Greeting the Dawn

I happen to have today off and was excited at the thought of a run to greet the sun after Solstice (The longest night of the year.)
My daydreams of running through the dark and into the blazing glory of a sunrise were not to be.  the freezing rain held off but the gloomy overcast morning was more of a gradually seeping in of the light.
It was still a lovely time spent outside and enjoying the sound of my feet hitting the ground, my breath in my ears, and the birds waking up to the new morning.  I had new to me shoes to try out and the intermittent snow/slush and ice at the side of the Lakeland Trail was a good spot to try them.  Surprisingly even with 2 layers of socks the Solomon trail shoes fit fine, no pinching or rubbing of toes and the impressive lugs worked well on everything but ice. 
I came across this cute tree someone had decorated and decided it was a good turn around point.

It was not the blazing glory from my Solstice run 2 years ago...

But I am reminded of a snippet from a song from Sondheim's Into the Woods ..

"Oh if life were made of moments

Even now and then a bad one--

But if life were made of moments,

Then you'd never know you had one"

Merry Solstice my friends! 

Let It Snow!

Many people I know bemoan and complain about winter and the snow.  A coworker said to me the other day "Quit talking about that evil" when I cheerfully remarked it was finally snowing.  I get that many people hate the troubles the snow brings; such as cold, bad traffic, difficulty getting anywhere, and slippery sidewalks to name a few.  I think too many people become very sedentary in winter as it's tempting to bundle up and stay in once the white stuff falls.

I wish they could experience the snow from my perspective.  I woke up to a beautiful, white, crisp, and peaceful world.  With the snow still coming down just hard enough to make things fun but not sleety or bad enough for it to be a difficult run.  I was so excited to have the day off and be able to meet friends for a romp through the snowy woods.   It's not too cold if you wear the right layers, and keep moving, and hand and toe warmers definitely help.  I had a great time exploring Stinchfield's trails with the help of Jason.  Nice tall pine sections were serene and quiet in the snowfall.  Lots of hills!  These trails are a good hill workout and it didn't take much effort to stay warm. 

We found the infamous old car abandoned in the middle of the woods.  No one seems to know how it got there, but it's fun to speculate.

 I myself used to hate the cold weather and had knees that would ache in the cold.  Moving can help, I no longer have achy knees in the winter since I started running.  And you don't have to run to enjoy the winter. You might enjoy hiking, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, sledding; Heck I even have friends who still Kayak in the winter.  There is a great big winter wonderland out there waiting to be enjoyed.  My friends and I chatted about the change of seasons and how  the woods can be a completely different place covered in a serene blanket of snow.    I used to hate winter, and it is now my favorite season.

Let It Snow!!!

Dawn Sisters Again

It's been several weeks since I have been able to run, first because of a sprained ankle, then feeling under the weather which snowballed into a  bad cold.  Finally after several weeks I was able to get back to the trails.  I find we have transitioned back into cold, dark fall mornings and head lamp running season. 
Sadly I have not spent much time unpacking our bedroom and the den and most of the winter running gear seems to be missing.  I also couldn't find our headlamps and had to settle for a moderately bright flashlight.   I did luckily have a new pair of electric hand warmers to try out! 

Side Note review of Celestron hand warmers:  They are a little bulky but I could mostly ignore the extra weight. I couldn't carry my handheld water bottle with them but I could manage the flashlight. Bonus they are rechargeable, yay renewable energy! The best feature?  It was easy to turn them off and on without taking off my gloves.  I am very happy with how they kept my hands warm enough that I did not develop any chilblains today.





I was able to join my Dawn running sister Leslie for the first time in months. 
The miles flew by as we shared stories of our summer adventures, she's been killing the long miles and completed her first 50k!!  We also talked of  training plans and races for next years running season, could there be a 50 miler or 100k in the works for next year?!?

There is something about starting out in the dark and watching the light gradually seep back into the world.  When you are surrounded by the dark woods and you are focused on a narrow spot of light on the trail ahead, it is a great time for introspection.   Fall seems like a time of reflection as evidenced by some of today's pictures on the trail. ( More thoughts in a later post)

We are both still recovering and the five mile slow roll together was a perfect way to start the day.  Bring on the winter training plans!  I have really missed being on the trails with friends and hope to make this a weekly habit.

