Author: Kristen Lodge

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Weekend Recap – May 6 & 7, following the training plan

It rained a lot. Ha.

I’m still trying to get used to the constant rain.

My new running training plan continues to September 4 and the 53K race in Vermont. I hope to add more races during the next four months. I spent a few hours tonight looking at races including a marathon on Killington trails and a local 10 miler.

Saturday, I ran 6 trail miles in the Winant Trails area and Sunday I ran 4 road miles. I didn’t swim, bike or do yoga which will be included in following weekends. I’m including more core and stretching after running.

As part of the training plan there will be hiking – a lot of hiking. Hiking was a major component of my trail marathon training when I raced The North Face Endurance Challenge – Utah in Park City last fall. The race had a lot of climbing, and the hiking paid off.

This year with Jay Peak as my A race there must be long trail runs and long hikes.

Also, this weekend, I noticed the blackflies are out. UGH. I have not missed those buggers when I lived out west. Annoying!

I did get to see my nephew, Zeke play soccer. He’s such a star!

I’m looking forward to this week and getting more into a routine ­­­with increasing mileage and sticking to the training plan.

Here’s the 2017 race calendar so far. I’m sure I’ll be adding more:

Sunday, May 14, 2017 Dirty 5k Hanover NH
Saturday, June 10, 2017 Six in the Stix Series Newport, NH
Saturday, June 17, 2017 Trail Run Series West Windsor, VT
Saturday, June 24, 2017 Capital City 5K Road Run Concord, NH
Saturday, July 1, 2017 Trail Run Series Claremont, NH
Saturday, July 15, 2017 Trail Run Series Sunapee, NH
Saturday, July 22, 2017 Trail Run Series Hartford, VT
Saturday, August 5, 2017 Trail Run Series Hanover NH
Saturday, August 26, 2017 Trail Run Series
Sunday, September 3, 2017 Jay Peak Trail Weekend 33 miles Jay Peak
Saturday, September 9, 2017 Trail Run Series Lebanon, NH
Sunday, September 10, 2017 Pumkinman Tri / Relay Sprint Berwick, ME
Saturday, September 16, 2017 Seacoast Tri Sprint Wallis Sands, NH
Saturday, September 23, 2017 Trail Run Series Lebanon, NH
Sunday, October 1, 2017 Bretton Wood  Trail Run
Sunday, November 12, 2017 Seacoast Half Marathon Portsmouth, NH
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Foot essentials: rain boot and compression socks

After living in Colorado and Arizona for the last 13 years I never needed rain boots.

After moving back to New Hampshire in February and several continuous days of rain it was time to buy rain boots.

I bought these LL Bean Wellies by chance at the LL Bean Outlet in North Hampton. With rain in the forecast for the next four days, they have become an essential.

LL Bean Wellies
Walking home from work on Friday, May 5 – in the rain.

Speaking of taking care of your feet, after this morning’s run I remembered that I should wear my compression socks to aid recovery from the street pounding.

I’m a big fan of Smartwool. My socks are the Standup Graduated Compression Socks. I don’t wear them as much as I should so these I’ve had for about two years and still hold up; meaning they really help soreness.

I’m glad I put them on this morning, and wore them all day at work, because I don’t feel so sore tonight. I’m slowly building mileage for my A Race – Jay Peak Trail Running Festival in September. I’m signed up for the 53.1k Ultra. I’ve finished a 50K in February 2013 and had a DNF during a 50K in November 2014. I’m ready to try again.

This blog is about ultra running in New Hampshire although I’ll be racing around New England. I was signed up for a 50 Mile race in Arizona in March 2017 and deferred to 2018 so I have an even bigger race next year.

The reason I started this blog is to write about ultra running as I get older and to share tips and strategies for training and nutrition. I’m 46 and started running and racing triathlon over 10 years ago. It’s harder to recover now, yet I still have ambitious goals for racing and competition. Racing is a relative term: I’m not fast. I like competition and finishing races in new places. I rarely raced the same event twice.

Thank you for reading and please come back again.

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The joys of city running, running in Concord NH

Running in Concord NH

Today’s run was a loop around my house.

I love running this route when I have a short run. Just over three miles. Halfway through I run by Gibson’s bookstore and the Capitol Building. The street by the capitol building in the above picture will be bustling tomorrow with the kickoff to the Saturday Farmer’s Market; I can’t wait.

Downtown Concord is quiet early in the morning – a great time to run there.

As I circle back home, I see all the flowers blooming.  It is a dreary day and the start of four days of rain.  I’m glad I got the run in. #runNH

My run on Movescount.