Sunday, March 30, 2008

Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon Race Report!

This was my second year doing this marathon in White Sands, New Mexico. It is a primarily military marathon, but many civilians enter as well. The course is surrounded by mountains in high desert and is held on the White Sands Missile Range. The purpose is to honor the soldiers that died in the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines when they were surrendered to Japanese forces during World War II. They were forced to march 65-100 miles in 100 degree heat through jungles without food or water. Some survived, but many died. They do a ceremony before the race to honor the men. Before the race starts, all runners/marchers get an opportunity to shake the hands of the survivors who are still living. It was very moving and one of the reasons I do this event. During the opening ceremony, a fighter jet flew over us and the underbelly of it was painted like an American flag. An American flag is flown at the start line that is so big, it is held up with a crane.

Another reason I do this event is the running terrain. Here is the approximate breakdown of the course:

Miles 1 and 2 - pavement through the base installation
Miles 3 through 8 - dirt road, lots of sand, last several miles uphill, mountain views
Miles 9 - 12 - pavement, all uphill, surrounded by mountains
Miles 13 - 18.5 - dirt road, trail, sand, uphill for the first few miles, around a mountain through a range
Miles 18.5 - 20.5 - pavement
Miles 20.5 - 21.5 sand pit. Here is a picture - just like running in a 'wash'. Looks like dirt, but the sand is fairly deep.
Miles 21.5 - 26.2 - dirt road
I woke up late for the race! I stayed in Las Cruces in a house by myself on the same property as my nephew's girlfriend Valerie. Valerie and her mom Leslie were doing the 15.2 mile option, so they were leaving at 4:30am, also. It is about a 45 minute drive to the base and they said lines would be long and to arrive early (the race started at 7am). Well, I had a rough night's sleep and Valerie came in the house at 4:20am wondering why I wasn't up! I guess I either didn't hear my alarm or it didn't go off. They went ahead and left and I didn't get to the base until 6am. They said lines were crazy for them, but I just drove right in and parked! So, I had plenty of time to stand in line at the port-o-potties and was able to see the starting ceremony. Needless to say, the panic
I felt upon awakening did not feel that great, but it all worked out fine thankfully.


Here are my times and reports by mile (s):
1 & 2 - 18:42 (9:21 average) Not sure where mile 1 was. I realized I went out a little fast so I slowed it down. My shins felt tight and I was worried, but they loosened up later on.
3 - 9:35
4 - 9:37
5 - 9:31
6 - 9:36 I'm thrilled with my 'Steady Betty' pace the last 4 miles.
7 - 9:56 Starting the 8 straight miles uphill. My legs are really feeling it.
8 - 10:38 I'm enjoying watching the comraderie among the teams out there. Some of these guys and gals are wearing 35 lb. packs (heavy category - I'm in the light category).
9, 10, 11 - 33:39 (11:13 average) I think I was in an uphill zone and kept missing the mile markers. The big misting machine is at about mile 10, which was such a welcome sight.

12 - 11:44 The view is wonderful - I'm surrounded by mountains on all sides. The 8 mile uphill section is relentless, though. I cannot believe I am still running and did not walk any portion of the uphill. I'm passing a lot of people on this part, which feels great! I can see an aid station at the top of the hill - looked like a mirage in the desert! I did wear my camelbak (about 2 liters with Heed), but it was so hot that I stopped and drank small cups of water at about 6 different aid stations.


13 - 12:38 Seeing mile marker 13 gave me a smile because I knew I was about halfway through. Only one more half marathon to go!

14 - 10:55 Uphill is starting to level out.

15 & 16 - 19:21 (9:40 average) Ahhh, we are starting to head down hill now. The aid stations are like big parties with lots of people and tents set up. Some look like 'MASH' units.

17 - 9:34 Wow, the downhill feels great. I also took some Perpetuem which revived me.

18 - 11:03 Lots of up and down rolling hills. No. More. Hills. My legs were so tired from that uphill section by this point.


19 - 9:33 Back on pavement, straight down hill, which felt so great! I was passing a lot of marchers who were still heading up and getting a lot of positive feedback from them which was motivating.

20 & 21 - 21:29 (10:45 average) Entering the sand pit, which is about a mile long.

22 - 12:58 I had to walk a good part of the sand pit. I just didn't have the energy to run it. I knew I was missing my goal time, but I didn't care at this point. I was hot and I was tired. I just wanted to finish. I don't think I could eat one more Shot Blox.

