Sunsets and Slumps Don't Mix

I am winding down from a long and disappointing week in training.

It started off pretty well… arrived back from Alabama last Sunday afternoon… was a bit tired but I woke up bright and early and got my assigned solo 5 miler in. I was supposed to go 5 "easy" to recover from the long run (which had numerous hills and the constant threat of rattlesnakes) but instead I decided to go moderate and finished up with an average 7:47 pace. Normally this would make me fairly happy ("Look at me! I'm zipping along on my easy day!"), but I guess the coach puts "easy" in there for a reason. (Hmmmm.)

It was a long day at work on that Monday, but when I got home the sky was just glorious. So I took one of my daughters down to the local marina so I could get some yoga in for the silhouette project. It was insanely beautiful out there. I forgot how the sky seems so much crisper and vibrant as the fall weather starts shifting in.

I loved that my daughter was into it.

My yogi-in-training.

Warrior pose.

Dancer pose.

Headstand.

But Tuesday morning I woke up and had to take the kidlets to orthodontist appointments and stared at the neglected piles of laundry everywhere. Speedwork day. And no one to do speed work with since the morning sessions got canceled.

Speedwork. The dreaded workout of the week. Cue the horror movie music.

The old me (the ironman from last year) would have found a way. And done it. Period. The current me, exhausted in mind and spirit from travel and lack of enthusiasm (no ironman on the horizon), bagged the run altogether and did chores and errands. The weather turned awful. Rain, rain, rain. I went to work, got even more exhausted, and collapsed in a heap.

Wednesday the rain continued to pour down in buckets. It was supposed to be a rest day for those who did their speed work (ahem) but guess who decided to take yet another mental health day. 

Thursday. I could not take another "mental health day." So I went on my what was supposed to be my 7 miler, but got too late of a start and had to cut it short at 5. Plus I ran it a bit hard again, average pace about 7:50/mi.

On Friday I just ground it out in spin and met a friend at the Bay for a swim. I have neglected my swim for months. The water was rough and choppy. Even the wetsuit didn't give me enough of an edge to overcome to tossing. I struggled and decided to give up before I hit the first set of pylons. Had I registered for an ironman, I'd be sucking it up like a buttercup. But since I was just there for moral support, I decided to cheer from the beach.

Of course this just added to my disappointment and made me just shy of a basket case.

On Saturday I did nothing but spectate soccer games in the morning. Later in the evening we took the paddle board and kayak and saw the most beautiful sunset I've seen in ages over Back Bay.

A great ending to a week that had been full of dismal weather and lots of blues on my end.

This morning I met my former Richmond Marathon training buddy Shelly, and we had a great conversational 10 miler that lifted my spirits. She has also signed up for the Harbor Lights Half in November, and has agreed to pace me for a PR.

Am ready to dump the slump and charge ahead next week. Will keep the blog updated regularly as best as possible to aid in the motivation department. Less whine and more work.

Day???… Travel, Train, and Tribulations.

It's literally a hopeless idea that I can go back and detail my training over the past few weeks. I would say that, in general, I've stuck to the training plan Ryan created for me. I've missed a speed workout maybe once and tacked on extra mileage when I shouldn't have. I've never been good at sticking to a plan to the letter unless I have a partner holding my hand, but I think for the most part I'm finding my discipline and getting it done.

And so much can happen in the course of a couple short weeks.

A lot of good things on the horizon. It looks like I may be involved with starting a vegetarian running group here in Virginia Beach based on an initiative through blogger and author Matt Frazier of the No Meat Athlete. I'm interested to see how this project flies... I hope lots of good, positive relationships will form out of this that benefits everyone. I've needed some motivation and a project to keep my momentum pushing forward. Already I did a long run with a girl I met who is in on this with me, and it was great. I could really us the support for my chosen diet and lifestyle. More on that later.

I've also been asked by a friend to participate as an "ambassador" of sorts in a project she calls "90 Days of Mindfulness." This is a social, public positive change project where you choose any goal that is a change for good in your life, and interact with others in the project to help motivate that change over the course of 90 days (and hopefully… beyond). This is actually the second round of this; I participated in the first, and it was a good experience. She wants to take it to the next level and get a broader following. I don't know how much I will influence any additional takers, but I think it's been a good thing for me personally, so I'm in. I just need to stay motivated and keep busy.

