Derailed!

Since April of last year I have run a half marathon and a full marathon on trail, two trail 50ks and one 50k mostly paved, a 50 miler, a 100k, a 100 miler, took about 3 minutes off my 5k PB, ran my fastest ever ever mile, rode a 50 miler last year, and a 35 miler last month. I remained happily injury free, and kept ALL my toenails, barely even bruising them. A few weeks ago I took a spill off my horse, landing star-fish styly (no good story about galloping through the woods aboard my wondrous steed to slay a dragon and protect the town - I had no saddle, he jumped sideways, I didn't...). Success at jamming my toe hard enough for it to go black around the edges and painful enough that I took something more than arnica for the first time in three years. The toe hurt worse than the sublaxated shoulder, which other than when I was working, was just inconvenient at reaching things in high places - I'm already disadvantaged with my T-Rex arms. Ten days later we were trying to find a way around a fallen tree (didn't occur to us to carry saws in August), we came across a hornet nest and my riding buddy and I both got stung, and in the kerfuffle lost both horses. In the process of tearing off through the woods trying to find my horse, not paying attention to running form, and smacking the heck out of my leg, firstly to get the buggers off of me, and later to try and ease the stings, I injured my knee. Based on previous experience I have a pretty good idea what may be wrong, but I can't diagnose that without seeing a doctor. (Yes, very familiar with the problems of self-diagnosis and that it's not recommended and I'm not a doctor, so on so on).

Ouch! One massive leg

I tried to go to physical therapy, but you need a referral, and you can't get a referral without an MRI. Oh NHS, I miss you so. I stand by my previous statement when having to pass a thorough medical exam when I emigrated that I wouldn't be moving here if I was sick.

The streak is still going, just with lonely little single miles, mainly for my sanity at the moment. Even if I'm basically power walking the mile, I need that time to myself. I'm going to go for a short test run next week somewhere easy, and see how it's going. Most of the swelling is down, and it's not usually painful for daily activities. If anybody has been to PT for knee injuries I'd love to chat! If it doesn't seem to be getting better I will of course give up the streak, but for mental clarity that isn't an option until next week, just being very careful about it in the meantime. 

THANK YOU to all the people who were ready to search the woods for my missing horse. I found my buddy's horse pretty quickly but apparently home is not where my guy flees to. Since it was already getting dark I called two people who live on the street he does and where the trailhead is. Immediately there were ten of us (family, friends, and neighbours) ready to go with more friends down the road texting me to see if they could help, and many more that have since said they would have been right there if I had called and we needed to search for him. Luckily he was found very quickly, obviously realising he had gone the wrong way and was starting to head back for home again. It's very reassuring to know that people will come when help is needed!!!

 

RdL Week 6

6/29/15
Monday - 1 streak mile

Tuesday - 8.4 miles. I set our early from the FogDodger parking spot to run towards the lighthouse and back before meeting the others to head down through the park (too early to run the canyon by myself). J showed up right after me so we ran together for 3 miles. Once with the group, we headed down our usual route through the campground and along the creek. On days I want to run with others I shouldn't be in front, somehow I lost the group. The mosquitoes thought I was delicious so I didn't wait at the turnaround. I managed to run all the way up the hill again, and stretched a little when I got back to the truck, but started getting chilled so ended up taking off before the others got back. Sorry I missed you guys!

Russian Gulch - North trail

 Wednesday - 8.2 miles with a couple tempo miles. Bleh. I burned up too much energy trying to run up the first steep hill (made it more than half way - huge improvement for me). The plan called for three tempo miles, but I only had about two miles of reasonable enough footing to feel confident speeding up. I need to work on pacing, since I couldn't find a happy medium on my tempo pace and went too hard. Immediately after this stretch is another climb, and I think it was too much too soon. While I made it up the hill (run/walk intervals) I started feeling really sluggish and heavy legged. The last mile and a half back to the truck was really challenging to keep moving, even at a walk. Pushing too hard and not taking fuel (16oz water only) was not my brightest move.

