My mojo has left the building

For the past two days, my mojo has decided to enjoy the beautiful weather outside without me, leaving me to workout indoors.  Alone.  With no spunk.

Actually I wasn't alone.  I just wanted to feel sorry for myself.  Because being spunkless just isn't bad enough.

Yesterday I did core exercises, and then threw in a cardio kickboxing DVD since I have to miss my kickboxing class this week.  I LOVE this cardio kickboxing DVD, and the super-peppy instructor is usually able to get me pumped no matter how many times I've watched the routine.  But something was really off yesterday.  Even Miss Super-Pep couldn't pull me out of my super-funk.

Maybe it was because yesterday was technically my day off, and I really debated with myself whether I should work-out, or whether I should go shopping.  I figured shopping isn't a good enough reason to be lazy, so down to the gym I went.  Little did I know my mojo went in the other direction, exited the building and was strolling in the sunshine, while I round-housed with very little enthusiasm.

The work-out wasn't an entire waste.  I did get some good reps in during my core exercises, and the kickboxing session does end with a killer core workout.  Still, I felt a bit betrayed by my mojo.  Maybe tomorrow will be better, I thought.

Well, tomorrow was today, and today was my dreaded cycling class.  My mojo was still absent.  I'm pretty sure it went for a hike.  I really had no desire to cycle up fake hills and then cycle back down those same fake hills (or maybe they're different fake hills?  I dunno.  They're fake.)  But I had already committed to this class, and I knew it was going to be a good workout.  So in a desperate attempt to lure my mojo back, I did a very brazen thing:

I smiled.

Last week, I listened to the Krissy Moehl interview on URP, and her advice to ultrarunners?  Smile.  She always makes a point of smiling as she comes into an aid station.  Also known for her smile?  Ellie Greenwood, whose most recent accomplishment is back-to-back wins at the American River 50.

Ellie Greenwood still smiling after 40 miles
via sacramentorunning.com 

There must be something to this whole smiling thing, I thought.  So, I smiled the whole damn class.  I probably freaked my fellow fake cyclists out.  But I told myself the pain wasn't worth it if I wasn't having fun, so just enjoy this crazy class and smile.  And it worked!  My mojo came back!  I finished strong and I had a blast.

Moral of the story?  Smile and you will never lose your mojo.*

*To clarify: I am using the term "mojo" to refer to one's self-confidence and self-assuredness in general, and not to confidence in specific places or in specific horizontal positions.  This is not that kind of blog, people!

First Trail Run

Confession: for the past two weeks I have been listening non-stop to ultrarunnerpodcast.com and to the Trail Runner Nation podcast. I'm obsessed (so is DJ Research). I listen and laugh and nod my head like I know what the hell they are talking about (I don't) and dream of running the trails they talk about. But full disclosure: I've only ever done a trail run once. And I hated it.

When we first started running in 2009, DJ Research wanted to try a trail run.  I wanted to sit on my butt and watch TV.  He convinced me to join him, and we headed to a nearby park known for some of its trails.  I had no idea what I was getting into.  The trail wasn't difficult, but it wasn't what I expected, which is to say it was much hillier and rockier than I thought it would be.  As a running newbie that was still getting accustomed to running on flat surfaces (i.e. road), I thought this trail running thing was not for me.  DJ Research actually felt the same way, so we went back to running roads.

As I became a stronger runner, I started having dreams of running through gorgeous scenery (after I gave birth to my son, I had a crazy strong urge to go running in Patagonia).  I really love the idea of planning vacations based on beautiful places to run.  And it only recently dawned on me that when I imagine running through these gorgeous places, I'm picturing myself running on trails.

Hence, this weekend we decided to attempt another trail run.  And it was incredible.  Running under trees, next to a lake, over rocks and dirt--rather than along a dang road--made it feel less like running and more like...AMAZING!  It was so much fun!

The first half of the trail was relatively flat and wide, so it was easy to work on speed.  The second half was more technical and not as well marked.  I ran off the trail a bunch of times (but not to the point of concern; it would be really difficult to get lost on this trail), and explored a number of random paths before realizing I was either on-track or running in the opposite direction (again).  Also, I totally ate it.  While looking for the path and not paying attention to the trail as I was running, I tripped over something...rock? root? air?...and skid my way to an abrupt stop.  Note to self: the ground is REALLY hard.  Luckily I didn't hurt myself at all (should learning how to fall be part of my trail running training?), and just kept on running.

I ran the trail 3x and covered 10.5 miles in 1:48.  I was happy with that effort.  DJ Research and Nugget hung out by the lake as I ran, playing with bears and their sunglasses.

Hello Mr. Bear.  I believe these are mine.

