Tag: Running

Hard Reset

I’ve been thinking about time lately. Both present and past.

I started this blog in 2013 after I had been running consistently since 2010. Ok, more like 2012. I loved the community I found both through this blog and other social media. I have made real friends that I would have never met otherwise. Hell, I flew to Vegas to run a race with someone I’d never met IRL and shared my hotel room with someone else who I’d only met at another race. If you all knew me, you would know how much a big deal that was- I’m a very comfort zone kind of person. I haven’t seen either of them in a year and that is sad.

Then as the years went on, I was running more…or less. I was blogging but I’d become set in a pattern. I used to blog whenever the mood struck at whatever time about whatever popped into my head on the run. I miss those days. But I got myself mired into following some of the things the big time bloggers did. Weekly recaps? Why not? But then I was shoving a whole week’s worth of running into one post. If I was my usually verbose self, that post would get damn long. So, I started editing. That’s stupid.

Then 2020 happened. I started the year by running my 40th half marathon. Then lockdown and a crazy world. I will be lucky if I clear 350 miles this year. I am legitimately starting over with running.

So instead of being pissed at how I wandered so far off the path I was on, I am treating it like a hard reset.

So, in that spirit, I took to the track on Sunday. It’s been years since I ran at the track and it used to be my happy place. Although I don’t think I will ever run a 10 miler on the track again, that was cuckoo.

So I put on new running shoes (which have been in my closet since February) and headed for the track to get back to basics. It was hot but that was not the reason I struggled. I really am that out of shape. I may have avoided the COVID 20 but I lost any muscle mass I had and all endurance between that and all the smoke the past few months. And while I didn’t gain any COVID weight, I also didn’t the lose the extra 40ish pounds from the previous 2 years. Ha!

So, yes, my 3 miles were hard. Even with the couch to 5k app I downloaded. What didn’t help was the blister that formed due to the new shoes either. I really am starting over! There was a lot of walking involved- due to both the heat and the blisters. I also tried out the Track Run feature on my Coros watch. I think it was a little confused. Or I did it wrong.

Struggle aside, I needed that hardness. It was the reality of where I am at and it’s a starting point to build on. I actually enjoyed my struggle run. Well, until a dad and his kids showed and parked themselves and stroller in my lane. Seriously??? What happened to track etiquette?

Anyways…Will you join me as I chase down fitness??

39/40 mORE OF THE sAME

I could tell you about the 2 weeks of non-running- smoke in the air, bad AQI, sinus infections and migraines but instead I’ve had some rambling running thoughts I wanted to share.

I’ve been running less so my toes look so much better this year, ha! No missing toenails! My heels on the other hand look worse. Hmmm.

Anyone else notice that running bleeds over into other aspects of their lives? For example, my least favorite type of running route is an out and back. I much prefer a loop of some sort from start to finish. I’ve noticed I drive like that too. If I leave work for lunch, I inevitably drive in a near circle to get back even if it was shorter going back the way I came.

Without races and races trips to spend money on, I’ve become a little more of a compulsive online shopper. Oops? Apparently I should have bought a treadmill with my hazard pay months ago. Except I have no where to put one. Who needs a bed anyways?

This is the longest my running shoes have lasted in years. Who knew when I bought up extra shoes in January, they would still be in my closet in the boxes come October.

Also I seem to be buying lots of running clothes. Yet, not running. Makes total sense, right?

It’s fall but it doesn’t feel like fall. I am so looking forward to fall running. But maybe that’s me lying to myself? You know, like the “I’ll start on Monday” thing.

Timehop has been full of race pictures the last few weeks. It’s made me so nostalgic. That used to be one of favorite races. I miss races.

And people. I miss people. Which is odd as I see so many during the day.

Has running led to any oddities in your life?

Going The Distance

Disclaimer: I received an entry into The Texas Distance Challenge as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

2020 and I have not seen eye to eye. I doubt it had with anyone really.

My motivation to run has tanked. I wish I could say I was one of those people who used the lock down to jump start their miles or start a run streak. The ones who are turning in more miles than ever before. But nope, I have run less miles this year than I have since my first year running. Ouch. I like to tell myself it would be different if I was working from home but am I just lying to myself? I mean going into the office everyday is normal for me, granted we locked our doors for a while but I’ve gone to work everyday and still helped numerous customers everyday. So, it sounds like not much changed… right? But still.

So I needed a kick in the pants. Enter the Texas Distance Challenge.

I’ve kind of always had a slight obsession with Texas… and London. I blame all those cheesy romance novels I read years ago. Anyways.

Did you know it’s further from El Paso to Texarkana than it is from New York to Chicago? And props if you know the completely random way I learned that.

