My first DNS

For those of you that don't speak runnerd, that's "did not start."

Last Saturday, Trea and I were supposed to run as a couple in the Valentine's 8K race. We had 5 miles on our training plan to run that day, so I thought this little race would be the perfect training run. It was right by our house and didn't start until 9 a.m., AND we got awesome long sleeve tech pullovers.

I've never missed a race due to anything other than injury before, but a few days before the race, I got an email saying the location and start time had changed. It was no longer close to our house, and the new start time was 7 a.m. SEVEN! On a Saturday!

I picked up our packets the day before and was prepared to get up at stupid-thirty to run with my Valentine. But after a long, stressful week at work, when the alarm went off that morning, I just didn't have it in me. I slept in. DNS. When I don't get enough sleep, I transform into a demon. And when I get really, really tired, I get a cold. I would totally be the first to die in the Hunger Games because I need my beauty rest to be able to function.

When I woke up around 9:00, I saw tons of tweets about how much fun the race had been, and I felt like a loser for skipping it. I had to email the race director to find out where to return our time chips, and was so ashamed to hit send on that message.

Trea and I both ran an 8K that day -- by ourselves and on our own schedule. That's the beauty of being childless. I can wake up when I want and run when I want. It was my best 5 miles since I returned from injury. But the worst part about missing this race -- THE SHIRT ACTUALLY FITS! Of all the races I've ever run, all the shirts are unisex sized and swallow my petite frame. Before this, I only had one race shirt I could wear because I got a youth large. Even my marathon shirt -- the one I sweated for 6 months to get and suffered a broken bone for -- looks like I'm wearing Trea's clothes.

But this Valentine's pullover is amazing. I would show you a picture, but it's in the hamper because I want to run in it every day. This race actually had women's and men's sizes! So my shirt is simply perfect. But I didn't run the race. I DID run the distance that day...just not with the group. Does that count?

Have you ever missed a race because getting good rest was more important? Have you ever worn a shirt for a race you didn't run?

White Christmas in Steamboat

I have Colorado fever. Trea and I spent an extra long Christmas week in Steamboat Springs, and it was hands down the best Christmas I've ever had. I'm usually a beach girl and like to go where there's sunshine. I've never actually gone toward snow on purpose before. But I'm so glad I did this year! I think Christmas ski trips will become an annual tradition!

I've never skied before, but I completely fell in love with it. Steamboat is the cutest little town, and they've gotten a TON of snow this year. We skied 8 days straight (whew!), and almost every day was a powder day. The conditions couldn't have been better. Once, Trea actually got stuck in waist-deep powder and had to go fishing for a lost ski. It was beautiful! 

We got to Steamboat the weekend before Christmas, and there weren't any crowds yet, so we had the slopes practically all to ourselves. We stayed at the Trailhead Lodge, and loved every minute of it. We had reserved a studio condo, but they upgraded us to a one bedroom condo when we got there. It felt just like home -- but better! We had a fireplace, balcony, full kitchen and washer/dryer, so we were able to continue being homebodies just like in Arkansas. We ate dinner most evenings at the condo and watched Christmas movies. Trea was so happy to be there that he sat through Love Actually without complaining one single time.  

The Trailhead also had its own private gondola right outside the front door, so even though we weren't at the base of the mountain, we could hop on the gondola and be taken right where we needed to go every morning without getting into the car. Cruising over town to get up the mountain was one of my favorite things!

We rented all our ski equipment (skis, poles, boots and helmets) from Black Tie Ski Rentals, run by the nicest guys in the world. Since I had never skied before, I had no clue what boots should feel like, so it took skiing in three different pairs before I finally found ones that I didn't want to hurl off the mountain.  {The Salomon Divine 550 in size 24.5 would make an excellent birthday present. Ahem.}

Skiing was a lot harder than I expected it to be. I'm fairly fit, I've been running 2-3 times a week and going to a personal trainer twice a week for the last month or two, so I felt like I was in pretty good shape. Um, NO. The first day out, we took a full day of ski school. Trea knows how to ski, so he was just there to hang out with me, but I needed to be taught all the basics. And it was our ski instructor's first time to ever teach a class. Boy, did he learn a lot with me!

