Friday Five: Favorite Running Books

I love running. And I love reading. So reading about running--yes, please! Sometimes a good running book is just what I need to boost my motivation.

1. Once A Runner (and Again to Carthage) by John L. Parker, Jr.

The only fiction on this list (why don't we have more fiction about running?), Once a Runner and its sequel chronicle the adventures of Quenton Cassidy, a college miler and later an Olympic marathon hopeful. I picked up a copy at a used book store after reading about the author in Runner's World. It sat on my bookshelf for a few years, until I discovered the new sequel, purchased it, and determined to read them both. The fictional Cassidy's dedication is so inspiring that for a few weeks after reading the books, I tried to run two-a-days.

 2. Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

Part adventure story, part scientific query, Born to Run began as the author's quest to run without pain, a journey that took him to the Tarahumara Indians in the Copper Canyons of Mexico. It's a fascinating read, and taught me more about running than I've ever learned from a single book.

3. Bowerman and the Men of Oregon by Kenny Moore

I tend to buy books and let them sit on my shelf indefinitely, and this was one of those. When I finally picked it up, I couldn't believe I'd waited so long. It's lengthy, but worth it--Bill Bowerman's story deserves this many words. From his coaching career to his revolutionary running shoe creation, there are no dull moments. It made me miss track, running fast, and having a coach and a team.

4. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

The Japanese novelist Murakami started running when he started writing full-time, and here he recounts highlights from his running life and muses about the intersection of running and writing in his life. So many running memoirs are written by the best-of-the-best, front-of-the-packers, and, while inspiring, aren't very relatable. This is a refreshing change, written by a runner who runs not to win, but to enjoy running.

5. Eat and Run by Scott Jurek

There are a lot of elite-runner-memoirs out there, and I've read several and liked a few. This is the only one I liked enough to put on this list. One reason is that while Jurek is decidedly elite, he also comes across as real. As in, he's honest about the work he puts in and how hard it is, and that maybe he doesn't enjoy every excruciating bit of what it takes to be a standout ultrarunner, but that, to quote him, "Sometimes you just do things." Another reason is that he's vegan, and while I'm not vegan or even vegetarian, veganism fascinates me, and I've lately been trying to eat fewer animal products. So I like that there are recipes in this book--his chili recipe is the only one I use anymore!

Introducing: The Friday Five

Let’s face it: I’m not the greatest at keeping up with this blog. There is a large pile of reasons for that, but I won’t go into them all now. Instead, I decided to add a couple of weekly features that will give me something to write about consistently. And in between, I’ll try to get back to regular posting!

The first of these features is The Friday Five. I love lists! How hard is making a list? So every Friday, look for a new list—running-related or not, they will always be fun!

Top Five Races on my “Running Bucket List”

1. Leadville 100: My husband and I got engaged on top of a mountain, Huron Peak, elevation 14,003 feet. It was awesome. (As he would say, "Go big or go home.") It was our first trip to Colorado together. Upon arriving at our campsite in the dark, we encountered an extremely friendly runner who had just spent the entire day running in preparation for the Leadville 100. On that trip, we also visited the city of Leadville, the highest city in the United States, which has a certain gritty charm.

Me, almost exactly four years ago.

Look at those mountains. I want to live here!

These encounters, along with everything I have since read about the race, in books like Born to Run and in race reports online, has only made me more eager to someday toe the starting line at Leadville.

2. Hardrock 100: I didn't know how much I loved southwestern Colorado's San Juan range until a camping trip with my friends took me there last summer. It's truly beautiful. The Hardrock course starts and finishes in Silverton, gaining and losing over 33,000 feet in elevation, and topping out at the 14,048 foot summit of Handies Peak. It sounds brutal.

3. Palo Duro Canyon Ultra: One of my favorite Texas State Parks, Palo Duro Canyon was a stop on many family camping trips growing up. I can't wait to run here again.

