Week two of BOS to BHB 750, Upcoming Virtual Boston Marathon, and more

Well. That was a long title. 

Quite bit to get to this week though, as I prepare for some shenanigans. 

First off, my recovery from the epic rib smashing disaster face plant of last week is going fairly well, although a bit more slowly than I appreciate. I kind of got hurt. 

Because of that, I did some creative miles, especially at the beginning of the week. I did some walking. some hobble jogging. And, at the end of the week, some absurd (but NON falling) trail running. Hence, meeting my mileage goal for BOS-BHB while allowing myself to kinda recover. 

Family running up a hill

This past Saturday marked the opening of the window in which to complete Virtual Boston! Since I was still pretty F***ED up, I knew getting an early start was not to be. I plan to run later in the week, day/route TBD but there are some interesting ideas floating around. 

I have already mentioned the face that I have not run longer than 10-ish miles since March... Oh well. Hopefully the hours of thrashing up and down mountains will count for something (they probably won't, but that's ok too.)

In other news, Boston registration for 2021 has been postponed. A good move, as I figured we would all stampede to sign up, simply to be refunded again. 

My feeling is that 2021 will be Elite Field only. 

As I look to the future of my marathon *career* I'm not really concerned, since it is my hobby. But I'm no spring chicken you guys. I'm wondering how a multi year break in high mileage training (assuming the trend of Covid continues) will impact hobby runners like myself, who don't snap back as quickly as the young whippersnappers do. 

I guess will find out! Maybe by the time we get back to it I will have aged up and bought myself an extra 5 minutes, hahahah!!

Anyway. Onward to "taper".  Which is just silly, because I haven't been cranking out the intensity. 

Miles run last week: 32-ish with all the twiddling around included. And this week, I include it. 

Miles hiked: Like, 19 miles total of trail running and crap

Place in the Challenge on Sunday night: 95/472

Hottest day: A bit fall like, I think one day when it was 80

Level of broken-ness: I mean.... There is "broken" and "BROKEN" I am not the second one, but on Monday-Thursday I was a sad sack of sorrow. Might have cracked a few ribs. 

Bradbury Mountain Bruiser 2018 (Summer goal of becoming a BADASS achieved!)

Well, considering that I managed to check off my goal of reaching "badass" level at this event, this certainly is a delayed reaction post.

Several weeks ago (September 9th, to be exact) on what I believe was the first day of the year cooler than 90 degrees, Eric and I tackled the infamous Bruiser.

How quickly it goes from 90 to 40. And back to 80.

This is a tricky 12 mile race, on the"non mountain" side on Bradbury State Park. Don't let the "non mountain" statement trick you- it is a winding, rolling course, that finishes up on the rather dreadful "O-Trail". A trail so menacing, that it looks like intestines when you look at it on Strava. Gross.
This race always measures short, but it because it is LITERALLY so twisty, that no GPS in its right mind can keep track of what you are up to.

So. The day arrived. THE BIG DAY! I was not feeling fit at all. I really broke up with running this summer (temporarily... we were just on a break) and I was wondering how 12 miles would feel to my out of practice legs (spoiler: not great.) Regardless, I was determined to complete the race and collect my prize. I was NOT going to let the Badass sweatshirt escape my grasp, even if it meant I had to crawl, gasping and sobbing to the finish.

( you might be saying ....all this drama for a sweatshirt??..... and I will answer. YES. YES!!!!!!........)

Shockingly... We were quite late to the start and had to run to get there on time.

We are running to the start. But there's always time for me to take a pic!

Luckily, we made it in the nick of time. We started and made sure to be closer to the front of the pack than last year.
Which makes perfect sense, when one is in absolutely dreadful running shape!

But listen, what happens on the very narrow trails is a complete bottleneck. And if you are in it, you are IN IT. So we avoided it and were happy.

We ran mostly alone for quite a while. The weather was nice, we were winding and twisting around the trails, hopping over roots, and generally having a good time.

