Along My Run | 24 Clinton Lake Ultra Training

I haven’t posted much about running since October, after I ran the Chicago Marathon. Yes, I am still running. Yes, I am still taking photos out when I run. Yes, I am signed up for a Spring Race. And since it is officially Spring, yes, the race is this coming Saturday! No, it is not a marathon – it’s a little crazier than that – it’s my first Ultra Marathon!

In the beginning of 2016, I looked back at 2015 and set some future goals. One of those goals was to complete an Ultra in early 2017, before I turned 50 years old (this May). So here I am, ready to tackle 30 miles with 2,100 feet of elevation change on a single track trail.


1. Happy Trails, 2. Be my shelter, 3. On Saturdays We Wear Pink ... and Go Trail running, 4. Magic Carpet, 5. Landmark, 6. Trip the Light Fantastic, 7. Tracks, 8. Winter white glow, 9. The Rest of the Story, 10. Surreal Saturday, 11. The Sun Came Out! , 12. Oh Sun, How We've Missed You, 13. Such a Perfect Day for a Run in the Woods, 14. First Real Run in the Snow!, 15. Back to winter training on Campus, 16. Green Sparkles, 17. Wide Open Space, 18. Diversity, 19. Our Last Long Training Run, 20. Twin Peaks

I signed up for the Clinton Lake Ultra in November, the day race registration opened. The race is limited to 125 participants and I knew it would sell out before the end of the day (it sold out after 6 hours). The trail is a 10 mile loop around, you guessed it, Clinton Lake. I ran the loop for the first time in May last year, and it was the longest, hardest 10 miles I had ever completed. My average pace was 14 minutes / mile and a complete struggle. So I knew what I was getting myself into when I signed up – this would be something challenging and to be quite honest, something that scared me. Fortunately, a few of my friends signed up for the same race so I knew I would have training support (and consolation when it really got tough).

Starting at the end of November, I changed my running schedule to include two days of trail running at a forest preserve about 20 minutes away. During the 16 week training program, I estimate running a little over 50% of my miles on the trails. The hallmark of an Ultra training plan is back to back long runs on the weekends – at our peak weeks, we logged 35-38 miles over two days, including runs on the actual course. My running comrades and I have stuck together through the ice, wind, snow and cold conditions; we’ve run through the mud and ankle deep water. We also enjoyed the beautiful trail scenery, watched the deer thunder through the woods and been refreshed by a light misting rain while the spring frogs started to sing.

I am ready for the upcoming adventure, even if it rains (yeah, in the weather forecast). My goal is to finish within the allotted 8 hour time limit, and if the conditions are like what we trained in, I believe I can finish in a little over 6 hours.

One of my friends, a seasoned Ultra Marathoner (she’s completed two 100 milers and casually completes 50 milers like they are 5Ks) gave me this advice: “Walk all the hills (we’ve practiced that), and don’t stop moving forward. Walking is faster than standing there crying. Because I’ve done the crying thing and it doesn’t get you to the finish line any faster”.

Something to remember if it gets really tough on Saturday...

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The Catch Up - May 2016 - More Horses, Travel and Concerts

I'm back, this time with an update from May.

IHSA Nationals
Erica competed in the Intercollegiate Horse Show National Competition in the “Horse Capital of the US”, aka Lexington, Kentucky, held at the Kentucky Horse Park. The event was held in the Alltech Arena – a world class facility. She hit the big time!

Scenes from Kentucky Horse park, simply idyllic with the gently rolling hills and green pastures, speckled with horses (of course):


We made friends with this big boy:




In this shot of the arena, the course is set up for the jumping events and gives you an idea of how big the place is.



The staging area for the horses looked like a mosh pit of horses...


In Competition:




While she didn’t place in her event, this experience as a freshman in college means she’s going to work harder to earn another chance to compete at the National level. I am super proud of my horse loving daughter!

Trip to the UK (London and Cardiff)
The day after Nationals, I got on a plane and traveled to the UK to run a training session for work. Highlights – I got to visit with my sister and her family in London and the weather was sunnier than normal.

