50 mile - take 2

Ready or not, here I come!  my 2nd 50 mile attempt in Fruita, Colorado.  My first time racing in Colorado.  Legs feel pretty good, I hope my mind will be too

I just want my body to work, I just want to run 50 miles

50 miles take 1 - Buffalo run

I went into this race so prepared physically and mentally too I believe. Yes there was a bit of unknown concern in my head but I was ready to just run and experience it and see how it went. I wasn't afraid or nervous. Excited to finally get racing underway for the year and see what 50 miles was like.
Matt W picked me up from our hotel and after hanging out in the van for a few minutes staying warm we went out and got started. My pack was all packed, drop bags set, had 3 time goal worth of splits recorded and tucked neatly in my pack. I wasn't scrambling at the start, it went smooth and I was ready. Ran with Matt and Josh and Sam for the first 13 miles or so in the quiet vast views that the west side of Antelope Island are. We got even more solitude when we passed the out and back first, electing to do it after the loop. We had a whole valley to ourselves. It was amazing!
Body felt great up till about 15 miles were I started feeling pain in my right quad where I had lightly felt it earlier in the week. I did all I could to curb it that week, massage, adjustments, laser, heat/ice and having not felt it at all until this point the thought if it hurting or being a problem wasn't even in my head. I was shocked when I felt it. I figured I could work through it though. I stopped and pulled my tights up and put some muscle cream on it. Continued on another 1/2 mile and it was really bad, the pain was a 9. Sharp burning pain that would peak and stay there by my 5th running step. I was limping running or walking. I stopped again and rubbed at it. 3 or 4 women passed me at this point, I had been right behind 1st place. Perfect. I walked for a few minutes, maybe that would cure it. Started running again trying all kinds of different paces, gates, turnover rates (cadence). Every time 5 steps in was the same fist clenching hollering out pain. DANG IT! This wasn't supposed to happen to me! I had trained so much, I eat well, I haven't been hurt in years, really since I broke my foot in a race in 2009. I'd felt nothing like this before a little nag earlier in the week. Had no fall, twist, nothing. I broke down a little pissed off this was happening but it was surprisingly short lived. I have only DNF'd once, BAM in 2009 when I broke my foot. Yet I kind of knew with 3 miles to go to get back to the start finish that it was over. Of course I didn't want to stop, I was there, ready, the day was in front of me! 50 mile races are hard to find here, only a couple every year. My head, heart, and spirit were there but I felt like I was going to do more damage, that this was a big deal, not a cramp, and that walking 30 miles was just not what I came to do and wouldn't do my leg any good. So after not recognizing my awesome friend Jen who came to pace me (I even asked if a friend next to her knew her number so i could call her) we spent the next hour together getting it looked at and massaged and taped by a therapist, run/walking another mile or two just trying to talk myself into what I knew was the right choice with a torn muscle, I was done. I hung around the rest of the day waiting to watch my husband come through at his 50k half way, missed it by minutes. Waited another 5 hours in chilly wind to watch him finish - missed it by 2 minutes. I'd been stalking his finish stretch all day and missed it by 2 minutes. The day was a huge disappointment. I had so very many awesome friends wish my luck on Facebook (since my blog is dead I guess), more than I expected and I felt like I let them down, cried wolf or something. But it was the right decision to an unforeseeable event and there will be more races. I had a great time running with those guys that morning and saw some simply spectacular scenery. I love the west side of the island. I've been patient and proactive these last 3 weeks and so far so good. As frustrating as this was, it's just a race. I'm grateful for my body, abilities, husband and kids and this beautiful earth I get to explore.

50 miles here I come!