4. The Boston Marathon: Even though I've concluded I enjoy trail running more than road racing, I would race a road marathon again if it meant qualifying for Boston. I don't love huge, crowded races, but this is one I want to run once in my life.

5. Western States 100: For someone who has never run 100 miles, I feel like I have a lot of 100-milers in my top five. Aiming high, I guess! Western States is the world’s oldest 100-mile trail race, started in 1974 in California, and has a reputation for being one of the toughest.

What's on your running bucket list? Share in the comments!

Build a Stronger Back

This is the first in a series of posts on steps I am taking to improve my running.

During long runs, and particularly during long races when I wear a hydration pack, I often experience low back pain. And the next day my lower back will sometimes be the sorest part of my body. I'm going to attempt to eliminate this pain by working on two things:

1. Improving posture
When I sit on the couch to watch TV or read a book, I slouch comfortably in the corner, often finding I've slid so low that only my head is still upright. When I drive, I catch myself hunching over the wheel. When I walk, I've begun to realize my shoulders droop. So posture is obviously a problem for me. Improving my core strength will help some in this area, but when it comes down to it, I can really only fix my posture by working on maintaining good posture.

2. Building strength
I don't do strength workouts--or really, anything but run--nearly as often as I should. And I have absolutely no excuse: my husband has spent the last several months filling our garage with enough equipment that we could open a gym and charge membership fees. That's only a slight exaggeration. My lack of weight-lifting is an enjoyment issue: I love to run, and it's not particularly difficult for me. Strength training is hard, and not nearly as fun. I can't do a pull-up without jumping, and even then I can only do one. My solution, which is to not strength-train very often, is a non-solution. If I don't do it, it's never going to get easier. And if it could help my running, I should be doing it!
My goal is to add at least three strength workouts a week, making sure to include plenty of abdominal and back exercises. I'll be doing all the exercises on the nifty chart below, as well as planks, push-ups, superman, and working on my pull-ups.

photo credit: West End Chiropractic and Wellness Blog

I hope that the back pain issue will be a quick fix with these efforts, and I'll find out soon. I have some long training runs coming up in preparation for Jemez Mountain 50k on May 25!

Race Report: 2013 Prickly Pear 50k

I signed up for the Prickly Pear at the beginning of February, just before the registration fee increased. I was so looking forward to it: lower elevation, some moisture in the air, and a flat course.

And then I got sick. With the El Paso Crud...a severe allergy to the ultra-dry air and constant dust storms. This lasted about three weeks, limiting my ability to run. Every time I ran in remotely windy, chilly, dry, or dusty conditions, I would spend hours afterward coughing. The longest run I completed during these weeks was six miles, and sometimes I went several days in a row without running.

Because of this, I wasn't as prepared for the Prickly Pear as I had hoped to be, not by a long shot. If I hadn't already paid, I would likely have elected not to run. But spending money on an entry fee has a way of motivating one to compete in less-than-ideal circumstances, and I figured I had something of an endurance base I could rely on to finish, even though it might not be fun. So I drove to McAllister Park in a dark drizzle early Saturday morning.

Running in the rain was, at first, an exciting prospect--El Paso hasn't seen more than a few drops in months. What I didn't realize was the park's dirt trails, so nice for running and biking in dry weather, turn into the stickiest sort of mud when wet.

The race was wonderfully organized. 50k runners started at 7:00 and would make three loops of a 10.33-mile course. Ten milers started an hour and a half later. My first loop took nearly two hours, so the ten mile runners had thinned out and were mostly well ahead by the time I started my second loop.

I wore my hydration pack, but the aid stations were so frequent and well-stocked that I really didn't need it. Located near miles 2, 5, 7, and 10, the stations boasted bowls of candy, chips, gels, and best of all: awesome volunteers. I always say thanks to the volunteers, but these were so awesome that I feel like a simple thanks was not enough. Whether it's being handed a cup of Gatorade by a really enthusiastic kid, or being applauded and encouraged just when I need it most, aid station volunteers are invaluable, and I am incredibly grateful for their efforts. I'm also inspired to volunteer myself someday--I never have and I think it would be a fun way to give back!

