Friday, December 28, 2012

Running out of year ...

This running granny is running out of year!  The holidays (I am not being politically correct.  I am simply including Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and my birthday!) have been tough on this runner.  Too much celebrating and not enough running, but things will begin to settle down - maybe late next week!
I thought it mighthelp if I listed the running accomplishments of the past year.
January - No races. However, I kept running through the cold weather.
February - Some days were two-a-days.  I ran in the morning and took Mom too the track for a half mile strol in the afternoons.
March - I began training for my first half marathon.
April - I visited Erie, PA and ran with my daughter and granddaughter.  The three year-old made it nearly a mile!
May - Beat the Coaches Fun Run in Parma - track team benefit.
June - Ahh, June!  Old Fort Boise Days Fun Run.  I finally broke a 30 minute 5K!  Then I almost died in the High Desert Half Marathon.  Read about it here.
July - Spudman Triathalon in Burley with my good buddy Paulee.  We took first place in our age group!
August and September - Cross Country. Running with the kids!
October - The Color Run with Tami and Karli.
November - A lazy Turkey Trot with my hubby (just the two of us) on the hills in Cache Valley.
December - Bust Your Bells Fun Run!

That feels better.  I can see that I did, indeed, keep on running all year - injury free!  I expect I will do the same in the year to come.   I will, however, find an easier half marathon!

Monday, November 26, 2012

Just trotting ...


Ugh!  This morning’s run was rough.  I believe that is because Thanksgiving week was accompanied by the remnants of a cold that had knocked me off my game for a few days. Contrary to my own advice, I did not run while I was sick.  I was just too tired!  The week was busy with work, travel, and dinner preparations.  My hubby and I did manage to squeeze in a Thanksgiving Day trot around the neighborhood in Hyde Park (Cache Valley) prior to the traditional turkey day indulging.  Hyde Park is hilly and sits at around 5000 feet.  We followed the path of least resistance, walking the hills and running the downhill.  Hey, it was a holiday!  You didn’t expect us to knock ourselves out?  
This morning was a post-holiday, post-travel, post-illness run.  The temperature was sub-30 degrees, but the sun was out!  My running buddy and I ran a mile (slowly), walked a half mile, and picked up the pace a bit on another mile run. It wasn’t pretty, but it was a run!  That’s what counts.  Keep moving, even if it isn’t your best effort. It still counts, especially when it would be easier to stay indoors.
Happy Running!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Leaves and more leaves!

Boy, have I been neglecting my blog, or what?  I've been busy running and picking up leaves, and trying to promote a run and picking up leaves, and doing other stuff and picking up leaves!  I think my trees have finally lost most of their foliage, and so have the neighbors' trees.  The wind started to blow.  Now that I have picked up most of my leaves, the neighbor leaves are coming for a visit.  The trouble is - they stay. How does that work, anyway?  My leaves are tiny and they drop straight down.  They stay where they land until I pick them up, but the neighbors have big leaves and if they wait long enough, their leaves just blow away - usually to my house!
Enough of that rant!
 
Come join us for the Bust Your Bells Fun Run on December 15.  The leaves should be gone by then!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Adding a little color to my routine

My next run may be the most fun yet.  That's what previous participants have said.  I am going to do my first Color Run this Saturday.   It's low key as far as performance is concerned.  It's not a timed race.  That will be a change of pace! I'm doing it for fun, and because I told a friend I would run with her.  We will probably be walking parts of the course.  Although I do have a competitive streak (who knew?) I am trying to give myself permission to go slow enough to enjoy, to stop and smell the roses, or at least take time to throw some paint! 
I am looking forward to it.  I need to find a white shirt to wear and I am wondering ... should I wear my running watch?

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

10 Reasons to go for a run today


Are you tempted to skip a running workout? Here are 10 reasons to go for a run today.

