Random, but not really.

I did it!  I finished the final exterior painting on the house this year!  Woohoo!  We put up the last bit of siding too on the back of the house and that officially makes this approximately 10 year project done. It started with getting a new roof which meant we needed new fascia and soffit boards. Then the old siding (two layers) came off the house in sections and we put up new sheathing and then painted clear cedar siding. We ended up getting windows replaced (best thing ever!) and built a new back deck and finally had the sagging, broken and rotting porch footing rebuilt.  We payed to have the roof done, windows redone and paid to have the porch rebuilt otherwise all other labor was done by us and K's father.  Phew!  I'm very proud of the work we've done.  it's our house and it shows.  We do good work.

And I do good knitting.  I got my first commissioned knit piece this past week.  A friend at work who is a knitter (beginning and slow) really wants a knit piece for a friend's b-day. She loved an easy knit cowl I did and would like me to knit one for her.  She paid for the yarn and she'll give a bit of spending money for me just as a bonus. I get to knit and get paid!  No the amount of time I'll spend knitting doesn't end up paying me for my time really but since I just enjoy knitting, this is a bonus.  I'm casting on that project today.  And it will be a well knit lovely piece of knitwear which I'll be proud of.

My mom and I had tickets to watch studio rehearsal of the Pacific Northwest Ballet's "Love Stories" the other day. This is always a real treat! We usually see the pieces where they are still working out staging and details and where they are still getting into performance fit (or at least that's how I think of it).  Why do I say that?  Well we are sitting very close to the athletes (dancers) and you can see the effort and fatigue start to play out towards the end of the sections they are rehearsing.  The guys' legs shake and sweat pours off.  The women's legs and arms shake with the effort.  The most amazing part of this process is seeing the absolute control they have over their expression and finishing what they are doing.  Towards the end of pieces, both men and women are breathing like they are at the end of a 5k yet they are holding a precise pose with a smile on their face.

After watching them rehearse, I feel like a wimp! I took this thought into the 5k last week and it helped.  It doesn't matter that I'm feeling the fatigue, my lungs are on fire and my legs feel like lead.  Keep at it! Move and take pride in being able to run at all. This is what I've worked for and gotten up at 5 am to run in the dark and rain.  Push through and enjoy it.  And I did and I do.

And tomorrow a good friend is racing her first marathon in New York.  I've seen her at the beginning of her running career when she was able to have a huge breakthrough race.  She's trained and pushed through for this event.  She's had the lows and the highs and she is ready and is proud about how far she's come.  I'm really proud to have played a small role in this and I'm so excited for her. 

A Busy Running Weekend

A busy running weekend is always a good one.

The Pumpkin Push 5k is a favorite of mine. The challenge every year is to find a good (read clever and cheap) costume  that I can race in and not overheat. K was game this year so we went as The Wonder Twins. Instantly recognizable to a certain generation (ours).  This ended up being a great costume to run in.  What made the costume work was K wearing a hilarious black wig. I raced and finished the run and then immediately jogged back to K and we came through the finish line together doing the "wonder twin powers activate" pose.   it got a good laugh. k was recovering from a cold and running easily.  This would not have worked if he was racing as he's gotten much faster.  I would not have been able to get back to him in time!

The race itself was fantastic. After a longer warm up, I made it back to the start with just a minute or two to spare.  This race always starts a bit late though so that works.  Coach Lesley was lined up ahead of me but I thought it would be better to go back a bit and that was smart. We started and immediately I was at a good pace, not too fast or slow. First mile in 7:10 and that's what I'd hoped for.

I can never remember where that dang hill comes in and soon enough we were there.  My goal was just to stay with it and concentrate on form.  And it worked!  I stayed right with people around me and didn't get passed.  And I could recover once over the top.  I stayed steady in the rollers and didn't go too crazy on the downhill section. Truthfully I was a bit nervous about that last flat bit into the wind.

However, I held it and finished well.  I think that is the best I've ever run this course. 23:14 and I was second in my age group. "That was a good run" as Lesley said as I came in after her.  yes it was! Typically it takes me a bit to get in the 5k racing mentality so this was excellent. Strangely not all the fast people showed up so I was second in my age group.  I'll take it! 

