Why do I Run?

Me at Leadville Medical Check-In

August 20, 2010
Leadville, CO



Why do you run? How many times have I answered that question? How many times have I smiled and shrugged my shoulders and went through the list: so I can eat, it reduces stress, I love being outdoors, just because?

Getting ready to run the most difficult and most challenging race I've ever encountered has led me to revisit this basic question, Why do I run? And to add to that question, what internal demon inside is possessing me to run 100 miles? Let me try to answer the first question first.

I run because I do love being outdoors. I run because I love the solitude and I run because I also love the camaraderie. I run because I like being in shape; I like the way my skin is soft yet the muscles are hard underneath. I run because I like fresh snow and I want to be the first to lightly ply my feet across it.  I run to think and I run so I don't have to think.

I run because I want to remember what it was like as a kid growing up in southern California running across the hot sand as fast as I could only to stop and quickly bury my feet under the burning sand.  I run to chase native american footprints down long and winding single track trails; to place myself in their moccasins and chase a deer or scout ahead of a warring party.

I run because my kids tell me, "Mom, go run! You need to get out." It relieves stress and by the end of my run I've transform from cranky and stressed-out to chilled and relaxed mom who can once more look at a messy room and smile.

The reason I run is truly undefinable and I cannot give one solitary reason as to why I run.  It is as difficult for me to explain the existence of God as it is to explain why I run.

So I sit here and try to wrap my head around the crazy desire I have to run 100 miles, on mountain trails, at elevation. The mountain trails are easily explained - I'd rather run on a trail than road/pavement any day. As for the rest, I wanted to do the Leadville Trail 100 mile race to prove that I could. That I am a runner, not just a mom, or a teacher, or an archivist, or even a casual runner who is not fast.  I wanted to prove that I was more than that; that I'm tougher than that.  I want to prove to myself, and the world in general, that I can push myself past pain, past the point that I think that I can run and continue in a new realm of pain and exhasution where I can still push myself to run, run, and run some more.

I do not like limitations. I do not like self-imposed or societal imposed limitations.  I am a person who looks at a "no" and wants to change that, somehow, some way, into a "yes."  I feel sorry for people who state "I could never do that."  It doesn't matter what it is that they are saying they cannot do; I want to shake them and say, "Of course you can't!  You've just told yourself you can't!  But what could you do if you told yourself you can?!"

I am telling myself I can run 100 miles.  I've trained for ten months. I 've run hard races.  I've eaten well, I am in the proper mental and physical state and for me ... failure is not an option. See you at the finish!

Last Casper Run

Wyoming Blvd.
August 17, 2010
4.34 miles
9:47 min/mile

My last run in Casper before heading down to Colorado Springs and then the race. I've been staying at work until quarter to six each night this week and the last to make up for my impending extended absence. Of course, this just makes me more tired in the evenings and less inclined to get out and run in the mornings.

Tonight, however, I ate dinner, took a nap and then woke up to go run at 8 pm. This worked out well for a couple of reasons. First, the temperature dropped ten degrees and made running in the evening quite nice at 72 degrees. Second, I began at sunset and actually got in a little bit of evening/night running in. I've run at night before so I'm not too worried about that aspect of the race. I actually have enjoyed it and those times I was by myself - in Leadville, my pacer will be with me.

I decided to get some hills in so I ran along Wyoming Blvd this evening. What a wonderful night - the lights of the city were twinkling and a slight breeze blew across the highway as I ran on the shoulder. I had a slight tightness in my left leg behind the knee and worried about it a bit; however, I'm used to pains flaring up and then subsiding so I didn't pay it too much attention and on the return trip, I didn't feel it at all.

Tomorrow, I head down to Colorado and meet the family before Leadville!

Casper Mountain

Casper Mountain
August 14, 2010
5.75 miles
1:01:58
10:46 min/mile

This is my last weekend run and I wanted to get as much altitude as I could get in Casper, Wyoming so I headed up to the top of the mountain and ran along a dirt road up at the top of Casper Mountain.

I started around 10:30 am and enjoyed cooler temperatures up at the top of the mountain and had about 8000' elevation. After running about two miles on a road that went up and down, I saw a sign for the Crimson Dawn Museum so I decided to take the detour and check it out since our Western History Center stores some of their paintings over the winter.

Unfortunately, the museum was closed; however, there were some very nice trails along the ridge of the mountain so I traversed the trails and read all of the signs as I am wont to do. This was the vision of one lady who had a fancy for witches and wood nymphs and nature and donated the land as a natural preserve and museum.

After hitting most of the trails and reading almost all of the placards, I headed back down the road to my car and ended the run a little over an hour.

