Monday Mood Mender: This cat!

It's no secret, I love cats!  I especially like black cats (you can read about it in this book).  This little guy, however, caught my eye on Pinterest!  Alas, I cannot read any of the copy on the website.  It doesn't matter, he just makes me smile!

 

Here is the link.  Perhaps you can read it!  I love this lady's work! Enjoy!

Question: What makes you smile on a Monday Morning?

Happy Running!

Tuesday's Training Tip: Make it fun

Running, or any other form of cardio exercise, is not easy.  There will be discomfort, and sweat, and tired and sore muscles. You will want to quit. If you are going to stick with a new training plan you better find a way to enjoy it. It’s much easier to spend time doing things you love than things you detest, but what if you don’t love running? Well, I don’t love running.  Running loves me! That’s why I have to find things to enjoy on the run.

Last week we talked about the value of a running buddy. Let’s look at some other ways you can have fun on the run.

Music – Perhaps you are a closet Cyndi Lauper fan. Don’t laugh – I know someone who is. Save your True Colors for a lonely run. You can belt out the lyrics while you trot along.  You’ll be surprised how good you sound as a backup singer to your favorite band. Remember, girls just want to have fun!

Photo Shoot – I always carry my phone for safety. I have never had to call for help, but I have snapped a shot of a sunset or waterfowl I spied along the way.  Take a picture of that big hill you just conquered and share it with the world.

Document – Make a list of all the strange and exciting things you find along your route.  Why is there an empty toothpaste tube in the barrow pit by a corn field? How long has that squished frog, snake, or mouse been there? Those cows staring at you  - what are they thinking?

Achieve – If you are a competitive sort, set some time or mileage goals and check them off your list as you conquer each challenge. 

Look good – One of my motto’s is, “Looking good is half the battle.”  Find something fun to wear on the run that you wouldn’t wear anywhere else like crazy socks or neon tights. Share a picture of your outfit of the day on Twitter with hashtag #Runootd.

Walk – Give yourself permission to walk.  If you need a break, take one.  When you have caught your breath you can run farther. 

Write about it – You are bound to have an experience worth sharing. Go ahead, tell the world about it, or at least tell me!

  Comment below with your trick for keeping it fun on the run.

Visit this page every Tuesday for more training tips! I would love to hear from you. Comment below or message me on Facebook.

Find all my training tips and other encouragement in my book, Run at Any Age: A Beginner's Guide for Adults. Available on Amazon and Kindle.

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

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Grand Teton Relay 2014 - the recap

Just over a year ago I stumbled upon a Facebook page that caught my attention and held it – for a year!  As I pondered the promised adventures of the Grand Teton Relay I was increasingly intrigued and my desire to participate grew with each Facebook post.  I visited the website and imagined what fun it would be to take on this challenge in the land of my roots.  The Tetons loomed in my mind as I began recruiting friends to participate.  I needed twelve runners for a team – twelve runners willing to spend nearly 30 hours cramped in two vehicles while forgoing sleep, hygiene, and nourishment.  These twelve runners would be asked to cover about 180 miles of some of the most majestic country in the world.  I began recruiting. I didn’t miss an opportunity to talk to runners at sporting events, church functions, and social gatherings.  I found it difficult to find twelve willing parties.  In the end I found I had assembled a team of some of the best people in the world! My team consisted of six men and six women.  Four of the runners had completed a marathon.  Three more had completed half marathons.  Three were in their twenties.  Three more were not-so-young.  Four were family. Two team members kind of hate to run. One only recently took up running and loves it.  None of the team had ever competed in a distance relay.  We didn’t really know what we were getting into. Our team name?  No Common Sense - Cons on the Run!

I have done some very cool things in my day, but this one ranks right up there with the best.  The Grand Teton Relay, or GTR as I will henceforth refer, was everything I had anticipated and more. I knew the scenery would be spectacular, for I had witnessed it before.  What I didn’t expect was the added bonus of a short summer storm that granted a variety of lighting (and lightening) to enhance the views.  As I stood in Ashton surveying the view of the Tetons in front of me and the evergreen covered hills of Island Park to my left, I formed a mental picture of the challenge we were about to undertake.  Our journey would take us to the east side of those majestic peaks!  It still boggles my mind. Several of our team had never witnessed this beautiful area.  I was so excited for them, but mostly for myself!

There is something special about shared discomfort, shared trials, shared pain.  Those shared experiences bond people together.  The GTR did that for No Common Sense and it happened in 30 short hours!

As No Common Sense began the relay, thunder and lightening and a down pour also commenced!  Our first participant, a not so eager runner, sprinted for a free sweatshirt.  He came up empty handed, arriving third, but he delighted his teammates and got us off to a great beginning.  The rain subsided after his four mile run and the day grew warmer. 

Fun Fact: Some people smile always.  So it was with our navigator, water boy, and runner, Andy.

