Taper Week 3 : Madness and Insecurity

I don't know how you feel about the taper, but mine usually goes something like this :

Week 1 : YAY REST!! This feels great, I don't think I could have taken much more bashing.
Week 2 : I'm so rested that every run feels like HEAVEN.
Week 3 : Second-guessing and phantom pains that come with the reduced activity level.

Here I am, just beginning week 3. I just completed my final long run of the training cycle. My next long run will be the marathon. It was a leisurely (and flat!) 8 miles through the marsh chez Alex. While we ran along, I asked Matt and Alex what they think about while they are racing. How do they keep themselves going when they feel like they want to stop and walk? My biggest struggle happens mentally. Basically their advice was : I tell myself to stop whining.

I've always been a pretty analytical person, making up my mind based on statistics. Running Karen is no different. Last week, I pored over my Garmin results, looking at paces. What strategy should I take for this marathon? I'm not a negative-split person. And I've had enough positive splits marathons to know how painful they are. I really just need another perfectly-even marathon, just like Green Bay. For me, the key to success lies in finding a realistic starting pace. After analyzing the data, plugging it into the McMillan training calculator , and asking the advice of my running buddies, I've finally settled on some goals.

Affirmation came in the form of my fortune cookie this afternoon :

I have six more days to fully get my mojo back. Hubby and I are planning on a running movie the night before the race. That and the excitement should be just what I need to arrive at the starting line with my head in the right place. A post about my goals will be coming later this week.

How do you select goal paces for a race? Are you always over-analyzing data like I am or do you just trust your gut?

Do you usually end up with the same goal you started with?

Biking the Bottoms with My Electric Blue Bottoms

I ran 51 miles last week. Squeezing three long runs (the half marathon, an 18 miler, and my first taper long run of 11 miles) into the past 7 days was difficult, but didn't knock me on my butt as much as it usually does. Probably had something to do with the fact that most of October was pretty chill. So what did I want to do before I really start tapering? One mini binge. Give myself enough fatigue to really want that taper.

This summer, I've done a few commute bike rides and have paced Matt on his tempo runs. Nothing was more than 10 miles at once. So on Saturday night when I proposed a day-long bike trip through the coastal farmland, Matt thought I was joking. One last burst before I got serious about all that taper business.

Greek Yogurt Crepes for breakfast.

Matt and I set off from Loleta, a small farming community that holds a cheese factory and practically nothing else. The faint aroma of cheese permeated the air. It was a cloudless and windless day. While everyone else in the country mentions that fall is here and it is getting colder, here on the North Coast, this is the sunniest and warmest part of the year. And I wanted to take advantage of it while I could, taper or not.

Heading toward Ferndale, we crossed through the mini-community of Fernbridge. Basically a store, gas station, John Deere tractor dealer, and milk processing plant. The highway was busy with weekend visitors all wanting to check out the "Victorian Village of Ferndale". We turned off as quickly as we could and rode through farm fields. I enjoyed the familiar smells and sounds of farming. Matt told me a bunch of his farming stories. We chatted about the tractors, the animals, barns. Sometimes I think he really misses being a farmer (he had planned to do that after he finished college if I hadn't come along). But he really loves the job he has now, too. Someday we hope to have both: us working and living in a rural area where we can raise our own small collection of livestock and give him an excuse to buy a tractor. My man really loves tractors. He was pleased to learn (when I first met him) that one of my favorite toys as a kid was a tractor. Maybe that's how he knew I was the one? If I didn't have the physical limitations that I do, he probably could have talked me into farming (but just think how boring this blog would be if we were tied to our farm!?).

As we rode along in the sunshine just talking and enjoying the other's company, life was perfect. Getting out and exploring on a beautiful day. I had forgotten how much I liked riding my bike. Matt even loaned me his electric blue bike shorts for the occasion.

Sexy shorts, non?

