Tag Archives: running

May8

Running Solo

Posted on May 8, 2012 by acrosscountryquilts

Since Julia’s down and out for the present I’ve been running alone. I usually turn to my list of podcasts on Stitcher (one of the best apps ever invented). But last week after I exhausted all my current podcast, I actually resorted to running without listening to anything…except reality! It turned out to be better than I remembered. In the spring especially, there’s a lot to hear, especially early morning birds. And with them as a backdrop I was able to think, too, and plan my day and week ahead. I really missed our conversation, but it was a good rehearsal for me, to know that I didn’t bore myself as much as I thought I did.

I came across some pretty amazing sunrises too. I can’t resist stopping to take a picture.

Julia is usually very patient in letting me stop for shots like these. With her not along it’s a lot harder to get going again when I’m done! Hopefully by Friday she’ll be back pounding the pavement with me! Sara

May3

Achilles Tendonitis!

Posted on May 3, 2012 by acrosscountryquilts

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Seriously? Another injury! I felt like I was doing so well coming back from my IT band episode.

The doctor gave me perscriptions for Motrin & Calcium/Vitamin D and a referral for Physical Therapy. I was told to rest until it didn’t hurt to run and definitely not to run through any pain. She then proceeded to tell me a horror story about a ruptured Achilles that required surgery, casts, crutches & no running for 6-8 months. The story scared me enough to follow the doctor’s orders! I am hoping to be able to go for a short run on Monday. She didn’t blame my Vibrams. She attributed to not stretching regularly.

I do have good news…. the doctor also said I need to run slower, avoid hills and absolutely NO sprints!! That is definitely the best news I heard all day!

Any other suggestions for recovering from Achilles Tendonitis?

Apr29

Sunday + Long Run = Perfect Day

Posted on April 29, 2012 by acrosscountryquilts

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Except when the long run doesn’t feel so good. We started off for our long run with no distance set. We have several routes depending on the wind direction. It was a calm, overcast morning and we choose the route along the boardwalk. Upon meeting Sara, I instantly realized she had a head cold.

Strike one.

We trotted off and around mile 4.5 I felt a twinge in my right ankle/heel.

Strike two.

We continued our run and by mile 8.5 I was ready to bee-line home. Starting and stopping was becoming painful. At mile 9.4 we walked it home. Total miles 9.7.

Since the run, I have done everything of which a PT would approve. And hopefully, I will avoid Strike three!

1. Ice

2. Rest & Elevate

3. Motrin (800 x 2)

4. Take tomorrow off.

Sara, I am going to take you up on the offer and pass on my “let’s go for a walk” suggestion. With all the optimism I can muster, I am going to call this a minor pain. Seriously, another injury? I wasn’t even trying to go fast! I just wore a fancy pair of heels last night on my date night! Oh, bother.

How about some good news. I finally had an opportunity to wear my cute new visor. Love my “gas cap”. It was a gift from my college roommate who is an amazingly fast runner. It can hold 2 GU, chapstick, money & probably more than I can think of.

Apr26

Early Morning Pit Stop

Posted on April 26, 2012 by acrosscountryquilts

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We made a good decision to run Wednesday this week instead of Thursday. There was a nasty thunderstorm around 6 am today! It felt great to sleep in and we are looking forward to “Fun Run Friday.”

Friday we run one of our favorite routes, Croatan. It is a route that takes us south and through the Croatan neighborhood in VB. We meet a little earlier, 5:20 am, because the route is approximately 6.25 miles. This is perhaps the only day that we don’t find ourselves on the boardwalk at some point during our run. It is fun to watch the seasons change and sunrise adjust throughout the year. Sara snapped this picture with her phone last week. One of the signs summer is approaching is that the gates for the public beach access are unlocked, the water fountains are on, and the facilities are open at 6 am. It’s perfect for an early morning pit stop.

Just down that walkway and over the dune is the Atlantic ocean and the rising sun.

Apr21

Hill With a View

Posted on April 21, 2012 by acrosscountryquilts

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Living near the ocean has it’s downsides, one being that the terrain is flat. Here is our one local hill, and yes, it’s a bridge.

Small though it is, it’s what we resort to for hill training…when we resort to that. Fortunately, the view at the top is worth it, especially at sunrise. Have a wonderful weekend of quilt-worthy activities!

Apr19

No Hills

Posted on April 19, 2012 by acrosscountryquilts

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Well we didn’t run hills today…just a flat four in a light humid drizzle notorious in VB springtime. Instead we’re ramping it up on the sewing machines, working on a several quilts that will be up for sale soon. One is a beach teen boy theme, another will be perfect for a young girl, and a third made from fleece pajamas that will keep anyone cuddly. As we’re getting toward the end of the school year, if you’re looking for a perfect gift for your student to celebrate the end of another school year, we might have it. Pictures will be posted soon.

Meanwhile, you’ll have to settle for this one from our run Tuesday morning. As we were heading home on the boardwalk, we noticed some sort of photography shoot was going on at the otherwise quiet beach at sunrise. A young woman was wearing a pink fairytale type gown, so maybe senior photos? We enjoyed it, and hope they got the shot they wanted. Here’s hoping for a morning like that tomorrow when we run Croatan!

Apr18

T-Bear

Posted on April 18, 2012 by acrosscountryquilts

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Sara, thanks for helping me finish up Tara’s quilt. You are ”sew” much more than just my running friend; you are truly the “best business partner ever”! I had so much fun piecing together her USNA and Navy t-shirts. Despite the fact that she was class 0f ’03 and didn’t have a “real plebe year,” she was able to collect several great shirts. Actually, it was like a stroll down memory lane or Stribling Walk.