Guess who was the first person to fall down in ski school? {*Raises hand*} Guess who got mad and took off her skis and marched in boots down the bunny slope? {*Raises hand*} The first few hours did not go well. Also, since new skiers are so new that they can't handle the ski lift, you have to side-step your way up the bunny slope every time you ski down. From 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., THAT'S A LOT OF SIDE STEPPING. It was about 9 degrees outside, and I was burning up. Trea actually soaked through a base layer and two jackets. Ick. We worked super hard, and the next day, I swear I felt worse than the day after a marathon. I hurt in places that I didn't know could hurt. Thumb muscles! Who knew?!

I had trouble keeping up with the class because everyone else was catching on faster than me, so I was sent over to the Magic Carpet with Trea to practice with the little kids. Yes, I was reduced to skiing with first graders, but I learned so much with them! Adult ski classes are not taught the same as kid ski classes, and even though I wasn't actually involved in the kid classes, I was listening and paying close attention to the instructors around me. Just hearing the kids' instruction was so helpful, and I learned to pizza like a pro!

After a few days of pizza-ing my way all over the green trails, we moved up to blue runs the last couple of days we were there. It was amazing.

Whoosh!

After several hours of shredding the powder, we were always starving, so we hit up the apres ski scene every afternoon at either Slopeside, Bear River Grill or The Snowbird at the Ptarmigan -- our favorite.

I was surprised at how much fuel skiing requires. Luckily, restaurants take this into account when serving up portions. This was breakfast at The Paramount, another fav. Because who doesn't need chicken fried steak and biscuits covered in elk sausage gravy and eggs right before hitting the slopes?

I think we only went out for dinner one night -- Christmas Eve. We took a sleigh ride up the mountain to Ragnar's for some fine mountaintop dining and live music. Unfortunately, the sleigh ride was during a bit of a blizzard, so it wasn't the postcard moment I had anticipated. It was more like a hunker-down-in-your-coat, emerge-as-a-lump-of-snow type of evening. Oh well. The music was really good.

We literally spent as much time as possible on the mountain because we both became completely addicted. But we had to take time for recovery. After our apres ski drinks and snacks, we would moan and groan our way back to the hotel where we kept a buffet of Advil, Salonpas patches, Icy Hot and Aspercreme. Trea's favorite thing was to soak in one of the three hot tubs at the hotel...which were outside...where the snow is. It was nice while you were in, but slightly less fun on the way out. Minus-2 is super cold.

Yes, that's a pile of snow behind my head.

We had tons of fun in the Tetons and Yellowstone, but I think this might be the best vacation yet. I have never been so sad to leave a place. I got sick almost as soon as we got home and have been stuck in bed all week with an actual fever, not of the Colorado variety. I think it's because I need more fresh mountain air! I cannot wait until next year!

Get out there

Alternately titled, A Pep Talk to Myself.

Many of you have been whining about running in the dark this winter (and by "many of you," I mean me). But it has to stop. Yes, it's cold and dark. Yes, you would rather go home and curl up with a glass of wine after a long day at work instead of strapping on a headlamp and freezing your nose off.

BUT, spring race season is just around the corner! Tank top season is also just around the corner! So here are the Top Five Reasons to Get Out There and run anyway.

1. Running in December is the best way to see Christmas lights! Who cares if you're a freak show with your headlamp, headband, earbuds, Garmin and phone (for safety) strapped to you.

2. For every mile you run, you're burning off a glass of eggnog (or vino), while your non-runner, non-headlamp-wearing friends are just packing on the holiday calories. They might think you're crazy now, but not so much when it's time to emerge from the parka in the spring.

3. Run with kleenex.

4. Number three isn't a reason, but just trust me on that one.

5. Did I mention Christmas lights?! Get in the habit of running in the dark now while there are sparkly distractions on every corner. Because it's really gonna suck in February.

Happy nighttime running!

