Feb. 21 to Feb. 27

Back to work this week, which will yield a  reduced mileage/easy week of running. It is time to cut back a bit and allow the bones to rest.

Monday; Feb. 21: An early morning commute to Salt Lake and then flying all day made for a day off.

Tuesday; Feb. 22: Arriving in Spokane late allowed me to sleep in and then get to the hotel gym for a weight lifting session of biceps, triceps, and abs. With limited time and a new hotel, I opted to jump on the ellipitical for an easy 5 miler. These days some of the nicer hotels have the fancy treadmills/ellipiticals have the TV screens attached right to the machine! (Seems we can't do without our media stimulation!) Tuning into the Today Show, Meredith Vieira had a few guests who were discussing the issues that women face when it comes to self body images. The claim is that through a study (? ), researchers have determined that many/most women have at least 13 negative thoughts about their bodies each day! And of course, many women have many more than 13 negative thoughts. Who knew? But then again, all of us girls can probably relate to this theory and most likely know of other women who have spoken/thought negative things  about how they look. Personally, I am usually bashing my thighs and wishing my stomach was flatter....another friend of mine is not so happy that she is a size 38DD up top.....(ouchy when running!!) So, how do we eliminate/reduce these negative thoughts that cannot possibly be healthy mentally and often limit us from improving our self image? Well, "the study" and some common sense answers: 1. Exercise was/is  at the top of the list. The physical as well as the mental benefits almost always yield a more positive self image. Also, as our bodies get healthier it is often easier to keep up the exercise. 2. Focus on your good features....maybe you have great hair, great arms, legs.. 3. Realize genetics play a certain role in how our bodies form and how we look....I will NEVER be tall or have really long legs....I also realize that natural thiness just doesn't happen in my family..being short and a bit round comes from both  sides of the family. Work with what you are dealt. I know to be thin, I have to work at it...exercise and watch my diet. 4. Lastly, when you are having those negative thoughts, tell yourself to STOP having the thoughts....retrain your head to think positive thoughts about yourself. So, when I am bashing my thighs,  I should tell myself that those tree trunks have carried the rest of me up Pikes Peak, across 50 mile races, through 100 mile weeks, and up an 8% grade while trotting.

Wednesday; Feb. 23:  A very short night in Chicago and it was back to Minneapolis and Spokane again. Being one of those afternoon workouts and a blizzard outside forced our whole crew to end up in the hotel gym, along with the college wrestling teams! We all  managed to get a decent workout accomplished and my own effort of weight lifting (shoulders, chest, abs) and 6 fast/hard miles on the ellipitical was a "standard, non descript, git 'er done" ordeal. This work week is definitely the one to take it easy with the running/weight lifting. We have a 455am van in the morning for a 6am departure!!! OUCH!!! Oddly enough, the flight will most likely be full. Where are you all going???

Thursday;Feb. 24: Waking up to a complete blizzard in Spokane this morning! While my head/body would like to have spent a few hours trotting  along the river, Delta Airlines had other plans....with a 7am departure, it was off to work at 530am! OUch! Oh, we didn't depart til about 930am, but that was because Fifi (the Airbus 320) doesn't like the cold or snow and she is not a morning girl. So, we spent a couple of extra hours on the ground fixing her issues and finally getting deiced enough so we could actually see out of the cockpit. Finally on our way, I get a schedule change that sends me to Boston, arriving around 6pm and too late for any version of running or weight lifting. Luckily, this week was going to be an easy one.

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/feb/24/one-foot-snow-covers-region/



"No Problem, I don't need to see outside since I have an instrument rating."

Friday; Feb. 25: Another early morning departure with a 6am van from downtown Boston. Pouring down rain and about 35 degrees would have made an outdoor run a bit "interesting," but with a full morning of flying and then commuting home, it was to be another off day from running. Yes, sometimes even life and work gets in the way of running!  

Saturday; Feb. 26: It was the typical first day home after a 5 trip. A slow slog fest of only 5 miles with Traysen; however, it was great to get out in the woods with him and get some mountain fresh air.