The first twelve legs of the relay were challenging for most of the team.  We are lowlanders, residing at 2200’ above sea level, and we climbed into Island Park from 5300’ to as high as 7600’! Our youngest and strongest runner was battling bronchitis. We were adjusting to the elevation and anticipating the challenges of sleep deprivation and multiple runs in a few short hours. A stop for sightseeing at Mesa Falls and an attempt at a nap in some tall grass along Marysville Road helped Van 1 rejuvenate and prepare for our night run.

Fun Fact:  My father was born in Marysville. Marysville isn’t really there anymore – just the road. I didn’t know where we were napping until I returned home and reviewed the course map.

Another Fun Fact:  Night running is not as scary as I had expected.  In fact, it was my favorite leg of the course.

My second leg went something like this.  Having discovered that there is no way to recognize a night runner coming into the transition with only a headlamp and reflective vest in view, we determined to yell something creative.  “Prison Break” sounded like a fun option.  I also decided I would text Van 2 when I saw the “One Mile To Go” marker to let them know I would be arriving in a few minutes.  Well … this leg was back to 6000’ in elevation, it was cooler, there was no lightening of which I had been most concerned, and Steve Miller Band kept me company, especially this song! Take the Money and Run!

Nor was there any “One Mile To Go” marker!  I was running well, for me because I had adjusted to the elevation, etc.  I came upon the transition unexpectedly and began yelling, “Prison Break! PRISON BREAK! Where’s my runner!” He soon emerged from the restroom and was off and running!  Poor guy!  I cooled down with a cup of hot chocolate at the Tetonia City Park.

Another Fun Fact: Night runners can and may undress a little bit on a run and nobody will be the wiser.  This we learned from one of the nicest girls on the planet! Go figure.

And this one:  It is possible for volunteer drivers to sleep on top of their Suburban and inside of their Thule cargo carrier.

While Van 2 completed their night legs from Tetonia to Driggs and finished at the base of Targhee Ski Resort, we enjoyed a quick shower and another attempt at a few winks at Teton High School.  It is difficult to sleep when your babies are running relay races.  My two boys were in Van 2. After about an hour and a half of unsuccessful shut eye, we headed up Ski Hill Road to meet Van 2 and begin the last legs of our relay.

As each runner completed his/her last run and returned to the vehicle, the mood inside the Suburban became lighter. We had been enjoying the experience throughout, but the relief and satisfaction that came with each participant’s completion of the goal was contagious. Poor Van 2.

Fun Fact: Keep this one for future reference if you plan to participate in the GTR next year.  Van 1 has a much easier task than Van 2. The terrain is easier.  Van 1 gets right to the running while Van 2 waits several hours in anticipation. Van 1 finishes first – before TETON PASS!

I finished my last leg in Victor and handed off to the “Middle-aged Dentist Looking Fellow” who began the ascent of Teton Pass.  I could feel a sense of dread from my Van 2 teammates.  Van 1, on the other hand, was ready to party!

Teton Pass – 6200’ to 8438’ - four men!  The first climbed 561’ in 5.7 miles.  The second climbed 550 feet in 3.8 miles.  The third climbed 1192’ in 2.6 miles! The last descended 2300’ in 5.8 miles!

Fun Fact: The big brother is the little brother.

Two final runners took us from Wilson into Teton Village where we joined the party at the finish line! We soaked our feet in the cold water running through the resort.  I can’t remember what there was to eat, but I do remember the angel that massaged my feet and ankles!  I didn’t get her name, but I wanted to bring her home with me!

In the end, we finished in just under 29 hours.  I was hoping for thirty! We were faster than more than half of the teams! The weather was beautiful and there were no injuries or vehicle breakdowns.  We survived elevation, sleep deprivation, hunger, sweat, discomfort, and Sasquatch!  I lost two toe nails. Most importantly, we gained family members through our shared experience.  When we returned home we couldn’t stop talking about it.  Our friends who did not participate surely grew weary of our continued accounts.  They may think we have no common sense.  They may be correct.

Until next year … Go Team No Common Sense!

Feel free to comment on this post with your favorite memories of Grand Teton Relay 2014

Happy Running!

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Talking Turkey

 

It is Thanksgiving week.  Last week got away from me and I found myself taking a seven day break. I didn’t plan to take the time off, it just kind of happened.  As with anything that takes effort, beginning again can be challenging. It was only seven days, but I had to do a bit of self-talk before I headed out the door.  I decided to take a new approach.  I have mentioned how I enjoy my new iPhone and the use of the MapMyRun app that gives me pace and distance updates. It is a very good tool, especially when training for a race, but this week I turned on some tunes and turned off the app.  I didn’t pay attention to my speed or distance.  I just ran.  I had a really great time!  I think it was a good week to run for fun.  After all, it’s Thanksgiving!  I am thankful that running can be fun, because just like life, sometimes it can be really hard.  Just like life, it’s worth it.  Have a happy Turkey Day and remember why we celebrate – because we can!