Halloween

Today is Halloween.  It seemed appropriate to run the zombie trail.  I started at the top and hit the new dirt trail on the east side.  Although it seemed like it should have been down hill there was a lot of up hill involved.  When I got to the bottom I ran back up the zombie trail.  I was slow.  I really enjoyed the run.  The colors in the  leaves are beautiful.

It was 43 degrees when I ran.  It's been a while since I ran in temperature that cool.  I wore lightweight tights and a long sleeve shirts with gloves and an ear warmer.  I was very comfortable.  In February 43 degrees will feel like a spring day.  Today it felt great.

I signed Jim and I up for two 5Ks in November.  The Jingle Bell Run and the Turkey Trot at Six Flags. 

I wore my new Brooks Cascadia shoes today.  They felt good.

Races

Right now I am signed up for the Skippo and the Trail Marathon.  I need to decide what other races I am going to do this winter.  I have done the Snowball Series the last three years but I am undecided about it.  I am thinking of just finding some races and signing up.  I would like to do a Thanksgiving Race but we are probably having 40 people for dinner so it's hard to race and get everything ready.  Jen and John are running the Jingle Bell Race for arthritis Nov 19 because one of Jen's cross  country runners has arthritis.  I may sign up for it.  I want to do a New Year's Day race.  Snowball Series does not have a New Year's race this year.  I like the Frozen Feet Half.  I just need to make up my mind and sign up.

Today was cross training.  Runner's yoga and walking.

Back to the Trails

The last week I have been at Petit Jean State Park in Arkansas.  Today we drove home.  After 7 hours in the car I needed to run.  Jim went with me.  We started at Sherman Beach and ran the Cedar Bluff loop.  I am working at getting my trail legs back.  I am slow anywhere there are rocks and tree roots.  My trail mantra is "Pick up your feet, don't fall".  I was slow but did not trip.  Jim did great.  I feel I am recovered from the marathon.

News flash:  Jim said he might sign up for the Wildwood Trail Marathon.  Is he has nutty and Kathy and me?  He doesn't know if he can keep up with us fast women.

More hiking

Today I did more hiking on rocky hilly trails.  I am hoping all this hiking will get my legs ready for trail running.  How will I ever be able to run a trail marathon?

A successful day

Today I hiked trails without tripping and falling.  I also drank wine without tripping and falling.  It was a successful day.

Trail legs

Today we hiked.  The trails were steep and rocky.  At one point I slipped and twisted my ankle.  Jim said, "I didn't hear anything pop".  I didn't feel anything pop.  I picked myself off the ground and kept hiking and felt fine.  I definitely have to work on my trail legs.  We were going to kayak in the afternoon but it was very windy so we hiked again.  It was another steep trail.  When we got back to camp we had this conversation,
Me: I am going for a short run.
Jim: it won't kill you to miss a day.
Me:. I missed yesterday.  My legs want to run.
Jim:. I am going to stay here and drink an adult beverage.
Me:. I'm going to run then drink an adult beverage.

I ran then had my wine.

I'm In

I'm in.  I signed up for the Wildwood Trail Marathon.  I was the first woman in my age group to sign up.  Where are all the other 60-64 year old women?  Am I nuts?  It will be hard.  There will be hills.  There will be pain.  I can't let Kathy have all that fun without me.

Running with Jim

Today Jim went with me for an easy run.  The weather was perfect.  His knee started hurting so we took some walk breaks.  It was the other knee that hurt.  The one with the cortisone shot felt fine.  My running is feeling good.  I know I am supposed to do easy recovery runs for a few weeks after a marathon.  I am trying to keep is easy. 

Recovery Continues

Today I feel great after yesterday's 5K.  I was worried that I went too fast.  I kept a good pace but never sprinted.  Sprinting is where I hurt myself.  It was a rainy day.  We were going to hike with Jen and John but just went out for lunch instead.  Exercised indoors.

Chesterfield Gumbo Flats 5K

Jim and I have run the Chesterfield Gumbo Flats 5K for three years.  We like the race because it is close to home and well managed.  Jim likes the beer.  There is good food afterward.  Today they had scrambled eggs, sandwiches, muffins, banana, pizza, lemonade, etc.

My goal was to run at an easy pace and not hurt myself.  I averaged 8:32 pace which was faster than I intended but it felt good the whole time.  Jim did very well considering he has not run much the last two months.