After about 20 miles of riding around the rural farm roads, we were ready for lunch. We stopped at the Main Street Cafe in Ferndale for lunch. I had a turkey dinner (stuffing and cranberries between the bread, too!) sandwich and an iced mocha. I warned Matt that he better help me drink the mocha, because with two espresso shots, I would be wired and he would be sorry later if he wasn't caffeinated, too.
We rode out of town and toward the ocean. Not having explored the area at all before, we weren't sure what was out there. Only one way to find out though, right? Not so surprisingly, the road lead to the beach. Matt doesn't usually have Sundays off, so it was fun to watch the families go about their normal weekend activities. We could tell that the weather was particularly nice because people were all over the place.

Sheep in the yard and a barn, but palm trees? This is definitely not the type of farm I'm used to seeing!

Riding back to town, we decided to stop for ice cream. That's what life is all about right, exploring and eating, right? Right?! :)

Ferndale's Downtown Businesses

Matt made a new friend. Some guy came up to the grocery store and tied up his dog to the bench. He's just using you
for your ice cream, Honey!

We made it back to our car in Loleta after riding nearly 40 miles. It was a great day. I couldn't believe how easy it was for my legs to endure that much biking. Matt even commented on how my pace wasn't even "leisurely" at all. I guess that cardio fitness from running transfers to biking, too. My butt though, didn't enjoy it at all during those final few miles. Saddle sore, ouch. Not even close to my one-day bike mile PR (of 98 miles in 2004, coincidentally another ride I didn't really train for), but still a fabulous outing!

But one thing is for certain : I need to buy myself a pair of bike shorts, cuz biking rocks! :)

Choosing a Marathon

Most of us run just a few marathons a year. Deciding which ones to run can be difficult. Races vary and bring different pros and cons. A trail race may be more scenic than a road one, but may be more difficult in terrain. A large race may have more excitement, but a smaller one will have more of a home-town feel. What races you sign up definitely depends on your goals for that race and your personality.

How do I choose a race?

1. It has to have less than 5,000 in the full marathon. I am claustrophobic and really don't like having to elbow people for the first few miles before the pack thins out. And when I run roads, I usually go for a PR, and when a pack of middle aged walkers are ahead of me because they lined up too far ahead, I feel like I just want them to get the hell out of the way. This is the #1 reason I don't want to run Boston, it's just too big. But after watching Hubby race it next spring, I might change my mind.

Full Marathon Participant #s:
Mayors Marathon, Anchorage, AK, 2008 : 915
Green Bay Marathon,WI, 2010 : 3,587
Equinox Marathon, Fairbanks, AK, 2010 : 432
Rails to Trails Marathon, Norwalk, WI, 2010 : 273
Green Bay Marathon, WI, 2011 : 2,054
Sequoia 50K, Oakland, CA, 2011 : 37

2. It has to be near somewhere that I want to visit anyways. You will notice that three of those races are in Wisconsin, a place that I have not lived since 2003. You know why I love Green Bay.

Rails to Trails just happened to be the same week I was to return to visit my cancer doctors for the CANCER CURE, and just an hour away.

The Mayor's was a wedding anniversary present to Matt, and it was a reason to go to the "city" (Anchorage) and do some shopping.

Sequoia, in Oakland, was another chance to explore the Bay Area. I still feel like I don't know anything about San Fran. A few more Bay races and I should be set. :)

Two Cities, the marathon coming up in less than two weeks is just outside of Yosemite.

Who cares that I'll have super-sore legs? New and exciting places to explore always makes it easier to ignore the fatigue. :) It just has to be somewhere that I want to see for more than just a race.

3. I like to alternate road races with trail ones. I don't really like comparing my finish times on trail races because there can be so much variability on the course. So my trail races are almost always making sure there's at least SOMEONE behind me and not for time, other than being sure I'm having a good one. :)

Two Cities will be my final road marathon for the season. Then I dive into playing in the snow, AKA Susitna training. After that, I'm headed back for roads and Green Bay.

4. Is it cheap? I don't care if it has fantastic swag bags or a Tiffany Necklace at the finish, I'm not shelling out $120+ to run a race. Period. The most I've ever spent on a marathon is $80. I sign up early and stay in the cheap-ass motels. How else do you think I can afford to travel so much?

5. Do I know anyone that lives nearby that I can visit? This doesn't always happen, but is definitely a factor. A visit and a race combined, perfect! With the constant shuffling of coworkers that Matt has had over the years, we know a lot of people in a lot of places. Having a tour guide and a place to crash is pretty awesome!

