BPR Summer Trail Series Race #3

My name for this trail - Descent into Chaos. More on that shortly.

Okay, it just wasn't my day on the trail today. We all have them. I kept smiling for the pictures. It was a pretty gnarly trail, though.

After a horrendous week at work, which had wiped me out, I got up at 3:30am this morning and headed up to Mt. Lemmon for the 3rd race in the Blue Pants Summer Trail Series. It was on the Butterfly trail in the Catalina Mountains. I thought it would take me longer to drive up there than it did, so I arrived around 5:10am after driving less than an hour with almost a full moon in sight the whole way. I saw 1 deer, a baby coyote and a skunk on the way up, too. Very cool. The weather was nice and crisp and I had plenty of time to kill before the race started at 6am. This was good because I was dealing with some motion sickness from my ride up the mountain, so it gave my system a little time to calm down. I usually get motion sick in the mountains when I'm a passenger, but never as the driver. I think my body is just run down.

We were e-mailed by Lazslo yesterday and informed that it would be a good idea to wear pants because of the overgrowth, which I was bummed about, (no skirt?) but for which later I would be very glad.
About 20 of us started out the race going uphill in a nice forested area. The trail was nice, although a little rocky, for about a mile or so.

Then, until the end (we did an out and back) it was pretty overgrown. All of the rain we get in the summer does wonders for mountain vegetation. Much of it was completely covering the trail and up to 8 feet high in spots. I'm quite sure there was a bear in there somewhere! Needless to say, I only ran about a couple of miles of the course and hiked the rest because of that, in addition to the fact that I was wearing a new pair of trail shoes that weren't working for me. I had tried this new pair of Inov8 trail running shoes (I have another pair that are fine, but this was a different version) a few times this week and decided the only way to really tell was to take them out for a real test. Well, I stubbed my toes about 100 times (I'm not sure why - they were Gore-tex, so maybe I wasn't used to the added weight?) and my toes kept jamming into the end of the shoes. I was worried that I might end up with a black toenail, but luckily that didn't happen. The shoes also didn't handle the slick, rocky areas too well. So, I lost confidence in my shoes quickly and didn't feel comfortable gunning it in spots that I might have otherwise. I wanted to like them; they look rugged and are a beautiful blue. They are going back to Backcountry.com - they have an unconditional return policy.

I did get to the end (only halfway there, because now I have to go back through that insanity) and got to see the remnants of an small airplane crash from 1957. To be honest, the trail got so bad at some point, that I almost turned around; I was being stubborn, though, because I wanted to see the crashed plane. Whatever it takes. All I could think about on the way there is that this trail should be called "Descent into Chaos" instead of the Butterfly trail. I saw no butterflies. Lots of bees out there, too, because of the wildflowers.

On the way back, I really started having a rough time. I was stumbling a lot and just couldn't do much running. I think I was emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically spent on many levels, and just didn't have anything to give the trail. So, I hiked mostly and ran when I could. I tweaked my ankle once, slipped on a large log and whacked my knee, had a small fall going over a log and banged my ankle and shin, and stepped into thin air with one foot off the trail about 6-8 times and quickly caught myself each time. That was scary. The stretch of the trail where I kept losing my footing was on the side of a hill (see picture below) and the trail was pretty narrow in spots. Wouldn't want to roll down that hill!I was running alone almost the whole time (everyone else except one person was way in front of me) and just felt very isolated and lonely. I was worried that I was lost on several occasions, but found relief when I saw BPR's yellow ribbons from time to time. The course was well marked, but the vegetation was just crazy.

On a positive note, the views were magnificent. Lots of wildflowers. I guess I just wasn't in a spot where I could really be present and fully enjoy the moment. We all have our days, and today wasn't mine.

More good news, though! I finally finished! People were still there at the finish line! I'm not even going to mention how long it took me. Let's just say it took FOREVER. I guess it was supposed to be a 6 - 7 mile trail; sure felt longer than that today.

