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There's two things that go really well together - fall and trail running.
Over the past few years, I've fallen in love with running off road. I really enjoy being in nature, shutting off my mind and feeling myself getting stronger with every run. Although I still run on the road throughout the fall/winter/spring, I try to incorporate trail running into my weekly training routine. We have several great off-road options, from Dupont to Paris Mountain to the cross country trails around Furman University.
On Saturday, Karel and I participated in our first local trail run - the Paris Mountain 16K Trail race. It was a small event but we used it as a great training opportunity. Although we reconned the course last weekend, I missed a turn early in the race and ended up running .6 miles extra. I was upset about this as I wanted to push myself in the race so after I realized my mistake, I found myself needing to pass a lot of people on a technical section that required a lot of walking. I was still enjoying myself but it wasn't how I invisioned the day going. But that's off-road racing - there are always obstacles to overcome. Karel wasn't able to keep up with the fast guys at the front but he ended up 5th overall in 1:20. I finished around 1:50. It was a great training day and we got to see several familiar faces. The course had around 1400 feet elevation so it made for a really tough morning run.
As I was running, I was thinking about all the reasons why I love trail running.
When trail running, focus is key. Rocks, roots, uneven surfaces, water crossings, fallen trees. Although some trails are easy to navigate, some can be very technical. I love the decision making that is involved in running (and riding) off road.
Finding the right pair of trail shoes is very important. Karel and I purchased our trail shoes from Run In and after trying on several different types, we are currently running in: Karel - Nike Ultrafly Trail Marni - React Pegasus Trail 4 SE Trail
Also, bringing along your own water and fuel is key as you have to be self-sufficient when you are out alone in nature. Karel wears the same hydration belt that he wears in triathlon. I wear a hydration pack. Karel - PYFK Running Belt Hydration Waist Pack Marni - USWE Pace 2 hydration vest
When I run off road, I don't wear sunglasses. However, when I ride off road, I wear photochromic lenses in my glasses so that the lense changes in dark vs. light conditions.
Because of the uneven footing, jumping, quick changes in direction and sometimes slipping on a rock or root, you need full-body tension at all times. While the legs are doing a lot of the work to move you forward, a strong core is key. Good stability with the core, lower body and of course, the ankles is also important.
The miles go by a lot slower off road than on the road. But the cardio system works just as hard (if not harder). I find that I am building endurance during a high intensity workout every time I run off road.
The first year of incorporating trail running into my routine left me with a lot of niggles. But overtime, all of my supporting ligaments, tendons and muscles got stronger. As a result, I find myself able to recover a lot quicker from off-road running compared to a really hard road run.
When running on the road, it's easy to have one style of running. Off road requires every part of your body to work - calves, glutes, quads, arms and feet. It also requires a lot more hoping (kinda like plyometrics) and a very quick running cadence.
I think one of the reasons why I often find myself getting off course or lost during off-road races is the complexity of running off road. My brain is working so quickly to focus on the ground under me, controlling what my body is doing and where I want to go ahead of me. This constant decision making means that if I zone out for a split second, I can easily fall or miss a turn. But that is also what I love so much about running (and riding) off road - you have to be so alert.
If you have the opportunity to run off road, keep it fun. Try not to get frustrated. Trail running is not easy and it's very easy to find yourself struggling, falling, feeling uncomfortable or finding it difficult to navigate the terrain. It's ok to walk, stop and enjoy the scenery. It doesn't have to (and shouldn't) feel like road running. It's a different sport to road running and it's a lot of fun.
Before we left for Maui on the 29th, I found myself feeling nervous and excited for my third-ever trail run. In the days leading up to the event, I ran on some of the course and experienced several extreme weather changes (from sun to heavy rainfall). Seeing how exhausting it was to jog/walk/hike on the course when it was in great conditions, my worries of the unknown started to build as the trail got wetter and muddier.
The transition from road to trail racing has been a humbling experience for me. I find that I am good at it but not great. My endurance and resiliency has allowed me to experience some success within my age group at my last three events (Oak Mountain Alabama, Ogden Utah and recently in Maui) but I still have a lot of weaknesses when it comes to my skills and abilities. For example, I lose a lot in the downhill sections of trail running.
But what I lose in my lack of skills and experience I gain in my love a new challenge.... even when my heart is beating out of my chest and my legs are burning with lactic acid.
Considering that my first trail run was in early May, I’ve had to quickly learn how to shift my mindset and expectations. Trail running requires so much focus, strength, resiliency, endurance and suffering….and a fair bit of “hiking." My pace and overall time mean little to me compared to how far I ran, the elevation gained and what I learned (and had to overcome) to get to the finish line.