23 - 10:32 I am thinking I am paying for my previous uphill battle now.

24 - 10:48 I am trying to not think of anything at all. One foot in front of the other.

25 - 11:49 I am dreaming of an ice cold bath. I am seeing signs now about what those Bataan soldiers went through and realized I could make it two more miles.

26 - 10:11 My mind is running the race at this point. It is so mental at this stage. But, I'm picking up the pace!

.2 - 1:57 I can see the finish line and I run through the chute surrounded by lots of cheers! What a good feeling.

I finished in 4:35:46. Last year, I did it in 4:54, so I was happy. I was hoping to do it a little faster, but the conditions weren't as good this year. The sand was really deep, especially in the pit, which was probably due to all the rain over the Winter, I guess. I ended up walking that portion, because my legs were so wiped out. The heat was oppressive! Last year, I was freezing at the start of the race, so it heated up gradually; this year, I started the race already pretty comfortable in my tank top. I was going to wear my Moeben sleeves (there was a cool breeze early in the morning) but took them off at the last minute and threw them back in my truck. Good call. It was pretty dry and dusty from lack of rain, and we had a fairly good headwind for a lot of the race coming from the West. So, with all of those things going on, I felt good about my time.

Yay! I'm done! I should have some 'action' shots once race pictures are posted.
There are all sorts of 'categories' - light/heavy (35 lb. pack), civilian/military, team/individual, male/female. I came in 16th out of 508 individual women in the light category (military and civilian combined). For men and women combined (both military and civilian) in the light category, I came in 96th out of 1,623. Now, a lot of people 'march' this marathon, so if you run, you have a pretty good chance of ranking right up there. At any rate, I was happy with my accomplishment!
They have great food at the finish line, so I enjoyed a bratwurst on a french roll and called my husband Ken in Arizona to report my accomplishment. Problem was, I couldn't find my truck, so I walked about another mile or so until I found it (good cool down). I decided to go ahead and drive back to Arizona after the race - about a 4.5 hour drive. I felt pretty energized and just listened to upbeat music all the way home. I stopped a few times to stretch and got a few strange looks (was it the dirty legs? the crusty running clothes? the salt covered skin? the crippled way I was walking?)


I'm pretty sore, but was a good girl and took my ice bath afterwards. For the most part, I had no big specific aches and pains during the race - I did have a little knee soreness at some point in the race, followed by some hip flexor pain, but just felt overall worked out. My shoulders and neck are very sore - strange?

I wore my Inov-8 Rocklite 315 trail shoes and they were great! No blisters and very minor sore feet. I didn't specifically need trail shoes for the race, but the Roclite 315's have a fine mesh over the top that helps keep sand out, and I think they gave me a better grip on the sand. I also wore my Dirty Girl Gaiters over the top, which worked great!

I sent off my race entry for the Zane Grey 50k today. In less than a month, I'll be doing 33 miles. Can't wait to kill myself again.

Friday, March 28, 2008

Taper Madness

Symptoms of Taper Madness:

1. Crankiness (I'm low on endorphins people! I need a sufficient substitute - oh, there you are Mr. Chocolate. Ahhh, much better now.)

2. Bloating (extra carbs in + light running = storing carbs for race)

3. Mysterious aches and pains (shin pain! tightness! I'm not even running much!)

4. Worrying about my condition before the race (Will I sleep well several nights before the race? Will all body systems be functioning the morning of the race? Yes, you runners know what I'm talking about. Will I eat the right foods? Will I be hydrated enough?)

5. Worrying about something going wrong during the race (will I have to go to the bathroom? Will I cramp up? What if I'm really tired? What if some mysterious pain pops up to stop my forward progress? Will I not meet my goal?)

6. Feeling exhausted (well, I am working some overtime this week and my allergies are KILLING me. Wildflower season has drawbacks.)

7. Trying to plan THE OUTFIT - Which skirt do I wear? Do I have a top that matches perfectly? Will I chafe? Which gaiters do I wear? Which shoes? Yes, I know, these aren't problems, just fun to think about! Will I forget to bring something I need for the race?

I only ran 2 miles on Monday (shins too tight, I think it was the shoes I wore to work that day - clogs). I ran 4. 5 miles on Wednesday and that is it for the week! No running Thursday, Friday or Saturday!