ALOOOOOOOOONE

The thing about a 12 miler, is that eventually you aren't going to be super happy if you haven't been running more than zero miles at a time.

Overall my suffer score was moderate. MODERATELY HIGH. (JK. it was only moderate)

I had some really unpleasant stabby left ankle pain for the majority of the race. It was pretty nasty, but I am pleased to say that I haven't had any issues with that since (but I also have not been trail running since.) So who knows what that was about, but it was distracting, ouchy, and stupid.

Eric and I ran together until just before the O Trail, when I went somewhat ahead in an effort to run with some people who we had met the previous year. They clearly had been training more that I had, and I was not able to keep up with them.

But... I was lucky enough to find someone to follow through the dreaded labyrinth of the big dumb O.
Basically, on the O Trail,  you run around and around, and back and forth, and up and down until you get dizzy (all to the tune of "if you're happy and you know it." you think I am kidding, but I am not.) It's bad enough to run it with people to draft off of- and would be miserable to run alone. I was very, very glad to have a leader.

THIS IS SHIT (photo cred to Eric)

And then. 2:05:49 later, I was done. Thank the lord!
Sweatshirt in hand!! A real, honest to god badass!!!

A pair of badasses

And shockingly, inexplicably and undeservedly I was about 25 seconds faster than last year. I attribute that solely to the avoidance of the bottleneck in the first mile, and nothing more (because seriously, I ran about 13 miles in September. 12 of them on this day...)

I'm looking forward to doing this again next year. I REALLY love the Trail Monster races, and think that they are a great organization and that they put on really special events. If I ever decide to woman up and run summer miles, I would love to do the October ultra that they host. I feel like if a 12 miler is this much fun, a 30 miler would be even better (with better fitness.. and a non stabby pained ankle!)

The most remarkable thing about this race is that I did not fall!! (miracles do happen)
The second most remarkable thing is that it was a cool day (this summer was a pain in the ass)
And the third most remarkable, is that one can actually run 12 miles without practice. Although I do not really suggest this!

Bradbury Mountain Breaker, 2018 edition

So. The very day after Eric and I completed the Franconia Ridge Loop at a brisk pace, we had the Bradbury Breaker to deal with.

I fondly remembered this event as being my favorite of 2017. Despite the almost constant trip up the little mountain, it was so much fun that I had been looking forward to it for ages.

Since I have run basically not at all this summer, I had low expectations. Hiking 8.8 miles the previous day might not have been a great choice, but I had concluded that it simply would not make any difference. I had zero expectations (I think I ran about 20 miles in July. Total.)

We got up early, and discovered that it was the coolest day in a while! (this summer has been a boiling, humid, m***t, clusterfuck.) So it was like, 69 and 200% humidity (basically almost raining.) Regardless, it was certainly a lot cooler than most days have been.

My only mission for these races is to have fun, and FINISH, as I am determined to collect my Bad Ass sweatshirt in September, when we complete the 12 mile race. I figured that even if I had to walk to the finish, I would be stubborn enough to make it to the end, tired legs be damned. (Really, maybe I should set a more impressive goal. Like winning! But, nope.)

There is a good reason to go on a big hike the day before a *race*.
You have a built in excuse to suck! I woke up that morning feeling pretty decent, although a little creaky. I was certain that by mile 0.5 my legs would be laughing at me.

Eric and I arrived barely on time (yay! returning to my roots! we literally had 10 minutes!)

Pre race. So dry. So lovely. 

We immediately bumped into the woman who we ran the entire Bradbury 12 miles with last year (random) It was kind of dreary (perfect) And we all started and set off to conquer the hill. (winning)

Casual stroll to the start

We were off! And go figure. I felt just fine. I should avoid training more often!!
(also, the course begins on a really nice stretch of wide, flat, super safe dirt. So nice!)

Not a technical stretch of trail

SHOCKINGLY, I felt good enough in the beginning to break away from the big pack of runners. I remember from last year, that once you turn onto the Boundary Trail it is better not to be in a ton of traffic.

