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Heading into the Holiday Weekend

It’s Friday and I just got back from a short hike with the dogs in Winant Park. We saw the usual players: trail runner, people with dogs, people without dogs. Despite hiking earlier and earlier I still seem to see more every day. It’s all good. Goldie is coming on command and I can get her on a leash at the end of the hike which I couldn’t do a week ago. Winnie is getting older and grumpier so at the last half of the hike she is on leash. 

It’s been a good week so far. I’ve run all the mileage I am supposed to according to the 100 mile training plan.

Today is an off day in preparation for tomorrow’s 18 miler. I finally feel like I’m back on track and feeling strong while running.

The holiday weekend is turning out to be a busy one, plus the weather is going to be fantastic. Hiking Monadnock on Sunday, which I haven’t hiked in over 30 years. Hiking Ragged on Monday, which will be hard – the mountain is tough! And running and mountain biking with friends the rest of the days. 

I have been thinking about my goal of running 100 miles in 2020. It more and more looks like it’s going to be a self-supported 100 mile run in October. I’m thinking 5 10-mile out and back routes to my house. I’ve been scouting out runs which is making my longer runs more interesting and keeping my mind occupied. 

Here’s what I’m thinking for the self-supported 100:
10 miles out to Bow and back 
10 miles out to Oak Hill (East Concord) and back 
10 miles out to Boscawan and back 
10 miles out to Hopkinton and back 

Which leaves one more out and back left to figure out. And most importantly which legs to do at night from a safety perspective. 

Fun, Fun. 

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend, friends. 

Goldie says hi friends! I’m cute.
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Training & Racing Update Week 5

This last week was good. Hiking, Running, Biking.

Although the training plan had me on a recovery week so low-ish mileage was good. 

I didn’t bike as much as I did last week since it was so windy but did get 40 miles in. My ankle is about 90% – it’s still sore – but after a recover day today, Monday, I hope to hit my mileage numbers this week and get some decent bike miles in, as well. 

Things seem to be returning a little bit back to normal. Restaurants open outdoor seating today. Stores are open, sort of. The YMCA is still closed and I’m eager to see what being in the weight room will look like when they do open. Also, I wonder what swimming will look like. 

I still haven’t heard from upcoming races such as the White Mountain Triathlon and Ragged Mountain Stage race. 

My neighborhood

The trees and grass are finally green. Spring has arrived in Concord. Week 5 is looking promising to get my miles in and keep the momentum going as we head into the strangest Memorial Day weekend ever. I hope to do some hiking somewhat close to home, perhaps Ragged Mountain and / or Kearsarge. I’ll wait to head north to the White Mountains after the holiday. 

Still working from home….I don’t want to go back to office life.
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Do you like running?

This morning I read an article from a Facebook Group post. The article: Why I won’t stop running due to COVID.

The question the writer posed to himself “Do I like running?”

McConaughy’s story made me think about this year and how wacky my training plans were compared to a year ago. Last year my motivation was high to run a race that was way out of my league and at high elevation. [Leadville]

The challenge spurred me on to do my training plan every day, lose weight and created a new world for me in ultra running. I remember feeling excited about every run. When I knew I had to run 10 miles or 20 miles, I was looking forward to the run, planning what I would listen to and what I would eat for a meal after (I love a good post-run food plan).

However, 2020 started so different because I was injured and training for a 100 mile race I wasn’t super excited about. Training and motivation were nothing like a year ago. The weather beat me up and I didn’t follow the plan. I wasn’t excited about running and spent more time in the gym lifting weights.

McConaughy’s article reminded me of the feeling of being on trails. As soon as I hit a trail I’m suddenly feeling better and happier. While I am faster on the roads (and like seeing a faster pace on Strava) and sometimes do enjoy roads, I’m happiest when I am surrounded by trees, running past an occasional stream and see dirt under my feet. 

Like him, “I was captivated by the challenge of trying to run longer distances in more wild places.” That’s why Leadville was such a positive in my life last year. The Leadville 100 was long and wild. I wasn’t sure if I could do it. That’s what got me up in the morning and out the door to train. That drive and happiness drove my desire in all aspects of my life. I was so excited for whatever was around each new corner. 

McConaughy asks himself and readers, Why do you enjoy running in the first place? For me, I like the simplicity of running. Not much gear is needed and I can open my door and go. I especially love running to the top of hill, and when I’m fit, I recover fast and keep running; it makes me see progress and makes me happy. I love the days when I can run 10 miles and it feels relatively easy. 

There may be no races this year but somehow I will run 100 miles if I have to do loops around my house and ask friends to support me.

I had this poster on my bedroom wall during high school. It’s still true.
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Leadville 100 Canceled, 2020

I just read the news about Leadville 100 Run – canceled. My heart sank.

While I’m not racing it this year, I know how I felt at this time last year training for the August race: I was tapering for my first 50 miler as part of my 100 mile training plan, I was close to race weight, I was laser focused on training for my first 100 miler. Leadville was my entire world.

And to think that I went through all those tough training weekends and then the race was canceled – I’d be devistated.

However, in ultra running and triathlon there are so many things that can go wrong in any training cycle: injury, sickness, weather. There are so many factors at play in training for an A Race. We have to remain positive and know that it will be there next year.

I’m disappointed for my friends who are in the middle of training and planning for Leadville. I know they are sad.

Leadville, Scoping out the course before race day

At the same time I get a reminder of one of the best things I did in 2019: train for my first 100, travel to Colorado multiple times, run with friends at 10,000 feet and strive to finish something unknown.

Leadville 100 Race Morning

Training was hard but I was so motivated. Race day ended early with a disappointing DNF. But I’m not done with you Leadville. I will conquer you. I will run that red carpet.

And some day. Some day. I will be a Leadwoman. How’s that for lofty goals?!

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Getting to know a new trail

Quarry Concord NH

Three weeks ago I injured my left ankle. 

April 14 injured ankle, from twisting it while trail running.

I can finally run but there is lingering sensitivity and I don’t want to push it too hard. I haven’t run long in four weeks. This weekend I am trying for 15 miles. 

Cycling is good, though but the weather isn’t cooperating for tri bike time: cold and windy. Mountain biking has been good this past week. I feel like I can escape the cold and wind a bit better on trails with the mountain bike.

I’ve been mountain biking to the quarry and trying to get familiar with the trails. It’s so cool to see the quarry water. I don’t think I have ever seen one like this, just in the movies. The discovery process of learning trails is so fun; trying to figure out which way to go and how to get back to the water. It’s similar to moving to a new place and getting to know the new trails and roads.

I remember when I moved to Steamboat Spring, I signed up for a trail running series. It turned out that by running all the races I got to know all the trails around Steamboat and the surrounding towns. I met like-minded people and stayed for three years. When I moved to Granby, CO and lived on the slopes of, then called, SolVista I made a game out of skiing every trail in a day, which wasn’t difficult since it was small. The idea of really getting to know a landscape by learning trails is something I’ve always tried to do in all the places I’ve lived.

Even many years later this idea of getting to know a place, to really know it, still appeals to me. Just when I thought I knew everything about Concord, NH I then I discovered this trail. There are no real trail maps of it and the city of Concord doesn’t have a map of it on their website like they do for all the trails. 

While there are so many devastating things happening in the world with the pandemic, to be able to turn the stay at home order into a positive, learning the local trails and getting to know home is one of the positive things about the times we are living in.