I get changed, and lay down to nap. It's hard to get warm, even in my sleeping bag. I think I sleep for a little while, then my stomach growls at me and I decide maybe hot soup will help warm me up. I make soup for Slim and put it into the thermos. The soup helps me and I decide it's time for a beer.

Then Slim appears, running ahead of his time that he estimated getting back!! He gets his soup, and we change the game plan. I'm going to drive over to Camp Todd and wait there. Then I have another road crossing where I can meet him. That way he can travel lighter, but have access to his clothes/gear and have hot food. He is stoked and now I have something better to focus on, his finish, not my drop.

The rest of this is now about Slim

Slim has already run 75 miles. He's done 8000 feet of climb on each loop. Yet he is kicking ass going harder on this loop than Loop One. I'm napping in the van at Camp Todd as he arrives-ahead of his estimated schedule.

Quatro is now with him. Slim says "no need to save the legs now" and I am highly amused. Quatro is going with him up Big Bald Knob. Slim says they are going to have to run, and I know Slim is going to drop Q out there.

I am glad Slim is feeling strong, because the weather conditions are just complete crap. After a pretty nice Friday of temps in the low 30's and no wind; Saturday is cold and the wind has been strong all day. It's 24 degrees at Camp Todd but they are climbing to 4000 feet. I want him to get as much as this done in the daylight as he can.

The temperature at the road crossing is 19 degrees, at 4 pm. The trees are rocking with the steady steady wind. The wind does not die down, at all. I keep checking the watch, and get out before Slim's estimated time. Sure enough, he comes in ahead of his schedule.

Slim puts on more clothing. He is still strong and moving well. I don't tell him how cold it is; we can't change it, he's got enough to do. We make sure he's got all the clothes he needs and his lights and then he goes. He needs to get through as much as he can in the light, before the temps drop even more. He tells me if he's not back at the trail head at 830 pm to start looking for him, but he thinks he'll be done at 7 or 730 pm.

Quatro appears about ten minutes later and I return the favor by taking him with me back to the trail head. Q also decides to wait for Slim to finish his 100 mile event. We take up the watch positions in the warm car and sip beverages. We start to pay attention about 630 pm.

Eva Pastalkova has gone out to run in with Slim. That makes me feel much better about Slim being out there in this weather, we know he should not be alone.

Sure enough, before 7 pm, we see lights!! They are here!! I get out and start hollering. Slim makes it back before 7pm. 104 miles, 35 hours 55 minutes. ( 2 hours of this was downtime waiting for me to start Loop 3 but he insists on counting that.)

I am incredibly proud of my friend. I know exactly the weather, the climbs, and the hardships out there. Limited aid, virtually no one else on the trail with you; this is something you have to really want. Slim quit after two loops last year and really wanted this finish. I was so happy to be there and share this.

There was no where else I would have rather been, this past weekend.

Five for Friday

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:00:04 PST

1. If you are reading this on Friday, I am somewhere on The Wild Oak Trail in Virginia, running. I am planning on running 4 loops here. 100 miles.

2. From the ultra list: Fewer than 11,000 people have *ever* finished a 100 miler in North America. So, for you 100 mile finishers, feel special. You are.

3. I seem to have to re-recreate my VHTRC password every time I log in. Sigh. I even wrote down my last password, and it does not seem to work. Epic fail on my part.

4. Shit Ultra runners Say. I know I'm a month late to this party, I just viewed this in the past week.

It's pretty good. I think I would add:

"What's your next race?" and

" You don't know who David Goggins is?"

5. And maybe, most importantly, run for Sherry Arnold Saturday. I've printed out the bib and tucked it into my loop 3 bag. This will give me a good reminder of things that matter.

http://www.shutupandrun.net/2012/01/virtual-run-for-sherry-arnold-february.html

Leaving!!

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:12:12 PST

Well, finally.

It's time to go.

The weather has changed a bit.

It seems Saturday night might be a little cool. Especially on top of the mountains, late.

So I have adjusted the clothing options, for Saturday night, Loop 3. As in, wearing more.

I hope this does not turn into an epic adventure. Really.

Still Waiting!!

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:27:33 PST

I am having a great Monday off work.

This morning, I assembled my food for four 25 mile loops of running. This was all the pre-purchased food items: candy bars, maltodextrin, cashews, cookies.