I'm getting ready to head over to White Sands, NM for the Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon, which is on Sunday. I did it last year in about 4:54 (I wasn't as well trained as I would have liked to have been, and I had planned on walking a portion of the uphill and sand pit parts, which I did - about 3 -4 miles of it). This year, my goal is 4:20 - no walking. Yes, I know, I won't qualify for Boston on that (I'm not trying!). I don't want to kill myself. I just want to have fun! And I have another big race coming up a month after this one, so I have to keep it all in perspective. I'm looking at this as one big long run for the Zane Grey 50k.

Here is the race elevation in meters. One meter is about 3.28 feet, so it is a little bit of a climb in the race between about 6 and 14 miles.


I can't wait to see how I do.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Dirty Girl Gaiters

I always get asked about them out on the trails or at trail races. They keep the sand and small rocks out of my shoes on the trail. And, they come in so many fun patterns! Check them out at Dirty Girl Gaiters. They do come in 'manly' colors, too.

I trudge through dirt and water on the trail and they still look pretty!

Having a hard time trying to decide which ones to wear this coming Sunday for my marathon. It is mostly trail, with quite a bit of sand, so they are essential.


My friend Sheryl has new 'flaming' gaiters that I got her for Christmas.

A dirty girl's gotta do what a dirty girl's gotta do - accessorize!
Dirty Girl = trail runner
That's me!

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Catalina State Park 11 mile Race - Training Run


About 50 people turned out for a training run for the upcoming Catalina State Park race on April 12th. There are two options - 5.5 miles and 11 miles (2 loops). I'm doing the 11 miles, so I ran about 10 miles with my friend Shari and saw a few other friends and familiar faces (Mark M. and Martinho R.). We cut off about 1 mile of the course, which had a slight incline, just so I wouldn't wear out my legs.

There was water running out there, so we did get our feet wet. It felt great, since it was warming up fast. I wore my white Moeben sleeves, but only for the first 3 - 5 miles.



There are a few areas of hills/elevation gain, but not much. There is a set of 'stairs' on each loop, about 90 or so.


We did see a snake on a side trail. For some reason, I'm not too afraid of snakes (I do try to watch out for them - it just isn't one of my big worries about trail running). For the most part, they seem to avoid trails and people. Disclaimer: I know nothing about snakes and just made up that last statement. :)

I got in about 28 miles this week. Perfect for a taper, although my legs are tired from the speed and climbing I have been doing. Time to rest now. I got a deep tissue massage today, which was wonderful, and it really loosened up my legs.


Friday, March 21, 2008

Saguaro National Monument trail run

It is always a good Friday when I get to go on a trail run! I work for a Catholic healthcare system, so our administrative department has the day off today. Like any obsessed trail runner, instead of sleeping in, I got up earlier than I usually do (5am!) and met Sheryl and Lisa (and Sheryl's friend Michelle) at 6:15 am at the Broadway trailhead of Saguaro National Monument.


They are slightly camouflaged in the picture, but I'm wearing my new 'leopard' print Moeben sleeves. Shannon Farar-Griefer, who owns the company, sent me 3 pairs to try out. Thanks Shannon! These are fleece and oh so buttery on the skin. There is still a chill in the air in the morning, so they are perfect! They can be purchased at Zombie Runner. Shannon is a super beautiful ultra runner and very nice.


We did about 5.5 miles, which was a lot of fun. I wanted to do more, but I'll be doing an 11 mile training run tomorrow morning, and I didn't want to overdo it. Also, my right quad muscle is a little sore from this week's running/hiking. I should be tapering! Honestly, I will be after tomorrow. Very light week next week, no weight workouts, lots of rest, etc.
The desert is very green right now from our Winter rains and was very lovely. It is also wonderful to be with great friends.
Good Friday indeed.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Long mid-week run!

My favorite spot on the Rillito River Path. I always imagine I'm running through a forest during this part. Well, I live in a desert, so I have to imagine! We do have 'cactus' forests here in Tucson - do those count? Actually, there is a pine forest in the Catalina mountains, just an hour drive away on the North side of Tucson. I might do some runs there this summer.

