A Dash of Color

The running boom of the last decade has produced some interesting twists on traditional races. Instead of emphasizing race times and competition, race directors are constantly thinking of ways to distinguish their race in the seemingly endless sea of options. Obstacle races were born. Races with bands playing along the course. Swag that inflates registration prices. It is becoming increasingly rare to find a cheap race that provides only a bib number, accurate race course, and finish time.  Until last weekend, I had yet to experience one of this sort of race. I can admit that I still don't get it, but if fanfare and unusual themes is what gets people into active lifestyles, that's fine by me.

Over three hundred people turned up to have colored cornstarch thrown on them on a beautiful sunny morning. Many arrived in costume: everything from superheroes to colorful tutus. It looked more like a rainbow parade than a race.  We worked with the running club and a local charter school as we squirted color from ketchup bottles onto the race participants.  Our station served as one of the first and last stops for each racer. It was fun to see how some were excited about the color the first time around, then winced at the second dousing; others were shy the first time and then asked for more color "I need purple! Who has purple?!" on their second pass through our station.

This is our running club vice president. Looks like he had an itchy nose.

By the end of the morning, our patch of pavement was completely blue. The high school students emptied the remaining color on themselves and made chalk angels on the ground. It was a lot of fun.

I blew a blue dust from my nose for the next few hours until I finally broke out the NetiPot and cleared the remaining powder.

Have you ever done a color run? If so, would you run one again??

I think I've satisfied the curiosity I had for this type of event and don't need to run one myself. It was fun seeing everyone have a great time with it. Washing off all that dust must have been fun, hehe.

Uninspired Week

If I had to sum up last week's training in just one word, uninspired would be it. On days that I prioritize relaxation, my runs go well, but I'm finding it increasingly difficult to keep my body's stress level low. The tension just won't release itself. 

Zoey says I need more catnip.

Sunday: Run 4 mi. easy, not timed.
This run was just after Saturday's 18, so it felt a bit stiff and tired. I've also developed a trigger point in the muscles connecting my arm and back (via armpit) which I'm assuming was caused by running with the attack(?) I had at Foggy Bottom one week ago.

Monday: Rest!

Tuesday: Run 7 mi, easy. 1:03:30, 9:04/mi.

This is what my easy runs usually look like. I don’t time them, but Matt brought the watch along without telling me so I got a completely honest look at where my easy paces are. This run felt awful. My allergies and this cold are just wrecking me. I think I spent the rest of that evening napping.

Wednesday: Run 5 mi, 3 at tempo.

Just about made my target pace (7:20-7:30). It was a very solid mental effort for the day. Did some running with the college track team as they did their workout. Matt and I are on the run club board with the coach and he’s invited us to practice with them if we want. Someday we’ll have to take him up on that and see what that’s like. I’m sure it will kill me.

Thursday: Run 9 mi, easy.1:21:18, 9:02/mi.
It was a windy trigger day for my allergies, so Matt and I took to the quiet logging roads on the edge of town. It is just off of a busy road and I am usually surprised by how stark the contrast between the noise level on roads compared to trails. I shouldn't be, but this route in particular really highlights that fact. This run felt pretty awful, something that is slowly becoming the norm for me.

That afternoon, I got a sport massage. Slowly we're getting that angry trigger point to go away. It must be working because it was one of  those "I can't believe I'm paying you to hurt me this much" massages.

Friday: Rest day!
I was lucky enough to get to the allergist during my peak symptoms. I normally go once every 3-6 months and she's booked up for about a month in advance, so I never go when I'm actually feeling my worst. This appointment was just that. I wasn't able to get a deep enough breath to perform the breathing test so she's ordering a full pulmonary function test and chest x-rays. Someday we'll get to the bottom of this problem.

Saturday: Run 11.5 mi. including RWRR 15K. 

I'm not sure what happened to make me feel normal again, but I was very happy to know I can still run a decent race. Now I just need to figure out what I did to alleviate my symptoms so I can keep on doing it.

TOTAL MILES: 36.5

Notes: Ugh. This week was exhausting. I can tell that I'm not mentally there right now. I run and I can hit most of the paces I need just fine, but that spark and determination are missing. A revision in my training plan will probably be necessary soon.

There's talk of another atmospheric river coming through soon. Hopefully this will bring me some relief as well.

When you have to adjust your training plan, how do you do it: lower the intensity or the volume? 