We went back to each get another run the next day, though these were much shorter runs since one of us had to stay with Nugget.  DJ Research ran first and did two loops in 40 minutes.  I ran after him, and decided to add another trail that I noticed on the map the day before.  Turns out, this trail is quite hilly!  Very excited to incorporate hill work on my next run along this trail.  I was hoping to keep running for 40 minutes, but got back to li'l Nugget in just over 35 minutes, and I find it very difficult to resist those cheeks, so I just called my run right there.

I have to admit, I was a bit nervous that I would discover I am not a trail runner.  Considering how much I've been thinking about it, it would be such a disappointment to find out I didn't actually like it.  I am happy to report, I LOVE it.  Our local running club has a few trail races over the summer, and DJ Research and I want to jump in on most of those.  Stay tuned!

So whats the plan?

Its a beautiful day here, a perfect day for a picnic dinner.  I called the Hubs at work and suggested we grab a bite and go to the nearby park to enjoy the trails and beautiful weather. 

"That sounds great," he said, "But I was hoping to get a long run in this evening, so that you can get your two long runs in this weekend."

Isn't he awesome?  Gently reminding me that we both have running goals we want to achieve, and that we have to work together to get there.

To do this running thing seriously, there will have to be trade-offs.  So I don't get my picnic dinner today.  But I will get my two long runs in this weekend.  And probably a picnic lunch, since the weather will still be nice. 

Admittedly, this is a very small trade-off.  The trade-off I am most concerned about is time with my son.  I work 8 hours a day, so I see my son for about an hour in the morning and about 2 hours in the evening.  I get two glorious days with him on the weekends.  How much of my training will take away from time with my son?

What the heck are you training for? you may ask, as well you may.  Full disclosure: I want to run an ultra.  Ultimately, at some point in my life, I want to run a 100-miler.  Not tomorrow.  Or even next year.  Or even in three years.  Theres still a good amount of time between me and my first 100-miler.  But I don't think a 50K is completely out of my reach in the near-ish future.  How much do I need to train to run a 50K?  How much time with my son will I have to sacrifice?

These are questions I need to think about.  I need to draw up a plan that balances our goals and our reality, and make sure the trade-offs are in all the right places. 

I know I can get there.  I know I can train well and right.  I know I can be a mom, a wife, AND a runner.  

Plus, how awesome would it be for my son to have an ultrarunner mom?! :)

Jen Benna (my idol) via jenbenna.com

I love reading Jen Benna's blog.  She's an ultrarunner mom that was back running 100-milers FIVE MONTHS after her daughter was born.  She is truly an inspiration.  (Plus she pumps when she races!  How awesome is that?!)

Hill meet Legs. Legs meet...wait, where are you going?

I do not like hills.  I'm pretty sure hills do not like me.  But hills and I need to become very good friends if I'm going to become faster and stronger as a runner (not sure what the hill will get out of it, but I'm thinking it doesn't really care).

Yesterday I decided to do hill repeat and chose to tackle the two steepest hills in a nearby neighborhood.  Although I am unsure of the incline, one hill was 200m and one was 194m.  I told myself I would be happy with just three reps, but I was shooting for six.  In the end I just did four.

I ran the 200m hill 3x, finishing the first run with a time of 1:24.  Aiming to knock at least one second off that time, I was super stoked when my second run clocked in a 1:20!  Yippee!

But something changed by the time I got to the bottom of the hill.  Maybe it was the fact that I had to run past this guy that wanted to talk to me as I ran, and I was tired of his tired jokes the third time around.  But really I think it was because I lost focus.  I got so excited about my 4 second improvement that I forgot to concentrate and wound up finishing the third run in 1:23.

I tried the 194m hill next, to avoid the overly-friendly resident, and finished that first, and only, attempt in 0:58.  And that was it.  My legs felt tired.  Plus, I told myself, I would have to push to get back to work before my lunch break was up.  I really should head back to work.  But really I had hit a mental wall.  I didn't want to do hills anymore.  The hill wasn't being friendly (unlike that neighbor), and I wanted a hug.

I'm not sure this qualifies as a bonk, but I felt like it was.  As I was running along that flat, paved road to my building, I felt the adrenaline rising for a final push.  "Where the hell was that push 10 minutes ago?" I asked Self.  Self shrugged, and I pushed anyway, because why the hell not?

My mental state didn't improve much today when I mounted my stationary bike for cycling class.  My colleague next to me apparently has legs of lead because she was cranking along, but I just couldn't muster 100%.  I probably performed about 75%.  I realized that I've been pushing hard for a week and a half, which is a lot for me - someone who runs occasionally and never more than 4 miles at a time - and I need a break.  So thats what tomorrow is.  No work-out.  Not even easy core.  Instead of running on my lunch break, I'm going to Target.