One week

Today was my last long run before the St. Jude Memphis Marathon, and this week, I've been reminded of what it takes to persevere, keep going when you're exhausted and to never give up. I've mentioned before that I'm running for Team Carson, in honor of my cousin who was treated at St. Jude for brain cancer. And this past week, Carson's story was featured on the TODAY Show! He and his family spent the week in New York and had a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Check out his video from the show.

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Carson and his parents are such an inspiration. They never gave up, even when it was incredibly difficult, and Carson is with us today because of St. Jude. (If you'd like to make a donation to Team Carson, which goes directly to St. Jude, please visit my St. Jude Heroes fundraising page HERE.) 

So when I'm running my first 26.2 in just six short days, you can bet I'll be thinking of Carson and hoping I can muster a fraction of the strength that he and his family have. As race day looms closer, I'm getting more and more nervous. I just got a new job, and I haven't had much time to run at all the last couple of weeks, so I was even nervous about today's 10 miler. It's the farthest I've run since my 20 mile run two weeks ago...because Trea and I spent last weekend eating bacon instead of running our planned mileage. Ahem.

This morning, we met up with Lori, Alicia, Jennifer and Charles for 10 miles in the freezing cold. The weather was kind of awful, but we were all bundled up, so we had a good, strong run. It was exactly the confidence booster I needed before the big day. I can do this! I think. Probably.



I can't believe we only have a week left -- just six days! -- and then we'll be Memphis bound!

Snowpocalypse

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that most of America was blanketed with snow this week. Unfortunately, the blizzard did not miss Arkansas. And for those of you who are counting, this makes the third time I've been snowed in. Thanks for nothing, 2011. We got even more snow yesterday and more is on the way, so I may never leave the house again. I haven't left since I got home from work Monday evening. Living in the woods on a giant hill is not convenient during the months of December through February.

4 new inches Friday...in addition to the 7 we got Tuesday.

BUT, I've kept up with my training and haven't missed one single workout. It has been miserable, but I got it all done...running in the garage, biking in the living room and getting creative for strength training. Before the great blizzard hit, we had one glorious 75-degree day last weekend. That was the day of my first ever 5-mile run. I was nervous about running that distance, but I made it and it felt great! Glad I got a good outdoor sunshiney run in before having to spend the next several days stuck in the house praying my pipes wouldn't freeze.

I've run 9 miles so far this week -- all on the treadmill in the garage -- and Trea set up my new bike in the living room so I can cross train. I haven't ridden a bike since I was 13, but Trea found a crazy good deal on a mountain bike for me a few weeks ago. It's been way too cold to ride, so we picked up a bike trainer and now it's parked in the living room. The dogs are not pleased.

I had grand ideas of how riding a bike would be fun and easy and make my sore running legs feel better while I caught up on my Netflix queue. I remembered running in the sweltering heat last summer and getting so envious of the guys on bikes who would zoom by with the wind in their hair. I thought they had it so much easier than runners, covering more ground and getting to feel a breeze. But after pedaling about 5 minutes last night on the easiest gear, I was wishing for the treadmill. Riding a bike is tough! I know it's going to be great cross training; it definitely works an entirely different set of muscles.

And speaking of working different muscles, I decided to try some of the core exercises in the February Runner's World. Being snowed in, I couldn't get to the store to pick up the equipment they called for. So I learned that a giant can of sweet potatoes is just as good as a medicine ball.

Today I have another 5-miler scheduled, and I'm going to try my best to run it outside in the slush. I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for another heavy snow next week and more days on the treadmill. It's not pretty, but it's getting the job done. Snowed-in training week four has been a success!

Baby, it's cold outside

Training for my first half marathon officially began this week, and it coincided with our first snowstorm of the year. Here in Arkansas, we are experiencing sub-zero windchills and more snow than we know what to do with. I worked from home yesterday because I can get much more done that way, but today I didn't have another choice. Roads were icy and slick, and since I already had my laptop at home, there was no reason to risk driving to the office. But after two full days of being here with two whiny dogs who don't want to stay inside but don't want to go out in the cold either, I was going stir CRAZY, and I went for my first snowy run.

