I’m a runner and I know it!

More evidence that I am a runner came today.  I escaped for a couple days with my husband.  While he was in meetings learning how to better do his job, I had free time on my hands in Teton Village! I could have booked a pedicure.  We all know runners need pedicures! I could have shopped the shops or ordered breakfast in and scheduled some other kind of pampering at the spa.  I could have gone to Jackson Hole and spent the day in those shops or stayed in my room to read a book. But I am a runner, and so I ran three miles at 6300 feet!  Here is the evidence.  Those would be Teton Peaks in the background.

 

Proof

 
I need to work on selfies.  I forgot to smile!
It was a brisk morning and the elevation is a killer, but here are some of the things I would have missed had I chosen a different activity.

 

A glimpse of the Tetons in the fall. My early years were spent in view of these mountains and I still get a feeling of “belonging” when I see them.

 

Check out those ski runs!  It won’t be long before they are covered in snow, the lifts are running, and skiers are scattered about the mountain.  Did I mention that I am also a skier?

 

Look at those fall colors! 

Yes, I am a runner and I know it, not because I can run a six minute mile – I can’t. It’s because I run.  Whether I run because I am racing, staying sane, helping with a cross country team, or killing time, it matters not.  What matters is – I run. 

Do you run?  If so, then you are a runner, too.

 

What do you do that says, "I am  runner?"



It's Fall. What's your excuse?

It's Fall! I don't know why I think I should have time to report about running during this busy season.  The daylight gets shorter and the work load gets longer.  Here is a list of excuses for my silence.

1. Harvesting the garden.
2. Canning - tomatoes, hot pepper jelly, mandarin sauce, and chicken
3. Lawn care.  Cooler temps and a little precipitation make for rapid grass growth.
4. Football.
5. Running - daily with the XC Team.
6. XC Meets.
7. Cookie baking - for the XC Team.
8. Examining toes for shedding nails.  They are still hanging in there!
9. Wondering what on earth I could possible write about!

That just about covers it. Now I am off to run in the rain with the XC Team!  Happy Fall!

I've been busy living life and neglecting the blog!

I realized the other day that life is what is happening while I'm not writing.  Well, I haven't been writing much so here is a bit of what I have been doing.

I have been picking tomatoes so I can eat this!

Tomatoes, Mozzarella, basil, and balsamic vinegar!

 And removing my toe polish so I can examine the nails that are going to fall off.

This is what happens while training for half marathons

 

 

And covering them with blue polish so nobody can see the nasty nails!

Much better!

 

And running with these folks ...

XC Team ready for a trail run

So I can hang out with these guys..

 

And do this!


Yup, that's me!

 

It's a tough life!



Burley Spudman 2013 – A little older and a little faster!

Awesome Friend Paulee

I’ve told you about my awesome friend, Paulee.  She talked me in to joining her for a team effort in the Burley Spudman Triathlon last year.  It is a beast!  Paulee did the first two legs, swimming a mile in the Snake River and then biking 25 miles! She is also a beast!  I ran the last six miles.  We thought we were pretty cool last year when we won our age group – until we broke our trophies!  Read about it here.

Another year.  Another Spudman. Did I mention we are in the oldest team age group?  Sometimes you can get more competitive as you age because you move into an older group.  Ya, we don’t have that luxury to look forward to.  Fortunately, you don’t have to win to get a trophy. You just have to finish in the top three.  (We really wanted another trophy since both of ours are broken.) We knew the competition was going to be tough and kept telling each other that we were doing it for fun, to keep in shape for snow and water skiing, and we just needed to finish.

Some of our fans

Experience is invaluable.  Last year I was nervous for nearly two hours before it was necessary.  This year I knew I had more time to get prepared for the run and I stayed much more calm waiting for Paulee to return on the bike.  My tummy was happy about that.  Paulee’s swim was FAST and she really cut time on her swim to bike transition – opting to forgo socks and gloves this time.  The weather was cool.  It even rained a bit during the run.  I was equipped with my new light Pearl Izumi runners and I was able to manage my mid-run fuel better.  I ran my fastest 10K thus far!

 

Three must be our lucky number this year.  We cut three minutes off our time from last year and we placed 3^rd in our age group – good enough to get another coveted Spudman Trophy!

