2014

I'm sorry for the brief hiatus.....this runner has been dealing with a serious case of the winter blues. I spent last week feeling on the brink of death and now our world is covered in a solid sheet of ice. But enough whining....

2014 has come to a close....I ran close to 1900 miles this year....this could explain why my husband grimaces when I ask him to do anything with my feet. I'm super proud of this number being that I just started running in August of 2013.

There is NO DOUBT that 2015 is going to be an amazing year (well...unless something catastrophic happens along the lines of a nationwide burrito ban).

So what happened this year? Here are some of my favorite moments.

I  tackled  my first road race where I was whooped / inspired by this woman

After restricting myself to road races / runs, I signed up for a trail 25k w/ over 3000' elevation gain.....I conquered a mountain...the hardest race of the year based on my level of inexperience 

I completed my first marathon (trail) - this was a feat that I never imagined that I could accomplish. 

Three weeks later, I completed another (harder) marathon and knocked 30 minutes off my time! 

I got this pup.... 

And he's the best running friend that one could ever wish for. 

On that note, I started a running group that allowed me to cross paths with some amazing individuals who have become close friends (not pictured but I swear they are real). 

I have decided not to set goals this year. I'm a super goal oriented person....and in theory, that sounds spectacular. In reality....it makes me miserable. I'm always setting these crazy ambitious goals and then beating myself up when I cannot reach them. Obviously, I still must be disciplined....I spent hours piecing together a training plan that I plan on following religiously (even if that often means running LESS). 

Do you have any 2015 goals? How do you feel about 2014 - anything that you're particularly proud of? 

Happy New Year, Friends! 

December Goals

Well....I didn't reach all the ambitious goals that I had set for last month. The biggest disappointment is that I did not complete an ultra distance training run. Initially, it was planned for the day after Thanksgiving (carb load heaven). Well... delighting in a feast that required no less than 12 sticks of butter to create did not bode well with my sensitive stomach. After thirteen miles of stomach cramps, I called it quits. I made the decision that a second attempt would occur on Sunday - enough time for a short detox and some recovery. Instead of mapping out one long route, I figured that loops would be the safest bet. Home would serve as the aid station and the loops would be short enough that I could complete them with just a handheld water bottle. When Sunday came, I was determined and confident. The first ten mile loop was tackled with a friend. I was feeling strong at the end of that loop. I drank several ounces of Tailwind and set back out in the frigid weather with no doubt that I'd be reaching my goal. One thing that I want to make clear....I am not a fair weather runner. I will run in ALL weather conditions. However...running in the cold can be painful (for me). My muscles tend to ache and stiffen up when the temperature drops below freezing. About four miles into my second loop, the cold hit me and hard. The temperature was in the low 20's with winds gusting around 10 - 12 mph. I realized that I did not take in enough calories and began crashing. By mile 6, I was having to walk long stretches....this caused my body temperature to plummet. I quickly decided that I was going to have to finish my run on the treadmill. I knew the transition would have to be quick. Upon arriving home, I sucked down a glass of Coke and more Tailwind. My husband then rushed to help remove my clothes (which had actually frozen together). I started to shake violently. When I stepped on the treadmill, I was told to start running ASAP. I tried to run. I tried to walk. My legs threatened to buckle underneath me. I was shaking so hard that I was having to hold onto the sides of the machine. And I knew....it wasn't going to happen. Immediately, I jumped into a hot bath and sulked.

What could I have done differently? I'm positive that I should have taken in more calories between loops. I'm estimating that I ingested 100 calories for the three hours that I was running - that is not enough. I believe that I crashed due to inadequate nutrition and because I started walking, this allowed the frigid temperatures to take their toll.

The positive news? I did meet the monthly mileage goal of 250!!!! Actually, I exceeded the goal by 2 miles. Averaging out the total, I ran 8.5 miles / day.

What's the plan for December?

1.) Run 279 miles (Average 9 miles / day)
2.) COMPLETE an ultra distance run. At this point, I don't care if it's barely 27 miles....I need to do this
3.) Cross train 45 minutes 2x's a week
4.) Drink LESS beer + continue the process of cleaning up nutrition

Thankful

Happy Belated Stuff Yo' Piehole (AKA Turkey) Day!!! 

I sincerely hope that everyone had an amazing holiday. I have a million reasons to be thankful. Seriously...life is such an amazing adventure. But I want to dedicate this post to someone that has impacted my world so profoundly....someone that has supported me unconditionally....someone that has made me a much better version of myself...someone that is the best friend that I've ever had.

Cue the vomiting.

Seriously though.... my husband is the raddest fella in the planet. I cannot express how grateful that I am that he's stuck with me. Marriage is no walk in the park. Change is inevitable - we all grow into different versions of ourselves. It can be a harsh reality to come to terms with - your spouse will never be the person that you fell in love with. This becomes more apparent with the passage of time. There are going to be life events that will change your entire mindset (like being a parent). You may stumble upon passions that could alter the course of your entire life. Marriage is a constant reconciliation of who we were then and who we are now. The "honeymoon" will end and intimacy will take on a whole new meaning.

Life is a constant rollercoaster. There will be exhilarating highs and depressing lows. I cannot imagine being on this ride with any other person. I cannot imagine another individual being more perfectly suited to deal with my eccentricities. When it comes to running, I cannot fathom a more supportive partner and better "crew member". Jeff has never complained about this passion that has engulfed me....and by extension, him.

Jeffrey - I love you more this day than ever before. I never felt lucky until the day that I met you.