Well, the training's gone well. I feel pretty confident in my nutrition although I will need some additional real food calories that I will experiment with the aid stations for, but the bulk of my calories are set. I have a bag full of most of the tech clothes I own I'm working on choosing an outfit from now. The weather has turned on us dropping to 23-35 and windy tomorrow. Snowed a blizzard today. No snow on the trails though.
Sometimes racing feels normal, mundane, and sometimes that's ok, but I remember the excitement and hype leading up to my Ironman for instance and I miss that. Feeling a bit of it now though sitting in a hotel (we usually camp or drive morning of) prepping stuff and emailing my pacer. I have a pacer! An awesome lady named Jen coming out to run miles 33-50 with me.
My goals. Of course finish but I'd like to be between 8-9 hours, for sure under 10. It's hard to estimate though with such a long race on varied terrain that I've never done. I'd love to be top 5 in the women too. We shall see. My first 50 miles awaits me in 8 hours. Nighty night!

My biggest run weeks ever

The last 2 weeks have marked my biggest running weeks ever! As a triathlete I only had time to devote 3 days a week to running and I didn't believe my body could stay injury free with more than that. Not sure I believe that now but maybe if all my miles were on road it would prove true. Anyway, here's the rundown of my last big weeks of preparation for my first 50 mile race March 23.

Sunday - 5 mile steep snowshoe with husband on our Alta ski resort date I earned us in September
Monday - 13 miles on the treadmill. It was just so cold and I had to do it early I resorted to the treadmill and don't shoot me here...but it wasn't so horrible *gasp!*
Wednesday - 20 miles up Millcreek canyon with several other crazy friends. Yeah we started at 4am and it was SO cold. Had to have been below zero at the top. It was mentally tough to keep going with the cold but I'm glad I did and grateful to the friends who pushed me to keep going. Miles 17-20 felt the best
Friday - 20 miles on the canal roads by our house. An evening run that went well aside from some strange sharp stabbing head pains I get on occasion that are hopefully and likely a form of migraine and not a brain tumor ;)
Saturday - 14 miles on the treadmill. Evening again but wanted that back to back action. Wasn't horrible. Ran at 8:30 pace and incorporated three 5 min 10% grade speed hikes into it. Felt good
TOTAL: 67 running miles

Tuesday - 10 mile hilly snowy trail miles. Local Avenue Twins run. I wanted this week to include 2 hillier runs and while this isn't extreme, it was good for the time I had. Weird severe right knee pain on the way down after we had stopped for no more than a minute. Took me several minutes to kick it but all seems well now
Wednesday - 30 miles! Really wanted to do 30 again before the race. I've done that distance 4 times now. A group of us started at 4am on the Jeremy Ranch Rd near Park City. A 7.3 mile wide dirt road paritally snow covered running to East Canyon. Very remote, no houses, maybe a handful of cars the whole time. While in the dark wee hours of the morning I saw this big fish right on the road (snow). Thought, that's weird. Then we saw a fisherman's bucket, then his boot a minute later. I was convinced the body or killer was next! If it wasn't for friends there I would have been SO freaked out and turned around. I had fun with the fish on the way back. Ran the first half with friends then the last alone and while it was tough with slick snow and a strong headwind on the last back of the double out and back I got er done!
Friday - 8.4 hilly miles at Lake Mtn. Could feel my tired legs and probably hiked the last 3 miles up. At least the run down was nice
Saturday - 11.5 road miles with my friend April. My legs were a little tired but surprisingly ok on this run. Felt great knowing it was taper time after!
TOTAL: 60 miles

I haven't complained a ton and it's not that I don't feel fatigue or sometimes that it's hard to run for 3-5 hours, but honestly, I'm handling it.  I have loved watching my mind and body be challenged yet adapt.  I wanted to try ultras to mix up what I've done for so long and knew I'd like the new racing, but I didn't realize experiencing new trainng would be so interesting too.  Some of the runs I do I have a specific mile or time I want to go for, but for the most part it's get the time on the legs I can when I can.  I have also tried to follow the 10% rule.  And I rarely watch my min/mile avg because it's generally a lot slower than road with dirt/snow/hills.  Much better scenery though :)
Today I did 10 miles, my last double digit run before Buffalo 50 miler! I'm definitely playing it safe and tapering down well. No more time to build fitness and I feel good about what I've got. Now it's just time to rest the legs, run 4-5 milers to keep them sharp and loose and play the waiting game! I'll follow this up next week with a goal setting post

