Sunday, December 31, 2023

Mini Book Reviews: December 2023

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. 

What a great finish to a great year of reading! As I read my final book of the year, Strange Sallly Diamond, I couldn't help but notice some of the themes of the books I read this month overlapped. I read two books with quirky characters, The Mystery Guest and Strange Sally Diamond. Questionable adoptions were the themes in The Berry Pickers and Strange Sally Diamond. I couldn't help but make comparisons between the books. In All That is Mine, I Carry With Me, and Strange Sally Diamond, you have themes of misogyny and victimization of women. Don't let that deter you from any of these books--they were all good reads!

This year I read 70 books and DNF'd 3. My top 10 books were; Demon Copperhead, Hello Beautiful, Adelaide, The Great Believers, Last Summer on State Street, The Collected Regrets of Clover, Shark Heart, Birdie and Harlow, The Berry Pickers, and Strange Sally Diamond. There were many other good ones as well, so if you don't follow me on Goodreads, please do so you can check them out! 

Saturday, December 30, 2023

Mission Accomplished

I continued my quest to hit 1000 miles for the year and on Wednesday, my mission was accomplished. I didn't stop running, though! I kept up with my usual routine, adding a few more miles to my yearly total. I'm feeling very satisfied with how my year went, both on and off the road, and that is a great feeling!

Saturday, December 23, 2023

Chasing 1000 miles

When checking my annual mileage last week, I discovered that 1000 miles for the year was within reach! This week, I chipped away at that goal, getting to 989 miles for 2023 after Friday's run. Barring any unforeseen issues--illness stay away!--I think I got this! 

The last time I topped 1000 miles was in 2020, during the pandemic. That year I ran 1208 miles, which included several virtual and live half marathons. In 2021 I ran 917 miles for the year, despite being sidelined for several months after breaking my ankle and foot. Last year, I ran 970 miles. I wasn't paying attention--otherwise, I would have pushed a little harder to top 1000. 

What's so important about topping 1000 miles? I never set a mileage goal for the year, but there is a certain satisfaction in hitting such a big number. A Google search revealed that 1000 miles is a fairly common goal for runners--defined by Runner's World as 'both terribly daunting and totally attainable'. For this runner, topping 1000 miles feels very satisfying. Hitting 1000 miles for the year reminds me that I can do hard things. It's a goal that takes commitment and consistency, a gift that extends into other areas of my life and makes me a better person.

"The journey to 1000 miles begins with a single step." ~ Lao Tzu

Saturday, December 16, 2023

A Record Breaking Week!

Ok, the title of this post might be a bit misleading...but I did have 2 big PRs at the gym this week! I might not be able to PR in my running shoes, but it is nice to know that I can still make gains in the gym. This made me so happy and was a really nice way to wrap up my year of fitness. 

I haven't made any plans or set any goals for 2024. Right now I'm content to soak up what was one of the most fun years, both on and off the road, that I've had in a while. My running shoes took me to some really fun places--from running the mountains in Palm Desert to running that trail race in Leadville, Colorado to running on the beach in Santa Monica at Brooks' Hype Fest! I ran the streets of Chicago, trying out a new half marathon on the boulevards of the west side. And while I didn't run in Alabama, my feet got plenty wet while I skied behind Holly's boat. Don't forget about that sister trip to Banff! Of course, there were all those miles I ran on the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin, culminating in completing my 3rd Mammoth Challenge in October. 

While I take some time to catch my breath, I'm also waiting to hear if I've been invited back to join the Brooks Running Collective. In the meantime, I'm just going to lace up and enjoy my miles. At this writing, I have 38 miles to get to 1000 for the year. I had no idea I was that close, so let's see if I can dial it up for the next 2 weeks. You know I love a challenge...

Sunday, December 10, 2023

I Need A Run!

On and off the road, this was a tough week. 

The cold virus that took me down last weekend slowly improved. I was pretty fatigued early in the week and didn't get much movement in. That in itself was a stressor and reminder of how much running and sweating help my anxiety.

By Wednesday, I was feeling pretty good. I was literally walking out the door for a run when my youngest son called me. He was getting ready to leave for work and he realized he forgot his keys. He was locked out of their yard, so he tried to climb over the fence. His pant leg got caught on the top and he fell 6 feet to the concrete below, landing on his face and hurting his wrist. He did not sound good. So instead of driving to the forest preserve for a run, I drove to the city, taking him to the ER to be evaluated. Fortunately, he 'only' had a concussion and a wrist sprain.  If you've been following me for a while, you know this kid has had his share of injuries over the years. I really think I should wrap him in bubble wrap! I'm so glad he is ok.

I also learned that I didn't get a bib for the 2024 Chicago Marathon. I read that over 120,000 runners applied to the lottery. Yes, you read that right. 😳 To put it in perspective, the first time I ran Chicago, in 2011, I just signed up. Not getting in this time hit harder than I expected. Even though I swore off marathons after my diagnosis with RA in 2016, after spectating this year, I wanted to run Chicago once more, to prove to myself that I could. And no, I don't want to pick a different marathon. I'm going to take this as a sign that I need to follow a different path. 

