To XTERRA or not to XTERRA...

that is the question.

The XTERRA Trail running series returns to Birmingham this weekend, with a series of races tomorrow morning (5K, 10K, 21K and 42K) and a triathalon on Sunday. I'm technically in my own personal "off season" right now, running purely for enjoyment but really thinking about heading down to Oak Mountain tomorrow morning for the 5K. (Yes, I am itching for the race environment.)

I can easily cover the 5K distance (I haven't turned into a slug or a pumpkin since Nashville despite the radio silence) but the inside of my right ankle/achilles has been making itself known the past few days (not so much while running but while walking). I've also looked at the finishing times from last year and either this event attracted a REALLY SLOW field OR this course is so incredibly kick ass hard that I'm going to suffer. I'm not afraid of the latter...I WANT to challenge myself but I AM afraid of a kick ass course with an ankle that's not 100% happy...

Right now, I'm leaning toward going for it. We'll see if better common sense prevails!

I've never run a trail race before (but I do run fairly regularly on some easy/moderately technical trails for fun/training). Any quick bit of etiquette I should be aware of? How does one handle passing in a trail race situation?

Quasi impromptu

Tornadoes and Devastation

As many of you may have seen on the news, the southeast has been hit by some incredibly severe and devastating weather over the past 24-48 hours.

Matt and I were awakened by an incredibly scary electrical storm yesterday around 5:30am...howling winds, green skies and what looked and sounded like fireworks as transformers were blown all around the neighborhood. Obviously we lost power and after everything calmed down we went outside to survey the damage. Large, thick tree limbs narrowly missed our cars and were strewn about our yard and driveway and there were HUGE mature (75+ year old) trees down all throughout our neighborhood, the root bases so large that some people's yards are almost gone. As much as I wanted to take pictures, I just felt it was wrong to photograph my neighbors' destruction and loss. I went to work as normal, though I had no idea what was to come.


Reports of huge tornadoes and storms to the north of us were coming in throughout the day. A huge tornado touched down and destroyed much of Cullman, a town about 45 minutes north of here. With additional reports of dangerous storm cells on the move towards Birmingham, we headed home around 4:30 hoping to get to safety in advance of the weather. I had forgotten my phone charger at home that morning and so, once I got home and was with Matt, I turned it off wanting to conserve the little amount of remaining battery for emergency and I knew I would need it later as an alarm clock.

When I turned my phone on around 11:15pm, I had a barrage of text messages indicating that things were devastating but I did not really check the news or Facebook at that point because I didn't have the battery life on my phone to do it. When additional texts started rolling in around 5:45 this morning, I started checking the news sites.

What I have been reading and watching has been sickening and devastating, especially in Tuscaloosa (45 minutes west and home to the University of Alabama). This same system was also spawning massive tornadoes in north Birmingham suburbs and downtown and there are people in my office who have family members who have lost everything. My coworker's friend and 2 roommates were killed in Tuscaloosa, as the tornado ripped through their home. Listening to the mayor of Tuscaloosa on the radio this morning, I cried and truly feel nauseous thinking about the devastation and destruction.

My heart truly goes out to everyone affected. I really don't know what else to say.


Links:
Downtown Birmingham tornado (my office building is visible and I don't know how I even have anything to come to work to today)


Tuscaloosa Tornado (storm chaser version)


Tuscaloosa Tornado (someone in the direct path)

Articles and additional photos

Shake shake shake, shake shake shake, shake your Shamrock...

...shake your Shamrock!

And that is just what I did on St Patty's day as part of Linzi and Aneta's virtual race!

I have to be totally honest and admit that if it weren't for this race, I probably would have bagged this run in favor of a rest day b/c I'd had a couple of tough workouts on Tuesday and Wednesday and a very painful deep tissue massage on Wed. night that left me so sore, walking was SUPER painful all day on Thursday. (I didn't even realize my calves were knotted and IT bands super-tight...I had actually gone in for tight back/shoulders...oops!) However, I decided maybe running would loosen up my muscles and ultimately I knew I wouldn't regret giving it my best shot.

Thursday turned out to be VERY warm (especially for this time of year, even in the south) and it was in the low 80s during the run. I did my customary "quick change" in the Newk's bathroom and then hopped into my car to hit my favorite shaded trail for the 7K portion of the "race".

At Newk's pre-run--thankful for clean and QUIET bathrooms. That's also NOT a usual work-out shirt but it turns out I don't own anything green and this top was the closest thing that looked "normal" with running shorts!

Go time!

Because of the heat and sun, I wanted to stay shaded for as much as possible, so I hopped onto a portion I haven't run before, hoping to get in a mile before hitting my usual trail route. This partwas mildly technical but ran by a beautiful creek; I wish I'd had my camera.