I spent the first couple miles of the race with a pack of dudes. For a while it seemed that they were going to make a move, and leave me to eat their dust (although it was too humid to be dusty.) While I'm not much of a trail runner, I do seem to have skills/bravery/stupidity on the downhills and I was able to rein some of them in.

BYE. See you in a mile or two though. 

I did feel fairly unimpressive up the actual mountain part of the course (which you hit twice.) It is more of a walk/slog for me (but I was happy not to have a 14 pound backpack!)

This does kind of suck, tbh

I felt exceedingly good for many miles of this race. I ran alone for a LONG time, which did not bother me at all. I enjoyed the peace and quiet, I was really confident in the course because I ran a ton at Bradbury last year, AND there are helpful signs if you go astray.

You will not get lost, thanks to Mr. T

With a mile to go (most of it straight DOWN) I got my hustle on. I was having a good time, and even though my feet were starting to hurt I kicked up the pace. The quicker you get done, the faster the feet can quit complaining.
I finished in 1:41 which is 6 or so minutes better than last year. Who knows why or how. (mostly because I just went for it. fuck training!)

THEN, I won my age group which was delightful and a nice surprise. I was awarded my favorite socks (darn tough!) and one of my favorite summer beers (Baxter Bootleg Fireworks)

I drank one right off. #health

Eric and I were both so sweaty that it looked like we had been swimming. Gross.

EWWWWW. We were much grosser than this pic would lead you to believe

We had a super fun time catching up with friends, talking about our real jobs and good adulting and how I won a chair at the last race and was not there to get it. Shit. (and we took no group pics. so dumb.)

So anyway. It was really a great day of running, and I loved it, and can not wait for the September race (which I have both no time and no intention of training for, hah!)

Summer Goal #3: Race ALL the Bradbury Mt Races

Well. This is part 1 of 3 of this particular goal. (two more races at Bradbury before I can claim my "Badass" status!)

After a week of HIDEOUSLY SWELTERING HEAT AND HUMIDITY, the disgusting weather finally broke, and we got some relatively cool air. (relative is the word.) This was a relief, first of all because the weather SUCKED, and secondly, we had some "racing" to do!

The first race of the Bradbury series was last Sunday, and Eric and I arrived ready for the challenge.
Neither of us have ever done this first race before- the Scuffle? The shuffle? However, we both did a good amount of trail running/biking of the "other side of the road" at the park last year. Despite this being our first trip of the season, we basically knew what to expect.

As is often the case, June was not a month of serious training for me. (and let's be real, July will not be either!) After the whole marathon training winter, and a high mileage May (culminating in a 50k) rest and sloth was on the agenda. So yeah, I'm an unfit mess of a woman.

We managed to see a few friends before the start (Hi Jen! Michelle! Wade/Ward or whichever one is Jen's husband!) and then we were off.

The "other side" of Bradbury does not contain the mountain. What is has, instead, are miles of twisty, rooty trails. And little bouncy bridges. Lots of fun, especially if you are not trying to win (we were not.) The Bradlowski's made some bad choices while preparing for this event. We neglected to carry snacks (mildly dumb) or water (incredibly dumb) so as it turned out, there was some level of suffering.
Eric fell down. I did not. This is a complete reversal of our usual trail running adventures!

I certainly noticed my lack of fitness for a good part of the race. (and a real lack of trail running practice, the agility it requires takes more than a few minutes of racing to lock down....) But really, a tough day of trail running is much better than a hot, gross summer day of road running! Eric and I enjoyed running together (basically all alone) for about 4 of the 6 miles. If we hadn't been as confident in the excellent trail marking, we would have thought we were lost!

For whatever reason, I gained a second wind sometime during the final mile.  (or my legs finally woke up? who knows.) I was aided by a delightful downhill gravel path, and I managed to kick up a little speed (which was really quite fun!)

I finished feeling good (dripping, dripping sweat) and my time was 58 and change.
I can tell I am still secretly in road running mode, because I usually pay zero attention to my fun trail race times! (by August I will have mellowed out!)

