Training Log Archive: Funderstormin

Couldn't resist trying to find a race while we were down here. The only option at the time was the Manatee River Run - a 5 mile "trail" race in Emerson Point Park. It was less than an hour from where we were staying and today had the nicest forecast of the entire time we had been here.

For $25, we got a decent technical shirt, chip timing, and more post-race food and drink choices than I've ever seen. Course was uninspiring but a beautiful day and a great way to kick off New Year's Eve.

Let the record state though: I would much rather deal with the discomfort of a 5+ hour ultra than a flat 5 miler!

C • I agree 2

Andrew and I headed north of Tampa today for a trail run at Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve, home of one of the Dances with Dirt ultras. We parked at the West entrance and strung together a loop of double and singletrack. The doubletrack was painfully sandy but the singletrack was pure bliss - we both loved it. Didn't have a map with us but took a picture of one with my phone which came in handy on several occasions. Loved the terrain which was very different from yesterday's trek and the fact that there was only about 20 feet of elevation change (hey, I've made my opinions on hills and mountains clear, and besides, it was a vacation run). Awesome, awesome run.

Gorgeous hike through Hillsborough River State Park in the morning. We had hoped this would be a run but we both came down with a nasty stomach flu yesterday en route from Detroit to Tampa - very likely caught from one our disease-infected munchkin nieces or nephews over the holidays! We both agreed that we weren't up for much but that the fresh air would do us good. Really cool terrain to hike through!

Nice trail run with my sister, who kicked my ass on all the hills!

Last week when Mrs. Tiny and I ran on the Grand River trail, I was enamoured with how fast and high the river looked, and I vowed that I would get out for one more paddle before the river froze!

Decided to take the Hero, in part to make up for all of the unfulfilled promises I'd made to him about taking on him some *actual* whitewater this season. The river wasn't moving quite as fast as I thought it was, but I had a gorgeous and satisfying paddle nonetheless. With smartwools under my paddle booties, a warm base layer under my dry top and a balaclava under my ball cap, I was perfectly comfortable.

Maybe if I'm lucky I'll get out again before it freezes up!

Stephania and I met for a trail run at Rattlesnake Point. Perfect temperature and beautiful weather for it. We had a great run and the time flew by. Day only got better when my Veg Out app told me there was a vegan restaurant called The Naked Sprout a few minutes away, where we had an amazing lunch. Came home and treated myself to a pedicure, now that I might manage to hang onto my toenails for a few months. Heading out now to with my nephews to look at the Christmas lights at Waterloo Park. A perfect day!

1st annual Wilfrid Laurier university Teaching Support Services Frosty 5K fun run!

I made a joke about doing this at a staff meeting in October, and several people came up to me afterwards and asked if I actually would. So, today, after many anxiety-ridden emails being exchanged over the past week, eight people from my office went out for a little jaunt around Waterloo. One woman in particular used this 'event' to try to get herself back into shape, and even though she struggled more than everyone else, it probably meant the most to her, which was really awesome!

Our director was the official water girl / photographer and drove around the course with us snapping photos and offering support. I got ribbons for everyone and swag from previous races as prizes. There is already talk about expanding it to the entire building next year. Glad they enjoyed it!

C • Nice! 2

Body Pump with Mrs. Tiny, who is still giving 'er despite the increasing obviousness of her pregnancy!

RPM class.

Woke up this morning and decided there was no reason I couldn't bike at the Hydrocut. Fortunately I was right and I got in a short but sweet loop before a day 'o holiday festivities. By 9:30 when I got there, there were already almost a half a dozen fresh tire tracks ahead of me, so clearly I wasn't the one with this idea. By the time I left, the one parking lot was almost full! Great to get out for this instead of at the gym or on the trainer.

Nice brisk run on Grand River Trail with Mrs. Tiny.

C • Your making me feel.... 5

At home on the really-needs-to-be-used-more TRX.

Beautiful outdoor morning run. Great temp out there today!

C • It was a perfect morning fo... 1

RPM class with Mrs. Tiny. Felt a lot better than I did on Thursday, and HR back to where it should be.

Have been meaning to get back to Bikram for so long. Hopefully I can keep it up once a week or so for awhile now that my schedule has calmed down. Felt soooo good...I visualized sweating out the remaining germs lingering in my system!

Easy indoor run on treadmill. Still can't kick this cold and it's taking a lot out of me. :(

First day since returning from San Fran that I've felt up to doing anything. Legs have felt fine for a couple of days but I can't kick the chest cold I got before the race and have stubbornly refused to take any time off work to get better. Met Mrs. Tiny at the gym for spin class. Didn't feel like I could give 'er but it felt good to sweat nonetheless.

Had a surprisingly good run today at the North Face Endurance Challenge Championship in San Fran. I say surpisingly because I did not feel like I'd had the time this past term to really focus on my running the way that I should have. I've also been battling a terrible chest cold (that I am hoping is not pneumonia again) that has gotten progressively worse and had me gasping for breath even walking around yesterday. On my entry form I'd guessed my time would be 8:30, so I was pleased to come in almost an hour ahead of schedule.

I'm terrible at details, but I am sure that Bash will provide lots - and pictures - to fill in some of the blanks. I think that we did the same course but her race added some other sections in. There were lots of hills. Big hills. Hills that took up to an hour to climb. On the plus side, what goes up must come down and all of the downhills were long and cruisy too. There was an ocean, that we saw several times, and a beautiful section through Muir Woods that I would love to run again. There was one section between two aid stations that was almost entirely runable, which made me suspicious. There were peanut butter and jam sandwiches at the aid stations, and salty potatoes, which made me very happy. The last three miles were all pretty much downhill. That made me - but not my feet - happy as well. There was free beer after the race. Mmmm, beer. Does it seem like a 6 year old wrote this race report?

Although my head and lungs feel crappy now, my legs seems none the worse for wear. Because I had trouble breathing it forced me to keep things slow right from the start. Where I would have probably normally gone way harder out of the gate, I stayed really conservative, which meant I still felt pretty good running by the end of the race.

So overall, I'd say it went very well for me. My time was only 20 minutes slower than my time at Haliburton last year, with many thousand feet more elevation. Got to meet Dean Karnazes out on the trail, which was cool too. Bash had a great race as well, but I won't spoil the surprise! I'm really glad she suggested this race though. Not only was it a super fun trip (complete with pre-race wine tastings) but now I've the point I'd need to do the CCC in 2013 if a group is going (I have no UTMB airs at this point!).

Oh yeah, and did I forget to mention it was about 15-20 degrees and sunny all day? ;)

C • Congrats! 13