I stopped and caught this one on the way home.  I think I got some funny looks from people driving  by who did not have time to stop and admire the scene.

Down and Dirty at DWD

Dances with Dirt, commonly known as DWD, is a series of cross country off path relay races that will drag your butt over 62-ish miles of stupidly steep (as in vertical) hills, and through mud pits up to your waist. Swamp and river crossings and clambering over downed trees and through brush that may include poison ivy, stinging nettle, and other thorny bramble are also expected obstacles. Did I mention this takes place in Hell, Michigan? The sadistic race director Randy has lots of fun dragging our butts through Hell and creating the most challenging and grueling course possible for a relay. This year’s temperatures were appropriate to a race through Hell, climbing into the 90s and making a difficult race even more grueling.

 I volunteered at this race before and heard many horror stories about its difficulty, so of course I jumped at the opportunity to join a team when my friend Claudia was looking to start one. It was tough to find 5 women who were trail runners, not already in a team, and who would be willing to go through this crazy event. Here we are, The Matriarchs, 5 tough women over 40.

Sadly I did not have my costume yet.

Claudia Tori, Me, Karleen Campbell, Vicky Precopio, and Michelle Monroe . Claudia's husband John, who was our fearless driver for the day, was taking the shot.

**A huge shout out to John who took on a very stressful job and did great getting us all around Pinkney and Hell so we could do something stupidly challenging for a day!**

Enormous thanks to Claudia, our fearless leader, for her positive encouragement through it all. Also thanks to Karleen, who organized an amazing spreadsheet of who needed to be where and when, without which I think it would have been a total clustersuck (yes that's a word now shut up auto correct!) of a race. And also thanks to Michelle who allowed us to completely trash her Honda with muddy sweaty stinky runners so we would have a larger vehicle that could fit all of us and our supplies. There are no aid stations for the relay racers; you bring it or you go without! Vicky and I seemed to be the moral support and cheerleaders, overall just adding to the crazy in our group.

I ran the first lap of the relay and it felt really good, I was especially lucky to be running before the heat of the day hit. Did I mention the highs for the day where in the 90s with what felt like 90% humidity? Everyone was in good spirits and in crazy costumes ranging from prom dresses to Care bears to Brittney Spears and I was wearing this wildly colorful muumuu "Old Lady" costume. I got into the spirit of things when I passed other runners, shouting "Get off my trail!" and "These young whipper snappers don't know what's good for them!" I got several smiles and some laughs. The race started on a very positive note for me and I passed along my good cheer to the others in the group and thought maybe this whole DWD thing isn't so bad. Boy was I in for it!

I thought my second leg would be the hardest. It was through the swamp and appropriately named “It Sucks”. I ditched the muumuu and for this leg I stripped to minimal clothing. I donned my five fingers and looked forward to squishing mud between my toes. I struggled with stiff muscles and the rising heat at the beginning but found it helpful to stick with a pace group for a bit. If this leg taught me anything it was the importance of teamwork and sticking together through the rough areas.

There was a group ahead of me as we headed from the horse trails into the swamp and they called out that they thought they were lost, I called back to them the way back to the trail. Together we tackled the nightmare mess of a swamp that took us the better part of an hour to navigate. It really did take a team to navigate. As one person would get stuck the others would help boost up or pull them out of the muck. I was using my five fingers to feel through the mud for sticks that I could walk on and not sink down to my waist. A guy started following me and said "I'm sticking with five fingers! She's a good trailblazer". 

When we reached the end and followed the flags up onto the rail trail I looked at the runners ahead of me in the blazing sun and all of them were walking. They looked like a death march. I thought this is not a death march, yes I'm tired and yes it’s brutally hot out on the rail trail but dammit I can run this part! I pushed myself to a slow trot and as I came up on another runner I think they heard my footfalls and tried to pick up their own paces. Some even started running again. I said “You can do this! It's half a mile; we can run half a mile!” It was a little more than half actually. .5 turned into .8 according to my watch (dammit Randy, get a Garmin!)

As I crossed the finish my friend Michele Cox saw me and said “Great job! You're smiling!” And I was, I was so happy to have gotten through, but I could not have finished that one alone. It was teamwork on the trail that got me through.

Karleen and I waiting in the shade after the mud leg, I had been hosed down and was mostly free of the mud, I really wish I had a picture of myself while still covered!