Redwood Wild River Run 15K

On a perfect crisp spring day, Matt and I set off on our pre-race warmup routine. I'm beginning to learn that I can actually tell how my race will go just by the warm up jog and stretching I do beforehand. Matt asked how I was feeling. I replied cautiously, "strangely good." Our running club buddy, Bob, seems to have an internal radar that can find parks near a starting line that have no bathroom line. We've learned that if he runs off, seemingly into a random direction, we should follow him. Just as predicted, we arrive at a deserted outhouse.

We talked briefly about how we were feeling and what we hoped for with the day. Bob and I always finish together. He told me about how he stubbed his toe and half his foot was purple and I told him of my allergy woes. In one way or another, I think we're all a bit of a mess right now.

Photo from the drive north.

The starting gun went off, echoing loudly up the canyon walls. Runners dashed ahead quickly. I tried to maintain my own pace and not go out too fast. I've done a lot of thinking since Foggy Bottom, trying to piece together a new racing strategy. Since my asthma and allergy woes carry an extra load on my body (probably equivalent to running with a 20 lb. pack all the time), I had to make some adjustments. It was unfair to place that much pressure on myself without accounting for the way my body currently feels. Even though I know I'm capable of more when I'm healthy, I was hoping to hold something a little faster than my planned marathon pace. I didn't really have a time goal in mind at all.

The 15K course is an out-and-back through the Redwoods of Jedidiah Smith SP near the Oregon border. It is a gorgeous run. Even though it is about 100 miles from home, a few dozen of our club members make the trip. The course, lined with tall Redwood trees, is an overall incline on the way out, descent on the return trip. After the 5K turn around and about half the field dropped off, the run was quiet and peaceful. Having run the race the previous year, I knew the last 1.5 mi to the end was the hilliest, so I held back on the first few miles.

Bob was running up ahead 100 ft. but I wasn't able to gain on him. Caroline ran up from behind. She asked about my breathing. I was feeling decent, I told her, definitely not 100% but not dying either. I told her she should catch up to Bob. "He likes when people pass him," I teased, "Tell him Karen sent you." She laughed and then pulled ahead. He would later tell me his story and say he liked that I sent out an assassin to get him. Hey, if I can't be there to hassle him, somebody needs to be.

First half: 36:53

Meanwhile, I had found my own pacer. She struggled a little more on the uphill portions but bombed on the downhill. We alternated taking the lead. This continued on for about four miles. Just beyond the turnaround, she zoomed off and passed me again. "Now you're just messing with me, aren't you?" I asked. "Gotta take it fast where I can," she replied. Fair enough.

By the aid station at mile 6, I had finally passed her and found another lady to run with me. Some days it's all about beating the clock, but I'm finding that I enjoy fighting for finishing position just as much. Nearly all the races I run are gun timed so everyone I'm running next to is my direct competition.

In between breaths, we chatted a bit. She was glad I had stopped at the aid station for a drink and hoped that we could work together to get to the finish. I told her that sounded nice, but at the end, it would be everyone for herself. She agreed.

She mostly held the lead, staying just out of striking distance. It was difficult to trail a runner through a road laden with potholes, but I simply let her pull away if I found myself getting wobbly.

With less than a mile to go, I noticed that I would come very close to my 1:12 PR. This was enormously encouraging. I pushed myself into the effort zone that produces the loud donkey wheeze breathing and held on the best I could. Up ahead, I could see the covered bridge where the finish line was. I could beat her. I pulled ahead but judging by the cheers of "Good job ladies!" around us, I knew she was still right behind me. If she's in you're age group, you're going to kick yourself if she beats you, I told myself for extra mental encouragement. You want one of those little trees.

Second half: 35:49

I crossed the line two seconds ahead of her. We shook hands and congratulated the other and then went on our way. I think this camaraderie is my favorite part about the competition in the sport. Even though we're all racing for ourselves, there's an element of teamwork, even among strangers.

1:12:42
7:47/mi.
568 ft. gain
F: 6/49
F 20-29: 2/12
Overall: 24/96

Matt ran a 30 second PR from his previous time:
57:15
6:08/mi.
M: 3/47
M30-39: 1/8
Overall: 3/96

We both got trees! YAY! :)

It's that time of year again....

Happy Spring Equinox!

