Thoughts all over the place, that’s just how I roll

So this past week I found out that my marathon training partner is up and leaving the island for the next 4 months.

Gah!! What’s a girl to do?? He’s the only person I know who is currently able and willing to get up at the glorious hour of 4am to get a long run in.

I’m a pretty self-motivated runner, but 18 weeks are a lot of weeks to run alone.

post not complete without a sweat-stache picture

I’ve though about starting a Maui Marathon training group. Maybe advertise on craigslist, put up flyers? I see other runners out there…..I just need to meet them somehow!

Also, now I’m really going to have to buy another garmin – since I was totally just letting him use his garmin and track our time. I am dreaming over the purple Forerunner 220……dreaming I tell you……since my current budget is leaning more towards the Forerunner 10.

I’m off to read online reviews to help me decide. And stock up on gu. And picky bars. And Nuun.

Yeah baby! Marathon training season is here! And with or without a partner, I’m excited.

Goals, Schmoals, for April

I’ve never been big into goal setting. I’m more into……idea setting. I mean…..I will set a ‘goal’ all right, but don’t expect me to keep track and hem and haw over it getting done. I prefer to set out with a loose idea of doing something, and then just…..see where it goes. Like one of those choose your own adventure books I read as a kid (remember those?!). I like re-evaluating at every junction, and being surprised by new choices and possibilities.

Yes, I think that’s it – I really like possibility.
I don’t like feeling weighed down, roped into something.

Guess I’m a hippie at heart. Free bird, yo.


(The only exception to this is training for a marathon. When I have set a marathon as a goal in the past, I have been freakishly (for me) set on completing my training program with as little deviation as possible. I think it was because of the fear of the unknown with 26.2 miles. What can I say, I’m complicated. )

Anyway…….this post is about goals ideas for April.
1. Work on regaining running fitness. Run at least 3x a week. But probably more. If I want to.
2. ‘Pick up the keys!’ This is what one of my best friends calls what I think is basically a single leg squat. And its what she suggested I do to help strengthen my left glute. Old lefty needs to muscle up because I’m feeling pretty imbalanced lately when I run. (I have a history of pelvic/hip balance issues and they lead to injury if I’m not careful). Do 3 sets of 15, 3x per week and work up from there.
3. Watch as many Julia Child cooking shows as I can. Also, make a Julia Child quote (on canvas) to hang in my kitchen. I’m thinking of using one of the following quotes, or maybe just buying this one:

source

4. Continue making progress on pull-ups & dips. Currently I can do 1/3 (that’s probably being generous) of a pull up, and 2 dips.
5. Go to the beach. 

This one is going to be so hard.

It was bound to happen.

 

My garmin has officially given up the ghost. Which is sort of not really convenient, since I’m hoping the coming months involve many runs, many miles. But on the positive side, I’m looking at it as a really great opportunity to run by ‘feel’ or ‘effort’ and not be such a slave to the data. Not that the garmin rules my runs by any means (I think I’ve actually only downloaded it’s data, um….once? In 6 years?) but I’m definitely guilty of letting it have a negative mental effect on me if I glance down and see numbers I didn’t want to see.

So running free until I score a replacement, will be great.

Also, garmins are way cuter and smaller now, which I’m looking forward to.

By the way none of the pictures in this post have anything to do with this post. I just wanted to give you something to look at. We can always use a beach picture.

And a picture of me annoying Brant. That’s always fun.

So besides that, on the running front all is looking good. I focused heavily on weight training the last 8 weeks and only ran maybe once a week or so. And I think that break has been really good for me mentally and physically. I started out hating the idea of weight training, but then I learned how to deadlift and all of that changed.

I freaking love lifting heavy things.

“Heavy’ being totally relative, right – because seriously…..a 45lb bar loaded with a 10lb plate on each side is heavy to me right now. 3 sets of 15 about do me in! My legs feel ok, but my upper body is composed of gummy worms and sprinkles and by the end of my 3rd set I can barely keep hold of the bar.

It feels amazing.

Palm trees and Whole Foods. If you look closely, you can see there was a hula show going on.

So anyway…….I’m going to keep lifting heavy things, just less frequently, as it’s time to ramp up the running once again. I’m excited to see how strength training changes my marathon season. Yep, I’m calling it a season, even though I’m not technically signed up for a race yet.

I have eyes on the Kona marathon in June, Maui marathon in September, and/or maybe a fall marathon somewhere on the mainland. Who knows?

It feels exciting. Hopeful.

Salty coconuts hopeful.

Home sick, with nothing to do but dream.

 

I’m home from work sick today. Blech. All of this laying about on the couch and not-running, has me thinking about big races.

I have several running related goals, two of which are:

1. Break 5 hours in the marathon, and
2. Run an ultra.

Now, in my mind, I want to run a 4:xx marathon before an ultra because I’m currently in the mindset of running a bit faster than I have previously. And in my mind it makes sense to build a faster base for an eventual ultra.

However, I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t just look up plane tickets to a 50k race on Feb 1st 2014.

Hahahaa, yeah……..Hawaiian Airlines thwarted my ambitions by tickets to Vegas in less than a month being way out of my price range. Probably a good thing, seeing how my current ‘long’ run is 7 miles.*  Whatever!

This is the race that got me all stirred up:

Antelope Canyon 50 – near Lake Powell in Page, AZ.  You get to run on Navajo land, through slot canyons. No race has ever been run here before – according to the site, and “Navajo guides will be posted along the route, as travel on tribal lands requires their presence in order to visit the sacred sites.”

Are you kidding me with that opportunity??? How could I NOT at least check on plane tickets??

