is that babylegs??

Tentative 16

2010-06-01T21:27:00.000-07:00

After once again having a horrible experience with my pesky left leg on last weekend's 9 mile run, let's just say that I was feeling a certain sense of trepidation on this weekend's planned 16-er. Fearful of being stranded 8 miles out along Benton Crossing Road, I planned to run 4 miles out and back, then perhaps the same again or an out and back on 395 to make the distance, while not getting too far from my car.

It ended up being six miles out and back, stopping to stretch every couple of miles, then 1.5 miles out and back on 395 feeling a little ridiculous as a lot of traffic passed me by, then another half mile out and back on BCR, feeling ridiculous in case someone saw me, saw me turn around at a half mile and wondered why I was a) looking so tired and b) only running a mile.

Praise the Lord, all was well with my leg (was it the stretching, the prescription anti-inflammatory drugs, the roller-ing???) Who can say, but it worked, and I ran the 16 miles at just over 9 minutes/mile, and actually felt less than dead at the end.

Then tonight a 5-miles on the dirt roads at Shady Rest (Fun!) and an evening of TV and compression socks, which handily arrived today from Zappos. I'm feeling hopeful about the prospect of completing the SF Marathon, but shall have to see how next weekend (18 miles, hopefully) goes.

What is the WHat?

2010-05-16T18:30:00.000-07:00

Is what I was listening to last weekend on my long run, which was supposed to be a 12, but ended up as a 13.5+-ish out and back on Benton Crossing Road. I had forgotten how much I enjoy listening to audiobooks while runnning - and has made me re-think my decision to cancel my Audible subscription, which I wasn't using since I stopped commuting last fall. Fortunately the audiobook of "What is the What" is something like 20 hours...that's about 120 miles of listening pleasure. So, not too windy, and not too hot either, which made for a pretty good run, though I was definitely feeling wearysome by the last mile.

The rest of the week was very busy at work, and it was my "down" week in the good ol' training plan. Hence, lazy bum that I am, I only did one 4-ish mile run in Mammoth (which is like 7 anywhere else), and nuthin' more. Hah!

Today was a 9-mile run, kinda chilly out at Benton Crossing, and ridiculous headwind on the way back, requiring me to put my head down and try not to be be blown backwards. Overall an 8:40-ish pace, which felt pretty good given the conditions, and my fr-icking IT band which was tweaky at mile 8.5, requiring a little walking before I could finish the last half mile. I hope this is not the start of something bad, since it's been feeling pretty good, what with all the (agonizing) foam rollering that I've been doing. May take the next couple of days off and see where it's at.

Bay Area 11

2010-05-10T23:13:00.000-07:00

We were down in the Bay Area this weekend, so I got to do my 11 mile run at sea level, and on a nice, flat route down near the waterfront. Maybe it was the tough ten and two Mammoth runs last week, but this felt pretty easy and I ran it fast for a long run (8:45-ish miles). A very busy weekend, meeting prospective tenants for our rental, meeting a realtor, Mother's Day-ing, and whatnot, so it was nice to get out for a couple of hours by myself, and run by my old Berkeley haunts.

It's always tough at 8,000 ft

2010-05-04T23:18:00.000-07:00

I don't think I have ever done a run in Mammoth that has felt easy, no matter how in shape I am. Yesterday, no exception. 4.65 mi. in just under 45 minutes. Including some walking up the steeper hills. Maybe it's because last Sunday's run was harder than usual, but my legs didn't feel so snappy, and it felt like work. Nonetheless, done and on.

Add 15 degrees

2010-05-02T18:39:00.000-07:00

No matter what the weather is in Mammoth, you can pretty much add 15-20 degrees to that, and that's how hot it is in Bishop. So, today was pretty nice in Mammoth (60's), thus a somewhat sweltering 70 or so in the Bishop area, site of today's long run. Mr.BL and the boy went to Millpond park while I went for my scheduled 10-miler on the dirt roads next to the Tungsten hills.

It was definitely hillier than anything I've run lately, and hotter too (three weeks ago I was running wearing long tights, gloves and and a hat) - so it felt kind of hard. Still, I finished at around a 9:30 pace. Stats from SportTracks:

We drove down to Bishop afterwards for a taste of the big city, Eastern Sierra style. There's a new-ish store that sells used outdoor gear. Due to the fact that everyone here has way too much outdoor stuff, this place is quite the treasure trove. For me, lover of both outdoor gear and a good bargain (not usually words to be spoken in the same sentence), this place was incredible - three new running shirts (Nike and patagonia for a mere $20). Score! I shall return.

Goals for this week - do my prescribed runs on Tuesday and Thursday, hopefully some yoga on Weds, and aim to stay sane in what I know is going to be a crazy week.

I should probably be doing these exercises...

2010-04-30T21:53:00.001-07:00

Running Times: Part 1 from CoachJayJohnson on Vimeo.

What, Wait...It's Back to the Blog

2010-04-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

Noting my previous world record of 13 whole posts before bagging on blogging last year, I think I shall try and set a new P.R. in 2010, and see if I can actually maintain this thing. Perhaps, like running, it needs to become a 21 day habit, or at least a 21 post habit, before it will stick.