No matter what, I will continue to run. Running is my therapy. I also love the feeling of running. Now that I know I don't have the marathon on my calendar, I can decide what, if anything will be next. You know there will be plenty of trails, though! 


Sunday, December 3, 2023

'Tis the Season!

'Tis the season for:
- snow, which we've had twice already and it has melted both times,
- holiday prep, which I've been embarking on this weekend. I already have some shopping done, the tree is waiting for decorations, and I'm planning on baking today,
- holiday fun! I had two fun events planned for this weekend,
- holiday themed runs--I don't have any on the calendar this year...yet,
- sneezin'. I'm battling a cold virus and trying to power through it as much as I can. On Saturday, I had to bail on my planned 3rd strength sesh and plans to go to the holiday light show at the Botanic Gardens with my sister. 
 
  

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

Mini Book Reviews: Nonfiction November 2023

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of The Meth Lunches: Food and Longing in An American City from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my review. This post contains affiliate links.

After reading another 'highly-rated' fiction book that I struggled to get through, I decided to jump into non-fiction November again this year. I was inspired by fellow blogger Liz Dexter who cohosts a non-fiction November linkup. I'm so glad I did. To kick off the month, I dug into my library's new releases and was stunned to find Britney Spears' memoir available. Sorry, not sorry, I was curious and it was a surprisingly good read. The Meth Lunches and Hidden Valley Road were both interesting and eye-opening, but very socially relevant. If you didn't love Dolly Parton before, you will after you read Sarah Smarsh's portrayal in She Come By It Natural. For followers of Anthony Bourdain, World Travel makes an excellent supplement to his shows. And what to say about Birdie and Harlow except to warn you to have a box of tissues nearby. What a sweet sweet story!


Saturday, November 25, 2023

Turkey Trotting

It was another fantastic weather week--sunshine every day! This is so unusual this time of year for us that I can't help but comment on it. I am loving it. The realist in me knows it's going to come to an end and in fact, as you read this, we are receiving snow. 'Tis the season, after all!

I had a very productive and busy fitness week, including a Turkey Trot under the Thanksgiving sun with my son! But by Saturday, I was feeling tired, achy, and just off. As much as I wanted to go to the gym for that 3rd day of strength this week, I did not. Sometimes you just have to listen to what your body tells you, am I right? I am hoping a day of rest will prevent this from turning into something. I've been seeing a lot of sick kiddos in my clinic.

Saturday, November 18, 2023

Still Can't Beat It!

And by that title, I'm referring to this fantastic fall weather! The leaves are mostly off the trees but it's still relatively mild and that sun just keeps on shining! No complaints--I'll take this fall as long as it wants to stick around. It's been an uneventful week for me and I'm happy about that too!

Saturday, November 11, 2023

Sometimes You Get Just What You Need

Reflecting back on the past week, overall, it was a good one. The weather was decent, especially for November which IMHO usually rivals February for the worst weather of the year. My workouts went well--I'm making gains in strength and on Friday, had the speediest run in a long time. That always feels good. I keep meeting and hearing about women in my age group or older who are doing amazing things! This week, the Chicago Marathon posted on its IG account about 2 older women who set new records on this year's course: the always awe-inspiring Jeannie Rice AG75-79 3:34:32 and Jenny Hitchings AG60-64 2:49:43. Both finish times would be remarkable in any age group, but these ladies are certainly proving that age is just a number. 

I find it serendipitous that these people and stories are coming my way when I'm contemplating running Chicago one more time. No worries, I'm not going to break any records or set a new PR. Plus I have get a bib first! But these are the kinds of stories that inspire me and quiet the voices in my head that tell me I'm too old to be doing this. You really do get what you need--you just have to open your mind to the possibilities!

Saturday, November 4, 2023

A Wild Week

Wild seemed to be the theme for my week! The full moon was last Saturday, so I can't blame it on that, right?

The weather this week was definitely wild! The transition between fall and winter is always crazy, but this week, it was all over the place. We had 1.2" of snow on Halloween, which didn't set a record but was definitely unusual. Fortunately, the sun came out in the afternoon, but it was cold for the trick-or-treaters. By the end of the week, we were back in the 50s, which felt like summer. 

It was also a wild week at work. We're having a baby boom! I don't ever remember seeing so many newborns, but I am here for it. I seem to have at least one, maybe 2 newborns on my schedule every day. Our schedules continue to be full and there are more sick kids coming in, as you would expect in the fall. It's definitely keeping me on my toes.

It's never dull around here!


Monday, October 30, 2023

Mini Book Reviews: October 2023

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I received an ARC of Resilient from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review. 

Sometimes my book choices are dictated by what lands in my library inbox. Other times, I might get a NetGalley prerelease to review that I really want to read. Such was the case this month. My favorite read of the month was the eye-opening autobiography How to Say Babylon. If you've read Educated, The Sound of Gravel, or The Glass Castle, you'll find similarities in the telling of a tale of growing up in a dysfunctional and authoritarian household. It's been a while since I've read these books, yet they have stuck with me. I find it amazing how these authors have emerged from their childhoods as productive adults. 