The third leg was super rough. My inner voice is often my biggest enemy and sometimes I’m just not very good at telling it to STFU. My thighs started cramping and I had trouble breathing in the humidity and heat and I was mentally crashing at this point. It felt like I was still trying to run through mud and I just could not pick up the pace and keep my breath. It seemed like every other runner was passing me, breezing by like I was standing still, and I was feeling like I was failing myself. I wouldn’t be able to hold the pace I had hoped to do for this leg. I have read that one of the hardest battles for runners is trying to stop the negative talk spiral and trying not to compare yourself to everyone who seems to be doing better. Everyone who passed me encouraged me to keep going and said great job. One wonderful soul kept pace with me a bit and made sure I was okay, as I was physically not dealing well with the heat. I was using up my water bottle to occasionally shoot water down my back to try to cool myself off in the hopes that I could start breathing better. Mentally it was a tough 4 miles and at the time the encouragement fell on deaf ears because I was in a bad place and all I could see was how much better everyone else was doing and how I was a failure. But I wasn't a failure. I slogged through it and my pace wasn't as good as I hoped but it got me to the end and I wasn’t hurt or throwing up or passing out. I toughed it out and I am grateful for those who tried to help me through the struggle.

Looking back, the other runners’ encouragement was an awesome thing. They could have just passed me and ran on by but they saw me struggling and they said things to boost me up. They knew I was struggling and they wanted me to keep going and push through, and I appreciate that. I love that about this community. They want everyone to find their strength and come in strong. It’s an individual sport but we can create a team through comradery and encouragement. We can try to help each other to push through, one step at a time.

I was done with my legs but the other girls had their last legs to go and their last legs were brutal. It was a hard slog in the heat and only stubbornness and determination got us through. I give high Kudos to Michelle who kept her costume on and her high encouraging spirit for the whole race. The last legs where Hell on everyone and we were all stupidly tired, dirty, sweaty, and ready to be done!!

Claudia had the Glory lap; the final lap. It felt fantastic to run Claudia in and it was amazing to finish such a hard ordeal. I am so very proud of myself and the rest of my team who stuck it out together and made it through!

Overall it was a successful and intense adventure. I can’t wait to do it again next year!

Triathlete Teamwork and Togetherness

I did not sign up for all of the T-Rex TRIs before they filled up this season, which is not all bad.  Now I get the opportunity to volunteer and cheer on fellow athletes.  Tonight was Pterodactyl Tri and I was lucky enough to get there in time to get a 3 mile run in on the hiking trail before my Run Marshall shift started.  It was scorching hot and I was pretty slow and at times nauseous, and felt a lot of empathy for those doing the Tri.  A part of me was relieved not to be competing in this heat, and admiring of those with the stamina for it. I was a hot sweaty mess to start my shift but felt great for the effort and looked forward to cheering my fool head off while directing folks around the dumpsters.  (Yes I found a position that was downwind to wait for the runners.)

I really love being a cheerleader, I like the brief smiles and thanks and sometimes people pick up pace when they hear me cheering them on.  I know there are times in races when my energy was flagging and I was able to pick it up a bit when someone cheered me on. It's wonderful to return the favor.  I got many compliments of being the best cheerleader.  Though admittedly there was one runner who winced and said I could "tone down the enthusiasm a bit".  I guess he just couldn't handle all of my fabulous self.  Towards the end of my shift with hand numb from clapping and voice hoarse with shouting, there was a runner who wasn't in the race who stopped to chat and congratulate me on my enthusiasm. He mentioned that when he volunteered he found it difficult to stay enthusiastic for the whole race.   Really?  I get a little tired but often the folks at the end need as much if not more cheering.  I have been at the back of the pack, and DFL and it is mentally stressful to be behind everyone else.  It's hard to fight that inner voice that says "you should just give up", and push through the heat and pain and fatigue when it feels like you have already lost.  The back of the pack needs just as much kudos and cheering as the front runners and everyone in between. I heard several stories from other triathletes of people helping each other on the course tonight.  One women told me she was falling behind a group of 3 other women and they all pulled together, wouldn't let her quit, and finished together.  One of the other Athletes who couldn't get into this race was also volunteering.  When told he had put in enough time and could head home, said that he would rather stay to cheer in all of the athletes.  He echoed what I had shared with the other runner how those in the back of the pack deserve to be cheered in just as much as the front runners.  I love this community.  We are all competing, but people reach out and encourage and help each other to the finish.

