Running bare

We all agreed that biking bare would really hurt.  But I think there’s something to the whole going bare idea…you know, something that helps you get in touch with the land.  Now don’t freak out: I’m not going to pull a Docs and run Croom in the buff!  What I am going to try is barefoot running.  Sort of…

I’ve only been trail running for two years (even if it seems longer than that) and have had more error than trial in trying to find shoes to accommodate my crazy feet.  I’ve come to the conclusion that I should run in sandals…or go barefoot.  So I did some research on barefoot running and found the Vibram FiveFingers “shoes” .  I had been considering them, and when I read Born to Run my decision was final…I just needed to make it back to the States and find ‘em.

Their theory:

The typical human foot is an anatomical marvel of evolution with 26 bones, 33 muscles and hundreds of sensory receptors, tendons and ligaments. Like the rest of the body, to keep our feet healthy, they need to be stimulated and exercised.

That’s why we recommend wearing FiveFingers for exercise, play, and for fun. Stimulating the muscles in your feet and lower legs will not only make you stronger and healthier, it improves your balance, agility and proprioception.

Sounds about right.  I found a pair and have been trying them out.  I ran 4-miles twice on the treadmill before taking them out to the park.  Today I ran 6-miles in them and I have to tell you that they are SO comfy!  My big ‘ol feet were quite happy with the stretchy room the FiveFingers provide.  The bottoms are a flexible rubber that protects (somewhat) from rocks and other trail junk .  There is NO cushion so I won’t wear them on the concrete, but they should be pretty good in the sandy trails.  I’m not sure how much more stubbing my toes will hurt, however

I’m going to take it slow because I think there’s going to be big change in my posture with the FiveFingers.  I can already feel it here and there.  After 6-miles I went back to my car and changed into my trusty Asics for another 4-miles…and boy did that feel weird:  Solid, cushy and stable.  We’ll see what Mare finds when I see her for an adjustment in a month.  Hopefully the FiveFingers will work for at least part of an ultrarunning race.

I’m just following the experts’ advice:

The benefits of running barefoot have long been supported by scientific research, coaches, and athletes who’ve offered ample evidence that training without shoes allows you to run faster and further with fewer injuries.

Who doesn’t want to run faster with fewer injuires???

It’s Off!

The guys and Heidi kicked my butt into oblivion in a 52-mile slog through San Ann yesterday.  I don’t know if it was the heat or the terrain or the vodka gimlets  I enjoyed Friday night but I desperately needed a nap after the ride.  That wouldn’t happen, because it was the day to get my new look going.  After breakfast and a shower (yes, in that order), I headed over to my trusty hairstylist, Carlos.

I’ve gone to male hairdressers since I moved to Florida, which last month was 13 years ago.  My theory is this: Guys want girls to look hot and Women want other women to look ugly.  Therefore, I go to male hairstylists.  When I walked in, Carlos saw some pix in my hand.  He said, “You have pictures…are we going to CUT your hair today?“  My reply, “Yep!  You have your work cut out for you today,” so to speak.  I think he was more excited than me.  I showed him our ideas and he made his suggestion.  After a very relaxing hair wash I got comfy and watched the master do his work.  He ended up cutting off over four inches…not as much as I thought would come off, but it felt great! After he gave step-by-step details on how to style it, he let me check it out.  So there are no crazy colors or funky layers, but I love it!

The things people will do…

Matt actually herded up the group this morning for a ride through San Ann.  When I arrived, my plan was to ride 35-miles and be done with it.  I’m still pretty sluggish and the heat isn’t helping matters any.  When Steve and Nick arrived, they said their plan was to ride 50-miles through Trilby to help Nick get ready for the HIM in Augusta in late September (THAT’s crazy, if you ask me…its going to be hotter than hell in GA in September!).  Anyway that plan was fine, because I could split off from them and head home when they turned out to Trilby.

Matt joined us, and neither of us had ridden San Ann (til Wednesday) for a month.  We left the parking lot by 7AM and we were off…til we hit the first bridge.  Just as I heard Steve say, “Hold up,” I heard a shotgun blast.  Matt had blown a tire.  We stopped on the bridge and watched as Steve effortlessly fixed the flat .  And since the CO2 didn’t work well, I now know that my tire pump does   After we were cooled down and that problem was cleared up, we rode all of two minutes before another blast hit.  The tire went flat…again. Poor Matt took my spare (Good Karma, Baby), and used my pump (Double Good Karma!) to fix the problem .  Instead of letting the kid ride back alone and get stranded if he had another flat, we all escorted him back to the parking lot.  And luckily there was not another flat.  