I'm still tired; however, not driving to Colorado this weekend made a big difference and I hope this carries me through the week.

What a lovely place on top of the mountain

North Platte River Parkway

North Platte River
August 10, 2010
5.02 miles
45:04 min
8:59 min/mile

I have to take the certified archivist exam tomorrow in Albuquerque, NM and I fly out today so this is a quick run this morning to keep my legs in shape during my taper. My choice for a run then fell to something I could get to easily and not take too much time getting there; I chose the paved path along the North Platte River once again.

I parked at the same ball park Jess played at a couple of weeks ago off of Bryan Stock Drive and ran the section of the Parkway I ran the very first time; albeit backwards. This is a beautiful section of the paved trail running along side the river and set admist the cottonwood trees north of Casper before you hit town proper. It winds through a small valley with a disc golf course set up down there. I saw a couple of others out this morning and love the fact that even in this small town, there are runners!

My legs felt great, I felt great, and very happy to get a quick run in before showering, changing and catching my flight.

Wish me luck tomorrow!

Run with Rick

Santa Fe Trail
August 8, 2010
6 miles
1:04:12
10:41 min/mile


Rick's been doing secret training! My my. Today is the first time we've run together in years and it was great. He ran so much further today than he has in the past - 5 miles! He's needed to get out and after my horrible run yesterday, I wanted something nice. So, when he said he needed to run, I quickly said we could do it together. After a bit of coaxing, he agreed!


What a great morning! We started at Baptist at a nice easy pace and continued up to Monument to the 2.5 mile turn. Before we hit the turn, I told him I was going to continue up to three miles to get six in and he said he'd turn at 2.5 and I could catch him on the way down. Perfect! I was able to stretch my legs a bit and he was able to run his own pace.

At the three mile point, I turned and hoofed it back down the trail hoping to catch him before he finished his run. At about the 4 mile point, I saw him ahead of me and put on the afterburners to catch him! Finally, after about 3/4 of a mile I caught him and we then began a fast paced run-walk method to end our run.

What a great run! I enjoyed it; however, Rick pulled something in his leg and didn't tell me until later in the day when I saw him hobbling around. Man! And I told him not to John Wayne it!

Last Falcon Trail

Falcon Trail Loop
August 7, 2010
13 miles
[faulty garmin]

Good news, I know the Falcon Trail; bad news, my garmin gave me a "lap full" message and would not log any more of the run after 7 miles until I stopped and deleted 9 months of runs. Ouch.

Ouch on the run as well. I've run this trail so many times and I believe today was one of my worst runs ever on it ... just no energy and really dragging around the loop. I don't really have anything good to say about this run other than I did not injure myself. Between this run and last week's run on the Santa Fe, I'm ready for a good run!

City Streets of Casper

Casper
August 4, 2010
3.2 miles
29:49
9:19 min/mile

Still trying to get runs in up here in Casper and therefore I'm running at 5:30 am before work! Gee whiz! I've been really working hard a the new job and that is wearing me out. I will have to pay attention to my energy levels these next two weeks.

Nothing much to report today; just a good pace around the neighborhood and a very quick run!

Marathon Training Run

August 1, 2010

Santa Fe Trail

26.2 miles

4:47:21

10:58 min/mile

This is my last long run before Leadville and I really want it to count so I elected to do a marathon distance. My plan was to get leg turn over and stay away from hills for this run; therefore, I decided to run down the Santa Fe Trail 9 miles, return and continue past the trailhead for 4 miles before heading back down for the last 4 miles and a downhill finish.

Starting at the Baptist Trailhead, I ran down it to North Gate and beyond for my 9 miles. This took me down through the twisty, windy, hilly part and past Ice Lake. I really enjoyed it except for the humidity once again. The rain in the late afternoons is really making the mornings humid and I'm feeling it today.

After using the porta-pottie at Ice Lake and running a bit beyond to give me a full nine miles, I turned and headed back up the trail. On the way down earlier so many runners were heading up the trail. Trust me, they were smarter than I was since they went up first and then went down and I still had 13 miles of uphill staring in the face. I elected to practice my powerhiking on the hills in the Academy and that worked great.

Once back at the Baptist trailhead, I refilled my camelback, got part of a sandwich and continued up the trail for another four miles. Man, I'm glad I got out at 7am this morning. The weather was actually pretty nice and I could not fault the Santa Fe today.

Finally, a little past the four mile point, I turned and headed back down. My pace did not improve all that much and if it wasn't for the first 9 miles, my pace would have been pretty poor. I blame it on the rising heat and the altitude of yesterday. It would be easy to get discouraged after a run like today; however, I know there will be days like this and I hope this is the last of them before Leadville.