On my run back to the start from my spot on the course I saw a spectacular sunset and stopped to take a moment to enjoy.  Life is good my friends.  Be there for each other.

On The Trail Again

I admit I have not been running enough or been out to see my friends on the trails enough this summer.  It has been a very busy summer of moving, a little Tri training, but mostly selling our house and moving.  Steve and I are signed up for the Half marathon at Woodstock this year and we are very behind at training.  This morning I was determined to get on the trails and Steve actually woke up early enough to join me.
We met up with a good group of friends down at my old haunt the Poto, and there was another group arriving at the same time who were friends with Cindy.  Fun times with lots of folks out to enjoy a great day on the trail.

I somehow twisted my ankle after only a couple miles and fell hard on my knee.  I was fine and able to keep running after a brief walk, unfortunately my Lotta Breeze Capris just got a bit breezier!

It was a muggy, sweaty, buggy time on the trail, a typical Summer run.  I found myself thinking about the differences between the winter runs on this trail and summer runs.  Summer has the lush greenery and wonderful warm sunshine, however in the winter we don't have deer flies.  Steve tried out the fly tape you stick to your hat.  I wasn't really bothered by them much but Steve was proud of every one that he caught.  He commented that it was like having his cell phone on top of his hat and the constant buzzing made him think he was getting messages.  (Eeww!)

We ran into a third group and stopped to chat with Dawn, who I had met at the Highland Loops race, Leslie you were missed!  Steve and I had left the group and were doing a shorter loop with the hiking trail to make 6 miles when we ran into Dawn's group again on the other side as they were trying to add some more miles to their run, meanwhile Cindy's group had run into them earlier on.

Lots of friends on the trail today.

Steve got a second wind in the final stretch and went on ahead of me, I was being careful on the downhills and found a big turtle in the middle of the path.  He took up a good chunk of that part of the trail.  Steve said he never saw him.  Either Steve was going too fast or the turtle climbed up there just after Steve breezed through.  Poor shy guy didn't want his picture taken.

Steve and I finished up before most folks and had a nice wade in the lake before heading to the Howell farmer's market.  I am a little sad we missed folks returning from the run, but this just means I need to make it out to Poto more often.  It's a great time to be on the trails!

Spirited Away at Proud Lake

There are days when work is dragging me down with patients who require a lot of emotional energy to work with them, it leaves me feeling like a limp rag at the end of the day.  Couple that with some sad news about a friend and former coworker and then the stress of selling and buying a house, and I don't feel up to running at the end of the day.  I really feel like going home, collapsing on the couch, giving in to the blurch (See The Oatmeal) and eating lots of chocolate. Stepping out of work, however, the wind in the trees and the beautiful sunny day called to me, and I knew I would feel better if I spent some time in the woods.

Near the beginning of the trail I was greeted by a strange spirit on top of a sign post.

You never know what you will run into on the trail, it was a friendly if rude creature.

I seemed to have some trouble picking my feet up this run, I somehow managed to turn my left ankle once (not badly, I could keep going) and I kept snagging my toes and tripped several times on roots that I swear were not there seconds ago.

But the temperature was perfect and the breeze kept the mosquitoes away. and I could feel my worries melt away with the miles.

The greens of the woods were stunning, and the wind, water and bird song remind me that I'm working to sell and buy a house to have this in my backyard when I get home.
In the end the stress and work will be worth it.

I again found the handy work of trickster spirits when I came across this signpost and could not make sense of it.  It was pointing back up the trail where I came from saying that I had come from 12, when I know I had just come from 17.  I spent several minutes contemplating if I had run farther than I thought and missed a sign, when I realized someone had loosened the sign post and turned it around to face the wrong direction.  I moved it back to the correct position and hoped I wouldn't run into anymore tricky spirits on the trail today.

Overall a lovely run and mostly all to myself.  I finished 5 miles feeling refreshed, relaxed, and in much better spirits than when I started.

Into the woods I go to lose my mind and find my soul.   May all my friends find their own way to inner peace.  Good bye Dana, thank you for all you taught me in the short time I knew you.  You were one of the best PT's it was my honor and privilege to work with. May your final journey bring you peace and joy.

Bright Blessings my friends.