The Pumpkin Holler Hunnerd! Part 1

Alarms went off at about 4:45 and I got out of bed and headed to the shower.  Tala was up as well and milling around in the room.

I got dressed, in my black LuLuLemon Pacesetter skirt and Swiftly Tech t-shirt.  My camelback bladder was in the fridge filled and ready to go as well as my Pedyalite drinks.  We muched on a bagel with peanut butter and had coffee from the hotel breakfast area.  The morning was very quiet and uneventful.  We got up, got ready and gathered our things for taking out to the car.  We stepped out side into the 39 degree weather....yikes...much cooler than I expected but I guess that's a good thing.  As we were leaving I filled up one last time on coffee and grabbed a banana.

Just for grins, I tossed the new shoes I had purchased the day before into the car, thinking, it would have to be a really really bad situation with my current shoes before I decided to change them, but I'll take them just in case.  I'm glad I did.

We made the 15 minute drive out to Eagle Bluff resort and parked in the ever growing lines of cars parking in the lots near the cabins at the start/finish area.  We got a good spot, right at the end of the sidewalk that led away from the congregation area, we could watch what was going on without even getting out of the car.  It was perfect.  We got there in plenty of time, got out of the car to wander up to the tables an tents where the registration/packet pickup/ chip pick up was.  We got our chips and ankle straps,  put our drop bags in the appropriate places for transport out to the 13.4 mile mark and headed back to the car. . 

After that we just waited and watched people come and go, looked for our other Arkansas friends, chatted with them.  Got back in the car....it was cold outside!

When 7:50 rolled around we got our camelbacks on and headed up to the start finish area.  Took some photos and then at 8 am we were off!

So this was the plan....Run no faster than a 10:00 minute pace...ever.  When I walked, try to stay as close to a 15 minute pace as possible.  Eat and Drink....Have Fun!  That was it.

Tala and I positioned ourselves toward the back of the pack.  Avoid the adrenalin of the front runners.  We began at a comfortable pace out of the park and across the iron bridge that went over the beautiful Illinois river.

I have to stress how beautiful this course was.  The leaves were changing, the sky was clear and blue, there was a warm breeze cutting into the chill.  We ran through vast pastureland with marshmallow shaped bales of hay dotting the hills.  Cows munched grass and stared at us in amusement as we ran past.  Broken down barns and old horse trailers slept along the roadside, and the grass was still green and lush.  Every turn held a beautiful picture.  I was completely in awe of this course.

There were hills , rolling hills, and one very steep hill that was added as an option.  The Great Gourd Challenge.  This would bring your race to 63 miles instead of the mediocre 62 you may have settled on.  After the slow climb up the hill you signed your name on a large poster board with a sharpie...as PROOF that you completed the challenge.  Back down again, you got your Challenge Completion button.  I pinned mine on my skirt with pride!  :) 

There were Aid Stations!  Great Aid stations, and since it was a two loop course, I got to visit them twice.  The Mad Dog had ginger snap dog biscuits that were the most delicious cookie I have ever eaten on the run!  I had two.  They also had peanut butter and jelly sandwich which I enjoyed.  At 6 mile aid station before the out n back they were frying up pancakes.  I passed on them and chose to munch my mixed nuts and candy corn instead.   I had another peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  I had cheese nips at mile 18 and a pickle.  All the while munching on my nuts and candy corn.

Between miles 13 and 18 Tala and I chatted with a lady named Susanne.  That's the fun of these long runs, you meet the most interesting people, and make new friends.

At mile 18 I ended up getting separated from Tala.  I listened to my Ipod most of that time.  When the afternoon rolled around, in rolled the heat.  It reached 81 degrees on Saturday...completely not what I was expecting.  I kept working at staying hydrated as I crossed the most horrible part of the course.  Two miles of pavement. It was terrible, hot, lonely and ....terrible.  I did my best to run the downhills and flat parts, but the heat was killing me.  Seeing the end of that pavement and the next aid station at mile 20 was a welcome site.