Unbroken Trophies

The best part?  That would be doing something I love with a friend I love.  That, and all the obnoxious bragging we do to our hubbies!

Obnoxious post-race selfie

About my new Pearl Izumi Runners

There's mud on my new shoes!

I promised a product review of my new Pearl Izumi Project Emotion running shoes courtesy of Shu's Idaho Running Co. so here it is.

I have been running in Asics Kayanos.  They have a lot of stability and cushioning and I LOVE them!  I thought that a free pair of shoes meant it was a good time to try a neutral runner.  I was right!  I recently competed in the 2013 Burley Spudman Triathlon – more on that later.  I took my new shoes for two short runs before the 10K leg of the Spudman and decided to try them out in a race.  So, after about ten miles with the new shoes, this is what I know.

The Pearl Izumis are LIGHT and comfortable! The upper is soft all over and I have no toe/nail/blister problems after a six mile run.

Definitely a road shoe as the sole is very smooth.  They were okay over 2 miles of dirt and gravel during the race. We had a little rain and they felt slippery on the wet pavement.

The verdict?  The Pearl Izumi Project Emotion is a great road racing shoe, but I wouldn’t recommend them for wet conditions.  It is oh, so comfortable!  I will stick with my Asics Kayanos for off-road and inclement weather.  They are heavier and I still think they are a very good training shoe.  I will save the PI’s for days when I need speed or I am feeling self-indulgent or when my toes feel beat up from a long run in the Asics.

Two great pairs of shoes - one happy runner!

Mud.  Proof that they've been worn off-road.

Fit for Life 2013 – The Report

 

Ready to roll!

 

Well, here we are all pre-race smiles. We trained. We carbo-loaded.  We got up at 4:00am to eat breakfast and went back to bed for an hour.  We prayed!  I even cried a little bit at race start because I was excited to have Marie running this race with me.  I just knew she could break two hours.  It was almost like old times!

State Track 2005



Then we ran, and ran, and ran for 13.1 miles.  I could see her for awhile trotting up ahead of me while I labored along. I was ever so grateful for the shaded Boise Greenbelt because I had forgotten my sunglasses!  There was a guy ringing cow bells and I thought perhaps he was just my fan because I saw him at three different locations.  Hey Cow Bell Guy, I know you weren’t there just for me, but “Thanks for the support!”

I saw Marie again a half mile before the turn around point (my mile 6 – her mile7).  She was wearing the watch and called out my time.  Right on pace!  Too bad I didn’t drink Gatorade instead of water at the water stops.  I ran out of fuel about mile 10.  That’s when the walking breaks increased and I fell off pace.  My quads were killing me at the 11.5 mile mark.  I crossed Home Plate (finish line at Hawks Memorial Stadium) at 2:23:04.  That’s 26 minutes faster than last year’s High Desert Trail Run.  Respectable.

Marie was waiting for me with our other fans.

Some of the fans.

Some really great things happened!  Marie finished in 1:58:12!  I knew she could break two hours!  We both received finisher medals like this one.

T-shirt and finisher medal

 

And … we stayed at the after party long enough for me to win a pair of Pearl Izumi shoes from Shu’s Idaho Running Company!  A report on the shoes will follow.

My new Pearl Izumi's courtesy of Shu's!

 

The verdict is … Fit for Life is a great race!  Flat. Shady.  Friendly.  Fun!  Thanks to Jeff and the folks at BlueCircle Sports for a great time.  Thanks to Marie for running .  Thanks, especially, to Shu’s for the new shoes!

P.S.  No after photos due to a dead camera battery.  I am ok with that.  I don't look so good after!


A little bit of running and a lot of grandmothering ...

I am just checking in.  It is a busy summer with half marathon training and grandchildren visiting.  Not much time for blogging.  I have a few minutes while my youngest granddaughter and I share a snack of cheese, crackers, and some great big ruffled potato chips.  (Don't tell her mom!) 

Our construction:  Backyard Fairy Castle

Running - One more three mile run before race day on Saturday.  I was ever so grateful that last Saturday was the last long run on the schedule! I think I'm ready to scale it back just a bit.
Grandmothering - Sadly, the grandkids will be leaving the day after the race. We have baked, camped, boated, snacked, lazed, constructed, and visited all while trying to maintain a training regimen.  It has been fun getting reacquainted.  Grandchildren are one of life's great rewards.
I will report after the race.  It may take a few days as I will have grandkids to hug and tears to dry.  Oh ... and a few sore muscles to be sure!

