Chasing My Joy

My journey to becoming an Ultra Runner and Ironman

Archives for June 2019

Adventures in Hiking + We’ve come a long way in a year.

My day started off with a HOT 10 mile run. After a few days in the 90s even 5am is warm.

After running we decided we wanted to hike but it was way too hot to stay close to town. We decided on Lily lake near Estes Park. The weather was supposed to be good and we love getting out in the mountains.

On the way up it started to rain, we hoped it would pass quickly and stuck to our plan. We had a picnic lunch then headed out for a hike around the lake.

The trail around the lake is very accessible and just under a mile long. Cannon is a great little hiker now and Emerald loved to ride in the pack.

We made it around the lake right before it really started to poor down rain and hail.

Being up at Lily lake really took me back to last year when we made this same trip just a few days before Cory had surgery to have his achilles repaired.

Cory using his scoter as a bench

It was much more challenging then but we knew we wanted to get the kids up for one adventure before surgery and recovery.

Look at these sweet babies!

Even with a boot and a scooter we were able to make it around the lake.

It was a good day and fun to reflect on how far we have come and how much easier it is now that Emmy isn’t a newborn and Cory isn’t broken =)

The way home was pretty crazy with some intense hail, I was happy to get through it safely and not see any crashes!

Please note the temperature on the dash reads 37 degrees, it was forecasted in the 80s. Summer weather here is never dull.

It Was Almost a Camping Trip

We have been looking forward to taking our kids camping for such a long time. For one reason or another we hadn’t pulled the trigger to take them until this year. We decided to head up for just one night to keep things simple and not overwhelm ourselves.

Cory had Friday off so we spent the morning packing up, trying to think of all the things we might need. Then we drove up to Leadville with high hopes.

It took awhile driving around but we finally found a campsite at Turquoise Lake and set up camp.

We were surprised by how much the kids loved the camping. They were so happy to just explore the campsite and play in the dirt.

Humphry even got a little extra love from Emmy.

Ignore his face, he really does love her.

We roasted hotdogs over the campfire and waited out some rain in the tent

Camping Face

We were excited about the next day, running the trail the boarders the lake, hiking, playing at the beach. But it was not to be. As we tried to settle in for the night Emerald would not stop crying. She normally is a pretty easy going child so we were surprised when we could soothe her and get her to sleep. After a couple hours we decided to call it and head home at 10:30. We packed up camp in the dark and drove our sad selves home.

It was still a fun adventure but we have some work to do before we have expert campers on our hands. Any suggestions on helping kids to sleep in tents?

Friday Favorites – Summer 2019

Happy Friday!!! It is now officially summer and it is actually starting to feel like it here in Boulder. We have had a very cool wet June, I love how green it is and how much snow the mountains have been getting but we are ready for some summer weather now.

It’s shorts, t-shirts and snacks in the backyard as often as possible.

I celebration of the official start of summer I though we would talk about summer of our summer favorites.

One of my favorite things to give my kids are popsicles in the backyard (WAY to messy to have in the house). We really like the Outshine fruit bars. My favorites are the lime ones, almost like having a margarita. Cannon and Emmy approve of all of the flavors.

Also in the summer I find that I really need to up my electrolyte intake. With running more miles the heat and running around with the kids in the sun I really feel like I need it.

My go to for years is has been Nuun hydration tabs. It’s so convenient to carry with me and just drop one in a bottle of water. My favorites are Strawberry Lemonade and Cherry Limeade with caffeine.

The Mother Runner on Instagram always has great posts but I really loved this one. I love my kids to be dirty and wild haired it makes my heart feel full when they explore and run and hunt bugs.

This post also made me like they got me:

Lastly we are LOVING our summer shoes:

Cannon has been wearing Natives since he was one and now Emmy is loving hers! These shoes are light, durable and easy to get on and off. The style we like are the Jefferson but there are plenty of styles to choose from. They have held up well to Cannon being really rough on them and now Emmy is wearing his hand-me-downs. We didn’t have a pair of size 5s for Cannon when he was one (it was winter when he was wearing size 5s) so I bought them both the next size up. I know it’s terribly lame to buy them matching shoes but I love it so much and one day soon they will have strong opinions and I probably won’t be able to anymore.

What are some of your summer favorites?

Western States Week

Is anyone else feeling very excited that it is Western States week?

Emmy and I are pretty dang excited. It’s pretty much Christmas week for ultra runners.

Source

If you haven’t heard of Western States Endurance Run, it’s the worlds oldest 100 mile trail. The history of the race is super interesting, you can read about it here .

Billy Yang made a beautiful film about four pro women, it’s sooooooo good!

If you want to follow along:

All the fun starts on Saturday at 5 am PDT. While I won’t be able to follow it all live because who’s got time for that?!? I will be sure to check in throughout the day.

Will you follow along?