...so sunny and warm that ice cream with a chocolate flake was in order for the kids. The flake pops out of the top of the ice cream like a straw. I ended up buying a box of it on my way home.

As usual, we made our way down to the Thames.


The wisteria was in full bloom, adorning all the doorways.


The training session I ran was held in Cardiff, Wales, about a 2 hour train ride to the west. I was able to explore the city of Cardiff, Wales via the lens of daylight (the last time I was there in the perpetual darkness of winter), met some new running friends and ran some cool routes.

Cardiff Castle Along my Run Through Bute Park

The Pierhead Building at Cardiff Bay

Along Waterfront Park

Wales Millennium Center

On the “Dimmer” side, I managed to catch the intestinal bug my sister was harboring and well, that was not fun. Fortunately, the brunt of that hit mid-week; I delegated sections of the training course to my work colleagues and quarantined myself to the hotel room. The hotel was quite accommodating, supplying me with complimentary room service and whatever else I wanted (Yeah, I get that they didn’t want me wandering the halls and spreading this to other guests). I only missed one day of the training and didn’t have any issues traveling back to the US.

May Birthdays
Scott and I celebrated our “last birthday” before the big 5-0. My friend, Jill, had extra tickets to see James Taylor in concert, so I got a special birthday gift from her. It is amazing that he is almost 70 years old, still performing on tour and sounding great.

And I'm 49

The kids officially wrapped up the school year and settled into their summer routines - May was gone in a flash.

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Along My Run | 17 - Running in Poipu, Kauai

AKA, running in paradise. AKA, the most amazing return to running after an injury.

My previous run transpired in mid-May, so I was laid off 6 weeks. During those 6 weeks, I swam, pool ran, did yoga, took some HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) classes and took spinning classes to keep from going crazy. My ankle / calf is all better now, so the break from running was worth it.

In the week leading up to our vacation, I started easing back into running using a run/walk method. The morning we embarked on our travel to Kauai (an epic, 20 hour door-to-door trip), I ran two miles continuously, so I knew I could use the time in Kauai to build upon that distance.

We stayed on the southern part of Kauai, in the Poipu / Koloa area, along the ocean and right along the Maha'ulepu Heritage Coastal Trail, which starts at Shipwrecks Beach in Keoneloa Bay.(click on the map below to for a detailed view)

Scott and I explored part of the trail that winds up through the cliffs, and Friday morning, I set off on a trail run at sunrise, heading east. It was so beautiful, I ended up stopping frequently to take pictures and simply revel in the scene unfolding in front of me, to hear the waves crash and breathe in the salt air.

Reaching the Makawehi Cliffs

It's experiences like this that really make me appreciate how fortunate, how lucky I am to have this life, this opportunity to be in this place at this time.

Sandstone / Limestone Pinnacles

I couldn't pass up the chance to take a yoga selfie:


I ran over two miles out and came across signs to the Makauwahi Cave. I reached the cave and the filled pond.

It was at this point I decided to turn around and head back to the hotel. If I had followed the stream out of the cave, I would have found the hidden Mahaulepu beach. We would eventually get to the beach during a horseback ride later on our trip.

Some scenes on my way back. Of course, I got lost (I don't recall seeing the arm chair on the cliff earlier), but eventually made it back to familiar territory.

Chair with a View - Punahoa Point

I never ran this trail again - this 4.4 mile run took me over an hour to complete at a pace of 14 minutes / mile and I was exhausted at the end. Running trails and through sand is hard work! At one point, I wasn't paying attention (looking at the amazing scenery) and as a result, lost my balance, tripped, fell and scraped my left leg. I was a sweaty, bloody, dusty, sandy mess afterwards.

On subsequent runs, I opted to run to the west, across some easier trails combined with roads, reaching Poipu Beach Park and beyond.