What Would You Walk a Mile for?

What would you walk a mile for? I grew up in a time when cigarette commercials were acceptable and common on television, long before the Surgeon General required “harmful to your health” warnings on tobacco products. The Marlboro Man was handsome and rode a horse, but more impressive to me was the ad for Camel cigarettes.  “I’d walk a mile for a Camel,” claimed the tired cowboy as he leaned back in a chair, smoked his Camel, and rested his dusty boot clad feet on a fence pole.  In my young mind, a mile must have been a very long way to have worn a hole in the sole of those boots!

In retrospect, it would have been a good idea for that cowboy to walk a mile for every Camel cigarette he smoked. We now know how detrimental to one’s health smoking truly is. We also know how beneficial it is to log a few miles on foot. Unfortunately, some of us are still convinced that a mile is a very long way and we might wear out our shoes, knees, lungs, hearts, or other body parts if we run or walk too many miles. While it is true about the shoes (See this post) most of those other things will benefit from the activity, especially our hearts!

I would walk a mile for these:

·         My heart

·         Better blood pressure readings

·         Lower risk of Type II Diabetes and Stroke

·         To manage my weight

·         Endurance

·         Sense of well-being

·         My husband, children, and grandchildren

Question: What would you walk a mile for? 

Visit A Milefor My Heart on Facebook to tell me what you did for your heart today!


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.

Will's Hill tempo run

Today’s workout was supposed to be a Tempo Run.  I’ve complained about those before.  My Smart Coach training plan said, “Tempo run including warm up, three miles at 10:06, cool down.” That adds up to 5 miles. Since I had an awesome race on Saturday at the Old Fort Boise Fun Run, I thought, “Forget about the tempo.  I did speed work on Saturday.  I will just do an easy hill workout on Will’s Hill.”  Right.

Will’s Hill is a 5 mile out and back.  Out - into a head wind.  Back – downhill most of the way! If you can do the first 2.5 miles, the next 2.5 are rewarding.  Here is how I fared.

Mile 1  – 11:00 minutes.  I was sticking with the “easy hill workout.”

Mile 2.5 – 26:23 minutes.  I had picked up the pace, uphill with a headwind no less!

Mile 4 – 40:10 minutes. That downhill-wind-at-your-back stuff is pretty nice!

Mile 5 – 50:36 minutes.  That’s a 10:07/mile average!  Five miles at 10:07 is better than three miles at 10:06 in my book. That’s pretty good for this old granny!

What have I learned?

·         Training plans really can help improve your speed.

·         If I wear a watch (and start it), I push harder.

·         My first mile is always slow.

Visit Runner’s World and try out a Smart Coach plan for yourself.  You may be glad you did!

It's a Rest/XT day!

It’s a Rest/XT (Cross Training) day so I mowed the lawn.  I am not sure that qualifies as rest.  It’s a big lawn and I don’t have a riding mower.  Someday I am going to wear a pedometer while I mow.  Then I will know how many steps I have taken and can calculate how many miles it I walked.  I am guessing, given the time it takes to mow, that it is around 2 -2.5 miles.  It’s just a guess.  Someday I will find out for sure. 

We have a few hills and I always think that difficulty should be factored into any workout.  For instance, if you go for a run in the wind, rain, or heat you should get extra points.  Not that it matters, because I haven’t ever figured out a point system – but if there was one, those things would surely count for more!

The trees are always fun to maneuver around, too.  We get lots of compliments on our green lawn.  There are a few tricks to keeping it lush.

§  Bluegrass.  It isn’t hardy, but it is beautiful grass.

§  Fertilizer.  Yes!

§  Water.

§  Pest  defense.

§  Alternate mowing directions.

§  Frequent manicuring every 4 -5 days.

 

That’s pretty much what it takes.  It helps to have an on site crop specialist (Hubby) as well!

That’s what I did for my heart today.  How about you? Tell me about it HERE.

 https://www.facebook.com/AMileForMyHeart

You are a runner if ...