Since I had participated in all 3 races in the Summer Trail Series, I was eligible for awards. I got top female overall! Now, my times aren't that great compared to some other gals; however, I was the only female that did all 3 races. Hey, I'll take it! It was a totally adorable potted cactus, just like they gave out in the Winter Trails Series. Wonderful and original. My friend Steve got an age-group award. Here we all are posing with our awards:

I wish I had worn a long sleeve shirt, too. All of the contact with the vegetation broke my arms out terribly. I had long, streaky welts up and down my arms, in addition to many hive-like bumps. I almost suspected poison ivy, but I'm happy to report that a Benadryl and some hydrocortisone cream stopped the itching and calmed the whole thing down. I still have some remaining welts over 12 hours later, but they are much better. Thank God I was wearing pants.

If you missed the BPR Summer Trail Series, you'll have to show up for the Winter Trail Series in January. You won't find a more personable bunch of runners. Lazslo and Lauren do a great job on all of these races and they make everyone feel welcome. Lazslo is very funny; just listening to his descriptions of the trail is worth signing up. He always prints up a rough sketch of the trail for each of us to take with us.

On the way down the mountain, I became motion sick again, which was a bummer. It passed about the time I got home. Later on, I got a facial and a massage, which was perfect, because I felt so spent after that race and it was nice to be pampered. I normally get a massage about every 4-5 weeks, but the facials were a package I purchased because I wanted to do something nice for myself.

Next race is the Saguaro 8 mile race on Labor Day. I'll be headed to Colorado to visit my husband Kenny and our dog Dixie (Cracker Dog is going on a road trip!) first and then I'll come back in time to rest a day before the race.

Well, probably not my most upbeat posting about a race, but the truth is, even though I had a bad day out there on the trail, I was blessed to be in the mountains, see my friends, meet some new friends and try something new. So, I am going to bed with a thankful heart.

Coyote trail and more running blogs

There is this little 1/4 mile section of trail that connects a local neighborhood to the Rillito River path that I have dubbed the 'Coyote trail'. I have seen only one coyote on it but I have seen many around it. Actually, yesterday morning, when I was headed onto it, a guy told me, "Watch out, there are two big coyotes in there." Well, I was a little worried, but how big can coyotes be? And, they usually run the other way anyway, so I proceeded ahead. Needless to say, I always expect to see one - adds to the trail run adrenaline rush. :)

I always see this lady with her two overweight, but very friendly golden labs, so today I asked her to take a picture of me with them. Let's just say that some people are terrible at taking pictures. Here it is:

Yeah, no dogs in the picture and could she have waited until I was actually ready? What am I doing here, breaking out in a rap dance? So, I tried to get one myself, but the dogs were uncooperative.

I've updated my blog listing to include some other running blogs I've been checking out. Hope you enjoy them, too.

Anton Krupicka

This guy is one of the top ultrarunners in the country right now - he is fast and runs an insane amount of miles. And he looks like a hippie. Don't expect any pictures, though. He usually only wears tiny shorts when running - no place for a camera there!

Matt Hart

Matt is currently with Karl Meltzer on the Appalachan trail (AT) . He has a lot of training advice on his blog, is a top ultrarunner and he seems like a really nice guy, too!

Karl Meltzer

Karl is just a really accomplished ultrarunner who has decided to take on the AT in record time (averaging about 45 miles a day!) This is his 'Where's Karl' site, and he is sponsored by Backcountry.com, my favorite online outdoor retailer. Karl's regular website has a 15% discount on it for Backcountry.com.

Steve Stenzel

Okay, this guy is really a triathlete, but he has the funniest blog EVER. He is very self-effacing. Um, actually I'm kidding about that. His blog is called, "Steve in a Speedo? Gross!"

I've been working so much lately that I actually thought how great these cows had it - just hanging out all day! I see these guys fairly often on one of my loops, and they seem to look at me the same way!

Another Saguaro training run...

This is getting to be a (good) habit.

I ran the 8 mile course (again!) with Shari today in preparation for the Saguaro National Park race held on Labor Day . The Grinder group was out, and boy are they a speedy group, and a few people from SAR showed up as well. Although I wasn't very well slept, I felt great and ready to tackle some hills (and there are a lot of them out there!)