First these 5 things are more life altering than running.
  • Heart Attack
  • Stroke
  • Type II Diabetes
  • Depression
  • Obesity
And these 5 things are more expensive than running gear ...
  • Open heart surgery
  • Long term health care
  • Insulin
  • Counseling
  • Gastric bypass
So run! It might save your life AND your pocketbook!

Visit my Training Tips page to help you get started.


Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!

Happy Running!
Carol - aka Running Granny Green
Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.



Monday, October 8, 2012

The Season Winds Down


Cross Country season is nearing its end with only one more meet for the middle school team and the district meet approaching for the high school team.  Here are a few things I have observed over the season.
Kids are tougher than they think.  Although it takes time for them to discover, it is okay to experience pain for a few minutes.  It will surely end when you stop running.  The trick is to endure the pain long enough to finish the race.

Bribery can help kids run faster.  They don’t even need to know what the prize is, “If you PR, I will bring you a special treat next week.”  It worked!   Most of the team set a Personal Record.

Middle school athletes cannot hear their teammates.  This is apparent from their constant chatter at the coach.  I had to remind them often that I had only two ears and one brain; therefore they would need to address me one at a time.
I’m gonna miss them - their aches and pains, their constant inquiries about today’s workout, their need for encouragement, and treats – it all kind of entertains and amuses me!  Besides, I always love to see kids push themselves, even if it does take all season to convince them to do it.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Runners Unite!

 
I know, I have mentioned before how much I like Cross Country, but today was especially fun.  No school meant a rare mid-morning run.  A race yesterday meant an easy recovery run today.  Cool weather meant, “Hallelujah!”

None of those things were the best part.  Practice was optional because many students were out of town for the long weekend.  When Bart (the name has been changed to protect the slothful) didn’t show up for practice, the team was perplexed.  Nobody thought Bart was out of town.  A half mile warm-up was announced prior to the three-mile recovery run.  When the entire team failed to turn right on the warm-up course the coaches yelled, “Hey, where are you going?” (These two coaches were serious about doing an easy warm-up pace!)
The team answered, “We’re going to get Bart!”

That’s a Cross Country team for you.  They didn’t phone or text to nag Bart about practice, they simply ran to get him!
I love Cross Country!

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

The Underwater Window: A Review


A few weeks ago I was approached about doing some publicity for The Underwater Window by Dan Stephenson which I did here.  I was also asked if I would like to review the book and share it on one of my blogs.  Although I was flattered, I was also hesitant. I wanted to read the book before giving it my stamp of approval.  (There is a lot of junk out there!) One might wonder why I am using this blog as a vehicle rather than my creative writing blog, CMGWrites. Here are my reasons:

I am a swimmer. The Underwater Window is a work of fiction featuring swimmers and relationships.

I am a runner. Runners experience similar pain (minus the oxygen depletion) that swimmers experience.

I am a little bit competitive. The competition described in Dan Stephenson’s book made my heart race and my arms and legs ache as I read about it.  It is very well written.  Of course, it may have helped when I remembered my own swim racing experiences. (They were not very stellar.)

I believe that experience in physical things brings us strength in mental and spiritual things.  This book supports those beliefs.

Did I mention that the book is well written?  Yes, I read for entertainment; however, I also read with a critical ear. Is this story believable? Are fragmented sentences used for effect or are they used so much that it is apparent the author has a grammatical weakness?  You get the drift.

The bottom line?  I loved The Underwater Window!  It had depth.  It had character development.  It had conflict resolution. Above all, it kept my interest and that can be a difficult thing to do! 

Way to jump into the deep end Mr. Stephenson!

Here are links to The Underwater Window website and Facebookpage.

Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!

Happy Running!
Carol - aka Running Granny Green
Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Crazy Runs!

Hey Runners,

Here is a chance for you to sound off on my blog.  What is the craziest run you and your buddies have talked each other into tackling?  Was it a race?  Mud run?  Maybe it was a trail run that proved more difficult than you imagined or a winter run in a blizzard.  Leave a comment below and tell me all about it.  I want to hear your story!