I am looking forward to hitting the trails.  Today's race was a flat course.  I have kept my runs flat since the marathon because my quads took a beating with all the downhill in Utah.  I am ready to start some easy hills.

Chiropractor

I went to see my favorite chiropractor, Dr. Lauren.  I had my post marathon adjustment.  I have been feeling good but it is wise to be proactive and keep healthily.  I did my runners yoga.

Packet Pick Up

Tonight Jim and I went to Fleet Feet to pick up our packets for the 5K on Saturday.  I don't need any more shirts but I got another one.  There were some good coupons in the bag.  There was a $10 coupon for Rock and Brews so we went there for dinner.  Today was a rest day.  I walked and did stretching.  I think the runner's yoga really helps with recovery.,

PMS

I am suffering from PMS.  No, Not that kind of PMS.  I mean Post-Marathon Syndrome.  I spent most of 2017 preparing for marathons.  Marathon Training for the Flying Pig started January 1.  Then we ran the Pig May 7.  Training started again June 1 for St. George.  Now St. George is over and I need to recover.  Of course the Wildwood Trail Marathon is in December but I am view that as fun and not chasing a PR.  I need to set new goals.  My near future goal is to have fun running some races and not worry about time.  Recovery from a marathon is both physical and mental.  I am well on my way to physical recovery.  Mental recovery takes some time too.  I need to come up with a long term goal.

Today Jim and I did a three mile easy run.  I let him set the pace.  Jim is amazing.  He didn't run for two months then he goes out and runs three miles at a 9:14 pace.  This was probably too fast but it felt good.

More Recovery

Today I rested.  I did some runner's yoga and walking.  I know that it is important to give my body time to recover.  I like running.  I like having a plan.

Races

Today I signed up for the Chesterfield Gumbo Flats Pumpkin run.  Jim really likes this run because there is good food and beer.  I will run the 5K as a fun run.  We went for a four mile easy run today and both felt good.  I need to make sure I don't get carried away with the race and run too fast and hurt myself.

More walking

Today we took Charlie for a walk on the zombie trail.  It had rained overnight and we didn't want  him to get muddy.  He did walk in the creek then lay down and get all wet.  I feel great after yesterday's five mile run.  Jim's knee was a little tight but he felt fine.

Running with Jim, Yoga with Charlie

Today I felt like running.  It's been a week since the marathon.  Jim felt like running.  It's been over a week since he had a cortisone shot in his knee.  I decided we needed to try a flat course and keep it slow.  We went to Sherman Beach and walk/ran an easy 5 miles.  We both felt good afterward.  I was pleased that I ran pain-free.  I don't think I am ready for hills yet but the flat and slow felt great.

When I got home I did my runner's yoga cool down.  Charlie is here to help me.  He is a big, brown, lovable dog.

Dog Sitting

This weekend we are dog sitting for Charlie.  Charlie is my daughter's chocolate lab.  We took him for a walk at lunch.  Then when I was laying on the floor doing my stretching, Charlie gave me kisses.  My legs are feeling great.  My feet are feeling great.  I am looking forward to hitting the trails.

The recovery continues

I told myself I need to take a week off after the marathon.  This is driving me crazy.  I like running.  I know it is good for me to rest.  I am feeling good.  I took another walk during my lunch break and did my runner's yoga.  I used my foam roller and put on epsom salt lotion.  All this is helping recovery.  I know if I do too much too early I risk injury.  Today's weather would have been great for running.

Stairs

Today I went down to the basement to get something out of the freezer.  I was back upstairs when I realized that I felt no pain at all walking up and down the stairs.  Sunday stairs were painful.  Monday stairs were better but still hurt.  Yesterday was better.  Today is back to normal.

The first marathon I ran was in St. Louis.  It was an unusually hot day for April.  At the end of the marathon I told Jim to never let me run another marathon again.  I was miserable.  Now I find myself looking forward to the next one.

Today at lunch I took a walk in the subdivision.  It felt good to get outside and stretch my legs.  I am concentrating on my recovery.  I did my runners yoga and spent quality time with my foam roller. 

Recovery

Let the recovery progress.  Today was back to work day.  My legs are feeling better but far from normal.  I did some light stretching and walking around the house.  I would have gone outside for a walk but it rained today.  I am looking forward to hitting the trails.

I reviewed my Garmin data from the marathon.  My first half and second half were even.  I was trying to keep my miles at about 10:00 pace.  Some were a little faster and some were a little slower.  I had one bathroom stop.  I still cannot believe the time I accomplished.

