Short Long Run

January 30, 2011
Casper
9.03 miles
1:28:15
9:46 min/mile

Today is my first pull back on my long run distance runs for this year.  I run longer runs three weeks in a row, then on the 4th week, I cut the distance to give myself a break and rest the legs a bit. Also, my family has been visting this weekend so that has an effect on when I actually get out for the run.  I originally wanted to do 11; however, it is a little later than I'd like before I actually head out for the short, long run today -- it is almost 4 pm when I hit the trail with Don and the sky is overcast and threatening snow. 

We park at the Parkway Plaza and head north up the North Platte River Parkway all the way to Bryan Stock Trail.  Don and I have an easy pace averaging around a 10 min/mile pace.  Once on Bryan Stock, we decide to head up a gravel road to give us another mile before turning around.  By this time, a few snow flakes begin to swirl down and around us. 

As we continue back to the truck, we are still doing a very steady pace and having a good run.  We hit the starting point and we've run 7 miles, enough for Don to stop and jump on his bike to accompany me on the last bit. 

After hopping on his bike, Don made some comment about how I must have taken it easy on him and that I could probably go a lot faster.  That gets me thinking.  No wind, cold and just a bit snowy ... perfect conditions to blow out the lungs a bit.  With that, I'm off and running.  Mile 7 with Don was at the very good pace of 9:39; mile 8 on my own, I hit 8:41 with mile 9 a little slower at 8:59.  However, during mile 8 the snow became faster and by the time we turned to run the last mile back to the truck, visibility was nil and the quickening snow and darkness was enough for us to say 9 miles was enough for the day. 

A very nice run and we finished just in time to get out of the worsening weather.  I just wish I could get off the pavement a bit more, I'm beginning to feel it in my achilles tendons and think it's high time for a new pair of road shoes. 

Saturday Casper Group



Running Group - Left to Right: Jim, Barry,
Don, Crystal, Rebecca, Danica & Donielle

Casper January 29, 2011
4.7 miles
53:05
11:18 min/mile

Jim emailed us earlier in the week and suggested we meet at his house and run from there since he lives above the trails we've started running on along the Platte River.  Great idea!  So we met at Jim's at 7:39 am and almost left Barry.  Barry and Rebecca are new runners and man, we almost took off without Barry!

A beautiful day and Jim led us down the hill from his house.  We head down the dirt road and then, where to?  Jim forgot to mention to us that we would need to bushwhack down to the trail.  Yup, no trail down from his house.  But that's okay; all we needed to do was run down a steep downhill, negotiate a barbwire fence, watch the catcus and whew! We finally land at the base of the hill.  From there, we picked up one of the numerous trails in the valley, regrouped and began the run proper. 



Jim did a great job of leading and we finally popped up onto the paved Parkway path.  At the gazebo, we stopped to stretch and take the above photo before continuing.  Our goal was 4 miles today so we continued south until we hit the Parkway Plaza at 2 miles.  Unfortunately Danica had to leave our group early to go to work so she headed back before the turn around.  Too bad for a couple of reasons - 1.  she got lost trying to find Jim's house and 2. she wasn't with us when we got lost trying to find Jim's house!



Looking up the hill from the valley --
Antelope up there



On the way back, Jim lead us past the turn off up the hill to his house accidentally which left us to double back in order to find it.  Donielle piped up from the back something to the effect, "never again Jim!"  Other than having the run almost a mile longer than anticipated, it was quite nice ... until the slog up the hill, over the barbwire, and don't forget to mind the cactus!  Back to Jim's we were tired; but as always, it was a good tired.

Afterwards, we went to Metro Cafe again and did not know until Jim met up with us that his mother had made us cinnamon rolls.  Goodness!  I think Jim not telling us that was worse than leading us astray! 

Friday Morning Loop

Sage Park Loop

January 28, 2011
4.04 miles
10:32 min/mile

Don and I meet up early this morning before my daughter and her friend who are visiting from college get up.  I have been staring at my calendar and truly, I believe, it is smirking at me.  It flashes the empty days in my face and tells me I'm lazy and cannot run.  Therefore, I must fill one more square with red numbers noting distances and miles and paces and feed the calendar.

We elect to do the same loop we did earlier in the week and we tackle it without any problems.  After which, we head to the 1st Street Bakery for a bagel and coffee.  Over our breakfast, we meet Anne and chat with her. She is another CC runner; however, she got up at the ungodly hour of 5 am to run this morning.  Yikes.  Now, that is dedication! 

We have had a good run and the calendar has been fed once more. 

Late Run

Casper -- Sage Park Loop
January 25, 2011
4.05 miles
10:14 min/mile pace

Another late day for me; however,  I do want to get these runs in during the week.  I am only averaging around 24 miles a week and it is killing me.  Soon, though, I know I will be running longer and harder.  These winter runs are killing me though. 