I will still need to buy lunch meat for sandwiches and a few McDonald's pies (each pie has 240 calories and 34 grams of carbs! exciting for an ultra-runner looking exclusively for calories, but I would not touch them in the off-running mode with a ten foot pole!!!)

All the food for each loop went into a bag with clothing assembled for each loop.

Loop One is a no brainer. I will be back to the vehicle (AKA the Aid Station) in the daylight.

Loop Two starts in daylight, and then I will be back to the vehicle in the wee hours of Saturday night. So the light is tucked into Drop Bag #2, with some optional warmer clothing needs.

Loop Three-I will be back to the vehicle around 1 AM or 3 am Saturday morning. This, to me, will be the Victory Loop. The hardest loop to start, in the middle of the night. I am going to throw my Zune into my bag just in case I need a carrot for the loop, possibly alone, in the night.

Loop 4 will be a daylight start, and should be easier than Loop Three, as it will be the last loop. I shall see. Lots can happen during a 100 mile run.

I spoke of running alone, and this might happen. Or it might not.

I may have the company of my awesome MMT pacer, Bradley Mongold, for my first loop. And fellow WVMTR/VHTRC member Paul (Wonderboy) may join me at some point on the course later.

Paul Lefelhocz, from NEO TC, is also running the 100 miles, and I don't know what direction he is planning on starting from.

I got a great 4 mile run around the block. 44 minutes spot on; this included running up all the hills except the most steep hill-so 98% running of the course. It was no big effort to run up the hills that I normally walk on-awesome.

Tomorrow I work the late shift, so the idea is to sleep in as late as possible and lounge around until leaving for work. That technically will be my sleep hours banked, as Wednesday is an early work day.

Thursday I have a dental cleaning visit scheduled at 8 am-so much for sleeping in that day!

Again-is it Thursday yet??

Waiting

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 04:46:28 PST

I feel like a tightly wound spring. I am coiled, drawing energy within me, waiting to release it.

No, it's not so much "the taper" as I have not tapered down for this event. I did revise my hill repeats of the past Thursday, and bagged it after three, just getting 8 miles in for that day. My longest run was last weekend, 18 miles on sloppy trails at CVNP.

I won't run a bunch..er if any..I hope to get a run in on Monday. I leave for my event on Thursday. (Run is daybreak Friday.) So I guess I am tapering..

Am I ready for this? As much as I could be. I know exactly what I am getting into. I've ran this 25+ mile loop (ONCE) last year. Lots of climb, lots of descent.

And it is loops. That, in itself, is the most dangerous game.

I am looking forward to starting Loop Three. That is almost the Victory Loop. Meaning, if when I start Loop 3, there is no turning back.

Looking at my prepared splits, on my Loop Three, that will start in the wee hours of Sunday morning. I'm going to have make sure I have the prepared idea of some nice food and beverage to fuel up with, and keep going, for Loop Three. I'm going to be buying some instant Starbucks Coffee, and some soups, that I can use the JetBoil with, to instantly heat water. So while noodles are cooking, and coffee is brewing, I can change any clothing needs, nibble on cookies, eat some hot soup, and then get the hell back out there.

The loop is totally self supported. I'm still trying to figure out how to carry my maltodextrin, with only one water source on the course to hydrate at. If that is my biggest problem, that is great.

This whole event is a training run in itself, to test out gear; to test out myself; to test out a bit of elevation here on the East Coast. This can no way simulate HR conditions, but being a self-supported run, it has to bring out some cojones.

The weather forecast is looking GREAT. Okay, figure a bit colder on top of the ridges, but now I am making sure I have S! Caps for each loop, and enough water for each loop.

Is it Thursday yet?

Quote

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:23:39 PST

For Slim:

"Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body.
Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired morning, noon, and night.
But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired. When you were younger the mind could make you dance all night, and the body was never tired…You’ve always got to make the mind take over and keep going."

~ George S. Patton, U.S. Army General and 1912 Olympian

Five for Friday

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:00:07 PST

1. McDonald's Oatmeal

I don't eat McDonald's food on any sort of a regular basis and breakfast even less. McD's breakfast is usually associated with coming/going to a running event. But Thursday morning I had to have blood drawn for routine blood work, and I had to fast. And not drink coffee.
So I planned to hit McD's for coffee, breakfast and free wifi after my bloodwork.