I ran 10.5 miles today. I felt a little sore still from Sunday, but overall, I feel strong. I ran part of my run with this speedy runner gal Dan - I didn't know her, but she started to pass me and began talking to me so I just kept her pace. Whew! After I got done, I did a weight workout (mostly arms/abs). My legs are looking forward to a no exercise day tomorrow!
This time of year is great - I can run longer after work because the sun sets later, but it isn't smoking hot yet, either. Beginning in May, I'll start running before work when the sun rises earlier (and it isn't so cold!). Running when it is 100 degrees out is a little too much for me.


"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing." ~ Helen Keller

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Linda Vista Trail Hike

Well, I'm still a little tired from the half marathon, but decided to hike Linda Vista trail with my husband Ken anyway. We did about 2.5 miles, but it was slow, lots of rocky step-ups and quite a bit of bouldering at the end. My legs got a great workout in for such a short hike. It is approximately 1,400 feet in elevation gain in the 1.25 miles up. Linda Vista trail was beautiful. I stopped going up when I hit this outcropping behind me.

I'm trying to get my legs in shape for Zane Grey. I know I can do the distance; I'll be doing a marathon before then. However, it is supposed to be very rocky, with a lot of elevation gain, so I have a lot of work to do yet.

But, with Bataan March marathon a week and a half away, I won't be doing any more hikes or strenuous runs for a couple of weeks. I'll have about 30 miles in this week, I'll just run a few light days next week and then take a couple of days off before the marathon to rest the legs.

Feels good to be getting stronger every day.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Arizona Distance Classic Half Marathon Race Report

Beautiful race weather today! The rain and wind started shortly after I was done with the race. What a blessing! It was about 45-50 degrees and the sun even peeked out for a little today. Gorgeous course for a road race! My friend Lisa and I ran together for the first half of the race which was so much fun!Since my marathon is 2 weeks away, I didn't want to overdo it - I tried to enjoy myself and run at a reasonable pace. The first part of the race I averaged 9:30 minute miles. I had so much energy, so it was hard to stay at a slower pace! When I thought I might be able to finish in under 2 hours, I couldn't help but pick up the pace. The second part of the race I ran 8:30 minute miles for an ending race time of 1:58:04 (9 minute miles) for the 13.1 miles. I came in 92 out of 481 women, and 239 out of 775 overall. I was happy with that. You won't find me in the results, however. I ran in place of my friend Laurie, who was injured. I am so grateful for the opportunity and sent good thoughts her way today.

Ran into my friend (no pun intended!) Andrea from the trail races back in January. Great to see her! Her time was around 1:53! Congratulations Andrea. We'll be doing a trail run together in April. Can't wait! Here I am in my pink Moeben sleeves - got lots of complements. They are fantastic for days like today. You can find them at http://www.zombierunner.com/.


I met John Bingham, aka 'The Penguin'! He is the Race Director for this race and a well known author and motivator on running. He has helped thousands of people get going by his quote "The miracle isn't that I finished; the miracle is that I had the courage to start." I was able to get my picture taken with him; unfortunately, my camera was on 'movie mode' so I'll have to see what I can do with it.


I'll post the pictures from the race that the photography company takes when they are ready (action shots!)

I'm glad the weather held out for the race this morning - this afternoon, it hailed so much in Tucson that it looked like it was snowing. The mountains surrounding Tucson were completely snowcapped and gorgeous! Here is our front yard:

Congratulations to all the Half Marathon finishers, especially my friends Lisa, Andrea, Mark M., Dan, and Mark C. I also wanted to congratulate Marnee, who I have yet to meet! Great job Marnee - I found you in the results! You really picked up the pace the second half like I did.
Blue Pants Racing was out doing the pacing, and they did a great job!

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Saguaro National Monument East 8 mile run

I love a longer run in the middle of the work week! I met my friends Nancy and Lisa for the 8 mile loop out at Saguaro National Monument East, which was a real treat because I haven't been able to run much with them lately. My legs still felt a little tired from Saturday, but otherwise, it was great! It is paved, so I was able to try out my new ASICS shoes. They are so white! We saw the most beautiful sunset as we were finishing up. I love Arizona sunsets!