Although I’m still new to this sport and learning as I go, I find that my body really does well running over rocks, roots, in mud, climbing up and down steep hills and jumping over obstacles. The uneven footing, quick reactions, undulating terrain and changing direction keeps me totally present and works well for my high cadence running style. Over the past few years, trying to improve my running speed/pace has become difficult as my risk for injury increases as I intentionally try to run harder on flat pavement. However, I've learned that I can get a similar (if not better) training response by running on hills and off-road. My heart rate goes up, I feel the lactic acid burning in my legs and I get the benefits of pounding, but in a different way than trying to force a faster propulsion on the track or flat roads. While hilly and off-road running doesn't always transfer to faster paces, it does help me build great resiliency, endurance and stamina - which really helps with long-distance running (especially off the bike). Plus, when I am not injured, I am more consistent with running which means I have more opportunities to improve my fitness - and running is more fun when I am not injured.
Although I still enjoy and do road running (for triathlon), I am really happy that I found trail running this year (all thanks to Karel and his last minute idea to do an Xterra event).
Two and One Day Out
On Thursday (two days out from the event), we had the most enjoyable 4.5 hour boat tour with Magic Mergman (I would highly recommend them for a boat tour!). We swam with sea turtles, snorkeled with lots of colorful fish and even saw a Whale tail in the distance. It was such a relaxing day filled with a lot of swimming in the ocean. When we arrived back to our condo, it was nearing 4pm. We used this day as an active recovery day so no structured exercise.
Plus we were both a bit sore from our training on Wednesday as that was more of a 'recon' day to see the course (Karel and I swam in the morning, he mountain biked and I ran mid day and then Karel ran in the evening). On Thursday evening I ordered pizza from Dollie's Pub and Cafe (Margherita pizza) - it was delicious. I always have pizza two nights out from a long distance event - it always hits the right spot in my belly. I went to bed early (as usual) and was asleep by 8:30pm. It's so easy to get to bed early when we are in Hawaii!
On Friday (one day out), I went for a swim in the ocean with Karel. The conditions were not bad, even though there was talk that the swim would be cancelled due to increasing energy/wave height over the next 48 hours. Once we finished a "loop" of the swim course (no buoys, we just guesstimated with our watches) Karel went to the swim course tips meeting in the Ritz hotel and I went out for another loop. I ended up meeting a new friend (Amanda), who is a great swimmer and new to Xterra. We had a lot of fun swimming together and even took some time to check out the coral reef to look at some fishes. The water is clear but not as clear as in Kona by the pier.
After swimming two loops of the course, I joined Karel and our friend Ross in the Ritz hot tub to loosen out my legs. I decided not to run on Friday and instead, used my swim as my pre-race warmup. If I had my bike with me, I probably would have rode as well but wasn't planning to run. Instead, I did a session of ECFIT mobility in the afternoon and enjoyed a nice plate of pasta in the condo while Karel attended the Xterra triathlon athlete welcome banquet with Ross. Karel was stocked to see that there were over 20 athletes racing the triathlon. He was happy to sit with them, speak Czech and meet some new friends. At this point (Friday evening) it was confirmed that the swim was cancelled for Sunday.
I went to bed early but had a little trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. I could feel my nerves as I counted down the hours until it was time to officially get up at 7am.
Race morning Although there is a lot to love with Xterra, the later start times are amazing. My event didn't start until 9:30am! I started my morning with my typical pre-workout/race snack of a cinnamon raisin bagel w/ peanut butter and jam and banana slices. I ate this around 7:45am and followed it up with a 20-minute ECFIT mobility session. I made sure to do at least 20 minutes of mobility every day during our trip to keep my body healthy on race week - especially after the looooong travel to an island in the middle of Pacific ocean. I also had a cup of coffee and glass of water.
After my mobility session I did a run around our condo complex (~10 minutes) and then put on the rest of my gear (Naked Hydration band + 2 x 10 ounce Nathan hard flasks, each filled with 1 scoop Orange Skratch). I also brought with me a sleeve of Clif ginger chews and a gel just in case. I had Karel's mountain bike gloves (he had two pairs) to use for holding on to trees or if I feel on the trail. I decided no visor/hat but had my Roka sunglasses (with specific lenses for shaded conditions in the woods) and ON CloudUltra trail shoes.
I jogged a few minutes to the race venue while Karel rode his mountain bike. It was very kind of Karel to spend his entire morning out cheering for me while he was also needing to prepare (and rest) for his event on Sunday. I realized that I arrived to the venue with plenty of time to spare so we went up to our friend's room (Ross) and hung out there until a little after 9am. I did a few more stretches and warming up before lining up to the start on the grass field around 9:20am.