I thought I would try the oatmeal.

It was okay. It was very sweet-I'm assuming they dumped the brown sugar into it.

I watched them rip open packets, add water, and serve it to me. I was somewhat amused. I don't know what I was expecting; that they would grab a fresh apple and dice it up and add it to the oatmeal.

It was 7 WW points for the oatmeal; an Egg McMuffin sandwich is also 7 points. I can't say the oatmeal was any more filling that the sandwich.

My homemade oatmeal is steel cut oats for 4 WW points. I usually add whatever fresh fruit I have available-diced apple, banana, blueberries. I would rather have the steel cut oats and fruit at home than the McD's version.

2. Aches and Pains

The real: on my run Saturday, I slipped and hyper-arched my back backwards. That hurt. I had done this also, at URINEO. I shook it off, but knew it would hurt later. I was not wrong. It twinged pretty badly on Monday and Tuesday at work, despite taking ibuprofen. This Thursday, it does seem to have resolved itself.

The imaginary: it's getting close to my run next week. In fact, six days out. The little twinges have started.
The bottoms of my feet hurt on Tuesday, despite wearing my very comfortable Merrell clogs at work. WTF the bottoms of my feet never hurt.

3. Rest Rest Rest I will be focusing on quality sleep for the next six days. This won't be hard to do. I work all weekend, and that gives me almost built in running limitations. It won't be hard to go to bed.

4. Eat Eat Eat-this next six days will also be about eating quality food. Did I mention I'm running a 100 mile event next Friday? The anxiety is starting to kick in.

5. Arts and Crafts

Opening our wedding album in November, the pictures promptly fell out of the pages. This old wedding album was not "acid free" or that expensive. Over the next month, Dennis scanned and recorded our pics digitally. (Note: when we were married, digital was not around. Yes, cars were around in this era.)
So I decided I wanted to put our pics in a nice "wedding scrapbook".

I have no idea of how to scrapbook. I looked in a few stores, then blindly bought a "wedding scrapbook kit" off Amazon. It arrived on Thursday. Now I have another project to try and figure out. So, I am jumping into the scrapbooking world.

I may finish this in the next year or so.

A Brief Respite

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:40:38 PST

Today the weather gods gifted us a mild day here in Ohio.

This was not "early spring" or the 'beginning' of anything. It was just a freak day.

I think we will all take it.

I got out of work at 515 pm, the temperature was 61 degrees F.

By the time I got to Salt Fork, with the idea of just some time on the dirt road, it was 59.

59 degrees was still glorious. I dumped my clothes into the parking lot, and chose the running shorts, instead of tights. One long-sleeved shirt, I was good to go.

On my fast walk to Forest Road 51, I realized I didn't have a light, in the rapidly gloaming. I didn't care. I was staying on the dirt road.

My Garmin died before I hit the start of the dirt road. I didn't care. I was planning on running down FR 51, to FR 52, and turn around at the bottom, and run back. I did have my Zune with me, so I decided to just run for time. I started at 1756.

These back roads at SF are just dirt/gravel roads, undulating hills. FR 52 leads you to the valley. I decided to run for 20 minutes down, then turn back.

As I ran, into the dusk, I realized how tense I was. I don't have the same stresses at work that my old position has, but there are stresses, in different ways. I could feel myself relaxing. Slim's QOTD came to mind:

"People lose tension when they run.

The feeling of self respect will almost always increase.

You accept yourself a little more."

-Ted Corbitt

It was rapidly turning darker as I turned. I amused myself by running more of the uphills on the way back. It was 20 minutes downhill, 21 minutes uphill. Not bad.

As I turned onto the bridle path, my shortcut back to the car, my path brightened considerably as Van Morrison's "Moondance" came on, low, on the Zune. It was nice to see Mr. Moon, in half-glory, peak out from the clouds to give me a low light back to my vehicle.

Shorts on the last day of January. I will take it!

Blast From the Past: My First Ultra Race Report

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 07:21:16 PST

I've been organizing files (photos) on my computer this morning. In doing so, I came across my first ultra race report, the HUFF. I thought I would post this for your Sunday morning reading pleasure.