Unfortunately, I won't be able to get any longer runs with significant elevation gain in before the Zane Grey 50k race. My long run last weekend (21-22 miles) was the last one before the marathon on March 30th and Zane Grey on April 26th. I'm tapering now, so I don't want to do any really long runs before March 30th. And, I'll take a week to take it easy and recover after my marathon, and then it will be three weeks until Zane Grey, so...more tapering/maintaining.
Here is my crazy weekend run/race schedule for the next two months:
March 16th - Arizona Distance Classic Half Marathon
March 22nd - Catalina State Park 11 mile training run
March 30th - marathon in White Sands, NM!
April 5th/6th - recovery week - run 10 miles?
April 12th/13th- Catalina State Park 11 mile trail race/plan a hike for the day after?
April 19th - open - 1 week before the race - run 10 miles?
April 26th - Zane Grey 50k
So, I'm going to be adding lots of hills and short, steep hikes in my regimen to get me ready. I think it is super important that I give myself a little time to recover from the marathon, to make sure that I don't head into Zane Grey all wiped out. I read that it is 7,600 feet of climbing for the 50 miler, but can't seem to find the number of feet of climbing for the 50k.
I think I'll be registering this week. Eek!

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Catalina State Park hike

Ken and I wanted to take Dixie on a little hike today, so we thought we would try the Linda Vista trail (2.25 miles round trip, with 1,435 feet elevation gain!). However, dogs weren't allowed and we didn't realize it until we arrived at the trailhead. So, we developed an alternate plan and headed over to Catalina State Park since it was so close. We were a little disappointed, but I'll give that trail a try in the next few weeks (I've never done it before). I am really going to be throwing some steep, but short hikes in my training regime to prepare for the Zane Grey race.
We hiked the Canyon Loop trail and Nature trail, for a total of 3.3 miles. It was just perfect, since my legs were a little sore from yesterday's 4 hour run (otherwise, I feel great today - no lasting tiredness from it.)
There was some water running out there, but not much, and we were able to rock hop over most of the streams. Dixie loves the water and was very happy.
These are two of the trails that I'll be running on at the Catalina State Park race on April 12th. I'll also be running a training run on that same course on March 22nd.
I ended up with just a little over 40 miles this week - not bad for taking 10 days off of running prior to that.
____________________________
“Every person has the power to make others happy.
Some do it simply by entering a room; others by leaving the room.
Some individuals leave trails of gloom; others, trails of joy.
Some leave trails of hate and bitterness; others, trails of love and harmony.
Some leave trails of cynicism and pessimism; others trails of faith and optimism.
Some leave trails of criticism and resignation; others trails of gratitude and hope.
What kind of trails do you leave?
~ William Arthur Ward

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Last long run before I taper for my marathon...

Out at Tucson Mountain Park, of course. I LOVE that place. Most of the trails are very runnable, but I still get the up and down hilly action that my legs crave. I ran so many trails in the park today - Yetman trail, Yetman Link trail, Starr Pass trail, 36th St. trail and many other small offshoot trails that aren't marked. What a blast! I ran for 4 hours and 1 minute (I was out there for about 4.5 hours, with breaks and chatting with other runners and mountain bikers). I figure I did about 21-22 miles, based on looking at the map and my approximate speed. I ran at a pretty good pace most of the way, except a handful of 10-20 feet rocky spots that I chose to hike rather than chance injuring myself.

I started out on the Yetman Trail (Camino de Oeste trailhead). The stone house is a little over a mile in.
I continued on the Yetman trail after the junction and then did the loop to Tucson Mountain Estates to the Starr Pass trail (after doing the Yetman trail link and about 4 other offshoot trails).Not sure if my fueling was off, but at about 1.5 hours of running, I wanted to quit. I would eat some Clif blox (and I was also using Hammer Heed in my hydration pack) and then I would feel better. I mixed some Hammer Perpetuem at about 2 hours and felt much better after that. However, my energy was still up and down the whole time. I would have surges of energy followed by moments of feeling extremely spent. I think I may have not been hydrating enough; I was worried about my water supply, so I was trying to be cautious. I'll be ordering a bigger bladder for my hydration pack before my upcoming races. I also know my legs were tired, which I suspect was due to taking 10 days off of running from being sick, in addition to the steep run I did on Wednesday this week. I did almost trip and fall about 4 different times - once I got so close to the ground and was able to yank myself back up without falling (whew!). I think I was just tired.

But, wow was the desert green and full of wildflowers! I'll have to do a separate post on the wildflowers I got pictures of. We had a wet Winter in Tucson this year, which always means a wildflower filled Spring.

I then continued on to the 36th St. trail and ran to the trailhead. This sign is completely inaccurate (.9 miles, right...), because it took me 25 minutes to run it at a good pace! I think it is more like 2+ miles. The sign is leaning into a tree, so not sure what that means. Anyway, if you see this sign, make a note to self on the actual possible distance.