Boston

It is finally sinking in that I qualified for Boston.  I never would have done it without the coaching, support and encouragement of my slug sister.  Today I want to run Boston.  Tomorrow I may think differently.

Today we took a short hike at Pioneer Park.  It is a travel day.  My legs are sore but it is a good sore.  It is a you worked hard and accomplished something sore.  My brain wants to run.  It has been a long time since I have taken two days in a row off.  My legs need rest.

The aftermath

Any day I can run is a good day.  Any day I can run a marathon is a great day.  Yesterday was a great day.  Today I have no plan and very sore quads.  It feels okay to walk on level ground.  Stairs are painful.  I know I need to take time off before I run again but I am already looking forward to hitting the trails.

The St. George Marathon

It was a beautiful day for a marathon.  We got up at 3:30.  We left the house by 4:15.  We found parking close to the finish.  We got on a bus for the trip to the start.  We arrived at the start at 5:45.  The race was supposed to start at 6:45 but didn't start until after f27.  It was chilly but they had bonfires going.

The race was fast with a lot of down hills.  Kathy and I started together.  Kathy's BQ time is faster than mine so she went ahead.  We both finished with huge PRs.  I attained a Boston Qualifying time.  Our legs are very sore from all the downhill running.

It was a successful day.  We are whipped.

The expo

Today is race day eve.  This means we had the Expo.  The expo was very nice.  We spent quite a bit of time there.  We went to two of the speakers.  One was a woman who had run every St. George marathon. The other was Amby Burfoot who was the 1968 Boston Marathon winner and past editor of Runner's World Magazine.  We had our picture taken with him.  We had an early dinner at Olive Garden and did an easy two mile run.

We are ready to conquer the St. George marathon.

Getting ready

Only two days until race day!  How did it get here so fast?

We are in St. George.  Today we went out for breakfast.  Then we drove the race course.  The are a few uphill and a lot of downhill.  Nothing looks too steep.  It will be fabulous.

We found the start line.  There were many, many port-a-potties.  There were no lines.  We both tried out a potties.  There were brand new rolls of toilet paper.  It will be much different on race morning.  There will be long lines and they will run out of paper.  They will be filled with poop.

We did an easy three mile run on a paved trail near where we are staying.  After a long day of travel yesterday, it felt good to run.  I was surprised my breathing was a bit heavy at first.  I don't know if it's the slight increase in altitude or dry air.  I felt fine by the end of the run.

I am excited, anxious and confident all at the same time.

Wednesday - travel day

Wednesday we travelled from St. Louis to Las Vegas then drove to St. George Utah.  All went well.  We are ready to run.

I've Got This

I am trained.
I am ready
I've got this.

Tomorrow we fly to Las Vegas then drive to St. George for the marathon on Saturday.  WooHoo!

Today was a 3 mile easy run.  I went during my lunch break.  When I got back my legs were saying, "Is that all?  I am just getting warmed up."

Only four days until the race. 

5 more days

Only five days until the  St. George Marathon.  Now is when I panic.  Did I train enough?  Am I ready?  How could I possibly run 26.2 miles?  What what I thinking.  Oh no!

First I went to Marathon.Com and read reviews of the race.  Overall the review were very good.  However, there were many comments like:
"Tougher than expect"
"Half uphill and half downhill"
"Challenging"
"Uphill from miles 7-12"
"Don't be fooled and think this is an easy course"
"Very hot"
"Be sure to train for lots of hills"

Yikes.  The elevation map does not look that bad.  Where did these people come from?


The heat could be an issue but hydration is key.  Forecast for Saturday in St. George low 56 high 87.  It will be hot but we should be done before the heat of the day.  In addition we trained in oppressive heat in September.

Next I watched a YouTube video of the course.  It didn't look bad. 

Whatever happens in the race it will be a fun weekend with my Slug Sister.

Last Long Run

Today was the last long run on the plan.  It wasn't very long at only eight miles.  It's not really the last long run.  It's only the last long run until the next long run.  I have come to love my Sunday morning long runs.

The morning was nice and cool.  We ran negative splits finishing strong and fast. 

It is race week!  The countdown in on!

6 days until the marathon
5 days until the expo
4 days until our 3 mile training run in Utah
3 days until we fly to Vegas and drive to St. George
2 days until our last training run in Missouri
1 day until our last rest day on the plan.