I got to the aid station and talked to the volunteers a bit.  I probably stayed there the longest recovering from section in the heat.  I had an entire orange.  It was wonderful and cold and drank cold water ...then moved on.  Over the bathtub rocks, an interesting phenomenon where the river carves out bathtub shaped bowls in the rocks over time.  It was a little scary to cross.  with deep drops between the raised sections you had to hop over.  I stopped for a minute in the middle and looked down into the pools.  It was like nothing I had ever seen.  But I had to move on....there was one last aid station before I was back at the start/finish area.  I felt terrible from the heat.  I wanted to quit when I got to the start area.  I got my bag and drank my pedyalite, restocked my gels and candy corn.  Then went on. I went passed my car on the way out and at the last minute I took stock of how I was feeling.  The worst of my pain was in my feet.  My feet were rubbing, painful and hot.    I decided to take a risk...a calculated risk...

I changed into my new trail shoes, purchased from the day before....

It was and Asics, lightweight trail-shoe with more cushion in the sole.  They were clean and dry and felt great on my feet.  It was a quick decision, but one I would appreciate.  As I was leaving the park I saw Tala, she was carrying on...and so was I.

Well, It's done!

So...all the training and preparation since March has lead to the following weekend. 

Friday morning my friend Tala and I set out toward Tahalaqua OK.  I had been repeatedly checking the weather all week to make sure I packed the proper clothing for running .  I printed the maps, set the location on my phone, printed my race registration, printed packet pickup info.  I packed clothes and all kinds of things for my drop bag. 

After testing and trying many different foods during my training, I ended up with things that either I never tried before, or things that got me through marathons.  I gathered snack sized bags of fig newtons (which I did not touch during the run for some reason after training all summer with them).  Gu with caffeine, candy corn and mixed nuts, honey stinger waffles and bottles with Pedialyte.  I picked up extra sling packs from my office using my safety bucks. 

I decided to have two drop bags, one that would stay at the start/finish line and another that would go out to mile 13.4 aid station.  I had extra socks, body glide, gu and snack pack pudding in each bag, plus a bottle of mixed up pedyalite. 

Easy, and straightforward. 

So we rolled into Tahlaquah and checked into our hotel.  We left to go get some lunch and a wonderful lunch place in downtown Tahlaquah called Vidalia's.  It is locally owned, paninis, baked potatoes, delicious desserts.  Nice and clean with a beautiful patio. 

We then did a little downtown shopping.  I made a new trail shoe purchase (which later turned out to be a great idea), and a few other things.  We then drove out to Eagle Bluff Resort (another great idea) to see how far of a drive we were looking at in the morning.

When we got back from our drive, it was time for packet pickup and we proceeded to the Presbyterian church where the tables with boxes of manilla envelopes, stacks of t-shirts, race bibs, and entry forms scattered tables. 

We quickly gathered our things, chatted with the organizers, asked a few questions and then took off back to our room to chill out for the evening. 

This is prep time.  The time to load up drop bags, pin on bibs, gather shoes and socks and get them organized for a stress free morning.  After the work was done we watched food network, charged our electronic devices and surfed the internet.  Very uneventful...that's the way we roll!

When 9:00 pm rolled around we finally slept.  setting our alarms for 5 am so I would have time to take a shower.  Then we went to sleep dreaming of finish lines!

The time draws near...

So tomorrow my friend and I leave for Tahalaquah OK (or however you spell it) for our 100K.  I do not have any specific ambitions for the trip except to feel like continuing on after I run the first 31 miles....

We have to loop around the 31 mile course twice, which means passing the start / finish area.  This will be the biggest challenge of the run.

I kinda feel partially trained for this event.  I missed my 50 miler because I was injured for most of the spring.  I did  one extra very challenging 50K...The Do Wacka Do.  So I'm hoping that will be enough.  I did do some very long runs along with that and maintained a 40 mile per week average more the most part. 


I hope it's enough....

Germany?

Hello, I just noticed I have been getting hits from Germany.  Hello, Germany!  How did you come to find this blog?

So, less than a week away

Sorry I have not been posting much lately.  I'm simply in a waiting game now.  I had a nice weekend of running: 5 miles on Saturday and then 7 on Sunday.  The weather was nice and I'm trying to keep my pace slow.

It's strange....I actually have to train to run slow.  If I jump into this 100K busting out 9:30 minute per mile pace, I will screw the whole run.  I have to stay around an 11:00 minute per mile to be able to sustain my nutrition and strength to the end.

I know that in order to get 62 miles done, I will have to eat several times along the course and the key is never running so hard you drain the blood away from your stomach to your extremities.  Once you do that you cannot digest food.  That's fine for a marathon but for anything longer, its the kiss of death.