80 Days Until Race Day + Trail Shoes?

Just 80 days until race day, I am getting really excited about Run Rabbit Run

[Source]

But also a little scared from the website: “These are not beginner’s runs. The uphills and downhills are fairly steep. You’ll spend a lot of time at an altitude of nearly two miles. There may be snow, rain, sleet, wind, or then again, it may be hot. Please do not try to run this course if you’re not completely prepared.”

Can you ever be “completely prepared” for a 50 or 100 miler? Maybe, I just want to show up ready to give it my best.

Given that the race is so technical I have been thinking a lot about trail shoes. I ran a giant hole in my last pair of trail shoes so I have just been running on the trails in my road shoes (Hoka Clifton 5)

I have stepped on a rock a couple times and wished for more protection so I have began to wonder if I should get into a new pair of trail shoes.

Do you have a favorite? Anything good for long distances?

Runners and Antibiotics + Wildlife

This morning started out with a beautiful sunrise and trail for 5 miles.

Along the way I ran into this little guy.

Zoom in!

I love running into wildlife on my run (well most wildlife, last week there was a bear in our neighborhood , no thanks on that visit).

If you have been following my training at all you may remember that I have had to take antibiotics a few times this year. It’s not my favorite to have to take these medications but when I clearly do have a bacterial infection then I am glad that we have them and the infection clears right up. I bring up this issue because back in 2014 I had a scare with running while taking antibiotics. I got an infection about a week before what should have been my first 50k. I went to see the doctor and was prescribed (needed) antibiotics for the infection after I made it clear that I was planning on running a 50k that weekend.

I didn’t think much of it, and had taken much of my course of antibiotics when I googled my medication and one of the first things that popped up was that this type of antibiotic can cause tendons to rupture. The antibiotic I was taking was Cipro from the fluoroquinolones class [Source]. It was a scary proposition, on race day I wasn’t feeling well in general so I decided to cut the race short and not risk any permanent damage.

Runner’s World has published an interesting article here about the effects of antibiotics on running.

I was surprised that I hadn’t heard of this before and that the doctor would prescribe them to me knowing I was running a 50k that weekend. I guess the lesson is to always research what you take before you start taking it. Since then I have been sure to ask to not be prescribed fluoroquinolones, but it’s also good to know that most antibiotics will make you feel lethargic which doesn’t jive with ultra races.

Be safe out there, Happy Running!

Weekly Rundown – 50 Mile Training Weeks 11 and 12

The last two week have been a whirlwind! How is it that we are approaching the end of June!?! For week 11 I was focused on getting all my runs in and made acceptable progress. Last week was a scheduled recovery week. I don’t know that I have ever welcomed a recovery week more than this last week! It was Cannon’s third birthday on Monday and we had lots of activities planned, it was nice to focus on work and family and just let running take a backseat for a week. I feel so refreshed and ready to get back at it after taking the week EASY. I did run everyday to keep the streak alive but somedays it was just a mile or two =)

This is how the last two weeks went down:

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WEEK 11

Monday:  Late night treadmill run of just over a mile. This was one of those runs that was not that fun but just to keep the streak alive.

Tuesday: Up early to run 4 miles around the lake, I love the early sunrise of these summer days. Added some strides into the last mile to get the legs moving.

Wednesday: Four miles again in the morning, this time searching for hills.

Thursday: 6 miles on the treadmill to fit in miles before Cory headed to work. It is possible I will need to start getting up earlier to get longer mid-week runs in.

Friday:  Cory had the day off of work and could spend the morning with the kids so I drove to Boulder to run on the trails. The views are INCREDIBLE!

16 miles on the trails felt great, excited about what lies ahead as the miles increase. Also I am going to have to figure out how to refill my pack mid-run. About 16 miles in the heat is my limit so trips back to the car or something will have to be worked out.

Saturday: Out early for a quick 10 miles around the neighborhood.

Can you see all of the hot air balloons?

Sunday: Since it was Father’s Day I didn’t want to be away from family. We had the best day planned doing some of our favorite things:

Hiking/jogging around turquoise lake in Leadville

We then spent the rest of the day eating pizza, and hanging out with family

Totals: 44 miles running – I was hoping for a few more miles but it was worth it to get some quality family time in for Father’s Day.

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Week 11 

Monday: It was Cannon’s birthday, and I was so happy to get to spend the day with him! I piled the kids into the double for a quick run.

I didn’t get very far before a friend let me know that there was A BEAR IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD! This photo was taken less than a mile from where we were so we cut it short and headed home for a total of 1.7 miles.

We do live in Colorado so it’s not at all surprising to see owls, rabbits, coyotes and prairie dogs but bears are pretty crazy!

Tuesday: I wanted to get some strength training in so I did a quick 1.25 miles on the treadmill as warm up then did some strength work.

Wednesday: 4 miles around the lake.

Thursday: 3 early morning miles with the sunrise. I am enjoying these shorter miles this week but also looking forward to ramping it back up.