I am happy to report that I am feeling so much better than I did last week! I started taking my iron supplement again and added some red meat and other iron-rich foods in my diet, such as raisin bran cereal (both bran and raisins are high in iron). More on raisins later....
Yes, spinach is a good iron source, but not as much as some other foods.

Anyway, Shari was pretty tired, so we took it easy, which was fine with me after yesterday's race. She kept telling me to go on if I wanted to, but I don't believe in leaving someone behind (unless it is a race, which is different - everyone runs their own race). So, we walked a little here and there and just had a nice morning. I was just thrilled that I wasn't dragging like I was last week.

By the way, don't try diagnosing an iron deficiency yourself (do as I say, not as I do). A visit to the doctor with some blood work is important to be certain. I just realized I had the same symptoms as last year and I had also quit taking my iron supplement and eating red meat, so I felt pretty certain that is what was going on. Based on my improvement, I think my intuition was right.

Back to raisins (which are high in iron) - I read in this article about the benefits of raisins over sports gels. Read all about it here.

So, I bought a big bag of raisins to try the raisin experiment. I'll report back.

I ran 35 miles for the week, which is pretty good - I'll be upping it this week back to my normal level of 40 now that I'm feeling better. Morning daylight is getting stolen minute by minute every day, so in about a month or so, I'll go back to evening running (which will be hot, but I don't feel safe running in the dark where I live). I'm still doing my two strength training workouts (1 hour each) each week, which include weights and core work. I'd like to lose the 6 pounds I've gained since last summer. No, it's not 'all muscle' - my clothes are tight, and I feel like I'm carrying a rock in my pack while running! Just try it sometime; go running and throw a 6 pound rock in your pack! It's no secret that a leaner physique makes running easier and can speed your times up. I'll try to get more focused and lay off the chocolate (did I say that?) Sure would be good to get rid of it before I start marathon training this fall.
I hope this week brings peace, good news and an opportunity to be helpful to others to everyone.

BPR Summer Trail Series Race #2

The Step Workout.

The second race in the Blue Pants Racing Summer Trail Series was held in the Tortolita Mountains on the Wild Burro Trail, which is pretty tame, and the Alamo Springs Trail, which is one step after another going up through the range and then the same thing back down. We did a 'reverse the course' on this one from the Winter Trail Series race held on the same trails.

My friend Andrea, who I met at the BPR Winter Trail Series in January, was at the race as a volunteer today. She is always smiling and just so beautiful. It was good to see her.I ran with David, Mary, Laura and Patricia for a while. They left me in the dust about a mile or so from the finish line. However, I was baffled at the finish line when I realized that David still wasn't in. We all waited for quite a while and then Lazslo and Lauren went to look for him. We thought he must have gotten lost; he did say he got lost easily. When I checked the results, it was noted that he did the loop twice (maybe he was trying to catch his significant other, Cat, who was hiking the course?) Anyway, that guy is a character, and I had fun running with him and the other gals.

BPR did a great job marking the course, so there really weren't any spots that I felt were really questionable as to where to go (they used yellow ribbons and biodegradable chalk to mark.) The trail was in pretty good shape; it is just a lot of big, rocky, step ups for quite a bit of the trail, mixed in with some nice, runnable spots. However, there were some thorny bushes that were growing into the trail on many sections. Here some of us trail runners are proudly showing off our bloody wounds after the race:

I finished in 1:35 - the distance was about 7 miles. It was slow going, but what a beautiful place to run. Of course, I always take time at the top to enjoy the view. My friend Steve was there as well, and he was his usual speedy self, finishing at the head of the pack.

I love getting out there on the trail. Makes me feel like I'm really living. Some people sit on the couch, afraid to get out there (hey, it can be scary meeting new people all the time - even scarier letting them get to know you!) but it is so worth it. I know so many unbelievably amazing people as a result of walking through the fear.

"A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for." ~ quote disputed as coming from several authors

Saguaro 8 mile training run and other miscellaneous running related stuff

I was pretty sore from yesterday's race and the small hike I did afterwards, but I still got up and headed over to Saguaro East for a run on the 8 mile loop. I was bummed because I forgot my annual pass and had to cough up $5 for today's run! Bill Cuculic from SAR was heading up the training run and about 10 people showed up. I tried to keep up with him and others, including my friend Mark from the Workout Group, but after about 2 miles, I had to drop back (they are a pretty speedy crew of guys).