So if my dream isn't to run the big marathons : Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, NYC, what DO I want to run?

My dream marathon list includes :
Marathon des Deux Rives,Quebec City
Run the Caldera Marathon, Los Alamos, NM
Death Valley Borax Marathon, NV
Crater Lake Rim Runs Marathon

I would also like to run destination races in (although I have no particular races chosen) :
Colorado : Hubby is eyeing Trans Rockies for next year, but I'm not sure I'm nuts enough to do that yet. If I think of the race as an all-expense-paid vacation (which it would be them setting up my tent and feeding me) the $1,000 entry fee isn't too bad.
northern Minnesota
Hawaii
Maine

What about half marathons? Since they take much less time, I'm a little more lax about the size rule, but the others all apply to them too. Plus, since everybody and their gimpy grandmother are running halves these days, it's getting harder to find small ones. :)

So, how do you choose what races to run?

Marathon Music

I'm not usually a music person while I'm out running, but I ran miles 18-26 of the Green Bay Marathon with an iPod, and it was awesome. It felt like such a treat that I was able to keep up the pace and really just enjoy the run.

So I'm thinking I'm going to do the same with Two Cities on Nov. 6. I've got very eclectic music tastes. What is on my iPod right now?
Tom Petty, Sister Hazel, Mes Aieux, Harmonium, soundtrack from Rent, and Lady Gaga, and many many others.

What do you like listening to while running?
I'm looking to buy one new CD to add to my playlist. Something new to keep it interesting. :) Suggestions encouraged!

North Coast

(This post really belongs on Oct. 13, but I'm afraid you'll never see it, so here it is.)

Matt had a four day weekend leading up to the Humboldt Redwoods Half. We didn't want to do anything too strenuous for fear of being worn out on race day. So we decided to tentatively plan a trip up to the border if the weather was nice.

Sunshine peeked in around our blackout curtain on that Thursday morning. After making a quick plan over breakfast and coffee. We decided to drive up the coast until we found the Dairy Queen and maybe stop to hike along the way, then we set off. In my mind, the main task for the day was Dairy Queen. Matt told me he wanted to see the coast and explore the northern portion of his forecast area, but I know he was just as stoked for DQ as I was.

We stopped at a few lookout points along Hwy 101, took some pictures.

Crescent City from Hwy 101.

We checked out the Crescent City Harbor, still being cleaned up from the March 2011 tsunami.

Backhoe digging up broken pieces of ocean gunk that was washed into the harbor with the tsunami.

We also took a walk out onto the breakwater and took photos of their lighthouse. Open 7 days a week during the summer, it is only open on Saturdays during the "winter".

Crescent City Lighthouse

Then we crossed the border into Oregon. I was surprised to see so much farmland and open space right along the ocean. Most of the coastline near our home is rugged, with rocky cliffs and tiny beaches that only appear during the low tide. This is truly where the happy cows live, with ocean views as they chew their cud.

Brookings, the first town into Oregon was better than I expected. We accidentally stumbled upon a park, Chetco Point, that lead to a small cove and a rocky point jutting from the water. It was awesome to get out and hike in the sunshine right along the sparkly ocean.

Brookings has some niiiiiiice houses.

Chetco Point and Sunshine!? YAY!

Just as my morning coffee buzz wore off, we stopped for a buzz of a different kind : ICE CREAM. Matt refused to split something with me. I had to eat the entire mini blizzard by myself. Poor me, right? :) He had a tough time finishing the giant waffle bowl sundae that he ordered.

We explored the Brookings Marina. His office monitors a webcam at that spot, so he wanted to get a better understanding of what the area looked like outside of the camera's view.

On our way back to the south, we decided that it was still early enough for one more hike. We followed Hwy 199 into Jedidiah Smith Redwoods Park, the same highway that we drove on our move here. After driving much more windy highways than this one, it didn't seem as terrible as I remembered it to be. No carsickness at all.