HUFF 50K December 2005

Short version: I did it!! 7 hours 38 minutes official, my watch said 7 hours 22 minutes (what's 10 more minutes after 7 hours...)

Pre-race histrionics: I start SUV to warm it at 0530. I lock doors with clicker. Clicker stops working at this critical minute. Panic and despair ensue. I finally call the Huntington Police, who say they will send someone out. There must not be much crime in Huntington at 610am Saturday morning, because the K-9 unit showed up, broke into my vehicle,and I was on my way again at 615am! (The police officer did say maybe this was a sign I shouldn't run the race...)

I arrive way early at the campground, enough time to calm myself down, get all my food, clothes, etc ready for the loops. I am parked right by the trail so I can change or pick up food from my own vehicle.

This is a loop course, 10.8 mile loops around the Roush Lake Reservoir. Temps are a bit cool, in the teens (F) when we start. We're all really really cold at the start.

The cannon does go BOOM!!! And we're all off, the relay runners and 50K'ers. The one-loop fun runners will be started about ten minutes behind us.

This is a nice, scenic course, it was very pretty at daybreak, sun glinting off icles and the lake. It was hard to look up though, because the footing was very uneven and unstable this first loop. There was probaly 6-8 inches of snow, which, due to the cold, was not getting beat down at all, even with all the folks in front of me. The first loop was very crowded, too, it was pretty much going one by one up the trail. Passing someone ment going into the deep snow of about one foot on either side. The trail or the racers finally opened up for me about the second aid station, which was around mile 8 or so.

I had no real expectation of time goals, although I thought 6 hours seemed rather a reasonable number. I thought I could do each 10 mile split in about two hours (I was just ignoring the other 0.8 mile, not being a mathelete.) And my splits through the 10 miles were 2.01 hours, then around 2.15 for the second 10, and 2.30 for the third then (more or less).

On the second loop, there was no problem with running space! Everyone had spaced out, and I wasn't running around alot of other folks. It was amazing what I remembered on the first loop to prepare for the second loop. The footing was improving too, the sun was heating some of the snow and it was getting trodden down, improving in many areas. I was getting tired already though, the first lap of tromping and teetering, trying to balance, had tired me. My upper body was stiff after constantly watching the trail. I was shuffling along on the second loop, on the road to the first aid station when I thought to myself "I am dog azzed tired" And I immediately felt worse. Then I banished that thought, thinking, no "I am strong but slow." Then I thought it should be "strong AND slow" so I quibbled over that myself and managed to while away a good half mile before I decided on "slow AND strong".

Loop 3 came about and I did not change my shoes and socks like I did after the first loop. Which I should have, because I had changed out of my trail shoes for running shoes, which got soaked rather quickly in the inches of snow. I just grabbed a fresh toboggan hat (I changed hats at each loop I sweat so much) and more food and shuffled on.

Loop 3 was good because it was the LAST loop!!! I was really out there by myself now. I picked up some of the remaining Coke at Aid Station 1, and that really perked me for a few miles. I then tried to keep eating as I went forward, because that seemed to help with energy levels.

I was of course power walking any slopes. There were only a few areas that I could call "hills" here it was a very mangeable course. I developed a non-specific leg pain in my right thigh (different that my normal hamstring pain) which actually hurt when I walked.

I glanced at my watch at one point and saw I was over the five hour mark...longer than any other run I had every done..then once I clicked over 26.6, longer in miles than any run I had ever done!

I just kept watching for the mile markers on the last lap, and the big landmarkers..airport, check..aid station 1, check. Awful road section by shooting range, check. 3 runners passed me here and asked if I was okay. I was walking the uphill and eating potato chips and told them I was fine. I caught them at the last aid station, grabbed some hot chocolate on the go and moved on. It was interesting trying to drink hot chocolate and shuffle at the same time. Next was the reservoir, then 3 foot bridges, then the restrooms at the campgrounds, then done.

Got to the reservoir, headed across it. There was a woman ahead of me, just moving ahead very steadily. I was surprised when I caught up to her right before mile 10, she had been doing great. I passed her and then finally saw the Magical Mile Ten Marker!! 0.8 miles to go!!! I was so excited, I was muttering "ten! ten! ten!" Then I knew all I had to do was pass over 3 footbridges, and then I was see the restrooms and be at the campground.

