I Did It! My First 50K

Here is a link to the post on my other blog about finishing my first ultramarathon:

http://whendoibecomecompetentagain.blogspot.ca/


I'm happy to report I did get through the race.  Here are my lists from before the race (keeping in mind that I'm an amateur):


Weeks Before Race:

• hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
• drink beet juice daily

Night Before Race:

• charge BlackBerry
• charge Garmin watch
• charge iPod
• set out whole outfit for race
• pack back with extra clothes, shoes, deodorant, jacket
• cut toenails
• put all food in camelback pockets (I put in Larabars and jellybeans and a Clif Builder Bar)
• pack chapstick in camelback pocket
• pack sunglasses/hat

Day of Race:

• drink water
• eat breakfast two hours before race
• drink coffee
• put on blister bandages
• put on chapstick
• fill camelback with water
• put on sunscreen
• get iPod ready to 'Running List'
• get dressed!
• take banana for 30 minutes before race

GOOD LUCK!
 

Getting Through the Big One (Race, that is!)

1.  Never decide how you're doing when you're in the middle of going up a steep hill.  This is an extremely bad idea.  Decide how you're doing when you're running DOWN a nice smooth incline, with the wind on your face and the sun on your back.
2.  There will be a moment when you question why you are doing the race.  The phrase, 'It seemed like a good idea at the time" will echo through your head.  This moment (hopefully) will pass. (I mean, of course it will pass! - added after reading #3)
3.  When negative self-talk is happening, notice it and try to change it to positive.  For example, instead of telling yourself, "I will NEVER finish this !@##$$% race!", instead say, "Soon I will be done!"  and "I am doing what very few people ever accomplish, and once more I am lucky to be running in the forest listening to music with snacks and water on my back."  If that fails, just fall back on my old standard: "I am not lying in a hospital bed, I am not lying in a hospital bed."
4.  Instead of looking inward, look outward.  Admire the scenery.  Listen to the birds.  Notice things you've never seen before.
5.  Have some jellybeans or chocolate.  How could that fail?
6.  Walk if you have to (and I will), but don't stop and lie down, or you may never, ever get back up again to finish the race.
7.  May the force be with you.

Iron: It's Important for Runners!

If you feel like this, you may need this: iron!

I found out that my iron levels are quite low, which led me into research that demonstrates how important iron is, particularly for runners:

http://runnersconnect.net/running-nutrition-articles/iron-deficiency-in-runners/


Now I'm taking supplements and trying to increase the iron in my diet.  I may have taken it a bit too far.  I tried a liver smoothie.  I'm desperate, okay?  I'm supposed to run a 50K race in a few weeks and I am seriously dragging.  I thought if I put in lots of blueberries and dates that it would taste okay.  I was wrong.  And then today I found out that you shouldn't have too much liver.  I don't understand why or I would tell you.  So now I'm going for pumpkin seeds.  I can SO do pumpkin seeds!  Bring them on.  And a pumpkin seed smoothie...sounds so much better!

I'm still waitin for my knee to heal, and I'm really missing running. My husband yelled down to me today that he was, "going out with the dog." I think he meant to leave right away, but I caught him on his way out the door, wearing his running gear and a sheepish grin. He felt guilty for going when I couldn't.

When I try to tell people what it is that not just attracts me to trail running, but actually makes me addicted, I mention the scenery and the sense of calmness. And depending on who it is, they may understand a bit of it. Then I saw this article on the Trail Runner Magazine website today. It truly sums up much of what I feel.

The author says that trail runners are generally risk-takers and how the author believes this can help them to not settle for average, but to be more adventurous in all aspects of their lives. I've always thought that a great time out is one that creates an adventure, one you can tell an interesting story about to your friends and family. I think that the best lives are lived by experiencing as much as you can (within reason of course).

"Trail running can result in bold and positive changes in the lives of those who truly embrace it." says the author, Jannine Myers.

Myers concludes her article with: "Every path traveled is full of obstacles that threaten to stop us in our tracks. Yet, diverting to a safer, more traveled path that leads to an “average” destination simply isn't an option."

