Running in the Mitten & Beyond!

[michigandergirl]

Well, hello there DIS friends! It's been awhile, I know...

Back in October, after months of slacking off, I decided I needed to refocus on things that I can control and let go of the things I cannot. I am one of those Type A planner moms that has really struggled with the year 2020. I knew that getting back to consistent running and healthy eating was what I needed to cope with the rest of this year/pandemic. So here's what I've been up to the last 6 weeks:

Running

I am 6 weeks into a new DB training plan. The goal for this plan is basically to gradually get me back to running 4 days a week and get back to half marathon shape. Trail races seem to be happening again here in Michigan, so the majority of the races I'm signed up for in the next few months are trail races. I've been doing more trail running this year more than ever in hopes of becoming better at it (faster, more confident, less falling).

I've already ran two races in November:

Nov 14 - Dirty Duel 5K
Nov 26 - Turkey Trot Trail 10K

Both races I felt good and finished strong despite the brutal hills, so I am happy with that.

Upcoming races:

Jan 3 - Yankee Springs Winter Challenge 10K
Feb 6 - Groundhog Half Marathon
Mar 6 - Winter Trail Fest 5 Miler
April 10 - Zion Trail Half Marathon

The Zion race is in conjunction with a family spring break trip that I'm really hoping can happen this time (I've already cancelled & rebooked it 3 times due to Covid). I don't have any time goals for any of these races, I just want to feel strong and have fun.

Cross-training

In addition to 3-4 days of running, I'm also including some cross-training into my week. The one thing I've managed to stick with all year is 2 strength training session a week, so I'm proud of that. So this week's schedule looks like this:

Mon - Rest
Tues - Run
Wed - Strength & Yoga
Thurs - Run (hill repeats)
Fri - Elliptical & Yoga
Sat - Trail Run & Strength
Sun - Long Run

Diet/Lifestyle change?

I have had some stomach/digestive problems for awhile now and suspect some food intolerances or allergies. My insurance doesn't pay for allergy testing, so I decided to first try an elimination diet. Around the same time I was considering the elimination diet, I stumbled across several vegan documentaries on Netflix. I was intrigued. Not only were they eye-opening from an environmental and animal welfare standpoint, but it seemed many endurance athletes were eating this way and thriving.

So I've been eating vegan for over 6 weeks now and here's how it's going:

Pros
- I've lost 5 pounds
- Stomach/digestion is greatly improved (I suspect I have a dairy intolerance/allergy)
- I don't have as many aches & pains, better recovery from workouts
- Energy level is good
- less cravings for sweets/cheese

Cons
- It's sometimes hard to find obscure ingredients
- It's very time-consuming for meal planning
- The rest of my family is not on board with eating this way, so that has been challenging

I haven't completely committed to being a vegan, but so far it seems to be working for me and I hope that I'm at least teaching my kids to think about what they are eating, where it comes from, and sustainability.

So that's what's going on with me. I hope you all are doing well during this crazy year! I hope to be spend more time here on the boards in the next few months.

 

[avondale]

I am 6 weeks into a new DB training plan. The goal for this plan is basically to gradually get me back to running 4 days a week and get back to half marathon shape. Trail races seem to be happening again here in Michigan, so the majority of the races I'm signed up for in the next few months are trail races. I've been doing more trail running this year more than ever in hopes of becoming better at it (faster, more confident, less falling).

I've already ran two races in November:

Nov 14 - Dirty Duel 5K
Nov 26 - Turkey Trot Trail 10K

Both races I felt good and finished strong despite the brutal hills, so I am happy with that.

Upcoming races:

Jan 3 - Yankee Springs Winter Challenge 10K
Feb 6 - Groundhog Half Marathon
Mar 6 - Winter Trail Fest 5 Miler
April 10 - Zion Trail Half Marathon

I wish Michigan was a shorter driving trip for me, because I might come up for some trail races. It seems like we're still not getting trail races around here. I think there are just too many people in the area and organizations feel like there would still be too many participants. Dunno.

So I've been eating vegan for over 6 weeks now and here's how it's going:

Pros
- I've lost 5 pounds
- Stomach/digestion is greatly improved (I suspect I have a dairy intolerance/allergy)
- I don't have as many aches & pains, better recovery from workouts
- Energy level is good
- less cravings for sweets/cheese

I've wondered if vegetarian or vegan diets might help me with weight control, but the problem is that I don't like vegetables. I' m glad it's been working for you!

 

[michigandergirl]

I've wondered if vegetarian or vegan diets might help me with weight control, but the problem is that I don't like vegetables.

Ummm, yeah, that could be a problem.

 

[shellott-hill]

I've wondered if vegetarian or vegan diets might help me with weight control, but the problem is that I don't like vegetables. I' m glad it's been working for you!

LOL. I used to hate my veggies with a passion. If there were any on my plate, they were taking up valuable real estate for a blue rare steak!

I have been eating as a vegetarian pretending to be a vegan for 9 years now. I have noticed the health improvements, inflammation reduction, and quicker recovery. I can relate to the figuring out what the heck these strange named ingredients are. I eventually figured out that is does not have to be so complex and it can be pretty simple making vegan meals with what is available in your grocery store.