I pass over the first footbridge and heard an awful commotion behind me. First I thought it was dogs barking, then I thought it was the trio of runners being me, catching up to me and yelling! I must have really slowed down! No, it was the geese over on the reservoir I was hearing, I was finally getting close!!! Two more bridges....and then...yes it was, ohmygod, I've never been more happy to see a bathroom (well, actually I probaly have been, but this meant the end of the race) I trucked it through the campground, and turned the corner into the finishing shoot and completed the race!!!!

My chip and bib strip was taken, and then I passed the mental examination in the hot tent (I had to fill out a card with my name, sex, bib number and approximate finishing time...you do that after running 7 hours..) I must have passed because I got my finisher's medal and was pointed to the soup tent!

I got some great chicken soup, slumped down over it in the corner and started to cry..I am not sure why..just so damn glad to be done running. Some nice man noticed me and came over and talked to me, congratulated me for the race and finding out it was my first ultra. That helped me recover a bit and he said he thought conditions were pretty tough out there on the first loop too.

AFTERMATH:
I was really beat after this run. I was running two more hours longer than anything I had ever done. I am glad I had just run the marathon two weeks prior though, where I had good mileage in for this. If I had only run 20 milers or so for this I think I would have been cooked.

I'm going to buy some more wool-blend socks and some gaiters for winter running too.

I'm really really pleased with myself. At no point did I not think I could run these race...strong and slow, I knew I could do it. I really did not have too many bad hurts, just one toe which I knew was kind of turning into hamburger but there was nothing I could do about it, and leg pain, but nothing really too bad.

Notes from 2012: I don't think I would recommend running a road marathon 2 weeks before your first 50K..

Fun Day Up North

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:18:33 PST

I travelled up north-to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park-for the traditional Winter Buckeye Trail FA, held on the last Saturday of January. Most have forgotten about this, since it turned into the "Run for Regis" which is now held MLK Jr weekend.

But NEO TC has not, and the King of the Miles Contest is underway for 2012!!

Six of us made it, with two more females that must have turned and ran a different route. Tara, Wild Bill, Barefoot Johnny and Pepper, Dean, and Bryce. Dean and Bryce turned back after one hour, and Johnny had gotten behind, so it was just Tara, Bill and myself.

Blue Hen Falls

We ran the Buckeye Trail to the stables-very muddy and slick. We returned on some of the BT, but also took a side trip. Wild Bill even took us off piste for a bit!!

I had never been to Brandywine Falls, so we also made a stop there:

Check out the force of nature here!!

Bill and Tara

The Trail Goddess and Tara

A good run "up north" today. Trail conditions were slick and slidy, and lots of water. I got the time on my feet that I needed, and completed my last long run before The Wild Oak Trail. I feel kind of relieved to have gotten the miles in. Now for the modified taper-ish time!

Five for Friday

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:46:34 PST

1. I tracked all last week on Weight Watchers-both my food and activity points!

This is a very big deal to me. I even tracked my food I ate on my long run. Result? A two pound weight loss. That is not any additional weight loss, it's almost back to my lowest weight. I was up several pounds, and the trending was going UP, not down, so that was why I buckled down and decided to journal everything.

It's been a long time since I have successfully tracked every day.

2. I don't think I am eating enough for my weight loss goals.

In the last week, I was listening to an old episode of Marathon Talk, an interview with Matt Dixon, from Purplepatch Fitness, who coaches or coached Ryan Hall in last year's Boston Marathon. There were a few interesting points I took away.

The first was his quote: "I have yet to meet a training endurance athlete who fuels enough to support their training and health needs." The whole article is here.

As endurance athletes, we may be fueling during the event, but are we eating enough later in the day?

The host of the podcast, Tom Williams, coined a phrase that Matt Dixon agreed with, and I thought was rather fitting also: instead of being overtrained, we are perhaps actually under-recovered.

While I love the WW program, it does not really fit in with an endurance athlete lifestyle. I was reading on their website, about how many Activity Points (APs) that WW recommend daily, is six. My average, last week, was fifteen.

After viewing my WW chart, I have two conclusions. One, I am drinking too many of my activity points (APs). So that is an easy enough fix, need to cut way down on the wine! Two, I need to eat those activity points. So that is my mission for this week, drink less, and eat more. I am also planning on tracking my points for the week also.