Friday:  Quick 1.5 mile warm up on the treadmill before strength training.

Saturday: Late night treadmill run, I am not a great evening runner, once the kids are down I am ready to crash but I didn’t get up early so 9pm was my only time to run – the streak continues.

Sunday:  Last easy day so we went with a hilly 1.72 hike/run

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Totals: 14.3 miles this week plus a couple strength training sessions. I don’t know if it is advisable to cut it back THAT much when training for an ultra but with Cannon’s birthday on Monday and prepping for his party on Saturday it was nice to put running on the back burner and focus on other things. I feel refreshed and ready to go after it for the next big block!

How is your training going? Happy Running!

WEEKLY RUNDOWN – 50 MILE BASE TRAINING WEEKS 8, 9 and 10

It’s been a few weeks since I have posted about my training but I am still here, pushing on trying to get my milage up. I have been frustrated by how I am still fighting a bug I caught back at the begining of on May, turns out a bad cold turned into bronchitis that has now been diagnosed as a sinus infection. Sometimes it feels like I am trying to claw my way up a hill but I will keep showing up, doing my best to complete what I set out to do. Finish a 50 mile race.

In happier news I am LOVING how early it’s getting light out. I can run out the door at 5am without a headlamp and that is an amazing feeling! Also it’s so much warmer so I don’t have to put on 10 layers as to not freeze.

This is how the last three weeks went down:

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WEEK 8

Monday:  After being gone in the mornings over the previous weekend I really wanted to be sure I was home for the kids when they woke up. Just 2 miles on the treadmill to shake out the weekend before mom duty started.

Tuesday: Woke up to a late May snow so I put off my run until after Cory got home from work. We did our best to save our trees but some of them still have a distinct droop. By the afternoon most of the snow was gone and I was able to get just over 3 miles in before dinner time.

Wednesday: Up early for 5.3 miles on the treadmill with some strides in the last mile to keep things interesting.

Thursday: Normally I like to get my run done in the morning but I was feeling particularly bad. Unknowingly I was suffering from the sinus infection and I felt worst in the morning. By the afternoon I felt good enough to go to the gym. Emmy is doing better at being left at the child center so I got in just over 6 miles on the treadmill.

Friday:  Finally back outside for a beautiful hilly 4 mile loop.

Saturday: Out early for 8 miles around the neighborhood.

Sunday: On Sunday drove out to one of my favorite trails for a beautiful morning run.

I forgot to check the trail closures before going out and got stumped a couple times.

The trail closure had me running in a new direction on part of the trail I hadn’t been on before so it wasn’t all bad news. I got in 13.2 miles and some great time on the trails.

Totals: 41.5 miles running – slow and steady progress!

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Week 9 

Monday: Memorial day! So nice to have a long weekend and time to be grateful for all those who sacrificed for us. We met our cousins to take the kids for a hike and have a picnic. 2 miles on the trails with some of my favorite people.

Tuesday: 4.2 progression miles on the treadmill before the kiddos woke up. Even with the longer days and warmer weather, the treadmill is still a great tool to get my miles in.

Wednesday: 6 miles around the ‘hood in the morning, searching for hills.

Thursday: Out for 4 miles in the morning.

I wanted a little bit more for the day so I ran the kids to and from the park to add another 1.5ish miles.

Friday:  I wasn’t feeling great in the morning again so I put off my run until nap time and was able to get 6.5 miles in on the treadmill.

Saturday: Saturday was meant to be my long run day of at least 14 miles but we had a birthday party to get to mid morning so I only made it 10 miles before having to race home. I know as the kids get older the busier we will be and the better I will have to get at fitting the miles in!

Sunday: Second “Longish” run for the week of 10 miles

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Totals: 44.2 miles running. I am excited that I am finally getting some miles out on the trails but after writing this all out I am surprised at how much time I am still spending on the treadmill. Now to figure out when strength training can be fit in (always the case).

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Week 10 

Monday: Progression run on the rec center treadmill, started out very easy and sped up. 3 miles total.

Tuesday: Early morning 4 mile run, feeling grateful for early morning sunrises.

Wednesday: Another 4 mile run, was intended to be longer but I got up too late and fit in what I could.

Thursday: Another afternoon 3 mile treadmill run at the rec.

Friday:  Got up early and enjoyed a beautiful 6 mile easy run.

Saturday: Drove to Boulder to get some more time on the trails. 12.6 miles enjoyed in the sunshine.

Sunday: Second long run of the week of 13.2 miles enjoying all the green around, it likely won’t last so I will enjoy it while I can! I was tired and heavy on this run, not surprising as I have been increasing my milage and adding to my back-to-back long runs. I was tired but pretty proud of myself when I got home.

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Totals: 50.1 miles, WooooHooooo, I have been working towards a total of 50 miles for a while now and I am so happy yo finally crack it. Now to just keep moving forward. =)

Happy Running!