YMCA Christmas Run 2009

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Running is Contagious


I think it is catching on! Our Cross Country team seems to be growing almost daily.  Four new runners showed up for practice yesterday.  We will see if they return today. I hope they do.  I will feed them cookies!
Maybe it is the lure of pre-race pasta dinners, or the success of previous teams.  Maybe they just want an opportunity to try something new without getting run over by a bigger teammate or hit in the face with a volleyball.  Maybe they like the other athletes on the team, or they simply love sweating for miles in the 90 weather.  Whatever the case, our team is growing and it is great!  They are learning healthy habits that, if continued, will benefit them for a lifetime. 
Oh, and they get to eat these cookies with chocolate chips instead of cranberries!

Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!

Happy Running!
Carol - aka Running Granny Green
Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.


Friday, August 10, 2012

Cross Country Practice Begins


Securing their timing chips at State Cross Country 2011
Cross country practice began today.  I’m not a coach, but I do volunteer to help with the team.  That means I run with them and try to encourage the stragglers.  The trouble is I am often one of the stragglers.  Running with high school kids is a challenge!  I am already looking forward to the day the middles school runners begin practicing in a couple weeks.  Some of them are more my speed.

It isn’t the mileage that gets to me.  I can go the distance.  The speed, however, is a bit more challenging.  We only ran a total of four miles today and my legs are already crying at me.  I know … it’s good to push myself.  (I preach that all the time.)

Something I enjoy most about cross country, aside from watching kids learn how to push themselves, is the camaraderie amongst the team.  Maybe it has something to do with mutual respect as each runner knows the effort involved in the sport.  Chatting with a teammate while logging miles and miles is sure to build a friendship.  Maybe it is an “us against them” attitude fostered by the lack of popularity and glory associated with cross country.  Spectators are welcome, but they, too, will be called upon to log a few miles if they hope to view much of any race.  Whatever the cause, cross country athletes bond together and cheer one another on towards achievement.  They become friends much like family and they take pride in the fact that while other athletes are punished with a mile run they can say, “A mile run?  That’s just our warm-up.”

Monday, July 30, 2012

2012 Spudman Triathlon


I made a commitment several months ago to join my old chum, Paulee, on a team for the 2012 Spudman Triathlon in Burley.  This was my first team effort.  My assignment was simply to run a 10K after she had completed a mile swim in the Snake River and a 25 mile bike ride.  I think I had the easy part! 

There are a lot of logistics to contend with in a triathlon.  Here is how it went down …

I drove to Twin Falls on Friday afternoon where Paulee met me for a little spiritual strengthening before we picked up our race packet in Burley.  The packet included the usual t-shirts, race number, complimentary baking potatoes (It’s the Spudman!) and ever important timing chip.  After racking her bike, accidentally applying chain grease to my jeans, returning to the parking lot for the plastic bag with our number that would house Paulee’s soggy wetsuit and towel after the swim, and placing her biking gear in strategic order for the transition from swim to ride, we returned to her home to visit and digest our pasta dinner.  Carbo loading is one of my favorite parts of racing!
Hopeful before the race.

Bright and early Saturday morning Paulee said, “I didn’t sleep very well.  I kept worrying about our timing chip.”

“It’s in the bag.”  I replied confidently.  She was more nervous than I thought!

“Okay, well, I didn’t see it, but it must be there.”  What I didn’t know is that she had looked for it the night before and it wasn’t there.  We looked again.

“I know it has to be there, because I saw it last night.”  Where was it?  “I bet it is in the truck.  I saw it when I pulled our shirts out of the bag last night.  Let’s go look.” 