And then my husband comes home with this. Which makes me want to run all the more.

Mission Easter Stickers

Yesterday I wasn't able to get a morning run in (time management is everything!  And I am so bad at it!), so I decided to literally run an errand after work.  I needed small goodies to put in the Easter eggs my son will be giving his classmates later this week, so I laced up my running shoes for a quick jog to the town center, about 2 miles from our house. 

DJ Research reminded me that it would probably get dark while I was out, so I should take all the appropriate reflective gear and the running light.  I assured him I would, then promptly forgot as I ran out the door.  I had only 16 minutes to get to the store, and in my haste to make it, I completely overlooked safety.

Since I am writing this post-run, I clearly made it home fine.  But its not a mistake I would like to repeat again.  As you can imagine, the road to the town center is the busiest in the area, but surprisingly, there are sections along this busy road that are not at all lit.  I felt like I was running blind. 

The errand itself took longer than I anticipated.  I had to stop at 4 different stores (I made it to the toy just as they were closing.  Plus they didn't even have Easter stickers!) before I found something that would a) fit in the plastic Easter eggs and b) was less than $1 each, because as much as I love these kids, I'm not about to go broke buying them gifts for Easter.  It took me almost an hour to some Easter stickers.  Geez.

Anyway, the run back is almost all downhill so I made really good time.  All in all, I ran 3.78 in 30.47 for a pace of 8:09 m/m, though considering the hour break between my arrival and return, I'm not sure this run is an accurate indication of my speed.  I was proud of my push on the return though, so the feel of that push will be my takeaway for this run.

The Sweetest Moments

We rocked back and forth quietly, listening to the melody of the lullaby. Despite his active day, or perhaps because of it, he was having a tough time falling asleep. Little Nugget, nestled in my lap one minute, would flip and turn an almost complete 180 the next, then suddenly bury his face between my arm and the rocker. Sensing maybe he needed a different rhythm, I stood and swayed to the music, holding my precious son close in my arms. Little Nugget lifted his head off my shoulder and brought his face close to mine, his sign that he wants to give me a honi, a kiss. His spontaneous and silent way of saying, "I love you, Mom."

Moments like these beat any PR.

Just Get Out of the House

Nothing beats an early morning run.

Except, of course, sleeping in.  When that 5am wake-up call came, I reeeeeeeeeally just wanted to  roll over and go back to sleep, despite the fact that I had spent an inordinate amount of time the night before coordinating my running outfit because I was so excited.  With the blankets thrown off but my eyes still closed, I told myself, "Just get out of the house.  Get dressed, get out of the house, stand on the porch, and if you still feel like going back to bed, you can."

Moving ever so slowly, I got ready and went downstairs for a light breakfast and a cup of coffee.  There on the kitchen table, ever so strategically placed by my husband, was the most recent issue of Runner's World.  I thumbed through as I ate my breakfast, feeling the excitement from the night before begin to tingle through me again.  I was ready to get out there.  DJ Research made a brief appearance to give me a good luck kiss and remind me, "Start slow," then he went back to bed.

Outside it was crisp and cold.  I was glad that I had covered my ankles, despite the Hubs' teasing the night before.  "How are you supposed to become a good runner if you can't even run with cold ankles?!" he had asked.  Baby steps, my friend.  Let us just applaud the fact that I got my butt out of bed before the sun, before asking me to run with cold ankles (I HATE the cold, in case you have yet to figure out).  I walked a few yards to loosen up, and off I went.

This was the first time that I had run when it was still nighttime-dark outside.  It was eerie.  Our neighborhood is relatively well lit, but I still felt like the boogeyman was going to step out from behind a tree. I was all ears and eyes alert, and ready to claw the face off of anyone stupid enough to interrupt my run (at least, thats how I felt).  The adrenaline of being so alert probably affected my overall energy levels, so thats something to keep in mind next time.

By the time the sun came up, I was just cruising along, talking to myself as I am prone to do.  I won't give you a play-by-play of my run since it really wasn't that interesting.  In summary, I finished in 1:43:48 at an average pace of 10:15 m/m.  I was slightly disappointed with the time since I was hoping to run at least a 10m/m pace.  But I told myself I wouldn't look at my phone (using the RunKeeper app) at all during the run, so I just kept pushing at what felt like 65%-70%.  If I had looked at my phone periodically during the run, I would probably have pushed harder to meet my goal, which may or may not have been a good thing.  Overall, though, I felt it was a good first effort.

My husband says that since I've upped my running I've been "positively glowing."  I'm going to take that as a sign that I'm on the right track. :)