Our hike, in the Ruth Perry Hatton Grove, was pretty uneventful. Sometimes I forget how much fun it is to NOT push myself to physical breaking points. Today was just about getting out and enjoying each other. One interesting thing we did notice was that the trail was lined by second-growth Redwoods. They looked so small by comparison. Only stumps of giants remained. Proof of what a treasure the old growth trees really are and how fortunate I am to visit them on a regular basis.



The Crescent City High cross country team came rushing past as Matt and I were taking photos. Coach led the way and told us that there were six others behind him. A mile later, he came sprinting back toward us again. When we returned to the car, he was waiting for his team. Completely soaked in sweat, he asked where we were from. When we told him, he replied, "Oh, so you're used to this moisture". When I exercise now, it's more noticeable when I'm NOT soaked through my clothes than when I am. As we drove away, Matt noticed he was wearing his Mayors Marathon t-shirt (from 2008 in Anchorage). The guy must have noticed and thought we were Alaskan. *Sigh* Not anymore.

Continuing south, we decided to savor the last moments of daylight.

We drove the Klamath Beach Rd. and found a secluded spot overlooking the ocean. As the sun dipped beyond our sight, the clouds lit up in an array of vibrant orange and red.

Perfect end to the day.

One Last Long Run... part 2.

Rest and Refuel



We wore the old lady style compression socks for the remainder of the night and then took an ice bath. I'm not sure they make a lot of difference when used afterward and combined with an ice bath, but it was fun. Hubby is going to try using them in a race and see if it cuts down on his calf pain problems. (see that his toes are still painted? hahahahhaaaa)



Hubby and I hit the store on our ride home from the run to get some hamburger buns for dinner. We had garden burgers and fries from our garden potatoes (new potatoes are a-mazing!). But have you ever gone into the grocery store for one thing and actually bought just that one thing? No, I haven't either. Brownie mix was on sale for a dollar, so we came home with one. Hubby makes amazing ones from scratch, but sometimes these rock too...particularly when paired with Humboldt Creamery Black Cherry Chocolate Chunk ice cream and Hubby's homemade sauce. (You're beginning to see why I keep him around, aren't ya? Keeps me in delicious from-scratch foods!!)

TODAY :


This morning, I made up some caramel apples for us. These things are so delicious! I love fall! Carving pumpkins, apple cider, pumpkin cookies, caramel apples, and wearing sweaters! YES YES YES!! :)

Christmas foods are lost on me. I think they're too sweet and basically only like the chocolate covered pretzels and peanuts. Fall is the best!

One Last Long Run

...before the taper. After the bad day I had on Sunday, I didn't think that things could get worse. But after a day of extreme muscle tension and sleeping on it, I found that it could. Much worse. My body hurt from top to bottom. The only type of pain I can compare this to is when I got bone marrow stimulator shots during chemo. It puts your body into over-drive and everything aches. From muscles to bones. It felt like I had been hit by a truck. A slow, easy shake-out run on Monday afternoon made it feel much better. After all, it really was just tight muscles, nothing to really do but loosen them, right?

Wednesday morning, Matt and I decided on one more long run before the taper to race day. Our last 18 miler was on Sept. 30, so if we didn't do another it would have been a 6-week taper. Not quite the best idea. :)

We set some goals/guidelines for this run :

1. Since we were basically squeezing three long runs into a 7 day period (a 12 coming up on Sat or Sun), we didn't want to push it and go fast.

2. Must go real easy. Like "I can hold this pace for 30 miles straight" kind of easy.

3. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

4. We also figured out how much time it takes us to get ready and how our body responds to breakfast at a certain time. (The half really threw us off!!!)

5. Whatever pace comes out from this will be my "Easy" goal for race day.

We set out at a 9:00/mi, basically the same pace I start with for all of my longer runs. I kept at least that pace for the entire time while we were running. It felt great. We walked for GU and the one tough hill on the course and it shows where those are on my splits. Basically, I just wanted to have one super confident finish to my run before we hit the taper. I had one really great 20 miler before, so it didn't matter what this pace was. No point in running myself into the ground. When we hit the 15 mile spot, we had the option to make our 18 miler into a 20 with an out-and-back, but we decided that we didn't need it.

What we ended up with was this :

18 miles, 2:44, 9:09/mi and tons of confidence.