Avenue Twins

Beautiful sunrise on Jeremy Ranch Rd.  It's been neat running under stars, through sunrises and into the sun as well as a few sunsets



Caught with my own 2 hands  ;)

I need your ab help

UPDATE:  Ok ya'll, I really do need your help.  Went to a water fitness class last night I'm training in for work and it killed me.  They did a lot of dryland stuff like situps, pushups, planks, and seated flutter kicks.  Not to mention this move called a Hellbender.  It's not that those things are super hard in and of themselves, but I couldn't believe how weak my core was and how much it was holding me back.  Yes I did 22 real pushups in a minute, but I shouldn't have pushed myself to do them knees up, my stomach was bulging.  And while I haven't done sit-ups in a long time (don't really believe they're better for you than crunches done well, especially on a ball), I hated how weak I could feel my core was while doing them.
It's remarkable to me that I can go out and run 30 miles in one shot and not have it be a drop dead kill me workout, yet my core still isn't strong.  I imagine how much better everything would be if it was.  Help!

Yes I'm posting a picture. Please don't feel bad or hate. It's really discouraging to me when I talk about myself (on my own blog especially) and it de-motivates people or makes them depressed. NOT my intention, I don't do anything I do to be better than others - where I come in in a race is a different story ;) You know what I'm getting at.
Anyway, yes my abs look pretty good but they have a big weakness. Literally. And it's not my stretch marks. See that diastisis or abdominal separation about 2 inches above and below my belly button? It's a good 2-3 fingertips wide and no amount if flexing (which I am doing by the way, it was for a photo shoot job I didn't get) closes it completely.
I've had one since my 2nd baby but it hasn't been this bad since this last baby. I have to be cautious what core work I do. Anything that makes that area bulge up is bad, pull-ups and prone planks for instance or full supine leg lifts. As I get stronger I'll get more range of motion with the latter and likely be able to do regular planks and pull-ups again but while it bulges I have to pay attention or it could get worse.
The condition is a separation and weakness of the transverse abdominal a, a deep cross running muscle group as their name implies. One thing I know is good are pelvic curls, rolling the pubic bone upward toward the ribs. Holding that (also holding the abs in toward the spine) for 10 seconds makes you aware of the area I'm trying to work. Any ab work I do I occasionally watch my abs or put a hand on my stomach to feel if the gap is closing or not. Closing is good, widening or bulging bad.

Here's where I need your help though. I really need to close that gap down. It's not just an aesthetic thing, it's a strength and function thing. So, what are your suggestions? Have you dealt with this too?