OMG WINNING (but like, not)

Eric finished right behind me, and we took a sweaty selfie (as we always do) We also ate almost the whole jar of pickles that the post race snack station had. They were delicious.

#hot 

We then proceeded to hike around lugging heavy packs for a bit. With basically zero snacks, which was STILL a horrible plan!!

Prepared to climb Mt Everest, from the looks of things

So thus far, summer has been busy. Really busy. I am back in the zone of trying to hit 4 workouts a week (or some sort) and mostly failing (but I honestly blame the shitbag 96 degree weather for that.) (and also working well over 60 hours a week) I have been out on the bike a few times now, and I absolutely hate the summer traffic! OMG PEOPLE, please for the love of baby geezes get off your damn phones!!!!

Biking to the PUB!!! Shocking!

Road running has taken a backseat (thank heavens) to other activities but will pick back up in the fall, or whenever I feel like dealing with it again!

Eric and I have been to 2 of the Bethel/Mahoussuc trails "races" this summer. One was hot, so hot that I legit ran 10:43 pace and still hated it.
The next week was cooler, and I managed a 9:07 pace, but only due to shame. Shame is an incredible motivator!

Bethel trail Friday nights!

Oh, and I also went to another horse show, and kept the 2nd place streak alive for the first day! Then I blew it, by getting one 4th (SHAME, hahaha) and winning a couple classes! YAY!

Ohhhhhh AND a Tricolor ribbon!!!!

So, Stats:
Hottest day this summer: 96. Fucking 96.
Number of 2nd place ribbons: 2
Trail races that caused me to fall: 0 (thus far)
Longest bike ride: 19 which felt like 100
Longest run on the road: like, 5 which felt like 30
Longest trail run: 6 which felt like 6 because trail running is my jam in the summer
Current fitness: Excellent for riding horses, just dreadful for running

How to run a 50k with no actual training, in 11 easy steps!!

I think the best advice that I can give on this particular subject is "don't."

That being said, if you just want to throw caution to the wind (as I do) and run the ever loving f**k out of your legs just for kicks, then here is how to do it.

(note: for those of you who might be new to me, I'm obviously 100% full of shit. Never, EVER come to me for advice!! Training for endurance races is actually serious business, and even though I did not *train* specifically for this event, I have been running decent mileage for a number of years, and thus, can pull stunts like this and remain intact. Please do NOT attempt this if you have never run before!! Dear Lord!!)

But yes, I did just complete a 50K at Pineland yesterday. Totally unplanned. 100% spontaneous.
No, I really, REALLY did not train for this (as any of you who follow me on Strava are sure to have noticed.)
Also, I really did pull the trigger on this one the moment before online registration closed. So yeah, last minute.
So, now that I am an expert on how to almost win (or get like, 100th place) at a 50K, on junk miles only training, I have written up this handy dandy guide.

Today's blog is brought to you by the giant *rooster*

Step 1 for running a 50k, untrained: Pick the right weather day (meaning, you must wait until 24 hours before to sign up. #planning)
The REAL reason that I decided to participate was to capitalize on the ideal weather. 58 degrees, cloudy, breezy. The only thing missing was some heavy rain!! This is KEY because if you plan ahead, and your race ends up being on a 90 degree day, it will be awful for you. So no planning ahead, just wing it.

The face of a highly prepared woman.

Step 2: Have a rock solid training plan:
Or.... Marathon train all winter and then run junk miles all Spring. When you don't actually have anything to train for, junk miles are key. I ran some crap miles all last week before (first) being lazy for a day or two and (then) deciding that "lazy" was a good "taper" because, obviously. I ran 26.2 miles back in April some point, and that was obviously *instrumental* in getting me to the start of this adventure. (I need a sarcastic face emoji, for right here.)