 

[Jules76126]

Congrats on the Vegan diet. I couldn't never do that as I love cheese too much. However, we have also tried to add more veggie based meals into our diet. And nice to see some places have real races. We have a few in the NE area but with travel restrictions its not worth signing up yet.

 

[michigandergirl]

I have been eating as a vegetarian pretending to be a vegan for 9 years now. I have noticed the health improvements, inflammation reduction, and quicker recovery. I can relate to the figuring out what the heck these strange named ingredients are. I eventually figured out that is does not have to be so complex and it can be pretty simple making vegan meals with what is available in your grocery store.

Yes, I've come to learn that vegan recipes can be simple and delicious without all the hard to find ingredients. I made a black bean soup the other day that was so easy, I couldn't believe it tasted as good as it did. And I've had a few days where I've eaten more vegetarian out of convenience, so there are things that I will have to figure out how to navigate going forward.

 

[michigandergirl]

I couldn't never do that as I love cheese too much.

Believe me, I love cheese too. I miss that the most!!! But I also know that I can't digest dairy well and it was creating so much discomfort for me that I'm not sure it's worth it to continue eating it, at least not on a regular basis.

 

[michigandergirl]

Just got an email that my Jan 3 trail race has been changed to virtual. I'm not surprised, but it still stinks. I will continue to train for all races and hope for the best.

 

[michigandergirl]

Training & Race Updates

Training has been going well. I am on week 15 and I've only missed 2 easy runs. Cross training is going well too, although I think I've missed a couple of strength sessions too, but overall I'm feeling good. I'm trying to get in more yoga time, but that has been challenging lately, so I've just been doing short 15-20 minute sessions.

My 16 year old Pro Form treadmill finally died for good, so I've spent the last 3 nights researching and watching treadmill YouTube video reviews. I finally decided on the NordicTrack 2450 - it comes with a free 1 year iFit membership and I'm excited to try some of their workouts. It was a little more than I wanted to spend, but I had to have the bigger 14 inch screen, plus my sons have been using the treadmill more recently, so hopefully it will be a good investment. It's supposed to be delivered before Valentine's Day.

As for races, The Groundhog is ON for this weekend!! This will be the 6th consecutive year I'll be running the half marathon. I'll also be running the Friday night race (1/6 marathon) which is one loop of the course. That will be my first night race and I'm running that with my coworker Carrie, who is fairly new to running and races, but I think I've got her hooked! We'll see if I can talk her into a future Disney race. The weather forecast looks interesting for this weekend...single digit temps and snow, so I anticipate taking it very easy.

I will post a race recap next week.

 

[avondale]

Good luck and have fun!

 

[michigandergirl]

Groundhog Weekend Recap

Winter came with a vengeance last week bringing about a foot of snow and bitterly cold temps, just in time for the Groundhog race weekend. Yay?

Friday - Groundhog 1/6 marathon (1 loop of the course, about 4.4 miles)

Driving conditions were terrible on the way to the race. I realized about halfway there that I forgot my headlamp and no time to turn back, so I hoped my Noxgear vest and my Tink Tutu would be enough light to get me through. I arrived on time, found my coworker Carrie, and picked up my bib & race swag (sweatshirt, buff, & winter hat). Carrie was nervous - this was only her second race - so we decided some shots of Fireball were just what we needed to calm her nerves and warm our souls. The real feel was -15, snowing hard, and 30 mph wind gusts.

The course is on a paved park trail, but with it being winter in Michigan, it's rarely clear this time of year. In years past, they have plowed/groomed it if there's more than 6 inches of snow, so I was surprised when the first 2 miles of the course looked like this:


I found out later that they couldn't touch this portion because it is part of a cross country ski course. It was so deep!! This had me very worried for the half for the next day. We decided to mostly walk through that portion and fortunately the last 2.5 miles were much better, more runnable. Carrie did great, she was stoked to receive her first medal.


Saturday, Groundhog Half Marathon (3 loops)

Real feel was -1, light snow ending, and wind 10-15mph (so slightly better than the night before). We could start anytime between 7 & 8am, so I think I started around 7:30. It was just starting to get light out.

Bridge to start/finish line:


Loop 1
Those first 2 miles of the course were a little better than the night before. Someone had driven down the path creating wheel tracks, so everyone ran on the right side and then slogged over to the left one to pass.



Loop 2
The scenery was so amazing!




Funny story about the guy in yellow: he was very chatty and I thought he was just one of those nice, talkative, outgoing running people types, until he called me Luanne - he thought I was someone else from behind! Then the woman he was running with passed me and said "Dude, that's not Luanne!!" We all had a good laugh about that and it was captured by the course photographer.

Loop 3

Mile 11, not feeling as spunky. I was trying not to walk much, because I would start to get cold walking, but I kept getting this weird cramp in my groin, so I was forced to walk it off a couple of times. I think it must've been brought on by running in the snow for so long.