By the last long run before Green Bay in May, I struggled to average 9:20/mi. Easy at a 9:09/mi sounds great! :) Time to enjoy the taper and mentally prepare for race day!

PS- Thanks for the advice on visiting my family for three weeks next year. I think I'm going to do it. Run Green Bay and visit all those beautiful places I lived so near to but have never seen!!

Hydration Systems

Sick of carrying water bottles? Of wearing a fanny pack to carry your water? Stashing bottles along side the road?

I've tried several different types of hydration systems, from the handheld kind to the waist belts fanny pack kind with water bottles in them.

Handhelds cause too much tension up my arm, through my shoulders and back, and suddenly I can't breathe.

Fanny packs have to be ridiculously tight if I want it to stay put. That puts pressure on my hip and oblique muscles that restrict movement. Not a fan.

Backpack style is where it's at. But there are different types of hydration backpacks. Most often, they are made for cyclists. They don't really work for a runner that is constantly bouncing up and down. My first running backpack was a Gregory Dipsea. I ran with this pack for the first two trail running seasons. It was also used on warm day hikes. When I fastened the sternum strap, it didn't fit properly and squished my poor boobies, especially annoying since I am not well-endowed. After some awkward adjustments, I was able to fasten it below my breasts and the pack was much more secure. I still got some sore spots, namely under my breasts and around the shoulder straps from my arms swinging back and forth.

Then I saw a photo on Facebook of another fellow blogger's running pack, a Nathan Intensity Race Vest. Made specifically for female ultra runners, I can't tell you how awesome this pack is!!


Fit : It has a breathable mesh vest instead of straps. For someone as sweaty as I am, this is a Godsend. Instead of straps that just soak up my sweat and I carry it around for the rest of the run, it wicks it from my body and the sweat dries naturally. It fastens in only one place, just below the breasts, and sliders adjust the sternum strap to fit your particular body size. The pack can be adjusted on both sides, to loosen or tighten the vest. The adjustments can be made while running, one quick tug mid-stride and you're back in business. No more adjustment stops as the water bladder empties and pack gets lighter. Another plus of the vest is that weight of the water is easily distributed over the entire thing, no pressure spots (or sore shoulders). I felt absolutely no restricted movement at all.

Storage : Pockets on the front of the vest are awesome for food and a camera. Would also work well for an iPod if that's your thing. There's a pocket in the back for things such as a map or extra food. The pack comes with its own bladder and that holds 2L of water. Two liters of water lasts me nearly 6 hours on a warm trail run.

Price : $85 at REI and and $75 at Campmor. Although this seems a little steep compared to the ~$50 Camelbak versions, it is worth every penny to get a female runner fit. Try one out and you won't go back to your old hydration system!!

Note : I am no way affiliated with any of the above-mentioned companies. A few runners asked me to talk a little about my new pack, that's all this is. After trying most of the other types of hydration systems, I can't believe that I found one that was as comfortable and thought I had to share it.

How do you hydrate during long runs?

Humboldt Redwoods Half Marathon

Race prep began on Friday night. Pedicure time!! Matt and I scrubbed the calluses from our feet and gave them a good massage. Adding a pep talk and a stern warning to behave on Sunday. No blisters allowed. I also talked Matt into painting his toenails too, and told him that if he got a PR, that's why, and he'd have to paint them every time.

-----------------------------

Saturday, Matt and I relaxed all day. Then we had dinner with Alex and his girlfriend Jamie.
Race Morning, we were up at 6:00. All week I had been battling my allergies and required Benadryl to sleep. I seemed to have slept well, but awoke groggy. We had breakfast and then drove to the start. The May version of this race, Avenue of the Giants, had such a parking problem that lots of people started late because they were still parking cars. We were advised to be there by 7am. We arrived at 7:30 and parked without problem. Then we waited. Atop the trunk of the car, on the banks of the Eel River, we sipped our Gatorade as the sun came up. Under a completely overcast sky, 5oF, and about 98% humidity, it felt comfortable in my warm ups. Two potty breaks and I was finally feeling ready to race. Nearing 8:40, we hit the porta potties one final time and stripped down to our racing clothes.