So I'm training to run slow.  ...slow...slow............

Wonderful Weekend of Running Cont.

I have to apologize if this is boring, but heck...its my blog so deal. 

Saturday was a somewhat rest day with a nice relaxing 5 mile walk downtown with my friend Lorraine.  We shopped and had coffee, stopped in at the finish line of the Big Dam Bridge 100 mile bike race which was finishing up downtown.  It was too early for much to be going on down there yet so we moved on.

Sitting downtown and having coffee in a semi outdoor cafe downtown and having great conversation is a wonderful way to start a Saturday.

After that I got back home and walked Frisco for a long time. We started around the block then saw a sign for an estate sale and followed that.  It was about a mile off our course but that was fine.  I had no other plans for the afternoon. 

We got to the house and it was a ranch style home on Leatrice.   I entered through the garage where some folks were sitting with a cash box and some others wondering around picking up and examining items, putting them down, turning and asking questions....

seeing nothing of interest in the garage I entered the home. 

It was probably built in the late 70's early 80's.  Wood paneling covered the walls, and there was thick brown carpeting covering the floors.  The kitchen was completely vintage...it had not been remodeled or even painted since the house was built I assume.  Dark wood cabinets, linoleum floors. old appliances.  This house most likely belonged to an elderly couple who raised their children here, who had either recently passed or moved to assisted living.  Time moved on around them and they, unknowingly, let the house slip back in time as well.   Probably the liked the look of it and had no care to change it.  The children had no care to keep the house, remodel the house or update it.  It stood stuck in time and the items for sale were mostly worthless sentimental items standing as witness to the homes forgotten state.  Record albums, teapots, plant hangers made of macrame and wicker.  Some broken accordion doors.  a few dishes that everybody's grandmother had, salt and pepper shakers, old tools.  The once loved and used articles now exposed and held up for strangers to pilfer through.  What a sad way to go.

Estate sales are sad . Yesterday these items were a families possessions and memories, now they will go to whomever will give a buck fifty for a stack of books.  

Needless to say I bought nothing.  I did not see the need to carry any of this into the future with me.  So it stayed in the house.  Frisco and I carried on with our walk.

Wonderful Weekend of running

I had an absolutely wonderful weekend of running.  Not so much that I logged a lot of miles, but that they were good quality pain free miles.

Friday morning I ran in my neighborhood for the first time in months.  It was so lovely getting back to my hilly Midtown runs.

I live in an older area of Little Rock called Midtown.  It's a relatively new designation.  About 20 years ago, this part of town was considered "West" Little Rock.  I remember driving to the shopping center I now live across the street from when I was a kid and thinking I was so far away from home.  I lived in North Little Rock at the time and the drive from my neighborhood to this dentist seemed like quite a haul at the time.  The area looked so nice and upscale...It was quite an experience.  Now I live across the street in a new development neighborhood.  Funny how things work out.

It was referred to as West Little Rock because it was the sub urban area west of downtown, south of the really wealth old money homes.  It was developed in the 1970's and 80's, mostly ranch style homes with some colonials mixed in.  Some of the homes date back to the 1950's in the northern eastern end of the area.  If you go further east the homes date back to the 20's 30's through 1950's.

Now, west little Rock is much further west.  In the 1990's development began to sprawl even further west.  New McMansions went up fueled by the housing boom of the 90's .  New neighborhoods with winding streets, pie shaped lots and cul de sacs were created to make absolute most efficient use  of every scrap of land that was not a drainage creek or too steep to build on. We never saw anything like it.  Not a  tree was left uncut and the lots were sodded and minimal standard drainage was snaked through the new "wealthy" housing developments.  I was working in Engineering at the water department at the time thinking, who is purchasing these homes, most way over $100,000 ...now that seemed like tons of money at the time.  Some homes were going for half a mil in the elevated areas with nice views of Chenal Mountain.

So, west went west and old west is now Midtown..which I LOVE.  there is shopping, everywhere grocery stores and coffee shops withing walking distance.  A mall withing a mile of my house.  The area is busy which I love.  I am a city person.

It is also very hilly.  When I run my neighborhood it is a hill workout.  So getting back to this run was such a nice change.  I love being able to step out my front door and get a five mile hill workout.  I can run to the heights if I want, Hillcrest is only a couple miles away.

I'm a Lucky Girl!