What that did mean was that we had already ridden over 12 miles.  So Nick and Steve decided to ride the Classic Route, which in the end would end up being 48-ish miles.  Now let me clarify something: It’s not that I can’t ride 50-miles right now, it’s just that I don’t want to.  I’m tired.  I worked hard over the last few months, had a near-perfect race, and I’m enjoying the break.  AND, according to Ilene, I’m still recovering from IMS…technically.

That said, I was kinda stuck.  So we hit the road minus one and backtracked our steps. Steve and I chatted while Nick sped ahead.  When we all convened again, I did my share of drafting.  (The way I see it, they owe me some draft time).

Just after Come On Ilene Hill, we picked up a gal that had been dropped by her group.  She too hadn’t been in San Ann for a month (but she looked more fit than all of us!) and was struggling.  The four of us were making our way through the last few miles when and I started to bonk.  Because the ride was longer than I anticipated I didn’t have enough fuel to run my engine, so to speak.  Steve was riding beside me til he saw (or heard) me gasp for air…then he got out in front and pulled us along.  That was nice…

…then, for fear of being chicked, the guys took off with two miles to go.  (Oh and that reminds me…European guys don’t like to be chicked either
Overall I feel pretty good.  I didn’t puke either before or after the ride, so I guess that’s a good sign   But I still believe that today’s ride was a plot between the three guys.  I think Steve and Nick paid off Matt to blow a couple of tires so that they wouldn’t have to ride Trilby.  I sure hope you got a free egg sammich out of it, Matt…

Me and the Aero

I’m Backkk!

 

 

Messy Monday

I was at the park before 6:30am this morning for a ride-n-run.  When I hit the parking lot it was drizzling, but since I haven’t had any rain-training in the past six months, I figured I’d better suck it up and get on my bike.  I whirled around the park @ 19mph and returned to the parking lot a hot mess.

Steve was just arriving at the park when I got in.  We chatted for a minute, then he headed out via velo and I on foot.  Despite being hungry, I was feeling quite spunky (after a lazy Sunday) and ran 9 minute miles to the first water stop two miles down the trail.  I slowed a little at the 4-mile turn-around, but pretty much kept trucking.  Steve caught up to me on his second loop and slowed down to keep me company for a couple of miles.

Then he took off and I caught up to him and Nick chatting in the middle of the path. I stopped momentarily to say hi then hit the road again.  I made it back to the car in exactly 80-minutes, which included three pit stops and one social stop.  That’ll do for a messy Monday.

The Sixty-Mile Taper

Not many people would call a 60-mile bike ride a “taper.”  For most people, biking 60-miles is their long ride, if not a non-ride.  But I was able to gather my team for one last long hu-rah in the hills of San Ann early this morning.  As I was driving before 6:00am, I was thinking how nice it will be to sleep in in the near future.  Truth be told, I haven’t been up as early training for IM as I was for ultras.  Those crazy kids are up and running before 5:00am!  So I am thankful that I’ve been able to sleep a little longer over the past few months…but I AM tired.

Anyway, Ilene, Nick and Steve left a half-full parking lot at 6:30am and headed for the hills.  We took the usual route and added some Ice Cream.  I wasn’t necessarily energetic, but I also was looking forward to finishing as quickly as possible before we were completely toasted by the heat and humidity.  And that wasn’t easy because we weren’t overly cohesive as a group today.  There were times when we were completely spread out and times when we rode in two’s.  The times we rode together I just couldn’t get my groove on with everyone else

We reconvened and stopped at the gas station before Trilby, which was half-way through the ride.  We all ate a bit and one fueled with virtual gas (some people call it Coca-cola) to make it through the rollers.  Then Ilene led us back another way, through Blanton and Happy Hill, where the wind smacked us in the face with the approaching storm (yes, of course we were ALL happy  at that point!).  OK, so Ilene missed one turn that took us through the barrio of Dade City.  If I’m the 01-Queen, maybe she is the 1-Mile Queen. No biggie.  What’s another mile at this point?