Yes, I put it on my bear… not the first time, probably not the last either

The Texas Distance Challenge went live on July 1, 2020 and continues until April 30, 2021. The Run the Crossing challenge- which I signed up for- is 814 miles. Or as they sneakily tell you- only 19 miles a week.

19 a week?? That sounds totally doable- sign me up!
Except 19 miles is more than I ran the entire month of July. And August. Crap.

I still have 7 months right?? I can do it… can’t I?

Participants get to view their progress on a map as they complete the challenge. Y’all, I’ve barely left El Paso. I have already received some pretty sweet swag and I hope to earn even more as I journey on.

Challengers can also ride the crossing, or ride the loop (all around Texas) and there are various detours. I’ve committed to the run/walk of the crossing, so now it’s time to put up or shut up.

Come join! I need the moral support. I think I can, I think I can.

37/38 Wheeze

I have attempted 2 runs in the last two weeks. Two.

The smoke rolled in pretty heavy around Labor Day weekend and then just stayed.

I headed out for an attempt the Thursday after Labor Day. The skies looked horrible but the local news insisted the AQI was beloe 100 as the smoke was high up in the atmosphere. That being said, I told myself to take it super easy. So easy, I forgot to take off my earrings, ha! Anyways, I was wheezing after 30 minutes of walking. And then low-key wheezed for another 3 days. Boo.

The weekend was a smoky mess. Actually right now, I can’t remember what I did. Oops.

Last week started with smoke. I decided I wasn’t going to attempt running until I make it through the night with the window open without waking up wheezing. Yeah, that was Friday. And I don’t mean wide open, it was open less than 3 inches. I usually ended up closing the window 30 or say minutes after trying to go to sleep.

The smoke had cleared by Friday but the migraine I had been fighting since Wednesday was taking me out. Not gonna lie, I slept most of Saturday. Both by sleeping in and taking a nap. Also, I just bought black out curtains and oh they are amazing. Amazing.

Finally on Sunday, I headed out for a run. Haha! The smoke was gone but I was still on the struggle bus. Such a struggle, I ended up walking all of it. And not even power walking, more like leisurely walking. It felt damn hot which is sad as it was only 91. Two weeks of smoke filled skies and I lost any fitness gains I may have made on my vacation week. Boo.

How was your week?

Giant Race SAn Francisco- Recap

Disclaimer: I received an entry into Giant Race- San Francisco as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

Labor Day weekend was the San Francisco Giant Race. I was signed up for the Lou Seal Challenge- the 10K and the 5K. Had the race happened IRL, I would have been running both of those on the same day. Had the race happened IRL, I think my motivation to train might not have taken such a huge hit this year. But it did and I knew I did not have the fitness to “race” both on the same day.

One of the benefits of virtual racing is the flexibility. Can’t run them both on the same day? Then I will run them on back to back days. Well, at least that was the plan. Also, I appreciate the virtual races right now as they actually motivate me to get my butt out the door and move.

Race weekend was Labor Day Weekend and it was predicted to be a scorcher. Actually my town did break local records and hit 117 and 115 on Saturday and Sunday. So, I ran for the ocean. See what I did there?? Hehe. 🤣

I made it to the beach early for me and thankfully it wasn’t crowded. The downside was that it was high tide so that did put me closer to people that I had wanted. It also meant that the sand wasn’t as hard packed as I usually like. Oops, but still doable.

Ok, total honesty- I am really out of shape like I recently restarted Couch to 5K out of shape- so I knew there was no way this was going to be “raced”. So I told myself I had to run the 10k from start to finish without any stops- no breaks to catch my breath, no breaks to make my time look better- so in other words like a real race.

I started from the Dog beach and ran towards the pier. I was using Couch to 5K for the first 30 minutes and then just an interval timer for the rest. A 10K in week one? Why not?

I was slow which was fine, I somehow kept my heart rate the lowest it’s ever been for a 10K. So, yay?! This was also the longest I’ve run in months. I was slowing a lot by mile 5. I was also feeling like a blister was forming which has never happened on a beach run before. I walked the majority of mile 6, never paused, never stopped, just kept putting one foot in front of the other.

And then, finally, I was done. 1:29:32.

Whew, that felt like a workout. I then cooled off with nature’s ice bath.

However I was left with giant blisters. Those were one deterrent to me finishing my 5K, the biggest one arrived in the form of smoke from the fires. We haven’t seen the sun in a week. Until it the AQI drops under 100, I will not be attempting the 5K. Boo. However races can wait, the important thing is that we get these fires under control and out, this is kind of insane.

I will be running that 5K, I will. Makes me glad I have a little time before the medals arrive.

If virtual races are what gets me out of my chair, bring them on.