Even though the temperature doesn't change here on a seasonal basis, I often celebrate this day because it is halfway to my next birthday. Living here in California, it also signals the midway point of my peak spring allergy season, I should be feeling better soon.

The spring equinox is also my half birthday, so that means cupcake.

Just as I find that every October flares up my allergies (which triggers asthma), March follows a similar pattern. Due to the unusually warm and dry winter, my symptoms are even further magnified. Friends that don't typically suffer from seasonal allergies are reaching for their Benadryl, too. It is comforting to know I'm not just being a huge whiner.

Matt is one of those lucky ones that only has symptoms on very rare occasions. This morning, we took to some secluded logging roads for a sunny and relaxing run. Matt has been dealing with calf issues and looked forward to the soft dirt surface. My allergies don't like sunny and windy days, so somewhere with tree cover was calling to me as well.

The first three miles felt comfortable and light. After that, the pressure began to build within my head. First in my ears, it caused pain and dizziness. Then it spread to my sinuses. Matt and I must have been quite the sight, running side by side spraying gunk from our noses that sparkled when the light caught it just right.

Tomorrow I meet with my allergist to let her see what my symptoms look like at their worst and see if she thinks I might have VCD instead/in addition to allergy-induced EIA. Hopefully there's a solution coming soon, because I'm barely functioning in this state right now.

The remainder of the run wasn't much fun. Even at an easy pace, it felt like my legs were drained of strength and my head pounded an echo of my heartbeat. I'm still planning on running Saturday's 15K race but hold little hope the PR I'd originally expected.

For now, I just keep pushing on at whatever pace my body will allow, taking comfort in the knowledge that this season will too pass. Usually May is a good month for me so I'm still holding onto the hope that the marathon on Memorial Day weekend goes to plan even if things look a little bleak right now.

Recovering

I'd be lying if I said that last week's Foggy Bottom race didn't shake my confidence a bit. Just as I begin to feel well again, something different comes along to knock me down. My upper back was a mess after the race. Luckily, there was an opening with my sports masseuse and I got some of that taken care of. She said that I had trigger points on top of trigger points near my shoulder blades. She offered up some stretches and strength moves that I am adding into my routine. 

I'm also practicing the breathing technique on each run. It all went well until Matt shared his cold. *sigh* That said, most of the week went to plan. I didn't have any MRP planned because Foggy took its place and I had a fartlek run as speed training. Honestly, if there's one good time to get sick within this training cycle, this was the week, so at least I had that going for me.

Sunday:  Run 12 mi. including Foggy Bottom 10 Miler (1:22:30)
This run went horribly. The only thing that felt good was my legs. Volunteering for the remainder of the races was so much fun and it totally eliminated the opportunity for a sour mood.

Monday: Run 6 mi. not timed.
Legs felt great. Shoulders and lungs were tight and achy. Spent much of my free time rolling my back against the wall with a tennis ball trying to release the hot spots.

Tuesday: Rest!
Made love to the tennis ball and knobby foam roller. 

Wednesday: Run 8.25 mi. 8 mi. in 1:06:06, 8:28/mi. Strength: Core, legs.
I forgot to start my watch and didn't realize it until a quarter of a mile in. Deep down, I knew Sunday was a fluke, but when you have an uncontrollable bad day, it’s easy to wonder if a good day will come again. I started to have that choking feeling again, but employed a breathing technique I found on the internet for VCD and it went away. I’m about 90% certain it is just a LOT of drainage, but the forceful exhalations pulled up the phlegm nicely and I didn’t have any obstruction. Same pace as Foggy, felt waaaaaaaay easier.

Sunny and 65F today with a little wind. This only happens about a dozen times a year because the moist cloudy days at 50 pack a surprisingly icy chill.  Matt enjoyed that the shirt also doubles as a cape (Okay, so did I):

Thursday: Run 4 mi. in 32:48, 8:12/mi. Fartlek. 

First mile was a warm up and then I added 1, 2 and 3 pickups on each subsequent mile which resulted in those fabulous negative splits you see there. Woo.

I’m not a morning runner, but in the interest of fitting in everything I had to do, it was necessary. Legs just felt a little stale and I was WAY dehydrated…coughing up gunk that just clings to my lip when I spit it out is so very sexy.

Friday: Rest!
The day I came down with Matt's cold. Instead of running the planned 7 miles, I took a nap instead. No point in beating the crap out of myself any more than it already is. I'm also taking this time to teach myself to knit. Here's my first attempt at a twisted cable stitch.