Also participating in a fun Instagram challenge called "SilhouetteYogis." My sister found this challenge for me and it is so up my alley it's ridiculous. Each day you perform an assigned pose in silhouette. I love photography, and of course my most recent passion is yoga. This challenge fuses my interests, and combines them into something completely fun and motivating for me. If nothing else, this forces me to go into the great outdoors, observe and appreciate the beauty and serenity of nature's most exquisite backdrops, and do some yoga. What's not to love…

So last Sunday I returned from an interesting trip, and one I won't soon forget. Years and years ago (over ten by now) I was filling out the family tree in my children's baby books. Had a lot of blanks on my husband's father's side of the family, and no one could help me fill them. I went on a mission to find out names. So I ended up on some genealogical websites, and ended up connecting with a woman in southeastern Alabama who was related to my father-in-law. Turned out she was a wealth of information, and we have been in touch ever since.

Now my father-in-law is absorbed by the mission I started, and proposed we go down and visit his cousin. In Alabama.

So we did.

Alabama, aerial view.

This seems like it would have NOTHING to do with a running blog, but the point is, I got some training in a new place and I just LOVE THAT. Exploring a new terrain on foot.

But running here in southeastern Alabama was quite the eye opening experience to say the least.

I will start off by saying that although I have lived in Virginia (technically the "South") for most of my life, you would definitely characterize me as a complete and total Yankee if you lived in Alabama. Worse yet, you might characterize me as a hippie vegan runner yogi freak, which just doesn't sound right in this culture. And I learned it is a culture. Not necessarily in a negative way… it just is.

After arriving in Ozark I mentioned to our most awesome and amazing hosts that I'd like to run in the morning, preferably earlier the better. They looked at me perplexed (I must have sprouted two heads) and asked me if I meant on the road? In the dark? For several miles?

Unfortunately, they informed me that this environment may not be really conducive to running for the following reasons:

1. There are hoodlums and creepy people in these parts. Known druggies, drug dealers and a possible meth lab. With shotguns. And oh-by-the-way two teenage girls were murdered down the road and found in a trunk of a car and the murderer was never found.

2. Rattlesnakes. They like to slither out on the road.

3. Coyotes. And crazy dogs on the loose.

4. 'Skeeters and biting deer flies.

5. Were the crazy people mentioned?

Sometimes I can be stubborn, and well, I promised myself that I would get my running in. So before the sun rose, I parked the car, got out and started running solo down this dark and spooky country road with numerous hills.

I have to admit I was scared. I listened to Coldplay. For some reason it helped calm me a bit.

The running was sooooo hard. The hill climbing, the thick humid air, my upset stomach, the nerves. Each stride was a major effort. As I made my turn to head back to the car, the sun emerged on the horizon, and it was like all the fears, toils and yuckiness just disappeared with the dark.

I stopped to snap a picture:

And then, as I sat there admiring nature's amazing light show, I felt a sudden burning stinging sensation up my ankle. I looked down.

FIRE ANTS.

I stepped on a hole. They attacked. I furiously swatted them off, peeling off my sock and shoe, and flung them off as they were making their way up my leg and into my shorts!

Just then a sheriff in a pick up truck rolls by. Turns on his blue lights. Pulls over. Did he need to turn the lights on?

I guess I must have looked like a crazed madwoman pulling off my footwear on the side of the road at dawn, in a complete frenzy, hitting and swatting myself. I could be one of those druggies in search of another score at the meth lab.

He noticed right away I wasn't from "these parts." I told him my fire ant story. He asked if I needed a ride? No. I'm running back. He just drove away shaking his head.

Maaaaaaan did my ankle and foot sting and itch on that last bit.

@#$%ing FIRE ANTS.

The next day I didn't run. I was a genealogical researcher in courthouses, libraries, and graveyards.

But I might have done some yoga in front of a cool old building.

Some old auditorium in the middle of nowhere...

Clayton, AL

Boll Weevil Monument in Enterprise, AL

The Boll Weevil was eradicated. Triumph over the bug commemorated here.

An evening summer storm rolls in downtown Ozark.

On Friday evening we attended a "pickin"… not a pig pickin'… like you would think. But a guitar pickin'. Several of our host's friends play in a southern gospel band and they meet up every weekend to entertain the locals. Everyone brings food… lots of greasy stuff, lots of canned stuff, lots of stuff with sugar and salt and butter in it… so in other words a vegan is destined for starvation at one of these.

The music was amazing. Not my genre at all, but it doesn't mean I couldn't appreciate it. The people were salt of the earth. I stuck out like a sore thumb, but everyone was friendly and wonderful. What an experience.

On Saturday morning I ran about 12 miles starting out on that same country road again, but this time after the sun came up. It was just as hard as the first time. Just longer. No fire ants this time, and no cops. A few stares and a few comments by locals in pick up trucks. But I survived.

