How to Run 40 Miles and Still Have Fun - Run Around the Gorge

I am sore.  I mean really, really sore.  More sore than I have ever been.  But if the Run Around the Gorge race had a third day on the schedule - I'd be at the start line ready to go.  And I'd be smiling!

The inaugural Run Around the Gorge race took place this weekend - a two day 40 mile trail run around the New River Gorge in West Virgina (http://www.runaroundthegorge.com/).   It was more than a race - it was an event.  For highlights - jump down to the bottom of this post.

First about the "racing" part - I've linked the course description including the topo maps and elevations for both days - http://www.runaroundthegorge.com/course.html . To say the course was beautiful would be a gross understatement.   At every turn - there was something more beautiful than the last.  I left the ipod at home and enjoyed the sounds all day - birds, waterfalls and rapids.  I ran much of the race on day one alone and I was never, never bored.

I put "race" in quotes, because I never felt like I was racing.  I strained my hamstring in August, so I all but stopped running in preparation for Savageman, which took place in mid-September.  After Savageman, the longest long run I completed was only 12 -13 miles.  I was not in racing shape, but I felt like I had enough base fitness to get through the weekend.  And while there were a couple times I questioned this reasoning, I finished both days in a respectable manner.   But more importantly, the race director had created a light hearted fun atmosphere around this event.  EVERYONE had fun.  There were less than 30 racers in all, and I can't think of anyone who did not enjoy the weekend.

I know that some of my friends question my definition of fun, but I guarantee that anyone who spent time at this event would be inspired to join us next year for the Second Annual Run Around the Gorge!

Weekend Highlights:

1. Arriving at Opossum Creek to a refrigerator full of beer and wine - and looking around the room and seeing everyone with a full glass.  CARBO LOADING!!!!
2. Finding out that I'd be sleeping in a room with seven women and I'd be on the top bunk.  Funny when I was 10, I thought the top bunk was awesome... of course when I was 10, I wasn't tall enough to hit my head on the ceiling when I sat up!
3. Discovering that the other six women in the room over packed as much as I did.
4. Seeing old friends and acquaintances I didn't expect to see and meeting new friends, whom I am sure I will again see at future races.
5. Getting stuck in the downstairs bathroom - not once, not twice but THREE times!  BTW - did anyone ever tell Mark that the door to bathroom didn't work? Because I never did!
6. Hanging out with a bunch of people that didn't get upset when they got stuck in the bathroom... a couple times (yeah - we are all slow learners!).
7. Navigating a spiral staircase in the main house that was far more technical than any downhill paths during the race.
8. Realizing that there were far more women at this race than men.  I think there were 24 racers and only 5 were men.  Women ruled this race!
9. Being the "Meanest Racer"on Saturday.  Which really means that my race time for day one was closest to the average time for all racers. Yeah - I can be mean sometimes but really I'm just average.
10. Taking the "alternative route" on Sunday down the climbers ladder and along the endless wall. 
11. Stepping into a crevice between two rocks hidden by leaves and falling thigh deep, scrapping my shin and and hitting my knee on the way down.
12. Having a mere "flesh wound" that looked a lot worse than it really was - and having Jody tell her version of how it happened. I'm guessing It was far more dramatic from her perspective behind me- one second I was running and the next I was two feet down - sunk between rocks
13. Looking forward to uphills when I had an excuse to walk and give my my quads and knees a rest.
14. Learning that ladybugs bite.  Not kidding.
15. Eating two McDonalds Cheeseburgers on the way home and not feeling guilty about it!

I hope to post pictures later this week!

2010 NFL Flag Football Regional Tournament (Raven's Stadium)

I love it when everything comes together at the last moment - which is exactly what happened for the Arlington Thunder 9-11 Flag Football Team.   Every year, Arlington Youth Flag Football sends one or two all star teams in each age group to the annual NFL Regional Flag Football Tournament, hosted this year in Raven's Stadium. Winners of the regional tournaments, held around the country, go on to the National Tournament in Florida, all expenses paid courtesy of the NFL.