Hopefully you will find something here to interest you!

Sunday, October 29, 2023

Dancing in the Dark

My busy fall is finally winding down as I'm home for the first weekend in about a month. In the meantime, the days have gotten shorter, the leaves more colorful, and Halloween is just around the corner! I've been really active and after tomorrow, should wind up with just under 100 miles for the month. I'm always so grateful for what my body lets me do!

Saturday, October 21, 2023

Hello, My Pretty!

Disclaimer: As a member of the Brooks Run Happy Team, I received a complimentary pair of the Brooks Ghost Max in exchange for social shares. I really do love them!

So much prettiness again this week! My sister and I wrapped up our trip to Banff and headed home on Monday. Luckily, we had decent weather in Chicago, which helped ease the landing. Work was insane, but I was still riding the wave of a nice trip with my sister. Even better, our fall colors are peeking right now, so there's plenty of beauty right here at home. We headed up to the lake on Saturday where the colors are spectacular. There was a little bit of sunshine, but the clouds blew in and kind of dimmed the glow. It was still pretty for my run!

Sunday, October 15, 2023

Wrapping up the Week in Banff

Buckle up, pour yourself a drink, get a snack, because I'm recapping not only my experience spectating the Chicago Marathon, but also the first part of my weekend in Banff. My sister and I traveled to Canada for our 11th annual sister trip. It's hard to keep topping our previous trips, but our long weekend in Banff may have been our best trip yet. I have so many photos and it was hard to pick just a few to share here. Oh, and I had a big run on the Ice Age Trail in there too! And did I mention I met Des Linden?

What a week!

Saturday, October 7, 2023

Big Weekend

It's marathon weekend in Chicago and even though I'm not running the marathon, it's still a big weekend! So many RHT members are running Chicago this year as well as a lot of local friends. I've got my marathon tracking app loaded up and I don't remember ever having as many runners listed as in years past. It's so much fun! I ran the 5k on Saturday--see below--and on Monday, I'm going to a meet and greet with Des Linden. My friend Kristin came to town to spectate with me! 

Monday, October 2, 2023

Mini Book Reviews: September 2023

 Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I received a copy of Penelope in Retrograde from Amazon First Reads in exchange for my honest review.

It's been a busy month for me, as I shared in my Weekly Rundown, but I always find time to read! I read an interesting variety of books, but my hands-down favorite was Shark Heart. I think this would be such a good book club book--the story is unusual and there's a lot to think about. I also loved Mile Marker Zero--having visited Key West in the 1980s before big money and tourism changed the island vibe-- and it kind of made me sad to see it lose its free-spirited feeling.


Sunday, October 1, 2023

So Many Miles, So Little Time

I runfess...oops, I apologize that I haven't been runfessing or linking up for coffee lately. Life has gotten busy and with the exception of the Weekly Rundown, blogging has taken a back seat. Since returning home from Brooks Hype Fest, Brooks has been keeping us RHT members busy. We've been sharing lots of photos from that weekend. We've also been posting about our latest gear drop and are awaiting some new exciting shoes that are coming out soon. The Chicago Marathon is next weekend, and those of us RHT members who aren't running are planning some meet-ups and a cheer station. It's a good kind of busy and it's really injected some good energy into running for me!

In addition to running related commitments, I've been asked to participate in a big project at work, a Zero Suicide initiative for my large healthcare system, which will include developing policies and protocols to help guide providers to prevent suicides in patients and intervene when there is the threat of suicide. It's a daunting task, but a worthwhile one. 

On the health front, I am definitely feeling better and weaning the steroids slowly. I don't want the flare to flare up again. I have to admit that I haven't minded the steroids at all. In fact, since starting them, I feel like I am 10 years younger. I wish I felt like this all the time! And speaking of steroids, Cocoa and I road tripped to Madison this week to see the dermatologist at the UW vet clinic. In the doggy world, the derms manage skin, allergies, and ears. I was so impressed with the plan the dermatologist came up with. Fingers crossed we can avoid surgery. 

Finally, I'm thrilled to wrap up September with decent mileage. October looks to be another high mileage month as I'm kicking off the Mammoth Challenge today. 


Saturday, September 23, 2023

Filling My Bucket

This was a big week of celebrating! 
  • Celebrating feeling better as the steroids calmed the inflammation in my joints;
  • Saying farewell to my friend Kristin as she begins a new chapter in her life; 
  • Celebrating my birthday; 
  • Welcoming the arrival of fall;
  • And celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary.
One of my young patients told his mom she was 'filling his bucket' when she did something for him. It was the perfect metaphor for this week--my bucket is full!

Saturday, September 16, 2023

A Great Week on My Feet

Disclaimer: As a Brooks Run Happy Team member, I receive complimentary gear. 