Sunday; Feb. 27: . Up and at 'em quite early today. In the gym by 5am for weight lifting of abs, legs, and chest and then out the door at 6am. The ole bones felt like Secretariat, the race horse. The story goes that it took him several strides to get his legs going and find his rhythm. Once the rhythm was found, he could run better than any other horse on the track. Well, I have never run better than any other "horse" on the track, but after warming up a bit, the ole legs can carry me plenty far and sometimes no too slow. Today's effort produced a nice 9 miler in about 1:45, running the dirt roads/trails near my house. Saw these two while out and about ......very lucky to see these guys almost every morning....



I think we interrupted their date! Oooppss..sorry...just passin' through....
Summary:  Well, the easy week of running has come and is thankfully gone. The bones feel a bit rested, a few aches have disappeared or at least diminished  and the spirit is renewed for some serious running in the coming weeks. Even though the total miles this week was 25, I am able to accept the "off" week and get right back to hard training  next week. This is one one of those times where "life" gets  in the way of running and for some folks it could be the beginning of a downward spiral into no running or exercise. That is where keeping the big picture in mind comes to the rescue; realizing that there will be times when "life" gets the better of our exercise efforts and the key is to stay consistent over time and return to a normal  or some version of a workout schedule as quick as possible.

Feb. 14 to Feb. 20

Seems that most of the country is enjoying some warmer temps and a reprieve from winter. Colorado is no exception and the running this week should be easy going.

Monday; Feb. 14: Well, starting the week with a day off is not ideal, but the schedule the remainder of the week will yield six good days of running. Spent the day in Atlanta with my folks.

Tuesday; Feb. 15: An early morning run in Peachtree City, GA brings back many old and wonderful memories. This is where the running career began. It was my good friend, Nora Weed, who encouraged me to take up the activity after retiring from speed skating. She, her husband, Bob, my dad, and a few other hearty souls  started the Peachtree City Running Club in 1981 and over the years the club has continued to grow and support the running community through races, weekly runs, a Grand Prix series, and other incentive programs/awards, benefiting runners of all ages and abilities.
http://www.ptcrc.com/
This morning's run was an awesome 10 miler on the famous cart path trails that meander all over the area. With over 90 miles of paved and dirt paths, the running miles are endless and the scenery has that southern charm about it. The overall effort consisted of four hard and shorter tempo sections that ranged in time from 5 to 15 minutes in length, all occurring in the first half of the run. The last five miles was just enjoying the running and being in the old stomping grounds.

http://www.peachtree-city.org/index.aspx?nid=216

http://www.peachtree-city.org/documents/Information%20Technology/GIS/2009webmap.PDF

Above links contain info and a map of the paths. While helpful, since I know the paths very well, I can most likely steer you on a run of any length and description.












Wednesday; Feb. 16: After a late night at the airport, returning home, today's run was a slog fest...to be expected after a long day. Traysen, the doberman, and I puttered through an easy 6 miler that took way longer than necessary.

Thursday;Feb. 17: A great early morning start with one of my running pals, Dee. She is the one with the energetic start to every run and is actually able to run fast and carry on a conversation. Most likely, this morning with my bones still not ready at 6am, she thought I was dead, asleep, stuck up, non talkative, or maybe she heard my air sucking and had pity?! Those first 4-5 miles with Dee and Traysen, the doberman, were painful to say the least, but after dumping some clothes the run improved so that Traysen and I logged another 5-6 miles, at a "putt putt" pace. Lori, a great running pal, calls our slow trot a "putt putt" pace....too cute and so true!

Friday; Feb 18:  With a doc appointment, it was out the door early today. A slow, huffing and puffing start, it 3 miles before the ole bones were ready for some intervals. Running at my house is never on flat ground, so intervals are done either on a slight downhill or a slight uphill. The uphill version of the interval is .35 mile in length and the elevations ranges from 1% to 8%.....there are no downhill versions! Needless to say after each repeat, the lungs are screaming and the legs are burning, but a good effort of 5 repeats and I was ready for a steady cool down....a total of 7 miles today.
http://classic.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/co/florissant/541129812241481679

