Trail Runner Diaries #3

Dear Diary,

Recently I became sponsored by Skora!  I am super pumped.  This minimalist shoe company is great- they hold many of the same beliefs I have about running.  Their motto (written as a hashtag after almost every tweet), Run Real, is something I internalize. (Here is their site: http://skorarunning.com)

With all of the media and opinions swirling about the Lance Armstrong doping admittance, it could not be any more true.  Being a dedicated and hardworking athlete, not even at the elite level (yet), I seek to compete cleanly and honestly.  For me, running has been all about pushing myself and see what I can accomplish.  I of course want to be stronger, faster, better, but I wish to gain this after hard work and determination and overcoming physical and mental setbacks.  I think that is why running and competing have been so rewarding for me.  To succumb to cheating would just erase everything running has done for me and turn it into a lie. Lauren Fleshman, an idol of mine, wrote about it in TWO blog posts eloquently and described my feelings perfectly.  (Here is the link: http://asklaurenfleshman.com/journal/2013/01/17/a-letter-to-lance-armstrong-a-fellow-pro-athletes-plee/ & http://asklaurenfleshman.com/journal/2013/01/24/four-good-reasons-to-believe-in-clean-sport/)

Also, running "real" to me means running with a pure heart and open mind.  Things I strive for and challenge myself daily.  I dream of running endlessly and getting down to the basics of it: me, the mountains/forests, and my shoes.

Which gets me back to the shoe part.  I have always been a fan of minimalist footwear, as it allows me to run faster, dance the technical terrain with more proficiency, and really FEEL the earth under my feet.  It just feels natural.  Skora shoes do just that.  So far, I have put about 30 miles in them and love what I am feeling.  They have enough cushioning and a soft upper that feels supportive and protective for my feet.  But they are so light and flexible! I really can feel the trail and it is as if I am a ballerina again, nimbly jumping from rock to rock and over roots.  I cannot wait to see how they hold up with all my workouts and miles I will be running with them!

Before first run (and many, many, MANY miles!)

After about 30 miles worth of trail running and interval workouts. So far, so good!

Well, that's all for now... Oh and I also conquered the flu this week.  Sickness ain't got nothing on me!!

Sincerely,
Kels

Trail Runner Diaries #2

Dear Diary,

This week has been AWESOME! I KILLED my workouts, and by killed, I mean obliterated.  I felt great all week and put in some solid miles.

then BAM! today sucked. It was the last running day of the week so naturally, it was supposed to be long. I planned on running about 13.5-14 miles.  Then when i got out to the track and met up with my teammates, I just had the feeling I wasn't on top of my game.

I was tired, it was already super hot at 9 am, and I had a rough night last night. Not the best recipe for a long run...

So we start out, super easy pace, Poly Canyon loop first. (I was going to add on after since its only a 9 mi loop).

I thought to myself that its just the beginning of the run; I just need to shake it off; I just need to get over the "warmup" hills.  (Note: these hills SUCK. The ground is super uneven from the rain season, which made the trail into a mud pit. With the cows constantly walking around in it, their hoof prints eventually dried into a broken-ankle causing, treacherous, work every muscle in your lower leg, kind of a trail.)

Then we got to the highest point, three miles in and fully sucking. We start downhill and before you know it, both my feet "fall asleep"! (Something I have no idea why it happens, but it just does!)

To save you from the dreary boredom of going through my whole run, I'll abbreviate it: I only did Poly Canyon loop and ended the day with just nine miles.

I am disappointed in myself that I hit the wall at every step and couldn't complete what I had set out to do. However, an important lesson here is listening to my body and being PATIENT! I need to realize that I am not super woman and cannot do everything, yet. I am still in the building phase; it is still the preseason. If my body is telling me that I need to stop, I need to realize that pushing farther will do more harm then good.

Now, this isn't just a free pass to skimp out all the time. If in the middle of a workout I all of a sudden "get tired" or its "so so hard," I need to push through the pain cave walls then! That is when the magic happens and fitness occurs. But on a regular training run at the end of a long week, yes, I can take a little break.

Well, that's all for now.
xox Kelsie

PS GO NINERS!

Big Banging Biology #1

So last night I had my second Cell & Molecular Bio lecture and let's just say I was ENTHRALLED! I had this big stupid, loopy grin on my face and couldn't stop smiling during and after class because it was just so spectacular. I already knew what the topic was and what she was lecturing about-- proteins, their structure, how it contributes to function, etc-- but the way it was presented and discussed just fascinated me!

I didn't want to take notes because I was so eager to not miss a single word or idea.  (I did take notes, don't worry) I kept asking questions, but I quickly realized she, the class, nor I had enough time to answer them in addition to the lecture.  These questions kept racing through my head and new ones would crop up in addition/arising from the ones I just thought of.

It's all so interesting and I'm so curious. I want to know more, and MORE, and then STILL MORE!!! I don't want there to be an end to my learning! (That's one reason I would love to be a teacher- I get to learn from my students and the questions they ask of ME!)

Side note: still deciding whether or not I should write the topics and info in my lectures/labs on here...

Trail Runner Diaries: #1

Dear Diary,

It is a New Year and I have a resolution: to be more patient.  Typically, I am very rash with my decisions. I get an incredible idea in my head and then just take off with it.  I do not really analyze the implications or take caution.  I put my whole heart, body, mind and soul into my goals.  Though I realize these are great things to do, it usually puts me at risk.  Every time I get a bright idea or get selfish with my running- I am feeling on top of the world and so I add more- I get ambitious, and that usually leads to me trying to do things my body isn't ready for me to do.

Now, I have been a vegetarian for 8 years, But I converted to carnivorism as of this past October.  My iron levels were rediculously low and I wasn't achieving the results I should have with the volume of summer training.

Also, a consequence of my ambition is injury. Every year, or even every season, I am plagued with injuries.  Fall 2011 it was a tibial stress fracture, Fall 2012 it was an ankle sprain/ ligament tear, and a few dozen shin splint stints scattered here and there.