But...the RA flare that I mentioned in last week's rundown continued into this week. While I didn't let it stop me from doing anything, I was in a fair amount of pain at rest. You know...motion is lotion... and all that. While ibuprofen has been taking the edge off, I finally broke down and called my rheumatologist on Friday for a prescription for steroids. 

It's been a long time since I've had to take steroids and as of today, I haven't started them yet. As you read this, I'm on a 'field trip' with my Trail Sisters in Whitewater, Wisconsin on the IAT. Canceled due to rain. I'll see how I feel and if I'm still hurting, I'll start taking them. 

Stubborn? Yes. But I haven't had to curb my activities yet, so fingers crossed (and yes I can do that too) that this thing just burns itself out.

In spite of the flare, I had a great week on my feet! Read on...

Sunday, September 10, 2023

Motion is Lotion

I don't know if I'd call it a full-on RA flare, but this week I was really achy. I blame the ridiculous humidity that plagued us at the start of the week. Even with the mid-week temperature and humidity drop, the pain lingered on, but I just kept moving. You know what we RA warriors say: Motion is Lotion. It really does feel better once I get moving and it sure beats sitting on the couch all day. It was a crazy week at work and that was another reason for me to keep moving!

Saturday, September 2, 2023

A Taste of Fall

We're heating back up now, but this week provided me with some really nice weather for my runs. I've been struggling with running since Leadville. My foot injury hasn't helped either. Fortunately, the foot is improving. Between being able to run relatively pain free and having some cooler mornings this week, running has started to feel good again. I'm still going to follow up with the foot ortho, just to make sure everything is all good. 

With no races on the calendar for the rest of the year, I'm currently not training for anything. I am working on building up my endurance to prepare myself for the Mammoth Challenge in October. I've got 43 miles to complete on the IAT and I only have 3 weekends free to devote to that. I'm determined to make it happen, and if you know me, you know that once I set my mind to something, I make it happen! Cooler weather will definitely be my friend. Stay tuned for that!


Mini Book Reviews; August 2023

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I received an ARC of Happiness Falls from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I received a copy of Don't Forget to Write from Amazon First Reads.

If anything, I read books with really good covers this month! I definitely picked Old Flame based on the cover and, yes it was worth the read. Actually, everything I read except for Happiness Falls was great. The pre-release hype for Happiness Falls was big and I fell for it. Interestingly, this book got great reviews and I just don't get it. If you've read it, comment below and let me know what you thought about it. 


Saturday, August 26, 2023

A Vacation and A Staycation

I'm going to apologize in advance for this very long post--I missed last week while I was out of town attending Brooks' Hype Fest, so you get a 2 week recap. With Michelle as my witness, I did bring my laptop to California, with every intention of posting last Sunday. But in the evening when we returned to our room, we were both so exhausted that we literally passed out. I shared a daily recap on IG and even that felt inadequate--we just did so much in the 4 days we were out there. I recapped it all on a blog post, which you can read HERE. My RHT teammates continue to post recaps on IG and while I am amazed at everyone's creativity, looking at their posts, I can hardly believe everything we packed in those 4 days!

The smartest thing I've done in a long time was to work up until the day I left for California and then to take the week off work after returning home. This gave me a chance to rest and regroup. It was really nice to have time away from work to focus on other things--and there was a lot going on that needed my attention. 

Most importantly, I came home to a sick little pup. Cocoa is going to need surgery on that other ear and I am bringing her to the UW Madison vet school for her appointment on Monday to discuss the plan. I'll share more details next week. 

I had my foot ultrasound on Thursday. The pain has been improving and I can run on it, but it still lets me know that it's not right. Interestingly, the radiologist who scanned it told me that there was no plantar plate tear (woot!) and no neuroma (double woot!). There was some fluid around the joint and he suspects a bad bone contusion from when I landed on the rock a few weeks ago. I still need to talk with my ortho to confirm, but this is very good news. Obviously, I would have liked an answer, but at least all the bad stuff is ruled out and hopefully, I'll be back to normal soon. 

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Brooks Hype Fest 2023 recap

Disclaimer: As a member of the Brooks Run Happy Team, I received a trip to Brooks Hype Fest and Brooks running gear. This is my recap of the event, but all my opinions are my own. This post contains an affiliate link.

After my experience at last year's Brooks Run Happy Camp, I didn't know how Brooks could top it, but--spoiler alert-- this year they did better by a long shot. The organizers said they took all our feedback from last year to make this year an even better experience. They also changed the name of the event to Brooks Hype Fest, which I just realized as I was writing this, as a way to tie the event in with the launch of their new Hyperions. All the RHT members were receiving a pair at the event but had to work for it, as I'll share below. 

Let's get to the recap!


Saturday, August 12, 2023

A Little Bit of Running

I did a little bit of running this week. No, my foot is not better. But I'm finding a way to run with it. 