Saturday; Feb. 19:  Sleeping in til 530am produced an awesome 10 miler today. It was one of those effortless runs where the miles just flew by. This is good since the last couple of days have been "slug fests." Looking at the training log, the least amount of miles covered in one week since Jan. 1 has been 45.0. Usually a sloppy week of reduced mileage happens every 4 weeks, so the ole body is overdue for a break. Interesting enough, it is the physical need for a break; from a mental aspect, my head is still jazzed about running every day and I can't wait to get out the door every morning. Where does this mentality come from? Well, my husband calls me "Psycho" and  I take that as a compliment! But seriously, the passion in life is running long distances plus I see all the benefits that result from logging the miles.....very little body fat, much calmer well being, ability to handle stress, and a healthier heart/body. While many/most folks may never develop the passion for running, the benefits will almost always occur. And many/most folks DO NOT need or even should log the crazy number of miles that go by my feet! As I have mentioned before, even the smallest, easiest, most gentle of efforts will give benefits.

Sunday; Feb. 20: Gale force winds and a blowing snow was the early morning fare at the house this morning. The good news is that I was meeting Lynne for a long run in Garden of the Gods, where there was no snow and only a slight wind! With a 630am start, we enjoyed a beautiful sunrise along the trails. Since Lynne had never run in this area before, it was a treat to show her all the great terrain that makes up this "should have been one of the 7 wonders of the world." Her steady trot was just what these over used legs needed. After about two hours and about  10 miles, Lynne headed off on her day and I ran the same route in reverse and added a few detours to increase the mileage a bit. Today's run went very well ...plenty of pep in the step and no issues of any sort....After 4 hours  and 20 miles, I was done for the day.



Siamese Twins. (stock photo)

Summary: A great week of running with all goals accomplished! It is always a good feeling when the running goes well and the goals are accomplished. Often times, it is easy for some folks to set goals that are not attainable...when it comes to exercising/running, we usually have to be very truthful with ourselves and set goals that we feel almost certain we can achieve but yet push us beyond what is comfortable. For example, if a person is just starting out on an exercise program (after being sedentary for a long time), he/she must realize that running 10 miles the first day is not a good goal. Depending on the situation, a 1 mile walk may be a better goal. The goal is up to the individual and the situation. That is one of the great aspects of exercising/running....the goals and accomplishments are strictly for that particular person.
Total running miles: 63.0
Total running miles for 2011: 419.0

Feb. 7 to Feb. 13

Last week I indicated that my uphill running needs some work. Even though I train on hills all the time, the efforts are sluggish (which I have always known) but with added training, I can really see a  slower difference in my uphill speed verses flat/downhill speed. So, this week will be focused on hill training and one long run.

Monday; Feb. 7: With temps just below zero and 2 inches of fresh powder, this was going to be a hard run regardless of the distance or speed. After an hour's worth of weight lifting, it was out the door with Traysen...who put the brakes on before we even made it down the steps. He was already shivering and had no intention of going out in this winter wonderland! Back inside he went and back out the door I went! Indeed, the 6 miles felt like many more but being a breath taking (in more ways than one!) morning, it was good to be out there.
It would seem easy to skip the run on such a cold morning, but first, that's not me. But the motivation mostly comes from just being able to get out the door and appreciate being outside and living in a beautiful area. The other aspect of motivation comes from the overall big picture of running, exercising, staying healthy (mentally and physically). While it is true that an extra day off here and there is good/smart, it is the consistency in the running/training that keeps the benefits worth the effort. In my various forms of life, I often hear, "I used to run." or "I am so outta shape." Sometimes the reasoning is very valid, but often times the story continues that life, etc got in the way of exercising and even once the "life issue, etc" dissipated, the exercising never returned. Oddly enough, it is when "life issues" are happening that  we need the physical/mental benefit from exercise! So, even though "life" sometimes gets in the way of taking care of ourselves, it helps to keep the big picture in mind...to realize the benefits of exercising and eating a healthy diet on a consistent basis. In my 30 years or so of running, I don't think I have taken more than 7 days off in a row and I have never been overweight.....I can only attribute those facts to staying the course and always being consistent in my exercising and diet.

Tuesday; Feb 8: Finally, we are getting some great snow at home! The temps were about -10 degrees with a nice steady blowing snow so it seemed like a good time to take the day off from running. Over the weekend a running partner was wondering if shoveling snow is good exercise. The answer by yesterday evening was an overwhelming, "YES."