Step 3: Give yourself a ton of time to prepare at the start, because everyone is *so* competitive: 
Well.... I didn't give myself a ton of time, but I did make it to the start before the gun went off. (shut up Danielle and Sarah.) As I drove in, I saw the 50 milers loping along through the hayfields, already well into their day (no thanks. but I was pleased not to see the 50k-ers starting without me.)
There was a good sized crowd lined up for the 50k, and while I did my best to line up as far back as possible, people kept moving back in line to get into last position. So, I would move farther back. And then they would. I would then move back even farther. And then they would... on and on this went, until the announcer basically yelled at people to get up to the start line!

Just let me start at the back!

Step 4: Know the damn terrain that you will be running on.
(FYI: I actually knew quite a bit about this particular aspect.)
Pineland is a hilly stupid farm. This is the only difficult part of running any of their races. While they are "trail" races, what that means for this location is running on dirt roads (like atv, or very wide xc ski trails) and wide, mowed grass paths. There is not one step of challenging single track terrain. No large rock faces to scramble over, no stream crossings. You even run on pavement for a hot minute.
It's like trail running for city folk. (like, trail shoes totally optional.)
HOWEVER. The easy appearance of the footing doesn't mean it is an easy walk in the park (hay field). The hills are quite relentless, with the elevation for the 50k coming it at over 3k'. There are definitely a few steep hills, and if you aren't careful they will smack you in the face your second trip around! Also, the hay fields are all cambered and your will always be running with one leg rather lower than the other (my left leg calls shenanigans on this every time I run this race.)
Anyway. I know that Pineland kind of sucks, so my 24 hours of preparation allowed me to mentally achieve zen, to embrace the suck.

Hilly Field. ALL ALONE!!!

Step 5: Have a (mental) turn by turn directional guide for how you will run each mile of the course.
Well. I knew that I was going to show up. Check!
I planned to run 25k for sure.
I thought then I would run around the first "loop" again, and then bail. Or walk. Or maybe something entirely different. I got bored for a while at mile 8 and thought maybe I'd just stop then.
Who could really know.
I figured I would run, at some speed, until I was over it. (winning here, as usual.)
Luckily, at Pineland you don't need *actual* turn by turn directions, because it is impossible to get lost. If you go off course, you will end up in with the cows.

Happy cows

Step 6: Nail the nutrition and hydration 
(I totally did) 
Right away, like at mile 3 I began to get hungry. This is never a great sign that early on, but I was pretty well stocked and planned to use the excellent aid stations. Over the years I have become much (MUCH) better at eating and drinking while running, and actually consider myself to be quite an expert in that area.
Over the course of the race I consumed:
-2 bottles of water (I carry one in my flip belt, and I refilled it half way through)
-Quite a few small cups of gatorade, starting at the half way point. I do not train with gatorade but I was parched and water wasn't doing the trick.
-2.5 bananas. I hate bananas. But I like them during very big runs (weird) I also will not eat unpeeled bananas that other hands have touched (gross) so I was VERY VERY HAPPY that the aid stations happily gave me some nice, whole, clean ones.
-a few little cups of pickles. YUM. (and only from the aid stations that had individual cups of snacks. No snack trough for this lady.
-peanut butter filled pretzels (a very good choice)
-one tiny cup of ice cold coke
-5 packets of untapped syrup, which is the gold standard for race fuel as far as I am concerned (I have used it exclusively for a year, and can't sing the praises loud enough.)
The moral of the story is that I might have been hungry for a hot minute, but I refused to stay that way.
I also refused to run doing the pee dance, and I stopped to pee 3 times.

Step 7: Don't be a jackass
Don't try to run fast. Ever, not even one step. Or, do. But don't say I didn't warn you!
During my first 50k I bolted off like a madwoman and paid the price.
Don't be me (of 2013), don't be that guy. If you normally run a marathon on the road, at an 8:00 pace (assuming, of course that you are not secretly an elite trail runner, undercover) plan to add actual honest to God minutes to your per mile pace. I ran an 11:20 pace, (which, of course took into account my 5+ minutes of stopped time, as it does/should.)
Even though I walked up every hill during both laps, I was still pretty friggin creaky for the last few miles.
Also, if you are going too fast you will not be able to take selfies, and snaps.