Back in Virginia Beach now, trying to find my running mojo. Monday was okay. The weather is cooling down.

The fire ant bites are healing and it's back to business.

Labor Day Weekend, and Beyond. Catching Up.

So I have completely slacked on this blog. So much for my tireless discipline. My goal was to keep myself very, very accountable to my goal… and this was a vehicle, just like my training, to keep my head straight and organized.

But life happens. You get busy, you get distracted, blogging discipline falls away.

Internet access sometimes becomes an issue, and often there just isn't enough time left in the day. And so there it is.

So I'll try to catch up some…. doesn't matter really, this is for my own purposes really, and I have been (for the most part) keeping my training somewhat intact. I just haven't been writing about it.

So I left off right before Labor Day. The family and I packed up and drove south to Lake Gaston to spend a couple of days at a lake house with my husband's family. The house was beautiful, the weather was great (for the most part), and the kids had a blast. I was completely disassociated with the world with no internet or cell service. Overall it was a great experience.

I got some pretty good training in. I love training in new places, especially when I have to train alone. It can be nerve-wracking too, but it just invigorates my mind a little to have something new to look at when you're putting the miles down.

On day one I got up early for my Saturday long run. I called it my "Lake Gaston Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon"… in honor of the race taking place back home in Virginia Beach.

Got up at sunrise and set out with my Garmin and just followed the country roads. I decided I'd go about 6 and a half miles out and then turn back.

The view of the sunrise over the lake at about mile 4.

The run was "decent" but I had my issues. There were some hills, especially in the beginning, that made it kind of a tough start. It was very humid and warm already at 6:30 am, and I had no water with me.

At about mile 5 I stopped to take the above pictures. Normally on long runs I prefer not to take any substantial breaks, because it disrupts the endurance rhythm I'm going for, but I looked at the sun rising over the lake and I simply told myself "Do what you love because you love what you do." This wasn't a race and no matter what, I'd put the miles down this morning so take the moments to snap a shot or two. Now I can always look back to the images I saw on that run. And they were lovely. This is what makes running worth it.

I got 13-ish miles in that morning, and I was pretty proud of that. Given the elevation, humidity, and lack of hydration I was completely satisfied with my pace. I know my coach would like for me to be in the low 8's or high 7's for these, but this is where I am.

"Lake Gaston Half" splits.

I brought my road bike with me so the next morning I set out on a solo trek. It was an adventure for sure: no cell service or GPS, no sense of a route, and in a pretty desolate area of North Carolina. A year ago I would have never done such a thing. But I'm braver by the day on the bike and wanted to go, so I went.

The morning was truly spectacular. The sunrise was lovely and of course I had to capture the moments in images.

Sunrise over Lake Gaston in Littleton, North Carolina

Country road sunrise

A quick bridge stop to capture the scene

Here is how I would describe this ride: interesting (I got to see all sorts of images of "Po Dunk, NC" life: bait and tackle shops, trailers, shooting ranges, and lots and lots of run down churches), tough (the rolling hills were a challenge on my fatigued legs), and tougher (at some point during the ride a storm worked its way in and the wind blew in my face on the way back… luckily I didn't get caught in a downpour).

I got about 33 slow miles in… not too long, not too short. I went far enough to feel comfortable that I wouldn't get lost forever on desolate North Carolina country backroads.

After I got back I decided to try to go for a swim in the lake. I forgot my real goggles at home so my poor husband tried desperately to find me a pair, just to make me happy and support my training (and avoid the grumpy aftermath of me not getting a swim in). Not an easy feat out in the middle of nowhere in Po Dunk. But he found a cheap pair at the Dollar Store. And they were cheap. I took them out of their packaging, attempted to put them on and they immediately broke. So I had to basically tie the things together to get them to stay on my face.

I went for a swim. The water was murky brown and speed boats and jet skis were everywhere, passing close by to my left and throwing out pretty decent wakes that I had to contend with. I felt disoriented but swam down to someone's dock and then just turned back. I think I only made about 1500 yards. More than a sprint tri, definitely less than a half iron. When I got out of the water my rash guard was stained perfectly dingy brown.

Last morning there I needed another run so I was about to set out when my husband's cousin said he wanted to join me. I don't get a lot of company on runs anymore these days so I was happy to have a buddy.

We started out chatting on those hills but about a mile or so into it he fell back a bit and I kept a steady pace. We did about 7 miles. I remember that it was insanely humid. We both sweat buckets and had to jump in the lake afterwards to cool down.

So all in all a good weekend and some good training to boot.