Waterfall at Russian Gulch - very small right now

Thursday - 5.5 miles at Van Damme. Feeling pretty tired, and heading out of town for the day, so just one lap. Should have been 8-10 but felt that might have been pushing it.

Friday - 7 miles, JugHandle. First run with my new Suunto Ambit2 R (not as great as the Ambit2, but better than the Garmin). Not sure I love running with a heart rate monitor - more on that elsewhere. Got a little full of myself in the last mile, and of course the trail rewarded my gall with an unseen tree root to send me sailing through the air with a distinct lack of grace.

Saturday - 8.1 miles in Jackson State Forest with S. This was a very successful run for me, in that I ran the whole way, even with over 1500' of climbing. It got pretty hard sometimes, but I tried to keep my happy face on. A conscious effort to slow down and keep chugging away on the hills got me all the way around. Wheeeee.

Among the Redwoods at Caspar

Sunday - 15 miles. The FogDodgers route was at Caspar logging roads this morning. I set off an hour early, sticking to the road so as to limit the chances of being snacked on. 5 miles by myself, then repeating the route with the others. By 9:00 I felt safe enough on the single track, but was starting to lag, I think due to a lack of fuel. I took Tailwind in my pack, but didn't drink enough on the first two lops, and combined with a lack of breakfast it caught up to me on loop 3. I took a walking break and drank extra to catch up, which finally kicked in for the last mile and a half.

So happy to be on the trail

RdL Week 5

6/22/2015

Monday - 1 streak mile. Training plan starts today, but Mondays are rest days so I treated myself to a massage after work, and tried to make a chiropractic appointment. Bum hip is making itself known which usually means I need a pelvis adjustment. Ready to get started!

Tuesday - 8.4 miles. I set off early and ran out to Point Cabrillo light house before meeting others at 7 to run at Russian Gulch. Felt really strong despite a little stomach upset (poor breakfast choice), and even ran the entire hill on the way back (23 seconds slower than last time with a walk break in the middle). Technical difficulties at home meant that I had to call and ask to shower at the spa, and forgot to grab secondbreakfast so that was not ideal either.

Wednesday - 6.6 miles. I love running at JugHandle. It's beautiful, it's relatively safe, it's challenging enough to feel like you're trying. I felt good after yesterday's effort, and while pace wasn't fast, it was a typical easy pace for me. Surprisingly sweaty today, maybe from the conscious effort to hydrate recently? Wednesday is typically acupuncture day, and she pulled out the big guns for the PF in my right foot - Kidney 1. Most acupuncturists don't needle KD1 since many patients are freaked out by needles in the sole of the foot, and it hurts. It is incredibly effective though, so it's now part of my plan.

Thursday - 9.4 miles. Early morning run at Van Damme, then back out for another lap alone (after fellow runners checked to be sure I knew how to react if the mountain lion made an appearance). Added in some strides on loop two, which felt easier the more I did. I glanced at my watch as I was slowing down on the last one and it was at 6:30. Now to master the art of glancing at my watch and still not falling AoverT at the peak. Feeling really good this week! (Just went back and looked at Strava - the graph says I was momentarily at 5:50 - wheeeee!)

 Friday - 4 miles. A later run than usual, so feeling pretty sluggish. Easy run on the haul road, and tried exploring the short trail around Lake Cleone. It's a shame it's such a mess back there, it could be a nice little trail, but I don't think I'll be heading back there. Nearly fell through the boardwalk several times. I fall enough under my own power! Nice foggy sunset though.

Saturday - 7.6 miles (with 2020' elevation gain). Ran with S this morning, made sure to not eat Jennyburgers or drink inappropriate quantities of beer. Half the elevation gain is in the first mile and a half. Excellent way to warm up cold legs.... not! I had told S that I would run as much hill as he did, but that plan backfired a whole four minutes in! Still made it to the top of the chute in 13:30, which is much faster than my previous time of 17:xx. No spectacular views because we were right in the cloud at the top, but a great run.