Although it rained much of the morning on Friday, it had dried up so I wasn't as nervous as I was before (when Karel rode on Tuesday it was super wet, slippery and muddy).
Quick Stats
12.8 miles 2:04 total time 2316 feet elevation gain 2nd age group (35-39) 11th overall female
I didn't wear a heart rate monitor but I could feel my heart beating in my chest from the first few steps of the run. I had studied the course (and ran on half of it) so I knew what was coming. The first 3 miles or so were mostly uphill with a few short downhill segments (which I found impossible to recover in). My breathing was heavy and my legs were burning. We started up hill on the grass, which turned into pavement before heading off road, then back on the road, through a tunnel and then on to the trail. The trail was clearly marked for us which was a good thing because it would have been really confusing as it felt like we were running in a jungle. There were a few pavement segments but nothing that would last more than a minute or two. The conditions were not super muddy but there were a few muddy spots where I had to be careful with my footing. I took my gloves off a few times and put them back on just to feel a bit more safe with the steep downhills.
I did my first "hike" (aka power walk) for about 3 minutes up a steep hill. There were times when I was by myself and times when I was with other runners. It was tempting to walk when others were walking but it was also encouraging to run when others were walking. Everyone was really supportive and cheering each other on. I liked when I had people around me as I could watch their footing to know where to run, especially on the downhills.
Although the next 4.3 miles were net downhill, there were still some punchy segments. And as if a 16-18% grade wasn't hard enough, the slippery mud and roots made it even tougher. Whereas in Ogden, Utah I could not wait for all the suffering to be over with, I was really enjoying myself and just focusing on one mile at a time.
I had been practicing drinking from my flasks while running on the trail (this makes drinking while running on the pavement super easy now!) and I felt I did a good job drinking from my flasks within each mile. I kinda just listened to my body and drank when I felt like it was smart/safe to do so on the trail (primarily on the downhills). I also grabbed cold water from each aid station for sipping and cooling.
Although I didn't have any low moments, I could feel like my legs were getting really tired. Sometimes they felt numb from all the pounding, climbing and downhill running. I didn't have any falls and only a few times I stepped in an awkward way but never hurt myself. The biggest struggle was side stitches which I seem to get when I trail run. I think a combo of my breathing pattern (and breathing heavy), run cadence and my rib cage often moving in a different direction than my pelvis as I try to keep myself upright, causes the side stiches. There were times when I needed to adjust my effort/breathing but the terrain wouldn't let me so it was interesting to try to figure out how to stay focused and still listen to my body.
Karel was a ninja on the course - he was everywhere. It was so great to see him and to hear his cheers. The magic moment of the race was when I heard my watch ding at a mile split and I thought I was at mile 7. I looked at my watch and I was at mile 9 - winning! Because the course wasn't marked with mile markers (just arrows) I only used my watch for reference to know what mile I was at.
Nearing the end of the run, I passed a girl on an uphill who had passed me earlier on a downhill section. After around 9 miles, I felt my endurance was really kicking in as I was passing more people on the course (mostly guys). The girl I passed was really great at running downhill and I just couldn't keep up with her. She passed me back soon after the duck pond on another downhill section. Nearing the last big climb, we had a fun section where we went around and over trees. Aside from this section, there wasn't a lot of technical aspects of this run but a lot of very steep and twisty up and downhills.
After making my way to the pavement (this run course went through an old golf course so that is why there were several paved paths between the trails) I approached the very last climb which was on pavement. It was at least 18% grade. I walked for 3.5 minutes (.3 miles) of this final climb as everything was hurting. But I was power walking and still passing other people who were walking. I then saw two girls ahead of me - one of the girls was the one that passed me on the downhill and she was out of sight until this final climb. And then another girl that must have passed me near the beginning as I never saw her during the run. There were also a few guys as well. Karel saw me as I started the climb and gave me one last big cheer before he went to the finish.
Once I got almost to the top of this nasty climb, I was committed to start running and to not look back. Oh did it hurt and I didn't want to start running but I knew this was my last chance to pass a few girls before the rocky downhill to the finish. For two minutes (.28 miles) I ran and it was so uncomfortable. I passed the girls and I just went for it. I didn't look back and couldn't really look back as I was making sure not to fall on the rocky trail as I ran as fast as I could to the beach. For the next 1/2 mile, I ran as hard as I could. I stumbled over the dry rocky creek and on to the beach. I took a look behind me and I could see one of the girls I passed on the hills in the distance and I tried to sprint of the sand. It was so hard and I felt like I couldn't find any firm sand by the water but I gave all I could.
