The cherry blossoms have passed and the lilacs are now in bloom! Beautiful sunny run today. So many birds around. This week running, I have seen four great egrets, a green heron, baby goslings with their Canadian parents, Mallard ducklings with mom, cormorants, and so many red winged blackbirds! I am enjoying the last few runs of my taper! Almost go time!
Pup's new red collar was whipped up by me this afternoon with material and hardware that had been salvaged from broken items. The clasps and D ring came from a puppy carrier that didn't last and the material was a strap on a reusable bag with a short lifespan. Anything that breaks, if I can't repair it, I salvage whatever I can for future projects.
Quite pleased with this! A quick and satisfying make! The other day I also made a big pillow, hemmed a blanket, and I sewed a headlamp onto my waist pack belt for an upcoming race. I will still wear a headlamp but it's nice to have a backup that lights up the ground right in front of me without looking down.
The beauty of double long runs is that by the second half of the second run, my legs are feeling it and I am shuffling along. Slow and steady means lots of quiet time to look around. So many little wonders!
Into the belly of the build. Five weeks in, five weeks out.
Warmer than usual for this time but still cold enough for long tights and gloves. I have been making my own hydration and nutrition for long runs this build. I figured that silicone baby food containers would work for my "gels" - a mix of honey, ginger syrup, and maldon salt. So far so good!
My elevation runs are laps of the sledding hill. Boring but lots of time to think and reflect. And it makes elevation on race day seem luxurious! I was observing today how different I feel since finishing the phd. I feel it in my muscles. In my bones. It's been about seven weeks since graduation and I am still marvelling at the change. I am excited for the next five weeks of build!
1040m of climbing today in the middle of my long run today. Yoga practice 1174 - self guided yin.
Midweek easy run with pup. Into week three of this training block and feeling good. Long run last week had 1000m of elevation and my legs felt great after - the magic of keeping max HR under 70%!!! Love it! A little over seven weeks until 80km! I am appreciative of the time spend on base over the winter!
Pup is a little over 18 months now! Enjoying all the adventures with her!
Yoga practice 1156, a little strength and stability, and a lot of hip mobility. Good stuff!
It's been about four days since the last of my thesis revisions got approved. I am working my way through the administrative processes before I can apply to graduate. I have no more writing left to do.
Holy post race crash, batman!
I can feel it in my muscles. I am exhausted. I really physically feel like I finished an ultra this week. My legs are exhausted. I'm even modifying my training plan. Post PhD crash is no joke!
Yesterday's medium run was in snow up to just below my knees. Today's long run was on sidewalks and pathways with a few inches of snow. Winter running is upon us.
I had forgotten how slow it is trying to break trail. All consuming, breathing, body, mind focused on forward movement. It's like having body and soul washed and wrung out!
Three inches of snow is like running on sand. Forever.
What does the science tell us about when it’s safe to lace up our running shoes after a Covid infection, and what the long-term impact on our running may be?
Switched to HR Zone 2 training about 20 months ago. I run farther but slower. Watch is always suggesting runs by pace and I guffaw at the paces! Watch is also always complaining about low anaerobic. I let the watch have its way today and did intervals by pace.
Woot! So much fun! My legs LOVED it! It felt great and way easier to execute than intervals by HR zone! I will let the watch have intervals from now on!
When we were looking for pup and imagining what life would be like, I imagined a running buddy. This little snuggle bug doesn't like wind or precipitation or cold. Her max distance is not quite long enough to go for a run together. Usually, I come back from my run and then we go for her walk. It's not what I expected but I do appreciate the opportunity to stretch my legs after my runs. Today the trails were sloppy greasy snowy and messy. The runs all this week since winter arrived have been slippery and greasy. Oh, how I am glad for those little shake outs with the pup! Most importantly though, she is my resting buddy. She enforces a snuggle schedule like a strict coach! #DogsOfMastodon#LongRunDone#Puppy#PuppySnuggles#TrailRunning#UltraRunning#TiredLegs#WinterRunning#SundayRunday#Running#SilentSunday#UltraTrail
Coucou Masto ! Je sais que j'ai plus une TL de cyclistes et d'universitaires, mais si vous pouviez faire suivre au Masto #running#ultratrail et autres courses longue distance : je cherche un beau cadeau à faire à une collègue fan de course à pied, surtout longue distance. Je pensais à un beau livre (belles photos, bel objet) sur le sujet. Vous auriez des idées ?
Le RePouet ne vous rendra pas plus soyeux, mais permettra peut-être à ma collègue d'avoir un plus beau cadeau...
Broke out the spikes and the nordic poles for today's run after snow, freezing rain, and freezing drizzle. Surfaces were not too bad but I was glad for the extra traction.
A beautiful Sunday. Second long run of the weekend, kept it easy after yesterday's interval long run. Stunning skies for the pup walk. Yoga practice 1000/1000 this evening. A moment of celebration for a goal reached - a thousand yoga practices.
After a cloudy, chilly run, the skies opened up during the pup walk around the pond.
Registered! The leaves are turning, the weather is getting colder, the time has come to register for a race to keep me warm through the winter! 80km/50miles coming up in May! Woot!
Beautiful run yesterday! All the runs are swishy now - swish, swish, swish through the fallen leaves!