3. It is time to plan the garden! I've been looking through seed catalogs, circling items, trying to plan my garden out for 2012. I will be putting some work into the garden in June, with being out of town for my two weeks for Hardrock, so I have to make sure it's pretty low maintenance for the husband.

I'm planning on buying mostly heirloom seeds this year. I am going to start saving my seeds, for both economy and for market crashes. That way, I will have my vegetables for future years.

4. CE's I report my Continuing Education credits this year for my license. We do this every three years. I need to have six credit hours. I found my file, with a paper clip on a bunch of papers, where I've got 3.5 hours totalled up so far. Now I need to find all the loose CE certificates around my office-which means, it's time to clean and organize the office!

5. Three Day weekend! A co-worker needed Wednesday off, so I gladly traded my Friday for her Wednesday, so that is why I am sitting here, posting a F-for-F post instead of working! Happy Friday, all!

Bread Baking Wednesday

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:53:03 PST

I finally got around to experiment with the 5 minute, no knead bread method. This is from the book: "Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day".

This is Attempt Number 1 !!

The bread came out a bit dense.

I am not sure I had the proper whole wheat flour, as it said "whole wheat graham flour". I am going to buy some new whole wheat flour for another try.

It really is dummy simple. Mix the dry ingredients, add the water, let rise. No kneeading. Throw it in the refrigerator. On baking day, take out, make round-like, let rise for 90 minutes, then bake.

Okay, for running content-no run today. I have had a bit of pain in my adductor muscle, the adductor magnus, I believe. This is probably due to the uneven surface snow surface at Mohican on Sunday. Instead of the 10K run planned, I elected to walk on the treadmill and get my pushups in.

I am planning on running 20 miles for the Winter Buckeye Trail FA, in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Saturday. I would really like it to be 50K, but I will see how I feel. I have to keep in mind I do have a 100 mile event coming up soon and I do not want to be overtrained-or under-recovered for that.

It felt Like Spring

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:00:09 PST

The temperature was a balmy 36 degrees this morning. In the daylight it felt like spring, after the cold winds of the last few days.

Today was hill repeats. I drove over to my hill. It is about 3 miles into my normal 10K loop, but performing hill repeats on the hill in the middle of the 10K does not give me enough time in the morning to get all this in.

My 10K loop is a nasty road to drive on, as it's mainly slidy mud right now.

I am glad I got out for these hill repeats, because I can tell my improvement on this hill from last year. I could have done more repeats had I not run out of time. I was not that fatigued climbing the hill as I was last year.

This was an interesting kind of observation/quote from Frozen Ed Furtaw, from the Barkley List:

I like the way this concept was stated by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin:
"It is our duty as men and women to proceed as though the limits of our abilities do not exist."

With this interpretation, one's estimation of their abilities is irrelevant. What is important is how one proceeds or acts, regardless of preconceived estimations. At Barkley, we must proceed as if we can succeed. If limits of our abilities do indeed exist, they will smack us in the face in due course, regardless of our beliefs. Of course, those smackings occur sooner for some runners than for others.

Ed

I will keep this in mind for The Wild Oak Trail.

Pictures from Mohican

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:15:54 PST

Of course there are pictures!

Run at Mohican

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:06:59 PST

I had seen on FB that Terri and others were going to run at Mohican on Sunday, but I was just planning on 20 miles on the roads here around town.

Then Mikey called and personally requested my presence. He's going to be moving soon, and might not be back on the beloved trails of Mohican any time soon. So of course, I am off to Mo for the run.

Mike, myself, Terri, Mark, Zach, Don, Nick, Rob, Mark all convened at the pavilion at the Class A Campgrounds. There was still quite a bit of snow at Mo-4 to 6 inches. We were already downgrading the proposed 50K down to something managable.

We asked Terri what we were running...it seemed the plan was to run the Mohican 100 course loop.

So off we went. The first mile of trail had been broken by a snowshoe trekker the day before. Then Nick took the lead and broke trail as we crossed across the river to the mountain bike trail.

Lots of talk talk talk on the trail. Lots of joke, smack talking. We were trying to ignore the fact that the snow was rather deep; there was much more slogging thru snow than alot of running.

We lost Don, Nick, and Zach after a few miles, as they peeled off on the road to complete their runs.