Karel was near the finish and cheered me in to the finish line. As soon as I reached the finish line my legs started shaking and I could hardly stand. It felt so good to fall to the ground as my legs were completely empty. Karel couldn't believe that I passed so many people in the closing miles but he was also confident in my endurance from so many years of long distance training and racing.
I couldn't believe that I was 2nd in my age group and 11th overall female. There were a lot of very fast trail runners and it was inspiring to see the fitness and skills of these elite athletes.
After the event I hobbled my way back to the condo, cleaned up and went back to the race venue for the awards ceremony. Karel relaxed while I spent a little time relaxing at the beach and enjoying the crashing waves at the ocean. Since we had confirmation that the swim was cancelled as a big storm was coming so Karel was mentally preparing himself for a challenging duathlon on Sunday.
Although I didn't feel too sore on Saturday afternoon, my hamstrings, quads and calves were so sore on Sunday and Monday. Wow - trail running is hard....and so much fun!
I was in rough shape the day after the IM 70.3 World Championship. I was empty and oh-so-sore. It felt like I had just done an Ironman! Karel was sore but not as exhausted as I was.
After a somewhat ok night of sleep, we took our time in the morning and did a little work on the computer. By late morning, we made our way to Snow Canyon for a scenic hike. Karel brought his mountain bike to spin his legs while Ashley, Zach and I walked around for ~2 hours. We met up with our athlete Gin and her mom so it was a fun time exploring the trails. Although there wasn't much for Karel to mountain bike on (only one trail which wasn't too technical), he said it was the perfect way to loosen out after the race. In the evening, Alvi, Karel and I went to our community pool to splash around. Karel swam ~1500 yards, I did a few laps (no swim cap, truly a splash) and then spent a little time relaxing my sore muscles in the hot tub.
On Monday, I was still sore and exhausted but I knew I needed to start moving my body to help expedite the recovery. Since Karel had dropped off his tri bike with Tri Bike Transport after the race, he only had his mountain bike left at the house. Karel went out for a ~90-minute mountain bike ride on the trails behind where we were staying and I went out on my tri bike for an almost 2 hour sightseeing journey on two wheels. I mostly stayed on the bike course and headed from Washington to the Red Hills Parkway but took a few detours to check out the big houses higher up off the course. I finished the ride feeling so much better than when I started and decided to shake out the legs with an easy ~22 min jog around our Airbnb complex. My quads were still super sore and tender but with each step I found myself loosening out a bit. On Tuesday, our check-out of the Airbnb day, we went for a morning swim at the pool (3300 yards) which felt good to be non weight bearing and move through the water. I actually started to feel a little better during the swim than when I started - always a good sign that recovery is going well.
After we checked out of our rental place and exchanged our rental truck for an SUV, we made our way 4.5 hours north to Ogden, Utah. The next adventure of our Utah trip!
Soon after Karel participated in his first Xterra off-road triathlon event back in May (and before breaking his hand), he registered for the Xterra USA Championship in Ogden/Snow Basin, Utah. With the event happening a week after the IM 70.3 World Championship, it was the perfect excuse to extend our stay in Utah by another week. Of course, logistically, this required me to be super creative with our travel arrangements - two one-way flights, two rental cars, two Airbnbs and a lot of other research to ensure a smooth and stress-free race-cation. Luckily, so far, it's all working out.
And here we are in Huntsville, Utah near Ogden and Snow Basin. Altitude just around 5,000 feet. We are staying by Pineview Reservoir in a cute ski-resort type villa community. We didn't find out until a few weeks ago that the Xterra swim portion of the triathlon was cancelled due to bacteria in the lake but I decided to keep our rental as the location is still central to Snow Basin Ski Resort - where the duathlon will take place (2.5-mile trail run/19-mile MTB/5.5-mile trail run).
After unloading our car and catching up on a few emails, we each went for a short jog to stretch out the legs. We ended up jogging around the nearby campsite which had a beautiful view of the Reservoir. We then made a late-evening drive to the local grocery store for a few more grocery items. After dinner, we were ready to get a good night of sleep and sleep in.
Well so much for sleeping in. I guess we were both excited to start the day just before 7am. And it was Karel's 45th birthday!! After working on the computer for a few hours, we drove up to Snow Basin (~8 mile drive, ~6300 feet altitude) to check out the trails. It was a cool morning in the upper 50's but it warmed up nicely throughout the day. There was no cost to access the trails at Snow Basin and the Xterra crew had already started marking the course with blue arrows for the bike course. Karel biked almost the entire course (just short by a mile) and it took him ~2 hours to cover the 19 miles. The course either goes up or down and there are many technical sections with rocks and tight switch backs.