“I am a runner.” When can one who runs confidently make this claim?  I believe it is different for everyone. This morning I ran eight miles to stay on track for half marathon training. My legs are pretty tired. Actually, all of me is quite tired! I think I can say, “I am a runner.”

I heard others refer to me as a runner long before I thought I was legit. I ran, sometimes, and not especially fast – but I did run. When I participated in my first 5K I was hysterical afterwards, laughing to keep from crying. It was hard! It rained that day and there was the added difficulty of being cold and wet. I didn’t do much of anything the rest of the day. I was busy recovering! Did that make me a runner?

I ran for four years before I could break a ten minute mile and it still doesn’t happen every day. Did clearing that hurdle make me a runner? I ran and walked a half marathon last year. Does that qualify me? I have run in the rain, the wind, and a blizzard. Runner yet?

This is what I have determined. It’s just the opinion of a granny who runs. 

• You are a runner if you run. It matters not how fast or how far. 
• Racing doesn't matter. Some runners love to race and some do not, so racing doesn’t matter. (Well, it does for those of us who enjoy it!) 
• You are a runner if you continue to run. Obstacles such as illness and injury, scheduling, and really bad weather might get in the way, but a runner will resume his sport as soon as the obstacle has been cleared. 
• Some days will be easier than others.  Some runs will be longer or faster than others, it matters not. 
• You are a runner if you run.

Run on, you runner, you!

Question: Do you have an opinion about what makes a runner?  Feel free to sound off in a comment below.

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.

Fun Run - It's not an oxymoron

Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so too, is fun.  There are many who say that running cannot be fun so there is no such thing as a “fun run.”  I would argue that this is not so. This is why:

·         To a serious runner, it is fun to run a race and win.

·         To a recreational runner, it is fun to run a race and perform better than last time.

·         To a beginner runner, it is fun to run your first race and experience  the sense of accomplishment that accompanies it.

·         To a walker (because walking is allowed at Fun Runs), it is fun to do something healthy with other walkers.

·         To everyone, it is fun to get a T-shirt that tells the world you participated in a Fun Run!

·         Prizes are fun!  Sure, the fast guys get a prize, but race registrations often go in a drawing for things like water bottles, gift certificates, and socks.  That is always fun!

·         It is fun to hear observers cheering you on along the route.

T-shirt from Old Fort Boise Days Run 2012

The next time you hear the phrase “Fun Run,” remember it isn’t that running is fun (Well, for some), it’s that participating in a run is fun.  Don’t believe me?  Why not try it?  This one is small and low key, so you really can have fun!

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.

The Lonely Run

It seems I’ve been training for a half marathon all year!  Actually, I began in March and hit a road block about the time I was due to run my first six-miler.  After recuperating from a couple of setbacks, I began again and reached the six-mile long run last weekend.  I had recruited a running buddy because long runs can get pretty lonely.  Unfortunately, there is a strange phenomenon surrounding the six-mile run.  Running buddies tend to disappear for six-milers.  I think I know the reasons.  It isn’t because they are wimping out (well maybe) rather they have reasons not to run six miles.

#1 – They are not training for a half, so six miles is just a random run.  It is not their goal.

#2 – Unless you can run a six minute mile (Most of us can’t) it takes a while to run six miles. Sometimes a long run just doesn’t work into your day.

#3 – Recovery.  Six miles takes more out of a body than three, or four, or even five.

This time my running buddy had something else come up and she had to cancel.  That happens, too.

That’s why I found myself alone on the road with only the voices of Alan Jackson, Sarah Brightman, Roger Miller, The Beatles, David Essex, and George Jones, to name a few.  I have an eclectic taste in running music!  I chose a route I had not traveled for many moons.  Long runs are typically done at an easy pace.  Their purpose is to build strength and endurance. I think they also have a purpose for building patience – something I need to work on.

Blooming Russian Olive Tree

 I started slow.  At 1.5 miles I was still slow and tried to pick up the pace a bit. Somewhere around mile three I got lost in my thoughts.  This was strange because somewhere around mile three I realized I had a 2 mile stretch that was bordered by blooming Russian Olive trees!  Like this one.