The next day I was mildly sore in my quads for my efforts but ready for the next challenge.  Northwest Trail Runs was hosting a first time 50k on Cougar Mountain.  Now I wasn't up to the 50k on such crazy trails but they'd asked for volunteers to "sweep" a section of the course and I was happy to do it.  It turns out I'd be sweeping a section on Squak Mountain that I'd never been on before. Perfect!

I got there around 11:00 am and waited until I could go.  Since I could not leave until the last runner had been through the aid station, I wasn't sure when this would be.  turns out no one else did either. They had the count of runners at the start but no one had good enough cell phone coverage to relay this information.  Eventually a race director showed up and after a bit of a think about timing for when the entire course would close, he sent me on my way.

I had a rope loop over my shoulder to pick up clothes pin confidence streamers (easily visible by runners as a check that yes they are on the right trail) and a pvc tube used to carry the pin flags and turn signs. Evidently you can get the tube to fit into your running backpack and just stick out the top. This makes for easy access and carrying. Well that didn't work for me so I tucked it under my arm and through my backpack strap. Not the easiest way to carry things but it worked. And I ran.

It was wet and drippy but not too cold.  The trails are just starting to soften up with rain so it was muddy and slippery with newly downed fall leaves.  I wanted to stay moving but I really wasn't in any hurry. The run starts with a mile climb and eventually turns onto the East trail which I've been on before.  Then onto some different trails I'd never been on before.  I never saw anyone and just enjoyed the trails.  Steeper and narrower than on cougar and obviously less traveled.

After a long and easily runnable access road, I came to the next aid station and let them know they were done! That was welcome news for them as it was just starting to rain more. And then I started back up the mountain. I felt like I was just hiking so much that I had to figure out a way to do more running.

And then I got it! count steps.  this works when I'm road running and flagging with focus and wanting to stop.  I started counting steps for 100 and then would hike for 50.  I think that interval is a little too long and will try more like 50 run/25 walk or 75 run/25 walk next time. If footing didn't feel comfortable or was too steep, I'd walk and run again when I could. Of course, I'd not been on some of these trails and they were stupid steep.  Straight up and I am not kidding! My calves were burning and I was just slowly hiking.

It took forever to get down off the mountain as they'd put up a lot more tags and tied them to branches. Sorry about all the twig trimming but i could not get them off any other way. I was told it would probably be around 9 miles and it turned out to be more like 11 but that was just fine. I'd do this again especially given the chance to explore some new trails.  And I learned a new running trick.  Yep, it was an excellent running weekend!

Trail Rich

I know I've mentioned this before but here in Seattle, we are really lucky to have so many great trails accessible year round for running (ok and hiking too).  It doesn't take too long to drive from where we live just north of downtown Seattle (still Seattle) and get to fabulous single track through forest.  Even within city limits there are what many people would call trails like Hamlin Park, Woodland Park, Discovery Park and many more.

As trail running gets more popular, we've also been lucky to have three different organizations which put on well run and fun trail run thoughout the area.

Rainshadow Running puts on a growing number of tough trail runs of 25k and 50k distance.  They always go up and down various mountains.  Really fun and low key events, the terrain and distance demands a certain level of fitness and confidence.  This year I ran two of the 25k distances (so far) and definitely plan for more of these runs.  The trails that they have picked are really stunning.

Evergreen Trail Runs does a variety of venues and distances.  Last year, i ran a half marathon they had around the flat Lake Sammamish and this year got out for a really fun event at Grand Ridge Trails out in Issaquah.  Again really nice low key and fun events.  I like that they are expanding their venues and although I didn't get a chance to run some events, I am definitely eying some for next year.  There are some trails I've been very curious about and have never been on which are local.  I can't wait to get out there. 

Northwest Trail Runs seems to have been around a little longer.  I first ran one of their events in 2009 at Soaring Eagle and fell in love with that trail system. This year they took over the well known Cougar Mountain Trail Running series from Scott McCoubrey and did a great job that I could see at the half marathon event this past August.  Again like all these groups, these are well run events with a cheerful feel.  I always get the sense that all these groups just love getting people out onto the great trails around here.   

This morning I talked RPD into joining me at a 10k at St Edwards State Park for a Harvest 10k with Northwest Trail Runs.  This was a blast!  Small group running the 10k and there was also a half marathon.  This is the first time they've done this event at this location and I'm glad to hear that they are planning to be back.  It was gorgeous technical trails through lush forests, challenging descents and obscene uphills with a fair bit of running on grass. 