The all important selfie

Step 8: Wear the right kit
Don't wear the shorts that chafe your lady bits, even if they do have the best pockets.
Consider wearing your trail shoes maybe once (this year) before running 30 miles.
So, this segment of the program is basically "what not to do".  Heed my warnings.

Step 9: Prepare for things to not feel all that great at some point. Prepare to carry on.
I actually felt just fine for the vast majority of this run. I felt a little foggy just after the half way point, so I walked, had a big snack, and then felt good again.
I began to feel the impact of the mileage around 20, but did not feel sore until 24. And then it got pretty unpleasant. (I was just sore though, I mentally felt good, and my stomach was great.)
But the real TMI moment? Ready? So, as mentioned, my lady-parts-region (although, thank heavens not my *actual* lady bits) became super nasty chafed. And (as we all know) I have this really big fibroid. I had to pee late in the race, and I sneezed and peed just the littlest bit (as one does, shut up). My chafing burned like the fire of 1,000 suns and it was a horrible moment. The worst! (so, I pulled over immediately and peed.) Clearly the advice here is simple: don't pee yourself.

Step 10: Don't expect to win the race if you haven't trained. 
I, however, would not expect to win the race even if I HAD trained, so what's the difference, really?
While I did not win the race, I ran very close to the time that I predicted for myself. I expected to take 6 hours, and I managed 5:47 (about 40 minutes slower than my *best* 50k at Pineland effort.)
Really, the training for a 50k is pretty unpleasant, so I almost prefer the slower time, as completely skipping the training is pretty great! Fuck it! I'm not going to train at all for anything, anymore!

Not winning! Not caring!

Step 11: Because 10 is not enough, when the advice is of this elite caliber: 
Prepare to have a nice day. Really.
If I had ceased to have a nice day, I would have walked my ass back to my car and gone to get some pizza.
But, I did have a nice time. The weather was very pleasant. I enjoyed a perfect mix of running alone (which I like, when I am not pushing for a fast pace) and running with some very nice people. (Hi Mari and Haley!) I enjoyed looking at the cows, and the scenery (and the never ending hills..)
I enjoyed collecting my big green bell, even thought they tried to give me a tiny stupid one. I was like, "nope, I get a BIG bell, yo."

Big green bell

So there you have it. A very comprehensive guide to doing something that *in real life* requires quite a bit of training, with no training at all.

The best news? I'm really none the worse for it. My chafing has already retreated, and my legs are marathon level sore, nothing too extreme! I now plan to retire the 50k distance for a few more years, when I may actually put forth a modicum of training effort (or not, tbh. I felt pretty ok about how this run went!)

The week with 16 miles instead of 60

Last week was amazingly, and completely uneventful in the running department.
There was a good reason that last week was my random 60 mile week, there was NO way that could have happened this past week!
I knew that I had 3 days that were going to be completely out of the question for running, with two others being highly questionable. I actually thought that a zero week might be a terrific idea, but the weekend was just too nice to pass up (plus, I finally had time to hit the road!)

Eric joined me for a Saturday pub run, after what feels like a long time of not running together. It was a really stellar weather day (60, dry, breeze, sun) and it was a solid run.

Here we are again!

Typical Saturday

Doing this run, I definitely was noticing the need for a new pair of shoes, which is a little crappy at this point. I believe I have just over 300 miles on these Clifton 3's (which is a perfectly reasonable number, if we are being honest.) BUT....  I became extremely spoiled with the Clifton 2's. They held up incredibly well even as their mileage came close to 600. *sigh*
Since the Clifton 4's are not a thing yet, and I am not super crazy about the 3's I may try another shoe for a bit. BUT WHAT??? I like my shoes nice and cushy, so feel free to give suggestions.

Sunday marked my first trip up Hawk Mountain this Spring.

Pretty

It was a warmer day (72) but really just perfect.
The mountain is still a bit of a mess after the logging extravaganza of last fall and winter. Now that things are greening up, it looks better and also seems to have survived the drenching rains of April. (I was worried about possible erosion.)
It was a fun run, a little weird getting back on the trail after so much pavement running, but weird in a good way! And super pretty.