Saturday: Run 18 in 2:40:21, 8:54/mi.
I'm glad I decided to give this run a chance. It was slower than usual but with all things considered, it went very well. Some days things just click. I can feel my mentality towards these 15+ mile runs changing. They no longer feel long. I just plan a route, grab a GU and a small water bottle and we're off. 

TOTAL MILES: 48.25

Notes: This week had some notable challenges, but I think I handled them well.  I know I'm a strong and smart runner, I adjust when I need to and push extra when I can. In the past, I might have let this destroy me. Now I just go with the flow, changing the things I can control and letting go of the things I cannot.

Thank you for all your support regarding my allergy/asthma/whatever these last few years. One clear solution is to move somewhere else, but I'm not quite ready to give up on Humboldt yet. I've noted and am trying/have tried all your suggestions. I keep on trying, hoping that I'll get a hold of this soon.

Long Run with a Cold

When I woke up this morning, I had very low confidence in my being able to run. Yesterday's sore throat had progressed the way a cold (thanks Matt) always does and I felt tired and congested all over. After waking Matt (he's on midnights) this afternoon and talking it out, we decided that we should at least give it a try. After all, it was too nice of a day to be cooped up inside. I wouldn't mind walking in the fresh air, I thought. That's how little hope I held for actually completing the planned 18 miles.

I built a route with several bail out points. I decided to see if I could make it to three miles and then go from there. On the run bail out loops included total mileages of: 6, 8.5, 14, and 16. I let my body guide me on the pace.

After the first mile, I was surprised how fresh I felt. Even though I was blowing a lot of gunk out of my nose and coughing, my energy level remained constant. It was probably all that sugar left over from binge eating a box of frozen yogurt popsicles last night in an effort to soothe my throat.

That may have to become a race tradition, I love popsicles. The brand was called Yasso, so I'm assuming they're made specifically for sick runners. How nice.

My pace held remarkably steady, within just a few seconds of a 9:00/mi for pretty much the whole run. Slower and faster miles were often a result of the terrain or having to stop for traffic. The sunshine quickly disappeared as we approached the coast. In places, the fog was so thick that I felt it dampening my skin as I ran through each cloud.

At a few points during the last few miles, I felt my throat tighten up. I consulted with a doctor friend and she suggested that I might have vocal cord dysfunction instead of EIA, since my symptoms don't improve much with inhaled medications and are felt in my throat rather than lungs. She suggested consulting Dr. Google while I waited for an appointment with my local MD. What I found was a breathing technique that focused more on relaxed inhales and forceful exhales. This helps me keep the panic low (OMG, throat closing!?) and doubles to yank up some of the phlegm that gets caught in my throat while running. It seems to help relax my breathing and muscles surrounding my throat. So far, it has been working. I still need to work on my ear issues though. If this simple tweak is the answer to my problem, that would be SO DARN AWESOME.

After one final climb in the last mile, we were done. I could hardly believe it. It is rare for me to have a day when I surpass my expectations, but today was one of those.

18 miles. 
2:40:21
8:54/mi.
498 ft. gain.

Under Northern Skies

With ice cream cones in hand and a large soft blanket, I spent many of my summer nights on a hilltop overlooking town with my friends. We gazed into the inky black sky, vibrant stars twinkling as we chatted before curfew. When I think back to those nights, they often seem so long ago. How naive we were, how carefree and innocent. I'm completely different from that girl I used to be, yet sometimes it feels I'm just the same.

I stare skyward again at that same black tapestry and suddenly, it feels like those nights on Millie Hill were just yesterday. Those stars are exactly the same. There's a certain comfort in things that stay the same. Under perfectly clear skies and -15F, that darkness begins to brighten. A faint green line appears. The cold bites through my thin pajamas and I head back into the cabin to warm up a moment before the real show begins. "The aurora is out," I announce, smiling like a small excited child.

While living in Fairbanks, we had something of a phone tree that we activated when someone noticed the sky lighting up. Often the first aurora alert call came from Julie. She lived in a dry cabin outside of town and got to see a lot of aurora displays on late night trips to the outhouse. Even though it was usually past midnight, we'd fire up our cars and drive out to our favorite viewing and photographing spot in the Goldstream Valley, often picking up Austin and Ashley on the way there. Just as it had been back in Michigan, it was a group of friends enamored with the much chillier night sky.