Running the trails gives me very little pain. I think this is due to the softer surface of the trails but also the stiffness of my trail shoes. Running on pavement gives me a little more trouble. I had the idea that maybe splinting my foot where the toes meet the forefoot might be helpful. To do that, I used a thin elastic headband and wound it around that part of my foot. Voila! Landing on the makeshift splint took some of the impact off the ball of my foot. It wasn't perfect, but at least I could get my miles in. 

Since there's no pressure to train for anything right now, I'm freely taking walk breaks when I need to. It feels good to be back out there and I'm hoping that I can continue to do this while I wait for the tear in my plantar plate to heal. 

Will it heal? I may as well pull out the Magic 8 ball. There's very little research done on the treatment of this injury. For now, I'll continue to splint the foot and hope for healing. 

Saturday, August 5, 2023

Shifting My Focus

Disclaimer: This post contains an affiliate link. 

Until this week, I have not felt like myself since returning from Leadville. I have never had to take so long to recover from a race. I am sure that the altitude was a big part of my fatigue. Between that and my foot injury, I haven't run in 3 weeks. In fact, until this week, with the exception of waterskiing, I hadn't done much activity at all. 

I returned to CrossFit on Monday and felt as if I hadn't missed a beat. That made me happy. Without running on my schedule, I found other activities to keep me busy, and on Friday, I laced up my running shoes again. 

The first six months of this year were very focused and intense as I prepared for my goal race in June. For the rest of the year, I am looking forward to just having fun with fitness, getting back to running, and not training for anything. There are some adventures planned, including Brooks Hype Fest in LA in 2 weeks, a GoRunTour with Erica after that, a sister trip in October, and the Mammoth Challenge on the Ice Age Trail in October. But it's all about having fun and dialing back the intensity, something I am really looking forward to!

Monday, July 31, 2023

Mini Book Reviews: July 2023

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of The Many Lives of Mama Love from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my review. This post has affiliate links.

What a great month of reading! Last month, I complained that I couldn't find much good to read. Well, that all turned around in July. For one thing, all my library holds came in at once. What to do? When this happens, I usually prioritize which book I'll get through the quickest, to get one off my list. Sometimes I have to return one to the library and get back on the list. Fortunately this month, I had a week off work plus I was traveling, which gave me a lot of downtime to read. 

Although I do admit to watching Cocaine Bear on one flight. I couldn't help myself and it was entertaining. 

Anyways, I read 7 good books this month, and August is starting off on the right foot as well. Two of them, The Seed Keeper and The Many Lives of Mama Love, were 5 star reads for me. The rest garnered a 4 star rating. Let me know if you find anything interesting here!


Sunday, July 30, 2023

I Wish My Foot Was Broken

Before you ask me if I'm nuts, let me explain. As you know, I've had mild pain in my left foot for about a month after landing on a rock on the trails. I ran Leadville with the pain, which didn't bother me at all. I waterskied all last weekend with the pain, again, very mild. Yet, I have this point tenderness around my second metatarsal and the ball of my foot. My foot swells at times. As I always say, I know enough to be dangerous, and based on my symptoms, I thought this was a stress fracture.

Turns out, I was wrong. It's most likely not a neuroma either.

I saw the ortho on Thursday. He did an x-ray and an exam and thinks that I have a plantar plate tear. I need to schedule an ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis. But basically, there's not a whole lot to do for this injury except wait for it to heal. This is why I would have preferred a fracture-- I'd already be halfway to being healed. Believe it or not, my ortho said the same thing.

My doctor did tell me to 'let the pain guide you' when it comes to activities. So nothing is forbidden--I just have to be smart and listen to my foot. I have some metatarsal pads to put in my shoes, which should help support the ball of my foot.

I probably will start some run/walk intervals in the next week or so. Otherwise, I have my arsenal of activities to keep me moving--pool running, cycling, waterskiing, CrossFit, and strength training. As always, I am so grateful for what I CAN do.

I'm not doing anything tricky here, just hitting some rough water. 
I thought it was a cool shot, tho!

Sunday, July 23, 2023

On the Road Again

No, not that road. I'm still sidelined from running, nursing my sore foot. But as you read this, I'm in Alabama with Holly, spending a lot of time on the water. It's always great to reunite and we always seem to pick back up as if we just saw each other yesterday!

I hate to admit this, but since Leadville, I've struggled to bounce back. Besides feeling fatigued, on Monday I woke up with severe pain on one side of the base of my head. I'm not sure if it was due to my sleep position or the virus I've been fighting, but the pain made me feel queasy. I took ibuprofen and used a heating pad and by the end of the day, it was down to a dull roar. I still had residual neck stiffness on Tuesday. So for the second time this week, I bailed on CrossFit and took to my yoga mat.  

I'm also concerned about my left foot, which was bothering me prior to my race. I knew that I would pay a price for running on it. My second toe is stiff and swollen and my third toe won't bend unless I do it manually. There is pain in the ball of my foot. My differential diagnoses: stress fracture vs neuroma. Hopefully, I'm wrong with both. I had my annual joint ultrasound at my rheumatologist's and all she could tell me is that there is no inflammation in the joint. Seriously not helpful, so I made an appointment with the foot ortho for next week. 