In the meantime, life continues snowily in the beautiful Eastern Sierra. We moved from our rural neighborhood to Mammoth Lakes last fall, so now I only have a five minute drive to work, and I get to rub shoulders with the bold and the beautiful of the running world. Indeed, my husband saw Meb at Von's (husband did not report on the content of Meb's basket, but it was probably full of Gu); Meb was very sweet to G., our three year old, who proceeded fail to acknowlege the fact that he was in the presence of running greatness. We shall have to work on that.

In other news, I ran the River City Half Marathon in Sacramento with my coworker and a friend of hers this month. I was quite pleased with my result 1:44:22, 4th place female and first in my age group. I had started getting some IT band pain towards the end of the training, so was really worried about an en-route flare up and a non-finish. But instead, glory! Here is a lovely picture of me at the finish. I cannot quite understand why my hands are so floppy looking, but at least I look like I'm enjoying myself (sort of).

And so it's onward, I hope, injury free to the San Francisco Marathon in July, which will be my first marathon ever. My sister just told me that she plans to the run the Half, which will be her first half ever. Very exciting! And quite convenient since she lives right by Golden Gate Park and the half ends practically at her front door, meaning she can run, go home, take a shower and be at the finish to cheer me on.

So, here's to better blogging, and lots of running in 2010!

Le Juneathon - Jour Numero Trois

2009-06-03T19:17:00.000-07:00

Day 3 was circuit training class at the gym. If it's Wednesday, it must be lower body and abs, say what? Instructor was hot on the jump squats, muchos lunges, and dastardly crab walks with stretchy band. Oi! I shall have inner thighs of steel.

Juneathon Stats: 3/30. 27 to go.

Day the Second of the Juneathon

2009-06-02T21:18:00.001-07:00

Yay for me. First run on a Tuesday for a while. 4.06 miles up Old Mammoth Road at an 8:31 average pace. This felt way better than last Thursday's 3.5 Main Path run, which was completed at a not-so-blistering 10 min+ pace, and feeling like I was going to die for much of it. Day 2, DONE!

Juneathon Day 1

2009-06-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

No running, but I did complete a 1 hour circuit training class which included about 300 yards of hopping. Not to mention jumping jacks, pullups, and about 6000 pushups.

Descent into the Cult

2009-05-16T15:20:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to share my disappointment with the world at large that the formerly enjoyable running blog of Little Miss Runner Pants has turned into a bit of a snooze-worthy recitation of accomplishments in the cultish world of Crossfit. Of course, moments after posting this, I visit said blog to see what's been posted lately, and what do I see but two non-crossfit-centric items... so perhaps I should withold judgement and see if LMRP can redeem herself.

Yeasty

2009-05-16T14:55:00.000-07:00

Have been in quite a whirl of breadmaking since my new bread machine arrived a week or two ago. The biggest challenge is adjusting recipes to the high altitude conditions here in the eastern sierra, but I've successfully made a loaf of white bread, a loaf of cinnamon raisin (same recipe, but with cinnamon and raisin folded in - nyum) and today a freakin enormous loaf of wholewheat bread. I think next time I will divide into two smaller loaves as (ahem) the recipe suggested, which may help with the evenness of the cooking.

I also attempted to make a multigrain loaf last week entirely in the bread machine, based on a recipe in the usually reliable Pie in the Sky but it didn't rise well (maybe not enough water) so was more of a multigrain brick....but we ate it anyway :)

Fueled by all this yeasty goodness, I ran 10 miles at Casa Diablo last Sunday, with no walk breaks as before, and the extended trail loop in Mammoth (5 miles), and managed to make one express and one yoga class at the gym. Today I'm waiting for it to cool down a little, then perhaps a wee jaunt up the pole road to round out the miles this week to 20.

In other news, while enjoying my regular dose of Jogblog, I recklessly said I would participate in Juneathon (exercise every day, and blog about it, for 30 days in June. There is a winner, determined by some hazily defined criteria, but mostly I just want to see if I can get out there every day and do something.

Catchup

2009-05-09T16:45:00.000-07:00

I have been shamed into updating my blog by the ever diligent Lazy Bitch, who apparently is not so lazy about maintaining her blog.

Things have been modest on the training and exercise front, with several alternate recreational pursuits conspiring to waylay my long runs over the past couple of weeks. That said, I've managed to get in a few midweek runs, including a lunchtime 5.5 mi. up in Mammoth, and some treadmill plods with SPEED INTERVALS, god help me.

And also, visits from family, two downhill ski days (now that I can take advantage of my low price 2010 MVP pass at Mammoth Mountain during the end of the season) and a 10 mile canyon hike in Death Valley last weekend. Also being quite diligent about the Monday/Wednesday circuit training (as my increasingly buff arms attest) -though it makes it hard to motivate for a Tuesday or Thursday run on the days thereafter.

My friend Laura's successful finish of the London Marathon made me think again about signing up for one...but that means actually committing to a training program, not shirking the long runs, etc. etc. Perhaps it's the way to increase my consistency though, which I think is the major shortfall in the running program right now.