We were all pretty shot and moving slowly, but apparently Nick didn’t want to get chicked, so he took off with a couple miles to go.  We met up at Hwy 52 and skidded back into the parking lot as a group.  I would report my speed, but my speed-o-meter went out on every downhill…what the!?!  That doesn’t make any sense to me, but I’ll have FBS check it out next week when they pack up my bike.

I was the lone runner today, but 20-minutes was tolerable.  I was a sweaty mess, but at least it was overcast.  After the four-hour session was all said and done, I chilled under the tree again and enjoyed the breeze that I was cursing just an hour before.  I thought about the training I’ve put myself through over the last half-year, and the fun that’s waiting just two weeks from tomorrow.  Maybe I’ll dream about it when I go for my afternoon nap…

Wacky Wednesday

Talking about undoing things, when I met Ilene early this morning for our tour de San Antonio, I suggested we ride the 35-mile route backward, just for giggles.  After driving with Andy down Come-On-Ilene Hill and Ice Cream Hill Monday morning, it gave me an idea to turn things around.

It was fog soup this morning so we couldn’t wear sunglasses, which I hate.  I’m always afraid a car is going to throw some junk into my face as it passes, or that a bug will fly into my eye!

Anyway, it was interesting going the other direction.  It gave us a different perspective of the hills we usually climb as opposed to the ones we typically coast down.  It wasn’t necessarily a fast ride, but it was a nice change of pace (heehee).

And because of the fog cover, I was able to run 20-minutes without burning to a crisp after the ride.  I could have run farther (or is it further Professor?), but at this point, I didn’t think that will help me any.

Although I didn’t feel as if I worked overly hard today, I’m beat.  I enjoyed a PB&J, soy milk and broccoli for breakfast (yes, I’ve hung in there with the greenery), because my rolling buffet is coming to a stop very soon.  After Saturday’s 60-mile ride, I won’t be burning nearly as many calories as I have been over the past few weeks, and that means I won’t be able to eat as much either ..at least until we hit The Old Country in two weeks!

Undoing Saturday

Andy texted me Sunday to see if I was up for a 10-mile run this morning.  Apparently he’d had a terrible run in the hot hot heat Saturday, and wanted to “undo” what had happened.  After confronting him about TAPERING FOR GOSH SAKE!!!, he said that 10-miles would be a taper, so I agreed….Agreed to meet him at 5:15AM.

After two whole hours of sleep last night, it was MY turn to ask, “What was I thinking?” agreeing to meet him so dang early.  It’s not even right, people.  And quite frankly, it didn’t matter how early we were on the trails at Croom, because it was just as flippin’ muggy as it was the other day in San Ann.  Plus the horse flies were on the attack.  UGH.  It’s relentless I’m telling you.  Yet we continue to train for summer races???  Talk about slow learners…

Anyway, we were too busy chatting and we missed the turn, turning our 10-mile run into a 12-mile run.  Whatever.  At this point it’s all the same.  We took our time and walked quite a bit, I’ll admit.  But that’s what Andy needed (and probably the best for me too at this point).  If he won’t taper on his own, I’ll do what I can to help him taper

He leaves for Western States this week and his training is officially over.  I am jealous of his little trip out to Squaw Valley, and I can say with confidence that he’s going to make the mountains crumble.  I also know that it’s not going to be this hot there.  Just like it’s not going to be this hot in Zurich.  We train for rain forest races, and race in cooler climates.  That has to count for something.  (I know I keep saying that…I’m just trying to convince myself to keep getting out there).

So when I got home, more to cool my body temp than to recover I think, I dipped into another ice bath.  I was cold during my nap (yes, I admit to a Monday morning nap ) and now I’m toasty again.  Maybe it was more like a “redo” than an “undo.”  Either way, thank goodness for air conditioning!

Working ‘em on the double-shift

Originally my plan was to host a Fat @$$ half-iron triathlon this week.  The name Fat @$$ not referring not to my badunkadunk, but a self-supported race.

When Ilene told me that she was interested in doing the St. Leo sprint triathlon, I figured I’d have to be creative in finding a crew to make 80-miles.  But she said she would meet me at 10AM to ride a 40-mile loop after her race (Why I don’t know for sure…but I never turn down an offer!).  I was able to persuade Steve and Matt to join me for a 40-mile loop at 7AM, and I was all set.