T-Bear

Working together to tackle this quilt was a brilliant plan so we could have the quilt completed before she returns home this weekend. She is going to love it. I will drop it off at her house as a welcome home surpise!

Are you interested in hill work tomorrow? We could run up and down Rudee Inlet Bridge several times. It might be a good idea if we’re going to do some of the shorter races coming up. Have a fantastic Wednesday and I’ll see you tomorrow at 5:30 for our run.

Apr16

Chia Test Drive

Posted on April 16, 2012 by acrosscountryquilts

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After a fabulous vacation in Mexico, I am recharged, revitalized and re-energized. I was able to run several times while on vacation. It was a treat to only pack my slim Vibrams and not a pair of bulky running shoes, but the terrain was not as Vibram friendly as I hoped. I really had only 2 choices, the sandy beach or cobblestone road.

A quick side note about running on the beach: Sara and I typically stay on the boardwalk and avoid running on the sandy beach at all costs. Our main reason is the paranoia of twisting an ankle or knee. And, it’s so much more difficult! Now with my Vibrams I can add getting sand in my barefoot shoe as a second reason to avoid sand on a run. (I can remember only once that we ran on the beach and that was after the crazy snow storm in December of 2010. The beach was frozen and the boardwalk was ice covered!)

Therefore, in Mexico, I selected the cobblestone road. By the end of my 45 minutes I was feeling the pounding on the balls of my feet more so than normal. From a running aspect, my feet were glad to be home from vacation. Plus, it was also great to catch up with Sara over a 12 mile run yesterday and 4 miles this morning.

Let’s get back to my Chia seeds that I used once before going on vacation. I have two bags of Chia seeds that I am going to incorporate into my diet. Each night, I soak one tablespoon of seeds in a pint of water. I have found if I dilute the mixture with additional water, it goes down a lot smoother. I also added one NUUN tablet to my secret potion. In the morning I slurp down half the energy juice before the run and the other half after. The NUUN definitely helped with flavor (pink lemonade).

What results should I expect? Reading articles on the Internet there are claims for weight loss, leveled blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and higher energy levels. I am two days into my Chia Test Drive and honestly don’t notice any difference. Give me a couple of weeks and perhaps I will have more to share.

Apr10

Not the Pits

Posted on April 10, 2012 by acrosscountryquilts

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It’s Spring break and we’ve done a trial separation for the week. Julia’s in Mexico and I’m in NY state. We’re still managing to get some runs in. Meanwhile we’d like share a couple more of our favorite pitstops.

This first one is at a golf course about 2 miles from our houses. Water is available year-round. We used to be a little anxious about getting in trouble for ‘borrowing’ golf course water. One very cold day last winter, we stopped for some, but after filling our cups the water kept flowing, the button frozen in position. We quickly resumed our run, and when we got on the road we noticed we were being followed by a worker in a golf cart. We knew we were busted, so we picked up the pace. He clearly could have caught us in a golf cart, but instead it appeared he’d toy with us for a while. After trailing us for a couple minutes, he turned off onto a course path, and we realized he had no interest in us. We felt badly about the water, but never worried about stopping again! They must have bigger concerns than runners who grab a couple sips of water.

The same course has this lovely building which we have named “The Bathtub”. The water fountain is removed and bathroom doors locked in winter, but in summer the doors are open, restrooms are stocked with amenities, and there is usually a cooler full of ice next to the water fountain.

We make a point to stop here during long runs in July and August when Virginia heat is unbearable. If you wonder whether that heat is coming, just look to the water fountain. There’s no question that it will soon be here.

Apr6

Good to Gu

Posted on April 6, 2012 by acrosscountryquilts

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Julia has a Chia seed update, but along those lines I thought I’d mention sustenance. I, personally, am a grazer and eat frequently throughout the day. The same is true during runs. So for me, Gu has become my go-to run staple. We generally run every weekday at 5:30 except Wednesday (sleep in until 6!). For those early runs I wake up with a Jet Blackberry 2x caffeine Gu and I’m out the door and fine for 4 to 6 miles. We run longer (8-12) one weekend day, a little later, so I can have a cup of coffee, a banana (with peanut butter is best), and take 1 or 2 Gus for the road. So that’s my regimen. However, Julia’s Chia seed experience might make me rethink things a little. Here she is:

I typically wake up 45 minutes before our scheduled run time and eat 1/2 of a PR Bar with my cup of coffee while I am walking my dog. (I am a fan of the Chocolate Peanut and the Apple Pie flavors.) I eat the other half of the bar post run and prior to breakfast. I save Gu for our long run on the weekend. I am a fan of the “Tri-Berry” Gu flavor. 10 miles or less and one Gu will suffice. When we start to run further than 10 miles I pack 2 Gu.

Today I tried something different. I drank this:

Last night I mixed 1 Tbsp Chia seeds with 9 Tbsp water. I put my magical concoction into the fridge for the night. This morning the Chia seeds had the consistency of gel with little lumps. If I drank frog eggs I would image they have the same consistency. I was able to drink about 2/3 of the glass. I still used Gu on the run around mile 6.5.

So, how did I feel on our 10.2 mile run today? AMAZING! I didn’t have my normal ravenous hunger appear around mile 8. In fact at mile 3 I remarked to Sara, “I feel surprisingly full and wouldn’t be interested in eating a cheese pizza if it was right in front of me!” I too, run to eat, and it was nice not to be distracted by hunger at the end of the run. Afterward, I downed the rest of the seed elixir, the remaining 1/2 of my PR Bar, and some NUUN. My hunger stayed in check until around 11:45, just in time for lunch!

Here is my question – how could I take the seed/water mixture on my run? I typically don’t need a fuel belt because of our wonderful pit stops. Thanks!