I am a dirty dirty girl.

So what could be SO important that it warrants my second post for the day?

The fact that I went out for a run this evening, and decided to make it a trail run. Not just any trail run... a 5 mile run of hills and lakes.

What an amazing run it was! Two 5 milers on trails back to back. That is a new high for me. I am completely enamoured with trail running. Trail running is my new flirt. I am flirting with dirt in a big way. This may just turn into a full fledge love affair.

It all started when I finished up chores about the house. I mentioned in my last post that I had choices as to what I wanted to do today. I opted for the run. Instead of driving out to Kennsington I decided to head out to Maybury State Park and do an honest to goodness trail run.

I started off with no time or mileage goal, just hoping to get in around 4 or 5 miles if the trails permit. I have never really run these trails solo, and never enough to really know them in any detail, so I had to stop periodically to check out the trail markings to determine if I was infact going the right way. After a while - all the trails start to look alike!

I did an inital loop out to the west of the park, then on my way back decided to head out and loop around the lake and come back to call it a day. The trail to get to the lake splits in multple locations. One side will go higher (more hills) where the other side will go lower (more dampness and tree roots). Both are equally as technical in the big picture, but I, when given the choice, always picked the side which had the steepest hills and most technical aspects that I could see from the splitting point.

Me. I did that. I picked a fun and long and winding trail path and ran 5 miles without even blinking. I would have gone out for at least 8 or 9 miles but it was about 1/2 hour out from the sun setting and the last place I would want to be would be the trails with no light!

Lana I get it now. I should have gone out earlier and had more time to run in the trees! That is a HUGE point for running in the AM versus evening.

I ran around the lake - and it was beautiful! I ran up and down some steep hills, and remembered to just shorten my stride and make the ascent and decent as easy on my knees as possible.

*chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop chop* My cycling hill mantra replaying over and over in my head and I just kept on running. I stopped only to look at a trail to sign make sure that I was where I wanted to be, and once to ask for clarification from a hiker as to if I was on the right path to get to the lake.

I felt alive out there today and my running legs did not let me down. I felt stronger at the end of the run again, which is odd since I really pushed myself today. I am feeling so much better about the trail run off of the AA Triathlon in a few weeks. I am feeling so hopeful for this year ahead in general - I can only go up from here!

We just entered the next step of the journey!

Keep on running!

})i({ Runnergirl

Hitting the trails.. and increasing speed little by little.

Yesterday was a good day. I did a little research and realized that we are currently 9 weeks out from the Trail Half Marathon weekend.

Hmmm....

So yeah.

I am throwing in an additional Half Marathon into my season - the Trail Half on April 28th.

My only goal for this race, being that it will be my first trail half marathon, is to finish with a smile on my face, preferably in under 3 hours - but I will say under 3:20 and I will be happy.

I love trail running. And this will be my longest trail run ever (5 milers is my typical venture off-road).