Maka-Hu'ena Point

Keoneloa Bay

I really enjoyed all my Paradise runs, even the killer hills, warm temperatures and blazing sun (once the sun comes out, wow, it is super strong). Hopefully, some day in the future I'll get to experience it again.

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Five Favorite Things - Pitch Perfect 2

This post is like, 3 weeks late! I saw the movie the weekend it premiered, wrote part of this post, then "life" (birthdays, graduation activities, parties, out of town visitors, end of school, etc) got in the way.... I also wanted to include little YouTube snippets, but found nothing (probably due to copyright issues). I'm hitting the Publish button now, before even more time passes....

Being a former collegiate a cappella singer (gosh, doesn’t that sound official and even slightly important, even though it’s not!), I’ve been anticipating the sequel to one of my favorite movies covering the a cappella “scene”, and caught Pitch Perfect 2 on its opening weekend. Even though the movie was predictable and borrowed many elements from the first movie (the Riff-Off, a singing competition), I still enjoyed it. The movie featured amazing vocal arrangements, instrument-free performances and funny jokes about the genre.

Here’s my list of Five Things I loved about Pitch Perfect 2:

1. Old School A cappella songs – like Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. Yup, my college group (a mixed group), sang this classic. When the competition is “upping the game” by going bigger, badder and simply crazy, sometimes it’s best to return to what is simple.

2. Using a song as a metaphor for taking risk and breaking the rules. In the movie, the Bellas decide to perform an Original Song, a departure from traditional a cappella. This feature song, Flashlight, wins over the crowd and judges. And here is a bit of a cappella trivial – Sara Bareilles’ original song Gravity was performed by her a cappella group, UCLA’s Awaken a Cappella back in 2004.

3. The performances at the World Championship of a cappella – proving that music breaks down barriers. These performances included diverse musicians – The Penn Masala, The Filharmonic, The Singboks and Pentatonix.

4. Seeing the Green Bay Packers sing an a cappella arrangement of Bootylicious during the Riff Off. Who knew Clay Matthews could sing?

5. The chorus of Flashlight, performed with Bella Alumni. This took me by surprise, but is a real tradition in the a cappella community. I still get invitations to sing with my college group (and did so a couple years back at a Graduation ceremony). We are all bound together by the music.

Chorallaries, Past and Present

College a cappella is a wonderful activity to get involved with. I make a point to attend local performances of the University of Illinois groups, like No Comment below


Shared with Five on Friday

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Along My Run |16 - Not Much Going On

Sadly, I spent most of my May in the pool or at the gym. I decided to give my calf a break from running, as recommended by the sports medicine doctor I saw mid-month. I miss the running, the scenery, the chirping of birds and all the stuff along the road that changes each day, but I know that the bigger picture is more important than the present.

The Sole Photo I Took While Running in May

I’m swimming at least twice a week and have tacked on pool running after my normal routine of swimming a mile. I continue yoga, strength training and an occasional spin class. But I prefer to be outdoors, so I take walks, enjoy the slower pace of things and still enjoy the beauty around me.

Sunset Dance

Half Time

Raiment

I also made a day trip to Chicago to drop my parents off for a weeklong Road Scholar program focused on the Windy City. I entered the city along Columbus Drive, through the heart of Grant Park. I realized the last time I visited Chicago was during the Chicago Marathon. We drove past the starting line, then into the bowels of the Randolph Street underpass. I recognized the intersection where I had chucked my long sleeve starting line shirt. Later, as I walked across the Michigan Avenue bridge (in the cold, 45 degF, windy, spitting rain weather), it felt so familiar, and immediately, I knew I had to run it again. I just don’t know if it will be this year. After three consecutive marathons, all spaced out in six month intervals, I’m kind of worn out. I guess if the calf is healed up by mid-July, I’ll give it a go as I have until September to defer my 2015 entry to next year.