Earlier in the season, the decision was made to send one Arlington team in the 9-11 category, but at the last minute there was a push to form a second team.  Just to provide some perspective - the first team was formed in August, before the actual season even got underway.  The second team, Arlington Thunder, was put together the first week of October and Ethan was asked to join the team.  The tournament was on the third Sunday of October.  In other words - Arlington Thunder had two weeks to assign positions, develop and learn plays and construct a defense.  And to confound matters a little more, the person who volunteered to coach had to back out at last minute. 

So when I got a call from the league commissioner asking if I would consider stepping into the coach position, I was at the same time flattered and terrified.  I was in no way qualified to coach an All- Star team!  Sure I coach a league team - but I was doing that by the seat of my pants.  I knew enough about running plays and setting up a defense not to embarrass myself or the kids!

As it turns out, I'm a pretty fast learner and so were the kids (okay - the kids learned faster than me, but don't tell them that!).  With a ton of help from the league commissioner and and a great assistant coach, we ended up having a pretty spectacular tournament.   Despite our late start, and the challenges of a Columbus Day holiday weekend, the kids pulled it together and exceeded everybody's expectations.  

Funny thing - we didn't win the tournament.  We didn't even win our pool, but after the disappointment of losing the final pool game wore off (which didn't take long) - there was immense pride over what we had accomplished.  We (and when I say we - I'm including the coaches) learned a new and complicated defense and contained the other teams - allowing only two touchdowns during pool play.  Now that's something to be proud of!  And on offense - not only did the kids learn the plays, they executed them well.  It was incredible to watch as I called in the plays from the sidelines through one of the players and then see them line up without confusion.  They we were calm and confident throughout the tournament. 

The kids who did not get much playing time were all mature, upbeat and supportive of their teammates.  These kids let the coaches focus on the game - they were ready to go in when needed and did not distract when they were not.  I have to give my own son, Ethan credit here.  Despite being the coach's son, he was substituted in one game for only two snaps.  And that was only because the assistant coach thought to put him in.  Ethan knew before the tournament that there was a high possibility that he would not play - he was the youngest player on the team and the only one that would be eligible to play in this age group again next season. Quite frankly, for the week leading up to the tournament he was miserable and at times made me miserable too.  But on game day, he learned what it meant to be part of a team.  Best lesson ever!

Savageman Race Report 2010

Savageman is a stupid race.  A stupid, hard race.  A stupid, hard, fun race.  And I love it!  This year was no exception.  For those of you unfamiliar with this race, it is billed as the "hardest half ironman on the planet" (http://savagemantri.org/TriathleteMag_100BestRaces.pdf)  Some even compare the difficulty to an ironman, particularly the bike section that takes you up and down the mountains of western Maryland. (http://savagemantri.org/)  For much of the race you feel as though you are going either 4 miles an hour or 40 miles an hour - and not much in between. 
The quick summary:

Total time: 7:36:44 (scary I know, but it was a PR!)

Westernport Wall:  Third Brick Baby!

2nd in AG (okay there were only 4 of us – but it was a good day!)

The weather for the race was perfect.  If anything, the warmer temps caught some off guard.  In past years, if you failed to wear appropriate outer clothing you would surely freeze during the long descent out of Deep Creek into Westernport.   This year I was overdressed with just arm warmers.  And the air was dry, nearly no humidity - so I never really felt like I was sweating.  I had to be very, very deliberate about hydrating during this race.

Several weeks before Savageman I strained my right hamstring during a long training run.  In the days leading up to the race, I came up with several race strategies - from not doing the race at all to doing an aqua-velo. And under no circumstances would I do Westernport Wall.  I already had two Bricks and I was not going to risk further injury (http://thoughtiknewthen.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html. - last year's rr)

View from the top of the Wall - 31% grade.

The Wall during 2010 race day mayhem.

While I could feel the hamstring biking up hills, it was only when I ran that it really hurt.  I did not run for a week and half before the race and I only did easy, flat rides.  Not the best confidence booster going into the race.  The strategy I ultimately settled on included swimming my normal race, taking the bike section easy, staying seated at all times – and not get discouraged by the number of people passing me.  Run the flats and down hills and power walk the up hills.  I also knew I needed to stay hydrated and fueled – which is surprisingly hard for me to maintain.