I did a nice warm up with RPD and got to the start just as they were describing the course.  I'd looked at the map online and it hadn't made a lot of sense but as expected and promised, the course was really well marked and I had no trouble.  We walked over towards a couple pumpkins, the race director cajoled people to actually come to the start line (everyone was afraid!) and we were off. 

Immediately the course went onto fairly wide, slightly downhill easy trail.  It was a good start to get people going and string out the field.  I'd expected an easier start and was feeling good so stayed with the harder pace.  I felt great really.  It got pretty technical once going down towards the Lake Washington waterfront.  I passed a few people in here and then was right behind another gal (who'd passed me on one uphill section) and I was really happy with how this was going.  I felt good and strong, still able to talk but at a good effort.  I knew the uphill was going to be tough but I was leaving that for when it came.

then, i took a slight slip and rolled an ankle hard.  OUCH!  I could barely put weight on it once I popped back up with it.  And since I was about as far away from help as possible I thought i better just start gimping along.  If it was a serious injury, i still needed to get moving to get off the course. gimp. curse.  gimp.  This was right where the course started straight uphill so it didn't matter that I was walking because everyone else was too. It took probably a few minutes if not more before i felt like i was getting more function with my ankle.  eventually i could start running again and I felt such relief. phew!  I had some odd feeling twinges during the rest of the race but no pain.  It helped that we didn't really have any more technical downhill or I'd have been a bit too leary of rolling the ankle again. 

After the killer climb, I could just see a few people ahead of me and I worked to keep in contact with them.  They'd passed me when I'd gimped along.  All of a sudden we popped out onto the field which surrounds the seminary and were winding over the grass.  Back to the forest and we hit a very long wide and good surfaced graveled trail.  Oooh this was good for me.  I passed a couple people and really enjoyed myself.  Let the uphill begin again!  And it did.  This second climb was not as long so it didn't seem as bad and was in pretty rough shape with trail wash out.  It was so narrow in places that I was really glad we were going up and not down.  Finally we were up off the ridge and with a mile to go we wound around on a trail which follows the edge of the forest.  One quick little loop down and up on technical trails and more grass and done! 

Good times!  I immediately started an easy jog around and managed to catch RPD coming along.  He was looking good and had also enjoyed himself immensely.  We hung around a bit and chatted with fellow runners.  I was able to get an ankle wrap as it was starting to swell just a bit and I thought it would be prudent to keep it tightly wrapped.  Best of all they had hot chicken noodle soup. Salty goodness! 

Too bad about the fall, but i am delighted with this run.  The ankle is a little sore and a little swollen but not bad at all.  Super fun trails on a very challenging course.  Northwest Trail Runs has delivered another fantastic event. 

Distance runner?

Trees at Cougar Mountain

The nice thing about hiking/running 18 miles is that you recover from it quick.  I'd planned on an easy week post-Cle Elum and mostly kept that promise.  It was nice to run the hilly perimeter trail at Lake Youngs the strongest I've ever run it and then still go out the next day for a lovely trail run at Cougar Mountain. 

What's next?  I've been pondering this for a while actually.  And basically have come to the conclusion that I'm not really meant to be a distance runner. Oh sure, I like running longer but it doesn't necessarily like me.  I'm good for one or two very good long runs and then that's it.  The rest (say in a marathon training cycle + marathon) tend to turn into slog fests. 

To get in multiple long runs, I need to start protecting myself and that means my mid-week runs suffer.  After about 2.5 hours of running, I start to have lung issues and foot/hip issues.  So I'm done fighting against this and plan on focusing on shorter distances for a while now.  I'll be the first to admit I love half marathons (I've done over 15 of them now) and really enjoy shorter distances like 5ks and 10ks. 

And some things will never change.  I love running (longer even) on trails.  We are very lucky in the Seattle area as there are three different groups which are putting on various distances of trail runs and I plan on fitting these in judiciously.  I was asked if I wanted to attempt another 50k at the end of October and I was happy and satisfied to say no.  I'm very happy with my decision and that means it is the right one.  I'll work on keeping my mileage higher overall during the week and get in the speedwork that I enjoy and throw in a longer run (16 or so) on either roads or trails every once in a while and I know it'll be good.  I've learned that with running you can never say "never" so I won't say I won't ever do a marathon again but it just is not going to be my main focus.