I could tell that I wasn't really acclimated to the weather and as I hit the 2nd technical portion, I could feel something funky going on with my right achilles (the previously injured one). At about mile 2.6 I definitely had to stop and stretch because I could feel like I was dragging my foot and I haven't experienced tightness like that in a long time. After crossing another portion of the creek I had to stop again and loosen my shoe b/c my left foot had gone completely numb. I was getting pretty bummed but at least my breathing, etc was still feeling great and I was on an easy, flat section of trail and headed back to the car. I ended up having to cross the road and run a loop around the parking lot to finish the mileage but finished, hot and sweaty, in 45:41 which is right around a 10:30 mile. Considering my leg/foot issues and temps I've not yet re-acclimated to, I'm pretty pleased with that effort. I'm watching my times get gradually faster (for me)...and it's always reassuring to see training and effort paying off.

Extremely sweaty post-run! Excuse the pit stains but that's part of being a runner!

Bracketology

I can't believe I haven't really seen any posts re: March Madness; maybe it's because everyone is out running? :)

Seriously though, I have all of my stuff packed to hit the trail after work to run in Linzi's "Shake Your Shamrock" virtual 7K but part of me wants to bypass the trail (and beautiful weather) to hit the 'mill and try to catch some b'ball instead. All of the games today have been exciting/close (or at least that's what I can tell via Gametracker between meetings and actual work) and great games will make the time and miles tick away quickly. However, it's in the 70s today and sunny and even though it feels HOT outside right now, I know that truthfully in 2 months I will be killing for this kind of weather as the south gets enveloped in the stifiling heat and humidity. Ultimately, I know what I am going to choose, but the alternative is certainly tempting. Speaking of which, I need to charge my Garmin and my iPod!

30 days

Has it seriously been a MONTH?

Things have been steadily ticking along over here as I try to figure out what is next. As we still probably have a couple months of favorable running weather left before the heat and humidity monsters set up camp for a few months, I'm not quite ready to declare "off season" but I also don't have anything serious on the books before summer starts.

Lee Ann is trying to persuade me to come up to Nashville for the Country Music Half (last weekend in April) and I am training "as if" I have half marathon that weekend. Truthfully, of the 4 half's I have run it stands out as my most miserable race for a variety of reasons so it's not necessarily a course I'm really dying to repeat. However, it's only a 3 hour drive and with the company of a friend maybe it's worth a redeeming shot.

I'm going to make a statement that's probably not going to be very popular, but I'm not really a fan of the Rock N Roll racing series. Yes, they are big races (which I like) but I think something about the over-mass production is a turn off for me and I notice that a lot of their routes are long out and backs which I think (for this kind of distance and race experience...13.1 or 26.2) is a cop out. One could say the same thing about a double loop course with no variation on a 26.2. At any rate, I feel like there is so much more to a city than a one street out and back and it feels like the race itself takes a back seat to the perceived glitz of the event. I've noticed multiple complaints about RnR routes in race reports as well, so I can't be the only one. I just got an email this week that they are making Vegas a night race, which I LOVE and would love to do, but the fact that it's RnR produced makes me reluctant to sign up.

So essentially, I need to hammer down a spring race or two before taking a little break from an official plan during which time I plan to maintain a 15 mile per week base and add 3 days of bootcamp to the mix (along with a minimum 1x week yoga class which I am currently attending). If all the stars align, I will kick off training for marathon #2 (hopefully NYC!) on July 4. I know that sounds like a long time away but it will be here before I know it.

This is how the rest of the calendar is shaping up:

March 17: Shake Your Shamrock (virtual 7K)

March 26: Rumpshaker 5K (Volunteering as a course marshall)

April 9: Diamond Dash

April 30 (MAYBE): Country Music Half Marathon

May 15: Warrior Dash (GA)

October 15: Race for the Cure 5K

November 6: NYC Marathon (hopefully)

November 24: Moore's Mill Turkey Trot 5K

What's missing? For me, I would like to do at least 3 total half marathons this year and 1 marathon. Once I figure out if NYC is a go, it will be a little easier to fill out the fall schedule. It just feels weird not to have a hard date on a few longer races. I know other 5Ks and 10Ks will be available (I am still chasing the 5K PR) and I can add these as they come up and work with my schedule. I would have done Atlanta half this coming weekend and had wanted to take the RRCA certification but I originally thought I was traveling to South Carolina for an event for Matt's family; however, that is now a no-go and we only found out two weeks ago so certification was filled and I was not mentally ready to push another half after a hard effort last month. I would also really like to do a relay but with the absence of 11 running friends to join me in the insanity, I'm a little stumped. If Vandy does Ragnar again and if they have room, I have an invitation to join Lee Ann's van so we'll see. Any ideas for races or experiences I should add? If not 2011 maybe 2012?

