Pre-race jitters

We all get them. Even the people that seem cool, calm and collected have at least a tiny bit of anxiety for the challenge that is now in front of them. It is easy to sign up for a race, it is usually far enough in the future that it might not even seem real. The night before the race when you are putting together your food and thinking of a race plan (I'm a last minute person on this stuff, some people have thought this through long before the night before), that is when it all seems real. I get excited and admittedly, nervous.


Tomorrow is the Leona Divide 50 miler in Palmdale, California. I made my way down here this afternoon and have spent the rest of the day catching up on work and just now put some thought into how many Clif Bloks I am going to carry and at which aid station I am going to leave Balanced drink for some extra calories. I even looked at last year's splits; this race presents a new challenge to me - it is the first one I have returned to in a LONG time. Usually I try different races each year. So I know the course, I ran well here last year... there is a little bit of, say, extra pressure... only what I put on myself.





The new Montrail/Nathan Team uniforms showed up in time... but something happened to the size of the Nathan logo?!?!


Get out there and enjoy the weekend! I'm going to!

blog address changed

http://broadbandsports.com/athletesVoice/trail_running/

Please find my blog at this new URL.

Thanks for following along this thing called life :)

The girl who started it all

A great article about the woman who got out there, proved the guys wrong and finished Boston in spite of many challenges on the race course along the way. A great piece of history for females in sport.

Lucky me

Traveling for work has its perks and downfalls (not much sleep, crazy eating schedule). For me, I enjoy getting to explore new places and I especially enjoy getting out for a trail run with a friend local to the area. My only problem is that I am a last minute planner. That is, I tend to arrive in town and realize, "oh! so-and-so lives here, maybe we can go for a run." It is hard to do this to anyone so last minute, but in this most recent trip to Philly, Montrail/Nathan Teammate Barry Lewis more than rose to the occasion. Not only did he get me out for an amazing trail run on Thursday morning, I also got to enjoy his spin class the night before. Only my 3rd spin class to date, but I love the work out and he is a great instructor; super motivating!

Barry's friends Drew and Pete joined us for the 2 hour loop Thursday morning in the Wissahickon Valley. It was such a treat to get out on trail for a couple of hours, to get to know Barry a bit and a little more about Philly. The trail system is really close to the city and one could easily get a 20+ mile run in without having to loop over the same trails too often. Great dirt, some rocky sections and rolling hills (nothing too sustained for climbing). Thanks again guys!

Figuring it out

Wrapping my arms around the working world again and beginning to realize all that working remote for an energetic, growing hydration company entails. For those of you that work from home, perhaps you can relate (or maybe you have forgotten) the adjustment to the home office. It seems ideal, setting your own schedule, having the flexibility to train in the afternoon and work out of the 8-5 norm, padding down to the computer in your pajamas and sipping an oversized mug of joe (or Chai in my case). It is wonderful, but it is an adjustment.

No one told me about the lonely factor; I didn’t realize how much I need/enjoy the work environment. Sure I can complain with the best of them about office politics and drama in the workplace, but those interactions are human, they are social and they are validating. It is a weird sensation to go through the day and not hear your own (or another) human voice till well in the afternoon.

Resolving this issue was easy once I identified what was bothering me. Waking up each morning I now set intention for the day (where before it was set for me – got to be to the office by 8, so better get up early to get in my run). Even if this intention is as simple as making it to the 6:30am yoga class at my gym so that I’m back to the computer by 8, it is intention and motivation to be excited about the day. Before going to bed making a list of work projects that I need to/would like to accomplish, complete with check boxes so I can check items off as I progress. Spicing up the work day by heading to a coffee shop for a change of scenery and to feel other human energy. Planning to meet a friend for lunch, a bike ride or trail run to break up the day. Planning dinner parties, walks and movie dates so that I can enjoy some social interaction after a day of solitude. Making these adjustments help significantly, in fact it is all quite wonderful really.

Then, just as I get into a groove of “working from home,” work sends me out on the road. Fly, drive, meetings, presentations, email, run… breath? So I guess the lesson for me is learning to enjoy each moment for what it is, be ready for the next change and challenge, and stay in tune with what I need to stay happy and balanced.

Running is

• a way to calm the inner chaos
• a way to gain perspective
• meditation
• me time
• free expression of who I am (like dancing)
• my extremities working in harmony with my heart and lungs
• my coping mechanism
• peace and peace of mind
• how I identify myself in certain circles
• and something I keep as a special secret in others

This was actually a journal entry for me a couple of weeks ago. Rereading it I thought I would share.