While Karel was riding the course, I ran the first part of his bike course which is also the big loop (and 2nd part) of the 21K Xterra Trail Race that I will be participating in on Sunday. My legs are still sore and I can really feel them when I walk upstairs but oddly, when I run I feel ok - certainly I am not able to run hard or fast but I can quickly put one foot in front of the other and call it running ;) I really enjoy trail running as I feel it suits my style of running and I just love being in nature. Like the bike course, I went up and up to almost 7300 feet (starting at 6300) and then made my way back down the other side (although the highest peak is 9300 feet so there may be more to climb there!). A hiker told me there were moose ahead off the trail but sadly I didn't see any. Karel was also on the lookout as he heard the same thing. I walked a few sections that were super steep so that I wouldn't overstress my calves. I had a lot of fun and just took my time when there was a scenic view to enjoy. I ran for 80 minutes and covered 8-miles of the course. I waited for Karel to finish and then he went for a short run just to check out the mile that he didn't see on the bike. This course is going to be crazy difficult but also absolutely stunning. We are both excited for our adventures this weekend!
Today (Thursday) we started out our morning somewhat early by driving to Ogden High School for a morning swim. The high school pool was so nice and for only $3, it was the perfect way to start our day. Karel swam 3000 yards and I swam 4000 yards. We aren't feeling any effects at altitude and overall, I'd say we are feeling relatively healthy after Worlds. We then made a necessary stop at Kneaders bakery for a fresh baguette and a delish cinnamon-roll type bread.
The scenery is just beautiful around this area and I couldn't wait to get on my bike in the afternoon. I ventured out alone and rode around the reservoir (~15 miles) which was incredibly scenic with the fall colors on the leaves of the trees and the rocks on the mountains. And so much farm life - something I was really missing in St. George. There was even a nice paved path to ride on on the far side of the lake. I then challenged myself by riding 7 miles up to Snow Basin. While the climb wasn't technical or overly difficult, it was more of the descend that kinda scared me as it was a fast, steep, straight descend for over 4 miles. And I was also worried about the wind. But I did it and I am proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone. Karel left to drive to Snow Basin for his mountain bike ride on the trail around the same time as me and ironically, we both arrived home at the very same time! I rode 30 miles in just under 2 hours (~15 mph) and covered ~2300 feet of elevation gain.
We are really looking forward to the weekend! Here are some pics of the past few days in Ogden, Utah.....
Karel heading out to check out the Xterra bike course.
At the top!
My view from the trail. That parking lot waaaay in the distance is where we started.
Technical section at the top.
More rocks at the top.
Beautiful valley on the run course.
Karel finishing his short run after the bike.
Happy 45th Karel (Wednesday). Thank you Claire for the Birthday cupcakes. Never too much chocolate for Karel.
Ogden High School swimming pool. Great aquatic complex!
Before I talk about our last workout of the day, let's start with the first workout of the day.....
Day two of our mini train-cation started with an outdoor swim.......
My happy place. My comfort zone. My favorite sport!
After my mental struggles on the bike yesterday, I was so excited to start Tuesday with a 75-minute, 4350 yard swim workout (prescribed by Tower 26). I had never done this workout before and really enjoyed it.
WU: 500
Pre set: 5 x 200's with snorkel and fins with 20 sec rest as
200 swim
150 swim, 50 kick with board (head down in water stretching arms out while holding the edge of the board)
100 swim, 100 kick
50 swim, 150 kick
200 kick
MS:
500 at 70% w/ 1 min rest
2 x 250's at 75% w/ 40 sec rest
4 x 125's at 80% w/ 30 sec rest
7 x 75's at 85% w/ 20 sec rest
25 EZ
Post set:
500 smooth with snorkel, buoy, ankle strap
12 x 25's at 95% on 40 sec interval
50 EZ
After the swim, we changed and headed to the gym for a 50-minute strength circuit focusing on full body, with a lot of hamstring/core/back work. It was intense!
After the workout, time to EAT! I may just need to do another blog on all of our delicious eats because we have been enjoying some yummy meals filled with fresh ingredients! Today we ate at Mojo Morning Joint, which was amazing after our morning workout. I had the skinny frittata and Karel had the Mojo Burrito and the Rise and Shine smoothie. Oh - and I also got a mini cinnamon roll because......I love cinnamon rolls!