Getting There

Last week went awesome in terms of training. My confidence (which has been on the shaky side) has been restored. I've been having to get creative in order to build mileage without spending hours running in the dark OR sacrificing too much precious sleep....the answer has been DOUBLES! Several months ago, I started implementing them into my routine. There's conflicting research about the benefits of doubles. Based on my experience, I would recommend them for ALL runners. I have seen a drastic improvement in recovery time....and who doesn't want to recover faster? Like me, you can also use doubles in order to break up large chunks of mileage on busier days. There have been days where I want to get in 14 miles but that distance is not feasible in one workout (due often to time constraints related to work hours). Therefore, I will run an indirect route to work and then run again on lunch. I want to add that doubles should never replace your "long run".  That long run allows for certain unique physical adaptations. 


Last week, I ran four consecutive doubles - a record for me. Here's the breakdown....


Sunday - Planned: 13 Actual: Rest (I was having ankle pain)
Monday - Planned: 5 Actual: 12.24 (6.01 / 6.23)
Tuesday - Planned: 7 Actual: 9.23 (3.66 / 5.57)
Wednesday - Planned: 7 Actual: 7.50 (5.26 / 2.24)
Thursday - Planned: 10 Actual: 9.81 (6.27 / 3.54)
Friday- Planned: Rest Actual: 6.05
Saturday- Planned: 20 Actual: 19.25


Total: 64.08


I've hit 200 miles for the month - highest that I've ever been! I have 50 more miles to reach my goal.


I'm getting there....

Coping with Disappointment

This morning, I set out for my long run optimistic but depleted. My body is still rebelling about this mileage increase. During marathon training, my peak was about 62 miles....and that felt like A LOT. If I am being honest, I am still recovering from the racing season. My endurance isn't where it should be. One reason might be because I'm not as active (outside of running) as I was during the summer when we would hike up mountains every chance that we got and I would take regular 20 - 30 mile bike rides. Riding 20 miles on a ghetto stationary bike just isn't the same.

Back to my run...

I burnt out around mile 11. My ankle started hurting and I broke mentally. My husband picked me before I reached mile 16. I felt REALLY upset with myself.  Runs like these make my confidence explode and not in the awesome way. On the ride home, I almost started to cry. I'm not an emotional person, I just felt that disappointed. My husband kept telling me how proud he was of what I have been able to accomplish this week in spite of the horrid weather. He really helped me gain perspective. I've come so far in the past year. I have gone from never having run more than one mile to being a marathoner (and a decent one at that). And now I'm training to run ultra marathons...and that's a big deal. I have to accept that perfection is never going to be attainable. I'm not an elite runner....this is not my job, it's my passion and I should strive to enjoy each experience and be grateful that I am able to keep putting one foot in front of another.

My husband and I took our pup for a long walk this afternoon with a cold beverage intermission. I'm really pooped now and eager to pass out at an embarrassingly early hour. 

Here is my training recap from this week

Sunday - Planned: 10 Actual: 7.94
Monday - Planned: 7 Actual: 6
Tuesday - Planned: 15 Actual 13.35
Wednesday - Planned: 5 Actual: 6.87
Thursday - Planned: 10 Actual: 9.54
Friday - REST
Saturday - Planned: 18 (Bumped to 22 in order to make up mileage) Actual: 15.65

Total: 59.35

How did your week go? 

Did you meet whatever goals you set? 

How do you cope with disappointment? 

Friday I'm in Love

I'm hesitant to say that I've been slacking on my daily mileage goals....I mean it's hard to say that you're slacking when you're out there every day when most are hunkering down around their fireplaces. I'm about 4 miles short of where I should be. 4 miles....For a long distance runner, this is relatively nothing...I often commute to work via running close to this distance several times a week. But when you're adding 4 miles onto your long run, it becomes a whole different story. I planned on running that 4 miles on my lunch break but ultimately decided that I needed a rest day. I woke up this morning feeling like I had the joints of someone ten times my age. So yeah....22 miles on tap for tomorrow morning , which promises to be frigid (tropical 16 degrees).

Each week, I'm focusing on implementing small changes into my regime - nutritionally and physically. This week, I cut down on my meat consumption. Once our freezer is cleared of our meat reserves, I plan on returning to a (mostly) plant-based diet. I don't intend to be super militant about it but rather start planning meals around whole grains, beans, veggies....you get the idea. Next week, I'll be more strict about cross training....Lately, beer drinking has been replacing my cross training sessions. Bad Angela. Doesn't beer just taste better in the off season / winter?

After work, we patronized our favorite dive bar and now pizza is sizzlin' away in the oven. I LOVE Fridays! Happy weekend, friends!

My husband should take up running because he has the perfect "ultra beard" 

Carb Loading...the RIGHT way!

Cold Bones

Before the winter darkness arrived, I would try to have at least one day where I'd run 13+ miles during the week (this did not replace my long run). It's become almost impossible to squeeze in a two hour run before OR after work. I just don't enjoy running in the dark for that long. I've had to be creative about building mileage. This means more commuting to work via running + double days + longer lunch runs. These are all great but still...nothing beats a continuous, long effort. So, today was a rare treat. Even though I was kept up half the night by howling winds and woke up to freezing temperatures, I was determined to get out there.

The cold zapped my motivation to spring out of bed so the run started hours after planned.

Headed into the bitter cold

I was surprised at how quickly I warmed up. I had to remove the face mask before I was two miles in. I didn't want to rush through this run. I wanted to enjoy being alone on what are otherwise populated trails. I can't lie...this run was a bit of a struggle. The cold caused every muscle to ache. The winds were gusting up to 30 mph. There were times that I would have to bury my face deep into my coat, breathing heavily just to warm up. My hydration pack's nozzle even froze shut. At about mile nine, I had the option of either running 1 mile home OR taking the extended 4 mile hilly route home...I am proud that I chose the latter. I didn't make my 15 mile goal but the fact that I managed a half marathon distance on a day where many would have holed up near a fireplace....well, that makes me feel good.

Pine Street Hill