Meanwhile, there is still no running. I think I poked the bear enough and I'll wait to see what I'm dealing with. It's a good thing there are a lot of other things to keep me active!

Sunday, July 16, 2023

Post-Leadville Recovery

After what was an incredibly fun but also incredibly active weekend, I promised myself no running this week. That was not a hard promise to keep as I was exhausted after I arrived home. It didn't help that on Monday night after I got home, Cocoa made friends with a skunk. Ugh. The hubs and I were up late scrubbing her fur with Dawn, baking powder, and peroxide. We were able to avoid most of the stink in the house, fortunately. I had trouble sleeping that night and the next day, had a very challenging day at work. 

As the week went on, I started sleeping better but still felt really fatigued. The hubs noted on Saturday that I told him how tired I was about "10 times". I guess the race and the altitude really took a toll on me. I'm not regretting the race--it was definitely worth it! I feel no guilt about taking time off from running. I'm not sure if I'll run at all next week either, but I will be active. I'm heading to Alabama for a long weekend of waterskiing with Holly! 

To be honest, I haven't missed running at all this week. Sometimes, a little time off is a good thing. Running will be there for me when I get back.

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Race Recap: Leadville Silver 15 mile trail race

About 6 months ago, the leader of Trail Sisters Chicago Northwest asked me if I wanted to join her for Leadville Silver. She was planning on running the 50 mile race but told me there was a 15 mile option. Several of the other women were considering it as well. Since I'm writing this recap, you know what I decided. I asked my youngest son if he would be interested in running with me and to my surprise, he said yes! My oldest son and his girlfriend also joined us for a fun weekend in Colorado.

Saturday, July 8, 2023

A Bundle of Nerves

It's been a long time since I've had pre-race jitters like I've had this week. I think it's because Leadville is the first destination race I've gone to in a long time. There's so much more to a destination race than just showing up at the start line, which is why I don't do them very often. There's all the travel, the logistics of getting from point A to point B, and wrangling the 4 young adults who have accompanied me on this trip. Not to mention that one of my niggles, toe pain that I didn't mention a few weeks ago, decided to get really angry (see below). As the week went on, the pain lessened, but it didn't completely resolve.

My goal was to finish and I did that! I'll share more in a full recap soon. For most of the race, my foot behaved. As expected, the altitude was my nemesis, but I did better than I hoped. My son crushed his race and made me cry when he met me at the finish line. I was able to celebrate with my Trail Sisters. This was just such a great experience! If you want a sneak peek before I post the recap, check out my IG post, 

Thursday, July 6, 2023

Coffee Talk

Let's catch up over coffee! What are you having? Today, I'm sipping on Dunkin! For nurses' week back in May, I was given a gift card to Dunkin' and bought a pound of beans. Only $11! Such a bargain and oh so tasty. Of course, I have the usual scoop of collagen and splash of half and half to top it off. Old habits die hard...

What would you tell me over coffee? 

Monday, July 3, 2023

Mini Book Reviews: June 2023

 Disclaimer: I received an ARC of La Vie, According to Rose from Amazon First Reads. This post contains affiliate links.

After my first book this month, I fell into a slump. Is it just me or are a lot of the new releases lately kind of a slog? After reading several books this month that were highly reviewed and wondering what I was missing, I decided to dig into my TBR and found an absolutely delightful romance story. I ended the month with another backlist book that was recommended by Erica and it was a winner. 

I did have 2 DNFs this month. After making it to the 50% point with both, I called it quits. I just can't waste time reading a book that doesn't draw me in. There are too many books out there for that!


Sunday, July 2, 2023

Wrapping Up My Training Cycle

One week to go until the Leadville Silver 15 miler! I wrapped up my training cycle this week, very pleased with how it all went. You might ask when I officially started training. And I would answer that's a good question. While Earth Day wasn't my goal race, I did put in the work for that one too. It could count for training. Realistically, it wasn't until May that I really began to focus on my mileage, building on the work I did for Earth Day. Even more so, I put emphasis on getting lots of elevation. 

So here are the stats for the past 8 weeks:

Total miles: 208 miles
Total elevation: 7285 ft

I am so grateful to have access to those Wisco trails. When I totaled up my vert, the Illinois trails didn't even make a dent. The total elevation at Leadville is 1676 ft. With all my climbing, I am definitely ready for that! What I'm not ready for is the altitude, which at its peak on the course is 10,896 ft. Chicago sits at 597 ft. There's really no way for me to prepare for that. 

I wonder if I can bring portable oxygen in my hydration vest? 

What I have done: I've been 'doping' aka taking iron supplements for the past 3 months with the hopes of getting my hemoglobin higher, which would increase my blood's oxygen-carrying capacity. My son brags that his hemoglobin is 17, so he's hoping for success with that. I've also been taking creatine, along with my usual supplements, hoping to build a little more muscle mass to help me run strong. Research on running at altitude lead me to plan to arrive the day before the race, to allow as little time as possible to let the altitude affect me. 