This year, the race was the Pacific Association of USATF championships for the half marathon, so there were lots of really fast people. I lined up near Chris, a local masters runner that I've been reasonably close to following. (I want to be like her when I grow up!!). Always lining up too far back and having to dodge people who are completely zoned out to music is really no fun. I seemed to do okay latching on to a local that I knew was running about my speed.

The first few miles were chilly and slightly downhill, pretty normal for the start in those conditions. I usually warm up within the first few miles anyways, no biggie. By mile 4, I was covered in sweat (from that 98% humidity) and head-to-toe goosebumps. I hit every aid station on the course and often considered taking a second cup, but I never did.

Near mile 6, I was struggling, despite a slightly downhill route. With the chilly goosebumps and dehydration, I realized that it just wasn't going to be my day. And I gave up on my goal pace. I haven't had a really really bad race ever, so I knew that I was finally due for one. Being cold finally caught up to me at the halfway point. My neck muscles and shoulders tightened. I physically could not move my jaw. When I get too cold, particularly in my ears or neck, it seizes up my jaw. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's usually about 50 degrees. Had I worn long sleeves or a headband (or even gloves), I like to think it might have mattered, but who knows. But with all those tight muscles, I was having a tough time breathing. My hips started hurting too. They were tight up until this point, but they actually started to hurt now. Sitting outside for 90 minutes before the start really didn't serve me well at all.

About every mile on the second half, I had to stop for about 30 seconds and apply my sweaty hands to the back of my neck to warm things up a little bit. It lasted about a mile before I couldn't breathe again. My jaw was so tight that I could not open or close it. Freaky.

By mile 10, I ran about 8:30/mi and then walked for :30 (with hands on my neck) and it seemed to keep me going without breathing too laboriously on the gentle uphill back to the finish.

With the finish line in sight, I found one last pocket of energy and took off. I crossed the finish line in 1:51.58. I wandered around dizzily for a moment before heading to the aid table. I downed five little Dixie cups of water. As the lady with judging eyes pouring new cups filled my last one I told her, "this is my last one, I promise." I went back to the car and drank an entire water bottle without a second thought. Coffee one hour before race = good. Coffee 3 hrs before race = dehydration. Got it.

The funny thing is that I am pleased with my time. For how much I struggled and how terrible I felt, I can't believe that I finished in 1:51. A sucktastic half marathon is 1:51. Even without a PR (my first time not getting a PR, btw), that time is an accomplishment in itself. One year ago, that was my Fantastic-day-balls-to-the-walls PR time.

Although the course was pretty gradual in changes, it seems that I fell into a giant hole in the earth (about -700ft.) between miles 7 and 8.

The mile in question is the 0.71 mi, which has an accurate elapsed time, but not pace (haha..11:56/mi, c'mon, it's hard
to climb out of that hole when I'm freezing!!)

Also, another thing to show Garmy wasn't always with it : my top speed was 55.9 mph.

1:51.58
8:32/mi.
6th in my AG

Matt rocked his race. Although he also complained of dehydration, he doesn't whine like a little girl like I do is tougher mentally than I am. His new PR time :

1:29.30
7:50/mi.
55th overall
6th in his AG
and second of ALL the local runners.

Happy Caturday!

During this week last year, Matt and I were driving from Alaska to California. 1,300 miles in all. Here are Zoey's most memorable experiences.

Stopping for a quick souvenir at Tok, Alaska. The last town before the border.

Camouflage kitty on the hotel floor in Whitehorse, Yukon.

Signpost village in Watson Lake, British Columbia.

One year ago today I was driving from Prince George to Cache Creek, BC. Here's the entire trip archive.

Here's Zoey's take on the trip.

Happy Caturday!

During this week last year, Matt and I were driving from Alaska to California. 1,300 miles in all. Here are Zoey's most memorable experiences.

Stopping for a quick souvenir at Tok, Alaska. The last town before the border.

Camouflage kitty on the hotel floor in Whitehorse, Yukon.

Signpost village in Watson Lake, British Columbia.

One year ago today I was driving from Prince George to Cache Creek, BC. Here's the entire trip archive.