Crossing the Michigan Avenue Bridge on a Cold, Misty Day

May’s Stats:
13.1 miles running
6.7 miles swimming
Several hours of yoga

Impromptu

Finally, this month's running quotes - because even if you can't run, you can still be inspired.
Running removes us briefly from the fragmentation and depersonalization of the digital world.
– Amby Burfoot
[The main reason why I run outside]

It's all those little battles with yourself that are the most satisfying to win.
– Mirinda Carfrae

Running is a kind of truth serum. It brutally strips away everything you put on and leaves you with only yourself.
– Marc Parent

When I run, I'm just a person among people. A runner among runners. And we all experience the same challenge of get up and go - regardless of ability.
– Sally Bergesen

To go the distance and keep going after that, the only sustainable place to start is from a place of gratitude and love.
– Kristin Armstrong

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Fish Tale (With Dolphins)

On our last day in Florida during Spring Break, we met up with a guide, Captain Cam just before the break of dawn. Cam was taking us out for a half day in shore fishing excursion. We felt lucky as we booked the event the day before - this would be our last "touristy" opportunity as my parents are selling their Florida home and this will most likely be our last visit to the area.

We got in the speedboat and Cam stated "we're going over there to get bait", gesturing towards Sanibel Island. In my naivety, I thought there was some bait shop "over there". You know, worms that are kept on ice, worms that you buy.

In reality, "over there" was the pylons of the Sanibel bridge and getting bait meant casting for it with a net, the bait being little fishes / minnows. Several boats were already out by the bridge, starting their day the same way - casting for bait.




The process of casting nets was fascinating to watch - the swirl of the net, the sheen glistening off the fish scales, minnows twisting. All against backdrop of the rising sun.


There were visitors, waiting for a morsel to come their way


Bait in hand (really, in a reservoir towards the back of the boat), we traveled into the mist of the bay. The fog enveloped us, the rising sun all but gone. It felt cold, grey and silently eerie. We had been in this waterway before - years ago, when visiting the Edison-Ford winter estates - the Caloosahatchee River.



We stopped at The mangroves along Shell Island. Cam baited and cast the lines. Brian got the first bite, almost immediately, but lost the fish just as fast. The waters were full of Yellow Jackfish, a medium sized fish, not willing to give up the fight. Brian and Scott managed to reel their catches in, but it took me several tries before I got the reel technique down. These guys were strong and challenging (for me, I'm more or less the spectator on this excursion). We kept two of the Jackfish, releasing the other 6 or so.





Yeah, my fish feels slimy!

The sun started to peek out and Cam took us out between Sanibel and St James. His boat tops 70mph, so we held on to our hats!

We were now fishing for trout with lures. They had to be at least 15" to keep, so the smaller ones were released. On occasion, a fish would swallow the rubber lure and wouldn't survive the extraction - we watched long necked water fowl scoop up the dead fish and gulp it down its skinny neck. Other birds swooped from the sky, taking lunch into its talons. Nature in action.

En route to our third location, Cam spotted a dolphin swimming along side the boat. "Let's see if I can get him to jump the boat's wake" - and the playful dolphin did just that! We just stood there, amazed. I got out my camera and started shooting. That dolphin jumped the wake 4-5 times. That experience "was not on the tour brochure", and certainly a special bonus.





Overall, we brought home 4 nicely sized trout and the 2 Jackfish. Cam filleted the Jackfish and simply gutted the trout. We grilled up half the Jackfish for lunch (tasted like Mahi-Mahi) and my mother pan fried two trout the next morning. They froze the remaining fish and enjoyed them the following week when my sisters came to visit.

The experience was completely unexpected and a great way to end our trip. I've recently read where happiness is found more in experiences vs physical things and this day certainly proves that out.

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Along My Run | 14 | March Randomness

Five Things that happened along my run in March.

1. I ran in snow. While snow is not abnormal for March, we received over 10" on March 1. Of course, I ran in it and determined that running in 10" on un-plowed streets was really exhausting. That morning I elicited comments from neighbors ranging from "That's hard work" to "You go!" to "You are absolutely crazy".

2. I ran in the dark again. And in fog. With the time change to DST, the mornings are dark again. I normally don't run in the fog when it is dark out, but that day, I had friends running with me, so we all braved it together.