Rocks and things that are not pavement

So, with this crazy, busy, appointment and commitment filled week behind me, next week looks (slightly more) open for running. I hope to be able to get around 35 miles in, with the possibility of a speed workout tossed in there (or not) as the case may be. I haven't made a big push for bike miles at this point but that will happen as the weather becomes warmer and the roads get better.

Oh, and a random note. The amount of laundry this past week vs the 60 mile week was SO much less. I thought I might have been exaggerating about the laundry sitch but I certainly was not. AT ALL. So much soggy, smelly clothing.
The moral of the story is that winners like me run 16 mile weeks to avoid doing 300 loads of stank clothes.

Stats:
Miles run: SIXTEEN! HAH!!
Elevation: 1,307
My placement in my Strava running club: From an all time high of 4th last week I dropped, predictably, to 48th.
Hottest day: 79 but I totally avoided running that day because #omgsobusy

Early winter recap

It was a Fall of highs and lows. 

Per the norm, I have had a lengthy blog absence but I hope to be able to regain some level of consistency from here on out. 

Quick recap, mostly in pictures. 

Reunited!

In early October my cousin Evan came back for a weekend of constant athletics.
We biked in the rain, climbed mountains, ran the Bethel trail race and spent an afternoon trail running at Bradbury. It was certainly one of the most fantastic weekends of the fall and one that ended too soon!!

Sunset on Hawk Mountain, early October

New babayyyy!

The same weekend that Evan visited, my new pony arrived! I bought him in July and he finally arrived (from Germany!) in October. He is better than anything I ever could have hoped for, and I am so incredibly excited to see what we can do together.
(and no, this is not a horse blog. but believe it or not, a horse blog is coming soon. Details TBA)

Last Bradbury outing 

Amazing weather

Eric and I enjoyed one final Bradbury day late in the season. Both of us enjoyed our dirtbag status so much this year, and I haven't enjoyed running so much in a while! Apparently, the fear of tripping and falling down a mountain is fun to me....??

Lester.....

In early November, our youngest dog became severely and suddenly ill (complete renal failure). We chose to hospitalize him for the best treatment, but it quickly became apparent that he could not be saved. Heartbroken, we brought him home for hospice care.
We had him with us for several days before we knew it was his time.
This was a really hard time for us. I have struggled to find peace with his sudden passing and have only recently been able to become more at ease with what happened.

Running away from the feelings....

Eric and I both needed time to clear our heads after his passing, and found that hitting the road for some quiet runs helped. It was tough.

Birthday hike!

A couple weeks later my birthday weekend arrived, as it seems to every year. It's nice that despite this, I never ever age.

Eric, Kate and I went off of a wintery hike, fueled by peppermint mochas and coconut lattes.  (#fueledbynomad) (and beer by Norway Brewing!)

It was a chilly day, but we went 6 miles waterfall hunting, (gnome hunting too, but you had to be there!)

Birthday beer!!

Legit

 And then winter came, or at least the daylight hours became much fewer.

SAFETY

After our trail running days came to a close, we weren't really sure what we would do for fun.
It's hard to beat running up and down mountains and drinking beers in the back of the truck afterwards....

Being the geniuses that we are in the Bradlowski household, we decided that all Saturday runs would end at the pub.

YOU GUYS. What a stroke of pure brilliance! Nothing makes a double digit run more fun than knowing that beer is waiting at the end! (and so is Lee, to pick us up!)

So that's pretty much it, in the fewest words possible.
Cheers.

Bear Bones Brewing, our current favorite.

Late Summer Recap

It has been a while, quite a while since my last post .

(we all know that blogging really isn't a "thing" anymore, but I get a kick out of looking at my "three years ago" posts, and imagine I may feel the same way in three years from now...)

So anyway. 

When I last wrote, I had ridden my bike successfully, without dying, a handful of times. 

I still had not decided on the when/if of a fall marathon. 

I was dabbling in trail running. 