The light rain continued through the entire first loop; I spent most of it with three inches of mud on my shoes and had to stop to tighten my laces so I didn't lose them. Aside from the mud, I really enjoyed the rain and the cool, humid air.

On the second loop, the rain stopped and the mud began to dry. By this point, I wasn't feeling great and was wondering if I should drop out before the third loop. I struggled with this nearly the entire ten miles, alternating between wanting to finish and dropping out. The idea of having a DNF didn't appeal to me at all--I was sure I would hate myself later for quitting--but the thought of pushing through ten more miles was nearly as unappealing.  For better or worse, pride won out, and I slogged through the third and final loop, walking more in the last miles than I care to admit. I made it to the finish in 6:38:18, exhausted but otherwise fine.

My awesome parents were waiting for me at the finish line. I am so grateful for their support! My mom took pictures, and my dad brought me drinks and checked the results, even though I was sure I couldn't have placed in my age group. But it turns out...I did! (Results can be found here). I won the women's 1-29 age group and received a huge beer mug. It's super heavy, so I can get in some bicep curls while drinking! All the women ahead of me, who I was sure were in my age group, were aged 30-39--the top eight women in that category finished before me! As my dad reminded me, ultrarunners get better with age, and the best are often in their thirties and forties. I hope this means I have some faster times to look forward to!

A bad phone shot of my mug

This 50k didn't go as well as I had hoped, for several reasons. But rather than focusing on what went wrong, I'm going to put a positive spin on things and write a series of posts about what I can work on to improve my running.

Another Race Entirely

Last week, I wrote about my indecision over upcoming races and listed several possibilities. It turns out there is an even better option I had completely overlooked, and which I'm grateful to my dad for bringing to my attention: the San Antonio Roadrunnners Prickly Pear 50k.

It's March 9th at McAllister Park in San Antonio. I am super-excited about several things:
1. The course should be relatively flat.
2. It's a good deal closer to sea-level than where I currently live. (USGS lists San Antonio's highest elevation at 1,000 feet while El Paso's is 4,080 feet).
3. Aid stations--there appear to be an abundance. 4 per loop x 3 loops= 12 aid stations?!?!
4. My family. Living five hundred miles away from them means we don't see each other all the time, and I can't wait to visit them!

I'm going to do something I haven't yet done for a long race: set a goal time. I'm hoping to finish the Prickly Pear in under 5 hours and 10 minutes, which is 10 minutes per mile pace. I think that's reasonable...and I can't wait to try!

What's Next?

Answer: I wish I knew.

There are several races coming up that I would love to run, but the unfortunate reality is that I can't run all of them.

Nueces
Rocksprings, TX
Saturday, March 2, 2013
This race offers four different distances: 50 mile, 50k, 25k, and 10k. I'm considering the 50k, and hoping I can talk my family into accompanying me for it or one of the other distances. I need to decide before the price goes up February 9th.

Jack Rabbit Classic
El Paso, TX
Sunday, March 10, 2013
A seven-mile trail run right here in El Paso! How did I miss this last year? And it's reasonably priced at $25. The only downside is that it falls on a Sunday. Maybe I could run fast and still make it to Sunday school...

Bataan Memorial Death March
White Sands Missile Range, NM
Sunday, March 17, 2013
The full Bataan is 26.2 miles, and the honorary route is 14.2. Both distances cost $95. If I'm going to pay that much either way, I would rather run the full marathon. Do I want to pay that much? Not really. Would it be worth it? I'm sure. Could I run both the Nueces 50k and the full Bataan, just two weeks apart? I don't know, but I'm thinking I would like to try.

Cedro Peak Ultra
Tijeras, NM
Saturday, April 13, 2013
If I happen to decide on this race, I'm not sure whether I'll choose the 45 mile distance or the 45k (28 miles).
I'm leaning toward 45 miles as a build-up to a 50 miler eventually, but the elevation and terrain has me a little apprehensive. I need to decide by Valentine's Day, when the registration fee takes a huge jump.