After our eats, we rested for about 90 minutes (Karel took a short nap and I got caught up on emails since I am not a napper) and it was time for our 2nd workout of the day - a trail run!
There's something so therapeutic about running on trails - out in nature and free from the world. Although this trail required a lot of ankle and hip strength to run over all of the rocks (there was a bit of walking to safely navigate my way over some piles of rocks), I felt really strong running on the trails. Plus, it was a heck of a workout! Emily tackled the trails like a champ which just shows me that trail running requires a lot of time to build strong tendons and ligaments to tolerate the twisty, turner nature of running off the flat road. I can't tell you how many times I rolled my ankle on the run today but thankfully, no inflammation or sprain (or falls!).
Fun fact about the cactus...
It can take 10 years for a saguaro cactus to reach 1 inch in height. By 70 years of age, a saguaro cactus can reach 6 and a half feet tall, and will finally start to produce their first flowers. By 95-100 years in age, a saguaro cactus can reach a height of 15-16 feet, and could start to produce its first arm.
Thanks to the fun fact, every time I see a cactus here, I try to figure out how old it is. How old do you think this cactus is?
Well, day two of our mini training camp is a wrap and now it's time to eat some yummy pizza from Picazzo's (and leftovers) and fuel up for our big workout tomorrow!
The fall is an amazing time and we are loving the season change in Greenville.
Sadly, we were not able to enjoy this season prior to moving to Greenville as we spent the past 10 years (14 for Karel) in Florida.
Sure, it was nice in Jacksonville, FL when the temperatures dropped to 70 degrees and it felt "cool" but there's something special about the crisp fall air and colorful trees to remind you that it's a new season.
Seeing that our 2017 triathlon training (foundation building) started a few weeks ago, there's a lot of structured back in our life as it relates to swim, bike, run. We are strength training 3 times per week, we are in the pool 4 times per week, we run 3-4 times per week (no brick runs) and we are biking 2-3 times per week. There's a lot of specificity which means choosing our terrain/environment properly to ensure proper execution.
But then there's a nice sprinkle of "free" workouts where there is no focus.
These workouts are designed to be low intensity and skill oriented.
The fall makes it easy to love training outside for those fun, free workouts. Karel's been having fun on his mountain bike, I love being outside on my road bike (it's like play time for me) and we have ventured out to the trails for running.
We know that the cold temps are coming (which means more indoor training) and the specificity in our training will limit these fun free workouts.
It's not hard to make the most of this phase of training before our training load increases.
Greenville is so beautiful to train in, in the fall!
All bundled up for a morning ride.
Bumped in to Trimarni athlete Thomas and his new ride...oh wait, we both have new rides!
Karel was left out of the new ride feeling so he had to take the picture :)
Loving my new road bike (Trek Silque SSL with Di2). So light, responsive and comfortable! Thanks Karel for building it for me!
The key to riding outside in 40 degrees....layers...lots and lots of layers.
And riding toward the sunlight will help warm you up!
So happy on two wheels. Yay, that new ride feeling is amazing!
Love our bike friendly roads and having SO much routes to choose from. Most of the time, we just leave our house and let our bikes decide where they want to take us.
Farm life is everywhere.
Sometimes you have to stop and say hello to the furry friends.
Love our State Parks in Greenville.
Off for a 60 minute trail run.
Running to North Lake at Paris Mountain State Park.
Nature is so beautiful.
Am I the only one who sees water and wants to go for a swim??
Exploring with Karel.
What a view!
Dirty trail shoes, 2 consumed flasks and no twisted ankles or boo boos.....successful run!
Technical MTB riding for Karel. I'll stick to the roads.
Roots and rocks make for a fun MTB ride (according to Karel).
Day five of our train-cation included a little cycling and a lot of running.
Karel and I started our morning around 8:00am with a 24 minute run, starting from the park at the base of Sunshine Canyon. We ran down 4th street and made a big loop that included a lot of up and downhills.
We kept the effort super easy since we had two more workouts on the daily to-do schedule.
Our friends from our cabin cycled down to the park and we all started our ride toward Flagstaff Trailhead.
The climb to our look-out point was around 3 miles. It included several switchbacks but nothing too steep (except for at the beginning of the climb). It was an absolutely beautiful climb as you could see all of Boulder during the climb. When we got to the top, we enjoyed the view and then it was time to make the descend back to Boulder.
Karel and I rode back to our car at the park on the base of Sunshine Canyon and the guys continued on with their ride. Karel and I ended up with a little over 1 hour of riding and 1500 feet of climbing.