Wednesday; Feb 9:  With 6am temps of -15, I waited until 715am (when I was bouncing off the walls and driving the dogs/husband nuts) to venture out. With several inches of fresh snow, but plowed roads, it was a perfect run of 10 miles along the dirt roads around the house. Luckily, in Colorado, those sub zero temps are not too bad if the wind isn't blowing and if the sun is out. Today's run was a focus on hills. Not necessarily hill sprints, but hill running form. Early last year I read the book, CHI Running by Danny Dreyer. He and his wife have developed/promoted a form  of running that focuses on the smallest details of running technique. By breaking the running technique down into 5-8 basic components, a runner can perfect/improve his/her  running form and thus get faster and most importantly remain uninjured. Over the last year, I have gradually added these form focuses into my running days and find that by focusing on each of the different components, my overall running has improved. It takes a concentrated effort but over time, the changes in form become permanent. One aspect I worked on today  with the hill training was remaining in an upright stance (verses a hunched over, head down, rounded shoulder) and using a shortened stride along with a slight lean into hill. The slight lean comes from the hips/pelvic area, not from the waist. By keeping the upper body more upright (verses hunched), the lungs can pull in more air and the whole upper body (especially the shoulders) remain more relaxed, all of which produces less fatigue in energy and muscles in the upper  back/shoulders and produces a quicker pace.

Thursday; Feb. 10:  Being about -5 degrees this morning, I was out the door by 615am. A beautiful sunrise over the snow covered mountains made for a great 10 miler, although a nondescript outing with no specific goals except to complete the distance.
Over the last few days the MapMyRun app on the Blackberry has been going on my runs. A comparison with the Internet version of certain routes around my house indicates the GPS loses a signal at times and thus gives a lower mileage run. While on this could cause me to run farther, I would rather rely on an accurate source (the Internet google maps and the odometer in my truck) to track the mileage.  The phone app will come in handy on runs along the Front Range of Colorado Springs and on my layovers while working.

Friday; Feb 11: Almost spring-like at 10 degrees above zero and I was out the door at 630am. Traysen, the doberman, is still boycotting the mission so it was just me and the bunny rabbits. A quick 1 mile warmup and then it was 3 hill sprints followed by 6 miles of an easy tempo run. The hill is 3/10 of a mile long and boy, was I sucking air! Maybe it was the hard packed snow that made it all the more difficult!? Overall, a good run.

Saturday; Feb. 12:  After a P90X ab session, the day was set for a long 4 hour jaunt from the house. Traysen stayed home on his own choice...that's too bad since it was a nice morning with temps in the upper teens and a slight breeze. The first three hours went well with a steady nonstop pace (except one quick coffee relief). It was good to get into the more remote sections of the High Chateau area and being an early Saturday, only two cars passed me during the whole run. The last hour was a bit challenging since that slight breeze had picked up to a strong wind plus the ole legs were feeling the leg weight lifting, the hill training and the nonstop the first three hours. But even with a slow down in the last hour (and a couple of stops), it was a great run and  felt good to be on the feet for the full four hours. Distance covered was 19 miles.

Sunday; Feb. 13:  Being in Atlanta to visit Mom and Dad is always a treat. Running in the cool/damp southern air in February allows for a break from the frigid cold and several layers of clothes in Colorado. The temps today made shorts and a sweat shirt just perfect. Right at daylight, it was out the gate and down the street. The area used have very little traffic and for the most part, I can still run roads without getting hit by a car. Today's effort was a nice 9.5 jaunt, consisting of loops with some shorter hills.