Anyway, gotta go, because my cinnamon-raisin loaf is about to come out of the oven!

Top Banana

2009-04-19T15:58:00.000-07:00

That would be me, ahem. Top female finisher in the Hospice of the Owens Valley 10k this Saturday, no less, and a lovely sparkly trophy complete with plastic Winged Victory atop to show for it. Sure, it wasn't the world's biggest race, and there were even fewer women running, but still, of all of them I was still in first place. Not bad for a little pair of babylegs... 6.2 miles in 50m:51s, average 8:09 min./mile.

Weekly Run-Down

2009-04-12T20:47:00.000-07:00

Not such a great week this week, exercise-wise, mostly because of a bout of mid-week sickness and lethargy that demand it be treated with rest, rather than recreation. Not to mention being home along with the Real Babylegs while Mr. BL was cavorting down to the Bay Area...turns out that single parenting puts a bit of a cramp in the ol' exercise styleeee. So, Monday: Express; Thursday, about 30 minutes on the elliptical, and finally, a long run of ten (mostly arduous and plodding) miles at Casa Diablo (note, if you will, massive uphill at the beginning and 7,000 ft elevation....

For some reason I had banished the steepness of the first part of this run out of my consciousness, probably because the steepness of the out translates to a fun, speedy downhill on the way back. That is, unless you ran about 2 miles further than you should have and even the speedy downhill isn't much fun. So, a little walking on the pretext of having to adjust my ipod, but running of a sort mostly, and I made it all 10 miles at a "modest" 9:38 pace. And it was beautiful of course, especially the way back when you have a clear view to the Sierra Crest and the Minarets all the way past Mammoth.

Sunday Run

2009-04-07T18:56:00.000-07:00

Made it out to the Casa Diablo trail on Sunday afternoon for a long run....sadly, the Forerunner ran out of juice at about 0.8 miles, whereas I continued on for quite a bit longer. In the end, I think it was about 8 miles, and a total time of 1:16:00; thus an average pace of a somewhat poky 9:30 minute/mile. Not too surprising given the couple of walk breaks on the steep uphill (bah!) part...and longish water drinking break in the middle. Oh, and the headwind. Woke up feeling a bit under the weather on Monday, but made Express at lunchtime nonetheless, although big plans to run in town at lunchtime today fell by the wayside. On a more positive note, Mr. Babylegs made a large pot of lamb and lentil curry for dinner tonight, which should scare any sickness away. When the Real Babylegs asked what he was eating, the answer was "meat" least he wonder if there was any relationship to a certain favorite stuffed animal....

Run-Down-Catch-Up

2009-04-04T17:15:00.000-07:00

OK, a lot of catching up to do, training blog-wise. Luckily, my training has been (somewhat) inversely proportional to my blogging, so I can feel simultaneously like a slacker and an overachiever. I've been making the Monday/Wednesday lunchtime circuit-training class at the gym, and feeling a bit "wrooooooooaaaaaaaaarr" what with all the lunging and squats and pushups and stuff. And nothing like running sprint laps of the gym at 8,000 ft to make you feel like a tough little soldier.

Weekend before last was an awesome 8-miler at Pleasant Valley Reservoir, at around an 8:15 pace; no outdoor running last week because of my sad trip to Florida for the funeral, but managed a 5-mile (humid) treadmill run on Sunday at the hotel, and about 4 miles on Tuesday at the gym back home. I made it to the Friday "Yogafit" class this week which I have to say is awesome, but hard, involving lots of (of course) squats, pushups to crocodile to upward dog to downward dog and some other manoevers that I, a relative stranger to yoga and supreme inflexibility to boot, finds quite tricky.

And this morning me and Mr. Babylegs and the Real Babylegs went xc skiing up Rock Creek Road, about 6 miles round trip up to Rock Creek Lake and back. For some reason I thought it would be freezing cold, so was totally overdressed and sweaty at the beginning, but adjusted my layers to the correct level and was relatively comfy. I hadn't skiied this this route since last winter, and recalled it being a bit of a slog, but this time felt kind of easy, perhaps due to lunge-induced fitness (or else the two giant bowls of oatmeal for breakfast).

Onwards to tomorrow and hopefully a nice long run either at PV or Casa Diablo...so glad it's Spring!

Hevvy Legs

2009-03-07T21:56:00.000-08:00

A not so fun jaunt up the pole road this afternoon, feeling like poo the entire way - out of breath, tired, and having to walk up the steep parts. I am blaming it on feeling under the weather. Even the choco espresso beans did not help. still, even a bad run is better than no run at all.

Sage to Summit February 10K

2009-03-03T20:09:00.000-08:00

I did pretty well in this local race from Millpond Park, up to the Tungsten Hills; 15th overall out of 39 runners, 3rd female finisher and a total time of 53:05, despite 1000 feet of uphill in the first half. Hope I can make it to the March race. Here's a link to the race results to witness the magnificence of my performance.

Swall 4

2008-09-07T21:17:00.000-07:00

John took me on his usual run from our house, and up the dirt road towards Tom's place on Saturday. Kind of hilly, but I hung in there for 3.84 miles in about 40 minutes. Hills good!