Phantom Phun

Phantom 24 Km Run : North Vancouver

After volunteering at Fat Dog 100, I was given the added bonus of a free entrance to this run.  Both events are put on by Mountain Madness  http://www.mountainmadness.ca/races.php.   Volunteering rocks!

I showed up just for fun,

And as you can see from the pic below- I definately had Fun ! ``runners high`` or what!

Fun HILLS , beautiful run along the RIVER , MUDDY technical return, and a sprint to the finish!

I enjoyed the MUD so much, I took a dive to really get into it (involuntary)

 I practiced 50km pace, taking the hills slow at the start to keep my HR down and prevent calf cramping.

As this is a 24 km, I was passed a LOT...so I picked it up the second half.

I could not believe how much gas I had in the tank the last 4 miles.

2 hours in I was ready to race!... but it was over by then- too funny! Finished in 2:28

I will definately take this approach for my next 50 km though.

The race is reccommended;

It is well marked.

Great volunteers.

Diversity of terrain

Enough aid stations

Upbeat atmosphere
At about 1.5 hrs in I had a lovely visit with girl representing ``save our skin`` . She was so nice, but I never got her name. She beat me in the end- thanks for that final push !

I liked that (other than top 3) results were not posted at the race...so could feel like I had a good run, based on how I felt, and not how I placed.

YUMMY post race food! Potluck. -wish I had some of their recipes.

The soup was sooo good! Best I`ve had in a long time.

  - Thank you Don Scott for not posting the horrible pic you took of me literally inhaling the soup- this one much better.  

It was a great fall  reunion with many runners I met over the summer.

I look forward to doing it again next year.

WHAT ABOUT JIM ...

He sends me off to the race, telling me `they are calling for freezing rain and hurricane force winds!`Funny. 

The next day  : JIM  takes me on an 8 mile `recovery run` to  scope out some cool new trails in the heart of Belcarra forests, ending with a beautiful oceanside run.  Its so nice to run with my husband again! I love his sense of adventure.  Half way thru the run, I`m hurting, but I had to tell him `` you`re fun !`` .  Its amazing how quickly he is getting back into running. I had a hard time keeping up with him.

Heather

Morning Running poem- The world flows by

This morning I opted out of a great hard training session with my usual group for an easy adventuresome run with my husband Jim as he recovers from illness.   His first long run on the trails : -10 miles! 2 hrs+ . Yeah baby!! and all because it became an adventure finding new trails!  Thank goodness I had my watch telling me we when to turn around cuz we could have gone forever!

I dropped him off, refueled at home ( best aid station ever! -running toilets and everything!) then kicked in a faster 7-10 miles. As the sun shone  thru the trees, I was so enthralled with the beauty of it all that I thought up this poem :

Morning Run


Air is crisp and clear,
Like no one is here
- Till I run by


Dew on leaves twinkling,
As if its winking
- As I run by


Sun filters through trees
As if to guide me
-So I run by


‘In the now’ is a thrill
Like I’m standing still
-And the world runs by


Heather V

I missed out on a good hard training run, but appreciated an adventure run.  It really did feel like I stopped running, and the world flowed by me.  It was beautiful today.

Heather

Getting Excited for Next Year!

Three sucessful 50 km 's this year.  Husband almost dies (but lived). Oldest daughter in university, youngest in middle school and competing in figure skating. Its been a busy year.

I took 3 easy weeks hiking/easy runs with my husband.  I enjoyed eating and drinking whatever I want and 'relaxing'.  Not suprisingly so, this has gotten boring quite quickly.

So now what?
Thankfully, I have a great running group. As my husband is out of the loop (for now), I thought I would just do the same old local races . But my friends have better plans! yaay! I am so there!
1. I LOVE the team/ friend/social aspect of runs- so much more fun than running a race alone.
2. I need a new challenge to keep me 'honest' with myself. 

"My Best friend is the one who brings out the best in me" - Henry Ford

So my plans for next year are :  tentatively....

March 19- Chuckanut  50 K
Apr 30- Capitopl peaks 50 mile - my first run exceeding 50Km and a gague for the death race.
May 15 - Tenderfoot Boogie possibly.. 50 mile or 50  km . May be too close to 50 mile above though.
July 31 ish - Canadian Death race- 125 km, ...17000 ft elevation gain . I'm so scaaaared!!!/Excited!!
Sept- Frosty mountain 50 Km. I have a bone to pick with this race. Haven't  ran the whole thing.

Its starting to look like an addiction.  Like, 50 km isn't enough? I'm looking for more to satisfy my running 'fix' !
Heather

First time the Wheels Fell Off

THAT WAS A FIRST
It wasn't even a race... just a nice long Sunday run with the gang.

45 minutes into a 3 hr run, hitting the second hill of ... Calf cramps! quad cramps! out of breath! WTF??

I felt fabulous otherwise (energy level etc), except that when I asked my legs to push me uphill... there was NOTHING there, like no blood was getting to my muscles.

LOSER!

I bowed out, told the gang they would probably spend the rest of the run waiting for me. I went back downhill and ran relatively flat to finish out a 2 hr run.  Hard to believe someone can feel like a loser only running 2 hours- but I did.

WHY??

Literally depressed at my performance, I spent 1/2 the day trying to find an explanation.  The flu a week earlier ? Recent speedwork? Spending hours on a ladder?.

... Probably all of the above

TAKE HOME LESSON:

So I ask myself :

"Why am I running if I end up mad at myself cuz I wasn't up to par one day?" 

After much introspection I remind myself: 

 " I run for fun, for health,  for adventure, personal accomplishment and socialization."  