It wasn’t in the truck.  Even an under the seat inspection with a flashlight failed to locate our timing chip. The chip was attached to a Velcro strap and stored in a small zipper bag.  It should have been easy to locate.  We deduced that it must be in the parking lot.  I obviously dropped it when I was retrieving the bag for the swim equipment.  We had two points of hope.  First – someone may have found it and turned it in.  Second – we could get another timing chip from the race director.  We opted to hurry to the race start (it was 6:15am) and plead for mercy.  There was ample time for pleading before the 8:00am start of Paulee’s swim heat.  We hurried.  

Maybe it has something to do with age.  After all, we were in the 138-Over Female Team category.  If they had a 150-Over category, we would have qualified for that! I only remembered stashing the timing chip in the door pocket of her truck AFTER I glanced down and spied it! We had a good laugh as we often do and headed to the race.  The nervous rush of adrenaline normally reserved for the start of the race had come and gone!

My teammate is a strong swimmer.  I followed the racers along the bank, trying to pick her out, but every racer was wearing an orange swim cap.  I could identify men because they were large. A few swimmers did not wear wetsuits, so I eliminated them.  After that, I had no clue which one she was!  She finished in 20 minutes!  For those who don’t know, that’s pretty fast.

I was there to cheer her on during the transition.  Then I made my way back to the swim start where we would pass off the timing chip and I would begin my run.  My nerves began to factor in.  So did my dinner.  (Runners often have tummy troubles on race day.) 

I wore my Running Granny Green outfit so she could find me when she came in at the end of her ride.  You can’t miss that shirt!  I snatched the chip from her ankle and wrapped it around my own.  Then I was off.  It wasn’t a stellar run, but it sufficed.  I kept thinking, “I have to keep moving.  I owe it to Paulee.”  I later learned that she had similar thoughts while she was competing, “I want Carol to take a trophy home!”

The trophies … we earned one!  Sometimes it pays to be old.  We placed first in our category. I am sure our competitors were somewhere in the Over part of the category, as were we, but I didn’t ask how far over.  We proudly stayed for the awards ceremony so we could collect our trophies.  Paulee mentioned an article in the newspaper that cautioned folks to be careful with their trophies as they were breakable. 

We gathered our belongings and dragged our tired bodies to the truck parked across the golf course and down the street, both of us gently holding our trophies in one hand and a bag of gear in the other.  We talked about the race and about getting old.  We probably talked about the men in our lives. We each have only one – both of us married for years and still in love.

 Fifty yards from the truck there was a loud “clunk” and a sudden lightening of the load in our trophy laden hands! That is right. We managed to knock the bases off both trophies in one fell swoop!  Who else could do that?

And we laughed. 

This is a testament to our friendship.  We survived the adrenaline aided panic of the missing timing chip.  We hoped for success more for our teammate than for ourselves.  We created a disaster together and laughed about it.  In the end, we had so much FUN!

And we won!


Monday, July 23, 2012

Distracted Training


After recovering from the High Desert Trail Run, it was time to gear up for the Spudman Triathlon in Burley this weekend.  I only have to do the 10K run leg.  My high school buddy and forever friend, Paulee, will be swimming and biking.  I figured I could handle the 10K after doing half marathon training – I just needed to scale back my training and keep at it.

I’ve had a few distractions. 










I opted to do elevation training last week.  I packed my running shoes and even my road bike for a trip to McCall.  What is my definition of elevation training?

Lounge around for a few days at a higher elevation than where you normally train. (I never laced up those shoes nor did I hop on my bike.)

That’s about the size of it.  I did run Will’s hill on Saturday, but now it is time to taper before the race this Saturday!  I thought about extending my two-mile run to three this morning, but talked myself into following the training plan.  That doesn’t make a lot of sense, since I didn’t follow it while my company was here!  However, I had my first running induced nosebleed at the end of two miles, so I guess the training plan worked.  I think the dry weather is actually responsible for my nose, but it sounds more exciting to say I ran so hard I made it bleed.