Feeling ten years old.

So that was almost 3 weeks ago and a lot has happened since.

I got in to Boston. I'm going. The acceptance already came.

Still a long way off, the true work is ahead of me. I want to enjoy the race of course. And I know I will, er, I hope I will if nothing interrupts the training process and I keep myself strong.

That's just it. Keep myself strong.

Last year I thought I was strong. And I may have been stronger physically than I ever was in my entire life. But mentally I think I was weak and dependent, and this time I need to find it within myself.

My coach will be there, but as of this moment in the process he and I have not REALLY worked together. He has given me a plan. I try to follow it. I do the runs alone (most of them) and he and I have chatted minimally. He doesn't know me yet, and hasn't provided a whole lot of feedback thus far. 

I have accepted this as a pretty understandable circumstance… I am in a speed and base building phase and there really isn't much to say. I'm not brand new to running, and I'm not far off of where he planned for me to be. So what really is there? I'm sure as the event draws closer we will have more to discuss and tweak.

But it is my absolute HOPE and DREAM to be absolutely ready in April to make it memorable.

So I will continue to try to keep myself going and appreciate and savor the process.

Day 4.

Assigned Workout: None. "Rest day."

Wednesdays are my days off from work and I'll be darned if I'm going to rest!

So I got some household chores done, then packed up my road bike and took "him" down to the beach with me. I had told a friend I'd meet him down at the Bay (as in the Chesapeake) for an open water swim. All of my friends are doing ironman races this fall. I was registered for one too and should be training alongside them. But, I have deferred my registrations this year. Next year will be my year. In the meantime, I will keep my base, train up for Boston, and be ready to kick it into high gear next year as a triathlete.

I got down there a little early… shopped for some new open water goggles and Bonk Breaker bars, then hopped on my road bike for an hour solo spin before the swim.

My legs were complete toast. The strength exercises and intense spin intervals... which included squats, jumps, and various other meat shredding moves... completely fried my thighs. Every pedal stroke burned and my pace sucked.

But it's okay. I made it onto the bike today. Happy with that.

My first brief stop at mile 8: The "Narrows"

Second brief stop: Atop Great Neck Bridge

It was only 17 miles or so, but just enough.

Then it was onto the Bay.

Open water swims always get my heart pounding when I see waves and swells. It was choppy out there, no doubt. But I went in.

My view before I went in the water. I know it doesn't look like much. But it was rough!

Here's the weird thing about open water swimming: so I'm a bit frightened and freaked out about the possibilities of disaster: getting stung/bitten/chomped/struck by wildlife or boats or debris, getting overtaken by a rip current or mega wave, or getting lost from disorientation and meeting my watery grave in the depths of Davy Jones locker.

But at the end of it… even after swallowing a bit of salty water from swells slamming into my face, and getting a bit off course and having to figure out that shore is actually in the OPPOSITE direction… I come out of the water unfazed.

I never work hard enough to get myself exhausted. I always swim "comfy." Hmmmmmm.

Night-time sunset yoga on the paddle board:

Kind of got lost on the way back to shore in the dark. Mosquitoes attacked. 

#YOLO

Day 3.

Assigned Workout: Speedwork. 1 mile easy warm up, 6 X 800m @5K pace (2:30 recoveries), 1 mile easy cool down.

Morning Weigh In: 140.2lbs

Weather: 69 degrees. Is this even August?

Location: Mt. Trashmore, Virginia Beach

It's 4:30 am. I am so tired. But I have to get up this early to get to the venue for my coach's group run. The last group run I attended, he was supposed to run with me. I forgot to text and ask if he'll be there. Whenever he isn't at these runs I tend to get a little ignored. And managing 400's and 800's on a pathway around a lake is hard for me. They're supposed to set out cones. But they're never set up when I'm there. I prefer the high school track so I know my distances. But my coach does not like the track. He specifically says he wants me to stick to road or trail. I've never asked him why.

 I could set my watch to beep after 800's but that is beyond the scope of my ability right now. Maybe one day I'll look that up.

He's not there this morning, of course.

So I start my run. Sluggy start. After a mile I try to start my first 800. There are no cones to indicate where I am, I run hard for a bit, try to look at my watch in the pitch dark and I cannot see whether I've run a half mile or not. I squint at the watch while I'm gasping for air. It's a pain in the ass. And true to my form, I get grumpy and just keep running and say internally "eff this" and tell myself to run 5 miles at a faster pace than usual. There. There is your speedwork, dagnabbit.

