Monday, May 25, 2015

My Next Race and What I Ran This Weekend

I told you I needed a running goal, so I just went ahead and bit off a bit more than I could chew and chose this little race as my next endeavor. C’mon I only count 3 hills.

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The Leadville Heavy Half.

You maybe be wondering why I chose a course that starts at 10,000 feet and climbs to 13,200 feet where there is little oxygen and no trees (and therefore no place to hide and poop). You may be asking yourself why I decided it was a good idea to climb 3,720 feet in one single run. You might be questioning, “Why the hell is this called a half marathon when it is 15.5 miles long?”.

Or, maybe you don’t give a shit and have not pondered any of these things.

Aside from wanting a really tough goal, I wanted to reminisce a bit from when I was in 8th grade. You see, in this race we run over Mosquito Pass (which is the teeny nipple you see at the top of this “hill”). And, when I was in 8th grade, and a member of the (IBTC) Itty Bitty Titty Committee, I was often chided for having mosquito bites for breasts. I see this run as a way of conquering that time of my life and “passing over it.” Get it?

Or, maybe I just needed a race to sign up for and this looked fun. Who needs a real reason anyway?

The good news is I have done no training for this race in terms of altitude or vertical running. I am hoping that lack of conditioning gives me some good stories for this blog after the fact.

On that note, this was a great weekend for running. Saturday I blew off my run because I had a bit too much fun on Friday night and needed some extra sleep (you can interpret that any way you want).

Yesterday the sun finally came out after 21,234 days. I did a lovely 11 mile run with myself. We talked about all kinds of things including why the dentist talks to you when his/her hands are in your mouth and how come I always press harder on the remote buttons when the batteries are dead/dying? It was very profound.

Some scenes:

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There must be a drop of GU on my lip I needed to lick off.

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Like I said on Instagram, post-run coffee is the best (well so is pre-run coffee so you can get the pipes cleared and stuff):

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Today was the infamous Bolder Boulder 10K, which I like to run with 52,000 of my closest friends. The biggest feat of the day is getting my two teenage children out of bed at 5;30 a.m and to the finish line. I just keep telling myself (lying to myself?) that one day they will look back on this as the best damn years of their lives!!

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Then there is beer (a craft brew this year, no less!) and 10 a.m. and all is good.

At the start it was cold so I dressed like a trash bag.

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We ran into my daughter’s teacher. He was dressed like a naked muscly man. I must wear this costume one day (well, not this ACTUAL one, but get my own) in a race if only to show off my mosquito bites.

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I have been running this race with my friend Kathy and my daughter, Emma, for the past 5 years. It’s a fine tradition.

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Happy Memorial Day!

 

Were you ever a member of the IBTC?

Did you race this weekend? If not, what kind of run did you do?

Are you going to come to Leadville with me?

SUAR

18 comments:

  1. Is there beer at the finish line of Leadville? Actually, they should serve it at the top of that peak.

    I ran some hills in Wisconsin this weekend. No elevations even close to that one, and my hamstrings are angry at me. How do you even prepare for a hill like that?

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    1. I am not sure. That is why I am not going to do anything to prepare.

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  2. I am running the Leadville Trail Marathon! I will see you at the start, but you will finish long before me. I think you prepare for the hill by telling yourself it's just fine to hike it. At least that's my way of prepping.

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  3. I'm a lifetime member of the ITBC.

    What do the different color bibs mean from your race above? I was trying to come up with something clever for the "FJ" on your bib, but couldn't.

    I also made the bean and rice recipe a few blogs ago, that was a winner!

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  4. I did a mere 15 miles on the (small) city streets of my hometown (Grinnell, IA). My husband joined myself (and another runner friend) for the first 11 miles. I call this a mere 15 miles because my goal was 18....but the clouds parted and the sun came out and it got HOT. And my body got tired. And I had to get back home in time to wish the oldest daughter a fond farewell as she left for her summer internship....so, excuses aplenty. I have a 26.2 in four weeks (Grandma's Marathon) which will a "just for fun" race for me because my training has not been ideal, and I'm OK with that :-)

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  5. Haaaa i do that too! I sign up for big scary races because "eh, why not..." Keeps me motivated/on my toes/feeling like a bad ass. Glad you had a great sunny day! I totally was/am part of the IBTC. Mine WERE bigger than my sister's, but then she got pregnant, and now shes pregnant again, so her boobs are bigger now. I want to do Leadville! I need someone to pay my entry, and flight, hotel, food, plus im pretty slow, but i LOVE uphills!

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  6. That race looks insane to me, but then I live in Florida and I'm still ticked off about how crappy I've become at hills since moving here. One of these years I'm doing that 10K...I will it in to happening :)

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  7. Happy to report I was/still am a proud member.

    That half looks ridiculous! I am jealous!

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  8. I ran a marathon on Sunday I only decided to do six days beforehand.

    It too had big, big hills - total elevation, 185 feet! Major oxygen depravation!!

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  9. The Leadville Heavy Half? I would expect no less from you.

    Didn't race this weekend, but had a great 13 mile run with some friends. Beautiful weather to boot! Couldn't ask for more!

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  10. I have run Leadville heavy half. Tight at the top with the up and back course. Fun to start and end in Leadville and end is especially pretty coming in to town. Pretty good snacks at end and fun race environment. Should be a good time. Hope for not too much mud on trail as I thought it was pretty technical near the top.

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    1. Thanks for the info. Sounds like a good time!

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  11. I am still a member of the IBTC, now even moreso because I breastfed (mostly pumped) my twins. Thank god for padded bras and no problems with bouncing while running.

    I did run 6 miles over the weekend through my neighborhood while my husband hung out with the kids. It was nice, and I'm not too sore for hardly ever getting out to run like I used to! I did do the Broad Street Run (10 miler) in Philly this month with 40,000 of my closest friends too. It was great!

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  12. Card carrying member of the IBTC. Can't wait to hear about Leadville. I've always wanted to run one of the races.

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  13. I am all about doing races totally outside of the comfort zone--great choice! And Bolder Boulder always looks like so much fun. If I wouldn't die of oxygen debt, I'd try it. But then that whole out of comfort zone thing….

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  14. I was president of IBTC until I had kids and now I'm president of the SIBTC - well, VP because I'm still nursing my 14 mo old and every once and while I get lucky enough to have cleavage if you know what I mean ;)
    No race this weekend but I put in 12 training miles for the Seattle Rock n Roll 1/2 coming up next month.

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  15. Too funny. Perhaps a trade could be worked out? I was a member of the BOMB squad (Big Ole' Man Boobs) in elementary school. The most embarrasing moment of my life was playing basketball against the 6th graders in a skins versus shirts assembly in front of the entire school. Sometimes life just isn't fair - especially to kids.

    But now - I have no doubt that my life is much better than the bully's who taunted me with "you shouldn't play without a bra!" Kids are mean, but success is sweet revenge. I think you have gotten your sweet taste of success as well.

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  16. I did my first half marathon this weekend on a mostly flat course....nothing like those "hills" you have to look forward to. Good luck to you!

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