One year ago - running and racing

A little late on this one as my sweet Ella's 1st birthday was a week ago today but oh well. As might be obvious, I love to run. I wasn't running much between getting engaged and having my first baby, but ran until about 28 weeks with my 2nd baby before going on bed rest then ran all through our 3rd baby's pregnancy, doing a 5k at 37 weeks. Because I'd been doing even more running as an athlete by this point I really wanted to run all the way through this 4th baby's pregnancy both for health reasons but also for my own internal satisfaction of being able to say that I did, that I'd done even better than before.
Well come about 20 weeks was this awful pubic symphysis pain. Basically a great ache or pain that feels like your pelvis is coming apart in front where it is connected by strong connective tissue down low. By 28 weeks I believe I just could handle it no longer. I couldn't go 10 steps running/waddling. It hurt too much and just wasn't worth any long term damage. So I called it good with a half pregnant half marathon trail race that was organized for me that I unfortunately only did half of. I was bummed a bit but didn't let it get me. I stayed way active with spinning, weights and swimming.
After her birth it was a rough comeback to running, harder than after my other babies. Could have been I was older, on my 4th full term pregnancy, that I have giant babies, or a combination of all of them.  I do not believe it has anything to do with my staying active during my pregnancy.
So I mean I was running faster and farther than most people probably, but for me it was slow. I remember trying to run slow for the first time at 2 weeks out on a track and that darn pubic symphysis pain just killed me. I didn't make it one minute, probably not even 20 seconds. So I started walking only. The first day I think I walked a mile and felt it the next day in my core and pelvis. I gradually increased my walking distance up to 3-4 miles then gradually sprinkling in 1/4-1/2 mile running (slow) segments. My legs and lungs were fine, it was my pelvis and lower abs that took forever to strengthen again. I ran a half marathon at 10 weeks out and definitely felt that low core by mile 8. It was rough, definitely my postpartum limit.  Even in October, 8 months out during my 50k I felt the strain there by 20 miles in. Yeah I can run far and fast according to some standards but it's been a challenge. I'm actually going to ask for your help with it in my next post.  However the challenges, running is a release for me, it's me time. I love to explore the trails and mountains on my own 2 feet but even runs from the house are just a chance to be out, see the sky, and think or occasionally enjoy music not exactly suited for the minivan ;)

Racing wise I did an open water sprint tri at 5 weeks, 9 weeks, 14 weeks (in a much too large wetsuit to accommodate my belly), and a pool tri at 20 weeks. I had friends question me maybe thinking it not a good choice but I did it because I love it and its fun! Pregnant women are allowed fun. It was fun to swim bike and run and fun to see friends and fun to push my body to safe limits I knew my body and baby could handle. Athletes tend to know their bodies well and this was my 4th baby. I had a great time!

9 weeks.  2nd OV at Women Rock Tri

14 weeks, last open water tri - Saratoga, 4th OV

Just tanning my baby white belly.  One of my last successful runs

Even if I couldn't run, at least I could wear my super cute tops to spin or lift or teach.
I felt SO cute and confident in them!

Rusching(sp?) for maternity wear?  Best.  Thing.  Ever.

Last real race with baby #4 inside and baby #3 happily on my lap

One year ago - cycling

I rode outside until about 20 weeks I think, really can't remember actually, but I do remember doing a pool triathlon on my 20 week mark, after that I stuck her on the trainer. As I got bigger though I moved to the spin bikes. I love the trainer but don't love spinning, but it's a lot easier to drastically change my bike fit on those than my own. I rode till 39-40 weeks (not the last 5-10 days after that because I was just sure she'd be born the next day, hahaha) and by that point I was basically in beach cruiser bike position :) Sitting up almost straight, bars in as close to me as my belly would allow so I wouldn't have to lean over, because there really wasn't any room to do so.

Like swimming I felt quite normal cycling. Took the weight of my belly down and allowed me to get my heart rate up and feel my muscles work without killing my pelvis. I grew to like the spin classes more, defiantly a good workout, I just think I like knowing what's coming and being in control of it.
I managed to wear my regular bike shorts, just low on my belly but definitely didn't wear my bike jerseys. Instead I LOVED wearing my Fit2BMom tops. Oh how I loved those.  Looks like one of my favorite tanks is on sale too

Anyway, I got back on the bike at about 2 weeks, still on the trainer. Much easier to work with baby's feeding and sleep schedule just being downstairs. It really didn't hurt to sit in the saddle.  If I'd attempted this after my first baby....oh wait, I never would have.  I couldn't sit comfortably in a padded chair for months, I even remember trying to strap a pillow to my bike seat to ride it on my trainer.  No good.  She was my smallest baby but involved lots of drugs, intervention, the bed, and nothing natural really.  Everything but a C-Section.  Getting on the saddle 2 weeks out with this baby I attribute that not tearing and no prolonged pushing with Miss 9lb14oz. I believe a gentle birth in the water with no drugs allowing me to push quickly but with control and midwife assisted perineal support and the warm water aiding stretching of the tissues made all the difference, water birth, amazing stuff I tell you!  Cycling postpartum felt good to not have gravity working on or bouncing my pelvis, pelvic floor, and recovering core muscles and ligaments, again, I could just sit down and work my lungs as muscles. But you gotta do what you gotta do when dad travels for Altra a lot.