Our first aurora sighting of 2014 was from the west side of Fairbanks. Each photograph captured an ominous red glow from the city lights nearby. We were surprised that it was bright enough to see from the city.

The next night in the White Mountains cabin turned out to be one of the best aurora displays I've ever seen. While only green and white ribbons appeared, they danced a graceful waltz across the entire night sky. I danced quietly in the snow as I struggled to stay warm. That's the reality of the Alaskan aurora you don't see in the photos: It's seriously cold sometimes.  One click to open the camera's shutter and then I was off on a short jog to flush blood back into my extremities.

By 1am, the show was beginning to fade and the others convinced me it was time to get to bed. I climbed into my sleeping bag in the warm log cabin and closed my eyes. Through the darkened skies of my eyelids, the aurora continued to dance in my mind until I fell asleep.

Foggy Bottom Milk Run 2014

Have you ever had one of those races where you struggle to write about it because you're not sure exactly what happened? It is easiest to write about races where everything goes smoothly. The weather is perfect, your training pays off, and everything just clicks. This is not going to be one of those race reports.

Race day turned out to be the wettest day of 2014 so far, setting a new 24 hour rainfall record of 2.58". I'm glad at least Mother Nature got her PR for the day. The rain for the 10 mile race wasn't bad and certainly nothing that should have slowed me down much, same with the wind.

Y. Kim, SRRC Photo Credit.

Even before the race began, I felt off. Judging off previous workouts the last two weeks and fitness at last year's PR race compared to this year, the time at my first mile split, 7:25, wasn't anything too fast for me to handle on a normal day. Since it felt unsustainable, I backed off. The rain had already soaked through my outfit and my body temperature seesawed back and forth between icy goosebumps and overheating. I peeled off my gloves.

Mile 1: 7:25
Mile 2: 7:55

Mile two included a splash through a flooded section of road. This course is almost entirely through pasture farmland and floods easily. I saw up ahead that the leaders had spooked an entire herd of dairy cows and they seemed to be racing the runners. This race has the best scenery and is always one of my favorites, even when I'm having a bad day.

By the aid station at mile 3, my body was already begging me to let it walk. I summoned additional mental power willed myself to keep going. As long as we're still physically able to run, we're going to, I ordered. Of course, mile 3 is still way early to have to dig deep, there's a long way to go.

Mile 3: 7:55
Mile 4: 8:08
Mile 5: 8:06

Mile 4 and 5 were on gently rolling hills above the pastures of the valley floor. It was the only out and back on the course too, so I enjoyed the distraction of cheering for my club friends and counting exactly what place I was in: 7th woman. Even if my day wasn't going a planned according to pace, I could at least try to maintain that position in the ranks.

Mile 6: 8:23

The aid station at mile 6 was when I realized what was derailing my day: breathing. Tingly goosebumps had spread to my scalp, which for me is one of the first symptoms of an impending attack. Here my breathing became more labored, I choked on the water I was trying to swallow. I've always thought of these as asthma attacks, but I've noticed the last two attacks I've had haven't been in my lungs. It is extremely difficult to breathe in but not out and it feels like the obstruction is in my throat. Combine that with the sinus drainage that I always have and it feels like I'm drowning. I coughed and spit as I ran but could get nothing to come up.

Mile 7: 8:34

Mile 7 included another dash through the flooded road, this time in deeper water. I realized I was gaining on the 6th place girl and willed myself to catch her. Short-lived surges were punctuated with moments of complete breathlessness. By mile 8, I was pulled up behind her, breathing my heavy donkey wheeze. I squeezed out some encouragement. "Only a mile and a half to go! You've got this!" I told her, admittedly hoping that it would perk me up a little bit too. Here's where I finally passed her.

Mile 8: 8:34
Mile 9: 8:48

Any attempt to choke down water at the mile 9 station proved to be fruitless. It felt like I was trying to breathe and drink through the same tiny straw. Eventually I pulled to the side of the road, coughing and gagging, hoping something, ANYTHING, would come up and I could breathe again. At the same time I was passed by a male runner. He doubled back to see if I was okay. "I think I'm just really phlegm-y today," I managed to say while waving him on.