Jemez Mountain 50k
Los Alamos, NM
Saturday, May 25, 2013
As of now, this is the only race on this list that I'm pretty certain about. I want to run the 50k again and improve my time (someday maybe I'll even aim for the 50 miler). This was such a fun, well-organized race that despite the high altitude and lengthy climbs, I can't wait to go back!


I have several great options; the problem is going to be in the choosing. I'm sure I'll narrow it down soon. Or maybe decide to run them all!

Race Report: 2013 El Paso Puzzler Trail Marathon

I intended to write this post several days ago, but better late than never, right?

I can't remember exactly how long I had been looking forward to the Puzzler. Probably since last summer. It finally happened, and it was everything I hoped it would be!

In the hours leading up to the start, I was more nervous than I have been before a race in a very long time. I had been sick the week before, and I was starting to feel a little under-prepared.

Rebecca and me before the start

With my dad, who not only ran the half marathon, but also did the 35 mile bike race the next day!

My anxiety abated after the start. The 30 of us in the marathon left the start at the Bowen Ranch on a wide trail and managed to spread out before turning onto winding singletrack. I had run the first 6 miles of the course before, up to Mundy's Gap at 5,890 feet. I anticipated this would be the most difficult section, being the steepest and highest climb, and it was--I walked much of it. When I got to the top, I was met with cheers and encouragement from a group of hiking teenagers, which was awesome. Anything that can make me smile after a climb like that is much appreciated!

The descent was rough but fun. It was very rocky; near the base of the mountain was an especially treacherous stretch of loose, basketball-sized rocks. I walked most of it to avoid breaking an ankle, thinking the whole time about the next day's mountain bikers who would cover this same ground. I would never in a million years try to bike over those rocks!

At the first aid station, I got a burrito from my wonderful husband, who drove/ran all over the place to see me. The next stretch was fun: new scenery, a second wind, and best of all, fairly level terrain. I passed a few people over the next several miles, and finally reached the second aid station. At the start, I could swear I heard the race director say the aid stations were at miles 10 and 22. But right after the aid station, my husband joined me, having parked on the side of a road and run over a mile to find me. And he said the aid station was closer to mile 18 than 22. He's great with maps and directions and distances, so normally, I wouldn't question him. But I was not in a rational state of mind at this point in the race, and when I got upset, he told me he was sure I was right. I'm grateful for this lie; I wasn't yet ready to accept that I had not run 22 miles! An hour later, I realized he was right, or I would have been finished already.

The last 6 miles were beautiful, and I want to run them again to appreciate the scenery, because during the race I was preoccupied with how much farther I had to go, and whether I was lost. There were no runners in sight ahead or behind, and if it hadn't been for some shoe prints I recognized from earlier, I would have been sure I had missed a turn somewhere.

Finally, the finish came into view. I could hear the music, and, when I got a little, closer, my awesome friends yelling for me. I crossed the line in 6 hours, 2 minutes, and 54 seconds, happy to be finished.

Thanks to Rebecca for this picture, and for the loud cheering!

Crossing the finish--I promise I'm running, even though it doesn't look like it.

I'm pretty happy with my time, but I'm also sure I could improve upon it with some more hill training. I was the third woman overall, and I got a cool trophy along with my finisher's medal. The post-race meal was delicious--chicken tacos from a taco truck! This was such a fun race, and if we still live in El Paso next January, I'm sure I will be lined up at the start again!

Epilogue

The next day, my awesome dad completed the 35 mile bike race after running the half marathon. It was his first mountain bike race, and it was impressive to know he biked the same rough terrain I ran the day before. Several of the bike racers we saw had cameras for filming sections of trail. Click here to watch the descent of Mundy's Gap as seen from a mountain bike.

Biking down the boulder-field on the west side of Mundy's Gap

Crossing the finish after 35 miles of extremely rocky biking!