Summary: Another great week of running! Feeling strong all week and the hill focus training went well.
Shoe Review: While in Atlanta visiting my folks, we went to a favorite store for running shoes. No, not a big box store or a speciality running store...this place is THE place to get shoes and jeans...any type of shoe and any type of jeans..... Smith and Davis Clothing has been in business for about 45 years! In fact, Mr. Davis sold me a sofa set (used to carry furniture also) on credit when I was 20 years old! At the time, I didn't have a credit rating to get a credit card and Mr. Davis knew my dad would not let me default on the loan...(meaning Dad would make me pay for the loan..not him pay for the loan.) Back to the shoes...The store carries the name brands, New Balance, Reebok, Adidas,Birkenstock, Merrill, etc, but what makes this store different is the number of models available. In about 45 minutes, the sales fella had at least 12 boxes of different New Balance, Adidas shoes on the floor. Oddly enough, he even had a perfect sized pair of NB 1123, aka...."the Boats" (a motion control shoes with no arch support or curved last). This was to be my third pair of Boats in about 2 years. (Unusual to find an old model still available.) What was really awesome was that I was able to try on the Saucony and Adidas versions of the minimalist shoes; although those shoes would not work for this wide, flat foot, it was good to at least dispel  the notion of becoming a barefoot/minimalist shoe runner.....they even had several colors/styles, etc of the Virburnam 5 Fingers....just one look at those slippers made my feet hurt with visions of blisters, stubbed toes, and face plants when I trip over the stubbed toes! Nevertheless, the NB 1123s and a NB 597 trail shoe made it home.
Going back to motivation/inspiration...which is one of the primary goals of this blog....Over the years some folks (including my mom and an old friend of 25+ years) have asked how they can lose weight/start exercising. My first response is "weight loss/getting healthy starts between the ears, not between the hips." You have to make your mind up that you want to get healthier for yourself, not because someone told you to get healthier or because you just want to fit into those smaller pants. Once you have made your mind up to get healthy, not just lose weight, and you have made your mind up to make the lifestyle changes, not just go on a diet and exercise program, then the next step is to put on some comfortable clothes and shoes. Then walk out the front door and walk 5 minutes and return to the house. Do this exercise for a week, 3-4 times and then next week, add 5 minutes on the outbound. Continue in this fashion for about 2 months or until you are walking about an hour, 3-4 days a week. (This is as simple as it gets...but walking will at least get a person moving.) As for diet, this is actually simple. Eat clean....meaning eat more veges/fruits with little or no added butters, salts, sugars, etc. ....eat more lean proteins such as grilled chicken breast, cottage cheese, fresh fish (no butter).....eat no/less processed foods. less high fat foods, less sugar laden foods......just cutting out processed foods will usually cause most folks to lose a few pounds! Now, I always tell my mom, "you can have your cake and eat it too...just not everyday!" Allow a splurge day once a week and the rest of the week, eat clean...It's all a lifestyle change for you to be healthier and happier...

Jan. 31 to Feb. 5

An odd week of work could have yielded a rough week of running, but somehow my flying avoided all of the ugly weather at home and on the road. Coming back from Philly Thursday night, we pushed ole Fifi (the Airbus) and she got us to Salt Lake in time for me to get home, so the weekend runs were awesome.  The running was at 205 miles for January, which was slightly more than January of 2010.

Monday; Jan. 31: After Sunday's awesome run, today the legs were quite tired and produced a sluggish, but steady run. Traysen and I took off right at barely daylight for an easy 7 miler. A good weight lifting session preceded our outing. Speaking of weight lifting: it has always been a desire to have an actual six pack on the abs. Not sure if I will ever get there since my diet isn't right for leaning out to that extent and since I only do abs about 2-4 times a week, usually being a simple crunch session or a P90X. It seems as though the more lean I become, my ribs only show more! Nevertheless, I will keep trying and if I just keep a solid core and keep a bit of definition, then I am happy.

Tuesday; Feb. 1: Off to work today....a good thing also since it is about -15 degrees outside this morning! A bit of fresh snow would have made for a great run, although short due to the cold. My temp. limit for an outdoor run is about -10 degrees and then only a short run of 5-8 miles. This would be one of those days I would whine for a treadmill!

Wednesday; Feb 2:  The word from home is that it is minus 20 degrees this morning!! Luckily, I am in Reno, NV, where it is a warm 18 degrees (above zero)! After quieting the hallway at 4am, my weary bones fell out of bed at 8am and out the door by 9am....these lazy mornings in a hotels are sometimes  a nice perk to the job.
Running in Reno is always an adventure. From the Grand Sierra Casino, it is a quick trot down to the Truckee River trail and then miles of the "not sure what you will run into." On one particular outing here, I ran west on the trail...for a short stretch before I realized I had gone past the local mental institution and many of the residents were hanging out on the trial....My first thought was they hopefully would not find the need to admit ole Sarah, but my next thought was to get the heck out of there! Now, running east is only slightly better since there are sometimes folks along the trail who may not have the best intentions! Fortunately, with today's cold temps, I had the trail to myself. As for the run itself...it was an odd outing with 7.5 miles covered. The body was sluggish but yet I managed to get 6 nice intervals done: 3 x 4 minutes; 2 x 3 minutes, and 1 x 2 minutes, with a 2 minute recovery trot between efforts. . The cold air made the lungs work harder and I had to constantly work on monitoring the effort in order to complete the interval time planned. (yes, I boggled one of the 4 minute intervals and had to stop in the middle to slow the heart rate and recoup some oxygen)