Alas, it’ looks like I will have at least another year to save and build mileage and hope they have a 2015 race. Sigh.

Another race I’m adding to my bucket list is

 

It’s in Switzerland.

You get to run through the Alps. No big deal.

Nothing to see there, obviously.

I figure since I’m named after a family friend from Switzerland, it’s pretty much mandatory that I do this race.

 

*Yes, 7 miles is measly when you are talking 50m or 50k, but here’s the thing: you bet your booty if I had the opportunity to run 50k on Feb 1st I could do it. I have an endurance base already – and I certainly wouldn’t be running my 7 mile pace. It would hurt, and it might not be ‘smart’, but dang straight if I couldn’t pull it off. I believe I can fly, yo.

There are no festive holiday photos in this post.

We had a fantastic Christmas. I have no real photographic proof so you’ll just have to take my word for it. One of the very best things was that about a week or so before Christmas, Brant landed a full-time, salaried job. After a year of awesome, yet sporadic part-time work, we are REALLY excited about this new opportunity. And to make it even better – it’s in his chosen field (solar/operations management) and with a company that’s doing really exciting stuff in the solar industry. We are so grateful.
Also, I learned to make cinnamon rolls from scratch this Christmas. I used the Pioneer Woman’s recipe and they turned out great! Her recipes are amazing. Haven’t had one let me down yet. The recipe made 9 pans of rolls!

I didn't eat ALL of them. But almost.

Someone gifted us a Costco sized box of Reses Peanut Butter Cups, so between those and the cinnamon rolls (and gingerbread cookies at work) I am riding a sugar high I’m terrified to come down from. Today is my first day off the sugar wagon. My goal is just to not eat any candy bars today. Or pancakes.  If you don’t hear from me again, you know what happened.
There hasn’t been a whole lot of running happening this past week or so. I busted my buns (literally) with some hills/sprints and had to take almost a week off to let things settle down. But I’m back to normal and ran an easy 4 on Saturday morning with Gordon. 

I know this post is full of randomness, but that’s what I have today. Here’s some more:

Sunset from our house.

Beach Day!

 

 

Christmas Rainbow

JFR* is the best motto ever

 

I got to the four way stop where I usually turn left, and instead found myself turning right. Propelled by the spark of the unknown flashing before me. Surprising (but not), because right is uphill, windy, and a road I had not run before. For most of my adult life, I’ve considered myself a planner, a creature of habit, and someone who is uncomfortable with change and/or surprises. Lately I’m learning that some of that rigidity is just a way for me to (seemingly) maintain control, and that there is actually huge joy to be found in giving up and giving in to adventure. 

 

I’ve always liked the adventure of running a new route, so that didn’t surprise me last night, but the hill did.

As a runner, I’ve often backed away from the hard stuff. Speed. Hills. Whatever in the moment my brain considers ‘too hard.’ So I rationalize walking, or running a slower pace, or fewer miles, or an easier route. And it’s fine really, because it’s all been my journey thus far. You start somewhere, you go somewhere. And now I am here.

 

 

And I feel this building momentum in my heart that 2014 is the year I push back against the hard stuff. The year I run faster. The year I tell my brain to be quiet when it starts setting limits.

I want so see what my limits really are.

Last fall, I ran two marathons and one 1/2 marathon all within 40 days. That is something I never fathomed I would do. But then I did.

And like crazy things do, it made me look at myself and running differently. It made me wonder. It made me want more.

So here I am. Last night I turned right instead of left. Up the unknown hill.

And it was great!

*JFR = just f-ing run. Some running store in Austin, TX has started a movement called Just F-ing Run, and I love it. Read about it here.

What do you hope for in 2014? Running or otherwise

At this moment I am……

Sitting on our garage-sale loveseat, feet propped up, and feeling good after a 6.2 mile run this morning. I got to run with one of my favorite running buddies, Gordon, and we ended up setting a PR (for me) at that distance. 1 hour, 2 minutes, 45 seconds. 10:08 average. I can definitely tell it is winter in Maui – I ran in a short sleeved shirt, took no fuel, and only drank a few sips from my water bottle. As opposed to summer/fall running in Maui, where even a singlet feels too hot, salt & electrolytes are necessary, and dehydration is always around the corner as the sweat just pours out.

Full from hitting up the Whole Foods hot bar on my way home. Bacon, eggs, biscuit, gravy. Delicious.

Thinking about cleaning my house today. It needs it real bad. But the beach sounds like way more fun.



Also thinking about this wall hanging I saw at Pier One yesterday. I’d like to hang it in my studio.



Looking forward to the new year. The last two years have been doozies, and my heart is full of this feeling like we are rounding the corner into a new season. Which makes me very excited.

Feeling my stomach burn. And I don’t think it was the biscuit and gravy. I notice many times after I run longer, at a harder effort, my stomach burns/hurts for most of the rest of the day. I know our digestion slows as we run and blood/energy is diverted to other body parts needing it more, so maybe it has something to do with digestion starting up again? Or not eating the right thing (or soon enough) after running? I notice it feels better when I eat, but then after a bit it starts burning again. And it’s not a hunger pang. I don’t know. Does this happen to anyone else? Maybe the answer is bagels? Bagels solve many things.


Gearing up mentally to ‘train’ the next 6 weeks or so for the Maui Oceanfront 1/2 Marathon. And by train, I basically just mean get my mileage in. Since my races in October, I’ve been running when I feel like it – no schedule – and the only agenda being to push the pace and break out of the long/slow rut I found myself in. It has been awesome. I love just winging it. But I think it’s time to make sure I get 3 –4 runs in a week, till the 1/2.       I miss mileage.

What’s going on with you, at this moment?