About half of the trails out there are full of loose rocks, especially on the hilly sections - training for ZG 50k? I did run into (no pun intended) a trail runner today that had a ZG 50 mile t-shirt on. I asked him about the race and this is what he said:
"
It was horrible. Barely runnable. This area out here (referring to Tucson Mountain Park) PALES (emphasis by me) in comparison. There are very few flat spots - it is all up and down the whole way."
Well, I still haven't registered yet, so I either have to figure out a way to get my legs in 'hiking' shape, or else not do it. His comment did worry me, but I'm concluding that since he did the 50 mile and I'm only doing the 50k, that it will be a better experience for me. Yeah. I'll just keep telling myself that. :)

All in all, it was a great run, even if I was by myself. I suppose I'll be 'by myself' during the upcoming marathon, so it was good to see how I would cope. I felt super endorphin rushed driving home (jamming to Boston's 'Peace of Mind'). I felt pretty strong and now I am ready for my marathon, which is 3 weeks away. Now begins 'taper madness', where I'll start to cut back on my mileage and intensity to get my legs 'fresh' for the marathon.

However, I am doing the Arizona Distance Classic Half Marathon (Valley of Gold) in Oro Valley, AZ next weekend. Sort of impromptu - I'm running in the place of my friend Laurie, who is injured. I'll be running with my friend Lisa, which will be fun! It is on pavement, so I stopped by the Running Shop here in Tucson and picked up a new pair of road runners - ASICS Cumulus 9. My other 3 pairs of road running shoes are stacking up the miles (I used them to run the Rillito dirt/pavement trails mostly). I'll try them for a quick run or 2 this week to make sure they work, but I'm confident they'll be fine - I've worn about 8 pairs of the Cumulus, which are fabulous for pavement running. They are so beautiful and white, but not for long.
Thanks Laurie for the wonderful opportunity!
Thank you, God, for these wonderful places to run.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Tumamoc Hill and a little Gauntlet trail


Since people aren't allowed to go on Tumamoc Hill until 5:30pm during the week, I ran a mile over to the Gauntlet trail, which is behind Pima Community College, and ran a small 2 mile loop. The Gauntlet trail has the best views of the Tucson Mountains (where I'll be doing a 22 miler on Saturday!). I then ran the mile back to Tumamoc Hill and then up and down Tumamoc Hill for 3 more miles. Tumamoc Hill has 700 feet elevation gain in 1.5 miles, so it is great training. Total run - 7 miles. It really feels great to be out there again.


Tumamoc Hill



I had a little motivation to do more hill training. I made the decision to enter the Zane Grey Highline 50k! Oh my gosh, am I crazy? Well, I also made the decision to pull out of the Forest Park 50k in Portland on May 25th. I just couldn't afford the trip. Since I was already going to ZG to pace Angie, it seemed like a good solution to my need to do a 50k this Spring. Angie was okay with me not pacing her and running the race instead! I'm so excited and nervous about it at the same time. It will be a little tougher than the Forest Park 50k, I think - a lot more climbing, and it will be a month after my Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon (I love saying that - it kind of scares people!)

Wish me luck, Y'all!

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

The I Love Running Post

I love to run. It is such a big part of my life; when I am unable to run, I feel a little disconnected from the world. Not only is it good for my body, but it is so fulfilling for my spirit. It eases my mind and soul. I take a part of it with me back home every time and long to return. I've already been planning my long trail run this coming Saturday - I'm going back out to the Tucson Mountains for a 22 miler. I cannot wait - I get so excited just thinking about it.
Much love goes out to my blogger friend Sarah and my Tucson trail running partner Laurie, who are both dealing with injuries (both are pool running, too). I've been there and know the frustration. Although I whined a lot the last week or so, I am thankful that I only had a cold and that it finally is going away. Today, I ran first the first time in 10 days! I'm feeling better, so I headed out to the Rillito wash for a short 4.5 mile run (mostly on dirt) with Dixie. I wanted to run longer, but didn't want to overdo it. The weather was about 75 degrees and was lovely. It felt great to be outdoors and enjoying the amazing views of the Catalina Mountains. My body still felt strong. Tomorrow, I'll probably run about 7 and see how I feel.Dixie had a great time. It had been almost 3 weeks since she had gone running, so she was happy.