Saturday – An Outdoor Life

April 5, 2026April 5, 2026

100 Mile Training Log Week 0

I’ve been getting back to running the last few weeks but it was only last week when I signed up for the 100 that it’s getting serious; now money is involved.

I also committed to writing about this journey. I’m not much of a video person or I’d document this somehow on Instagram. I’ve been off TikToc for a year or more because it was too addictive and a time suck.

I’m a writer and reader. I like to read books, news and inspiration. While I can appreciate a good reel or video, my preferred method of processing life is the written word.

Here is my training update from this week, before the real training plan begins.

Notes from an 8 mile long-run on Saturday April 4

Started out slow and sluggish. Maybe drinking wine the night before my long run was not a great first step. I started the run listening the Ann Patchett’s Commonweath but decided about 15 minutes in that listening to a novel about divorce, and how young children are involved in a messy, multi-family fight, traveling across the country to see moms and dads, and manipulation and vengeance in the family – nope, not going to keep going. I sent the book back to Libby and with nothing else available in my queue – I went back to ad supported Spotify and listened to My Like list.

I felt some momentum mid-run on Newport Highway; a busy highway for a spring break Saturday. There’s a lot of traffic noise, full sun, a bit of shade, a nice wind on the way back.

I walked a lot and ran a lot. I’ve been proud of myself for doing what I set out to do these last few weeks, despite my written plan to run 9 but really felt I could proudly accomplish 8 in just under 2 hours.

I remembered how last week, after a 7 mile run, my left ankle and the muscle/tendons hurt about one hour after my run, I wanted to be cautious and not push it too much. I did a bunch more exercises at the gym this past week to help prevent the soreness: calf raises, and flex exercises to stretch those muscles.

I didn’t want to be injured before the true training started.

As I run I’m hopeful that all the extra calf raises and the extra work I did this week to stretch that muscle out will help me.

I finished 8 miles. The most I’ve run since last summer. I’m not sore an hour later. Everything is good.

I woke up Sunday – not too sore. Nothing hurt. I was a bit wobbly as I walk; per usual. Go about my day, walking a bunch with dogs and work, but not doing too much. Then, I head out for a “recovery day 30 minute WALK” and suddenly the tendons around my left ankle hurt and throb. I wobble back home. Put on compression sock. Stretch. Ugh. Four hours later the pain is totally gone. What is going on?!

I remember, on retrospection – that is the athlete life. Injuries. I’m going to have injuries. It’s part of the deal.

As I sit on my sofa and occasionally flex my foot back and forth, side by side, a bit of pain. I need to do everything right. Eat right. Stretch. Weights. Rest.

I got this. I just have to “get this” every day. Thanks for reading.

Next Week is Week 1

Running Song of the Week: This is Me

Best lyric:

I am brave, I am bruised, I am who I’m meant to be, this is me
Look out ’cause here I come, And I’m marching on to the beat I drum
I’m not scared to be seen, I make no apologies, this is me.

July 14, 2024August 4, 2024

Race Review: Haw Ridge Trail Run, Oak Ridge TN

The race starts and finishes at the Haw Ridge Life Development Center on Old Edgemoor Drive in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

I loved, and was tortured by, the first two miles of steep uphill. Then after the last steep climb on tippy toes, it was a steep, downhill treacherous hike to get to the meandering, up and down fun single track trail for the remainder of the course.

After the initial climb and descent the trail ran down to a lake and skirted it for many miles. I wanted to jump in it because it was so hot and needed to cool off, but erred on the side of caution. The trees kept us a little cool; the benefits of trail running in the summer.

There was a train in the distance hooting its horn; I love trains. All the runners were in good spirits and I think they enjoyed the trail as much as I did. The single track was so well maintained and since it hasn’t rained in weeks, the course was in perfect condition filled with many rocks and roots.

The race description said 8 miles. It was 8.7. I’m not complaining, now that I’m writing this, because it was a GREAT course. At the 8 mile mark my brain wanted to see the finish line, but it was another 10 minutes away.

It was nice to get out of Sevier County for a few hours and explore the woods in Tennessee.

I signed up for this race series so I could get to know trails outside of where I live. The Treadin’ Trodden Trails race series is top notch. So far I’ve run trails at IC King which is similar to Haw Ridge in that it is for mountain biking, too.

I’m looking forward to the next race in the series, The Trail That Can’t Be Concord. All the website says is that it will be at The Appalachian Mountain Bike Club (AMBC) at this address: 11813 S Northshore Drive. I can’t wait to run this new-to-me trail.

Click this link to view information on this area from a mountain bike perspective. I need to get back here with my bike.

Race Website: https://runsignup.com/hawridgetrailrace
Distance: 8.7 miles.
Time: 1 hr, 58 mins
What I ate: Pre-race: English muffin, half peanut butter and jelly sandwich. During race: one GU gel, 6 Skratch Labs Sport Energy Chews (towards the end and they helped)
What I drank: two bottles tailwind endurance fuel, 1 L water
What I wore: Salomon hydration vest, CW-X compression shorts, Little Rock marathon race top, Pistol Ultra baseball hat
What I saw: no wildlife, 250 people entered the race

Rate this trail run: 10/10

April 1, 2023April 1, 2023

Tennessee Update: dogs, running and views

It’s been a crazy few weeks where I’m trying to figure out what I’m suppose to be.