Don has agreed to run the loop with me tonight and as we meet at the park, it is already twilight and rapidly losing light.  I have my headlamp on my head and will switch it on when needed.  He's wearing a black jacket and black running pants.  Don. Really?  In the dark?  I, on the other hand, have on my neon yellow jacket and headlamp and I will run on the outside so he doesn't become roadkill tonight.  Really Don.

Sage Park down to 2nd and up the steep hill to the Pizza Hut as we did last week; however, this time, we continue on up the hill and go through the church parking lot, skirting major businesses as we snake around to hit another path that will take us back up the hill. 

On this stretch, we are on streets and I turn on my head lamp now just for cars to see us and hopefully, avoid us.  It is still remarkably easy to see given the night as we run along.  Finally, we are off the streets and back on the trail.  During this continuous uphill section, Don walks again; but never for very long.  This is okay, our pace has been very steady in the 10:30+ range and we have incorporated different elevations tonight. 

We pass 15th and continue on the trail just to see where it goes and then snake back down and around to find 15th.  There is still ice on the sides of the streets so we take it very easy. Even with that, our final mile is at a 9:50 min/mile pace as we finish tonight. 

Both Don and I are excited and happy we did this run.  It was a beautiful run and one we want to repeat in the future. 

Sunday Long Run

Casper, Wyoming
January 23, 2011
North Platte River Parkway
13.25 miles
2:18:33
10:27 pace

I was supposed to get out around 10 am this morning; however, it was freezin' outside and I texted Don to delay until after noon.  He was just fine with that ... thank goodness!  Unfortunately, the longer you wait to run, the more powerful the wind is in Casper.  When we finally hit the trail at 1:50pm, the wind speed was 26mph with gusts up to 36mph (wunderground.com).  The wind is my friend, the wind is my friend ...

Joints creaked as we eased into the run.  A nice tailwind pushed us along we headed out from the Ramada parking lot north on the trail.  Today is the last long run, next week I drop back in distance only to pick it up the following week.  I need a break every now and then.  Don is running smooth and doing so much better than I ever anticipated.  His weightlifting is paying off in spades -- no sore legs, no injuries.  I must begin this.  It is a New Year's Resolution afterall.

The hill to our left protects us from most of the wind right now and the going is pretty smooth.  We hit Bryan Stock Trail and head up the road to a likely looking turning point.  From there, we feel the wind.  Our speed drops about 30 to 40 seconds a mile but that's okay: long runs are not meant to be speed workouts.  We are building endurance and learning to run on tired legs.  I turn to Don in this section and state, "I'm sure you've heard this before but it would be a rather nice day if it weren't for the wind!"

At the 5.4 mile mark, we are back at the truck and Don hops on the bike to ride next to me for the final 8 miles today.  We are heading directly into the wind and Don does his best to let me draft behind him.  My pace is a bit better now that I'm running on my own (from about an 11min/mile to 10:30 min/mile heading into the wind).

We wind along the outside North Platte Trail and head into Mills and beyond the water treatment facility.  This stretch is beautiful and I love running here; however, today this is also the only stretch that has ice on it and we pick around it some until the turn around point at nine miles or so. 

Once we turn, I have one major hill on the way back and a nice tailwind for the most part.  I am moving much better and the pace drops again to below 9:45min/mile for 3 of the final 4 miles.  I am very pleased that after running 9 miles, I am able to find my legs again and use them!

Pulling into the parking lot, I see I am not on an even number so I tell Don I just need to get to 13.25 (instead of 13.15) and I head down a bit more as he loads the bike.  I am tired; but it's a great, good tired and I am happy I got out in this weather.

Casper Trails



Casper from the top of the hill and trail

January 22, 2011

Casper

4 miles

46:31
11:38 min/mile pace

I am going to have to remember to record the run times somewhere other than my garmin.  I have all the information; it is just not handy at the moment.  That means I will update this blog with the pertinent information later ... stay tuned for the nitty gritty details~ (updated!)

Today we had a new runner join us, Crystal!  Our meet up point for the Casper Crew was Mike Lansing Field to have Mike and Eric lead us across the dirt trails north of where we have run the last two weeks.  The North Platte Greenway continues north up to Bryan Stock Trail; however, we wanted to get off the road and onto the beaten path this morning.

It's not too cold and actually rather nice out for January in Wyoming.  Eric takes the lead and suggests we run up toward the Ramada and turn around before we head up the hill to warm up our legs a bit.  This idea is well received by all and we are quickly on our way.



Crest of first hill looking back down the trail we just ran up.



After our little jog up the Platte River Parkway, we leave the asphalt path and head up the hill by the Interpretive Trails Center.  I ran around the base of the hill earlier last fall; however, I never saw the path up the hill that now appears so well-marked by the lack of vegetation and the amount of snow.  We are quickly huffing and puffing as our crew heads up the hill.  However, the view is gorgeous and the hill is well worth it. 

Once we crest, Eric informs us that there are a couple of more trails off to the left that we can tackle at a later date.  Today, we decide to just head straight on the trail we are on until we reach a trail that will take us back down the hill and create a nice circle heading back to our cars on the paved trail. 