Race Report: Mercedes Half Marathon

The Mercedes 1/2 Marathon was my very first half one year ago and there was no question in my mind that I would be running it again this year. After my marathon, just 2 months ago (!) while enjoying recovery and no pressure runs, I decided to set a goal to go after a 1/2 Marathon PR at this event. I missed a PR by just SECONDS at the Disney Wine and Dine back in October in the midst of marathon training and I KNOW I am a stronger runner than I was at this time last year but with a 7 week training plan, coming off recovery, I wasn't sure what was realistically within my grasp. I nailed my assigned speed sessions, conquered my local hills and even managed to work a weekly yoga back into my schedule but life got in the way towards the end of the cycle and my longest run since the marathon had only been 11 miles (I had planned to get in at least 1 15-miler) so I really had no idea what my day would hold though I knew I would give it my best shot.

Finishing 10x400 at the gym, tough and sweaty post-work speed session

So without further adieu:

"A" Goal (STRETCH goal): sub 2:20

"B" Goal: sub 2:30

"C" Goal: PR (anything sub 2:38:09, for the record)

Pre-Race:

Since the expo was close to my office, I picked up my packet Friday afternoon. Pick up was easy, perused the booths and picked up a couple of freebies. I was actually intending to run this evening since the race was on Sunday but I ended up getting stuck at work until 7:30 so I deferred until Saturday.

Saturday, I got a text from my best friend from grad school, Lee Ann, who I knew was planning on running the race (she lives in Nashville now). She was in town and invited me to to join her and her co-worker, Jenny, and Jenny's husband, Greg (they were also running) to "carb up" at dinner...of course I said yes! My neck was actually really stiff which had me worried but I trekked over to the gym and ran a couple of miles in the morning, hopped on the bike for 15 minutes or so and called it a day. I was feeling really great and spent the better part of the afternoon relaxing...manicure, getting my eyebrows threaded, etc etc. We met up at a local Italian place for dinner at 6:30 and had THE best time. I had not seen Lee Ann in years and Jenny and Greg were hilarious and such great people. Carbed and hydrated, I headed home to add a few new tunes to my playlist and had no problem falling asleep.

THE RACE

The 4 of us decided to meet near the start between 6:15 and 6:30. Jenny and Greg were going to run together and I was going to run with Lee Ann...we were planning to stay together as long as the wheels did not fall off for either of us. This was Lee Ann's 1st half and I was so excited to be part of her experience.

Me, Lee Ann, Greg and Jenny before the start

It was a BEAUTIFUL morning for running, just above freezing with little wind and not a cloud in the sky. The sun can be both a blessing and a curse and I was a little nervous about the sleeveless base layer I had on (would I get too hot?), but it turned out to be OK. Before we knew it, the gun was fired and we were off. They reported that there were around 7,000 runners in the full and half combined this morning and while there were pace "corrals", there was no wave start so it only took a couple of minutes before we crossed the starting mat.

Lee Ann does not run with a Garmin, so I told her I would watch our pace to keep us honest. The first few miles clicked by effortlessly. My former "big boss" tapped me on the shoulder around mile 3 and then he and another of our colleagues were off ahead of us. Lee Ann and I chatted most of the time, pulling and pushing each other along. "Monster hills" I remembered from last year didn't seem nearly as daunting this time around and I could not believe how quickly the morning was going. There were a couple of EXTREMELY interesting sights on the course and we had fun pointing these out and eventually picking off the selected individuals. Having had absolutely HORRID race photos from last year that shall never be shared I made sure to point out the photogs for Lee Ann and we tried to pose for all that we saw. I told her if nothing else, I would save her from bad race photos :)

Jenny and Greg remained a few steps ahead and there were times we would catch up and run with them, and play mini-leapfrog. I usually walk through the water stops to catch my breath and use the time to lower my heart rate, but Lee Ann was running through them and so I was right next to her every step. There were a couple of times (non-water stop) where I felt TIRED and wanted to walk so badly but the wheels were not falling off so I zoned in on the task at hand or even started a conversation to distract myself. We hit the 10 mile mark at just over 1:51:xx and I knew that truly unless something horrible happened, I was going to make my "C" goal at the very least. We were kicking ass and I was having a blast.

Just before the finisher's chute, I hugged Lee Ann...we were going to DO this. We sprinted around the curve, just behind Greg and Jenny. "Hands up" I called out just as we were crossing the mat. Running. Every single step of the way.

Needless to say, I smashed my PR: 2:26:30 (official time) for an 11:11 avg pace. I am THRILLED. My "A" goal was a HUGE stretch so I am not disappointed with the "B" goal at all. Hello? I knocked nearly 12 minutes off my PR. So.very.happy.

I didn't run with my phone and Lee Ann's phone clouded over b/c of sweat, so we'll have to wait for Brightroom to come through with the good stuff. For now:

Home with my Bling :)

Take home: Gender-specific tech shirt, running hat and medal

Close up of the "hood ornament"...LOVE this medal