This was a problem because those innocuous yellow blossoms have a sickening sweet aroma that wreaks havoc on my head!  I dislike blooming Russian Olives with a passion, which is unfortunate because I am trying to bridle my passions! I thought, perhaps, this 2 mile stretch would be my undoing, but I just kept moving.  I ignored the trees and focused on … I don’t remember.  I think I let my mind wander, enjoying the assorted tunes bouncing in my ears and wondering what the uphill mile at the end of the run was going to feel like.

It felt fine.  In fact, it almost felt good!  The best part was the time on my watch at the end of the run.  It was the fastest I had ever covered six miles – 10K races included!  The slow start, the Russian olives, and the uphill mile at the end, were all a part of my lonely run and they combined for success.  I was satisfied with a sense of accomplishment afterwards, yet I had no buddy to whom I could brag, but then, if I had done the run with a buddy my time would have been slower because I would surely have been chatting along the way.

Innocuous Yellow Blossoms

What's in a word?

I had a conversation yesterday with a non-running friend about participating in an upcoming local 5K.  This One. Her goal is to walk the route and that is always a worthy goal.  We don't all have to run, but we should all attempt to move!  I was reminded once again how runners have our own vocabulary. 
She asked, "Now, there is a five and a three?"
"No, just a 5K,"  I answered.
"So ... a 5K is how far?"
"Three miles."  (I thought everyone knew that. Yet, I didn't know that before I began running.)
She looked at me sideways, but seemed to accept that information as fact.  I didn't include that last .1 mile.
I am sure it's all very confusing.  We measure our races in kilometers and our pace time by the mile. We use terms like tempo and tapering, throwing them at non-runners the way educators throw acronyms (AYP, LEP, SAT) at parents. 
Maybe it isn't the running that scares them off.  Maybe it is the confusing lingo.  Running is hard enough without the challenge of learning a new language!  For the non-running reader out there, here is a short glossary.

K - Kilometer or 1000 Meters.   A 5K is equal to 3.1 miles.  A 10K is 6.2, and so forth.
Carbo Load - Eating lots of carbohydrates prior to a race for race day fuel.
Race Pace - How fast can you go for at least 3 miles or 5000 meters?
Tempo Run - A workout done just under Race Pace.
Tapering - Taking it easy at the end of your training plan in an attempt to have fresh legs on race day.
PR - Personal Record. Your fastest time at a given distance.(I once had a sibling thinking I had been interviewed about my race!  Public Relations???  I'm really not that fast!)
Refueling - Just what it says. Eat up!  You earned it by racing!

This is a SHORT glossary, but it might help next time you try to communicate with a runner.  We sometimes forget that not everyone is interested enough in running to try it.  Fewer still have mastered the language!

Non-runners Just Don't Understand!

New running shoes!

My non-running friends and family do not understand my obsession with running shoes.  I suppose neither do yours.  Ahh, the comfort of the perfect shoe!  We don't care about the color, or what world class athletes wear, or if the shoe looks fast.  It's all about the fit and performance.  Once we find The Shoe we don't ever want to stray.

If you are like me, you study the tread of your favorite shoes like a meteorologist studies a radar map, checking often for the first signs of wear.  You can almost predict the number of miles left in the shoe. You begin shopping for sales in a panic that you might not find The Shoe before it's too late!  When nagging pains begin to develop in your knees or ankles, you know you are pushing the limits and it's time to bite the bullet and go shopping.  I even brought out a retired pair of runners recently while awaiting the purchase of a new pair.

My husband and sons took me shopping for Mother's Day.

"Those look fast!"  One commented.

"Yes, but they don't have the exact size."  (I run in an 8.5 while I wear a 7.5 dress shoe.) "I will lose toenails if I get an 8 and a 9 might make me trip!"  It's all very scientific and proven by personal experience.

"I like the color of those."  Wrong brand.

"These look comfortable."  Not enough stability.

My shoe of choice?  Asics Gel- Kayano. They don't match any of my running shirts, but I don't care.  My feet are happy and I even feel faster in them!

Unfortunately, The Shoe was not on sale.  Well, last year's model was on sale, but all out of my 8.5's.  Fortunately, it WAS Mother's Day, so I was pampered and got the more expensive shoe.  At least, I think I was pampered.  I'm pretty sure I got stuck paying for them!