It is a very hilly loop and it even felt more so today than normal. I have not walked any portion of that loop in several years just because I was tired; today, I had to stop and walk at least 3 or 4 times. I'm really starting to suspect an iron deficiency again. I was diagnosed with that last year through some regular blood work. I started taking a supplement and watching my diet to make sure I include iron-rich foods on a regular basis. I've since learned that athletes (seems a little surreal to be in that class, but I guess that is what I am) have high iron needs for two reasons: iron is lost through sweating, and physical activities create a demand for more red blood cell production, which you need iron for! An iron deficiency means less oxygen is delivered to the cells. This can lead to fatigue and other problems, including breathlessness and paleness. That's exactly what I have been experiencing for several weeks now; extreme fatigue and breathlessness.

It dawned on me yesterday after my exhausting race on the mountain that I shouldn't be THIS tired. I realized that I have been leaving my iron supplement out of my vitamin regimen for the last 2-3 weeks, and since my husband has been gone for over 6 weeks now, I have not eaten any red meat. I'm not vegetarian, but I do tend to eat a lot of beans and grains when he is gone instead of meat. When he is here, we have hamburgers about once every two weeks. I do think it is possible to get enough iron if someone is a vegetarian, but it really takes a concerted effort, especially for vegetarian athletes. Iron from red meat is absorbed by the body in greater quantities than from vegetarian items, so it is just easier for me to add red meat in to help offset the iron deficiency. Plus, I love a good burger every now and then, but I'm just too lazy to fix one for myself, and I'm not a fan of fast food at all (I'll buy lean ground beef). Anyway, I'll be working on getting that back in line and if I don't feel steadily better in a month (reversing iron deficiency doesn't happen overnight), I'll head to the doctor for some blood work.

I was happy with my time today for the 8 mile loop, though, given all the walking I did - 1:16. Last year, I ran the Saguaro race in a little over 1:13. I think if I can start to feel better before Labor Day, which is when the race is held, I definitely have a chance of beating last year's time.
I followed my run up with a wonderful fruit smoothie (the Acai Energizer) from Robek's. I received a $10 gift card from Everyone Runs when I signed up for the Catalina State Park 11 mile trail race, which was nice!
I then did a one hour weight and core workout. I have been doing this core workout for the last two weeks. It is intense and I'm already seeing results.

What a fun running weekend! I had a great time at Blue Pants Racing's trail race yesterday; they always do fun events. After the race, I got a $15 gift certificate for a Road ID, which I have been thinking of getting for some time now (my wrist ID band will be pink, of course). I run alone a lot and it really is a good idea.
I love the fellowship with other runners. I'm excited about all of the upcoming races. I'm thankful to God that I am able to run, for it has opened up a whole world for me.

BPR Summer Trail Series Race #1

OR, Renee's Big Adventure in the Woods.
Dang it was a hard trail! It was only 6 miles, but was pretty rocky in spots, was fairly overgrown for stretches (yes, that is part of the trail in the picture on the left!), and the uphill was brutal on part of it! My hiking legs are definitely not in shape. Views were amazing, albeit sometimes through a forest of burned trees from the fire in 2003.
I drove up to the trailhead at the summit of Mt. Lemmon in the Catalina Mountains on Friday night. I was celebrating 22 years of moving to Tucson from Louisiana. I decided to drive up on Friday night instead of on Saturday morning for several reasons: I live about 1.5 hours or more from the top of Mt. Lemmon, so I would have to get up way too early, the race started bright and early at 6am, and I was looking for an adventure! It was the first night I have spent alone in the outdoors. I was a little nervous, but mostly just excited to be out from behind my desk and seeing some beautiful country.
I got a late start (I have to bring everything!) and drove up most of the mountain highway in the dark. I did see an amazing sunset before it got dark.A big thunderstorm rolled through and I had to pull over because it was raining so hard. By the time I got to the top (around 8:15 - 8:30pm) at the trailhead (past the ski lodge) it had stopped raining. I saw one deer along the way. I pretty much just brushed my teeth and settled down to sleep in the back of my 4-Runner. I already had a 'bed' set up with a thermarest mattress, blanket and pillow. I woke up quite a bit in the middle of the night - I could feel that the altitude was already getting to me. I needed more oxygen! It was over 9,000 feet elevation where I spent the night.
I woke to my alarm at 5am. What a beautiful sunrise! Runners started filing in at 5:10am! I hardly had time to get myself together in privacy. Most people were there by 5:30am. It was fairly cool at the start, around 60 degrees, which was a nice break from the Tucson heat. Laszlo, one of the RD's, gave us last minute instructions and went over the trail route. He told us that he and Lauren, the other race director, were getting married next month; congratulations! After we all got our race bibs on, we were on the trail at 6am.