Thursday; Feb. 3: Downtown Philly again....a warm gym workout was in order this morning since running outside here is virtually impossible without stopping every city block. The Holiday Inn has one of those closet gyms I have written about before. BUT...it beats not working out! Some free weights made for a decent shoulders/chest/abs effort and then it was to the ellipticalfor an easy 8 miler while watching Rachael Ray. A  nondescript and easy day of getting the job done. I did, however, make the commitment to the Cheyenne 50k on April 23rd. The entry is in and the training is in full swing!

Friday; Feb. 4: Traysen and I had a great little outing of only 6 miles, but the temps were almost balmy at 25 degrees with crystal blue skies  and a light layer of fresh snow on the dirt roads. So, for those that are noticing, that is two easy days in a row. Many training regimes follow a hard day, easy day pattern and this often works well for those folks who have a routine lifestyle of work, family, running, etc BUT my lifestyle is anything but routine. With work, several factors cause adjustments to any sort of  "routine." My actual work schedule can have long days with 8 hours of flying or it can be an easy day with 3 hours of flying; however, other factors such as time zone changes, time of work day changes, and commutes to/from work force me to often have two or more easy days in a row, followed by two hard days in a row. On the one hand, this theory could be labeled as an "excuse" but I look at it as more of a way to make do with what I have to work with. An excuse would be, "I am not going to run/workout today, etc since work is getting in the way or because I was awake for 20 hours yesterday." It is better to do form of workout and do the best I can given the circumstances. As I have said for quite some time, "My dogs don't eat Alpo, so I gotta go work for steak!"

Savanna, the longhair dachshund. No way is this  cutie going to eat Alpo! It's tuna and cottage cheese with her fancy kibble!

Saturday; Feb. 5th:  This was another amazing day in Cheyenne Mtn State Park. A few running girlfriends and I met for a 7am start and off we went onto the twisting, climbing trails. With a few short sections of new snow we were able to see plenty of rabbit and mountain lion tracks  on the Zook, Boulder, and Blackmer trails and at one point we spotted about 5-7 turkeys! At about 8 miles, Lynne was feeling her oats and offered to go with me on the remote Talon/South Talon trails. This turned out to be a great climb into fresh snow with no tracks of any sort...just the tracks from the animals known as Lynne and Sarah! After Lynne finished up the 11+ miles, I unloaded some clothes and took off to the west again and ventured onto the Coyote Run, Boulder, and Raccoon Ridge trails. This route produced a nice solid climb for about 3 miles and then the easy cruiser back to the parking lot yielded about 17 miles total.
This long run was a good confidence builder and it was just too much fun being out with Lynne, Lori, and Dee.....we always have a fun outing and cut each other no slack!!!

Sunday; Feb. 6th:  After a fitful night of sleep, today's run started out quite late and quite slow, but as the bones warmed up and the fresh powder of snow for motivation, it turned out to be a fairly nice 9 miler. Traysen and I  had a great time making fresh tracks of our own and seeing all the fox, coyote, rabbit and deer tracks.

Fresh tracks from the house are always a treat.

Running with Traysen is always a reminder of the cartoon, "Family Circus" since he travels in a meandering line, similar to the character, Billy. The tracks in the middle are mine, on the right of the pic are Traysen's and to the left of the pic are from one of the local coyotes. Even coyote runs a straighter line!

Billy from the Family Circus is Traysen' hero!

Summary: A good week of running as planned. The training for the 50K in April is well underway and is going strong. With any luck and barring injury, it should be a good race.

One aspect I have been noticing lately is that my climbing ability is not that good. Oh, I can make it up most any hill at a slow steady slog, but I would like to be able to power up those hills and not lose so much speed....or huff n puff so much! Next week will be a different week with the focus being on that hill work and more intervals.