Look what I found

It would appear that I am on the edge of gearing up for a whole new kind of running adventure, and with the idea of an ultra looming, I know I'm going to have to re-evaluate my training.  My husband is very into fitness, and therefore of course loves to give me advice on how to train- which I promptly shrug off because he is not a runner.  But, I'm entering new territory here, and I know that finding the most efficient way for my body to fuel my runs will be key... so this time I may not shrug him off.  This time, I'm listening a bit more and engaging in the conversation.  I'm out of my element and I'll take all the help I can get.

The idea he is pushing is running below my aerobic threshold.  It comes from Phil Maffetone's 180 Formula.  I'm still researching and deciding how best to train, honestly, I haven't really looked into it much yet.  But from where I stand, on the edge of a new world, it feels like a good time to try something new.  And since one of Phil's big principles is slowing down to get fast- it might be a good fit for ultra training.  I already know (ok, think- did I mention that I haven't actually researched any of this yet...  I'm still operating on pure runner's high confidence) I'll have to slow down at first to handle this new level.  And, what little reading I have done on ultras seems to indicate that speed isn't always the goal- you run your own race and aim for the finish line.  So, for the first time in a long time I'm not really training for speed, I'm training for endurance.  Which means I can probably reign in my ego enough to submit to training at a slower pace.  Probably.

Now, let's circle back to the picture... and my point.  In order to attempt the new training that I am considering, I need to have the ability to monitor my hear rate while running.  As soon as I realized this, I remembered that I once owned a Garmin running watch that came with a heart rate monitor.  It was a chest strap and I never really gave it a chance, only running with it once or twice before storing it away with other outdated electronics.  Fortunately, I love Garmin... so the next running watch I bought, in fact all of the running watches I have purchased are Garmins.  So, when I got home on Monday, I did a little digging and found the chest strap.  Surprisingly, finding it was easy.  But I was dreading the next step- would it pair with my current device?  And if that was possible, was it complicated?  And if it was complicated, how bad are we talking?

 Come to find out yes and no.  Yes, the heart rate monitor paired with my current device and no, it was not complicated.  All I had to do was turn on my watch and go into settings to turn on the heart rate monitor connection.  They paired instantly and boom- I was monitoring my heart rate.  I soon learned that cooking gets my heart going a bit, but eating calms it back down.  As one would guess, vegging out in front of the tv brought my heat rate way down... so lets call that my "resting" heart rate- which hung out right around 64.  I found all of this to be fun and fascinating data to have.  And, to add a little icing to the cake, I really liked the heart rate monitor display screen on my watch.  It was the same as my normal screen, displaying pace and distance... but the overall time was replaced by heart rate.  This is fine by me because I never really cared about time... it has always been about distance and pace for me.  So, maybe it is time to try something new.  I have to admit I am looking forward to getting out there and seeing what happens to my heart once I start moving.   

Runner Girl

I love to run.  I fell in love with running back in my high school cross country days, logging miles, team comradery- it was great.  Then I went to college and my running fell to the side.  I was too cool or too busy... I can't remember what it was.  I simply stopped running after the end of my senior cross country season and never started again.  Running and I were on a break for a long time after that- it wasn't running, it was me.  I was young, my metabolism was still fast, I thought I didn't need running.  I was wrong.

Fortunately we became reacquainted around 2007, and rekindled the flame.  I ran a lot.  I started racing- 5Ks, 10Ks, a couple of Half Marathons, two Marathons and the Ragnar Del Sol.  I even won my age group in a (very) small local 5K.  Then life happened... work, the kids got older and therefore busier... and next thing I knew we were on a break again- running and I.  We flirted.  Just as we would get something going we would drift back apart.  On again off again.  I kept up my running log, but most years the totals were just embarrassing.  From 2007-2015 I logged a total of 3677.73 miles.  That is not even on track for 5K miles in a decade.

But the thing about running, the thing that kept me coming back, is that running sets me free.  When I run I pound out all of life's problems with each strike of my foot.  And on a good day, everything is resolved a few miles in, then I go from being lost in thought to being without thought- which is a beautiful place to be.  This is where I reclaim my sanity.  This is where I rejuvenate.  This time makes me a better person.  

So, I keep trying.  I keep starting back up hoping this time will be the time I really get back into it.  That this time I will have the running epiphany that keeps me inspired.

And then I did.

At the end of the summer a few friends from work decided to put together a Ragnar team for the 2016 Del Sol.  I jumped at the opportunity to have something to train for and signed up for a spot that had me running 20.1 miles over 3 legs.  Ragnar is a unique challenge- you battle increasing sleep deprivation as you work through your miles.  In the wee hours of the morning on that crazy trip adversity struck.  It was bad.  And I overcame it.  This changed everything.  I'm probably still on my race high, but I am recommitted to running.  I want new challenges.  I want to blow up my limits and find new ones.  Hence this blog... to keep me inspired and to share my journey.

PS- you can read all about the Ragnar and the details of my inspiration in my next post "Del Sol 2016."