Sunday - 13.1 miles. Tried a chocolate coconut peanut butter packet as fuel (approx mile 8) but it felt like it was stuck in my chest. Maybe if I'd taken it slower, and with more water, it might have been better. Along the beach and around Mendocino via the Headlands trail, then back to meet up with the FogDodgers to run the Big River haul road. One day I'll remember my bug spray. Last five was a bit quick for me, but made for a great workout.

Total for week - 50 miles, and 4500'.

RdL Week 4

Rebuilt staircase, no more death trap rotten boards!

6/15/15

Monday - Early morning strength class, different from the one I usually go to and will be feeling it tomorrow! 4.4 trail miles at JugHandle, complete with jumper in a vague attempt at heat training. It was chilly and overcast, but still a temperature that I could comfortably wear a t-shirt for, so I figured by wearing a jumper I was easing myself into it :) They've reopened the first portion of the trail, so it was the usual route again complete with brand new staircase. Legs felt heavy to start with, but kept a slow steady pace the whole way, only pausing for a bunny picture and to pass people with dogs. A good start to the week!

JugHandle bunny

Tuesday - 5 miles. Woke up in the night with sharp pains in my shoulder, that I apparently hurt during class yesterday. It was still fairly painful when I got up to go to Russian Gulch with the FogDodgers, but I figured I would see how it goes, I could always turn around and walk back if it hurt too much. Thankfully getting the blood flowing must have been good for it, by the time I got back to the car it was feeling better. Now that I've been stopped a while it's stiffening up again, but I'm confident it's tweaked, not really injured. A few days rest should be good enough, and if I make it to acupuncture this week I'll ask her to help me out also. We had a great run this morning, and I even made it most of the way up the hill at the end (took a 20 second walk break in the middle). Thanks L for pushing me :) Also thanks R for doing so much trail clearing lately, it is very much appreciated.

Wednesday - 1 streak mile on the haul road on the way home from my ride.

Big River

Thursday - 11.1 miles in a two part run. Met FogDodgers at Van Damme at 7 and got 5.6 in there. I was planning on heading back out for a second loop by myself, but a heads up from R changed my plans. Apparently a mountain lion was seen up there this week, and while it shouldn't be a problem, why take the chance. I headed to Big River to finish up, got a mile in to my run, and remembered there has been a big bear seen a few miles up. Fantastic! It's a very open trail though, so I wasn't too concerned and had a great run.

Friday - 6.8 miles with S along the bluffs in town. Legs were heavy but okay after yesterday's long run, but the last two miles were really painful for my back. It hasn't bothered me on runs except the start of Tuesday, so maybe it was the combination of a long run and not finding a comfortable sleeping spot Thursday? It's still been sore this week (though not affected my running like it did this day) so trying to get a chiropractic appointment for next week.

Saturday - 1 streak mile. Nearly forgot to run, was about to go to bed and remembered.

Sunday - 4.6 miles with the FogDodgers, in a different location from our usual. Quite the up-and-down-y trail with some good hills that were gentle enough to run but long enough to be hard. We turned around at 29 minutes and were five minutes faster on the way back.

Trail Run Video

I had a great run this morning. Finally hit double digits, first time since Zion. I didn't anticipate it taking this long. There was a big mental block, but no physical reason to not go. Somehow I found excuses every time, and nearly bailed this morning. Even had the perfect opportunity with having to relocate for the second half of my run. Got it done though, and it felt great. I was SO HUNGRY afterwards, and a bit stiff, but going to make it a regular thing again. Plus I finally signed up for Pacifica 30k. I'm excited! It's also the same day that a friend flies in from Germany. Fun times. 

Each Saturday morning S and I have been running different trails. He has a health-coaching podcast about making small (tiny) changes to lead to bigger changes, how by making choices manageable and sustainable you can make great improvements. Every couple weeks is a video also, and this one was of our trail run through Jackson State Forest and into JugHandle State Park. Plenty of dorkus moments of course, and don't mind me nearly falling over the camera...

RdL Weeks 2 and 3

6/1/2015
Monday - Weight bar, and 1 rest day mile through the wildflowers to get to the ocean and along the bluffs.