Since then, I have, for the first time since 2012 decided that a Fall marathon is not in the cards. I decided that I would begin to train when I got excited to hit some high mileage again. 

*needless to say, that did not happen*

There really was no agony, or soul searching involved. I simply decided that I LITERALLY could give ZERO fucks about running a Fall marathon, and so I didn't! 

Instead, I have been having a glorious time doing some different things. 

I am no longer afraid to ride my bike. This is a stunning accomplishment, and something I am really proud of. I love to ride the damn thing. 

Once a week. 

For no more that 25 miles at one time! (or 30... same thing)

I don't really have my own gear, so I wear Eric's

Believe it or not, I have participated in every Green Machine Wednesday Night ride (except one) since the last time I wrote. 

I moved up from the 12 MPH group to the 15 MPH group, and for the most part I feel that I can hold my own. (the confidence completely went out the window a couple weeks back, when the entirety of the 15 mph group dropped me like a bad habit with 3 miles to go. Apparently, they are fast, and I still have a long way to go before I can make an 18mph sprint to the end!) It's good to step far, far out of my comfort zone, have to work really hard to keep up, and to learn something new. 

I have been trail running SO much and (despite a couple of painful falls, that resulted in bloody body parts) I have been enjoying it tremendously.

Smiling on the summit

We can take a moment to talk about my coordination, or lack of. I have taken a couple wicked hahd diggahs, as we say in these parts. I have managed to get up, use my excellent equestrian first aid skills (pour some water on it, you're FINE!!) and move on. Also, Eric says that dirtbag runners always pack a cooler of beer (and ice) when adventure running, and those items have aided in my swift recovery.

Good LORD

I have no (current) plans to become the ultimate ultra trail runner. Really, who knows why I had a sudden need for dirt, mountains and trees. Regardless of the reason, I have been having some of the most fun running hours of my life this summer.

A Bradbury trail. NOT the O-trail...

Eric and I (and Danielle!!) ran the Bradbury Mountain Breaker (bruiser? broken legger?) in August and it was such a fine time. I took a wicked tumble, but finished very happy despite the final stretch of the course being near on to impossible to run. (word from the wise: the O Trail is not for the faint of heart!)

Crow athletics #teampink 

Typically, I would give you some stats about race pace, age group placement, etc.
I think I fell down so hard during this race that I can't remember any of it!!
Bad coordination strikes again. (and who falls down and cuts and bruises their CHEST??)

I do

Eric and I have been spending almost every Saturday afternoon running and mountain biking at Bradbury. We are fairly certain that it is the most fun you can have for $4 per person! 

We run and bike, light a fire and grill some food, enjoy nature and each others company. 

I have logged some serious trail running mileage. Similar to biking, it is something I really am a novice at, and I have a long way to go before I reach *expert* level.

Bradbury bridges

Eric and I, along with my sister on occasion, have also been enjoying the Friday evening "races" in Bethel at the Mahoosuc Pathways trail runs.
It is completely laid back. You toss $5 in a jar, line up (casually) and the woman who times the race suggests (at some point at.around 5:30) that "if you're ready, you can go!"
You then run about 3 or 6 miles on some really fun, not too hard trails. You come in to a blazing finish, and get discount beer! SO much winning.

Post trail race, the only night it wasn't HOT!

A couple years ago, I would have laughed SO hard if anyone told me I would spend a summer cycling and trail running. But there ya go. never say never. 

I think my running has always evolved into what I have needed it to be at the time. 

I have always said that if marathoning felt more like a chore than like fun, I would not do it. While that is how I felt this summer, I don't except that feeling to last. (and if it does, it does.) 

I plan to train for Boston 2018 to the best of my ability, and to run a strong race. 

Who knows what the future holds, right? I am lucky to be able to indulge in a hobby that is truly a luxury, and I appreciate every moment I spend in the outdoors running, hiking and biking. If marathoning forever is in the cards for me, I'll make it happen. If I need, or enjoy a change of pace, I'll go with the flow and enjoy those moments too.