At the trail leading down to the paved path, we stop for a second to make sure all can see which way we are headed. That is enough for me to look down at the trail and wistfully wonder how fast I can tackle it.  I do so love floating downhill with a prolonged, out-stretched stride.  Mike takes the lead with Maisie and I cannot resist to pass others as I decide to let it go down the hill.  But Ho!  I am brought up short not too far down the trail as it rapidly becomes very steep.  Now, I do not like to press my luck and tumble down that section so I pull up and shorten my stride and take it easy and much smarter down until the angle decreases and I can run a bit faster. 



There is a Frisbee Golf course along the
North Platte Greenway -- who knew
they had signs like this?!



Once we all are at the bottom, Donielle tells us somewhere in the last section she put her foot down on shifting sand and rolled her ankle.  She decides to take the flat asphalt back to the cars and I decide to run with her.  We are not alone in this and soon, we see behind us more of our group doing the same.  However, Mike, Eric, and a couple others stay on the trails until they run out and must jump on the asphalt with the rest of us. 

All agree at the end of the run the trails were fantastic and must be run again.  At the cars, Eric and Mike tell us they are going to now run the Windy City Striders first run of their Winter Series, a 5K that starts just a tenth of a mile up the path.  Don, Jim, Donielle and I elect for coffee while Danica must hurry to work and Crystal needs to meet up with her daughter. 



After coffee, as I head out, I decide I need a couple more miles under my belt and text Don as I drive to the Pump House to see if he's game enough to join me.  He has informed me that his goal is the 25 mile Collegiate Peaks run.  I'm planning on the 50 miler and he will do the 25.  Knowing this, I ask him to run with me every chance he and I can get together.  He rapidly says, yup, he'll do a couple more miles and we meet to get those in where we've met the previous two weeks. 

We have an easy pace since we both have just sat for about an hour laughing and joking with Jim and Donielle.  We run north for a little over a mile and then turn around.  All in all, we logged 2.55 miles at a 10:29 pace in this little "secret training" session.  Our total for today ... 6.55 miles.  Now I feel a bit better.  I need more mileage to get me ready for Collegiate Peaks.  Tomorrow we plan to meet for 13 miles.  Don says he'll run what he can and then bike the rest ~



Evening Run

Casper - Sage Park
January 21, 2011
3.81 miles

Okay, okay, I work really long hours.  And yes, it's difficult to get out when it gets dark at 4:30 or 5:00pm at night.  But Don is expecting me so I head out of work this Friday early. After all, I work 10+hour days -- most average 11 or so.  Therefore, I don't feel bad leaving a little early on the Fridays that I am up here working.  Or for that matter, coming in a little late on Fridays.  We're closed after all anyway.  Still, here it is, a little after 5 pm and I need to get my butt in gear and get this run in the books.

Don meets me at my house and we take off down 15th Street to Sage Park -- this begins the loop I ran with Mike in October.  He showed me this when there was light; when there wasn't any snow or ice on the sidewalk and when I had some tiny bit of energy.  Note to self -- stop whining and continue the post.

We hit Sage Park and run down the nice paved path that makes it way all the way down to 2nd street.  We are doing well; it's downhill, it's cool and only a little wind.  Once at 2nd St., we turn right to hump it up the hill to the stoplight in front of Pizza Hut where we are both out of wind.  Whew!  A nice little jaunt up the hill and now we are ready to turn around and head back. 

We ease into the run and hit our stride as soon as we hit the trail going back up to 15th.  As we run, Don tells me that he and his wife are taking their house off the market.  This is an important fact for me since I'm beginning my search for a home here in Casper.  He's renting it.  Now that's potentially good news for me and we discuss this as the last mile slips by underneath our feet. 

Don has had to stop once or twice on this run; but that's okay.  He's worked out earlier today and not at the same endurance level as me. I know this bothers him; but I continue to reassure him, it will come, it most certainly will come and soon. 

Once we hit 15th, we elect to powerhike back up to my house since it is much darker and there is too much ice to pick around while watching for vehicles who may, or may not, have a death wish.  He remarks that I can powerhike faster than he run right now.  I get that a lot.  I have years of experience trodding through concourses in heels trying to make it to my flight on time -- all of the with a smile pasted on my face.  That, plus the training up Colorado fire roads the last two years.

3.81 miles today and I'm okay not to stretch it into 4.   A very good run and Don is getting so much better!

Sunday's Long Run



Popping out of "The Narrows"

Santa Fe Trail

January 16, 2011

Woodmen through USAFA

11.0 miles

A cool day for a long run.  Temperatures in the low 40s or high 30s, an excellent temperature range.  I have on capris and a long sleeve with a tank underneath and I'm doing great. 

I'm beginning to get the long runs back; slowly but surely and this Martin Luther King weekend was just what the doctor ordered to get me back on a schedule.  Work has been hectic and the short, winter days make it even worse. 

Today I wanted a nice stretch of trail that wasn't flat.  I wanted a bit of scenery and variety so I chose the section of the Santa Fe from Tucker's Tie-In or Woodmen north through USAFA for 5.5 miles before I turned to head back down.  This is the prettiest section of the entire trail in my humble opinion.  In addition, it is the only section that really has a lot of hills in it.  Now you know why I chose this particular part for today's run.  In the fall ... wow, it is just beautiful.  Today, it was pretty. 



After yesterday's run, I put a blister band aid on my right arch and hoped for the best.  After a mile into the run, I had to stop.  The blister was hurting.  I took my shoe and sock off and checked to make sure there was no movement of the bandaid or wrinkles in my sock; nope.  Just bad luck to have a blister there so I replaced all and continued on.  What else is a girl to do?



Ice Lake



After two miles, I stopped at Ice Lake for the porta-pottie and realized that the blister felt a bit better (it finally popped) and the pain was nowhere near as bad as the first two miles.  Once again, pain is temporary, the guilt of not finishing a long ... forever!



There were a few more runners out today and it is always so nice to greet them as we pass each other.  Just a nod, a flick of the fingers or a smile is all that is needed to recognize the brotherhood of runners.



Going up a steep part of trail



I ran up and down through the wooded section I refer to as the narrows and as the half-way mark approaches, I see the bench where my Colorado Springs group of runners stop to stretch when we run down this section from North Gate to Woodmen.  That was as good a place as anywhere to turn around so that's what I did. 



A great run and one I was very glad I was able to do.  My speed is not where it was prior to all the ultra training last year; but I'm okay with that.  I know some intervals on the track will change that in the spring.  I'm just happy to build my base again. 

Woodman to Cache

Parking lot and trail marker where we ended 

Santa Fe Trail
January 15, 2011
7.18 miles
1:04:20
9:02 min/mile pace

Chris stated he had a date with Diane and that's why he could not run this morning.  F, Felix, and Dano all had prior commitments as well.  So, today it's Jeff, Mike, Bob and I.  Ouch.  Jeff and Mike are fast -- good thing today's run is slightly downhill with some nice bumps thrown in for good measure.  Of course, that just makes it faster for those two.

We meet at Cache and Bob takes all of us to the start at Woodmen Road for this straight shot down the city portion of the New Regional Santa Fe Trail.  Most of this is either concrete or asphalt and not fun to run on regularly; however, the finish is on dirt trail and is a pretty flat finish.

We start at what seems to be a fast pace for me and at the mile point where the bike shop is, we stop for a restroom break and some serious gawking at cool bikes in the store.  My first mile was 9:16 and I'm thinking I sure hope the guys slow it down for me 'cause this is faster than what I'm running on the treadmill.  Oh no, not by a long shot.

The next mile is turned in at 8:44 with an 8:54 third mile.  Both Bob and I are behind Mike and Jeff and they appear to be running effortlessly as we are pushing.  I make a comment to that affect and Bob quickly agrees with me.  Right around mile four we stop at a regular stretch point and as I gasp for air, I check my overall average pace ... 8:54 min/mile!  Mile 4 was run in 8:43, Yikes! I also take my right shoe off to see what is happening to my arch.  I've developed a hot spot that I know will soon turn into a blister; but there is nothing I can do but put the shoe on and continue the run.

Sample of dirt trail at end of our run

Since I've started out so fast for me, my next two miles are in the 9:14-9:33 range and I am chugging up the hills even slower.  Finally, with one mile left to go; the course flattens out with just one underpass to run up before the finish and I turn in another sub 9 -- 8:53.  I am exhausted and completely bushed.  All three guys finished ahead of me and turn to give me their blessings as I wheeze in after them.  I accuse Bob of sandbagging it, just like Chris since he pulled away from me somewhere in mile 6.  Oh no, I caught up with Jeff and he pushed me.  Whatever; he's still stronger than he thinks he is and ten times faster than me on the hills.

This is why I love running with these guys, they push me so hard in such a fun way!  I also hate disappointing them and push myself to keep up.  After the run, more banter about what Jeff needs to do and what races he should enter since he is getting to be such a fast, strong runner.  I mention Collegiate Peaks to them and try to sell them on just doing the first 25 mile loop ~ we'll see :)

After the run, Mikey bought us bagels and I tried a Coconut water Naked drink -- yuck.  The guys asked me how it tasted, "It tastes healthy!" was my response.  Loaded with electrolytes, potassium, magnesium and tastes terrible!  It stated no sugar -- please put some sugar in it!!

Once home, I pull off the sock and take a quick look at the arch ... yup, a blister and all my repair stuff is in Casper.  I know it looks like no big deal and why am I complaining?  Let's see ... Leadville blisters rubbed my heels raw and changed my gait so much that those blisters knocked out both my legs and my ability to run downhill.  Yeah, I'm babying this sucker since I have a long run scheduled for tomorrow.

Santa Fe Trail

USAFA grounds just past the yellow gate

Santa Fe Trail from Baptist to USAFA gate
January 14, 2011
3.09 miles
29:21 minutes
9:30 min/mile pace

I love running on trails!  I miss this in Casper!  I even miss the hills.  With that in mind, I headed south down the Santa Fe Trail so I could get the hills in that are on this section of the Santa Fe before entering USAFA territory.  This out and back run is almost perfectly at 3 miles and affords a variety of scenery as well as terrain.

4:38 pm and it is cooler at about 38 degrees than I thought it would be.  The sun has just dipped below the Front Range and the air chilled from the 46 degrees to what it is now in less than half an hour.  Still, you cannot beat running in Colorado, in January, with capris, one shirt and a shell on over that.   The trail is in near perfect condition with only one icy, snowy patch near the turnaround point.  Great news, especially after running in snow on Sunday and ice on Wednesday in Wyoming.

There are quite a few of us runners out this late afternoon.  We all give a nod to each other as we pass and head on our way up or down this long, dirt trail.  One runner I met went back over a particular hill once as I passed him on the way out and again as I headed back toward him after my turn.  "Getting your hill workout in!" I tossed over my shoulder as I passed and he chuckled back and continued to slowly trudge up the hill.

Less than thirty minutes later, I am done and breathing hard as I pushed back up the trail with a strong finish.  The air is cool and the light is waning ... but what a great run!

Treadmill

January 12, 2011
3 miles
9:40 min/mile pace

I ran with Danica this afternoon; however, I am still behind on my overall mileage for the week since we did not run yesterday at noon and I was a dirt bag when I got home.  Therefore, the treadmill siren began to sing to me and like Odysseus, I could not ignore it's call.

This time I watched Duke play basketball as I got to a nice pace that kept my heart rate up but did not tax me overly.  I need to do this -- make sure I am working hard somehow.  I like my easy running; but I cannot get lulled into it.  I want to get back some of my speed as well as enjoy the long, easy runs.  Soon, I know I will have to incorporate intervals and just live through that particular brand of evil.

Overall mileage for today:  5.7 miles.  This is more where I should be for my mid-week runs -- next week will it happen more than once?

Lunch Run with Danica

Casper Sidewalks & Alleys
January 12, 2011
2.7 miles
35:24 minutes
13:08 min/mile pace

Danica and I work in the same building and after our run on Saturday, we talked about running at lunch.  Sure!  Tuesday we were supposed to run; however, the windchill was forecasted to be -15 to -28 degrees and both she and I agreed that was a tad chilly for us.  Therefore, Wednesday!  With temperatures at a balmy 24 degrees and wind speeds at 23mph with gusts up to 29 mph (wunderground.com), we headed out.

Danica has lived in Casper a couple of years longer than me and knew which way to route us to minimize that wind.  We headed out of work and down towards the city.  Once we hit a major street, we decided to snake our way back up the hill through the less traveled and nicely snow packed alleys.  This worked out so well and we had a very nice time chatting through the alleys and looking at the backs of the homes.

Going up one alley, I looked ahead and saw the snow whipped off the roofs and swirled into mini tornadoes of white crystals.  Seeing the affect of the wind made me very happy we were protected from the brunt of it as we quickly turned to head down another alley in another block.

I look forward to more of these runs with Danica and warmer weather!

Long Run

Pump house today -- same view as
yesterday; but this time,
cannot even see the trail!

North Platte River Parkway

January 9, 2011

8.5 miles

almost 2 hours

I needed to start my long runs in preparation for the Collegiate Peaks 50 miler in May.  I did a 13 mile loop 2 weeks ago in Colorado; did an easy 4 miles on the treadmill last Sunday; and now feel the time is right to begin ramping up my long run mileage.  I wanted to do 10 miles today; however, the weather and conditions had other plans.



Yesterday it was in the forties, the trail was dry and visible.  Today, it was completely snowed over, freezing cold, snowing and windy -- all the fixin's for a long, long run.  Man!  If I had not told Don I was going to run, and if he had not invited Mark to run with us, I would have stayed nicely ensconed in my townhouse and run later on the treadmill.  But, I did tell Don; therefore, I had to go out or look like a wimp. 

Don picked me up in his 4 wheel drive truck and we met Mark at the same place where the new running group ran yesterday.  Mark ran BolderBoulder last year; but isn't a die-hard runner, so we told him 3 miles, that's all he'd have to run.  Not a problem. 

We headed out on the trail with the wind at our backs and going in the opposite direction than yesterday down the trail, trying to see where I went wrong last year and made this 3 mile loop 5 miles.  Easy, I missed a turn-off less than a mile into it and actually hit sidewalk instead of trail I believe.  Two or three times in the run Mark led us one way while I remember going another -- yup, trust me to turn a 3 mile run into 5. 

We had a nice easy pace, nothing hard since we were working hard enough with the 4+ inches of snow on the trail and the wind.  That cold, Wyoming wind.  Despite that, it was so nice to see our footprints the first in the new snow.  That is, until the sides of the trail were obliterated by it.  No idea where the trail edge was at all as Mark found out around mile 2.  Mark was on the far right of the trail and miss-judged where the edge was.  As he fell off the side of the trail, yup, you guessed it, he twisted his ankle.  Ouch.  We had rounded the turn and were now running into the wind and blowing snow - not a great place to have to slow to a walk; but there was no other option.

Mark stated we should run ahead; nothing doing man!  I don't leave injured people behind, even if they are former special forces type who have a tendency to John Wayne their injuries.  Mark walked for a bit and soon pronounced the pain bearable and we began to jog - walk - jog back to the start of our run. 



Once we made it back to the vehicles, I grabbed a fleece and put that on under my jacket, the wind was hitting me on the right hand side and chilling me pretty good that last bit.  We told Mark we were going to head out and try to give me a little more distance and he said he would continue with us.  What?!  Are you seriously crazy?  I prescribed ice, elevation, advil, a beer, a bag of doritos and salsa, an easy chair and football for him.  On second thought, Mark saw the wisdom of my advice and called it a day.  We called later to find out his ankle had swollen to the size of a softball. 

Back to the run.  This time in an attempt to escape the worst of the wind, Don and I headed down the trail as we did yesterday braving the wind in our faces now to have it at our backs on the return.  I quickly warmed up with the new layer on as we ran.  I did not want to tax Don too much knowing he has not run past 4 or so miles previously.  However, he was doing great and kept up with me right up until ... yup, you guessed it again, he hit the side of the trail and rolled his ankle at about mile 6.  Darn the luck!  Mark and Don said they learned something today ... never to run with Teri! 

Once again, just as Mark did, Don quickly stated his ankle was fine and insisted we continue.  Okay, how about just to the top of the hill and then we turn around?  That sounded just fine with Don.  We hit the 0.0 marker on the trail at the top of a rise in it -- why the mileage markers start here at this out-of-the-way place, I have no idea but they do -- and turned around for the final bit of the day.

It was cold, snowy, wintery conditions all the way around.  Despite that, both Don and I kept remarking on how great it was.  I slyly told him I think I have a running partner and he foolishly said, "okay!"  Eureka!  I have found my new F!  F was my training partner two years ago and was just as easy going as Don is.  F asked me to help him train for his first marathon.  After that, I asked him to train with me for my first 50 miler.  We'll see how far I can coax Don into running :)



At the 8.3 mile point, we were back at the truck; however, you know me, I had to run the extra two-tenths for an even 8.5 miles.  Afterwards, we quickly jumped into the truck and Don drove me back to my place so I could hop into a nice, hot, warm shower.  Just the thing after such a cold run! 

Casper Running Group - Inaugural Run!

North Platte River

 North Platte River Parkway

January 8, 2011

3 miles

11:27 min/mile pace

(or thereabouts)

I was so excited to hear back from so many people over the Christmas holiday!  I sent an email out to about six people asking if they were interested in starting a running group in Casper and yes! was the overall response.  So, I planned the first run for today and at 3 miles.  Some have marathon experience and others have not, so we are beginning with 3 miles and will work up from there.  Our goal?  BolderBoulder in May and Casper Marathon in June.  Yeehaw!



Pump House and North Platte
River Parkway Trail (northbound)

So, this morning we met up at the Pumphouse at 7:30 in the morning.  Weather was forecasted to be 25 degrees and cloudy; however, it was a balmy 42 degrees when I stepped out of my car, albeit a tad windy.  Don was there waiting, eager to begin his new running career and soon the rest showed up.  Our group today included Eric, Jim, Mike, Don, Danica, Donielle, and myself.  Yay!

Once all were assembled, we headed north on the parkway and ran at a nice pace for 1.5 miles before stopping, stretching, and catching our breath. Soon, we turned and headed back the way we came for a nice 3 miles looking at a great sunrise and the river.  

I was happy to meet a fellow ultra runner in Eric and look forward to running with him on some of the trails he mentioned.  Donielle is super strong and ran very easily with all the other excerise she puts in.  Danica is on a mission to loose the final bit of weight from having a baby recently - this will be in no time since I can't see an ounce of excess weight on her anyway!  Mike is a super easy runner with a gifted natural gait one would kill for.  Jim is running for run; but I hope to convince him he needs to enter some fun races.  And Don, I don't think he's run before; but I asked him if it was hard after the run and he said he actually enjoyed it so much more than he thought -- yes!  Another soon-to-be-hooked runner!  

After our run, Eric and Mike continued while the rest of us headed to the Metro Cafe for coffee and post-run comeraderie -- my favorite part.  Oh, the stories!  I think I'm going to like running with these guys!!   





Eric is missing (took the photo)



 PS - my phone must be going on the blink -- my photos were terrible!

Thursday's Run

Fitness One

January 6, 2011

Treadmill

4.5 miles

45minutes

Truth be told, I like my gym.  I like the bank of treadmills facing Casper mountain; can't wait until I can actually see Casper Mountain when I'm on the treadmill; but why be picky. 

Once again, I worked later than I anticipated and still needed to get out and run.  I went home, chatted to my girls on the phone and finally left for the gym after 7 pm.  That's okay, mine stays open 24 hours and this means I've passed the after-work rush leaving me with just a few fellow souls and a quiet gym.

I was tired and did not want to run; but after the first mile, I settled down, listened to my running mix and watched Auction Kings on the screen in front of me.  After about 3.75 miles running at a 9:27 or so pace, I slowed it down and cranked up the incline percentage to 8 and finally 9.5 and powerhike uphill for a quarter of a mile at a 15min/mile pace.  Then, it was back down to flat and a fast sprint for another quarter mile with the final a gentle slow down from whatever 8.0 translates to min/mile pace on the treadmill.  I am teaching myself to check these things and trying to remember them better; however, I still forget to check and see what my pace is during certain parts - I'm spoiled, my garmin keeps track of that sort of information and I can recall it at will.  I do remember looking at the pace at the end and seeing a flat 10 min/mile pace overall.

A very nice workout with the sweat pouring from me at the end and home to ... yes, twizzlers, nibblers, and leftovers!

Running and Resolutions





January 4, 2011
Fitness One Treadmill

33 minutes

3.3 miles

10 min/mile pace

Yes, another cold, windy night in Casper and hence, another warm, easy run on a treadmill.  I am trying to get back into the swing of things and get my weekly base running back to where it needs to be. With that in mind, the treadmill is fine for now.  I'll add the weight-training to it soon.  So, I hop on the machine and let my mind wander and that brings to me to my New Year's Resolutions. 

Yes, I make resolutions each year.  And yes, I do try to keep them.  I usually only make three and go with that.  How successful am I?  Let's see, last year's resolutions were to run more, incorporate weight training into running, and be nicer to people.  Of those, I know I kept one -- I ran more.  I tried to incorporate weight training into my running but only made it to the base gym twice, or was it three times?  And I really tried to be nicer to people and I think I was successful with that ... right up until August (whew! tapering for Leadville took its toll on me) and then I had another dip in December, holidays, right?

What are my New Year's resolutions this year?  Well, I resolve to drink less caffeine, incorporate weight training into my running, and to eat more healthy.  Yup, weight training is in there again and this time, I think I might be a little more successful with it since I am now a member of an actual gym!  Yeah, I caved and I now pay $29.95 a month to run in comfort and to use those modern metal torture machines.  I even had an introductory lesson on how to use them -- two months ago.  Have I used them since?  Um, well, no. 

However, I will do it this year!  I'm paying good money each month for my membership and I refuse to not get my money's worth.  I will use those machines and I know that will make me stronger, at least that is what Nietzsche promises, if it doesn't kill me. 

As for the less caffeine -- I must still have my coffee in the morning.  How in the world can I function without it?  But, I am buying caffeine free diet Pepsi.  I just can't cut out my colored, flavored, sweetner-infused carbonated water just yet.  One thing at a time, please.  And, I mix my real "leaded" coffee with decaffeinated "unleaded" coffee.  I've done that for years, I am now making it more unleaded than leaded. 

So, for the third resolution - to eat more healthy.  I have not bought a single bag of potato chips ... yet.  I'm on day 4 and so far, so good!  Also, twice, I've only ordered the fish sandwich or hamburger -- did not get the meal deal.  That's really, really good for me.  What else?  I'm trying to cut back on my after work, after running, sitting on the sofa watching TV until the wee hours of the night snacking.  That is a difficult thing for me to do, it truly is; but I will persevere!

Check up on me in June and see how I'm doing on these resolutions!  But right now, it's time to get off the treadmill, go home ... and not eat all the pretzels or trail mix or popcorn in the house before going to bed! 

Treadmill Running





Lifetime Fitness logo on website

January 2, 2010
Lifetime Fitness

4+ miles

30+minutes

(I should really pay more attention to the read outs right there in front of me)

An early start to the day taking my daughter up to the airport at oh dark thirty and then four more hours of driving to Casper. Ah well, such is life.  The early morning and icy road conditions wore me out and therefore, after arriving at my 2nd home, I did the most noble thing I could, I took a nap.

Awakening refreshed and with some new found energy I decided to get my lazy butt out and run ... in the gym ... sometime ... today.  After much talking to myself and finally convincing me to change into running gear, I received a call from a friend who wants to begin running with a group of us in Casper.  Whatcha doing?  Going to go run.  Want to run with me at my gym so I can see if I can keep up?  Sure, why not? 

So, Don picked me up and took me to his gym - Lifetime Fitness.  It's one of the gyms I checked out before joinging mine.  However, I quickly decided I didn't need the indoor putting/driving range, or the lap pool or the racket ball courts or even the expensive monthly fee after taking a tour of their facilities. 

Arriving there, I paid my guest fee, okay, Don did since I complained on the way that I could be running at My gym without having to shell out more money and that I wasn't sure I wanted to run at Lifetime since they just bought the Leadville races.  Good man though for ponying up and taking care of it for me. 

Their facilities are truly nice I must admit.  I quickly found the locker room and took off the extra layers needed in Wyoming in the winter and met Don by the bank of treadmills facing Casper mountain and the wall of T.V.s!  Wow! At least five television sets all tuned to different channels -- I watched HGTV and the Strongman Competition during my run!

Don and I found two machines next to each other not in use and hopped on to begin "our run."  I started out slow and then bumped up the speed a tenth after about a quarter of a mile or so to eventually get to a nice, easy 10 min/mile pace.  Once there, I held it until about 3+ miles and then I slowed it down and increased the grade to get in a "hill workout" for about a half a mile.  After powerhiking and sweating a bit, I decreased the incline and picked up the pace for a pretty fast quarter mile or so and then began my slow, cool down. 

Don was beside me the entire way running and powerhikig; however, he told me later that the first two miles were enjoyable, but the last two were, well, to say the least, they weren't enjoyable.  I thought he did very well and I don't think he'll have a problem running with us on Saturday. 

After running though, Don showed me just what his real strength is, weight training.  It was here that I felt terrible -- I put maybe 30lbs on the machines while Don would place 130+lbs and more!!  Yes, truly, each person has his or her own strengths and I was properly humbled. 

Afterwards, Don asked about running clothes, so we headed to WalMart and picked up a starter "Starter" set of running duds for him while I got some groceries~ 

Another great day of running, even if on the treadmill ... running with friends makes all the difference!

El Paso County Rescue Run 2011

Chris, Bob, Me and Felix

Rescue Run
Palmer Park
January 1, 2011
10K (6.2 miles)
1:05:35

Once again a flurry of emails the week before from the guys and finally the group was set last night - Bob, Felix, Dano, Chris and I all signed up to run the Rescue Run. F and Mike were traveling and I don't know where Jeff was! This is an annual race to support the El Paso Search and Rescue (website: http://www.epcsar.org/) and what a wonderful organization - they never charge for any of the SAR missions they do.

From the website:

Weather: Temps in low single digits above zero, with partly sunny skies. The course was quite icy on the paved section of the course. 

Course: Hilly and challenging. The 5K course is entirely on paved roads. It's mostly uphill on the way out, and mostly downhill on the way back. 

The 10K course is about 4+ miles on paved roads and about 2 miles on dirt trails. The first mile is mostly uphill. Then it is rolling/level for a few miles. The last 1 1/2 miles are mostly downhill. The 10K course offers some panoramic vistas of the  Colorado Springs area and the Front Range mountains.

The morning was freakin' freezin' cold; however, I dressed in layers and was nice and warm throughout therace. I picked up Chris at his house and then drove over to Bob's for all of us to catch a ride with Felix to Palmer Park. While still in the car, Chris had us all swear to the "Pack!" That meant none of us would take off and leave anyone during this race. Absolutely! Now, I was assured to have someone help me through this race and it turned out to be Chris.

The start is on a dirt road that winds around the field at Palmer Park. After the first tenth, you climb for the next nine-tenths on the road. This is a pretty tough way to start a race, especially with icy roads and cold temps. Chris had us start in the first half of runners and that was probably smart since 5K and 10K runners started together and the race openly asked for walkers to participate.

After the first tenth, you turn to the right to continue up the hill for the 10K course and yup, continue to climb. It levels off of a bit after awhile but then, of course, there are more uphill sections.  However, this is Palmer Park and Colorado ... would you expect anything different?   I would equate this race to Garden of the Gods ten miler ... the winter version!

My lack of real training showed up in spades with this run.  However, I only power hiked twice during this hilly course and was proud of myself for my super slow-mo gear that got me up and over the hills. Thank goodness we all agreed that this was just a fun run and none of us were going to race!    

Chris and Dano took the lead for the entire race and would run up a bit and then wait for the rest of us to catch up.  That meant myself and Bob who ran with Felix for the entire race.  After we turned around at the top, Chris was waiting by a photographer so I pulled in as well.  Dano had doubled back to catch Bob and Felix and when they all came into view, all five of us stopped in front of the photographer for a group photo!  

From there, it was mostly downhill -- about that same nine-tenths that we had on the way up at the beginning.  We went past the starting point and headed around the field with Chris, Dano and myself and then Bob and Felix.  Right before the run up to the shoot,  the front three slowed for the last two to catch up and then we all crossed one behind the other.  Okay, so I did nudge Dano with my elbow as I passed him and then Chris received the same treatment so I could say I beat the guys in one race! 

They laughed at me and told me I could hang up my shoes for the rest of the year since that would never happen again!  Afterwards, we went to Panera Bread for coffee and bagels!  

What a great day and a wonderful way to start the New Year out right.  I hope all of you have a great year running and stay injury free!  

210   262   Teri Hedgpeth            45   Colo Springs  CO   1:05:36

211   435   Christopher Sanders      53   Colo Springs  CO   1:05:36

212   430   Daniel Lee               46   Colo Springs  CO   1:05:37
214   247   Felix Colonnieves        49   Colo Springs  CO   1:05:42
215   426   Bob Eaton                57   Colo Springs  CO   1:05:43

Chris, Bob, Dano and Felix