3. I ran two 20-milers. Yes, it's part of marathon training, but these runs were particularly hard - I was nursing a foot injury during the first one. After the second 20 miler, I came down with a huge cold, which tells me my immune system was already weak and running set it over the edge.

4. I ran in shorts and a tank top for the first time this year. Being in Florida made this possible.

5. I ran to the Southern Most point in the US while visiting Key West. Just to say I did it.


1. slowly drifting, 2. Into the White Abyss, 3. Last Week of Morning Daylight. Need to enjoy it while we can , 4. Bundled Up This Morning. Waiting for Spring, 5. This Route Again, 6. Spring Thaw, 7. 20 Milers Through the Woods and Along the Prairie, 8. The Last Quarter Mile is The Hardest But Worth It In The End, 9. Ventured out of the neighborhood and caught this , 10. Sunrise in Key West, 11. Way Down South, 12. Another Great Start

Because of my foot injury (extensor tendonitis) and late March sickness, I'm feeling a bit behind in my marathon training. With the race less than 3 weeks away, there's really no time to do much more other than try to get my lungs back to normal (my asthma flared back up when I got sick), build back some of my cardio fitness and hope for the best.

March's Running Stats:
Total Miles: 113 (out of planned 144 - ouch!)
Average Pace: 9:24 Minute / Mile

This Month's Running Quotes:
We all have dreams. In order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline and effort.
– Jesse Owens

Runners understand this, this deep desire to cultivate resilience. It transcends the repetition of our gait and gives meaning to the stride of life.
– Kristin Armstrong

I will finish this mile. I will do something I never thought I'd be able to do. So I do.
– Jennifer Fliss

And this - so true -
That's the thing about running: Your greatest runs are rarely measured by racing success. They are moments in time when running allows you to see how wonderful your life is.
– Kara Goucher

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Along My Run | 13 - Cold, Snowy February

Even though I really enjoy running in the snow, I've officially had enough after last month. I thought the 2014 winter season was pretty challenging from a running standpoint, and 2015 has come very close to at least matching it, cold for cold, snow for snow. Since this winter started off mild and snowless, I was lulled into a false sense that an early Spring was eminent.

At the end of January, I thought, if we received some snow, that would be nice - it would be fun to get some more snow runs in.

It snowed on February 1, and as I ran in the falling snow, it was bliss.
Then the relentless, bone chilling winds came one Saturday, during an 18 miler and I thought I was going to die.
The last two weeks of the month were a challenge - I ran in four snowstorms, negative windchills and had to re-route most of my running routes as my normally traveled sidewalks are ice / snow covered.

I think I'm ready for spring.


1. Today's Run Brought to You By the Letter S. Sunday snow, and yes, it was lovely out there., 2. On the Backside of the First Eight Miles , 3. A New Perspective, 4. Rain off the Roof, 5. Their Idea of Hanging Out on The Sandy Beach?, 6. Unexpected Snow And It Was Hill Day, 7. Frosted Selfie , 8. Our Group Run Was Officially Cancelled but We Ran it Anyways. 5" of snow on the ground when we started and big, soft flakes fell throughout our 13 miler. It was amazing., 9. Making Our Way Down Peabody, 10. Unspoiled Stillness, 11. The Post run running group Selfie - Couldn't have gotten through today's 13.1 miles without them!!, 12. Over the River, 13. Pretty Much Done With The Snow. Spring can come any time now!, 14. More Snow Fell Last Night so I Ran in It, 15. Ended Up Going Back to Get the Shot Of The Path We Ran This Morning

And here we are, over a week into March and there's plenty of the white stuff on the ground. A big warm up is expected later this week, with temperatures into the 50s and hopefully it will stay that way.