The morning came around too soon, and Steve and Matt were ready to roll out of the parking lot by 7AM.  The temps were already in the 80′s, with no relief in sight.  The three of us sailed along at a nice pace and tried to breathe in the thick, heavy air.  “I guess I won’t need to go swimming today,” I said after seeing the three of us glistening in the sun.  That got a brief chuckle, but we all were oxygen-deprived, so we didn’t laugh long.

We made our way up The Big Dude and then Ice Cream Hill.  In what seemed like no time, we hit the parking lot.  We rode 40-miles @ 18.4mph (2-hours, 10 minutes).

After refilling my bottles from my Bubba Keg (that thing always gets a comment!), I headed out again for an out-and-back while I waited for Ilene to show. I couldn’t talk the guys into riding a second loop, so I talked to myself on the 5-mile ride   I took it easy and met Ilene at 10AM.

Ilene was a little beat, not as much from the race distance as the suffocating heat.  But she hung in there with me.  I decided to cut out Ice Cream Hill because it was just so dang hot and it wasn’t fair to make Ilene kill herself on my behalf.  (Truth be told, I was sick of the sun, and I wanted to ride in more shady place!).  I decided I’d do that out-and-back once we returned. The wind picked up and the temps rose, so we chatted and coasted a lot more than the guys and I did on the first loop.  Our average speed over 35-miles ended up averaging just under 17mph (2 hours, 5 minutes).  And I was fine with that.  I was already feeling nauseous and didn’t see the sense in pushing it.  But I had “85-miles” stuck in my head…

I was supposed to do a 40-minute run after the ride, but because it was 95-degrees with a heat index (“feels-like”) temperature well over 100, I didn’t think that would be wise.  I did however talk myself into riding another 5-miles AFTER the additional 5-miles.  I guess I was a little loopy after all.  But that “90-mile ride” just sounded like Money in the Bank Baby, Money in the Bank.

I was all alone out there and sang out loud (…out VERY loud…) to keep myself company over those last few miles.  I decided that I would cut my run down to 10-minutes because of the blistering heat.  Once I got off my bike, I reluctantly put on my runners for a 10-minute jog-walk…and I emphasize the WALK.

I made it back to the car without stroking out, and literally fell under a tree, where I lay for some time trying to cool down my body temperature.  So, after 90-miles, a total of 6-hours in the hot hot heat, and a total of 3100 calories burned, I am ready for the TAPER!!!

It was a tough day (and Fat @$$-ish in some ways…), but I can hear the Cha-Ching! ringing in my head…

Gunshots & Good Deeds

We opted for an easy ride at Flatwoods this morning because Ilene has a Sprint Tri on Saturday morning (followed by a 40-mile ride ), and I’m just plain whipped.  Steve met us at the park and we took off in the already steamy morning.  Five miles into our ride, I nearly fell off my saddle when I heard what sounded like a gunshot!  We saw that none of us were bleeding, but Ilene was coming to a halt.  That shot was her tire exploding.  Steve is a master tube-changer (after a nasty 6-flat ride some time ago), and had her tire inflated in no time.  But within seconds, it fired again and flatted…again.  Unfortunately Ilene’s brand new tire was faulty and she would not be able to ride back to the parking lot.

She started her 5-mile trek back to the BBD lot when Steve decided that it would be easier for her to walk to the next water stop one mile away, and he could meet her there with his SUV (again, another reason NOT to have a BAT with a double bike rack on the back!).  So we sent Ilene a walkin’ while Steve and I rode back to the BBD lot.  He headed for his car and I went around the loop to wait with Ilene and the no-see-um’s.

After FORTY minutes Steve was not there, so I biked up to the other entrance, and saw him coming.  Apparently he’d already been there once but didn’t see us, so he turned around to leave…then thought better of it and he turned back to find us.  Steve graciously packed up Ilene and her bike and they headed back to the BBD lot.  I skidded around the second half of the loop, and decided that would be enough for today.  (Well, after they left I went for a fast 10-minute run).

Just as I hit the parking lot, Steve and Ilene were pulling in.  Either Ilene was frazzled, or she was truly afraid to drive with Steve, because she was still wearing her bike helmet.  LOL!  That made the whole debacle worthwhile