Sometimes the fun gets lost in the seriousness of training.

Race season is essentially over, so why not cross-train,  take the pressure off and go have fun!!!

I think I'll go buy some snowshoes... Look up a cool hike , ride my bike,  and maybe even take a dip in the pool.
...And eat cookies : )


Heather

RETURNING to this post I reealize how I need to chllax. I am back at it with the gang and am catching up.   Why?
STRETCHING!!!
MASSAGE !!!
ROLLING !!!! ON the roller
AND I'm back doing  core exercises.
I am BACK on the WAGON!!!! the running wagon that is.  Yeah baby !!

FEAR IS TEMPORARY, REGRET IS FOREVER

What are you afraid of? How does it limit you from living your life to your fullest?


Fear of the Doctor:
My husband is recovering from a serious illness… which brought on this discussion.
Was he afraid of yearly checkups for fear they might find something??

…. But had they found something, they may have prevented his current health issue!.

There is food for thought…Wouldn’t you kick yourself if the doc finds something that could have been fixed a few years ago if you saw him then?? Get that physical!

But it Expands from there- what else do you avoid because of fear?

Fear of Wildlife:

Some people never go enjoy the outdoors for fear of bears, pity! What they are missing!!! According to the wildlife research institute, people are 250 times more likely to be killed by lightning than a bear. The odds of being hit by lightning are 1 in 4.2 million. The odds of dying in a car accident are 1 in 20, 000. So put down the cell phone, put both hands on the wheel, quit worrying about bears!

Fear of Driving:

Well, that is definitely one of my fears- especially in the city. But when I added up all the great experiences I turned down because I was afraid to drive , it was again, a pity. I have since taken the wheel (albeit white knuckled) and have expanded my adventures outside of my little neighborhood. Doing so has expanded my life and independence- What a GREAT feeling!

Sad story of Fear:

In my clinical experience I recently came across someone who admitted she was afraid of intimacy and rejection so she chose to be obese on purpose! (I’m talking 300+ lbs and had a stroke in her 30's) . She DENIED herself health and happiness, just because of her fears! Whoah, give your head a shake!

So Get out there, do what you HAVE to do... do what you WANT to do,

and don’t let fear stand in your way!

And here are a few quotes for Motivation: 

“The greatest mistake you’ll ever make is FEARING you’ll make one” . Elbert Hubbard

“You’ll ALWAYS miss 100% of the shots you DON’T take.” Wayne Gretsky 1961

And of course one suited for those ultra-runners;

" Only those who risk going TOO FAR can find out HOW FAR they can go” . TS Elliott -Love it!

Heather



Since when did I think a trail 1/2 marathon was a SPRINT? Since yesterday.

Years ago I did 5 peaks trail races- the "Enduro's" (10-17 kms) . I used to think they were long.  After  my first race I had to go have a nap, and was stiff for a week! Years later, I'm doing 50 kms, training longer (and running slower I might add)  

I was granted a freebie entry into this weekends 5 peaks 1/2 marathon trail run (payback for Volunteering).

I knew I could do the distance. That is all I knew.  Sadly, due to the trail conditions we did not get to do the fun technical Diez Vista trail... oh well, its going to be a fast one then! And FUN it was!!  And it was a BEAUTIFUL SUNNY day!!!

"AND THEY'RE OFF !  "

Like GREYHOUNDS out of the starting block, all the 1/2 marathoners took off at what seemed like blasting speed.  I looked at my Garmin- 6:45-7 min miles- yikes, I can't run that fast... but I kinda had to.

They were greyhounds, I felt more like a little WEINER DOG pumping my legs as fast as they would go to keep up.  I was actually thankful for the hills- a place where I could catch up! But catching up was difficult with this fast group. I ended up running alone most of the race.

" Well, I guess this will just be a good speed training run" I tell myself.  I had to give my head a shake, speed training?  diddn't I used to think of a half as an endurance event? How things have changed ! I finished the first loop of lakeview/buntzen lake in about 1hr 30 mins- then some guy waves me in the direction of my second loop up and around some trails- " Oh Goody" I tell him.  As usual, once I'm warmed up, I really start to enjoy the race. I do the rest with a smile on my face.

Thanks to all the endurance training, I was at least able to keep a solid hard pace the whole run and finished with gas in the tank and enough energy to dance all night at a wedding.   

 It was good to revisit old experiences to see where I've improved (and need improvement) .
The BEST part was when Jim suprised me and met me at the finish line!  It totally made my day!!

Note to self:
 Hard run - feel GREAT  after.
Night of partying, dancing in stilletto's- NOT  so great after .
Will I ever learn? probably not. Its all in good fun!
           

Heather

Jims Toughest Test Ever

Roads to run, Trails to Traverse, and Peaks to Persue.... All great tests of our endurance and strength. 

Last week my husband was given one of the toughest tests ever...
He damn near died with BLOOD CLOTS in BOTH LUNGS !!  Yup, bilateral pulmonary embolisms!! Freaky hey!
He had calf pain for months, then it mysteriously went away.... only cuz the blood clots moved up to his lungs!

He couldn't breathe, had massive chest and rib pain, but had to hold on... and hold on he did!!  Several sleepless, painful nights he endured .  Thanks to his great fitness level going in he had enough reserve lung capacity to keep alive. And now he is back walking on the trails.

This is not an endurance event I recommend for anyone, but it certainly supports WHY WE RUN.  I truly believe that had he been sedentary he would not have had the physical and mental strength to make it through this.

Yet another reason to get off the couch.  And if that isn't enough, have a look at this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SbXgQqbOoU&feature=player_embedded

Just keep moving forward....

Heather