My 6th Groundhog half marathon complete!! I think this one was my slowest Groundhog yet at 2:56:56. It was even slower than my trail run pace due to all of that snow, but I got it done and felt just fine the next day. Mad props to those that conquer the full marathon in those conditions (@Baloo in MI did you run??), I'm not sure if I would ever attempt the full, but never say never.

4 reasons I love to run the Groundhog:

1) Very well run race with a great post-race party normally (not this year of course), with beer, hot chocolate, & chili, also a best-dressed groundhog costume contest. Aid stations are also well run and will have extras like beer, snacks, & Fireball (a definite winter race staple here in MI).

2) On course photographer who is amazing and will post the pictures to Facebook and are free for the taking.

3) Signing up for this race every year keeps me motivated to train through the winter, especially when I'm not training for MW.

4) Last but not least, the scenery is always so pretty!!

 

[DopeyBadger]

 

[SheHulk]

That's not Luanne! I'll bet Luanne could never. You are one tough cookie.

 

[avondale]

Groundhog Weekend Recap

Winter came with a vengeance last week bringing about a foot of snow and bitterly cold temps, just in time for the Groundhog race weekend. Yay?

Friday - Groundhog 1/6 marathon (1 loop of the course, about 4.4 miles)

Driving conditions were terrible on the way to the race. I realized about halfway there that I forgot my headlamp and no time to turn back, so I hoped my Noxgear vest and my Tink Tutu would be enough light to get me through. I arrived on time, found my coworker Carrie, and picked up my bib & race swag (sweatshirt, buff, & winter hat). Carrie was nervous - this was only her second race - so we decided some shots of Fireball were just what we needed to calm her nerves and warm our souls. The real feel was -15, snowing hard, and 30 mph wind gusts.

The course is on a paved park trail, but with it being winter in Michigan, it's rarely clear this time of year. In years past, they have plowed/groomed it if there's more than 6 inches of snow, so I was surprised when the first 2 miles of the course looked like this:
View attachment 555136

I found out later that they couldn't touch this portion because it is part of a cross country ski course. It was so deep!! This had me very worried for the half for the next day. We decided to mostly walk through that portion and fortunately the last 2.5 miles were much better, more runnable. Carrie did great, she was stoked to receive her first medal.
View attachment 555137

Saturday, Groundhog Half Marathon (3 loops)

Real feel was -1, light snow ending, and wind 10-15mph (so slightly better than the night before). We could start anytime between 7 & 8am, so I think I started around 7:30. It was just starting to get light out.

Bridge to start/finish line:
View attachment 555141

Loop 1
Those first 2 miles of the course were a little better than the night before. Someone had driven down the path creating wheel tracks, so everyone ran on the right side and then slogged over to the left one to pass.
View attachment 555138
View attachment 555143

Loop 2
The scenery was so amazing!
View attachment 555140
View attachment 555139
View attachment 555144

Funny story about the guy in yellow: he was very chatty and I thought he was just one of those nice, talkative, outgoing running people types, until he called me Luanne - he thought I was someone else from behind! Then the woman he was running with passed me and said "Dude, that's not Luanne!!" We all had a good laugh about that and it was captured by the course photographer.

Loop 3
View attachment 555145
Mile 11, not feeling as spunky. I was trying not to walk much, because I would start to get cold walking, but I kept getting this weird cramp in my groin, so I was forced to walk it off a couple of times. I think it must've been brought on by running in the snow for so long.

View attachment 555146

My 6th Groundhog half marathon complete!! I think this one was my slowest Groundhog yet at 2:56:56. It was even slower than my trail run pace due to all of that snow, but I got it done and felt just fine the next day. Mad props to those that conquer the full marathon in those conditions (@Baloo in MI did you run??), I'm not sure if I would ever attempt the full, but never say never.

4 reasons I love to run the Groundhog:

1) Very well run race with a great post-race party normally (not this year of course), with beer, hot chocolate, & chili, also a best-dressed groundhog costume contest. Aid stations are also well run and will have extras like beer, snacks, & Fireball (a definite winter race staple here in MI).

2) On course photographer who is amazing and will post the pictures to Facebook and are free for the taking.

3) Signing up for this race every year keeps me motivated to train through the winter, especially when I'm not training for MW.

4) Last but not least, the scenery is always so pretty!!

I love your arms-wide-open photo - it looks like you are really enjoying yourself. The snowy scenery really was beautiful. Congratulations on the two races!

 

[r2d2_runner]

Great recap. You make winter running look like so much fun!

 

[michigandergirl]

That's not Luanne! I'll bet Luanne could never. You are one tough cookie.

Thank you!!

I love your arms-wide-open photo - it looks like you are really enjoying yourself. The snowy scenery really was beautiful. Congratulations on the two races!

Thanks! I really did enjoy it - so nice to have an actual race again.

Great recap. You make winter running look like so much fun!

Thanks! I do embrace winter, you almost have to living here, I just wish winter didn't last so long some years.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

All that winter is beautiful and I am so impressed that you can run in that! I can't imagine!