We put on our run gear and off we went for our first long run in Boulder.
We choose a new path, the Boulder Creek Path, which was another amazing trail/road running route.
Karel and I started the run together with a 40-minute EZ, slower than Ironman-effort pace. Karel ran with a 4-bottle flask and I ran with two bottles. I always tell my athletes to never ration their hydration and to drink frequently during runs but I didn't take my own advice on this run. I didn't realize how far I was running before we ended up at our turn-around and after quickly going through 1 x 10 ounce flask with 80 calories of Clif hydration, I found myself needing to ration my other 10 ounce flask (with Clif hydration) to make it back to a water fountain.
Karel and I ran a bit up 4-mile canyon before making our turn around. Our next set in our long run main set was 30 minutes at IM effort...then 20 minutes faster than IM effort.
I really enjoyed the trail and all of the beautiful sights during our run but the way out to our turn-around was tough because it was slightly uphill. I managed to stay with Karel for another 1.5 miles before I let him go to continue on with the set and I choose to run/stop and take pictures and to make sure I didn't risk a health issue by running with so little hydration/calories.
I enjoyed my stop breaks while still managing to hold sub 8-minute miles on the trail and when I got to a water stop, I decided to just run EZ as the last few miles were not ideal with so little nutrition/hydration.
I met up with Karel after around 90 minutes of running and we both jogged easily back to the car.
Here are a few pics from the run:
Karel ended up with 1 hour and 50 minutes of running and I finished with 1:40. Added to our 24 minute run before the bike, we both were exhausted...but in a good way. The altitude still has an effect on how were are training but we are happy with how we are performing and recovering. But above all, we are having a lot of fun and really enjoying this train-cation.
On our drive up to our cabin, we made a stop to say hello to a few furry friends that we spotted on the side of the road. I wonder what Mr. Lama would think of all of these friends?
After a bit of recovery (food, hydration and rest), we all headed out to Avery Brewing for a well-needed post-workout meal.
You better believe that our group enjoyed this beer list. Karel got two different IPA's and a brisket sandwich with a side of roasted carrots.
I ordered the veggie tacos - which was amazing!!
This train-cation has been so much fun for me and Karel but even more so, to enjoy food, training, fun and laughs with our friends.
Our friends/athletes, Kristen and Trent also joined us (we stayed at their house for the first 3 days of our trip - and I love their three furry children).
After hanging out at the brewery for a bit (what a great vibe!), it was time for Sweet Cow ice cream.
Karel got the dutch chocolate and berry sorbet and I got the oatmeal cookie and chocolate covered pretzel.
So good!!!
When we got back to the cabin, I did my daily blogging on my little outdoor table and we enjoyed the cooler air outside before it was time for bed.
Stay tuned for day 6 of our train-cation. A long, windy, flat ride followed by watching stage 6 of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge in Fort Collins.
By Wednesday, Karel and I started to feel more normal with the altitude - although we are both struggling with a bit of altitude insomnia where we struggle to fall asleep and we wake up at least twice throughout the night.
We have been waking up (without an alarm) around 6:00-6:15am and enjoying the fresh, dry air outside.
It's been a long time coming since Karel injured his foot in May but, with the help of an amazing PT Kent, Karel is finally back running again. He is up to 14 minute run, 30 sec walk.
With us staying just 3/4 mile from Wonderland Trailhead, it's so convenient (and beautiful) to run on the trails out there so around 7:30am, we headed out for a 1 hour run.
Karel and I started together while warming up and then after a short break, it was time to get to business. With Karel doing a lot of strength work for his foot and keeping his cardio strong with swimming/cycling, Karel certainly did not slow much over the past 3 months. I tried hard to keep up with Karel as we were running between 7;15-7:45 min/miles for a good 4 miles...up and down the trails. It was a lot of fun and great to enjoy the scenery with Karel.
After our run, we had breakfast #2 (and a Clif recovery drink) and we rested for an hour before we headed to Scott Carpenter Pool for a 11am long course meter swim. Our friend/athlete Kristen joined us which was great for us all to workout together.
We had a tough Kona-prep swim! 400 warm-up Pre-set (with buoy/paddles): 100, 200, 300, 400 (increasing effort from 75-85%)
MS 2x's: 8 x 100's w/ 10 sec rest @ 90% effort 400 Ironman effort 1 min rest, then repeat MS one more time
Total: 3800 meters
After the swim (workout #2), we were in need of some carbs so off we went to Breadworks to cure our bread cravings.
Karel got a chicken panini, 3 pastries and a loaf of bread and I got a salty pretzel. YUM!