Since I was home in the middle of the day, I was able to run in the daylight, which is a novelty lately, and even though it was wicked cold, the sun was shining bright and melting the snow a little bit. When I left, it was 19 degrees with a windchill of NINE. I bundled up in my warmest running clothes - two pairs of socks, the best pants on earth - Nike dri-fit thermals, a toboggan covered with a fleece headband, my super warm running jacket from Target and one of Trea's Buffs. So what if I couldn't move my head? At least it was warm.

As soon as I stepped outside, I realized the roads were worse than I thought, and I immediately began to worry about slipping and falling. But according to Hal, I had 3 miles to run, and I was too afraid to try driving to the gym. I walked very carefully around my neighborhood until I found a dry stretch of road that was in direct sunlight. It was only about 0.15 miles of snow/ice-free surface, so I just ran back and forth until I got my 3 miles in. And it was mostly a hill, so...bonus points for hill training. I'm sure the neighbors thought I was crazy running back and forth up the same stretch of road, but everywhere that was shaded by trees was covered in snow and ice.

My weather.com app did a great job of terrifying me of the risks of frostbite, which is why I opted for the Buff. It actually worked pretty well at keeping my face warm - until it froze from the steam from my breath. And then it was like wearing a big fat ice necklace. Thank goodness I didn't have to go more than 3 miles!

I haven't been running much the last month or so because of a minor knee injury, so my weekly mileage has been crazy low. One of the most important rules of running, I'm told, is to increase mileage by only 10% each week to avoid injury. So because I've only been logging about 5-6 miles a week, I can't just dive right into my training as I'd hoped. Hal's plan calls for 12 miles in the first week, which would more than double my mileage. Not smart to do this probably, so I ran/walked the last mile today, and I'll be hitting the gym more frequently these first couple of weeks for some elliptical action and stationary bike training. According to Coach Pink Girl, this will give me the cardio, leg work and mileage without pounding my knees.  

My snowy run wasn't ideal. It wasn't comfortable. My pace was ridiculous because I walked so much to keep from slipping on ice. But I felt so good for getting out there and sticking to my plan. So bring it on, Old Man Winter. I have 81 days to train, and it's gonna take more than a little wintry mix to slow me down.

Get geared up

I am not a zen runner. I do not simply walk out the door with no watch and no music and run until I feel like I've run enough. I set goals, I obsess over weather preparation and I take a lot of crap with me. A lot.

Things were simpler when the weather was warm. But now I have to make sure I have a light to see since it's dark all the time, wear a headband over my ears, sometimes layered with a warm hat, gloves, vest, etc. While some might view this as a weakness and think I should just get myself out the door and deal with it, my level of comfort is of the utmost importance when I'm running. If my gear isn't right, I break down.

Today, I intended to run two miles. But the moment I got out of the car, I knew I was going to have a bad run solely because of the headband I chose. Instead of wearing a hat layered over a Bondi Band, like I normally do when it's 35-ish degrees, I opted for a cheap fleece headband only. Big mistake. It was too loose, so it did nothing to protect my wimpy ears from the freezing wind. And it was just loose enough to tug my headphones out of my ears every time I took a step. (How can Apple produce some of the world's greatest gadgets but fail at designing earphones?!) So I ran one angry mile - fighting with my earphones and headband the entire way, dreading the cold-induced earache that I knew was coming - and gave up in frustration and went home. That headband is dead to me now. 

So even though it might take me 20 minutes to get myself put together for a run, it's well worth it to me. Here is only a sampling of my winter gear - hat, Bondi Band, Road ID, Garmin, headlight, and of course my music.

Of all the things I must take with me, my music is the most important, ya know, other than shoes and clothing. I listen to music constantly whether I'm driving or cooking or cleaning house, and I run better when I have a good song to motivate me. I use music sort of as an incentive or reward for running. When I hear a song I love on the radio in the car, I turn it off, buy it on my iPhone and I don't let myself listen to it unless I run. It's my version of a dangling carrot. Also, I don't let myself listen to my favorite running songs any other time besides when I'm running so I won't get tired of them too quickly. This is a money-saving incentive so I'm not buying music for new playlists every other week. So...here are a few of my latest favorites.