The distractions left yesterday and that is sad. I have another 3-4 mile run planned for Wednesday and then it’s back to hydrating and carbo loading.  I hope I can hold up my end of the deal in Burley …

Monday, July 9, 2012

Looking the Part

Runners come in all shapes and sizes.
I just have to sound off on something this morning.

I have, on several occasions, had conversations with friends about why they do or do not like to run.  All too often they will mention that they are embarrassed to be seen running, or trying to run. (See this Training Tip) I even had a cross country runner complain that someone drove by in a car and made fun of him.  My reply?  “Well, you were running.  They were just sitting in a car.”

This morning as I was running an errand (in my car) I noticed several people out for a morning walk or jog.  They weren’t all especially fit, nor were they necessarily moving very fast, but they WERE moving. 
Maybe it’s because I run and know how difficult it is, but I don’t ever see someone exercising and think, “What are they thinking?  They are too out of shape to be doing that.”  Rather, I think to myself, “Good for them!  They are doing something!”

The way I see it, those that are up and moving are miles ahead of those that are afraid to be caught trying.
We aren't all six foot tall lean mean fighting machines.  So what if something is jiggling while you are trotting along? At least the jiggly parts are not getting larger while you are working out.  Let the onlookers mock and tell yourself, "What they are really saying is, 'I wish I were that brave and strong!"

Question: What gets in your way? What keeps your from MOVING? Tell me about it in the comments below.
Happy Running!

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Friday, July 6, 2012

I'm Alive!

It took me a few days to know for sure, but I am definitely alive and none the worse for wear - finally.  The High Desert Trail Run half marathon nearly did me in!  My time was pathetic.  I believe that had something to do with the great amount of hiking I did when I should have been running.  I just couldn't.  A 1700 foot climb over 6.5 miles after running 6.5 miles was just too much!  I ran the downhills - what there was of them.  Did I mention it was nearing 90 degrees? 
Combining my first half marathon with my first trail run may not have been my smartest move.  I was smart enough, however, to recruit Susan and Kali.  Without them I may not have made it home.  Thank you, ladies, for your company!
Four(4) days after the race I quit wincing with every step.  My quads have never been so sore for so long in my life! Two days after the race I quit guzzling fluids.  I was finally rehydrated.  One day after the race a fever blister popped out on my lip, but thanks to my friend, Dr. T, I had medicine to halt it.  Seven days after the race I am looking for a training plan for my next challenge.
I know, you think I'm nuts.  Maybe I am, but I have lots of friends who are nutty, too!

Enjoy the pics!


With Susan before the race.
Before the pain.
Oh, lonesome me!



Kali and Susan indulging in chocolate milk.



It's finally over!

Friday, June 29, 2012

Then What?

What was I thinking?!  I have to run 13.1 miles tomorrow morning in a high desert!  It's gonna be hot!  There is a big hill!  It's a trail run.  (I prefer the security of a solid paved road beneath my feet.)  I'm a grandma!!!!

I remember the first time I rapelled a cliff.  It was scary because I was a mother and knew I had children to live for.  Well, now I have grandchildren to live for.  I hope I don't die!

My gear is ready.  I carbo loaded for two days.  I'm still hydrating.  I hope I sleep tonight!

Race Gear.  Better remember the shoes!
That's how it is with goals at times.  They sound great when we set them.  We move towards them and strive to overcome setbacks.  Sometimes we give up before getting close to the goal.  Other times we panic over the fact that we might actually accomplish the goal - then what?  Well, I'm to the panic part.  I hope I make it to the "then what?" At least they should be able to find me in my bright green shirt if I expire along the way.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

My First Half

Look closely.  It reads, "Half Marathon!"
I finished my half marathon training this morning.  The four mile run was so much easier than earlier four mile runs.  Those long runs (10 & 11 miles) really change one's perspective!  I have two days to hydrate (It's gonna be hot!) and carbo load (My favorite part about racing!)  I've been working on the mental preparation for some time.  It got a bit of a boost today when one of my running buddies, Susan, decided to sign up for the 10K. Yipee! Misery truly does love company.
I've done the work.  I have the clothes.  I purchased the fuel - Powerbars, gel, sports drinks, etc.  I suppose there isn't much left to do, except maybe pray! I'm excited, apprehensive, and cautious about my expectations.  The goal for my first half marathon, the High Desert Trail Run, is to survive!  That in itself will be a personal record!
Wish me luck!  You can also pray if you would like!