With no goals but to finish and have fun, I am looking forward to running on some different trails and spending quality time with my boy. What else could a runner ask for?

Thursday, June 29, 2023

I Didn't Have an Apocalypse on My Summer Running Bingo Card and Other Runfessions

This is a pretty dramatic title, right?

Just when it became safe to go outside without a mask--thank you Covid--people are donning masks again because the air quality is so poor in areas affected by the Canadian wildfires. That includes the Chicago area, where I live. Earlier this week, our air quality was so poor, it was the worst in the world. A few weeks ago, it was the East Coast that was affected. It's almost apocalyptic, viewing the landscape through a smoky haze. And it feels wrong being stuck inside during the best time of year. 

Life has not been dull these past couple of years, has it? Thank goodness for running.

Ok. it's time to runfess! On the last Friday of the month, Marcia opens up the runfessional and we are all invited to share our running transgressions. You know I always have a few. Let's get right to it, shall we?

Saturday, June 24, 2023

Remind Me Why I Do This...

While last week was probably one of the more difficult weeks I've had at work in a long time, this week I paid for all that stress. Over the weekend, I had time to process the events of the past week. While I felt pretty good on Sunday and enjoyed a really nice hilly trail run, Monday was a different story.

My body responded to all the stress by going into an RA flare. It wasn't so bad that I was stuck on the couch, but all week I've been achy, fatigued, and queasy. I continued with my workouts, but I couldn't push myself as hard as I usually do. While it probably would have been better for me to rest, I needed to move my body as a way to cope with stress. Overall, the work week was much better and as the week wrapped up, my flare started to calm down.

And then there was that run on Friday morning...read on...

Saturday, June 17, 2023

June Gloom

I realize this is a term used by Californians to describe their typical gloomy June weather, but here in Illinois, we're experiencing some unusually cool and cloudy days. Let's face it, we have a lot of gloomy weather here, but not in the summer. Since summer is so short, I always feel we're being cheated when the weather isn't good. To top it off, unfortunately, we're feeling the effects of the Canadian wildfires again. It's weird because the cooler weather should make for good running, but I'm struggling a bit with breathing.

In spite of the less than desirable conditions, I had some nice runs this week! Two weeks to Leadville and I have never felt more ready to be done with a race, lol. I'm starting to think ahead to the rest of 2023 and will share my plans after the race is done. 

Saturday, June 10, 2023

A Good Week to Be A Runner

Yes, indeed! It was a great week to be a runner, at least for this runner. On Sunday, I ran my first road half marathon in over a year. It wasn't pretty, but it was fun! And we celebrated Global Running Day on Wednesday this week. While I wasn't able to celebrate with my Brooks RHT teammates at Fleet Feet in the evening--I work late on Wednesdays--I did celebrate with Erica by doing a Go Run Tour.  

It's always good to be a runner, but wouldn't you agree that it's better when you get to celebrate with other runners?


Monday, June 5, 2023

Race Recap: Chicago 13.1

Disclaimer: Because I wanted to share this recap in a timely manner, I did the unforgivable and screenshotted some of the photos taken of me on the course. I plan on buying the digital version when MarathonFoto sends a coupon

Last year was the debut of BOA's Chicago 13.1 race. The course route follows Chicago's 26 mile boulevard system, which runs through multiple neighborhoods throughout the city. The boulevards are lined with stately homes and beautiful parks. While the boulevards are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, many of the parks along the boulevards are individually listed as well. Many of the neighborhoods around the boulevards have fallen by hard times, but for the most part, the parks are well-maintained and serve as anchors to the communities.

In spite of my increased mileage on trails, I was interested in this one. I couldn't fit the race into my schedule last year, but this year I was in! With my goal race--Leadville Silver 15 miles--on the calendar for July, I made the Chicago 13.1 a 'training race' and didn't make a finish time goal. I vowed to have fun and soak it all in!

Saturday, June 3, 2023

When Birds Attack

Unless you saw my Friday IG post, you probably have no idea what I'm talking about! Luckily for you, I'm sharing the recap below. It's late spring and it seems that this week, nature is feeling itself. I blame the heat. It's been really hot this week, especially for this time of year. Hot weather makes people more violent, so why not birds too?

As you read this, I'm hopefully crossing the finish line of my first road half marathon in over a year. I had sworn off long distance road racing, but the Chicago 13.1 intrigued me--it's not the usual location for a long distance race in the city. The course runs the boulevards, a network of sprawling streets that run from north to south in the middle of the city. Beautiful historic architecture lines the boulevards and most of them have large green spaces for recreation. Being a big fan of my city, I'm looking forward to exploring this on my feet. 

Note to self: this is a training run. It's going to be a hot one, so that will be my mantra. Check my IG later for updates.

Thursday, June 1, 2023

Coffee Talk

Disclaimer: This post contains an affiliate link.

Let's catch up over coffee! What are you having? Currently, I'm drinking Philz Coffee Ecstatic blend with my usual scoop of GLG collagen and a splash of half and half.  It's just delicious!