Monday's trail

Tuesday - 5 miles with the FogDodgers. A new(/returning?) runner L joined us, and we picked up a slightly faster pace than the rest of the group. Russian Gulch was beautiful this morning. Sad stomach, maybe related to the delicious dairy-filled blended coffee I had yesterday?

And fail as far as tracking the rest of this week. Packing for and then being at Cooley Ranch rides (Wednesday - Monday) made a big dent in the running plan, primarily due to time available. I got at least my mile in, and a few more each of the two days that I rode since I got off and led my horse for a while. With so much going on during the weekend between volunteering, catching up with friends, and taking care of the horses belonging to our camp (mine and two friends) there really wasn't much time to run. Recovery this week has been slow; I have felt as fatigued as I might expect to from having ridden the race myself. I think maybe when I'm riding I am more conscious of the need to take care of myself and sip on water/keep an eye on my nutrition than when I'm volunteering. Definitely something to work on. On the plus side, the heat didn't seem to bother me as much, I was vastly improved on keeping my temperature in check and knowing when to get in the shade, dunk my head in a trough, and still get my activities done. 

Cooley Ranch

Friday - A whole 1.8 miles. Big time running going on here...

Saturday - 4.1 miles with S taking trail pictures for his website. Note to self: beer is not ideal to consume in quantities the night before a run. I will never learn! Also managed to fall on my arse trying to find a good spot to take a picture (that wasn't even a good spot lol).

Sunday - As I was pulling away from my house to meet the FogDodgers at Van Damme I got a call from a poorly coworker asking to cover her clients that day, with the first appointment at 9am. This meant I only had time to go back in the house to change and eat breakfast to get to work. I could have got a mile around the block in, and should have done, since that was all I did for the day. The problem being that I didn't do the mile until after 10pm with a full belly (again!). So goal for the rest of June: run before 8pm, and at least run before dinner, so I can actually run, rather than my pitiful shuffle.

RdL Week 1

W/C 5.25.15

Monday - A belly full of cheese stuffed bison burger topped with bacon and more cheese with chilli on the side? Just 1.2 power walking miles to keep the streak (minimum one mile under 15:00 min/mile pace). Blech, not a good start. Gym was clsoed in observance of Memorial Day

Tuesday - 4.2 miles, first real run. I overslept to meet the FogDodgers, then had a double shift so didn't get to run until the evening. Since T was unavailable to join me in the woods, I ended up running the bluffs trail near my house. Not a bad run. Felt pretty good both in stomach and legs department.

A pond full of lilypads

Crossing the river

Wednesday - 5.1 miles (and weight bar class). A new-ish to me route. I've run this road twice as part of a local 5k/10k, but it's behind a huge gate. Today I found how to get down there without going through the gate :) It's not the best running surface, but there's some decent runnable hill practice (as opposed to a lot of hills I run that are both long and steep). It might be an old road, but it's very scenic.

Thursday - 4.4 miles. Woo-hoo got up early enough to go meet others at Van Damme this morning. Legs felt good, stomach didn't feel bad but let me know it was adjusting to being fed two big salads yesterday. Another damp grey day, it must be summer on the coast.

Friday - 1 dreadmill mile for rest day after weight bar.

Saturday - 6.6 miles with S. Tried to get an accurate measurement of this trail since I've not previously run it with my Suunto, but paused and forgot to restart, so not there yet. Didn't take any pictures, but S made a movie of our run, so I'll post that when I get it. Note to self, when running towards a camera set in the middle of the trail, try to remain somewhat upright and not too wobbly...

Sunday - 5.5 miles at Big River with the FogDodgers. Was planning for more but a slightly tweaky knee (think resulting from yesterday's point-to-point run having a net downhill) and the swarm of mosquitoes. I think my neon pink shirt might have been attracting them since they seemed to love me more than my running buddies. On the way back tried to catch up with the guy in front of me, and managed to hit <7:30m/m on the last stretch without feeling like my lungs were going to explode and my legs fall off. No pictures since my phone was dead :( Also tested my new compression sleeves, and really liked them. My bargain score of $32.00 sleeves discounted by $31.00, and they donate $1.00 to charity per sale :)

Total of 28 miles for the week, with 1800' elevation gain.