Above all else, I had to finish the race to earn the Finishers Shirt.   The shirt is not one most women would wear, including me.  But my kids love them.  The first year it did this race I gave the shirt to my oldest and last year my middle son got the shirt.  So as I left for the race this year, my youngest made it clear that it was his turn.  I did not dare return without a shirt! 

With few exceptions, I followed my strategy to a tee and it paid off.  The one big exception was at the Wall.  As I approached the Wall I had a downright argument with myself.  I had the devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other.  Would I be stupid or smart?  Was it worth the risk to blow my hamstring?  With little training, I probably didn’t have the strength to make it to the top regardless.  But as reached the bottom of the Wall, I took a deep breath and up I went.  Not the prettiest of climbs – as a matter of fact, it was down right ugly.  But I did it.  And I was glad I did.  

I cramped on Killer Miller, but not nearly as bad as I did last year and I cramped on the run only when I tried to run the up hills.  It was clear that I had favored my right leg during the bike because all the cramping was in my left leg.  I only had to stop twice on the run – far less than last year.  In the end it was the run and the fact that I did not cramp as badly as I did in past years that led me to a PR.  Go figure - a strategy based on an injury results in a PR.  

And have I mentioned the volunteers, the spectators and the other racers?  Seriously, I don't think you will find a better group at any other race! 

Will I do the race again next year….  Of course I will!  Want to join me?

Swimming - Fresh and New!

I started swimming this week after taking several months off. Some people can swim everyday all year long. Others force themselves to swim just enough to ensure they won't drown during the swim portion of their next triathlon. Like baby bear, I find swimming from mid-March to mid-September to be "just right". When I start up in March, it feels fresh and new and by October I am at my strongest for the last big race.


I swam competively as a kid through high school and so you might think that bodes for triathlon. Yeah - I was a breast stroker. Breast strokers as a whole do not make for very good freestylers. Today I swam the 100 IM as fast as 100 freestyle! Let me assure you my IM is NOT fast...

Like many age group swimmers, I stopped swimming at 18. I hung up the suit, put away the googles and didn't pull them out again for 20 years. Open water swims has made the whole swimming experience enjoyable again. I tolerate the chlorine and the black line at the bottom of the pool knowing that in a few short months I'll be swimming outside unrestricted by lane lines and walls!

Take a look at the attached Luna Training tips on open water swimming from Luna Pro Linda Gallo.

http://teamlunachix.com/tips_and_training/tips/tags/videos/

http://teamlunachix.com/tips_and_training/tips/tags/videos/

Two Poems by Ethan

Ethan is my 9 year old fourth grader. He recited these two poems to me the other night and they both made me chuckle so I thought I'd share.

Messy Desk

Messy Desk, Messy Desk,

Glue, Highlighters,

Pencils, Markers, Erasers, My Three Week Old Lunch

Some Color Pencils and...

YES!

My Homework.

Ten Years

Ten years from now I'll be president.

Ten Years from now I'll be famous.

Ten years from now I'll be driving a Ferrari.

Ten years from now...

hopefully.

In ten years, Ethan will be 19 and it won't surprise me a bit if he reaches every one of his goals - regardless of how those goals change over time.

Watchung Trail Marathon

The Watchung Trail Marathon confirmed my notion that low key races are the best kind of races for me. I like races that don't require a ton of effort just getting to get to the start line. The best races offer quick registrations with no lines, no chips, no bibs, no t-shirts and a guy at the start line who yells, "Set, Go!"

Despite this relaxed atmosphere, the training I devote to these events is no less than if I were racing Boston or NYC marathon, assuming I could qualify for either! I picked Watchung partly due to the timing of the race - I wanted something in January or February to get me through holiday eating season, and partly because of the location - near my parent's house in New Jersey.

The race provided only limited support. There was a table at the start/finish line with food items. Racers could stock up as they passed the table at the end of each loop. It was packed with items donated by participants and included everything from sports bars, cookies and bags of chips. And of course Luna Moons. Someone even brought a bottle of Jim Beam. Yep – I like this trail running attitude!

