Live Love Run Together

100 Day Countdown My goal race for 2020 is now just 100 days away. I didn’t know that until I received an email from the race organization this morning. Now that I do know that, I suddenly feel the need to go run. I’m feeling mostly excited and a little nervous. My goal race is the Lighthouse 50 which starts up near Torch Lake, Michigan, on May 30 th . The course travels along roads and trails up to the Petoskey Lighthouse. It should be a lovely, scenic run, which I thought would make my first 50 miler memorable and enjoyable. Here are a few other reasons why I chose this race: 1. The course, as I understand it, is mainly on roads and rails-to-trails type trails. Since I have no sense of direction, this should be easy for me to follow and ideally keep me from getting lost and ending up in Iowa. Seriously, GPS is the only reason I get to places on a regular basis. 2. This race also allows runners to be crewed and I’m grateful my husband agreed to keep an eye on me. I...

Hell Hath No Fury Like An Injured Runner It’s true. Hell hath no fury like an injured runner. I’m pretty confident that’s how the saying really goes. I’ve been injured, so I can attest to the frustration, grumpiness and sadness that comes along with injury. My husband would probably attest to that too. Over the years, I’ve been sick, have moved a few times and have had pressing work and family obligations. For all these reasons, I’ve found myself unable to run as I normally do, which is almost daily. I’ve even recently had a few setbacks in training, which have been super frustrating. All is not lost, even though it feels that way. Here's what I’ve learned to get through these setbacks. My Bum Ankle A few years ago, I had an ankle injury that required a few months of physical therapy and some time in a ‘walking book’. I felt angry that I was injured and my body wasn’t healing fast enough. I was equally annoyed by the limitations imposed by the injury. Unable to wa...

Need Motivation? Take A Runcation If you find yourself in a rut or need motivation during these long, winter months; plan a runcation – a vacation planned around a destination run. Runcations are wonderful incentives for keeping up with training, especially during the winter when it’s hard to get outside. There must be a place you’ve always wanted to go or maybe it’s time to see family or friends that live far away. Look for a run in the area you might want to visit and plan a vacation around that event. The winter can be long here in Michigan. The sun hides for days at a time and it can be bitter cold. Even with the beautiful fresh snow we have right now, which is fun to run in, it’s not always easy to get out the door. Since I have a few big races in my near future, I know it’s important to get outside to log miles. Even so, I still have days when I lack the motivation to dress up, lace up and face the cold. Thinking about my next runcation, especially those in warmer areas...

Words, Mantras and Fxck Cancer Motivation Motivation doesn’t come easy when feeling rough at the end of a race. The last miles can be painful, both physically and mentally. The more tricks you have to combat fatigue with distraction, the better equipped you’ll be as you push toward the finish line. Key words, mantras and other motivations each play a valuable role. Here are a few of the things I’ll be thinking as I train and when I finally get to run my 50-mile race. Anyone can follow a training plan and line up at the start feeling good. However, race day isn’t always sunshine and roses. What if it’s pouring down rain, like it was during my first half marathon? Temps could be below freezing or, my personal nightmare, it’s a hilly course. You should have seen my face when the announcer said “welcome to the hilliest half marathon in Michigan” just before the race start. I didn’t know that key piece of information when I registered. Any number of things can go side...

Planning My 50 Mile Run How exactly does one plan for a 50-mile run? Though I have run many distance events, I’ll be on my feet for much longer than ever. I anticipate being on the course for about 11-12 hours, give or take. I’ve made a list of considerations and put a few details in writing. I don’t have it all together yet, but I know I’m on the right path. Here are some of my plans. Training plan: After studying many, many different training plans, I chose a plan from the Runners World book “ Run Less Run Faster ” by Bill Pierce, Scott Murr and Ray Moss. I’m using it as a guideline, not following it as written. This plan includes speed work for running and drills for biking over the course of 4 running days and 2 biking days per week. The cornerstone to this plan is back-to-back long run days. I also do core work, lift weights and continue PT exercises for my weak ankle. Gear: I have most of the gear that I want to have for this event, though I am actively looking fo...

Top 3 Reasons to Join A Run Club Even If You Don’t Run Joining a run club is a great way to improve your running ability and overall fitness. Search on social media or a call a running store to find out where and when they meet, then show up. Each run club is different, so be sure to visit multiple groups. You will find runners of all speeds and specialties, and many clubs cater to walkers. Some run clubs are off the books and others charge a membership fee. The membership fee might include race or store discounts, training plans or branded gear. Here are my top 3 reasons to join a run club even if you don’t run. 1. Accountability: Whether you are just getting started or an experienced runner, a group of like-minded people provides accountability. There will always be someone waiting for the group to arrive. You wouldn’t want to miss out or let anyone down. You’ll show up. 2. Friendship: Run club is a great social opportunity. Seeing the same faces week-after-week is re...

In It for The Long Run My first long run goal was 2 miles. That was about 20 years ago or so, but I remember how excited I felt when I reached that goal. My long run goals today hit double-digits and are increasing. Training for my first 50-miler requires some serious long runs and I love them all! I met my training partner and fearless friend this week for a long run. Having been thwarted by fluctuating Michigan weather before, I didn’t have any expectation of mileage or what we might achieve. She asked me for my goals for the day and I said anything between 15 and 30 miles. She didn’t share her goal for the day. We'd do what we can in the time allotted.  We met in Saugatuck and ran about 12 miles in town taking walk breaks at each mile. We both felt good when we got back to our cars so we did some math, actually she did the math. If we go out 6 miles on the trail and come back, we should be at 24 miles. If we felt good, we could tack on a little extra to make it 25 ...