What would you tell me over coffee?

Saturday, May 27, 2023

A Week of Breakthroughs

I might have mentioned previously that I'm in the middle of training for the Leadville Silver 15 mile trail race in July. I'm at the point in my training where I'm tired of pushing myself--it's been a while since I've pushed myself this hard--and I'm just ready to be done. I remember feeling like this last spring when I ran those 3 races back to back. I was so happy to be done and to return to running just for fun. In fact, I bailed on a planned fall half marathon last year because I just didn't want to train that hard anymore. 

But then there was Friday's run, which was a reminder of what I am capable of. It's kind of funny when that happens.

In contrast to my running funk, I'm really excited about the progress I'm making in the gym! I continue to have breakthroughs in my training and that is making me so happy. I guess it's good to remind myself that even if I can't get faster as a runner, I can get stronger in the gym. Don't worry, I'm not going all gym rat after my races. I could never give up running, But as I look ahead to fall, I'm not going to sign up for any races, instead doing the Mammoth Challenge again and running just for the enjoyment of it. 

I'm just not sure how much more I want to participate in races. In a sense, this may be a different kind of breakthrough. Can I still be a runner and not race? We'll see how I'm feeling after next Sunday's half marathon. 

Or maybe it's just the pre-race jitters talking!

Mini Book Reviews: May 2023

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I won a copy of Up To Speed from Oh! Run Club and Pens and Paces.

What, only 4 books? It's been a very busy month and reading took a backseat to all the other May activities. Plus, 3 of the 4 books I read were long, immersive reads that required concentration. The 4 books I read could not have been more different, yet I enjoyed them all. I'm looking forward to some lighter reads for June!

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Let's Runfess

Disclaimer: I runfess that this post contains a few affiliate links. 

Here we are again at the end of the month, which means it's time to runfess! Do you runfess? On the last Friday of the month, Marcia opens the Runfessional where runners can cleanse their soles. And their souls. Long-time blog readers know that I always have plenty of things to runfess. In fact, this month, I had so much to runfess that I had to let a few things go. Don't hold it against me. 

Let's get to it, so I can start June with a clean slate!

Saturday, May 20, 2023

Work Hard, Play Hard

I continue to push toward my upcoming 2 races: the Chicago 13.1 in 2 weeks and Leadville Silver 15 miles in 7 weeks. I admit to feeling more tired these days. I know it's all part of training for a long distance race, but to be honest, getting older has rattled my confidence a bit. Am I doing too much? Pushing too hard? I have to listen to my body and so far it isn't pushing back...much... which is a good sign. I was happy to have Saturday at home to give me a chance to regroup and rehab. I've got to work on those niggles that I mentioned last week!

Sunday, May 14, 2023

The Niggles Will Not Win!

Oh, the niggles. If it's not my shoulder, it's my knee. Sometimes it's both. Just when I think I'm getting on top of these little annoyances, they remind me that I'm old, that I have RA, and that I'm pushing it. But thankfully, they aren't serious enough to keep me sidelined. I'm hoping that the rehab I'm doing is responsible for that. 

You may have noticed that in my recent photos, I'm taping my knee again. I'm not sure what happened, but last week, it started bothering me again. I was kind of surprised because I've been diligently doing my VMO exercises and have been pain-free for a while. Interestingly, running does not bother me, but descending stairs does. I had the PT at the gym check it, and she said it is not my patella, thank goodness! What she found is that the fat pad below my kneecap was swollen. She called it "Knee Fat Pad Impingement"--who knew that was a thing? and V-taped it with RockTape for me. I was instructed to ice it and take it easy.  

That's what they all say. When will I learn? Maybe after Friday's run? Read on...

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Earth Day 15 mile trail race

I ran this race a year ago and after being humbled and beat up by the hills, I vowed never to run it again. Yet, here I was, lined up for the 15 miler again. It's funny how time can dull the memory of pain. I knew what to expect and I was wiser this time. I had my fueling plan in place. I had logged lots of hilly miles on the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin. It was cold and it was windy, but I figured the trees would provide shelter from the wind. I wore one of my Inknburn fleece pullovers and my Brooks Moment tights. My plan was to run the three 5.2 mile loops consistently and not let that last loop crush me as it did last year.

Sunday, May 7, 2023

A Better Week but...

This week overall, I felt much better than I did last week. The heaviness in my legs started to dissipate and by Wednesday morning, I felt like myself again. Was it the change in the weather? Certainly, the sunshine and warmer temperatures made a huge difference in how I was feeling. However, after Wednesday's trail run, my left knee started to act up again. It's that same patellar issue--chondromalacia- that I've had on and off for the past year, ever since I wiped out on the trail and knocked my kneecap out of alignment.  I started doing my exercises but haven't gotten much relief, so on Thursday, I taped it. 

Since I don't remember aggravating it, I'm pretty sure that RA is the culprit. Thankfully, it only hurts when I go down a flight of stairs. Running is still pain-free and I am grateful for that!