Some people were doing a shorter route (4 miles) and there were others that didn't make it to the end of the two out and back trails (this is a pretty laid back race). I did all 6 miles and had to hike a significant portion of them. We did the Meadow trail, Lemmon Rock lookout trail, and the Samienago trail (which is part of the Arizona trail). Some parts of the Samienago trail were very overgrown, but the trail had lots of wildflowers and was very beautiful! I was really huffing and puffing from the altitude and of course, the uphills. This picture vaguely reminds me of Zane Grey with the uphill/rock combo...About 1.5 miles before the end of the course, my friend Steve came running back on the trail (he had already finished) and ran the last part with me! Too cool! We went to the fire lookout point (which is the house behind me in the picture below) and got some good pictures. You could see for miles. Steve enjoying the view at the lookout:

Here is the left side of the lookout house:

Here is Steve in front of the fire lookout entrance:

I was pretty tired by the time we were on the last stretch. It was only supposed to be 6 miles altogether, but it took me 1 hour and 24 minutes! I did run quite a bit, but the walking uphill was slow, slow, slow. I also stopped a lot to take pictures, and Steve and I spent a few minutes at the lookout point, too. I always believe in taking in the view; you never know when you'll see something like that again, and I would hate to just race by something that deserves a few minutes. I had to go to the bathroom pretty bad, but decided to hold out for the trailhead bathroom. Thanks Steve for running/hiking me in!

Afterwards, I stood around and chatted with the other runners and met some new people. I met David and his significant other Cat - David finished the Zane Grey 50 miler and has done other ultras, so we talked quite a bit about running crazy distances in general, which was fun! I'm sure I'll be seeing him again.

On the way down the mountain, I made a stop in Summerhaven, a little town right below the top, and went to the end of the road. I decided to hike the Marshall Gulch trail to the Aspen trail, but lost it about a mile or so in. Because of the fire in this area in 2003, there was lots of downed wood. Although a lot of the pine trees were burned and dead, the forest floor was green and lush and filled with wildflowers with a running creek nearby! I did a little loop and then ended up on the Marshall Gulch trail again (where was the Aspen trail?), so I headed on back. I ran into my friend Steve, who was doing the same thing! We talked for about 15 minutes, and then ran back to the trailhead together. What a great time. It is always a pleasure hanging out with Steve; we even got to talk accounting shop!

Well, that's it for the racing until next Saturday - for the 2nd race in the Summer Trail Series, we'll be out at the Tortolita mountains. Could be a little warm, but hey, we live in Tucson, right? Those mountains are pretty; come on out and see what we are up to - register here.

After my little country-girl adventure in the woods, I followed it up with a shower at home and a city-girl facial at the local salon, my first one ever. It lasted an hour and a half and was wonderful!

Saguaro National Monument East 8 mile loop training run

Time to get serious. The annual Saguaro National Monument 8 mile race is coming up on Labor Day. I've run it 3 years in a row and have gotten faster each year (not sure if that will happen this year, though). I ran the loop today with Nancy and I'll also be doing it the next 3 Sundays to get ready. It was an overcast morning, and the clouds hung pretty low over the Rincon and Catalina Mountains, which was great! We still sweated like crazy from the high humidity that is typical this time of year. The desert is a beautiful green right now. We actually did 9 miles, because we added the 'picnic loop', which is an extra mile. This course is just a bunch of steep hills, the main one being a very slow grind to the top.