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

I got a WIN!


 
I got a win!  Not the kind you are thinking of.  Many years ago some friends and I attended a “positive thinking” seminar.  I thought most of it was bogus, but I do remember one thing I brought away from it.  The instructor told us to list our “Wins.”  Wins were defined as:  Something positive that happens to you that day.  For instance, you find a great parking spot – you got a win!  Your favorite running shoes went on sale – you got a win.  And so forth. My friends and I hung on to that thought and when we had something positive to share we prefaced it with, “I got a win!”
Here is my win. 

An old school mate of mine, now a friend on Facebook, asked for running advice!  Advice from me?  I’m just an old running grandma.  But then, she is probably a grandma, too, and we have our own little concerns when it comes to taking up hobbies like running.  What if it hurts?  What if I can’t do it?  What if somebody sees me and thinks, “What is that old lady doing?”  What if it kills me!

I’m grateful she felt like she could ask and that I would have something to offer.  I’m grateful that I did have some bits of wisdom I have accumulated since beginning to run 4 ½ years ago.  Here are a couple of them.

  • Just start – Even if you only go a few hundred yards that is farther than you ran yesterday.
  • Good Shoes – A must!
  • Running buddies – There is nothing more helpful.
  • Music – If there are no running buddies to be had.
  • RICE – Rest.  Ice.  Compression.  Elevation.
I’m excited to see her progress, and … I am grateful that she is the one just beginning this journey and not me!

Question: Have you been able to offer advice and encouragement to someone because you have already travelled the road?  How did that make you feel?

HAPPY RUNNING!

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Monday, June 11, 2012

Remember the BIG KID slide?



 
 
 
 
YMCA Christmas Run 2009
Remember when you were small and the Big Kid slide at the local park seemed so intimidating?  Do you remember visiting it a few years later and thinking, “What’s the big deal?” That great big slide wasn’t so big after all. It was all about perspective.
For a few years I regularly ran my two and three mile routes feeling both exhausted and satisfied afterwards.  Anything over three miles scared me – a lot!  Then my running friend, Susan, talked me into entering a 10K Christmas Run.  I pushed past the three mile mark for a few weeks, ran the race, and promptly dropped back to my regular mileage.  I ran the occasional 5K race, duplicating my times to within hundredths of a second.  No lie!  Without a racing challenge I had no incentive to go farther than the occasional four or five miles.

Enter the Long Run.  I determined to run a half marathon.  This motivation came mostly from watching still overweight Biggest Loser contestants compete in a marathon!  “Hey, if they can do that, I should be able to do the same!”  Realistically, though, I needed to survive a half first.  I visited Smart Coach at Runnersworld.com and downloaded a customized training program.  I picked a race in early May and then changed my mind - twice.  The race date moved to the end of June and I delayed the long run training for a few weeks.  Here is the race.  Crazy, I know!  Finally, I ran eight miles three weeks in a row, then nine, and then ten.  The biggest challenge about the long run thus far has been mental.  I have to really talk myself into settling down for a very lengthy workout!

One bonus about using a training plan is the occasional rest week.  Rest week fell on Old Fort BoiseDays 5K Fun Run week!  I substituted a four mile easy run for a 3.1 mile race and something unexpected happened.  My 5K time that had been fluctuating only hundredths of seconds was faster.  Much faster!  Almost two minutes faster!  I attribute it to the Long Run.  You see, after running eight, nine, and ten miles, a little old 5K doesn’t seem nearly so intimidating!  It was like looking at the Big Kid slide when you are all grown up. Don’t get me wrong … I was tired and self-indulgent as usual after a race, but during the race my mind kept saying, “What’s the big deal?  This isn’t ten miles!” It was all about perspective.

