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?

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...

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. 

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?

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.

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!

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!

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...

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!

When My Mind Writes a Check that My Body Can't Cash

The title of this post, tho...

Last weekend's trail race really beat me up. I felt pretty bad at the beginning of the week--not so much sore, but more like a total body illness. This wasn't typical post-race discomfort. Was it RA reminding me that it's always lurking, ready to strike when I push myself? Not one to poke the bear, I had to dial it back a bit and let the post-race inflammation dissipate. By mid-week, I knew I was going to have to renig on my commitment to pace my friend on 3 loops of her 50 mile trace race. It was a tough decision--I didn't want to let her down but I also didn't want to risk a full-blown RA flare. Fortunately, she was able to find someone to replace me right away. With rain in the forecast for Saturday, I knew I made the right decision.

By the end of the week, I felt like myself again. The what-ifs started to creep into my thoughts, but no. I made the right decision not to pace her. I should know better not to commit myself to something like that so close to a hard race. Lesson learned.

A couple of people have asked when I'm going to post a race recap. It's written, but I'm waiting for race photos. Like everything with trail races, in due time, I guess! Stay tuned...

Getting Ready to Race

This week was all about getting myself ready, physically and mentally, for Saturday's trail race. I have to admit I was more than a little nervous about this race, having run it last year. I knew what to expect this time and that gave me a little PTSD. I cut back my miles and my effort, and did more yoga to stretch out my muscles. 

It was also a challenging week at work, with some really sick kids-one of which I sent to the ER and he was admitted to the PICU. I also saw a few new patients, including a toddler from Ukraine, who has a lot of developmental issues. The family doesn't speak English. Heavy stuff on top of feeling nervous about my race. Even though I did my best not to let it get me down, I did not sleep well this week! Now that my race is one, I'm pretty sure I will sleep much better this week!

Spring has Sprung!

What a wonderful week of weather!!! We've been socked in with cold and gloom since forever, it seems. But April has been a joy so far. We had sunshine and warmth all week. I made sure to get outside and enjoy it as much as I could. The hubs planted lettuce and we've got chives. The grass is green and the landscape trucks are everywhere. The chorus of birds is sweet music. 

It seems that spring is finally here!

The Need for Speed

Was it spring fever? The bright sunshine? The shoes? Whatever it was, I felt the need for speed this week, running stronger than I have for a while. I'm pretty sure the improving weather was a big factor. This was a great week of fitness for me!

The Slippery Slope

I woke up Monday morning feeling tired, achy, and queasy. Was it a bug? Or was it an RA flare? I'm pretty sure that RA was the culprit as Sunday's run felt harder than it should have. I blamed the rain and the cold, but I didn't feel great when I started. That run probably pushed me into the red zone. I probably should have turned around and gone home. But you know me. 

RA is a slippery slope.

I scrapped my plans on Monday to go to CrossFit and did a yoga class that focused on flexibility. While the yoga felt good, I still felt icky and spent the rest of the day taking it easy. Sometimes you have to listen to what your body tells you. Thankfully, this flare was short-lived and did not require steroids to calm it down. I felt gradually better as the week went on. It's been a while since I've felt like that. It was a good reminder to stay on track with my diet and sleep as well as my activities.

Weekly Rundown

Sunday: run 11 miles

Monday: Yoga with Adriene

Tuesday: pool running

Wednesday: trail run 5 miles

Thursday: strength training, lunch with Marcia

Friday: run 6 miles

Saturday: rest day

March miles 106.6!!!

All Mixed Up

Disclaimer: As a member of the Brooks Run Happy Team, I receive products in exchange for social sharing. All opinions are my own.

Not only is the weather all mixed up--we went from winter to spring and back to winter again, but my week was kind of mixed up too. I had to flex my workout schedule to accommodate not only the weather but also my 'niggles' and a fun opportunity with Brooks (more below). 

I was able to get everything in but I'm still bummed about a canceled field trip to the IAT in Whitewater on Saturday with the Trail Sisters Chicago Northwest. A late winter storm stymied our plans for a long morning of trails and vert. This storm dropped a foot of snow in Madison! The weather this year has sent me to the treadmill more times than I can ever remember. While I'm glad I have the option, can I say enough is enough?

Sunrise on the way into the city on Tuesday

What Time is it?

Does anyone really know what time it is? 

Does anyone really care? 

If so I can't imagine why

We've all got time enough to....  die, cry, fry, eat pie...(fill in the blank) ~Chicago

I don't normally struggle too much with going between time zones or turning the clocks forward. But between the two hour time difference between California and Chicago and springing forward to daylight savings time, my body did not know what time it was. It really hit me hard on Tuesday, when I got up at 4:30 to go to the pool before work. Thankfully, I was off work the rest of the week for my annual PNP conference, which I attended virtually from home. That gave me a chance to take it easy and get back on track. 

Of course, I got all my workouts in. I do have my priorities!

A Week of Awe

What a week! If you didn't read last week's post, I've been visiting my sister and brother-in-law in California. I had a wonderful time! In fact, I hated the idea of leaving so much that my sister talked me into staying an extra day. I'm so glad I did! This was a trip that will keep me smiling for a long time.  I'm going to do my best to condense it all below, but I hope you don't mind me sharing a few more photos than normal. It was hard to pick which ones to share! Once again, a trip to California reinforces my opinion that it is the most beautiful state in the US.

Greetings from California

Greetings from the high desert of California! I'm vacationing with my sister and her hubs at their winter place and I am having a great time! The weather has been perfect with sunny, blue skies and temperatures in the upper 60s. It's supposed to get a little warmer after the weekend. As you read this, we're on our way to Death Valley National Park, which we are all really excited about. 

So far, I've gotten some running and hiking in with lots of climbing. This makes me really happy because as you know, my training for April's trail race has not been optimal. The trails at home have been icy and muddy and it has been difficult to get any decent mileage on them. I'm hoping to do some quality work on these mountain trails while I'm here. We're having a lot of fun too!

Running Happy

In spite of the wild weather we had once again this week, I managed to get all my runs outside.  It seems like all we do is talk about the weather, but I think most of you will agree with me that what we've been experiencing is anything but normal. Winter in the Midwest is always turbulent, but this season has been unprecedented, with more to come next week. At least it gives us something to talk about!

What I haven't been able to do is get some quality runs on the trails.  Between the ice and the mud, training for my hilly April race is not optimal. I continue to focus on quality time in the gym and on the road, hoping that will be enough.

No matter what, getting outside definitely helps me manage all the stress in my life. As always, I am so grateful my body lets me do this!

thanks to Deborah for this fabulous photo!

Real Talk

Fitness and running continue to be a bright spot in what feels like every day taking me on a wild ride. I truly do not know what I would do without my sweat therapy right now.

Work has completely gotten out of control. Just when we got a chance to catch our breath after the onslaught of illnesses last fall, we started seeing a lot of non-English-speaking asylum seekers from war-torn areas across the globe. These patients present all kinds of challenges. The language barrier is just one struggle. The mental health crisis continues and resources are scarce. I've also recently had a couple of my young patients experience horrific abuse and that has really taken a toll on me.

On the home front, both my parents are starting to have major health issues that require me to accompany them to appointments and help them with medical decision-making. My sisters are supportive, but as they are all out of town, the burden falls on me.

I am doing my best to stay positive and focused on the good things in my life. Don't get me wrong, I have had my share of meltdowns, usually over the littlest things. But no matter how overwhelmed I feel or how busy I get, I vow to always make time to get all my workouts in. It is my therapy that gives me the strength to push through my day.