The rest of us trodded on. It was quite funny in places, as we tried to figure out where we were, exactly. (The group had more than one thousand Mohican miles between us.)

Mark had a brillant idea when we got to the mountain bike trailhead, nine miles in. He proposed we just turn around and retrace our steps..since we now had a broken in trail to run in, with the slight wind behind us. This was readily accessable.

Rob elected to bail with Mark L. here, to continue on with his training plan of the day, so it was down to Mike, Mark, Terri and I.

It was slower going back, but still a good time. Terri need to make her mileage an even 20, but I was fine to bail at 18 trail miles for the day.

GREAT to be back at Mohican and even better to spend some trail time with Mikey!!

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:13:48 PST

I had a good run today.

It was cold-about 21 F at 11 am, and windy. I donned long johns under my Marmot Precip Pants, and on top wore just one merino wool long sleev tops and my Sierra Designs windbreaker. I also brought along my $32 dollar wind mittens, along with my cheapo knit gloves.

I also decided to try out the Ultimate Direction bladder that my new Wink pack arrived with. I was rather dubious of its design.

As my rotten pics show, there is no screw on lid, or clip for the UD pack.

It has this kind of sandwich bag type seal. But I could not get this to seal together.

Then you roll down the plastic bladder.

And secure with the velcro. Now this does seem kind of secure.

And then into the pack, hanging off it's little velcro hook.

The reason I decided to try this today was, the hose is insulated. (And I could not take it off this bladder for use on another.) It worked out just fine, but I am kind of hesitant to use this in a long race. I may use this again tomorrow, and see how it works out. I am just hesistant about having this filled up at an AS and not having it sealed or cinched down properly. As an old AS worker myself, this would also be a hydration pack that I would make the runner close up themselves.

Has anyone used this Ultimate Direction bladder in a race? Feedback?

Ok, back to the run. It was cold, the wind was strong, and I was miserable. I was very glad for all the windbreaker clothing I had on, it was needed. Miles 0 through 4 sucked.

Once I climbed up to the ridgeline, it was the point of no return, if I did retreat it would still be 4 miles back.

At mile 5.7, I paused. I could take the side road, for more mileage-original plan-or I could continue down the road to finish up a bit shorter.

Well, what would the point of that be? My husband went out of town for the morning, so I couldn't even use the excuse of that. I turned left. This is a township road, so it was just like running on a snow covered trail, since it's mainly a dirt and gravel road at best.

I ate a Payday mini bar as I climbed up the township road and crossed the road for the big downhill section. I also clicked the Zune over to "music".

And, at mile 7.9, the calories or sugar hit from the candybar simultaneously with the music starting, I was running downhill, and it was GREAT!!

It did not hurt that this is about a big one mile downhill. The rest of my run was great. I smiled the rest of the way.

The husband was just returning home as I ran down the hill, so great timing!

I'm glad I suffered through the wind and my attitude for the first few miles. Must remember this!!

PSA: Screwed Shoes

kimba90@yahoo.com (Kimba the Ultra Trail Goddess) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:55:34 PST

It actually is a record; it's the 20th of January and I just screwed my shoes this morning.

For anyone not familiar, this is the old school, cheapo, better way to traverse on ice in the winter months. It will cost you about two bucks to go buy some sheet metal screws. The hexagonal ones, not the round. The round ones won't help you at all.

This was the first post I ever read about screwing your shoes, and it tells you everything you need to know.

The rusted screws are from last year. They were worn down, and many had fallen out, so I just decided to add to the others.

The Ultra Trail Goddess Blog

Five for Friday

Check and Double Check

Quote

"Everything happens for a reason. You just have to live fearlessly and love every day. " Serena Burla, competitive runner and cancer survivor

To Our Big Dreams

Skunked By Proxy

Five for Friday

Today's Workout

Tests

My weekend training

Five for Friday

Leaving!!

Still Waiting!!

Waiting

Quote

Five for Friday

A Brief Respite

Blast From the Past: My First Ultra Race Report

Fun Day Up North

Five for Friday

Bread Baking Wednesday

It felt Like Spring

Pictures from Mohican

Run at Mohican

PSA: Screwed Shoes

"Everything happens for a reason. You just have to live fearlessly and love every day. "

Serena Burla, competitive runner and cancer survivor