Mile 10: 8:31

If I'm having a poor mental day, I can often rally and pull off a strong closing mile. Not today, it was nothing to do with my mental game. I pushed as hard as my breathing troubles would allow, smiled for Yoon and his camera, and crossed the finish line. I dizzily fumbled around, managed to vomit up a little bit of that phlegm, and spent the next hour slightly disoriented. This is how I felt at the end of CIM. I didn't know what was happening or how to stop it, but just like on marathon day, I was glad to be done.

Y. Kim, SRRC photo credit.

1:22:30
8:15/mi.
F25-29: 2/11
F overall: 6/56
All: 41/110

In races past, I've let my performance dictate my mood. This day I was determined to remain positive. Watching 800 young kids race and finish the 2 mile run made it that much easier.

Again this year, I handed out ribbons at the finish line. They loved splashing in the puddles and seemed to be having the best time. This is what running is about: having fun. And maybe to that little girl to whom I handed the yellow finish ribbon, the girl with the soaked hair and huge smile, this race is the beginning of something big.

Just before my finish line duties began.

Riding in an open truck while we collect course cones and barriers. Brett's a crazy driver!! :)

Even though we were all dressed in head to toe rain gear, we still managed to return home soaked through. It was a long, tough day, but because of my running club friends and their silliness, it passed by quickly and I went to bed that night with a happy smile on my face (even though I slept with one eye open because of the huge bedtime earthquake we had).

It was a rolling horizontal earthquake rather than violent vertical shaking one, so no damage, injuries, or tsunami.

Last Week: May 2-8

Sunday: Run 12 trail miles. Not timed. 
The day after a hard workout is the perfect time for a social run. Matt and I went with Nikki to the Headwaters trail and loved it. She's moving nearby, so we'll have many more runs like this soon!

Monday: Rest!
Went to the doctor to address the dizziness and nausea still lingering from the plane trip. Since my Eustachian tubes have never drained properly, she assumed that's what was causing the problem and prescribed a decongestant. It seemed to help.

Tuesday: Run 5 mi, 3 tempo. Tempo goal pace: 7:20-7:30. Strength: Core, legs.

Yay Fluorescent Speed Shoes! I've missed you.

Ran it on the 440 yd. track and Garmin always has trouble because it’s in a really forested area. The track never lies, so ignore that extra quarter mile I accrued and the extra “0.5” on each mile.
The last few tempo laps were with the men’s baseball team so I made a game of passing a few of the slower ones. After I went by a few of them, I heard one say to his friend, “I knew she’d lap us.” haha. :) Don’t worry boys, I can outrun you, but I still throw like a girl. Makes it even, right?

Wednesday: Run 7 easy miles. not timed.

I can confirm that their wind forecast verified. It’s really hard to run at an easy effort when you’re being blown over, sand blasted, and having garbage cans thrown at you. In a sick sort of way, I kinda liked the adventure aspect it brought. Made my ho-hum 7 miler a lot more interesting.

The best part was passing a lady walking her yorkie in a strong crosswind. Poor little doggie looked like he was drunk.

Thursday: Run 6.5 miles, 6 at MRP. Strength: Core, legs.
I think it’s becoming essential I nail down a goal marathon race pace soon. The goal of “anything sub-8:00/mi” might be too broad. Combine that with my unwillingness to slow down on training runs if I do go out too fast and you get this:

That was a pretty solid run and I felt good the whole way not at all gassed at the end, BUT there’s no way that could be my marathon pace just yet, so it didn’t really fit the intended purpose of the workout. I guess if I technically miss my goal pace, I’m glad it’s too fast rather than too slow, right? 

Friday: Run 5 miles easy, not timed.
Beautiful warm day, 65F and one of those you want to bottle up and save for later. Here are a few pictures from my garden:

Bulbs are the best. Half the fun is not knowing when they'll pop up!

Judging by the flowers, it looks to be another good blueberry year.

Dinosaur Kale plant is six feet tall! I've been eating a lot of it lately.

Zoey's happy tail swish.

TOTAL: 35.5 miles.

Notes: This was the second full week of marathon training and I couldn't be more pleased. Every run went wonderfully. I do need to find a marathon goal pace though, because "sub-8:00" isn't at all right. 7:40 is my HALF marathon PR pace, not full.

My ears cleared out nicely. Saturday I was feeling a little more congested and my arm was sore (Left Arm is a human barometer), which I attributed to changing weather patterns. 

This week was missing a long run because the following day was the Foggy Bottom Milk Run. It was tough and wet, and the weather had a PR (new 24 hr. rainfall record: 2.58"). Not exactly what you want to happen on race day, but it still was a fun day. Race report coming soon.