I only rode with her on the trainer like this for a few minutes really, she wasn't fond of the idea.  

And now at almost a year old miss Ella had to have her right of passage ride on the aerobars all of my other kids have.  We don't ride like this for a long, a couple minutes.  It's not nearly as fun as it looks for mommy, but I'll do what I have to do

One year ago - swimming

I should be in bed, been trying to be better about that, but I wanted to do 1 post each day this week reflecting on this week last year.  You see my baby girl turns 1 on Friday and I can't believe it!  I loved being pregnant with her (and all my babies) and loved my belly and was proud of my activity level, so just want to look back a little.
I've swam 3 times in the past 2 weeks.  That's good for me, really.  I hadn't swam before that for probably almost 3 months?  Really didn't keep track.  Have just been doing so much running and not planning any tri racing that I figured why?  Then I swam again and remembered, I do enjoy it!
I loved swimming while pregnant.  No where else did I feel quite as normal athletically than in the water (probably why I had 2 water births, LOVE them!  Email me for any help/advice).  Loved the weightlessness.  That big belly was heavy to carry!  I was self conscious at first when I had to go to a 2 piece suit, wearing a towel out on deck, but then I didn't care anymore.  I loved watching people's reactions.  They'd see me from the back or even front sometimes, and then from the side  :)  I'd just smile.  I look at pictures now and yes my belly was an awkward sight, especially at the end, but I rocked it  ;)
I was out being active and that's what counts!  I wasn't showing the world my belly to scare/scar or chase away people to get my own lane, it's all I could wear!  I didn't really have any issue with tempo slowing much, could do all the strokes fine but didn't do much butterfly or kickboard the last 5 weeks because it hurt my lower back, but I do recall swimming squares  :)  In our bubbled 50 meter pool they set it up short course, half with lane lines, the other half without.  Not the flip turn itself, but the push off hurt my low belly, stretching the ligaments trying to hold my big baby and belly in place.  Swimming squares was perfect though!  Only a push off once every hundred or two, just to change direction if I wanted.
Today I didn't need to though, but I thought of it fondly.  I swam up till 40 weeks 2 days I do believe, 3 days before she was born.  Swimming also felt great around that 6 week mark after when I was ready to get back in, nice to not have the jarring of my weak core muscles gravity can provide during running.  Good times I tell you, good times!

I like to look at this progression of my belly.  It's surely not all my swimming belly shots, but a decent bunch.
I went from my regular once piece suit, excited to grow out of it, to a much larger one piece suit (not pictured),
10 sizes larger I believe, 28 to 38, to a matching 2 piece suit (below), to a mismatched 2 piece suit at the end
just to accommodate my remarkable 10lb human growing body.
I do cringe a little looking at just how out there and strange my belly looked sometimes,
but I sure was proud of it and grateful for it and my healthy body!

It's on!

2013 Antelope Island Buffalo Run - 50 Miler Entry Invitation

Event Date: Friday March 22, 2013

A marathon and a half

No really.

We headed down to St George kind of on a whim (well we decided the week before) to go work the St George Half marathon expo. Seemed like it'd been forever since we traveled as a family and the kids even had that Friday and Monday off school so off we went!

I wanted to get as many miles as I could while the air was clean and a bit warmer. It didn't turn out to be warmer while I was running, only in the afternoon, but the air was delightfully clean! You see here in Utah, the valleys specifically get strong inversions which is just a strong low cloud cover that stays because our mountains hold it nicely like a big bowl. Pollution then has no where to go, the warm air can't get below it and we get stuck with very cold dirty air for weeks on end until another good storm comes. Sorry, I'm sidetracked. Moral of that story, St George doesn't have inversions like we do up north.