So back to Maybury State Park I go - oh yeah and of course to the Potto trail where the race happens in 9 glorious weeks!

~~~~~~~~~~~


I have been doing my running this week on the track instead of the dreadmill. Hmmm... runnin gplace watching TV and listening to my iPod vs. running around in a little circle (11.5 laps - 1 measley mile). At least I am moving forward on the track... but either way it all boils down to being BORED.

Yesterday I did a slow and easy 1 mile after a full intense leg session:

The numbers for 2/19

Exercise Sets Min reps Max reps Min Wt. (lb) Max Wt. (lb)
ABS Incline sit-ups 1 5 5 2 2
ABS Sit-Ups, Flat 2 12 35 2 2
LEGS Leg Press 3 12 12 95 95
LEGS Hip abductor 3 12 12 70 70
LEGS Hip adductor 3 12 12 70 70
LEGS Leg Extensions 3 12 12 60 60
LEGS Hamstring curl 3 12 12 60 60
LEGS Hamstring
Curls (Cable) 2 12 12 50 60
LEGS Standing
Reverse Calf Raises 3 12 12 35 35

The run
11.5 laps = 1 mile
1- 1.21
2- 1.10
3- 1.10
4- 1.08
5- 1.08
6- 1.07
7- 1.06
8- 1.05
9- 1.03
10- 1.00
11- 0.56
11.5 - 0.25
Total 1 mile in 12:44

The Numbers for 2/20:
11.5 laps = 1 mile
23 laps = 2 miles

1- 1:01

2- 0:58

3- 1:01

4- 1:00

5- 1:00

6- 1:00

7- 0:57

8- 1:02

9- 1:02

10- 1:01

11- 1:01

12- 1:00

13- 0:561

14- 1:00

15- 1:01

16- 0:51

17- 0:51

18- 0:57

19- 0:57

20- 1:00

21- 1:00

22- 0:59

23- 1:00

Mile 1 - 11:33

Mile 2 - 11:02

I followed the run with a nice easy 700 yard workout in the pool.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am pretty happy with these numbers as my lap times are negative split-ish. At least in yesterday's run I was increasing each lap or or. Tonights run was twice as long and I tried to run the 2nd mile faster than the first. I succeeded, and did these easy miles in well under 12:00 miles. That makes me pretty happy!

I am breaking up each run into multiple parts to help with pace - the first portion slow or reserved, the next portion quicker, the last portion fastest. I am really training myself to be a racer in the 11 minute miles right now - then I will work my way down to 10 minute miles. I really want to be a sub 10-minute miler by the end of this season. We will see!

So I am in half marathon and triathlon training. The cool thing is that I my two schedules/plans married perfectly.

The last week is a taper and the half. Been talking to some BTers and am finding out a lot of people are doing this race! Lots of training partners! Lots of TRAILS!

Take care! Tomorrow is my last day at work this week because Friday is the arrival of Hayden Alexander Jones, my friend's baby boy! How exciting for her!

})i({ RunnerGirl - getting speedier in all due time

Bike Porn for a Friday.

Ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girls. People of all ages, genders, and the like. I would like to give you a preview of the bike that I am going to purchase at the end of September.

But first I would like to fill you in on why I am aquiring such a nice little bike. (Good things are worth the wait.)

After much deliberation and planning, I have decided to go ahead and purchase the next Jenn-mobile (in form of a bike) this year, so I can start training. You know. At somepoint.

The original argument, or rather "discussion", was that Mike wants for me to have a hybrid if not MTB. I want for myself a road bike. Mike has only really had MTB's and I grew up on a road bike.

won out. Well... poor Mike never really had a chance as I am an expert debater. I think he only let me win because I threatened to pull out a pie chrt and some grphs to explain my reasoning for wanting road bike. Anyhow, a win is a win in my book!

*celebrates*

And as the prize for such a win... is my scoping out some coolio road bikes at the local cyclery. I checked out Scott, Trek, and Giant. I went to a cycle tent sale and tried quite few bikes. I fell in love with the Women's specific Giant OCR1 and OCR3 bikes.

*DROOL*

So without further ado, the bike that I am lusting over is none other than:

I present to you "White Lightening" (awww aren't I such a nerdalicious geek that I wanna name my bike? I am adorable I tell ya!) the Giant OCR 1 that I hope hope hope to purchase in October (end of). The purchasing is not the tricky part, it is the whole "will they still have it then" part. My motto - what will be will be.

If this is the bike that they still have in stock (white and all) I am so buying some pink pedals. ;) That is how I roll. Yo.

Well I hope that you have enjoyed this little snippet into the cycling world. Now back to our regularly scheduled run talk. ;)

Tonight is a running rest night and I am going to hit up the gym for a nice easy upper body workout and maybe some stationary biking. Tomorrow is of course the Saturday meet up with my new running club.