Fairbanks and the White Mountains

From the sky, familiar ridge lines and shapes appeared. Our airplane traced a line above the Tanana River and then the Chena before the Fairbanks airport came into view. A bubble of happiness rose within me and I choked back tears. This place still feels like home, I suddenly realized. I'm not a highly emotional person and moments like this always take me by surprise. The only other place where this happens is landing at the Green Bay airport when I fly in/out visiting my family and hometown.

Since Anchorage was pretty much right next door (okay, not really) to Fairbanks, we decided to make a quick weekend visit before heading home. Of course, three days wasn't enough. In a whirlwind of constant socialization, we managed dinners and visits with family and friends before we hopped the plane home. We squeezed in a cabin trip and saw the aurora. For just a three day trip, we managed to fit in a surprising amount of stuff.

At noon on Friday, Matt and I met up with Jane for a quick run on her lunch break at a balmy -15F, our coldest of 2014. We explored our old training grounds while visiting and chatting about our upcoming races. Maybe you remember that Jane ran our local marathon last May. She's well on her way to completing the 50 States Sub-4 club and has run over 70 marathons. She does all her training outside in whatever conditions Fairbanks decides to hand her. In short, she's kind of a running superhero.

We wandered town visiting our favorite places and stopping by Matt's old office before meeting with Brittany and Oliver for the weekend's trip to the White Mountains. They live in a 24' yurt out in the woods and our ensuing camping gear explosion was a little chaotic, but we managed to end up in the car with the right amount of gear.

Saturday morning, under perfectly sunny skies with a slight -20F nip in the air, the four of us (plus Yoti the dog) arrived at the Wickersham trailhead. A flurry of excitement greeted us: skiers, mushers, and snowmobilers all prepared for their wintry playtime on this lovely network of winter trails.

The trails here were completely different from the icy ones we'd encountered the week before. Here, January had been warm, but not enough to rise above freezing and melt the snow away. I almost wished for skis. Almost.

 

In practically no time, we had traversed the seven miles through black spruce valleys and across naked ridge lines to our home for the night: Lee's Cabin. We were pleasantly surprised to see smoke billowing from the chimney. A few snowmobilers stopped for lunch and to warm up and had lit a fire in the stove.

 

I always dread the first 30 minutes after we arrive at a cabin. While battling the rapidly dropping body temperature in clothes dampened by sweat and condensation, it is miserable and terrifying at the same time. Standing there all sweaty, miles from the car, we knew we could actually die if this lifeline didn't save us. There's always someone that manages to leave green firewood that just doesn't burn. One trip, we almost turned back because it was -25F outside and we fumbled for half an hour trying to get the stove to light, but on our last try before packing up and leaving, it worked. I think I'd pay a hefty sum for someone to go ahead and light a fire so I'd arrive to a toasty cabin every time. Thanks snowmobilers!

Soon the sun lowered in the sky, casting a beautiful pink light across the mountains in the distance. We could even see the Alaska Range to the south on a short hike from the cabin. It was perfect. That evening, all cozy in our booties with our tea and chocolate bars, we played Scrabble and Hearts while we waited for the aurora to make her appearance. It was awesome to spend time with a couple we like as much as Brittany and Oliver. I enjoyed watching how they became more relaxed from exhausted on Friday to refreshed and calm on Sunday. It was the perfect recharge weekend for all of us, even Yoti, who spent the night snuggled up on Oliver's down jacket.

The aurora eventually made an appearance and took up the whole night sky to dance just for us. With town over thirty miles away, each individual green band waved and swirled in a sea of crisp white stars. It was one of the best aurora displays I've seen and we agreed that I'm becoming picky and no longer impressed by that shy green band that never moves on weak nights, so that really says something.  Since I'm planning an entire post on the aurora next, I'm going to skip the pictures for now. I know, I'm a jerk.

We awoke to another chilly morning, noticeably warmer than the previous one, but a little windier. The return trip was quick. Through my face mask, I admired the snowy ground as it sparkled in the sunshine. I didn't realize how much I missed the sunshine until this lovely weekend in the Interior. Anchorage may be warmer, but I still prefer the crisp Fairbanks sunshine. As everyone should do on the car ride home from the Whites, we stopped for burgers at Silver Gulch. It was the perfect weekend away.