1. My Body by Young the Giant - All I could find on YouTube is the live version, but it's still awesome. The lyrics are perfect to make me pick up my pace!



2. Down by Jay Sean - I first heard this song when I saw the Pink Glove Dance video. Who couldn't love this?



3. Ours by The Bravery - I liked this one so much I had to buy the entire Eclipse soundtrack to get it. Yuck.

4. Bang Pop by Free Energy - Remember bad videos from the '80s? Yeah, so do these guys.

5. Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap - This would've been perfect for a Brat Pack movie.

6. Love the Way You Lie by Eminem feat. Rihanna - PARENTAL ADVISORY. It's Eminem; what did you expect?

One good run

I've been struggling to find the motivation to get off my fanny and run for a lot of reasons. Mostly because I'm slow and not a good runner, but also because it's dark and cold every time I get an opportunity to run. But on Wednesday, I decided just to suck it up, get out there and do it. I'm so glad I did. Running hurts and I've been so discouraged lately. But that one night, I had a good run. Besides, I've had so much fun shopping for winter running gear, it was about time I took the tags off my long pants, fun toboggan with the ponytail hole and my awesome C9 shirt from Target and gave 'em a whirl.

Wednesday was cold. Seriously COLD. In northwest Arkansas, it's almost always windy, which I hate and which always makes the cold feel colder. But on Wednesday, it was cold and perfectly still. No wind AT ALL. This never happens, y'all. It was 32 degrees, but it was a peaceful 32. I knew I would regret it if I didn't take advantage of the calm.

Trea was busy and couldn't come with me, so I left my comfy couch and ventured out into the cold darkness alone (sorry mom). I was excited to try my new cold weather gear, and for the most part I didn't get cold (except for my delicate ears, as usual). I bundled up in a long-sleeved shirt, vest and long pants. Then I spent a good 15 minutes trying to take a picture of myself with my phone in the bathroom mirror. How does everyone else do that and not look like a goob? I obviously still haven't figured it out.

I have mentioned this about a thousand times, but I can't stress enough how sensitive my ears are to the cold. If it's below 70 degrees, those babies have to be covered or I'm in for a world of hurt. So I was super excited about my new toboggan. I loved that it had a place for my ponytail!

Unfortunately, this hat doesn't have a bill like my running cap, so there was nowhere to clip my hat light. Dilemma. How to run in the dark without a light - and dressed in black? I did not think this through. BUT, I was determined to get out there and brave the cold and not let the darkness keep me from my run. So I headed out to a park that has lots of safe sidewalks and lots of lighting. When I've run at night before at this park, there have been volleyball games and soccer games going on, so all the fields were lit up like daylight. But not on Wednesday. There was no one else there. The soccer fields were dark and my car was the only one in the lot. It was perfectly still and perfectly silent.

I headed out and was surprised that I wasn't freezing. Especially with my nifty fingerless gloves/mittens, I was perfectly fine. My nose and cheeks were pretty chilly, but since there wasn't any wind, it wasn't bad at all. I decided I would just run for 30 minutes and call it a night. About 10 minutes in, I started getting warm, so I pulled back the mitten part of my gloves and let my fingers breathe so I could cool off a little. I ended up switching back and forth with the mittens closed and open, and was able to stay warm enough and cool enough. Sadly, my hat did little to protect my ears, so I may have to add some behind-the-head earmuffs to this ensemble (nerd alert!)

I didn't run far, but I felt good. This rarely happens. My lungs didn't burn. I had plenty of energy. I could've run farther, but I had told Trea I wouldn't be long and didn't want him to worry. It felt so good to get out by myself in the cold, still darkness and have FUN running. I had one good run, and that's what keeps me going back out there. Every now and then, everything works like it should - peaceful thoughts, strong legs, strong lungs and beautiful scenery. This makes the hard runs worth it.