My monthly running stats:
Total Miles - 116
Average Pace - 9:30 minute / mile

Marathon updates: I entered the lottery for the NYC marathon, but my entry wasn't selected. There was an 18% acceptance rate through the general lottery, so I'm not too surprised. This means I will enter the Chicago Marathon Lottery which opens on March 10. I am currently training for the Illinois Marathon, a mere 8 weeks away! That weekend will be fun - my daughter signed up for the event's 5K and my husband signed up for the half marathon (his first!).

This month's running quotes:
It's about staying fit and pushing yourself to achieve and surpass goals, sure; but it's also about personal and spiritual growth, creativity, mental clarity, and emotional stability. I find these things in running.
– Jamie Quatro

At first, I liked running because it got me into a routine and gave me a chance to think. Eventually, I realized this is my therapy, my time to make sense out of life.
– Alan Peterson

Simply by not quitting, you'll succeed.
– Stephanie Rothstein Bruce

It's important to know that, at the end of the day, it's not the medals you remember. What you remember is the process - what you learn about yourself by challenging yourself, the experiences you share with other people, the honesty the training demands - those are things nobody can take away from you whether you finish twelfth or you're an Olympic champion.
– Silken Laumann

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Along My Run | 12 - January Potpourri

January presented itself with a wide gamut of conditions - we finally got some snow (yay!), then bitter cold, freezing rain and ice (boo!). There were several sunny days where the frost glistened along the path, and rain that washed it all away. Mother Nature tempted us with hints of an early Spring, but I'm not buying into it just yet.



1. New Years Day Run is Done, 2. First Snow, First Snow Run #shirleyruns, 3. The Snowy Trail Beckons the Soul, 4. Daybreak, 5. River Runs Through , 6. Find the Sparkle Along Your Path, 7. Looking Up, 8. Perfect Morning for a Long Run, 9. Every Time It Rains, I Know It's Good To Be Alive, 10. Softly Falling, 11. Winter Morning , 12. Two More Miles - Keep Moving Forward

January commenced Spring Marathon training. Like last year, I joined the local running club's marathon training program. And like this time last year, I have not yet committed to running the local marathon. I'm sure I will sign up in the next month, as the training is going well.

The training program gives us two options to follow - a beginner program based on Hal Higdon's Novice 2 program, and an intermediate version based on articles from Guy Avery. I [mostly] followed the beginner program for last year's two marathons, so this year I'm going with the intermediate program. Generally speaking, there are more miles, more specific mid week workouts (hill repeats, tempo runs, etc) and runs at "goal pace". This, of course, forces me to hone in on an actual race goal (other than "just finish the thing in one piece and without being sent to the hospital"). I'm always reticent on these goal things - admittedly because I fear failure (not meeting my goal represents failure, even though I know it should not). But, for the record, my goal is to run a 4 hour marathon.

January Stats: 107.3 miles, 9:23 minutes / mile average pace
Favorite run: This year's first run in the snow, of course!

Monthly collection of running quotes, aimed at getting past all those doubtful feelings....

Don't let fear decide your future.
– Shalane Flanagan

Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head.
– Joe Henderson

Don't try to rush progress. Remember–a step forward, no matter now small, is a step in the right direction.
– Kara Goucher

Happy Running!

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Chicago in 2003 - Throwback Thursday | 3

Our first day trip to Chicago, to celebrate the end of Summer.
We departed early on the Amtrak train. Riding the train was a treat - we ate breakfast in the Dining car and spent most of the trip in the observation train, where the windows curved along the sides and roof of the car, giving the occupants a lovely, unobstructed view of the landscape.

You Can Barely Tell, but my Little Boy is Wearing a Fish Tale Shirt - Perfect for Today's Visit

We visited the Shedd Aquarium that day.

Yes, We Broke Down and Bought Her a White Seal Stuffed Animal - She Loves Animals

It was a fun day trip, but our experience with Amtrak was a little frustrating due to numerous delays (the track is shared with freight trains, and they get preference). In subsequent years, we opted to drive to the Chicago suburbs and take the commuter train into the city instead. Still, I'm glad we took one trip on Amtrak - there is something nostalgic and romantic about a true rail experience.

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