After our post-workout meal/lunch, we packed up at Kristen's house and it was time to start part II of our vacation with our Gearlink friends.
Around 3pm, we made our 6.5 mile trip up Sunshine Canyon to see where we would be staying with our friends. For the next 5 days, we will stay around 8000 feet up the mountain in this beautiful cabin.
Our friends just flew in from Clearwater and they were anxious to ride so around 4pm, Karel and I loaded up our car for workout #3.
We parked at Centennial Park Trailhead (at the base of Sunshine Canyon) and got on our bikes and made our way to Old Stage Road and then up, and up, and up Lee Hill. It was a tough ride but beautiful and a lot of fun to ride with our friends.
Although Karel would be in cycling heaven with his road bike (bombing the descends), we both have our triathlon bikes since we are less than 8 weeks out from the IM World Championship and our tri bikes are our primary bikes to train on (lots of muscle memory).
It was nearing 7pm when we arrived to dinner and we were all ready for food! We ate at BackCounty Pizza and the food was amazing (although after 3 workouts for me and Karel, we probably could have eaten pizza at the gas station and said it was amazing too :)
I got the Nediterranean veggie burger and french fries and the guys got beer and pizza. I know - I passed on pizza but I needed something heavy in my gut and a burger did the trick!
I proudly cleaned my plate!
We then made our way to Safeway to shop for groceries for the cabin and by 9:30pm, we were back in the cabin with the groceries unloaded and time to relax before bed.
Stay tuned for the recap of our long, hard, beautiful Thursday ride.
When you own your own business, the weekends often get squeezed together with the weekdays as every day is a work day.
Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition, LLC works great for Campy because in his world, every day is a weekend!!
I'm really looking forward to speaking at Speaking Of Women's Health in Jacksonville on August 24th on behalf of the HeartWise for Women prevention program. I can't wait for my talk on "Keeping eating healthy, easy and delicious" and doing a cooking demo with Mai Oui Gourmet catering my talk.
I also have a talk this Sunday with two other GI MD's at Baptist Medical Center Beaches where we will all be discussing GI related diseases and how they affect the fitness enthusiast. My portion will be on fueling the individual who has a GI-related disease (Crohn's, stomach cancer, IBS, celiac).
I wonder what they are dreaming about?
It's been a very busy two weeks since returning from Lake Placid but I wouldn't want it any other way.
This morning (after my 2500 form focused swim + hip/core work) around 7:40am, I prepped the set for my 8am hour TV segment with News4Jax on "Healthy budge-friendly lunches for kids". I will share the link via Facebook and blog when it is on the website.
So for my last weekend of unstructured training....
A little girl time on bikes with my friend Heidi
A little mountain biking in Hanna Park for Karel (Sunday - 1 hour) after we slept in with no alarm. 9 beautiful hours of sleep and not working out until 9am.
And on Sunday, my 2nd run since Ironman Lake Placid, a 40 minute run on the trails (10 min run, 2 min walk after each trail segment). I was drenched in sweat and covered in spider webs and looking forward to wearing my new swim suit from Oakley Women.
Love my unstoppable Oakley bag - perfect for a beach day with Karel to enjoy unstructured exercise before easing back into structured training.
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a casserole dish (small yet tall rectangle), spray lightly with non stick spray and place 1 cup (per person) veggie meat and 1 package sliced mushrooms (washed) w/ 2 cloves garlic chopped and 1/2 large onion chopped (thick slices) into the dish.
3. Steam broccoli and then cut into segments and place on top of mushroom mixture (the meat, mushrooms and onions will soak up a lot of flavor from the meat and the broccoli will be nicely roasted). Sprinkle with turmeric and a pinch of salt. See step #6.
4. After 20-25 minutes or until broccoli is a little brown, remove from oven (and turn off oven).
5. Remove broccoli from the top of the casserole dish and stir together meat with mushrooms, onions and garlic.
6. Prepare lentils according to package (I did a 1:3 ratio of lentils to water).
7. Place 1 warm wrap on a plate and spoon cooked lentils on the wrap. Add a little cheese (any kind - the real kind, not factory made cheese like fat-free) and a spoonful of salsa and then top with a big spoon of mushroom mixture and then with leafy greens. Close wrap and top with dallop of greek yogurt (not pictured as that would make my picture messy looking).
8. Serve with roasted broccoli and enjoy!
Homemade "chips" - toasted wrap at 375 degrees for 3-5 minutes each side (or until almost hard and slightly brown), then broken carefully into triangles (kinda) and drizzled with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt and black pepper. I bet cinnamon would be yummy on these too!