If I were in one of my typical moods, I'd be horribly disappointed. Every run in this training process is supposed to have a purpose, and Ryan has reminded me several times that these "intervals" are the staple of my training. I essentially ran a tempo, which was not the goal for today.

But I am not going to spend time being upset about it. It is what it is, was what it was. I ran faster than the last couple of runs, so I worked on speed a little bit. I'll try again on Thursday. On a track. 

There really are some benefits of getting up before dawn, if you're obsessed with the sunrise and sunset like I am. It was a gorgeous morning. I must be getting old. I just gaze up at the sky and the cloud formations and it fills me with tranquility, peace, and grace. The feeling doesn't always last throughout the day, so in these moments I soak it in and breathe it, let it fill my lungs.

After the run I wet to the gym and attended my first spin and weights class in AGES. It was challenging enough. The instructor was new and not a toughie, but that's what I needed to break myself back in to the spin thing. Lots of bicep and triceps curls, and dips. Ugh!

Work killed me and didn't get home until 9 pm.

No yoga tonight, but I am stretching enough.

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Day 2.

Monday again. How I love thee.

Assigned Workout: Run, 4 miles, easy pace

Morning Weigh In: 140.6 lbs. Guess that 14 miler dehydrated me pretty darn well.

Weather (at 5 am): low 70's but humid.

Location: the "hood"

I didn't have to start this run at 5 am, but I had the lofty goal of swimming at the rec center afterwards... all before a long ass day at work.

Yeah, that goal was a bit too lofty.

The run this morning in the pitch dark was sluggish. A lot more sluggish than I expected. My legs were tired. And that was that. 

I came back home, decided I needed to take the time to fuel with a huge fruit and kale smoothie and head to work sans swim workout.

Good thing too. I got no lunch break and was on my feet alllllll day. It's 7 pm and I'm still not home... Typing this on my phone in my car while waiting for soccer practices to end so I can FINALLY eat something and call it a day.

Tomorrow is speedwork. I'm already panicking.

More yoga from last night on the golf course. 

Day 1. 238 To Go.

Day 1. 238 to go. So it begins.

Assigned Workout: Run 10 miles, steady pace (goal faster than 8:30/mi, minimize positive splits).
Morning Weigh In: 142.6 <- possibly the highest in a long while. :(
Weather: GORGEOUS morning, 78 degrees, 78% humidity, but windy as hell.
Location: Virginia Beach Oceanfront north to First Landing State Park and back.
Pre Run Fuel: 2 cups black coffee and a banana

So I drove down to the oceanfront for my solo long run. As I got out of the car and fired up my Garmin the battery read DEAD. I had it on the charger but I guess the connection didn't engage. I went into a mini panic but realized my Strava app on my phone had GPS capability and a workout recording mode. I'd never used it before, but how difficult could it be. Crisis averted.

I hit start on Strava and off I went with a climb up Rudee Inlet bridge. At the crest I had to pause and glimpse at the beautiful sunrise. I am obsessed with sunrises and sunsets these days.

As I approach mile 1 I have another crisis. For whatever reason I decided to try wearing compression socks this morning. They were basically cutting off blood supply to my calves and feet and I was miserable with numbness. So I hit the pause again, plop down on a curb, and peel off the socks and stuff them in a nearby trash can. I start off again northward into the wind on the boardwalk.

I had a beautiful view to my right.

Somewhere between miles 3 and 4 I look down at my phone. It says I have only gone 0.9 miles. Apparently I did not un-pause the app when I re-started my run. @#$!

Third crisis of the run. What now? I need to show my coach I ran 10 miles. I need data.

So 10 miles it will be. I hit start and continued on to the park.

I felt pretty good. My pace wasn't stellar, but faster than 8:30/mi. Took a Honey Stinger gel and a few sips of water at mile 5.5 and continued on.

Entry to the trail

I hadn't planned on going on the trail, but I gad to add some distance to get my 10. So I go down the trail for a mile of two, and turn back.

Just as I was about to clear the park, my FOURTH crisis occurred.

KABOOM.

Down I go after tripping over a root.

Lovely.

Ouch.

Fortunately, it was a minor fall, and I scraped my knee a bit but felt fine. My ego was bruised more than my body. Awesome.

Finished up on the boardwalk.

Something was wrong with the app on mile 9. A 6:59/mi pace? In my dreams. No way. Ha ha!

Almost 14 miles today! The longest I've done in a while.

Post Run Fuel: a mango, coconut and orange smoothie I bought for a million bucks on the boardwalk.

Finished up my day with some sunset yoga on the golf course. Yeah, the GOLF course. No one was playing.

Finishing up with squats, push ups, and sit ups before bed.