Read the full article at: http://www.trailrunnermag.com/people/culture/601-running-the-path-less-traveled
 

Very Specific Things I've Learned While Training for an Ultramarathon

1)  You're supposed to take in at least 20 oz water per hour (of course water intake depends on many different variables such as heat, humidity, weight, amount of sweat and so on).  All I can say is: hydrate.

2)  You're supposed to take in about 200 - 300 calories per hour.  Ensure they are calories that are easy on your stomach.  (Of course this also depends on height, weight, distance, and so on.  I know, I know - I can only be SO specific!)

3) Fuel while you can, before you get too tired.

4) Start off slow and steady so you have enough energy to finish.

5) Dr. Scholl's has a box of Blister Treatment pads that are like band aids - not only do they heal blisters quickly but they prevent them.  Since I got one bad blood blister on a run, I've been using them before every long run and I haven't gotten another blister.

6) Remember to tie your shoes correctly!



7) To get the plasticky taste out of your camelback water pack, run white vinegar through it, then rinse.

8)  Enjoy the journey, not just the ending.

Happy running!

I've become a running cliche. While training for a 50K run in May I have hurt my knee.

Big surprise, right? Running 75K plus each week may hurt. Funny thing was for the most part it didn't. I damaged my knee on a slippery run. Mud and ice on the trails mixed and I found myself sliding out sideways multiple times. By the end of the run that was that, my knee hurt. The rest of me felt great.

What really surprises me though is that it has been two weeks, one x-ray, one ultrasound, four musculoskeletal treatments and I still don't actually know what the problem is. I am still waiting on an MRI appointment, which I'm sure will shed light on the problem, but what do I do until then?

I am swimming, walking and biking. Sometimes I still get knee twinges, but for the most part these activities help keep me in shape. Enough for a 50k race remains to be seen. I suspect I may not be able to finish the full ultra, but I will stop myself from worrying about it until closer to the date when I know more about how my knee is recovering.

In the meantime, the knee hurts on the outside, slightly below my kneecap. This could be a number of things. IT band comes up immediately, but is probably not the reason in this case. My doctor suspects a torn meniscus, which I am hoping it is not as that seems more serious than my other ideas. A torn meniscus involves surgery and I'm worried it would mean future arthritis as well. Lastly, and I think probably the most likely, is a strained Lateral Collateral Ligament. At the moment the treatment for all of these is rest, ice, Advil and bracing/taping. So I guess I'm good for now.

What I've found during this experience is that everyone except runners seems to think running is bad for your knees. I just finished a book called, "Anatomy for Runners" by Jay Dicharry, and in his book, he says that yes, running 50 marathons a year probably is not good for your knees, but he also says, "Evidence suggests that some activity (running) is better for joint surfaces that no activity (not running.)" and "Mild to moderate running volume appears to be a healthy stimulus for the long-term maintenance of cartilage." His idea is that running itself does not cause injuries, it is the lack of strength training, balance and support for your joints that causes problems.

Many of the exercises he mentions are good for running are the ones that I do on a regular basis at bootcamp, so why am I hurt? I suspect I have to work on my hips, quads and glutes to help stabilize my knee. I am stronger on my right than left and my left is what is hurt, so that makes sense to me. Squats, here I come. I am also using a weight machine for my quads and hamstrings. And beyond that, I'll just wait and see.

What I Have Learned So Far While Training for a 50K Trail Run

1)   You need to be able to bring enough water.  I'm using a backpack.  It has to be comfortable.  For awhile I was trying to carry enough water bottles and I was stashing bottles.  Not good enough and a big pain in the butt.  Splurge on a good 'camelback' type carrier.

2)   Whole food is working well for me, such as Brazil nuts and dates, dark chocolate, fruit, Larabars and pureed food (okay, yes, it's baby food.  It works!).

3)  Good trail shoes are absolutely mandatory.

4)  Good music on your iPod and lots of it - also mandatory.  And it helps to have comfortable earbuds too.

5)  Bring chapstick.

6)  Wear comfortable layers.  When you're running for hours in a row, the temperature often changes and it's best to be prepared.

7) Wear sunglasses or a least a hat for some sun protection.

8)  Know your route ahead of time. Seems simple but this would have saved me a few frustrating moments trying to figure out where the heck I'm going and how long it would make my run.

9)  Ensure you know how to safely run downhill.  Google it.

10)  Enjoy the trails!