Here's Zoey's take on the trip.

Here's a little secret.....

So that 50K that I'm running in February in Alaska. Do you want to know what vacation it replaced?





TWO WEEKS ON THE BEACH IN HAWAII. Not kidding.

James Irvine- Miner's Ridge

Last week's long run was on Thursday. This post is almost a week late and out of order from the previous two.

Prairie Creek Redwoods Park headquarters was nearly vacant when we pulled in. Compared to summertime crowds, it was all but deserted. I was still feeling a little off when we set out on our run. We began climbing immediately, to the top of Miner's Ridge on the James Irvine trail. The climb wasn't steep enough to stop me from running, but it was unrelenting for a solid four miles and for awhile I wondered if I was still that over-trained. Our path wove through thousands of new growth trees. Only stumps of the original Redwood forest remained. This area had been completely ravaged by 20th century loggers and evidence of that was everywhere.

As we went down off of the ridge, we descended into an entirely different kind of forest. Douglas Fir, I remembered Shaina telling me when I did this same route with her and her husband, Ryan. I'm not much for identifying things, but Shaina is a ranger for one of the local state parks and is absolutely enamored by all living things in the park, big and small. She always knows what the name of something is. The stark contrast in tree type must indicate that we're getting closer to the ocean, Matt commented. The underbrush was dense and impenetrable. Just then, a giant furry butt came into view. Moose! I thought to myself. To me, its giant brown rear end looked just like a calf moose. Then a head turned and a giant set of antlers came into view. A buck Roosevelt Elk, staring back at me. We sized each other up. I shouted out to him, "Are you going to move or do I have do jump over you?" He looked at me for a few moments and then moved off into the thick mess of bushes. Sorry for the poor photo quality. Here's a blurry elk.

We quickly descended to a car road that paralleled the beach. This road would lead us to Fern Canyon. Round trip to Fern Canyon via our running trail would be just about 10 miles. Despite the fact that the road crosses two small, knee-deep streams, there still was a surprising amount of traffic. It's amazing how many perfectly able-bodied people go out to parks and will drive as much as they possibly can to see things.

Matt and I took a short break at a picnic table on the beach. We brought only about two packets of fruit snacks apiece and I was wishing we had brought lunch. The sunshine and calm winds were almost unreal. When this area is cloudless and calm, it really is breathtaking.

We ran along the Fern Canyon trail. The parks had removed the bridges from the stream. Without bridges, this hike is almost entirely hiking up a small stream. Here is where we saw all the other people.

Men were standing in the water creating paths of stepping stones and helping their wives across. Matt just looked at me and smiled, "We're going in, right?" I guess him carrying me through the canyon was out of the question, huh? It was a lot of fun running through the flowing water, splashing each other along the way. The icy water was wonderful on my feet. I never realize how sore my feet get until the aching suddenly goes away. We paused to take a few pictures. I lost the bite valve on my camelbak hose, only realizing it when I bent over and warm water trickled down my calf. We spent some time looking for it, finally deciding it was a lost cause.
On the return trip along the Miner's Ridge trail, I mentioned to Matt that I was thinking of skipping the Redding Marathon. After being on a steady training plan for nearly 18 months, I felt like it was sort of stifling my natural tendencies. On a plan, I find myself limiting my running more because I want to be fresh for the rest of the weekly workouts. And as anyone who has been restricted in something for a long period of time, I felt the need to binge. I wanted the freedom to run 40 miles over two or three days and then take the rest of the week to do no exercise at all. I wanted to be able to run, bike, and hike all in the same day without worrying how it would affect my other workouts in the week.
Matt agreed. He wants to go without a training schedule for awhile because he feels like running is getting stale for him. He misses hiking and backpacking.

We finished the run agreeing that we needed a break after Two Cities next month. Not a break in running, but a break in structure. 14 miles in the Redwoods on a gorgeous fall day.

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Susitna 50K fits perfectly in our plans because it will give us reason to drive to the snow and play. It will get us the hiking Matt wants, without the dip in fitness that I was worried about. We will have no structure to it other than going out and spending our weekends playing in the snow, building a game plan for our outfits and adventure for that frozen run in the wilderness.