There was an ultra and marathon race option. The ultra racers did three full loops of the course and the marathoners did two full loops and a modified third loop. The course was absolutely beautiful. When I wasn’t looking at the ground I was soaking in the great scenery. At the race start it was 11 degrees and I don’t think it warmed up much as the day went on. The trail was mostly snowy – but there was a fair amount of ice. I wore my Yak Traks for the first loop, and they worked great. Unfortunately by the end of the loop my feet were hurting and I knew if I continued wearing them, I would suffer. I could not have asked for a better first loop. I came in a little under my 2 hour goal – but I knew my second lap would take a little longer. For starters, I had to replenish my nutrition and I had to stop at my car (the course ran through the parking lot!) to refill my bottles and change into dry gloves. I also had to use the rest room… and so did everyone else. The thought of finding a spot in the woods wasn’t an option at that temperature!

I felt good as I started my second loop – although I had to take the first quarter of mile substantially slower as the trail was covered in a sheet of ice. When I was finally able to open up and really start running again, I tripped on a stump and I landed on my pelvis. I jumped up right away, mostly out of embarrassment – but to my surprise it did not hurt… at least not yet. I ran with different groups throughout the day – some that I caught up to and others that passed me and enjoyed conversations with all of them. I chuckled each time I took a bit of my Cytomax – between the cold air temps and constant jiggling the Cytomax turned into an orange slushy.

As I passed the point where I would turn off to complete the marathon on the third loop, I thought maybe, just maybe, I would do the ultra instead of just the marathon. It was ONLY four more miles – how much harder could it be. I tucked the thought in the back of my mind and went on to finish the second loop.

I was still feeling pretty strong as I started the third loop. Fortunately, I did not have to use the rest room and I filled my bottles with HEED at the community nutrition table. I grabbed a couple oatmeal cookies and I was off. I was almost done! But as I ran, my pelvis started to hurt with each step. But I was almost done.

I spent a good portion of the race with my eyes trained to the ground. Missteps, I learned, can be costly. It was during the third loop that another racer stopped me and pointed out a small herd of deer right next to the trail. In the middle of the herd was a white deer. Unbelievable! I thanked the gentleman for waiting for me just to point the deer out to me. I have no doubt that I would have completely missed this spectacle as I was so focused on the trail. I looked behind to see if I could return the favor – but no one was there.

The final loop seemed like it would never end. I looked at my watch - based on distance and my perceived pace, I should have been nearly done with the marathon, but I had not even reached the marathon turn off point. My pelvis was hurting and my morale was sinking. By the time I approached the marathon turn off, the thought of doing “just four more miles” was not an option. The final approach was nearly all up hill and required quite a bit of navigating over rocks and logs. But I finished. And there was no official finish line, no finishing chute, no finisher’s medal. Just a guy who didn’t know me giving me a big hug! Awesome!

I learned afterwards that several racers compared the recorded mileage on their Garmins and that each full loop was actually between10.7 and 10.9 miles and the modified third loop that was roughly 7 miles. If you do the math, you will note that did somewhere near 28.5 miles!
I was already happy with my performance – but adding in the extra miles made my time more in line with my expectations. I smiled the whole evening after the race. Laughing was out of the question, as was sneezing – both made my pelvis hurt! I’ll be back again next year… anyone interested?

The Boy who Gets Everything By Seth Novak

Jordan has three sisters who are triplets and they are from different places. One is from America, another is from Argentina and the last one is from Mexico. He has one cat named Jackie.

His parents gave him lots of toys and games. But Jordon never got the one thing that he really wanted. More than anything, Jordan really, really wanted love.

He told his parents he didn't want toys, all he wanted was love. But they never listened to him. Instead they asked him if he wanted more toys.

So one day, Jordan put all his toys into a shredder machine and melted them into letters that said, "Mom and Dad, I don't want toys. All I want is love."

This time his parents listened to him and they didn't give him too many toys, but they gave him lots and lots of love. Jordan now get everything he wants, including love.


Dictated by Seth to his Mother

Postscript - Seth is adamant that he is read a book every night. And I do mean EVERY night. Lately though, he has decided that he wants to write books (see previous post). I feel compelled to tell everyone that I DO love Seth and that all characters in his stories are fictitious! And no - he still has not gotten an XBox.