Am I an ultra runner?

Well I ran today and back on a training plan.

Dog lover?

I’m taking care of my dogs and wanting a third dog so my young pup has a playmate.

Worker bee?

I love where I work and that is always a good thing for me.

Friend?

Kassandra is visiting in a few weeks and I have a bunch of things to do such as buying a bed for the spare room. I can’t wait to see her and show her my place.

Kassandra at Nubble Light in Maine from her trip first trip to visit me.

Hiker?

Now that I don’t live in Gatlinburg it’s tough to hike in the park. Ugh the traffic but I have to get in the park and hike/run to get ready for my ultra running season.

It’s been such a transition this last 45 days and I’m finally figuring everything out.

Here are the things that make me happy and know I’m going to get through everything to meet training goals, have fun, do what I say I will do and explore the world.

October 3, 2021

Bear Brook Classic, Training Update

Commitment:
When you find a way over every hurdle in your path and nothing but success is an option.

On Saturday I raced my first Mountain Bike Race. I signed up for it in July, the first week race registration opened. At that point, I knew that I wanted to work towards the Leadwoman race and the only way to do that was 1) actually race on a mountain bike and 2) figure out a way to finish the 100 mile run race. But first things first.

I signed up for the Bear Brook Classic and then from July to October I changed my mind a million times about 1) what my goals were (100 mile run, 100 mile run not in Leadville, biking only, etc) 2) thinking about Ironman Lake Placid in 2022 3) not signing up for anything and just training for Ironman Florida and 4) just spending hours on race websites and calendars.

Three weeks ago I made my decision – 2022 is all about Leadville and if all goes well 2023 will be about Leadwoman. I hired a coach and I’m feeling the pressure to do all my training days. It’s stressing me out a bit but it’s what I need. I think. Maybe. I’m pretty sure of it. Bring on the hemming and hawing.

Which brings me to the Bear Brook Classic. In July I signed up for the Cat 2 (Sport) Women – 40+. At the time there were two distances: 10 & 20. I’ve been riding Bear Brook for about two years now and by July I had only biked about 10 miles at the most on a mountain bike. When I sign up for races I always think: I want to sign up for a big race and train for it. Ten miles seemed so short so I signed up for the 20. I ended up biking 12 miles a few weeks later at Bear Brook, which was hard but doable. I knew I could do 20 miles.

August and September were more triathlon training months. I mountain biked on average once a week. On the morning of October 2, race morning, I wasn’t even sure I was going to race. It was a rest day for Ironman Training and I didn’t train at all to race on a mountain bike – just trail riding. However, after I got my butt in gear, I decided the race would be interval and speed work.

I’m glad I went because it was a great experience. The long course was 18 miles.

The good: knowing that I couldn’t go out too fast, not trying to kill it on the first mile, getting settled in and just riding and having fun. I knew the course, there were only a few turns onto trails I didn’t know. Knowing the course helped a lot especially on a few downhill sections that I knew would have a quick uphill and I’d have to change gears to get up fast.

The bad: not lubing my chain before the race, not carrying more food/gels. One more gel would’ve helped my energy level towards the end.

I didn’t know what to expect going into the race and it just takes one experience to help confidence and know how I need to train: biking fast.

One thing I’ve been struggling with is changing negative thinking (just do one lap, this is hard) to positive thinking (I can do this!) while racing. It’s so easy to just stop and be done. I particularly struggle with loops – it’s so easy to only do one. My brain wanted me to stop, do one loop and go home. I knew that I just had to go out on the second loop and I would be fine. And I was. I have to remember that for Florida.

I still don’t know my finishing place in my division but at the end of the day – who really cares. Okay, I care a little. I’m guessing second from last – those women were fast!

I do love mountain biking but I also love running, hiking, and swimming. I love trying to do it all even if I suck at it all. I’m in it for the Adventure!

I’ll be signing up for next year. Now it’s just 4 weeks to Ironman Florida and I’m in total-focus mode. I will remember the quote above: Find a way over every hurdle in my path so only Success is an option. This weekend was a success and I can’t wait to finish Florida. For the next 4 weeks: No missed training days. No excuses. Just do it.

March 20, 2021April 30, 2021

Living the dream or just grateful

Sometimes I laugh when I ask someone how’s it going and they say “livin’ the dream”. And think, are you really? Is that cynical or sarcastic? Or do they genuinely mean it?

What if they were to answer: “oh my gosh, I’m so lucky to have this life and I’m so grateful?”

Perhaps not as socially acceptable.

That is my answer today, if asked, maybe, at the right time, in the right place.

Seriously. Today. My Life. I don’t want to sound too happy or too ….. I don’t know, because there are so many things not to my liking right now (not being at race weight, my dogs eating my comforter, gas prices, a pandemic, anything in the news, not running according to the plan).

But here are the things that have made me happy this week and I want to remember them: