15 Weeks to Silver Rush 50: Random Stuff

Start of the Leadville Silver Rush 50

I really hate putting 50 random, useless things about my dull life in a blog post (like that's stopped me before), but I'm not in a 'writing mood' this week so rambling (and long) this will be....

Due to some issue with my iron, I get to go to the doctor bi-annually to have some blood drawn; today was that lucky day.  I get dizzy and almost faint every single time with this simple procedure so the nice nurse had me sit down on a kid size chair while she asked me 539 times if I felt OK and if I needed some juice.  She couldn't find a vein so she poked and rolled the needle in my arm a couple dozen times until she struck gold.  Or blood, whichever came first.  I got a pink, sparkly Band Aid after, so I called the day good.

My entire family left in existence, basically all live in Colorado.  My parents are long gone but my aunt and my two bothers live here.  A couple cousins.  And my niece - who, much to my delight, works as a rep for Coors and gets as much free beer as she wants.  I rarely see my family, despite their close-ish proximity.  One of my brothers doesn't really speak to any of us so it's weird he joined in on our Easter festivities.  I think family holiday get-togethers are wonderful because they remind me why I don't see more of them.  Anyway, they somehow got wind I was doing this crazy 50 mile race with insane vertical at altitudes that make my rib hurt at just the mere mention of the 10k' start line, and they wanted to know why I'd do such a thing to myself.  You'd think after 35 years of this running gig they'd have it figured out, but like I said - there's reasons why my family and I don't see one another often.  I told them, "Because it will hurt.  A lot."  The end.  My darling niece who graciously shares her Coors freebies with me said, "That's the best answer, ever." She is the only family member in my imaginary will: she gets all my running shoes when I'm gone.  Lucky girl.

Hello, antihistamine, nice to see you're back.  While I was at the doctor to get my arm amputated off with a needle, I told my doctor that I'm having mother angry headaches again and a persistent cough at night.  He reminded me it was seasonal allergy season and, well, wasn't I top of his list of allergy sufferers?  I told him I was abating that crap this year by cutting out some gluten and thus will be happily allergy-free this season.  My pink, sparkly Band Aid and I went home, laughing at that doctor and his silly accusations.  I spent last night from 3:00-5:30am sneezing and blowing my nose 4783 times until I finally cried Uncle and took a Zyrtec. I've been in a fog all day, I hate that shit!  As much as I hate cold and snow, Spring isn't exactly my friend.  I think I'll go eat a piece of bread.

I ran into another blogger last week.  Well, I didn't literally run into him, but rather planned to meet him when I heard he was visiting my state for a week.  I've never met Mike, so to impress him, I headed to our little luncheon date promptly post tempo run, full of body odor and salt drizzle down the side of my face.  I'm shocked he didn't call the police.  Or the homeless shelter.  But we had a nice lunch (despite my sensitive stomaching protesting cheese; irritates me that pizza and I can't be good friends) in a quasi-cool (if you know the right places to go to) old gold mining town, and had some good ol' conversations for a good three hours....and I didn't even have any alcohol to help my normally introverted self suddenly become this crazy endless speaking old lady talking about nothing (much like this blog).  Thanks for the lunch, Mike - and the delightful conversation.  Maybe next time you're in town, I'll take a shower before our meet-up, or at least bring some deodorant.

Brendan headed to NYC on Friday to play with part of his high school band at Carnegie Hall.  How cool is that?  This pic below was from a band concert a couple days before he left.  And yes, I came to the concert directly post long bike ride and look like hell.  You're probably thinking by now I never take a shower and rush all over the damn state.  That would actually be a somewhat true thought.  But B's looking pretty good, so that's all that matters.  He's due home any minute now from five activity-filled New York days - I absolutely cannot wait to hear all about it.  I'm probably the only person on the planet who's never been to NYC.  I have no desire to really go other than to say I've been there.  And see my son play his trumpet at Carnegie Hall.

The coach had a hill running clinic on Sunday, which I dutifully attended, mostly for fear I'd be banded from sending future 10-page emails to him on how much I hate hills, if I didn't attend.  I got to learn a bunch of cool new tips how I can kick some Leadville butt, and was in geology heaven with the monolithic red rock and Red Rocks Amphitheater as our background.

Source: Stolen from Tim's blog without his permission

The clinic was great and if I weren't so damn tired right now I'd be more prolific about all the tips I learned, but suffice it to say that on my almost 3000' run/power-walk/crawl after the clinic, I incorporated those tips and definitely noticed a difference in my effort and subsequently, speed.  Thanks for finally bringing that clinic to Colorado, Tim.  If I don't die in Leadville, I'll make ya' proud.

It was a gorgeous, sun-filled day, and I was just absorbed in the task at hand and suddenly realized that this trail running thingie is actually starting to become more enjoyable for me.... despite the fact my shoes are eating my feet alive. 

Best part of the day, hands down, had to be second trip up the 1500' climb, when the fatigue of these hills were setting in and my pace and attitude were equally declining rapidly, a "kid" of maybe 27 stopped me and said he noticed I was on my second lap back up this beast, so I stopped to talk to him for a few minutes.  He didn't have a shirt on, and his dog was cute - I couldn't resist the rest-stop.  He said he climbed this trail almost daily and then proceeded to tell me if I ever wanted company to come and join him...and oh, by the way, we could grab a beer together after.  Oh yeah!  Then, on the way down the second time (ugh, my quads were screaming!), I ran into a guy I used to run with occasionally - a very long time ago....you know, when I used to run fast. er.  Before my f-ing foot zapped my speed.  I guess the second trip up was worth it, even though I can still barely walk three days after that little 3000' climb.

Hi Craig, so cool to run into you!

I knocked out a little mile swim PR the other day - and I wasn't even trying; I was just swimming, stopped the watch at a mile, and there it was.  Solid.

I get asked a lot about my numbers: mileage, vertical gain, hours, etc.  It probably wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done signing up for a crazy beast like Leadville 50 when I had already committed to the Boise Half Ironman 5 weeks earlier than Leadville.  No one said I was smart, especially me, but I think the biking, which is clearly my weakness, is helping me recover a bit quicker with my running.  No, I'm not training nearly as much on the bike as I should be, and I'm tired as hell - constantly, but I feel great running, and that is my main focus; I just hope I can hold on to this high I seem to have been magically (finally!) given.  Here's March's numbers...

Run:
Vertical climbed: 17,469'
Miles: 224.22
Hours:  Too tired, nor do I really care right now, to add it up.

Bike:
Vertical climbed: 4351'
Miles: 210
Isn't your bike mileage suppose to be 3x your run mileage for a triathlon? Whatever.  And I wonder why I am such a weak cyclist?!?!
Hours: ~13.
Avg Speed: Pathetic!

Swim:
Miles: 3.46
I'm okay with this low number, swimming is not my weakness, but I'd be good if I got in the pool for longer swims now.  I'm sure it won't happen though; I hit that mile and I'm instantly want out of the pool.  I did manage 2050yds the other day though....go me.

Okay, Brendan just walked in the door so time to wrap this up (I'm hearing big sighs of relief) and go hug my kid.  Look what he brought me :) ...

Run strong, my friends.  And please, run a hill or two for me, too - I need it.