Question: What challenges have you endured that changed your perspective?

Happy Running!

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Saturday, June 9, 2012

Don't you wish you had this shirt?


Non-runners wonder why we run.  I had a friend ask me, “If you didn’t run, would you be fat?”  Well, yes, I might be.  I would definitely be fatter!  It isn’t just about the fat.  There are many reasons.  Sometimes we run so we can race.  You, see, we really want the shirt.

Today was the Old Fort Boise 5K Fun Run.  It’s a small town event with around a hundred competitors – and they don’t all run.  Some of them walk – and the walkers get the shirt, too.  The time clock showed everyone how quickly they covered 3.1 miles.  It isn’t so much whether you run or walk.  It’s more about getting out and moving for three miles, giving it your best effort, and knowing that next time, if you try just a little harder you might beat  today’s time. 

There are only about 100 shirts like this one around.  It’s a very elite group.  You could be part of it next year!

Friday, June 8, 2012

It's a Rest Day

It's my day off.  I am not running today because it is a XT/Rest day on the training schedule.  That means I usually rest rather than cross train.  After all, I wouldn't want to overdo!  Oh, and there is a race tomorrow!
While on a long run recently a friend asked me what I did for cross training.
"Bake cookies," I replied between gasps for air.  It's not a lie, I do bake cookies on a regular basis.  I try to be a responsible baker and add whole wheat, oatmeal, and dried cranberries.  Like this. 
Today my XT/Rest will consist of mowing a patch of grass, hanging out laundry, and baking.  Not cookies today.  Cinnamon rolls.  They are to give away.  I baked the cookies a couple days ago.
I will also be carbo loading for the race with – you guessed it – cookies! I hope I don’t overdo …

What do you do for a rest day!  I would like to hear about it!  Comment below.

Happy Running!

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Running into Nelsons


I seldom frequent running stores.  Not because I don’t like them – I love running stores.  I just don’t venture into the kind of metropolis where running stores are found very often.  I am a rural runner.  It was unusual then that I found myself entering a running store for the third time in one day.  On the first visit I collected a race clock and race prizes from Shu’s Idaho Running Co. for use at the OFB Parma 5K FunRun. The second and third visits found me inside Bandanna Running and Walking attempting to collect more race prizes. (The first visit to Bandanna was fruitless as the prizes were not yet ready for pick-up.)

As I entered the store I had a vague sense of familiarity.  This could have been due to my recent visit just over one hour previously, or because my eyes had been dilated in the interim and everything appeared a bit run together. Whatever the reason, I thought the back of the head of the man standing fifteen feet in front of me was somewhat recognizable.  As he turned to casually observe the newcomer (Me) to the store, I identified my cousin.  I waved and headed in his direction presently recognizing the fair haired lady standing near him as my cousin’s (Not the same cousin) wife.  Recognition lit her face just before I started to chastise – not because she was with the wrong husband (she wasn’t), rather because she was in the area without notifying me. You see, she lives seven hours away.  At this time the second cousin (her husband) peered from behind the first cousin.

We exchanged a few friendly words and more chastising to which Cousin’s Wife replied, “Well, we’re not really here.”  Huh? They weren’t really here because they were heading out of town to the Sawtooth Relays.  I let them off the hook – just a bit.  We had a short running discussion that included the usual content such as, “What races are you running?  Did you buy new shoes?  GU or Powerbar Gel?  What is your best time?  We should run together sometime…”  Then we were off about our business – Cousins to the Sawtooth Relays and I to the Old Fort Boise Days 5K.

 Yeah, we may never run together, but we are likely to run INTO one another!