A big thank you to Nancy for listening to my tales of woe during our run. I am struggling with a complicated life right now; with my husband being gone for 4 months in Colorado (by the time I visit him in Silverton at the end of August, it will be over 2 and 1/2 months since he left Tucson and I saw him last), me working a lot of overtime, and too many other small things to take care of, I feel overtaxed, stressed, emotional and sad. When life gets out of balance for me, I feel it immediately. I'm hoping the work situation will slow down soon, and I'm confident that Kenny and I can work out the problems created by his career taking him to Colorado every year. Right now, though, I just have to tough it out and work on staying spiritually fit so I can handle life's complications. I must admit that I add to my problems because I have a difficult time asking for help. My dad taught me a lot about about self-sufficiency; sometimes, however, we just need other people.

Running is one thing I'm enjoying immensely right now. It clears my head and enables me to be present in my life. Even being so busy, I was able to fit in running 36 miles this week and I did 2 weight workouts (45 minutes to an hour each). I also took Cracker Dog for a 2 mile walk.

I stayed up too late last night and got up too early today to run, so I'm going to take a nap now. Sometimes a nap allows me to really put things in perspective. I often think that life is less about eliminating problems and more about a shift in attitude and perspective.

Trying more new trails in the Tucson Mountains...

Shari and I headed out to a new spot for us in the Tucson Mountains, which was supposed to be a little more flat than other trails in that area. Shari had just completed the Vineman (half Ironman) last Sunday (which was super hilly), so she was being smart and giving her body time to recover (no hills, she said!) Congratulations, Shari! On the right is her shirt showing off the insane mileage (1.2 swim, 56 bike, 13.1 run) she completed.

We started out at the Cam-Boh picnic area in the Tucson Mountains (take Ina Rd. west to Wade Rd. Go left on Wade Rd. which turns into Picture Rocks Rd. Go about 3 miles to the Cam-Boh picnic area and park there). The Roadrunner trail was first, which looped into the Panther Peak Wash trail. We did lose the Panther Peak Wash trail once, and wandered around for a bit before we realized our error. We kept going and hit the Cam-Boh trail. Rather than complete the loop on the Cam-Boh trail back to the Cam-Boh picnic area, we went the other way towards Ringtail trail. Unfortunately, it started to get a little hilly, but not too bad. We took the Ringtail trail to Picture Rocks Wash trail which connected to the Ironwood trail and then back to the Cam-Boh trail (another loop). It was super pretty through there, and we ended up seeing a horned toad (horny toad to some, although technically, it is a horned lizard, not a toad). They are pretty wild looking.
We headed back on the Cam-Boh trail and called it a day. Not the super easy trail I had planned for Shari (lots of super-deep sandy wash running and rocky trails, with some hills thrown in near the end) but we had fun. The cactus and spiny bushes were hanging over the trail a lot, so we ended up with quite a few scratches on our arms and legs. I actually have a bunch of small bruises from the cactus needles. The picture on the left is the wash trail we got lost on (yes, we actually plowed through all that mess before we realized, hey, we've lost the trail!)

I met a lot of people from the Tucson Trail Runners this evening - Joyce, Donna (although I had met her once before) Pam, Ross, Chase, Peter, Paul, Joe, Bruce and a few others. They had their annual potluck to discuss their trail running calendar for the next year. They plan various runs from September through end of May and different people volunteer to be race directors. There is no charge for the runs - the race director just 'oversees' the runs to make sure everyone gets accounted for and back safely (oh, and they have to bring drinks and snacks!) The calendar is pretty intense; although I won't be joining them on all of their runs (some of them are quite advanced), I'll be getting my feet wet on some more technical and steep trails in Tucson and the surrounding areas. I was invited to go, although it is open to anyone, by Bob Bachani, who cheered the runners on at the Zane Grey race. He said if I could do ZG, I could do the TTR runs. Okay, then! I was nervous because I didn't know anyone, but I know I have to start somewhere. They were all super friendly. Just in case, I made my super secret chocolate cookies that always win over a crowd. It worked. :) I'm in.