Oh! That reminds me - I have signed up to volunteer for the 2007 Dances With Dirt 50K/50mile Ultra marathon and 5-person team relay in Hell. Michigan that is. Mouse and E-speed ran this race last year, so you can find a re-cap of what it is like to run it on their sites. And check out the DWD site for more info. There are now two races... one in Hell (the original) and one in Indiana I believe. The one in Hell is 9/8 and will be loaads of muddy, stupid cray fun!

Anyone out there running it?

OK, well everyone have a great day!

})i({ Runner Girl (Feeling the burn after last night's trail run!)

It is official. Running clubs rock.

Whatever fears I had... they are now laid to rest.

I got to Maybury State park at 6:05 PM, paid my $24 for an annual pass, and headed towards the group meeting point.

"What if I am the only one?"
"What if they are running rock stars and I the lowly roadie?"
"What if they take one look at me and laugh at my non-typical runner's physique?"

These were just a few of the thoughts running through my head.

I went into the women' bathroom and changed into my gear. While in there I hear people outside talking about where to run, pace, etc. OK Jenn it is now or never. Let's do this.

I walk outside to scope it out under the guise of stretching and tieing my shoes. I hear one guy say to the other "Yeah I figured that I would check you guys out and see if I like it."

That is my que.

"Uuummm.... sorry to interrupt" I say clearly not interrupting, "but are you with the NRR?"

"Why yes we are!" said guy #2
"I am new tonight" said guy #1

"Well so am I!" I say.

Another gentleman comes over and we stretch then head out for a 10 minute warm up.

On trails.

LOTS OF TRAILS.

We do about .75 of a mile before guy#1 and 2 head back to the meet up point to meet up with the rest of today's club runners. I stay with guy #3 because I am clueless on these unmarked, definitely overlapping, and varying trails. We ended up running between 3.5 and 4 miles at a nice pace with walk breaks up the huge steep hills. The many crazy death inducing hills. Of torture. That I am so not used to.

It has been 2 or 3 years since I did trails for any real running. WOW. I was not prepared for that! A lot of walking, but great conversation with a man who is retired Air Force, a very accomplished runner and cyclist, as well as an awesome humanbeing who is trying to qualify for the 2009 Senior Olympics (he has to run a sub 46 minute 10K! And he can do it easy!)

Sice he just did a 100 mile bike competition the week earlier, he was taking it easy and helping me to not get lost.

Not an easy feat out there on those trails!

I have no clue on actual distance or time, but when I asked him how far abouts we went, he said easily 3.5 miles if not 4.

Sweet.

Right as we were cooling down, the rain started. Then the lightening. And sure enough, there were all the runners pouring out of the trails to the central meeting place. After everyone was accounted for, we headed off on our seperate ways. Some to home, the rest to the Deadwood for after running social time.

LOVED IT.

I have my car decal, my membership card, and another discount at Running Fit. Plus, there are people who run at every pace from 14 minute miles (with walking) to the blazing fast qualifier trail times.

I will not be alone.

Saturday is our 9AM meeting. I am going to do the paved flats around the park for my long run this week. I hear that there are some runners who only do the paved, and that can run any pace from 10 to 14 minute miles depending on turnout and who is there. They will accomodate you.

How cool.

They really are a diverse group of runners who welcome everyone. And even if you end up running alone, you know that at the end everyone meets up and heads out to social time. That is the comradarie that I am looking for, and it is close to home. One of the other new people even lives in my gated community.

Speaking of, for the past week the guard shack has a saying on the board which I love, but I think I need to alter it a bit.

"No one is perfect. Try not to be too hard on others."

I think that it should read:

"No one is perfect. So do not be so hard on yourself. "

And I will leave you with that thought. Sometimes you should not be so afraid of yourself, that you are too hard on yourself. It was time for me to stop denying myself the opportunity to meet fellow runners of all abilities. Up until now, I have denied myself in meeting some potentially supportive people. I swallowed my pride and went for it. For me it turned out well. But I was ready for it to not. And that is just it. Sometimes, we need to step out on that limb and take a risk, to have faith that people are as good as we want them to be, and not as prejudicial as we fear they are.

The potential rewards outweigh the uncertainties.

})i({ Runnergirl

Today's workout - 3.5 miles on trails. Crazy endless looping hilly trails of death and fun.