Friday I left dad and the kids to sleep in, get hotel breakfast that the kids love so much and go set up for the expo. That meant I had to leave on foot from the hotel. So at 6am I ran about 6 miles of paved trail and road to the Bearclaw trailhead. It was quiet and peaceful running under a dark sky with stars visible, just me and my headlamp. I got a little lost but finally arrived at the trail. Bearclaw is a fun little area for bikes and kids, but in the twilight light I missed the main trail and ended up running through roller after roller, think giant bmx track. Finally got out of it though and ran the Stucki Springs trail the rest of the way till my turn around and then basically came back the way I went out (minus some of the getting lost buisness).
It was really great but oh boy did it get cold, SO cold! I was dressed for winter like at home and was glad. I was only missing my neck gaiter and better gloves. Once the sun was finally up for good about 9am I was ok but during it's rising man it was cold. I did learn a few things though while my hands were too cold to function:
1. Don't untie your shoes to tighten the laces. You won't be able to retie them.
2. It's hard to squeeze cold gel without functional hands. Hold the package in your mouth with your teeth then squeeze from the bottom up with the outsides of your hands pressed together.
3. As much as I love my forested mountains I sure do love the scenery down there! Red rocks and dirt, ahhhhh.

I made a couple stops and got lost a little on the way out and realized I wouldn't get the mileage I wanted if I didn't hustle on the way back. No more picture breaks and luckily no more frozen hose leading me to stop and drink directly from the Ultrspire Surge bladder. It felt good to pick it up and I'm pleased with the effort. I really didn't feel it get wall like hard until about 23 miles in and that makes me happy, in my previous marathon races I've hit it at 16-18. Just turned on a couple songs and concentrated on keeping my cadence high and kept moving. 26.5 good quality miles. 

Don't you hate how cameras never quite capture the image your eye sees? 
Ok, maybe it's just because I only every use my phone as a camera, but this view was awesome!

 

Enjoyed the rest of the day with the kids and food and the pool. I wasn't planning to run the half the next day but my husband said he could get me in and a generous friend Cheri came with her two girls around my kids age and hung out at the hotel while we ran. We ran to the race as it was only 1/2 mile away or so and got there close to the start so I started back with the 2:15 or so pace group. I have never realized how beneficial it is to start where you want to finish. Anyway the first 6 or so miles were not so much fun. It felt hard, felt like speedwork and I couldn't have been running faster than 8:30. I could blame it on my legs but I still wasn't happy they, my legs, just weren't showing up for the party. Then around mile 7 things picked up. I felt better and started to push. One good thing I guess about starting in the back (and taking a bathroom stop) is that you have pace groups you can try to catch. So around mile 7 or 8 I finally passed the 1:55 group and had my eyes on 1:50. Well I couldn't see them but they were my next goal after I caught up with some friends who I lost on my earlier potty stop. I swear I ran forever looking for 1:50 and finally by about mile 12 I found them. Felt great to pass them after running so hard hoping I would! I would have loved to catch 1:45 as a friend of mine was pacing it but never did, probably finished about a minute behind them. Ended up running a 1:46 which includes my stop (I personally don't believe in claiming a time the clock doesn't say I ran unless it's in my own head). Totally negative splitted the second half for sure! I bet I was running 7:30 on average those last 6 miles. Very pleased considering how the first half went.
Waited for and found my husband who struggled a bit but did well considering his lack of road and pace work since the summer and we hobbled back to the hotel and enjoyed the rest of our trip including a little playtime at Bearclaw later that day with the kids and Cherie's girl Sky. What's 1 more right?

40 miles, I ran 40 miles in a 24 hour span. A marathon and then a half. And yes I was a bit stiff and sore but nothing horrible. I really love watching my mind and body stretch their limits. Doing things with 'relative' ease that were previously such a big deal. Really cool stuff